Astith's Prophecy

Chapter 26

~Danielle's POV~

I'm in the woods again but this time I'm alone. I feel like I'm going somewhere but I'm not sure where. I keep walking until I'm in a cemetery and see my brother except that he's younger and I see him crying. I see my younger self trying to console him but no use and I turned away to let him be.

I gasp realizing that he is fifteen and the grave he is at is Sophia's. This is the first time he ever cried or maybe the first time he ever cried in front of me. I try to call out to him and walk over but I am back in the woods again.

As I look around all I see is the woods. I run searching for my brother, but I am lost. I keep falling on broken branches and weeds in the ground. I cry out for him, but no one answers.

I fall for the last time, my legs tired as I give up and cry...I guess I will be forever lost...

End of dream

I open my eyes in my room at the palace. I have tears in my eyes and I wipe them away. I get up slowly feeling tired. I look out the window and see the sun rising. I sigh and just tell myself it was nothing. Dreams are just dreams. I tell myself that over and over again but the dream about my parents came true. I keep asking myself if my other dreams will too but I guess I'll never know.

I get dressed and walk out the room and down the stairs. This dream I just had have to have been just a dream a memory but I never got lost in the woods before.

I go outside to get some air when I see Jake and TN running with Dark behind them. They stop when they see me.

"Good morning Danielle how did you sleep?" My brother asked.

"Fine just had another dream, that's all" I looked at him and added "why don't you have a shirt on?"

He looks down like he didn't even realize "oh well I was running didn't want to ruin it"

I look at TN and then back at my brother "right ok. I'm hungry you wanna come eat with me?"

"I don't know what you think TN wanna go get some food?" He looked at her waiting for her to answer.

"I don't care." TN shrugged.

"Great let's go" he said walking to the dining room. He seems like he's in a good mood. I follow him with TN walking beside me. We go into the dining hall with only a few people eating.

We get our food and sit down at the table we always go to. I eat in silence while I think about my dream.

I hear someone sit next to me and when I look, I see the prince.

"Good morning." The prince said. "Did everyone sleep well?"

TN lets out a grunt as she gives all of her food to Dark. Dark eats it without complaint.

"I slept ok. What about you prince?" I asked.

"I actually slept in later than usual. Thanks to two certain people fighting."

"Oh well, you're welcome." I turned and gave him a fake smile.

TN snorts. The prince seems amused. He leans against the table with his head in his hand.

"But I will admit, it was a spectacular sight to watch." The prince said. "Makes me wonder who is the strongest out of the two of you."

I laugh "I really don't think you want to find out"

My brother gives me a look, but I ignore him.

"I have to say," TN finally spoke up, "that was the most fun I have in a long time. Definitely better than the monsters in the forest."

We all turn to stare at TN. TN blinks at us, not sure why we are staring.

"What?"

"Monsters?" I asked in confusion.

"Yeah. What about them?"

"You fight them?" the prince asked. "Like how often?"

"Almost every week, I think."

I gave her a confused look "I didn't know there were monsters in the forest. I mean I knew something had to be out there I just thought like a lot of wolves and bears or something"

"I haven't spotted any wolves besides Dark and bears tend to roam around in the deeper part of the forest. Monsters live near the edge of the forest."

"Oh, right ok" I said, still confused.

"I mean, I think I killed most of them, but there might be more that I missed."

"Well that's good" I said thinking that that would have been fun and very relaxing to get my anger out.

"Yeah. Honestly, it was a great stress-reliever." she said like she read my mind. "Except for the whole almost getting killed part, but that is a little price to pay."

"Exactly see nobody gets that it's a great way to help die down your anger" I look at my brother.

"Yeah if you want to die" he said.

"I haven't died yet" I smugly say.

"No but you take it too far"

I shrug "I don't want people to think I'm weak"

I look around to see people coming in getting food. My brother doesn't say anything else he doesn't have to. I know what he's thinking. I see out the corner of my eye that he gives TN the rest of his food which is half. TN shakes her head and pushes the food back towards him. He gives her a look and gives it back to her. I turn my head to watch them in amusement. TN lets out a huff before pushing the plate back. Before he can continue this apparently never-ending conflict, TN gets up.

"What's the point in showing people that you are strong if you are dead?" TN asked.

With that, TN leaves the dining hall. Dark lets out a bark before running after her. The prince sighs as he too gets up from his seat.

"I have to go, too." the prince said. "And I do agree with TN. There is no point killing yourself just to show people that you aren't weak. If anything, I think you are strong. Both in mind and spirit."

The prince walks away and that leaves with just two of us.

"Thanks a lot Danielle" my brother said before returning to his food. He frowns and pushes it away.

"Yes because it's all my fault" I said.

"Whatever I have to go" he got up.

"Are you seriously mad at me?"

"You take things to far and you made her upset"

"She's not Sophia" I say and immediately regret it. I know why I had that dream last night. Today was the day she died.

He clenched his jaw and his hand turned into a fist "don't you ever mention her again we talked about this" and with that he stormed off leaving me alone.