Nightmares

Before I fell asleep, I sent each of the Trio a text saying that I wouldn’t be at school until Friday. Also, I sent them bits of what I had done for our shared classes. I have rarely ever done anything for myself and this headmaster-approved vacation will serve as an early graduation present to myself. I picked up my book, which I intended to read until I fell asleep. After a few hours of reading, sleep took me and plunged me into my memories. I watched my six-year-old self run into the woods. It was one of the many times that I sought refuge in the woods to hide from the kids at the orphanage. I see myself looking around. This must have been the time after I had run into that dragon because I could vaguely see the scar poke out from my shirt. 

I see myself hiding in the trunk of a tree. I remember doing that but I don't remember what comes next. This dream shows something entirely different from what I remembered before. I hear the bullies’ voices approach my location. A dragon’s roar shakes the trees. A green dragon with silver eyes lands between the bullies and me. It's the same one that clawed me. I rubbed my back because the scar began to burn. That's a detail I don't remember, as was the dragon’s appearance. I feel my pulse racing and my heart beating so fast, I hear pounding in my ears, and suddenly, I feel the world spin. I woke up in a sweat. So the dragon appearing was why I fainted? I must have had a panic attack. Back then, I woke up inside the tree trunk. I had just thought that I had fallen asleep. 

Even if that one dragon tried to protect me, I still fear and hate seeing them. It scarred me, but why? That wasn’t for protection, was it? Ugh! My mind won’t shutoff. I decided to go to the kitchen and brew some tea. Tea has always helped calm my nerves. As I reach for my usual Jasmine tea, a box catches my eye. It is Jasmine tea mixed with butterfly pea flowers. I think I will try it, because anything with Jasmine in it must be good. After I put the kettle on, I get out my favorite mug. It has a quote on it that I have always found comforting: ‘It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light,’ by Aristotle. 

After the kettle whistles, I pour the hot water into my mug and drop the tea ball into the water. I hold the steaming mug under my nose and inhale. I am immediately transported to a strangely familiar yet beautiful world. Jasmine vines hang from the trees and these beautiful purple and blue flowers grow below the fragrant decorative boughs. As quickly as I was thrust into that world, I was returned to reality when I heard my name.

“Avery, Avery, are you okay?” Conner asks.

“Yeah, I just couldn't sleep. Why?”

“I have been calling your name for the last five minutes,” he replies.

“Oh, I must have zoned out. Do you need something?” I had that vision, but I wasn’t comfortable sharing it just yet.

Conner sighs, giving me a glimpse at the human in him instead of his dragon. “No, I can't seem to fall asleep,” he says.

I offered him some tea and he accepted. We sit at the counter and sip the tea at the same time. “Oooo, this tastes like blueberry muffins.” We looked at each other and shared a rare smile.

“It does. I have not had this since I was little. Where did you find it?” he asks.

“In the cabinet near my Jasmine tea. I had never noticed it before so I decided to try it, and I am glad that I did because I think that I found my new favorite tea. Where did it come from?”

“Corra. That tribe is known for its variety of flowers and for using them for medicinal reasons in both dragons and humans. My parents likely brought this back from one of their diplomatic missions,” he explains.

We sat in contemplative silence for a bit before we both returned to our rooms.

Conner's POV

I tossed and turned for a few hours once I got home from the restaurant. Every time I would fall asleep I would dream of my parents and wake up. I went to the kitchen to find something to relax me. Avery was making tea, so I accepted her offer to make me some. Little did I know that it would be my childhood favorite. I thought Cassius ordered everything of our parents’ to be removed except for the few paintings that hang on palace walls. Imagine my surprise when I tasted that tea. Avery said it was her new favorite and I had to quickly hide the smile on my face behind my mug. 

I got quiet after I explained where the tea came from, because so many memories came flooding back to me. Things were so much simpler when we were young. I often wish I could rewind time and I would have told my parents I wanted to be king. They could have helped me prepare for what was to come. I am also not happy with the guy I see when I look in the mirror. I need to change and get better after my Grand Ceremony. I will stand up to my brothers and tell them that I want to be the next king. I doubt that Clint would challenge me, but Cassius might. I don't want to fight my brothers, but some things are worth fighting for. 

I remove my pants and t-shirt before I crawl back into bed. Staring at the ceiling, I lay there until sleep takes me. Hours later, I woke up gripping my sheets. I had dreamt of dragon talons gripping Avery’s shoulders to carry her off. It angered me, too. I am not sure why it affected me, but it did. It was probably just the nostalgia from earlier mixing with my parents’ death. I showered and got dressed before I headed off to school. I will be early and hopefully not run into Heidi. I don't want to explain anything to her, especially these strange things that have been happening lately.