Dark Dream

[Annabelle O'Halloran 0]

The mist was thick in the early predawn hours offering protection as they moved silently through the forest towards the encampment. Soon the traitors would be caught and dealt with and they could return home. She looked forward, the thick mist obscuring the first group but she wasn't worried; she felt him. He was there, up ahead with Nils and Ari. Their connection was especially strong even for a mated couple. They would always know if the other was nearby.

 

"We halt," she heard whispered and suddenly tense, stopped with those in her group-the encampment was still a ways off. No doubt a night guard was posted and had been spotted. Nika and Bjroli flanked her and she turned to look behind them to pass the word to the next trio when the ear splitting scream of a Throjldahl war cry split the early morning darkness, causing a flock of heavy winged havorns to take flight from the trees above them, their panicked cries adding to the cacophony.

 

Without conscious thought her sword Hani was in her hand as she and Nika danced across each other's path, whipping sideways and out as Bjroli advanced forward.

 

"It's a trap," she heard Ari bellow from ahead of them and then the clang of durostanian steel filled her ears, her own blade slashing up and forward to catch the dull gleam of a descending weapon, its owner appearing wraithlike, only a darker shadow to define his or her position in the forest gloom. Training and instinct taking over, she fought furiously, her blood heated by the knowledge that they had been twice betrayed now. How these brjintroll would suffer for their cowardice and disloyalty! The lowest, most frozen layer of Ungandaril was still too good for their black souls. She would leave only pieces, so many that not enough would remain for her opponent to gain entry through its skull festooned gate.

 

Drawing a deep breath, she screamed her rage and pivoting, caught her opponent high on their arm, her grin savage with the satisfaction of severing that which had struck a death blow against their own people. She saw that it was Edalt who followed his arm and sword to the ground, collapsing at her feet. They'd played and trained together since childhood and he had held a banner at her and Tjarn's mating ceremony.

 

Angered at the tears which now flowed freely, she gritted her teeth. "I will not waste them on you. I will not speak your name, it is dead in my heart!" She knew however she would not return to dismember him. Someone else could do it. She couldn't deny him entrance to Ungandaril.

 

Whirling away, not wanting to see those staring eyes again, she listened carefully to the ongoing fighting, choosing her path carefully, working her way forward, Hani ready. The distinctive ringing of weapon on weapon continued, the screams though seemed further away than they should be. The mist was playing tricks on her normally acute hearing. There was a clearing up ahead and here was where the fighting was. Through the tree cover she saw Tjarn engaged in battle and determined to stand with her back to his. She emerged, Hani upraised, still smeared and dripping with Edalt's blood, in time to see and feel Tjarn fall as another fighter lunged from the mist to cowardly spear him from behind.

 

"No!" Anna screamed in her sleep, struggling to reach him. "No, Tjarn, no," she sobbed, feeling the exact moment when his life force went dark, leaving her alone.

 

Will awoke instantly, smoothly swiping the type 1 phaser off the nightstand while looking around for potential threats before he realized what had happened and looked at Anna. "Anna?! What's wrong?"

 

Still caught up in the emotion of the dream, Anna turned towards Will and exclaimed, "You're all right!" while reaching for him.

 

Will held her close for a few minutes letting her get her emotions under control before speaking, "Yeah, I'm fine but the last time I checked my name isn't Tjarn, my love."

 

"What?" Confused, she leaned back, searching his expression. "Tjarn?"

 

Will nodded and as he looked in her eyes, he saw a haunted look. Considering her emotions and what she said, he reached a conclusion. "You woke up screaming the name Tjarn and then you looked at me and was relieved that I was alright as if something had happened to me. Do you remember who this Tjarn might be?"

 

"I was dreaming," Anna began slowly, her pulse just now starting to approach something like normal. "We were moving through a forest and it was still dark, foggy... I was looking forward to getting where we were headed because--" she broke off and frowned. "Traitors. My close friends were traitors and I looked forward to killing..." She swallowed dryly and extended her arm, the one with the cuff bracelet, noting her fingers were trembling. "I saw myself holding a sword, Will. I was fighting then...it was an ambush. I cut off his arm...and I was wearing this bracelet," she whispered. She turned her head suddenly, fresh tears starting. "Tjarn was my mate. I saw him get struck down--I couldn't reach him in time!"

 

He held her close and just let her cry. Once she was back under control again, he looked at the bracelet. H'd wanted to get it scanned immediately when they returned to the ship, but Anna said she was exhausted. Will had agreed to put it off until tomorrow. Looking at the chrono, he frowned; it was 0323. He looked at Anna. "Think you are going to be able to go back to sleep? Maybe we should go to your SciLab and do that scan?"

 

"It was just a dream, Will," she said tiredly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, hating how stuffed up crying always left her feeling. "A very vivid...well, it actually felt more like a memory." She yawned sleepily; Will's arms around her driving away the already half-forgotten sorrow she'd felt. He was safe and she was safe with him. "Let's go back to sleep, hon," she murmured. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

 

Will thought about insisting but decided against it. He could be patient. He laid back down and pulled her in as close as possible. He stroked her hair, gently running it through his fingers. "Alright. Sleep well my love."

 

"You too," she whispered, remembering how right the sword had felt in her hand. Its name was Hani and the blue stones in her hilt had matched those in the bracelet.

Edited May 29, 2011 by Annabelle O'Halloran