[I totally didn't forget post the next three stories. No siree! ;>^>]Â
“Vorsaile.†A soft, strained voice called out with effort.
Turning his head, the tanned Wildwood caught the sight of his friend’s silhouette from over his shoulder. She stood in the door frame separating his bedroom from the upstairs hallway from whence she came.
“Lyhhia?†Vorsaile turned over in his bed, facing the Seeker woman.
“May… may I sleep- sleep with you?â€
A sympathetic sigh passed his lips.
“Yes… come here.†he replied, pulling the covers aside and patting the free space beside him.
D'ly sluggishly shuffled over to the bed.
Reaching out, Vorsaile took hold of D'ly’s hands which had clung to the end of her black camie.
“Tell me,†he began, slowly guiding her into the free spot with his hands and soothing warm voice. “what has you up so late?â€
Easing onto her side she spoke. “I- I am unable to- to sleep.â€
“I can see that.†he watched her settle in, sliding the covers up to her shoulder once she had gotten comfortable. “What troubles you?†he reworded the question.
“I- I had a nightmare.†she replied, soon followed by a frustrated huff of air escaping her nose.
Slipping his left arm under her neck and his right over her torso, he protectively pulled her toward him.
“What kind of nightmare?†he asked, gently rubbing her back with a side to side motion while his chin rested against the top of her head.
There was a moment of silence as she mustered the courage to speak of the horrid images her dream had plagued her with.
“I was- I was in Coerthas.†she pressed her forehead against his undershirt covered chest. It was a means to make her feel secure in her shaken state. “With- with a friend, the- the Seeker from Limsa.â€
“The captain?â€
She nodded, brows furrowed.
“I- I am not- not sure why she was there…†she explained, confused by the details of her dream. “The rest- rest of the people at- at the camp were- were other adventurers and soldiersâ€
“Dreams…†the word lingered a moment, “don’t always make sense.†he reminded her, then asked. “You said you were at a camp?â€
“We- we were on patrol near one.†Her ears lowered slightly. “The- the camp was not- not far from where others fought- fought the dragon hordes.â€
“Did a dragon show up?†he already knew the answer, but asked to coax her to continue.
“Yes.†she tensed at the thought. “ We must- must have been five hundred or- or so yalms from the- the camp.†her fingers clenched his shirt as she whispered, “It- it landed in front- front of us and turned- turned its attention to- to one of the soldiers.â€
Vorsaile tilted his head down with his lips pressed to her head. He asked calmly through her hair, “What happened next?â€
“I- I yelled at it.â€
“Yelled? You can do that?†he tased her in attempt to lighten her mood.
She puffed her cheeks, blowing the air out soon after to reply. “…somewhat.â€
“You yelled at the dragon.â€
She nodded, explaining, “I- I yelled to- to pull its- its attention from the soldier.â€
“Dream you is brave.†he added, “Just like the real you.â€
She said nothing, tightening her grip on his shirt.
“Did it work?†he asked a moment later.
“No.â€
“I’m not surprised. If I were a dragon I wouldn’t be scared of your squeaky yells.â€
“Vorsaile!†she squeaked, tilting her head up only to get a view of the front of his neck.
He broke out into a hardy laugh at the sound of her squeak, his nose nuzzling the top of her head. “See? How could a dragon take that seriously?â€
“…it- it can not.†She pouted. “So I shot it.â€
“Did that work?â€
“Yes.â€
“That’s good.â€
“No.â€
“No?†He cocked a brow.
She shook her head. “The- the dragon swung his tail around and hit- hit my bow, then my side sending me to- to the ground covered snow.†she briefly paused. “My bow broke. Part of it- it went into- into my side.â€
He cringed at the thought and made sure his hand continued to give a comforting back rub.
“It- it was c-cold. Everything… hurt.â€
“I’m sure it did.†he replied with a tender tone.
“My- my friend and another came for- for me.†her words started to catch in her throat, to shake at the bloody memory which was her nightmare. “They- they dragged me- me through the snow, away from the- the dragon, towards the- the camp.â€
Her shaky words fell into silence for a brief moment before, once again whispering, “I- I saw it-it s-snap a person in half with it’s- it’s mouth. That… that is- is all I remember.†She lied about remembering.
“Lyhhia,†he cooed, “it was only a dream. Dreams can’t hurt you.â€
Leaning up, she pressed her forehead to the front of his neck, her hands draping behind it in a form of a hug.
“What- what if Ishgard can not- not hold the horde?†she asked.
It was the same concern Vorsaile had asked himself many times before, yet never out loud.
“Then we fight.â€
He didn’t want to admit to her that he feared Ishgard couldn’t hold their own. He wouldn’t burden her with his fear. Still, he couldn’t sugar coat the possibility.
“Very well.†she slid her forehead down his neck, coming to a halt at his collar.
“You should sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.†he suggested, returning his chin to her head.
“May I- I stay here?â€
“Of course.†Pulling his right arm out from under the covers he reached over and tucked the sheets under her body. He returned his arm back over her torso, keeping her close to help her fall asleep feeling protected and warm.
“Thank you.†she mumbled against his chest, falling asleep not long after.
“Vorsaile.†A soft, strained voice called out with effort.
Turning his head, the tanned Wildwood caught the sight of his friend’s silhouette from over his shoulder. She stood in the door frame separating his bedroom from the upstairs hallway from whence she came.
“Lyhhia?†Vorsaile turned over in his bed, facing the Seeker woman.
“May… may I sleep- sleep with you?â€
A sympathetic sigh passed his lips.
“Yes… come here.†he replied, pulling the covers aside and patting the free space beside him.
D'ly sluggishly shuffled over to the bed.
Reaching out, Vorsaile took hold of D'ly’s hands which had clung to the end of her black camie.
“Tell me,†he began, slowly guiding her into the free spot with his hands and soothing warm voice. “what has you up so late?â€
Easing onto her side she spoke. “I- I am unable to- to sleep.â€
“I can see that.†he watched her settle in, sliding the covers up to her shoulder once she had gotten comfortable. “What troubles you?†he reworded the question.
“I- I had a nightmare.†she replied, soon followed by a frustrated huff of air escaping her nose.
Slipping his left arm under her neck and his right over her torso, he protectively pulled her toward him.
“What kind of nightmare?†he asked, gently rubbing her back with a side to side motion while his chin rested against the top of her head.
There was a moment of silence as she mustered the courage to speak of the horrid images her dream had plagued her with.
“I was- I was in Coerthas.†she pressed her forehead against his undershirt covered chest. It was a means to make her feel secure in her shaken state. “With- with a friend, the- the Seeker from Limsa.â€
“The captain?â€
She nodded, brows furrowed.
“I- I am not- not sure why she was there…†she explained, confused by the details of her dream. “The rest- rest of the people at- at the camp were- were other adventurers and soldiersâ€
“Dreams…†the word lingered a moment, “don’t always make sense.†he reminded her, then asked. “You said you were at a camp?â€
“We- we were on patrol near one.†Her ears lowered slightly. “The- the camp was not- not far from where others fought- fought the dragon hordes.â€
“Did a dragon show up?†he already knew the answer, but asked to coax her to continue.
“Yes.†she tensed at the thought. “ We must- must have been five hundred or- or so yalms from the- the camp.†her fingers clenched his shirt as she whispered, “It- it landed in front- front of us and turned- turned its attention to- to one of the soldiers.â€
Vorsaile tilted his head down with his lips pressed to her head. He asked calmly through her hair, “What happened next?â€
“I- I yelled at it.â€
“Yelled? You can do that?†he tased her in attempt to lighten her mood.
She puffed her cheeks, blowing the air out soon after to reply. “…somewhat.â€
“You yelled at the dragon.â€
She nodded, explaining, “I- I yelled to- to pull its- its attention from the soldier.â€
“Dream you is brave.†he added, “Just like the real you.â€
She said nothing, tightening her grip on his shirt.
“Did it work?†he asked a moment later.
“No.â€
“I’m not surprised. If I were a dragon I wouldn’t be scared of your squeaky yells.â€
“Vorsaile!†she squeaked, tilting her head up only to get a view of the front of his neck.
He broke out into a hardy laugh at the sound of her squeak, his nose nuzzling the top of her head. “See? How could a dragon take that seriously?â€
“…it- it can not.†She pouted. “So I shot it.â€
“Did that work?â€
“Yes.â€
“That’s good.â€
“No.â€
“No?†He cocked a brow.
She shook her head. “The- the dragon swung his tail around and hit- hit my bow, then my side sending me to- to the ground covered snow.†she briefly paused. “My bow broke. Part of it- it went into- into my side.â€
He cringed at the thought and made sure his hand continued to give a comforting back rub.
“It- it was c-cold. Everything… hurt.â€
“I’m sure it did.†he replied with a tender tone.
“My- my friend and another came for- for me.†her words started to catch in her throat, to shake at the bloody memory which was her nightmare. “They- they dragged me- me through the snow, away from the- the dragon, towards the- the camp.â€
Her shaky words fell into silence for a brief moment before, once again whispering, “I- I saw it-it s-snap a person in half with it’s- it’s mouth. That… that is- is all I remember.†She lied about remembering.
“Lyhhia,†he cooed, “it was only a dream. Dreams can’t hurt you.â€
Leaning up, she pressed her forehead to the front of his neck, her hands draping behind it in a form of a hug.
“What- what if Ishgard can not- not hold the horde?†she asked.
It was the same concern Vorsaile had asked himself many times before, yet never out loud.
“Then we fight.â€
He didn’t want to admit to her that he feared Ishgard couldn’t hold their own. He wouldn’t burden her with his fear. Still, he couldn’t sugar coat the possibility.
“Very well.†she slid her forehead down his neck, coming to a halt at his collar.
“You should sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.†he suggested, returning his chin to her head.
“May I- I stay here?â€
“Of course.†Pulling his right arm out from under the covers he reached over and tucked the sheets under her body. He returned his arm back over her torso, keeping her close to help her fall asleep feeling protected and warm.
“Thank you.†she mumbled against his chest, falling asleep not long after.