Song: https://youtu.be/CTspcr3Iaws

The sun was low in the sky by the time we reached another village, but I was rather surprised how closely knit these communities were. Then again, when the forest was so difficult to navigate, perhaps the villages were built this close together for a reason.

Barrett and I walked along in silence, my gaze on the ground. I hadn't said a word to him since we began walking again, and he hadn't spoken much either, other than grunting once and a while in complaint to his hurting leg.

The village's market was still open, and for some reason, Barrett took an interest in it. I found out why after he had bought a couple loaves of bread from the pouch I'd given him. He held out a loaf to me, but I didn't look at it, or him, only shaking my head silently. I didn't want anything from him anymore, besides, I wasn't hungry.

I could feel his stare, but the heat from his gaze just passed right through me. I didn't care anymore, is that what he wanted? Was he happy now? Sighing, he put the loaves in his pack and told me to follow after him, to which I did.

We came to another stall, and another. Barrett was trying to get me to look at their wares, perhaps he was trying to distract me for some reason, but I didn't lift my eyes once.

"Alright, stay right here. I'll be right back." He told me before walking off. Would he really come back? Or was he leaving me now that I'd called him out? Did he really have any more use for me, now that my visions were fighting against what he wanted? I decided that I didn't really care. If he didn't come back, I didn't know what I'd do, but at the moment, I didn't really care. I'd gotten a job before, I could get another.

"Monica?"

The voice was familiar, but not Barrett's, so I glanced over at them, catching sight of his red hair under his hood. It was Elwen. I stared at him for a moment before looking back at the ground.

"What's the matter? Are you ok?" He asked, coming over to me from another stall, but I merely shrugged.

"Just..bad dreams." I muttered. It technically wasn't a lie. Though I did wonder what he was doing here, at the same time, I found I didn't want to think about how or why. I was thankful for someone to talk to, even if I really didn't want to talk all that much. At least I could talk to him, better than I could with Barrett.

"Really? That's actually what I came here for. I heard they had some elixirs to calm the mind while you slept. After hearing about your strange dream, I wondered if one might help you. I didn't expect you to be here though. Did you come for the elixirs too?" He asked while I just blinked at my skirt.

"Sure." I shrugged, just going along with it. At least I wouldn't have to come up with an excuse to cover Barrett's stupid behind.

"I've actually got one on me right here." He told me, pulling out a small vial. "I just found it. Here. You can have it." He told me, holding it out to me. I glanced at the vial before taking hold of it. Perhaps it would be good to be able to ignore my dreams for a while. All it ever showed me was Astra anyways, not a way to get home.

"Thanks, Elwen." I told him, before opening the vial and downing the contents. He blinked at me in surprise at how quickly I drank it, or perhaps the elixir was supposed to be taken right before bed. Oh well. I didn't have anything on me worth stealing, and if Barrett came back, he'd deal with my unconscious body. Maybe.

I tossed the vial back to Elwen, to which he fumbled with it, barely catching it as I looked around for Barrett. As expected, he was nowhere in sight. But I didn't care much. Good riddance.

Suddenly, the numbness in my fingers spread up my arms as I stumbled back into Elwen, who caught me before I fell over.

"I'm sorry." I heard him mumble before seeing the world begin to spin. But I didn't say anything, I didn't care. This wasn't an elixir for sleep, it was a drug. Guess I should've known better, Barrett had told me he was a rat. It seemed almost comical that he would turn out to be right. Even so, I found myself blocking out the raven haired man's words. I didn't care. It didn't matter anymore, he had run off without me, finally getting rid of me.

"I want to go home." I slurred up at the darkening sky before closing my eyes. Pleading with my subconscious. Please, just show me my home. Show me my mother. Tell me she's alright.

~~

When my eyes opened again, I was staring up at the ceiling. Not the one of the doctor's house, or of any kind of inn. It was too ornate. Sitting up, I looked down at myself, seeing that I was laid amongst some rather fine sheets. My dirty dress looked like garbage over top of them. So I got off the bed, looking around at the room. A chair was set next to the bed, with a lovely dress with rich green coloring set over the back. I arched a brow at the clothes, before seeing the door open.

A young lady came in with a towel before jumping at the sight of me. "Oh! You're awake, good evening m'lady." She said before bowing to me. I frowned at her in confusion.

"Where am I?" I asked wearily as she walked around the side of the room, over to a tub that I hadn't noticed before. The wooden container was situated among tiles in the corner, filled with steaming water.

"You're staying in The House of Ichor." She told me, and I felt a shiver of familiarity at the name. But I couldn't remember where I'd heard it. "The Lord of the House has requested your presence as soon as you awoke. But I insisted you be able to bathe and change clothes. You are a guest after all." She told me as I hesitantly walked over to her. She handed me the towels. "Would you like help?" She asked, but I shook my head.

"No, thank you." I managed with a tight and brief smile. She simply nodded before curtsying to me and heading out of the room. I watched her leave before looking back at the water. What happened? Why was I suddenly in this place?

My head pounded as I tried to think back. The last thing I remembered was Elwen giving me a vial, then apologizing. I shook my head, trying to figure out where he had taken me. Who even was Elwen? Did he own this house? Why kidnap me?

Taking one more look around the room, I decided to lock the door and take advantage of the bath that was provided. It felt like an eternity since I'd been able to bathe, and I suddenly wondered how long I'd been unconscious. To transport me from a village to some nobleman's house, I doubted that the journey was a short one. How far had I been taken?

I scrubbed myself clean and then my jeans, not daring to put on a dress without them. For all I knew, I might need to run. The last thing I needed was to be trying to hide and be wearing something that stuck out from the terrain like a sore thumb. I was also able to find my satchel, set next to my bed. My shirt was still there, but the rope Barrett had let me keep was gone.

Well, that wasn't foreboding at all!

After slipping into the elegant gown, I stuffed my undershirt into the skirt pocket. There was no telling if I would need it, and I'd rather not give my host any indication of me being ready to bolt.

Once I was dressed and set my satchel back where it had been put, I found a mirror in the room and wondered if I should even bother with my hair. I didn't know too many hair styles, but perhaps braiding it out of my face would serve me well. So I did, pulling it back and braiding the brown strands like a rope that hung down my back. A few locks hung around my face, too short to be pulled back in a braid. But it was the best I could do. I then ripped off a piece of my old dress's sleeve and used it like a ribbon, seeing as I didn't have anything else to tie off my hair with.

A knock came from my door, and I looked over at it before swallowing. I suppose it was time to finally meet my host, and abductor.

"Yes?" I called before heading towards the door. The dress had come with slippers, but I decided to keep my sneakers, no one would see them under the long skirt, and I didn't prefer slippers anyhow. It was too easy for them to slip off.

"M'lady? Are you ready?" The voice was of the servant from before. I took a deep breath before unlocking the door. No point in delaying the inevitable.

When I opened the door, the young lady smiled at me. "You look lovely, M'lady." She complimented, before gesturing down the hall. "This way, if you please." She then headed in the direction she had gestured. I watched her for a second before closing the door behind me and following after her. Seems like all I'd done since coming here was follow others. Would there ever be a time that I could walk down a path and not wonder where I was going?

It was a rather short walk, into a large study, with a desk in the center and three seats. One behind the desk, and two on the other side, the backs of the chairs facing the doors. There was no one in the chairs.

"Good evening, your grace." A voice spoke from off to the side, and I jumped, whipping my head around to make eye contact with a pair of green eyes. Their dark color matched the dress I wore, but the similarity caused a shiver to snake down my back, like a streak of cold sweat. "I trust you slept well?"

One of his hands was held behind his back, the other holding an open book in front of him. He had been reading before I walked in.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your reading." I murmured, my voice not nearly as loud as I wished it to be. Lord Dominic snapped the book shut with an easy smile before approaching me quite quickly. Only a couple of steps and he was right next to me.

"Don't be ridiculous. One can read at any time." He told me before holding the book out to me. I glanced at him and then at the book before gently taking the leather bound scripts.

"Open it."

Confused, my eyes flicked between him and the book before flipping open the cover. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I tried to swallow the dread that clung to my shoulders. The detailed sketch that stared back at me was all too familiar. Yet it felt too long ago that I'd seen his face.

"You look just like your grandfather." Dominic whispered in my ear. His words made my hands tremble, to the point that the book tipped out of my grip, landing on the carpet with a thud.

Have you ever stopped caring like this? Given up, so completely...that you neglect your own health? Safety?

Please, don't do this. You will surely regret it.

Keep trying. I know it's hard. But keep going. If you don't, you will be swallowed whole.

Burn Bright, and share your light this Evening,

G'Night Stars