Song: https://youtu.be/7s48b8yR1KU

Two days, and we had made it. Our rations were completely gone, and my legs ached from the long hike here. But we had managed the trek and were now in the midst of many people. The streets were crowded and loud. With hawkers calling out their wares and many people singing and talking with excitement.

Barrett managed to get us a decent breakfast with the coins from the bag I had given him and I enjoyed an egg on seasoned bread. But the noise of all the people was very loud, Barrett had to lean in close for me to even hear him.

"Anything look familiar?" He asked in my ear after I had eaten and I gazed quickly around at the town. But the road we came from wasn't the main road, and was hugged on both sides by inns and taverns. No trees, just street and buildings.

I shook my head as Barrett huffed, stuffing the rest of his bread in his mouth as he shook out his arms and hands. He practiced grasping at his bow a couple times, like he was going to shoot something. But I then took his hand, pulling him into the street, pretending to be shopping around, and trying not to look suspicious.

It was difficult, seeing as I was wearing my jeans. But I tried to keep my cloak draped about my frame to hide my pants. Which seemed to work well enough as the morning wore into the evening. This village was very large, I didn't really want to call it a village truly, but perhaps it only seemed bigger with all these people here.

As we grew closer to the edge of the village, I suddenly froze as we heard a horn from back up the street. People were starting to move out of the way of the main road, and I desperately tried to keep a tight hold on Barrett's hand as we followed the crowd off to the side. Where was Dominic?!

"Mon." Barrett called to me as I kept looking around desperately. I spotted the tops of a gilded caravan starting our way. The horn blaring once again. My heart was pounding as my eyes flew to any greenery in the area.

There were trees everywhere at the edge of the town. But it took several moments before the glint of something caught my eye. My gaze snapped upwards at one of the trees. Several feet away from Barrett and I was a lone tree that stuck out from the crowd. The glint was from an arrow's tip, I knew it, and with closer inspection, I could vaguely make out a crouched form in the branches.

"Barrett!" I gasped, pointing at the lone tree. But I only glanced at him before hearing the blare of the horn a third time. More shuffling caused me to stumble, losing my grip on the thief's hand, when I spotted the golden caravan heading past.

The King was seated in one of the coaches, his blonde hair matching the prince's almost exactly. I wanted to shout for him to stop. But everyone else was also yelling. What could I do?

I looked around quickly for Barrett, but couldn't see him anywhere as the caravan headed for that lone tree, just like in my dream. I began to push my way through the crowd, no longer carrying to conceal my strange clothes as I squeezed around and through people, excusing myself as I went.

The King's coach was almost to the tree when I broke through the crowd, nearly tripping over my own cloak. Suddenly, I spotted movement in the tree. But it wasn't an arrow, flying out of the branches. Instead, it was a body, being yanked to the ground by someone else.

Screams rang out from the area as Barrett grappled with Dominic. Who's bow and the poisoned arrow had fallen into the street. I ran over to them as the caravan stopped, and just as Dominic had wrestled Barrett off, reaching for his bow, I snatched up the arrow out of his reach, holding it tightly with both hands as I stepped quickly away from him. Our eyes locked, as his dark eyes bore into mine with a scowl.

Guards surrounded the King's coach, along with me and the two men who had been fighting. They restrained both Barrett and Dominic, until the later man spoke up.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'm not going anywhere." He told the guards, brushing himself off, and straightening his hair.

"What's the meaning of this?"

I turned around, facing the King's coach, as the blonde sat up straighter, looking out the window at me. Now that I could see him more clearly, he truly did look like his son, but with an older frame and wrinkles on his face. But his eyes were kind. Approaching carefully, I held out the arrow to him, swallowing before I spoke, hoping that my voice wouldn't shake.

"Your majesty, Lord Dominic, planned to shoot you with this very arrow." I told him, bowing my head as I held out the arrow to him.

"That's absurd. I was tasked with protecting the King as he rode through." The marquis scoffed as the King took the arrow from my hands. I straightened, looking back at Dominic with a frown.

"Then why would you use a poison tipped arrow if you were only defending this caravan? You were also out of sight of the king and his guards." I challenged him, to which I saw him twitch. Barrett shook off the guards that had restrained him, but didn't even try to straighten his clothes, his eyes trapped on me as I stood between the marquis and the king.

"Lord Dominic. What is your excuse? Hiding from the caravan, and this peculiar arrow?" The king asked, although his tone wasn't very accusing. Did he really believe us? Or did his favor fall with the Marquis?

"Well, if enemies think they are not being watched, they'll be more obvious, and a dead assassin isn't much of an assassin are they?" He reasoned with the king. I glanced back at the king before frowning at Dominic. While his logic seemed reasonable, I was not going to let him get away with this and try again later.

"This Lord has done more than attempt to kill the King. He has slaughtered the innocent while hunting thieves like wild game. He takes pleasure in causing people pain, and will silence anyone who opposes him without hesitation." I said loud enough for the people in the crowd to hear. Then I looked back at the king, with a pleading look.

He looked at the arrow in his hands before gazing at me. Then he looked around at the people in the crowd. The noise from before had quieted to near silence. Everyone was staring, and listening. The king then locked eyes on Barrett. "You're the one who pulled the Marquis from the tree. What do you say?" He asked, as I looked back at Barrett. He stared right at the king with a frown.

"Monica was the one who saw him in the tree. But I saw his arrow, pointed at the caravan before I pulled him out of hiding." Dominic chuckled again, shaking his head. But the King gestured to the guards as he looked at the Marquis.

"Lord Dominic, I would like you to be taken back to the capital, where we will open an investigation." He said, causing me to smile with a sigh of relief. However, when I turned back to Dominic, he had sprinted forward, his eyes making contact with mine.

I gasped, stumbling back when he clasped his hand around my throat. Was he really trying to kill the king? Or was it me he was after? The look in his eyes seemed to have no thought, only an objective. Kill.

My eyes widened at the sight of a dagger in his other hand. Suddenly, his dark green eyes turned black as he froze in place. I blinked at him confused, until I glanced down slightly. An arrow was thrust through his neck.

His hand lost its grip as he leaned precariously and then toppled off to the side. Revealing to me, Barrett, standing with his bow in one hand, the other held open after firing. His red eyes seemed to pierce right through mine as I offered him a relieved smile.

"You really saved me. The both of you." The king said from behind me, and when I turned around, I saw his wide eyed expression as he stared at the Marquis's lifeless form on the ground. "I'd plenty of complaints from the dark forest, but I was never sure if they were true. Now I see, The marquis simply had a blind fold tied too tightly over my eyes.." He spoke slowly, quietly, as if trying to snap himself out of a daze.

I didn't dare follow the King's gaze to the corpse behind me. Instead, I turned my head to watch Barrett approach me, he set a hand on my shoulder. My hands and my legs then began to tremble. It was over. We did it, and I was still alive!

The King noticed my shaky frame, and brought us into his coach as the body was taken away. "Tell me. How did you two find out about this plot? Or is it too long of a story?" He asked, to which Barrett glanced at me. But I just leaned my head on his shoulder. I was still recovering from everything that had happened and my mind was spinning.

"The short answer, your majesty, is that Monica here, is a Seer. Her grandfather was William Carfath." He explained as the King took us to a nearby inn. The Thief told a rather summarized version of everything we'd gone through and the King listened fervently. When we reached the inn, Barrett continued to tell our story to the king as we gathered something of an audience. I wouldn't say it out loud, but I think Barrett enjoyed the attention, just a little.

When he had finished, the King shook his head in disbelief before looking back at me. "You know this world only through dreams, and the short time you've been here. Yet you risked your life to help me, and the people of the dark forest. How can I thank you two?" He asked. To which, Barrett was rather quick to answer.

"Let the people of the dark forest choose the next Marquis. The dukes and lords around here need to be torn down a peg or two. Give the normal man a voice for once."

The King and I both stared at Barrett in surprise. It wasn't what I expected him to say, but his desire made me smile as I turned back to the king and nodded.

"Yes. Give them a chance to choose who will govern their home." I added, and the king chuckled.

"Very well. If that is what you desire. Is that all?" He asked, and as I looked back at Barrett, he locked eyes with me, as if wondering the same thing.

"Yes. That's all. You needn't worry about the two of us, your majesty. We can get by just fine." I told him before winking at Barrett.

The older gentleman chuckled again as the thief blushed, looking away. "I can see that. Well then, I shall set to work immediately. What will you do?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"If it is alright with you, your majesty. I'd like to travel and see more of this land. After all, it's as you said. I've only seen Astra through dreams, and my experiences so far." He nodded as I saw Barrett get up, as if to walk away.

"Where will you go?" He asked as I reached out a hand, catching Barrett's hand. I wanted him to hear this.

"Wherever, my guardian angel goes."

I let go of his hand gently, letting him walk off as the King and I chatted a bit more. Turns out, Barrett was simply going to get us more food. I realized after he set it down, that the evening had worn into the night, and I had to try not to look as starved as I was.

Finally, the king's questions were satisfied, and he left the thief and I to eat alone. I munched on a leg of chicken Barrett had set in front of me.

"Guardian angel?" He snorted as I giggled.

"Would you prefer, knight in shining armor?" I asked, batting my eyelashes, he grimaced.

"Dearly beloved? My one true love?" I teased, his cheeks nearly turned redder than his eyes as I continued until he begged me to stop, making me laugh.

"What ever happened to wanting to go home?" He asked, as I looked around us at the tavern. Lively music was playing and there were couples that were dancing in the middle of the floor. Seems there was much celebration in the dark forest, now that the Marquis was gone.

"If I leave now, I may never learn what my grandfather did here, or why he came. Or why any of my family were here. I want to know more. Not just about Astra, but of the seers who came before. I want to see my mother again. But, if I leave now, there's no telling if I'll be able to come back." I explained as He shook his head.

"Looks like you've got a long journey ahead." He mused as I got to my feet, walking around the table.

"That's true, so for now, why don't we enjoy tonight?" I suggested as I heard a particularly nice song begin. Barrett arched a brow at me in confusion until I grabbed his hand, pulling him up and towards the dance floor.

The End

This was a book I wrote straight out. A rough draft, so I do hope you all will excuse the awkwardness in these chapters. Especially the end. It took a turn I had not originally intended. But at the same time, it was the ending that seemed to fit better.

Seer In the DreamScape is a stand alone. But please, tell me your theories.

Why do you think her family has such a gift? Or this bizarre connection to a world that is not their own?

I'd love to hear the speculation.

I hope you liked the journey, and that you will be seen on more of the travels I've written out for you.

There will be a gap between original works, but until I post the next original work, I will try to keep my other books updated.

Do have a peaceful evening, and sleep well.

G'Night Stars