Amelia was having trouble deciphering whether or not everything that had happened was just a bad dream to eventually wake up from. Here she was, in a cold forest in the middle of the night with a strange man who had just killed her lover after she and her camp were attack by malevolent entities. Her eyes followed him as she dug the shapes around them in the ground. 

And now, he was asking her if she had questions. 

“That is an understatement,” her voice hoarsely replied. “I would not even know where to begin.” 

She had made herself as comfortable as she could:  A sort of fetal position with her arm used as a pillow. With no fire, it was a frigid night, especially seeing as she wasn’t dressed in full gear, but she attempted to hide her dissatisfaction with the arrangements. It was not like she had a choice in the matter. 

“Well, in a selfish manner, I supposed I am curious what should happen to me now,” she admitted. “I am no child of God. I was only alive by the graces of the King, and now that he is…dead,” it was tough to spit out, “and my men are gone, I have no earthly bonds. Everything that I built my life around has died tonight along with them.” 

Amelia decided to stop as she felt her grief begin to crawl back up her spine. “I apologize. I am sure with your… contract… you are very accustomed to living a life free of attachment, but I am not.” She sighed as she wiggled her body a bit in a futile attempt at comfort. “I remember hearing stories of such brotherhoods when I was a child. I had assumed they were all fables.”

She mulled over idea of explain the night Lucia had spent with the man when she was younger, but that would mean she would have to explain her royal blood – something she was hesitant on sharing. Without knowing this man’s true intentions, she could easily put herself in more danger than she already was. 

“Well, I think I shall try to retire. Wake me when you’re ready.” 

[center]*****[/center]

Lucia’s slender fingertips grazed the old brick walls of the dimly lit hallway as she glided through it slowly. The amount of pure power she felt energized her, [i]enthralled[/i] her. Now with the King’s traditional ways no longer a problem, she could carry out the laws and rules that she had wanted to put in place long, long ago. 

When she had reached her bedroom, she stepped out onto the terrace underneath the full moon’s glow a sighed hungrily as her eyes shut. “Gabriel,” she whispered into the night sky, her thick Spanish accent nearly sounding like a purr, “come to me, [i]mi amor.[/i] We are finally ready for you.” The words escaping her lips caused goosebumps to form on her pale skin. It had been too long since she had seen the man who opened her eyes to such possibilities, not to mention how she had never been touched the way that he touched her. Since the last time she had seen him, her craving for his presence was insatiable. 

From her position, she could hear the distant shouts of her new knights carrying out her work below. Lucia smirked at the melody. 

[center]*****[/center]

Amelia bolted upwards out of her fetal position panting as she scanned the wooded area surrounding them. She ran a finger through the hairs that were stuck to her forehead with the sweat produced by the nightmare she had. [i]”Ce ne fut qu'un rêve.”[/i]

Her eyes squinted as she searched for Tobias’ figure in the dark night. “Tobias? Is that you?” she whispered as her eyes locked on to a shadow twenty feet to her left. “Tobias?”  

She heard whispers in return, but not one of her native tongue. They sounded all too familiar, though, and the recognition caused a wave of chills to consume her. “T-Tobias?” she called out a bit louder this time in a more frantic tone. After standing, she unsheathed the sword still fastened on her waist, and with trembling hands, it was held in front of her. Her back had reached the natural wall behind her abruptly which made her flinch. 

The only thing audible now was the rustling of leaves in the chilly breeze. She knew she wasn’t equipped properly with knowledge or weaponry to fight off these forces alone.

[b][i]”Clara.”[/i][/b]

The whispered had cut through the air like an arrow. Intense fear grew inside her quickly as her eyes darted around, attempting to find the source of the voice. “Leave me be!” she screamed in pure frustration. 

[b][i]”Clara.”[/i][/b]