Chapter Twenty Six :

Our Stay In The Kingdom / 

I spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping, because as soon as Dolion and I were shown to a room, I fell onto the bed and covered my face with one of the soft pillows. Unconsciousness took over me almost instantly. And my sleep wasn't even peaceful; I dreamt of beasts I couldn't describe, and an endless corridor filled with meaningless doors, in which a blood-stained blindfold was over my eyes and I fumbled around, feeling for the walls with my hands. I was seeing it like I wasn't in my own body; I watched myself fall through a trapdoor in the dirty carpeted floor. A horrid hum buzzed throughout my dreams, eventually waking me up. 

I sat up in bed, hot and breathless. The curtains were closed and I was seeing everything in a dark grey haze. My stomach churned; I felt sick. "Dolion?" I asked, my voice hardly a whisper. "Dolion?" Fear cut through me like a knife. 

"I'm here," It answered, getting up from a chair in the room. "I never leave your side." It sat on the edge of my bed, watching me. "Nightmares," I admitted. 

It put its hand to my forehead; its slender fingers cold against my burning skin. "You're gonna be okay," It murmured in a voice sweet like candy. Its feathered wings cast a shadow over the bed, which I found comforting in some way. "Did I miss lunch?" I questioned. 

"Yeah, but they're having dinner soon. Are you hungry?" 

"A little." I got out of bed, my head slightly dizzy as I stood up. 

Downstairs, creatures were hurrying around in the kitchen, preparing food. Queen Agni sat at the head of the table, which was surprisingly small compared to the size of everything else in this place. "How are you feeling?" She asked. "I slept awhile already," I answered. "So I feel better."  But I wasn't sure whether that was the entire truth or not. 

The dinner that was served was extremely fancy, with foods I had never seen before. And it tasted good, but I didn't have much of an appetite. I had a few bites from my plate and then excused myself. 

Sitting on the balcony of the room I stayed in, I wished the nausea and exhaustion would just leave me. I was so sick of feeling this way; how I woke up each morning and repeated everything, everyday. The sun was setting and it left behind streaks of pink and orange across the dark blue sky. I focused on that, attempting to silence my thoughts.

Dolion stood beside me. "Do you think going out would help?" 

"For a walk?" I asked. It nodded. "Let's go." I said.

We walked through the city, cloaked by the deep night sky that wore a blanket of shimmering stars. We passed a restaurant bustling with creatures, and I caught sight of Desiderio sitting at the counter. I went in to talk to him. "Is this what was so important to get back to?" I questioned, looking at the empty shotglasses set in front of him. "Sure it is," He grumbled. "'Cause I got nothin' else, hun. 'Cept this guy, but he don't really mean it." He gestured to a fox-like creature that sat beside him, smoking a cigarette and chattering away to a meerkat. 

"You don't have family or anything? Friends?" 

"Nah, 'cept for my mother. She hates me, so we don't talk anymore. And I have brothers, but they moved away. They never cared about me, though, so it don't matter." 

"Why does she hate you?" 

"Since I ain't turned out as good as my brothers. They're all successful an doin' great in life, with wives and whatnot, but I'm just... Me." I saw dejection in his furry face. 

"She actually told you that she hates you because of that?" 

"Well no but -"

"Where does she live?" 

"C'mon, you don't gotta do this..."

I gave him a stern look. "Fine," He complained gruffly. "Follow me."

He walked us through the town and to a small, comfortable looking house. A multicolored rug covered the porch, which held a few chairs and plants in clay vases. "This is it." He said, an edge of nervousness in his deep voice. 

I walked him up to the door and knocked. As we waited, he looked over at me with big walnut colored eyes, scared. "It's going to be fine," I told him. He swallowed hard when the door opened.  

I could see the similarities between him and his mother, the greying blonde fur and brown eyes. She wore a bead necklace, and many piercings in her ears. She said nothing at first, and I started to rethink this. But after a few seconds of silence as she stared at him, I knew what I did was right.

"Sweetheart," She said in a sad voice. "It's been so long." I saw tears in her eyes, and she pulled Desiderio into a hug. "Mom, I... I've missed you." He mumbled, still in her embrace. "Why don't you come in? I've got tea on the stove. Your friends are more than welcome to stay for awhile." She smiled at Dolion and I. "Thank you for the offer," I told her. "But we have to be on our way." She nodded, and brought her son into the house. He turned around and mouthed "thank you." I nodded and smiled. 

I felt lighter during the walk back to the palace. I thought about how well things had gone, considering how the jackrabbit mother had described this place. But I guess that's how everything is; mismatched realities and figments of our own imaginations, which creates a perspective. Perspective is like a pair of glasses; it changes how you see things. I wondered if I was wearing the wrong glasses. 

Back in the room, I lay awake for hours. The curtains were open and moonlight spilled in, bathing the room in a soft light. The moon shone on Dolion's long pale hair as it lay silently in the bed next to mine. I got up and paced up and down the hallways, wishing for sleep. I felt awake as ever, even though my body was weak with exhaustion. Agni slithered down the hallway toward me. "Can't sleep?" She asked me in a voice thick like honey. "No," I confessed. "Try a bath," She advised. "It's what I do when I can't fall asleep." Then she strolled off to her room, the gems on her jewelry making a tinkling noise. 

I returned to my room, and went into the bathroom. I ran warm water in the tub; just the noise of it was calming to me. I pulled off my clothes and stepped into the rippling water. I poured some bubble bath into the basin, using my hands to swish it around in the water. Soon I was sitting in a haven of pink floral smelling bubbles. The bath cleared my mind, enveloping me in peace. 

I didn't bother looking at myself in the mirror, because when I was in the bath I had already noticed that my fingernails were now a little longer, almost pointed at the ends, and tinged with an amethyst hue. I didn't want to see anything more right now. 

After getting dressed and laying back in bed, I stared up at the ceiling while focusing on relaxing my breathing. Black vein-like illustrations crept across the white ceiling, then over the olive shaded  bedsheets and toward me. I lay completely still, hoping they'd go away. The moon turned into a melting ice ball, dripping glittering liquid in through the open window to the balcony. It was cold, like a breath of winter in the heat of this realm. A soft light encircled me, lifting me up off the bed and through the ceiling, even though I was still here. My eyes grew heavy before closing...