Elven Chronicles Book 3: Life and Adventure

I was running. I felt them in the forest all around me while I ran. As I ran faster, so did they. My heart felt like stone, and I was afraid. Then, one of them came around the corner and placed a rock around my neck.

"AAAHHHHHH!" I woke up screaming when my mother rushed into the room.

"Kida, Kida, it is alright. You are safe honey," she grabbed my arms while trying to calm me down. I was drenched in sweat and shaking. It took ten minutes for me to calm down this time.

"Just a nightmare," I said, trying to reassure myself. I sighed and started to shake again in frustration. I kept having nightmares about being kidnapped or raped ever since I was kidnapped. For some odd reason, they were coming back to haunt me.

"Come on. It is five in the morning already. I'll make some hot chocolate while you relax," my mother told me. She helped me get decent, and we made our way down the hall to the kitchen. She has done this five times in the last two weeks.

"Sorry," I mumbled as we sat down.

"For what sweetie? These nightmares will go away once you come to terms with what happened. I think you have some loose ends to cover before they disappear."

I sat and thought about that before all the kids got up and I had to act like everything was normal.

~
"Leto, that is the fifth nightmare in two weeks. Something is triggering them and we need to find out. She tells me what they are half the time, but I really do not know what to do," Tina told Leto that afternoon before he left with Kida.

"I'll try to help her out, but she will still not open up about anything. I do not know what happened for that month. I mean, I know what happened, but I think she only told half the story."

~
My father and I left for the air kingdom that afternoon and arrived just in time to observe the army. That was my job this week, observing all the armies of the four kingdoms to see where they are at, and what supplies are needed.

Later a dinner, my father looked uncomfortable and did not speak much until I had to ask.

"What's up?"

"Your mother told me that you had another nightmare last night. That is five in the past two weeks. We are concerned."

"Please don't worry. I am sure it is just a phase or something. I-"

He cut me off. "Do not tell us to ignore this. You have at least one a month and now it is worse. You are keeping what happened from us. I think if you talked about it they would go away. Keeping everything bottled up inside does not help anyone."

I wanted to tell someone everything, but I was scared of the memories. "I can't tell you," I said in a soft voice. He fell silent and just let it pass.

That night I had another one and was screaming my head off when my father came rushing into the room. "Kida! It is all right, it is all right. Nothing is hurting you." I feel limp in his arms, and he just talked to me until I fell asleep again.

Even Rose was starting to notice the circles forming under my eyes. Even if I don't have nightmares, I sleep restlessly and lightly in fear of having one. "Honey, you need to fix this problem," she said, "or it is going to eat you up." She finished doing my hair and make-up and then my father and I were off to the water kingdom.

"Hey Leto, hey Kida," Isabel greeted us at the castle. "Come on and we'll get started right away." Her army looked great and I told her so. The next day, we were off to Elwen's.

"Welcome my friends," he came to the door with Lily in tow. "Hello," she said shyly. I think she was still embarrassed about being casual with us. His army did a fine job too. I didn't get any sleep that night. Every time I shut my eyes, I saw images of evil. I looked like shit when I woke up that morning, but no one said anything.

I was nervous about going to the fire kingdom. My father had not seen Aaron since I told him we were in love two weeks ago. I was curious on how that was going to turn out.

"Just because I know about you and Aaron doesn't mean I want any funny business," he told me right before we got there.

"I promise father."

"You didn't sleep well last night."

"I'll be fine." He just rolled his eyes and we were off. We were able to arrive in the fire kingdom just before lunch. Aaron was waiting for us in the front and I stepped up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Everything cool?" He asked.

"Perfect," I said with a smile. My father cleared his throat behind me.

"Sir," Aaron said.

"Aaron. I don't want any funny busness."

"Of course not sir." I smiled and Aaron led us inside. I went to find Alia while they stayed behind.

~
"Aaron, something is wrong with Kida," Leto said.

"What is going on?"

"She has not slept for an entire night for the past month. She keeps having nightmares, and her mother and I really do not know what to do with her. I was hoping she told you something."

"Sir, are you kidding? She tells me the least because she knows it bothers me I mean, she told me some, but even then I knew she was holding something back. I'll try to get to the bottom of it for you."

"Thank you Aaron. I am afraid this could really hurt her."