Close My Eyes

"My prince if we go any further then we won't be able to see. We should rest for the night." The captain said as I stared ahead of me into the gloom.
"I understand." He was right but I wanted to press on to continue.
My bride was out there somewhere, all I wanted was for her to be near me, in my sight so that I would know she was safe. Who knows where she could be and what danger she might be in.
* * * *
It wasn't the noise, or the heat that woke me up. It was the soft feel of lying on a bed. The last thing I remembered I had been sleeping in a tree. So how was I lying in a bed at this moment?! I sat up the familiar darkness of my mask calming me as my heart raced a million miles per minute.
"I see you are awake young one." The voice came from my left nearly causing me to fall out of the bed.
"I did not mean to startle you young one, I had no knowledge that you did not know I was here."
"S-s-s-sorry." I mumbled reaching up to fiddle with my blindfold.
Once it was off I nearly pulled it back onto my face. Sitting a few feet away from me in a chair was a tiger. From the way he was sitting you'd have thought he was human, he was even wearing clothes! He watched me as I sat there shaking slightly, I was afraid. When he moved I nearly screamed! Suddenly a thorny plant that had been sitting next to the bed came to life and surrounded me, I wasn't afraid of it I knew all it wanted to do was protect me.
"So they did not lie. You have a way with plants young one." The tiger spoke in a deep rumbling voice.
"It's okay. I'm fine." I whispered to the plant.
I shuddered as it retreated but it didn't go very far. It was still worried about me. I petted it slightly as I did I slowly drew away from the tiger. The motion was not lost on him.
"I will not hurt you girl. I am simply curious. Why is a human out here so far in the wood?" He sat back down with a sigh as I watched him.
"I I I'm running from something." I said hanging my head after a moment.
"What are you running from?" He asked his eyes on me.
I didn't answer. In truth I was running from the idea of what I was. But I was also running away from the world. I didn't want them to know who I was, I didn't even know that myself. He waited but when it became obvious that I wasn't going to answer he got up and patted me on the head.
"You do not have to answer the question young one. You may remain in our village for as long as you need. We welcome all travelers." Then he simply walked out of the room.
I sat there for a few more minutes. The plant from before crawled out of it's pot and wrapped around me. I felt like I was being protected. With it there I laid back down and started to dream. I was home again and everything was fine.