Vlad

25

"Vlad!"I call.

Again I was wondering the halls of this unfamiliar castle.

"Vlad!"

I walk to another heavy door and grunt as I try to push it open. I fail, huffing as I smooth out the wrinkles in my dress.

"Ma'am?"

I look back to see the young chef, the one Vlad had chosen for me.

"Could I?"he says.

"Please."I huff.

He walks over and pushes against the door, it opens and I wait.

The chef steps back, and my eyes widen.

"...v-vlad?"

....

My eyes open and I instantly sit up.

"What were you dreaming about?"I jump, looking over to see Jord sitting in a chair.

"What are doing in here?"I ask.

"Vlad is having a nervous breakdown. Asked me to keep you company if you woke. What were you dreaming about?"he asks again.

"I-i don't remember."I say.

He swallows down hard.

"....are you hearing voices?"be asks.

My head snaps towards him.

"What?"I ask quietly.

His demeanor changes.

"Nothing."he says, sitting back.

"Why is Vlad upset? I..I don't quite remember what happened before I fell asleep.."I say.

"I don't know. He was just very panicked. "Jord says.

I huff, running my fingers through my short hair.

"...Jord did you um...did you know Rosalie?"I ask.

"If you want to know about her Vlad is the one to ask."he chuckles.

"Well Vlad isn't here, Jord. He's never here, you are. Talk to me."I say.

He takes a sharp inhale and releases a shakey breath as he stands.

"You can't say that. W-why would you say that?"he asks, turning away from me.

"What's wrong, Jord? You've been acting weird recently, why? Is it because of me? Did I say something?"I ask.

"No Rose it's just-"he instantly cuts himself off and the room goes quiet.

"Jord?"I say softly.

....

Feeling stuck, Jord sniffs the air. Determining how far away Vlad was from them, and if he could be listening.

Not possible.

"..I've been having strange dreams."Jord says.

Melanie's head perks up and she responds quickly.

"Like what?"

The quickness in her tone causes him to turn around.

"About Rosalie. And a man named Edwin."he says.

"And in your dreams you're Edwin?"she says, sitting up and making him realize.

"..and in your dreams you're Rosalie. Right?"

It goes quiet again.

"..is Edwin a chef?"she asks softly, looking at her hands.

"He is."

"...what does that mean?"she asks.

"I don't know. But I don't trust it."he says.

".. should I tell Vlad-"

"No."Jord demands.

"The less he knows about this, the better."

"I don't like keeping things from him."she softly.

"Me too. But right now we have to figure out how to make them stop. So when did yours start?"he asks.

"After the trash shoot incident." She says, folding her arms.

"Gah."Jord says, turning around as he vividly remembers the smell.

"Whatever happened that started the dreams happened down there."she says.

"I don't think I want to find out why they started anymore."Jord says, plugging his nose.

"Jord, what if there's something important?"she says with begging eyes.

He looks at her and then instantly looks away, his cheeks growing warm.

"Mel, my sense of smell is 20,000 times more sensitive than yours, you don't understand. It hurts."he says.

"Maybe we could get you a mask?"she says.

Suddenly Jord looks up.

"Pretend to be asleep."he demands.

"What?"she says.

"Now!"

She quickly falls back, closing her eyes and pretending to sleep.

The door opens moments after, and Vlad comes in. Emotion on his face.

"Has she woken up?"Vlad asks.

"N-no sir. She's still out."Jord says as Vlad walks over to her, kneeling next to her.

He simply looks down at her face and huffs.

"Rosalie?"Vlad says.

"Vlad."Jord sighs, making him look back.

"I know what I heard."Vlad says.

"Vlad I doubt she said what you thought she said."

"Only Rosalie knew those words! ONLY HER!"Vlad whispers angrily.

"That's not Rosalie. It's Melanie. Rosalie is gone, you lost her."Jord says.

"Gone, yes. But lost? No. Never lost. She knows where home is."Vlad says, softly taking his fingers through Melanie's short hair.

"Let her rest, Vlad."Jord says, making Vlad huff and stand.

"Alert me immediately when she wakes up."he demands, pointing at Vlad.

"Yes sir."Jord says before Vlad walks out.

The door closes and Jord huffs.

Melanie sits up.

"What was he talking about?"she asks.

"Nothing. Stay here."he says, walking out of the room.

I scoff as the door closes.