5 The Royal Chaos

I fake calmness as I walk out of the changing room I was shown to. The shock from growing faster than Jack's beanstalk was one that would prove difficult to cope with. There was a carriage out there already with an insignia of two lions clashing and crossed swords in the background both under a tree, when I stepped out that is.

The old guard was talking with Sylvanus and that's how I got to know his name. He was Rudios. Rudy for short. He bowed his head after I arrived and left, marching soundlessly across the gravelled ground.

How is that even possible??

"If we may." Sylvanus says politely as he ushers me to an open carriage door.

I nod and smile at him as I make my way into the carriage. He practically hops in with no regard for his Royal background. "So now that you're free what are your plans?" The handsome idiot with no hesitation at all asked. "Let's start with telling me who you are and how you landed on top of the House of the One." He hurriedly asked me another question without even awaiting an answer.

"I am Erica Holstein and I'm definitely not from this world." His eyes became so wide from shock and something else.....fear. He scrutinized me and then asked me one question. "Do your dreams come true?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not a single word was uttered after I said 'yes' to his question. He maintained a serious face that made him look more of royalty than I could even imagine. I don't know why that reaction was all I got. All he told me when I asked was to wait till we got to the mansion.

The eerie silence was broken when the horses neighed as the carriage came to a halt. No one moved an inch inside the carriage for a few seconds even after the door was opened for us. He got up but didn't alight and came straight to me ," Tell no one of this other than those I allow you to tell. If you want to keep your life that is." He got off the carriage and straightened out his clothes and motioned for me to follow. I hopped out after him and despite the gloomy mood brought about by the afore conversation, I still couldn't hide my amazement when I saw the mansion.

The building was insane. It was immense.....grand, a mansion indeed. Even though this city seemed small, this big house made me wonder where in the world they got the money and resources to put this Titan in one piece.

I followed the royal idiot down the stone tiled path and to the front gate surrounded by guards in shining armor holding spears.

The two guards in front of the gate greeted Sullivan by using their fists to hit their breastplates.

One of them shouted a word and the gate creaked as those responsible for it's opening and closing initiated the opening form worthy of a royal. The guards lined up on both sides of the path that went past the gate and lifted their spears up.

"WELCOME BACK, PRINCE SULLIVAN!!" Their chant reverberated off the walls and their armor and made much more noise than required. Sullivan walked on through the two rows of metallic men and straight into the building whose doors were already wide open.

There were servants right behind the door. Two of them right behind the doors, probably the ones that opened it. The rest were lined up in front of a grande staircase awaiting the entry of their master. They bowed their heads in respect at the exact moment he entered.

I followed him, too nervous to do anything and too proud to make it visible. At least not completely.

"My son!!!" the man whose face looked almost like Sullivan's only just older and hairier descends the stairs with a smile stretching from ear to ear. "Welcome. Welcome." his voice boomed despite his calm, calculating demeanor. I could tell he was scrutinizing me as he made his descent.

Sullivan bowed and I did same trying my best to look as respectful as possible. Doubt he cared though.

"Is this the woman who shall be your bride??!" he asks while holding his beard with a much more beaming smile.

Sullivan flinched in surprise and shook his head. I could feel the blood rushing to my face as I understood what he meant.

"Father, I have a very important matter to discuss with you and I would like to do so privately." Sullivan eyed the listening guards and servants carefully.

Sullivan's father stroked his beard and his smile subsided.

"Very well. You may leave us." The servants and guards filed out silently. "Come to my working quarters, both of you." That jolted me back to my senses.

He walked down the remainder of the stairs and went to a door on the left. The door was made of thick looking wood with intricate designs that run across the lines of the wood. Sullivan followed closely with seriousness that definitely didn't look good on him.

I also went in after them through the huge wooden doors.Sullivan let me pass him by then he closed it. His father sat on a comfy looking chair behind a huge desk littered with papers and books of all kinds. The room itself was like a mini library. It was still big though. There were lamps on the walls, all designed to perfection, and two on the opposite sides of the table. It gave the room light but made it look creepy too.

"Have a seat, children." Old Sullivan gestured at the two smaller versions of his chair on the opposite side of the table, as he crossed his arms and leaned back deeper into the softness to the chair.

Sylvanus takes the one on the left and I settle into the right one without lifting my eyes off Old Sullivan.

"What is this matter of urgency, Sylvanus?" Old Sullivan's asked. His eyes were now reduced to slits and a frown had taken over his formerly bright expression.

"She is the Dreamer. The one who might save us or destroy us all." Sylvanus looked at me as he finished the statement.

"Can someone please explain what is going on??" My frustration leaked out through my tone. I was confused about everything. "Tell me what in the world is going on and why are you guys talking about me as though I were a bomb of sorts." I shouted at the father and son, who hardly looked disturbed or shocked by my reaction.

Old Sullivan sighed and placed both elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers under his beard.

"Judging from how ignorant you are I'm guessing you were transported here from a different world. That makes things a bit easier." He leaned in as he spoke. " In this world, every 777 years there is a war between two great forces known as The Mortem Bellum. It is from a language known as Latin in your world but in this one the language is called Geru, similar but not completely. The war is between two sides known as the Keepers of Dreams and The Devourer of Minds. Both very powerful forces." He pauses and looks at me as though checking to see if I was paying attention. " The Keepers of Dreams have won the war only once, out of the six already fought wars. This is one of the reasons why this world is always in turmoil and suffering."

"I'm guessing The Devourer whatsoever is the bad guy right??" I interrupted.

"Not necessarily. But the winner of the war selects a champion with the Dreamer's ability to receive the Slumbering Mind of the first Dreamer. That process is what can either change that person and make them good or make them evil." Old Sullivan cut in after my interruption.

"I don't get it." I really had no idea what he was going on about.

"Your doubts will be cleared by someone other than me." He gets up from his chair and walks to a bookshelf and pulls one of the big books. The ground trembled a little then a door opened.

"Follow me. I will take you to someone who can help you understand." He enters the door without looking back. Sylvanus looked shocked too so it was safe to assume he knew nothing of this door's existence.

We managed to catch up to Old Sullivan. "Hey, can you tell us where this leads to exactly." I ask as we make our way through a dark corridor.

It wasn't we reached saw light at the end of the corridor Sylvanus realized what we were in. It was a teleportation alleyway. Old Sullivan walked into the light indirectly urging us to follow suit. I closed my eyes as I entered and opened them to find myself in something like a Colosseum.

"Welcome to the Keepers of Dreams." Old Sullivan stroked his beard with one hand as the other stretched in the direction we were all looking at.