Damsel in Distress (2)

WINIFRED

Everywhere was quiet. Time was passing slowly and I was once again drawn back to a time of helplessness and misery.

It was thanks to those damn nightmares.

They started small. It was the same, just standing on top of the water. I could see it, I could see the water getting darker and then, the hand stretching out to pull me under. Usually, I would wake up by then. But…I didn't.

They pulled me down and I started to drown. Someone was calling my name and it was getting more and more distant. Those hands tore at my body as I reached for the surface. I couldn't determine the depths of the water but I was always drowning. Every. Single. Night.

They started the same and ended the same, with the life draining out of my body. That was when I would wake up. I couldn't fight it or fight the urge to sleep. I eventually had to close my eyes and start the nightmare all over again. Nothing horrified me more every night than closing my eyes to sleep.

The vivid dreams were a part of a more disturbing situation, something I had ignored since the first time I used magic. Messing with my eyes had broken a delicate connection and I was now getting punished for it. Unfortunately, until I could find answers, I was not getting out of this situation.

I felt bad that Bishop Matthew had to witness something like this after arriving on his first night. But, there was nothing I could do.

"How are you feeling?"

"Nathan…"

"Hmm. I haven't heard my name in a while. I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

"I wanted to call you by your name one more time before I passed."

"You won't die, Winifred."

"I know. I was just being dramatic."

"But you're in pain. I can feel it and it drives me crazy. How are you still sane?"

"You're the one who was trapped somewhere for a long time. Why are you asking me that?"

"You're right. But this is serious. I have discovered a way but it might be dangerous."

"Like the time you sew my eyes?"

"Something even riskier. I am going to dive into your subconscious."

"Is that going to be dangerous for you?"

"No. But for you, it might be. Your mind is incredibly fragile right now and I might make it worse. I need to know if you can handle this."

I didn't know how it would go but I knew it was a possibility for something to change. I was getting tired of the same fucking dream every single night.

"Do it. I'll be fine."

"Do what?"

I heard his voice. He sounded curious at the same time, wary. I felt a familiar, comforting touch. It was Darryl. He was probably the one who brought Matthew in here.

"Why does she look like that?"

"She's having…night terrors."

"What sort of night terrors would a child have that would prompt you to bind her like that?"

"The type that makes me tear at my skin and eyes. This is necessary even if it looks inhumane. Hurting myself is very painful."

"Is this the work of an evil spirit? I could call for an exorcism right away."

"We don't know and…I don't think an exorcism would work. It can make everything much worse."

"And how would you know that, Lord Silver?"

"I'm the one who has been treating her. Trust me, being bathed in light magic is the last thing you would want to do."

"Why? Are you using dark magic to treat her?"

"And what if I am?"

"BLASPHEMY!"

"Stop it, both of you! Winifred doesn't need this. And…I also think you should hold off on the exorcism."

"Lady Freya, you couldn't possibly be agreeing to such madness!"

"I know how it sounds like but I have seen what kind of effect holy magic has on her. Please. She doesn't need something like that right now."

"What are you all talking about? She's the future Saintess."

There was a period of awkward silence. Seems like my secret had spread further than I thought it did.

"Bishop Matthew, did you remember when I asked the Pope if he got the wrong Saintess and he hesitated to reply?"

"W-What are you talking about? I thought that was just you…"

"No. He did get the wrong person. I am not the Saintess of Oriel."

"But I can sense the magic in you."

"I am a Saintess, yes, but not of Oriel."

"No…it can't be…"

I couldn't see his reaction and I was glad for it. The hold on my hand tightened and he didn't let go like I thought he would. Darryl was so kind.

"Now that that's out of the way, do you still want to proceed, Winifred?"

"Yes, I do."

"Wait! You need to explain to us too, Lord Silver."

"I am going to perform incredibly dangerous sorcery on her mind to find the problem and uproot it from the core."

"Sorcery? You're going to use sorcery?"

"Yes. Do you have any other suggestions, Bishop?"

"Anything would be better than sorcery! You would be manipulating her mind and corrupting her soul. Maybe you already have!"

"Coming from a man who believes every single thing they tell him in a religion revolving around a hypocrite, I doubt I am the manipulative one here."

"Don't you dare!"

"It would take you several hundred years for you to be a match for me, Bishop. Sorcery is beyond your mortal comprehension and just because the people you have seen haven't been able to successfully use it doesn't mean I will fail. I…never mind."

"Are you two done with your petty fight over my own life?"

"Don't call it petty, Winifred."

"I already gave permission. I'm ready whenever you are, Lord Silver."

NATHAN

I will never really understand how she manages to keep calm in situations like these. It was like she always knew what to do. She revealed her secret with ease, knowing it had serious implications with the Bishop involved. But, maybe she relied on me to take her away if anything went wrong.

"Is there anything you would need?"

I didn't expect Lady Freya to be the one to ask me such a question. She grew up in the strict religion of Oriel's faith and yet, here she was, encouraging sorcery. It was the one thing Oriel hated the most because it could destroy her and her legacy.

Winifred did really have these people wrapped around her fingers. But she also had me wrapped around her fingers.

"No, I don't need anything. That's the beauty of Sorcery. Please give us a little space."

Mumbling a simple spell under my breath, I started to pull at my magic reserves. I needed more than enough magic for this spell. Removing my spirit from the body I possessed and projecting it into her mind, I wanted to dive past just her peripheral mind down to her spirit.

Entering was easy with the permission of the owner of the mind. However, navigating her mindscape and finding the problem was easier said than done.

I dived into my fair share of minds in the past but I had never seen anything like this. An endless serene lake that seemed to stretch to meet the sky. In the midst of it was a body floating in place. It didn't even look like she was on the lake or even subject to time.

She wore a white gown, like a bridal dress. Her dark hair, the creases on her face, it was increasingly obvious that it was Winifred. But why was she an adult?

Suddenly, her eyes opened. That scared even me and I gave he a good dearth, hoping nothing more dramatic would happen.

{Nathan}

Her voice was ethereal but confusing.

"Winifred?"

{I was afraid you would see me like this. This is the real me}

"You are also possessing a body?"

{Not…quite. The problem is down there}

She said, pointing down at the lake. I looked down and saw unlike the clear water in the distance, the depths of the lake was dark. The darkness I perceived wasn't the comfortable kind but the eerie, hair raising kind. I had no desire to go down there but for Winifred, it was different.

There were dark shadowy hands holding her legs, her arms and parts of her dress. It looked like she was slowly sinking.

{Come with me}

"What is down there?"

{I don't know but you could find out for me}

I didn't want to go down there. But that was the whole reason I was there. I didn't think I would go down there because I was standing on top of it without breaking the surface but when I tried diving in, I sank without any resistance.

It was really a dark abyss with a strong pull that kept dragging me lower. When I turned to look at the surface, I saw her struggling to get back to the surface. I tried to help her but the force pulling both of us down was too strong for us to fight against.

I thought it couldn't get worse…until I heard a familiar voice call my name.

{Nathan}