Chapter 3.5

Oscar was dreaming. Or to be more accurate, he was reliving his memories. A light breeze was blowing, and although he couldn't feel it, he could see it in the movement of the trees and waving of the grass. Jane and Ivy were still alive and laughing, Lyra watching them play from a distance, making sure they were safe. She then turned to look at where two older people were coming out of the cottage, walking towards the livestock.

His heart seemed to rip when he caught sight of Lyra, smirking slightly, light brown wavy hair flowing in the breeze, following her knee length white dress, as she watched Ria and Luke tend to the animals. She walked over to them, leaving Jane and Ivy unsupervised at the front of the cottage, now picking the flowers.

As if she sensed his gaze, Lyra turned back around to stare at Oscar from where he was watching. She can see me! Oscar thought joyfully. Their eyes met for a second, Lyra's piercing blue eyes staring into Oscar's stormy grey ones, but then Lyra's gaze slid over and away, none the wiser, and she turned back to Luke.

"No...stop..." Oscar whimpered frantically, or tried to, as no sound came out. Why am I here? He thought frantically. Just to see them suffer, again?

They had no idea what was coming to them, no idea, and back then, none of them could have imagined the blood that would have been shed by the end of the day, the bright green of the meadow drowned in red.

Oscar watched in horror as the royal carriage pulled up to the front of his cottage and he stepped out.

"Oscar, Oscar wake up! You missed dinner!" Someone had their arms on his shoulders, shaking him out of his nightmare, shaking him over and over again.

"Uhhhh...Oli...is that you?" Oscar murmured softly, still half asleep.

"No, it's me Jemima, wake up!"

Jemima...oh right. The girl inside Oli's body. Then he remembered. The girl who had seen him at his weakest, the scene he had made back in the woods. Oscar bolted upright and glared at her, the one wearing his best friend's face, fully awake now.

"Ugh, get away from me." He snapped, standing up and folding his arms across his chest defensively.

Jemima sat back on the couch, unbothered by Oscar's bad temper. Her eyes, no Oliver's eyes, glinted cheerfully.

"I brought you some food," she announced, holding out a loaf of bread and an apple.

Oscar sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Oliver's smile was so different when Jemima was behind it, and he wasn't sure he liked it. It just wasn't natural to watch.

"Well then give the food." He growled, snatching it from her hands. Oscar strode over to the bed and sat down, and glared at Jemima as she stared curiously at him.

I can't let anyone get close to me. They'll just die, like last time.

I wonder why he's so cold, Jemima pondered as they sat in silence, only broken by the crunch of Oscar biting into the apple hungrily.

"Oscar," Jemima started, then hesitated. It was like stepping into unknown territory. Oscar could snap at any time, with no warning.

He glanced at her. "Yeah, what is it?"

"When the King spoke to me today, he said something about you." Jemima saw Oscar visibly stiffen, but continued eating in silence.

"His exact words were, 'you'd better get rid of him, or I will. And it will be messy.' Then, in the Council meeting, he said something that made me think he suspects you of something." She paused and saw that Oscar had frozen in his position, apple half to his mouth. "Wait, what's wrong?"

He started, then shook his head ever so slightly. "Nothing. Go on."

"Is there a reason why the King seems to hate you so much?" Jemima asked quietly.

Oscar laughed, a short, bitter laugh. "It's because of my uncle. My uncle made the King look like a fool. My uncle never thought about what his choices would do to the rest of us. The King despises me because Oli took me in, and that we are now best friends. He made it his mission to kill-" He stopped abruptly. "Never mind. You didn't need to know that."

Jemima knew better than to ask again, and so she moved on to her next question. "Why is Oliver the only child in the Council?"

"He's in one of the Three Original families. They used to hold a lot of power, decades ago, so now, they make up part of the Council. Oli's father died a while back, so Oli took his seat in the Council."

Now, the scene with Noble Fletcher and his son earlier made more sense.

"I see you thinking of more questions to ask, but it's getting late now and we have to go to sleep." Oscar cut in before Jemima could say another word. "Ask your questions in the morning."

He turned to leave, Jemima still on the couch, but she called him back.

"Wait."

"What is it now?"

"You- you should sleep here tonight. You'll be safer here than anywhere else in the castle."

"I-" Oscar stuttered then fell silent. "Thank you for the offer but I will be fine in my own room." Oscar felt the tips of his ears burning red, and thanked the Lord that his long hair hid it.

"Come on. You never know what might happen during the dark hours of the night." Jemima pressed carefully, not wanting to make him snap.

"Argh. Fine, but I'm sleeping on the couch." Oscar growled as he let go of the handle.

Shocked that he has actually agreed, Jemima quickly stood up and moved to the bed. "G-goodnight."

"Night." Oscar replied as he slumped down onto the couch wearily.

Outside, under the cover of darkness, the shadow slipped away. It had heard enough, it was time to report to its master.