1 Dream turned Nightmare

First it was clouds, next it was a cool wind. In the end it was the call for a storm.

I'm pulled up by familiar hands, embraced in a hug of fear in my sleepy state followed by muffled crying which helps pull me awake. My first reaction is to check my surroundings.

Instead of my house, it is a field. Instead of my air conditioning, a cool morning wind. Instead of my sister being happy, she is crying.

"Hey, hey." I attempt to get her attention by patting her brown hair and holding her a bit closer to show I'm awake.

"I thought you wouldn't wake up" she managed to get out in sobs, each sob like a knife stabbing in my heart causing me to hug her tighter on reflex.

"Well I'm awake and I'm here for you. We can't stay here so how about I even give you a piggyback while we work out where we are." I say trying to reassure her but all it does is make me question where we are more.

Looking around all I can see is the large field we are in, the faint wind and the sun beating down overhead trying to warm up what the wind cools down. There seems to be a group of trees to the east and standing up I notice a dirt path to the north heading both east and west.

Each tree seeming to have a reddish colour to the leaves like a burnt autumn has arrived.

Guiding my sister Elyn up towards the path I notice a group of people travelling in from the west as if they are travelling to the forest.

They seem to be riding some sort of cart, with a few people walking along with the horse pulling it, the moment I come into sight they seem to go defensive. What I didn't expect is that those of them who looked to be in a sort of armour, would pull out swords or open their stances while holding their shields.

I have a minute before they turn up to think of what to say at knife point, although I suppose it would be sword point.

I doubt a 'how is the weather' would suffice since they seem to think I'm a threat. I'd also want to get Elyn on my back now in case we need to run away, she seems happy with the idea of a piggyback while I'm in a cold sweat not wanting to die before knowing where I am.

"We come in peace and bring no harm." Realising I'm quoting a movie I try to rephrase what I'm saying, "We are travellers not knowing where we are, could we share stories?" I call out hoping they might have an interest in something I'd say.

This only makes them more hostile as far as I can tell, they move in formation this time some staying near the cart while a few others walk towards me.

Before I can respond a woman calls out of the cart in a sharp-sounding language I don't understand which stops the warriors advance till the cart catches up. They pull up to the side of us which still puts me on edge but at least I'm not surrounded for now and have a route away, the fights I used to get into years ago taught me to never be surrounded.

The woman who spoke steps out of the cart, looking my up and down before noticing Elyn on my back. She directs another command in that unknown language at her warriors before frowning and facing me.

"How do know lost language?" she asks me attentively in a form of broken english.

A flash of confusion probably shows on my face because of the way she refers to my language as 'lost'.

"I'm unsure what you mean, this is the only language I know." I reply half hoping for her to be of more help.

The moment I speak up she looks like she is suppressing laughter at my reply.

"The last people not dead to speak with the lost language are the royals and noble houses and you look nothing like either of them."