Chapter 111 - I Have Nightmares

"Your Holiness, Did the winter family come to the temple today?" Alan asked as je sat down at the table and looked at his face with full focus.

"Yes, they did. For the invitation purpose, I guess the royal family is already aware of it, Aren't they?" His Holiness replied backs a he gave him a harmless smile and then sat down comfortably.

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"Yeah, father did mention it. But I don't think I would be able to present there. Would that upset her?" 

"...Maybe it would but why won't you be able to present there? Is his highness occupied with work again?" His Holiness said as he smiled at the sulking bit in front of him.

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"Truly I am busy with work furthermore I even need to welcome the guests who will be coming here for my Debut ball. So there is no way I would be able to attend any party until my own ball is over....." Alan said as he sighed while looking at the hourglass

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"Your Highness, you aren't forgetting the fact that you will be sent to the royal academy are you? And after that, you won't be able to interact with anyone outside the campus for 4 or 5 years." His Holiness said as he added fuel to the fire.

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"Thanks for mentioning that...now I feel even worse!" Alan said as he rose from his seat and walked out of the room.

"Are you leaving?" 

"Yeah, father told me to come back early," Alan said as he waved his hands and left the room quietly.

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After Alan left, his holiness checked a lot of the corners of the room and then closed his doors and windows.

"Finally!!!" He said as he sat down in the chair with a breath of relief.

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"This day I keep getting the feeling of being guilty for something even when I am innocent...*sigh* it's not the time to joke around." He talked to himself as he opened and portal and went inside it.

"It has been a while since I came here and this library is still the same....pilled with dust." He said as he reached a big library with dim light and no person. And then he started to search the books like no tomorrow.

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Meanwhile with the Winter Siblings,

Ash and Irene didn't talk even a bit after they exited the temple. Nor Ash asked about the counselling nor did Irene explain it to him both of them kept silent waiting for the other to talk first and in the end, a whole day passed. 

Which made Irene worry more and more 

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"I am back..." Irene said as she directly went to her bed and laid down with a depressed look on her face.

"My Lady, what's wrong? You went with such a happy expression and came looking so depressed." Hana asked as she opened her shoes and kept them down.

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"Hana how many times have I said you don't need to open my shoes, I can do it myself," Irene said as she made Hana sit beside her and lay down on her lap.

"I know but still it's a habit which won't go so soon but why is my lady acting so sad today? Do the counselling didn't go well or did you fight with the young lord again?" Hana asked as she ruffled her hair.

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"Hana...Things got tangled again...Ash knows about my counselling session and I think he is again angry with me...leave talking he didn't even bait me an eye on our whole journey...What do I do now??" Irene asked as she closed her eyes.

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"I see...But my lady did you think of hiding this from the masters from the very beginning?" 

"Of course not but I just thought that I will handle it myself...I didn't want father and Ash to worry about me when they already had so much on their plate." Irene said as she rose and sat down straight.

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" I understand your good intentions, but still I must say that you should share this with others especially with both the masters....and I believe that young master is right in his place, because even if I got to know about your condition from someone else even I as a mere servant would be disappointed then I can't even imagine as a family how much sad he must be," Hana said as she stood from her place and went towards the door.

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"My lady please think about what I said and come down with young master soon the dinner will be given." Saying that Hana looked at Irene once and then left the room closing the door behind her.

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"Looks like I even made Hana angry this time....ugh but she is right even I wouldn't like it if something so important about Ash or father was heard by me from an outsider," Irene said as she looked at her ceiling for some time and when she finally made her mind to go to Ashton's room. Ash himself came to her room and right now both of them are sitting in awkward silence.

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"So Ash is there something you want to talk about?" Irene asked as she looked at Ash's face.

"Does it even matter if I want to or not...in the end," Ash said without looking at Irene.

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"Ash that I....never thought of hiding it from you and all but it was just that I wasn't sure of it...but I know no matter what I say you won't believe it..." 

"Gladly you know that..."

"Fine, then I will tell you the truth...*Opens her jacket and shows him her shoulders* will you believe if I say that this was given to me by a nightmare and that it has been continuing for the last 2 years," Irene said as she looked at Ash with a helpless look on her face.

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"Sister you....." 

"I know I was trying to hide this but I am sacred...Ash, I am scared of the fact that what if the worse scenario I am thinking of comes true and what if I am unable to console you all....because there is no way I can handle you being in pain.." Irene said as she smiled while looking at the mark in her hand as the nightmares played on the back of her mind.

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Ashton was speechless he knew things weren't right but this was something he never thought could be the reason and more than that he had no idea of how to help her....so the only thing he was able to do there was to embrace bet and make her feel safe which he did.

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"Sister it's okay....your brother isn't that weak that he won't even be able to handle such a statement, so please don't blame yourself now we are both equal...because we both hide something from each other to protect each other," Ash said as he patted her head as Irene smiled at his words.

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"You are right we are indeed equal...although I am the older one so I must have been more considering..." Irene said as she looked at Ash who put his hands on her mouth.

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"Sister stop talking and being sentimental instead tell me about his holiness comment on your unusual nightmares," Ash asked as je remained his hands from her face.

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"He didn't say much...but the way he talked....I just don't know but he did say that he would tell me about it tomorrow." Irene said as she laid down on her bed.

" If His Holiness said so then....we must really wait for tomorrow and till then I would stay by your side and fight any nightmare that comes in your sleep," Ash said as he laid beside her which made Irene giggle.

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"Really, will you really be able to fight while I am asleep?" Irene asked jokingly.

"Sister, you don't really know the power of my sword, Do you? My practice for the last 3 years isn't just for a show~" Ash said as he dramatically showed the welding of the sword.

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"I know but to fight against them you have to come in my dreams. Dumbo!" Irene said as she hit his head lightly.

"So what I can come there too~ Just think of me before going to sleep and you will end up dreaming about me," Ash said as he faced Irene.

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"Who told you that? Or is it your self made fact?" Irene asked as she gave him a pillow and covered his body with the blanket.

"It's not my self-made fact but a written and proved the fact by great writers and mages," Ash said as he yawned and then looked at the ceiling and his eyelids got a little heavy.

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"You even read such theories and I thought you are always bust with your sword." 

"I read them cuz I am interested in it...and...I...*Yawn*..." 

Both Ash and Irene drifted to sleep even before they switch off their room lights room.

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"You guys worked hard...so as a reward for today's night sleep well without any nightmare..." His Holiness said as he stood in their balcony and then vanished in a snap.