Familiar Dream

"Ride on!"
The black tide of orcs and wicked Men drew nearer, a few of their crude arrows whistling through the air as they came into range. Still, she hesitated, unwilling to leave him. "You gave me your word Danel. The time has come to leave these burning shores. Ride on, to the harbour while you still can." He looked at the charging hordes, they seemed to not be any closer somehow.
Danel reached down from her steed and laid a hand upon his shoulder. "I will not leave you here alone. Come with me?"
Estarfin shook his head sadly. "I cannot go with you, no matter how I want to."
"From life to immortal dreams then." Estarfin looked up at Danel's strange words, but she was already riding away through the burning trees towards the last ships. Steeling himself, he turned back to the battle. The charging army was gone, the fires extinguished. All was dark and ashen, the open graves of trees marking the remains of the once great forest.
He looked around, lost and confused, alone.

***

He woke with a start, his thin nightshirt clinging to him in the darkness. He sat up, running his hands over his face and through his hair, trying to chase the familiar images from his mind. It was just a dream, no matter how often it came to him. Abandoning sleep, he stood and searched for a bottle of wine that was not yet empty.