Baranes coughed, standing in utter darkness and shade, trying to at least make sense of her surroundings. Her hooded cloak flapped in the wind, and a wolf howled in the distance. It was a chilly night, her nightvision slowly rendering images of a small cottage, homely among the eerie environment of the forest.
Baranes scowled as she approached the cottage, for she could hear a pack of wolves drawing near. She wished to fight them, but she knew, judging from the many howls now ringing in the air, that it would be folly to try, for they were numerous. Without bothering to knock Baranes opened the door, her silent figure stepping into the threshold.
The Door slammed, and the howls and the whistling wind were immediately stiffened. Baranes took in her surroundings; An assortment of mouldy pans were scattered in a room that seemed to be the kitchen, the kitchen itself looking old and withered with age, the wood counters shining in the candlelight that was illuminating most of it. An old chandelier hung above a stone fire-place, which was crackling and flickering cheerily in merry movement, rather looking drastically out of place next to the window that was showing the cold, gloomy forest, which now housed a veil of fog, and Baranes shuddered. She could not dare to go outside without being blinded by the fog and chased by a pack of wolves. Right in front of Baranes were two chairs, and in one of them, a male figure, slim, and muscly.
"Hello." The figure said in a flirtatious voice, Baranes narrowed her eyes.
"Hello..." Baranes was ready to grip her dagger, but she realized that she did not have it at her side. Just then she became conscious that her appearance had altered slightly; She was wearing a shimmering lilac gown, her sleek brown hair coming down to her shoulders, and those piercing crystal-green eyes illuminated by the flickering fire.
"I was expecting you." The figure got up from the chair, revealing his face. He was young, about Baranes' own 18, with pale blonde hair that was neatly combed and flat. He wore a ragged shirt and pants, slightly scruffy. His arms were toned and muscly, and he had no facial hair. Baranes felt strangely attracted to this boy.
The boy walked over to Baranes, who was keeping her eyes fixed on the hands, should they move, and smiled at her flirtatiously. Baranes felt herself getting red in the face, the boy so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face, and she sensed that she was being overpowered by this handsome figure.
"Stop acting like a fool, stop acting like a fool..." Baranes chanted in her head. However, her thoughts were broken by a rather sudden movement and she was being moved about. Baranes felt herself being pulled into an intimate embrace, the boy's arms entwining around her hip, and likewise, she, not knowing what to do, wrapped her arms around his head, gently stroking the tuft of Blonde hair, and gazing at the boy with a rather bemused expression.
"It took you so long?" She trailed of, her eyes sparkling in joy and happiness.
"So long..." The boy answered. Gently, he pulled Baranes closer to his face, and their lips gently met in a passionate kiss. Baranes felt blissful in this boy's arms; She was falling in love all over again. She kept herself in the boy's arms for a long time, until--
Baranes screamed, the boy was changing shape and appearance, grotesquely swelling up as his identity became that of the person she hated most.
Maelon.
In horror, her surroundings changed. She was back in the Forsaken Inn, running down the basement to excitedly tell her love something. She was carrying a fragile mirror with her, examining her reflection and admiring her beautiful face. She knew what was going to happen. History would repeat itself and she would have her heart shattered all over again. But she could not stop herself. She could just watch as she automatically moved about, as though someone was controlling her movements but not her mind. Memory was controlling her movements.
The door cracked open, and her arm became limp. The mirror slipped from her grasp and shattered into a thousand pieces, and shard flew up to her face and cut her right cheek, but she was oblivious, for right now she could only take in what was happening before her. She struggled to close her eyes, but she was firmly rooted to the spot, as she saw Maelon, the person she loved most, in the arms of some spiteful cow, passionately kissing the girl.
Baranes ran up to Maelon, furiously taking a piece of stray wood, and hit him over the head with it, stopping briefly to sneer at the now scared girl, before she ran up the stairs. Once she was on top, the Inn melted and she collapsed, sobbing as the world faded into black, and she remained trapped within the big emptiness she called the Darkness of one's nightmare.
Baranes screamed and jerked awake. She was covered in cold sweat and the blanket was twisted all around her. She was in her room, above her shop, lying in utter darkness and the quietness of Midnight. It was a nightmare.
A cat hissed somewhere, and she knew she was in Bree. Quite suddenly, a rock flew through the window, shattering it, and some angry yelling could be heard;
"WILL YE KEEP IT DOWN THERE?! I'M TRYIN' TER SLEEP!" A voice bellowed. Baranes scowled.
"That damned dream!" She thought, "Now I must pay for a new window because of it!"
