// Chapter 14 \\

Seonghwa merely hummed— hummed— after I told him the dream I'd just had or rather, the way he put it, the "light vision" I'd had once I stepped into Lenuil.

We'd closed the doors to the room to begin the process and our conversation while Elara waited outside in the halls. I'd sat down on the bed, awake as ever as I hadn't fallen asleep again. Perhaps it was the magic that kept my eyes peeled open or maybe it was the images of what I saw once I stepped into this room that plagued me.

I'd fallen. I couldn't get my wings out. And I felt the pain.

It felt real and he had only hummed at how I described it. That's how I found myself glaring at Seonghwa. In those moments, I didn't care that he probably knew more about the dream world. So I glared at him and when he turned to me. He still wasn't the least bit shocked as he was when I told him about the dream I'd just had. But my look must've said everything.

"You're wanting results far too quickly, Star," Seonghwa merely commented, nodding his head towards me as I sat there on the bed, still inside the walls of Lenuil.

"Well I haven't fallen back asleep. I'd count that as something," The quiver in my tone couldn't be helped as I worked to maintain my contact in his stare, taking in a sharp breath afterwards. Never have I ever wished more to blink, shut my vision, and turn away.

Seonghwa let out a calm exhale, slightly lowering his head but maintaining contact with me. It was like he spent a moment analyzing me then. He raised his head once more, "Star, the dream realm can be a difficult place to tap into."

I couldn't help my sarcastic smile, raising my brows as my voice clearly began to break into slight hysteria, "Ah, I suppose you would know that, wouldn't you?"

"Star," Seonghwa sighed, breaking contact as he began to walk slightly closer to me. He licked his lips, eyes gazing out the window that gave a glimpse of his Court below, "The dream realm is... an ascended place. It can reveal the past, the future, it can even reveal truth. But." He paused his steps, his eyes turning to the floor, "It has its share of lies, deception— not intentional. Well, you see, dreams aren't exactly straight forward answers all the time and the realm hardly gives you space to decipher truth from lie."

"So what are you trying to say?" I asked half out of curiosity and the other my dwindling patience. I narrowed my eyes as I craned my neck up to him— a small stroke of confidence.

That was quickly snuffed out when he looked back at me. "It means, Star, that what you saw very well could've just been something the realm completely came up with on its own from the reins of your mind."

It felt real though. All of it did.

I stood then, glaring at him with the cold blaze in my eyes, "And what if it wasn't, Seonghwa? What if it wasn't a lie?"

He took another step close, his eyes going hard in fiery, "That can never be for certain, Star. You haven't taken the reins to the realm yet and that is a rare occasion only a spare few can experience." He narrowed his eyes with a nod before his voice spoke with a hidden tone of rage, "You're stuck in this world with your eyes open. You're stuck in limbo when they're closed. You aren't trying to grasp the concept of the feel of the place, you're letting yourself believe it because you're letting the place hold the reins to your mind. But you won't know that because you're stuck on the how's, what's, and why's of what you're seeing!" He practically was yelling at the end of it before he paused and finally closed his mouth shut— tight. He took a step back then in the new silence after his words.

I had taken a step back as well, my legs pressed against the soft cushion of the mattress. I felt fear of his words. I felt fear of him. It had been awhile since I felt that. I must've looked petrified— that was why he backed away— but I still had one last stroke of confidence to ask in a shaky hushed whisper, "Are the if's not important then?"

My eyes must've played tricks on me because his eyes immediately softened. His lips pursed with a shake of your head, "I don't even know all the visions you've seen... but trying to understand what they are— force that process," his golden eyes shone with honesty with another shake of his head, "It won't get you anywhere, Star."

I felt my breath hitch as I looked into his golden pours of eyes. They had been furious moments ago but now— no, I was for certain— they appeared softer than I'd ever seen them before. It was such raw emotion, I wanted to look away— to back down— no.

I just needed to look at them.

Look at him— look at his eyes. I needed to maintain my contact and show that I could understand what he was conveying. I could do this. I kept my golden gaze locked with his as I slowly nodded. I distracted myself from the intimidation I had from the raw gleam of emotions by trying to look beyond that in his eyes— to the small finite details.

His gold irises were a deep and rich dark honey and they appeared the warmest in their exploration. Valleys upon valleys of gold that streamed thoughts and memories. It was like a fine lace, woven intricately into a maze which would've been impossible to navigate if the deceiving intention of it wasn't so obvious. That made the lace like a smooth path, pointing the direction I needed to go until I was in the center of all the lace, standing in that spherical bubble as it all twined around me.

The white mist seemed to come out of nowhere as it made its way to display the rectangular image in front of me. It was white at first before the blast of colors came into view of the same room I sat in as of now.

It was like I was seeing right through Seonghwa's eyes as he looked at me now. He was looking towards the bed, the sun in a similar position as it was now, cascading its light down onto the figure that was on the bed.

"It's not working!" The figure grinded out through gritted teeth in fury. Her arms flailed and there was a pained look on her face as she did so. Sorrow and frustration unleashed on those plush and comfortable sheets as she slammed her hands down on them, resulting in a soft thud despite her force.

Her dark brows were arched and furrowed on her portrait-esq face. Her skin was a rich cream yet it shone in an appearance of a fine tan in the golden light. The light also was on her dress, hair, and eyes. The dress was short and white and puffed out all around her and was illuminated into its almost blinding pure color. The hair that was a soft lush pink shone with gleams of orange in the light and was pulled back with a few braids and white lace before it poofed out into a flowing silk in a pony-tail. Her eyes were a furious bright pink. Orange illuminated bits of the follicles as well with a few tinges of red. Her eyes looked to the floor, searching it as if it had answers. They conveyed so much— she was beyond frustrated— and I didn't need Seonghwa's thoughts to tell me that.

I could feel his grimace as he watched her in this state, but he didn't say anything.

"I couldn't get through limbo again. It forced me out— that same image played over and over again and I just—" She quickly punched her fist back into the pillows as she let out a frustrated roar before tears began to fall from her eyes now darkening to a lush soft brown. A hand came up from her side and cupped her mouth as her back heaved and she began to cry. She closed her eyes.

That's when he moved. The vision— Seonghwa's vision— began to take a few, careful steps towards her. Sometimes, he hesitated a bit before he continued walking. The only reason he continued was the twinge of guilt and pain that came with her sobs. He stood before her now, gazing down at her but her eyes didn't look up to meet his. So he crouched, slowly lowering himself to her tear-engulfed face. Only then did their eyes meet.

His eyes averted for a moment— to the floor and then to the hand of hers that still draped on her lap. He hesitated for a moment before bringing his hand up to lightly hold the slightly cool tips. He brought their hands up, gazing to them before finally looking back up to her.

"You're wanting results far too quickly, Aurora." Seonghwa spoke in such a caring tone, caressing her fingers with his thumb soothingly.

Her soft brown eyes looked down to their hands, taking to slowly removing the one over her mouth before she began to slowly nod. That seemed to trigger another tear to cascade down her cheek, piercing her lips and gazing back at him. He moved his other hand to her shoulder, rising slightly as he gave off a comforting presence.

That's all they did for a few moments, stare at each other and Seonghwa was enough to convey all the unspoken emotions between them. He alone wanted to speak so much— volumes of what I could even comprehend in that moment. However, he started with a small fraction— not even that. It was more like a sliver— a crumb— that he let tumble out of his mouth.

"Can't you tell me what these images are?" His voice was a soft whisper as his thumbs rubbed the front of her shoulders tenderly.

She slowly shook her head, exhaling before sniffling and moving her wrist up to wipe away the tears.

He nodded in understanding, the vision scanning her thoughtfully before another curious question was imposed, "What about that pattern?"

She was silent for a moment, letting out another sniffle before responding,"The past, future, past again." She shrugged at her words, pausing as she looked down at the ground, her lips parted as she took in another breath before she looked back up at him with a nod, "It's the same since we began these things," She attempted a smile and failed.

It almost appeared that she would cry once more before two tan hands came up to cup her face before drawing him close to him. And then there was a shaking and the vision I looked at faded away as the lace suddenly stretched out for me. I moved to get out of its reach. I was too late. It latched onto me. And suddenly those layers and layers of golden ribbon were dragged away from me until I was staring into a pair of dark rich and golden eyes. Those eyes were absolutely infuriated.

"What in all the Courts, Star?" Seonghwa seethed, his eyes scanning my own golden pair.

My brows furrowed in bewilderment. I wasn't sure what he meant for a moment until it dawned on me.

I'd read his mind.

I'd looked into his past and what this moment reminded him of and— I'd broken one of my own sacred rules.

I moved my mouth to blurt an apology— I was truly so sorry— but, as quickly as my mouth had opened, it had closed. From the mere glimpse into Seonghwa's eyes, I knew no apology I said in that moment could make up for anything. I also looked away, figuring another too long of a glimpse in his eyes would result in me continuing to watch the same image on display in his mind.

I silently let my gaze drooped to his hands he had placed on my shoulder. It was comforting and warm, despite the glare I knew he still had pinned on me. I could've easily embraced the soothing touch, but I couldn't as the position seemed far too familiar— similar— far too similar to how they were on his lover in that memory I'd seen.

I tensed under that touch and was never more reluctant when he immediately removed his hands and backed away from me. I couldn't let my tense body be relieved, however. That touch had kept me away from the intensity of that moment and it was only revealed to me how scorching, yet shivering, and lonely it was. His golden eyes were pinned on me because I was all there was to blame. I hung my head low because I knew that all to be true and none of the blame pinned was wrong.

I still didn't respond and he didn't say any more words, despite we both probably had more words to say to each other than we could even count. Neither of us— for minutes— however, made a move. Until he finally made one that I was all too obliged to accept:

"Leave my Court."

REMEMBER:​​​​​​

1. Smack dat butiful star

2. Leave a comment talkin abt dis tea

3. Share dis tea induced book with yo fwends

WHY? Because I appreciate it 🥺

\\ See u in the next chapter! \\