Seed of War 6

Burning stung my eyes as I opened them slowly, my heartbeat in my head. A cool silver touch was on my upper left arm, fangs in my mouth though the rest of my body was human. My mind was fuzzy, my eyesight dotted. What had happened? I examined the room around me, where was I? A large bed, well furnished room, stunning...definitely not my own house..then who's? A soft knock came on the door across from the bed. The door cracked, a soft, musical voice flowing into the room, "Tanya, love...are you alright?"
The voice made me relax, rolling onto my side, nodding slowly. "Yes..I'm fine..If..if you don't mind me asking...who are you?"
I heard the footsteps of him walk in, the Prince sitting next to me, smiling at me sadly, "You hit your head pretty hard..but it's alright now..My name's Kare..it might be a little bit before you get your memories back."
I nodded slowly at him, staring at his eyes. They flashed with happiness, a grin breaking his face.

"Do you remember me, love?"
"I'm..assuming..that you love me?"
"And you love me."
I blinked, "Oh."
His hand ran the length of my arm, smiling sadly at me, his eyes full of sorrow. "In time, Tanya..in time.."
I smiled weakly, "Of course.."
Pain...running... "Get away from me!" Wicked grins...laughter...whips...chains...cuffs...
I winced at the images that ran through my mind. The sounds seemed to be in the room, the images making me blind to all else around me.

"Beryl!" another voice screamed. A woman stood before me. No, she was running. There was a sliver bracelet on her arm, shinning in the light. Her gasps were in my ears, her hoarse breathing echoing around me. I followed her down the hall, another girl staggering behind this woman. She was young, crying. "Mamma! Mamma please...why are we running? Are they going to hurt as again?" Again...the word stayed with me. The woman, the mother, turned around, kneeling next to her daughter, "Beryl..mamma's going to have to leave for a little bit, alright?" the woman's face started to be flooded with tears. I knelt next to them, "What's going on!? What's happening!?" My words never reached them. Beryl nodded, the mother continuing, "Sweetie..you have to be strong for mamma, okay? I promise I'll find you..See this window? You can fit through it. Go, love..run away from here..find the other wolves..they'll keep you safe..alright?"
Beryl cried again, "Please mamma!"

"Ssh..love..you have to be strong for mamma, okay?" they embraced. I stood up and looked around the corner. Someone was coming. I turned and screamed at the embracing mother and daughter. "Get up! Get up, they're coming! Hurry!" words wasted. Words gone unnoticed. When the troop of soldiers nearly turned the corner, they let go, the mother placing the girl on her shoulders and pushing her out of the building. It struck me she had no brace around her arm. Her arms were bare and white, as if she'd never been outside before. The soldiers then turned the corner, seeing the mother crying. They yelled at her, unsheathing swords.
"Where's the girl!?" one shouted angrily.

"I won't let you touch my daughter!" the mother howled out, fur covering her body, falling to all fours. Her hands shifting into paws, her gum's lined with teeth. Ears pricked up from her head, a tail branching out from her spine. She bared her teeth, her wolfish face snarling at them. They ran at her, shouting, and she jumped into the air, high above them, then came down on one's neck, biting it open, jumping away before a sword hit her. The man fell to the floor at my feet, blood covering the floor around him. I held my mouth as I nearly spilled my stomach on the ground, and I fell to my knees.

"Stay away from my daughter!" then there was silence. I looked up, but the vision faded.
"Tanya!" the voice echoed down the hall behind me. I didn't move, staring down the hallway before me. It held resemblance to the one in my vision, yet it wasn't steel. It wasn't dark and forbidding. It was actually welcoming. A hand came to my shoulder, the prince kneeling next to me. Kare looked at me, concerned, "What's wrong? You alright?"
"How long has this place been a palace?" I stared at the window where the young girl and her mother had stood. Kare hesitated, "Why?"
I shook my head, "Nothing..no reason..forget it, okay?"
He smiled, nodding, "Alright. Lets get you back to bed, okay?"
"Sure.."

He helped me to my feet, allowing me to lean on him. I felt dizzy, felt as if I was about to puke. My stomach lurched and I held my hand over my mouth, groaning. Kare quickened his pace, pulling me into the room and laying me on the bed. I felt barely better laying down...only barely.
"Better?"
"Barely.." I groaned, a nurse coming in and laying a wet cloth on my head.
"So..how did I hit my head?" I closed my eyes as the nurse pulled the cloth down over them. There was a pause, then Kare spoke up, "You fell. The stairs here are brutal, and you were on the top floor. This woman Beryl is trying to kill you, so she snuck in as a maid and when you saw the knife you ran..she cut your leg, and you tripped down the stairs." He touched my leg and I winced, something was definitely there.
"But how do you know this?"

"There was a servant that was there. He saw it all and helped you to your feet and ran Beryl off."
"Beryl?" Like the little girl..but..she was with a wolf..she was a wolf..she wouldn't try to kill me...
"You should sleep some more," Kare's voice said. "Take a sip of water, then try to get some rest." I felt a cup enter my hand and I sat up slowly, sipping. My stomach lurched again, coughing. I felt something drizzle from my mouth, probably blood. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came. I fell back on my bed, closing my eyes. I groaned, falling into darkness.