Dreams Of Past

As the celebration began to unfold around them, Seraphina's gaze drifted momentarily to **Matilda**, who stood a short distance away, surrounded by guests. Matilda wore a warm smile, one that felt achingly familiar, almost as if it had been pulled from the depths of Seraphina's memories of their past life. The resemblance to the day of their previous wedding sent a shiver down Seraphina's spine.

In that instant, a wave of anxiety washed over her. **What if history repeated itself?** She felt the ghost of her past closing in, the weight of the prophecy pressing against her heart. The echo of betrayal, pain, and loss surfaced in her mind, and she instinctively tightened her grip on **Cedric's** hand.

Seraphina leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper, "Cedric… do you think… will I kill you again in this life?" The words slipped out before she could stop them, a haunting reminder of the fate that had once torn them apart.

Cedric's expression shifted, surprise flickering in his eyes. He took a moment to process her words, then leaned closer, his brow furrowed with concern. "What do you mean?" he asked gently, his voice filled with tenderness.

She hesitated, biting her lip, the memories of their last encounter flooding her mind. "The prophecy… it said I had to kill you on our wedding day. It feels like the past is creeping back in." The fear in her voice was palpable, and she could see the way it affected him.

Cedric's gaze softened, and he raised her chin so she would meet his eyes. "That was the past, Seraphina. We're not bound by it anymore. We've rewritten our story together." He held her gaze firmly, as if trying to convey the strength of his resolve through their connection.

"But what if…" she began, but Cedric shook his head, cutting off her fears.

"No 'what ifs.' We control our fate now. I won't let anything happen to us, I promise." His grip on her hand tightened reassuringly, grounding her in the moment.

Seraphina could see the conviction in his eyes, the unwavering belief that they had the power to change their destinies. She took a deep breath, the warmth of his presence calming the storm inside her. "You're right. We can't let the past dictate our future."

With that affirmation, Seraphina felt a spark of hope igniting within her. Maybe they could truly escape the shadows of their former lives. As the music swelled and the festivities continued around them, she pushed aside her fears and allowed herself to be present in this moment, ready to embrace the happiness that lay ahead.

She turned her attention back to the celebration, her heart lightening as she allowed herself to believe in the love they had forged anew. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them with Cedric by her side, determined to build a future free from the chains of prophecy.

As the moment approached, the air crackled with anticipation. **Seraphina** stood before **Cedric**, surrounded by their friends and family, yet the weight of Matilda's words hung heavily in her mind. She felt the familiar flutter of anxiety in her chest as they prepared to exchange their vows, the promise of forever hanging in the balance.

Just as they were about to begin, a thought crossed her mind—a seed of doubt planted by Matilda's enigmatic smile. *What if I'm dreaming?* The thought spiraled, and she found herself glancing at Cedric, her heart racing.

"Cedric," she whispered, pulling him closer so only he could hear. "What if… what if I'm dreaming?"

He furrowed his brow, confusion flashing across his features. "You're not. I can feel you," he replied earnestly, his voice steady and reassuring. "You're here with me. I'm right beside you."

"But what if you are dreaming too?" she pressed, her voice laced with urgency. "What if we're just trapped in our past, reliving moments that have already happened? What if we're stuck in some endless cycle?"

Cedric's gaze softened as he studied her face, the sincerity in her eyes cutting through the cloud of doubt that enveloped her. "Seraphina," he said gently, "this isn't a dream. This is real. We fought for this. We fought to be here, together. You and I created this moment. We chose each other, and that choice is as real as the ground beneath our feet."

She took a shaky breath, the warmth of his presence wrapping around her like a comforting blanket. "But what if it's all a lie? What if I wake up, and none of this happened?" Her voice trembled with the weight of her fears, the memories of their tumultuous past threatening to engulf her.

"I promise you, it's not a lie," Cedric insisted, his expression firm yet gentle. "I know it feels overwhelming, but we are here. You are not dreaming. We have the power to change our story, to break free from the shackles of the past."

Seraphina searched his eyes for any hint of doubt, any sign that he too might be caught in a dream. Instead, she found unwavering faith, a steadfastness that anchored her in the moment. With each heartbeat, the doubts began to fade, replaced by the growing realization that she could trust this reality.

"Cedric," she whispered, "I believe you. But... What if... But... What if."

As the moment grew closer, Seraphina's whispered doubts seemed to ripple through the air between them, igniting an unsettling fear within Cedric.

"Cedric," she said softly, her eyes wide and searching, "what if you're dreaming too? What if this is all just a memory, a repetition of what has already been written?"

Cedric's heart sank at her words, an echo of uncertainty reverberating through him. *What if this wasn't real? What if they were simply trapped in a dream from the past?* He shook his head, trying to dispel the creeping doubts. "No, Seraphina. I know this is real. I can prove it."

He took a step back, looking deep into her eyes as he began to list the memories that were theirs alone—moments that could only exist between the two of them. "Remember the first time we met in the library? You were reading that book about the stars, and I thought you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen? Or how we used to sneak away to the Rosewood Estate to explore the woods, just the two of us?"

She nodded, a flicker of recognition lighting her features, but doubt lingered in her gaze. "Those memories are so vivid… but what if they're just echoes of the past? What if we're repeating them, unaware?"

Cedric's chest tightened. "I know things that only you and I share, Seraphina. The secrets we confided in one another, the little things—like how you loved that silly little dance we made up in the courtyard, or how you always scolded me for climbing trees even though I fell more times than I could count. Those moments are real, and they are ours."

But with each assertion, he could see her doubt wavering, and the fear took root in his own heart. *What if she was right?* What if this was all a facade, a trick played by fate to toy with their emotions?

He took a deep breath, grounding himself as he tried to fight back the nagging thoughts. "Seraphina, look at me." He cupped her face, forcing her to focus on him. "I am here. We are here. I can feel your heartbeat; I can feel your breath. This is not a dream."

"But what if we're living in borrowed time?" she pressed, her voice trembling. "What if we're just living out our past, destined to repeat the same mistakes?"

The question hung heavily between them, and Cedric felt a chill run down his spine. The idea of repeating their tragic history sent shivers through him. "No," he insisted, his voice stronger now. "We're not doomed to that fate. We can break free from the prophecy. We can choose a different path."

"But can we?" she challenged, searching his eyes for reassurance.

He hesitated, grappling with the dawning uncertainty. *What if they were trapped in a loop, forever repeating the same mistakes?* The memories they shared were beautiful, yet haunting, reminding him of everything they had lost.

"Cedric," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "if this is a dream, then what will happen when we wake up? What if I lose you again?"

The thought of losing her, of waking up to a reality where she wasn't beside him, made his heart race with panic. "I won't let that happen," he vowed fiercely. "I refuse to let this be a dream. I refuse to lose you again."

As he held her gaze, Cedric felt a swell of determination within him, pushing back against the tide of doubt that threatened to consume them both. "No matter what happens, we will make this moment ours. I love you, Seraphina. And I will fight for you, for us, in this life and the next."

The conviction in his voice pierced through the veil of uncertainty, and he could see the flicker of hope igniting in her eyes. Together, they stood at the precipice of their future, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, even if it meant confronting the shadows of their past.

And as the officiant began to speak, Cedric felt a surge of confidence. *This is real.* They would not be trapped in a dream. They would carve their own destiny, together.