Saving Jessica

I'm shivering before the dungeon door. Odin doesn't seem to need the key while just yanking it open. I freeze seeing Jessica asleep on the bed. She has a quality room meant for nobles under question. They're trapped, but have everything they could want. The dungeons of the castle are the nice dungeons come to find out. "Odin..."

"Can you kiss her?" Odin moves to Jessica's side. "That may do it."

"What?" I stare at Odin. He just looks annoyed by my outburst. "We don't have that type of relationship."

"Yeah. And? Do it. I'm testing something." Odin goes to the desk. There wasn't anything there when we showed up, but Odin pulled things in.

I gulp moving to Jessica's side. I touch her hand. She looks peaceful asleep. I freeze looking to Odin. "Thousand year sleep?"

"Your father cast it on purpose. Unlike you." Odin reviews things. "Try the kiss. You wanted to know, didn't you? I need a moment to break it if that doesn't work."

Oh. The papers are to help him break the curse. Unless... This can't change our relationship, though. Will I forgo telling her? If...

Breathe. I need to breathe. Alright. Kiss her. It doesn't take much for the true love's kiss to work. It means nothing. The spell is just... Unique. Leaning down, I let my lips gently touch hers.

I'm glad I was holding her hand, since I can feel the moment she wakes up. I pull back hopeful she is unaware of... What... I did...

Wait!? That means... I look at Odin. He smirks at me.

"Where am I?" Jessica sits up staring at me for a long moment before looking at Odin. "Lord Odin? You escaped?"

"The escape artist came for me. What else was to to do?" Odin stands up. His papers are gone. Did my kiss actually work? I... I have no idea what to say to that idea. "How are you feeling?"

"Groggy." Jessica yawns. "But also like I had the best night sleep of my life. Which is such a weird feeling." She rubs her eyes catching mine again. "Do you know where I am and why, Thomas?"

I gulp. "You're in the castle dungeons. Uh..."

She stands up checking herself over. Nothing seems amiss. She's dressed as a knight. Her weapons are even with her. "Strange." She focuses on Odin. "They called me before. I was expecting it. I assumed it was to give me the eagle wings." She taps the item on my chest. I freeze with her casual touch.

"Sorry." I duck my head.

"I knew where things were going." She stretches a little. "Alright. Get me up to speed."

Odin glances to me. "I wish I had a better understanding of things, but I was alone in my tower only a few moments ago."

In the time since I was forced to Odin's tower, Jessica was called and captured. She was put into a thousand year sleep by my father. "Mom... Someone is after Mom." I hate saying it. She's such a strong person capable of so much. I wish I told her to knit me a sweater instead of join the knights for training practice. "I'm screwing up things. Mom wasn't being threatened before she joined the knights again."

"Are you sure about that?" Odin eyes me.

Huh? Am I sure about that...? I try to think of...

"Thomas... The first time you managed to escape the castle... How did you...? Why did you...?"

I freeze. I may not recall my memory of Jessica back then... But I do recall why I escaped the first time. I was bothered by my parents fighting, so I wasn't where I was supposed to be.

But that person... Helped me leave the castle...

"Not all your escape attempts were your doing, Thomas. And I told your parents to give you more room so you understood how to get around the capital. Why?"

I stare at Jessica. She's clueless. "I... Just wanted to escape."

"Nope. Try again, Thomas." Odin knows exactly what my first successful escape was.

I was kidnapped. Persuaded to leave. Told the how and just...

I drop to the ground hugging my knees. "When I finally realized... They pulled a knife on me..." The memories are right there. I was under ten. And I had the revival curse reset after that moment. Because I...

"What have you been running from, Thomas?" Odin offers me his hand. I pull my knees closer to me. "You have nothing to fear from me."

"You were brought in because I..." Died. "If not for that blessing..."

"Oh. It's a blessing now?" Odin smirks at me. I shiver. "All blessings are curses. All curses are blessings." I nod. "You're here now."

"I... Died... But only after... They..." I hiccup. The tears are coming back.

In my mind I see the warehouse where it happened. My magic acted. And killed everyone. Then I lost consciousness. I lost too much blood. I recall the feeling of absence that is death. Then the flash of feeling. The warmth returning. Flow... I felt mana flow. I knew that's what it was.

And what the spell was doing.

"Everyone was dead after my revival. The guards found me because of the screaming. I was surrounded by corpses that were butchered. They thought someone had saved me before fleeing... But when I saw my parents..." I close my eyes remembering how clearly they knew. They called off the search for my savior.

I was my own savior.

And the blessing placed on me to revive.

I was only four years old back then.

Jessica grabs my hand and pulls me to standing. I wanted to protest, but wasn't in the right state to. Then her arms wrap around me. "You did nothing wrong."

I'm crying. Recalling those memories. My magic... Listens... It always listens... But it doesn't always understand. That's why I need to learn how to wield it. So I decide how it affects my enemies. I pull back wiping the tears away again. I need to stop crying. It's not helpful right now. "An assassin is after Mom. And they are either a minister here or a red knight. So there is a good chance, whoever it is, is actually with Mom now." I look to Odin. "Where's Father?"

"Guess." Odin grins at me.

I gulp. He sent me to Odin. To protect me or persuade him. Then... Headed off to the battle. "The goblins will be trouble. The artifacts will create added issues. And then we have an enemy within. We have to go."

"Yes. That is my plan as well." Odin holds out his hand to us. "So, ready?"

I look at Jessica. "Sorry about everything, Jessica."

"No biggie." She grins placing her hand on Odin. "Let's go save your parents. I can't be a knight if they're dead, right?"

I laugh. That is true, but I didn't even think of it. "Right. Let's go. We're ready."