A dream of blood and fate

A Dream of Blood and Fate

A sharp scream tore through the silence of the room.

"Aaaargh!" Amelia jolted awake, her body drenched in sweat as she tumbled off the bed and onto the cold marble floor. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her chest rising and falling erratically.

Her hands trembled as she clutched at the silk nightgown clinging to her damp skin. Tears welled in her eyes, hot and relentless, spilling down her cheeks as she tried to steady herself.

"What… what was that?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the erratic pounding of her heart.

A dream.

No… It felt too real.

She pressed a hand against her forehead, still reeling from the horrifying images burned into her mind. Blood. Corpses. And Ceaser… smiling amidst the carnage.

Her mother—her dear mother—struck down right before her eyes.

A shudder coursed through her body.

"Why did I dream about something like that?" Amelia muttered, pulling herself back onto the bed. Her fingers clutched the sheets as her mind raced.

Was it just a nightmare? Or was there something more? A hidden meaning behind it?

"Aargh… how am I supposed to sleep now?" she groaned.

Her frustration boiled over. There was only one person she could turn to for answers.

Her gaze snapped toward the darkened corner of the room.

"CHICHI!"

Silence.

She narrowed her eyes. "I know you can hear me. Come out!"

A tired sigh echoed through the room before a small, glowing figure emerged from the shadows. A fox with shimmering silver fur and mischievous golden eyes yawned dramatically.

"Ugh… what is it now?" Chichi whined, flicking its tail lazily. "Can't you let me rest at night for once?"

Amelia crossed her arms. "I had a dream."

Chichi blinked. "You think I don't? I have them too, you know."

"Ugh! That's not what I meant!" she snapped. "It was a horrible dream."

Chichi tilted its head. "Yeah? Tell me about it."

Amelia took a shaky breath before recounting every horrifying detail—the endless hallway, the blood-soaked floor, the corpses, and finally, Ceaser, standing there with that eerie smile.

When she finished, Chichi's expression darkened.

"So, you're telling me you saw Ceaser murdering your entire family?" the fox asked nonchalantly.

A cold lump formed in Amelia's throat. She hesitated before nodding. "Yeah…"

"Well," Chichi sighed, "that's not crazy at all. Ceaser doesn't seem like the type, but in your dream, he was the craziest person you've ever seen, huh?"

Amelia's brows furrowed. "You don't find it strange?"

"Um… not really."

She frowned. "What?"

"I've seen him do it before," Chichi said simply.

Amelia's breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

The fox met her gaze, unblinking. "In your previous life, he wiped out the entire kingdom in one night just because he couldn't get what he wanted."

Silence.

A chill crept down Amelia's spine.

Her fingers curled into the sheets. "You're telling me… if things go the same way, he'll kill me too?"

"Yeah," Chichi answered bluntly. "If you get in his way."

"But he's… he's so sweet to me," Amelia whispered, barely able to process what she was hearing.

Chichi let out a small chuckle. "Sweet? That's an act."

Amelia's stomach twisted. "No… You're wrong."

"I already told you," Chichi said, voice softer now. "He's cunning. He does whatever it takes to get what he wants. And right now? That means playing the role of a devoted husband. But don't be fooled, Amelia. He's after the throne."

The truth crashed into her like a tidal wave.

"Then…" Amelia hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "My dream… it's a warning, isn't it? If I don't change the plot, everyone is going to die."

"Something like that," Chichi confirmed. "You need to make a move on him as soon as possible. Don't waste time."

Amelia's face turned crimson. "H-How am I supposed to do that?"

Chichi let out an exaggerated sigh. "Have you ever looked in a mirror?"

Amelia blinked, confused. "What?"

"I know you're not as cute as me," Chichi teased, "but with that body of yours, you can easily make him yours."

A deep blush spread across Amelia's face. "A-Are you telling me to seduce him?!"

Chichi smirked. "Not a bad idea, right?"

"Shut up!" Amelia hissed, covering her face with her hands. "I'm not going to do that!"

The fox flicked its tail. "It's your duty to seduce him."

"Why do I have to—?"

"Oop—looks like my time is up!" Chichi interrupted. "I'll come back another time."

"Wait—!"

But the fox was already gone.

Amelia let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples. "Stupid Chichi."

She turned to the mirror across the room, staring at her own reflection.

"He's not wrong," she mumbled.

A determined spark lit in her eyes.

"I need a plan."