Nyxara
I really need to stop passing out. This is quickly becoming a not fun habit. Every time I wake up, I'm somewhere new and unfamiliar—and my grip on sanity slips a little more.
Blinking my eyes open, the first thing I see is the sun setting over a beautiful cityscape through a wall of glass. Taking a deep breath I breathe in what smells like eucalyptus, lavender, and something smoky. As I feel myself coming fully awake, I pick up another scent combination that seems to calm me even more.
They remind me of home. If I had to capture the essence of safety and love—of my parents—this would be it. This thought brings a smile to my lips as I let out a sigh.
"Little Nyx, are you awake?" A soothing, raspy voice asks from behind me. With a held breath, I look over my shoulder to see the faces of my parents. The parents who look the same yet different. Parents who I had to bury at the age of 13 with my brothers years ago, yet it feels like it was just yesterday. Parents I came to an alternate universe just to be with some version of them again.
"Mama? Papa? Are you really here, or is this a dream again?" I ask as I turn slowly to completely face the two people sitting in chairs by my bedside. Tears quietly stream down my face as I keep wiping them away so I can see them clearly. My Papa, who was a big man in my other life, is a huge man in this life. He now exudes an aura of power, confidence, and mystery. His soft features are now strong and chiseled. This is accentuated by his well-groomed beard and intense, silver moon eyes that seem to burn with an unwavering focus on me.
I quickly notice other differences. He was bald in my past life. In this one, his dark, intricately braided hair is pulled back into a high, messy bun, revealing his sharp jawline and the multiple piercings adorning his ears. His neck and arms appear to be covered in striking, elaborate tattoos that blend swirling floral motifs with the scales of a great beast, giving him the look of a warrior that seems at odds with the mild-mannered college professor I knew him as back then.
Movement draws my gaze to the woman beside him. Mama. She looks like my Mama, but…more. She is stunning in a magical kind of way. Her dark hair, with highlights of gold, is pulled up into a high ponytail, yet it still cascades over her shoulder, showing that if it were down, it may reach down to the floor. She is looking at me with concern, but I can detect caution in her eyes as well. Her eyes, that were a simple yet beautiful brown before, are now a garnet color that seems to glow with an inner fire, that is intense yet soothing, as if they hold secrets and untamed power.
This version of my Mama gives off a sense of being untouchable yet inviting, like a calm ocean that can drown you at any moment. Seeing them together, they look so powerful, like that car accident wouldn't kill this version of them. I can't seem to stop my tears from falling. It's making it hard for me to see them. Why won't they stop! I growl in frustration at my body, not listening to me. I wipe and wipe, but the tears keep coming. I can't see them. I just want to be able to see them.
A big hand starts rubbing my head, and a slightly calloused hand grips my left hand as two voices start humming a lullaby that seems to dry up my tears. With them leaning closer to me, I can smell that the calming scents I was smelling before are actually coming from them. Mama is the eucalyptus, lavender, and something smoky. Papa smells like something deep, warm, slightly sweet, and wood-like. The calm their lullaby and scents bring me will probably freak me out later… but right now, I'm just letting it happen.
"Ah, now that you seem to be calm as a gentle breeze, Emberling, maybe we can talk if you feel up to it." Papa rumbles as he keeps soothing his hand over my hair. I drowsily nod my head as I hold onto his wrist and grip Mama's hand a bit harder. My eyes have closed, but somehow I sense that they exchanged worried looks.
"To answer your previous question since you didn't appear to hear us before, yes, we are here with you. This is not an elaborate illusion. You have not been charmed or spelled. Other than some injuries from your … accident, the doctor says you should recover soon. They haven't given us a timeline of when you will be able to come home yet since it has barely been a day since you were found." Papa's voice is the same. Deep bass that sounds melodic when he speaks. I smile in contentment that I'm getting to hear it again after so long.
"Little one, now that you are awake, can you tell us how you are feeling? Also, can you tell us why you had attempted to do what you attempted to do?" Mama's soothing rasp made my smile turn into a grin. I don't want to open my eyes on the off chance this is all a dream, no matter what Papa says. I could stay here with them forever. The only way this would be perfect is if my brothers were here too.
"Nyxara Grey Ajei, don't you dare fall asleep on us. Answer your Mama's questions." Papa's quiet boom snaps my eyes open. "Right, right, sorry you two were soothing me into sleepiness." I say apologetically. Releasing them from my grasp, I sit up slowly, then try to figure out how to have the bed incline so I can rest against my pillows still. Mama helps, and once I'm comfortable, I turn my gaze back to them with a smile. "I am feeling sore all over, but especially on my neck for obvious reasons. My head feels a bit heavy, but I'm guessing that is a side effect of what I did."
"As far as why I attempted to hang myself, I don't know. In fact, I don't remember a lot about anything before I woke up in the woods." The silence that followed felt calm on the surface… but underneath, I could sense the worry they were trying so hard to hide.