For most of the week, the Admiral had been sleeping poorly, which was unusual for him. Unless he was in command of a ship encountering rough seas he typically slept like the dead. But he wasn't at sea now. He’d taken a leave of absence from his command of the Lutine to vacation at Fiddler’s Green, his country estate. Here he would be able to enjoy the birth of his baby without distraction. His young wife, heavy with child, was currently playing a haunting melody on the piano for their guests in the next room, but at any moment she might begin to experience the pains that herald a new life. Odd the way life so often seemed to begin with pain, he mused.
It had occurred to him that perhaps it was the occasion of his baby’s impending birth that had moved him to such extreme anxiety, but he couldn't bring himself to believe the truth of it. He’d waited so long for this joyful moment to arrive.
He felt he’d loved his wife from the moment they met. He had been a good friend of her father and often visited their home. Though she’d been only a child at the time, there had always been such a close bond between them. He’d never experienced a connection like that with anyone else and, despite the fifteen year gap in their age, they'd enjoyed their frequent contact.
It had been bittersweet watching her mature. Her father had lost his vitality and, facing the end of his days, was anxious to see her married before he passed over. Once she was married everything would change between the pair of them and so, as the Admiral saw the girl begin to flower into womanhood, he distanced himself from her, trying to hide his regrets. He was simply too old for her, he had told himself. In spite of his noble pedigree, he hadn't felt right petitioning her father to have her as his wife.
How amazing it had been when the old man had instead approached the Admiral and offered him his daughter’s hand. Traditionally it was up to the prospective fiancé to open such negotiations, but the elderly man had confided that his daughter had beseeched him to speak out on the matter and he had not the energy left to defy her will. With joy, the Admiral leapt to accept the old man’s offer. And in joy the newlyweds had been living ever since.
Except that he was just so tired these days. He couldn't even stay awake to enjoy the evening of brandy and song now underway in the other room. He struggled to keep his eyelids apart as he involuntarily snuggled down further into his favorite chair near the fire in his cozy office. In spite of his exhaustion, he didn't want to go back to sleep again. Back to the murky darkness of his dreams.
Every time he shut his eyes, the same horror awaited him. Yet even this knowledge couldn't keep him awake any longer and his mind led him back to the darkness where monstrous creatures lurked in the gloom. They dogged his footsteps no matter which way he turned. No matter how he attempted to evade them, they eventually picked up his trail again.
When he let his footsteps flag, the shambling horrors returned, closing in on him until he could see their grotesque faces. Fear and disgust would overcome him and he would again attempt to quicken his pace, but he found it desperately hard to move. All his limbs seemed as if stuck in a quagmire. He was running a race for his life in hideous slow motion.
If only he could return home, he thought in his dream. He would be safe once he arrived in Cardiff. He’d alert the guard of the horrible army that approached the Harbor Gate and soon after he’d find himself back in the arms of his dear wife.
Thinking of his wife energized the Admiral’s dream self with renewed determination. He would beat these monsters back to the city. Back to where his beautiful wife, Jillian, waited for him.
Firm in his resolve, the indomitable Admiral Pearson Bainbridge pushed on through the darkness of his dreamscape. Each step bringing him inexorably closer to Cardiff.
--> Discover more about the fate of Admiral Bainbridge in the prologue to Fame, the first volume of The DragonRunes Cycle. Read the prologue free online by clicking on "Look Inside" for the Amazon sample: http://amzn.to/18TBzYA
It had occurred to him that perhaps it was the occasion of his baby’s impending birth that had moved him to such extreme anxiety, but he couldn't bring himself to believe the truth of it. He’d waited so long for this joyful moment to arrive.
He felt he’d loved his wife from the moment they met. He had been a good friend of her father and often visited their home. Though she’d been only a child at the time, there had always been such a close bond between them. He’d never experienced a connection like that with anyone else and, despite the fifteen year gap in their age, they'd enjoyed their frequent contact.
It had been bittersweet watching her mature. Her father had lost his vitality and, facing the end of his days, was anxious to see her married before he passed over. Once she was married everything would change between the pair of them and so, as the Admiral saw the girl begin to flower into womanhood, he distanced himself from her, trying to hide his regrets. He was simply too old for her, he had told himself. In spite of his noble pedigree, he hadn't felt right petitioning her father to have her as his wife.
How amazing it had been when the old man had instead approached the Admiral and offered him his daughter’s hand. Traditionally it was up to the prospective fiancé to open such negotiations, but the elderly man had confided that his daughter had beseeched him to speak out on the matter and he had not the energy left to defy her will. With joy, the Admiral leapt to accept the old man’s offer. And in joy the newlyweds had been living ever since.
Except that he was just so tired these days. He couldn't even stay awake to enjoy the evening of brandy and song now underway in the other room. He struggled to keep his eyelids apart as he involuntarily snuggled down further into his favorite chair near the fire in his cozy office. In spite of his exhaustion, he didn't want to go back to sleep again. Back to the murky darkness of his dreams.
Every time he shut his eyes, the same horror awaited him. Yet even this knowledge couldn't keep him awake any longer and his mind led him back to the darkness where monstrous creatures lurked in the gloom. They dogged his footsteps no matter which way he turned. No matter how he attempted to evade them, they eventually picked up his trail again.
When he let his footsteps flag, the shambling horrors returned, closing in on him until he could see their grotesque faces. Fear and disgust would overcome him and he would again attempt to quicken his pace, but he found it desperately hard to move. All his limbs seemed as if stuck in a quagmire. He was running a race for his life in hideous slow motion.
If only he could return home, he thought in his dream. He would be safe once he arrived in Cardiff. He’d alert the guard of the horrible army that approached the Harbor Gate and soon after he’d find himself back in the arms of his dear wife.
Thinking of his wife energized the Admiral’s dream self with renewed determination. He would beat these monsters back to the city. Back to where his beautiful wife, Jillian, waited for him.
Firm in his resolve, the indomitable Admiral Pearson Bainbridge pushed on through the darkness of his dreamscape. Each step bringing him inexorably closer to Cardiff.
--> Discover more about the fate of Admiral Bainbridge in the prologue to Fame, the first volume of The DragonRunes Cycle. Read the prologue free online by clicking on "Look Inside" for the Amazon sample: http://amzn.to/18TBzYA
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