Legend of the Ancient Kingdoms

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me

Chapter 7: Dream a little dream of me.

After Natasa’s near fall they continued to move through the palace towards what Natasa assumed was a banquet hall similar to the one in Assyria. Her nerves had started to calm after the prince had caught her and she was beginning to get used to having her arm around Athanas’s.

Natasa couldn’t explain it but it was the same feeling she had in the wolf like she had held his arm many times before almost as if it belonged there, Natasa suddenly remembered the times during her dreams when the man in her dreams who she had walked with since her childhood held her arm and walked with her in a similar way.

Natasa held back a gasp and suddenly wondered if there were more to her dreams than she first thought. No thought Natasa, dreams like that don’t come to life and although there are similarities it’s just my mind working over time she thought, I’m seeing things that don’t really mean anything.

Even though she thought that somehow she didn’t feel convinced by her arguments,

“Princess,” said Athanas “are you feeling alright.”

“Y yes,” said Natasa as she blushed uncontrollably.

“You don’t sound convinced,” said Athanas softly “is there something on your mind?” he asked.

“No! No! nothing at all,” said Natasa keen to end this line of discussion.

Frato cut in “begging your pardon your highness the princess is like this every time we mention you.”

“I am not!” retorted Natasa.

“I’m sorry princess I am only saying what I have seen out of concern as a friend.”

“Well I suppose when you put it that way I can’t really be mad at you for saying it” said Natasa.

“Prince,” said Natasa softly as she avoided looking directly at him for fear her words would fail her, “you will have to forgive me, this is all new to me and I am struggling to get used to everything that has happened to me since my grandmother gave me this necklace. It has been a little hectic to say the least so if I have a strange look please bare that in mind.”

“It is alright princess,” said Athanas “Aella has already briefed me on everything that has happened to you and about your arrival on this world, I know you have been through a lot and I am sure in time you will feel more at ease.”

“You know I am a man!” said Natasa abruptly, “then how can you hold my arm this way knowing full well I am a man?”

“No princess you’re not a man at all, I know you say you were male in your world but here you are definitely not male, there is no mistake you are undeniably female. The reason I can easily have you hold my arm princess has nothing to do with your past existence. I look at how you are at this moment and I cannot imagine you as anything or anyone other than you are here, and to be honest I am enjoying having you beside me holding my arm” said Athanas.

“If I did not know you had had a tough few days I think I would have gone as far as kissing you by now because your beauty captivates me” he continued as he smiled at her, Natasa’s legs nearly gave way again at the sight of his smile and the words he spoke.

“But you’re highness I am a man, you can’t want to kiss a man!” pleaded Natasa.

“But I have already said princess you are not a man not on this world, of course I would want to kiss you,” replied the prince “as I have said the only reason that I have not kissed you already is because I know you’re adjusting and I hope that in time you will come to me when you’re ready rather than me trying and upsetting you” he continued.

“The moment I entered your room and saw you in person for the first time made me understand why Seleukos wanted to take you as his own” said Athanas.

“Don’t say such things, I am a guy I cannot love another guy!” said Natasa defiantly. As they continued walking Athanas suddenly stopped one of the palace maids as she passed them.

“Please prepare the princess’s room for two; I will be staying there from tonight!” Athanas said softly.

“What the hell does that mean?” asked Natasa sharply.

“Oh it’s quite simple really” Said Athanas as a smile spread across his face. “If you are a guy and obviously I am then there is no problem with us sharing a bed to sleep” he said smugly.

“You can’t!” said Natasa in a slight panic.

“why not?” said Athanas.

“Because, but,” Natasa was unable to bring herself to say the words.

“Well,” said Athanas “if you say you’re female then it would be inappropriate for us to sleep together in the same bed, but then it means that you accept being female and therefore there is no reason for me to hold back from kissing you.

“However, if you say your male then it means there is absolutely no reason for me to not sleep in the same bed, although if you insist on denying that you’re female I might get tempted in the night and have to check,” said Athanas coldly. Natasa was lost for words, no matter which choice she made the prince intended to do something to her.

Natasa wondered to herself whether this was the prince’s intention all along, just like Seleukos the prince wants her body and seems to have no problem using dirty handed tactics to get his way. Why did I convince myself to come here, to trust the prince she thought to herself? As the thoughts cascaded in her mind she found that they had arrived at the banquet hall.

As they approached the doors Natasa heard them being announced as the guards at the doors opened them to allow them through. The banquet hall was huge and as with the rest of the palace it was lavishly decorated, fine silks and other expensive cloth’s hung from the high ceiling.

The room was laid out with all the tables towards the outside of the room so the central area was clear. As Natasa and the prince entered Natasa found that the prince seemed to have invited a lot of people.

Of course Natasa knew none of them and as the prince guided her towards the main table at the rear of the room Natasa couldn’t help feeling nervous from eyes that followed her from the moment they saw her.

“Why are they staring?” asked Natasa in a hushed voice.

“They are staring at the sight of your beauty” said Athanas softly, Natasa blushed.

The table at the far end of the room appeared to be there just for Natasa and Athanas, just above the table there were what appeared to be two banners one with a design Natasa had never seen the other seemed to have a similar design to the one that appeared in her necklace back at the caves, what Ur’s soldiers had said was the queens seal.

Natasa also noted that as they moved towards the table the people around the room bowed and curtseyed but remained standing after. Athanas led Natasa around the table and to two highly decorated chairs, letting her arm free he pulled out the chair under the banner of Ur for Natasa to sit.

Natasa felt slightly uncomfortable being the centre of everyone in the room’s attention and for that matter being surrounded by so many people full stop. Since arriving in this world Natasa had not been surrounded by so many people before, she remembered how uncomfortable she was around the maids but now she longed for the comfort and security she had begun to feel around them.

Athanas who was still standing addressed the room, “friends we are here to pay our respects to princess Natasa of Ur, firstly we honour her day of birth and celebrate her passing into adulthood. Secondly we are here to honour her courage and bravery in saving the lives of others as she made her way here from Ur.”

“Finally said Athanas we are here to officially welcome Princess Natasa to the kingdom of Akkadia and ask that whilst here princess you consider it your home, we hope that your stay here will be both enjoyable and fruitful.” The prince then raised a glass in a sort of toast before asking everyone to enjoy the evening.

The prince finally sat down shortly followed by the guests and as they did so the room was filled with noise from conversations as people around the room began to talk to one another. Natasa was deep in thought, she wondered what the prince had meant when he said for her to consider Akkadia her home and that he hoped her stay would be enjoyable and fruitful.

She wondered if there were any hidden meanings behind his words, as Natasa thought that she was suddenly aware that the prince was talking to her.

“Is everything alright Natasa?” asked Athanas softly.

“Yes fine thanks,” said Natasa in a flustered tone “why do you ask?”

“You’re blushing and your voice has a nervous tone to it” said Athanas as he leant over and placed a hand on Natasa’s leg.

“What are you doing?” said Natasa in an even more nervous tone as her face went red.

Natasa seemed paralyzed by the prince’s touch as he moved his face close to hers to whisper in her ear, “is it because your embarrassed by the attention?” asked Athanas softly, Natasa nodded as her mouth failed to move.

Here I am trying to sit comfortably in a room full of people and the prince has to put his face so close to mine I can feel his breath caressing my neck thought Natasa, and his hand why did he have to put it there doesn’t he understand how his mere presence affects me?

Then again how could he know as I haven’t exactly been open about the way he makes me feel, especially when I made it clear I was a guy and that I wasn’t interested in his advances she thought. Yet no matter what I say my heart still seems to feel the opposite and it feels like my mind wants to rip itself apart.

No thought Natasa I’m not even going to go down that path, the prince is a guy I am a guy there’s no way I’m going to fall for another man ever. It was then that Natasa realised who was sitting at the table to her right.

“Aella!” said Natasa excitedly.

“Easy princess,” said Athanas “there will be plenty of time over the coming days to catch up with Aella. After all she hasn’t recovered from her injuries and when she does I want her to spend some time with you teaching you about this world and especially about your kingdom. Anyway princess tonight is your night and it is up to the guests to come to you so sit back and enjoy the banquet.”

As soon as Athanas said that Natasa noticed some of the guest’s were approaching the main table, as the guests came within feet of the table they introduced themselves and offered birthday and welcoming gifts to Natasa.

At first Natasa was dumbstruck, she had no idea what to say and was about to decline the first gift when the prince interjected and spoke for her thanking them for their generosity. After what seemed like an hour or so Natasa felt that she had met the whole room and the gifts seemed to fill the large table to the left of Natasa and Athanas.

Natasa was feeling a little overwhelmed not only from meeting so many new people but also for the fact that they had all given her what she saw as exquisite gifts. Before she knew it Aella was the one approaching the main table, she also offered Natasa a gift before addressing her on a more personal level.

“Princess,” said Aella “I humbly apologise for putting your life in danger and failing in my duty to protect you, also I want to thank you.”

“Thank me?” said Natasa confused, “for what?”

“Princess as a General under prince Athanas it was my job to protect you but I failed and instead it ended up with you protecting me and the maids. I owe you my life princess and for that I am grateful.”

“I also want to apologise for being so hard on you both at the palace and in the caves when I said you shouldn’t cry or show emotion. I was out of order and at the time I thought you were a cry baby, but I have to admit you showed me how wrong I was to have judged you in that way.”

“What happened couldn’t be helped Aella, you did save me so don’t be so down on yourself, as for misjudging me you didn’t misjudge me,” said Natasa “since being here I have been a cry baby, I have complained and cried more than I ever have, I am grateful to you Aella because regardless of what you say about what happened in the wolf you still saved me from Seleukos.”

“But when you needed me the most I was not there to protect you princess,” said Aella.

“Aella I have no idea how I managed to move the wolf let alone fight using it, all I know is that I really wanted to protect you and the maids and also the last thing I wanted was to end up back at Assyria with Seleukos.”

“What happened as I said was not your fault Aella so don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Natasa “I am still expecting you to teach me to fight with my sword. That is if the prince permits it.”

Athanas looked at the princess before speaking, “Natasa you do realise you as princess of Ur you do not have to address me so formerly just call me by my name.”

Natasa was lost for words and spluttered as she tried to respond, “yes your I mean your Athanas,” she blushed heavily as she caught sight that Aella was trying to suppress a giggle, “yes well as I say please don’t worry about it Aella” said a rather embarrassed Natasa.

“Thank you princess,” said Aella softly before she curtseyed and headed back to her table.

Athanas turned to face Natasa and again she blushed wildly, “I also tried to tell Aella not to worry but it seems no matter what anyone says she blames herself, even after watching the replay of what happened she still cannot accept there was nothing she could have done.”

“It was as if the Mecha from Ur knew the exact place you were going to be almost as if it could track you, but because of that Aella keeps torturing herself over it.”

Natasa finally managed to look away and get the question she wanted to ask out, “how did you manage to see what happened?” asked Natasa politely.

“All mecha’s in Akkadia and for that matter in Ur as far as I am aware are fitted with recording devices,” said Athanas “everything from heart rate of the pilot to fuel levels of the mecha and stresses on the limbs can be recorded and later downloaded. There are also cameras that can record a battle as it happens so that it can be watched and analyzed later on.”

“I must say Natasa when I saw you that first time take control of the wolf and fight the mecha from Ur I was completely captivated by you,” said Athanas softly, Natasa blushed again as the prince continued, “in fact during the battle you somehow made that damaged wolf move more gracefully than I have ever seen an undamaged one move before.”

“It was almost like a ballet and even the techs repairing the wolf have no idea how you managed to move the wolf let alone make it all the way to Akkadia and perform complex combat manoeuvres.”

“It wasn’t that damaged!” said Natasa, “I am not that good after all I hadn’t even seen a wolf before let alone piloted one before.”

“Natasa stop being so modest,” replied Athanas “I have seen how you fought and I know you threw everything into protecting the others and yourself so don’t make it sound like it was nothing. The minute your wolf’s engine was turned off you fell into a deep sleep that no-one could wake you from, you worried me to death because you had to be carried off on a stretcher.”

Natasa had to look down at the table her eyes unable to meet the prince’s., “but that was because I haven’t slept much since I arrived,” said Natasa sharply.

“Oh!” said Athanas softly, “what could have caused such a beautiful princess to be unable to get a decent nights rest?”

“My dreams,” said Natasa as she blushed from the prince’s words.

“Your dreams?” asked Athanas curiously.

“Erm yeah,” said Natasa as she stumbled with what to answer, “well I have the same dream every night, actually it’s more a nightmare really. Then I have had all the worry of what Seleukos planned to do to me and worries about coming here,” she suddenly bit her lip before saying any more.

“That’s a shame,” said Athanas “well firstly you no longer have to worry about Seleukos for now, your safe here out of his reach. As for coming here, now your here you don’t have to worry about that. Your dreams on the other hand are different, would you like to tell me about them?” asked Athanas. “I have heard discussing bad dreams can help make them go away.”

“No!” said Natasa sharply, “I mean no I can’t talk about them, they are embarrassing.”

“Fair enough,” said Athanas “I won’t push you to tell me, how about I tell you about the dreams I have had since I was young?” he continued, “maybe hearing someone else’s positive dreams will release you from your nightmares.”

“As I have said I have had the same dream since my early childhood, I never knew why I had it but I have come to enjoy time when I sleep because the dreams I have has always comforted me. In my dream I am in a vast garden similar to one in Babel the capital of Akkadia, the garden is full of beautiful flowers every colour and type imaginable.”

“There is always another person in my dreams, she has walked with me since I was young and I feel I know her very well,” said Athanas softly as he looked at Natasa “although we talk and walk together every time I dream I have never once seen her face because she always has the sun behind her and all I see is her silhouette.”

“Although I have never seen her face she is definitely beautiful and her voice sends my heart racing. Through our long conversations I came to know of her sorrow and pain and how different her life was to how it was supposed to be. I know one day I will meet her for real and because of that my dreams comfort me when I am lonely.”

Natasa sat there with a complete look of utter shock on her face.

“Now I know something is bothering you,” as he said that Natasa blushed and came out of her daydream. “I won’t push you for an answer but I hope you will feel easier about talking to me about it at some point, for now princess let’s just enjoy the evening.”

Natasa found enjoying the evening much harder after hearing about the prince’s dreams, thoughts kept running through her mind making her wonder about so many things. Even though Athanas words were not meant to cause her to feel more confused and stressed unfortunately they had, especially the part about Athanas having the dream since his youth.

Natasa tried to desperately to reason that it was pure coincidence and that her dream was nothing at all to do with Athanas’s. However, the thoughts at the back of her mind were telling her that there were too many similarities to be coincidence and that the fact that they could possibly be sharing the same dream meant much more than she wanted it to.

Natasa was also dwelling on what to say to the prince about her own dream if he insisted on questioning her about it at a later date, should she say what her dream is or just make something up and hope the prince buys into the deception and doesn’t question it further. After all she thought last thing she needs is for the prince to start thinking she is the woman in his dream.

The banquet seemed to go on for hours, the maids seemed to especially be having a good time and Natasa was pleased about that as she felt it was not often they had the chance to let their hair down and just enjoy themselves. However she couldn’t help but envy them a little as they laughed and joked so freely with Athanas’s men.

There had been plenty of food during the banquet and Natasa had made it her task to try a little of everything as many of the dishes brought out Natasa had never seen before but looked so tasty. During the banquet there had also been music and dancers and even what Natasa assumed was the equivalent of a court jester.

Even though she had so much on her mind the jester never failed to make her laugh, at least that is until the prince’s eyes met hers and she felt as if her heart had gone into overdrive. Throughout the night even though Natasa found talking to the prince difficult he insisted on chatting happily to her.

He never even seemed to notice Natasa’s increased tension and if he had he didn’t mention it. The prince also seemed intensely curious about Natasa’s past life before she came to Nibiru and throughout the banquet they talked about everything that had happened. Natasa’s unease wasn’t because the prince was asking questions or anything like that.

Far from it, it was more that as she talked about things from earth the prince seemed to know about some of the things like cars and other things only found on earth, also if it wasn’t bad enough that every time she looked at him to speak her words faltered it was even worse when he turned to look at her.

When Athanas did that Natasa felt as if time had stopped but her heartbeat had increased and she also found herself unable to pull away from his deep blue eyes. It got to the point that whenever she spoke she began staring at the table just in case seeing his eyes meant she would never be able to look away again.

What is this power the prince has thought Natasa, how can he make me feel this was and for that matter why do I find when I look at the prince he seems somehow familiar, it’s as if I have met him before but there is no way that can be unless the prince knows of a way to earth.

There is no way that is possible thought Natasa, I am sure had I really met him I would have recognised him straight away, there has to be another explanation after all some of the things he has said about himself I knew even before meeting him and they were things no-one had ever told me about.

The same seems to be true of the prince, even though he is asking about my past and about earth he seems to know much of what I have talked about, then there is that dream of his which even though she didn’t like thinking it she couldn’t help but see the similarities to her own dreams.

No matter how much Natasa contemplated how the prince could know so much about her and earth and vice versa the only reason she could see was the dreams, even so she couldn’t see how two completely different people from two distant worlds could share the same dream, after all that just seemed too impossible.

Natasa estimated that the banquet ended around midnight, although she couldn’t be sure as she still hadn’t quite got used to the time difference on Nibiru, Aella had said that Nibiru had twenty eight hour days but Natasa still never knew what the time was from one moment to the next.

She was even less sure about the time differences between Ur and Akkadia although from what she had been told it wasn’t a huge difference. Many of the guests had left by the time the prince got up to escort Natasa back.

Natasa’s maid’s and their escorts still seemed to be having a great time, Natasa couldn’t help but note how each maid looked as they happily chatted with their escorts. Natasa also couldn’t help but wonder how she looked to them as she spoke with the prince.

Did she have that same radiance to her that her maid’s seemed to have? She also noticed that whenever the maid’s escorts spoke back to them the maid’s all blushed and Natasa remembered how flushed her own cheeks were whenever the prince looked into her eye’s let alone spoke to her.

Before Natasa realised what was going on the prince’s hand was on her shoulder and she could feel the warmth of his touch, “shall we head back princess?” said Athanas softly “don’t worry my guards will ensure your maid’s are escorted back safely when they are ready to leave.”

Natasa looked over at Frato and the other maid’s as if asking permission to leave, Frato seemed to notice and gave Natasa a wide beaming smile as she got up and made her way over. “We’re heading back,” said Natasa.

“Do you want us to come too?” asked Frato politely.

“No its ok you stay and carry on enjoying yourselves, Athanas will escort me back”

“But what about getting you ready for bed?” asked Frato.

“Don’t worry so much,” said Natasa “I am sure I can cope with getting into nightclothes, it’s your night off so just enjoy and I will see you soon,” she said with a smiled.

“Thank you princess,” said Frato “we won’t be long anyway, so we will see you soon.”
With that Frato curtseyed and returned to Adrastus.

“See,” said Athanas “they will be fine and so will you.” Natasa allowed the prince to help her to her feet and escort her from the table. “The gifts there will be brought to your room shortly so don’t worry about them.”

“I wasn’t worried,” said Natasa “to be honest I didn’t even expect gifts or for that matter a banquet, so I didn’t even give the matter any thought” Said Natasa politely.

“Did you enjoy yourself? That is the main thing,” asked Athanas.

“Yes thank you I enjoyed myself immensely”

“Good because occasionally when I looked at you it seemed as though you were deep in thought and had the weight of the whole world on your shoulders”

As they exited the room they continued to talk. “I’m sorry your highness,” said Natasa softly, “I am very grateful for the banquet, you must have gone to a lot of trouble for me. It’s just I have a lot on my mind at the moment, just when I think I am figuring everything out something else comes along and I end up confused again.”

“Is this about whether you’re male or female?” asked Athanas softly.

“It is partly because of that,” replied Natasa “it at least has relevance to what’s been on my mind. If I was male then I would not have these confusing thoughts in the first place,” It was then that she realised that she had said too much, much more than she meant to.

When during the night had she started feeling so at ease speaking of personal things around the prince she thought to herself. Either way she could tell the prince had been listening intently.

“So princess what feelings are these?” he asked “no wait don’t answer just yet,” he said as he cornered Natasa against the wall of the corridor.

“What are you doing?” said Natasa slightly panicked.

“You have finally admitted it,” said Athanas with a grin.

“Admitted what?” said Natasa weakly.

“You just admitted you are female,” said Athanas as he looked deeply into her eyes. Natasa felt her legs weakening from the prince’s gaze.

“No I,” her words failed her.

“Do you not remember what I said to you on our way to the banquet,” said Athanas, Natasa shook her head still unable to muster her words. “Oh I think you do, I will remind you,” he said softly as he carefully took her face into his gentle but strong hands and lifting her head slightly he kissed her.

Natasa could see it coming but was powerless to fight; it was as if her arms and legs had been paralyzed. She stood there completely unable to move as the prince’s warm soft lips touched hers for what seemed like the longest time. Natasa felt like she was going insane, at first her mind seemed to want to push the prince away.

But the longer he kissed her and held her that way the more difficult it was for her to think at all, her heart was racing and her whole body tingled as she felt Athanas’s strong body against her weak one. The feelings were so intense she found herself responding by kissing him back.

“No!” said Natasa as she suddenly managed a last ditch effort to push the prince away.

The prince didn’t look fazed by Natasa’s sudden outburst, “it took you long enough,” said the prince “I had expected a guy would have pushed me away much sooner and that I would have to work harder to get that first kiss,” he said with a smile. His smile didn’t last long as tears began streaming from Natasa’s eyes.

“What did you do that for?” she said coldly.

“Many reasons,” said Athanas “firstly I did it because you finally admitted you are a woman.”

“I am not!” said Natasa angrily “I am a man can’t you understand that.”

“You are no longer a man.”

“Maybe not physically at the moment, but I am a man nevertheless, why would you want to kiss a man?” asked Natasa.

“Princess answer me this, if you find there is no way to return to how you were will you refuse to find happiness and love because you cannot let go of your past?”

“I don’t know,” said Natasa sharply “anyway why are you so interested in me? I was under the impression you had already decided on the woman you wanted as your wife.”

“Word spreads fast,” replied Athanas “yes I have found the woman who will be my wife, I have known her since we were both young and even though we had never met in life I knew one day I would meet her for real.”

“Then why harass me?” said Natasa in an angry tone.

“Because,” said Athanas “the woman whom I love is you princess!”

Natasa felt her legs weaken again, “what the hell does that mean,” she said bluntly “until today I had never met you let alone got to know you, for that matter I wasn’t even on this planet till a few days ago.”

“You’re pretty good at hiding the truth and the depth of your feelings Natasa,” said Athanas.

“I am not hiding anything,” spat Natasa.

“Then tell me princess, why when I kissed you did you take so long to push me away and you seemed to be responding, on top of that why could I feel your heart pounding against my arm when we walk side by side? When I look into your eye’s princess why do you seem to blush so much, and finally why do we know more about each other than you care to admit?”

“That’s irrelevant,” said Natasa as her eyes met his intensely blue ones and she felt warmth in her cheeks as they became flushed.

“See what I mean,” said Athanas but before Natasa could respond she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach as if she were being stabbed but as she looked down there was no sign of a knife. Again the intense pain suddenly Natasa felt weak and without warning collapsed into darkness.