Marking of the Days The
Miracle of Sleep
Have you ever slept like this? Slept like you have never slept before?
Like you never felt was possible? Feeling your mind completely subside to a tide
of rest. Feeling the weight of life lift from you and being replaced by utter
warmth and release. That is the kind of sleep I have found. Where every breath
is slow and deep and washes away any mortal worry. So relaxed that when my sleep
is disturbed I can not shake the feeling of it to react. Strange circumstances.
Feeling weight all around and upon me, a hand pressing against me suddenly.
Muffled voices filter into my ears. There is no light. The hand withdraws and
more muffled voices. My heart is pounding, trying to fight the sleep that has
come to my tired body like an illness. There is motion in the weight that I feel
about my body. It is growing lighter. And then light itself creeps in, filtering
through my closed eyes.
“Mmmh.” I protest, feeling cool air infiltrate the warmth of the womb.
“Why did you do this to him??”
“Commander, the 53rd was sneaking around here and we
did not wish to have them find the Prince.”
“He looks like laundry!”
“It was the best way to hide him, Commander. Just to throw our flight
jackets on him. No one has much noticed anything being out of place.”
“Rrrggh. He could have suffocated under all of this.”
“We kept checking on him.”
“Why is he down here anyway?”
“Commander, he said that there were explosives in his chambers. The
castle guard has said he has ordered his rooms sealed off.”
“I see.”
“Have you seen the holes in the side of the castle??” Another voice.
“I felt the whole place shake!”
“No I have not… Settle yourselves.” The Commander scolds.
I begin to pull the jackets back on top of my head, to return to the dark
and warmth.
“My Prince.” The commander is crouching down by the bunk I have been
covered upon and is trying to prevent my sleep, pulling back the jackets that I
have tried to reclaim, “My Prince.”
“Bother me not.” I mumble, hardly able to command my own mouth to form
words.
“You should be somewhere more secure.”
“I am fine here… Bring Hanta back.”
“Ehm? Hanta will not come back here. You know that.”
“She will come. Bring her.”
“My Prince, she will refuse.”
“Details… Tell her I need her to come back now. Leave me to sleep
until I am ready to wake myself. Go.” And finally I return to the darkness
without ever having opened my eyes, listening to the muffled talking I have left
behind.
“You and you… Stay with the Prince. You ten, distribute yourself at
the entrances to the barracks. Let no one in. Understood?”
“Yes Commander.” They speak in unison and I hear their motion as the
warmth claims my mind again, taking me away from their world. Not even dreams
disturb my sleep again.
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