Ina slowly opened her eyes.
Her visions was still hazy-- white light still danced at the edges-- but she could see again .
And what she saw made her heart stop.
The wall.
That wall- the same one from her visions, her dreams.
The colours.....the cracked texture.... Even the smell-- it was exactly the same.
And then....
The painting.
She gasped.
"No way.... It can't be--"
She stepped closer.
It was her painting. The one she'd seen in flashes every night. A battlefield beneath a violet sky, a sword glowing with the blue flames, and a woman in a white armor -- a woman who looked exactly like her.
Her fingers reached out to touch it.
As soon as her hand touched the edge of the frame--
FLASH.
Her mind exploded with images.
Sounds . Voices.
A rush of visions.
A voice, young and desperate.
"Run, Inara-- run."
Swords clashing. Hooves on stone. Screams. Laughter-- hers?
A warm hand in hers.
Another voice, calm and fierce .
"I will protect you, Inara."
The name echoed like thunder in her chest.
Inara.
She gasped. Her hands flew to her head.
And another name followed, softer--- spoken with sorrow.
Ehan.
The sound of the hurried footsteps, horse neighing, a palace in motion.
Clash! Cling!
Swords.
Swords clashing-- louder and louder--
Warriors yelling, the wind rushing like a storm.
Fencing.
Her own voice, laughing, echoing.
"I won't ever leave you, ehan."
Ina clutched her head.
Her knees buckled.
Tears poured in her eyes--- not from pain, but from something lost... Something familiar..... Something ancient.
"What..... Waht is all this....?"
She looked back at the painting. It was glowing now. Alive.
The sword in the woman's hand shimmered with blue fire.
The scar on ina's hand began to glow-- soft at first , then brighter..... As if something ancient had been reawakened.
A low hum filled the air around her. The walls whispered with memories.
Behind her, the queen and Rehan stood silently , watching.
Ina turned slowly, trembling.
"N..... No." She stammered, her voice breaking.
"This can't happen. I...i am Ina.. I am ina."
"Rehan..." Her voice cracked, tears falling freely now.
"Rehan...."
Her legs gave out. Before she could hit the floor, Rehan caught her into his arms.
She collapsed into his arms, breath shallow, and eyes wide with confusion.
"Inara....? Who--- what is that?" She whispered, gripping his shirt.
"And Ehan..... that name...
Rehan went still. His mouth opened slightly, but he didn't speak. His eyes, for a heartbeat, looked as if he knew.
The queen's voice was calm but commanding.
"Take her to the guest chamber , Rehan. Let her rest for now."
"Yes, my queen." Rehan nodded softly.
He gently lifted ina, and carried her to the royal guest chambers -- a quiet, warm room with a canopy bed. He laid her down slowly, brushing strands of hair from her face.
He sat beside her , watching her breathe-- her face still wet from tears.
Rehan leaned closer, his voice soft and warm.
"You're remembering, aren't you?" he whispered, more to himself than to her.
Ina stirred faintly, her brow twitching. Her fingers tightened slightly on the blanket, like she was trying to hold onto something slipping through her grasp.
Her brushed her knuckles gently. "You said those words before... in another life, didn't you?"
A flicker of flame sparked at her wrist-- the crescent scar pulsed again.
Rehan' s eyes darkened. He knew what that means.
🌌 A Dream Within.
As ina drifted into sleep, a dream pulled her deeper.
But this time, it wasn't like her old dreams.
She stood into the middle of grand battelfield.
Ash filled the sky. Moons--two of them-- hung low and blood-red above her. Around her, warriors clad in glowing armour knelt, chanting.
At the far end--- stood Rehan.
But it wasn't this Rehan.
He wore a black crown. His armour shimmered with dark steel and moonlight.
And his eyes--haunted. Broken.
"You weren't supposed to remember," he said, stepping forward.
"You died in my arms."
Ina's voice caught. "What is this ? What happened to us?"
Before he could answer--- an arrow flew through the air.
She turned-- saw herself-- a past self-- racing to protect him.
Everything froze.
She raised her hand. the dream shattered.
🌓 Awakening.
Ina gasped awake.
Night had fallen. Moonlight spilled through the window like liquid silver.
Rehan was asleep in the chair nearby, his cloak draped over her.
Ina sat up, her mind racing. But something inside her changed.
She remembered a name.
Not hers.
Not Ina.
But something older.
"Inara? Ehan?, who were they, she whispered to herself."
"I don't know who they were, " she said softly. Or why my scar glows.....but I don't want answers right now."
She said to herself.
"I want to learn. To grow. To control this power."