RCW: Nightmares and Choices

Posted on Wed Feb 4th, 2026 @ 10:41pm by Bronze Rider V'ros & Analees

Mission: 3531 AL

Analees tossed and turned in her sleep, whimpering now and then. Tears slid down her cheeks as she gripped the furs in her cold hands.

“No, please,” she begged. “Please don't. “ Analees whimpered again, trying to curl into a tight ball.

V’ros jumped awake at the sudden voice and turned over just in time to have the furs yanked off of him. He blinked and turned at the voice repeating again which woke him up more and enough to realise that Analees was having a nightmare. “Ana… Analees.” He whispered knowing that touching her shaking her would not help.

Analees whimpered again, still trembling. “No!” she suddenly cried, bolting to a sitting position. Her face was deathly pale and her chocolate eyes were wide with fright. It was hard to tell if she was completely awake yet or not.

“What happened?” V’ros demanded softly as he pulled on his tunic so he was not topless to have a conversation. It was not something he felt they could have with it off.

She slowly looked toward her mate's voice, her whole body shaking. She wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach as she tried to calm down. “He came back,” she whispered. “they wanted…” she whimpered a bit. “Wanted this baby.” Analees hated it. She hadn’t had nightmares that bad in a long time.

“They are long gone.” The man assured as he moved around to her side of the bed and knelt on the cold rock floor. He gently placed his hands on the furs around her and gently squeezed. “Take deep breaths, it will help.” He promised.

Analees was still deathly pale but she tried to follow V'ros’ advice and breathe slowly. It wasn't easy as the dream had seemed so real. She bit her lip before looking up at V’ros again, tears in her eyes. She had been undecided about the baby but this might have just pushed her over the edge.

“Deep breaths. And look around for one brown item.” He said gently thinking of the first nights of weyrlinghood when riders adjusted to the new connections and had nightmares and sleepwalking incidents. It was a little activity to refocus the brain.

“Shirt,” she answered, her shoulders finally starting to relaxing even though she was still pale. Analees took a deep, shuddering breath looking up at V'ros. She was finally starting to come out of shock.

“And blue?” He asked moving his hands to stroke her sweat soaked hair from her face. She looked calmer but he was still going to keep going until the wild look completely went away.

Analees bit her lip as she tried to focus on the next color. “Cape,” she answered, catching sight of the pretty cape she had left draped over the couch. She blinked a little, her chocolate eyes slowly starting to focus again.

“Green?” He asked, smiling as she blinked a little and he saw she was starting to get out of her own head and into the present moment. He leaned back a little and moved to sit next to her on the bed.

Analees slowly looked over at her mate. “Your eyes,” she answered with a slight smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes but she was definitely calmer then she had been if still a bit pale.

He smiled and caressed her cheek. “Don’t you ever forget it.” He nudged her gently and brought her close. “Better?” He wondered quietly hoping that she was okay

She closed her eyes briefly at his gentle touch before she snuggled close to his side. “I think so,” she whispered. “It was just so real.”

“They normally are.” He sighed softly. “Why don’t you have a bath?” He said feeling how damp her night shirt was. It would help continue to ground her and also relax her enough to get back to sleep.

Analees nodded a bit. “Can't hurt,” she agreed, but grabbed his free hand. “But please don't leave me.” She couldn't handle that right then. She needed him close still.

“Okay. I’ll join you.” He promised standing up holding her hand still. “I put my shirt on so you were not faced with nakedness.” He said quietly, pressing a kiss on her temple. “You just tell me what you need.” He told her firmly. He wanted her to know that she was in charge.

She gave him a grateful smile. He always seemed to think of everything. Analees slowly stood up with him, snuggling against his chest. “I know I can trust you,” she whispered. “You would never hurt me.””

“I know but when you have nightmares you might not know that and that is okay.” He said quietly as he wrapped his arms around her gently trying to be softer than normal. He loved how she fitted against him. “I want you to know I am your safe person.”

He did have a point. After that dream she certainly hadn't been thinking clearly. “And I know that. But you are right. That dream…” she shivered a bit. “No, not going there again. I am safe with you and Ros.”

“You are.” He promised slowly leading her into the bathing chamber and easily took off his shirt hucking it in the corner to retrieve later. “You are never going back to anything like that Ana.” He stepped back to let her take off her own clothing.

She knew he would protect her no matter what and also that Dragon Hold was gone. She smiled a bit. She refused to ever be in that kind of place again. “I'm never leaving you,” she said softly, slowly slipping out of her drenched nightgown.

The man stepped into the small pool and turned away from her so she could do her own thing. He ducked under the water to get soaked and started scrubbing with sweet sands to distract himself from thinking about how much her nightmare had affected her.

Analees took a steadying breath before stepping into the warm water. She hadn’t had nightmares at Dragon Hold as she hadn’t known better. Now her darkest fears of going back came out at night. She sighed softly as the warm water helped her relax.

“So…” He finally ventured turning around to face her hoping that he was had given her enough time and space to work it all out. He smiled and held out the pot of sweet smelling sand to her.

She had settled down enough to think clearly and know she was safe. Analees smiled and moved toward him. “Thank you,” she said softly, taking the pot.

“So do you want to talk about it and then pick up the pieces in the morning or leave it until morning?” He offered stroking her hair out of her face before he stepped back again giving her the space.

Analees considered her options. “if I wait I fear i’ll just have the same dream again,” she admitted. And she did not want to have that dream again. She leaned into his touch.

“So talk…” He offered wanting to hear what happened in her dream though he suspected he already knew. “What happened? And how can I help?”

She blew out a shaky breath. “Anious found me,” she said softly. “Somehow he knew about the baby.” She pressed a hand against her still flat stomach. She still didn't know about the baby.

“He is gone. If he isn’t dead he is so far away he will never be able to return.” V’ros was sure he was dead but he knew the woman needed a small gem of hope. “You will never end up like Lenya,” he promised, knowing that it had been her fear with Rosan.

Analees bit her lip to keep from crying again. She knew V'ros was right but it still scared her. She shifted to move into his arms. She wanted to believe him. She knew he was right but the thought of the baby still scared her. “I don't know if I can do it,” she said softly.

“Then we do not do it love.” The man said firmly. He was there supporting her no matter what. The man had learned a lot in the last six turns since Nerlyn and him and he wanted to be best for her. “No one, especially me, is going to think any less of you.” He was not going to change any view towards her as she was his mate and the mother of his child.

She slowly nodded, leaning against his muscled chest. She knew he would support her no matter what choice she made. It wasn't one she ever thought she would need to make. “I know and for that I am grateful,” she said softly.

“Good. I do not want you feeling like this all the time. That is not healthy for you or anyone.” He said quietly. “So how can I help?” His question though gentle was probing. He wanted her to tell him.

Analees gave him a gentle smile. She didn't want to feel like that all the time. She wanted to be happy again. She shook her head a little. “Just being here,” she answered softly. She hesitated. “I don't think I can have this baby,” she whispered.

“And that is okay. We do what is right for you.” He assured her letting her know it was okay before he turned her around and brought her back against him. “Come on. Let’s clean you up and get back to sleep. We can fix the world in the morning I swear.”

She actually chuckled softly as he turned her around. She could stay like forever. just him and her. “I like the sound of that,” she answered. “And thank you.” No one had ever put her feelings first.

“For?” He wondered quietly just holding her still for a moment. He smiled at the soft chuckle from her and it made him smile too as he realised she was relaxing.

“For being you,” she grinned, reaching down to squeeze his hand. “And for thinking of me. You're the only one who has ever put my feelings first.”

“What you do in any good relationship.” He pointed out. It was what you did in a relationship in the Weyr. The Weyrleaders would skin anyone who disrespected a woman especially after what had happened with Dragon Hold.

Analees leaned back against his chest. “I know that now,” she said softly. It wasn't how she had grown up but thankfully despite how insane her brother was she had met V'ros because of it.

“And it won’t change.” Nothing would change that part of who he was now that he had his head screwed on right. “Your body. Your choice.” That was the rule of the Weyr and he honoured it just like he honoured his duty to fight thread.