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The dreams began out of nowhere.
Will had always had a touch of clairvoyance, visions of things that would happen before they did or just a feeling that something was meant to be avoided.
Every witch, even halves like he, had some kind of magick.
But these dreams were not any kind of future he could have yet it felt as if in some other world he’d lived them.
He saw himself, wearing patterned shirts and spectacles and sitting with a man in chairs unlike those he’d ever seen.
There was no sound in the dreams, only visions, and Will watched himself in various places and times with this man often smiling.
He found himself liking these dreams, even welcoming them, and the man was quite handsome the beckoning gaze he gave inviting.
And then came the nightmares of blood.
Will saw death and horrors the likes of which he'd never known that kept him up at night for fear of closing his eyes.
His cabin, far in the wood away from most, felt like a prison and he broke his isolation to go to town needing to be along the living in hopes the horrors of his dreams subsided.
Will walked the market, not thinking of dropping coin, and as he turned people began to whisper.
The King was coming.
All his life Will knew there was a King, more than one in his lifetime, but he'd never seen just heard tales from his father.
The Lecter Massacre had given him nightmares as a child, thinking of poor Hannibal alone in the castle for days with all those bodies.
Now here he was, in the midst of perhaps seeing the man in the flesh.
Will rarely came to town, most of his food came from his garden and hunting, and what little of his witch mother was not tied to him.
His father wanted it that way.
"You don't need to have that mark on you, Boy. Your gifts aint that special."
Will paused then, hearing horses in the distance, and people all started to line up as a chill came over him.
Something was about to happen.
He looked around, saw the carriage coming, and before he could think a flash of those dreams came.
A new nightmare he hadn't felt.
That man, the one he'd grown so fond of, grabbing his other self covered in blood to stab a knife in Will's belly. The pain of it hit him hard and his knees buckled, just as people grew more excited. "Sir? Sir are you unwell?"
Will said, "I....I must...." and started to flee, only for a guard to step in his path.
"You cannot be near the King's...."
"MY HORSE IS TIED THERE! LET ME BY!"
"Under the order of..."
"Let him come, Duncan."
The voice sent shivers down his spine and the guard moved out of Will's way to reveal a man he'd only seen in his dreams.
"M...Majesty," he said, bowing as the crown on the King's head shone in the sun.
A grab to his wrist made Will shudder, and the King's eyes were wide as he stared. "Will?"
He stepped back. "I....I do not....."
"I have seen you, in my dreams," he said, smiling as tears filled his eyes, "I did not know you real."
"I must go."
"WAIT! GUARDS!"
Will rushed forward as he was grabbed and held tight, turned for the King to view.
He frowned at him, touching Will's face. "Why do you run? You've had them too, haven't you?"
"I do not know of which you speak," he lied, "Let me go."
"No, I...."
A flash came then, as before, but it was not of their other selves.
It was he, as he was now, and The King on a bed with knives at each other's throats. Will's confusion came when no pain or anger was felt, and when he came back to himself he was already sitting across from the King bound by his hands.
"You awaken."
"I....where are you taking me?"
"Home," The King said, sitting back, "We have much to discuss, you and I. I know you've had the dreams, it's written all over your face. And whatever happened there in the square....you're touched, aren't you?"
Will looked away. "I do not know of what you speak and kidnapping me for your fanciful dreams is lunacy. King or not, I have no desire to be stuck anywhere with you, Majesty. I know your story, as does all, but do not find you worth my freedom."
"If what you say is true and you have not had the dreams, then even you cannot discount that I am worth your time. I am a King, and you are but a commoner who...."
Will glared at him. "I am not in the habit of befriending men who kidnap me, nor do I find you or your story interesting enough."
King Hannibal's smile widened. "Oh, Will, I promise you, you'll think differently the longer we share space. You'll think very differently."
Will looked away again. "And my horse?"
"She is with us, found by my men. I promise she'll be cared for."
He said nothing, just watched the world go by, and the memory of his last vision returned.
It would happen, of that he had no doubt, but the confusion as to the moment concerned him.
Why had it not felt like a danger?
Had his nightmares been to bring him to this moment all along?
He did not know, but something told him not to fight for now.
The fighting may come later.
And, he had nothing but time.