“Cale!” Demetri snapped as he walked in to find his fellow guard asleep with his feet propped up on the Princess’s DreamGame-pod. “Why is Talia sleeping? It’s the middle of the day. Did you kick the screen again?”

Talia’s physical body laid perfectly still, as the one sleeping soundly on the monitor mumbled to herself in an unknown dream.  Her dainty form lay comfortably inside, with her long, brown hair swept behind her in a fan shape, still wearing the same b

Demetri walked around the case, twirling a small flame between his fingers, checking that everything was still working fine. Wires, needles, and different bits of metal reflected the light back into his eyes at certain angles, but after guarding her for so many years, he’d learned the exact spots to peer in without getting blinded. 

Yawning and stretching his huge arms, Cale sat up straighter in the chair. “She’s fine, man. Just had a headache or something. I’ll check her fluid intake after I finish my nap.” He laid his head into his arms on the small table beside him. 

“Naptime’s over.” Demetri sent a tiny fireball at Cale’s face, which dissipated in a small puff of smoke as soon as it hit his stubbly cheek. “The little one keeping you up again?” He pulled out the small vial of blood the machine had taken for him, slipping it into the pocket of his gray cargo-pants, part of the guards casual uniform,

“Sean is nearly ten now.” Cale stood up, sluggishly making his way to the pod’s panels. “You would think at some point in ten years they would just sleep, right?”

“I’m pretty sure she’s hearing voices,” Demetri said, ignoring Cale’s complaints. “Maybe even bits of our conversations.” He stalked over to the tall, breezy window, set long ago in the stone walls, and looked out at the bustling, small village of Athlone, wondering how much it had changed since she’d last seen it. “I think the program is finally breaking down.”

Cale chuckled. “Anyone ever tell you you sound like a worried father? Headaches happen. She’s just fine in there. Always has been, always will be.” He leaned against the post of the ancient, wooden bed-frame that the pod set on.

Being the princess, she was kept tucked away in her old bedroom so she could be surrounded by hundreds of trifles and trinkets. Things sent to her by adoring townsfolk, in the hopes that someday she would wake up and see them.

The castle was small, built that way to fit at the top of a small, inclining plateau centuries ago. Even from the first story, Demetri could see most of the eastern town, all the way to the outer-reaches of the farmlands, right up until the massive trees of the never-ending forests blocked all else from view. 

Demetri nodded to his own thoughts. “You’re right. There’s no telling how long it will be before the rest of the damned pod’s functions will fail completely. We have to find a way to get her out.”

“Why do I even bother talking?” Cale sighed dramatically, like he actually cared, and tapped a finger on the clear pod lid. “It doesn’t look too bad in there. I think I could use a couple thousand years of sleep.”

“It's made of glass!” Demetri scoffed like the idea was absurd. "A technology nearly as old as that inane cafe game she’s forced to replay. One of those newer dream pods would at least give her some autonomy.” 

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. This argument sadly wasn't rare. The last time it was voted on, the city gave a ninety-seven percent vote that there was no reason or need to put more efforts into waking her. 

Throwing his heavy arm around Demetri’s much smaller, more slender shoulders, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Are you sure there’s no ulterior motive for waking her up floating around that thick skull of yours? Maybe one of those romantic, couple-escape game-pods?” He fake gasped. “Wait! Is this why you never date? Is this a true love story?”

“No!” Demetri rolled his eyes, laughing and pushing Cale off him. “Keep being perverted and I’ll have to go get your wife.” He fought another laugh when Cale’s face paled. “Is it so hard to believe I care about her well-being?” 

Cale held up his hand defensively. “Alright, man. No need to get all fired up,” he said, chuckling at his own bad joke.

Demetri grabbed the PDM: portable diagnostics monitor. “I’m heading down to the lab. That is, if you can stay awake until the next shift gets here?” 

“Bright eyed and bushy-tailed,” Cale said, standing up to do his pre-workout stretches. “Don’t have too much fun scaring those poor kids in class tomorrow.”