crossfire || cardan greenbriar

one - flashback

THE NIGHT OF THE INCIDENT

M A Y T W E N T Y F O U R 2 0 0 6

My body feels hefty, heavier than expected. I hear the ameliorating sound of waves running into the shores, yet it's not as calming as it should be. My skin feels wet, the sensation of sand clinging onto my body makes my skin crawl.

I hear voices, mumbling, maybe arguing, but muffled, all of it, it's overwhelming and irritating. I can see nothing but the pitch black inside of my heavily rested eyelids, I feel the deadness spread all throughout my body, the shivering sensation urging the desire to move.

The cool breeze lashing against my cold body felt unnatural, I feel everything, but at the same time I am unsure of what it is that I'm feeling. An unintentional groan escaped my dry lips as I marginally lifted my eyes, wanting to see somebody I may know, but my eyes neglect me. I'm not sure who I expected to see, I hardly remember anyone...or anything.

I attempted to open my eyes once more, only to see a bunch of odd looking creatures and men standing above me, they seem to be inspecting me very closely.

"We should awaken the mortal, ask it how it arrived here," one of the knights suggests and I assume they're talking about me.

"Maybe we should glamour it, make it another one of the mortal slaves that serve the High King," says another.

"Madoc is holding up at the estate, he will deal with the mortal. Until further notice, carry her and place her in the carriage," one of them finally concludes.

I feel a sudden, muscular hand grip my shoulders, pulling me up, and then another lift my waist. One of the men was carrying me I assumed. My head ached painfully as they placed me in the carriage and locked the door, not too long after I became unconscious once more.

~~~~~⚔️~~~~~

"Wake up," a sudden voice charged.

"She's unconscious," another claimed, "Someone get me salt, now,"

He had a deep and aggressive voice, a voice so deep it sent chills down my spine.

A moment later, the uneasy aroma of salt filled my senses, and my eyes were being spread open forcefully, it's like the salt triggered something in my body. I quickly sat up, my eyes still absorbing the sight of all these weird looking creatures.

There are ones who are completely various colors, green, blue, even the palest of whites. Ones with sharp pointy ears, and eye colors so bright they could daze you. Hands so huge, long, small, fingers so slim and protracted, those with hair that resembled the most profound parts of the oceans, the hottest core of the sun, the deepest forest greens. It felt too real to be a dream, but looked too unbelievable to be real.

I feel the urge to speak but my

My hand is trembling, the temperature is warm in the room I'm in. My head is aching in confusion, and fear. I'm on a twin-sized bed, green covers, and white pillows. Surrounding me are what look like Faeries and, monsters.

"You're in Elfhame," a greenish skinned man speaks, confidence flooding his tone. He has pointy teeth, those of which look like fangs, lower teeth too long for his mouth. His hair blonde, almost gold, no practically gold, and so was the color of his eyes. His eyes resemble those of a cat's. He is tall and burly with furred pointed ears and claw-like nails. He carries a sword, and he has a dagger attached to the belt on his pants, I'd assume he was a knight, if he didn't seem so royal.

"What's your name?" he inquired, pushing past the other guards towering over me.

I feel my headache more the further I think about anything of the sort. I don't remember my name, who I am, where I am. I don't remember, anything, nothing at all.

"I— I don't remember," I faltered, attempting to seem confident, but my spirit fails me. "I don't remember anything"

"Nothing at all?" another guard exclaims.

"Quiet, Rubus." the greenish man commanded, and the other guard immediately shut his mouth.

"You still haven't— You still haven't answered my question," I quavered, "Who are you?"

"My name is Madoc," he declared, "and since you don't seem to remember your name, I will be calling you Anastasia for the time being. Until you regain memory of who you are."

"Anastasia?" I query, my mind still as hazy as a foggy cloud.

"Do you not like it?"

"No—No, it's fine."

My head is racing, jumping to considerable conclusions, perhaps I'm dead and this is hell. My throat feels dry, I'm dehydrated, and I'm not sure how much longer I can restrain myself from collapsing again.

"You must be famished, I'll send one of the guards to grab you some water, and food," Madoc claimed, "I will also have my daughter come to see you."

"Is she— Is she like you?"

"No, she's like you."

"A human?" I question, curiosity overwhelming me. Maybe having someone like me, aid me may not be the worst idea.

"Yes, she's human," he sighed, turning around as the other guards started separating, each going somewhere with another. I caught a glimpse of Madoc ordering one of the guards to do something, and the guard left. So did Madoc.

~~~~~⚔️~~~~~

The guard walked into the room, a tray in his hands, and followed by a girl. She looked, normal.

They made their way towards me, the guard sets down the tray on the bed, as she slightly smiles at me.

"I'm Jude, daughter of Madoc," she announced, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm—" I pause, not knowing whether to say Anastasia, or just not say anything.

"—Anastasia, I know. Madoc's already filled me in on everything. I'm sorry about whatever happened. But it seems as though you're stuck here with us. Faeries aren't the nicest, well, most of them at least. I understand, this is probably a lot for you to comprehend all at once. But, once you get used to being here, it's better than it seems. You just have to adjust, and adapt." She speaks lightly, her voice is comforting and assuring. But I'm not sure whether being here is as okay as she says it is.

"How did you end up here? Or were you born here?" I question, wanting to know more about her. Perhaps she's the only friend I'll actually make.

"Well, a long time ago, when I was seven. I used to live in the mortal world, with my parents and my two sisters; Taryn and Vivienne. But one day, Madoc came to the mortal world. He claimed that Vivienne was his daughter, and that he wanted to take her back here— Elfhame. He murdered my dad, who attempted to fight back, but he didn't stand a chance against Madoc, he's too powerful, too savage. He also murdered my mom, who was his former wife. He then took me, Taryn, and Vivi to Elfhame, where we just, learned to adapt, and got used to life here."

"Oh, I'm sorry about your parents," I hesitate. Not knowing what to say. She may be just like me, but it doesn't make talking to her any less easy than it really is.

"It's okay," she says, "Madoc says, that if you're comfortable with it. You can come to school with us, tomorrow."

She grabs my hand, and I slightly flinch at the show of affection. I cant be sure of what I should expect here.

"But be sure to keep this on you, at all times. Never let any of the Faeries see it. Faeries have the ability to glamour you into doing whatever they like, salt and rowan berries prevent these glamours from taking effect." She opens my clenched fists and places an odd-looking necklace in my hand, it's a single thornless vine with a bunch of berries attached to it.

"Especially, Cardan Greenbriar."

"Who's...Cardan Greenbriar?"