Forced into Fantasy 2

Chapter 13 - Natives

Ivy;

The next time I try to open my eyes I quickly realise that I can’t.

'What the hell - I’ve been blindfolded!'

As I listen intently, I can hear the strange and senseless chatter of a conversation in an unknown language taking place nearby.

It sounds as if there are several people now standing around me.

But of course, I have no idea of what they are saying, or of where I could possibly be by now. I have no idea of how late it is or of how long I have been unconscious.

My brows furrow in a mixture of both exhaustion and confusion.

I try to call out for Ronaar, not that I want to. Unfortunately, he is the only person I know out here and I need reassurance that I am in safe hands.

As I go to open my mouth, I quickly realise that not only have I been blindfolded with something dark that covers my eyes, but I have also been gagged with what feels like thick material.

Leather perhaps, although I can’t be sure.

Who knows if they even have leather in this mythical world?

Now that I think about it, I haven’t yet seen any cows…

My hands automatically move upwards to remove the gag and blindfold, but I soon learn that they are both tied together behind my back and I grunt with frustration.

As I struggle a little more against my restraints I suddenly feel movement behind me and freeze with fear.

‘Holy s**t… I’m tied back to back with someone.’

Whoever this unlucky person is, they too are sitting on the ground with me, our backs each facing one another and out hands bound together tightly.

I hear a muffled grunt coming from behind me and turn my head to the side. I don’t know what I’m hoping to accomplish, but I’m not just going to sit here and wait to possibly die!

‘Who’s tied up here with me?’

‘And where the hell is that prick, Ronaar?’

A cool breeze wafts across the surface of my exposed skin and I can’t help but shiver from the sensation. It must be night-time by now. It only gets this cold at night.

Another grunt and then I can feel the i***t behind me frantically pulling and struggling against our restraints, pulling me around along with him. I can tell it’s a man by the sound of his muffled grunts.

‘Who is this bloody i***t anyway?’

The next second I hear a deep female voice speaking in her strange language. She sounds close by. Perhaps standing right over the top of us.

“Kammas arannan. Drue dorrah asipian!” the female voice demands sternly.

I move my head upwards, as if I were trying to look for the one speaking.

“Mmmph!” I hear my fellow captive call out behind me and I wait to see what happens next.

The sound of footsteps ‘plodding’ though the dirt can now be heard and then a familiar voice as he lets out a frustrated grunt. I quickly realise that they’ve removed his gag.

As soon as he has the chance, he begins to rant.

“Do you have any idea of just who I am, you primitive morons? Release me immediately or I will have no choice but to have your entire tribe massacred!”

‘I know that voice… it’s Ronaar?’

‘But that means that the prince too is being held captive along with me.’

‘This gets more and more confusing by the second!’

“Do you hear me?” he continues his angered threats.

I can practically imagine the veins bulging in the sides of his neck as he glares daggers at whoever these people are. Ronaar mentioned that they were primitive. So they’re like villagers or something?

Suddenly a voice of obvious authority speaks in response to the prince’s ridiculous threats. It’s that same deep, female voice from before.

“We know exactly who you are, Prince Ronaar of the Moonlit Guild.” she announces confidently, as if she couldn’t care less about his title.

Her tone appears laced with venom, as if she too has a score to settle with this prick of a prince for some unknown reason. Do they know one another?

“Dare to threaten me and my people again and I will have your treacherous tongue removed! Whether you’re a prince, or not!”

‘Whoa… this chick’s a total badass...’

I decide that I like her.

Ronaar speaks once more.

“If you truly know who I am then you know the level of danger you have willingly placed upon your people after kidnapping me and my future wife...”

‘Um, excuse me - wife?’

I’d take this opportunity to try and voice my side of the story, but this damn gag… f**k! My voice is nothing but muffled grunts and moans.

Realising that I can’t speak, I instead decide to shake my head from side to side and reveal my disagreement to his most recent announcement. I have no intention of marrying this pompous asshole!

Maybe they’ll notice it, then again, maybe they won’t.

‘Please… just take off my gag so I can explain. Come on…’

And just like that, a miracle happens.

“Remove her gag.” I hear the deep female voice command and I let out a muffled sigh of relief.

Startled, I jump a little as I suddenly feel hands working behind my head to untie the large knot. After a moment or two, the material falls down from over my mouth and I sigh thankfully.

My lips are surprisingly dry and I quickly dart my tongue out, running it along each lip to moisten them before finding my voice at long last.

‘Time to set the record straight.’

“Please…” I take a moment to calm my nerves before continuing.

“Please, you need to help me. I’m being held captive. Prince Ronaar has taken me from my home against my will-”

“-Now, now dearest. Let’s not confuse the natives here by making up such ridiculous lies.” I hear Ronaar remark snidely from behind me and my eyes narrow beneath the blindfold.

I can almost see his playful grin, even with my eyes covered.

Or maybe I am merely imagining it.

“Silence!” a new and unfamiliar voice commands the prince.

I take this as my chance to try and explain my side of this unfortunate situation.

“I’m not lying, I swear it!” I insist, showing as much honesty as I can possibly muster up with half of my face covered. “Please… I don’t know who you are, but you have to help me.”

My expression is one of desperation now as I turn my head in different directions, looking blindly for the woman who I had been speaking with only moments earlier.

I can only guess that she is their leader or something; there’s something about the tone of her voice that projects authority and at the same time commands obedience.

Of course, I can see nothing through the blindfold, nothing but darkness.

Then I hear her voice again as she gives another command.

“Remove her restraints and the blindfold too. I wish to speak in person with this... woman.”

“My Kirrah?” I hear another female voice ask, as if she is not sure that releasing me would be a good idea.

“Do it.”

“As you command.”

“Um hello, natives? Remember me, the prince being ignored over here? Is someone planning on doing the same thing for me?” Ronaar snaps rather rudely. 

“If you’re planning on releasing her then you can do the same for me as well thank you!”

“My Kirrah, what should we do with the prince?”

The next command given causes me to giggle just a little.

“Him? Put his gag back on. He talks too much.” their leader announces.

Ronaar seems outraged by their decision, “Wait, what?”

His query is cut short as I hear others moving in around us to carry out the command and gag the prince once again. I can feel Ronaar immediately stiffen behind me as he struggles like a crazed animal against their grip.

“How dare you! Don’t even think ab-”

There must be a great number of these ‘natives’, though I’m not yet sure how many exactly. And so far I’ve only heard female voices. Where are all the men?

A moment later they have finished with the menacing prince and I can feel as they work on untying my wrists from those of Ronaar’s. He continues to struggle pointlessly and groans in protest beneath his gag.

Once I am finally free, I rub both my wrists for a bit while someone suddenly pulls the dark fabric off of my eyes, allowing me the privilege of sight once again.

Unfortunately even the dim glow of the fire torches some of them are holding is too much for me and I squint at them, blinking rapidly.

I turn my head to the side to see that one of the figures has crouched down to meet me at my level of eyesight.

As she slowly comes into focus my eyes widen and I freeze, stunned by what I am somehow seeing in front of me.

‘It’s not possible!’

There must be something wrong with my eyesight… it’s her skin, it appears… purple?

And her eyes are yellow!

I can see heaps of tiny black dots filling her yellow irises and each time she blinks I feel unable to pull my own eyes away from hers, marvelled by her appearance.

The other thing that stands out is the size of her two ears. They are incredibly longer than mine and pointed at the tips. They kind of remind me of an elf’s ears, but only after they had been stretched really high up.

Her hair is very long and jet black, braided from the top of her scalp all the way down to the tips.

But the thing I can’t seem to figure out is how she has purple skin.

Does this mean...?

‘Holy s**t, she’s not human!’