Forced into Fantasy

Chapter 5 - Courage

I felt the weight of the powerful impact as I connected with the water’s harsh surface and the chill of the icy water as it enveloped me, sending my body into a temporary form of shock. My ears were ringing as I opened my eyes deep down beneath the water and then the instinct to breathe suddenly kicked in.

I needed to get up to the surface and fast.

Both my arms and legs worked in unison to pull me upwards until I finally broke through and took a deep breath of oxygen into my lungs, filling them completely.

Oh my god, did I really just do that?

As I continued to tread water in the mercilessly choppy open ocean I glanced up to see how far I’d come and couldn’t believe the distance I’d just jumped from and somehow managed to survive! I couldn’t be sure of course but it had to be something like fifty meters or so. I must be insane!

“HA!” I couldn’t help but shout as realised just how lucky I’d been, "HA, HA, HA!"

 -

Adomis;

I was on my way to consult with the Mage about the amulet I had found when several soldiers came running toward me, their expressions showing nothing but concern and shock as they tried to speak while clearly out of breath.

“My lord... one of the women... has escaped.” the shorter soldier reported urgently. “We found the soldiers escorting her unconscious... at the bottom of a staircase. She’s just vanished.”

“The brunette or the blonde?” I didn’t realise I had asked this specific question until the words slipped out of my mouth and formed the sentence.

They both looked at each other, then replying.

“Er... the blonde I believe sire.”

My heart sank as I closed my eyes for a moment to hide my frustration. I pursed my lips tightly together as my fists curled tightly down by my sides.

SERIOUSLY? It had to be her...

“So find her!” I boomed back at them through gritted teeth. “Put the entire castle on high alert until she is located. No one enters or exits through the castle gates unless I say so!”

“Yes my lord!” the other soldier beside him replied, nodding as they both turned to leave. But my words caused them to pause in their place.

“Ensure she is brought to me alive, understood?” I added.

They nodded in unison and marched away on their newest mission; to find the escaped maiden and bring her to me.

Amidst all of the chaos caused by the search I suddenly heard several soldiers calling out from a nearby balcony and decided to take a look at what all the commotion was about. I could hear several voices speaking as I stepped out onto the balcony.

“How did she survive the fall?” one of the soldiers enquired, seemingly shocked as he leaned over the edge of the stone railing of the balcony.

My eyes were narrow as I marched across the length of the balcony and pushed the two soldiers in the centre aside, stepping up to peer down over the edge of the railing.

No, no, no… That’s impossible!

The soldier to my left decided to give me an update on their current situation as I stood peering over with disbelief.

“My lord, the girl... she just jumped!” he exclaimed.

“What?” I spat through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes, “From here?”

“Yes sire, she just turned around and jumped...” a second soldier added as he looked down at her, “She’s still alive, look, there!”

I looked down to see where he was pointing and noticed the tiny figure bobbing up and down in the wavy ocean below.

It was her; the girl with the golden hair I was searching for!

I had to admit, I was slightly impressed by her obvious display or either extreme courage or foolishness.

Whoever this maiden was, she certainly had guts and I respected that.

 -

Ivy;

From such a great distance away the soldiers standing at the edge of the balcony appeared tiny as they stood staring down at me with what I could only assume were looks of shock and disbelief on their faces. 

And there, now standing right in the middle of them was their ruggedly handsome Overlord, peering down at me with those deep chocolate brown eyes.

While the others around him seemed busy in conversation, Adomis only stood watching me. Even from such a great distance I could feel myself warming to the thought of him as I kicked my legs and balanced myself with my arms in the water around me.

Shaking my head, I broke the almost trance-like state he had me under and thought of what my next move would be. I’d managed to survive the jump, honestly I hadn’t thought further ahead than that. I thought for sure I would have died on impact.

Noticing the massive cliff that the castle had been built on, I realised something. If I was in the ocean below an overhanging cliff, there had to be a beach somewhere nearby that I could swim to and go ashore. It wasn’t much of a plan I’ll admit, but I wanted to get my two feet back on dry land as soon as I possibly could; my legs were killing me from taking the brunt of the impact.

Leaning forward and stretching both of my arms out in front of me, I went straight into a freestyle swim and began to make my way along the surface of the cool water, one stroke at a time.

After what felt like hours of swimming, I finally spotted the beach just up ahead and felt a sudden wave of relief flood over me as I continued to stroke through the water, kicking both my feet along behind me in a continuous rhythm.

My long blonde hair was completely drenched and the long white dress I was wearing made it difficult for me to swim, but I somehow managed nevertheless. I didn’t have much of a choice.

As soon as I felt both of my feet hit the sandy bottom I let out an excited chuckle, smiling from ear to ear as I waded through the waist deep water, one stride at a time.

“Oh thank god!” I said aloud as I made my way through the now ankle deep water and onto the sandy beach before me.

It must have been getting late in the evening as the sun had already begun to set off on the distant horizon. Then the thought hit me like a tonne of bricks; I was cold, wet and all alone and it would be night time soon!

“Crap.” I muttered to myself as I looked around from my position on the beach, searching desperately for a place I could possibly seek shelter from the cold night.

To my left was the massive castle I had just somehow miraculously escaped from. A great stone wall surrounded it with several taller watch towers positioned all the way around. I could only guess that I was several kilometres or so away from the castle and I needed to increase that distance quickly. I couldn’t risk falling into the Overlord’s hands a second time, not now knowing what awaited me should I return.

He wanted to torture me. Who even does that nowadays?

Oh... that’s right, I’m not in the year 2020 anymore... Actually, come to think of it I had no idea where the hell I was, or of what century I was in. Nothing made sense to me at the moment, not that it should have.

I would have to ask those sorts of questions another time.

Right now, I needed to find somewhere to hide.

Glancing to my right I saw what looked like a giant forest filled with tall trees, shrubs and greenery. It wasn’t a comfortable apartment like I was used to but it would have to do, for now. I needed to get out of sight before anyone spotted me.

As I made my way up from the beach and onto the thick green grassy field nearby I was headed for the treeline when I heard it. It was the echo of a horn sounding loudly somewhere off in the distance and I knew immediately what it was.

They were coming for me!

As I turned my head, even at such a great distance away from the castle I could see movement and I panicked. I was forced to watch in fear as the giant stone wall’s single wooden drawbridge slowly lowered to the ground, allowing the riders waiting behind it to cross over and proceed to gallop across the open field headed in my direction.

“Oh f**k!” I cursed loudly, suddenly realising what was happening as I turned and began running as fast as my legs would carry me.

I hadn’t escaped yet!