Cursed is the Crown

She’s Human

{Melanie’s POV}

I heard footsteps approaching behind me and tried to keep my pace, finding a gate against a back wall. As I reached to open it I felt hands grab around my waist, lifting me up, tossing me into the air and catching me bridal style. My arms instinctively wrapped around the neck of this person, as I closed my eyes tightly. “P-Please.. don’t hurt me! I’m sorry.. I’m sorry I ran away!” I whimpered, my eyes clenched shut.

“You’ve hurt yourself..” a deep voice said, it was soft, but gravely in a way that soothed me. Gentle arms pulled me closer as the man walked me to a nearby bench. He sat me down carefully, before I felt his hands grabbing my ankle. “You really should be more careful.. seems you have a tendency to get hurt.” He said.

I opened my eyes, looking out in front of me. There I could see a man knelt down on one knee in front of me, with my ankle in his hands. His expression was stern, but his eyes soft as he looked over my ankle, twisting it slightly to the side. I winced, looking away with a sharp gasp. “Sorry.. I think you’ll need to be bandaged up.” He said softly, I couldn’t help but open my eyes once again and steal another glance.

This time, he was staring back at me, I could’ve gotten lost in those beautiful amber colored eyes. His hair laid in thick tousles of black waves, that went down to his ears. He had it slicked back slightly, as though his hands had run through it to comb it back, with only a few rogue waves falling around his face. His skin was tan, and his arms and chest were covered in hair, he had a thick layer of stubble across his face. He wore a black button up shirt, that was partially unbuttoned, and as his eyes trailed over me I felt my face flush. I turned away again, looking anywhere but at him. “S-Sorry..” I whimpered. “I shouldn’t have ran..” whoever this man was.. he was being far kinder than any man I’d ever known before. It could be a trap though.. to lure me into false hope before Rowan shows up.

“What are you apologizing for.. you didn’t do anything wrong? You woke up in a strange place and ran off, I would’ve done the same thing in your shoes.” He shrugged, catching me completely off guard. I turned back to look at him, only then noticing that his ears were longer than usual ears, and pointed on the ends.

I reached out without thinking, my fingers grazing over the point of his ears, feeling for some kind of plastic or something holding them on. That’s when I realized they were real.. “T-They’re real?” I gasped, pulling my hand away.

He looked confused, his eyes trailing over me. “What do you mean?”

About that time a woman with long black hair, and bright blue eyes came rushing out, she wore a black dress, with a white apron. She was beautiful, and very obviously pregnant with her round belly. She steadied herself on the back of the bench where I was sitting before looking down at me. “Are you alright dear?” She asked. I noticed that she had long pointed ears as well, and soon another man rushed out behind her.

His pointed ears stuck out, as his long white hair laid in a ponytail down his back. His eyes a similar bright blue as the woman’s, he wore a suit and tie as he made his way to her side. “My love, you shouldn’t be rushing around like this!” He snapped looking over her.

I looked around to each of them, I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought. I’m imagining things.. right? “I-I.. am I dead.. or maybe I’m seeing things..”

“What do you mean dear?” The woman asked, carefully sitting down beside me, her hands going gently to her bump.

I reached up, touching her ear softly. “Yours are real too..” I gasped, pulling my hand back. “T-This doesn’t make any sense..” I whispered. “You’re asleep.. you’re asleep..” I muttered over and over again, closing my eyes and patting my face on both sides. “Wake up! Wake up!”

I opened my eyes, to see three sets staring back at me with concerned looks. “Why do you think you’re asleep? Why are you so worried about our ears?” The woman asked, gently reaching up and sliding the hood off my head. My blonde hair cascaded in messy curls down my back, as she tucked some strands behind my ear before pulling her hand away and gasping. “S-She’s a human!”

“A human?” The white haired man asked, looking curiously over me. “There hasn’t been a human here in hundreds of years.. how did she even get here?”

He reached down and gripped my ear pinching it between his fingers. “Ouch!” I winced, shooting him a glare. “Did I pinch your ears?” I asked, swatting his hand away and covering my ear with my hand.

A soft giggle from the woman beside me caught my attention, causing me to look over to her. “Sorry.. I don’t mean to laugh.. it’s only, humans around here.. and one so feisty!” Her eyes lit up as she looked over me. “Humans are a good omen.. maybe seeing her means the war is coming to an end.”

I looked around to the three people around me, my head reeling. “W-What are you talking about? Where am I? What are you?” I asked.

“Why dearie.. we’re elves, and you are in the beautiful Kingdom of Esaylia.” She smile at me.

“E-Esaylia? Elves?” I asked, my eyes trailing from one of them to another. “A-Are you sure I’m not asleep.. or dead?”

This time, the deep throaty chuckle of the man in front of me caught my attention. “No, you’re neither asleep nor dead.. but you are injured. You should allow Lynovia and I to look over you.”

I shook my head, gripping the cloak around me. “I-I don’t think.. I don’t..” I muttered, unable to formulate a sentence.

“Don’t worry dearie, we just want to check you for any other injuries, you can keep your dress on, but we need to remove your cloak.” Lynovia smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.