Slaying the Blood King

♤•Chapter 3•♤

The thundering of hooves and the chill of the night causes me to stir. I feel myself get jostled and right away, I realize that I am on a horse.

Opening my eyes to slits, I scan the area, realizing that we are in the forest-the one place my father forbade me from traveling. We speed past many of the moon-lit Evergreens, pushing against the throng of wild flowers and tall grass. The cold presses against me hard, causing me to involuntarily shiver.

I didn't notice anyone had been behind me until a strong, muscular arm wraps itself around my waist. Not looking up, I keep myself limp, as to not alert him to the fact that I am aware. His arm feels warm against the thin fabric of my dress, stopping my shivers as soon as they started. It felt, nice.

We ride on for moments more before I see a pond ahead. It's surface shimmers against the glow of the moon. I feel the horse slow beneath me as we stop at the pond's edge.

"Entradact," I hear the man above me whisper into the night. After he utters the words, the pond shimmers an unnatural blue-green color, and as soon as it does, I feel the man urge the horse forward. It does as he wants, and fear grips my mind as the legs of the horse enter the water. The more the horse walks forward into the water, the more the water rises against it's body. I'm going to drown, I instantly think as my heart begins to race. I can't fight the man holding me. He is much too strong and I am much to damaged. As the water nears my legs, I start to brace for the sudden cold...

...and don't find it. In fact, I don't feel the moisture at all as our bodies sink further into the abyss of the water. The horse doesn't seem to notice as the water rises above it's neck. It doesn't panick. Instead, it sinks further. Instinctively, I hold my breath as the water rises above my neck, my mouth, my head. I close my eyes, expecting to feel myself struggle to breathe. Instead, when I open them once more, and find that I can breathe. I also find that I am in an entirely different world altogether. As the horse exits the water from which it came, I register that we are in a warmer environment, and my surroundings? Ignis flit around everywhere against tall trees whose leaves illuminate the night. Small, glowing mushrooms decorate a path against the forest.

I feel something within myself-a power surge through me as my body recognizes this place. Then it dawns on me. My dreams weren't dreams, they were a portal into this world. This realm.

We continue against the glow of the forest. The horse that had been is no longer a horse, but a Unicorn, and the man's arm that had held me changed from the soft, white of skin, to having small spirals of glowing light encase his arm, like a glowing tattoo. I look at it closer through my slitted eyes, and find the tattoo looks like a vine. I want to look at the face of my captor, but being an outsider might cause problems. Before I can do anything, I would need to separate from him.

We gallop much further until I see the glowing light of fire ahead. As we near, I see huts in the trees, their roofs covered in what looks like glowing moss. Dark flowers bloom from the vines that entangled themselves against leaf-like walls. I find myself in awe. Everything I've seen so far has captivated me. In my mind, though I am surrounded by strangers, something about this place made me feel safe. It is a feeling I haven't felt. It feels alien, but it also feels good.

We trek through the tiny village. I watch as a woman peaks out of her hut in the tree, her large, green eyes casted down to us below. Her hair is snow-white, with tendrils of glowing strands of hair snaking down her back. Her ears are pointed, I notice, a significant trademark of the Fey-folk. I watch as more and more people peak from their huts as we pass through. Some have hair as light as snow while others have hair as dark as ebony.

I find myself staring at them for so long that I don't see the gigantic tree in front of me.

Tears sting my eyes at it's magnificence, it's undenying beauty pulsing against the teal glow of the vines that wrap around it. The base of the tree itself is as big as half of our castle at home, and all along it's exterior are the long tendrils of brances that hold small, glowing leaves. A queen Willow, nothing like I've ever seen before.

When the Unicorn finally stops in front of the entrance to the tree, I feel my captor dismount. He then grabs ahold of my waist as he pulls me down into his arms. I instantly shut my eyes, not wanting him to see that I am conscious, but my gimmick must not fool him.

"It's okay to open your eyes now," his velvety, rich voice echoes in my ear. When I look up, I find it hard to breathe. The most beautiful man is holding me. Long, red locks of hair with glowing, white tendrils fall against his back, and his pointed ears mark him as one of the Fey-folk. Large, Ice-blue, almond eyes stare down at me with curiosity. The vine-like tattoo I had noticed on his arm earlier stretches to both, and beneath the black tunic he wears, I see a glimpse of it snake up his neck.

"Are you okay?" he whispers. I nod my head in response. He gives me a warm smile, before lowering me gently to the ground. He takes his eyes away from me before looking over toward the great willow tree. I follow his line of sight when I see a man equally beautiful, with dark brown hair and red glowing tendrils, stroll toward us.

He doesn't wear a black tunic. Instead, he wears a long, green robe made of silk. Beneath the robe, I see black trousers, but nothing covering the bare chest that protrudes. Like everyone else here, he must have been sculpted by the gods. I find myself unable to meet his eyes as he addresses the man beside me.

"Albesk," he says. "You've found her." I look up then in curiosity. They were looking for me? Albesk steadies me as I falter. I give a wince as sharp pain resonates from the wound in my back. The Fey-man gives me a worried look. "You are injured, my dearest. We will get you inside to our healer. You need rest. When you wake, I will speak with you." he says. With that, Albesk starts leading me away.

"Wait," I finally say. Albesk stops and the man turns toward me. "Who are you?" The Fey-man smiles.

"I am Lord Antonius. We will take care of you, Lunar." And with a flick of his hand, Albesk leads me to the willow once more.

He knows my name.

That is all I can think as I am led toward the tree in front of us. Anyone else in this situation would feel scared. They might even fight. For once in my life though, I feel like there is no need for that. For once, seeing the calm, glowing trees, the Ignis, the homes in the trees; being welcomed even though I am a stranger, I felt sure. I felt welcomed.

For the first time in my life, I felt safe.