18 August 2012
part 10
Fendewen woke me up earlier than i had gotten up the day before. The sun was barely rising, darkness still outside. "I have a surprise," he whispered. We went down and ate breakfast, he had found the grapes i loved. "This is so good" i laughed. He nodded and kept eating. Xithyl came in and sat down beside me. I slid my plate over to him, "want some?" he shook his head no. "I want to take you somewhere Laila" he looked over at Fendewen, "mind if i borrow her?" Fen picked his glass up, his eyes never leaving Xithyl. "Yeah. I do," he said. Almost choking on my food I looked over at them. Xithyl leaned back and placed his arm behind me, pulling me closer to him. I reached down and moved his hand from my side,"lets be nice guys," i whispered. Fendewen smiled, "yes, lets be nice."
"So Laila, wheres the necklace I got you?'' Xithyl asked. I reached up to my neck realizing I had taken it off. "You bought her a necklace?" Fen asked. Xithyl smirked, "stone necklace to be exact, she loved it." I pushed my plate away and looked at them. "Funny, if she loved it so much why isnt she wearing it now?" Fendewen returned. Then he laughed and stood up, reaching for my hand and pulling me from the room. As we went outside he tied a cloth around my eyes. "Im not going to let you fall, its just a surprise, trust me" he said.
I listened to the crunching sounds around us, I couldnt figure out where we were going. But I could hear the birds and smell the sweet flowers, we werent in town anymore. "I hope you are ready," he laughed. He let go of me and I could feel the smile creeping on my face. "How long do i have to wait, what is it!" I squealed. I was tingling all over with anticipation. "Open your eyes," he said. I did. We stood in the middle of a large field. Sunlight hit the ground, the wind pushed through the long grass making it sway heavily. The sound of the wind shushing made me close my eyes again. I smiled, letting the sun warm my face. Then I heard it. One of the most beautiful sounds. I opened my eyes and turned back to Fendewen, a smile covered his face. Turning back I started running, the grass slapped against my boots. As i came to the top of the hill I heard the whinny then i saw the horse. It galloped across the feild then tilted it head toward me and whinnied again, coming up the hill towards me, its snow white hair blowing with the wind. When it got close i reached my hand out and waited. Carefully it pressed its muzzle against my hand. I giggled with delight, stroking its soft white hair. I held its face in my hands and pet it. The whiskers brushed my neck and I smiled, trying not to laugh. The horse pulled back and stomped its feet, then nickered at me. "Hello to you too," i whispered. I turned to see Fendewen behind us. "I call her Amadi, it means free spirit." I walked toward him and hugged him, "thank you so much.. i love her."
Fendewens view When i was watching her, it felt right. She was so happy. Amadi ran straight to her, it was perfect. The look on her face made me smile, as she walked toward me I saw the glistening in her eyes. She was beautiful like this. Her arms wrapped around me and she put her head against my chest. I smiled then hugged her back. "You can take her with us Laila, wherever we go." She pulled back, her eyes full of tears, but a smile on her face. Slowly she reached up and placed her hand on the back of my neck pulling me down to her, she stared into my eyes then pressed her lips to mine.
part 11
Lailas view Pulling back from the kiss I realized what I had done. It wasnt bad, I liked it, just I shouldnt have done it. He smiled at me and I smiled back then turned to Amadi and called her over. Fendewen pulled a rope around her neck and tied it, then handed the rope to me. We walked back to town together, he went inside the tavern while I tied Amadi to the post out front. She leaned down drinking from the buckets of water as i pet her, "dont let anyone get you girl," i said then went inside. Bringing over two bottles Fedewen held one out to me and made a toast, we clanked our drinks together. Xithyl came in and walked over to us, "and what are we celebrating?" he asked curiously. Fendewen just smiled at me, "ill be in the room,'' he said then walked away.
"So he got you a horse," Xithyl said bluntly. I frowned at him, "did you not see her outside?" He shook his head no. "What!" I yelled and jumped up almost flipping my chair as i got up I ran outside. Amadi was not where I left her. I screamed out calling for her then turned to run back inside to get Fendewen. Xithyl grabbed my arm and pulled me back from the door, "ill help you look for her." We walked through the streets and didnt see anything. I asked people if they had seen a white horse and all of them shook their head no. "Would she be out in the fields?" he asked. I looked the way me and Fendewen had came from, "she might be." We headed out there and I called for her again. "I need to get Fen, " i said. Anger flooded his face, "there isnt anything he can do that i cant!" Carefully I stepped back from him and started walking away, headed back to the town. "Laila where are you going?" he yelled. I felt his hand arm wrap around my neck and he jerked me toward the ground. I tried to fight him. Then his fingers pressed to my face, and i felt the power surge through me, it was impossible to resist. "Sleep my beauty," he whispered. And I was gone.
Fendewens view A few hours had passed and I was starting to worry about her. I went back downstairs to find the place almost empty. Laila nowhere in sight. Opening the tavern door I glanced outside, Amadi was gone too. "I'll be damned, they went riding." I laughed and went back inside, ordered a drink, then went to bed. When I woke up, I rolled over and looked at Lailas bed, it looked like no one had even slept there. Sitting up I noticed her food tray was still full of food, something was wrong..
Lailas view The chain attached to my ankles slithered behind me as I stepped off the final stair. Immediately I stopped breathing through my nose as the dank smell of mildew and decay smothered my senses. Forcing my gag reflex to respond but the cloth in my mouth made it impossible to throw up. It was tied tight behind my head, pressing against the corners of my mouth, almost tearing them. Xithyl pulled me down the long pathway by the chains that held me. Filthy straw covered the stone floors, torches lit up the hallway, moaning and screams filled the air. I yelled, jumping back as a grime drenched arm reached through the steel bars of a cell. The bony fingers grazed the edge of my green dress and quickly I jerked away. My body shaking with fear I tried to control myself as he pulled me deeper into the dungeon. We entered a large room, skeletons hung limp chained to the wall, a large table was in the middle of the room. Covering the table were brands, hammers, sickles, different blades and thin spikes. Chairs with straps were sitting in front of it. I felt myself screaming as he pulled me toward a cell. Dropping on the ground I tried to pull the chain away from him, but he grabbed my legs and pulled me inside it. Then stepped out and slammed the door closed, locking it.
My fingers wrapped around the cold steel bars and i started to cry. I could hear other doors slamming shut, the crack of whips and the wretched screams of its victims. Someone laughed and heavy foot steps came down the hall. I scooted back and pressed myself against the wall drawing my legs tight to my body. A man stepped in front of my cell and looked at me. He wore a black hood on his head but the rest of his large body was exposed, besides a pair of leather pants. His skin was grey, his eyes red. I huddled in the corner, shivering and closing my eyes. In my mind I saw Fendewen and i held onto his smiling face until I could no longer ignore the heavy breathing of the creature opening my cell door
part 12
The giant man approached in heavy, deliberate steps, his smile a flash of black decay. Streaks of blood covered his torso. I screamed as the creatures thick hand grabbed a handful of the rags I wore and pulled me out of my cell, my feet scuffing the cold stone floor. He drug me into the large room and shoved me forward toward a chair. I looked back at him and he pointed for me to sit down then grunted at me. He walked back over to the table and started to mess with his tools. Holding up a knife he slowly began to sharpen it as he looked at me.
On the other side of the room behind me a door creaked open and footsteps headed toward us. Xithyl stepped around me and smiled as he looked at my face. Nodding to the creature he undone one of my cuffs. The creature started to walk away and I soon heard the door close behind me. "Laila, so nice to see you" he smirked. I just stared at him, anger boiling inside me. "It was much easier to get you here, you know, I thought the elf would be harder to deal with." A small panic ran through me, "what did you do with Fendewen!" i screamed. He crossed his arms and looked down at me, his eyes burning into mine. Then he smiled, "it doesnt matter." I lept from the chair and started for him, moving as much as the chains let me. Slowly reaching out he caught my shirt and shoved me back in the seat. "Im trying to be nice Laila, but if you want to make this process faster keep pushing me!" he yelled. The creature came back carrying a large pole with bars across the top and he shoved it into a hole on the floor. Xithyl nodded at him and he left again. "Get up," he growled.
As i stood he reached out and grabbed my chains and pulled me over to the pole. He wrapped my arms around it. On the other side of the pole he took the cuffs and laced them to the post above then raised the chains until my hands were above my head. He went over the the table and came back with a cloth hood which he pulled over my head, covering my face. It had air holes so i could breathe and a few big enough f
The Abyss • Opuss № I