A Crown of Clouds

Chapter 12

The smell of warm cinnamon oats woke me from the deep sleep I'd fallen into after being dragged under by whatever I'd been drugged with. The pain had been so unbearable I'd blacked out. My eyes felt heavy, as did my entire head, as though too heavy for my neck. I tried to sit up, to take a look around the prison cell I assumed I'd been placed in, the bed beneath me was surprisingly soft, if this was a commoners room, I'd hate to see a royals room... my hand went to my stomach, it hurt with such a burn that travelled up to my throat and the tangy horrid taste on my tongue. Not to mention the headache still lingering from the moment I'd entered this realm.

"The vile burns like a bitch don't it," the voice came from the other side of the room, rich and deep; my guard no doubt. Wriggling onto my other side took a moment, the quicker I moved the more my stomach churned with whatever remnants of that potion still simmered inside. "The more you move the longer it lingers, trust me, I would know."

"What is a vile?" I croaked out. "Ah yes, I forget you are a simple earthling, the vile, little lady, is what you would call truth serum I suppose."

"We call truth serum vodka back home," I spat out as I rolled over, trying to prop my body up with an elbow as the voice started to come closer, dragging a chair along with it. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you, although you better get used to me, I've been assigned the menial task of making sure you don't go spying or causing havoc. Although my job will be a bore if you don't." The man said as he dragged the chair to a stop and placed it next to the bed, sitting abruptly.

My gaze went from his shoes to his knees where his forearms rested, then my eyes met his. The hazel and green of his eyes flickered with intrigue, "I'm Cole!" his voice carried a depth, I couldn't quite tell if it was confidence or sheer cockiness in that husk of his voice. I paused, wondering if I tried to say Hal what might happen, I decided I'd try that later, "Harriet Brown!" I said, trying to make it sound like second nature on my tongue.

"Well Miss Brown, welcome to Tarata! Your new home for however long it takes to get you back to wherever the hell you belong."

"Ha, that might be a while," the words slipped out of me faster than I anticipated or noticed, as did a patronising laugh. Sitting up fully now, the room was simple, grey walls with a small window to the right. The sun seemed to be setting from the golden glow coming from the window and streaming onto Cole, making his tanned skin ever so prominent.

"I thought you had a family missing you?" I'd have to keep to this cover story my tongue had told, or I'd soon find myself in serious trouble. "Oh I do, but I don't really know who they are sometimes you know, do you ever feel like you are surrounded by people you don't belong with?" I'd blend the truth in with my story, if Cole were anything like that woman, I figure he'd find out somehow or another if I were lying.

"Not at all... I love where I live!" Cole laughed as he leaned back, placing his head in his hands now behind his head and shoving his feet on the bed next to me. "Well don't you just have it all then!" I spat back. Cole just smiled and shrugged, grabbing the bowl of oats, he bowed low teasing, "your dinner Miss Brown." I glared at him, I never did take being mocked very well, especially by men. "Don't worry, it's not poison, it will help with the burn," he said, placing it on my lap. "How do I know that?" I shot back. "Oh Harriet," he laughed, pausing as he leaned on his knees again... "my truth isn't the one being questioned right now, is it? Besides, if I'd wanted to kill you, I would have when I first saw you in the pools between the valleys." I didn't think it possible for my aching stomach to feel worse, now, it flipped upside down with embarrassment, the thought of this stranger watching me swim in my underwear had me wanting to sink beneath the covers. I had no retort to try and wipe the smirk off his face, and the fire in the pit of my stomach ached and fizzled, I decided I'd eat the damn oats. I most definitely did not regret it either. They were the creamiest oats drowned in flavours of honey, cinnamon and maple; melting like butter in my mouth. I couldn't contain the gasp that escaped me as it went down soothing the fire as I swallowed.