Marked By The Unseelie

Chapter 8 A Hazardous Journey

Chapter 8 

The way to the Seelie Palace, as Zhier would call it, is very freaky and intriguing all at the same time. Admittedly, it is beautiful, but only if I have the Seelie prince with me - and no, I don't mean it romantically when I say it. I only mean it because, for a human, everything around here is a walking hazard.

How dangerous, you ask? Let me just enumerate them a few of them that I find traumatic if I ever get back to the human realm once more.

There was one beautiful flower that I took an interest in that almost ate me and melted me with acids.

An animal here that resembles a small bunny is carnivorous and almost bit my finger off.

A tree tried to pull me underground as a live fertilizer when I strayed behind Zhier for just a few meters.

If Zhier hadn't been with me all those times, I don't think that I would still be alive right now or even still have all of my limbs! I am not even lying.

In this realm, Zhier is like my fairy baby sitter.

"Don't make eye contact with that squirrel." He orders me. He and I are riding a green stag as tall as a horse with six legs - don't ask me how it walks because I would just be as confused as the first time I saw it. Flowers would bloom from its horns and fall to the ground when they were fully bloomed, making it seem like flowers were raining down on us.

"I am really sorry to tell you this, but I think you are a second too late with your warning. I'm sorry." I don't even know how many times I have apologized to the Prince of the Seelie realm, but if I were some ordinary human or fairy, I feel like it would be enough for him to kill me out of annoyance.

The one-eyed squirrel turns crazy and begins to charge us as I hear Zhier heaving an exhausted breath. I became so accustomed to having my life threatened in this world that the creature's initial lunge at me didn't even phase me since I knew what was going to happen next. Zhier chopped the squirrel in half with a thrust of his sword. His sword's point is covered with green blood, which he quickly wipes off.

It's scary how I have gotten used to all of this even though I have been here for just a few hours.

"I cannot imagine how the Unseelie Prince finds the patience to protect you all this time." He sheathes his sword, and I can just hear him letting out a heavy sigh. "Maybe he is hiding because he made a mistake of giving you his mark and is out on a quest to undo it."

It sounds rude, but I can't say that he does not have a point. I can only purse my lips and focus on not falling on the back of the stag.

Not long after and I begin to see that we are headed into a massive red oak tree. I turn back to Zhier, wondering if we are going to change direction at any moment. Zhier doesn't say anything, and simply focuses on the direction ahead. Soon, we pause before the giant oak tree where Zhier got down first and soon helps me down.

"Thank you, Ahran. I'll take it from here." He leans his head on the stag's forehead like they were having their own conversation. When they part, the stag turns back and heads back to the way where we came from.

Zhier grabs my hand, learning his lesson that if he leaves me alone for just a second, I'd find myself in another round of trouble. With his other free hand, he places a leaf over his lips and plays a gentle tune - what is it with him and leaf music?

The trunk begins to open up a passage that is a good fit for two. All I see on the other side is just a bright, blinding light, making me feel anxious about what's there. Zhier wordlessly pulls my hand towards the door.

I am uncomfortable about where we are headed, but I think I trust Zhier fairly enough that where we are going will be safe - at least if I were with him anyway.

I felt like I was dropping off a roller coaster while passing through to the other side. My legs feel like jelly and Zhier has to switch his grip from my hand to my arm.

"Humans." He sighs. It is becoming a known expression of his these during all the times I have been with him. I don't even feel insulted about it anymore. "Why do you guys always have a weak mind that you can't handle a simple travel door?" He grunts and tries to shake me awake. "Hey, are you still listening? Blink if you feel like you are going to faint."

That snap me out of my thoughts when I look up and give him a look.

Does this guy think that humans don't blink?

"Good, you're not going to faint." He honestly looks relieved, like he is very tired of trying to save me. I mean, I would if I were in his shoes.

Zhier has just helped me to get back up on my feet when I start to look around me. The place has stone brick walls covered with moss and supported by branches that give the impression that it is an indoor garden. In the lack of daylight, green and white fairy lights float above the ceiling to illuminate the space. The air around here feels so cold, but at the same time it isn't. I can't fully explain it, but my body feels light the longer I breath the air in here.

I felt spellbound looking at the scenery before me as I felt rooted to the ground.

"Your highness!" I was startled out of my reverie by voices, and when I turned to face them, I saw some male and female fairies coming our way. One of them is purple, the other is green. The green fairy is a young woman with a side-braided head of green hair decorated with flower petals. Her entire body is covered in thin white silk that is kept together by vines. The purple is a male with mid-ribbed shirt and pants made of a leafy substance that resembles leather. He has a clean cut hair that's neatly combed to one place, making him look more like a cosplayer rather than a real fairy, since he is the first one of their kind that I see with short hair.

Out of habit, I look away as I always have whenever I see one, but then I quickly remember that I am already with a fairy. My old rule of not meeting a fairy's gaze is already out of the question.

I see the rattle faces of the two fairies when their eyes lay on me. I can only imagine their jaws falling to the ground in shock if this was a cartoon instead of real life.

"A human!" The fairy girl gasped before the two of them retrieved their weapons from their backs, which I had no idea were there this whole time. The girl has twin knives while the guy has a dagger with him, which they both point at me.

"Lower your weapons. The human girl is with me." Zhier's voice is commanding, reminding me of the first time we met. The two fairies before us look at each other for a brief second before following his command.

"Speak," Zhier says, still using that same authoritative tone on them. "You two wouldn't be running around looking for me if you didn't need something." The female fairy nudges the male one, as if she is urging him to speak. The male glares at her in annoyance and tries to pass on the task back to her when Zhier clears his throat loudly. "Are you going to make me wait or what?" He asks impatiently, leering at the male fairy to speak.

"I-It's your mother, Prince Zhier." He gulps, barely making any words out. "She's looking for you and..." He pauses, I feel his lavender eyes staring at me when he says his next words, "She wants you to bring the visitor you have brought to the palace."

********[END OF CHAPTER]********