The Hierophant

Chapter Three - Unveiled

*WARNING*- This chapter contains swear words, gaslighting, scars. Reader discretion is advised.

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Selene woke with a pounding headache. Her eyes were closed, and yet she could still see light coming into the room through her eyelids. She could feel the coarse fabric of her veil resting over her face. She groaned and sat up, reaching to hold her head. Her hand was swiftly yanked back, causing her eyes to suspiciously creep open. There was an iron shackle closed around one wrist, the other side of the shackle closed around the frame of the bed she laid on. She took in the room as the memories of the fight in her kitchen came flooding in.

"Good morning sunshine." A voice chimed in, making Selene jump. Sitting in the corner of the room in a upholstered chair was a man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. His skin had an even tan, and he had a charming smile upon his face. Selene spotted a bandage on his forearm, in the same place where she had sliced one of the men with her dagger.

"How did you knock me out like that?" She asked, recalling how she was knocked unconscious in an instant.

He frowned, seeming to have expected a different reaction. "It's my gift. My touch puts people to sleep." Selene had never heard of such a gift before, but then again not all gifts where common. "I'm Rowan, and now that you're awake I'll be escorting you to the throne room." He said, standing and approaching the bed.

"The throne room? I didn't know the king arrested every peasant than couldn't pay their taxes. It seems he keeps a tight ship." She spat sarcastically as Rowan unlocked the shackle from the bed frame and locked it around her free wrist. He raised an eyebrow at her with a smug look.

"Tell me sweetheart," he said, the pet name leaving a bitter taste in Selene's mouth. She made a face, but Rowan couldn't see if through the veil. "Where do you think we are right now?" Selene hesitated, feeling less confident in her answer now that she felt this man was mocking her.

"The Castle in Shale?" It came out as a question instead of a statement. Rowan shook his head.

"We are in a castle, but you're not in Celest anymore. We're in Vinica, in the the capital city Dalton."

Selene's mouth fell open in disbelief. "We traveled to a different country overnight?" She asked in shock. This made Rowan laugh.

"No, we traveled for six days. Your memory of the trip is likely foggy. You were being..." Rowan stalled, looking for the right word. "Uncooperative. I woke you up for a few minutes every day to eat and drink, then I put you back to sleep in the wagon."

Selene stood up and followed Rowan in silence, trying to take in all the new information as he lead her by the chain of her shackles. He stopped by the door, taking a bottle of liquid with a spray top from the dresser. "I need to spray you with this before we go." He said, and Selene reeled back as far as she could on her chain.

"What is that?"

"It's a blend of scented oils. We heard some rumors about your gifts, it's just a precaution we've been taking since you haven't had a chance to bathe yet. To... mask your scent or whatever." He had an awkward look upon his face, a slight blush tinting his cheeks.

"Fine..." Selene muttered, standing still while he sprayed her clothes down. The oil smelled like a blend of flowers. Rowan led her out of the room, heading towards the throne room. Selene was extremely curious about why she had been kidnapped from her country, but she knew she would likely find out very soon.

Rowan looked the girl over as he led her. She was certainly strange, dressed in a black gown with a black veil draped over her head. She looked like a grieving widow. However, she had a grace to her step, and her chin was high although she was being led through the castle halls in shackles in front of people she had never met.