HOLLOW

NEPHELE, KALOPSIA, Summer, 1650

Fear rippled through Reverie's blood, igniting every hyperaware inch of her. She did not know how long had passed, but it felt like forever in the darkness. No one had come to move or feed her. Reverie had even been forced to release herself with how afraid and nervous she was.

The voices of the men that carried her here were now distant rumbles, and though Reverie tried, it was impossible to decipher where she was because they had knocked her out, and she had just woken up what felt like hours ago, but she could be wrong.

Reverie's hands were tied with a strong rope at her back, and she sat on wooden floor. Her kidnappers' movement made it creak and send jostles of fear through her body because it was like they were coming for her. Reverie's feet were also tied together. Any hopes of untying herself rapidly died because she felt nothing in her surroundings. Being blindfolded took any advantage she might have had. Reverie had never felt more grateful and yearning for her eyesight as she was now.

The fact that they had come for her when she was asleep did not help because her clothing was but a very translucent undergarment, an ankle-length dress of white fabric. Gladly, they did not seem to take interest in that... at least for now.

From what Reverie apprehended from the men's conversation and their accents, they were from Sigrún, Kalopsia's enemy kingdom, making frontier from the north. Reverie did not get anything else because their words were short... too calculated for her to comprehend. Maybe if her father had taught her to decipher coded information instead of raising her to marry her off to some foreign kingdom, she would not be so helpless.

Then screams and sounds of struggle came from the outside of wherever they were, and the men rushed to meet the skirmish, opening the door and letting a warm breeze kiss her exposed skin.

As the fight continued outside, a rush of steps made the wood creak as it got closer.

Instinct had her foolishly trying to retreat. Reverie could do nothing as she sensed someone reach her back. A second after she felt the iciness touch of metal-a knife near her wrists. Reverie held back a scream before relaxing momentarily when she understood that the knife was cutting the rope. It would have been foolish to be relieved if a familiar scent had not drifted up her nostrils, heightening her senses.

As soon her hands were unbound, and he moved to free her feet, she reached up to remove her blindfold.

The cloth fell to reveal Hiraeth kneeling in front of her, working the rope until it gave. His eyes were instantly on hers as the blindfold came off, searching for any sign of panic. Reverie wanted to thank him, but her lips parted, and she did not word out a sound.

She said nothing as realization set in.