The Awakening

Chapter Six

The moment her feet hit the ground, her knees buckled, and she crumpled to the ground. The days of limited movement had left her legs feeling as though they had atrophied completely.

The moment Balor's and his men halted, he dismounted his horse and disappeared into the palace, muttering under his breath that he had business to attend. In his place, a group of servants hurried from the palace, rushing to relieve the guards and direct the mares towards the stables.

The guard who had helped her off her mare now hauled her to her feet, his grip firm as he barked orders at the servants nearby. She vaguely registered the presence of nervous figures drawing closer to her, muttering apologies, and grasping her arms. Two of the servants draped her arms around their necks and began guiding her toward the palace.

Her feet sloppily slid along, feeling like dead weight.

She attempted to synchronize her steps with theirs, trying to make the walk easier for all of them, but the sudden movement made her vision blur. Her body, weakened from two weeks of inadequate nourishment, had little strength left. She lacked the energy to resist, to question, or even to speak. Her usual sharp remarks and biting wit were silenced, sitting quietly in her mind. The sudden movement from dismounting the horse seemed to suck out all of her remaining energy. Dazed, she briefly acknowledged her surroundings as they passed various doors and entryways that all seemed to blur into the same colour. Vaguely, she tried to commit the grey structures surrounding her to memory.

Finally, after various twists and turns, she was ushered into a chamber that seemed like a dungeon of some sort and guided to sit on a hard bed.

The servants had silently pulled her about. They gently undressed her, rubbed her body down with damp wash cloths and re-clothed her in a loose-fitting brown blouse and matching pants.

She refused to acknowledge the fact that other Fae were handling her body and simply let them do what they had to.

All the while, the servants had been muttering and whispering about her situation like she could not hear them speak. At some point they had even tried talking to her, but she had ignored them on purpose. She was still coming to terms with the fact that she was now in what felt like the enemy's territory. An unknown place for Balor to continue to do as he pleased without any repercussions.

Gods, this was the life. She thought, refraining from chuckling at her own self-pity.

"Girl, you need to eat and rest up." A young Fae's face flashed before her. She frowned angrily at Avelon, her reddish-brown eyes almost glowing, "Balor wants to see you in the morning."

She blinked, wondering why the Fae seemed to care. Moments passed before the Fae clicked her tongue.

"Fine, starve if you will." She snapped when she did not reply, "That won't keep Balor from working you to your grave. Hell, he might even make you dig it yourself." She angrily sat a plate of stew and stale bread on the bed beside Avelon and snarled at her. Actually snarled.

Her lips pulled back revealing her elongated canines and pearly whites. Avelon pressed her lips together to stifle the sudden urge to laugh right in her face. She looked ridiculous.

What was it with the people of Teine? She thought to herself.

Without uttering another word, the snarling Fae turned and left. She tried to cling onto the hint of light that still lingered in her chest. The absurdity of her situation had made her delirious.

She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Her gaze lingered on the door where the Fae had rushed out of. She had mentioned Balor. Did she know the extent of his temper?