The Wild Hunt (Part One)

Captured

Hands held me to the ground. Multiple pairs of hands. Multiple faces. A grinning wolf. A razor sharp smile. Bloody lips. I felt their hands claw over my body like they were digging into my flesh. Nails scraped at my skin, knuckles pressed into my flesh. They were tearing me apart. Their fingers gnawed at me, wanting to devour me whole. Wanting to take a piece of me as they leaned over me from above. I watched them push and shove each other, grabbing my leg, an arm, my hair. I thrashed beneath them, screaming, but like always my voice was non-existent. No! Help!

"Serri!" Strong hands shook me and my eyes fluttered open. Darkness poured around me and I panicked, flailing out my arms and hands. I was drowning again. I was in that pool of water and I was drowning.

"Serri!" A male voice yelled over my screaming.

No! No! I don't want to die!

A heavy weight climbed on top of me and restrained my arms above my head. "Serri! Snap out of it!"

I was crying, thrashing wildly from the fear that gripped me. I blinked through the tears, searching the blurred face above me. Kona?

"Serri, it's just a dream! It's not real!"

I stopped my thrashing and the tears ceased and I saw the moon through the dark canopy above me. It's hazy, bright, blue light poured through the cluster of leaves and vines, illuminating the large silhouette of General Koh above me.

My chest rose and fell in deep, hard breathes. His black hair hung over the sides of his face like wrinkled curtains and his eyes searched my own. He was panting, his mouth agape. I felt his hard thighs pressing against the sides of my waist and his fingers intwined with mine as he leaned over me.

It was a dream. A dream. I was alive. I was breathing. I wasn't drowning. I was in the forest. I was with General Koh. We were sleeping. It was only a dream.

I closed my eyes and let out a long, strenuous breath.

"It was only a dream, Serri." He whispered above me.

I felt his fingers curl between my own, giving them a gentle squeeze. My eyes shot open and I looked down between us. His middle was pressed against my own and I felt a wave of warmth spread across my chest with how close our bodies were touching. "G-get off of me," I breathed.

He clamped his mouth shut before releasing my hands and climbing off. I fixed my skirt that hiked up and scuttled back against a tree.

"What are you afraid of, Princess?" He said low and quite. He narrowed his eyes at me.

You.

"Nothing. I... I'm just flustered is all. I awoke from a nightmare and your holding me down. I thought I was still dreaming."

He cocked his head. "Where you dreaming about me?"

I looked down at my hands. The men in my dream were Tewase, some of the palace guards, General Yakmen... and my father. All the men who wanted to hurt me in someway. Who wanted a piece of me. I shuddered, wrapping my arms around my waist.

"We'll damn. What the heck did I do to you?"

I glared at him and he held his hands up in defense.

"I didn't dream about you. I... I dreamt that I was being devoured. Taken... against my will. Piece by piece from the... the men who want me."

The words sounded so loud in the quite of the night. The forest had fallen asleep and it's usual song seemed to have ended. Our fire was just a pile of burning embers between us.

General Koh's face darkened as he stared into those embers. "I suppose I'm an exception then, if I didn't take part in that dream." His humor was dry, if not a tad bit somber.