The Light of Elysium

5 - No way home

          
Ahhh. I am starting to go crazy. Garvi has kindly let me travel with him and Dwin on what I can only describe as a small train, with two compartments and some kind of engine. One compartment is stuffed with their goods and we are seated in the other on rather uncomfortable benches. I recall riding on something similar at an amusement park, only this is far from fun, being dusty and cramped.

Garvi is getting grumpier by the hour, or is it day? I can't tell how long we have been travelling along this dark, seemingly endless tunnel. The only light we have is from two dull lanterns.

Honestly, I feel like the weight of the mountain is pressing down on me. The grime, the musty air and the lack of natural light is all getting me down. And the boredom, oh the boredom.

I must have dozed off, for suddenly Dwin is shaking me and I realise that we are finally motionless. I manage to unfold myself from the compartment, which was not designed for my five-foot ten frame and try to stretch out the kinks in my back and legs.

Garvi is talking, well more like shouting, but I think that's the dwarfish way, to two well-armed dwarves. They are standing by a smooth section of rock face which has glowing runes on it.

There is the sound of mechanisms whirring and the wall slides smoothly to one side. Sweet fresh air fills the tunnel and I greedily breathe it in. Garvi pulls up the hood of his cloak and barks an order at Dwin. They disengage a cart from the track and pull it outside.

Following behind, I step through the opening and blink in the daylight.  A low rumbling makes me turn back and the only indication of the entrance to the mountain is strange angular writing carved into the rock.

Hurrying, I catch up with Garvi, who has settled the cart within the shadow of the mountain. Leaving him to his business, I sit in the sun and enjoy the simple pleasure of its warmth upon my skin. We are at the edge of a market filled with bustling, brightly coloured stalls. Fascinated, I watch the comings and goings, until a shout from Garvi disturbs me.

"Is he big enough for you?" Garvi asks, pointing to the man he is negotiating with.

I try not to cringe. The man looks like he could be a model and his dark indigo blue eyes twinkle as our gazes meet.

He is certainly tall, a full head taller than me, with chiselled features that Ancient Greeks would have happily celebrated in marble statues. His muscular legs are clad in black leather and an expanse of smooth bronzed skin is showing beneath a partially opened cotton shirt.

In one stride, he closes the gap between us and takes hold of my hand. His fingers are warm, as are the lips that brush across my knuckles.

"Allow me to introduce myself. Zane, at your service."

His smile, the sort which might cause some women to melt, just makes me suspicious. Pulling away, I wipe my hand on my leg, feeling vaguely unclean. He cocks his head, a slight play of amusement on his lips.

"What is your name, little one?"

Little one! I start to bristle, but then realise that I am petite compared to him, so bite back a snarky remark. "Elle."

"Tell me Elle, what kind of enchanting creature are you?"

He closes the gap between us again, causing me to move closer to Garvi, protesting, "I am not enchanted in any way."

Garvi scowls, evidently uncomfortable in this 'godforsaken roofless place' as he often bemoaned on our journey. "Do we have a deal or not?" he demands of Zane.

Zane rubs his chin in consideration. "So, the price we agreed plus I take the girl."

I fume, hands on my hips. "Excuse me, I am not some sort of chattel to be bought and sold."