Without Words, Without Sight

22: Abduction of the Bride

Finally, this day was done. Iris could feel the night crawling up her skin as she left Hildred, the tailor and the rest of the maids behind the heavy wooden gates. All that was left to do now was to wait for Daray who would come to accompany her on the way back within short. She leaned against the door for a moment, breathing in deeply and slowly letting out the air again. She could feel every single one of her muscles ache. They had made her stand for almost three hours straight, while the tailor had pricked needles into her wedding dress here and there, until she felt trapped inside one of those iron maidens from the spooky books that Larentia loved to read so much.

Larentia.

She hadn't been with the chambermaids today, either. But she would be there tomorrow, at the ceremony, Hildred had assured. And after that, she would receive a chamber right next to Iris' own.

"Hm...."

Iris pushed her body away from the door and walked a few steps towards one of the open arches of a hallway that faced the patios. A gentle breeze brushed over the foliage scattered about wildly. Ivy was clinging to some of the pillars, and grasses stuck their heads out between big, round leaves that covered the areas where shallow ponds gurgled. Iris could not see the water itself, but the creatures that floated on its surface. The foliage was emitting a clear, blue light. It looked like every petal and leaf was adorned with the shimmering stars she remembered seeing in the sky long, long ago. The plants danced to the chirping of a lonely cricket, without haste or a care whether someone was looking or not. They were free, even within this stone cage they grew in. With time and patience, they could even crack these stone tiles open that barred them from the untouched earth beneath, although their roots were so easily torn when dug up.

A stronger whiff suddenly rolled in from the direction of the forest, carrying on its back a manifold of scents.

I would love to see what the woods would look like to me now, she thought and sighed once more.

Then she heard stifled groans and sliding noises, then a thud. It came from the door she had just passed. She turned around to see what was going on and noticed the two guards sitting on the ground. Their massive, muscle-armoured bodies seemed lifeless.
Their halberds were lying next to them. Good thing they did not clean them too often, this way she could make them out easily. But strangely enough, she had not heard them fall, or the shrill sound of metal hitting the ground that onewould expect.

"They fall for that everytime", laughed a voice she had heard before. The red guy appeared right behind her.

"We meet again, beautiful", he said and grabbed a strand of her hair, but Iris would not let him. She turned around and made a few steps backwards.

"No need to be so wary, your king has sent me to guide you", he chuckled, remaining where he stood this time.

"What did you need to poison these men for, then?"

"Touché, milady, but I don't have time to explain. They'll wake up soon. You will have to trust me for now", he casually carried on, pulling something out from behind his back. "Now do me the favour and don't scream. And take him, he's too flashy", said he and threw her something. The moment she caught the shining object clumsily with both hands, he put something over her that felt like heavy cloth. Then she felt how she was being lifted up. Too perplexed to even cry out, she simply tracked his swift movements with amazement. His feet were not making any sound at all. Then he seemed to jump, and her whole stomach revolted. Adrenaline shot through her whole body, her intestines tingled almost painfully. They were falling!

A soft thud when the horrible feeling of death's cold fingers reaching out for her was lifted after what felt like far too many seconds.

Then she became aware of a faint croak.