I belong to me

Hollow stars

The light outside started to fade away, making the corner where I sat in the treehouse darker and darker. My body was restless and exhausted all at once, my mind swirled with thoughts but I also couldn't shape a single thought and it felt as if I had ice in my stomach, burning away everything. I wanted to feel sharp but my body betrayed me. Anger, confusion and fear fought inside me, daring me to choose one of them. Malik was probably afraid that I would jump to my death, or just fall thanks to my clumsiness, so he had attached my tied hands to a temporary wooden nail in the wall. I knew that I wouldn't have the strength to try anything that evening or night. But he couldn't know that.

Malik had tried to get me to answer some questions, probably to relax me or let my guard down, but after sitting quietly staring out into nothingness he had sighed, tied me to the wall and left. I didn't know where though. Had he climbed down? Did he know an easier way down? I knew I couldn't possibly try to climb anything with my hands tied together, but he said that he would untie me when he could trust me. So... I would just have to gain his trust then wouldn't I? But it couldn't be that easy. He would know if suddenly I was being nice. I could see it in his eyes. He would know if I changed to fast in my way, but if I saw a way out I would take it, no doubt.

I was so hooked up in my thoughts that I didn't notice how fast the sun had set, sending a golden glow inside the treehouse. The choir of birds had changed and I could hear their evening song instead. I felt a pang of sadness hit me, knowing that if I would've been home I would listen to the birds in the small garden outside our house. Me and my brother's house. I began to wonder where Malik had gone. What if he'd just leave me here? Thinking that I was too much trouble? My stomach began to make noises and I suddenly felt very hungry, but there was no food in sight. Not that I would ever be able to reach anything. Frustrated I tugged at the wooden nail that kept me in place, but it wouldn't budge. A sound from outside made me freeze in my spot and I looked towards the exit where the fabric hanged. A hand emerged pulling the fabric aside and letting the cool night air in and Malik's face appeared, making me slightly press my back against the wall. He gave me a quick look and a cool smile before pushing the fabric completely to the side and attaching it to the wall with some string. The outside world was exposed for me and I could see the branches of the trees with its leaves soaking up the last beams of sunlight. Some leaves, were the sun touched, casted various kinds of green shades. The sky far away was painted with splashes of orange, gold and dusty pink tones. It sure was spectacular.

"At night you can see the stars and they will feel so close that you think that you can just reach out and touch them." Malik suddenly said and I noticed how he studied my expression. I wonder what I had looked like just then. "It's rare to see such beauty." I didn't know if he still talked about the stars... or about me. I swallowed hard and my stomach began to rumble again.

"Ah, I brought some food for us. You must be hungry." He said and I simply nodded. Malik walked to the table and put down a big leather bag that I hadn't noticed and began to lift up its contents, containing some cheese, bread and apples. I could feel my mouth water at the sight and he chuckled when he looked at me. He took down wooden plates and tore some bread apart putting it on each plate together with cheese and an apple. I tried not to flinch when he sat down the plate in front of me and to my surprise he didn't sit down directly next to me but instead on the fur on the other side of the room. I relaxed and looked down at my food and then on Malik. His green eyes bore into me.

"Eat, please." He said and smiled. I didn't hesitate and began to devour the food, using my tied hands together. The cheese was salty, the bread was rich on flavor and the apple was sweet and simply delicious. It all tasted like heaven for some reason. I had eaten it all when I felt eyes on me and looked up. Malik just stared at me while slowly eating his apple making me feel uncomfortable. I didn't understand him at all. He seemed calm, calculating but there also was something frustrating behind those green eyes. There was also something dark there waiting to show itself for me, and I never wanted see it. His slender fingers were carefully wrapped around the red apple while he was sitting with his legs crossed and his back leaning against the wall casually. Even though he seemed so relaxed I felt as if he could just jump up at any minute, waiting for me to try to escape. It wouldn't be easy. I looked out towards the now blackening sky where a few shy stars glowed. Did my brother look up at the same sky right then, wondering where I was? Edgard, I will come home. Don't stop looking for me. I'm right here. I suddenly felt extremely tired and my eyes burned with withheld tears. I was on my, soon, second night away from home, trapped by this elf that seemed so cold. I didn't understand. Why me?

"Are you thirsty?" Malik's voice broke into my world of thoughts and I realized I had just stared blankly into space. I nodded and he rose from his position and poured me some water. My mind went to earlier that day and I felt stupid for thinking that it might have worked. He stood up in front of me and handed me the cup with a look that clearly said that he too remembered the incident. I took the cup from him.

"Thank you." I said quietly and drank the water before putting the cup down. Malik suddenly sat down next to me and I could feel my body stiffen.

"You are welcome, Isobel." He said and intensely studied my face making me wonder what he saw in me that made him look so intrigued. I could feel his warm breath tickle my left side of my face and shiver ran along my spine. His eyes met my eyes and we stared at each other, me with fear and Malik with... something else. I quickly looked away hoping that he would do the same and leaned my face down making my hair fall in front of it, shielding me like a curtain. Somewhere outside an owl's hollowed song echoed through the tree tops and the leaves rustled in the wind. Suddenly his hands gently stroke the hair out of my face making me flinch. I felt nauseous with tension when his fingers slowly caressed my cheek and gently turned my face towards his. Malik's dark green eyes almost glowed with a fire within and I tried looking away but he held my gaze.

"You are the most brilliant star I have ever laid my eyes upon." His voice was laced with something, an emotion I didn't like coming from him. Desire. "I believe I could drown in those eyes, never be able to resurface again. I could vanish forever." I did like the vanish forever part of his words, but the rest just made my stomach turn into ice yet again. He leaned in towards me making me lean back, only to be stopped by the wall. Nowhere to run. I closed my eyes and hoped that this nightmare soon would end, but instead a pair of warm lips met mine. I froze, not knowing what to do and refused to open my eyes. It didn't hurt and his lips were soft, but it was wrong. Maybe if I just continued closing my eyes this would all go away, but I wasn't that lucky. His lips left mine and I felt a slender hand softly touch my shoulder and I flinched almost violently making Malik chuckle in my ear, sending a warm breath on my neck. His hand snaked its way down my arm and up again and then slowly moving along my collarbone and down. My eyes sprung open I stared in horror into his. The green orbs were blazing and he leaned in and kissed me again while his hand slowly moved between my breasts. I couldn't help the whimper that escaped and I pressed my back against the wall until it hurt.

"Please." I pleaded while his other hand caressed my thigh making the dress expose more of my bare legs. His hands were gentle but all over my body and suddenly his lips were on my neck giving me warm kisses. One hand started sliding up under my dress and up my thigh while the other rested on my waist. I quickly landed my hand on his trying to stop him from going further up my leg, but it only resulted in a low murmur against my neck. Warm wet tears were falling freely from my eyes and I started struggling more without any result. His kisses started to feel more urgent and his hands roamed.

"No!" My voice rang in the small tree house and Malik suddenly stopped and looked at me. He searched my face and noticed my tears but I didn't see any regret in his. Instead he wiped my tears away, caressed my face once more and stood up. I felt numb staring at him as he placed himself on the other fur lying down with his hands behind his head. Malik looked at me.

"I will wait for you. One day you will say yes."

Thank you for reading this little story of mine! As always I appreciate votes and feel free to leave a comment!