The Seer's Trial

Chapter Six: The Door

Before I even knew what was happening, I was grabbed from behind and shoved into a very large wicker basket. The wood poked and intruded into places that I won't even describe; just know that it was very painful.

I felt the steady rhythm of my captor's footsteps, and heard the murmur of maids and servants surrounding us. Only once did we stop, and that was because of a rather flirtatious woman.

From what I could tell, we had abruptly stopped because the woman was in the middle. I only knew it was a woman from the flirtatious, girly voice that emitted from her delicate mouth. My captor tried to push past, but she wouldn't allow it. I heard her go into a frenzy of giggling, then she blurted a few muffled pieces of dialogue. He replied, his voice also muffled -but strangely familiar- and I strained to hear their conversation.

"I know you must be on your way, but couldn't you just stay a little longer? I could make room for you..." I tuned out the rest of her hopeless attempt at flirting, and waited patiently for us to resume with the kidnapping.

At this point, most people would be kicking, screaming, and yelling their hearts out for someone to rescue them. However, in my case, I knew that it was about as hopeless as that woman's attempt to flirt. First of all, I knew that if I made any sort of ruckus, I would only be punished more. And second of all, I actually sort of...wanted to get kidnapped.

Don't get me wrong, just hear me out first before you call me naive. Being kidnapped provides me with a way out of the Seer's Trial, and anything is better than that.

I heard the creak of a door, signaling our exit of this miserable place. Slowly, my eyes closed as the monotonous pace of his footsteps receded into the distance. I felt myself drifting off, but just before I fell into the Land of Dreams, I felt myself being tossed out of the basket and onto a cold, stone table. I tried to open my eyes to assess my surroundings and find out what was going on, but my eyes were set on being closed. My brain jumped and fluttered about in my head, trying to find any clue as to where I was.

A kind, soothing voice whispered to my captor, "Why didn't you just bring her normally? I mean, really? A wicker basket? The poor thing could have gotten hurt." I felt a soft hand graze the top of my head.

"She's fine, Mother. Now just let her sleep. And hide her before Father finds out." My heart faltered for a minute after hearing my kidnapper's voice. Was that...? No, it couldn't be. Just as I was about to make a life-saving connection, my brain finally let out, and I fell into a deep slumber.
~♤~
I awoke to the backside of a horse. I tried to move my arms and legs, but they were tied down onto the horse. I glanced up ahead, taking great care in not moving my arms too quickly in order for the blood to begin its slow recirculation. At once, I noticed that the horse was a beautiful black stallion, with thick, luscious hair that reminded me of my scrawny, patchy hair.

The horse was walking steadily across a plain filled to the brim with blooming flowers. The flowers were of all different varieties, with every hue of visible light known to man. I tried to turn in my seat, and look at what was behind me, but the ropes restricted me from doing so.

I looked up at the sun, and squinted. It looked to be about noon. That meant that it had been only a couple of hours since I was kidnapped. I tried, in vain, to wrestle out of my restraints, but they only seemed to grow tighter. Finally, I gave up, and let myself move to the steady beat of the stallion's hooves.

It was only then that I realized how tired I truly was. What with the fear and paranoia from my first capture, in which I encountered Averey and Kingsley; then on to my kidnapping from my captors, in which I felt nausea and exhaustion beyond what my body was used to. When I had slept in the wicker basket, it was out of panic and instinct. I had not known when I would be able to sleep next, so I had dozed off, my mind still alert.

But here...here, there was no fear, no panic, no paranoia, no nausea, just the black stallion and I. I slowly let sleep overcome me entirely, and the world disappeared beneath me.
~♤~
I awoke for the second time, but this time I was well rested and relaxed. However, those feelings soon turned into panic as soon as I realized that I was no longer strapped to the majestic stallion.

I looked around me, and noticed at once that the room I was currently seated in was luxurious, past the point of even the King. The furniture around me seemed expensive, made of materials I could only dream of. Jewels sparkled everywhere around the room, and the gold-painted walls made the black furniture stand out even more.

There was a window to my left, and I anxiously glanced out of it, curious to know where we were. I gasped in surprise. We were in the fair city of Firelight.

The black, iron door slowly creaked open, and I spun around quickly. I hadn't even bothered to look for an exit, or to even acknowledge the fact that I was tied up -again- with some heavy iron cuffs. But after the door creaked open, my mind slowly realized all of these thoughts.

A frail woman -looking to be in her 40s- marched through the door, holding a silver platter filled with steaming hot food. She had beautiful doe-like brown eyes, and thick, curly, blonde hair that ran all the way down to her knees.

My first thought was of my eldest sister, Rapunzel. But then I remembered that she had died after she had tripped over her long hair and tumbled off of a very steep cliff.

The woman set the platter onto a nearby table, then stood up and began to examine me. My heart leapt into my throat. She's going to sell me.

The woman laughed, a light little wheezing that could have been mistaken for a polite coughing fit. "Oh, my dear, I am most certainly not going to sell you."

I recoiled in surprise. "How did you-"

"-know what you were thinking? Well, I'm a Rheinhart, dear. That's practically what I do." I stared at her with a sour face. She quickly added, "And, do not worry, I will reveal who I am to you within time. But first, I think you will want to meet my son."

I squinted, unsure of the meaning behind the words. But before I could contemplate it further, a man's voice echoed through the hallway.

"Thank you, Mother, for that pleasant introduction. But I'm afraid you must leave, for I have something very important to discuss with Celeana...alone."

The woman nodded, and swiftly departed from the room. She slowly closed the door behind her, and as she was doing so, she softly whispered to me, "Do not despair, child. My son can be ruthless sometimes, but he has the best intentions."

This made my brain work harder, trying to decrypt who exactly her son was. Before I could get any further with my investigation, the door swung open, almost falling off of its hinges.

A man quickly strode in. He turned around, and locked the door, putting the key into his back pocket. I could tell that he did this on purpose, as if he wanted me to take the key.

I looked him over, trying to assess who it was. There was no doubt that it was the Rheinhart's son as his stance was strong and regal - just like the voice who ordered his mother out of the room. He wore an ankle-length cloak, clearly fashioned out of a dragon's fur. As for the rest of his attire, I cannot say because his back was turned to me, and I could only see black leather boots peeking out from behind his fur cloak.

I waited -with baited breath- for the stranger to turn around. The man slowly spun around, waiting for my reaction. He looked at me and gave me his signature smile.

All feeling in my body went numb. My brain just couldn't- just wouldn't accept who was standing in front of me.

Because posing right in front of me, with his handsome features unmistakable, was Densel Riverdome.