Alfheim

XI. Unwanted

"Ivy, is that you?" the woman asked while walking towards me. "Are you alright? Did they harm you?" "I guarantee you we did not harm her," the queen answered before I could answer. The woman had hair that stood up. It reminded me of the wigs they had back in the epoch of wigs and revolutions. Her dress also reminded me of the epoch of wigs and revolution. Compared to the clothes of the king and queen hers looked extravagant. The woman held my hand and dragged me in front of the king and queen.
"I'm gonna take her home with me,' she said. The king looked at the queen. She stared me intensely in the eyes. Then she answered and threatened: "As you wish. But next time one of your elves ends up at our border, I won't show any mercy." The woman dragged me away. Outside stood a beautiful dark blue carriage. I noticed there weren't any horses. Before I could ask about the horses the woman stretched out her hand and said: "Deichno ta aloga!" The magical Ice Horses appeared in front of the carriage. That's the first time I witmessed magic. It was like little stars came out of het hand. "Get in, Ivy," she said with a smile. I decided to obey her for now, since she rescued me from the queen. She seems to know me (Ivy). During the ride we didn't talk much. The woman did commented on my hair. 'Your hair is black. How unusual.' I wasn't sure how to respond so I just nodded. Before we crossed the border and left Aestas the woman suddenly stung something in my arm. It hurt a lot and made me really sleepy. I dozed off. I don't know how long I was out, but the time I woke up I found myself in a room made of ice. It was freezing here. I trembled. It was like I was inside a cooler. The clothes I wore today were too thin. I could feel my fingers go numb and tried to keep them warm with my breath. Then a few guards entered the room. They were dressed differently than the guards in Aestas. "I present Queen Gwendolyn!" he said. Then the woman who saved me appeared. Wait a minute...Queen Gwendolyn? Isn't that Ivy's aunt? I bowed. "Ivy, are you alright?" she asked with a soft voice.
I nodded. "I'm alright. I'm only a little cold."
She looked me in the eyes and said:
"We thought you were dead. How did you come back to life? One of the guards had confirmed it," she asked with curiosity. She studied me from top to bottom.
"Your hair...It was white before. Somehow it turned black. What do you remember from the last time we spoke?" he asked urgently. Again the remark on my hair. Somehow I felt the mood in the room change. She no longer was a nice stranger. She sounded really hostile. "Nothing," I answered. Since that's the truth. "Is that so," Gwendolyn said with disbelief. "Guards! Throw her in the dungeon!" Queen Gwendolyn all of a sudden shouted. It no longer seemed Gwendolyn saved me. Before the guards could grab me, someone entered the room. "Hold on," he said.
"Aunt G. aren't you a little cruel to your niece?" he said.
"Timothy. It's none of your business. And you shouldn't be calling me aunt so casually, since you're my adviser," Queen Gwendolyn said sternly.
"Ivy! You're alive!" the guy called Timothy said as he ran towards me and stood before me.
"Do not harm her. She is innocent!" She then shouted. Timothy was around Gideon's age and had platinum blond locks that surrounded his pointy ears. His eyes were green like emeralds. Timothy grabbed me by the wrist and wanted to drag me away. But before we could leave the room, the Queen spoke to me. "You may not remember our last conversation, so let me give you a reminder. You are still an unwanted child, Ivy Wisteria,"she said with a frustrated tone.