A Modern Faerie Tale

Chapter Three

A/N sorry for taking so long to upload, it has been hectic at school. Anyway my favourite nerdy-wordies here is the next chapter and it is written by Mona Mae so don't forget to fan her!

                                                                     Chapter Three

Ainsley was terrified. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this scared but the feeling was making her nervous and jumpy and she didn’t like it one bit. Her skin felt sticky, slick with sweat as she breathed in frantic pants. Everything felt wrong and her vision blurred with every turn she took. The people around her looked like creatures pulled out of some twisted fairy tale with their scaly skin and feathers sticking out of their head in form of hair.

She felt her knees growing weak and all Ainsley wanted to do was crawl into a ball and sleep for an eternity but the clawed woman behind her wouldn’t allow her to stop. With each step, the woman who resembled a giant raven with her dark feather-like arms and beak nose with talons for fingers kept shoving her forward. Ainsley more than once had to bite back the yelps of pain with each talon, digging into her skin and causing a series of pinprick pinches against her back.

Ainsley began to grow more tired with each step she took and it proved to be a battle just to keep her eyes open as she scrambled through the thorny brambles and thick trees which seemed to be whispering secrets against her. She darted around feeling something slither down her spine then frowned when she was greeted not too happily by the raven woman who glowered down at Ainsley with dark, red eyes.

“Walk human,” the woman sneered.

Ainsley found herself complying with the woman, moving through the thick leaves as she pushed away the low hanging branches that were threatening to hit her in the face. As she made her way through the thick air and ever-ominous forest, she felt something change in the atmosphere. She could hear voices and the tapping of glass somewhere through the forest. And then there were cries of pain and shouts of fights.

Ainsley stood still, fearing for her life with her erratic heartbeat as proof. The raven woman snorted in disapproval but instead of pushing Ainsley forward, she shoved past her and walked towards the loud chatter. It took Ainsley a few minutes before she decided to follow the woman. She didn’t trust anything in this forest and her head ached. It had something to do with the apple she ate and that redhead Keira seemed to be mad at and what was up with the silver haired guy?

Ainsley forgot her thoughts when she pushed through the last of the branches. She found herself entering a low-ceiling room, covered with mud walls and roots from trees she couldn’t put a name to. Her grey-green eyes widened when they fell onto the hideous looking monsters that occupied the never-ending room. They reeked of rotten flesh and growled at her as she past them.

There was a loud burst of laughter, reminding her of hyenas from the National Geographic channel and she turned to the sound. A group of men; some bare-chested and others were covered in thick, wooden looking armour. They cheered loudly, raising glasses filled with a sickly sweet, golden liquid causing Ainsley’s stomach to rumble. Without thinking, she made her way towards the men, feeling her mouth dry with thirst as she stared at the golden syrup.

She reached out, her hands about to grip the mug when she felt herself being pulled away. Silence reigned through the underground room as Ainsley struggled against her capturer. She twisted and swung her arms aggressively, feeling useless against the strong arms which held her tight. She gritted her teeth, glaring up the dark haired man with pointed ears and slanted eyes.

He smirked at her, revealing slightly pointed teeth as he spoke in a smooth, velvet voice, “The King wishes to see you.”

Ainsley attempted pulling away but gave up after a grunt, “Screw you.”