The Cursed

Chapter 3

Chapter- 3

Stepping through the portal, it gave me cold chills. I drew in a sharp breath, my lungs burning as I tried to get air. My knees buckled from the sudden change, falling onto the grass. It was soft to touch and was a very bright green color.

"Are you okay?" Westley grabbed my hand pulling me up, I said nothing but my mouth lay open in awe, looking at the new world. "I know, it's beautiful." Said Westley as if he could read my mind.

The grass and trees swayed in the warm, fall, wind. The huge trees, covered in moss and ivy, towered over us. Hearing splashes of water, I turned to my right seeing a sparkling, clear, blue pond with many water lilies floating upon it. A waterfall cascaded down into the pond, the mist creating a rainbow of colors I've never seen before.

An emerald, green, tail shot up out of the water. "What was that?" I asked walking towards the pond.

"That's a mermaid." Westley responded, following me. "Be careful though, them bloody things will pull you in if you get too close. I learned the hard way." We stopped at the edge were flowers bloomed.

The mermaid broke through a group of water lilies, bobbing up and down. Her skin was pale but her lips were pearly pink. The mermaid looked to me, her eyes lavender like her hair, and smiled. Other mermaids were sitting on the rocks or swimming around playfully. Each one was different as far as I could see. Mesmerized by the mermaid's perfection, I didn't hear Westley calling me until he pulled me back, breaking my gaze. "Let me show you around before it gets late."

Westley grabbed my hand to pull me into the forest. I finally got a good look at him, noticing he had his wings back. They were spread out from his sides, their colors golden brown descending to a darker brown and a greyish white.

"Westley, your wings! They're back!"

Westley looked behind him, "Well blimey! They are!" He smiled wickedly and fluttered them with delight. "Well! This feels odd!" He exclaimed again at loss of words, "I never thought about getting my wings back if I came back here. Well, I guess we better be off then." Westley finally said after some time, beaming.

We walked a winding path looking at the birds and flowers. Some time later we came to a clearing showing a stone bridge leading across a stream. On the other side sat marble buildings and statues, waterfalls falling through more bridges and flowers spread over the buildings. The sun shone on the white bricks brightly, partly blinding me.

Westley squeezed my hand. "This is it. My humble abode." Westley smiled, obviously pleased to call Merditie his home puffing out his chest with pride. "Well, are you coming or not?" I followed after Westley across the bridge to a long flight of steps leading up to the marble buildings. Finally, reaching the top, there was an open square with a fountain in the middle. People, more like elves and some that looked like wizards or witches, were crowding the main square.

"Just follow me and don't let go of my hand. You'll get yourself lost if you do." Westley and I pushed our way through the crowd, having no idea where he was taking me.

Children ran around like little lunatics running into my legs throwing me off balance at times. The elven women had long hair, down to their waists, and gorgeous dresses billowing behind them. On the other hand, the men, or boys, had dark colored jackets, tight clothed pants, and brown boots, looking all quite alike. Seeing a group of wizards staring intensely at a piece of old tattered paper, wearing dark blue and purple robes with pointed hats to match, looked up at me then to Westley, their eyes widened.

Through the chaos I did not notice an elven man running quickly towards me carrying a clipboard and quill, knocking me down on my back, blowing the air out of my lungs. I lost my hold on Westley's hand but almost pulling him down with me. The young elven boy tripped falling on my legs in a giant heap of a mess, his contents spilling to the ground. Westley whirled around, some of the people circled around us, like that happened all the time.

"Bloody hell! Are you blind?!" Shouted Westley, accent thick and his wings ruffled from the surprise. Westley grabbed the elf's wrist yanking him up quickly not caring to see if he was alright. Westley knelt down to my side, "Reina, are you okay?" He grabbed my arm gingerly.

"Yeah I think so." I said grimacing as Westley pulled me up to my feet. He brushed off the dirt and dust from the brick pavement and went back to retrieve my leather bag.

"I'm so sorry miss! I was in a hurry and didn't see you miss! Please forgive me!" The teenage elf pleaded, bowing slightly who had quickly gathered his things. His shoulder length hair swished back and forth, his green blue eyes rimming with tears, his cheeks flourishing pink in embarrassment. I noticed he wore bandages of cloth around his hands and fingers. Blood seemed to be running through the bandages looking quite painful.

"Oh, no, it's okay! Really!" I said grabbing my bag that Westley was holding out.

Westley looked up at the elven boy, who seemed no more than seventeen. "Tadion? Blimey! How are you mate?" Westley grabbed Tadion's hand and shook.

"Er-- I've been well." Tadion answered hastily, "Westley, you're-- you're back! You've been gone for... for quite some time! Where have you been?"

Westley looked sternly into his eyes. Tadion leaned back a little opening his mouth agape. "Oh... Oh I see... Well I'm in a great hurry so you must listen." Tadion whispered, Westley leaned his ear close to Tadion's lips, "I've been working with Gorlax, and there are difficult things going on. He's been acting differently, and not to offend you, but having you here, in Merditie, isn't the best thing. Elven's and wizards are starting to suspect." Tadion looked into Westley's eyes, a suppressed look dawned on his face. "And they will more because... well, you are here. I must go or Gorlax will have my head. Till we see again, farewell." Tadion rushed off leaving Westley standing in a bit of bewilderment.

"Westley? What was that all about?" Westley looked back at me opened his mouth, then closed, and opened again like a fish.

"I'll tell you when we get to my home, come on now, we better get out of sight." Westley grabbed my hand pulling me through the crowded square and to a clearer opening. Statues of satyers singing and elven women posing were placed through the narrow hall that Westley was then pulling me through. I stopped to look at one that seemed as if it were staring back at me, I reached to touch it... "Don't draw attention to yourself!" Westley hissed as more elven people and wizards stopped what they were doing to see what we were up to. "You and I already stick out like sore thumbs. We're going to have to find decent clothes soon." He mumbled.

Westley dragged me away, grasping my hand harder, I muffled a yelp. We made it out of the hall cutting through a pile of leaves a elven man was racking ("Hey! Watch where you're going!"), and towards a small stone house that sat behind a wall of trees. Westley swung the door open, almost throwing me inside, then he quickly closed the door behind him. "This is not good." Westley whispered.

Westley's little house was just the right size. A kitchen in the right hand corner with a small circular table, a sitting area where Westley gestured me to sit on a deep red chair looking nervous, and an added hall that had a door leading to a bathroom and Westley's bedroom. The only light was the sun shinning through his windows.

"Westley, what's going on? Who is Tadion and Gorlax, and what's everyone suspecting?" I sat at the edge of the chair, Westley was pacing the oak floor.

"Bloody hell. Urgh! There always has to be a problem that involves me!" Westley sat down furiously on a cream colored couch, running his fingers through his hair, his wings fanned around his sides. Westley took a breath, "Tadion is a friend of mine. He's an assistant worker for Gorlax in the department of Elven's Authority. Elven's Authority is about laws and kind of what humans do, like detective work, reporters, and office workers? If that's what your kind calls them. Gorlax is Tadion's boss, and goodness can he get scary, the git. Tadion has to run around taking notes of everything." Westley shook his head in displeasure. "His fingers are so raw that they bleed none stop, that's why he wore those bandages." Westley leaned back focused on the ceiling. "And it's a discipline."

"Westley, what did Tadion mean that people were wondering about something?"

Westley hesitated, "Er... I don't know if I should tell you..." His shoulders tensed.

"You can trust me. What is it." I crossed my arms. Westley loosened a little.

"Pierce..." Westley's words trailed off.

"What about him." I was getting more curious by every second that passed.

"He's... he's my brother."