novelxo Chapter 2: The Awakening
"The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher” – Chinese Proverb
Alyenna slowly opened her eyes; her vision was hazy and painful. She winced as she absentmindedly rubbed the lump that was forming on the back of her head. She made a clumsy attempt to sit upright; but, she almost lost her breakfast.
Sleep wanted to claim her. She felt her eyes clothes and the gentle touch of her silk nightgown. She looked down at the satin garment; this is not mine. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She attempted to sit up again. Shaking, she braced herself against the headboard and scanned her surroundings.
Polished marble floors and columns traced with golden sculptures of the extravagantly decorated room. Moonlight cascaded through lancet windows. Aly’s mind raced with questions which quickly lead to an overwhelming sense of panic.
She forced herself to breathe and as the kids of her eyes drifted closed. She counted controlled her breaths as her chest rose and fell in a calculated rhythm. With each breath, her emotions eased, and she was able to refocus on more constructive thoughts. Her eyes traced back to the windows as her gaze lingered there as hope corrupted her heart.
Without a second thought, she scrambled to her feet and leaned over the edge into the fresh night air. It was a mistake. All of her hope vanished. The stone walls of the castles morphed into a sheer rock face that disappeared into a pit of unending darkness. There were not enough bed sheets in the world to safely repel down this wall.
A gentle creak sounded from the door on the other side of the rooms. A fresh shot of adrenaline spread through her veins. She crept into a nearby shadow concealed behind an enormous bureau. Her fingers twitched under the throes of anxiety.
A graceful shadow crossed the threshold of her door. “You’re awake.” said a soft, airy voice.
“Watch your next steps. I am armed!” Aly lied. “I know several forms of” Her voice trailed off as he took an exaggerated step closer to her.
“Are you about done with your hissy fit?” His sapphire eyes twinkled with mirth as he revealed the hilt of his sword. “I come armed as well, though you seem to be lacking your weapon of choice. A frying pan was it?”
“With a sword that small I am not even worried.” Aly jeered. He took another step closer.
She blinked her eye rapidly. Each time her lid closed she expected to see human ears. Every time she opened them, his ears were still pointed. Elves are not real. She reasoned with herself, repeatedly. I have to have a concussion.
She took a moment to assess her kidnapper. On top of the sword strapped to his side, he also had a quiver strapped to his back. A weapon of choice that was incredibly out of date. Was I kidnapped into a renaissance fair?
“Not to break up your medieval fun or anything; but, who are you and why am I here?” She snapped at him as she positioned into her best approximation of a boxer’s stance.
The strange man snickered and silently walked toward her. She could see his legs moving; but, it was almost like his feet never left the floor. She cursed her concussion. Come on think straight, Aly! She barked at him. “Where are my clothes!” Suspicion lined her tone. If that creepy silver-haired freak did anything, she did not have time to complete her thought.
“Relax, you are not my type. Your clothes are being washed.” His eyes twinkled with mirth, and a small smile touched the edge of his lips.
She attempted to slap him; but, she miscalculated and landed nearly face first on the cold stone floor. She quickly picked herself up and cursed her relationship with gravity.
“So that Karate is working out nicely for you then?” Baellnar snorted, “Humans are so entertaining.”
“You are really into ‘this whole thing’ aren’t you.” She asked with deep skepticism.
Almost as if the world itself was out to prove her wrong. A small pink light floated through the room. It appeared in front of her nose and appeared to have the shape of a small person. Alright, this officially goes beyond a concussion. Feeling defensive and pugnacious Alyenna stomped over to the stranger with silver hair, “What did you give me?” He raised an inquisitive eyebrow and laughed at her yet again.
Alyenna’s mind raced with doubts and questions as she caught sight of his pointed ears and sapphire eyes. Everything about him was alien to her. It was as if his snide and casual manner made her doubt everything she had accepted as fact versus fiction. Her determination was slipping; but, she refused to give in, never again would she accept the words of anyone with a blind eye. “I am serious what is it, PCP? LSD? Bath salts what did you give me?” Alyenna’s eyes raced from one man to the other. She felt her heart thunder in her chest. Fear overwhelmed her with the realization that she had jumped from one sociopath’s ‘frying pan’ into the fire of two.
This time concern wrinkled his brow. “Girl, I am not sure what any of those words mean. If you are referring to some earthly potion? Then the answer is no we did not give you a potion, though a sleeping one might be recommended.” He pauses and rubbed his temples “not for you, for me, you are giving me a headache.” Again that sarcastic smile touched the corner of his lips, and his eyes twinkled playfully through his fingers.
“You know you may be pretty, but you’re a prick!” She glared at him from
Her sheltered corner. Her back rested on the cold stone wall. It was her only assurance that no one could approach from behind. Her eyes darted around the room seeking an escape path.
The strange man let loose a gentle and chiming chuckle like bells on the wind. “You think I am pretty?” He batted his eyes at her in playful mockery.
“Yeah, for a buffoon with weird ears!” Alyenna had to admit, she was beginning to enjoy herself. This man’s gentle demeanor and subtle humor were frustratingly contagious, and for the first time in years, she was no longer afraid.
He smiled and opened his mouth slightly to retort; but, before the air left his lungs, the door slammed open. A sturdy looking man of about four foot nothing strode through. He exuded the confidence of a man nearly twice his size. If she didn’t know any better, she would say he looked like one of the dwarfs from her book. I am losing it.
Then, with a broad smile and a gravelly voice he spoke “Aly! good, you’re up little miss time to get a move on then eh?” Then he turned toward the man with silver hair. “Quit ogling her you spindly beanstalk, don’t you ‘ave some nature to snuggle with or somethin’?”
The silver-haired man just laughed and shook his head.
The dwarf held out his hand. “That is Baellnar; you can ignore ’im.” His calloused sausage-shaped fingers outstretched. “Mines Agvardak, Agvardak Stoutfist.”
She leaned over and accepted his hand, his grip nearly crushing hers. She bit her lip tightly in pain and through a forced a small smile she said. “How do you know my name?”
The dwarf smiled but did not reply to her question. “Sorry ’bout the bump on yer head lass! Twas a bit on the necessary side. C’mon we ‘ave people ta meet. Lots o’ folk are excited to make yur acquaintance.” He led her from the room. Baellnar followed behind in contemplative silence, his delicate features stretched in a gentle smile. When he caught her eye he winked and then drifted off into his own musings.
As they strode through the great hall, Agvardak babbled in the background. Her eyes were wide as she took in the wonders of the room around her. It was the size of a football field and covered in elaborate stone carvings. Each of them was incredibly intricate and colored by a dazzling collection of gemstones. Each creature and the weapons they held were easily distinguishable from another.
There were multiple battle scenes. One, in particular, caught her eye. It was far too familiar for comfort. In it was a particularly gruesome battle with a golden dragon and rider tumbling to their deaths. Below them was a battlefield littered with the disembodied corpses of dragons, humans, and other races she had only heard of in her stories. Flying above the massacre was an ebony black dragon and its rider with blue eyes and black hair.
Alyenna stopped and stared at the carvings, shaking her head in disbelief. That is way too familiar. The dwarf turned to her and barked for her to hurry up. She shook off her feeling of deja vu and hurried to catch up.
He had stopped and was petting something that was slipping in and out of his legs. When it saw Aly, it let out a cheerful chirp. It looked like a lizard; but, it was the size of a house cat. Its shoulders and knees were plated in crystals. It butted its head against her knee.
“Well hello, little one what’s your name?” Alyenna said kindly. It looked up at her and flashed what she thought would be a smile
"Roxanne,” said a pleasant female voice inside Alyenna’s mind.
She turned to the dwarf, her eyes bulged “did that lizard just talk?”
“She may be amazing, but talking is not one o’ ’er talents.” Agi stared at Alyenna like she was crazy. “She’s my mount though I’ll let ya ride ’er sometime.”
“How can I ride her, she’s the size of my forearm?” Alyenna asked in shaken disbelief.
“Oh, when she needs. she can be any size dat she wants, but She saves ‘er biggest size fur those special occasions.” He winked at her he patted Roxanne gently. “Even small she can outrun almost any living thing, you know other than a full-blooded dragon of course.” He scratched the lizard on the crest of her chin he got a bit too enthusiastic, so Roxanne made a playful bite at his hand. He laughed She’s just how I like muh beer: scaly, fast, and with a bit o’ a bite.”
The man with silver hair, he smirked slyly “that’s what I said to your mom last night, Agi.”
Alyenna’s jaw dropped despite her earlier exchange with the silver man she was surprised by the nature of what he was saying. He looked like an elf out of the ‘Lord of the Rings’; but, had the manners of a pirate.
“Dorothy Stoutfist is a saint ya gnarly toad fart.” Aagi grinned broadly.
Alyenna cut in frustrated. “Um I hate to break up this love fest; but, I still don’t know where I am, nor what in God’s name I am doing here.” Her chest heaved skin the exertion of her emotions, “I mean this place is amazing!” She gestured emphatically around the room. I would love to stay, but what the hell is going on?”
Chuckling the elf smiled “You need to be patient. You will know in time.”
“With what you know of me so far, Baellnar, how patient do you think I am?” Alyenna stared with determination back at his leveled gaze. Then after several seconds, her expression caught her by surprise, she realized that she was smiling. Somehow she felt more at home in this alien world than she ever had in, she paused searching the recesses of her mind, she could not remember how long.
Baellnar gave her a knowing smile, “No, Aly you have never been patient.”