2 × Bent

I hadn’t known when precisely she had knocked me unconscious. Nor did I know how she had done it, since I did not remember her actually knocking me down, or even touching me. She had lifted me from the ground like a piece of paper, let go of me, and then – nothing. It must have been one of her faerie tricks, I thought as I raised from unconsciousness. Even though I had been about to wet myself, I had also not let my eye off her. Our bargain would keep me safe from harm, but she was a faerie after all – she would find her way around it.
      I saw the clear, blue sky first when I opened my eyes. Then I noticed the brown horse beneath me, to which its back I had been tied to. My limbs felt a bit numb from the amount of time they had been tied tightly to my body. How long had it been since she had knocked me out anyway? It could have been mere hours, or even days. I tried my best to sit up straight and my gaze went towards the horse’s neck. It had been riding all the way by itself because it did not wear a halter or reins. This must be another faerie trick, I thought with disgust as I looked forward, to where the faerie rode on her own grey mare. There were leather saddle bags attached to each side that seemed to be filled with supplies. Her silver-iron blade shimmered in the sunlight, together with the little coloured diamonds attached to the handle. It seemed that she wanted to keep it close to her, as she had not tucked it away in one of her bags. Maybe she thought of me as a threat.
      Don’t be silly, I silently snapped at myself. She was a faerie – a wicked, monstrous creature with no dignity. Let’s not forget the killing fangs she possessed. How many humans would she have slaughtered with those? Would she enjoy ripping out their throats with bare teeth, or would she rather slice them open from head to toe with her sword?
      My thoughts wandered between her killing nature and my own fighting skills. I concluded that I did not really have any. I only knew how to handle a blade in the way of skinning animals, or ending their lives – nothing that would help me in combat if it would ever come to that.
      “You’re awake.” The faerie suddenly said to my surprise. She had not once turned around or glanced at me, so I thought she hadn’t noticed. “Good, there are things to discuss.”
      “Where are we?” I asked. We were still riding through the woods, but the path was unfamiliar, and the place had a strange vibe. It felt more…severe. As far as trees and rocks could feel severe.
      The faerie still did not face me. “North from where we started.”
      I rolled my eyes. This was exactly the kind of behaviour the stories had predicted.
      She steered her horse to the left and let mine catch up with her, so that we now rode side by side. I did not dare look into the faeries black eyes, so I stared at the road ahead as she monitored me. “What is your name, human?” I guessed that it was supposed to be a question, but she said it so harshly and without emotion that it sounded like a command. “That is none of your concern,” I answered with that same disinterest.
      She let out a sound of disapproval. “Fine,” she said, and steered her horse forward again, leaving me behind. The corners of my mouth tugged upwards into a faint smile. I had won the first battle.

After what seemed to have been forever, there was finally light at the end of the road. Afar I saw the last arch of trees hovering over us, revealing more green lands.
      “Where are we going?” We had not spoken after she rode ahead, and I had been pleased with the peace and quiet it had given me. But now, I started to feel more anxious, as I did not know what kinds of plans the creature had for me.
      She glanced back at me for a second and said: “I’m taking you to someone.” I waited for an explanation that didn’t come. “Who? What are your plans for me, faerie?” Though she did not flinch, I thought I heard her sigh. “I am not the one of who you are of worth.” She denied all my further questions with her cold silence.
      When we finally emerged from the dark woods, I had to wait a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the sun. But when I did… I was shaking. Not just by the enormous castle that stood a few miles ahead of us, but by the countless farmlands that surrounded it. Miles and miles of ground – of fertile ground, all in full growth. It was an effort not to gawk at the high cornfields we passed by. The faerie didn’t even found them worthy of a glance.
      We were at the doors of the castle before I knew it. Still mesmerized by the enormous wealth around me, the faerie lifted me out of my saddle. With a mere snap of her fingers, the ropes were gone and I was free to move. At least until she grabbed my upper arm and dragged me through the thick, wooden doors of the place.
      “What are you doing!” I yelped, immediately panicking. “Where are you taking me!?”
      “Quiet!” she snapped and tightened her grip around my upper arm so much that I did not dare to speak anymore.
      She guided me through the castle with a fast, steady pace. So fast that I did not really got time to get a look at my surroundings. I saw flashes of grey, stone walls and closed, wooden doors. We never entered one, until we came to the end of the hall, where two enormous double doors reached the ceiling.
      I soon realized, that I did not want to meet what was behind those doors.
      I struggled and put up a fight in her arms, but she pushed through anyways. “Please,” I begged. “Please don’t.” She had no mercy. She pushed the handle of the door down, and they opened with a shrieking sound. My heart was racing and sweat dripped down my back. Death, death was behind these doors.
      Where the hallways had seemed abandoned, this room was full of life. The faerie hurled me through the doors right into it. I squeaked as I collided with the cold, white marble, and the whole room went silent. Slowly I opened my eyes, afraid of the tension – of the power that I felt surging through the room.
      “Well, well.” A dark heavy male voice sliced through the silence. I made myself sit up and glanced at the source of the sound.
      I had been thrown right in front of a long table. At the head of it, a male faerie lounged in his seat. A crown casually rested on his dark brown hair. But it was not me those dark, raven-like eyes stared at. They were looking at my capturer behind me. “Look who returned.”
      “A deal is a deal,” she spoke with that same cold and steady voice she had addressed me with every time. The male let out a low laugh. “It is indeed.” Now his gaze shifted to me, and so did the entire room. I almost collapsed under the weight of their stare.
      “Escort him to his room,” The order echoed through the room and immediately there were hands around my arms. “Prepare him for dinner.” They dragged me through the room, back to the doors. The faerie did not try to stop them from whatever place they were taking me to.
      I send her an unforgiving stare that only broke once the doors slammed shut again with a loud smack.