Chapter 7

Calliope

"Hey, I'm talking to you asshole!" I scream with as much confidence as I can muster, pushing myself to my feet clutching my side where my ribs are screaming at me to lay back down and sleep. He turns to look at me with a raised eyebrow, he slowly walks, almost glides, back over to where I am standing and places his finger under my chin, forcing my head to tilt up towards his. He leans in, close enough that I can hear as he whispers.

"You are not what I expected you know? I truly believed living in that world would leave you this broken, fragile thing. I am glad to see I was wrong, perhaps you will survive this world after all, as long as you dont lose that fire that clearly burns within you. If you ever find yourself in need of some...physical company... I would be more than happy to oblige." A shiver goes down my back, god something is really wrong with me, definitely going to need some therapy after this. "As for your mother, I assure you she is fine and by now has fully healed from her injuries the Fae are a resilient people." He said this with such authority I almost believed him, almost.

"Fae? Like fairies? Oh good you're a crazy person. Iv been kidnapped by a madman who thinks fairies are real, great just my luck." I roll my eyes and sigh hoping that this King whoever he is will be at least half sane.

Tsk Tsk "What a shame that your mother never told you anything about our people, yes my dear, fairies. Where are my manners…" he shook his head and shoulders like a wet dog coming in from the rain and all of a sudden his appearance changed. He was always tall, but now he had to have been about a foot taller, with pale corpse-like skin, eyes as black as the night itself and long black hair that trailed down to his hip. Jutting features adorned his face much more pronounced than before, accompanied by long ears that came almost to a point it seemed with gold metal covering on them. His clothing changed too, where a suit once hung against his frame was now replaced with armored plates covering his chest and shoulders draped like feathers against his skin. Black flowing pants that looked like silk covered his bottom half with a sheathed sword strapped to his back. His very muscular abs were on full display along with beautifully woven tattoos that seemed to cover his torso entirely from what I could tell. He wore no shoes and everything modern about him was stripped away, he looked as though he had walked out of one of Katie's fantasy books. My mouth is hanging wide open at this point, shocked, confused, and more than a little turned on by the site in front of me, my head is spinning. Still not quite coping with the gravity of the situation I say the only thing that seems to want to come out of my mouth.

“So no shoes huh?” Oberon looks down at his feet to inspect them.

“In a human glammer we wear them to blend in, but the Fae do not have a need for them. You will come to enjoy the freedom that being more connected to the earth awards you once you are able to shed this awful skin you are wearing." Nothing he says is giving me any comfort or any clearer of an understanding. I am trying to wrap my mind around the fact that fairies are real when all of a sudden I hear the clomping of horse hooves and see a group of what im assuming are soldiers, dressed in similar clothes as Oberon, coming closer and closer until they slow down as they finally reach us.

"Am I to assume is her?" The man on the horse asked Oberon, completely ignoring me like I was a chair they were here to pick up.

"I have a name," I snapped at him, all of my anger at the situation coming to a boil.

"Yes of course, my apologies," he bowed his head. His kindness threw me off guard seeing as I had only been met with cruelty since this whole debacle started. "Thank you Oberon, the King appreciates your tireless efforts to retrieve the girl and you will be paid handsomely for your troubles. We will accompany her from here." He trotted closer to me until he was within arms reach. As he bends down and reaches out to offer me assistance in mounting the horse he notices my injuries. His face contorts and he glares at Oberon. "I see she has been damaged, his majesty will not be pleased".

Oberon shrugged "It was inevitable, Clara tried to run so force was necessary. She is here, we have waited 20 years he can wait another day." He scoffed, clearly not concerned by the soldiers accusations.

"Very well. Calliope, our healers will see to your injuries, for now we will give you a sedative to make your journey to the castle more comfortable," he reached into a bag strapped to his side and pulled out what looked to be a black powder. Before I was able to protest it was being blown in my face, I sputtered and wiped at my eyes but it was no use everything started to go black as I felt someone grab hold of me, I was getting really sick of being manhandled. My body went limp and the last thing I heard before again going unconscious was the nameless soldiers voice. "Our people have waited a long time for you princess, welcome home."