6 The Settlement

The settlement itself was astonishing. It wasn’t exactly medieval as we understand it, though the residents’ clothing shared some similarities—while also featuring daringly modern details that looked straight out of a futuristic fashion show.

Every house, except for the shaman’s, looked solidly built. I could even see dark-gray brickwork in some walls, and the large windows were decorated with intricately crafted stained glass that stood out beautifully against the darker façades. The roofs were covered with sleek black tiles that gleamed faintly under the sun.

There were no fences between the houses, only clusters of bright, exotic flowerbeds filled with plants I didn’t recognize. The road wasn’t asphalt, but paved with smooth, sturdy stone tiles that looked almost polished.

Everything around me was fascinating—a strange blend of eras that somehow worked together. It was as if bits of different centuries had collided and learned to coexist in harmony. I would have found it all exciting… if I weren’t terrified of what was going to happen to me.

“What’s going to happen to me?” I asked, panic rising as I darted my eyes from one villager to another, searching for even the slightest sign of help. But they only stared back, curious and unbothered, clearly not planning to intervene.

The man said nothing, simply kept dragging me forward—until suddenly, a young brunette girl jumped in front of us, clutching some kind of fluffy abomination in her arms. I couldn’t even tell what kind of creature it was—it had four hairless ears and a ridiculously furry body covered in dark red fur. Honestly, it looked like someone’s nightmare pet.

The girl herself was breathtakingly beautiful, just like everyone else here, with bright pink eyes and full lips the color of fuchsia. Judging by the way her brows furrowed, though, she wasn’t too happy at the moment.

“Light of my eyes, who is this girl?” she asked in a thin, sharp voice, glaring daggers at the brute who was dragging me toward what I assumed was their leader.

“Oh, Míko,” the man said cheerfully, “this girl is the solution to all our problems. I’m taking her to your father. Thanks to her, we’ll finally be able to start a family—and you’ll be mine.”

“Really?!” Míko’s expression lit up instantly. She smiled—one of those flawless, radiant smiles that could melt glass—then giggled, bouncing in place with giddy excitement.

She threw her arms around her lover, gave him a quick, happy kiss, and skipped away, hugging that bizarre red creature to her chest.

Meanwhile, I wasn’t exactly sharing in her joy.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” I demanded, staring at the brute in shock. And only now did I notice—he wasn’t bad-looking at all. Tall, broad-shouldered, his dark tan skin contrasting beautifully with those ruby-red eyes and well-defined muscles.

“It means exactly what it means,” he snorted without even looking at me. “You’ll find out soon enough. What’s your name?”

“Oh, thanks for asking!” I snapped back, dripping sarcasm. “Isabella. Or Iza.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Ugh. What a name. Won’t do. Around here we don’t have such names — you’ll be Naziza.”

“What?!” I gasped. Well, excuse me, local critic of names!

“And what’s your name then, genius?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“Dildan,” the brunette announced proudly, straightening his back as if he’d just said something glorious.

There was a second of silence—and then I completely lost it. A wild fit of hysterical laughter burst out of me. Oh, he definitely had a sense of humor! Except… apparently, he didn’t, because he wasn’t laughing.

“Wait— you’re serious?!” I choked out between laughs. “Oh my god, that’s— that’s perfect for you!” I wheezed through tears, barely able to speak.

“Are you out of your mind?” he asked, clearly not understanding what was so funny. “Since you’re not from here, you should know—I was named after one of our greatest rulers! An unmatched warrior and brilliant strategist!”

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” I managed, trying to compose myself. “With a name like that, how could he not be great?”

Honestly, I was laughing to keep from crying. Because as we approached a massive black two-story mansion with a wide veranda, my nerves twisted tighter with every step. A few girls, maybe eight or ten years old, were playing there—brunettes with sweet pink eyes, all staring at me with innocent curiosity. Dildan greeted them, and they cheerfully waved back.

We stepped inside the elegant house, and a tall, broad-shouldered man came to meet us. After a brief greeting, he sat down in a large armchair, his commanding presence filling the room. Dildan and I stood before him.

“I’m listening, Dildan,” the man said, his deep brown eyes scanning me like an x-ray. “What brings you here, and who is this girl?”

That piercing stare made my skin crawl. There was something in it—aggression, hostility, and a cold sort of judgment that set my nerves on edge.

“Manar, this is Naziza,” the brute began, completely ignoring my real name. “We found her wandering through our lands while patrolling the borders. She’s a foreigner—and still untouched by any man. That might help us solve the situation with Miko.”