An Urban Fairytale

As Luwin left met the seats on both my sides were filled. But I didn’t pay attention to them. Abandoned. Luwin was the only person\elf in this room I trusted. And now he had betrayed me.

The Alius on my sides didn’t seem to pay me more attention than I gave them. They didn’t even bother to speak English.

As the meal went on I just felt worse. And it didn’t take long before I was just pricking my food.

I started to study the Alius instead. Most of them were as beautiful as Luwin and Eidan, then there were others with strange and interesting features, colors and cloths. But as I had expected most of the attendants were Elves, but there were a also quite a few Mare’s in the hall. Dancing and giggling.

Looking up to where Luwin was seated I noticed that Warren was staring at me, even when he saw that I had seen him he didn’t look away. Not until Eidan said something did he move his gaze. Had he stared at me all night? I wondered taking a sip of my cup.

The liquid was sweet, like the first kiss in spring. Emptying my cup I soon found myself in a better mood, music was playing Alius dancing, eating and having fun. Why shouldn’t I?

The air to my left suddenly felt cold, and as I turned I saw that a Mare had replaced whoever sat there before.

“How are you?"

The words were faint, but caught my attention since they were the first understandable words I had heard.

” who are you?” This Mare resembled Ynn in a lot of ways, just as thin, white skinned and dark haired. But hers was short and wavy and she was almost a head taller.

“Nixie, Ynn asked me to check on you.” She said. ”She was worried you would feel alone.” She filled my cup and smiled without showing teeth or any emotion at all. “You want to dance?”

“I don’t dance…”

“Oh, it looked like you were quite bored with everyone ignoring you. They are doing it on purpose you know. The Lords order.”

A sudden feeling of anger washed over me, Eidan seemed to want to keep me isolated, even when surrounded by others. Now mingling with them was a good idea in my book.

“Let’s dance then.” Whatever Eidan’s plan was, I was going to have fun I decided. Who knew when he would lock me into the maidens’ chamber again? Besides it would be a great chance to look for possible escape opportunities. With this many people it wouldn’t be possible to have me under watch at all times.

We had barely gotten out on the floor when Nixie suddenly drew away from me.

“I think I will be a more suitable dance partner, we wouldn’t want the girl to have any unpleasant dreams, would we Nixe?” Warren must have gotten up from the table as well and was now right in front of me.

He looked at Nixie and I was surprised by how hateful he looked when he had his eyes on her.

Nixie just walked away.

“You don’t mind dancing with me?”

“N-no.” Remembering Eidans worry and the hunger I had earlier seen in Warren’s eyes I looked at him again. Now his two pools of amethyst were calm. And he smiled brightly.

He grabbed my hand gently and lead me onto the floor where he in a quick motion placed his arm on my hip and held my hand in the other. Feeling as graceful as an elephant I tried to follow his lead, accidentally stepping on his foot and missing every beat.

Despite that Warren smiled all the time.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Warren asked courtly as I avoided stomping on his feet again.

“No,” I fell silent for a second. ”it’s not the dancing, I would enjoy myself a lot more If I knew when I would be free to go.”

Warren seemed surprised. “You mean he keeps you here against your will” He had leaned closer now whispering straight into my ear.

“Yes…” I was baffled by the sudden closeness.

”Then, Erienne, would you like to escape? All that you have to do is help me find my brother and then we will be out of here.”

I did not answer, the escaping was tempting. It was all I wanted, but I didn’t trust Warren anymore than I trusted Eidan. But this could be my only shot at getting free.

“What do I have to do.”

“Take me to my brother, the rest I shall take care of.”

“Who is your brother? I haven’t seen anyone like you here” I whispered.

“They brought him here with you. Think, you must remember!”

“There weren’t anyone else, just a fox cub…”

“Where is it now?”

“In the cellar I think”

“Take me there.” Warren suddenly grabbed me and in mere moments we were outside the room. “Now where?”

I looked around the hallway and then pointed to the right. “We need to go through a door to enter a smaller corridor, and in the end there is a staircase leading to cellar”

Warren nodded and strode away, opening doors until he found the right one. I followed in his heels.

“Don’t scream.” He said and as closing the door, while his hair started to change. His hairs grew longer, wavier and reddened. Then he shrunk and suddenly weren’t male at all.

“I hope you excuse my use of disguise, but it’s the only way to get inn.” The voice was female and she turned to look at me, eyes big and doe like. “I’m getting my brother, you just stay here and then we escape.”

I merely nodded, believe it or not but I started to get used to surprises. And I watched in fascination how she changed into Eidan while walking down the stair.

It didn’t take long before she was back, now in her female form carrying a young boy in her arms. His hair was red as hers and I noticed he had blood stained bandages around his neck.

“Let’s go. Eidan and his court must surly notice start to note our absence now, but they will also feel quite tiered,” we were just entering the main hallway when she stopped talking. “You aren’t feeling dizzy are you?”

“No, not much anyway.” There still were some kind of happy daze in my mind, but that must surely be the after effects of the drink.

“Hmm, you are human after all.”

We continued in silence, turned a corner and in the end of the corridor was what had to be the main doors.

“Open” for the moment the shapeshifter sounded just like Eidan, and the doors flung up.

We quickly strode away and after several meters I felt my skin tingle, the air turned pulsing and jellylike and then we were in a park. Looking back I couldn’t see anything like a house, just more parkland.

With out giving it more thought I turned and followed the shapeshifter and her brother. After walking for a while we were in range of civilization and much to my surprise we got into a taxi.

“You got a safe place to stay?” She asked as she gently put her younger brother down in a seat.

I nodded and gave the driver my address.