The Bridge

As soon as they stepped through, Natalia found herself being ripped away from Matt. She tried to get away from her captor but found herself immobilized. She looked around and saw a wooded area like the woods they had just left except more vibrant. The colors were bright and instead of the green and brown of the trees they had just left, there was every color of the rainbow in flowers and in the trees.

The area was magical, literally. She looked around in wonder staring far above her at the trees and below her, at the ground to the beautiful flowers and overgrowth of the wooded area floor. Finally, the noise around her seeped in. She heard grunting and fighting. She looked over to see Matt and a someone dressed in armor fighting. She had gone slack and forgotten that Matt had told her to be ready to fight. Instead she was stuck in another guard’s arms. She tried to move her arms to break the persons grip but it was of no use.

“Stop!” She yelled but everyone ignored her. She thought back to her defense classes and everything she had learned. She quickly planted her feet and got in position to flip her captor over him. With a little extra strength she got them over her and laying on their back on the ground. The armored captor froze in shock and let go of her. She quickly got away and jumped on the armored person fighting Matt. She ripped off the helmet and tried to hold back the fighters arms but they got free and started to grab for her, Natalia jumped off their back and kicked the fighters legs out from under them. It gave Matt a window to grab the fighters arms and pin them. Matt froze when he realized he was holding down a woman. She tried fighting her way free but Matt held her in place.

“Stop fighting me” Matt said to the woman fighter. Natalia turned to look at the other guards closing in on them.

“Who’s in charge here?” She asked fiercely. The guards looked at the one that had been fighting Matt.

“I am” The guard stared at Natalia.

“Do you promise not to fight us and to listen to what we have to say?” Natalia asked her.

“Yes, I will listen to what you have to say but I do not promise not to fight you.” Matt slowly stood up and stuck his hand out to help the woman. She got up on her own and glared at him. Matt shrugged his shoulders and walked over to stand next to Natalia.

“Are you ok?” He asked

“Yeah just in shock of how beautiful it is here.” Matt smiled at her and took a look around himself, in awe. Natalia looked at the guards surrounding them. None of them were expecting a human to respond the way she had. The guards either had never seen a human before or not one like her. They were all wearing full body armor so she couldn’t see what any of them looked like, just their eyes through slits in their helmets. Their eyes were all vibrant colors ranging from green and yellow to purple.

“I lead this group of guards and you have brought a human to this realm. You will be jailed for your crime! How dare you speak the oath to protect the worlds and bring this thing here!” The woman guard said fiercely.

“We are here for my grandfather. He was kidnapped onto this side 5 years ago in our worlds time and I’m here to get him.” He said calmly. Natalia was confused, what does he mean ‘our worlds time’.

“You brought a human onto this side, you will be jailed.” Was all that she said as she reached foreword to grab Natalia and pull her away from Matt. Natalia tried to fight the woman off but it was no use. The woman’s grip was like steel, there was no way for her to fight her off like she did before. Another guard started to walk up to Matt, the guard watched to see what Matt would do. Matt pulled off his backpack, opened it and quickly looked through it pulling out an envelope. He held it out to the woman.

“This is from Lucinda Carwright. She said to give it to the one in charge and it would explain exactly why we are here and why I had to bring her. I haven’t read this letter and as you can tell by the seal it hasn’t been opened. Lucinda’s seal is still intact, there’s no way I could have created that.” Matt smiled at Natalia. The guard that had been walking up to Matt held him back from coming closer to the woman. The woman handed Natalia off to another guard and walked up to Matt and took the letter. She broke the seal and started to read the letter. Natalia watched her face as she read the letter but her face didn’t show anything. She folded the letter back up and looked at the guards holding Matt and Natalia.

“You may go; however, I must come with you. Along with one of my other guards.” She looked at the person standing to her right. “You are now in charge here. Good luck with this lot.” She looked around the group and looked the person that had been holding Natalia. “Blacks you’re coming with me.” Natalia and Matt look at each other confused to what the letter said. Blacks, as the woman had called him, walked around Natalia and walked towards the other side of the group and towards a tree.

The rest of the guards took their helmets off to reveal some men and a few more women. They were all extremely beautiful, different than the super model and movie star beautiful she was used to, but a more natural beauty. Natalia smiled on the inside at the thought that a woman was in charge and that men were willing to admit it. This world was much different compared to how things were at home, where men would’ve been embarrassed to admit that a woman was leading them.

“What did it say?” Natalia whispered to Matt.

“I have no idea, Lucinda made me promise not to read it. She wouldn’t even tell me what it said when I asked her. She said it was for the best.” He said confused. The woman guard walked up to them as everyone else dispersed back into their spots to watch the door.

“Follow me.” She walked towards where Blacks disappeared to. Natalia and Matt quickly followed not wanting to find out what would happen if they stayed. The woman stopped where Blacks was kneeled putting food and belongings into a pack.

“What did Lucinda say in her letter?” Matt questioned the woman. She looked up and stared at him for a moment.

“It was a letter addressed to me, it told me to take care of you two. I can’t talk here.” She whispered the last part while looking around to make sure no one overheard. She packed up her pack and the two guards stood up.

“My name is Catarina Leons and this is Christopher Blacks, we will be helping you.” She said. “We’ll be escorting you to the Kingdom and helping you to Lucinda’s summer home in mountain side. It’s a long journey, let’s go.” She said and turned to the right and started walk. Natalia shrugged her shoulders and followed Catarina. Matt shook his head and followed behind Natalia quickly caught up so he was walking beside her. Blacks took up the end of the group and followed behind them looking around to make sure no one was following their little hodgepodge group. As they were walking Natalia looked at the group she was with.

Catarina was tall, and not just 6-foot-tall, she was probably closer 7 plus feet tall. Her armor made her look graceful but feminine as well, instead of masculine. She was dark skinned with golden eyes and her hair was dark and pulled up in a braided bun. There were multiple little braids running through her hair leading to one big braid that was wrapped around into a bun. Natalia couldn’t stop staring at how beautiful she was. She could tell that she was a fierce warrior as well with how she moved. Every move was well thought out and remembering her fight with Matt, she knew Catarina could have taken Matt down easily if she hadn’t said surprised her. Her moves had looked deadly, but Matt was prepared to fight her.

Catarina felt like a dwarf compared to everyone she was walking with. She was 5’6” with brown hair and eyes. She had fair skin and barely would get a tan even when she was outside every day. Matt was 6’2” with brown, almost black hair and blue eyes. She felt like he always had a tan. When she would get a sunburn, and be as red as a lobster he would look like a tanned God even though they spent the same amount of time outside and put on the same amount of sunscreen. She was always envious of him and his tan.

Blacks was even taller than Catarina at about 7’10” maybe even taller than that. He had tanned skin like Matt but with blonde hair and violet eyes. His hair was short and messy. She could tell that he was like Catarina except more masculine looking but just as deadly as she was.

“We are going to have to find somewhere to sleep for the night. There is a cave a bit away from here, maybe an hour to two of walking.” Catarina turned her head slightly and looked at everyone. Natalia and Matt nod their heads and continue walking.