Clouds… That's all I could see. I was flying through the morning sky, feeling the cold air against my face. I watched as the large glowing sphere rose slowly from behind the mountain peaks. Casting beams of light in every direction while it illuminated a beautiful manor. Colors made by the rising sun changed, growing more vivid with the passing time, making the sky more radiant as it climbed higher and higher into the sky. It was the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. Then suddenly, clouds engulfed the sky, the colors turning gray and ropes shot out of nowhere and began to make their way around my body; tightening. I could feel my breath escape from me, and I started to panic as I began falling into an endless pit of nothingness. The once beautiful sunrise, turned into darkness. I couldn't get free; I just kept falling…

That's when I woke up. My heart was pounding in my chest. I sat upright feeling the damp sheets sticking to my skin, I looked down and noticed I was gripping the sheets so hard my knuckles were turning white. I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful it was just a nightmare. These dreams have been becoming more frequent everyday, and this one just felt different… it almost felt real. Too real. I shrugged it off, thinking it must have just been all that spicy food I ate last night that gave me this vivid nightmare. I threw my feet over the side of my bed, stretching out my shoulders and feeling the cold wooden floor beneath my feet. I put on my slippers and made my way down stairs for breakfast.

"Good morning, Aurora."

"Morning, Am." I replied with a weak smile. Mornings weren't my strong suit. I sat down at the table where food was waiting for me and started stuffing toast into my mouth.

"I need you to go into town today for some food for the week." Amatheia asked as she flipped some eggs in a pan. The trip to town is about a two hour walk from our small cottage in the woods. For as long as I can remember we've always lived very secluded for anyone else. I enjoyed the quietness of the woods but also valued time in the town, where I could talk to some of the people. A few years ago I had convinced Amatheia to let me start going to town to pick up our food so I could at least do something with my day other than hiding out in a cabin. My whole life before that had been a simple routine, not straying from what I was shown and taught to do from my guardian, Amatheia. She has acted as my mother for as long as I remember, because from what she's told me, my real parents had died in a house fire when I was very little and she was good friends with them. She was an older woman with long greying hair, we had just celebrated her 50th birthday last year, but she was strong and taught me some survival skills and some hand to hand combat on some days that we didn't have chores to do. Training was very important to her, as she always reminded me that I may to defend myself one day. I don't really remember anything before Amatheia coming into my life though. She was overly protective and had always strictly instructed me to never stray from the paths and not make friends with anyone, ever since she finally caved and let me go to town alone. My instructions were, go to the stalls, buy the food and come home; that is what I was permitted to do, but I have started to make friends with some of the merchants. How else was I supposed to get a good deal on an entire salmon.

After breakfast I ran upstairs to get ready. I put on some pants and a light sweater, and threw my long brown hair into a quick ponytail, wanting to be comfortable on my long walk to town. It was still before noon when I was ready and left the cottage to make my way towards the town. The forest was quiet today, it was a beautiful sunny day, the trees providing some shade every once in a while. I had put on my hiking boots and a light sweater to cover me from the cool breeze. I carried our usual basket, where I would put the food I would buy into.

I was about halfway through my trip when the clouds started to take over the sky and made the path darker. The birds had stopped chirping and breeze quieted down. The forest quickly became very eerie and I got goosebumps which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. Something didn't seem right. Suddenly I started hearing some rustling all around me. I stopped walking and looked around, I couldn't see anything beyond the thickness of the trees and bushes but could hear movement all around me. I whipped my head forward again, when I heard footsteps on gravel in front of me and from the bushes and man emerged. He had on a dark cloak and looked to be wearing a dark metal armor underneath. His face was very angular and he cocked his head and smiled at me. He looked like a soldier. Quite strange for someone like him to be out in the middle of the forest.

"Hello there" he said.

My brain seemed to have shut down cause I didn't know what to say or do, I just kind of stood there staring at him. People didn't normally walk this path. Every once in a while that she'd be on her trek, there would be a carriage that would ride past her but no one would ever stop to talk, seeing this man coming out of the bushes and talking to me, let alone being a soldier in the woods. I was caught off guard.

He started taking a few steps towards me and my heart just started beating faster with every step closer he took. He was a few feet ahead of me,

"I'm going to need you to come with me, little lady" he moved his cloak away from his hip revealing a sword, his hand coming closer to the hilt. Panic set in and I knew that it was fight or flight. Amatheia had trained me a bit in hand to hand combat, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to take him on while he has a sword. I positioned my feet in a defensive stance, getting myself ready to potentially dodge or run. Gripping the basket hard, I could use to throw it at his face and distract him while I make run for it or even block the sword with it. But then, I heard more rustling and two more men came out of the bushes behind me. They were also wearing the same armor he first guy I was surrounded. I was in trouble and I definitely had to run. I had to think fast before they got to me. All three of them slowly walked towards me closing the gap between us. I quickly looked around and noticed a small opening in between some trees. I had to take this chance now, if I wanted to make it out. I dropped my basket and made a run for it, running as fast as I can deeper into the forest.

"Damn it! Get her!" I heard one of them yell behind me.

So many thoughts started running through my head. Why were these soldiers chasing me? What did they want from me? I could hear the fast steps closing in behind me. I tried to shake these thoughts from my head to focus on running as fast as I can. Dodging tree branches and roots, trying not to trip. The forest became thicker and I had no idea which direction I was headed. If I did lose these men, I would be completely lost.

I made it past a clearing of trees when I almost ran into a man. He was also dressed like a soldier, although he had dark skin and light silver hair, his armor was a light metal and I knew that he was not one of the soldiers who was chasing me.

"Please. Help me." Was all that would come out of my mouth. My breath was fast and my voice was hoarse from all the running. I felt so extremely panicked that I didn't care if this man was also trying to capture me, I just needed to get away.

Without saying a word, the guard grabbed onto my arm and started directing me towards a clearing. Once out of the trees, I noticed he brought me towards a magnificent manor sprawled across a rolling green land. It was veiled in roses and ivy, with patios and balconies and staircases sprouting from its alabaster sides. It was beautiful and nothing like I had ever seen before. I stared at it in awe, slowing down my pace so that I could admire it more. Instead he yanked me to the side we didn't go to the manor, but instead we turned into a stable house where he locked me in a room. It was dark and the walls were covered in cobblestone, the floor had a layer of straw over it. I approached the door getting ready to bang on it and scream at him to let me out but then I heard the sound of rustling metal. There were more soldiers gathering up by the cell door.

"I found her running in the woods." One of the guards said.

"What does she want?"

"I don't know, but she said she needed help"

"It's gotta have something to do with those guys we saw out there." A third one said.

"We chased them away from the border, we'll keep patrols along the wall to make sure they don't get through" another said "Alert the high lord of the human captive. I'll go in there and question her, see what her business was with them"

High lord… that was an interesting term to use for someone in charge.

The shuffle of guards outside quieted as some of them walked away, and the handle to her cell turned when one of them entered. He was also wearing the same light armor the intial soldier that brought her here was wearing. His hair was long and of even lighter color, and peaking under his strands were his ears; long and pointed. With that I knew where I was. I must have crossed the border and entered into Prythian, the faerie lands.