Chapter Three
The Keep
All through the streets they dragged her along, and soon her feet began to bleed, the blood made a trail as they slowly progressed upwards and stained the passing stones red. Fio cringed in pain and tried to keep the pace, it was hopeless. Every time she could catch up with their footsteps, they would quicken their pace.
Finally, after what seemed like hours they came to the topmost Citadel, there they turned left off the main street and down a dark and gloomy ally. The walls were made of dark gray stone, they were wet and mildewed, the air soon became quite fell as they reached the end of the streetway. They soon came to a heavy wooden door with black metal latch to open it. The guard to Fio's right lifted it and they brought her in.
The air was cold and dank, it smelled old and unclean. The guards took Fio down several flights of stairs, and as they descended the air became thicker and more fell, and soon it became so dark that a torch was lit to see the rest of the way. They ducked through a pass and into another dark corridor, as they passed down it, Fio could see off on either side, there were more heavy wooden doors with black latches. Near the end of the corridor they stopped at one of these doors and again the guard to her right lifted the latch, then without warning they threw her in and slam the door. Fio went flying forward and hitting her head against the foremost wall fell to the ground, then pushing herselfup against the wall, she heard the latch click shut.
Her vision blurred and blood from the newly acquired gash above her right eyebrow, poured into her eye. Closing her eye and wiping the blood away, she squinted in the darkness, trying to make out where see was. Then from over in the corner of the opposite side of the room, Fio saw movement. A dark figure began to slowly creep forward, Fio looked harder but it was no use, the blood poured fiercely now and her vision went black, again the world sifted from sight.
Fio awoke again, only this time in darkness. The black figure was kneeling over her, dabbing her gash with a rag. Fio shot up and pushed herself a close to the wall as she could.
'Do not be frightened. That's a nice little gash you've got there.'
To Fio's surprise it was the voice of a foe, or some horrible creature, it was the song-like voice of an elf. She looked in disbelief as before her sat a she-elf, dark as it was, her features clearly shown. Her face was not ageless, but young, and fair. Her dark mahogany hair was straight and long, and well kept. Her eyes blended perfectly with her hair, and she wore an old green tattered dress. She was very beautiful, but also very sad. She looked as Fio felt, bitter and cold.
'Y,y,you're an, an elf.' Fio said in a wavering tone, beginning to feel light headed again.
'Indeed.' The she-elf said examining her face and the open wound over her brow, 'A very good observation.'
'I mean you to say that I was not expecting to see another.' She laughed a bit at her witless words.
'Mm hm. You have been hit on the head hard I see.'
'What are you saying?'
'Nothing, nothing. What's your name stranger from the North?'
'Fiothiel Anawiel, how did you know I was from the North?'
'Just did. Well Fio, if you don't mind me calling you that, though I will call you that even if you do mind. My name is Annawen Blackbirch.'
'Mae govannen.'
'Ay, well met indeed. Have you any food?' Annawen looked intently at Fio.
'No, I have not. And I will not be getting any for ten days at the least.'
'Pity, that.' Annawen walked back over into her corner and began to mend holes in her dress.
Fio found this encounter very interesting and sat and watched Annawen for a time, but soon sleep overcame her, she laid on the cold stone floor and drifted off into uneasy sleep.
End Chapter Three
The Keep
All through the streets they dragged her along, and soon her feet began to bleed, the blood made a trail as they slowly progressed upwards and stained the passing stones red. Fio cringed in pain and tried to keep the pace, it was hopeless. Every time she could catch up with their footsteps, they would quicken their pace.
Finally, after what seemed like hours they came to the topmost Citadel, there they turned left off the main street and down a dark and gloomy ally. The walls were made of dark gray stone, they were wet and mildewed, the air soon became quite fell as they reached the end of the streetway. They soon came to a heavy wooden door with black metal latch to open it. The guard to Fio's right lifted it and they brought her in.
The air was cold and dank, it smelled old and unclean. The guards took Fio down several flights of stairs, and as they descended the air became thicker and more fell, and soon it became so dark that a torch was lit to see the rest of the way. They ducked through a pass and into another dark corridor, as they passed down it, Fio could see off on either side, there were more heavy wooden doors with black latches. Near the end of the corridor they stopped at one of these doors and again the guard to her right lifted the latch, then without warning they threw her in and slam the door. Fio went flying forward and hitting her head against the foremost wall fell to the ground, then pushing herselfup against the wall, she heard the latch click shut.
Her vision blurred and blood from the newly acquired gash above her right eyebrow, poured into her eye. Closing her eye and wiping the blood away, she squinted in the darkness, trying to make out where see was. Then from over in the corner of the opposite side of the room, Fio saw movement. A dark figure began to slowly creep forward, Fio looked harder but it was no use, the blood poured fiercely now and her vision went black, again the world sifted from sight.
Fio awoke again, only this time in darkness. The black figure was kneeling over her, dabbing her gash with a rag. Fio shot up and pushed herself a close to the wall as she could.
'Do not be frightened. That's a nice little gash you've got there.'
To Fio's surprise it was the voice of a foe, or some horrible creature, it was the song-like voice of an elf. She looked in disbelief as before her sat a she-elf, dark as it was, her features clearly shown. Her face was not ageless, but young, and fair. Her dark mahogany hair was straight and long, and well kept. Her eyes blended perfectly with her hair, and she wore an old green tattered dress. She was very beautiful, but also very sad. She looked as Fio felt, bitter and cold.
'Y,y,you're an, an elf.' Fio said in a wavering tone, beginning to feel light headed again.
'Indeed.' The she-elf said examining her face and the open wound over her brow, 'A very good observation.'
'I mean you to say that I was not expecting to see another.' She laughed a bit at her witless words.
'Mm hm. You have been hit on the head hard I see.'
'What are you saying?'
'Nothing, nothing. What's your name stranger from the North?'
'Fiothiel Anawiel, how did you know I was from the North?'
'Just did. Well Fio, if you don't mind me calling you that, though I will call you that even if you do mind. My name is Annawen Blackbirch.'
'Mae govannen.'
'Ay, well met indeed. Have you any food?' Annawen looked intently at Fio.
'No, I have not. And I will not be getting any for ten days at the least.'
'Pity, that.' Annawen walked back over into her corner and began to mend holes in her dress.
Fio found this encounter very interesting and sat and watched Annawen for a time, but soon sleep overcame her, she laid on the cold stone floor and drifted off into uneasy sleep.
End Chapter Three