My vision starts to clear. I look up to see an angel with a golden halo of hair, the colour of sunlight, and shrouded in a black cloak. I must have died after all. If I was dead would my head still be throbbing like that?
The angel wears a concerned expression on his face. When his eyes meet mine his concern visibly eases.
The last few moments before I blacked out come to the front of my mind. The temptation to run away is again strong, but I'm not exactly sure that I could walk straight at the moment let alone run. I'm not even certain I could stand on my own two feet until the throbbing in my head slows.
Should I trust this man before me? A dark cloaked figure in an alleyway in stories almost always means trouble. But this man is the only one to have noticed me. Perhaps he could offer answers as to my location. The man doesn't slouch and he handles himself in such a manner that suggests he was bought up properly. I probably shouldn't need to fear him.
"I'm sorry about that" I say to the man slightly flustered. How foolish I must look to him now. I sit up holding my weight on my hands.
"Do not worry madam. I have had many a woman swoon over me before but they don't usually make it to hearing my name, you should feel proud" I am astounded by the cockiness and arrogance in his voice.
"And I didn't t catch your name madam. May I enquire as to what it may be?" He speaks so weirdly. I'm starting to wonder if this is some really bad joke. But his request seemed sincere. Just incase I'm being filmed or something I play along.
"Clarissa Fray, or more commonly and preferably known as Clary"
"Well Clarissa we best be off"
"Who is we? And where is off?"
"'We', Clarissa, is you and I, and 'off' is away from here before we are spotted now if you please" he says grabbing my wrist and pulling me up. Without letting go of my wrist he pulls me along behind him as he walks for the end of the Alley.
"No I do not please. What are you doing"
"Clarissa, you fell through my portal therefore making you mine. Now please we really need to be leaving here"
His what?!
This comment hits me in the wrong spot. I am the property of no one and I definitely do not belong to this stranger.
"My name is Clary and you most certainly do not own me!" I pull my wrist out of his grasp.
"Clarissa please do not draw attention to yourself it is not safe for you here please just let me help you. It is after all my responsibility" Well if my safety is in question I suppose I could follow this gentleman to wherever apparent safety is. He senses my apprehension.
"I am not going to take you away to quietly murder you I am no common ruffian. Please just trust me"
"fine" I spit. It might be slightly harsh, After all he is only trying to help me, but I am too stubborn to care.
Nobody owns me.
I follow after him with no intention of acting nicely.
"You can not be seen dressed like that"
"What exactly is wrong with what I am wearing"
"Incase you hadn't noticed your social standards are not exactly made to fit with this world"
"What do you mean this world?" I say starting to get agitated I have asked so many questions already without getting much more than cryptic answers.
"I mean you are not from here and this is not your world"
"This is all some big joke or some really bad dream and it ends now. Either show me the cameras or pinch me so I wake up" I declare loudly.
"Could you please stop drawing attention!" He says trying to hush me. "we really need to be going now wear this and keep quiet. It is for your own safety" he says removing his cloak and draping it over my shoulders. The tone his voice takes on makes me start to believe that maybe this isn't a joke at all he sounds genuinely concerned and urgent.
"Now if you will then please follow me Clarissa"
"Clary, call me Clary"
"I don't care if your name is Bob just keep your head down and follow after me" he says clearly starting to lose his temper. He grabs my arm and drags me along behind him as if I were nothing but a rag doll. He walks at an alarmingly fast pace making it almost impossible for me to fall in step with him and look inconspicuous.
We walk through a number of tiny side streets that all seem to be the long way for a short cut almost as if he is avoiding the main roads.
"What exactly is wrong with going along the main streets?"
"If you notice Clarissa you don't exactly fit in here please do keep up" he says somewhat condescendingly.
"Where are you taking me?" I hiss through my teeth trying not to draw attention like he suggested.
"I'm taking you where all heroes take the damsels they just saved, the castle"
"And how exactly are we supposed to get in?" I say flatly. He grins in a way that makes my heart beat faster with fear.
"Oh no there is no way I'm about to break into a castle. I thought you said you were not a common ruffian"
"I did say that and I meant it. I am in no way common" the smirk on his face makes me all the more fearful. What have I gotten myself into?
I notice that we seem to have stopped outside a huge set of iron gates. Inside the gates is a huge and beautiful garden that stretches for metres and metres. The building inside is far too big to be just your average accommodation. This is the castle. It is so beautiful my fingers itch for a pencil to capture its beauty.
"I am not breaking into anywhere!" I declare eying the gates.
"Who said anything about breaking in" Jace shifts the hood of the cloak so it covers my face. Two men at the gate move towards where I can see it isn't locked.
"What is that about breaking into your own castle Mr Wayland?" jokes the first man in uniform. I notice the uniform is completely black and looks to be made of durable and flexible material.
"Well I need some way to keep you all on your toes. What better way than testing the security" he jokes back effortlessly.
Wait why did that guy say that Jace owns this place? Surely not. What could a man in an alley way possibly do to possess a place of this grandeur? Or maybe the question is what is a man of such high status doing in an alley way?
The men at the gate pull it open and it surprisingly doesn't so much as squeak given its old appearance. Everything here seems to be well maintained.
Who is this man?
With a firm grip on my wrist he pulls me through the front gardens and to two huge wooden doors which open as soon as we get to them.
I'm not sure how he opened the doors but I see him slip what looked to be an odd pencil sort of thing into a pocket.
I have no time to slow and observe my surroundings as Jace keeps up the fast pace that he did while lugging me through the streets. Corridor after corridor, stair case after stair case, door after door I am practically dragged. Jace pulls me around as if he has travelled this journey enough times he could now do it with his eyes closed. I have no doubt that he could achieve that but I was lost after the third turn.
Jace stops abruptly at a door the same as the last 50 we must have past made of a dark and heavy looking wood.
"Stay in here and I'll send someone to get you dressed and you are to then meet me in the Parlour as I am sure we have a great deal of matter to discuss"
With that I the door is shut practically in my face and I am left alone gaping at the door with my own screaming thoughts and questions raging inside my head.
So yeah It has been a while but after I lost all of my fanfictions I haven't really had much inspiration to write, but anyway here it is and I hope you enjoyed it. thanks for reading.