Chapter 2 #3
The grass swayed in the gentle breeze, rippling in green unison.
It was so different from the landscape she knew.
Her homeland was mostly flat and barren, leading up to the rocky mountain range, which marked the end of their kingdom.
There was very little green, as not much survived the scorching rays of the sun.
The men wore tight-fitting leather armour and carried weapons. They looked like hunters. So different from her own people. They had knives, and two of them carried enormous bows.
These men looked positively archaic.
She’d given up asking questions. They didn’t respond. They either didn’t understand or were just ignoring her.
The town came into view in the valley below. Buildings of aged white stone were scattered around a blue lake that seemed endless, merging with the horizon.
Before they entered the town, one man took off his cloak and draped it around her shoulders, pulling up the hood to hide her face. He put one finger over his lips and drew his dagger in warning. That was a universal language she understood.
As they descended the slope, she peered from beneath the shadow of her hood, marvelling as the stone structures came into view.
They looked as though they’d been carved whole from stone, with intricate details decorating every building.
There were leaves and roses, and little faces that peered from above doorways.
She instinctively searched for signs of damage and scars of repair.
They looked ancient and new at the same time.
Her mind slowed. She’d devoted years to excavating ancient fragments, brushing dirt from damaged artefacts, imagining how they had once looked.
It was as if time had not touched those buildings.
Townspeople stopped to stare as they went past. They shared the curled ears and unnerving eyes of the men. Some wore leather jerkins, but most wore heavy woollen robes that fell to their feet.
The gigantic building they approached was the most decorative yet. They passed through the large pillars framing the entrance, ivy carvings trailing around the stone.
The doorway opened into a vast hall beneath a domed glass roof.
Its height made her dizzy. Daylight streamed onto robed men gathered around a tiered fountain, its spray sparkling in the light.
A large mural covered one wall, depicting figures rising from the darkness into the light as shadow beings tried to pull them back down.
They carried her through the hall, calling to others before taking her into a smaller room.
It was a small chamber with no windows, just decorative slits near the roof that let light through, and a single wooden bench. They unceremoniously dumped her on the bench and closed the door, leaving her alone in the dim chamber.
No sound reached her through the door. Only her breathing disturbed the silence.
She took a moment to gather herself and consider how she might escape. She tested the door handle, but it only rattled. There was no other way out.
What were they going to do to her, and where the hell was she?
Her torn clothes were covered in blood and dirt. This town and its buildings were so clean. No wonder they had regarded her with such suspicion.
The door swung open.
An entourage of robed men swept into the room. Amelia rose quickly and pressed herself against the wall like a cornered animal, the cold stone against her back.
They spoke the same language as the others, with its musical sounds and long syllables. It pricked at her memory. She could almost recognise certain words.
She’d never heard a language spoken quite like this, even in her studies. It flowed softly from their tongues.
One of them ventured closer to her. He had long, pale hair, almost white.
“How did you get here?” he asked in her language.
She jolted. It sounded brutish in comparison.
“I’m not sure,” Amelia stuttered. “I was on the mountain.” She paused, piecing the events together. “I don’t even know how I got here.” They wouldn’t believe her, anyway.
“You were at the sacred peak? What were you doing there?” His eyes narrowed, making her hesitate.
“I’m an archaeologist. I was exploring, looking for something. What is this place?”
“What were you looking for?” the man asked, ignoring her questions. He towered over her. His blue velvet robe swept the floor as he moved. Pointed ears protruded through pale blond hair falling to his chest. His eyes were an eerie, vivid purple that pinned her to the spot.
She tensed as he moved closer, unsure of what he’d do. There was no escape.
“I think I found it,” she whispered, more to herself than to them. “Are you them?” She instantly regretted the question. They’d think she was mad.
She’d been looking for evidence of an ancient civilisation. Had she found it? What she hadn’t expected was their resemblance to beings that only existed in stories and myths. Those weren’t real.
She imagined telling Emin and the guild about it. They wouldn’t believe her. She didn’t believe it.
Her father would have.
He turned to leave.
“Wait!” she yelled.
He ignored her, speaking to the others in their language, and left, his entourage following closely behind.