Chapter Three
Welcome to the Otherworld
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Lights swirled around in my dream, a pretty flow of colour that made me feel peaceful. Something niggled at the back of my mind, trying to get my attention but the swirling beams distracted me. A dark purple colour grew larger than the others and sparkled brightly.

"Wake up, Ellyaz," it whispered to me, "It's time to rise."

My eyes opened and I shot upwards in an unfamiliar bed, nearly bumping heads with a strange woman who was standing over me. I scrambled away from her until my back hit a wall at the side of the bed. I stared at the stranger, ready to lash out with my feet if she got any closer. My heart hammered in my chest. Memories repeated themselves in my mind; my mum screaming, the smell of smoke, the general leering at me, the strange man who forced me to sleep. I studied the stranger. She had the same pale skin as my rescuer.

She called out in a different language and almost immediately another woman with similar looks entered the room. She looked at me with concern.

"There's nothing to fear," she said softly, "You're safe now, and healed."

I felt the back of my head and realised she was telling the truth. There was no lump or bruise on the back of my head where I had been hit. My entire body felt strong and energised. My rescuer had used a magic potion in the forest to ease my pain so maybe they had done something similar while I was sleeping to heal me.

"Where am I?" I asked. "And where's..." I realised that I didn't know the name of the man who had saved me, though he had known mine.

"You're in Leyuna," she smiled and her bright blue eyes lit up, "In the Forest of Yela."

I frowned. I had not heard of this place and my father was an experienced knight. He had told me of all the places he'd visited and I'd never heard a mention of Leyuna or Yela Forest. She noticed my confusion.

"You may have heard Leyuna being referred to as the Otherworld," she explained.

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened in shock and disbelief. The Otherworld?!? The place of fairytales? The city where fey (elves, faeries, pixies, etc) lived? I must still be in a dream! I pinched myself hard and had to hold back a squeal when pain shot up my arm.

The woman who had been in the room when I first woke stepped toward me and stretched out her hands, one fisted while the other was held flat over the top. It seemed like some kind of greeting. She said something in another language and smiled sweetly. The second woman also came closer.

"She welcomes you to the city," she translated, "and introduces herself as Canni. She is the one who healed you. I am Bel. I'm to be your Guide in the forest."

She looked about two years older than me, maybe eighteen or nineteen and seemed keen to talk to me. I couldn't help but smile back at her even though my insides felt hollow with anguish.

"Ah, that's much better. You are beautiful when you smile." She winked at me as if sharing a secret. My smile faded as I became confused.

"When can I return to my home in Mannis?" My home was burnt but I was sure my boyfriend's family would take me in. I needed to organise a burial for my family, and I needed to inform the king about his chief general's treachery. Bel's brow creased in bewilderment and she exchanged a look with Canni.

"You will be staying here, with Ayden," she said as if it were obvious.

"Who is Ayden?" I asked. Was he some kind of distant relative who lived in this fantasy world?

"You are his Chozen," she said eagerly, talking to me as if I were a little girl. I must have still looked perplexed so she continued, "He is the one who saved you from the fire."

I shook my head in bafflement and incredulity. Why would I be staying here with the stranger? Was I in debt to him because he had rescued me? Was I forced to remain here because I owed him?

"I don't understand," I said, glaring at Bel who was surprised at my sudden hostility. Why should she be surprised? They were holding me here against my will!

"He - Ayden - w-will be here later this evening," she stammered and in a flash was out of the room. The healer Canni frowned at me and muttered something under her breath that I couldn't hear. It wasn't as if I would be able to understand her anyway.

I hugged my arms around my knees and sat shivering in the corner. I missed my family.

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End of Chapter Three! I just managed to finish this off before I leave for the weekend! I'll get around to uploading the next parts of the story on Monday. I'll write more per chapter in the next ones cos I know it's annoying to only read two pages. Look out for Chapter Four: The Elf King's Spy and Assassin ;)

Sid x