Vira's Fire

Chapter 3

When I wake up, I am in a different room. It's smaller than the one I remember, a stark contrast to.... was it yesterday?

How long have I been asleep?

As if on cue, I yawn. Sitting up, I take in the room for a moment. In the sunlight, everything looks fresh and dewy. My bed frame is the same stone as the castle walls. It has been carved and sculpted into a four-post bed with intricate curves. The posts are covered in vines of roses, all different shades of orange and pink and red and white. A beam of sunlight lands on one of the closed buds. My eyes widen as it slowly opens. I reach up to touch it, surprised to feel the texture of live roses. Soft and silky to the touch. They even smell sweet and earthy. I push back the sheer blush curtains. The vines lead down into the floor but I don't see any soil or origin. Magic?

After several minutes of struggling to get out of bed, I hobble over to the window on the left wall, curious to see the castle in the daylight. As I walk, my toes dig into a soft rug. It's white and furry. Looking closer, I realize it is an animal pelt. I shudder and choose not to question what animal it was or how it died.

I kneel on the cushioned window seat. Outside, there are tall evergreens dotting the sloping mountainside. Everything is covered in bright white snow, slowly melting in the warmth. The tree line isn't thick. So, I can see around them down into a valley. When I squint I swear I see little houses amongst the treetops in the valley.

A draft of wind smacks a tree branch against the window. I jolt back. Letting out a deep sigh to calm my nerves, my breath comes out in a cloud of white vapor, fogging up the window. I use the frilly cuff of my nightgown to wipe away the fog. I stare into the sky and hold my breath. I wait to see the dragon, but no giant flying beast passes by.

"Colt," The muffled voice startles me and I look around. "Stop dicking around." It came from a door to my right.

I rush over and open the door.

"How- hi?"

Two large men are standing, their backs to the wall on either side of the door. One of them is making an obscene hand gesture and the other turns, an eyebrow raised. A scar going from his dark eyebrow to the right side of his mouth catches me off guard. The other man looks at me, dropping his hand and folds his arms across his chest.

"Finally," a cocky grin forms on his face, "I thought you'd sleep forever." The man with the scar tosses a stern glance his way.

"Ho-" my voice cracks. I clear my throat, "how long was I out?"

"A day," he replies, leaning against the door frame. Disinterested or annoyed, the other guard turns back around and continues monitoring the hallway.

My eyes dart between the two of them in confusion. I take note of the point of their ears and of the fact that the bigger man had the point missing. The top of his ear is scarred and gnarled. My eyes snap back to the man facing me.

"You are pretty battered up from the rogue wolves," he supplies.

"Rogue," I say slowly, "wolves." Although it's not the first time I have heard this news, it's still a foreign feeling. Knowing I've been attacked by wolves, that is. I don't remember much of it. Maybe that is a good thing. Amused, he nods his head, blonde curls falling in his eyes. He swipes them out of his face quickly.

"Rogue wolves," I repeat, feeling delirium sink in.

"Yup," he pops his "p". "A whole pack of them." The man beside him turns his head to give him another stern look and takes hold of his upper arm. They make eye contact and then his arm is let go of roughly. I barely take notice of this though. My head is swimming with images of sharp teeth glistening with my blood.