*ON HOLD* The Airborne Oracles [Book I - Breeding the fire]

Chapter Three

[Dair]

Total and utter darkness.

The kind that made Nixie wonder if she had died. It verged on the edge of conviction, until the throb at the back of her head returned. The pain reminded her of what happened, that she had been taken with force and she had no idea who her captors were.

Where am I?

With a big push, she scooted her body to sit upright, but soon came to the realisation her hands were tied behind her back. The blackness served as a taunt that she could not do a thing about her current state.

She opted to stop struggling with her tied hands and rather listen to her surroundings. It was quiet for a while, until a faint commotion demanded her attention.

Two voices.

Speaking in a foreign language. One sounded guttural and low, the other monotonous. The same flatlined tone that was used when she was taken. The man that had lured her horse in. Her ears perked at their conversation. Although she could not understand it, she knew who one of the parties were.

In an instant, the converting tongues stopped and loud footsteps echoed nearby. A new noise came forth as chains ruffled before a door flung open. Light poured into the room and lit up the desolation of the once-dark room.

A silhouette dimmed the light from behind and inches forward. An unknown face of a man appeared before her. She squinted to see the man better in the sudden change of light in the room. Orange flames danced around in the man's eyes.

"You! Tell me your name!" he demanded.

If she had learned anything, it was not to challenge the enemy if one knew nothing about them. She was smart enough not to show restraint. Instead, she obliged to the man's demand.

For now.

"Nixie," she croaked.

The man squatted down to look at her, "Where do you come from, Nixie?"

She heaved with her face against the ground, "The kingdom of Ithuicoral."

He huffed, "Why is a lowlander such as yourself dressed in expensive attire? We found abnormal amounts of coin in your bag."

The glare in his eyes was warning enough for her not to lie.

"I am a princess. Princess Nixie Eaglefire of Ithuicoral," she answered with the little courage she had left.

A sudden smirk from the man's face made her frown, "Irgis will love this." He stretched out his hands in attempt to untie her.

Nixie pushed herself backwards and shot the man a worried look, "Do not hurt me, please."

He leaned closer and cut the rope from her wrist, "We do no hurt our assets. Come on princess," he held out his hands for her to take, "you need to wash up for the ceremony."

She took his hands and flung up, "What ceremony?"

"Our best warrior is getting married tonight," he announced.

"Why do I need to be there?" Nixie wondered.

He stopped and turned to her with a devious smirk, "You will be his bride."

"What?"

She could not move a limb at his statement. What kind of place was this? A sudden jerk to her side made her focus. The man lifted her around her waist and threw her over his shoulder, "You heard me princess."

The sun blinded Nixie as the man stepped outside. She heard the voices of multitudes gasping and commenting words as the swung pass them over the man's shoulder.