The Anima [completed]

7.

Alvar's hand found the small of my back and pushed me forewords, sending me plummeting into the fantastical place the Fae call home.

As we approached the first market place, I was only confronted by even more wonders alien to the mundane world. Winged creatures with lion heads for faces pressed gemstones into the hands of beautiful humanoid fae and tall and unbelievable thin men with no mouths shovelled crumbs into their stomachs that were lined with teeth. Small dwarfish creatures with red caps and large claws scampered around our legs as Alvar pulled me through the crowd. I tried to identify more features that I could identify on the creatures that filled the streets, but I suddenly came to a halt as Alvar pushed me behind him.

"That's a pretty thing you got there." A high-pitched male voice emanated through the noises of the crowd.

A large man stood before us, draped in a red cape, sporting a grey beard, which fell to his chest. His features could almost pass as human, except for his beady red eyes and a sharp nose that protruded out of his face like a deformed carrot. I remembered what Alvar had said about the capes representing authority and wondered where he stood in rank. By Lucius' expression, which was devoid of respect or any vague interest answered that question; this man was way below their rank.

"She is for the King." Alvar responded, his voice tense as his hand tightened around my waist.

The man smirked and cocked his head at me, his beady eyes raking over my thin and dirtied frame. No doubt I looked like a striking image of Carrie; blood all over my dress, bare feet bruised, and hair mattered with sticks and other pieces of junk I picked up along the road. The Periwinkle was fumbling about in my hair, no doubt hiding from the towering figure of the man and his abnormal nose.

"It's a bit late for that now. The Duchess has already greeted the performers and moved them to their quarters." The man licked his upper lip and flashed his sharp teeth. Alvar passed a look to Lucius, sharing a silent conversation. "So what'd you say, you going let me have a go with her?"

There was a loud crack and then the man was on his knees, blood dripping from his mouth to his chin. Lucius examined his fist and extracted a singular tooth lodged into his knuckle. He held it in-between his thumb and forefinger with a large grin stretched across his mouth. The red caped man sunk onto his backside, terror freezing his face in an expression of shock.

"I don't think you will. Actually, I have another idea!" Lucius fiddled with the bone, pieces of gum still stuck to its sides. "How about you run along ahead and inform the Duchess that we are on our way and we sincerely apologise for the delay. You see, we ran into some trouble along the way and as soon as we entered the city, a Red Guard challenged us for our prise." The man was horrified, as was I. Alvar's arm kept me rooted in my position, but what I didn't understand was what was stopped the Red Guard from leaving, or disobeying. "You tell the Duchess that the girl we got is a real treat."

The man was nodding obediently now, crouched on his knees waiting to be released from Lucius' hold. I stared at Lucius, still twirling the tooth in his fingers and noticed the air around him had changed. Just as when I first saw the two men, steam swirled off his cape and into the small bone. I pressed myself against Alvar's side, who had yet to say a word to the man or scold Lucius for his behaviour.

Just as I was about to ask Alvar what was happening, I heard his soft voice in my ear.

"It is glamour that you can see. Magic is what you call it in your world." I shifted uneasily in his arms, unsure of how I felt about this 'glamour'. I know they had used it on me, more than once, and was probably the answer to my undying trust in Alvar. But I still wondered about the tooth, why was it so terrifying to the Red Guard? "A Fae cannot be manipulated by glamour unless another holds a significant possession or part of the person. Lucius holds his tooth, his heart and his brain."