Queen of Fire & Blood

Chapter Two

~BRIA~

"My name is Emblyn, I'm a Watcher for the King. But I'm going to assume you have no idea what I'm talking about."

Now clean, wrapped in furs, and a hot cup of something between her hands, Bria's mind was beginning to process what had happened. Or, at least, it was trying. But her brain was having trouble putting pieces together that were so obviously from entirely different puzzles.

She went through the moment on the mountain top, when the rock began to split. She had felt drawn to it, unable to look away. Had it been some sort of portal into the past? She'd seen stranger things at college. But that was crazy — a portal? Those kinds of things didn't exist outside of movies. But then what other explanation was there? She wasn't in Oslo anymore and she certainly wasn't in the twenty-first century, either.

"What's your name?"

Looking up from the edge of the bed where she sat, Bria met Emblyn's kind face. The woman hadn't left her side once as they made their way through the Hall below and into the stone castle that connected to it. A wooden staircase at the back of the Hall led to a number of rooms, like the one Bria now found herself in. It was a bedroom that was half the size of her one in Oslo. But then rooms were probably easier to keep warm in winter if they were smaller. The logical side of her brain was trying to make sense of the world around her, as she glanced at the tapestries on the walls and the fireplace.

The bed was a decent size where it sat in the center of the room, a thick wooden frame holding up some sort of mattress. A simple wooden table sat against one wall, a stool underneath it. The fireplace, situated to face the rest of the room, was almost up to her hips. The logs sat cold inside of it, the high sun of summer peaking in through the one window.

When her eyes finally made their way back to Emblyn's, Bria realized she still hadn't answered the woman's question. Swallowing down the irrational fear that she wouldn't be able to speak, Bria's voice was soft when she opened her mouth. "Bria. My name is Bria."

The smile that grew on Emblyn's face was worth the energy it took to speak. "What a beautiful name! Strong, too. I believe it means noble."

"Uh, yeah. It does."

Turning away from her for a moment, Emblyn held a dress in her hands when she turned back. "Here, let's try this on. I suspect you'd feel more comfortable with clothes on."

Although Bria definitely would feel better if she wasn't naked and wrapped in animal skin, she eyed what Emblyn held in trepidation. The garment in question was a long dress with two thin straps. It was deep green and had intricately woven details around the neckline and bottom hem in reds and golds. It was beautiful, if Bria was being honest with herself. But she also wasn't much of a dress person.

"Why can't I wear something like what you're wearing?" She gestured to Embyln's own attire of tight trousers, long tunic, and sturdy boots.

Emblyn's hand fell a bit, the dress hanging loose in her hand, as she looked at her own clothing. She cringed noticeably, "Uh—well, because you're not a member of the Guard. Or a Watcher, like me. So you should wear something more comfortable and less practical." She paused when she saw Bria's face, arched eyebrow and all. "Practical for fighting, I mean! The dress is very practical! And it has pockets!"

Bria snorted, unable to help herself. If only Embyln knew how funny that really was. But she wasn't giving up yet. "Fine, I get it. But what about something in between?"

Embyln hesitated a moment, the dress falling even further in her hand. "I—in between?"

Smiling, a familiar spark lighting inside of her, Bria outstretched her hand, "Yes, in between. Give that to me and I'll show you."