The Alpha King and His Human Queen

Nighttime Visitors

Alexandra

The wings are flapping faster with each beat my heart makes. Black wings. They are giant, moving the air around as they move. It’s cold and dark.

Where am I?...

I look around but all I see are the black feathers. They are everywhere. The wings look dark blue as they move and I am suddenly overtaken by a strong feeling of fear. It spreads everywhere, from the tips of my toes to my legs. Then it moves up and numbs my fingers, my torse. It keeps me in one place and I connect escape.

Where can I escape, even?

I glance around trying to take my surroundings in but the winds wrap around me and close me in what looks like a feathery cave. What’s happening… The fear grows the more the feathers close around me.

The place- whatever this place is - gets completely dark but the wings continue moving. I can’t breathe, it's like the air disappears and my lungs hurt.

I try to speak but I can’t. My throat is full of cotton, or its feathers, and they are choking me. I try to cough but I can’t. The world is spinning and I don't know if it’s because of the beating of the wings or because the earth is moving too fast.

“Let me out! I want to scream but the words ring only in my mind. Loudly and hollowly. I start throwing my arms, trying to break through the cage in which the feathers are forming a deadly trap for me and it hurts. My hands, fingers, and every part of my body are hurting.

Then I hear it.

Another heartbeat. Tap… tap.. tap….The wings are alive, they belong to someone. To a giant black bird. And it’s alive.

“Let me out!” I try again when the wings start moving faster and hit me. The feathers pierce my skin. The cold vanishes, substituted by something else. Warmth. I feel the hot liquid on my skin and I look at my bare arms. Deep cuts are scattered all over my skin and the blood is flowing down my fingertips.

Blood stars flow faster and my fear grows.

“Who are you?” I shout?” LET ME OUT!”

This time the words come out, and I hear them ringing in the silence of the big room. I find myself sitting up on the bed.

I take a deep breath and exhale.

It was just a dream. A terrible nightmare but still a dream, something that’s gone.

I flop myself against the pillow and glance around. I don’t know what time it is but the sky has started turning gray and I am guessing the morning will come soon.

My hair is wet and my heart is still beating fast because of the dream.

It felt so real…

I get up, searching for water, something to do and not to think of the terrible images and all this blood when I hear a quiet tap. I stand still in the quiet room, listening more carefully. Nothing.

Maybe it was just the wind playing with the branches of the trees. But then I heard it again. A silent, steady tap…tap…tap.

It’s coming from outside. I head in the direction of the balcony and open the door. There's no one outside.

Then I see them. Its eyes. They are like two black crystals, piercing right through me as if staring directly into my soul. The feeling lasts briefly and I shake it off. It’s just a raven.

The big bird taps its foot on the ground.

I glance around searching for more birds- whenever there’s a raven or a crow, I expect to see more, hiding in the trees around.

There aren’t any other birds so I squat, expecting the bird to fly away but it doesn’t.

“Hey, little fella, “ I tell the raven, realizing how ridiculous this is. “Did you get lost? “

The bird t**s its head as if it understands me and makes a cracking sound with its beak. Then it looks into my eyes again. I flinch because its gaze is so intense. I stay where I am, not moving. Just a few steps are separating us and for some reason, I wish the distance was bigger.

The raven’s eyes are two deep black holes that threaten to swallow me and I feel chills running down my spine as I think of the dream I just had.

I almost checked my hands for scratches and blood like the ones I had seen in the dream. The skin on my hands is intact and I shake my head.

“I am losing my mind here I guess, “ I laugh quietly when the wind starts blowing stronger and I hug myself against it. The crowns of the trees move too, the sound of wind whistling among the branches goes louder and the bird flaps its wings again.

“Where are you headed to?” I ask it and the raven makes another sound. I notice a red speck on the feathers on its neck and get worried. I outstretch my hand to check but the bird jumps backwards.

“I just want to see if you are hurt “ I whisper and the bird ruffles its feathers defensively.

“Okay, no touching, “ I say lightly and the bird's wings settle back down.

“You are a strange raven, did you know that?” I ask. “And you should be fine if you fly, I guess?”

And just as I get back up on my feet I see someone in the backyard. A shadow. When I look closer I notice the dark figure moving fast.

I go to the railing of the balcony and drape myself over it - it’s a man, dressed entirely in black. He looks restless, I can tell from the way he is moving.

The prince.

I make a face at the thought. What is he doing out here? At night? I know he hates me for some reason so I lift my hand and wave at him. I know he has seen me but he doesn’t even pause.

The raven makes a loud croaking sound and jumps at the railing right next to me. It gives me one last look before it flies away.

The raven lands near the prince and they both disappear in the darkness.

***

I can’t fall asleep when I go back to bed so I search some of the shelves of the room for something to read. I noticed the many books as soon as I entered earlier, but now I start exploring them. Some of them are written in letters I do not recognize.

I pick up the first one I find interesting (and written in a way I can understand) and start reading until the dawn breaks and the castle begins waking up. I am dressed in the long gown that was prepared for me but I need something else unless I want to freeze.

So I close the book and leave my room, searching for a servant who can at least bring me new clothes.

My plan - just like anything else here - fails miserably.