Tatiana - Imperial Ruler Of Dragon's

Chapter 15

The carriage ride was filled with nothing but suffocating silence, with Katrina being pissed off at Troy for whatever reason and sitting as rigid as she could with a permanent glare on her face, no one knew what to say.

And to make matters worse, the carriage wasn’t enough to occupy all six of us so someone had to voluntarily sit up front, with the female guard who introduced herself as Natasha Vanek. The personal guard of the Unseelie Queen.

I’m situated between Candy and Hilgar, staring at the tense couple sitting across from us. Katrina looks ready to bite someone's head off -Troy- with any slight provocation. Troy on the other hand looks disturbed and confused.

His gaze is focused on the view of passing fields that can be seen from the small windows attached to the carriage door, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

I felt like asking who the hell Natasha was to Troy and why Katrina seemed threatened by her?

I also wanted to know if Troy is a royal born?

When Katrina had revealed he was a royal back when we were arguing, I’d been too pissed to think much of it. But now, I can't help but wonder about it.

Putting all that aside though, the question that made me anxious the most is if... we’re being captured right now?

Everyone had made it seem like being recognized while we travelled through Unseelie territory would be disastrous for us.

Shouldn’t we be panicking now that the Unseelie Queen sent her guard to personally bring us to the palace?

Does this mean we’re in danger or not?

Is Katrina going to marry a Dark Fae?

What exactly is the difference between him and the other fae’s working for the Seelie Queen?

Hilgar had said their kind was afraid of light, and more than once I noticed how the Dark Elves seemed to only travel through shadows.

If this is so, what makes Troy different?

Is it because he’s a changeling?

Does that automatically make him different?

Letting out a sigh, I ran a hand down my face and slump back against the wooden carriage. I feel like my mind is trying to drive me crazy. Here I am, thinking I was making head progress in finding out information about this strange place but instead, I’m left with more questions.

Candy, to my left, has her eyes closed and if it weren’t for how taut she sat to my left, one would think she was fast asleep. Whereas Hilgar, who sat to my right seems to have fallen into a comfortable bliss of sleep. Pretty understandable considering we travelled all night without a single rest for fear of being captured.

Just because Dark Elves are afraid of light, doesn’t mean other Fae's are.

We travelled for most of the day, driving past the moors and coming upon several towns until finally, the carriage drew to a halt which made everyone become alert. Sitting up straight, we stared at one another in confusion and leaned forward when Troy pulled aside the curtain so we see what was going on in front.

Behind the short curtain is another glass window and we were able to see the sign of a large city peeking out above a giant stone wall. The wall reaches over 30ft into the air and seems to me to be an imitation of the great wall of China, sitting at the top of a hill. Leaning forward so I could get a better look, I don’t see any sign of guards patrolling the walls and wonder who or what is keeping vigilant watch over the wall.

As if to answer my silent question, the head of a shaggy black dog peeks out in curiosity over the edge. It has fiery red eyes and looks just as menacing as it's appearance, my wide eyes taking in the horns curled behind its ears, sharp claws and teeth. Observing the carriage as we stopped before the metal gates, it scrutinizes us with vigilant eyes before doing something pretty incredible.

From such a great height it jumped over the wall and it’s form changes from a dog, to a black fog rolling downward. When the fog finally got to the ground, the creature changes back into a dog and lands safely on its crunches with ease, the fog washing away like a wisp of smoke. With slow steps, the abnormally huge creature lets its lips pull back to reveal sharp canines and drooling saliva as it releases a deep growl.

The predatory look in its eyes made me swallow in fear even though that menacing gaze was mostly fixed on Natasha and Gavin. “Who dares try to trespass into the City of Lights?” The dog snaps, not with his mouth but with its mind, and its voice vibrated out loud and caused a shift in the air.

“I am Lady Natasha Vanek, the private guard of the Unseelie Queen. By her orders, I am to safely bring her guests to Stone Castle.”

“Who are these guests,” It spat suspiciously. “Why don’t I see them?”

“They reside in the carriage behind us, and the last one is sitting right next to me.”

Red eyes narrowing at Gavin, it lifted its snout into the air and took in a deep breath, as if trying to take in the scent of Gavin. Something about his smell must have irritated it because a sneer curled on its lips as it eyed Gavin in disgust. “He’s a witch!”

“I’m aware.” Natasha snapped.

“Good, then you know your kind are not welcome here.”

Your kind, I thought the female guard was Fae?

“Barghest, do you dare question me on bringing in the Queen’s guests?”

“What’s a Barghest?” I lean closer to ask Candy, and she turns to me with a sigh.

Leaning as well, she replies. “They’re the Unseelie Queen’s favourite guard dogs, they can take many forms ranging from shadows to animals. But it’s said, Barghest prefers their current form due to their swift agility in taking down their enemies. They are malicious creatures who can get violent without much provocation, and their sense of smell is far superior to even Lycans.”

“I do!" The dog growled. “There have been intruders seeking to infiltrate the palace and assassinate the Queen as of recent.” It snarled, before puffing out its chest proudly. “Though these threats were of course dealt with by me. Without any proof of identification proving you are who you are, I can assure you; your guests won’t be getting past these gates alive.”

Hearing the threatening tone and vehemence in its voice made goosebumps rise on my skin. Natasha pulls out an item from somewhere beneath her seat and shows it to the dog with confidence, staring at the object in her hand it tilts it’s head and keeps silent for a few seconds before responding with a snort.

“Fine, since I see the Queen’s envoy badge in your hand, you and your guests can pass. But let me warn you half-bred witch, if they prove to be any trouble for Unseelie’s or the Queen, I will wipe them out.”

Taking the form of fog once again, the Barghest as Natasha called it flew into the air and ran across the walls to the top. As soon as it changes back to its original form the Barghest raises its head and lets out a loud howl into the air, the soft sound echoing in the air until another howl is cried out in response.

Immediately, the vertically-closing gates started to rise with a ringing noise vibrating in the air. Tugging on the reins Natasha led the horses forward and drove in, and as soon as we safely made it through, the gates began to slide back down the grooves inset within each jamb of the gateway.

A stone path led the way towards a modest community filled with stone structures all merged like medieval houses often portrayed in fairytale movies and period dramas, making the entire town appear so bizarre. I have no idea what I expected the place to look like, but I guess I wasn’t expecting everywhere to be so actively modernized. Possibly much more than humans.

Despite the pinkish fog of darkness constantly obstructing the sun, stars, and even the moon, lights illuminated the entire town through glowworms captured in glass containers and used as street lamps just like the dwarves did. This parallel world appears not much different from earth. Only, the fae’s are more advanced.

They don’t drive things like cars, much of their transport is done through some kind of mechanical, teleportation elevator built along each end of a street. Their buildings seem to fall behind in years compared to their advanced technology, making the place look even more eccentric than it already is with cobbled streets, and gothic architectural stone buildings.

I saw so many Creatures, unique looking creatures I never knew existed or could exist. There were tall creatures, short creatures, creatures who flew with wings, creatures who walked on legs, creatures with humanoid forms, creatures who appeared like small, friendly beings but are honestly vicious little beasts. All of them vary in colour, body, teeth, eyes, and even skin. And though we never stopped for a little break, however, I did notice that wherever we went it was like we were transported into a magical, medieval/modernized world where right is left and down is up.

After spending the better half of our journey staring with bewilderment, I begin to wonder which is more bizarre. The place or the creatures that inhabit this unique world. I was so unsure of where to look or what to take in.

And once we got to what appeared to be the centre of town, judging by the grandeur of everything, the streets, creatures, even the houses and what not spoke of a different kind of splendour.

We rode out of town soon enough and got to an open archway leading out of the city and onto a large bridge built over a river and connected to an intimidating castle resting on a jiggered cliff up ahead.