Never once had Olessia believed she could be transported through a pendant necklace from her village to the Kingdom of Aurethia... a place she never believed existed and had always thought of as a myth.
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, hard enough to sting. Maybe she was dizzy because she'd hit her head too hard. But when she opened them again, nothing changed. She was still here standing in the middle of a thick forest, the trees rising high enough.
And worse... those men were still there, dozens of them with long blonde hair, perfect faces, and killer body. They were handsome, and beautiful, and didn't look like they are from this world.
They look dangerous too, and the way they dress, it was something she's never seen in her entire life on earth. They stared at her like she was some kind of threat with their eyes cold, and their stances stiff.
Swords gleamed at their sides, and arrows stayed drawn, aimed right at her chest, which made her breath coming out short. She swallowed hard.
"What… what is this?" she whispered, taking a slow step back cautionly.
A few minutes ago, she could've sworn she was begging for someone to save her from the shelf that had fallen on her.
Let's go back to when the accident that brought her to the kingdom of Autheria happened.
FLASHBACK:
After Olessia was done bathing, and stepped fully inside the room with the water still dripping down her body, leaving a trail of wet footprints across the floor. She didn't bother to wipe herself dry, her only thought was to get dressed before the evening cold froze her.
"I'll clean it after I dress," she murmured, half to herself, brushing damp hair from her face as she reached for the folded clothes on the small wooden stool.
Once she was dressed, she glanced down and sighed at the water spreading across the floor.
"Just great," she muttered, bending to find the old rag she kept for mopping. Her bare feet splashed lightly as she stepped into the water without a thought. The next second, her legs slid out from under her.
A loud gasp tore from her throat as she fell, the world spinning in a blur and her head hit the ground with a loud thud.
In the struggle to get up, her leg jerked out and struck the small wooden shelf beside the wall. The old shelf wobbled then crashed down with a violent thud, splintered wood and clay bowls tumbling over her. Olessia let out a startled cry as the weight struck her back and leg, forcing her flat against the cold ground.
"Help…" A tembling word slipped from her lips as she pleaded for help. Fear gripped her chest, as she tried to move, but the shelf pressed harder, and her limbs pinned. Tears stung her eyes, and she prayed silent that, if she was going to die, then it shouldn't be this way.
The pendant around her neck dangled freely, the silver glinting faintly. Blood from the cut on her head ran down her temple, trickled across her cheek, and dripped onto the pendant.
By the time three droplets of blood touched the pendant, it began to glow a strange shade of purple-blue that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat. Her vision blurred, and the sound of her own breathing faded as she tried to lift her hand, but her strength had slipped away. The glow grew brighter, and that was the last thing she saw before her eyes fluttered shut, and everything went still.
When her eyes flew open, the first thing she saw was the sky looking bright, endless, and clear. For a second, she thought she she was dead. As she blinked hard, turning her head to both sides. All around her stood massive, dark trees, their branches thick, she sat up slowly, her palms brushing damp soil.
"What…" Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. The last thing she remembered was the shelf crashing down on her fragile body, then the pain, the blood, and then here. Now, she was in the middle of a forest she didn't recognize.
She stumbled to her feet, with unsteady steps, and her eyes darting from one tree to another.
"Where am I?"
*****
PRESENT DAY:
The men stood their ground, their eyes fixed on her as though she were a ghost that didn't belong in their world. None of them spoke, but their unease was clear in the way their grips tightened around their weapons.
Then a deep voice sounded loudly. "Clear the way for His Royalty, Kaive!"
At once, the men stepped aside, forming two neat lines. Their movements were the kind that came from years of training. Olessia's heart thudded faster. From between them, a tall man emerged, broad-shouldered, and dressed in dark long robe.
He was without question the most beautiful man she had ever seen. The others were striking, yes, but this one seemed more handsome. His features were strong and clean, his skin was perfect and his long blonde hair brushing against his collar as he moved.
"Who are you, black-haired?" he asked, his voice edged with command.
Olessia blinked, realizing she'd been staring. Her hand shot to her dark hair, and her fingers trembling slightly.
She frowned at his words, the title black-haired echoing in her mind. Why did he call her that as if it were a crime? Her eyes darted over the men around him, and every single one of them had blond hair. So that was it, she was different. But did that really mean anything here?
"Speak," he said coldly, "or I'll order my men to kill you this instant."
The venom in his tone made her blood run cold. Olessia froze where she stood, her lips parting but no sound coming out.
"I–I…" she stammered, but the words tangled on her tongue. She didn't even know what to say, and how could she explain something she didn't understand herself?
His stare didn't soften, and when she failed to answer, he tilted his head slightly, suspicion hardening his face.
"A spy," he muttered under his breath. "She's pretending."
He turned sharply to his men. "Bind her hands and legs. Take her to the prison."
The soldiers moved too fast. Olessia tried to run, but rough hands caught her arms before she could take two steps.
He couldn't risk it. No one in Aurethia had ever seen a woman with black hair... not i
n a kingdom where every man was born blond and every woman, red-haired.