Through the Gloom II
Through the Gloom II
From the small pieces of lore Renys has been willing to share with us; The Gloom acts as some kind of liminal space that appears unchanging – never growing lighter or darker as the hours pass, no rain or snow. But the only distinguishable difference is the cold that grips the air as night falls. The howls and shadows seem more prominent during the evening too. Which makes me question whether the eerie daytime silence is actually preferrable. Through it all Bess trudges on uncomplaining. She has been exceptionally patient; considering the unusual environment and its inhabitants; not to mention my distinct lack of experience. I’m unsure if my powers would allow me to commune with her directly, but nevertheless I place a palm on her neck and thank her unreservedly for taking such good care of me. Whether her resulting huff is acknowledgement or irritation is up for debate, but it makes me smile nevertheless.
The scouts the previous evening were reluctant to share their sighting with me, however the chatter of a gargantuan, scaled creature slithering through the gnarled old trees near the haven is inescapable, even for someone without preternatural hearing abilities. The men appear to relent in their enthusiasm to relay what they’ve seen and gradually include me in their conversation.
“Barely made a sound” Lenrick’s voice is thick with disbelief, like his head is struggling to process what he’s seen.
“I’ve never seen such a thing” Nicolai continues. “Some sort of snake,I assume. Gods, the way it... slithered through the brush. And silent too, not a single twig snapping under its weight”
Our party rides on, the path growing wider and allowing us to ride in groups; with both horse and lexara trotting easily through the terrain. I try to imagine what the snake must have looked like and the hairs at the back of my neck prickle. A beast that large would have little trouble devouring something the size of a human...
“An omen” Renys interjects and all eyes focus on him as he rides at the forefront of our party. “The glanwurm is said to bring luck to travellers passing through. It is quite a rare occurrence, many travellers never see such a sight. They are enormous but silent, their dark scales blend beautifully with the surroundings” He gestures at the dark, twisting trees and earth beneath our mounts and my belly twists.
“Good or bad?” I ask, and Renys cranes his neck to face me.
“An omen brings luck, but you didn’t say whether the luck would be good or bad”
Renys chuckles, his eyes crinkling. “Indeed, Laurel, indeed I did not”
The conversation naturally concludes and my mind begins to wander again. My chest aches at the thought of Ayris and I hope with everything that he and his men are safe. My hand falls to my belly, even though I have nothing showing there yet. Our time in the Gloom has allowed me to finally begin to process the pregnancy and I smile as I wonder what our child will look like. Whether they’ll have icy blue eyes like their dad and how they might play with their cousin. I also think of Purdy and Thea and everyone else back at Fencliff and pray they’re safe from harm. It strikes me how much I worry for Ayris’ family whom have welcomed me wholeheartedly into their lives and yet, I have barely thought about my life and family back home for a long while now.
Home; honestly I don’t even think that’s the right word for it. I’ve known for some time now that here is my home. That I belong here with Ayris and our family. I had always felt an outsider, even as a child when I was growing up. My parents were never neglectful; but I knew they never felt I reached my full potential; keeping me at arms length and trying to mould me into someone I could never be. Perhaps thats why I stayed with Mark; my ex-fiance; for as long as I did. He never made me happy the way Ayris does, but I knew he was the kind of person my parents would approve of. My mind drifts back to that time and it honestly feels like I was a different person – meek and accepting. I’d suspected for a while that he wasn’t faithful, but I’d ignored it, hoping that I’d finally become who my parents wanted me to be. In the end it had all worked out as it was meant to, of course.
The fall-out from the affair and my subsequent trip to Greenvale is what had brought me here. The orbs in the forest and being transported to Valia and virtually at my mate’s feet. If a person didn’t believe in fate then what else could you possibly call that?
My thoughts stall as Renys’ lexara sidles beside Bess and he proffers me his flask. Bess huffs in annoyance as the ground becomes softer – the mud beneath us thick and clumping. Murky puddles dot the path ahead – some of them easily 6ft wide. Bess dodges them with ease, but she seems annoyed at the terrain, nevertheless.
“Keep your strength up” Renys smiles, and as I take a gulp I suddenly realise how thirsty I am. The water feels icy as it slides down my throat.
I sense Kel eyeing him with contempt, but he holds his tongue, which is some improvement at least.
“Are they making you feel unwell?” Renys gestures to my hand still protectively cupping my belly.
“Not really” I reply honestly. “A bit tired, but with all of this” I wave my arm around indicating our current predicament “I’m not really sure if thats a baby thing or not” Renys smiles as I hand him the flask.
“Hybrid pregnancies can be... tricky sometimes” He replies, my brow wrinkling at his reply. Kel’s chest rumbles in annoyance and Renys raises a hand in acquiescence.
“I mean no ill intent with the wording” Renys insists earnestly. “A blending of different beings can create a great strain on the body. My people have dealt with it before”
“Aye” Lenrick replies “I’ll bet they have”.
Renys’s already striking face becomes sharper for the briefest of moments before he schools his expression.
“Fae partners are always willing” Renys states flatly. Lenrick scoffs and Renys’ man Dower rumbles in irritation.
“Hold your tongue, Dog”.
The eruption of shouts and threats is practically instantaneous – shifter and fae suddenly enraged and hurling insults at one another whilst we ride. The mounts shift and become fractious as they’re ushered on.
“Everyone knows the stories of the fae – abducting women in the night. Trying to find out which kind make better breeders”
“Maybe they should have stolen shifter women – they'll lay with anything and breed like dogs”
“Rapists and kidnappers”
“Savage dogs”
The voices become louder, more angry. All the men now shouting and hurling insults at one another. The horses are huffing in annoyance and no matter how I try to calm things nobody is listening.
Bess grows more jittery with the shouting – unusual given how calm she normally is. I run my hand over her neck and try to soothe her.
“There, girl, it’s alright, everything is fi-” Bess whinnies, her black eyes are frantic and she won’t settle. She kicks her hooves, splashing water and mud everywhere.
Bess’ behaviour draws the attention of the men and the voices die down as they watch.
“Steady, girl” Kel starts “Easy now, its just a bit of kerfuffle, you’re usually unflappable-” His hand reaches across to grab her reigns and bring her closer; but before his hand makes contact she cries out and rears.
“No!”
But it’s too late. Before I even register whats happening Bess has thrown me from her back and its as though I fall in slow motion.
I wait for the thud, for the pain, but instead I feel the splash as I’m submerged underwater. I hear muffled, frantic voices but I’m disorientated and the water is black as pitch. I try not to gasp, not to panic.
Head for the light my brain tells me The surface must be where the light is.
There’s barely any light, and I swear I feel myself sinking lower despite my kicking.
“My lady. We have found you once more” The voice from the bridge. Unmistakable in my mind. Panic rises in me as I recall the claw marks. I kick frantically, trying to reach the surface.
“We have missed you, my lady. We remember you, crying in the basket as they took you in the night. Are you not curious, my lady? About how a Velythian princess came to live her life on another world as a mortal?”
I turn in shock and am confronted with a sight that almost has me gasping in horror.
A figure, grey and scaled, its skin hanging from its bones and gnarled, unnaturally long fingers with claws beckoning me closer. Its eyes are abnormallyally large and set deeply in its skull, they almost seem to glow beneath the murk of the water. It’s only as I glance downwards that I see the grotesquely long legs swaying back and forth, the claws at the ends joined by tattered webbing. This creature is ancient. And truly terrifying.
Breath escapes me as she looks above me and her gnarled claw grasps me in a death grip.
“”You have nothing to fear, you are more monster than I”
Bubbles brush in front of my face as I try to gasp for air.
“This world is full of monsters, my lady. Sometimes monsters require a master”
I flail hopelessly, trying to free myself from her grip.
“You were made to tip the balance, my lady. How you tip it is up to you. ”
She hisses as I’m pulled from above, her grip releasing, but her eyes watching as I feel an arm wrap under my arm and propel me upwards.
I gasp as my head breaks the surface, my lungs burning and begging for air. A strong arm guides me to the waters edge and a soothing voice pricks my ear.
“You’re alright, I have you. Just breathe”. Kel hefts me up and Nicolai scoops me into his arms and wraps me in a blanket. My hair is stuck to my face and my teeth are chattering together – moreso from shock thn from the icy cold. My mind is racing and it takes a moment for me to register the voices surrounding me.
“What in the gods’ name?”
“Are you alright, Laurel? Are you injured?”
It’s all too much, my mind can’t process it – one minute being atop Bess and the next underwater with that hideous creature, struggling to breathe and its claw holding me down so tightly-
“Breathe, Short round” Kel brings another blanket and places it around me. He crouches down beside me, pulling me tight. His hair drips on my shoulder and it takes me a moment for all the puzzle pieces to slot into place.
“Thank you” I whimper, my voice trembling with shock. The heat from the blankets and Kel’s embrace helps to steady me.
“Nonsense” Kel waves a hand. “Ayris would grind my bones into dust if I told him I let you drown in a puddle”
I glance at the puddle and we both chuckle at the absurdity of it. It looks perfectly ordinary – albeit a rather large muddy puddle next to where the horses had been.
“I don’t understand” I start “One minute I was trying to settle Bess and then-”
“The Gloom works differently” Renys interjects from my left. “Not everything is as it seems. What can appear harmless can actually be quite deadly”
“But... A puddle?” I hiss, clutching the blankets tighter.
“The Gloom is a liminal space, as I said. It is a corridor with many doorways”
My brain tries to comprehend his meaning.
“A puddle portal?” I laugh, incredulous. This can’t be real.
“In a manner of speaking” Renys nods “Whilst the... puddle may not exactly be a portal, it does lead to a realm of water entities. Many beings use the Gloom to travel, just as we are doing currently”.
I nod, speechless. What Renys says makes sense.
“But some use it to seek out prey” He continues; and every hair on my arms stands on end, remembering that creature and the way its claw wrapped around my arm.
Renys nods at Bess.
“She was trying to warn you, but we were too busy in our petty squabble to notice”.
The men, now all gathered around us look down at the floor in shame and shuffle awkwardly.
“I’m sorry, Short round” Kel says as he pulls me in for a hug. “We promise to keep you safe and to keep each other safe from now on – isn't that so, lads?”
Kel looks around and everyone agrees and nods, even our fae companions.
“Come now, let us get cleaned up and moving, I do not wish to stay near that-” Renys gestures at the puddle “Any longer than is neccessary. Let us keep our wits about us and watch one anothers backs, hmm?”
Our party quickly falls into action and we move on our way, my focus still drawn to the gloomy body of water as we trot past.
Sometimes monsters require a master.