~ Chapter Five ~
Raiyne led Fallyn towards the sunrise; the sky a blaze of colors. The multicolored leaves crunched under her feet, and the breeze blew softly through the trees. She had just finished giving Fallyn her lesson on the first of seven realms. Each day Raiyne was going to teach her daughter the lessons of one Realm, so it would take a week to get through them all.
At dusk they had camped around Raiyne’s conjured magical fire. Green flames licked out, trying to touch its creator, there were other images in the fire if Fallyn looked closely, but they were blurred. She had decided to keep this to herself because it wasn’t normal. Laughing she went over the new meaning. Fallyn was never going to be normal.
Yanking herself out of her thoughts, she realized that Raiyne had been going over the lesson. Tonight she was teaching her about the oldest Realm, Elvna.
“…This world has a population of mostly Elves and Faeries. There the land mass is mainly forest. Do not cut down any trees there, because if they catch you, you’re as good as dead. Elves are very closely related to trees. In fact, they have said to have evolved from the trees. There is still a close relation to them even today.
“Faeries main habitat is in the trees, that’s why you can see lights coming from them late at night sometimes. They are small and petite, they are the size of a young child and often disguise as one. Faeries are known tricksters; your legends get that much right at least…”
Zoning out again, Fallyn thought about Earth. Last night Raiyne had told her it was a world of technology and science. Most citizens there knew nothing of magic, their beasts could not talk, and their trees had gone into silence long ago. Science had taken over. Fallyn wanted to see how advanced they had gotten.
Her mother’s piercing voice cut through her thoughts of visiting Earth.
“Fallyn, are you paying attention? What I am telling you is for your own health, I already know this. I would hate to waste my breath on trying to teach you something you something you would need.”
“I’m paying attention, you were just talking about the Elves and Faeries,” Fallyn replied thinking of the last thing she had heard.
“That was ten minutes ago honey. Now listen, the information I am giving you can save your life. Back to the topic at hand…”
*****
That night Fallyn never heard the Raiders ride in on their horses. Raiders existed in every Realm, they were just called a different name; slave traders. It wasn’t until they had hauled her up by her hair that she had know they were there.
Fallyn yelped from the pain. Glancing up she saw yellow slitted eyes that glared at her. Looking away from the eyes she searched for her mother. The Raiders were having a harder time getting her. Fallyn was already tied up and bundled on a black stallion.
On the outskirts she saw their archers pulling out arrows. It registered in Fallyn that they were going to shoot Raiyne if she didn’t stop resisting.
“Mother!” Fallyn screamed in desperation, trying to yell over the shouting. Raiyne swiveled in her direction and in that moment of hesitation was pushed and bound. Fallyn saw her slammed on the back of another horse before a coarse black rucksack was forced over her head. A rope was tightened around her neck and she struggled. Fallyn kicked and fought for her life before she blacked out.
