CHAPTER 6

Marietta P.O.V

'Where I am?'

My head was feeling like someone was pounding a hard hammer on it. The rest of the body parts were not even feeling. It seemed like I had lost my body. I was feeling as frozen as ice.

'What happened to me?'

My eyes were still closed, I tried to open them but the spark of bright light again shut them. The fragrance of moist mud reached my nostrils as I heard the faded voice of water and chirping of some birds. Probably my senses had again started to work.

I started to move my fingers slowly. Then I traced my hands on the surface, which was rough and a bit moist. I again tried to open my eyes and this time, I managed to open them. I blinked to adjust my vision and the view in front startled me.

The huge trees full of flowers and weird fruits, with bright sunlight peeking through the space between leaves. The melodious chirping of different species of birds. I looked at the sky, it was blue, the bright blue type with pink clouds.

'What? Pink clouds?'

I looked back at the ground, I was sitting with a tree with my back leaning against it.

Apparently, I was in a forest.

When did I come to a forest?

I attempted to stand up but ended up on the ground. My head started to spin as black dots appeared in front of my eyes. Groaning, I again sat down with the tree.

"What is this place?" I looked around myself. It was indeed a beautiful forest. The air was fresh and the endless green sight was so relaxing. But it gave me a strange feeling when I looked at the sky.

When did I come to a forest? I tried to remember but all in vain. Why didn't I remember anything? What happened to me? I again tried but nothing came to my mind except a strong headache.

'Am I dead or alive?' An unusual thought bumped into my mind.

I was lost in my thoughts when a sharp arrow came and fixed just an inch away from my face, more prominently away from my eye.

My breath got stuck in my lungs as I looked at the arrow with bewilderment. I was so scared that I didn't even scream nor move, I just stared at it without blinking. Just an inch more and it would have landed in my right eye.

My eyes traveled through its design to the sharp pointed edge. It had ancient patterns with copper and golden color designed on it. Its edged had gone inside so deeply in the root of the tree.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

I jerked at the voice as my heart skipped a beat. Slowly, I angled my head towards the source of the voice and... What kind of a creature was that? I shrank my eyes to look more carefully.

Her blonde hairs were tied up in a high tail and there were so many tiny braids falling on her shoulder. On the other shoulder, there were bones, vertically fixed in a style, going down towards her waist. She had worn piercing on her nose and lower lip. Her face was covered in high makeup with a broad black line on the forehead. While her dress was...

'What kind of dress was this?'

Her dress was resembling something that those jungle people wear in movies but her sleeveless blouse had steel straps going crisscrossed all over the front to back. While her weird knee-length skirt was simple, her both boots had knife hocked in them.

By hair and figure, she was a girl but with strange, no...super strange clothes and jewels. Those were also old-fashioned, too old-fashioned that I wonder who on earth wore this kind of thing anymore?

'Wait... I am on earth, right?'

'I don't think so.' My inner voice retorted.

I looked at her face. There was a huge frown plastered on it and if looks could kill. I would be dead by now. But I didn't mind her glare and keep on staring at her, totally confused. In a blink, she came forward and extended her hand. I bit back my scream.

"Get up!" She said, looking at me with the same pissed-off face. I again blinked and tried to understand her action. First, she threw a damn arrow at me and now she was showing concern.

"Come on." She again said. Her voice was not aggressive but authoritative and straight. Gulping, I grabbed her hand and stood up. Because I didn't have any other choice.

"Come with me." She said. It was better to say ordered me again and I looked perplexed at her.

"Why?" I barely whispered. My body was still aching but it was bearable.

"Follow me!" She ordered and started to walk ahead.

"Am I dead?" I asked because it was the only thing that came into my mind.

She stopped, turned around to pass me a mimicking look, and again started to walk. Eventually, I started to follow her.

"Please tell me. Am I dead? Where I am?" I again asked. But not even a single word was uttered by her. She was walking and I was following her like a lost puppy. 'Well, right now I am a lost puppy.'

After walking for some good minutes, we came out of the forest to a strange town. I glanced at the mesmerizing sight in front of me and I got the feeling... 'I am dead'.

The place in front of me was anything but earth. It looked like a magical world of something like a fantasy or fairy tale story.

I stopped near the stairs of the bridge and stare startled. There was a bridge that led the path to town. The whole area was surrounded by colorful flowers and strange plants. It all cleared one thing... That I had died a long ago and my soul had already entered in heaven and she was... A strange creature of heaven! I guess...

My eyes fixed on the shining castle at some far distance from town. It was twinkling in the sunlight. Making it looked like a castle of crystal.

"It's Beautiful..." I commented on the mesmerizing beauty of this anonymous place. It felt like a dream.

'Wait... Dream! Could it be possible it is a dream?'

"Come!" Her straight voice put me out of my trance and I again started to follow her.

We passed through the town and I couldn't even describe in words how beautiful it was. There were people with strange ears that seemed like elf ears, starring at me. Of course, I looked a lot different from them.

Little children were playing and they all had the same ears like an elf. Their dressing style was also historical, long gowns with old jewels, giving me the feeling of the Ottoman Empire. We passed through the street, where two-floor houses were built on both sides, with balconies decorated with colorful flowers. Almost all the houses were similar.

'Where on earth am I?'

An angry bird was leading my way and God knows where I was going? I didn't even know if I was still alive or not. I glimpsed at her back, that arrow was intertwined with her back flawlessly.

"What's your name?" I asked confidently but internally I was shivering. I was having horrible vibes from her because she was not saying anything and just giving orders to follow her.

"Olivia." She replied with the same straight tone, not even looking behind at me.

"Okay, so... Where are we going?" I again asked.

"Castle." She again retorted in one word.

"Why? Where I am? What kind of a place is this? Why....." She cut me off with an aggressive tone and deadly glare. "Can't you just shut your mouth and follow me? So talkative!" I felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

Saving myself from more embarrassment, I decided to shut my mouth for a while and kept following her. We crossed the town then went through a beautiful forest. It was as beautiful as the rest of the place, the only difference was, it was only occupied with tall trees.

After walking for which felt like hours, finally, we reached that damn castle.

No-not a damn castle, it was freaking made of crystal. Beautiful was not the right word to describe its magnificence. The whole castle was made of shining crystal reminding me of Cinderella's glass slippers. Hell, how could I think about animated movies right now?

'Silly brain with clumsy thoughts. I know that right!'

She entered inside and I followed her like a tail. We passed along the walkway which was decorated with flowers, crystals, portraits, statues, and a lot more. She took so many turns, left-right then again right and left. We continued turning until we reached a big hall room. My feet were badly throbbing by now.

This room was also decorated with crystals, white flowers, mirrors, and pillars on each corner. The final look was accomplished by a blue and white sofa set, giving it a look of some conference hall.

I looked at my reflection in one of the mirrors. The person who stared back at me was covered in mud, from dress to hairs, face, and arms everything was coated in dirt.

"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING HERE!?!?!" Two voices shouted together, making me jump at my spot. I hold my heart so that it would not explode then I looked at the source of the voice.

Two more strange creatures were staring at me, their eyes were almost bulged out of their sockets. I looked at them from head to toe. They both looked as same as twins, with the same green gowns and long white hairs, elf ears, white skin tone, not to mention their shining amber eyes; a guy and a girl.

The green color was so much in their appearance. That girl had a green leaf crown on her head and to be honest, her facial features were so appealing. I would call her 'leaf crown girl'. On the other hand, that guy had strict features, showing authority and discipline. I would call him a 'white-haired guy'.

"I don't know." That girl named Olivia retorted and shrugged.

I was not destined to die yet. But by mistake came here or maybe something like that. What? I was just guessing by their reactions.

"Where is Bell?" That white-haired guy asked, gritting his teeth. He had a sharp jawline.

Olivia stared at him angrily before snapping at him, "I don't know."

"Is there anything you know?" That white-haired guy snapped back.

"I found her in the middle of the green forest so, I bring her here. Is that enough?" She stated, coldly with a deadly stare.

To be honest, I was enjoying their bickering.

"It's not the right time of her arrival." That leaf crown girl said, looking at me. Her facial expressions were somehow showing concerned for me and I found it strange.

"Call that Bell to come in the castle right now." That white-hair guy yelled like ordering them.

"I don't know anything about Bell whereas about and I have lots of things to do. So, I'm going... Handle it yourself!" Olivia retorted, glancing at me. But before she could go, I found myself yelling at them.

"Can anyone tell me where I am or who the hell is Bell? Am I dead or alive? Who the hell are you guys? What kind of place is this? What I am doing here? What type of people are you? Or better what kind of creatures are you all?"

I threw so many questions in one breath and when I finished, I was panting heavily. I looked at them for a reply but that white-haired guy looked at me. His yellow like amber eyes sparkled and I felt dizzy.

I stumbled on my foot as black dots appeared in front of my eyes. But before I could kiss the ground someone saved me from falling. I didn't correctly saw his face because of my blurry vision but I saw a hint of white hairs and bright blue eyes.