Chapter 5
Layla
I don’t know how long ago; I was taken but I could not stand this room any longer. Walking to the door and praying it wasn’t locked again but also scared beyond anything, I pushed the door open without a sound.
The corridor outside my dungeon room was lit with old-style torched which gave it an eerie glow. Having no clue which way to go I followed my gut and the feeling pulling at me from the moment I woke up. The purple smoke was every wear the sight made me sick. I love purple but this particular shade of purple I hated with a passion. I hate it so much that I changed the color streaks in my hair to bright cherry pink.
Following the winding dark corridors, I realized I was lost but the feeling that was leading me was stronger. I knew I must be going deeper into the dungeon it felt like I was going down deeper into the earth. I knew this because it became colder and darker. After a while of walking aimlessly, I became aware of voices and I know this is stupid. I am alone in a strange place surrounded by enemies and yet I am walking towards the sound of voices. As I walked as silently as I could down the corridor the voices became more distinct one of the was Loki’s the prince of darkness was taunting someone.
Just as I was about to take a step forward so that I can peek around the corner a hand covered my mouth. I was pulled back against a solid wall of muscle.
“Don’t scream or we are both dead nod your head if you understand.”
This was said in a beautiful voice that was strong and powerful but shooting at the same time. But the speaker was whispering so softly in my ear and slightly in awe at the beauty of that voice I did almost not hear him but not knowing what else to do I nodded.
“My name is Damien and I swear I mean you no harm just don’t move or make a sound.”
Not knowing for sure that Damien can be trusted but having no choice either I nodded again.
“So old man still alive? My, you sure have a strong will.”
“What do you want Loki? I would have thought watching our suffering would have become boring over the years?”
If it wasn’t for the fact that Damien was still holding me, I think I would have collapsed on the floor. I dreamed for years to hear that voice and only did in my dreams but, the fact was I was awake the cold of the dungeon and the solid mass that was Damien was too real for this to be a dream. But how can it be? My dad was alive! Holding me tighter so that I did not fall Damien whispered the word listen into my ear bringing me back out of my mind to the percent.
“Watching you suffer Magnus never gets old. Your wife does not look good you do realize you are the only thing keeping her alive. Even the state of sleep you put her in will not save her.”
“When I get out of here boy, you will regret the day you did not kill me!!”
“When you get out? That is amusing, the fact that you think you will get out. But all this time alone in this cell must have affected your mind. It is a pity you won’t see your daughter on her wedding day. But she thinks you’re dead anyway and once I have her power combined with mine, I will destroy every light elf I can find. Oh don’t look so worried your daughter will be saved she is half Dark elf after all and a very pretty little thing. I will keep her alive for heirs and well for my amusement.”
“If you think my daughter will ever marry you, you are the one that has lost his mind.”
“What can she do the purple smoke makes her powers useless. She will not have a choice but to marry me. Seems our time is up, I have better things to do, but I do enjoy our little chats see you again tomorrow same time same place?”
Laughing Loki leaves walking right passed us but surely, he had to see us we were right there.
“He would not have seen us I blend into the shadow so he saw nothing but the shadow on the wall. Plus, he knows nothing of this gift of mine to him I am only muscle and nothing else.”
Damien says this as he lets go of me turning, I was shocked Damien was as handsome as his voice was beautiful, he was tall with chocolate brown hair and green eyes almost as bright green as mine. He was a catch alright but not my type. Thinking of that made me miss Alex so much.
“Ok the shadow thing is kind of cool and why are you helping me? He is you prince.”
“Ok, little sunshine let’s get something straight. I have to live here but that does not make him my prince. As to helping you let’s just say I need you to survive and leave here to warn the Light Elves.”
“But why you’re a Dark elf. Don’t all of you hate Light Elves.”
“I see you don’t count yourself as a light elf. Falling for Loki’s charm are, we?”
“No, not ever going to happen. But I am different so to say I am a Light Elf will be a lie. And I don’t lie ever.”
“And by the way, my name is Layla, not sunshine. Why do you care about the Light elves?”
“Let’s say I have a personal interest. And your Dad liked Light elves.”
“My Dad!”
With that, I remembered my dad was around the corner.
I would have run straight around the corner but Damien caught me and pulled me back.
“Wait you think Loki is stupid. He has guards around there. He might want to marry you but don’t think that makes you safe from his guards.”
He said but I got the feeling he wanted to say more but thought it better not to.
“Ok, so what do we do, I need to see my Dad.”
“Well, sunshine I didn’t think you would leave without seeing him. Just give me a sec ok.”
With that, he strolled around the corner
A few moments later there were two thuds and he came back around the corner. Looking very pleased with himself.
“Well, are you coming sunshine?”
“My name is… never mind I get the feeling you’re not going to call me anything else.”
Walking towards him at a very fast pace my heart was in my throat. I was going to see my Dad. Walking past the fallen guards was scary they looked like something from my nightmares. All elves were good looking that was a fact. But these elves looked more like creatures from a horror sci-fi movie.
“This is what Loki does to those that disappoint him. If they are lucky or he leaves them in cells and forgets about them altogether.”
“What that, that is ….”
I could not find the right word my mind was blank and that does not happen very often.
“Evil is what I would use. Come sunshine your father is this way. I will wait in the shadows to…”
“No, that would freak me out and I am already beyond my freak-out point. Just stay there ok, where I can see you and know you’re there.”
He looked at me kind of the way a big brother will look at his little sister when he was trying to figure out what to do when she was frightened. He smiled a small smile more to himself than anything else.
“Ok”
Rounding another corner, we found the cell this corridor was the darkest yet there was hardly enough light to see where we were walking let alone anything else the smoke was also the thickest that I have seen so far. Stumbling over something Damien caught my arm steading me and the next thing I was blinded by the light from torches on the wall a warm fiery glow filled the corridor smiling in thanks to Damien for lighting the torches and catching me I looked straight ahead there in a small cell was my parents running towards the bars my Dad looked up from where he was stroking my mother’s golden blonde hair as she laid a sleep in his lap she looked so small.
“Daddy it is you it really is.”
By this time tears were running down my cheek but I just stood staring at my father’s eyes
“Layla Aine my beautiful little girl…”
Placing my mother gently on the stone floor she was almost covered in purple smoke my dad struggles to stand walking over towards me was clearly a struggle like he hasn’t walked for a very long time. Looking at my Dad he was still handsome and tall but the years of imprisonment were there in his strained walk and in the shagginess of his blue-black hair. But looking at me as he came to stand in front of me his beautiful moss green eyes filled with love and joy.
“My beautiful girl I dreamed of this day for so long. You have grown up so much, you are everything and more your mother and I have ever dreamed of.”
“Daddy I missed you and mom so much if we had known you were alive.”
“It’s ok love, it's ok you could not have known none of you could if only your mother could see you now.”
“What is wrong with mom?”
“She is a Light Elf. Nutt is no place for a Light Elf. I am the only thing keeping her alive.”
“Your bond, we have to get you guys out of here.”
“I wish that was possible little love, but this cell is protected by powerful spells cast by Druids to break them….”
“You need a Druid sunshine.”
Both Dad and I look up at Damien my dad with a look of shock.
“Damien it is not possible how can you be alive.”
“It is good to see you, uncle Magnus. The how is a very long story, one we do not have time for. I am afraid Loki will no doubt be paying Layla a visit soon and she should be back in her “room” by that time.”
“What you want me to leave now! When I found my Dad after years. I can’t go now.”
“Love, Damien is right Loki, must not know you found me. Will you bring her again tomorrow when we have more time?”
“I will uncle Magnus, and don’t worry I keep an eye on her until we find a way to get her powers back.”
“WAIT, WHY ARE YOU TALKING LIKE I AM NOT HERE. I CAN HEAR YOU; YOU KNOW.”
“And why do you keep calling my Dad uncle Magnus?”
“All that will have to wait till later Layla love, listen go with Damien to your room and act as if nothing has happened. Damien will bring you back tomorrow but he is right if Loki does not find you in your room. Well, let’s just not think of what he will do the only way to beat him is for you to get your powers back. But Layla no matter what you cannot let him force you into marrying him. And as much as this pains me to say for the time don’t anger him too much, you don’t know the cruelty, he is cable of for now you are a shiny new toy to him, but that may change with Loki one can never be sure.”
“Ok fine, I will go, and don’t worry Daddy powers or not, I am nobody’s plaything or power booster. And I know how to play my part even if the loathing and hatred I feel towards him is not an act. I love you tell mom that too, I see you soon.”
Squeezing my Dad's cold hand through the bars I turn and follow Damien out of the corridor the darkness that followed our exit told me, Damien, even remember to put out the flames on the torches.
Back in my room, I tried to wrap my mind around everything that happened. My parents were alive all this time… It felt like anger was consuming me but Granny always said never to make decisions in anger.
“Sunshine, you should really snap back to reality. Loki will be here any minute. He will notice something is up when your usual dagger stare change to kill you where you stand stare.”
He says this with a smile that said he quite like the idea of killing Loki where he stood.
“Sorry, ok but right now anger is all I feel.”
“Ok, I get it sunshine. I do and I can even entertain the idea is good, but you do remember what those guards looked like and what your Dad said right.”
“Yes, of course, I do…”
My anger was suddenly replaced by fear at the thought of those guards and the reminder Loki has power and magic and I did not.
Footsteps outside made both of us look up at the door.
“O no, he is coming your still here…”
I looked at Damien. I know I barely knew him but he was my only friend in this dark place, I didn’t want him hurt though.
The door opened and as Loki step into my room Damien was gone as he vanished into thin air.
“Well sweetheart it is good to see you, but I have to say I don’t like the new hair color.”
“Hello Loki, well it is a good thing I don’t care what you like.”
“A now, sweetheart that would have hurt if I was just some guy but, I am going to be your husband soon in just a few short days. Soon you will find out, that pleasing me and caring about what I think will be your top priority.”
“But enough of that, I have come to give you a small reprieve from your room. You will be having dinner with me and… my mother.”
Loki said the word mother like an insult which brought up a few questions in my mind but before I could voice any of them Loki was right in front of me so close, that I could feel his body heat. Stroking my hair with his fingers.
“I would like you to wear a dress for this evening. I will come and get you in half an hour. And just so you know sweetheart, that was not a request wear anything else and you might find yourself with fewer clothes than you would like.”
Letting my long hair slip through his fingers he turns and walks out. And I could not breathe the ugly truth I did not want to acknowledge was now plain to see.
Loki had just proven he can do anything he wants to me and I cannot fight him, not without my powers and the thought of being alone with him was terrifying.
As soon as the door closed Damien was in front of me concern written all over his face.
“Sunshine you need to breathe your turning red in the face.”
Ok starting to breathe was one thing but when I found my breath again, I started hyperventilating. I have never before had a panic attack but, I guess there is a first time for everything.
“Layla, you’re going to be ok.”
"No, I am not, did you see how close he was and I could not stop him even though everything in me wanted him far away from me. I am powerless against him and he knows it.”
I said all this so fast it is a wonder Damien heard a word. Pulling me into a hug, he just let me cry I think I needed that to cry as strong as I am and as willing, as I am to fight for myself, my parents, my friends, and all the Light elves, I felt lost at this point.
“You can do this sunshine; you don’t need to be saved, you can save yourself because any woman that can withstand Loki this long, can do anything. Plus, Loki is underestimating you he doesn’t take into account how smart you are or how loyal you are.”
“But without my powers…”
“Then you use your brain like you always do you don’t strike me as the type of elf that relies on her powers.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then you know what to do and if you think, I will let you be alone with him ever, you clearly misjudged my character.”
Smiling at the little hint of pride in his voice, I knew Damien was my friend and will be as loyal to me as any of my other friends. Knowing I wasn’t truly alone, gave me the extra resilience I needed to face Loki, powers or not.
“You right I know you will be there but why are you here if you don’t want to be.”
“He has something I want back and I am smart enough to know when I need help but you need to get dressed, I will be outside. And sunshine if I can give my two cents worth, I think the pink suits you, it's just you. Dress to kill sunshine, the best way to stop him is to trough him off balance.”
Dress to kill what do guys mean by that; I so wished Tempest was here. Walking to the closet I took out a little black cocktail dress it was funky because it had blue lace at the bottom and it looked kind of like a tutu. Taking the dress and some black high heels I went to take a shower hoping I can wash away Loki’s touch.