Escaping The Vines

Prologue

"I need a break from this place, from the way everyone here looks at me. I should be allowed to go," he sat on the ground with a huff and ran his hands through his dark shaggy hair, rubbing the back of his neck. "This shouldn't even be a question. You've been many times, without incident."

"That was before she started changing the laws. Besides, you're much more important to her than I. If something were to happen to me, I doubt she would waste a second thought on it. She has many with talents similar to mine, some of whom even like her." He chuckled and patted his friend on the back, "You, on the other hand, have too many rare gifts for her to risk your well being, or for her to risk you wanting to stay there."

Shaking his head he said, "Of course I won't stay. Everything I know is here, and I have no interest in being gone so long that my gifts drain away. I just want to..." he stopped speaking as the Queen entered her garden.

She was beautiful, with long silvery hair and graceful features. It was hard to believe that someone who looked so delicate, could rule so strictly and cause so much fear.

"Go on, my Dream Walker, what is it you want?" She tilted her head and eyed him like a cat that spotted a slow-moving, tasty bug. She wanted him kept near her, where he could stay safely under her thumb until she needed him.

"My Queen," he bowed his head respectfully.

His friend leaned back on his elbow to pick through the grass, as though he didn't see her. This earned him an annoyed scowl from Queen Crystal.

"Warrior," she said in her sweet almost childlike voice, "I see you're still having difficulties remembering how your Queen is to be treated; let me remind you."

He glanced at her as she lifted her hand, and with a graceful twirl of her fingers, he rose into the air. Before he could do anything to protect himself he was thrown to the ground, face first. It took him a second to lift his head, but when he did he wiped the dirt from his cheek and laughed.

"With strength like that, why do you even need warriors? Oh, I remember, because you can only terrorize one of us at a time and I bet that was exhausting. Maybe you should sit, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," he looked at her defiantly and even though he was still lying on his stomach, he looked strong.

She prowled toward him waving her fingers in a gentle motion. His head snapped back as though someone had him by the hair, his back bent painfully until he was resting on his knees, looking up at her.

Leaning toward him she purred, "I think you owe me an apology for your disrespect. Do it properly, use my full title," she grinned, taunting him.

She'd come to the end of her patience and it was clear she expected him to balk at her demand. Nothing would make her happier, she loved an opportunity to use her cages and make a public spectacle of any who would dare defy her.

He glanced over her shoulder and found his friend's face pleading with him to just bow to her. Please, he mouthed, slowly shaking his head. The warrior closed his eyes gathering strength, then surprisingly lowered his head with respect.

In his most serious and only slightly mocking tone, he said, "Please forgive my disrespect, Your Majesty Queen Crystal, Leading Light of all Seelie Fae."

At first, she was annoyed, but then her face brightened and she pressed her fingernail under his chin lifting his face to hers. Leaning closer, she made a sound of contentment, "Don't you just love that? I don't know what's more delicious, making you grovel or the sound of my rightful name."

Releasing him from her magic he fell to the ground as she turned her back on him. "Now, back to the reason I'm here. Go on Dream Walker, you never answered me, what do you want?"

Tearing his eyes from his friend, he looked at her, "I want to travel. It wasn't long ago that almost all of us would visit the human world. I just want to see what everyone else has seen. I want to do whatever it is humans my age do. I want to have the freedom of being somewhere that people don't know me."

She stared at him, her face unreadable. "The human world isn't safe. You and the Seer are my first line of defense and your gifts have proven to be even more useful than his. That means unfortunately for you, you're peerless. That limits the chances I'm willing to take with your life or your loyalty."

"My Queen, please, my loyalty has never been in question, and as far as my life I am more than capable of protecting myself."

She turned away from him and stayed silent so long he wasn't sure if she'd give him an answer at all. He knew he was asking a lot but hoped she'd let him go to keep him happy.

Finally, she said, "Alright, I agree. You may go, but I have conditions that must be met."

"Of Course, your Majesty," he said with a smile, but the idea of conditions wasn't good. She could demand anything.

"First, you will not travel alone." She waved her hand at his friend who was still on the ground, he appeared bored, "Take him. He may still need to learn his place, but he's our best fighter, and he has experience with the humans. He'll keep you safe." Looking down at him she said, "Isn't that right, Warrior?"

He grinned and sat up bowing his head, "Of course, My Queen, his safety will be my only priority." She looked away and he shot his friend a wink, almost making him laugh.

"Second, I have someone there for you to live with. If you insist on surrounding yourself with lesser beings, I can at least know you'll be living with our kind. Last, if I send for you, you'll return immediately and without question."

Nodding, he said, "Of course, my Queen, those conditions are more than fair."

"Fine. Get yourselves ready, you may leave tomorrow. I hope you can find a way to enjoy yourself with the humans," she curled her lip in distaste before walking away.