It had been a grueling morning, the kind that saps your spirit and leaves you feeling hollow. I found myself riding alongside an intimidating soldier, his stern visage carved from the very mountains that loomed above us. He was the one who had spoken to me when I awoke in the humble abode of an old woman. They had bound my hands with coarse rope, a stark contrast to the expected cold, metallic embrace of cuffs.
In the company of this enigmatic party, there were five soldiers in total. Among them, only one bore a countenance that hinted at a semblance of kindness. The soldier riding next to her was the intimidating one. He had a shaved head and a scar that ran down his cheek. He hadn't spoken a word to her since they left the old woman's house.
Their terse declaration had thrown me into a whirlwind of confusion. According to them, I had committed a crime of which I had no recollection. Instead of the rational path that led to a police station and the rights I was being led towards the castle according to them, where my sentence will be issued.
In what country does castle thing still stands. Sure Austria have royals but this is not how modern monarchy work.
As we continue on our journey, the trees grow even taller and closer together, casting deep shadows over the path we follow. The air grows colder and damper, filled with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. I can't help but feel a sense of unease as we venture deeper into this dark and foreboding forest.
My pleas for an explanation fell upon deaf ears. No one in the group offered me the courtesy of a response, their silence a chilling testament to their unity in this bizarre mission. The imposing soldier who had initially addressed me had, at one point, issued a veiled threat about gagging me. It was a crude gesture that succeeded in silencing me, my questions rendered impotent.
But I refuse to let them break me. I may not know what's happening or where I'm going, but I'll be damned if I'll go quietly into the night. I'll fight back, using every trick I've learned in my years on the streets. If they think they can intimidate me, they're sadly mistaken.
The verdant forest through which we had journeyed all morning abruptly gave way to a sprawling valley that seemed to teeter on the very edge of a towering mountain. My eyes widened as I beheld it—a magnificent castle, constructed from weathered grey stones, standing regally in the distance. It was an awe-inspiring sight, one that momentarily made me forget my predicament. The emotions that swirled within me were difficult to define, as if the sight of the castle had conjured a long-forgotten memory or dream. But that was impossible, wasn't it? Perhaps the sun had played tricks on my mind.
Abruptly, the soldiers reined in their horses at the edge of the tree line. My heart pounded as they descended from their mounts, their intentions veiled behind their stoic expressions. Inexplicably, a bag was placed over my head, obscuring my vision and plunging me into darkness. I couldn't help but protest, the muffled words escaping my lips echoing through the suffocating darkness.
The passage of time became an excruciatingly slow and disorienting journey, stretching onward like an endless nightmare. It was as if the very fabric of reality had warped, and I had no way of gauging whether hours or mere minutes had passed.
The dismounting from the horse marked the beginning of a perplexing sequence of movements. I was shuffled about, my feet traversing from stairs to solid ground, my senses heightened as I tried to piece together the puzzle of my surroundings. Whispers, like elusive ghosts, murmured in the background, their words tantalizingly close but frustratingly incomprehensible.
Amidst this auditory haze, the distinctive creaking of doors opening reverberated through the air.
The cadence of footsteps echoed in my ears, creating a symphony of anticipation and trepidation. A hushed silence seemed to follow in our wake, spreading like a ripple through water.
And then, abruptly, I was brought to an abrupt halt, my knees colliding with the unyielding ground. An involuntary yelp escaped my lips, a cry that fell upon indifferent ears. As swiftly as it had been placed, the bag that had shrouded my vision was yanked away, revealing a scene that left me bewildered.