The first thing Eídal wondered upon waking was, 'Where am I?'
As he regained consciousness, he felt a sharp pain coursing through his elbows and knees. Additionally, his throat was marked by the acidity of vomit. In a way, it was unpleasant. It was also ironic that today was his birthday. At ten years old, nostalgia and pain conspired to moisten the corners of his eyes.
'But', he thought again, 'what's this thing on my face?'
As he touched his face, he realized he had something covering his nose and mouth. It was a muzzle. Made of black leather with sloppy stitching, this type of mask prevented him from parting his lips. When he tried to remove it, Eídal felt the thick stitching at the back of his neck.
'It's impossible! It's sewn on'.
Without further ado, he gave up.
Contrary to what one might think, the muzzle didn't make it hard for him to breathe, as there was a large hole over his nose. Since speaking was impossible, Eídal could only express himself through his thoughts:
'Again, where am I?'
As he paid more attention, he recognized that he was in a huge room. Both the floor and ceiling were white. There were several pieces of black leather furniture with gold trim scattered here and there. Landscape paintings adorned every nook and cranny of the walls.
With no windows in sight, a single chandelier illuminated the center of the room. The elaborate finishes and careful embroidery of the furniture made the room feel like part of a palace.
Eídal, on his part, was wearing a long, thin black robe that reached his knees. However, the vertical cuts in the fabric exposed his thighs. The outfit was quite simple, decorated only with a few buttons and silver patterns.
In addition, he had been chained near a shelf containing numerous glass figures of amorphous beings. On top of a sand box, he was kept muzzled for most of the day, like some kind of pet. Sweaty, wet, and aching, he began to feel an intense cold. Realizing he couldn't free himself from the chains or loosen his muzzle, a feeling of emptiness flooded his throat.
However…
'Ah! Remember', he thought, 'you promised you wouldn't cry'.
In this vague situation, it was impossible for him to contain his desperation. Still, he tried to calm himself by gripping his chest tightly.
'This time I must be brave and act like someone amazing. You can't keep being pathetic, even… if it's just a dream'.
No more than a few minutes ago, he had been used as cannon fodder by his fellow villagers. Then, he woke up in this bizarre place under these strange conditions. Still…
'It must be a dream'.
His heart still refused to believe that he had been discarded. He simply wanted to keep denying it. Straining his numb muscles to the limit, he tried to get on his knees, but the lack of strength made him fall back onto his rear. Just as sadness began to moisten the corners of his eyes, Eídal shook his head with a "Stop!"
'I must not cry because I promised. Not crying is my promise'.
This promise was a vow that bound him to one of the three most important people in his world: a friend he considered family.
'I promised Íngrid!'
For a brief moment, a girl with cream-colored hair and a cold gaze lit by a hint of anger appeared in his mind.
Then, Eídal remembered what had happened before the invasion.
Days earlier, after helping the villagers with their tasks, he had gone to vent to the person he trusted most. In the midst of their idle conversation, Eídal told her that he wanted to become "a great man" to the point of becoming a legend. That's when his friend, named Íngrid, made a somewhat strange request: "If you become a great man, promise that you won't cry from now on."
At first, Eídal took Íngrid's words as a slip. However, after seeing his friend's serious expression, he decided to adhere to the promise wholeheartedly. He was too sentimental and cried easily. Maybe his friend thought it was a good way to help him mature.
'She was always so smart and thoughtful', Eídal concluded that day.
Returning to reality, perhaps it was due to the moment, but now, locked in this luxurious room, the promise felt very important. So, with all his strength, he tried to hold back his tears.
On the other hand, Eídal was convinced that when he opened his eyes again, everything would be over. Having reached his own conclusion, he tried to fall asleep in that luxurious room.
Once he woke up, he could return to his small village. He would see the young workers again. He would hear the whispers of the women washing by hand in the river. He would find himself scolded by the elders Eduardo and Ricardo, who stopped by to drink at his gate. He would be pushed and dragged by the same children he used to fight over a piece of firewood.
Yes, once he woke up, he could return to that life, along with his best friend, his strict tutor, and a clever girl.
On the other hand, the village's abduction became a topic of discussion among nearby settlements. The few survivors gave accounts of a bloody night. The whole matter was handed over to the kingdom's ministers and, mysteriously, was lost in a mountain of paperwork forever.
But that's a story for another time.