Before we left Archie's little shack, I snagged a few of his things. A box of matches, the last book he was reading, and a rather peculiar necklace John had found in the drawer of his small bedside table. The necklace seemed more feminine, like maybe it belonged to a woman he was seeing. John said we might be able to track down its origins before we head out to Sector One tomorrow morning.
I felt a little better leaving his shack with a few of his belongings in tow. I was thumbing through the book when we rounded the corner, the inn now visible. I glanced up at the inn for a moment before looking back down at the book when I caught a small glimpse of a familiar silhouette. My heart sank and I stopped dead in my tracks. John turned to look at me, but I couldn't form the words. All I could do was shake my head no.
William has come for me after all. I wanted to run. Put as much distance between us and him as we could physically manage.
"You're my wife. To hell with him." John's voice, though calm, was laced with venom. He wants to face him. Despite my best efforts of talking him out of it, John insists we don't run and hide. So I put on my best fake brave face as we strode up to the inn confidently.
As we walked through the door, I heard a whispering voice.
Be weary, child. You must be prepared.
I wanted to ask the voice what I should be preparing for, but as soon as William heard us enter the room, he turned to face us. My heart was pounding in my chest, so loudly I could hardly hear myself think. William began to step towards me, his face already red with anger. I started to take a step back but John stopped me.
A flicker of recognition passed over William's face as his eyes darted between our clasped hands and the rings that adorned our fingers. I could feel my knees getting wobbly the closer William got. William stopped two or three inches before us. He was so angry, I'd swear I could see him slightly shaking.
"Married, then?" William spit. His face twisted into a sneer.
"Take whatever this is outside of my inn," the inn's owner said softly, but firmly. My eyes darted between John and William, who's gazes were locked on one another. I tugged John and nodded towards the door. We turned and left the inn with William on our tail.
I couldn't make it out of that door quick enough. I hated the thought of that evil man behind me. As soon as we were outside, I stepped aside letting William and John stand in front of me. They were both shouting but I could hardly make out what they were saying over the roaring in my ears. I can't go back to that hell hole. I was starting to slowly back away when I heard the voice whisper again.
You will not be harmed, girl. But it is in your best interest to stay where you are.
I froze, heeding the voice's instructions. Remembering the last, and only time, I hadn't listened to the voice's whispers. I almost wound up with a broken arm. So I stayed where I was, my eyes darting back and forth between William and John.
"She's my wife now. I will not allow you to take her." John's voice was rasp from shouting. His chest rose quickly, anger still bubbling inside him.
William's laugh was sinister, laced with evil and ill intent. "You think I mean to take her back after you've defiled her purity?" When William spoke once more, a large group of about ten Peacers emerged from the darkness. "I do not intend to take the whore back. I came to have her shipped off to No Man's Land."
I felt every ounce of blood drain from my face. Netherrealm. Oh Gods… My voice was small, and unsure, when I asked, "What of John?"
William's eyes slowly wandered to me when he unsheathed a sword from his side and drove it through John's chest. I choked on my gasp. John fell to his knees as William pulled his sword from his chest. I blinked rapidly through the tears that were welling up in my eyes. I ran to John and knelt beside him, but he was already gone. The life in his eyes glossed over with death. His beautiful eyes… Now void of life. My body shook with sobs.
I cried over John's body for what felt like an eternity before I was ripped away from him. Too tired to fight, I went along with the Peacers willingly. And when they loaded me up in the back of a carriage, I fell soundly asleep. I didn't wake again until the sun shone in my face and the smell of the salty sea burned my nose.
Two of the Peacers walked me to the loading dock and left me there with a group of others who were undoubtedly meeting my same demise. I wanted to cry, to scream and shout. To claw my way out of these ropes that bound my hands. But I couldn't conjure up a single tear, or any feeling for that matter. I only felt numb.
Look for your brother, the voice whispered in my ear.
I blinked, remembering the message my brother left me under his table. Suddenly, Netherrealm didn't sound too bad. I could face anything as long as I had my brother. As we were loaded up onto the ship, I promised myself I would not fear for my life. I would do whatever I needed to be brave. I would cower. I would do whatever it took to find Archie. If I had to live a life of slavery and misery again, I would at least be doing it with him.
"How long is this journey?" I heard one of the other humans ask quietly. "Two-maybe three days' time," someone answered. They marched us down to the slave quarters and locked us in one cell. I made myself comfortable. It's going to be a long few days. But after maybe one hour, the ship suddenly docked and two crew members came to retrieve us.
Reading the confusion on everyone's face, a crew member said, "Magic."
And as we walked back up to the deck and emerged, we were all in awe of what we saw. Netherrealm was not at all as the stories say. It was not dark and gloomy. And so far, there were no evil winged creatures flying the skies. In fact, besides the colors here being more vivid, it looked a lot like our realm.
The sun was shining, there were birds chirping. The air was… fresh. And when we descended from the ship's ladder, we were greeted kindly upon our arrival.
Do not be deceived by the looks of this place, the voice whispered in my ear. I nodded, for the voice was always right.