Bound in Spirals Ch. 13

"Well they have been building it for nearly 80 years. The war stopped production for a time, and most of those men who would've be working on the wall were killed as well. So it has apparently begun again, though I imagine much more slowly."

"I see... What are these plants growing here?" Sam asked, looking around at the dark green leaves resting just above the ground.

"Hm?" Dettella glanced down at the crop, then looked back up at him with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile. He shrugged in response. "These are fentil plants, you used them in that soup you made. Speaking of which, I'd like it if you cooked for me again, that soup was very unique and tasted as good as any dish I've had. I can only imagine it would taste even better if you had higher quality ingredients."

Sam nodded. "Sure I can do that," He said, finding himself smiling at the prospect. 'Fentil... Fentil...' He tried to remember where he'd heard the name. 'That's the name of that weird yellow rectangle root thing, I think... Isn't it? Gah! I feel like I'm trying to remember things that happened years ago.' He frowned and shook his head in frustration.

"Is something wrong?" Dettella asked, looking at him with concern.

"Ah, no I was just trying to remember something."

She nodded slowly and looked back toward the city as the carriage began to move faster. The four queen's guardsmen formed a square around the carriage, their lumbering hoshind keeping pace easily with the winnem. The creatures wore some dark chainmail and green armor to match their riders. On their sides, the beasts bore a crest depicting a hoshind and wyvern roaring at each other. It was identical to the carving on the massive doors they'd just passed through.

"What does that insignia mean?" Sam asked Dettella, gesturing to the piece of circular fabric fluttering as the wind caressed it.

"That's the queen's coat of arms." She replied simply.

'I was sorta hoping for an explanation of the symbolism or something... Perhaps she doesn't know. No, I doubt that. I'll just ask again later, it'd be awkward to ask again now.' Sam thought, and before he knew it they were at the gate into the city. He blinked and stared uncomprehendingly at the crossed steel bars of the rising portcullis. 'Wha...?! How did we move so quickly?'

"Ouch! Samson, are you alright?" Dettella asked, and he realized he was gripping her hand too tightly.

"Ah, s-sorry. I, uh, I sort of had a weird blank moment there..." He said, releasing her hand. "I didn't mean to squeeze your hand like that, sorry."

"It's fine, you don't need to apologize so much." She said with a soft laugh. Her bright smile relieved him of the sudden worry he'd been feeling. "I'm feeling excited to meet with the queen. I haven't been able to use my training for negotiation and debate in a while, I'd forgotten how much I miss it."

"I think it would be better if we got through it without complications..." Sam replied, thinking about Theodore who was still in the carriage. "Even if I'm punished, I would be fine with it as long as Theo gets healed up."

"You should not think like that," She said, turning quickly toward him. "Your self-sacrifice is unnecessary, and you shouldn't even consider it until it is the last option available."

He looked at her blankly for a moment, surprised at her sudden vehemence. "S-Sorry," He stuttered out rapidly. "I, ah, I didn't realize you had such a passionate opinion on that sort of thing..."

Dettella blinked. "I didn't realize it either... I guess I've never really thought about it." She frowned, then muttered, "What kind of person am I becoming...?" The way she said it didn't communicate negativity, but more of an uncertain curiosity.

He looked at her hesitantly and said, "Is it a problem?"

She rubbed her chin slowly. "No... I'm just wondering where that outburst came from, I feel that I'm not one to escalate quickly, normally that is." For a moment, she just stared at her dress clad legs thoughtfully. Then, she spoke softly as if thinking aloud. "Mm... Yes, I suppose that could be it. I think I would be more indifferent of it in that scenario. I wonder—"

Dettella cut off as the carriage began moving again. She looked back up and shook her head. They passed under the gate, and Sam got his first glimpse of the city. The same reddish-brown road led straight on, all the way to the looming tower in the distance. On either side of the road, wooden cabins and small houses were lined, most of which seemed to be stores of one type or another. There were shops of every kind and many food vendors selling strange fare to lines of customers in dusty brown clothes.

As they road past, many of the elves turned and stared. Many wore looks of hardly concealed hatred or revulsion, but what surprised Sam was the amount who looked interested, some even looked excited at their appearance. Children jumped and waved frantically as they passed, and even a few adults called greetings or welcomes. Dettella took it all in stride, waving happily as they passed.

Sam felt like he should do the same, or something similar at least, but he just stared. He took in every face, every expression, and tried to form some sort of comprehension of the sight before him. He suddenly realized that after having been kidnapped, verbally spat upon, and attacked, he had begun to fear these elves.

Somewhere in his whirling thoughts, he knew he shouldn't be all that surprised at their behavior. After all, Giela was from this city and she was very kind. It's not as if her attitude towards humans could have come from thin air, obviously there would be more elves like her. Yet he could not calm the rising tide within him of something akin to claustrophobia. It was nearly on the level of the panic he felt when alone in a room with his half-sister, Madeline.

He realized distantly that his breathing was becoming ragged and he attempted to slow it down. Then a wave of pain hit him like a wave crashing on his back. The indescribable pain of the skin and muscle at his belly tearing, then more muscle tearing and his spine straining, and finally the terrible crack as it was ripped apart viciously. The feeling of his body being tossed aside like so much trash, the only thing connecting the two pieces of himself being his intestines.

Sam clutched his gut which was still perfectly intact, and let out a sound which was half whimper, half grunt. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he relived that experience of brutal death. He leaned over the side of the carriage and coughed and gagged, saliva dripping from his open mouth like he needed to vomit. He felt a hand on his back and trembled at the warm touch. The sounds of Dettella's words reached his ears, but did not register in his brain.

'Sam, you're fine.' He told himself. 'Giela is kind, and you don't fear her. Frinala seems to be on a path to being more accepting too. Vielchena, she sees you as some sort of master now, so she's alright. What about them? You don't feel afraid around them.'

Another part of himself said, 'Yeah, Janine was nice too, but that didn't stop her from standing by as you were molested and violated by Madeline.'

The other part replied, 'But she protected you from her that time!'

'Yeah, after what, three? Four years?' His other side said with disdain.

'She must have not realized what was happening until then!' He said.

'Bullshit. She was in the very next room, even a moron would have figured it out before then. She just ignored it. Just like she ignored all those times Britney beat us right out in the living room. Fuck off with your crappy excuses.'

'Why? Why is this happening?' Sam thought, witnessing the argument occurring in his mind. 'I was fine earlier, so why is this happening? I stood up to that elf earlier when she tried to step on me, so why do I feel so much fear now? Why am I still having this hallucination after the haze was lifted from my mind?'

'Buddy, you thought insanity just up and walks away when we admit you're not right in the head? We're still just as delusional as before.' He replied. 'But that's our charm right? My naiveté? Ha!'

Sam felt his hand grip Dettella's as she pulled open his tense fist and slid her fingers between his.

'I'm not naive!' He continued, laughing internally. 'We're just lying to myself! What the fuck is wrong with me?! HAHA!'

'Why now? I don't even fear them.' Sam said, his tone half questioning.

'What are we doing? Trying to rationalize this?' His other self chuckled mockingly. 'Man, I really am illogical at times. What about insanity do you not understand? Rationalizing insanity is like trying to teach a swim to bird!'

'That doesn't make any sense!' He replied frantically, suddenly fearing he would be trapped in his own mind like this forever.

'Exactly! I knew we had some brain somewhere around here. Now can we quit this foolishness? We're supposed to be taking in the sights!'

'What? Can I stop it so simply?' Sam asked, desperate to be released from the nonsensical torment. 'The elves, the elves! They're everywhere! I can't I can't, no no, I can't I can't! They'll rip me apart! Break me again!'

'Idiot, of course you can stop it!' He answered with another laugh, which noticeably more mad. 'Just turn around.'

Sam hesitated for a moment. Then he listened to Sam, and turned. Finally, blue met green.

———

Dettella couldn't understand what had caused Sam's sudden odd behavior. She tried getting him to turn toward her, to talk to her, but he wouldn't budge. He didn't respond to her words at all. 'Is this his madness returning already?' She wondered and felt relieved when no joy arose at the prospect. 'Blight me! What do I do? Am I freezing up again? I can't do anything! I'm a charlatan, I'm just a fool playing at being intelligent! I know nothing of treating insanity!'

The panic surfaced, and she found that she couldn't move. 'It's just like before! I'm an incompetent, naive girl who can't help one man, let alone her own country.' The thoughts all raced through her mind in the blink of an eye. 'What am I doing? I should have never fled Crestell. I left my people to suffer at the hands of Tenall, simply because I am too cowardly to face my own sister. And now what? I sit here, unable to act. Unable to act when my man is losing his mind.'

The princess, the naive girl, looked at the madman's hand as it clutched for anything to brace against. 'I'm no more than a child. A child with a lot of meaningless knowledge in her head. All I know of the world is from the infrequent excursions I was allowed in my last two years, and that which I read in books. Blighted books, that's all I know! Books, books, books. That's all I cared about for so many years, and I fancied myself some sort of realist. Why did I ever think life was so simple?'

She felt like crying her frustration out, but seeing Sam's hunched back, his searching hand, she found she couldn't let herself do it. Instead of letting herself succumb to self-pity, she reached out her hand and slipped it into his. His hand gripped hers like he was clinging to the edge of a cliff, about to fall. His, cold and clammy, dwarfed hers and she entwined her fingers in his. His grip hurt her hand but she bore it without complaint this time.

The pain seemed to somehow clear her mind. 'What caused him to act like this?' She asked herself, looking at their surroundings for something. 'Ever since he returned from the forest he has been different, but he looked sane enough earlier... He's had a few odd moments where he stares into the distance, but I just thought he was thinking about something. Could that be something else?' All of these thoughts passed in a second as she took in the passing buildings and people on the streets.

The buildings, much like in Crestell, were becoming taller and more diverse in design the closer they came to the center. Intricately carved woods of various shades and textures were used to complement each other magnificently. Even the people were more fancifully dressed in their elaborately woven, vibrant dresses. All their expressions of respect and joy were tinged with a splash of confusion.

Then, Sam suddenly turned to her. His icy blue gaze met hers and she sucked in a breath. The wild look of panic in his expressive eyes was enough to send a shiver down her spine, and it nearly sent her back down the same spiral. His eyes seemed to shake and several muscles in his face twitched rapidly. Dettella tried to think of something to say, something to ease his unstable mind. Then she remembered what had seemed to help before.

She slid closer to him, reached an arm behind his head and pulled him into a kiss. It was shaky, awkward and a bit too wet for her taste, but she held his lips to hers tightly nevertheless. On the sides of the road, elves whooped, clapped and whistled. They were riding closer and closer to the great Tower of Eifren and no matter what race, nobles always like a good royal romance. Eventually, Sam pulled away and threw up bile over to the side of the carriage.

He turned back, grimacing and wiping his mouth with the cuff of his fine coat. "That... I didn't do that because of you." He said quietly.

Dettella chuckled softly. "I would hope not," She said. "I must say, it seems like most of our kisses occur whenever you break down like that. I think it would be healthier for both of us to try to do that more than just when it's useful as a 'kiss of life', so to speak."

Sam's face was a sickly pale still, and although his eyes no longer displayed the madness so prominently, they were quite hollow. He tried to laugh with her, but it was clearly forced. "I'm becoming weary of all of this fear, all of this pain." He whispered to her, nearly inaudible over the wind. He lifted his right hand to observe its trembling. "Sometimes I feel like a broken mirror, barely held together by it's thin frame. Do you understand that?"

Despite no longer being in one of his 'breakdowns', as Dettella was beginning to think of these moments, Sam seemed to be in a sort of fragile state of mind. This had happened before too. "No... I cannot claim to understand." She replied, quickly adopting his grim mood.

He nodded. "I suppose you wouldn't..." Then he asked, "Do you really like me, Dettella?"

It took her completely by surprise. "Wha-What do you mean?" She asked, trying to give herself some time to process it.

"Do you truly, as you say, 'fancy' me?" He said, turning to look straight ahead now. "Sometimes I wonder. Due to the way you look at me sometimes. Like something interesting, rather than someone you are fond of."

Dettella felt that if she were to say no that it might destroy him, and a very sinister part of her curiosity wondered what that would be like. 'No. For as long as I live, I will never let that happen. My curiosity will not master me any longer.' She thought. So, she just told him the truth. "I do like you Sam. I do fancy you. For a short time I questioned it, but I realized it was just my guilt at being overly curious about some... dark things. Many times my curiosity has dominated me in the past, so that is probably what you saw, but I promise that I do have feelings for you."

Sam let out a relieved sigh and began to massage his hands in his lap. "It is... reassuring to hear that." He said, smiling very faintly. "I have worried about it a bit for a little while. In return, I'll tell you something. Though I'm fairly certain you've already figured out what it is."

Dettella stiffened looking intently at the profile of Sam's face. Her curiosity was strong, but she resisted it enough to let him tell her in his own way. A moment later, he continued. "I am not from this world, I am an 'other' as the people here tend to call it. I'd guess it was pretty obvious with my obvious nescience of many things that are probably fairly standard knowledge here."

'It is true! Ah, I have so much to ask! No no, now isn't the time.' Dettella nodded and her eyes were focused on her hands, now grasping her knees through her dress. She looked back up and met his eyes as he turned toward her. "You're right that I guessed it already," She said, "but it warms me inside that you trusted me enough to tell me of your own accord."

He smiled slightly again. "There's much more that I'd like to tell you, but we don't have the time right now. Perhaps after we've been situated here. I'll put my trust in these negotiation abilities you're so proud of, so once it's done and Theo is getting healed, we will talk about more of my secrets."

"I will succeed, one way or another. I promise." She replied, feeling the rising anticipation once again.

Sam turned his gaze back forward, and she followed suit. That was when she realized how close they were to the tower now. Less than a hundred feet ahead stood the tall, crenelated, elnelwood castle surrounding the base of the Tower of Eifren. The tower and castle were a matching dark, pastel blue. Even from a distance, Dettella could see the intricate carvings scaling the tower, and she wondered how long such a masterpiece must have taken to create.

She shuddered in excitement as they neared the castle gate. Much like the great outer wall, the double doored entrance had the queen's seal carved in the heavy wood. She glanced at Sam again and marveled at the utter indifference in his expression as he looked upon the magnificence of the tower. 'He looks so... unimpressed? How strange. Perhaps that's just because he is still melancholy after the breakdown.'

Dettella took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the test ahead. Darrel caught her eye as he sped up to ride ahead of them. He nodded to her and seemed to be trying to communicate something with his eyes, glancing at Sam then back at her. She didn't know exactly what he was asking, but she nodded reassuringly to him. The carriage began to slow as they reached the gate, and the queen's guard stopped with them.

Each of the four guards pulled out a small flag, all a different color. They waved them, and a moment later the gates began to open inward. The carriage moved forth once again, and they were inside the castle grounds.

'We made it.' Dettella thought, and smiled.

———

Sam looked around himself, trying to figure out where he was. 'What? How did I get here? I was just in the carriage and now?' His eyes rapidly scanned his surroundings, taking in every face in the crowd of elves. He was standing in a stadium. The open roof revealed a night sky. 'Why am I in an arena?'

Then he realized that he was standing almost directly in the center. He was standing on a firmly cushioned mat of some sort. 'I'm not a spectator then...' He thought, looking down at himself. He had a pair of dark blue pants on, no shoes, and was bare-chested. Then he saw more movement on the mat. It was a short man. No, an elf. He was clad in dark red pants, matching Sam's blue ones.

The short man had dark red hair and skin of a smoky tan color. He was dense with muscle and had a glazed over look in his eye, like he'd had one too many concussions. His nose had clearly been broken more than once as well. It added a certain twisted ugliness to what would've been an 'average joe' sort of face. Even with that nose though, the elf might have pulled off some form of normal if not for the missing eyebrows.

"What is going on...?" Sam muttered, looking around bewildered. He clenched his fists, feeling the gauzy cloth wrapped around them. As he turned about, he caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Dettella was high up on a balcony, waving down at him excitedly. No... Not excited, more like anxious. Standing to her right was Giela, and to her left stood another elf who Sam recognized as the queen. "Wait, the queen? I haven't even met her yet! Seriously, what the fuck is going on...?"