"You think that's me?" I finally managed to get out. Azer looked confused and the group stared intently at him.
"It has been foretold, and with Yule so close at hand it only makes sense. You are the Cinnamon, who will free this land," the lion said. I was flustered and kept looking around.
"No, but- I can't possibly do that! I wouldn't know how and Cinnamon isn't even my real name, it's-"
"Halt! Show yourself!"
Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound. The guards were pointing their weapons into the dark, where a small outline of a creature could be seen.
"Woah, woah! Hold your horses!" came a voice that I instantly recognized. The centaur snorted in anger and raised his spear higher. "I don't want trouble, I'm just lookin' for someone."
"Hizi, what are you doing here?" I asked and the guards looked back at me. Hizi smiled as he stepped into the circle of light.
"I promised the Witch I'd protect you, din't I? I'm just glad someone found you before that bloody squirrel lead you straight into the swamps, because let me tell you, those spirits ain't nice and they-" He trailed off when he saw Azer standing behind me. "Oh," he continued. "You must be the freedom fighters. Well that's nice and all. If they've taken a shine on you I suppose you just might be the one in the prophecies."
"You knew about that?" I asked and Hizi shrugged.
"Of course, everyone does. Very bad poetry, if you ask me, but it's generally wise to take note of game changin' prophecies."
"And Folius knows as well," Azer said. "So I believe it wise if you try to lay low and not tell anyone your name until you know they can be trusted. I hope the news of your arrival haven't spread very far." He gestured at the one who had been in charge of the group that brought me in and he saluted. "You must be tired. Pessi will show you to an empty tent. The goblin stays here, I need to make sure he can be trusted." Hizi looked up at me and then back at the lion, his eyes wide. I didn't stay to find out how Azer determined his trustworthiness as Pessi gestured me to follow him and we walked between the trees into the darkness.
~x~
We weren't in the darkness for long. We arrived in front of two trees, leaning into each other in an unfinished A, where Pessi stopped and whispered a word I didn't catch. The air seemed to shift, somehow, and when we walked under the trees the whole scenery changed. We were in a clearing with rows and rows of tents and I just stood there, mouth agape.
"But-" I said and Pessi turned to look back at me. "How?"
"Faerie magic," he said, as if that explained everything. Although I suppose it did, because hey!, magic. We walked along the corridors of tents until he stopped in front of one and pulled the door open for me to get in. It wasn't all that big, with room for three or four people, a lot of fur and blankets and pillows, and a clay plate with three thick candles in the middle.
"You will need a hat," Pessi said suddenly. "And some new clothes. You stick out like a sore thumb in what ever that is you are wearing." I looked down at my clothes. Jeans and a black t-shirt with a big purple eye in the middle. Yeah, I needed to change.
"I get the clothes, but why do I need a hat?" I asked. Pain flashed in Pessi's expression.
"Because of your hair. Ever since the prophecy was made, Folius has been obsessed with getting rid of everything that has to do with cinnamon. We've all lost friends to his madness." His voice was small and sad, but then he shook his head and his expression turned determined again. "I'll go see if I can find you something to wear," he said and turned to leave
"No, wait," I splurted out and he stopped looking surprised. "Maybe... Stay? For a while. I just have so much I still don't understand and I really don't want to be alone right now." He blinked a few times before huffing and smiling. He sat down in front of the plate of candles and started to try lighting them with what I presumed to be a tinderbox. I sat down across from him while digging the canvas bag for my coat pocket and pulling out my lighter. Pessi looked up at me curiously as I reached across and his eyes widened in surprise as I lit the candles with the lighter.
"Woah," he said and I smiled as I put the lighter away again.
"So, um," I started, not really knowing how to be polite about this. Pessi tilted his head. "Are you like a... A troll? Or something?"
"Oh," he said, like he hadn't expected that. "Yes, but you should know that there are several kinds of trolls. The mountain trolls and the forest trolls and meadow trolls and so on. So not all trolls are quite the same." He shrugged. "Kinda like not all elves are the same, and not all fae. But yeah, I'm a troll. Specifically a menninkaenen or a, uh, hobgoblin."
I nodded. It was all still confusing, but getting to know a little about the creatures here helped me sort out my thoughts.
"And your freedom fighters want to get rid of the elf prince? Why would you care? Don't you have a troll prince?" Pessi snickered, though I didn't know what he found so funny.
"Yes, there is a troll prince. There is also a troll king, and the mountain trolls have their own king, but we are all subjects to the Queen, for she has great power at her command," he explained.
"But Folius's is greater." I said. Pessi nodded.
"He is a high elf. He already has great to power within himself, and added to that of the Queens's... He terrorizes everyone, regardless of race and class. Most are too scared to too anything, but our group will no longer put up with the way he treats his subjects."
"Is that why you fight?" I asked. Pessi looked embarrassed.
"Well, that's, uh, basically the reason," he said, scratching his neck. His ears were flushed.
"Is there... Is there someone you like?" He ran his hand through his hair.
"Is it that obvious?" he asked and I nodded. A small smile was playing at his lips. "Ah, it's embarrassing, really. There's this sunbeam..."
"A what?"
"Oh, they're fae. They are creatures of light magic and in charge of the sun, making sure it rises and sets on time and all that. And their Queen and our Queen and the Queen of Moons were all in really good terms but Folius messed that right up. And now he has everyone hostage and sunbeams don't know what to do but their jobs. You know, trolls aren't really supposed to go out in the sun, it makes us slow and weak and give us a bit of a rash really. Mountain trolls can even turn to stone, or so I've heard. And if the light is too intense, it can burn our eyes out.
"But this one night I was up really early, before the sun had set properly and I met one of them. The last one, the youngest. And the beauty, oh, the radiance. He smiled at me, and everything about him was perfect, and I fell in love instantly. We talked for a bit, about the situation with the Queen and I promised I would do everything in my power to help the fae. But then the sun set and, well... I'm a man of my word, and so I joined the Freedom Fighters. And now you are here and the hopes are high. The day of change is near."
He sounded so excited, and that made me feel terrible. These people were putting their hopes on me, but what could I do? I didn't know anything about this world or leading an guerrilla army or revolution. I had seen Les Mis, but they hadn't really been all that successful! Hizi came in soon after that, looking shaken up and when I asked what had happened, he shuddered and said "Faerie magic" as if that explained everything. Although I suppose it did, and I really didn't want to know. Pessi left and I went to sleep, feeling even more overwhelmed than I had before.
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I wrote this thing for almost three hours so you better appreciate it! I don't know how the rules apply, since I really started writing this at ten on the right day, but it's like ten to one right now. Your call, I guess.
Yay, more characters and dialogue. I had a big sob story about Pessi's big brother having a cinnamon coat and getting killed and their father going to the palace with an army, effectively wiping off most of their species, but that seemed kinda harsh. And cliche. And besides, I've been working on a sunbeam and the troll inspired thingie for a while now so yay, a place to put that in. Also, you don't get rid of Hizi that easy, hahahahahaha.
Your topic for
Pie out.
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