Chapter Five:

Daisy

 

I hadn’t even done anything wrong. At least, I don’t think I did. 

After TJ and I split up, he went in the direction west of me. I went the opposite of him and took in the sights of this new country apparently I am from. My own race wasn’t even human, it was Nixian. It changed my whole perspective. Maybe even my personality too. 

Once I was a good distance away from Anika’s shop, I saw the water basin Flynn was talking about. I wasn’t going to wash off the brown hair dye my adopted mother had paid to have done. I was dehydrated. It had been hours since I last had a drop of liquid on my tongue. 

Apparently this masculine guy – assumedly from Wunait – told me I wasn’t using it for its correct purpose. He must know who I am, he must’ve thought I was going to show my natural hair color. And, though I was curious, I wasn’t too eager to embrace my lavender curls. 

Now, he was holding me up like a purse, by the collar of my hoodie. The front tugged against my throat, making it harder to breathe. Bravely, I tried to suck in all the Nixian air I could. I knew it wouldn’t be enough, I could feel my face getting more purple by the second. I wanted to let out, one, juicy cough. But, the man’s grip was so tight, I couldn’t even do that. 

I heard TJ exclaim toward the back of the village. I thought I saw a familiar lilac-headed girl, Jordyn, beside him. I wonder what they were talking about. Now wasn’t the right time to ponder about that though. 

He ran through the small crowd that had gathered close to the castle. The Wunait man had drawn attention to me. All of the villagers looked worried, but they looked like they were also trying to hide that emotion for their own good. Much like how they did earlier. 

TJ reached where I was being almost being choked, almost instantly, he punched the man in his big bicep. Obviously, it didn’t take any damage. This man was way stronger, bigger, and taller than the senior football players. Even though TJ is one of those guys, he was nowhere compared to this man basically holding me captive. 

“Let her go!” He yelled. 

The Wunait man had a deep tone. “This girl broke the rules.”

“All I was doing was getting something to drink.” I choked. 

He pulled me farther to face him. Our eyes met, his pupils stared directly into mine. He whispered, “I know who you are, scum. I know exactly what you were going to do at that water basin.”

“I’m telling the truth!”

Ignoring me, the man turned to TJ, releasing me a bit lower to the ground. “Boy, I would keep your mouth shut. Unless you want to go where she is.”

“I’ll go anywhere with her!” He said. But, quickly, he added, “We’re best friends.”

“Sure! Keep saying that, TJ!” I heard someone from the crowd yell. It sounded like Jordyn. Her voice and sense of sarcasm were obvious. 

TJ groaned. “Take me with her. I can’t stand that Nixie’s personality.”

Obediently, the man picked him up and carried both of us into the castle. The interior was more gothic than I expected. I thought it was going to be colorful, and more importantly, purple. But, since Wunait is in charge, I am sure they are the ones who redecorated. 

On the dark stone walls, flaming torches were hung, keeping the inside lit. There was also a shaggy, velvet carpet, which the man was walking on. He was leaving deep footprints through the material. I couldn’t see much beyond that, it was darker as the hallway continued. 

I didn’t like the dark. I closed my eyes to keep myself calm. 

I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up, TJ and I were sitting on a cold stone floor. Cage was surrounded around us. I gazed across my environment, from the looks, we were in the dungeons of the castle. 

Struck by that realization, I got up to move. But, I was abruptly pulled back by something metal. I heard the clanking of chains as I was pushed onto the freezing ground. 

“We’re handcuffed, Daisy,” TJ muttered. “There’s no way out.”

I looked down and saw a chain and a metal circle around my right wrist. I glanced over at TJ and he had his left. The chain was embedded into the wall. He was right, there was no way out. 

But then, I remembered. My eyes narrowed at him. “You volunteered to come. Don’t be such a downer.”

“I said that because we’re friends, Doc. But, also Jordyn was really getting on my nerves.”

I sighed of frustration. “So, you came down here because she was annoying you?”

He nodded. “But, everything is good now. At least we get to die down here together.”

I scoffed. “Don’t be like that. We’re not going to die down here.”

I hope not. 

In the distance, I heard a faint whistle. Possibly from the Wunait man who locked us down here. Frightened, I backed up into the wall like the coward I am. I don’t know why I thought I could take down Wunait. I was clueless when I said that to TJ. And, I doubt my mother had magic. Magic isn’t real. 

The whistle gets closer, so close that it sounded like it was only inches away from our cell. Then, abruptly, I heard the thuds of bodies falling to the ground. The whistling stopped. Maybe the Wunait guards fell? I also heard the sounds of cries of whoever the person was that caused their pain. 

A couple of steps away, I saw a head of purple hair sticking out in the darkness. She held a huge chain of keys in her left hand. Cockily, she opened the cell door and the hinges creaked when it did. I heard TJ groan when he saw who it was.

“Thanks, Jordyn.” She said. “Thanks for saving our butts, Jordyn.”

Smiling, I replied, “Thank you, Jordyn.”

She turned to TJ, who looked like he was never going to say it. He stared off to the side, zoning out. His green irises shimmered with the little sunlight that peeked through a small crack in the wall. TJ groaned under his breath. “I’m not going to say it, Plum Head.”

Jordyn smirks. “Fine, I’ll just unlock the queen’s handcuff…” She said as she used the key on mine. My wrist felt numb when it was released. She acts like she’s about to throw the keys out of the cell. “And keep you here. Handcuffed to the wall.”

TJ grunts at her blackmail. Very softly, he says, “Thanks, Plum Head.”

Jordyn places her hand around her ear. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear.”

His eyes narrow at her. A bit louder, he said, “Thank you, Plum Head.”

Smiling, she tilts her head to the side. “Lovely. Now, let’s get out of here. Those guards won’t stay unconscious for long.”

After she said that, Jordyn obediently unlocked TJ’s handcuff. He rubbed his wrist once it was free, it must be numb like mine. The two of us sat up and we all exited the dungeons. When I passed the guards Jordyn had taken down, I shivered at the thought of what she did to make them unconscious. But, I shouldn’t be too frightened, she did almost shoot us in the forest not too long ago. 

Jordyn seemed like a trustworthy person, despite her personality. TJ would have to take some time to get used to her. I could already tell he wasn’t too kind toward her. Maybe eventually, they will turn out to be friends. 

Who knows, maybe even more than that?

The thought of that formed an unsettling knot in my stomach. Though, I don’t know why. 

By now, we reached the first floor of the castle. This was where the Wunait man had almost choked me. No, not almost. He did. 

The environment looked the same, besides the new footprints we were making in the carpet. Jordyn’s tiny prints overlapped the man’s huge, ginormous ones. They were at least five times the size. The fire on the torches crackled slightly, giving me an aesthetic feeling. 

Even though the elephant in the room was uncomfortable. 

I was the rightful queen to Niximor, this was something I had only found out hours ago. After sixteen years, now of all times, I figure it out. As much as I wanted to be coronated and rule this country, I felt like an outsider. Even though these are my people. 

But, if I were to be coronated, would I have to choose a king? I hope not. I don’t really want to be in a relationship of any kind. I might just choose TJ for the heck of it. Though, that might make things awkward, he might take it the wrong way. We’re only friends, that’s it. Nothing more. 

I mean, maybe…there might be something there. 

Don’t ponder on it, I tell myself. Get out of these creepy dungeons first. 

“Doc,” I heard TJ say from behind. “We’re almost out. Plum Head over there says she knows a tavern she can take us to.”

My eyes flicker. “A tavern?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I took it by surprise too. There’s none of those back home.”

“O…kay?” Is all I could manage to say. 

Now, the three of us were afoot the big entrance door. Very strongly, Jordyn pushed open the door and looked to her left, then to her right. She then motioned for us to come out. The two of us hesitantly came, and she led us to the tavern. 

We passed Anika’s shop, and surprisingly, she had a long line of customers. Lots of Nixies must want to know their ancestry. Unlike me, who was too scared to even know the truth. 

My eyes gazed over the dozens of other shops and houses, but my pupils stuck to the grand castle. How elegant it looked, even from the outside. And though I wasn’t in there for long, I felt like it was my rightful home. 

“Psst,” Jordyn whispered. “Follow me if you want to blend in.”

TJ stared at her skeptically. “And what, we’re just supposed to listen to you from now on?”

“I saved your butts back there.” She said. “If I didn’t you two would be rotting in that cell for the rest of your lives.”

He scoffs. “You’re just saving us because Daisy is the queen.”

“That’s not true!”

“Say what you want, but nothing will make me believe you.”

Jordyn growls under her breath. “The two of you are basically wanted criminals now. If you want to be a face in the crowd, you are going to have to at least change your hair color.”

I felt as if she was silently telling me to wash off the dye. But, some part of me still wanted to be human, even if that wasn’t my own species. 

TJ folds his arms. “How do you suppose we do that?”

“For Daisy, it will be easy,” Jordyn said. “You, on the other hand, I might just have to throw you into a tub full of Nixian berry liquid.”

He didn’t sense her blunt joke. The two of us knew she actually meant it. 

She checked out the area before she led us to a water basin near a row of houses. Jordyn motioned for me to come near. Obediently, I did. And, unexpectedly, she dunked my head inside of the bowl, shoving water up my nostrils. 

Under the water, for a split second, I saw the brown hair dye mixing into the liquid. It looked more like sewage now. No one would want to drink out of this water. I wouldn’t even. 

Once I came up, I was shocked at how thickly brown the basin now was. The water dripped down the back of my hoodie, soaking the entire back. Even more, I saw some strands of wet curls in my face that weren’t the color I was used to. It was now a light shade of purple. Thistle. As much as I hated to admit it, the look wasn’t bad on me. 

I turned around and saw a shocked TJ behind. Clearing his throat, he said, “I…like your hair.”

Jordyn snorts. “Suck-up.” Her attention shifted to him. “Now, I have some Nixian berries that I can turn into a liquid. I can dye your hair with it once I am finished.”

“How long will that take?”

She chuckles. “Don’t be stupid, Tobias. I have some right here.” Jordyn grabs a thick jar, that surprisingly fit inside her tight skirt pocket. 

Reluctantly, TJ takes it. “Will this infect my scalp?”

“No,” Jordyn said in a know-it-all tone. “Don’t be a cowardice human.”

After a few moments of silence, she comes over and twists off the lid. Jordyn throws it far out, probably in the pathway of the village. She then pours some of the liquid on her hands and begins to rub the substance in TJ’s hair. In less than the second, the color begins to overthrow his auburn hue, which secretly I liked. 

“Don’t Nixies have yellow eyes?” I ask. 

“Yes,” Jordyn says. “But you don’t because your father was…a different race.”

This question hadn’t come to my mind. “Who’s my father?”

“Tobias, you’ll survive just fine in there,” She tells him, changing the subject immediately. 

Not feeling brave enough to ask her again, I obediently follow her and TJ inside of the tavern nearby. The inside was much like the castle, except instead of stone, it was a type of spruce or jungle wood. It was also cozy, the stools were cushioned and everything. 

Jordyn walks in like she owns the place, which is probably true. Once she opened that door, everyone shifted their attention to her and stared. Without a mere glance toward anyone, she continued to walk farther back into the building. When she stopped at a stool, she sat in it and said to the waiter: “Three Nixian drinks. Put it on my tab.”

He nodded and rushed to the back. I sat next to her, and TJ sat beside me. Feeling like an outsider here, I ask, “So, what is a Nixian drink?”

Smiling, she responds, “You’ll find out. Just remember, it’s all about the aftertaste.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

Once the waiter comes back with our beverages, Jordyn hands me mine. She then slides TJ’s down on the other end of the table. Probably on purpose. “Whoops,” She said sarcastically. “Go get it back, won’t you? People are ruthless with their liquids here.”

Angry, he slides out of the stool and stomps over to obtain his drink. Meanwhile, Jordyn tells me to try the beverage, and I do. Once I take the very first sip, I immediately want to spit it out and throw up, even though I hadn’t had a lot to eat. 

“This tastes like fish eyeballs!” I yell. “Why did you make me try this?”

Ignoring my question, she asks, “What does the aftertaste taste like?”

I think for a moment. It wasn’t terrible. In fact, it tasted like my favorite food in the world: Margarita pizza. It seemed impossible But, after all, I am in a different world. 

“I…love it.”

She smirks. “A Nixian drink, when you first take a drink, it tastes awful. The taste is actually-”

“Don’t tell me,” I said. “I don’t want to know.”
Jordyn continues. “After the liquid settles onto your tongue, since there’s like a million tastebuds, it begins to feel like you’ve just eaten your favorite meal.”

TJ returns from taking back his drink on the other side of the table. He stares at me, he must still be getting used to my purple hair. I was too. But, he quickly shifted his eyes to Jordyn with a darkening glare. TJ was not in a good mood to see her. 

Irritated, he takes a sip of the purple beverage. Immediately, he spits it out. “What is this?!”

Jordyn smirks. “A Nixian drink.”

“Well, it sucks!”

She scoffs. “Just pay attention to what it tastes like after.”

TJ rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure.”

Abruptly, the door of the tavern comes knocking down. Three, massive, masculine men stand in the doorway. One of them held up a flyer with my face on it, above, it said: WANTED. 

It made me shudder. 

Jordyn looked over at me. “My queen, we have to get out of here. Now.”