The Fae Princess

 I followed him upstream until we reached a cave. The mouth of the cave looked terrifying. Like a monster with jagged teeth ready to swallow us whole.

 "Do you trust me?" Nymbus offered me a hand after seeing my nervousness. Do I trust him? With my life? I have lived in his home for nearly two months and even though he was gone for a lot of it, he never steered me wrong. He warned me about how dangerous it was to wander the woods alone and unarmed. I studied his hand. I can't be afraid forever. I have to take a leap. I took his hand.

 "Yes. I trust you." I breathed. His hand was soft and warm unlike my cold, callused hand. Seeming happy with my answer, he stepped into the darkness of the cave. I followed close behind him, squinting to see. A white light appeared seconds later, nearly blinding me. I realized that the light came from Nymbus's free hand. It lit up the immediate area so that I could see where I stepped as we walked next to the flow of water. When I realized that I felt warm against the cool air, I realized that I was pressed up against Nymbus. I had my free hand on his arm. My heart pounded in my chest as we went along. I only felt a little ashamed to be using him to feel safe. After a few minutes, we stopped. The sound of rushing water was so much louder, but I couldn't see why. 

 "What are we doing?" I nearly whispered. 

 "Just watch." He closed his hand with the light, the darkness encasing us. I felt like the darkness was so thick and heavy that I couldn't breathe. My hands tightened. Slowly, something began to glow. I looked at it to see purple crystals across the creek. Others began to glow and my eyes adjusted. We were in a large cavern with a lake in the middle and a waterfall feeding into it. I felt my breath catch as I looked at the blue, pink, and purple crystals and how it lit up the area. They were everywhere. On the ground, on the walls and ceiling, even in the water. Hesitantly, I released Nymbus and stepped further into the cavern. 

 "Everything about this world is so… beautiful." I spoke quietly. 

 "It is now." Nymbus responded so quietly that I nearly missed it. Heat entered my face as I walked further. I peered into the water, able to make out the crystals and underwater stalagmites. There were dark patches, but I was okay with that. I was feeling brave.

 "I'd like that swim now." I smiled up at him. I stood and began to pull off my sunset colored gown, exposing my underthings. A silk bra and shorts. I didn't have small breasts, so my bra was full. Before I could become embarrassed, I casted my gown aside and dove into the water. It was colder than I expected and when I surfaced, I threw my head back and gasped. It was like having ice pressed up to every part of my body. A shiver gave me away as I treaded the water. Nymbus pulled his tunic and pants off along with his boots, showing a pair of boxer-like shorts. My eyes studied the cords of muscle that traveled from his shoulders and arms down to his torso and legs. I looked away before he finished undressing. My face was the only warm part of my body and despite being in water, my mouth was dry. I looked at him again once he was swimming towards me. I breathed heavily, trying to stay warm against the cold water.

 "Tell me." I shivered. "What am I?" His golden eyes found me.

 "You're a hybrid. Very dangerous, very illegal. That is why you were hidden in the human world." He explained. It almost upset me how unaffected by the cold water that he was. 

 "You don't seem afraid." I almost dipped back under the water, my body threatening to freeze. He swam closer and I backed away.

 "I'm not." He seemed to note my actions. Or rather he was noting the scars on my body. "Why are you afraid to let me come close to you?" I became quiet. I was afraid of him. Of my growing feelings for him and what it could mean. Recently I've realized that I liked him. Maybe even crushed on him, but I was afraid that he could hurt me like my other lovers. He moved closer, but I didn't move this time. He did something that I didn't expect. He placed a hand on my belly, the other on my side. The warmth of his touch blocked out the cold completely. 

 "These aren't your only scars, are they?" His voice was soft. Caring. Tears pricked at my eyes, somehow suddenly emotional. I wanted to break down and tell him all of the things that had happened to me. Why? "Nimre, I promise you that I will never add to your scars on any level. You're always safe with me." I clenched my jaw. My emotions seemed to take over, reacting in a way that would've taken me months to work up to. I placed my arms around his neck, my cold body pressing against his warm body. One leg was straight down while the other was hitched up at his side. He placed a hand on my back, hugging me close while treading the water. This moment was happy. Blissful. I felt accepted. 

 "Come. You're freezing." He released me, swimming for the shore. I stopped when he got to the shore, feeling something. It was like an alarm was going off in my head. The water seemed to tremble around me. "Nimre?"

 "Some-!" Something latched around my ankle, pulling me under the water quickly. I clawed at the cold liquid as I was pulled deeper and deeper. I choked, my lungs already begging for air. The further I went, the darker it got. Panic set into me. I was going to die. I thrashed under the water, kicking at the thing around my ankle. Once I could no longer see around me and only the tiny bit of light above me, I stopped. The pain in my ankle intensified and I swore that I could hear distorted laughter all around me. I treaded the water, looking around. I couldn't swim up because whatever held my ankle held me in place. I choked again, something brushing my arm. No. No. I can't die here. Things are good. Too good to let go of. Something rammed into me, pain clawing through my side and ankle. Hands grabbed me moments later. Cold, hard hands that gripped me with a bruising force. NO! It felt like a shockwave burst out from me. Light appeared in a ball around me, red, orange, and blue. It was hot as it expanded out from me quickly. The hands on me and the grip around my ankle disappeared, replaced with screeching. My vision blackened and my body threatened to inhale. I floated in the water, every muscle, every nerve burning. Above me through the dim lighting, I could see someone swimming towards me. Someone. Nymbus. But he was too late. My eyes closed as my body inhaled. Cold rushed into my lungs, spreading down my arms and legs. In my mind, I pictured Nymbus, Madeline, and Lyren. My new family that accepted me for who I was. Not who I could be.