Solstice

My body feels heavy, like lead, my mouth dry and when I open my eyes, everything is suddenly too bright. I lifted my hand to my eyes, feeling my body suddenly spilling over and I fought to catch myself, hands pulling me backwards instead. When I finally open my eyes, it's almost noon, and I'm strapped to a chair, a cream-colored lace grown attached to my person while women placed the remaining decorations in my hair. My feet are bare, my shoes confiscated and if I run away by some weird chance, I wouldn't be able to get far. Flower petals and blossoms line the way to some final destination, children running around happily as if sealing my fate with a monster was a royal decree.

Eventually someone releases the bands that keep my body and feet hostage and I hold onto the chair, standing up.

"How was your sleep?" Ragna asks, his unexpected presence making me jump.

"What did you do to me?"

"Nothing that you didn't cause on yourself, " He says looking me over. His eyes slid down my body