I am dizzy when I wake up.

The noise accosts me first. A cacophony of primal musical instruments playing furiously with no tune or rhythm.

Then comes screams and shouts. Screams of joy.

I feel chains around my wrists but otherwise I am almost naked. A thin, white gown hangs off my shoulders. I was out long enough someone - something - dressed me in this. As my vision adjusts to the darkness and contrasting flickers of fire light, a large room extends in front of me.

My back winces against the stone wall and my legs begged to be streteched out on the dirt floor. But I do not let myself move, I do not want to draw attention. It looks like I am on a raised part of the room. I can smell roasted meats and the sourness of beer. As my eyes focus, I can see on this raised area there is a large chair. In front of that, below the platform, a space so large I can’t see the end of it is filled with tables and feasting creatures.

I notice there are two of these creatures standing beside me. They do not move, so I hope they are unaware I am awake. I calm my aching muscle and try to stay in this position a little longer, so I can take inventory of this space. I can not see any exits from this view. Even if I did, I would not make it far barefoot and clothed like this in the mountains at night.

I must have hit my head hard as it seems so surreal. Likes something out of a dark fairy tale.

The creatures are all very pale and have white hair. I think of Aloysius, but they are different. They look human but their bodies are long and thin. All wearing varying shades of greens and browns. I can not decipher a word from the grotesque song being sung.

I try to feign sleep, but everything aches so bad. As if I have been in this position for a long time. In attempt to stretch out one leg slowly, the guards notice me move immediately. One kicks me in the stomach and I wheeze out a sharp breath. The other then pulls me up by the chains.

Immediately as I get to standing, I fall back down from the dizziness. The one to my left kicks me again. I hardly get to my feet and they pull me forward, half dragged on my knees to the large chair. A throne, of course. I am forced down to the ground and my head pushed into the dirt, as to show reverence for the creature sitting on the thorne.

The guard says something in his surprisingly soothing voice, at contrast with everything else in this place. I peek up to see a flawless version of the creatures around me wearing a crown. He stares down at me in a wicked delight. I try to take in what is around me from this new view. What I can use to fight with or how to get out. To what end though? I fight with words not objects.

The king, I suppose, steps forward. Taking my chains, he pulls me onto the throne. He softly speaks to me in a language I can not understand. I am so close to him I feel his breath on me. He lets his eyes wander down my body then tips his head back in a deep laugh. Thrusting me back into the throne, he gets up to address the crowd. I collapse even further into the chair as I am so dizzy, so nauseous. The fear inside me is trying to get me to move away from here, but I can not listen.

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The room hushes as the music stops. Obviously, I am the entertainment tonight in some form or other. The king throws back a hand, gesturing towards me as he speaks. The creatures cheer. His speech is over as quick as it started and he turns and saunters back towards me. Malicious intent in those eyes as he takes in my body. I’ve seen that look in bars before. My mind screams at me to move but my body can not.

The roar of the party does not resume as the cheers die. In fact, the room is completely silent. I can see heads turning towards the far end of the room but can not see what they are looking at. The king elf gives this no attention, as this is all part of a plan. I don’t know what is happening but I just assume I’m going to die. It would align with the fable the waiter told us. That the elves - alps - need human sacrifice in the winter.

Doors I can not see but can hear, fly open. The crowd gasps. Guards start moving in that direction and the king spins around. This is not part of his plan. I can see a dark figure storming in. Whomever this shadow belongs to, they are pissed. Pushing aside guards as if they could do no harm. Before the figure can be revealed by firelight, I know who it is. I feel the dark cold of a snowstorm.

There is my Christmas tree farmer in his dark form- fur cloak, horns, and claws. Black eyes boring into the king from across the room.

His eyes soften and then look horrified as he focuses on me for a second. He knew I was here but my state must be a shock to him. I am lounging in a throne wearing something that hardly passes as clothes. Likely look like a simpering courtesan. I hope he does not think I intended to get myself in this position.

None of the guards dare to move. He speaks with the rumbling voice that I remember from last night, but in the language of the elves. The king turns back towards me. Gone is his look of invincibility.

But as my gaze turns towards Remme, pleading, it tells the king he might have an advantage here. He sets his shoulders back and swaggers walk towards Remme, taunting.

My body starts moving without any thought. As all attention is on the two men, I silently move towards the wall into a shadow.

Remme’s first attempt is to be diplomatic, as his voice conveys a serious tone. With no concern for me, or rather giving no attention to me. I move slowly along the wall towards where I can see a dark tunnel. Hopefully a way out.

The king just laughs. They both stare silently at each other. I can’t move closer to the door without attracting attention at this point. There is a group of elves right near it, unsure if they should stay and watch or flee.

The king says something that makes Remme growl. A deep, horrible sound. I feel the coldness that made me nauseous during the parade, as does the rest of the room. Maybe he is not the respectable Christmas tree farmer he pretends to be. At this, the guards move closer towards their king, blades drawn. After a minute of intense stares, the king draws a sword and chaos breaks loose.

All the elves started circling their king He signals for them to back down. I grab two dinner knives off the table nearest me during this commotion, and move swiftly towards the unguarded door.

Not swift or silent enough though. Some of the elves notice me and grab the chains around my wrist, pulling me back. I stab them with the knives and they scream. This just draws more attention to me, and I am suddenly on the floor under the weight of an elf.

I can not see what was going on on the other side of the grand room, but I hear the hall erupting into a cheer. A blast of snow and a body slamming. Then the sound of many weapons being drawn and clanging. I maneuver my arms out from under me and stab the ankle of the elf sitting on me. It jumps up in a start and another one kicks me in the side hard. I keep slashing with the dinner knives until they step on my hands and reflexively, I drop the knives. Pain screams through my hands.

As suddenly as it began, the room became silent again.