House Of Madness

Chapter 2 We're All Mad Here

Ivy didn't like the thought of never seeing sunshine again.
They wasn't much to live for in SkyWood but having the feeling of sunlight on your face was something.
If not a slight encouragement to keep going.
If it wasn't for the little things like sunshine and rain Ivy along with many other people would have tried and succeeded to kill themselves long ago.

The officer put Ivy down not one second later did she run.
The fae officer gave a disapproving grunt and caught up to Ivy instantly, before she took more than two steps he grabbed her arm.
Ivy knew where she was going, than again so did every human.
Every human young and old knew what happens to those who are taken by a fae officer. If you are of age, (older than eighteen) you receive a trial within the week of being in fae custody.
When you are found guilty, (no human has every been found innocent after conviction), you are than given a date for your public execution.
Human children were hardly ever imprisoned. Not because fae officers had a soft spot for children but instead because there were hardly any human children left, especially in SkyWood.
SkyWood was one of, if not the poorest country.
No place for anybody to live least of all children not to mention the crime rate was astronomical.
Children more times than not just ended up dead for no rhyme or reason.
Which begged the question what would happen to Ivy until she turned eighteen?

Ivy didn't like the idea of rotting in a cell for the next seven years waiting for her execution. Worse, being tortured by fae in a mostly fae prison wasn't exactly high on her priority list. 'At least it was a change of scenery', for someone so suicidal Ivy could act as an optimist at whim.
After what felt like forever Ivy and her escort (the officer that pulled her from Nivens) finally arrived at a magnificent mansion.
Ivy was more than confused, she was expecting to go to the old SkyWood jail; not some palace. Ivy wanted to ask a question, many questions and demand answers but she had kept her mouth shut.
In truth, she had been too afraid to ask on the walk thus far and that fear was still there.
Ivy pretended she didn't care, what's the point? She's just a foolish child who stole, now she had to live with the consequences.
She has no control over what was going to happened now.
"Hurry up", Ivy didn't particularly like being told what to do.
Ivy felt a twinge of sadness, with two older brothers Ivy found herself reminded at the command of the escort how they used to boss her around.
Except her brothers were great, more than great and long dead.
While this fae escort was very much alive and probably leading her to a fate worse than death.
It was hard for Ivy to keep upright, her legs felt like jello with every step she took closer to her fate.
Before she knew it, Ivy found herself standing at the front of the palace with her escort.
He opened the door and with his free hand the one not holding Ivy and ushered for her to go in first.
Ivy should have been suspicious but once again, her curiosity had gotten the best of her.
Gold. Everything was golden, including the smooth floor.
Ivy couldn't believe what she was seeing!
She didn't trust her eyes at first, surely this was fae glamour at it's finest.
"Hurry up! I won't ask again! Next time I'll hit yeah!"
Ivy ignored his threat, after all in her mind he was her escort, her equal not a wicked fae man leading her to wherever dire place she was undoubtedly heading.
She let him lead her with now both his hand firmly on her.
A lot of walking later they were heading down stairs than more stairs.
The gold had vanished and in its wake was stone.
So many stairs! It felt like hours to Ivy but probably more like mere minutes and Ivy knew they had read reached the desired destination.
She knew because the air was suddenly sharp with cold, stunk of sulphur and willowy with despair.
The moaning, however was by far the most awful.
"Welcome to the House Of Madness.
This is your new home until your eighteenth birthday."
Ivy could only see dark as her escort lead her into a definite cell.
To Ivy's surprise, her escort didn't leave right away.
He took a moment and look at her.
Examining her with his cold fiery fae eyes.
Almost like he recognized her.
Ivy could feel his presence close even after his eyes left hers.
She thought he was either waiting for a thank you, which was beyond ridiculous or waiting for her to ask his name.
Which Ivy had also no intention of doing simply because she didn't care what his name was.
Her escort cleared his throat and in a stiff voice said, "try not to get yourself killed." He than proceeded to lock her in and left in a hurry.