Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

 

     I wake up from wonderful dreamless sleep. I have to pee, badly. It’s always the first thing I have to do when I wake up, unfortunately. I look around at the unfamiliar surroundings. The only thoughts my sleepy brain can produce are, Oh, yeah. That happened. Now where’s the frickin’ bathroom? My eyes are barely open but I do register the eerie blue twilight that envelops everything. It’s enough to see by, and enough to lead to thorough disappointment. No bathroom. I have half a mind to wet the bed out of spite. The thought makes me giggle and I perk up. So what if I’ve gone crazy? I’m sure this world is more interesting than boring old reality anyways. I may as well do some exploring if I can. My brighter mood allows me to take notice of a bucket in the corner that I missed before. Maybe I’m supposed to use it? If not it’s their fault for not thinking of my bodily needs. I relieve myself and immediately feel even better. I stretch out my muscles, tidy my hair a bit, and hop right back into bed.

     I sleep for only another hour, but it’s helped my body feel more fit and ready for a dream world adventure. The gleeful giggling in my head won’t stop, and actually doesn’t make a lick of sense considering that I’ve already been hurt… maybe. I decide that it makes too little sense to really consider and shrug off the thought. It’s time to explore. I snoop through the room, but nothing is written in English so all those books are useless. I find some maps, and though I don’t know where on it I am, I can see that there are two continents that connect much like North and South America. The world map shows only these two continents, so it must be a small world, and there are far more maps of the northern continent, so I assume that’s the one I’m on. I feel like such a smart cookie. The thought triggers hunger pains. Cookies! I think wistfully. I wonder if they have them here. I ditch the snooping, temporarily, and creep towards the door. Tentatively, I touch and turn the knob. Success! It opens and my immediate joy is just as immediately turned to dread as I spot a heavily armored/armed man standing just outside.

     I know he must have seen me, but he still turns away and walks down the hall. I’m confused, but soon he motions with his hand for me to follow. I shrug and just go with the flow. Maybe I’m too hungry to be cautious. We walk into what could possibly be the living room, but it’s quite large, like a miniature lobby, only homier. We get close to the large, polished double doors that must be the entrance to the place. My chaperone points to a pair of boots lying on the floor. I promptly put them on, noting that there’s something warm and fluffy on the inside. Wool maybe, but delightfully soft. I guess people here don’t need socks. A thick bolt of fur is dropped on my head and I wrap it around myself gratefully. I’m glad my captors are considerate, if not the most patient people out there.

     The doors open and I’m greeted with a blast of ice and wind. The skin on my face feels like it’s being shredded and now I’m not so glad; my clothing feels utterly inadequate. I try to shrink back into the warmth but I’m shoved out into the blinding white cold and the doors are slammed shut. Right now I really really hate this place. Why couldn’t I have been whisked away to some gorgeous magical island in the tropics? The man, now wearing a hooded white fur cloak, no fair!, briskly walks into the endless white. It all looks like nothingness to me and for a moment I think that this place is truly a wasteland. At least deserts have shrubs and rocks and you can see the sky and the sun. Yep, wasteland, and my mind tells me, follow him you idiot or you’ll be lost out here! My mind is right, I can’t even see the guy anymore, but his tracks are still imprinted in the snow, though that won’t last even a minute.

     I run as fast as I can, but am very careful not to go the wrong way. I will not stay out here another second longer than I have to. I never manage to catch up to my chaperone, but I do finally come to an immensely huge building made of, you guessed it, wood. Everything here must be made of wood, which I think is ironic considering I haven’t seen any trees at all. They must have cut them all down to build these houses. I reach the entrance, which are again large, double doors, though not polished. Unlike the house I was just in, these doors open inward. I don’t think I would have the strength to open them otherwise.

     Inside, there’s a fire blazing in an enormous hearth to my right. Everything is large in this place, even the people, of which there are many and they are all staring at me. A deafening silence pervades the air for but seconds before raucous chatter resumes. I barely get those stupidly big doors closed before I’m met with a mob of noisy and very excited children. Lucky for me, I don’t understand a thing they say and I don’t have to answer their curious little faces. I just smile pleasantly at them. Cute kids. My smile momentarily disarms them and I’m able to break free and head for the fire to thaw my frozen body.

     My brain quickly regains normal functionality and suddenly my senses are flooded. I can feel people’s stares, and though I can’t understand what they’re saying, I know I’m the main topic of discussion, but more than anything, I can smell the heavenly aromas of home cooked food. I go dumb again and follow the scent, almost reaching the kitchen before a kindly looking woman steps in front of me, grasps my hands gently and leads me away to a table where she seats me, with the kids. Brain turns back on and I flush in embarrassment. I turn around and many of the seated adults bear amused grins, including my interrogator. He gets a good smack from his “lovely” fiancé, and I can’t help but grin. Serves him right. She glares at me and I turn back around and sink into my seat. Why does she have to hate me so much?

     A child tugs on my arm and I finally take note of the kids. There are seven small children, two girls, five boys, and nearby is a table full of chatty teenagers. I feel the tug again and give the youngster my attention. He grins broadly and points to himself. “Yuuin”, is all he says. He points to me and waits expectantly. I get it and state my name, “Miya”. Their eyes widen excitedly and they all go around telling me their names, too quickly for me to catch. I have to motion with my hands for them to slow down. I point to Yuuin, say his name, then point to another child. In that way the introductions are all made and the kids do a cheers with their glasses of water, myself included of course. It’s hard to not be affected by their mirth and I find myself to be smiling broader than I can even remember. I physically feel tension I was unaware of leaving my body and Yuuin gives me a knowing look, a look a child should not be capable of. He knows something in me has healed a little bit, something I didn’t know needed healing. Maybe he did. The thought gives me shivers but my mind quickly convinces me that of course my subconscious would send a child to relieve the pent up stress.

     My tummy chooses that very moment to grumble monumentally loud and the kids explode in laughter. Several of them stand up, all of them talking over each other, and gesture to someone behind me. I don’t really understand this sudden behavior, but then I smell the food. I turn around and see that the kids have caught the attention of the kitchen lady from before, but now she has trays of food, which she sets down before me. I want to scarf it all down my face hole but first I nod my head to her and smile brightly, trying to convey my gratitude. She gives me asmirk and winks, gesturing toward the food with her head. She knows I’m hungry and the time for formalities is over. It’s chow time. I eat some deliciously sweet multi colored glob that I’ll assume is akin to turkey stuffing, and some strange meat that is both lean and fatty at the same time. I don’t know what it is, I don’t want to ask, but I feel like the meal is lacking in some way. I stop eating for a moment and realize that the entire meal is meat, with a small portion of stuffing on the side. I wonder to myself if this is their normal diet, or if it’s just winter food.

     I’m unable to finish but the kids finish up for me, though I do notice the disappointed glances I get, even from a couple of the kids. I guess wasting food is a big no-no here. I suddenly feel quite shy and slink off to a corner when all the kids get up to play. I guess I don’t really fit in anywhere, not even in my own mind, or in another world. No, my mind tells me, it’s just the language and cultural barriers getting in the way of you really seeing them, of them seeing you. Give this place a chance, don’t run away before the adventure’s even begun. I know that annoyingly positive voice in my head is right, and I don’t ignore it for once. I decide right then and there that I’m going to try to learn more about this place.

     I get up and boldly walk past the few men still here until I reach the only people I can communicate with. Most of the men have left already and the women are cleaning up. I sit down. “Can we talk?” I ask him. “By all means.” The fiery woman quietly glares at me while looking seemingly annoyed at the same time. Her man just looks curious and appraising. Now I’m nervous and I’m blushing, but even so, I speak as coolly as I can. “I believe I’ve already told you that I don’t know how I got here and I don’t know how to get home, nor am I in any particular rush to get back there. While I’m here, I’d like it if you would let me learn your language and your customs. I don’t want to offend anyone here.” I say that last sentence too breathily and it seems obvious to me at last that I’m entirely too nervous. These people definitely intimidate me. I realize that I don’t know their names, and I blurt out, “Oh, I don’t think I ever got your names. I’m Miya. What can I call you?” It’s the scary lady who answers taking me completely by surprise. “I am Grand Priestess and he, Clan Leader. You don’t need to know our names.” She half spits and half hisses out the words and talks to the Clan Leader in a more gentle voice, in her own language, and leaves.

     I watch her until she’s out of the building and the doors close. “Fierdna is just going to commune with Varterus, our god. She doesn’t understand the purpose of your presence and seeks to. I am Ivernis by the way. You don’t have to call us by our titles, but it seems important to her, so please do so in front of her.” I nod and wonder what her problem is but shake that thought off. “So, um, about what I requested earlier?” Ivernis ponders some before responding. “I’ll teach you our language, and bring you books that will help. You can stay at my house for now.” “Thank you, but what do you mean for now? Do I get my own house or something?” He laughs, the kind that says “What are you? Stupid?”, that kind of laugh. I pout and glare at him. “Sorry, no, you don’t get a house. I’ve already sent someone to the city to notify the Grand Council of your predicament. They will decide what to do about your situation when they convene.”

     “Grand Council?” “Yes, our leaders. All members of the Council are God Touched. Fierdna is on the Council.” I don’t much like the idea of Fierdna having a say in what becomes of me, not one bit. I think it shows because Ivernis tries to reassure me. “Don’t worry so much. Fierdna is on her way to speak with Varterus now, all the Council will. They’ll abide by the will of our god. It seemed, by your story, that He has a purpose for you. All will be fine.” “If you say so…” I wonder, can they really speak to their god? Does He actually exist somewhere? I think back on the dream I had and I remember a voice saying to help someone. Maybe that was Him? I yawn. With a whistle and a snap Ivernis summons one of his armed and armored men to escort me home. I don the piece of fur that was lent to me, but before the doors open I’m suddenly tackled to the floor. I let out a high-pitched yelp but soon hear a child’s laughter. I look down to see Yuuin hugging me. He says something so sweetly that I take to be something like “Have a good day” or “It was nice to meet you”. I repeat his words and he hugs me tighter before letting go. I get back up, the doors open, and I see his round, beaming face before heading out into the frozen wilderness. 

Author's Note

In the near future I will be condensing this chapter and combining it to chapter 2.