SELENE POV
A piercing caw of a rooster shattered the morning silence.
"Make it stop," Katherine groaned, covering her ears with the pillow.
Another echoing Caw answered.
"Ack" Katherine shuffled in the bed "Eve please, make that rooster shut up"
"Hahaha" I laughed, my face flushing.
"Why will you want to kill an innocent rooster?"
"Why does it have to caw right beside our window?" Katherine said in exasperation and her voice thick with sleep.
"Well it's time to get up" Eve said, quietly leaving the comfort of the thin blanket, the space she left behind was still warm. " We better go meet Alford."
"Who is that?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"The one who might be able to help you" Eve said, opening the window on the left side of the room.
Sunlight streamed in, brightening up the simple room.
"Then we better start going," Katherine said, kicking off the blanket. "Are you alright?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You have been rubbing your cheeks since yesterday."
"My teeth hurt a lot." I said rubbing my cheeks with my hands. "But it might just be the hard meat we have been eating for days."
Katherine rushed towards me."Open your mouth"
"Hahaha. Are you now a dentist"
"What's a dentist?"
"Then I should better become one. Since we are in ancient time" Katherine said, her hands on her waist.
"Eve, do you know where we can find a dentist?" Katherine said, her eyes on Eve.
"Again, what is a dentist and how is that going to help her teeth?" Eve said.
"Well a dentist is someone that checks if the teeth are okay …and um when they're not, they treat it.
"No. We just go to a physician for everything" Eve said, running her fingers through her green hair.
"You see. I'm better off as a physician here"
"No you're not. You will get a lot of people killed"
"That's kind of harsh, you know" Katherine muttered, walking towards the bathroom.
"I will use the bathroom first."
"Ahhh!!".
"What is it Katherine?" I said, jerking up to my feet.
"This water is so cold. I feel like …I will get frozen" Katherine said, her teeth chattering. " Eve, can't they get us hot water?"
"Do you have money for it?" Eve said.
"Don't worry, she will manage" I said. Apart from the drawing my mom gave me. We don't have a dime on us. And even if we do it's definitely not the currency used here. "Kathy, think of it as hot water"
"Oh wow. Hot water that is freezing"
Well.
This is not going to be easy.
"I'm done," Katherine said, shivering.
"Shit!!"
"Hahaha, how warm is the water?" Katherine said. "And just know I'm doing quotes with my fingers"
I hate to admit but this water felt like it came straight from the Atlantic Ocean. It was so cold, it felt like my intestines were also getting frozen.
I walked out of the bathroom with my body shivering, my teeth making an annoying sound.
"Do you need a hug?" said Katherine, opening her arms wide, her body shaking.
"Yes, please."
I rushed towards her arms. Both of us shivering like a cat left in the rain.
This reminded me of a scene in the movie Titanic. I hope I won't die like Jack.
"Haha"
"Did you just laugh?" Katherine and I said in unison.
"No I didn't" Eve said, her lips in a thin line. Her back towards us as she entered the bathroom.
"You heard it, right?" I asked
"Yes I did"
That was the first time we have seen her laugh. No. I mean heard her laugh- Too bad we didn't see it.
"That was surprising, she always keeps a face like someone is owing her a million dollars" Katherine said.
"True, too bad we didn't see" I said, disappointment clear in my voice.
"Yeah"
"Let's get dressed," I said, withdrawing from her arms. " I still can't get used to this dress."
"Me too. It always feels like I'm going to a costume party" Katherine said, smoothing down the folds in her dress.
"It's not that cold"
We turned towards the bathroom.
Eve stood in front of the door.
She isn't shivering.
Not one bit.
"You must be used to this kind of cold but we're not" Katherine said
"Or you are just weak"
"And-"
"We better start going," I interrupted immediately. They can't start having an argument right now just because of water.
" I will get dressed," Eve said.
Phew.
That was a close call.
________________________________________
The market was a canopy of cheerful banter and bargaining. The thick aroma of fresh bread in the air. It's very lively.
"What's that" I said
"They're slaves," Eve said, with no expression.
"What do you mean slaves?"
Crack
The sound cut through the air like a whip.
" I'm sorry master!!"
"Are we just going to watch as he beats her to death?" I said , angrily.
"Where do you think you're going?" Eve said, her grip on my arm strong.
"We have to do something," Katherine said.
"We are not going to do anything" Eve said, her eyes darting towards us and the slave "It's always been like this and nothing is going to change that."
" But-"
"But nothing," Eve snapped, walking away.
"Somebody please help me!"
She is crying.
I just passed a young girl covered in blood and dragged in chains.
Some people were watching, some turned away to continue their business.
This is wrong.
But I did nothing.
I just walked away.
My heart tightened.
I wish that her master was dead.
The thought bloomed through my mind, and for a second, the warmth at my back flared like an ember.
_______________________________________
KATHERINE POV
That's it. The aroma of fresh bread and pork in the air. I hope we eat pork again today. It's nothing like the one back home but it's good.
Crack
"I'm sorry master"
A young girl drenched in her own blood and in chains.
I couldn't move or turn my eyes.
"What's that" Selene said, fury in her eyes
"They're slaves," Eve said, with no expression.
"What do you mean slaves?" Selene said.
Crack
"I'm sorry master!!"
"Are we just going to watch as he beats her to death?" I said, moving away from us
"Where do you think you're going?" Eve said, holding Selene's arm.
"We have to do something," Katherine said.
"We are not going to do anything" Eve said, her eyes darting towards us and the slave "It's always been like this and nothing is going to change that."
I stood , my feet frozen.
" But-"
"But nothing," Eve snapped, walking away.
"Somebody please help me!"
I dragged my feet forward. It felt heavy.
I glanced at Selene.
What just happened.
In a split second, Selene's pupil just turned blue.
But it's back to its brown color.
I must be seeing things.
Everything here is wrong.
_________________________________________
SELENE POV
We walked through the thatched houses in the streets.
None of us talked.
The three of us were quiet and lost in our own thoughts.
"Somebody please help me"
I clutched my hands tightly, that my knuckles started turning white.
I want to go back there but even if I do. What can I do?
I just ended up here. I don't even know where this place is and how to leave here. So how can I possibly help her?
"Somebody please help me"
My body is heating up. My chest heaving up and down unevenly.
"We're here?" Eve said.
Eve's voice brought me out of my thoughts. The temperature of my body went down in an instant.
"This is a flower shop," Katherine said, quietly.
"Not everything is as it seems" Eve said, opening the door. "I want a foxglove flower, "Eva said to the man at the counter.
"why are we-"
"Right this way"
"Trust me" Eve whispered.
It's not as if we have any other options.
"We are here"
"This is just a wall" I said
Knock knock
"You have a guest master"
Whoosh
"Di…did the wall just disappear " Katherine stammered.
"It'" I swallowed " it did"
"Come in"
We followed Eve inside.
Whoosh.
"Kathy the wall is back up" I said, tugging at her clothes. How I'm supposed to run with the wall back up.
"Welcome"
"Long time no see old man"
A man that looks like he is in his 60s ,sat behind an old looking desk, piled with books. A bed laid in the corner.
"Lady Eve, I see you haven't yet learned manners," Alford said, his eyes on the open page of a book on his desk.
"It's too late for that"
"It seems. What can I do for you today" Alford said, looking up.
His gaze met mine.
"Remarkable," Alford said, getting up from his chair. His lips curled up, walking towards me.
I looked up at the old man in front of me.
"Why are you going around me like that?" I asked, looking down at myself.
"Who are you?" Alford said, his eyes now back at my face.
"My name is Selene and this is my friend Katherine" I said, my hand gesturing at Katherine beside me.
"Hmm" sighed Alford.
"Is anything wrong," Eve asked.
" It's…nothing" Alford said
Why do I feel like he's lying?
"What may I help you with?"
"We want to get back home," I said, staring at him.
"And where is your home?.