Day 4

Early in the morning Nikki woke them up.

Tẽra was tired and sore from sleeping on the ground. Her body wasn’t use to it.

Rachael winced as she got up.

Tẽra tried to catch fish with Nikki, while Rachael gathered wood.

Otchulissa made sounds as she splashed in the shallows of the water.

“Is she always that colour?” Tẽra asked Nikki.

“Yes!” Nikki replied

‘She is just wet’ Tẽra thought.

The three ladies ate, not saying much.

Nikki was a life saver to them and Rachael was very hungry.

After eating they packed up and reluctantly Rachael, led them into town. Tẽra was riding Sherralee and carrying Otchulissa. Rachael and Nikki walked as all the stuff Nikki had made was on Frosting.

People had heard about the scheduled execution for that morning. Fear gripped them and they fell on their faces kissing the dirt. The queen had come into town.

“That’s odd” Tẽra said,

“In my kingdom people don’t greet by lying in the dirt.”

“I think they are afraid” Nikki said.

Those brave enough brought baskets of food. But no one made eye contact with Tẽra.

They went into a tavern. The owner lay himself on the floor and then served them and asked for no form of payment.

“This isn’t right” Tẽra objected

“We are abusing these people’s kindness”

“If they want to give us stuff let them.” Rachael piped in

“Clearly it’s their choice”

“Did you get this kind of a welcome?” Nikki asked Rachael

“No, I was whipped and BRANDED!” her voice raised.

“So, I feel I deserve a little hospitality”

“They won’t look at me” Tẽra pointed out ignoring Rachael’s pity party and entitled attitude.

Unknown to them only those of royal blood had red hair and since the people killed most of the royal family in the uprising and queen Tiffany kill what was left of them…. They believed that Tẽra was Tiffany. Because Tiffany, didn’t allow people to look at her so the mistake was an easy one.

They went to find another inn.

Rachael’s new owners saw her coming around the corner,

“She brought a friend and a horse” the one said to the other.

Then they saw the queen coming around the corner behind their slave girl and her friend. They ducked into a building not wanting to be stopped by the queen. The queen took whatever she wanted.

Everywhere Tẽra went people fell on the floor.

“I don’t like this” Tẽra said sternly “Let’s find somewhere to hide.”

Tẽra went to a building with a stable attached. It had faded letters that almost looked like the monk’s Latin from her country Tanzania. (Not Tasmania)

She went to the inn keeper and asked in monk’s Latin

“May I have a room and logging for my horses?”

“Yes, my queen” the little man said not looking her in the face.

He prepared his best room for them and showed them the way. Then he scurried off like a cockroach in the light.

Tẽra looked at the wooden bed that had hay on it and no mattress. The old animal skin that was dumped on the bed. Then watched a bug crawl passed her unfazed that she was there.

“I think I preferred the jungle” Tẽra stated.

“This is not a civilized place” Rachael added

“Well at least it’s dry” Nikki said trying to be positive.

But her positivity was crushed when her head started to itch.

Outside it began to drizzle. The end harvest rains had arrived.

Tẽra now being the only one who could kind of communicate with people was left to do all the talking. So, when they left their room on the upper level to find food Tẽra, was the one who had to ask for it.

“Please may we have some food, something nice please.”

But the three bowls of soup that they received was less than good. In fact, half raw fish started to look good.

“The people are calling me their queen.” Tẽra moaned out loud

“This is making me uncomfortable.”

“Maybe you look like the queen” Rachael suggested.

“Mistaken identity is never a good thing.” Nikki mused.

Tẽra was wondering if the queen was a bad ruler and that’s why everyone was so afraid of them. Afraid of her. Tẽra wanted to sort the whole thing out before it had a chance to bite her.

“Instruct the inn keeper not to tell anyone you are here.” Nikki said.

Tẽra did as Nikki suggested. The little man nodded fervently afraid of even her shadow. But the little man’s fear drove him to drink and like most people, drinking loosens the lips and things that should never be said are said and, nothing can take it back.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Because most of the harvest was in. People from all the villages and small towns were bringing their goods to be traded in the city Point. Slave traders never missed the chance to kidnap women and children and sell them in other towns.

It was a corrupt market and since law was ‘the biggest man wins’ no peasant had the ability to fight back.

But the balance of that world was shifting. Servants from the castle sent word to friend in the city Point about the two women. Yes, women who killed fifty of the queen’s trained guards.

Hope was more dangerous than any weapon. For believing gives one strength beyond himself and his own ability.

Chris woke up to discover that the ladies had abandoned him and they had the nerve to steal one of his horses. He was angry.

‘I had such good plans for you’ He thought.

He made his way towards the city Point. Following the wagon tracks.

‘At least I still have the horses’ he thought bitterly to himself.

Chris rode into the city Point. People chatted and stared. He hated when people stare. He felt it was rude. The slave traders that he had sold Rachael to didn’t seem happy to see him instead they dragged him into a house and beat him.

As they were leaving, after they had beaten him to the point of being unable to get up. Chris took the chance to grab his gun. He drew his weapon and shot one. Killing him. Then his gun was out of bullets. He pulled the trigger but nothing happened!

The gun shot rang out as an unknown sound that caught the attention of everyone that heard it.

He pointed the gun at the others pretending he wasn’t out of bullets. They ran away afraid of the magic he had.

“Those #@*! girls!!!” his anger towards them boiled.

He could have died!

The sound of a gun shot rang out through the city. That was a sound no one was used to.

Viola knew that sound. She ran towards it.

‘A gun in this place?’ she thought

When Viola, James, Kerri-liana and Lakisha got there. There was a man badly beaten. He couldn’t get up on his own. Kerri spoke to him in the language of Chayim.

“What happened?” She could see what happened, one dead man shot with the gun that was in the beaten man’s hand.

Chris groaned.

“Maybe he has a concussion?” Lakisha guessed.

He pulled Lakisha down and kissed her. With his bleeding mouth.

“English! I never thought I would be happy to hear English!” he said

“I guess he is like us” James said “Not meant to be here”

Lakisha wiped her mouth horrified by what had just happened. That man stole a kiss and left blood on her face. She wasn’t sure what upset her more the kiss or no one else being upset about him kissing her.

James helped him up and they got him to the inn they had been staying at.

Then the physician was called.

Chris refused to part with his gun.

“Fiona please get some hot water” Viola asked but when there was no reply

She asked “Where is Fiona?”

Fiona had used the gun shot and the business that followed to leave in search of Ranger.

“I think I know where she went” Viola said seeing no one knew.

“I’ll try to be back here before tomorrow night”

She hoped she could find her way back to Ranger’s tree house.

“You can’t leave” Lakisha said.

“What if something happens to you?”

“I can’t leave Fiona out there alone. I will come back. I just need time to find her.”

“It’s not safe” Chris managed, “Wild cats in the forest.”

“I will be fine” Viola said, hoping it was true.

‘I really need new shoes’ she thought leaving the inn.

Chris was in a mess and when he was conscience enough, he realized these ladies where not alone a man named James was with them. Not that it bothered him it just meant he had friends not opportunities.

Rachael stroked the cub. Tẽra the mistaken queen was sleeping. But her little cat wasn’t.

It’s one blue eye and one yellow eye freaked Rachael out. But she was trying to befriend it. However, the cub didn’t like her and scratched her. Grabbing her hand with its front paws and using its back claws to kick and scratch.

Rachael finally got her arm away. Her bleeding appendage dripped blood onto the floor. Rachael went to clean up deciding that the cub would not her friend!

“Doesn’t this thing bug you?” she asked Nikki about Otchulissa

“It did but you get used to it” Nikki replied.

“Tẽra has it on a lead, it can’t get to your bed”

Otchulissa was an intelligent cat, her kind was.

Never had a human tamed one but Tẽra wasn’t any human. She related to animals, sensed them so to speak.

Otchulissa had seen Sherralee’s loyalty and love for Tẽra, and Tẽra had been feeding her and caring for her. (Like most animals, love and a full tummy go hand in hand. Loyal to your stomach. At least to start with.)

The inn keeper was drunk and sitting in the tavern enjoying what could be his last night. When the news about the women who had stopped the queen’s, execution arrived in Point. That the women had killed fifty of the queen’s guards before getting court. Then they escaped the queen’s dungeon. Few believed. But hope stirred in the hearts of some.

This was when the inn keeper loose lips came into play.

“Is that so?” the inn keeper said laughing,

“So that’s why she is hiding in my inn.” He laughed,

“What did you say?”

A man sitting on the chair next to him asked.

The inn keeper tripped and fell over, passing out with a grin on his face.

“What if it is true?” they asked each other.

Could the evil queen really be hiding in his little inn?

This was an opportunity that couldn’t be passed up.

‘If I kill the queen, will I become the next king?’

This question sat on the minds of many. They left the tavern all at once. No one wanting the others to have a head start. Grabbing weapons, they headed to the inn in hopes of making a name for themselves. The inn was bombarded with drunk men hoping to get a kill shot. The brawling woke all the guests. Because intoxicated men, filled with liquid courage weren’t stealthy.

In fact, they started killing each other to increase their chances of being the one to kill the queen.

Tẽra woke up along with Rachael and Nikki. All three went into the passage looking at the other guests who after looking at Tẽra quickly went back into their rooms.

Kerri-liana, James and Lakisha took a look. Leaning over the railing to the entrance hall part down below. Seeing the brawl, they worried that the guards had caught up to them and that they would all be taken back to the dungeons.

But Nikki had other worries

“I guess they realized Tẽra, is not the queen and they want their stuff back. We need to leave quickly and quietly.”

So, they climbed out of the windows and on their way down to the ground they spotted three others also climbing out of the window.

Kerri quickly spoke in the native tongue awkwardly,

“HI”

“Hi” Tẽra replied

“Are we caught?” James asked.

“You speak English!” Rachael exclaimed.

“Shhhhhhhh” everyone said.

More concerned about getting away, they ran to the stables. Where they bumped into each other again.

“What is that?” Lakisha asked pointing to Otchulissa.

“This is Otchulissa” Tẽra said.

“Is it tame?” she asked worried.

“No” Rachael butted in showing her hand and arm

“But she keeps it around anyways.”

A glare was exchanged.

“I think it’s cute” James said

Tẽra mounted Sherralee taking Otchulissa with her and headed out into the darkness. Nikki, Rachael, James, Lakisha and Kerri-liana all followed.

Once they were safely away from the inn and the brawlers, Kerri-liana spoke up

“We are meant to meet Viola at that inn tomorrow.”

James thought for a minute

“Maybe we can ask that monk to send a message to us if she comes back.”

“Who is Viola?” Nikki asked

“She’s also out of time.” Lakisha answered

“Out of time?” Nikki inquired

“Well, that’s what I am calling it, this being in the wrong place. Somehow in another world. I am calling it being out of time. Earth’s time.” Lakisha said

“I suppose it’s as good a name as any” Tẽra replied.

“Maybe we should go back for that guy we found” Kerri said

Feeling bad that they had left him in the room while they climbed out the window.

“What guy?” Rachael asked

“Ummm I don’t remember his name but he was pretty beat up when we found him.” Lakisha answered.

“Are you really keeping that cub as a pet?” she asked Tẽra quite unsettled about it.

“Yes I am.” Tẽra replied matter of factually.

Kerri-liana looked for anything that looked like a crystal on the new comers. She saw Rachael’s horse necklace, and matching earrings. Nikki’s cross earrings, Tẽra’s ring.

Kerri piped up,

“Is everyone here from earth?” they looked at her like she had asked a stupid question.

“Of course I am” was the general chorus.

“And we are all here and can’t explain how?” Kerri asked

“Yes” they replied getting annoyed at the stupid questions.

“Well,” Kerri began not sure she should tell the potential angry mod,

“I know where we are. This is another world. This place is called Chayim.”

“How do you know this?” Rachael interrupted

“Because my grandfather was from here. I thought it was just stories and that it was a language made just for us. But as it turns out it’s the language of this place. Where he was from. Now I am not sure exactly how we all got here or why. But with time I might be able to figure it out. Also, the man Sparrow confirmed it.”

“Time!” Rachael complained, “I’m starving. I don’t have time”

Kerri-liana responded, “Get a job. Earn some food.”

“How am I meant to get a job when I don’t understand them? You understand them. You can get a job. But it’s not fair to expect me to be able to work.”

“Fair” Lakisha said sharply,

“Earning your keep is fair. I worked for money and food and I don’t understand either. So, you really have no excuse.”

Rachael and Lakisha exchanged disapproving looks.

“Why were you climbing out the window?” Nikki asked

“Umm” Kerri-liana giggled nervously,

James answered “I escaped from the queen’s dungeon with Kerri’s help”

“Can we trust them?” Lakisha whispered looking at Rachael.

“Only one way to find out.” James replied.

“Why were you climbing out the window?” James asked

“People were calling Tẽra the queen and giving her things so we went with it as we were hungry and wanted a bed to sleep in.” Rachael replied.

“They think you are the queen?” James, half questioned; half stated.

“Both are a good reasons, to climb out of a window” Tẽra said.

“How did you get the cub?” James was asking about Tẽra’s cub.

“Otchulissa” she smiled,

“Her mother was shot and killed so I decided to keep her. Raise her. She is only about eight weeks old. But I think something is wrong with her. Her fur keeps changing colour, well shades.” Tẽra used hand gestures.

“Nothing is wrong with her.” Nikki said trying to be comforting,

“She’s probably just dirty and you’re looking too hard.”

The group decided to split up. They would meet back at the inn in hopes of picking up Viola the next day.

They also needed to keep a low profile while not going too far. Kerri decided she was going back to the castle to see about finding the child who could get her in without the guards knowing.

Rachael decided she wanted to see the castle. In truth, she was hoping to find something for her burn that everyone seemed to have forgotten about. It really hurt! Whenever she used her right arm it hurt, and she was right-handed.

Also, Kerri’s group didn’t include Lakisha and Otchulissa.

Nikki also went with Kerri-liana, as she wanted to see the queen. But she kept that to herself. She wanted to know why everyone thought Tẽra, was queen.

Tẽra, James and Lakisha were going to try get the beaten man out of the room.

Unknown to Tẽra this was Chris and James and Lakisha had no idea that Chris had sold Rachael and gotten her branded. Or that Chris was the one who shot the mother of Otchulissa.