Day 8

Viola Stone woke up to something licking her face. At first it seemed like a sheep, but then she noticed its two tails and four eyes. She was still very tired and she really hated Chayim.

She got up, brushed the dirt and straw off herself and stepped out to face the day.

Her tummy rumbled.

She hadn’t eaten well on this rock since she had arrived. She usually enjoyed food which made things just that little bit worse. She hadn’t eaten enough or enjoyed what she had eaten for days.

She walked through the town dressed like none of the other women. She usually like to blend in or if she was going make a statement, do it by looking dazzling. This was not a look she would choose. But it was better than her torn dress and broken heals.

She walked faster. She could hear the women judging her.

“Who does she think she is?”

“That’s awful”

“Kelly, don’t look”

So on, and such like. She ducked into a dark building. Expecting it to be empty but instead it was a meeting for the town elders. Tẽra’s invitation for a peace meeting had arrived.

“I beg your pardon.”

The oldest looking man said standing up.

Viola quickly left not wanting to stay.

She ran, and ran, and ran, until she was out of town.

Her tummy really growled.

Panting she walked down the road heading towards the City Point.

She came across a family making breakfast.

The food really smelt good. A boy tugged on his mother’s arm.

“She looks like a warrior” he said.

“Oh dear” the mother said looking as her

“Come, sit, join us please.”

Viola didn’t need to be asked twice. She had been wondering what she could use to buy some food from them. But an invite was even better.

“Jacob, call your sister.” The mother instructed.

“Thank you.”

Viola sat down.

“Poor dear. Where have you come from?” she asked.

Viola didn’t know how to answer. But the woman asked another question so she didn’t need to.

“What happened to you? Are you a runaway slave?”

The mother had compassion in her eyes.

“I was in a fight. I am not a slave”

“I shall boil water to clean your wounds”

“I will be alright. Thank you”

Her tummy growled again. Jacob returned with his sister Viv.

“Food is almost ready and we have a hungry guest.”

Viola smiled feeling awkward.

“What is your name dear?” the mother asked.

“Viola.”

The mother introduced her to her family. She was friendly and very hospitable. Her eggs were also really good, but they were orange.

Her name was Xoma, her oldest was Rider, then her daughter Viv and her youngest son Jacob.

Rider was not happy to see her there but he was polite. Viv, like her mother was too nice and helpful. Jacob wanted to see her knives and play games with her. He was a sweet friendly eight-year-old. However, Viv and Rider were a lot older.

Viv had beautiful honey eyes with solid black hair that was short and wavy. She was twenty years old and Rider was twenty-four years old. Rider was tall and solid in build. He had brown hair and brown eyes.

Viola noticed how none of them looked alike, but then she didn’t look like Fiona, or Nicole her half-sister that she had never met.

However, she wondered about the difference. Maybe they had different Father’s she reasoned.

“Where are you headed?” Xoma asked.

“I am going to the City Point.”

“Wonderful, we are also going that way. Will you travel with us?”

“No, I don’t want to hassle you more than I already have.”

“We are all going to Point. So, don’t make things awkward by walking on the other side of the road. Travel with us.” Xoma insisted.

How could she say no to that? Rider didn’t seem happy; he spoke in another language but Viola understood.

“Why do you have to be so nice to everyone? Look at her. She looks like trouble.”

“Don’t be rude. We have a guest, speak so everyone can be part of it.”

Xoma said in the language they had been speaking the royal language or the queen’s tongue as it was called.

Viv and Xoma cleaned her wounds and ensured that all the dry blood was off her.

“You really were in quite the fight.” Xoma stated.

“I can fight” Jacob said

“Let me show you some of my moves”

So, Viola let Jacob take her down a few times with his moves.

Xoma, Viv and Rider packed up their stuff and loaded their wagons.

They had two ox drawn wagons. One with goods to be traded and the other with supplies for the trip.

Viola kept looking at Rider, there was something about him.

“He’s a handsome man” Xoma said seeing Viola looking at him.

“Ummm… no”

She was taken off guard. Then she realized she just told a mom her son wasn’t handsome.

“Yes” she corrected.

“Shy, I am surprised. But it can happen to anyone.”

“Where is their father?” Viola asked.

“I presume he is dead. We haven’t heard from him in four cycles. After he joined the queen’s army, he would write every week.”

“I am so sorry.”

“We have mourned and now we need money so we are making the journey to Point to trade our crops and the things we have made. We have been preparing a whole cycle for this.”

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“She doesn’t need to know all that.” Rider said hushing his mother.

Xoma ignored him. Which added to Viola’s discomfort.

“Where are you from?” Xoma asked Viola.

Viola thought of lying, but she wasn’t sure if they were like Ranger who could just invade her mind and see the truth anyway.

“Well, I am from Germany. It’s a country on Earth.”

“Earth?” Viv asked very interested.

“Why are you traveling to Point?” Xoma asked.

“To find my sister who ran off with some guy, who by the way has weird glowing red eyes.”

“Your sister is with a mystic healer. This is good. But you don’t sound happy.”

“I want to go home. Back to my world. I don’t even know how I got here. But my time here has been awful. I was fighting crazy amazons in the jungle. Afterwards, we freed slaves from the slave traders. But they had back up, and it didn’t go so well for everyone. The food here is bad. Not yours.” She quickly added

“Your eggs were the best things I have eaten on this rock.”

Letting it out seemed to help. They were strangers and sometimes talking to a stranger was easier. Plus, even if she told them too much it wouldn’t matter. She wasn’t on earth.

“So, I am now trying to find my sister who I don’t really know. That somehow also ended up here. When I say I don’t know her very well I mean. After my parents divorced, I have seen pictures on Facebook and such like, but we haven’t spoken. I stayed with my father and she went with our mother. It’s just how they settled things and I am ok with it. So yeah…”

“Facebook?” Viv asked.

“Divorced?” Xoma asked.

Viola realized explaining Facebook would be impossible. She was surprised they didn’t know what divorced was.

“Facebook is an earth thing. I can’t explain it and getting divorced it when married people break up, you know, part ways.”

“Married?” Viv asked.

Viola looked over at Rider who still hadn’t said anything to her and wasn’t participating in the conversation. He glanced over at her, then pretended he hadn’t.

“Married… that’s when two people decide to live their lives together forever. Become husband and wife, exchange vows, till death do us part. Marriage.”

“Oh, we call it being bonded.” Viv said

“But once bonded it’s for life.” Viv added.

“Not on earth. It’s more like a good try.” Viola explained

“No, not a good try. A good try would be good. That’s not good.”

Viola shrugged. She didn’t know what else to add.

“You poor lost soul.” Xoma said “I hope you find your sister and your way home.”

“Thank you.”

“Once we are in Point, please stay the night with us and only depart on the morning.”

“I can’t do that. I have no money to pay you and nothing to trade for your kindness. I feel it would be wrong for me to burden you further.”

“Your company is welcomed, and I know my daughter would love to hear about earth.”

Xoma insisted, she was so friendly it bothered Viola.

Then Rider was so unfriendly it bothered her more. Viola lowered her voice.

“I really don’t think Rider would like my extended company.”

“He’s just anxious about the trip. Please don’t let it bother you.” Xoma said.

Viola didn’t know what more to say. So, she changed the subject all together. Viv was also very kind and sweet. She was very interested in earth and traveling. Viola told her about earth, the people, the many different countries and the things people like to do. Viv was eating it all up. She wanted to know everything, even the stuff Viola couldn’t explain like the internet.

Viola decided to find out about Chayim from Viv.

The longer she spoke with Viv the better the invite to stay with them sounded.

Viv explained that they were many tribes, each with their own contribution.

Viv skimmed over these, touching on basic things.

She explained that the Viden tribe were knowledge keepers. They could know everything about someone from a kiss.

She explained there was the Terra Tribe who were the weakest of the tribes but the strongest in numbers. These were the normal people like Viola.

There were the Skiopia who trained and rode dragons. They were also called dragon rider by the other tribes sometimes. But for the Skiopia only those that rode a dragon were called a dragon rider. They were also fire proof and immune to the poison in the dragon’s claws and teeth.

Then there was the Vibash. They created vibrations that scared away any animal.

Then the Mystic Healers. They had night vision, heat vision and they could see the soul in the form of a colour. They could enter the minds of those they intended to heal see their pain and heal the soul and body.

Then there was the Lovac Tribe. Few knew but they were the Blue Panthers. Mighty hunters that now were only a memory. The queen killed them all or so it is believed.

Tskhali were a water people. They could breathe under water. Their skin would take the oxygen out of the water and strait into the blood. They were excellent swimmers and when their skin was wet it illuminated. Their hands, shoulders and face had markings that shone and gave them light under the water.

Then there were the Aurum. They couldn’t get sick. They lived forever until someone kills them. They had gold hair and a gold diamond for every cycle they lived.

Then the wizards. The seventh generation of first born’s. As in your mother and father are both the first born, for seven generations. Male or female could be a wizard as long as you were the seventh first born. Only they had magic and they were powerful. But she had never met a wizard nor did she know someone who had.

There were other tribes and Viv left out many details. But what she did share with Viola was informative.

They took a break from their traveling and Viola played with Jacob.

She overheard Rider once again expressing his dislike of her presence.

“We really shouldn’t be delaying. Hospitality is great but there is a time and place where it doesn’t apply, like now.”

“Look at the girl. She’d battered and bruised. Maybe if you talk to her it will make it easier for you.” Xoma suggested.

“Who we are cannot change just because we are not at home.” Viv added.

Viola felt unwelcome once again.

“How can she speak our language if she’s from another world” Rider asked.

“I will ask” Viv said.

Viv marched over to Viola and asked.

“How can you speak our language?” Well, the royal language?”

“A weird little girl with purple eyes kissed me and I could suddenly understand.”

Viola explained. She realized it sounded like a lie.

“Purple eyes? Do you mean lilac flames going towards the center with a blue outer ring and white separating the flames?” Xoma asked.

Viola was relieved, they must know if this then.

“Yes, just like that.”

“A Viden did this?” Rider asked.

This was the first thing he had said to her.

“I guess so.”

“Viden are knowledge keepers, not givers.” Rider stated.

Viola felt like she was cornered. Her truth sounded like a lie to them and now leaving was a definite.

“That’s what happened. How would you explain it?”

Viola asked feeling defensive.

Viv piped in

“When did this happen?”

“While I was being held hostage by the amazons. The girl slaves that they save. Men hating women. Who leave boys to die and only help little girls, that’s when.” She glared at Rider.

“Maybe they have the ability but they just don’t and this girl being raised away from her people didn’t know not too.” Xoma said, but it was more of a thinking out loud. Then a statement or defense for Viola.

“Interesting” Xoma said thoughtfully.

“I must be leaving.” Viola said.

Viv, Jacob and Xoma objected. But Viola wasn’t staying any longer. She left before eating with them. She said hurried goodbyes and hugged little Jacob and she was off. Normally she didn’t let people get to her. But they were so nice and she had nothing to offer in return. Also, there was something about them. But she didn’t think about it.

She arrived in the city Point and started asking if anyone had seen a blond woman with blue eyes. She asked everyone who would talk to her.

Finally, a tavern owner who mistook Natrica for Fiona said

“Yes, I have seen her. She was traveling in a large group going towards the castle. But you don’t want to go that way. All the generals have been called for a meeting.”

“Thank you.” Viola said.

Viola headed toward the castle. She stopped at the well to drink.

Rider came over. His jaw was clenched and it sounded like it caused him pain to say

“Will you please join us for the night? We are at the Grey Beard Inn”

Now Viola noticed what was off about him. He was watching his surrounding, he had training.

“Your mother sent you, didn’t she?”

“Will you please join us for the night?”

“Admit your mother sent you.” Viola insisted.

Part of her wanted to go on and look for her sister. But part of her felt the keeping your enemies closer might be more useful.

“Yes, she sent me. Will you now come?”

“No.” Viola said watching him.

He was aware of the hooded man standing on the other side of the square. He had also noticed the soldiers and the drunk man. Well, the pick pocket pretending to be drunk. He had training, but was his mother and sister aware of it?

“Why insist I tell you my mother sent me if you still intended not to come?” he asked.

He seemed distressed about the man with a hood pulled over his face.

“Why do you dislike me so much?” she asked.

“I dislike everyone.” He said flatly.

She paused as if thinking about it.

“I will go with you.”

“I would usually say thank you. But you have made this very unpleasant for me.” He said.

“Imagine how I feel” she said stopping in her tracks.

She was playing the typical woman. Or at least earths typical woman.

The hooded man was making his way towards them. Trying not to be noticed which made it noticeable. He got closer; Rider got edgy.

“I am sorry if I have caused you offense. Please for my mother, come with me and spend the night. I will try to think about how this has made you feel.”

It was a terrible apology and yet possibly the most honestly apology she had heard.

“Lead the way.”

The hooded man drew closer and Viola saw something shiny in his hand. She pretended to trip as he came into reaching distance. Falling against him, and knocking the shiny thing from his hand. A small two-edged blade tinged on the stones.

“Pardon me, I stumbled” she said all apologetic to the man who wanted to run.

She got a good look at his face.

“You dropped something” she called as he walked briskly walked away.

“Oh, a knife” she picked it up.

Rider’s color was much paler and he seemed ruffled.

“To your mom” she said all innocently.

Grey Beard Inn was like everything else in Point. Dirty, smelly and gross. The men drink too much and the woman stay at home with the children. While worrying about their stupid men. The chairs were dirty with stains that had settled in, the table was even worse.

Viv and Xoma came down from the room which was above the bar area. A staircase in the corner led up to the seven rooms above. This was a big inn, and considered a nice one.

“We are so happy Rider found you. I hope he apologized for his rudeness”

“As much as he is able” Viola replied.

“Please join us upstairs in our room for a meal. I am sure you are hungry.”

Viola thanked them and followed them up to their room. They had one room where everyone would be sleeping. There were eight beds in a room and a small place to cook in the corner.

“You can have my bed by the window.” Jacob said happy to see her.

“I would prefer one by the door, if that’s ok?”

“You may sleep wherever you want” Xoma said.

The food was good. A full belly made things better.

Viola woke up during the night. It was difficult to sleep. She was having nightmares. The past few days were running in her mind, and her lack of trust for Rider didn’t help either.

She heard the floor creak but there was no follow up of the sound rather a silence that was out of place.

She opened her eyes and looked around as much as what was possible without moving. Jacob turned in his bed. Rider was still and so was everyone else. Viola held the knife she had picked up from the hooded man she knew something was amiss.

There again a creak followed by silence.

She turned her head so she could see the whole room.

Someone was in the room, or someone was up, and standing very still on one leg.

She glanced at Rider’s bed. He was in it, Xoma and Viv too. So, who was standing in the dark in their room?

Viola slid out of bed, and lay under it. She was as quiet as possible. The person moved towards Jacob, then froze as the floor creaked.

Viola rolled from under her bed to under the next bed. The floor creaked.

The figured become a statue, with a head that rotated around the room. Then once he looked away, she rolled again to under the next bed. She was in the same row of beds as Jacob.

Two more beds to go, she thought.

The figure was incredible in the discipline of not moving.

She rolled again to under the next bed. She was almost there, Jacob’s bed was the next one, but she couldn’t get under it without being seen. She wondered why Rider who seemed to have training was still sleeping. The man stepped close enough for her to stab him in the foot with the knife she had picked up. It was like time stood still while she ran her options.

* This was a test sent up by Rider to prove to his family she is bad.

* Jacob was in really danger and no one else was awake to do something about it.

* No one else could do something about it. Maybe they were not trained and she had misread Rider.

* She could stab the man in the foot waking everyone, and then Jacob would know he was in danger.

* She could watch and see what happens.

She decides to stab the man in the foot. If it was Rider testing her then his friend or even, he, deserved it. She wasn’t going to let something happen to Jacob. He was the only one who didn’t have something off about them and if Rider would pretend to put Jacob in harm’s way, he more than deserve a knife in the foot.

She stabbed the knife deep into the floor below, impaling the foot.

The man squealed, and used some colorful words.

Jacob woke up.

“Mom” he called but no one even moved in their beds.

Viola had the awful feeling that maybe they were dead.

Quickly moving she disarmed the man and twisted him to the floor, bashing his head on the floor.

She then saw it was the hooded man. He was yelling in pain as his foot had been pulled through the knife, leaving a mess. His foot would never be the same. He would walk with a limp forever. The blood gushed.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“I will not tell.”

She bashed his head on the floor again.

“Why are you here?” she threatened to stand on his foot.

“To take the child.”

“Why?”

“So, his mother would go home to protect him and I would be the only one on the mission.”

“What mission?”

“There is a price for the queen’s head, one thousand gold pieces”

“So, you’re an assassin?”

“I need help. I have answered your questions.”

“Jacob, call the inn keeper and told him, a man has lost his foot in an accident.”

Jacob ran out to do as he was told.

“Who are you?”

The assassin asked.

“The earthling” she replied.

She checked the beds of Rider, Viv and Xoma. The blanket had been pulled over stuff, they weren’t there.

She felt used, tricked and part of her was impressed but also angry.

The inn keeper returned with a lantern in one hand and Jacob holding the other. When he saw the mess, he ran to fetch the physician.

Viola cleaned up the blood and put Jacob back to bed. He was a brave boy and she was impressed with how he had handled himself. She also decided to get some sleep.

She stirred a little when they returned. But she planned to wait and see how things go before showing her hand.