I awoke in a room that feels familiar but I do not remember. I walked without thought to the balcony and observed my location. I was on the second floor of a house that is within a larger structure. I noticed everything around me was made out of marble and found it quite strange. I observed statues placed around the house I was currently in. Everything was brightly lit with discretely placed lights.
I exited the house to examine the statues. When they were examined closer I noticed they had plaques with names dedicated to them. I found some of the names familiar but cannot identify who they were. Names that I knew at one point but forgotten. There was too many statues to observe, but they were all beautifully carved. Each realistic and proportional. The marble statues had the look of white with abstract black patterns. The marbles of the floors, walls, and ceiling were all made of this black and white marble.
I had to walk a ways before finding the exit which was guarded by two men dressed in simple white robes and held spears that blocked the exit. They uncrossed the two spears as they heard me approaching and nodded at me as I passed them.
After exiting I was now in a bustling city where the smell of stale urine and animal stench hit me. I wrinkled my nose at the smell that juxtaposed to the clean air within the structure. I looked behind me and realized the structure was a massive temple. Dwarfing all other architecture around. The temple stood out like a godly monolith surrounded by the secular world.
I walked through the city aimlessly careful with my step to avoid staining my white boots with mud as I walked. People made way for me and some bowed with reverence as I passed. I was preoccupied with the thoughts of where I was and who I was. Memories that I knew I had, but forgotten. It is like knowing a word on the tip of your tongue, but unable to speak it. Memories irretrievable, but still there.
I grew slightly fatigued from walking and looked for a place of rest. A hostel of sorts came upon me. There was the smell of cheap perfume in the air as I approached. I wasn’t particularly bothered as I entered and before I could find someone to speak to an elderly lady rushed down stairs and greeted me.
“My lord, are you looking for anything in particular?”
I thought for a moment and decided to ask for the price first and what currency they took.
“What do you take here, gold? Silver?”
“You jest my lord, we take marble of course.”
I thought for a moment and recalled the marble I saw in the temple. And focused on the texture and feeling of it in my hand, and a smooth coin shaped marble appeared in my hand. I handed the marble coin to the elderly lady to which she looked shocked and held the marble with absolute glee.
“The finest for you only lord! The finest!” The elderly lady rushed upstairs and made some indiscernible shouts before a pretty young lady came down. She was a brunet with brown eyes smelled of a light floral scent and indeed quite beautiful. She took my hands and brought me upstairs. As I walked I saw the elderly lady scold some children loudly.
“Who do you all think you are, wretched things. You will do as you are told or be beaten to death.” And the elderly lady slapped one of the child’s face hard. The child had long black hair and wore a dirty sack like the rest of the children.
The elderly lady caught my gaze and apologized for the offensive sight. I suspected she meant the dirty children and not the act of violence.
I suddenly awoke with gaps in my memory. I only remember heading upstairs but now I awoke to the beautiful lady and the black haired child besides her. They were breathing softly as I sat up in the soft bed. I felt extremely refreshed and clear headed, the slight brain fog I had before lifted. I could see the world slightly more clearer now and my senses seemed sharper. The lady was stirred awake by my motions and looked at me with a fear countenance as if waiting for a reproach. I stared at her clear brown eyes and was lost in them.
“My lord I hope you had a good rest?”
I nodded.
She grit her teeth and stroke the young girl’s hair for a moment before finally squeezing out a question. “My lord I was hoping you could buy this girl. She is very knowledgeable and smart, I’m sure she would be of help to you.” As she spoke the small girl in her hands finally stirred awake as well and looked at me with eyes of horror as if I was a monster.
As I made eye contact with the small girl she hid behind the young lady. The lady grabbed the girl firmly and whispered something indiscernible in her ear and hugged the girl tightly. The girl reluctantly got up and left.
The lady looked at me and we held eye contact. With her again holding a solemn face preparing for some sort of reproach. I took a deep breath of the calming floral scent before I got out of the bed and left the large room. I realized we were in a room on the third floor there was only two other rooms on this floor. The lady walked me down to the first floor again and I found a soft looking chair in the lounge to sit at and closed my eyes.
I probably nodded off for a moment before the elderly lady awoke me.
“I’ve heard from our Angela that you are interested in purchasing this girl.”
I do think it is probably is prudent to have a knowledgeable local to guide me, least I wander and get lost in the night. “Does she know the city well?” I inquired.
“Of course as well as any urchin. They were thieving everywhere and anywhere before being caught and now often sent for chores.” The elderly lady assured me.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
I nodded and was about to conjure more marble to pay her before the elder lady looked panicked.
“No no my lord, the previous payment was already too much for this humble servant. The girl is yours.” The elder lady said hurriedly before pushing the blacked hair girl forward.
I looked at the girl’s dirty rags and it caught the noticed of the elderly lady.
“Ah I am so sorry my lord. I will dress and bathe her first!” The elderly lady shouted for some servants that came and took the girl.
I closed my eyes again and when I opened them the girl was dressed in a simple white dress, hair tidied, and clean. I nodded and left the building with the girl. She followed me quietly a short pace behind.
I wandered around observing the scenery. Smelled the local food stalls as I passed. I heard a grumble from a stomach behind me. I looked at the girl who avoided my eye contact perhaps out of undue embarrassment. I chuckled a little and went to buy some food.
I found a nice looking stall with a man selling bread.
“How much?”
The man was busy kneading bread and didn’t look up from his work and muttered impatiently “one chip for the loaf.”
One chip? I pondered then conjured up various sizes of marble in my hand and showed the girl. The girl pointed to the smallest piece of marble in my hand, barely the size of a grain of wheat.
I put the tiny shard of marble on the counter top as the man finally looked up. He observed my clothes and almost stumbled.
“My lord, I didn’t know, please forgive this stupid one.” The man bowed deeply.
“The bread.”
“Yes lord.” He quickly picked out the finest looking loaf and handed it to me which I passed it to the girl. She immediately started munch on the bread as if starved. I ignored the apologetic man, walked passed the stall and kept wandering with the girl.
I observed many things of the city, it is quite large and even after walking all day with the temple now barely visible in the background I haven’t reached the edge of the city. I walked passed some very dilapidated shacks and putrid smelling locations. But no matter where I walked the people even the meanest looking ones made way. All had a look of fear as they observed my attire. I rarely saw other people wearing white. Only the occasional simple robes or dresses on some people running errands. They always bowed to me as they saw me.
I was lost in the scenery until I noticed the girl has fallen far behind my pace. She was breathing heavily now with exhaustion but gritted her teeth as she walked. I frowned at this and berated myself a little and my inconsideration.
“Where is the closest inn?”
The girl pointed at a direction down a busy street. I went to pick her up to help relieve her fatigue, but she quickly backed away from my hands in fear. I could only sigh at her behaviour and instead walked at a snail’s pace down the busy street. Thankfully the people parted the way for me otherwise I suspected I or the girl would have been bumped over.
It took a while but we arrived at a pretty high end looking four storey inn. I walked in and was immediately greeted warmly. The front clerk was quickly replaced by someone who looked of higher importance.
“Which room my lord?” The person I inferred to be the manager inquired.
I thought for a moment and looked toward the girl beside me. To which she replied with her own confused look at my gaze. It felt slightly embarrassing to ask for basic knowledge after the looks of reverence and awe.
I turned my look toward the manager and was thinking of how to word it evasively when the manager bowed their head.
“Terribly sorry my lord for the vacuous question. I will prepare the head suite. Please wait a brief moment in the lounge.” The manger bolted off and left a clerk in his place. The clerk quickly guided me to a luxurious looking waiting room that had white walls and white tile flooring. The future was of luxury leather and comfortable as I sat down. The girl stood near me.
“Sit.” I instructed her. She showed discomfort but eventually sat on the edge of a seat nearby as if afraid in dirtying the furniture.
The clerk brought refreshments to which I found no need for and gestured the girl to eat and drink. She did so with attempted gracefulness, but was clumsy with the utensils. Attempting to imitate manners she obviously had only observed from afar. I smiled a little at the sight.
I then realized I should’ve asked for the price and pay appropriately. It seems like if I didn’t take the initiative they wouldn’t dare to ask for payment.
“How much for the room?” I inquired.
“My lord we humble ones dare not ask for —“
I waved him off. “Answer the question.”
“three red disks for a night my lord.”
I thought for a moment at how many nights I would stay. But with my only place of residence being maybe the temple I probably will end up stay here for a while. I conjured up a red marble brick and handed it to the clerk. Who upon seeing my magic started sweating a little. The clerk carefully took the brick from my hand and knelt. I realize I probably should conjure more discretely next time.
The clerk hesitated and had a question on his tongue, but swallowed it.
“The bell is right there for your servant to ring if you need any assistance.” The clerk pointed at a bell attached to a rope at the edge of the room before bowing deeply and leaving.
I rubbed my temple gently at the discomfort of being treated too exaltedly. I asked the girl for her name in the meantime. I can’t call her girl forever, now can I.
“It’s Aisha” Aisha replied meekly.
I nodded. “Aisha where is this place.”
Aisha looked at me confused before realizing what I meant. Or at least what she thought I meant.
“This is Hotel Cassa, one of the higher end ones. Is it too low quality my lord?” Aisha replied while fidgeting.
“It is fine.” I rubbed my temple again. Aisha saw my gesture and looked at the ground in fear. “It is really fine. I am simply contemplating another matter.” I comforted with a smile, it didn’t really ease Aisha’s fear much.
I guess I have to approach the topic a different way. “Aisha, I’ve been told you are knowledge, do you mind if I confirm a few things?”
Aisha looked nervous. “Sure my lord.” She replied meekly.
“What city are we in?”
“The Zeroth city.”
“Who rules Zeroth city?”
“The city lord.”
“Who appoints the city lord?”
Aisha shook her head.
“Who rules the other cities?” I continued, already expecting the knowledge limits of a young girl.
“The five fingers of God.”
I don’t feel any familiarity in regards to the city name and the five fingers. A little strange, I must have had no previous memories in regards to these.
“How large is the city?”
Aisha shook her head.
“What is the temple for in the middle of the city?”
“The resting place of the hand and praying.” Aisha replied.
“Who is the hand?”
Aisha shook her head.
I contemplated at what else to ask, but Aisha must have mistaken the contemplation for disapproval and tears flowed steadily down her face.
“I know — I know locations, places to get good food, uh how to read a little, and — and” Aisha started to weep audibly. “Please don’t beat me, please.”
I now felt awkward. I really didn’t mean to make her cry nor knew how to comfort her. I could only reassure her it was alright and that I would never beat her. And that it was fine for her to not know things. It took a good few minutes before she calmed down. And it took even longer for her to finally appear somewhat comfortable again. I was about to close my eyes to rest for a moment before a gentle knock at the door.
“My lord the head suite is ready.”