ALEKS

I must have dosed off at some point because I was suddenly awoken by Elena’s excited whispers accompanied by a small hand gently shaking my shoulder.

“Mummy, wake up!” Elena gasped dramatically even as Adrian rose from in front of the television and his jaw dropped. Somehow it was morning again and a hint of sunlight shone into the plane. “It’s a palace!” My daughter proclaimed, her voice positively giddy. It took a while for the grogginess to wipe out of my brain before I processed what exactly I was seeing. Palace did not even begin to explain the monstrosity that seems to dominate a whole island. We were flying above a large city that was stirring with the life of morning activities. A light shower of snow fell from the sky, coating the buildings in white wonder. Ahead of the city and isolated by a body of water surrounding it was an island with the biggest house I had ever beholden. One thing was for sure; we were not in Greece.

“We are in the process of landing the plane. Please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We hope you have had a pleasant flight.” I made sure to fasten Elena’s seatbelts even as she bounced on her seat impatiently before looking outside, trying to make sense of the view.

When I left Leukas seven years ago, I used to have days when I had missed him so much, when I was consumed by sadness and loneliness and pregnancy sicknesses. The only trace I’d had of Leukas that hadn’t been destroyed when my father had captured me was a sweater of his I’d once borrowed. His smell had faded from it over time and I had grasped at anything I could find to link me to him. Leukas had never been one to offer up information about anything really and I had refrained from asking him questions out of fear. Fear of getting too close to him. Instead, I had only found out things about him through observation. Like a sponge, I had soaked up every information about I could find out about him without feeling guilty for not returning the sentiment. Somehow I had found out he was of Greek descent so when I was alone and lonely I used to Google about Greece just to relate to him somehow. I’d researched the cities, the seasons, the food, mythology, the traditions, the culture, the lifestyles and the religions. When the twins were born, I had made sure they knew it was their first culture. They were both fluent Greek speakers and Friday night was Greek cuisine day at home. Suffice to say, I had a wide range of knowledge of the country despite never physically visiting the place. The city flying below us was not the Greece I had seen in the various sources I’d searched.

Soon the island that I would estimate stood at about two hundred acres, was very visible to us. From this level above, I could make out, in the island; huge trees, waterfalls, lakes, springs, large swimming pools and the ‘palace’. The city on its own was the most magnificent I had ever seen. Huge amazing-architecture skyscrapers with colorful lights and snow coatings, and a flurry of traffic gave the almost perfectly constructed city a flair of life. But the island ahead was the highlight of the city and where we were headed. Confusion flared through me as I felt the plane descend into the island and I couldn’t help but draw my eyes towards where I’d last seen Leukas for answers. Once again he wasn’t alone though and my worry increased as I witnessed what looked to be an argument between him and Jason. His mother’s eyes met my own and she gave me what I thought was meant to be an assuring smile but if fell flat. Where the hell was I?

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The jet landed in a paved and lighted runway surrounded by trees and only a few feet from the three-story mansion and we were headed towards a large glass door with two burly guards holding it open for us. I noticed that Jason and Leukas were nowhere to be seen and only Lanthe and some guards with our bags were following us into the house. While the outside was green, quiet and peaceful, the house was modern and bustling with activity. The corridors we passed through were long and white and filled with huge paintings of Greek gods, monuments, monsters and texts. Most of them were written in Greek texts. The mansion was even bigger inside; complete with an elevator and a majestic looking red marble staircase. Lanthe smiled at the kids’ looks of wonder and Elena’s delighted gasps as she stirred us towards the red elevator. It was all overwhelming to me; the bustling servants, the guards, the glamour and the sheer wealth dripping down all the walls of the mansion, all of them with the huge signature H in the middle. I had seen wealth before, I’d lived in it. But it was another level all together, one I had no idea existed. Outside, seemingly a few feet away and near the water was a dock and at least ten huge yachts in the water. The city ahead was a flurry of lights from here. The ride up the elevator seemed as unreal as every single second of the past hours and the hands of my kids in mine were my only anchor.

“So here we go. Please put the bags at the corner…. Thank you Nathan.” Lanthe was smiling at the helper who had our bags as he leaves. He responded in Greek but I, and the kids if they were concentrating, heard him just fine.

“Of course Your Majesty. Please excuse me.”

Lanthe waved off his praise as we stared at her. She winced when she focused back at us.

“Heard that did you? I’m sure you have a lot of questions and I promise I’ll answer all of them after you all take a rest. We’re working on much more suitable accommodation for you but I hope for now this room will do. I thought you would probably prefer to share tonight.” She moved towards the kids and held her hands open and they both walked into her arms, Adrian surprising me with his compliance. He was not, by any means, a hugger. I didn’t blame her though. Something about Lanthe was so gentle and lovely and beautiful and godly she radiated light and peace. She kissed them both in the forehead and giggled sweetly when Elena held on longer. I had never seen a more attractive woman in my life. She turned to me as the twins wandered off exploring the room which was as big as our entire cottage interior.

“We didn’t really have the best meeting but I hope we can get along Aleks. You gave me two grandchildren and I’m beyond happy and grateful. Now take some rest and you can just call for food. The phone on the nightstand connects to the kitchen and you can just tell them what you want to eat, anytime.”

And she was right. We did have to talk. I had to understand where I was, why I was there and why she was constantly referred to as the ‘Prima’. As for our accommodation, I was not sure what could be more ‘accommodating’ than a huge bed which was as soft as a marshmallow, a twelve-head shower, a big Jacuzzi, a gold claw-foot tub and the knowledge that Leukas and my kids were all under one roof.

*****

I was aware at that moment that I was dreaming but I also wasn’t. It was more like a lucid dream or maybe a vision. A vision borne from exhaustion and jetlag and born-weariness. The scene was familiar though. I didn’t know that for sure but I was vaguely aware of that fact. I knew though that whatever was happening was very monumental to me.