Abigail woke me up just as the sun rose. She had me fetch water from a well that was a short distance from her cottage. When I brought it back, she made porridge for breakfast and poured me a glass of beer.
“Beer for breakfast?” I asked, confused.
“Not a custom where you’re from?” she asked. When I shook my head no she replied, “it will help fill you up and give you energy for the work we need to do today. Besides it is safer to drink than water, the water around here has been making people sick.”
I nodded and took a sip. It was thick like porridge but smooth and had a bitter bite to it. I scrunched my nose as the bitter taste lingered in my mouth. I was never a beer fan.Abigail laughed, “You get used to it, bottoms up girl. We got work to do.”
I chugged the contents and finished my porridge as she put bread, cheese, butter and a jug of beer into a basket and handed it to me as she grabbed another basket which was empty.
We left the cottage, and I followed as she went deeper into the woods. “What herbs do you need?” I asked before adding, “I know nothing about plants.”
She turned to me, smiling, reaching into what I thought was an empty basket, and passed a leather-bound book at me. “It has all my trade secrets.” She winked.
“Why are you sharing this with me? You barely know me?” I asked as I flipped through the pages. It had detailed drawings of plants and lists of what ailments they could be used for, beside the real name of a plant was a code word. For example, Lavender's code word was elf leaf.
She looked at me as if assessing me, and shrugged, “You are my apprentice. It is stuff you need to know. Granddaughter.”
“So, which ones are we looking for?”
“I need pretty much everything, especially Thyme. I use it to prevent infections.”
Nodding, I looked around and began gathering plants that looked like the ones in the book. Abigail handed me some string so I could tie them together in bunches.
Abigail looked at the sun with her hand covering her eyes. “Lunch time,” she declared as she brought the basket I had set next to a tree over. Taking a swig of beer before handing it to me, I did the same. She then buttered some bread and handed to me along with a piece of cheese.
“Thank-you.”
“So, Amaya, what is the future like?” she asked after looking around her, to ensure we were alone.
“Busy and chaotic.” I shrugged. She looked at me, wanting more. “Let’s see, there are tall buildings, and everything is made of cement, which is like artificial stone. Everyone is trying to make money, working long hours at their jobs and rushing from one place to another. Trying to pay bills, taxes and have enough money for food and necessities. A lot of people don’t know how to hunt or plant gardens anymore and rely on grocer… um kiosks for food.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “I understand taxes, but what are bills?”
“Money you pay each month for a service. Running water, electricity, phones and rent are the main ones.”
“Rent and phones?”
“You pay a monthly fee to stay in your home and phones are like letters, allowing you to communicate with other people quickly.”
“Things sure change a lot. What year are you from?”
“2022.” I responded as her eyes widened. “He really misplaced you, didn’t he?” She laughed as she finished eating.”
I nodded with a chuckle, " I guess this is his idea of a joke."
“We are done here for the day; we need to head to town. I need to pick some supplies I ordered.”
Nodding, I helped her pack up, then stood up and brushed my skirt off. Grabbing the baskets, we headed to the cottage and dropped them off before following a well beaten forest path towards town.
“How far is it to town?” I asked.
“About half an hour, I suppose. Never timed it.” She replied.
When we finally reached the town, I followed Abigail as she headed down the street leading to a store; I followed her inside.
As she spoke to the store owner, I gazed at the different things for sale.
"How are you liking your vacation, little flame?" Sin asked from behind me.
I jumped and spun around, coming face to face with Sin. “You!! Take me home right now!” I almost yelled, but instead demanded it in a whisper so I wouldn’t draw attention.
He smiled devilishly, “Sorry little flame I can't, you have work to do.” He reached out and caressed my cheek.
“What work? You kidnapped me,” I hissed.
“Shhh.” He looked around. "They might think you’re a witch, talking to yourself." He laughed as flames engulfed him and he disappeared.
“That arrogant ass…”
“Are you ready, granddaughter?” Abigail asked, raising her brows in warning. I nodded and followed her outside, running into a man walking on the street.
“I’m so sorry.” I apologized, looking up at him.
He was handsome, with a tall, broad build, short dark brown hair, and a goatee. His eyes were shades of blue, grey and green, swirling with a hint of darkness underneath.
“Don’t worry about it, Little Dove.” He spoke, his eyes seeming to capture me, entrancing me. Why was he calling me that?
Abigail bumped my shoulder gently, breaking our eye contact. Shaking my head, confused, I looked at her.
She looked at the man, “sorry sir, are you new here?”
“Yes, I'm Samuel and I’m afraid I’m lost. I’m looking for the Pastor Gideon.” He replied, still staring at me.
“He’s down the pathway there. You can’t miss it.” She pointed down the road to a tall church that stood in the distance.
He nodded, "Gooday, Little Dove." He tilted his hat and smiled, before heading in the direction Abigail had pointed in.
As soon as he was gone, Abigail turned to me.
“You stay away from that man.”
“Why? What’s wrong with him?” I asked curious, he seemed like a normal guy to me.
“He reeks of death and ill intent.”
Her words threw me, but I agreed.
Come, we need to pick up a parcel and head back to the cabin. She replied, looking over her shoulder at Samuel in unease.
“What are you doing here, brother?” I asked as I turned to face Lazarus, who with a grin walked towards me, removing his hat. When I had left the shop, instead of going back to my castle, I stayed in Salem observing the town and its people and when I could feel my brother's aura nearing, I grew suspicious following it and seeing his interaction with Amaya. "If it was your business, you would be aware of it, no?" he retorted. "Put your hat back on before we are discovered." I ordered, pissed that he followed me and was being careless around the humans. “Why would one lowly human get you in such a fix, I wonder?” he stated as he studied my expression, putting his hat back on. His eyes swirling blue, grey and green before settling into black, hatred emitted from him in waves. “She is exquisite even in the puritan getup, you bring her here because of some kink you have or is there another reason?” he pondered, studying me. I shrugged and walked past him, “Maybe the question is why you’
I followed Abagail as she entered another shop. She spoke to the man at the counter and received a parcel. “Have you met my Granddaughter Amaya?” she gestured towards me, a smile on her friendly face. Something about this woman felt so safe and welcoming. I never had grandparents growing up, hell I didn’t even know my own parents. They abandoned me at a fire station at a few days old with a note in my basket that read, “Protect her.” And they embroidered the name Amaya on my blanket. No last name or even a clue to who my biological parents were. Luckily, I was adopted by an amazing couple when I was five, they died a few years back but left their home and small fortune to me which I used for college. A lot of good that did me here. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure. I’m Jason,” a young man with dark brown, almost black eyes answered, looking at me with a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you.” I smiled. “How long have you been in town?” “I just arrived yesterday. It was an unforeseen vi
I headed in the church's direction; the pastor had better be in. It was such an odd thing for my mother to request, but who was I to question her? I walked into the chapel as goosebumps covered my arms from being in the forbidden place. Demons were not welcome in any place of god or goddesses, whether it be a Puritan church or a Greek temple. Entering the space caused great discomfort for any demon and in the weaker one's death. Pastor Gideon, it's Samuel. We had a meeting today. I announced as I walked around the space looking for him. “Over here, dear boy.” A man spoke from behind a door on the side. I walked over and looked into the small room, a grey-haired man sat behind a desk looking over books. His eyes squinted as he looked through a magnifying glass at the text before him. Entering, I closed the door behind me and walked towards him. “What is it I can do for you?” he asked as he put the magnifying glass down and looked at me with his dark grey eyes. At first impressions h
The days seemed to blur. We would alternate between making poultices and collecting herbs for healing to tending the vegetable gardens, pickling, and making jams and butter preparing for winter. In the week or so that I have been here, a couple of people from town came to see Abigail with minor injuries. Abigail is amazing and wise and seemed to be a highly respected member of the community. I hadn’t seen Sin in the last few days either, so my hopes of going home soon dwindled. I was weeding the garden when I heard someone walk up behind me, Abigail was in the house making poultices. I turned and saw Samuel at the edge of the garden staring at me, a smile on his face. “Hello.” I greeted as I wiped my hands on my apron. “Are you injured? Do you need to see Abigail?” I asked, as I stood and walked towards him. "I can go get her." He shook his head and smiled, tipping his hat in greeting, “No, actually I came to see you. I was wondering if we could go for a walk.” “Not without a cha
Returning to the throne room I was in a foul mood, why the hell was he with her, he had no reason to be. Merula, sensing my anger, walked toward me cautiously. I looked at him and ordered, “Find Rook. I need to speak to him now.” “Sire… there have been developments.” He mumbled, barely audible, as he fiddled with an object in his hands. “What developments?” I snapped as I glared down at him. “It seems your brother Lazarus has found his fated mate.” he reported as he held out a piece of paper towards me. Without looking at it, I ignited it into flames, and it burnt, crumbling to ash in his hands. “Oh really? And where is this mate?” I asked, looking around. “No one has met her yet; it seems he is in the process of figuring out how she will live here because she is human.” If he thinks that my little flame is his mate, he is sorely mistaken. “As protocol dictates, the only way the throne would go to him is when she accepts him as hers, if she doesn’t, it changes nothing. He won’t
I was in a deep sleep when someone shook my shoulder. I grumbled and rolled over, ignoring them. “Come on, girl, wake up.” Abigail urged sternly, shaking my shoulder again. “What’s going on,” I asked as I sat up to look at her rubbing my eyes. She had a look of worry on her face as she looked behind her. I leaned over to look behind her. Two men were carrying Samuel into the cottage. He looked badly injured, his leg was hanging at a funny angle and he had cuts all over, blood soaked his clothing. “I need your help, granddaughter.” I nodded "y... yeah" I replied as I quickly stood. Abigail directed them to put Samuel in a small room off the side of the cottage that she used for her patients. I followed behind them, while I pulled on a housecoat that Abigail handed me. I watched closely as they set him on the bed. “What happened?” I asked, looking closer at the broken leg and the cuts and bruises that covered his body, he was out cold. “He walked out in front of a stagecoach that h
I heard the door open as someone entered the room; I kept my eyes closed as the person sat beside me and carefully removed the bandages, washing the wounds, dressing it with the old woman’s ointments before re-bandaging it. I opened my eyes, seeing Amaya sitting beside me, her face scrunched up in concentration as she finished bandaging the last wound. I grabbed her hand, and she jumped in surprise, “Thank you.” I whispered. She nodded as she went to leave, but I refused to release her hand; she sighed and sat back down. “Is there something you need?” she asked, her voice like music to my ears. I nodded, “company.” She tried to move again, but I held her hand, “Please, Little Dove?” She sighed. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she felt my forehead and cheeks checking for a fever. The simple touches feeling like heaven sending tingles throughout my body. “Could be better.” I joked. Her striking blue eyes watched me as if assessing something, “You can joke all you want, but you
I went into the main room and started cutting up more bandages as Abigail poured hot water into a cup and added herbs to it before returning to the room Samuel was resting in. “Can you go pick some blood of Hestia from the garden please, dear?” She asked me before she left the room. I nodded and looked into the reference book she had given me to study to see what the actual plant was. Skimming through the various plants and their code names, I finally found it before heading outside and looking for the chamomile she had requested I pick. I scanned the herb garden looking for the plant, without luck, which meant I’d have to look in the forest for it, referencing the book again I studied the picture Abigail had drawn and headed down the forest path we frequented looking for it. It didn’t take long for me to locate it; I picked a bunch and returned to the cabin Abigail was outside weeding the garden. I went inside the cabin and tied the plant and hung it up to dry, like she had taught