+25 BONUS
Chapter Sixty One
Chapter Sixty One
I looked around, taking in the crowd–more people than I Had ever seen. A smile spread across my lips, the incident with the soldiers at the exit already long forgotten.
Trian took my hands again; his were huge and rough–just as I imagined a warrior’s hands to be. He led me into the thick of Aureonna’s city; people stared–especially women, but the stares weren’t directed at me, but at Trian. “What is that?” I asked, pointing to a group of people gathered nearby. They seemed to be laughing at something.
“It’s a play, a drama.”
“I want to see it.“.
“Of course.”
We weaved through the crowd of excited people, until we reached the front row.
A woman with a silver wig sat on a make–shift throne; her skin seemed to have been painted white. The other woman by her side had a blonde wig on. It took me a moment to realize this was a drama about me the woman in the silver wig was meant to be me, while the one in the blonde wig was portraying Empress Julia.
“Soon, you will lead us to victory. The fate of the Aureonnas rests on your shoulders,” said the one in the blonde wig.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough–what if I fail?” the one in the silver wig asked, overly dramatic.
“You can’t fail. Do you know what I would do if you fail? I would marry you off like some slut.” She said, rising to her feet, she turned to the crowd. “Who wants to fuck the Chosen?”
People laughed hard.
Trian pulled me away from the crowd, and I clutched my hood as he led me further from the scene.
“That drama or whatever it was, was disgusting… It clearly had no meaning.”
“Many like to make jokes about Empress Julia and you.”
“What types of jokes?”
“You wouldn’t want to hear them.”
“Tell me.” I demanded.
“Some say the Empress and you are… lovers.”
Lovers? Why would they ever think that?
“Perhaps we avoid the crowds for now.” Trian suggested, and I nod in agreement.
I stopped before a hut, its structure unlike any I had seen in the city. Hanging from the door were… bones and skulls. A man and a woman walked out of the hut, hand in hand, with smiles on their faces.
“What’s inside?”
“Just a fortune teller–the oldest alive.”
“A fortune teller?”
“Yes, they are also called soothsayers. They tell you about your future.”
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***** +25 BONUS
Chapter Sixty One
“I want to know about my future.”
“Aliya, they are mostly liars and deceivers; they tell lies and confuse people.”
Another couple walked into the hut.
“Then why do people come here if all she tells are lies?”
“Some prefer a good lie over the harsh truth. Couples come here to learn if their current partner is their true love; some leave disappointed, while others leave pleased.
I walked in, and Trian followed, bowing his head to fit through the tiny doorway. An old woman, looking to be about eighty years of age, sat there; so did the two couples that walked in earlier. She took both their hands in hers, her eyes remaining shut.
“You are going to be blessed with strong, beautiful children, but the first child will die at birth.”
“No!” the woman being read gasped, breaking down into tears.
“You will birth great men and women; the gods would console you for the loss of your first.”
When she was done, the couples left the hut and it was our turn.
“She would like to be read.” Trian said to the woman.
“We are closed for the day; come back tomorrow.”
Trian walked up to her and handed her something; her face paled. “Gold,” she muttered.
“There’s more from where that came from.”
“I think I have a few more minutes to spare,” she said with a crooked smile.
I took a seat before the old woman.
“I can read your palm to tell you how many children you’ll have, or perhaps you’d like to know where you’ll meet the love of your life?”
“No. I want to know about my… future.”
Would I ever leave the castle, is there really some great destiny awaiting me?
“That’s quite expensive.” She began, but Trian passed her another gold coin, and she smiled wide. She placed the coin in her pocket before taking my hands in hers and shutting her eyes. For about ten minutes she muttered strange, foreign words. I exchanged glances with Trian who seemed on the verge of bursting into laughter. Finally she fell silent.
“You are a highborn–a very important person but you are not from around here. You feel… lonely all the time; all you’ve ever wanted was to have ‘somebody.‘. A great change would come… yes, a very great change. I see light, happiness… you will fall in love, and you will be happy.” She said letting go of my hands and then she paused, her eyes turned completely white. “There is more… pain. So much pain.” She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“What else do you see?” I asked.
She shook her head. “That’s as much as they are willing to reveal to me.” She turned to Trian. “I still have some time to read you, if you have more… gold.”
“Don’t bother, I don’t believe in fortune telling.”
Chapter Sixty One
+25 BONUS
“Trian. It would only take a few minutes.” I said, and finally he gave in, passing her another coin, which she accepted with an even wider smile, revealing her yellow teeth. She took his hands and immediately her eyes went white.
Minutes passed, and she said nothing; finally, she let go of his hands with a gasp, fear in her eyes.
“What did you see?” I asked her.
“Darkness. I saw darkness.”
