The Extraordinary Accounts of One Lost Girl

-20-

Our rooms were the epitome of luxury, so much so that I didn't really except such luxury in a desert worn world.

The rooms were large and spacious, covered in velvet vermilion cushions and soft silk curtains. There were no windows. But to compensate, the entire room was a large mural of forests for walls and a starry sky for the ceiling, decorated in embossed golden stars and the biscuit crumble moon. Syanaam and I were given one room. It was large enough for a family of ten, so it was not uncomfortable. But being together with Syanaam in one space was unnerving.

We waited until out food was served. Even the food was different. They had more colour and flavor, making me wonder on how these people obtained such material while living underground. There was a combination of sour and sweet, spicy and salt and the water was cool and fresh. For a second, I wished that I could live underground like these people. The room were not warm and sticky, instead was cool and a bit humid. I guess it comes with being underground.

Even the servent were fair skinned, but more pale and sick looking. They didn't smile, simply placed our meals and left leaving Syanaam and me to eat alone. None of us spoke.

After the food was cleared away, we slept on separate beds, only to be woken by my Mara and told to bath and change before joining the evening festivities.

The bath was more luxurious than the one at home. The pool was large, with fountains on all four corners. Syanaam and I bathed away from each other's eyes before we were dressed in rich vermilion red and gold embroidery. The blouse was short sleeved that fell off my shoulders while a red shawl was wrapped over my neck, so that the flaps would sway from behind. Syanaam was dressed similarly and the both of us was escorted out.

It seemed they had a different room for festivities.

Syanaam and I was seated together, the heir to my left and Syanaam to my right.

Perfect, I told myself. Get scorned from both sides.

I ate in silence, like the two people besides me as music flared and laugher and conversation filed the air. The high priestess and the lady of the city was were seen on a balcony conversing with each other with their heads close to each other as they whispered. The city lord sat at the head of the table, being entertained by the dancers.

Never had I ever felt so uncomfortable during a dinner and I always thought that the last was the worst. This was byfar one that surpassed all, considering all past and future dinners.

Unable to withstand the noise and festivities, I took an early leave, feeling uncomfortable. No one said much as I left while Mara and Asith followed me from behind.

"You seem unwell," said Mara.

I shook my head. "No, I am just tired."

Slept came to me easily, but I woke up multiple of times, feeling unease overtake my stomach and I twisted and turned in my bed.

The following morning, I didn't even have strength to get up. It was then did I realize that something was really wrong. I found Syanaam feeling my forehead before yelling towards the entrance.

The rest was a blur.

My whole body felt warm and wet. It was so uncomfortable, like there was an itch on my whole body I couldn't figure out where and it was draining all my energy. The room felt cold, so terribly cold and yet I was not allowed to have an extra blanket.  Mata forced me to drink a liquid of some sort that was bitter, but I could not mind the taste for it tasted bland even with the bitterness. Porridge also tasted bland and like tasteless cream. Throughout all my feeding, Mara's face was grim. There wasn't sadness, it was more like disappointment. It made me feel like me being sick was not a simple matter of getting well and simply laughing it off.

Sometimes I saw Syanaam, sometimes Shalom would sit by my side and sing, it was nice. Mata would pray, while Asith would voice her complaints, only to be dragged outside by Mara. Sometimes I felt myself calling for mother.

Mother usually would sooth the pain by stroking my forehead. Once I felt a hand stroking my head that I opened my eyes and muttered, "Mother?"

A face loomed over me with a grim face. It was not the face of my mother. I looked away, disappointed. Where was my mother? I once heard a voice of a male, sounding like Henry.

"Brother?" I asked, seeing the handsome and smug face of Henry. He expression looked shocked. I laughed, "What are you doing here? This isn't Earth."

"What is she saying?"

"Must be the tongue of where she is from."

"I have never heard a tongue that sounds like that."

It took me a while to realize that my brother couldn't possibly be near me. He was universes away.

Sometimes I would see father sometimes even Charles and Christopher. I would see Henry the most. Whenever I saw Henry, I would tell him everything I have seen, even if he were just a dream.

I don't know how long I stayed on my bed. I just knew that Syanaam didn't stay in the same room. I surely missed the Sun Ceremony. By the time my consciousness was somewhat sane and not filled with hallucinations, I found the high priestess sitting at the side of my bed.

"You are awake. Good. You must get up."

A string of multilingual curses coursed through my head as I was helped up by Asith and Shalom and lead to the throne room. The luxury somewhat looked sinister at that time. The City Lord sat on his throne and announced.

"The heavens has spoken. The first born of the high priestess was cursed with the Red Fever by the heavens and thus shall not be named the wife of the city heir. Her date will be decided by the high priestess. The second born shall be my son's wife and high priestess!"

There was a huge commission going on as the city lord gave the high priestess and me a very dirty look. He doesn't seem to be pleased. The city heir and Syanaam stood side to side. For some reason, they looked pale and terrified.

I didn't care at that point. The red fever. I actually contracted the red fever. It seemed to go according to the high priestess's plan so well. It's a disease one gets if they go to the cursed lands. If it is like a regular disease, it's either congatious through air, water or food. Or, it might be a poison. If it were a poison that they mistook for a disease, then the high priestess might have fed it to me. It might also be a food or water born disease.

Then I remembered.

The sweet drink from that strange fruit she personally poured for me.

"You are the perfect strategist," I muttered to the high priestess as Asith and Mars was led my the guards to a smaller and less luxurious room in the underground city.

The high priestess didn't even look at me.