LAUREL

Chapter 7

The conversation with the Fates didn't take that long. Laurel got enough information to find the god responsible for her time travel, but she also received a warning not to fight head-on. The words of the Fates carried some weight. Even if Laurel hasn't fully understood what they told her, she remembered their words. I never thought a day would come where I have to rely on a god.

The journey back to the forest - which she currently resides in - took faster than her walk to the Fates' temple. Laurel didn't even notice she's back until she felt a strong presence intensely watching her.

Laurel halted, huffing without turning to see who's on her tail. "How long are you going to follow?"

"Until your heart belongs to mine.," the god replied, making Laurel snort and roll her eyes.

"So never. Okay, got it." Laurel proceeds to walk, ignoring the god. Nothing good comes out whenever she's with this god. It's either too bright and embarrassing or too windy and arrogant. She can't dance with his personality. It's too much for Laurel to handle.

"My love, where might you be going?" Apollo followed his beloved. After finishing all his daily tasks, he rushed to his beloved, only to catch a glimpse of her. At least that's the plan, but Apollo loves her. A simple glimpse wasn't enough to sate his need to be by her side. "Oh love, you make me miserable. How long more would I yearn for thy love?"

While Laurel could hear a tinge of sadness in the god's voice and felt a tiny pinch in her heart, she chose to shake it off and ignore him. It's not that she hated the god. Laurel just had no time to waste or spare to entertain his antics. If they had met in a different world where she's freer, then maybe. But then again, she doesn't care about love or anything in between.

"Wait!" Apollo called. His beloved had fled once more. "My love, Pray run slower, and I will follow slower. I fear you should fall and hurt yourself on these stones, and I should be the cause." Apollo followed.

Gasping for air and sweating buckets, Laurel returned to the forest. She slumped by the riverbank. She removed her cloak and set it aside with her heavy bag before washing her face in the river. Laurel had a long run but knew how persistent the god was. It was only a matter of time until he found her, so she didn't bother hiding at this point. As long as the god kept his distance and his mouth shut, they have no problem. She could think of him as the wind passing by.

After refreshing herself, her stomach started to grumble. The woman hasn't eaten since last night. All she had were wild berries and greens that didn't fill much. She'd rather have meat if possible.

She sighed. "How can I be picky at this time?" Her stomach growled in response.

Laurel laid back, eyes glued to the sky as she watched the clouds pass by. It's calming, making her want to laze around. But cloud viewing wouldn't fill her stomach. She needed food.

Laurel sighed, sat up cross-legged, and checked her bags for goods to exchange in the agora. During her travels, she picks some herbs and spices to sell in exchange for food and shelter. Now that she knows the possibility of a much longer stay, she has to restock her food supply.

Laurel laid out her new cloak then placed all her belongings on top of it. She had herbs, dried fruits inside her bag, and a potion said to be from goddess Aphrodite from her pocket.

Looking at her stuff, Laurel doesn't have much to trade. Her time spent searching for the Fates limits her chance of bartering. All she's able to eat were wild fruits. "I guess I have to make medicinal juices to sell, then maybe I can buy a good wine to drink by the waterfall," she muttered.

Laurel busied herself sorting the herbs she picked up on her travels. She planned to sell a few of them before sundown. At least that's the plan, but her unwanted visitor decided to appear now. Laurel planned to ignore the god and mind her own business. But the said god decided to mirror her and sat cross-legged across, startling her in the process. They're a few meters away from each other, with only the spread cloak in between them.