Entwined

Chp 18. Alina 5

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After Zia left, it was just me and Azreia. I mean, also all of the other animals too.

Honestly, this all feels a bit too much like Snow White to me.

"So, I hear your from the future." Azreia starts.

"Yeah, I mean this place is cool and all, but so not like what the history books described it as."

"Do you miss it? The future?" She asks.

"Yes and no. I mean, where I come from, race is less of a problem. Men and women are pretty damn close to being equals, though, not all places in the world are so lucky. There is still poverty in many places of the world. Homlessness, corruption in the government. Yet, since I've been here, I haven't seen as much.

I mean, I was in my own for about a month or two before I met Koria, or her bird Juny. I did see poverty, sexisim, and racism. But I also stumbled across safe areas. Places where I saw no obvious racism. I saw endutured servents, which was new. I saw beatings and killings. Something I had also never seen before. I just wish that I could fix this place. "

She stared at me, then sighed.

"Zia has probably seen her fair share, as well as dealt with unnecessary racism. She's beautiful, but it is obvious that her family line is not from here. And that, that is one of the many things I wish I could fix. And I would've, if being a queen meant anything here. Poverty has this country riddled. As well as death. And the sexism, well lets just say I wish I was from the time you were previously in. I was to be wed off to a man I wanted nothing to do with. Forced into sex to carry his baby. Sexism, racism, povery, famish, they all have crippled our country."

She was a true Queen in every sense if the word, and it scared me. Where the hell did I fit into this world.

Zia was strong. She was fierce.

So what the hell was my purpose.

Genie crawled into my lap.

You fit in so much more than you realise. And so much better than you did in our old home. Magic was almost nonexistent in the future. Was there special places for it, yes. But you can make a real change here.

You see the problems here, so fix them. Mention them to the future queen. Koria said a war is coming, then let's fight. Let's fix this.

"Your familiar is right, to some degree. You may never fully eradicate the problem, but you can help. I can only imagine the things you know about the future, about how they've fixed some of the problems over time. So lets start now. Lets change the future, and move it foward ahead of time."

Shortly after, we headed off to bed. But not before a very naked woman walked in with a hot piece of cooked rabbit on a stick. She placed it on one of the shelves in the room, before nodding to Azreia and her wolfy friend, and leaving. We ate in silence, and fell to sleep shortly after.

•••

When we awoke, we were almost immediately greeted by Koria and her plans for us.

"This war is happening whether we like it or not. The humans have gone on a rampage, searching for any of us not deemed 'normal'. So in other words, any creature who holds magic. Any one that is not deemed mortal. Many of our safe places have been targeted. And as such, we will now become the safe place for them to escape to. In the following weeks, we will have hundreds, if not thousands, joining us. Species who can normally hardly coexist, will be joining us. And they will look towards you three. You three hold more power than any of these people. You will be tested, and challenged. So now, to ensure your place at the top, I expect you three to train."