Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 4: Oppositions of Logic and Faith

As Marlina looks around the open courtyard, she notices aged cracks and missing pieces in the structures within the walls, but there are signs of repair and relatively recent paint on them. In the center of the courtyard stands a fountain with crystal-clear water flowing steadily, glistening in the sunlight above. Although Marlina can't feel it, the temperature within the walls is livable at around 90 degrees, and she observes that none of the others appear uncomfortable despite the supposed blistering desert heat. While Marlina surveys her surroundings, Elek can't help but stare. Her hands are missing, yet she displays no immediate concern or signs of distress or pain. There are several holes in her body, but none are bleeding. 

When Marlina turns back to Elek to ask a question, she notices a small amount of blood trickling from his eye behind his hair and the look of shock on his face, which worries her. "Are you alright, sir? Your eye is... bleeding."

Elek reaches into his pocket and takes out a small vial, moving his hair aside to let a drop of the liquid from the vial fall into his silver-colored eye, then using a cloth to wipe away the blood. In that brief moment when that side of his face is visible, Marlina notices a vertical scar over his right eye before he shifts his hair back to conceal it. "It's of little concern. I think we should be more worried about you. Are you in any pain?"

Marlina shakes her head. "I'm not, at least not how others have described pain feeling."

What a strange answer. Congenital insensitivity to pain, perhaps? What he observed of her form told him a very different story. Elek has at least a dozen questions, but he wants to get her to Tessa to see if she can do anything about her condition. He decides to ask at least one: "What's your name?"

"Marlina, sir, I am a servant, and my purpose is to find a master to serve."

She gave more than he requested, resulting in more questions to address later. But priorities come first.

"Can you tell me where I am? I was told there was little civilization in the Everlasting Expanse?" Marlina asks.

Right, something to distract Elek from overwhelming her with his questions, as he was certain that Tessa would have just as many once she met this one. "You are in the outpost town of Englias. This land was once the site of old ruins from a lost civilization that Aurea occupied to establish a sustainable halfway point across the desert."

"Aurea?"

"The one who takes charge around here. The woman who was standing with me at the gate. The work being done here has only been ongoing for a few years and is now gaining some recognition, which explains why you haven't heard of it yet."

She sees a door at the end after walking into the building and down an incline to a tunnel lined with clusters of green stones that emit a dim glow. Elek opens the door for Marlina to step in ahead of him, her eyes wandering as she takes a good look. The room has no windows because it's underground, and its shape is unusual, clearly not man-made. The walls are relatively smooth, although the ceilings are a bit low, especially for a tall individual like Elek. This is evident when he has to avoid running into the hanging bundles of glowing stones suspended from the ceiling by nets made of palm fronds to illuminate the space. Holes in the walls had been carved out for makeshift shelves with neatly organized medical supplies. In various areas, there are smaller rooms. The doors leading to them are open, revealing empty beds and minimal furniture. Some rooms are designed for one person, while others accommodate more, depending on size.

Elek leads her to one of the rooms with a single bed, gesturing for her to sit while he goes to another room across from her. With the door left open, she can hear Elek speaking to someone else. "Tessa, I brought the woman that Natalia saw in the wastes. A hekoska got to her, but..."