Festival Of The Gods [OLD VERSION]

New Friends

In the morning I woke up from sunshine burning my eyes. I don't know how, but it knew how to snipe right into my face through that mini window. Or a hole, call it whatever you like. And at that angle, damn....

A groan slipped from my mouth and I opened my eye. For a moment I panicked at strange environment, but soon enough, memories came of yesterday back. I sighed a small breath of relief and sat up in my bed. My spine cracked and muscles streched ending in pain. I knew this would happen.

I looked through the window and saw sun barely touching the sea. It was really earlyin the morning. But my peace was short lived and my door flung open, causing me to jump a little. Turning around I saw Hagne with a face as if she is prepared to go to war, but seeing me awake it changed into a smile.

'Ah, you awake. I was prepared to battle with you to get you out of the bed' she cheerfully said and opened the dresser. I stood up and did a few streches to wake my body.

'You will have to do that later on' I smirked and saw her roll her eyes.

'Trust me, you don't want that. Ask my boys' she said and pulled out one of the white sheets.

'Follow me, I'll show you the bathroom' she said and we walked out of my room, not before closing the door.

We walked through deserted halls and stairs until we came to the back of the house. There was a room with a pool of sorts.

'C'mon, let's take a bath before men wake up' she smirked and we both quickly threw our clothes off. I expected cold water to endulge me, but I was met with warm, like hot springs, water'

'This feels so good' I moaned and Hagne laughed.

'We better be fast because today we have guests. Arina should have told you'

'Yes, Akake's close friend' I nod and she smiled.

'Since we all will be eating, we better dress you up. I still have to show you around the house'

'Yeah' I said, but neither of us moved.

'This is too good to end' Hagne sighed and stood up with me following.

After we dried our hair Hagne helped me into one of the sheets. She simply put it in my and with a belt secured it, making the cloth wrinkle at my sides in simple pattern. I put on simple leather sandals and pulled my hair into a braid.

We started our tour with the courtyard. She told me that in here women spend some of the time relaxing and chating. Then we moved to the kitchen which was directly connected with the yard. It was..... primitive. Clay pots sat by the wall with different ingredients and spices, at the back was a stove. Well, it was a stone cube with a hole for wood to be more precise. Boxes with tools were oposite of the stove and in the middle was a small table like platform for chopping, I guess.

After that she showed me the dinning room where the dinner will be held tonight. It was a very fancy room with carpets on floor and walls. Low woden tables were placed in the middle making one long table with cushions lined up. Few plants stood in the corners and I noticed a balcony at the end of the room.

Next we briefly stopped by all rooms and Hagne explained that women and men slept in seperate parts of the house. Most of the guest rooms were at men's side, but since I was a woman Hagne though it would be best for me to be in women's side.

After that we came to a room called Gynaeceum. This room was only for women and, according to Hagne, this is where women spend most of their days since only men could drink wine and dine with guests.

The only places she didn't show me were store rooms and Akake's "office" which was his bedroom.

The house was quite big and from small windows throughout the tour I could see huge fields of wheat by the house. So I got curious.

When I asked what Akake did for the living, I got a small laugh back.

'We have wheat bussines. Most of the town get wheat and flour from us and we even sell to other cities' she explained and I nod. In her words, Akake's bussines was booming.

When we were done with the tour sun was already high in the sky. Slaves were running around with different things in their hand that were used preparing for dinner. That actually got me nervous a bit.

'Hagne!' Suddenly, a woman appeared in the courtyard, where we stood, and quickly came to us.

'Agape, good to see you' Hagne smiled and hugged the woman. She was my age and had coal black hair to her mid back. She had light brown eyes that stared at me curiously.

'You must be Era' she said and I smiled.

'Yup, that's me' I was about to give her hand in greeting, but was pulled into a hug.

'We finally meet! My name is Agape and I'm Alkaios wife. You must have met him already, stubborn man' she blured out and I just smiled, not knowing what to do.

'Maybe you could help her get dressed up for the dinner?' Hagne asked and I shook my head.

'More like teach me' I said and Agape places her hand around my shoulders.

'I'm on it! Let's go!' She shouted and pulled me away into the house. This woman was energetic and just shone with happyness. And chater box.