What was Lost

Strange Markings

I ran to the first aid kit, nearly toppling over Rafa who was in my way. I grabbed it off the wall, and opened it roughly, not caring if I broke it. Inside there was gauze, medical tape, band aids, Inadine patches and other things you would find in an aid kit. How? How was this possibly here? I speculated, then realised that the only way for this to have been here was if Castiel had passed through.

I whirled around, searching for Raman or Mryen, and found them both together, helping Dani eil with a wound on his arm. I just about flew across the room in my rush to get to them, grabbing Raman by the shoulders and shaking him. I probably looked like a mad woman, but that mattered little to me.

"How the hell is this here? Huh?! Answer me, dammit! How is Castiel's kit here?!" I shouted into his confused face, letting go of his shoulders to wave the said kit in his face. Understanding dawned on his face, and his eyebrows rose up in surprise.

"Castiel?" he questioned, easing away from me slightly, and I let him go. His wife came to stand next to him, having finished with Dani eil's dressing, and began appraising me as if she were seeing me for the first time.

"Raman," she whispered, still staring at me "she wears clothes alike to his, and knows his name. Perhaps-"

"Perhaps what Mryen? How are we to know if she is the one he spoke of?" he looked at his wife who shook her head at him, and drew him further back, and began speaking to him, all the while gesturing wildly with her arms, and sneaking fleeting glances at me.

I was so shocked at having seen the aid kit that I forgot that if I wanted to, I could have eavesdropped on their conversation, with them being none the wiser. Instead, I stood there, paralysed, a million questions rushing around my head. Was he here? Where was he? Was he alive? What had happened? Had he been searching for me?

From the corner of my eye, I saw movement, and dully noted that Mryen had disappeared into a room further into the Inn, but didn't bother to wonder why. I was still rushing through questions in my head when the sound of my name being called cut through my train of thought.

"Huh?" my reply was as poorly formed as my thoughts, which were currently buzzing around my head like a swarm of bees, and much like a swarm, I could only see a big blob, and not discern any individual thought.

"I said, would you please take a look at this? Castiel said to give it to a woman who asked after the bag. He had said that she would understand after seeing it. But I do not understand," said Raman as he handed me an old, frayed piece of paper with a body of writing on it.

"This parchment has strange markings upon it the likes of which I have never seen, and I am unable to understand what it says. You may have a look, but I do not believe you will understand it either," he handed the paper to me, which I received with hands that had begun to tremble.

Slowly turning the paper so the words were the right way up, I tried my hardest to swallow the lump that was stuck in my throat, put there by fear, and began to read.

The 'strange markings' Raman had spoken of were in fact English words, and as I looked at them, my heart clenched uncomfortably.

Dear Ariana,

I hope, in time, you will chance upon this letter. I have left similar ones in every town or city I have encountered in case you found them there, but my hopes are on this one as it is the town nearest the desert where I woke up.

After I took the potion, I remember floating in the Cosmos, and then darkness. When I awoke, I was in the desert. Alone. I did not for a second think that you had left of your own free will, so I knew something was wrong. I hope I was right in my assumption.

Thankfully, I awoke with my belongings beside me, and using magic, I tried to locate you, but unless some greater power hid you from me, I know that you were not on the Earth at that point in time. I made my way to this town, and befriended the owners of the Inn that this letter is in. I hope that they are still well.

For some reason, I could understand the language they were speaking, though I had never encountered it before. I wonder, did you experience the same phenomenon?

I tried to go back to our time, but Ari, something has blocked me. No matter how hard I tried, I could not go back. Instead, I plan to travel. From what I have seen, this place is beautiful. Never have I seen such a majestic place, and as you know, I have lived for a long time. I will continue to search for you, and for a way back home. I promise.

I don't know how many years will pass till we meet again, but I am sure we will. I have a theory that somehow, although we must have ended up in the same place, we were thrown in different times.

As I said, dear Ari, I am planning to travel. I am planning to go to the capital of Hittite, Hattusa, as it is the height of power in this era. If you do read this, make your way there. Use the gold bars you have, and keep your wits about you. This is a beautiful land Ari. Beautiful by dangerous.

I hope we shall meet soon, Ari. I find myself missing both Rene and your company as each day passes.

Castiel.

I hadn't realised that I had been crying till a stray tear fell onto the paper, and smudged the ink where it fell atop the word 'home'. I clenched the paper to my chest and continued to cry.

It was all my fault.

I had wanted to restore my bond, and Castiel, who was so kind to me, had been pulled into this mess. God only knew how long he had been in this country, and by the state of the paper, I could tell it had not been a mere few years.

An arm tentatively slid across my shoulder, and then I was buried into the side of a masculine body, a large, warm hand caressing my back soothingly. We stayed like that, me attached to his side for a long while, till at last I looked up, my tear ducts drained dry, at the worried face of Ura.