Favoured Ones

Chapter III

Phaedra was fairing worse than me, her age leaving her particularly sensitive to the heat of the high sun. Her grip on my arm had grown increasingly more heavy and she almost always had the water canteen in hand now; I grew more and more worried, trying to distract her from the laborious trek by keeping the conversation flowing, simultaneously gaining information to where I had been transported to.

I compiled the information she supplied. Somehow, someway, for what ever reason I had found myself in ancient Greece. In the mountains of Delphi to be more concise. I silently cursed myself for so easily agreeing to help the mysterious being, without even asking for an explanation, the terms and conditions per say. It could've been a demon for all I knew, wanting to sink its claws into my soul and devour my flesh.

However, I was alive. And for that I was eternally thankful; because although I was contented with my life, I hadn't wanted to die just yet.

"Yer see it?" Phaedra perked up, "That's the temple, just round this bend." She grinned, her step taking more lift as we grew closer.

The buildings roof peeked above the rock, shinning a stunning alabaster white in contrast to the mottled greens, grays and browns of the surroundings.

"Yer'll see, they got plenty of places to sit down, beds too and baths to wash yer weary soul pure again."

We turned the corner and Phaedra froze, missing a step, demeanor turning icy as she gasped.

Before us was a mighty building, constructed partially within the mountainside with towering pillars of white marble solidly lifting its ornately carved roof. Gigantic in size and exuding an aura of importance the scene before me would have left me in awe, if not for the crowd of people sat at the temples feet.

There had to be hundreds of people, nearing on a thousand, strewn about on the worn grass at the temple steps; some were lucky enough to lay on mats of woven grass others left without choice curled into themselves on the cold, hard ground.

Everyone down there was in varying stages of ill health, the air here reeked of sickness and poor hygiene and a song of coughing and moans eclipsed the birds singing.

"Travelers! Do not bother coming further, the plague has a tight grip on the people here and the high priest will not allow us refuge in Asclepius' Temple." someone said from a ways away, they looked bedraggled, linens muddied and eyes blood shot as they lent on awooden stick.

"We've been cursed, we'll never be over this blasted plague." Phaedra said grimly, words said so quietly under her breath that I almost didn'thear them.

Plague? This is the first I'd heard her speak of a plague.

My head shot over to the people on horses, their faces sheltered by over hanging cloaks, now that made sense. Wracking my brain, thinking back to the brief section in university I'd learned about the history of medicine – people would pilgrimage to holy sites, such as Asclepius Temples, and seek a kind of spiritual healing from the patron god of the site. Sometimes it worked, because of the environment the temples provided, the prayers, worship and miscellaneous potions used were questionable to the healing process however.

Which plague was this, bubonic, septicemic, pneumonic? How contagious?

Had I just escaped the hands of death to walk back into them?

Phaedra's hand felt like a lead weight. I scanned her head to toe; she looked pale, cheeks flushed but her eyes looked clear and although she was on the thin side, her fingertips where pink. Prognosis- promising.

"What are the symptoms of this plague Phaedra?" I asked, staying as calm as possible, she sucked her lips into a thin line.

"Took my son and all three daughters, it did... Gave them a fever hotter than the sun but they shivered like they were freezing, couldn't get any of them to eat or sleep and then..." her words died off and I felt guilt well up in my chest, I hadn't meant to reawaken foul memories. "My last son is there." she nodded towards the closest horse, I heard her choke on a cry and considered my next wordscarefully.