Chapter one: Can we really start over?

I hadn’t expected the fire to burn. I’m not sure why I didn’t maybe because it hadn’t at first but it did now. My skin blisters and burns and I cry out in pain but I know I can’t stop walking. Coals burn my feet and my eyes water uncontrollably as I hear voices whisper things to me, but I don’t stop until I feel the drop. I fall and I keep falling for ages until I hit the water, I can’t be back in the water! I would drown Life would bring us back just to kill us would she? My head pound, my limbs feel useless and my skin sears with pain. I finally let go of my sister's hand which I had been clutching onto for dear life. The next second things went black.

I wake up rubbing my head which is still pounding like no tomorrow. I look around for…my sister but I can’t see her because there are people surrounding me shouting. I can’t understand a word they are saying. I begin coughing hard and water makes its way out my throat onto burning hot sand. My bones hurt but none feel broken. My toga is ripped to shred and tears pour down my cheeks as I beg for them to help me.

“My goodness dear are you alright!” I finally hear words I understand and I look up.

“No,” I croak, the woman is older, her dark brown hair riddled with silver strands but her eyes are warm and kind. “Where’s my sister?” I ask as the woman begins helping me to my feet, slinging my arm around her shoulder.

“The other girl who washed up is being taken care of, I’ll take you to the healer as well. Okay?” the woman asks calmly, her voice sweet as honey.

“Okay,”

With the help of the woman and another strange man who I couldn’t understand. I’m lead into a building with a couple of people laying in beds with different parts of their bodys wrapped in bandages or covered in some kind of ointment. As we walk I catch a glimpse of my sister and I call to her and she turns waving to me but giving me a small nod, she was safe at the very least.

I’m brought to a secluded room where a woman begins putting ointment on my burn scars and tightly wrapping them. I wanted to tell her to give me my toga back but she had already sent it to be washed. She gave me something that made me cough up more sea water and the kind woman from the beach, Lavender, stayed with me the whole time.

After an array of strang treatment I began feeling far better and much more relaxed. I layed in the bed thinking about the deal I had made, was it the right choice, what would the so-called consequences be? After the room had gone dark and Lavender had left I heard the tapping of feet and in walked my sister.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” she asks, sitting herself on my bed.

“I should be asking you that,” I laugh, wanting to sit up but my back is still too sore.

“I’m feeling fine, you look worse than I do, maybe because you made the deal?” She suggests, she doesn’t say my name, she must have heard the same voice.

“You heard that voice in the fire didn’t you?” I ask, gripping her hand, it’s not as burned.

“Yes, what should we tell them?” The voice said they weren’t able to say their old names for they changed their fates, they had to change what connected them to their old life.

“I suggest partial memory loss maybe?” I suggest as she’s looking at the smooth clay walls.

“That means we can’t go home though,” she says before a small smile spreads on her face. “We don’t have to go home now!” She bursts into a full grin.

“I…that’s true but where will we go?” I ask, watching as her face falls.

“I don’t know, anywhere but home. But what if...-,” she stops and looks at me a sad look on her face “-do you think that…mom might love us like this?” she asks, looking at her clear arms completely lacking the rashes that had plagued us for years.

“I don’t care either way, if she couldn’t love us like we were then what’s the point,” I say forcing her to look me in the eye. “You know that father doesn’t care either way, and I would rather live on the street than go back there,”

I could tell she was becoming angry not with me but with the points I brought up. My sister sometimes got caught in a dream that something could fix our lives and make our parents love us, but then reality hit her like it always would and she had a hard time keeping her anger contained. She silently gets up touching her hand to her forehead before walking out, I know not to follow her.

I lay there contemplating what I’ll do, I might be able to get a job as a farm hand but that was if I was lucky and I would still need to find somewhere to stay. Maybe she would come up with a plan, I wasn’t sure of anything other than I didn’t want to go home. So as I drifted off to sleep the only thought was one of a wonderful home all to themselves.

I woke up early but despite it a woman soon came in to re-wrap my bandages. She was kind and spoke Yeshkin which was nice. She told me that we would be free to go in a few days once the healing magic had fully fixed us up. She seemed to be gone as soon as she came so I only had myself for company. I was finally able to sit up so I did, I braided the frayed edges of the blanket I had been given until I heard footsteps. They were too heavy to be my sisters so I looked up from my braiding to see the bandage woman from before.

“There’s someone here to see you,” she said, opening the door for Lavender to step inside.

“I just wanted to see if you were doing alright?” Lavender gives a warm smile and I give one as well though nerves crept into my brain.

“I’ll leave you two be,” the bandage woman nods to Lavender and walks out.

“How are you feeling?” Lavender asks walking over and taking a seat in the wobbly wooden chair holding a small cloth covered basket.

“My back still hurts but everything else is feeling far better,” I inform her not looking at her.

“That’s good I brought something for you, and your sister if she’ll want some to,” she peels back the cloth to reveal steaming buns with something drizzled over them.

“She definitely will!” My eyes go wide, she holds the basket out and I take the steaming bun.

“Alright I’ll have to stop by,” she chuckles as I bite into the sweet pastry, my mother had never let me eat things like this because she said I didn’t deserve them, but Lavender had given them to me without a second thought.

“Thank you very much!” I smiled after I had devoured the whole thing.

“Of course-...my goodness I forgot to ask you name,” she laughs as my stomach drops.

“Ah um…I don’t quite want my old name,” I mumble, my good mood dipping in an instant.

“Oh… may I ask why?” she asks, her concern was genuine and it nearly made me want to cry and tell her everything that had happened but I didn’t instead I just looked down at the blanket I had braided.

“I just… I don’t like it anymore, my parents gave it to me and well…” I trail off but she seems to understand what I meant and she nods.

“I understand. Since you don’t like your name, is there anything you’d like me to call you?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I hadn’t really thought about names so I just shrugged.

“That’s alright i’m sure it takes a fair amount of time to do those sorts of things,” she laughs making me do the same.

We talk for a little while more and I can’t help but inform her of the fear I hold for when they let us out. She gave me nothing but sympathy and offered her own home to me. I thought I might cry when she gave me the offer.

“My house isn’t much but I’d be happy to open it up to you,” she says, making my eyes begin to water.

“That…are you sure?” I ask my gut twisting at the thought of it not happening.

“Of course, I’m happy to help and if you only want to stay a little that’s alright if you want to stay a while that's okay to,” she smiles and I finally let the tears slip from my eyes as I nod.

This woman was so refreshingly kind and I wanted to keep talking to her forever but I knew my sister deserved the same treatment as I did so I put my hand to my forehead and then my heart, she didn’t seem to understand but she smiled as she left.

Me and my sister brainstormed names but none fit quite right. I sat in her room which was nearly identical to mine except she had a green blanket instead of a white one. She was just as excited at the prospect of living with Lavender but she was also insanely cautious. I told her worst case scenario we would sneak away if things went south. She agreed and quickly decided she was tired.

We were kept in the healing centre for a few more days, all of which Lavender came to visit. Each morning she would come and talk to me and my sister, giving us food before heading off to work. On are final day she came bearing gifts.

Me and my sister sat playing sticks, I had just won when the door creaked open and Lavender walked in with not one but two baskets. I look up at her and she grins, placing the basket. Garments of clothing sit in the basket.

“I thought you might like some more comfortable clothes to go home in,” there was undergarments and dresses sitting in the basket. “Do you like it?” all I could do was smile and nod.

“It’s perfect,”

Me and my sister went to are separate rooms to change while Lavender waited in the hall. The dress piece went down to my ankles and there was loose fabric which I used to tie as a belt, it was similar enough to the things I wore at home and it seemed to be what Lavender wore so I tried to tie it the same way. There was a ribbon in the pile and I used it to pull my hair up into the bun I used to wear but then I stopped. Why should I ? My mother isn’t here to see my hair, so instead I put it in a loose ponytail that showed off my dark curls. I walked out to find Lavender helping tie my sister tie her dress back. She had her hair in a bun, and her dress was light blue as well.

“Thank you,” my sister says, giving Lavender a one armed hug.

“Thank you so much!” I smile hesitating before wrapping Lavender in a hug.

“I’m glad you like it! Now come I took the day of two show you the town,” Lavender walks us out of the healing centre out to the town.

My feet are bare against the stone but I don’t mind. In fact I liked it and I felt free.

~

I watch as children run around and parents gossip. I look around and see kids are age grinning and kicking around a leather ball, yelling at the kid who kicked it into the fountain and laughing once one jumps in to save it. That was the moment I realised my knees didn’t hurt. My legs were still scrawny and pathetic but my bones didn’t ache and my knees didn’t pop. I wanted to run just to test how far I could go but I just pick up the pace of my walking a bit.

“So have you girls picked any names yet?” Lavender asks as we walk over to a booth with shining bright fruits in baskets.

“I ‘ve been thinking but I’ve had a hard time, how did you get your name Lavender?”

“Well my family has a tradition of naming their kids after their favourite plant or flower,” She explains making my eyes widen I watch as my sisters do the same.

“What’s your favourite flower?” She asks looking at Lavender who taps her chin.

“Well I quite love Strelitzia and Marigolds, they’re ever so beautiful,” she says with a wide smile and a wistful look.

“Well I quite love Marigold as a name!” My sister says her eyes filling with joy.

“That’s good cause I like Strelitzia, I think I would have had to fight you for it,” I joke poking Marigold in the side making her laugh.

“Oh are you girls sure you want to do that, it’s just a silly little thing,” Lavender says with a sweet smile.

“Of course they’re very pretty names! And I think the way your family names is wonderful!” Her family's naming was far better than ours which was just passing down the same names all of which were plain and colourless.

They walk around buying food for home and it filled me with nothing but joy and when the baker’s pretty daughter asked my name I gladly gave her Strelitzia. Marigold was lavishing in her own new name. Lavender seemed quite amused by this. We spent the whole day exploring the town. It was almost time to go home when Lavender said she had to pick up something else so she told us to wait at the water fountain.

Me and Marigold sat playing another game of sticks when a girl probably around are age started talking at us. I didn’t understand a single word she was saying.

“I don’t know what you’re saying,” I try to explain which caused her to furrow her brow.

“Does she not understand we don’t know what she’s saying?” Marigold snorts trying to cover her smile.

The girl eventually just walks away to another group of people leaving us to be confused in private. I don’t understand how she expected me to know what she was saying. Lavender came back a few moments later and we started on are way back to her house. She asks us if we have any food restrictions. We didn't, so she said she was going to make something special.

We arrive at a house it was simple compared to our old one, white walls and an orange clay roof but it looked nice. She puts a stone with a rune to the door and it opens itself. I wanted to know how she did it but I keep my mouth shut because I didn’t want to irritate her. She slips her sandals off and leads us into a room with a fire pit in the centre of the room as well as countertops, a basin of water and a small table.

“Sorry if the smell is a bit strong the Evermores had to come over to do their sacrifices because there's got all wet this morning,” the air smelled of honey and clover. It was sweet and pleasant so I hadn’t a clue why she apologised.

“I like it,” Marigold says as Lavender set’s the baskets of the wooden counters.

“Me too, I like your rug,” I say pointing to the one under the table.

“Thank you, why don’t I show you girls where you'll be staying?” We both give grinning nods.

She leads us up the tight spiral staircase to a small hallway. There are two doors and she leads us to the one on the left. It was a quaint room with three beds lining the walls with three chest next to each of the beds. The room was beautiful with an intricate rug on the ground and two small basins of water next to two of the beds. I assume it was for washing your hands before meals and bed, like we did back home.

“This looks wonderful,” I say walking over to the bed and I slide my hand along the cloth.

“I’m glad you like it,” Lavender smiles as Marigold walks over and sits on the bed next to my new one.

“Why are there three beds?” Marigold asks looking over at Lavender.

“It used to be my kids rooms, but they’re all grown up now,” she smiles but it’s a bit bittersweet looking I suppose she must miss them. “Well I’ll leave you two to get settled, there's some other clothes in the chests,” Lavender walks out of the room leaving the door wide open.

I look at Marigold with a raised eyebrow, our mother had always locked are door until it was time for dinner. I didn’t want to do anything wrong so I just walked over to the window. There aren't many people in the streets, probably due to the quickly setting sun. As I stare out the window a sudden fear hits me. What if this wasn’t real? I had had vivid dreams like this before, but none had ever lasted this long. I turn and look at Marigold, her face didn’t look off like it did in dreams.

“You okay? You're scrunching your face up,” she says flopping onto her stomach.

“Yeah… just this all seems too good to be true,” I sigh, rubbing my scarred arms.

“I know…but I mean why can’t it be true, who said our lives had to be bad to be true?” Marigold sighs rolling onto her back and closing her eyes.

“I guess you right, I’m just scared I guess,”

I continue watching the sun, I’ve always loved the sunset, the clouds and the colourful sky. It also reminded me of the story my older brother Kirimin told me, and it was that the spirit of the sun loves the sky so much that she would give the gift of colours every sunrise and set. I liked the myth, it made me hope that maybe one day I could have a love like that.

Me and Marigold remained in are room until Lavender called for us. I washed my hands in the basin before me and Marigold cautiously made are ways down the stairs. Steaming bowls of soup sit next to smaller bowls of rice. My mouth water at the very sight of so much food.

“Is that for us?” I ask stupidly.

“Of course, I’m surprised you girls didn’t come back down with me,” she chuckles as she gestures for us to sit on one of the four stools.

“I….-” Marigold was as dumbfounded as I was.

We took are seats and I almost felt scared to eat, Lavender had of course given us breakfast but I hadn’t expect such a dinner, back home usually mother just gave us the extra bits of dinner because we were most times scared into not eating at all. I was surprised to find myself hungry because at one point I had become used to the lack of meals. Nonetheless I take my seat, I put my hands to my heart and say my prayers.

“What gods do you thank?” Lavender asks as I pick up my spoon.

“I’m thanking Life tonight,” I explain as I take a nibble of the rice.

“I’m doing the same, her and Emotion,” Marigold says, copying my movement.

“I see, I do quite the same though I thank spirits of the garden as well,” Lavender says with a light chuckle.

“Why?” Marigold asks as she stares down into her bowl.

“I own a plant shop so it would be terrible if I didn’t,” Lavender explains pushing her rice bowl to the side.

“That must be hard to maintain in winter,” I say as I nibble at the meat sitting in the broth.

“Well we don't’ really have winters, and if we did it would be much of a problem-,” she pauses to take a bite of vegetable “-my powers are quite earthbound, plant manipulating water bending things like that,” she explains, my intrigue growing with each word. I had always been intrigued by magic but my mother always told me it was a comeners craft, my father didn’t think that way which was the only thing we ever agreed on.

“Could you teach me!” I blurt out before thinking.

“Hmm… I’m not sure earthbound magic can be taught, but if you want to learn runes I could do that for you,” I quickly accept her offer and Marigold asks if she can learn with me, Lavender agrees.

I ate nearly all of my soup feeling happy and satisfied when I was done. Lavender invited us to a game of marbles in the sitting room. We had never heard of a game called marbles before but we wanted to learn everything we could. By the end of the night I had learned all about the game of marbles as well as the story of how a boy had dumped her whole bag into a lake once only for her to fish them out to prove a point. I was quite sure I hadn’t ever gone to sleep so happy.

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Hope y'all enjoyed this story and I'm really hoping to post more frequently here! Reviews are welcome and I can't wait to see what y'all think! That's all for today have a great day/night and I hope to see you all next time! Bye!