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She began to move.
At first she moved because her home was stifling. Then it became a distraction. Then a compulsion. She learned things, found new things that she had never seen before. And yet no place could hold her for long. Restlessness kept her moving.
It was with desperation that she finally forced herself to stay in Byzantium. Nevertheless a feeling persisted that this was not where she was supposed to be.
During her youth she had been taught about Byzantium, the gateway from Europe to Asia. She was more than aware how lucky she had been, to gain an education. The advantage of privilege. Perhaps if she had been raised like any other in her country she would not be suffering as she was now. The women at home had and lost children all the time. They mourned for a short period then moved on. But she was not like those women. She was capable of more.
It was as she wandered the market place, idly choosing food with no real preference, that she first heard the whisper.
Her feet took her towards the hushed conversation before her brain could even contemplate the action.
"K'un Lun."
The uninterested seller left, and the man, a merchant, who had spoke was about to leave also when her arm reached out and took his with surprising strength.
"Tell me of this place."
"Madam," The man had protested, looking down at her whitening knuckles with surprise. "Return to your shopping. This is of no interest to you."
"It is of great interest to me." She replied. "I have travelled a long way, and I may travel even further yet."
His eyes narrowed. He stayed rooted in place. "What is it that you seek?"
"Answers. Answers about life. And answers about death." She said lowly. "Will I find those answers at K'un Lun?"
The man nodded once.
"Tell me how to get there."
"It is far from here, madam."
"The length of the journey is irrelevant - what is important is that it gets me to where I need to be."
He nodded again. "You will need to pay for passage."
Standing back she released his arm. Already she had dismissed him as someone who held no true answers for her. Her reply was indifferent. "I can pay you. Take me to your ship."
"Madam. You do not want to pack first?"
"I only need myself."
He only spoke up as they boarded the boat. For that she was grateful. "What is your name, madam." He asked as they proceeded onto the vessel.
She frowned. "Aeliana." She answered. It would suffice.
A small set of quarters were shown to her. Thankfully she was kept separate from the men. She was well aware of the dangers that faced a woman travelling alone.
When she first planned to travel abroad she had carefully selected travelling companions between cities and towns. This journey was the first she had embarked upon alone - she should have been scared, worried for her own safety. But the further she travelled the less she found within herself to care about such things. What was left in life to treasure? What was death to cause such fear?
After passing through the strait they sailed on, and a month later they made land. The merchant - Tomi, as she had gathered during meals - had given her a rough idea of where the city was located. When they landed Tomi found her a guide.
With a quick word of thanks she was soon on her way. Despite sharing cramped quarters, she had failed to find anything interesting about Tomi or his crew, there was no need for prolonged farewells.
She travelled onwards, more driven than she had been since she left home, until at last they came to their final obstacle. By far the largest mountain she had ever been confronted with.
To attempt to climb it, as she would have to to reach K'un Lun, would be foolish, and would fly in the face of reason. And yet, she had come too far to turn back. The mere whisper of K'un Lun was the closest she had come to in accepting any place as a home.
A Sherpa was located who was willing to take her. Her previous guide spoke their language and finally found one who had heard of K'un Lun. They would pass through a few small villages on their way and then they would be alone for a long time before they found the gate.
She almost felt fear as she looked up at the mountain once more, but her determination arose and killed that feeling before it could truly speak.
The elders at K'un Lun wore gold robes. That was what Tomi told her.
Between every village, each getting smaller and smaller as they progressed upwards, her eyes hunted for a fleck of gold. With each village the name K'un Lun became more familiar, but conversation was hushed. Clearly no one they encountered had ever been there before.
At their last port before venturing into the unknown, she asked the Sherpa to stop so they could eat in the warmth one last time.
They entered a small communal area open to them. She had travelled the world, so the unremarkable room held little interest. Instead of stopping to look at her surroundings she immediately crossed to a quiet corner and took her meal.
The Sherpa did not follow her, instead stopping to talk to the few villagers in the room who were curious about the foreign woman who was choosing to undertake such a dangerous trek.
"Might I join you?" A plainly dressed man asked.
She blinked in mild surprise at hearing her native tongue spoken to her. Tilting her head she acquiesced.
He had no food so she offered a portion of hers.
"No. You will need the strength for the journey ahead."
She frowned. "Who are you?"
"Your appearance has raised some questions, Aeliana. Your Sherpa has taken it upon himself to answer them." He smiled as she made no move to reply. Her previous question remained unanswered.
"My name is Shen."
"Are you from K'un Lun?"
"Yes." He said, still smiling gently.
She took a mouthful, watching his serene face with a mild flair of annoyance. "Will you take me there?"
"Perhaps."
"I have money." She started before re-evaluating the man before her. He did not strike her as the kind to care for such things, so she quickly changed tact. "Please. I'm looking for guidance."
"Guidance in what?"
"I lost a child," she said, her voice gentle while her answer was blunt. "I have struggled since, and have come to question our world. The cycle of life and death. I want answers."
"You hope to bring her back?"
The question sent a twinge through her heart. "That's not possible."
"No. It's not." Shen said. They sat quietly for a moment as the front door opened to admit in more villagers. "You want peace from your grief. Something to preoccupy your mind - or perhaps something to enhance it." It wasn't a question. "I will present you to the other members of the Order. Whether they allow you to stay is up to them."
"Thank you." She breathed.
"Finish your food, Aeliana. We will leave shortly."
"Of course." She paused. The name had struck something within her. "It's not my name. Aeliana. At least I don't think it is."
Shen looked at her curiously. "You have forgotten your name?"
"I have travelled for a long time. No one called me anything, I did not need a name. I believe it began with an 'a', however."
"Well," he said, serenely. "Aeliana will suffice for now. Unless you would like to choose another?"
"Yes, I would." She responded, suddenly feeling sure. "Alexandra. Call me, Alexandra."
Shen smiled. "I think the Order will find you an interesting new addition, Alexandra."
With invigorated vigour, Alexandra dug into her food. When she finished, she proceeded to pick up the scraps of clothing she had picked up along the way and followed Shen out the door. It registered that the Sherpa did not follow, meaning Shen must have resolved to either take her or turn her away when they first entered.
"I was told," Alexandra mumbled, as she fixed the scarves around her face to protect against the cold, "that the people of K'un Lun wear golden robes."
Shen nodded, his face left exposed as they proceeded on the path. "We do. But when we are outside the city we are free to wear whatever we choose."
"Aren't you cold?"
"No, Alexandra. I'm fine." Shen answered. The rest of the journey passed in silence. She wouldn't lie - it was a difficult journey. The cold stung, even through the layers upon layers of clothing she had on. It bit her eyes, making it difficult to see - something that did not make mountain climbing anymore easy. However there was no complaint. The entire journey from her home to this place was hard. Complaining would not lessen that.
Until they came to a narrow passing. The idea of crossing it did not appeal.
"We have to pass over this?"
How Shen was able to hear her quiet exclamation over the howling wind and the fabric muffling her mouth she did not know. However he reassured her that the pass was the final part of the journey to the city.
Somewhat dubious of the prospect of her journey finally ending, Alexandra followed her guide on the path. She hugged the cliff wall and huffed a breath as they came out on the other side into a valley between steep cliff faces.
They hurried forward to a gateway. Which led to nothing.
"Where is it!" She cried, ripping the scarves from her face.
"Have no worry." Shen said, smiling at her in reassurance. He pressed on and passed through the gateway.
Alexandra bit down on a scream as she expected to watch him plummet to his death. Instead he merely vanished.
Inching closer she inspected the gateway, sure of the fact that stepping through would lead to her death. If it really was the gateway why wouldn't Shen step back through to guide her on? No - he must have dropped to his death. The snow must have obscured the view of him falling.
But would she not have heard him scream? And his red robes had been easy to see through the snow on the journey, so why would she have not seen him fall?
She huffed a breath as she looked on the gate again. She had come so far. She had left a home, everything that she knew. She had wandered, looking for knowledge. Looking for solace. And this is where that journey had taken her. Would she step through, or run back in cowardice?
If she died she would be with her child once more, Alexandra thought strongly. She lifted her head proudly and stepped confidently over the gateway.
The warmth that greeted her was the most blissful sensation she had ever felt. Next the wave of aromas hit her, then the sounds of light chatter. The city was warm, with beautiful light coloured buildings. Water fountains trickled around her and people passed her by, golden robes glinting in the sun.
It was not at all possible. She had been on an ice cold mountain. Where was the snow, the grey skies, the sound of crunching underfoot? Looking up there was nothing but blue.
It were almost as if the gateway had transported her to another world.
"We are in a different dimension." Shen smiled from beside her. "Well done. You passed the test."
Alexandra looked back through the arch seeing the mountain path spread out. "A test?"
"Of courage. And faith." Shen said. "The Elders will be happy to meet with you when you're ready, Alexandra."
The sound of her new name inspired strength within her.
"Please," her hand gesturing forward, "lead the way."
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Aeliana is a name I took from Aesop's Fables. In my mind Alexandra is English, but imagine whatever you want. I'm not sure if anyone will even read this, a story all about the villains, but I'm quite looking forward to writing more. Especially when I can get them all together! I struggled writing Alexandra, hopefully the others will be a bit easier!