Author's note: I do not own any of the characters in Red River I have simply barrowed them. Tessa and Thea are my oc's though and there may be more oc's to follow. This story takes place in and around the time of the Trojan war. I'm going to stretch the limits of the timeline, I know, these events are almost a century apart. But I think it would have been an interesting thing if Kail could have met some of the Greeks. I hope you enjoy my fanfic and I hope to make it as close historically as I can. Enjoy!
In Hattsua's market place…
"Water…please…some water" I pleaded to these people who now owned me. We were in some of a market place in what must have been a major city by the amount of people coming and going. Women and children selling apples, jujubes, and other food and clothing materials; it would have been a happy scene to behold if my legs and arms weren't tied together, and I wasn't dying slowly of dehydration.
I was only one of several women and girls in this group. We had been traveling from Greece, and if my calculations were correct we had been going non-stop for about a week which would have put us in modern day turkey. I closed my eyes to rest for awhile; I felt weak from traveling and struggling to get away from these men holding me. Lack of any real sustenance was making it hard to defend myself against them. As I lay there, eyes closed, there was a commotion on the other end of the market place, hoof beats and yelling coming closer and closer. I felt the people around me running away as fast as they could with their limbs bound. The men that had been holding us captive had run off at the sight of the men on horseback.
"You there! Slave trading is illegal here in Hattsua!" The blond man in front yelled. The women who hadn't been too beaten, or tired, had run for it only to be stopped by the men on horseback. The women screamed, scared that their lives would be forfeit for the men's crimes in this city. The men looked rather official on their horses with their regalia and swords. They must have been soldiers.
"Calm down we aren't going to hurt you. We're trying to help you." One military man said to Tessa, a girl who was taken from Helios a little after I was captured, we had been through a lot together on this journey. I tried to protect that twelve year old girl to the best of my ability. I had tried to get her out several times in several cities but all of my attempts failed and resulted in my beatings and being tied up.
"Tess," I say but she's still struggling and screaming, "Tessa! Stop!" She finally heard me and locked eyes with me, slumping to the ground she started bawling. The men look at me where I am laying in a pile of hay and rags all tied up and bruised.
"Mattinazawa, go help her…I'll take care of the girl." The tall bald man came toward me. I sighed in resignation as once again I would be taken away by a man who I had no knowledge of and done, who knows what to. As he bent toward my hands something in me snapped to full raging wakefulness, and I swung at him.
"Hey now!" Mattinazawa fell backwards on to his butt. "I'm only trying to help you miss."
"Stay away from us! Don't touch me!" I yelled and struggled more.
"Just let me get that rope off you. It's making you bleed sweetheart." He said as he reached for his sword at his side. I started to kick at him with my bound feet to get away. My fight or flight was in full fight mode. I was just trying to keep his hands as far away from his sword as possible.
"Kash! Rafusa! A little help here!"
"Miss calm down." Three pairs of hands grabbed at me and were holding me down. Then, just as quickly as I had felt their hands on me, my limbs were free of their restraints. Still I struggled and kicked out. I caught one of them in the face before I had realized that they had let me go.
"Away from her! Get away!" I heard a woman shout. I scrambled backward till my back hit the front of a building behind me. The woman who had spoken was on a black horse and was rushing through the market toward the men. She stopped short of reaching Tessa and I. In my scuffle with the men Tessa had moved closer to me.
"What is your name?" the woman asked as she cautiously stepped toward me, "I'm Yuri." I scrutinized her a moment before answering.
"My name is Thea." I told her as I started to rub my wrists. They had been bound for so long that they had fallen asleep and where on fire with pins and needles as the blood began rushing to them again. She smiled and nodded.
"Thea, will you come with me so I can help you? I promise that no harm will come to you and this girl."
"Many people say many things" I retorted to her and Yuri simply nodded at me in agreement. I thought it through once more, looking her over as I did. She looked like a slave girl dressed in a simple sheath, but the military men has listened to her orders without hesitation.
I nodded my consent and ushered Tessa to my side. The men stood back at Yuri's command and she walked us toward the center of Hattsua. I stumble in my delirium, and Tessa put her arm around my waist to steady me.
"Here we are." Yuri said to us. I hadn't been paying attention to where she had been leading us. I had been woozy, so all my concentration had been on putting one foot in front of the other. I was shocked to see that she had led us to the palace of Hattusa. I turned to Yuri and my shock must have shown.
"Who are you Yuri?" I asked her.
"She is our Tawanana, our Queen." One of the men behind us stated.
"Why have you brought us to the palace?" Yuri looked confused for a few moments.
"You won't be mistreated here…and if you wish to return home I can see what I am able to find out? She explained. This was a most generous offer. Most queens wouldn't even have cared had we existed, let alone what our names were; then again, most queens didn't walk, talk, and act like this one.
"Why?" Tessa asked, "What do you care about us?" Yuri stared at us and she placed a smile on her face.
"Because you are women and you're in my country. Women, children, and men a like all have rights and are taken care of here." she told us as she guided us in to a splendid looking bath area. Tessa and I had been without bathing for several days and were in great need of a lot of scrubbing. I realized though that I had no energy to do such a vigorous task.
"Ruri! Hadi! Shala!" Yuri called out and three smiling women parted the curtains on the far side of the bath and hailed Yuri with greetings back.
"So," the woman with the long hair started after hugging and greeting Yuri, "Who is this?"
"Hadi, this is Thea and Tessa." Yuri gestured to each of us, "Could you please assist them. Thea is in no shape to bathe herself." Hadi nodded as she took in our appearances, and started to help us with our clothes. Though I wouldn't have called what I was wearing clothing anymore…more like tattered rags strewn together. Tess was being helped one of the other two women; to which I could only assume that they were twins. I couldn't tell one apart from the other at all. Tessa gave me a worried look and I shook my head telling her to just go with the women. Hadi gently took my hand and ushered me to the bathing pool. After I had been scrubbed till my skin felt raw, the sisters left Tessa and I in search of clothes for us. Tessa who had been scrubbed and cleaned across from me in the pool floated over to me. She seated herself next to me clinging to my elbow and finally, blissfully closing her eyes for a short rest. I seemed to be her replacement mother in her world and I had no qualms with that.
The sisters come back with our clothes and started to dress us. Hadi notices my tattoos on my back, legs, and chest and is curiously staring at them. I knew not a single person here would understand what they were and I had no real way of explaining it without revealing that I was from the future. The finery that we were dressed in surprised me; the jewels alone were amazing. It must be some of the queen's finery from what I could remember of my history; not all could wear such pretty dyed clothes.
After we had been primped and pampered for hours and the sun was on its descent in the sky; the sisters led us to a big room that I could only guess was the audience chambers. There were soldiers and women eating on cushions around a long piece of fabric that had been laid out on the ground. People were laughing and cheerfully talking in another language that I didn't understand. I sighed and hated that I hadn't paid more attention in my history classes now that they could be some use to me here. I knew English, Japanese, some Spanish and only the tiniest bit of Latin from my church goings. The sisters walked us over to Yuri, who by this time was waving excitedly at us. We were seated on her left in the guest of honor position. There also were some of the men that had helped rescue Tessa and myself seated on our left. On Yuri's right the King broke off his conversation with an Egyptian as Tessa and I sat down beside Yuri.
"Yuri tells me you are from her country Thea." I furrowed my brow and looked at Yuri who was smiling and nodding. I shook my head in confusion. I started to debate the kings statement but before I could utter a word-
"Your tattoos are very nice." She said in Japanese. I must have just looked at her for too long cause she went to say it again before it registered that I could understand what Yuri was saying to me. I gasped and just tried to breathe for a while. It took awhile for it to sink in that there was someone like myself from the future residing here in the past.
"Chigaou! No Way!" I said starled back in to conversation. "Do you speak English too? My Japanese is very rusty." Yuri jumped up and down on her cushion happy that I was talking in another language.
"Yes, very little though." She laughed.
"Well, I guess Yuri hadn't told you from the look on your face." The King said and I shook my head.
"Kail you make me sound mean! I just ment to surprise her!" Yuri stated to her husband. Kail just laughed and gave her a breathtaking kiss. Yuri defiantly had been very lucky when she had come to this time to find someone like Kail.
"What is to happen to us?" Tessa asked suddenly from next to me. Kail smiled at her.
"What always happenes when Yuri finds something she likes." He chuckled , " You are more than welcome to stay here in this palace." Tessa didn't move until she could fully understand what Kail had said, and when it finally sank in she turned to me with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. Then she crumpled and hugged me with all her strength crying and laughing. Relief, happiness, and realization that seemingly endless suffering had come to an end overwhelmed her.
Kail looked stunned and then worried. I smiled at him as well happy that now we were somewhat safe. There could be a decent future in this world for us now. The king looked like he was about to ask something when the Egyptian spoke up.
"Where are you two from anyway?" I stiffened but Tessa after wiping her face and sitting back up answered him like a lady should. I would never been that composed ever and I knew it.
"I'm from Helios in Greece." Tessa stated then the man turned his attention to me. I smiled knowing he would never truly understand where I came from.
"I hail from farther east, but was taken from Greece as well."
"Where madam." The solider named Kash asked.
"Close to Sparta I believe."
"Near those ruffians, god and goddess you poor women, you must have been scared to death."
"Some of the time yes, but Thea was there and she never let them hurt me so…" Tessa trailed off…then she abruptly changed subject to clothing and gratefully one of the sisters carried on with her in conversation. Unfortunately for me the Egyptian, the king and the soldiers now wouldn't stop staring at me. I sighed then started to eat the food placed in front of me. I was famished after all.
The night wore on and Tessa stood up and excused herself to go to back to her room for the night. The solider named Mattinazawa stood and held out his elbow to escort her to her rooms. I stood as well and was surprised when Yuri asked to walk with me. As we were walking I had the feeling that she wished to ask me something but couldn't bring herself to ask.
"Go on and ask Yuri, you must be curious."
"How did you end up here Thea? And is Thea your real name?" She asked with worry and sadness in her eyes.
"Let me ask you something first before I answer both those questions."
"Sure." She answered as we arrived at my room.
"How did you end up here?" I asked smiling. Yuri smiled as well fully aware she'd have to answer if she wanted any kind of information from me at all. We walked in the room and closed the door and the left the guards that had been following behind us out.
"I was lucky. Kail found me around the backside of this palace and spared me from his step mother the former Tawanna and Queen Dowager. He has rescued and loved me almost the whole time since I have been here. I know that probably isn't how your story goes but I would love to know how someone like myself has gotten here and how they are fairing. If you wouldn't mind telling me I would love to know." She gestured to the chairs by the fire pit in my room. I heaved a heavy sigh. I was so not totally ready to talk about all of the events that had happened since I had gotten here three months ago and I spoke in English so no one but us could understand.
"My real name doesn't matter in this era but the name I was born with is Jenna. As for how I arrived in this era I…I was in the shower at home and it was 2012 when I was taken. It felt like I had been swallowed up by darkness. I had a moment of just weightlessness; just floating there, then I was falling. Somewhere in the middle of that I blacked out, when I woke up next I was laying naked on a cold stone floor. The room was dark except for a small fire pit flickering the last of its small light. I was surrounded Yuri by men some old some very young. I had been called by the soothsayers of Greece from my time. They ruled that I was to be a favorable omen from their god of war." I paused as I shivered and walked to grab the blanket off the bed. I closed my eyes to try and stop seeing my memories but to no avail. I wrapped my self in the blanket and walked back toward Yuri and the fire.
" If you'd rather not continue I understand." Concern poured from her. I shook my head. I had started telling this story I might as well finish it. no use doing anything only part way as they say.
"It's ok…I need to talk about it, just once." Yuri nodded.
"I was a sign, so they believed, from Ares their God of war. They believed that with me here they would be fortuitous in their battles. Since I was a gift of battle they gave me to their king." I shivered again and pulled the blanket tighter around me. "Do you know your history Yuri?"
"Some. I have to admit it was my worst subject in school. Why?"
"The king in Sparta is Agamemnon. He is a rude, crude, and boisterous king. He would take me everywhere with him, but I was only to be wearing jewels; especially, during his war meetings with his court and men at arms. He would allow me no clothing whatsoever." I curled my feet under me and clung to my knees. "Do you know the story of Helen of Troy Yuri?"
"The woman who left her husband for another man and country?" she asked.
"Yes, that is happening now Yuri. Helen left Sparta with Paris. She set sail no more than 3 months ago now. Her husband is brother to the king and now with her parting the king feels slighted as well for his brother. He is a vengeful person." I saw Yuri slowly gathering the history lesson. I couldn't look at her for the next part of the story. I gazed in to the fire for the last part of my story.
"One night one of the King's war meetings went badly and he…he," I swallowed past my tears, " instead of being calm with his Court and men at arms he blustered and yelled at them, blaming them unnecessarily. When they went to rise up he asked how to make it up to them. All, save one, asked for the same thing. Me. they told him to share his gift of the gods with them."
Yuri gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. I looked at her only for a moment then back to the fire, otherwise I would have started to cry myself.
"After that…that meeting the one representative who didn't agree with my treatment and the only one who didn't ask for me as payment, planned my escape. The next night after that meeting three men came for me and snuck me out of the king's harem. From what I could make out from the meetings and if my guess and my history are correct the one that got me out was Achilles Yuri. Before his men could get me to the harbor we were attacked by guardsmen, they held them off and told me to run for it. However, my luck has never been good and I was grabbed once more. I fought this time, it didn't get me very far of course. I was beat and knocked unconscious and thrown with the other women and children you saw when you rescued us from those slavers." Yuri nodded and took my hands in hers, tears streaming down her face.
"No offense, but this era makes me glad of ours where women have rights." I said to her as my vision started to go blurry from my tears.
"I know, I was extremely lucky; Kail has been nothing but loving and respectful to me. What I want to know now is…goodness there is no delicate way to ask this…" Yuri trailed off, but I understood the train of thought.
"Will I need a midwife soon?" I stated grimly and Yuri nodded.
"I honestly don't know yet. I hope I won't but honestly there have been too many rapes…" my voice betrayed me and cracked with the emotion I was feeling but I held back the tears that threatened to fall once more down my face.
"It's ok Jenna. No one here will touch you without your consent."
"Call me Thea, I'm not the same person I was. And Thank you Yuri it means more that I can say that you are helping me." Yuri smiled and hugged me.
"There is a festival in the city starting tomorrow would you like to go down to the marketplace with the sisters and I? It's going to be very fun and lively." Yuri asked clearly trying to cheer me up but, I truly didn't want to even move. Everything ached from head to toe. The bath had helped at the time but now I was starting to fell raw.
"Thank you for offering Yuri but I doubt I will be able to enjoy much of anything tomorrow. I may just lay in hot water all day if I could." I said jokingly knowing how hard it was to keep a hot bath going all day. I realized however Yuri was taking me seriously by the solemn nod I was receiving in response.
"I'll see if one of the girls can-" I interrupted her by shaking both my hands in the air.
"No, no Yuri it was a joke; ok well, half a joke. I'll take one really hot, long bath before you guys go I'll be fine. Don't worry. Okay?" I smiled as a frown of concern marred her forehead.
"Only if your certain. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem the girls like you and Tessa." I smiled and shook my head. That was persicely the problem in my opinion. How could four women who were complete strangers like us and trust us to this extent this quickly?
"I'm sure Yuri don't worry about me I'll heal up quickly."