Chapter 2: The Village
After about half an hour's walk, when it was already getting dark, Sylar and Regina reached a village. Even though she still saw no cause of smoke, she had to admit Sylar was right.
The village reminded her of the Enchanted Forest. Sylar looked around overwhelmed, which made Regina doubt he had ever been to another world. Perhaps they really were on the same side.
She stopped. "What do we do now?"
He looked at her. "You are the one knowing about other worlds. Ask one of your magic colleagues." He waved to a wannabe magician who was doing cheap magic tricks.
She looked at him disapprovingly.
"You can´t compare me to this court jester."
"Ok, ok, I just want to say we should look for someone who seems powerful."
She smirked. "So you´re calling me powerful."
"If you were so powerful you could bring us home, couldn´t you?"
"If I were so powerful I would bring myself home."
"So you admit you need my help."
Regina glared at him. But before she could shot something back, someone addressed them.
"Excuse me, where are you coming from? Your clothes seem so alien." said a strange voice.
She turned and saw a man standing next to them. He looked at them with great interest.
"We´re coming from another kingdom…"
"Then please dress normal, it´s an offense for our kingdom." he interrupted her.
"Please excuse us, I and my companion will change our clothing." Regina decided to play nice… for now.
"Would you mind telling us where we can find a magician?" Sylar wanted to know.
The guy just stared at him.
"I apologize for my inferior, he is easily affected by such magician stuff." She waved her hand towards the court-jester. Inwardly Regina rolled her eyes.
"I don´t know about such insignificance." The man said. With that he turned and left.
Regina glared at Sylar.
"You should leave the talking be my part." She snapped.
"How should I´ve known, it was worth a shot." He defended himself.
"We should try to not get too much attention."
Before Sylar could reply they were being interrupted again. This time it was an elderly woman.
"You shouldn´t stay out at night-it´s dangerous. If you want you can sleep in my barn."
They looked at each other for a moment.
This woman reminded her of Snow with her obsessive kindness and naivety.
"That´s really nice of you. We would be really glad to do so." Sylar answered.
Again, Regina glared at him.
What did I say about the talking?
He looked back at her as if to say: Well, you didn´t answer.
The woman smiled at them then she said: "Please, follow me."
Regina and Sylar glanced at each other again, then followed her.
"What´s your name by the way?" The woman asked casually.
"I´m Regina. This is Sylar."
"Nice to meet you, Sylar and Regina. I´m Ann."
A few minutes later they reached a barn, it wasn´t in the best state but acceptable.
Ann opened the door and they stepped in.
The barn was big and empty, apart from six mattresses.
Wasn´t this a barn? Wasn´t there supposed to be animals?
Sylar turned to Ann.
"What happened to the animals?"
"They died." She answered shrugging.
Well, this is really reassuring.
"Anyway… thanks for your hospitality."
"I hope you sleep well. Have a good night."
"Yeah, you too."
Ann turned.
"And don´t forget to bolt the door!" She called over her shoulder.
Sylar closed the door, bolting it.
He turned.
And blinked in confusion.
Where once had been six mattress now were only two.
And one of them was a big wonderful bed.
This had to be another one of Regina´s magic tricks.
Said witch was lying in the bed, wearing pyjamas, seemingly made of silk.
She was looking back at him, provokingly.
"What? A queen needs a real bed."
He ignored her as he sat down on the remaining mattress.
She grinned down on him.
"Your chin looks fat." He couldn´t help it.
Her gaze was offended, but then for a split second an amused smile graced her lips.
And then she threw a pillow at him.
"You may keep it." Regina added.
He grinned while pushing the pillow into the right position, before he laid down. Sylar had to admit it was really comfy.
"Soo, you were a queen in this other world, I suppose." He said, casually.
She was silent for a moment.
Finally she answered.
"Yes, but not exactly a good one."
He could heard this was a subject, she didn´t want to talk about.
But who was he to judge.
So he just said: "I understand."
Sylar could feel Regina looking at him, but he chose to ignore that, and simply added: "We should sleep now. Have a good night."
With that he turned away and closed his eyes.
"Yeah, you too."
Regina was still thinking about the events of the day. And there was a lot to think about.
The magic. This guy Sylar. The village. And mostly how she had gotten here. Only she had no clue on that one. She hadn´t really felt anything while being transported.
Sighing, Regina turned on her back and looked up on the ceiling. The only sounds to be heard were Sylar´s soft snores and the pouring rain.
Sylar… She still didn´t know if she could trust him, but strangely a part of her did.
Again she had to think of how he had reacted when she had told him she hadn´t been a good queen.
He had said that he understood… and Regina had believed him. There was just something about him that she could relate to.
Now she could hear Sylar turning in his bed. That made her think of her own bed, soft and comfortable because she had conjured it that way, and that made her think about the magic in this world. It had felt different, more… hidden, but still reachable, at least for a powerful person like her.
Again she thought about Sylar, his "abilities", which were like her magic, and yet so different.
Sylar was definitely not from this world, his awkward behavior towards the inhabitants had only proven what he had told her earlier. Truth to be told she was glad to have him with her.
To not be alone.
With that she turned over and fell asleep not long after.
On the next morning, Sylar awoke by the light, falling through the gaps of the old barn. For a moment he closed his eyes. So… it hadn´t been a dream, he really was on another planet or world, with that strange woman.
Sighing he got up and stretched. Then he started with a few gymnastics. After a couple of minutes he turned and caught Regina looking at him. He couldn´t help but grin.
"Can´t you do that more quietly?" She snapped, but Sylar could tell she was kinda embarrassed.
"I´m gonna take a little walk." He told Regina, heading towards the door.
He had nearly reached it when her voice stopped him.
"Wait, we have to get changed!"
Sylar just wanted to turn and tell her that they hadn´t got any other clothes, when there was a purple smoke surrounding him. The next moment it was gone and looking down he saw that he was dressed different. It looked a little like the clothes of a simple citizen of the 13´th century.
He stared at it for a moment.
"What? Can´t you do that?" he heard Regina´s smugly voice. She sounded provoking.
Sylar looked at her.
She was dressed different too. Only that her cloths looked way more elegant than his.
"Never mind." He said through clenched teeth.
With this he turned back to the door, to finally get out.
Outside, he took a look at the surroundings. The barn seemed to be at the edge of town. To his right hand were foothills of a mountain. In the distance he could see a lake. Looking up and squinting his eyes Sylar could make out two suns. One was just rising behind the forest, they had walked through yesterday. Sylar wondered, if this was called east here too.
This sun seemed to be farther away or to be smaller.
How big would this planet be compared to their earth? And to this suns?
Maybe he should seek out a library, or this planets equivalent. For a moment he closed his eyes and felt the sun on his skin.
Then he heard footsteps behind him, turning around he saw Ann approaching him.
"Good morning. So, you already got up. I hope you had a good night. Oh, and before I forget it, there is a river over there, so you can clean yourselves."
"Thanks for your hospitality again."
Looking over Ann´s shoulder he could see Regina getting out of the barn.
She addressed Ann, with quite a friendly smile, he didn't know she was capable of.
"Good morning. I just wanted to thank you for your kindness."
"You´re welcome. I´m glad when I can help."
She frowned.
"Where have you gotten this cloths from?"
They exchanged a look.
"We had them with us yesterday." Regina lied.
Ann looked at them suspicious.
"I would appreciate it if you would find another stay."
With that she gave a tight smile, turned and left.
Sylar looked at Regina reproachful.
"Well done. That happens if I leave the talking to you."
"Oh, come on. You didn´t know what to say either." Regina spat back.
Sylar just rolled his eyes.
"Witch!"
"Idiot!"
At this moment a scream tore through the silence.
