Chapter One
Cecilia shivered slightly against the cold wind that blew through the night. It had been about 3 hours before she spotted any sort of light other than her own.
The transmuted horse rabbits were luckily quite compliant to her wishes. She didn't know if it was because of her magic, luck, or simply because they'd been rabbits before, but she was happy all the same. Inwardly she cringed and thought that they might be disoriented and sad that they weren't rabbits anymore, but then she squashed that thought down. She couldn't afford to sympathize with them right now. There would be time later on. There always was.
The sweet air that she had tasted when she had first arrived in wherever and whenever this was dissipated hours ago. The air now smelt sour, with the lingering odor of shit, piss, ash, and trash. Cecilia coughed into her shoulder and gagged at the smell. She was definitely either in a very polluted place in the future or in the past before the 20th century because no other time seemed to smell this way...at least not on any Earth that she'd been on.
She bounced up and down a little as she moved her stagecoach from the dirt path that she had been on, onto a cobbled road. Cecilia found that in the distance past the smog in the sky she could make out the tall looming clock that she could never forget. It was big Ben and she now knew for sure that she was in London, but probably the past London since she recalled that this certainly wasn't what any future London looked like. She recalled being a pick pocketing street urchin during 19th century London at one point in her endless cycling.
She pulled at the reigns and the horses obediently stopped their trotting. She looked around to make sure that she was still quite alone on the cobbled road into London. Before she could lose her nerve, Cecilia concentrated and held out her hand. A heavy black leather money purse plopped into her hand making her let go of the reigns for a moment to plop the heavy coin purse into her lap, luckily hiding it amongst the folds of her thick wool cloak.
She peaked into it and found that it was all filled with gold guinea coins and silver crown coins that she had coveted back in life six as a 19th century street urchin. She figured with how much it sort of felt like a pound and a half of money which would probably be over 3000 pounds give or take.
Cecilia looked around her with narrowed eyes and made sure that no one was nearby to see what she had done, because even if witch burning wasn't as popular, she could still vividly recall being accused as one and dying in many horrific ways because of that accusation even though she never had magic back then. With a flick of her fingers a long leather strap fell into her hands, and she deftly tied it around her money pouch and attatched it all around her waist under her dress. With a slight wiggle of her fingers her pocketless dress morphed just a little. It darkened to a deep cerulean blue, hidden pockets that gave her access to her money popped into existence on her dress, along with lengthening to the tips of her boots.
Satisfied with the feeling that she was more secure and able to blend in just a little bit better she pulled on the reigns and urged the horses to go towards a nearby inn. It sat on the edge of London and it wasn't as big and spacious as what she would've probably found if she had gone deeper into London, but she knew that because of her gender in this time that, that would've been a poor choice.
The stage coach bumped up and down as they headed towards the two storey inn that gave her the vibe of a cottage that had just grown into it's present shape. She spotted a stable boy and stopped her stagecoach nearby which immediately caught the boy's attention.
His wide blue eyes were darker in the dim lamp lights that barely reached him, "Evenin', madam. Do yah need a hand?"
Just as the boy asked her this, a taller adult marched out of the inn and quickly walked over to her as well. The dim lights reached him as he came closer, and she found that it was portly man with balding hair and an dirtied apron. He wasn't much to look at, but he had kind grey eyes and a warm smile. He cuffed the boy and rolled his eyes before shooting Cecilia an apologetic look, "Em' sorry, madam. I don't see your husband, driver or anyone else. Might you need a place to stay? We got room in our inn."
Cecilia pulled down her hood and pulled on a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Good sir, I am in need of a place to rest. My husband, coachman and ladies maid were taken away by Cholera while we crossed the ocean to get here. As such, I am in need of more hired hands along with a place to rest."
His smile dimmed at the mention of Cholera, but brightened back again considerably when he caught the part about her coming from across the ocean, "Are you a colonial then, ma'am? I never did have a colonial stay at my inn. Ohhh the other inn keepers will be ripe with the green eyed devil, the will. As for hired hands, madam, there'll be plenty o' men and even wee lassies that might be keen to find some work as well."
A real smile streaked across Cecilia's face as she nodded, "Thank you, good sir. And you, fine lad, thank you as well."
The young boy, who looked to be no older than eleven when she had gotten a better look at him, blushed a bright pink that reached his big ears and accentuated the freckles on his pale face, "T'was nothin', ma'am. Let me tend to your horse and stagecoach."
The inn keeper held out a hand for Cecilia as she slowly got off of the stage coach. She smiled at the boy and turned back to the inn keeper, "I also have some luggage that I would like to come with me."
He nodded good naturedly, "O' course, madam. I'll have one of the other lads bring it up to your room. My fine missus can help you up along with me daughter. We're a family inn, you see. I'm Adelbert Hobborlain, the inn keeper."
She smiled at his introduction and nodded along while he continued to chatter on about his family. They passed the threshold of the inn and she noted that it was called the 'Hobborlain Inn'. Once at the counter near the entrance, the inn keeper quickly made his way onto the other side and hollered out for his wife. He shot Cecilia a sheepish smile while a haggard, homey looking woman hurriedly swept past her and glared at her husband.
She narrowed her eyes and blew out a stray blonde hair off of her face from her loosening braid while her hands tightened against her hips, "Adelbert, what has gotten into ye?! I was helping a paying customer and ye know that we dun get too many now with them better buildings down deeper into London."
Adelbert frowned and nodded before giving her a peck on the cheek, "But see here, my lovely Eunice, we have a genuine colonial! None of the other outskirt inns can boast that! That'll have to garner more customers when I tell the lads that." He swept his hand towards Cecilia like she was some spectacle that his wife just had to take note of.
Eunice sighed and turned to look at Cecilia. Her green eyes widened at the sight of her. Cecilia wasn't a great beauty by her standards, but she did have the looks of someone with a lot of money. From the type of fabric and color of her dress, to her cloak, clean hair, skin, and the faint smell of sweet blossoms, vanilla and blue berries emanating around her. She grinned at their new guest and nodded, "Indeed. Welcome to our inn, madam. Would you like a room? Our best room in the inn is unoccupied and is only 15 pence a night."
Adelbert gave his wife an admonishing look, "Eunice."
She turned to her husband and rolled her eyes, "Fine. It's actually 10 pence a night, dear madam."
Cecilia let out a short giggle and shook her head. It was nice that she had met genuinely kind people, well kinder than she had initially thought any ways, first rather than people that wanted to harm her. A lopsided smile pulled on her lips, "It is quite alright. I do not mind paying 15 pence a night for such kind hosts."
Eunice gave her husband a triumphant grin, "You certainly are kind and generous." She turned and seemed to spot something or someone further in the inn before hollering, "Sally! I need ye here, lass! Hop to!"
A young red headed girl sprinted towards them, her hands fisted into her apron when she managed to abruptly stop by her mother. Her breaths labored a little as she gasped out, "Yes, mother?"
Eunice pinched her daughter's cheek and motioned to Cecilia, "This is...Actually, madam,what is your name?"
Cecilia looked startled for a moment before remembering that she hadn't yet bothered to tell them her name. She gave a warm look at her new acquaintances before nodding her head slightly, "Cecilia Price, a pleasure to meet you all."
Eunice, Adelbert, and Sally looked tickled pink at that statement, but before any of them could say anything, the young boy that had handled putting the stage coach and horses into the stables popped into the inn with a dark haired man behind him helping him carry Cecilia's luggage. He gave a happy wave towards them and gestured to the man behind him with his thumb, "Ma, pa, this good sir helped me unload the madam's luggage. Says he needs work, and offered to help when I says the lady might need a strong hired hand."
Adelbert beamed at his son, "Good job, Elliot. That's me lad."
Cecilia looked on the scene around her and couldn't help but feel amused. Sure she was really very hungry now, and her throat burned a bit, but all in all in comparison to what had happened to her before, this was a dream. Cecelia nodded towards the tall dark haired handsome man, "Thank you, good sir. I appreciate your help."
A soft flush bloomed on his face for a moment before he seemed to gather himself, "It was a pleasure, ma'am." Something about him seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't quite pin point it.
Eunice raised a brow at the look that he gave Cecilia and humfed, "Well...now that we've got everything settled. My lass will show you to your room and we'll get your luggage up there as well, right quick."
Cecilia nodded, "That would be lovely, thank you Mrs. Habborlain. If it would not be a bother, I would also like a bath and some food as well."
Eunice tilted her head and hummed, "That'll be extra, Madam Price."
Cecilia smiled benignly and placed two crowns into her hand, "Please consider this payment up front for my stay here for a couple days along with any meals, baths, and whatever the like."
Eunice's face lit up, "Definitely a kind and generous lady you are."
She turned to her baffled and grinning husband, "Well go on then, get the other girls and have them set up a bath for her."
She turned to the dark haired man, "I don't know ye, but if you want to do something useful then take Madam Price's luggage up tah her room. My lad will lead ye. Sally go. Hop to it and help her to her room. Off you go now."
At Eunice's command a flurry of people and motions began while Cecilia slowly followed Sally up to her newly rented room slightly bemused with the entire encounter. They waited just a couple more moments while people hurried past them. By the time they made it up to her room, she noted that it was a bit bare, but homey other wise. A warm fire crackled in the stone hearth in the corner of the room while a large quilted bed seemed to beckon her into its soft folds. She saw that there was a steaming copper tub in the other corner of the room and noted that this wasn't a place where she could have indoor plumbing, but decided to not mention it. It wasn't like this place had looked like it would've had plumbing from the outside either.
She turned to Sally and nodded her head, "Thank you, Sally. I appreciate your help."
Sally brightly grinned at her, "T'was nothing, ma'am. Really. Did you need any help with your clothes?"
She shook her head, "No thank you, dear girl. I am able to manage this on my own." Cecilia smiled at her before she continued to peruse her room. Sally curtsied and quickly stepped out of the room with a quiet click of the door.
Cecilia sat down onto her bed and saw that the copper tub was steaming, a tray of food was set up on a nearby table, and all her luggage was safely at the end of the bed. She flopped down onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, ignoring the thirst and hunger that tugged at her body, "This has been an interesting life so far."
With a glance at her wrist watch, she found that it was already 7 pm at night. It was getting late and the first days of a new life always seemed to drain her. She slipped off her wrist watch and tossed it up into the air, where it shimmered before turning into a silver pocket watch with a flowery cover. She sighed and sat up. Her magic usage made her feel far more tired than she should've been. With a flick of her fingers another large glass water bottle appeared in her hands while she made her way to the delectable smelling food.
It was a risk, but she ate her fill of the beef stew and bread that they had given her. She didn't touch the ale though. She finished up her night after cleaning herself off in the hot bath with the toiletries that she had arrived with. She figured that, what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. She did pocket the soaps and oils that they had left out for her though. They would make good back ups, just in case.
Doing her business in a chamber pot was always uncomfortable, but at least she didn't have to go outside to use an outhouse.
She looked at the stick and charcoal they provided her with and grimaced. Cecilia dug into her leather satchel and brushed her teeth with a tooth brush and toothpaste instead. Feeling refreshed and relieved she swiftly put everything back and opened up one of her steamer trunks.
Yawning, she pulled on a white t-shirt and shook her body just a bit which made it lengthen and thicken into a comfortable night dress that seemed appropriate enough for this time period.
Sleep claimed her immediately as she fell under her bed covers.
