Chapter two. Transylvania
The young Romanian girl lay silently and gently stirred, finally awakening from the deep sleep her mother had placed her under. Ahelia noticed something rough was poking and scratching the side of her face. Ahelia slowly began to pry open her tired, heavy chocolate brown eyes. Slightly startled she found herself laying in piles of large golden blocks of straw which was slightly damp. She sat upright and suddenly noticed she was freezing cold, she looked down at her burgundy soaked dress, and her brown locks were just starting to dry out in the cold Romanian air. Ahelia looked around in a panic, she couldn't think clearly, it was almost as if she couldn't think at all. Where was she, why was she sleeping in the back of a cart full of wet straw? Ahelia felt her head begin to pound in frustration and confusion. Where am I, Do I live here? How did I get here? These questions ran rapid through Ahelias head, but she realized she could not answer any of her own questions. Becoming irritated Ahelia took her right hand and began to angrily hit her forehead, she hit it again and again. Would that possibly make her remember? She thought to herself. No. Defeated Aheila stopped and took a good look around her, there were a few wooden houses, two large Clydesdale rested in-front of the cart, they seemed to pay no mind to Ahelia and instead quietly ate out of their nearly empty troft. Perhaps she lived in one of these houses, but then why would she be sleeping in the back of a cart soak and wet, was she homeless? Maybe somebody around here knew her. Ahellia thought, then she realized something startling, who was she? What was her name? Ahelia gasp and covered her mouth before she let out a small cry, tears began to form in her eyes, she understood absolutely nothing about herself and where she was, and it frightened her.
"Cine esti? Ce faci ședinței în coșul meu, fată!" Ahelia jumped, startled when she heard a loud male voice speaking in Romanian from behind her. Ahelia turned her head around and saw a short old man with silver hair waving his arms about angrily. He demanded to know why she was sitting in the back of his cart. Ahelia didnt know what to say, she didn't even know why she was there. Ahelia decided it would be best to let herself down from the cart before the man became even angrier with her. Ahelia started to crawl across coarse straw, once she made it to the edge she turned around and placed her boot down onto the old wooden wheel of the cart. The old man watched and did nothing to help her down, until Ahelia lost her footing and fell down hard into the mud and puddles below. Finally the once angry old man trudged throught the thick mud and helped the now crying Ahelia up from the sticky, filthy ground. Once standing Ahelia quickly wiped away her tears of frustration, thanked the man for helping her up and apologized for being in the back of his cart.
"Vă mulțumesc și îmi pare foarte rău, iartă- mă ." Ahelia replied, the old mans face softened when he had realized just how upset the now mud covered Ahelia was. He gently placed an arm around her, Ahelia looked into the old man's green eyes and noticed something had changed. He seemed kind and he now wore a sweet smile on his face.
"Tis alright young lady, you have caused no harm nor damage to my bundles of straw or my two boys," He teased, pointing towards the two Horses, Ahelia gave a small smile. "Now, tell me my dear lady. Who are you, and what exactly were you doing in the back of my cart. You don't look to be homless," The old man stated, he took a good look at the young girl. "Your dress is, or should I say it was much to lovely for someone in poverty, and this shawl, its quite lovely as-well. Do you live around here, I could take you home. Your family must be worried sick wondering where you are. You aren't one of Mr. Baduna's girls are you?" The old man curiously asked, he had refered to the owner of one of Transylvania's whore houses. Ahelia did not understand what he had meant by that, he asked so many question and Ahelia knew she would not be able to answer any of them.
"I- I don't know." She quietly responded, looking away from the man. He was suddenly confused.
"What do you mean you do not know, what is it you do not know my dear?"
"Anything, I don't know anything. Its as if I have lost my memory, I do not know who I am, where I live. I do not even remember my own name. Please you must help me, I need to find somewhere where there is food and lodging. You wouldn't happen to know where I could stay for a night do you, I can't exactly stay out here, I'd die out here... Where is here, sir. Where am I.?"
"You are in Transylvania, my dear, welcome!" He laughed, Ahelia didn't find his humour amusing. "And to answer your other question yes, I happen to know where you can stay. I mentioned earlier a man by the name of Baduna, Mr. Baduna. He owns a building not to far from here. There you will find what you need, food, drink, and a bed to sleep. Come I will take you there." The man said, Ahelia nodded.
"Mulțumesc." Ahelia thanked the man graciously.
She followed the older gentleman to the front of the cart, where he then helped her climb up into the front seat. Once she sat comfortably in her seat the old man began to walk around to the other side of the cart, but stopped abruptly and a look of worry spread across his face. Ahelia leaned closer and focused her gaze when she noticed the old man's once green eyes had mysteriously change their colour. His eyes were nothing she had ever seen before, but for some reason they seemed strangely familiar, his one eye was blue with a small brown patch and the other eye was a dark almost black colour. The more Aheilia looked into the old mans eyes the more she began to feel a sense of fear build within her, and she had not known why. She felt almost the need to jump off of the front seat of the cart and run far away from the man.
"Your eyes," She breathed "Is everything al right. Sir, do you need help?" Ahelia asked with concern. The old man just waved his hand and gave a small nervous laugh, before he excused himself and began to hurriedly hobble away into the house where his cart rested in front of, Ahelia waited and wondered what had been wrong with the suspicious elder.
Ambrosia panicked as she made her way through the old Transylvania home, she knew Ahelia had noticed her eyes and she feared it would trigger a piece of her memory.
An elderly man with silver hair laid almost petrified atop of his wooden dining room table, he couldn't move, the only thing he could move back and forth were his terrified green eyes. It was only this morning the old man named Calin had been preparing to make a long trip to a farm just outside of Transylvania, to deliver extra Straw to an old friend of his. He was putting his old grey wool jacket on when he noticed his legs became stiff and he couldn't not move them. As the rest of his body became immovable he had fainted and woke up still unable to move his limbs, atop his dining room table. Now he watched with wide eyes as a strange blonde woman he had never seen before approach him.
"Who are you? How did you get into my home?"
"Silence, old man. If you make any noise, if you so much as scream I can assure you, I will rip your throat out and you will be left to bleed out and die, and no one will come to save you. Do you understand me?" Ambrosia hissed.
"Y-Yes, I understand." His voice shook. What the Witch had said about Calin making any noise and the consequence that would follow had left Calins mind, when he noticed the hideous creature the Witch began to transform into. Ambrosia noticed the old man open his mouth to scream and she quickly took her long white fingers and squeezed Calins neck tightly, he began to choke and he found that with each passing second it was getting harder and harder to breath. Ambrosia's long yellowed finger nails dug deep into the man's neck and Calin could feel his warm thick blood, begin to trickle slowly down the sides of his neck. Ambrosia's eyes were blazing red, her eye sockets had sunk deep into her skull, her mouth opened wide. Calin could see her teeth were rotten, they were brown and decaying and the once pink gums around her teeth were now a dark shade of grey. As Ambrosia leaned over the old man and lowered her face towards his, Calin noticed her breath smelt like a rotting corpse and he nearly passed out from the putrid stench. As Calin gasped for air with his mouth open, Ambrosia quickly took a deep breath and began to inhale the rest of the man's soul along with his memories. Calin could do nothing but watch and feel himself begin to fade away, Ambrosia's red eyes rolled to the back of her head so only the whites of her eyes could be seen. Calin could hardly believe his eyes when he realized that the woman in-front of him began to transform into himself, soon Ambrosia had completed her transformation and she once again became Calin. Calin knew he was dying, his heart rate had slowed and his breathing became low and shallow, with one last breath Calin cursed Ambrosia.
"Diavolul Bitch" He spat. Ambrosia said nothing and just gave a small smile, before reaching for the man's head and twisting it hard, she heard the large crack of his neck being suddenly snapped.
"Odihnesc acum. (Rest now)" She whispered. Ambrosia turned her head around quickly when she noticed the sound of the front door being opened. She heard the voice of her daughter call out to the old man, she wondered where he was and if he was fine.
"Distrande." Ambrosia hissed under her breath as she waved her hand over the deceased man, both Calin and his blood that had pooled on the table evaporated into thin air. Relieved Ambrosia turned around and gave Aheilia a large smile, Ahelia returned the smile when she noticed the old man was al-right after all.
"I was beginning to worry something was terribly wrong with you, you scared me, sir... Shall we get going now, then?" Ahelia asked. Ambrosia nodded.
"No need to worry about me my dear, I have never felt better. I just came in here to retrieve my things I almost left them behind," Ambrosia replied when she noticed a brown sac that rested against a wall near the front entrance of the house. It must have been some of the old mans belongings, Ambrosia thought to herself. "I am sorry that I have kept you waiting for so long. Of course we should get going."
"Oh it was no trouble at all sir, I am in no hurry. By the way, I was wondering, what is your name?" Ahelia asked.
"My name is Calin." Ambrosia answered, she slowly walked towards the old mans belongings and picked up the brown sac in her left hand. She let Ahelia lead the way out of Calins old home. Once the two were finally seated in the front of the cart, Ambrosia gathered the reins and flicked them against the two large bodies of the Clydesdale. They sluggishly began to turn away from their troft and head down a muddy pathway, further into the small village of Transylvania. As the two strong horses trudged through the mud, leaving their hooves and white legs a muddy mess, Ahelia couldnt help but allow her thoughts to return to Calins eyes. It was so odd, Ahelia looked over to Calin and noticed his eyes were once again a pale green. Ambrosia caught her daughter staring at her eyes. She gave out a small laugh.
"Do you find something amusing about me, young lady? You look at me with such a strange look in your eyes."
"I find something more strange about you than amusing, Mr. Calin. It is your eyes I find so odd. I couldn't help but notice right before you made your way into your home that your eyes had changed a different colour. Your eyes, they are green. But when I had looked into them earlier I noticed your right eye was blue with a dark brown patch, and your left eye was a very dark brown."
"And your point Miss?" Ahelia heard Calin asked almost in defence, as if Calin was hiding something.
"There is no point to be made, sir. I just found your eyes to be rather different. Its curious, those eyes, the blue and brown ones. They almost seemed familiar, like I have known you before, but I can not remember for sure. Tell me Mr. Calin are you certain that I have never met you before this morning?" Ahelia wondered.
"Yes, I am sure. Perhaps it was just some sort of trickery. Your eyes they were probably just playing tricks on you." Then he quickly changed the subject. "We are nearing Mr. Baduna's, once we are there I will introduce you to him, I am sure he will take a beautiful woman like yourself into the comfort of his house with red doors." Ambrosia smiled, little did her daughter know she was dropping her off at a damn Bawdy house.
"A house with red doors, forgive me Mr. Callin but I am not entirely sure what you mean by 'a house with red doors'." Ahelia asked, she had never heard of a Whore house before, growing up in the Carpathian Mountains she was shielded from the world around her, she had rarely left the forest and her mother had never told her such things. Ahelia was in for a shock. Calin just waved his hand.
"Its just an expression, my dear." There was a pause.
Then Ahelia felt as though her head was about to explode, she had never felt such a pain before. Ahelia cried out and placed both hands onto her head. Ahelia panicked and continued to cry out in pain, she shut her eyes tightly and she could feel a thick liquid seep from her eyes. While her eyes were shut tight she could see a bright white flash and something stirred in her memory, images of an eerily familiar blonde woman appeared in her mind. Right away Aheliea noticed the blue and brown eyes of the woman, who was she seeing?
She wondered who this woman was and why her eyes were the same as Calin's had been earlier that morning. Finally the pain in Ahelia's head slowly dissipated but a new pain could be felt on her right wrist. It was a strong burning sensation, Ahelia pulled the sleeve of her dress back to reveal a symbol that looked to be branded in her porcelain skin. It looked like a star to Ahelia, a star with five points. She quickly covered the symbol with her sleeve hoping Mr. Calin hadn't noticed, but Ambrosia noticed every detail. Ahelia looked to Mr. Calin and noticed his expression was blank, he hadn't looked surprised at all, it was as if what Ahelia was going through was something completely normal. The liquid from Ahelia's eyes dripped their way down the entire length of her face, some of the liquid had moved past Ahelia's lips, and she noticed it had tasted like a bitter sulphur. Lifting her fingers to her face to wipe away her tears she looked at her finger tips to see her tears were the colour of ink. She screamed and without a second thought jumped off of the still moving cart. She landed on her knees in the mud, she tried to quickly get up but her boots slipped from underneath her in the deep mud.
Finally regaining her composer, she noticed Mr Calin had stopped the cart and was staring at her, still his face was emotionless. Ahelia breathed heavily, and did not move from where she was standing in the mud.
"Come back onto the cart Miss, we are almost at Mr. Baduna's, come, come!" Ambrosia impatiently called to her daughter, Ahelia was about to take a step forward to make her way back to the front of the cart but stopped dead in her tracks when she got a good look at Mr. Calins eyes, they had changed again! Ahelia's jaw dropped.
"Oh my good God." She couldn't believe what was seeing, everything was so confusing and terrifying to her. Mr. Calins eyes, the pain in her head, the flashing images of a blonde woman with the same eyes, the symbol on her right wrist, her black tears. It was all to much for Ahelia, she could not process any of it. She decided to pick up her skirts in her hands and she began to run past the cart and away from Mr. Calin, though the mud and puddles made it hard to run, Ahelia didn't stop. And she did not dare to look back at Mr. Calin, she feared if she did then she would once again see the haunting blue and brown eyes. Ahelia didn't know where she was going and she didn't care, just as long as she was as far away from the old man as possible. Ahelia could feel herself slowing down, she was becoming exhausted from trudging and pulling her boots thought the thick mud. She decided to round the corner of a house and rest up against the side of the house.
"What is going on, oh God what has happened to me? Why cant I remember anything! Why can I remember my own bloody name!" Ahelia cried out into the cold morning air.
She had no idea what to do next, or where to even go. She was lost, and so were her memories. Ahelia started to believe that perhaps she was going mad, this upset her greatly. She gave a large growl of pure anger and of frustration, then turned around so she was facing the dull grey wood of the house. Lifting one of her mud covered black boots she gave the wall a few kicks and then with her fist she started to pound the wall, a piece chipped wood grazed the side of her right fist, leaving her with a large cut. She held her bleeding fist in her left hand and and cursed under her breath to herself.
Then out of no where Ahelia heard a strange laugh, a females laugh, it was a loud cackle. Ahelia looked around, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she heard it again. This time is was much louder, still Ahelia saw no one, she covered her ears and waited to hear the next ominous laugh. But there was only silence. As Ahelia slowly removed her hands from her ears the cackling started up again. This time the cackling was coming from inside Ahelia's head, it was horrible. The laughing sounded like a flock of birds were attacking her from every direction with their terrible ear piercing screams.
"Ahgg! Stop it! Stop!" Ahelia called out, and to her surprise the cackling stopped. Instead she heard a woman's soft voice from somwhere beside her.
"Child, are you al-right? Who are you yelling at? You look like you have been scared out of your wits." The woman asked in concern. Ahelia took a good look at the woman. She held a bucket in her right hand, she wore a dark head scarf and a large knitted shawl. The woman had slight crows-feet at the corners of her eyes, and she had prominent lines around her mouth. Her hair was dark, with streaks of grey hair that poked out of her headscarf. Ahelia continued to stare at the woman with the look of horror still lingering across her face. The woman slowly placed her bucket down on the ground beside her, and she took a step forward towards Ahelia. She treated Ahelia as if she was a wild dear that would run away at any sudden movement. She didn't want to frighten the already scared girl. Ahelia allowed the woman to near closer.
"What is your name, dear." The nice woman asked, Ahelia thought for a moment before replying.
"Isabella. My name is Isabella." She replied. She new she had to make a new name for herself.
"Such a beautiful name. Isabella, would you like to come in to my home? You are soaked to the bone, and covered in mud. Please come inside and get warmed up. My husband has just made breakfast and I would like you to join us. You look like you need something to eat and drink." The woman smiled.
"I would hate to trouble you and your husband." Ahelia responded.
"Nonsense, love. Come now. It would be our pleasure."
Ahelia could not turn down the chance to warm herself up beside a fire and have something to eat. She was starving and was also quite parched. Ahelia noticed something about the woman, she sensed that she was a good-hearted woman with a kind soul. She was drawn to her kindness and agreed to enter the woman's home.
She followed the older woman into the old house, upon entering she noticed the house had a positive energy it was warm and welcoming. Ahelia noticed many herbs hung from the ceiling in the kitchen and lined the walls. There were many candles lit, which gave off an ambient glow. A large deer skin rug was situated in the sitting room among hand crafted wooden chairs. And the smell of fresh food wafted in the air. Ahelia felt safe for the first time that day. She turned to the elder woman and gave a large smile.
"You have such a wonderful home." Ahelia sweetly said, the woman smiled and gently placed a hand on Ahelia's shoulder.
"Thank you my child, thank you. Now I hope you arent afraid of dogs, I have quite a large dog named Albert. He is a sweet thing, he is just a little imposing is all. Oh, there he is now," The Woman pointed to the large Romanina Raven Shepard. Ahelia noticed the fur of the dog, there was so much and it was as black as midnight except for the white patch on the dogs chest. Ahelia watched the dog trot his way up to her. Once the dog was in front of her, he wasted no time in investigating the strange girl. He sniffed and pawed at her dress, Ahelia gave a small laugh and she gently began to pat the dogs large head.
"Albert is so nice, he is a sweet dog indeed." Ahelia softly replied. While Ahelia continued to pet the dog, a tall rugged looking man who looked to be a little older than the woman of the house, walked into the room. He stopped and gave a confused look when he noticed Ahelia standing in the doorway with his wife. He noticed her dress was wet and filthy, her hair was in a knotted mess, her shawl hung loosely off of her shoulders. And her face seemed to have some sort of dark matter streaked across her pale cheeks.
"Anamaria, care este această fată tânără?" The bearded man asked abruptly, he took his knitted forest green hat off his head, revealing his almost shoulder length salt and pepper black hair. His wife took Ahelia by the shoulder and guided her a few steps forward closer to her husband. Ahelia hoped that the man was not mad at his wife for taking her in. But as Ahelia neared closer to him, the man's blue eyes became softer.
"This is Isabella, Costache. I found her outside. When I noticed the poor condition she was in I asked her if she would like to join us for some breakfast." Anamaria looked to her husband with sweet pleading eyes, hoping her husband would allow Ahelia to stay. Costache saw the look his wife had been giving him and she seemed to look desperate to have Ahelia stay with them for breakfast. So he agreed.
"Da, da, desigur." Costache smiled warmly, Anamaria beamed.
Ahelia felt Anamaria then guide her to the kitchen to sit down at a small table fit for a small group of people. Ahelia sat down in one of the chairs and waited patiently as Anamaria sat down next to her and Costache brought their breakfast over to the table. Ahelia eyed the food in-front of her, she could feel her mouth begin to water and her stomach growl.
As soon as both Costache and Anamaria started to help themselves to the hot food in front of them Ahelia immediately begun to do the same. Ahelia took some pork, fresh vegetables and eggs. Everything tasted like heaven to Ahelia, the food was absolutely wonderful! Albert walked over to where Ahelia had been eating and sat next to her, in hopes Ahelia would decide to give him her table scraps. She just smiled at the dog and continued to eat. While Ahelia ate quietly to herself, Anamaria stood up to make her a tea. Pouring the hot water from the kettle into one of her egg shell coloured tea cups, she also decided to add some herbs. The last herb she had added to Ahelia's cup was red clover.
"So, Isabella. How did a young girl like yourself end up in such a horrid condition. You're a mess you poor girl." Costache stated as he slowly cut his tough pork and popped a piece in between his thin lips. Ahelia suddenly felt so aware and self concious about the way she looked. She quickly glanced down at herself and noticed just how filthy she was. And her clothes weren't the only thing that had been filthy, she noticed her hands were streaked with mud, her own blood and dirt resided underneath her fingernails. Little did she know her face had also been covered in what looked like black soot, to Anamaria and Costache. But in reality the black matter were her black inky tears that had dripped from her eyes down her face.
"I- Well I- um." Ahelia didn't know what to say, so she decided to tell the couple the truth. She prayed that they would not think she was crazy, and send her out back into the filthy streets of Transylvania to die in the cold. Ahelia took a deep breath and placed her utensils down on her plate. Before she could start Anamaria handed Ahelia her tea and she thanked her.
"Mulțumesc, Anamaria," There was a small pause. "Well. To be entirely honest, I don't know how I ended up in Transylvania, I am not sure if I live here, or If I am from elsewhere. I remember some things, little things, such as speaking in Romanian... I am afraid I also do not know who I am. I have forgotten everything about myself. I do not even know my own name. Isabella is just a name I made up for myself..." Ahelia paused to look at the old couple, she noticed the look of confusion and uncertainly on their faces. "I hope you do not think I am insane. I swear I am telling the truth. I woke up this morning in stacks of straw in the back of a cart. And I came across this strange man..." Ahelia stopped herself.
"Though I am sure by now it is I who you two think to be strange." Ahelia decided to quickly take a sip of her warm, steaming tea that sat in front of her.
The tea was still rather hot and the warm water burned the tip of her tongue. As Ahelia swallowed the bitter tasting tea, which was quite revolting. She could feel a strange sensation near the back of her throat, it felt as though she was choking on something, and her stomach felt like it was on fire. Ahelia bolted up from her chair and excused herself. The couple looked at one another with worried looks. Anamaria rose from her seat and followed Ahelia to the door. Opening the door, Ahelia began to choke violently on whatever was caught in her throat and the horrible feeling in her stomach was still present.
"Isabella, Isabella! Are you al-right? What is wrong with you child?" Anamaria worriedly asked, she placed one brown wrinkled hand on Ahelia's shoulder and she placed the other on Ahelia's back and patted her back gently. Ahelia could not answer, she could hardly talk let alone breath. She gripped onto a rotting railing in-front of her and continued to cough, she was panicking now. With one last cough, Ahelia could see something shoot out of her mouth followed by some sour bile. She looked for whatever flew out of her mouth but she saw nothing but her murky white bile below. Ahelia coughed so hard that her face was now stained with tears and her throat was raw. She was beyond confused.
"I- I think I am al-right. I don't know what happened. As soon as I took a small sip of my tea, I could feel something small at the back of my throat. And my stomach, my stomach felt hot. It was horrible." Ahelia breathed. She felt drained, and somewhat nauseous. She needed to rest. As soon as Ahelia tried to walk back into the house her knees went weak and her head spun. She nearly fell until she felt two steady hands keep her upright.
"You need rest Isabella. Come. Do you have a place to stay this evening?" Anamaria asked, taking Ahelia back into the house. Ahelia shook her head.
"Then you shall stay here tonight, until you clearly remember who you are. We can't have you wandering around the streets of Transylvania by yourself and not knowing who you are or where you are from. And do not refuse to stay here, my dear. Here is safe, here you have what you need to survive. Now I will take you upstairs we have an extra room, it used to be my sons..." She added, her voice was sombre at the mentioning of her son.
"We will get you changed into something else, we seem to be nearly the same size. You need to get some sleep and when you awake, we will wash that dirt from your skin," Anamaria turned to her husband who was still seated at the kitchen table eating his breakfast. "Costache!" She shouted. He nearly jumped at the sound of his wife's loud voice "Take her Costache, take her to Petru's old room. While you do that, I will grab one of my nightgowns for her to wear." Costache got up from his seat and walked over to the two women, once he wrapped one of his large arms around Ahelia, he saw his wife motion him to lean down and move down closer. He leaned in far enough so that his wife could whisper something to him.
"Once I have had her changed and placed into bed, meet me in my room." Costache knew what room his wife meant and he nodded, before taking Ahelia to the upstairs and into their sons previous room.