I walked hesitantly into this odd abode. The sand slowly faded away, being replaced by stone and torches lined the stone walls. A tapestry hung between each torch and a few pots, vases, statues sat neatly on a shelf on one side of the room.
"أب ماذا سوفت أنا أتمّت?" Akira spoke.
"هو فنتسّ عظيمة أنت تعرف... علمته لغزنا ... جعلت ه إحساس ترحيب. هو قوّيّة..." her father replied.
"نعم أب... أنا سوفت..." Akira smiled as she turned towards me.
The look on her face sent chills down my spine...
That look... The one that... Melissa... Used to give me... Oh God...
She walked towards me slowly, bowed and said, "We welcome you Miss Phantess."
English?! She can speak English?! So PERFECTLY?! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!
"I thank you." I reply as she leads me to a small bedroom down the hallway.
"Here's is the room in which you may stay. I am sorry that it is not as lavish as you are accustomed too." She spoke.
"It... It is perfect. Thank you." I reply.
She speaks so fluently... I do wonder... Why did she not speak to me earlier? Well no matter...
"My father has suggested that if you are to stay here, that I should teach you the language." She continued.
"That would be lovely." I replied, smiling a bit.
She seems about my age... And she is going to teach me her LANGUAGE! She may prove to be useful company... even a friend...
"I shall pre-pare your food." She spoke.
She then bowed slightly before leaving me alone in this small, odd room. It was about 10ft by 8ft and had one bed, a table, a shelf lined with: books, statues, and vases. There was a small rug in the center of the room and a beautiful tapestry on the wall next to two torches. I walked across the small room for a small glint of a shiny object caught my eye. As I walked towards one of the small shelves, the object of interest began to glimmer like the stars do out on the open ocean.
I picked up this small object, and held it up near one of the torches.
"That is Goddess Diana..." a soft voice spoke.
Startled, I nearly dropped the beautiful statue that I held so lightly in my pale hands. Regaining my composure, I set the small statue back it its place on the shelf and turned towards the source of the voice to find Akira
"In the Roman's mythological views, Diana is the virgin goddess of the hunt. Born with her twin brother, Apollo, on the island of Delos, Diana is the daughter of Jupiter and Latona. She is the perpetually virginal huntress goddess, mainly associated with wild animals and woodlands; also known as the sacred moon goddess, supplanting Luna. She is an emblem of chastity! Oak groves are especially sacred to her and she is praised in the poetry books on the shelf for her strength, athletic grace, beauty and hunting skill. In practice she made up a trinity with two other Roman deities: Egeria the water nymph, her servant and assistant midwife; and Virbius, the woodland god. In her etymology, "Diana" is simply "the Goddess." She continued, fingering over a tapestry that hung by the door.
"You know a great deal about her, no?" I inquire.
"You could say that." She replied grinning slightly, "That statue is priceless, made from pure gold."
"I am sorry... I almost dropped it... She is very beautiful." I reply a bit embarrassed.
"No need to apologize Miss Phantess and yes she is... You and Dianna are very similar." She said.
"Really now?" I inquired.
"Yes... And the stories I've heard seem to be true." She continues.
"Stories? What have you heard?" I inquired as I return my gaze back to the small statue.
"So many questions! Do forgive me but I must go finish with our food. We shall continue this conversation after supper perhaps?" she spoke before dashing out the doorway.
And so, I was left alone in the small room staring blankly at the gorgeous statue of the Goddess Diana and pondering over why Akira was evading almost every question I threw at her.
What does she know?
I fingered over a few of the books that sat solemnly on the shelf beneath the statue of Diana and soon found myself lying in the small, yet cozy bed, and absorbing all the facts about this land and of Diana of course in a few of the books. The torches that lined the walls seemed to sigh as I turned each page and with each sigh they sparkled a bit, sending the shadows in the small room dancing with fear as they evaded each blast of light. After an hour or so, my body hungered for more of hidden knowledge that lay hidden within the pages of the books that lay on the shelf. I ran my fingers down the row of books until I came upon one of interest. I came upon a small book with an interesting symbol on the cover. I ran my nimble and pale fingers over the symbol and brushed a bit of the dust off of it before opening it. I flipped through the book once or twice for I noticed something odd about it.
Blank? The pages are blank?
"That is a يومية... Or I believe as the French and English call them, Diaries? It is a book that you can write down your secrets or anything you want to remember. My mother left it for me." Akira spoke.
Her voice startled me and lifted me from my daydream. I turned to see her smiling face.
"I told you the stories were true... I have always been told that your thirst what you do not know is unsustainable." She continued.
I stared deeply into her brown eyes, searching for the source of how in the hell she knew these things.
"Who has told you these things?" I inquire, becoming wary.
"A young man with blue eyes I believe... His name was..." she began.
"Christian." I breathed finishing her sentence.
"Yes... I see you know him... He left though about a day or two ago... He told me that if I were to ever see a girl that fit your description down to the black horse that I was to take her in and help her in any means necessary." She babbled.
"He did?" I inquire.
"Yes... Oh no... I have said too much I believe. Curses. Well it is time for supper." She spoke, putting her hand on her chest.
I smiled and walked with her to the door.
"Here is your يومية." I said.
She smiled at my attempt to learn her language and said, "I never write in it. You may have it if you wish... Call it a... present... from a friend." She spoke, pausing on that word.
That one word that I never spoke. That word that sent my heart to a stand still. She paused on it so as it to let it sink in before she finished her blow.
Present...
