ii: The Eagle Bearer
How long has it been since she last seen the image of her parents? The feeling of remembering happier times before their sudden demise at someone else's hand. She could remember their last words to her as she was left in the hands of a family friend. A family friend that never adopted her. The very person her parents trusted. They could not even bother to give Dakota a home. She felt betrayed by the adults in her life.
They all spoke of promises that were always broken. They promised that they would return to her. They always told Dakota to not worry. Her parents always returned to her, but that night was when it all changed.
The police were at the door and spoke in a hushed voice. Dakota was standing near the wall and overheard what was being said.
Dead. Murdered.
It took all of Dakota's strength to not scream. To keep back the tears that she has not shed since then. Her father was a man of high regard. He was respected in his field of work. Her mother was an intelligent woman. She worked hard and always had a good head on her shoulders. Dakota had always tried to look for vengeance as to who killed them. But she never had an answer. She gave up and threw the thought in the back of her mind.
She was taken in by the system. She was thrown in and forgotten until she was old enough to leave. No one was there to save her and help her grieve. Those she had known through her parents remained silent. Leaving Dakota in the dark and in a system that fucked her over.
'Dakota.'
She stirred with a groan in her unconscious state. The sound of her father's voice keeping her from the darkness that seemed to have engulfed her. It's been years since she has heard his voice. She almost forgot how he sounded like, but knew he had a deep voice. The voice of reason that had guided her. What was a man when he did not have a woman by his side?
She clenched her teeth as she felt something warm against her wound. The pain was unbearable as it shot through every nerve in her body. How she wanted to scream out and cry, but Dakota knew better then to show when she was hurt. Fight through the pain, they always told her. It is only temporary. You will only hurt for as little bit before it subsides. She felt tears coming from her eyes from the pain. Her muscles contracted and her fingers balled into fists.
How much more pain was she going to go through? Her body and mind were already feeling as if they were deteriorating. Piece by fucking piece, Dakota just wanted the pain to stop. She was afraid she would not have full function of her arm when she recovered. The thought of infection was all too real, but she just continued to fight even when she was unconscious. Dakota did not want to die. Not right now or anytime soon.
"You were born of a star. We all are." Her father's voice had brought comfort to her mind.
All that burning pain took Dakota to a place of comfort.
The Next Day…
There seemed to be a sense of uncertainty. She caught a high fever that night she fell unconscious. Mumbling words that made no sense to him. Her muscles would contract with every small movement. Her senses were sharp- as one would expect from a warrior of her stature. Though, her attire was strange. Never has he seen such muscle on a woman. She must have trained hard to make her body look this way.
Ikaros was perched upon his arm and looking to his master. What was it that made the woman faint from the sight of the eagle? Was there much more at play then what Alexios was used too? Surely the woman must have over strained herself. But, Ikaros never gets too close to people other than Phoibe or himself.
"Did she see something?" He asked the eagle.
Ikroas moved his wings to stretch, a little sign to let him know that the bird was listening. Alexios smiled slightly at his only friend. Animals were more loyal then people. The bird was much smarter than he looked and probably understood far more than what he leads on. Zeus had granted him the eagle and many would see that as a sign. To question the gods was a mistake one would not want to make.
"Maybe it was you who saw what others cannot." Ikaros leapt from his master's arm and flapped his large wings to take to the sky. The wind was gentle as it rolled across the land. The large eagle looked rather graceful in the sky of the gods. Alexios knew there was always some mythical about his bird companion. Ikaros was a special eagle gifted by Zeus or so many tell him. Since childhood, he has been plagued by many night terrors or his past. To see how far he had come since then was a reminder that there were still many unknowns left to discover.
Unfortunately, Poseidon had granted him a woman that has yet to serve a purpose. To why she was within his care, only the gods knew. And all know how quiet the gods can be when fate has yet to be revealed.
The strange woman was rested down below in the confines of his home. Her steady breathes and sighs making it clear that she was still alive. A strange thought had occurred to Alexios when he saw the woman fall to her knees. She was strange in many ways. The woman had come from the sea after a storm and was wounded. By chance, he stumbled upon her. It was eerily similar to how he was found when he was a child.
But this was far different. This woman looked like no other within the island. Or for that matter, any woman he has seen in Greece. She was muscular, with tanned skin. Her facial features were much rounder then the women he was used to seeing. Her hair seemed to be a bit thick, but Alexios was not sure since he found her and she was soaking wet.
She looked much taller, but shorter than him by a mere few inches. She was a fighter by just looks alone. She had a faint scar on her right eyebrow that was hidden by black hair. It was by no mere coincidence that Alexios had come upon her. The woman of the sea.
Poseidon's daughter, as Phoibe claimed.
This woman must have come from a strange land. Not wanting to dwell on overthinking about the woman, Alexios decided he was going to check on her health. She was pale, but still had the color of a foreigner. Her skin was rather exotic and would give away an impression to those who will see the woman.
The gods have a reason for her.
Phoibe was curious of the woman. She spent some time with her, yet has not learned her name. The child kept going on and on about how the woman spoke in a funny accent. If anything, the woman was not a threat. At least, not yet. Once she had her strength, there was no telling if she was a friend or foe.
"She is a strange woman." He spoke to himself.
Phoibe would be coming around soon to check on the woman. She had attached herself to the woman before either could know her name. Unfortunately, the woman would be unconscious before she could begin to tell where she had come from. There was confusion within her and Phoibe has said that the woman talked in such a strange manner. Whatever the case may be, soon enough the woman may get her answers.
Like fate, it is never easy to understand.
…
Footsteps. I hear someone coming towards me.
Her head was throbbing with immense pain. She took a deep gasp with her eyes opening to find that a new face was staring down at her. Dakota threw a quick punch out of instinct at the stranger that was clearly invading her space. Her mind was still out of it. Everything was jumbled and racing inside of her thoughts. She just could not catch a break to save her life. In this instance, everything seemed to lead to Dakota to blacking out without her trying to get on steady feet.
There is nowhere to run now.
He backed away and caught her fists before it could make contact to his cheek. The action of the movement caused her body to burn with pain and her shoulder might have torn open the wound. But the adrenaline was taking over all pain. Her eyes looked wild and death was clearly inside of them. That instinct to fight was so strong that Dakota could see her muscles within her arm contract with each deep breath.
She could hear Phoibe in the background trying to call out to her. But Dakota had already set her nerves and her muscles were ready to defend. Each memory of fighting or running was forever burned in her memory. Though something else had shown itself clearly.
The shadows.
Her mind had saw something that should not be. There was no possible way that whom she could see through her blur was the man whom haunted her. The only clear face out of many who wore hoods and spoke in a language that seemed so far gone.
Egypt had plagued her memory when she stepped foot in that cave. Blue hue surrounding her very being. One after another, the shadows started and yet, his was the only one that was clearer. Why?
I'm losing it. I'm losing my fucking mind! I'm seeing things that are not real. The shadow that has always followed me is right here! She clenched her teeth and threw in another punch with her free hand. Her fingers curled into her palm with her reflexes keeping a steady hold. Muscle memory set in quickly in remembrance of tightening the muscles and then using the momentum of the aim.
The stranger had no hold of the situation before him. The woman who came from the sea was awake and attacking him. She was scared and unaware of her surroundings, he mused. Best to keep her from hurting herself and opening the wound.
Dakota made contact quickly and moved herself to her feet. Weary of the blood rush that set in and the pain of opening her wound. Blood began to seep through the bandage, causing Dakota to groan in agony. She had forgotten about the damn wound. Dakota cursed loudly. Swearing words that either Phoibe or the stranger has never heard. It was quite comical to say the lease.
Dakota stomped her foot to the ground, while the blood ran along her chest and stomach.
"No! No! No! I am in a bad dream. How could that be when you can feel pain? I thought I established this already?" Dakota groaned. The pain in her shoulder getting hotter by the second. She was crouched down, clutching at her bloody wound. Phoibe placed a comforting hand on the woman's uninjured shoulder.
"This is becoming a game. Am I in hell? Did I do wrong?" Dakota was becoming unsure of things once more. Her mind trying to come to terms again. She was in this world under mysterious circumstances. No answer, only more questions. She could not even look at the man, let alone Phoibe.
"You need to calm down. I told you, you scared her Alexios." Phoibe said.
"I had no intention on doing so. She kind of attacked me the moment she saw me." Dakota shook her head. Freaking out was not going to solve anything. She had to keep a steady head if she was going to survive here. This was life or death at the hands of these people.
"Maybe if you keep a safe distance from me, I would not have to have attacked." Dakota spat. Her eyes furious with anger towards the stranger. Well, he had a name. She would rather pretend not to have heard it. She was calming down now from her inner turmoil. Seeing Alexios now for who he is and what Phoibe thought of him, Dakota was rather impressed to say the least.
You've seen this man before. Her thoughts dwelled on her memory. Egypt was not a fun time. It was full of bad memories and blood. Dakota closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself. Too bad the pain was worse then the memory.
Stupid.
"You really took a punch to the face by a woman, Alexios? Thought you were fast at catching a fist?" Phoibe teased.
Alexios rolled his eyes at the child. A bit of humor playing on a smile he held for her. Dakota was wallowing away in pain while the two played siblings. Where they even related? Never mind! Dakota took the bandage off to find that some blood had dried over her fresh wound. She had not given it a proper healing and resulted in it opening.
"Here." His voice was strong. Dakota smacked his hand away. Not wanting to be touched at all.
"She is stubborn. Comes from surviving the sea and being a daughter of a god." There goes Phoibe again with her stories. Dakota could see that her wound was not as bad as she previously thought it be. It hurt like hell that even moving or flexing her muscles sent a burning sensation through her body. This was a constant reminder that this was real.
Dakota rubbed her eyes through seething teeth. Since waking up in this strange world, all shes been doing is freaking out. She had to gain control of her surroundings. She had to ask questions, but seeing as how only a child was the one asking more questions every second, Dakota needed to calm herself- again.
The first rule was to stay calm no matter what. Addressing the situation was crucial in survival. At this point, Dakota could be considered hostile. Her tendency to act first was out of raw instinct. Her fight or flight response was always to fight. Human nature was not as complex many think it to be. She had come from a world where technology was becoming advanced. To be thrown back into time seemed so impossible. Nothing was modern and her instincts told her that Dakota had to survive on pure raw instinct that was hidden somewhere deep within her.
"What is your name?" He asked. Seeing her shudder and scared. There was no comfort to give the poor woman. She had already attacked, but mostly out of fear. How could Alexios blame her for acting in such a way? Being far from home and in a place she does not know.
"My name..." She said. "My name is Dakota." Then she moved to the side and threw up all contents of her stomach.
