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The sun has not come up yet and Molly is pretty sure at least half a day has passed. The moon has moved though, all the way along the sky until it reached the horizon and disappeared, leaving the night sky, and subsequently everything in the city, even darker than before, with only stars to give some light-and isn’t that a sight, Molly has never seen so many stars, the sky, while dark, is filled with colors that make her wonder if this world is even in the same universe as her own.
Enma, Dag and Alma had left soon after their strange feast, and had reminded Molly to visit Nima as soon as possible, that he would have all the answers she required, and then, Molly was alone with the excitable Cira and the very boring and quiet Knoll.
The house-the house of Zasya, she had been told, a old noble family even if their title had been taken away- was not boring for long, Knoll disappeared not soon after the guests left, and then Molly followed Cira around the house as she talked and talked about things Molly could only understand the half of.
But then, a new player appeared. Cira’s mom and Molly’s…adoptive grandmother?
Chrysas Zasya was as loud in the outside as in the inside, a short plump woman with very bright yellow hair and dark skin that was covered in very colorful makeup, her lips a bright shade of blue and eyeshadow a violent golden, her voice a torrent of loudness that hurt Molly’s ears when the woman entered the house, a tired looking butler behind her and carrying paper bags upon paper bags in his arms. All things for Molly, had said Chrysas.
“Such a sweet thing you are, I always thought all nomads were beasts! But you seem very civilized and polite” says Chrysas conversationally as she puts the many many clothes in Molly new room’s wardrobe.
Thick looking dresses in many cold colors and embroidered with golden thread, long sleeved woolen shirts, long simple skirts and even some soft and comfortable looking woolen pants. Beautiful things that belonged in a very fancy renaissance fair. Chrysas throws one of the dresses at Molly as she talks and Molly catches it by mere coincidence and puts it on after Chrysas looks at her expectantly.
Beautiful, blue and gold, sleeveless and no cleavage at all thanks to a thick woolen long sleeves shirt worn under it alongside a pair of snug woolen pants that felt more like leggings than pants, a long and almost straight skirt that reached her ankles and a dark green scarf that tied itself under her chest that gave some shape to the dress itself and made her not feel like she was wearing a potato sack.
Molly turns and turns as she looks at herself in the room’s full body mirror. It’s so nice. So very nice.
“That type of dress is the proper one to walk about in the terrible weather we have right now” Says Chrysas smoothing down the skirt of her similar dress. “When the heat arrives, we shall buy you new ones, you may come to the tailor with me when the time arrives”
Molly nods absentmindedly, still looking at herself.
“I picked some boots for the snow and shoes for public appearances” says Chrysas as she leaves the room “Wait here”
She had tried not to think about it, but there in that room, dressed in fine clothing and almost enjoying it, Molly realizes that she is trapped here. This world, this city. Dagma had made it clear; there was not getting out and soon, somehow, she would forget her life outside this magical world.
The feeling of escapism that had been her fuel to not break down was dissipating. She had been adopted by a local family and renamed, like a dog from an animal shelter.
But the food was nice and the people, with the exception of some comments, were welcoming. They fed her and dressed her like a princess, she felt no need to give back in some way or another, no guilt in wearing clearly expensive clothing, no worries about high school or what she had to do after.
It felt freeing, but also deceiving. Like a golden cage. There had to be a catch to all of this, more so if in a week she was going to get magic powers.
She could not believe there was no way out. No way to return home. To her mom and dad and annoying little brother. To her real grandparents that gave her money in secret and fed her too much. To the only friend she had made, that would probably forget about her if she went missing.
Molly had to return home. She needed real answers about this place and how to get out.
She had to talk to that mysterious Nima that sounded like he had all the answers, but that also had fed her raw meat and had a hand in whatever infection Dagma had talked about. If he didn’t have answers, Molly would find out her own way home.
Breathe in, breath out.
She was okay.
At that moment, as Molly finished her breathing exercise, Chrysas returned armed with too many pairs of shoes and a bright smile. Molly’s returned smile was wobbly at best.
“Come one, you need to try them on” says Chrysas “Then, we shall go downstairs for supper, I told Knoll to dove Jeza, I don’t care if that murderer she is catching is right in front of her, it’s your first family supper, she needs to be here”
Supper? That was like dinner, right?
“Okay” mumbles Molly
“Cira told me you had quite the feast at breakfast! But supper is much more relaxed in relation to food quantity” Explains Chrysas “No need to fill up one selves right before bed”
Molly nodded along as she put on shoes. The boots were sturdy, lined with fur and stopping just before reaching her knees. The rest of the shoes were mostly fancy, but no high heels, more like very elaborate flats that fit more with the style of dress.
It didn’t take long at all to put all of the shoes and the moment Molly put on some comfortable looking slippers that were completely covered in fur in the inside, Chrysas bodily dragged her downstairs and into the dining room, where the whole family was already seated.
Jeza included.
The young woman-how old was she anyway? She looked to be no older than twenty five-looked extremely stressed, muttering to herself as she tapped at the table, she still wore her light armor, but some parts of it were missing, leaving her in the chainmail shirt and a grey shirt underneath that looked to be from some type of leather. Cira smiled at Molly and waved at her excitedly, Knoll looked a second away from falling asleep.
Molly took a seat next to Cira and in front of Jeza, with Knoll and Chrysas leading an end of the table and leaving an open seat next to Jeza.
The moment she sat, the small door Molly suspected lead to the kitchen, opened and two butlers entered carrying a tray each and then they subsequently started to distribute its content.
A stew of some kind with delicious smelling bread buns to the side, and then a small bowl with some fruit cut in slices. It kind of looked like mango, yellow and cut in pretty big slices.
“Bao stew and sliced Ygg” whispers the butler closest to Molly with a smile “Enjoy”
Molly smiles back and accidentally locks eyes with Jeza, that clears her throat.
“It’s seems like you are feeling better”she says, picking up her spoon “I was worried when you fainted”
“I invited Enma and Dagma and Alma!” Interrupts Cira, thumping the the spoon on the table “And gave her a lot of food! All of my favorites!”
Jeza chuckles lightly, and starts eating.
“While I adore my unexpected and lovely granddaughter, I wished you would have told me of your intentions, Jeza” says Chrysas with a very passive aggressive tone that makes Molly want to bury her head under her arms and groan.
“It was an unexpected for me as it was for you, mother” says Jeza coldly “I felt it was necessary, I did not have time to make sure you were okay with it”
“Stew delicious as always, give Leor my compliments” is saying Knoll to one of the butlers, completely ignoring what is happening on the other side of the table.
“I hope you accommodate to the strangest of Neth as soon as possible” says Jeza completely ignoring her mother and making her sputter “I know it is very different from the Outside and it takes a while to become accustomed to everything”
“It’s all very…different, yes” says Molly as she takes a bite from the stew “I was thinking of visiting another nomad called Nima, Enma told me he knows a lot and he will explain everything”
“Yes, of course, Vyshe Ardashir could help” nods Jeza, but also looks uncomfortable “I booked a session at the Ogdra with a Master of the Integration program, Master Sipho is very good at his job, he shall answer the questions Vyshe Ardashir fails to resolve”
Molly nods, but her brain scrambles to catch up. So, nomads are usual enough for an integration program to be in place and she had to attend classes to understand better where she’s at? She hopes this Nima person is able to answer every question she has, the last thing Molly wants it’s to attend classes in this new world. Not even in this strange magical land could she escape school.
“Sure, after I meet with Nima” says Molly “Dagma told me it was outside the walls, but I don’t think I even know where that is”
“A carriage will be prepared, the last thing we need is you getting lost so close to the Mud District” harrumphs Chrysas haughtily
After that, the dinner stays quiet, only Cira’s ramblings filling the void, Molly wonders if they’re always like this or if the awkwardness that fills the room is her fault somehow.
She hopes it’s not her and decides to simply enjoy the food and ponder on her next steps before bed.
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