“Hey,” she starts to say. I pull my hand away from the pot. “I didn’t say it before but, you have a lovely home.”
I chuckle and close my fist to the pain.
“You really must’ve been in a cave all your life. This place is quaint at best.”
A wry chuckle comes from the bathing woman.
“A cave would’ve been a step up from the last world I was in,” she says.
There’s that word again “world.” I’m letting her in my house and bathe, I’m cooking dinner for her; I think I’m entitled to ask a question or two.
I turn to look at her. The soap has clouded the water so I only see the top of her breasts, but it’s still quite a sight. One I’m not sure I should be seeing.
She has no visible reaction to my gaze, so I try to keep my head about it.
“What do you mean when you say ‘world’,” I ask her. I walk over to where I keep dried goods and pick up a cyrodaisy leaf. Despite having been picked quite some time ago, it’s still very cool to the touch. I let it rest on my burned hand.
“How and why did you appear out of the sky?” I ask further.
The stranger rubs the back of her neck.
“It’s…I don’t want to say ‘complicated’ because you already made it clear how you feel about that word. But it’s definitely not simple.”
I suppress the urge to press harder, she’s willing to talk about it. I walk back to the stove, hiding my burnt hand.
“You seem like a smart one. Simplify it,” I say.
As I stir the Iso she washes some part of her body.
“Do you have a moon?”
Strange question.
“Do I personally have a moon?”
“Does this planet have a moon?” She clarifies.
Stranger way of asking.
“Yes,” I answer. “There’s a moon in the sky.”
“Do you see other objects in the sky?” She asks.
“In the winter,” I answer. “In the summer, when all three suns hang in the sky, there’s always light. Doesn’t make for good viewing conditions. But yes, there is Umbra and Rupes. They can be seen sometimes.”
“Okay, so imagine if the moon or these other planets had people on them. And imagine if every star you can see at night had a planet circling it like this one. And those planets had people on them. Life elsewhere besides this planet.”
I think about it for a moment.
“Okay, so you’re from one of those planets?”
“Yes, and no. This is where it gets complicated.”
“I thought the complicated part was imagining all that life.”
“That’s nothing. Beyond this planet, is a nearly infinite expanse in every possible direction. Further than you can see, literally as it expands faster than light can reach it. It’s the universe we’re in. That you’ve been in your whole life.”
“Universe, got it,” I say. I sample the soup and it needs a bit more Izome. “Makes me feel small, thinking about that.”
“Well, you’ll feel smaller when I tell you that this is just one universe out of many. An infinite amount, some so wildly different and some practically the same. I wasn’t born in this particular universe, I’m from another one.”
I sprinkle some Izome crystals into the soup.
“You’re taking this remarkably well,” Alessia notes.
“If I hadn’t seen you appear out of a beam of light or your moving armor,” I put a lid on the soup “I’d say you’ve spent too much time out in the sun.”
What she says is a nebulous concept, but hardly affects me in the slightest. My crops still grow and wither, people will talk and laugh and love, and the suns will shine regardless of this infinite universe nonsense.
“So how’d you get here? To this…universe?”
Alessia is washing her neck.
“That would be the Guiding Light, it takes me from world to world, universe to universe,” she explains.
“And, pray tell, what is this Guiding Light?”
“That I can’t explain.”
“Is it a secret?” I stir the soup to take my mind off the pain in my left hand.
“No, I just don’t understand it myself. I don’t know how it transports me across universes. Clearly, the force behind it understands space and time in a way I can’t.”
“And what is the force behind the Guiding Light?”
“I couldn’t say.”
Can’t help but sense there’s more to that than she says. I won’t press for more information...for now. I look over at her curious armor. It stands with the sword in hand, dormant. I wouldn’t think of it as a threat if I didn’t know it could move on its own.
There were scratches and dents on her armor when she first appeared. But they’re smaller now, some are completely gone.
“Your armor,” I start to ask. The soup is almost done. “How does it move on its own? And what happened to the damage I saw on it?”
“Uhhh, do you know what electricity is?” she asks.
I have heard of the phenomenon that is electricity, and what it can do. But it isn’t common knowledge.
“‘Electricity?’” I repeat the word like I’ve never heard it before.
“Okay, that'll be hard to explain then.”
It’s better she thinks I’m a dumb farmer.
“Imagine if the tools you use to farm could do what they’re made for without you using them. Through a series of ropes, pulleys, and wheels. Linked together so that they do their job as one. That’s called a machine. My armor is composed of many tiny and very complex machines.”
“And this ‘electricity’ makes these machines work?”
“That’s right. It can repair itself, assume other configurations as needed, and other things.”
“But how does it know where to walk to?”
“Do you know what radio waves and brain signals are?”
I shake my head. I don’t want another science lesson.
“Forget it, dinner is almost done. I’ll get you something to wear.” I can tell she’s about to bring up her filthy garment. “We’ll wash that stinking thing tomorrow. You’ll wear something clean for dinner.”
“Yes ma’am,” she says.
I turn the stove off and fetch some things for Alessia. A towel and the biggest nightgown I have. I usually wear it in the winter, so it might be too warm for her to wear. But she’s considerably taller than me, so it might even out.
I give her the things and go to serve our food. Keeping my eyes on this side of the house to give her privacy, I set the table for two. Though I’ve had next to no need for another chair I’m glad I had it out of a desire for symmetry. I retrieve a loaf of sweet bread to have with the food, and a knife to cut through the crust.
Sitting down for the first time today, the pain in my knees alleviates. What I wouldn’t give for new joints.
“Ummm Furti, do you have anything…longer?” Alessia asks. I turn to look at her-
Sweet Merciful Rain.
“Sorry, I don’t carry clothes for mountains,” I say, trying to maintain my composure.
I failed to take into account her…voluptuous chest, bringing up the rest of the garment. With that and her height, the hem of the gown just barely reaches her brawny thighs. The knowledge she has nothing underneath bleeds into my mind.
She attempts to pull it down further her legs but thinks better of it when it’s clear the gown can barely contain her as is.
A light breeze could show what sweet banquet lies beneath.
If I was younger and hungrier I’d do everything in my power to get a taste of that feast.
But I’m older now, my back hurts, and I’m quite tired. Perhaps if the stranger hangs around this universe for a while, I’ll indulge in such hedonistic urges.
“It’s rude to stare,” she says.
Her arms are just fitting in the sleeves, if she flexed or sneezed she’d tear the fabric.
I clear my throat as quietly as possible.
“It’s hard not to. Now sit, young lady.”
“‘Young lady?’” Though she says it with displeasure, she complies, sitting opposite me.
I look her over more.
It’s hard to guess her age, she’s certainly younger than me. Her skin hasn’t wrinkled from years in the light of the suns like mine.
Unless she’s actually been in a cave all her life or wears her armor all her time, she should have some wrinkles. Especially with skin as dark as hers. It certainly supports her claim of being from another universe.
“So, if you’re from some other universe, how is it that we’re conversing? What miracle allows us to understand each other?”
“The Guiding Light can translate for me when needed. But we’re just speaking the same language; it happens more often than you think.” Alessia starts to eat. “This is good, been a while since I had a meal this tasty,” she says with her mouth full.
“Chew, then speak,” I command. Taking a bite of my food I can proudly say it came out good.
My examination of the stranger continues. Her skin is truly flawless, from her face to her hands to what I dared to see of her legs, there aren’t any scars. An unusual occurrence for a warrior.
“You have the armor, weapon, and strength of a warrior. Yet you don’t have any scars.”
Alessia chuckles.
“I tend to dodge in battles, plus the armor’s job is to stop injuries.”
“Cocky, especially for someone who doesn’t have her own underwear,” I jab.
“The last world I visited was rough. During a surprise attack, my personal items were burnt to a crisp, including my regular clothes. I had no choice but to wear my pre-suit all this time,” she defends herself. “The chaffing was killing me.”
“Besides chafing, what’s the purpose of your ‘pre-suit’?” I ask. I cut a chunk of sweet bread off and dip it into my soup.
“Prevents pinching, you don’t want to wear armor on your bare skin,” she explains.
“Hmm,” I reply, taking a bite of the bread. Sweet and savory mix together perfectly.
Alessia copies me, taking some bread to dip.
A silence falls between us. It’s not an awkward one though, it’s rather comfortable in fact. We just enjoy the food quietly. There are more questions to be asked, by both of us I’m sure. But for now, we eat. She makes short work of her food and I give her seconds.
Alessia thanks me and we eat silently again.
With only one sun in the night sky, I observe her in clear detail.
Her eyes are larger than any I’ve ever seen. Their green color, though unusual, isn’t completely abnormal. Her nose is wide as is her mouth, and her eyebrows have a soft arching angle to them.
I can only sit on my questions for so long, however. One rises to the top priority wise.
“Why does the Guiding Light take you from world to world, universe to universe?” I ask. The sophistication of her armor and the massive sword doesn’t signal it’s as a peacemonger.
Alessia stops eating for a moment.
“The Light has taken me to many worlds. Each with life and civilizations, in various degrees of advancement. But for each of them there was something that threatened a substantial loss of life. Anywhere from genocide to global extinction events,” the warrior says.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“If I’ve been sent here then there’s a threat to your world.”
My eyes dart to the knife in the bread. Hundreds of thoughts race through my mind at once. Alessia continues to eat casually like she didn’t divulge something troubling.
The inaction of the stranger helps me suppress my instincts.
“What kind of threat?” I ask.
“The world I just came from had a being of flame and lava that tried to erupt a colossal volcano in an attempt to snuff out all life on the planet.”
That explains the heat I felt coming off her when we first met. And the smell.
“We were fighting for days,” she elaborates further.
“Days?”
She nods.
“My body doesn’t fatigue easily. I can stay awake while doing excessive physical labor for quite some time.”
I was wondering how she could still be awake, she looked drained before but now she seems fine.
“Is that so?” I half-heartedly ask.
“So, this may sound like a weird question; but do you know of any potentially world-ending threats looming over your world?”
I wonder how much I should tell her. How much does she need to know? Would she be able to tell if I withhold something?
“None as far as I can tell,” I answer. “There have been wars in the past, and no good ever comes from war. But the powers that be are at peace now. They have been for decades. So I think your Guiding Light might’ve sent you swimming for shade.”
She raises an eyebrow at me.
“It’s an expression around here.”
“Ah. In any case, sometimes the threat to a world is obvious but others I have to figure it out,” Alessia continues.
Again thoughts clash in my mind, all trying to decide the best course of action.
“It may come as a surprise to you but not many people come here to my farm. I’m not exactly in touch with the rest of society. Tomorrow, we’ll go into town, get you some gargantuan clothes, and you can terrify everyone with your talk of world-ending threats,” I suggest.
She tugs at the gown.
“I would like some clothes that fit. That sounds like a good plan, Furti.”
“Good, then I’m going to sleep. You’ve exhausted me,” I jokingly chide. I gather my dishes and set them aside to clean later.
“You’re welcome to lie next to me.” I climb into my bed, acutely aware of the fact that I haven’t bathed. But if I were to undress with Alessia in the state of dress she’s currently in, I feel like I’d give in to my baser instincts.
“Even if you aren’t tired, I’m sure resting would be good for you.” It’s been years since I last shared my bed with a woman or man, for any reason one would share a bed.
She looks at my place of rest.
“I don’t think I could fit on your bed,” she counters. She’s probably right.
“Well get some rest anyway, because the idea of you standing over me all night like your armor, won’t help me sleep.” I pull the covers over me.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” she says. “I’ve slept in much worse places.”
The stranger walks over to the wall and sits down. Leaning back and letting her hands rest in her lap, she nuzzles her head against the wall.
“Good night, Furti, I suppose?” Alessia quizzically says.
She doesn’t know. There’s no way she could know. Even with her Guiding Light, she couldn't know. She can't ever know. I’m not going to let her know.
“Good night, Alessia,” I respond.
Ch. 1 End.
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