Yesterday evening progressed slowly. It was a day of rest and casual conversation. Von Mae gave me a thorough tour of the estate which I am sure to become lost in at some point. Assir seems friendly despite his serious features, and I noticed a teasing nature to him as well. Frankly, he is a lot less serious than I assumed from my first impressions. I still feel a bit out of place, and I haven't quite come to full realization that I'm no longer connected to my past life, that I have apparently died, and that I'm the head of a household now. The estate is mostly quiet and I've only seen the other workers from afar. I haven't had the chance to exchange words with anyone else yet, but I suppose I shouldn't rush it. I cannot help but notice though, that I haven't seen any other women. I have a small hope that will change today.
This bath has become somewhat of a home away from home for me. It's been a long time since I had access to a bath. Normally I would sit in the floor of my tiny shower back at home. Sitting beneath the flow of the waterfall reminds me of those mornings. My memories of dying and making a promise still haven't returned to me, and I'm not totally sure what I should be putting my efforts toward here. I'm not used to the leisure time, and I kind of miss my cell phone more than I'd like to admit. Assir said that today we will be going to the market, and I can pick up whatever I want. I wonder if they have movies here…
"Miss Eve," Von Mae calls from the bedroom "I will leave your change of clothes on the end of the bed."
"Thank you!" I call back to him. I feel strangely comfortable around him even if it has only been a day. Well, I guess longer than that according to Assir. Apparently, I had been in this world for about three days before gaining consciousness, but the 'state of slumber' as he said it, was normal for new souls. "Von Mae..."
"Yes, miss Eve?"
"Are there any towels by chance?" I recall using a pillow to dry my hair the day before.
"Please excuse me miss." He says as he enters the large stone archway, eyes glued to the floor. "Here, to the right of the entrance is a magic pad. All you need to do is ask for your hair and body to be dried and it will do it for you."
"Holy shit!" I gasped. "You mean that's been there this whole time?"
"Yes, ma'am." He states earnestly. "I will leave you to it then miss. Please call me if you need anything else." As he turns to walk out of the doorway, I see a hint of a blush across his cheeks.
"How innocent." I mutter to myself as I pull my body out of the heat of the water and step over to the 'magic pad' which just looks like an interesting combination of symbols embedded in the stone floor. "Um... please dry." I whisper as if anyone can hear me talking to myself. Suddenly, the symbols glow a bluish-white and a heated wind explodes from underneath. Within seconds I am fully dry, including my once dripping hair. Lots of
thoughts jumble through my mind at once, but overall, I am yet again just stunned. Magic? Is that even real? I mean I did die and then resurrected on a totally different plane of existence, but somehow this is still too crazy to believe.
I decided to just think about the absurdity of it all another time as I made my way to the bedroom where I quickly covered myself in the dress and long knitted scarf Von Mae had left for me. The style of the dress is similar to yesterday's, though this one is in tones of pale yellow and reminds me of a sundress as the top portion is sleeveless and ties around the neck. The ties are so long, they trail all the way to the ground behind me. Crystal beading dangles near the floor, weighing down the elongated straps and keeping them pulled taught. I slip on the flat shoes left on the floor in front of the bed and make for the door. I cannot help but feel a bit giddy as I follow the now more familiar peachy wallpapers to the entryway. There, Assir and Von Mae are waiting by the large double doorways which lead outside.
"My lady!" Assir looks like sunshine when he smiles, "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thanks for asking." I answer.
"Von Mae has prepared the carriage out front." He gestures toward the door, and I follow close behind him as he leads the way.
The carriage looked like something out of a princess movie I watched when I was a little girl. The horses in front were both a stark black with small variations between their white blotchy markings. Von Mae opened the door to the carriage while Assir extended a hand to help me inside. Assir followed close behind then sat on the bench across from the one I chose. I immediately became aware of the small space the two of us were occupying together which made me a bit nervous.
"Have a good day at the market, miss Eve, Sir Assir." Von Mae cheered as he shut and latched the carriage door. The carriage took off almost immediately and though the ride was a bit bumpy in places, it was not too bad.
"My Lady," Assir spoke as he pulled back the thin curtains of the tiny window to our side. "Shortly after we leave the estate grounds, you will be able to see Prospertinia." He seemed cheerful.
"I'm a bit nervous." I admitted.
"Don't worry, I will be right beside you." He assured. "Have you given some thought to what items you may want to look for in the market?"
"I suppose I will need more clothing." I feel a bit awkward thinking about spending someone else's money on myself.
Assir must have noticed my anxiety since he nodded gently before continuing. "You won't have to worry about the funding, my lady. Given your special circumstances, the goddess has provided that all ladies from other realms have their needs and desires met. This is to ensure there are no hindrances to the progress you make in fulfilling your promise."
"But I still don't remember what I promised exactly." I leaned my head against the tiny window and gazed outside at the countryside scenery. Large fields, distant trees, and the occasional figure of a large animal grazing far away flowed by my line of vision.
"I know." He answered. "But I assure you that your memories will return soon. Until then, it's best that you rest and focus on doing things you like."
I thought for a moment as silence filled the air. I really do not know much about this world. Not that Assir did not explain things well, but there is too much to cover about a whole new world in the amount of time he has had to teach me. But one thing lingers in the back of my mind...
"Assir," He perks up at the mention of his name when I break the silence, "I have a question." Right, it is better to be straightforward than to wonder on my own with limited information.
"Yes, my lady?" He sounds curious.
"Well, you said yesterday that the main reason the goddess brings the spirits from other realms is because there is a lack of women in this world..." I pause.
"That is correct." His eyes encourage me to continue.
"Then, does that mean I'm expected to settle down and be a housewife or something here?" I feel embarrassed just hearing those words come out of my mouth.
"Well, the term 'housewife' is new to me if I'm being completely honest." He ponders for a bit. "But, as long as it doesn't contradict the promise that was made, you are free to 'settle down' if that is what you desire. Though, I am not sure what typical relations look like where you are from... Earth, wasn't it?" He asks.
I nod in approval. "Yes, my home planet is called Earth." I smile back, "As for relationships, there are many different kinds so it's a bit too broad of an idea to fit into just a few sentences. But generally, the idea is that two people who love each other would enter an agreement called 'marriage.' After that they would usually combine finances and build a life and family together." I explain in as simplistic terms as I can.
"I understand." He smiles, "We also have something like this 'marriage' you speak of. It's a magical connection ceremony held between those who procreate together." I cringe a bit at the mention of the word 'procreate,' but he continues, "Though, this is a ceremony you can do with anyone you wish to procreate with."
"Anyone?" I ask lifting an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yes, if that is your wish." He assures me.
From the corner of my eye, I notice the scenery has changed. We are now surrounded by buildings mostly made of stone and figures bustle about all around in the streets. I smell the scent of fresh bread wafting through the carriage walls but I'm too amused by the beings I'm seeing. I note a few darker skinned men chatting amongst themselves, all with large, pointed ears like what Von Mae has. Others would look like average humans if not for the exotic hair colors of pinks and blues and greens, and I had to focus my eyes before I was fully confident I had seen a tail slip out from underneath a woman's dress!
"What do you think, my lady?" Assir chimes in, breaking my focus which would have definitely been considered rude had that woman noticed.
"It's a lot to take in." I chuckle to myself.
The carriage comes to a halt and Assir stands hunched over as he steps out of the doorway which he makes look much smaller than it is. He immediately turns to help me out as well but as I place my fingertips in his he pulls me forward abruptly and places me gently on the ground pulling his other hand from my waist just as fast as he had placed it there.
"Yesterday evening you mentioned in the garden that you like art, right my lady?" He sings.
"Oh, y-yes!" I try to collect myself.
"I know a famous art supply shop near here which should have just about anything you would be looking for. We can go there after I make sure you eat something substantial if you'd like." I nod in response feeling the excitement build up inside of me. When was the last time I felt so excited to go outside? I wonder... "There are also plenty of clothing boutiques and accessory stands in this area and a bookstore which ladies from the castle usually speak very fondly of." He stops and stares at me for a brief moment before he says, "Shall we be on our way?" with that gentle smile of his.
"Let's do it!" I grin happily in return. I can't help but feel exhilarated at the idea of a huge art supply store.
The restaurant Assir took me to featured a multi course meal. Some kind of roasted bird followed by a breaded veggie dish, a sweet creamy soup, and ending with freshly brewed spiced tea and cookies. My stomach felt like it was bulging at the seams and I thanked God, or goddess, that the dress didn't cling to my rounded stomach. I thought the dinner yesterday was extravagant, but the dessert today exceeded my expectations. Assir seemed pleased at my reaction to the meal we shared and suggested we buy some of the shop's tea blends and pastries to take back home. After passing the goods to the carriage driver who bowed heavily towards us before returning to his seat, Assir lead the way to the massive art supply shop he had mentioned before. He was right, the shop was multiple stories high and completely full. They had just about any medium you could think of. Before I knew it, everything I expressed even the slightest interest in was taken to the counter by one of the employees to be boxed up and carried to the carriage. I felt bad for a split second at the image of our poor driver trying to fit all those boxes in the small storage space on the back of the carriage but that feeling was fleeting as I noticed the huge smiles on the faces of the employees and the thankful mention of our large purchase. I wondered to myself if they make commission.
The next few shops were just as luxurious and exciting. I felt no pressure from Assir as I was encouraged to look at every clothing item in the boutique. It seems the style here is fancier dresswear than the casual style preferred on Earth. I felt more comfortable in the next shops to mention my preferences for the clothing textiles and colors. Like before, the employees took note of my interests and carried all the available items in my size to the carriage. Assir signed some papers which he said requested for the items which weren't available to be made to fit my measurements and sent to the estate. Amazon could never obtain this level of customer service, I thought to myself. By the end of the evening the daylight was fleeting as the sky turned a dark orange and my body was tiring. Assir helped me back into the carriage as I have come to really appreciate.
"My lady, please rest here while I finish another errand. I will return quickly." I nodded in response.
I sighed to myself as I stretched in my seat and peered out the window with my heavy eyes. "I'm so tired," I yawned to myself while watching the steady scenery outside the window. A lady with fiery hair stood at a fruit stand across the street. Two men engaged in cheerful conversation with her while the man behind the counter packaged her order. One of the men grabbed her hand pulling it up to his lips and kissed her fingertips gently. She smiled sweetly before using her free hand to wrap around the back of the man's neck and pull him into an enthusiastic kiss. The other man they were with, and the fruit stand man continued their conversation as the package and money slip exchanged between them. In that moment, the man this woman had kissed so endearingly bowed to her and stepped away seemingly on a mission to acquire something else per her request. I watched as the other man holding the packaged fruit placed his hand atop the woman's head and pet her roughly then grinned. The woman punched him gently in the arm as a response and they both laughed about whatever she had said. A moment of silence followed before the man leaned into her, placing his forehead against hers as he spoke. His spare hand ran up her form from the back and tangled at the hair of her nape. He moved his lips down her face starting at the center of her forehead, down her nose and cheek, and lower to her neck.
I was shocked. Hadn't this woman just been kissing that other guy so passionately? Was I witnessing an affair? Just as I thought it, the other man returned from the alleyway. He spotted the couple in the midst of their entanglement and proceeded to lean against the stone wall of the building, as if he was waiting for them to finish. Once an opening presented itself, he joined them again. Everyone exchanged smiles and walked out of my range of sight continuing their discussion as if nothing out of the ordinary occurred. What had I just witnessed? I was so confused but I could no longer fight the drowsiness I was feeling. I drifted off in a confused slumber.