Book Sunday

 Today's choice is an epic fantasy, magical realism series

Ilona resigns to live the simple life of a small-town doctor, but her life goes into a tailspin on her birthday. She finds out she was born into a secretive, ancient clan still hidden among us. She starts to develop unusual powers which she finds exciting as well as frightening. She can slow time and heal with her touch, but how and why?

BOOK ONE       BOOK TWO

A chapter from Book One

“Are we there yet?” Ilona asked teasingly, trying to conceal her anxiety. She knew the answer because the air smelled clean and fresh. Even the stars were brighter. It was dark, but enough light shone from the full moon. She looked around and saw a group of round, tented-looking buildings covered with leather, where small fires burned between them. Ilona remembered seeing pictures like that in a history book; they called those tents Jurtas. The river must have been very close as a light breeze carried the smell of fresh water.

“Yes, we are there. Actually, we are here in the year four hundred and five,” he explained to Ilona.

The lightheadedness was gone, and Ilona’s mind was clear. “Was it any different when you transported Ema?” she asked, feeling better.

“Well, it was as if we fused together for a second, and then we separated. With you, it seemed a little different, though.”

“How was it different?” Ilona asked, feeling the heat rise to her face.

“I had an experience that you might call… kind of... arousing.” He hesitated.

“Oh… I see.” Ilona searched her mind for the right reply. She felt embarrassed and blushed deeply. “For a second, the dizziness was the only sensation, and then it seemed as if we moved through something thick and sticky.” She had to tell a fib; she was too shy to mention that her experience traveling with him was something more personal.

He looked aside and reached for Ilona’s hand as he led her toward a Jurta standing apart from the others. “That’s because you’re not a Traveler, but a passenger, so to speak.” He laughed softly.

The Jurtas were lined up in a semicircle, leaving a wide plaza in the middle. Luckily, no one was in sight. They walked up to a tall and wide wooden pole in the middle of the circle. Ilona fingered the intricate designs carved into it. It was painted with brilliant colors. On top of was a giant carved falcon, standing with wings open wide, as if it was getting ready to take flight.

Ilona tugged at Zoltan’s shirt excitedly and whispered, “I’ve seen this place before! Every time I play my tune, I see this village in my mind or some other place pretty much like this.”

“Really? I always see this kind of place in my mind when I play my birth tune too! And I always see the Turul bird. I think everyone pictures a different place when they play. Mom says she feels like she sits by the Blue Danube in medieval times. Dad’s vision takes him back much further. It is curious that we both see a similar place and time,” Zoltan marveled, following Ilona’s gaze.

“Yes, it is,” Ilona agreed, wondering about the coincidence.

They reached the Jurta that stood a short distance outside of the circle. Zoltan grabbed the small wooden stick hanging on the side of the thick leather door cover, and lightly tapped the round drum hanging next to it.

“Doorbell,” he explained.

“Who art thou?” a pleasant voice sounded from the inside, in ancient Hunor language.

“The Traveler and the Healer are asking permission to enter,” Zoltan answered, in the same melodious mother tongue.

“Come hither.”

Zoltan pulled the thick leather covering aside and urged Ilona forward. Inside, the light was dim and flickering, emanating from oil lamps hanging on the walls of the wide, round room. Zoltan motioned for Ilona to take her shoes off at the entrance. They walked forward on the thick carpet covering the floor. A beautiful, statuesque, dark-haired woman slowly rose from a curved sofa-like piece of furniture. She wore a soft green, delicately decorated calf-length tunic, with loose black trousers. Her hair was braided with soft leather thongs. Ema was standing in the alcove. She shrieked when she saw Ilona and Zoltan and started running towards them but was stopped dead in her tracks by a simple hand gesture from the statuesque woman.

The young woman took a step toward them, “Elana, the Healer, I am called, ready to do thy bidding,” she said, and then looking at Ilona, she used an ancient ritual of submission by getting down on her right knee. That gesture was reserved only in the presence of Royalty. She exposed the left side of her neck by bending her head to the right. With one swift movement, she smoothed her long braids aside and placed her right hand over her heart.

Ilona was stunned and confused, “Why are you greeting me this way?” she asked and looked at Zoltan who appeared as puzzled as she was. He shrugged his shoulders, silently motioning that he had no idea.

“Thus, thine birthright.” Elana uttered.

“But I am not of Royalty, and I am not even sure what being one means,” Ilona replied.

“Are thee not? I say thou art, and if thee chooseth, thee couldst be more. Thy sign speaketh. On thee, the surest sign. Find thee heritage in time, thou will.” She began to stand.

Ilona was stunned. Royal? She thought. How could I be? My parents were regular people, and I only heard about the just and powerful Royals from Rua’s legends. I always thought they were mere fairy tales to entertain children in which the Royals were brave and protected good people. Elza said my birthright was to be a Healer. Why is Elana greeting me like I’m more than that? Frantic thoughts chased each other in her mind. “Please tell me. What is this sign?” Ilona asked, bursting with confused emotions.

“On thy face, thou shall beareth the sign, and thou hast the aura around thee. Accept thou the sign that shall appear when thou knowest thy destiny, as our Seer foretold thee coming.”

 Zoltan stared at Ilona. Elana noticed his confused look, smiled and turned to him. “Thou hast the aura of other sort. May hap someday the sign couldst appear, but not by right of birth. Such fate is for but the Choseth.”

Zoltan was obviously startled but didn’t ask anything.

Ema looked briefly at Elana, “Am I a Royal too, Elana? I have my Hunor mark as well, but mine is blood red, as is customary for everyone else. Ilona’s mark turned maroon on her wrist, and Zoltan’s is the same.” She smiled as she glanced at Zoltan’s arm.

Elana smiled back at her, “Your mark will appear when the time is right, and I will greet you a little differently if the time comes, and when it comes. We will find out in due time. Your future depends on many things yet been decided.”

Ema sighed in annoyance, “Whatever! Everybody tells me to wait until the time is right!”

Ilona noted with surprise how quickly her mind adapted to hearing and interpreting the old language. At first she had to concentrate, but after Elana’s few sentences she understood what she said without paying close attention.

“Ilona!” Ema shouted, jumping toward Ilona like a panther, but keeping an eye on Elana. She nodded approval, and a small smile played in the corner of her lips. Ema hugged Ilona close, laughing and sobbing in the same breath. She looked fantastic, dressed in a cream-colored tunic. She wore leather trousers and a delicately woven headdress. Her hair was braided with leather thongs flowing down to her shoulders. “You came so soon! I have so much to tell you.”

“There will be time later, Ema. I assume they have a more urgent reason for their visit. Please, be seated.” Elana motioned.

Ilona looked around, amazed. In the middle of the room, she saw a group of light, foldable, stools with leather seats. They were placed in a circle around a delicately carved table. The inside walls were covered with brightly colored tapestries. On the floor was a thick woven carpet. Oil lamps hung on the walls, and to the left, there were fur-covered beds. The other side of the room contained pots and pans on shelves and delicately carved wooden plates. Cooking utensils were suspended on bone hooks. There was a small alcove pointing to the outside. A large pot was steaming on a stone fireplace. Pillows and brightly painted wooden trunks were strategically placed around the room. Ilona walked in and sat down, finding the chairs to be extremely comfortable.

Elana’s soothing voice got her attention. “Welcome to my humble home. Your visit honors me.”

“Thank you for your warm welcome,” Ilona replied, still not believing she was sitting across from Elana, 1600 years apart, yet so close.

Elana reached toward a wooden trunk, opened the lid and pulled out delicately carved cups that she filled with a sweet and sour smelling white liquid from a leather pouch. Ilona sniffed it; the liquid smelled strong, aromatic, yet spicy and sweet.

Seeing the puzzled look on Ilona’s face, Zoltan explained, “It’s fermented horse milk and some spices.” He took a sip, clearly enjoying the taste, closing his eyes in delight.

Ilona touched the cup to her lips and took a careful sip. As it hit her tongue and the roof of her mouth, the taste was cold, sweet and spicy. It created a wonderful combination. Ilona took a bigger sip and savored it. She sipped again, and this time it was closer to a gulp.

Zoltan touched her hand and laughed, “Easy there, young lady! If you’re not careful, you’ll be tipsy within minutes!”

“Oh, thanks for the warning.” Ilona glanced at him, already feeling a little buzz. She didn’t want to appear impolite to jump into asking Elana questions right away, so she placed the cup back on the small round table and turned to Ema. “What have you been doing this past week? I can’t wait to hear.”

“Ilona, this place, and time are so exciting! We got here so quickly, and I didn’t even know we were here. The ceremony in the cave was beautiful and mysterious, and then we rode horses to come here to the village. Elana explained a lot of things. I just love it here!” she took a hurried breath and continued, “I met lots of people who were very polite and welcoming. Life here is so pure and simple; I can’t even explain it. No rush, no cell phones or TV. There is a lot of togetherness, storytelling, working together and laughing together. People care for each other, Ilona; it’s not like back home. There everybody is in a big hurry to get nowhere. They use and discard each other. In this place and time, they really care! They enjoy nature and live with nature in harmony. Wow, I want to tell you everything at once.”

Ilona smiled, stroking Ema’s hand, “I’m so happy you like it here.”

“I love it here, and Elana is wonderful to me.” She beamed and blushed. “I met someone two days ago. He was on a hunt. We met at the dance they held for the hunters.”

“He is our best hunter and fiercest warrior,” Elana said, proudly.

“His name is Mundzuk, and he’s really wonderful. We talk about things. He knows so much about nature and animals.” Ema was running out of breath. She drew a deep sigh and looked at Ilona expectantly.

Ilona was stunned and happy at the same time. This was a different Ema. She was so vibrant, innocent and she seemed truly happy. “I’m so happy for you and so much has happened to you. We’ll talk more about it a little later, but first, we need to talk to Elana.”

Ema nodded, and Ilona turned to Elana. “Elana, I believe Zoltan told you about the reason why Ema is here?” she asked, trying to rein in her emotions.

“Yes, he did. He informed me about what is happening in your time. My Seer tells me that the order of things is still similar in your time, and the Law of our people didn’t change. The Elder’s Council guides and protects the people and their right hands are Kund and Csenge, the Leaders for all time.”

“What do you mean for all time? You don’t mean that the Leaders are the same people in our time that they are in the fifth century, do you?”

“Yes, the Seer tells us they are indeed the very same. Only two Leaders were chosen back in the beginning, to carry our traditions and laws to... well, indefinitely if they decided so. Until the Leaders name their successors to continue their work, they will remain Leaders.”

“How’s that possible?” Zoltan asked, in amazement.

“There are mysterious things even I don’t understand; my mind is not equipped for it. I know they have the power to stay alive for hundreds of years. Their job is to keep the law and order as well as keep the tradition alive. They were chosen a long time ago for their fairness, and because they’re able to rule in unison. They are the ultimate equal partners in life. In their relationship, there is no superiority. Mother and Father, who chose them, knew that they would be able to represent males and females equally, for all times to come,” she explained.

It startled Ilona. “Wait! I don’t understand. Who were they? Are they still alive, or are they Gods? There are so many contradicting stories and legends about them. In our time, we pray to Mother and Father, but we also pray to the Creator.” Ilona hoped Elana could clear up some of these mysteries.

“Well,” Elana went on, “The Legend says that the Gods, with the help of the Creator, came from the stars. On their long journey, they were sleeping inside the fire-blowing Falcon that we call Turul, and they woke up when they arrived. They had shiny white skin-like clothes on their bodies, and their heads were protected by a clear bubble. Blue eyes and snow-white hair marked their appearance. Our people, the tribe which the Gods chose to visit, lived here in the Carpathian basin and were primitive people, but they had a close-knit society.”

Ilona had so many more questions but decided to stay quiet and listen. Elana continued, “They never left their birthplace to mix with other clans; they were pure and healthy. The God and Goddess decided to choose mates from this tribe. They lived amongst them and taught them many things. The Goddess bore a son, and they named him Father. The mate of the God bore a daughter, and they named her Mother. When they were grown, they chose mates from different tribes and had many sons and daughters, for three generations, at which time the Gods decided to go back to the stars.”

Zoltan and Ilona looked at each other in amazement, and then Ilona motioned Elana to continue.

“They took Mother and Father with them and chose thirty-nine of the worthiest of their children. Twelve of them were chosen as the Original Royals. Their descendants had been given a gift to bring forth powers according to their needs and to help others, but only if they prove to be worthy. The Original Royals went with the Gods, and it was foretold that when the people will need them most, they would return to us. Csenge and Kund were given the gift of life as well; they became the Leaders of the People. In every generation, two potential leaders are born, a male and a female. If they are chosen, they become leaders and Csenge, and Kund live out the rest of their lives as Elders. Also, it was foretold that a King would be born. The legend doesn’t say when, but he will be the first True King of all the Hunors. He will unite the clans, and his Royal descendants will be born with the potential to become King and Queen if they’re proven to be worthy. The rest of the twenty-four became Elder Council members, and when they died, their descendants took over the role. The Leaders, however, will not die until they choose to, but first, they must appoint their successors. We pray to the Creator and ask help from Mother and Father equally because they were the closest to the people and promised they will come back to help when we will need them most. According to the legend, the people worshiped the Gods, but we pray to Mother and Father.”

“You said thirty-nine…” Ilona did the math.

“Yes, there is one more…” she sighed. “Joland was not chosen, he was not of the original noble blood, but he’s very clever and conniving. He stole knowledge from the Gods and learned how to live forever. It took smart planning, conniving and ability to solve riddles to find the well-guarded secret. Therefore, the Gods appointed him to become the Law Keeper. When he united with Mora, they came close to overpowering the Elders and ruling the people, but they were caught, separated and punished. That’s all the legend says.”

“You can’t even imagine how much more I want to learn. Everyone seems to know more than I do, and it makes me feel like I’m stumbling in the dark.”

“It is as it is supposed to be. You are of the royal bloodline; you have to learn everything on your own and prove that you are worthy of your destiny.”

“What is my destiny?”

“It will be revealed to you later when you find out everything that you need to know.”

Although Ilona wanted to ask more questions, Ema’s safety was more pressing, “Well, I can’t worry about that right now. We need your assistance with an urgent matter. In our time, we couldn’t let them find Ema; otherwise, they will destroy her. There are only the three of us who know where she is. They can’t read Zoltan’s mind—only mine, and some of Elza’s, but we can’t take a chance. Do you know how we can prevent them finding out where Ema is?”

“Oh, that’s easy. I can give you an herb. When you take it, your mind will be protected,” Elana informed.

“What? That’s it? This is unbelievable!” Ilona shouted in excitement, she couldn’t believe her ears and looked at Zoltan for confirmation. He had the same disbelief on his face.

Elana continued, happy for their excitement. “The knowledge of this herb has been passed down from Healer to daughter for generations.”

“That’s wonderful!” Ilona exclaimed. “We don’t really use herbs in my time for healing.”

“How do you heal people then?”

“We use manmade medicine and we can heal a lot of diseases.”

“Hunors are not treated by Healers anymore?”

“Oh, yes, they are. As I found out recently, the methods are a little different.”

“What about preventing pregnancies? A woman’s body can’t handle giving birth every year like barbarians.”

“We have contraceptives and different methods. The couple decides how many children they will raise. Do you use herbs to prevent unwanted pregnancies?

“Yes, it was discovered by my great-great-grandmother a long time ago. Women were dying very young because as soon as they gave birth and became fertile again, they got pregnant. There were too many mouths to feed and children became malnourished when food was scarce. I heard from my mother that, although the Healer had risked punishment, they used the herb too.”

“Why not? They’re women too.”

“You see, the punishment for ‘getting out of line’ is a short life. We could never reach the age to become Elders if we give up celibacy.”

“What exactly does ‘getting out of line’ mean?”

“Well, when a Healer chooses to fall in love and have a relationship with her First Rite mate... that is considered breaking the Law. We’re not supposed to live in a relationship. We are supposed to dedicate our lives and all of our energy to healing,” she answered.

“I’m afraid that the punishment still exists in our time. I’m sure that my parents were killed because of it.” Ilona informed her, sadly.

“I guess the law is strong enough to last,” Elana sighed, and then continued, “We cannot fall in love or marry like others.  We get pregnant and have one daughter. That’s how it has been for all times. My grandmother, after she had my mother, was secretly pursued by my grandfather who was chosen by her. He fell in love with her. They met in secret, and they loved each other. As a precaution, she took herbs to prevent further pregnancies. If she had become pregnant again, the Elders would have found out for sure that she broke the celibacy law of the Healer.”

Her statement shocked Ilona, and she listened to Elana’s words with increased intensity. “What about the herb that shields the mind?”

“One day my grandmother was informed of Csenge’s visit by the Seer. She was frantic. She knew that with the hand touch, Csenge would be able to read her mind, and she could discover about their love affair. She said her goodbyes to my grandfather. They cried and spent their last night together. In the morning, they waited for their fate. They knew it would be no use hiding. If she were not there when Csenge arrived, it would raise suspicion. The Law Keeper would hunt her down. In her despair, she remembered the herb her mother had told her about. The name of the herb was the White Shield. The knowledge of this herb was passed down from generation to generation, but it was rarely used and only by Healers who ‘got out of line’. The only ones who could read minds were the Leaders and the Elders, and most of the previous Healers had nothing to hide from them, until my grandmother, and although I’m not sure, maybe my mother as well.”

Ilona’s mind tried to absorb what she had heard, what she was saying. Could that be really true that the Healer can’t have a relationship until her First Rite? Is that the reason for my unsuccessful attempts at relationships? Oh, rats. This is way too much coincidence for me!

Elana continued, “My grandmother quickly rummaged through her store of herbs until she found the White Shield in a clay jar. The herb was crushed and mixed with crystallized honey. She remembered how to take it; she had to put a piece under her tongue before she met the person who wanted to read her mind. She thought there was nothing to lose. She tried and to her surprise when Csenge touched her hand, nothing happened. Csenge was not able to entirely read her mind. She couldn’t read the memories and thoughts my grandmother wanted to conceal.” Elana smiled.

“This is incredible! So I can go back, and when the Leaders touch me, I don’t have to be afraid that they will read my mind.” She looked toward Zoltan, who was smiling at her with relief.

“Yes, that’s correct. As long as you take the herb when you meet them, your mind will be safe from prying thoughts. They can read only what you let them or want them to know.”

“How does it work?”

“I’m not sure, but my grandmother told me that it reacts with something in the body that makes you anxious to hide certain memories. It creates a barrier around those memories and enables you not to think about them. For a probing mind, those memories are in the dark, as if they don’t even exist,” she explained.

“This is great. We got what we came for, but I don’t want to leave yet.”

“We can stay as long as you like,” Zoltan assured her. “You remember when I got back after dropping off Ema? For you, not even a split of a second went by, but I had two days’ worth of whiskers and beard. I like the electric shaver and didn’t want to use a sword or something to smooth my face.” He laughed.

“Okay, we’ll stay until tomorrow, and we can return to visit at other times too.”

Ema clapped, “Yay, I can tell and show you everything.”

Ilona laughed. “Yes, tell me everything. I want to know all about your fierce warrior too.”

Elana sniffed the air and stood up, “I think dinner is ready. We should eat first.”

Ema winked at Ilona playfully, “I’ll tell you everything after dinner. I’m starving.” She stood up and reached for her hand.

“I would like to use the bathroom to wash up first,” Ilona announced.

Elana looked at her and then turned to Ema questioningly. “Bathroom?”

“I’ll show you!” Ema jumped up, grabbing Ilona’s hand and pulling her up. “She means the private,” she explained to Elana, who nodded with a smile on her face.

They stepped back into their shoes and walked beneath a flap in the door. Ema led Ilona behind the Jurta toward the trees, lighting their way with an oil lamp. There was a small, rectangular wooden building separated from the rest. They entered, and Ilona looked around in amazement. She saw four stalls separated by leather sheets. She peeked into one of them and saw a wooden seat with a round hole cut out in the middle. On the side was a bag filled with white fluff. Ilona heard water trickling beneath. She shined the lamplight into the hole and saw a running creek.

“What an ingenious idea!” Ilona shouted.

“Oh, we have a shower and everything. I’ll show you later,” Ema beamed. Ilona noticed she said we and was surprised. Ema viewed herself as one of them already.

“You don’t happen to have tampons, do you?” Ilona asked teasingly.

“No, but the white fluff in the bag is wool. You can use it to clean yourself and use it as a pad also. It’s very comfortable.” she smiled.

Ilona chuckled, “And I was anxious about sending you to live with primitive people.”

“We’re far from primitive. You’ll see!”

“I can see it already. I’m quite impressed.”

“I bet you didn’t know that the Hunors were the first people to use underwear,” Ema added proudly. “Cleanliness and personal care are very important to them. It’s a very strict rule to wash and change underwear every day. The people here never eat or touch their faces without washing their hands first, because their belief is that being dirty and unkempt could open the gate for the invisible demons, which make people sick.”

Ilona was indeed amazed. How could they have known about germs? She always thought about the ancient Hunors as being primitive and savage people, sleeping and eating on horseback. Although she recalled the stories and rhymes, she’d heard, but she always thought they were just beautiful stories about long gone people.

By the time they got back to the house, Elana was busy serving dinner. She placed the steaming pot on the table and ladled the thick, aromatic stew into wooden bowls. “It is venison stew. I hope you like it.” She was proud of her creation.

Zoltan looked up at her and complimented, “It smells delicious.”

Ilona tasted the stew and soon forgot everything around her. She enjoyed the soft meat and vegetables cooked into the tasty meal. “Elza would kill for your recipe,” she told Elana after she wiped the bowl clean with a piece of flatbread.

“Kill?” Elana asked, alarmed.

“Oh, no, I meant it as a compliment. She would love to have your recipe.”

“I see, but she probably doesn’t have the herbs and spices I use,” Elana mentioned, and then looked at Ilona and asked, “I wonder why Healers stopped using herbs in your time.”

“We know about the healing properties of herbs, but we rarely use them. See, I recently turned twenty-nine years old and only then did I find out some of what I can do as a Hunor Healer. I see images in my mind, and I know what is wrong in the body. When I touch the sick body part, my fingers warm and light up, and some ways, I can heal the disease. I don’t know how it works yet. For now, I just accept that it does.”

“Didn’t your mother teach you about the herbs and incantations?”

“Unfortunately, she died ten years ago. She promised she would teach me, but she didn’t have a chance,” Ilona sighed.

“I’m sorry,” Elana sympathized. “The healing process must have been evolved; otherwise you couldn’t do it without training. My mother began teaching me when I was just a baby.”

“How do you heal?” I asked.

“When I look at people, I know what’s wrong in their bodies. I boil the appropriate herbs to make into tea and the sick person drinks it while I say the incantations to drive out the bad spirits, and then I ask the help of the spirits of our ancestors. When I feel their presence, I touch the inflicted person and the healing takes place.”

“The way I heal seems simpler. My hand becomes hot and glows while I ask permission from an unknown force to heal, and then I hear voices and see misty faces in my mind…”

“You can hear and see the Ancestors?!” Elana asked, excitedly.

“I don’t know who I’m seeing. It scared me at first, and I thought I was losing my mind. Now I’m getting used to seeing them.”

Elana’s face took on a dreamy expression. “They are the ancestors who passed on and are willing to help the living. I wish I could see them too. I feel their presence, though,” she sighed. So, nobody is using the healing herbs in your time?”

“Elza, the Seer, utilizes a lot of herbs. She uses them to see the future too, and she knows which herbs to use to prevent diseases in cooking and to drink as tea or take as extracts.”

“It’s very fascinating,” Elana added. “In my time the Seers are not allowed to know about the healing power of herbs, only the Healers can use them. Our Seer smokes herbs and mushrooms, which sends her into a trance. Well, 1600 years is a long time… our Seer talks about dark times around the 1000’s. Is it true?”

“I’m afraid so. According to our history, those were dark times and a lot of knowledge was lost because of it.”

Everyone sighed, turned quiet, and got lost in their thoughts.

Ema used the silence to get Ilona’s attention, “Can I talk now?” She asked, impatiently, looking at Elana apologizing with her eyes. Elana nodded, smiling. “I want to tell you everything,” Ema said, snuggling up to Ilona’s side.

“Okay, tell me about your mysterious warrior.” Ilona settled with her on fluffy pillows by the beds. They heard Zoltan explaining to Elana the concept of time travel.

Ema grabbed Ilona’s hand and began talking excitedly. “Well, he’s strong, and he is a fair leader. He has about a hundred men under his command for now and is in charge of the hunt and defense. Everybody likes him. His father is the King of this tribe, and Mundzuk is his heir. He will be a leader someday.”

“Do you like him?”

“Yes, I really do. He’s so easy to talk to. He always makes time to see me. We take long walks, and we talk. Ilona, I want to enjoy this. I don’t want to think about the past or the future. I know I could lose him when I go back home, but I never had a chance to talk to anyone like him. It might be a budding romance; I don’t know yet. Do you think it’s okay?”

“I don’t see why not. We don’t know what the future holds for us, so I think that you should enjoy the present, even though your present is in the past for the time being. There are very few written documents about this time. Some legends survived, according to Rua, and I remember he told me about Prince Mundzuk. His childhood was very vague, but there are a few written and spoken legends about the time when he was a young man and when he became his tribe’s King. Rua used to tell me stories about how brave and just he was.” Ilona encouraged Ema with a smile.

“You might be right. I worry too much,” Ema replied. “Oh, it’s just too serious for me. I only want to be a young girl who enjoys her first love.”

Ilona didn’t want to spoil her excitement with speculations.

Ema continued, “Okay, tell me about you. I always knew that you loved Bela. How does Zoltan fit into the picture?” she asked, switching to a more comfortable position on the pillows.

“I really don’t know yet,” Ilona confessed. “I’ve loved Bela in secret for so long that I don’t know how to deal with this.”

Ema giggled, “What a pair we are. Neither of us has any idea about love and relationships.”

“You can say that—seriously! I think we just have to follow our feelings and instincts. We’ll see what happens,” Ilona said, stifling a yawn.

“Okay… you can tell me about it some other time; I see that your eyes are getting droopy.” Ema stood up, “Let’s clean up and go to sleep.”

They walked to the alcove where the fireplace was, and Ema started washing the dishes in a basin by letting water trickle down from a large leather bag hanging from a beam. “See, we have a sink with running water. That’s how the shower works too.” Ilona offered to help, but Ema just laughed and pushed her away. “No, thanks, I enjoy this. Elza never let me do any domestic chores back home.”

Ilona, watched Ema, and thought of Bela and her love for him flared up with such force that it made her dizzy and confused. She looked at Zoltan, and she felt like he was a stranger to her. The strong feeling disappeared before she could grasp it. Sensing her stare, Zoltan turned to her with a distant and emotionless expression, but a moment later a warm smile spread on his face. They both looked away deeply in thoughts.

“It’s time to retire,” Elana reported, getting their attention. She stood up and turned to Ema asking her help to make the beds.

“I’ll take the floor; I’ll be fine.” Zoltan offered.

Elana nodded, “Then Ilona can sleep with Ema in her bed.”

Ema and Elana were getting the beds ready, and Ilona sat down close to Zoltan. She wanted to find out if that moment of cold feeling was for real or just caused by being in a different time. Zoltan leaned close to her and reached for her hand. His face glowed in the soft light. He kissed Ilona lightly but pulled back the second she pulled away. Ilona felt the connection between them as if the feeling of indifference never happened. She lifted her face and their lips met in a soft, warm kiss.

Elana pulled thick, heavy curtains between the beds for privacy and laid bedclothes out for them. They were thin, soft shirts. “Peaceful sleep, everyone,” she said, blowing out the lamps one by one. She left one burning, which gave a soft and comfortable light to the room.

Ilona changed and climbed under the butter soft animal skin cover. She felt cozy and warm. Ema snuggled up to her and soon began taking slower breaths.

Erika M Szabo

https://authorerikamszabo.com

Erika loves to dance to her own tunes and follow her dreams, introducing her story-writing skills and her books that are based on creative imagination with themes such as magical realism, alternate history, urban fantasy, cozy mystery, sweet romance, and supernatural stories. Her children’s stories are informative, and educational, and deliver moral values in a non-preachy way.