Aurelia

Ephesus

      Sixteen hours and thirty seven minutes later, I arrived in the ancient city of Ephesus, its storied streets unfolding before me like a tapestry of history.

The city's architecture seemed frozen in time, with crumbling columns and worn stone facades that whispered tales of a bygone era.

As I wandered the streets, I noticed a striking gender imbalance - men dominated the workforce, while women were relegated to a few select industries like dressmaking and perfumery. I spent my day job hunting and attempting to understand this city's peculiar dynamics, which seemed to belong to a bygone era. One particularly pompous and rotund individual, who seemed to embody the city's outdated attitudes, offered me a "job" as one of his whores, feigning offense when I declined his proposition with a firm rebuke. The encounter left a sour taste in my mouth, but I refused to let it deter me from exploring this flawed, yet fascinating, city.

As I continued navigated the winding streets of Ephesus, i stumbled upon a bustling marketplace. The scent of fresh bread, olives, and spices filled the air, and the sound of merchants haggling over prices created a lively atmosphere.

Amidst the chaos my gaze landed on the figure standing atop the raised platform, his piercing gold eyes seeming to bore into my soul. I felt a shiver run down my spine as i took in his chiseled features, my heart racing with a mix of fear and fascination. But despite my instinct to approach him, i remained rooted to the spot, unable to tear my eyes away from the enigmatic figure. Kaius, the king of Greece and ruler of this land, stood tall and unyielding, his expression inscrutable. He didn't acknowledge my presence, nor did he deign to meet my gaze.

Aurelia felt a strange sense of awe wash over her, as if she were in the presence of a deity. 

she stared upon him like the king he was, her eyes fixed on his imposing figure until he disappeared from view.

Aurelia's brown eyes remained fixed on the spot where Kaius had stood, her mind reeling with the weight of his presence. She felt as though she had been in the presence of something ancient and powerful, something that commanded respect and awe. As she stood there, lost in thought, the bustling marketplace around her seemed to fade away, replaced by an eerie silence. It was as if the very fabric of reality had been momentarily suspended, leaving only the echoes of a distant past. Aurelia shivered, despite the warmth of the day, and felt a sudden urge to flee. She turned and pushed her way through the crowd, her honey colored hair bounced as her heart pound in her chest. She didn't know what had just happened, but she knew that she would never forget the encounter. And she knew that her life would never be the same again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 weeks later

Aurelia stepped through the grand entrance of the king's house, her eyes adjusting to the dim light after the bright sunshine outside. She had been in Greece for only six weeks, and the language and customs were still unfamiliar to her. But she had been drawn to the king's household for reasons she couldn't explain, and now she was here, about to interview for a position she knew nothing about.

The interior of the house was just as imposing as the exterior, with high ceilings and marble floors that seemed to gleam in the flickering candlelight.

Aurelia felt a shiver run down her spine as she followed the stern-faced butler through the winding hallways to the seating area her heart pounding in her chest. She had no idea what lay ahead, but she was determined to make a good impression and prove herself worthy of a place in the king's household

The king I didn't know much about him except for the fact that he was one of them, a creature of the night I heard nasty rumors that he was heartless forcing his parents into an eternal sleep for disagreeing with him and killing off his people (Vampires/werewolves) who disobeyed him.

I personally have no interest in knowing the king up close and personal but I also know that this job would be just what I need to get back on my feet and gather enough money to go on to my next adventure.