To see the world through the eyes of time.
Laurel had never given a thought about the meaning of those words. She never did care about it in the first place. But at this hour, at this moment, Laurel felt like time had played a trick on her. The words came rushing like a truck, hitting her in the process.
"...and this time, with the help of the gods, the new king ascended to power."
The kid had been telling Laurel about the place. After he referred to Laurel as a naiad nymph, the young woman pester him with questions. It was then that she found out that she's in Greece, miles away from where she's supposed to be.
The information came in a shock. Questions flooded her brain, and disbelief brush across her face. How did it happen? There's no answer. She couldn't think of an answer. The more she uses her brain, the more her head hurts.
"What to do?" She kept repeating, biting her nails in the process. Laurel knows where she is, so it would have been easy to navigate her way back home. Only if that's the case, but where is not the problem, it's when. When in Greece?
How the hell am I expected to navigate my way out of ancient Greece?
Laurel got tangled in an unknown timeline back to the ancient past. Before the great civilizations came to an end, before countries became established, and before arts and music flourish. There's plenty of things to think about. Laurel doesn't know what or how to process them all. It's unexpected, totally out of the loop. Something normal people in the 21st century couldn't explain.
"How did fantasy become reality?" she muttered, massaging her temple while processing the story the kid had told her.
"A-Are you okay, river nymph?"
"I hope so," she mumbled. She has to do something. It is not her timeline. A change in history can be fatal to the future. She must lay low while finding the way out of this mess. The only thing she can think of would be learning about the place and finding someone to help her or believe her ridiculous story.
Right now, this is what she knows. One she's in ancient Greece. It's a country composed of hundreds of independent city-states separated by mountains, hills, and water. And with some luck, she can speak, read and understand their language without worry. Two, people strongly believe in Greek gods and goddesses. Every citizen of the land believes that they watch over or coexist with them. She had to roll her eyes when she heard that. Okay, Whatever, she thought, passing the information.
The information should have been enough for Laurel to blend in the society. But, there's one thing she lacks, something she never thought would ever be essential when she's in her time. Laurel was not familiar with the stories of the Greek gods and goddesses. She has no idea about Greek mythology.
All the knowledge she has about religion was from the kids' story. She doesn't really have much of world history in general. Her modern knowledge's limited to trade and some famous philosophers. Talk about poor academic skills. She sighed at the thought.
"Tell me, kid, do you have a book or anything that shows where we are and what's in this place?" she asked.
"There's a lot of maps from different lands. But there are also fake maps roaming around. I think it's better to find a journal from travelers that might help you find what you're searching for. You can also go to the temple of Hermes for guidance and safe travel. Then again, since you're a naiad nymph, you have the power to see him, unlike us mortals."
Laurel didn't respond. She's weighing her options, thinking about her next steps. She knows gathering information is the key to find the answers to get back to her own time. But knowing that she's in a different timeline, her existence might cause trouble. Or worse, it may result in something critical and change the whole damn history of the world.
"Do you have anything in mind, naiad nymph?" The kid wondered as he watched the young lady get lost in her thoughts.
"Okay, I decided," Laurel stood up and faced the kid. "Lead me to a trading port near this area."
It's reasonable that trading ports were the best place to scout and gather clues. The place's packed with people from different lands, wandering tourists, and merchants.
"Eh?" bewildered eyes painted on the kid's face. He didn't expect to hear the request. It wasn't normal for naiad nymphs to go in a city area. They usually gather in rivers, springs, and any freshwaters. "But naiad nymph, isn't this your territory? Wouldn't it be better if you stayed here or asked someone else if you needed something?"
"Sorry kid, but I am not a naiad nymph. I'm not Daphne," Laurel confesses.
"T-Then who are you?"
An easy question one can answer even with a close eye, yet Laurel can't answer it without hesitating and giving much thought to it. A name is a name, there shouldn't be any problem with it. "I...I'm a traveler. I got lost in this town, and I have no idea where to go," she chose to reply.
The kid frowned, tilting his head on the side and unconvinced with the answer. "If that's the case, then shouldn't you head to the oracle or the temple of Hermes for guidance?"
The option sounds tempting. It would be a great help if she's able to talk to a god, but she doesn't believe in their existence, so there's no guarantee. Even if people think that gods exist, there's no concrete evidence or records that prove it.
"Do gods really exist?" Laurel uttered without realizing. In the kind of life she had, death's the only thing she believes in. It's what keeps her going at some point.
"Of Course they do," the kid replied. "They help us in our everyday life."
The kid told Laurel stories about the gods and goddesses he believed in and what they had done for them. He's enthusiastic and proud about his belief. But to Laurel, they're only makeshift and figures created by humans a long time ago. They only exist in fantasy.
"You have a strong faith there, kid," Laurel commented. Compared to him, she never believed in something that doesn't meet the eye. She's a realist, and anything related to fantasy or religion wasn't her thing. For her, if entities like gods did exist, then humans wouldn't have suffered in life. She shouldn't have lived a life without a light.
Laurel didn't let herself drown in her own thoughts any longer. She has more important things to do rather than staying in a gray world. She took the stick as her support as she walked along. The wound may have stopped bleeding, but it still stings when she puts force.
"Where are you going?" The kid asked when he saw her take a step forward.
"I told you. I need to go to the trading port. Whether you lead me or not, I have to get out of here."
The boy's brow furrowed deeper. He's uncertain of what the young woman meant. "Naiad ny- I mean, traveler, if you're truly lost, I will lead you to the Agora. It's not that far from here, and I'm sure you'll be able to buy things for your next journey."
Agora. It sounded familiar. Laurel heard of the word before but couldn't point out where or what it's referring to.
"Where is this agora?" Her eyes lit up in excitement like she found her first clue in the mystery.
"I'll take you there, traveler." The kid volunteered. He led the way to the area closest to their path.
It took them about an hour by foot to reach the location. They had a few stopovers for the kid to drop off his hydria and for Laurel to tend her wounds. It's a struggle, but they made it through.
"So this is an agora. A marketplace," Laurel whispered. It's packed with people. Different aromas are mixed in the air, from medicinal herbs to strong perfumes. It tickles the nose. As she strolls around, the high pitch voices from vendors mob her to buy their products. It's a hard pass and they managed to get out without buying anything.
"If you want to make a trade with the herbs and fruits we found in the forest. Just find a few stalls that do so. There's also a temple in honor of Zeus and a small chapel if you wanted to visit."
Laurel knows that individuals in Greek society had varying degrees of religious belief. These beliefs can only function because of the accepted fundamentals. It's common knowledge in Laurel's time to know about ancient society. But it felt different when experiencing it first hand.
"Thanks for taking me here." She patted the boy's head. "This is enough to find what I needed."
The kid nodded, staring at Laurel as if wanting to ask something but scared to do so.
"What is it?" she frowned.
"Tell me, what's your name?"
Right, Laurel hasn't introduced herself. She decided not to since she doesn't want her name to be part of the history books. But this kid...
"Laurel. My name is Laurel Ambers."
***
In the middle of the city, the agora is located. It's surrounded by public buildings and by temples. People assemble to discuss different topics like business, politics, current events, or the universe and the divine beings. The perfect place to scout.
Before the kid left, he gave Laurel a cloak and changed clothes to conceal herself and blend in with the crowd. She must know how to act in this era.
Laurel watched the people around and observed how they do trades and business. Following the kid's direction, Laurel headed East to the central part of the agora. It's where the foreign merchants and travelers go to trade goods and medicines. It's also near the place where philosophers and other patrons assemble.
In a small space by the plaza, she laid out a mat together with the herbs and fruits she gathered with the kid in the forest. She needed to earn money somehow, so she planned to sell a few goods. Within her line of sight, she can see the philosophers. But more than that, she can hear their heated discussions about the universe and beyond.
"How much do you sell those Sideritis and olives?"
Laurel's a bit surprised when a customer asked for her product. She wasn't expecting to attract attention so soon, but it's a good thing at the same time. "Five silvers."
"A bit expensive, isn't it? Two."
"Four."
"Two and a half, plus I'll give you this perfume of Aphrodite." The man pulled a bottle in his pocket and showed it to Laurel. "If you use it, your beauty will rival the finest woman in the world, and you'll be able to charm the man you love. I'll trade this with those herbs you have, isn't it a good deal?"
Laurel almost rolled her eyes. She knew it's a bluff. Even if a goddess existed, there's no such thing as a magical perfume. It's more likely to be some addictive drug or water mixed with sweet berries. But, it might come in handy at some point.
"I'll take it."
"Nice choice."
The two exchange goods then the man leaves. Laurel stayed for a while until more and more people crowd the area by the temple. A few giggles and melodic laughters resound to the area as if some important person arrived bearing gifts.
"Who's there?" she asked from the women walking by.
"I heard one of the gods came down to visit. He's talking to the philosopher at the moment. You should go and take a look at yourself," the woman answered.
Laurel smiled politely and thanked the woman but didn't bother moving from her place. She's not interested in whoever the person or god the citizens admire or swoon over. It might be trickery to lure people in one area for others to steal from the vendors and merchants. She's not falling for that. Moreover, as much as possible, Laurel doesn't want to stand out. Religion's a big thing in the country, so if it is an important figure, she'd rather stay away. Important figures, sacred sites, and temples only mean unwanted attention. It's not wise to get involved. Incognito mode, that's what Laurel plans to do.
When the sun burst through the horizon, Laurel started to pack up. She decided to go back to the forest for shelter. Even if she did have money to pay for a shack in town, she'd rather stay close to where she was in case she miraculously sent back to her time.
"As the ray of the sun, gaze upon thee.
Our fate will collide, and our time will intertwine.
In an unknown journey, connected by a thin line,
You'll be with me, and I'll welcome you with glee."
Laurel stopped on her track when the melody blew her way. She felt like the air around her sent warm kisses to her skin, changing her surroundings. Everything started to radiate a different aura than before, and the music charms everyone to stay with the source. It's a peculiar feeling that Laurel can't describe, but the joy and calmness in her soul made her think twice to take a peek at the source of all that warmth. But she's not here for vacation or a stroll. Laurel has to leave before it gets dark.
As she takes a step further, her chest starts to clench in protest, but she holds on and continues to walk in the opposite direction. Laurel didn't pay close to it when she heard the person singing, but she felt it when her heart thumps like a drum and dances with every beat of the song played by whoever that was. It's the first time in years that her heart beats faster other than the adrenaline rush. It's odd, yet it felt wonderful.
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