Hi guys. I'm back with chapter 4. It's my birthday present for you. ;) Enjoy :)

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At Adrastos:

Anne's POV

Amie told me nothing on the way to my house. She was quiet which was uncommon of her. She always spoke a lot about random things and now her attitude scared me a little. 
If Amie can't speak about something the incident must be very important.

I watched the sun slowly going down. It was a beautiful scenery. The trees were all dressed in their green dresses and were waving for us in the wind. The birds were flying and playing their little games. Those little musicians....I loved their chirping voices. They were wearing their 'suits' and were giving us a beautiful concert.

As I looked around i saw playing children on the streets, their parents sitting on some chairs while talking to each other. This part of Adrastos was a peaceful place. It was full of with houses where people got home just to sleep. They were all important people who worked a lot in the centre of the village. But not at weekends. The Saturday days always bought happy moments to our lives. The streets were dressed with happiness and love. 
I looked to my side to see Amie's worried face. I knew very well that she was wondering about something important but it bothered me that she didn't say anything. She was truly lost in her thoughts because when the wind blow her short black hair into her face she didn't even realized it. Now her hair was covering her especially green eyes. Her wondreing look made me wonder about some things, too. I remembered when I first got here and that she became my friend.

She was my closest friend in Adrastos. She knew the most important things about me. She always wore a her black skirt with her white shirt. She didn't want to be like the others as she said so that's why she dressed and behaved different. In fact she was a relative of our King but she did something unforgivable to him and she was banned from Naiad. I had never asked her about the reason but it was right in this way....because if i asked her about it she would ask me things from my past which I'd never want to remember or talk about. It was her deepest secret and I also had one. This was fair in this way. But i heard she wouldn't want to talk about it because the villagers often asked her but she got angry and shouted at them. I could understand her...gossipy people. 

We walked down the hill and we finally saw my home at the end of this extremely long street. I really don't get why i had to move into a house which is so far away from the centre of the village...oh yeah I get it now..it was my husband's idea...He died four years ago...God rest his soul

As we walked down the street people greeted me and Amie. So many people knew me and most of them loved me as well. Of course there were some people who hated me because of my 'secret past'. But i didn't care about them. The inhabitants of this street were like a family. We often held picnics and dinners and every evening we massed together at the home of Caroline and we talked and had a great time. Caroline's house was in the middle of the street so that's why we chose her home. We always took food and drinks with ourselves...oh it was the best part of our days. 

When we reached my house we entered the gate and i heard a voice calling me.

"Anne. Could we speak a little?" - I turned around to see who was it and i saw Allie was coming towards me. She was my neighbour and she was one of the gossipy people i mentioned before but her daughter often helped me with gardening so we were friends. She was shorter than me and it was a thing woth mentioning because i also wasn't a maypole...in fact i was very short...about 150 cms. Her skin was brown like she was sunburnt and her hair was brown and short as well. 

"Yes Allie..of course." - I looked at her with a questionning look.

"But....it would be a topic to be heard only between you and me." - She told as she looked at Amie.

"Oh..okay. Amie you can go inside and wait for me. Make yourself at home of course. I'm coming soon." - I said and I walked away with Allie.

"Alright Anne..alright."

Amie's POV

I entered Anne's house and I went to the lounge to sit down. Her home was small but it was enough for her because she lived there alone.

As you entered her home there was a narrow aisle which led into the lounge and from there you could go three directions: one led to the tiny kitchen, the other led to her room, and the last one was an aisle again with two other rooms at the end of it. In the lounge there was a battered green sofa and a small round table. On the walls there were many paintings of her family. It wasn't much that she had but it was enough for her. I always wondered how lonely could she be in this house....alone with her thoughts and memories. 

But i was there for her at daytime and then she seemed so cheerful...but i knew she was just pretended it. Oh my poor Anne. What will you think if i'll tell you what i saw. I hope you will understand. 

Anne's POV

Can't believe this woman...always gossiping. She told me that she heard that Amie's husband is cheating on her. It was obvious that she just wanted to seperate them. When she lost her husband she found that Desmond was a good party but unfortunately...he had a wife...and that was Amie. I know she expected me to tell her story to Amie despite the fact that she wanted to speak with only me. This was part of her tactics and she wanted to involve me too. But i won't tell her...first because it isn't true...secondly because it is not my case.

I entered the garden and i heard the neighbours talk about the Black Soldiers. I could not help myself and I asked:

"What about them? Are they after somebody?" - I shouted to them

"Yes, they are. They are looking for a girl and they're going to Hartridge because they heard that she was there." - Shouted back Jonathan.

"Do we know who is that girl?"

"I don't know her name and the reason why they're after her....but  i know that King Charles wants to find her so badly. And it is said that if he finds out that a village helps her the Black Soldiers will destroy it instantly.

"Oh..okay. Then we have nothing connected to this case....we don't help her..we don't even know her. Bye" - I entered my home.

I went to the lounge and saw Amie who was sitting on one of the chairs. 

"Amie. Would you like something for drink? I told you to make yourself at home..." -She cut me off

"I don't need anything Anne. I'm fine. I just have something to talk you about."

"And what would that be?" - I asked and I sat down to the chair on the oposite side of the table.

She remained quiet for a few moments and then she spoke up.

Jillian's POV

Two days...two days since i left Hartridge. I hope they're alright. Now I was in a small town called Pavea. It was not far enough from Hartridge but i had to rest a little. I decided to stay there for the night. I had to mask myself so i bought a black wig to cover my hair and i changed clothes. I also bought some herbs, potions, a crystal and cards from a market to make people believe that i was a fortune-teller or a crystal-gazer. If anybody wanted me to tell them their future i said that i had to hurry home because i was needed there. 

It was a sunny afternoon. I looked around just to see the difference between this place and my former home. Pavea was bigger than Hartridge. It was totally different in fact. There was life everywhere in the town and everybody was involved by something. Markets and traders were all over this place and children were also helping their parents with their job. I saw a little boy trying to sell some matches...it's sad that the only way they could make a living was to send their child to the streets to beg for people to buy some of their products or else he would starve.

That's our Kingdom. And the worst thing is that the King is having enourmous feasts while his dependants are starving and living in poverty.

I found a small inn in the suburbs and i decided to stay there. I entered and I saw some men drinking wine.
Of course...because wine is more important than food- I thought 

I searched for the owner of this inn and minutes later i spotted a tall woman standing behind a counter. I had to go through the men who were lying on the floor from drunkenness. The smell of alcohol caught my nose and i got sicked from it. It was terrible to see them...they were shouting and some of them begged God to take them.

I was almost at the counter when one of them grabbed my leg and i almost fell over....but somebody grabbed me. I looked up and it was a man at the same height as me. He was lokking into my eyes with his emerald green eyes and i was magnetized by them. I have never seen so beautiful eyes. 

"Are you alright Miss?" - He asked me. I finally broke the eye contact and stood up on my own.

"Yes I am. Thank you." - I told him with a determined voice. You have to be determined so you won't get caught because of your strange attitude Jillian! - I reminded myself

"Is there anything that i can help you with?"

"I don't think so. I would just like to reserve a room for this night. And i think that lady at the counter will help me with this."

"Well then i can help you. Rosie! Give this Miss a room for this night." - He shouted to the lady

"Alright Sir! Miss can I have your name? " - The woman called Rosie asked me

"My name?" - Oh I completely forgot about it. I can't say my true name. 

"Yes Miss your name please. "

"You have one, don't you?" - The emerald-eyed man who seemed so kind before asked me now in a sarcastic voice.

"Of course i have. My name is Salindra....Salindra Holt. " - I told him and i looked into his eyes. They were sparkling...i couldn't believe MY eyes.

"Then nice to meet you Salindra Holt. I'm Robert Reed. I'm the owner of Pavea Inn."

I had to go to the counter to get my keys for the room and minutes later i started to walk away to rest a little but 'emerald-eyed Robert' called me. 

"Salindra. I hope you don't get troubled by these men here."

"Don't worry. I planned to go up to my room and sleep. I won't be here anyway." - I told him and i contioued my way towards the rooms

"But...don't you want to join us? Half an hour later all the staff and the main guests will gather together in the hall. We always have a good time. These men are from the pub part of the inn so they won't be there with us."

"I'm sorry but..."

"You have to meet those people. They have amazing stories and informations about the King and so on. They're all traders and..." - This time i cut him off

"I'm sorry but i cannot stay. I'm very tired and i have to leave early in the morning. Goog night and have fun." - I didn't wait for his response.

I walked up on the stairs and i reached a long aisle. At the end of it there was my room. I entered and i put down my bags. I looked around and saw nothing more than in my room. There was a bedside table next to the door and of course a bed. In front of the bed there was a huge mirror with a chair in front of it and next to the window there was a chair also.  It would be creepy and foresaken if i had seen this the first time but  as i said my room was the same. I never wanted to settle down for a long time because of situations like this....in situations where i needed to run away. And the day has come. I pulled the drapery on the window to cover the descending sun. I wanted to sleep as soon as possible.

There was a basin next to the window and i had a quick wash. After that i sat down onto my bed and i was lost in my thoughts again.

"Questions...just questions and i never have only one answer." - I told myself and my mind responded

Don't worry Jillian. You will find out everything soon.

I gave a sigh and i layed don onto the bed. The discomfort of the bed and my memories didn't let me sleep. I was turning in the bed.

It won't work this way.  -  I sat up and i covered my face with my palms. Tears were forming in my eyes but i didn't want to cry. It was useless. 

I heard a quiet knock on the door. This made me feel that the person who was standing in front of my door was insecure about coming here or not so that's why he/she knocked so quietly. I got up and went to the door and opened it. To my 'big surprise' emerald-eyed Robert stood there watching at me like he had seen a ghost.

"Is something wrong?" - I asked him

"No...I just...wanted to ask you again...."

"You know what... I'm coming. Although I'm tired i can't sleep. A little talk would send me to sleep or i hope so." - I closed the door behind me and we started to walk to the direction of the hall. 

At Adrastos

Anne's POV

Amie told me her story and i was surprised by what she said.

"So..you saw me in your dream?" - I asked her and i raised one of my eyebrows.

"Yes Anne. And believe me it mnust be true."

"Do you want to make a fool out of me?"

"Why would I?"

"I don't want to listen to it more."

"But you didn't even heard the whole story."

"Amie. Can't you see taht i'm not in the mood for your fortune-telling?"

"But..."

"Enough. Today is the anniversary of my son's death. Don't make it even harder by these stupid things."

"You know...what i saw in my dreams often came true." - She was right. Adrastos was full of fortune-tellers and crystal-gazers. But they were only people who fooled the others to get more money. 

There was a time when Amie had so much of her dreams. She didn't care about them until that day. Fourteen years ago she saw the Black Soldiers going to the direction of Dixon. She told me that she saw my son who was trying to save a girl from the Soldiers and she saw his death. Of course i didn't believe her until the day my son died. It was just like she told me. 

After that there were dreams which came true and there were which didn't. Now i was confused...i didn't know what to believe.

"As I said i saw you at the Adratos mountains. You spotted a girl who was lying on the ground and you took her to your home. Then...."

"Amie! I already told you my opinion about this..."

"Please let me finish!"

"I don't want to hear it."  - I told her as i walked to the door and opened it. I was already out and was closing the door behind me when she asked:

"Do you know Thalia?"

I froze...this name...how could she??? I stood there like i've seen a ghost or something. 

"Anne. What is wrong?"

I didn't respond.

"Oh I see. So it does ring a bell, am I right?" - I turned around and she came to me, grabbed my arm and led me to a chair.

"Sit down Anne and i will tell you everything." - I sat down still trying to get back to reality. I thought that Amie tried to fool me about seeing me in her dream. But if its about Thalia...it can be true. I have never told Amie about her and more importantly...nobody knew in this village that i knew her. That's why i moved here with my family fourteen years ago. I had to know what she had seen in her dream. Now i was like a child begging for her mother to continoue the tale.

"And what about Thalia. Was she in your dream? Tell me already Amie!!!"

"Look what we have here. Now you want to hear it? That Thalia must be very important to you."

"Just continoue please!"

"She wasn't in my dream. Only you and this girl. So when she woke up in your room you greeted her and told her your name.  She said that she was looking for you and that she wanted to ask you about Thalia."

"Why would I tell a thing like this to a stranger?"

"That's exactly what you asked in my dream too."

"And what did she respond?"

"She said that she was her...."

"Her...?"

"I don't know."

"What? Why? It's your dream. How do you not know it?"

"I woke up. I couldn't hear what she responded. I'm sorry Anne...but this is all the information that i can offer you."

"And what about her name? Do you know her name?"

"No..I don't. But i'm sure it was mentioned in my dream. Somebody shouted her name but i couldn't hear well. It was S....oh Anne I'm sorry but i didn't hear it."

"It's ok. If it comes true then we will know it. And if it is not...then we have nothing to worry about."

"Anne. Who is Thalia?"

"No. The question is: Who WAS Thalia"

"Ohh...."

"She was somebody i knew in my past. There's nothing that could be connected to her now. That's why i'm curious about this girl's intentions."

"I see that you don't want to talk about it."

"No. I WILL talk about it... if the right time or this girl comes."

"I hope we will live that time. It's late Anne. I have to go, Desmond must be nervous about where i am. 

"Just go. Good night."

"Good night to you too Anne."

"And....- She stopped at the door looking back at me-...thank you Amie. For telling me this and not letting it go without being discovered."

"You don't have to thank. That's what friends are for. Now bye."

"Bye Amie."

I went to my room to rest a little...and to think about these happenings.

At Pavea

Salindra's POV

It already darkened when Robert introduced me to everybody in the hall. There were so many people and almost all of them were traders. There were people who tried to make me buy carpets and dresses or who knows what they vended.

Robert led me to a round table where his friends sat. Rosie was the only one i 'knew' there.

"Okay guys. So She's Salindra, a guest of ours. Salindra, this is Rosie as you know, the brown haired man next to her is her husband George, the lazy woman next to her is Mina and the three men next to her are Albert, Alfred and Victor. Those three are Mina's lovers."

"Hey Robbie. I told you not to call them like this. We are just friend, aren't we?" - And she kissed the man named Albert. Oh i see...so we have a bad woman here.

George whispered something into Robert's ear and they laughed.

"It's not like that." - Responded Robert loudly. I just stood there waiting for some topic to come up when Rosie told me:

"Sit here Salindra."

"Oh thank you." - And i sat down next to her.

"So...Salindra. What do you do?" - Victor asked me. 

"I'm a crystal-gazer." - I responded like that was really my job.

"Oh man. What do we have here? Then tell me my future you Salonna or whatever your name is." - Mina told me. I knew from the first sight that i would hate her .

"Salindra."

"What are you talking about? I don't have a relative with that name."

"No... I'm Salindra. And I'm sorry but i'm not working tonight."

"Don't be so rude with her Mina!" - George told her

"I'm sorry about her. " - Robert told me.

"Salindra. Where are you travelling to?" -George asked me

"I'm going home to Adrastos."

"Is that the place where so many fortune-tellers live?" -Rosie asked me

"Yes, that's it. I visited my grandparents and now I'm going home."

"That's great...I mean that your grandparents still live." -Rosie said
If you only knew the truth....

"I guess yours are gone."

"Yes. They died two years ago." - She replied

"Now..now. Don't get too sad. Let's have a toast to our new friend. To Salindra" - Robert shouted

"To Salindra." - They echoed

"Thank you."

Later that night

"Salindra. Are you going?"

"Well.. all of your friends are drunk and i don't want to be so...."

"Why don't you stay a little with me?"

"Uhmm...sure"

We sat down again and talked about random things.

"My parents live at Naiad. They're good friends of the King."- He said
Oh my God..I can't believe i met with the friend of the enemy.

"My grandparents live in Dixon. It's near Adrastos.Maybe you know them."

"I don't think so. I moved to Adrastos only a year ago. I don't know all of the people in neither Adrastos nor Dixon."

"I see. You know Salindra. You're especially beautiful." - My face became red.  

"Your eyes are mesmerizing me Salindra." - He told as he cupped my face.

"I think I....I..."

"I have to go. I'm tired Robert and I need sleep. We will continue this tomorrow. Good night Robert."

"Don't go Salindra"

But i was running up the stairs already. I didn't want to hear about the topic more. I entered my room and layed down onto my bed. 

Don't worry Jillian. Just sleep a few hours and everything will be alright.- And i fall asleep

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To be continued.
I hope you liked it. Share your opinions with me please..it is very important ;)

Bye Guys.