Blooms of the Empyreal

Chapter 2: A New World

Mariana woke in a strange bedroom, in a strange house, on a strange world. Her silky pink pillows were wet with her own tears, her body torn, aching, and dirty. She didn’t remember coming here, didn’t remember being laid on this bed. She’d been so exhausted that-

Mariana bit her lip in frustration. There must have been something in that water her so-called protector gave her. She never would have fallen asleep around him otherwise, no matter how exhausted she’d been. She'd even let him carry her! Fire burned in her chest, making it feel tight and full. Even if he meant well, that arrogant man had no right to drug her.

She sat up, feeling absolutely disgusted. Her body was gross, the sweat still leaving trails of ick on her skin from her bike ride. It felt like eons ago, but proof that she had been on Earth and riding her bike not that long ago still caked her flesh. Glancing down, she noticed she was still wearing the robe that the healer had given her.

“My lady,” a familiar voice said. “You are awake!”

“Reece! You didn’t leave me!”

“Of course not, my lady.” The old man smiled at her with that genuine grin again, his eyes wrinkling with joy. “You specifically requested that I remain by your side when you were brought here, before you fell asleep.”

“Fell asleep?” she said, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Did I just fall asleep?”

Reece chuckled, leaning forward in his chair and pressing his hands together. “Most likely not. All of the women that were pulled through the portal were exhausted by the magics needed to pull them from their world to this one. It was more than likely the remnants of the travel on your system; hopefully, most of that fatigue should be gone in the next week or so.”

“Week or so?” Mariana repeated, her eyes locked with the old man. So she really was to remain here. This wasn’t a dream; she couldn’t lie to herself anymore, even as unconvincing as those lies had been to start with. She swallowed hard, pressing her dirty fingers against her lips. “Week or so,” she repeated again, feeling a little dizzy as she thought about never returning to Earth.

“I know it is hard on you, my lady, to be taken from everything familiar, but I promise your life will be better here if you let us care for you.” He smiled again, wider this time, the gentleness in his eyes so genuine. “But that’s too much to think on right this moment. You should take a bath, change into something clean, and take a moment to give your mind a rest. Relax, and I will stand guard in your room.” Reece gestured with a wrinkled hand, the skin dappled with age spots, at a half-open door to Mariana’s other side. She glanced at it, seeing the soft light reflecting off of what looked like ivory-colored tiles.

A shower would make everything better.

She stood up carefully, her feet still a little unsteady underneath her, and waved off Reece who stood to help her. She’d need to stand on her own to shower, and there was no way in any world that Mariana was going to ask for help to bathe from anyone.

Taking slow, steady steps, she got out of the bed and started toward the bathroom door. She noticed both her bookbag and her bike leaning against a far wall, and she tried to remember if she had anything useful packed in her bag. After a few moments, she managed to pick up the bag and shuffle into the bathroom without stumbling.

The bathroom was large and comfortable, smelling of the soft scent of distant flowers. The walls and floor were of the same ivory tiles, interrupted on occasion with a delicately painted tile of blues and golds. The effect was not gaudy, but instead beautiful and charming. A massive stack of towels lay near a large tub, showerheads dangling from the ceiling above it. Mariana turned on the water and, careful with her leg, turned it as hot as it would go before stepping inside.

The warmth of the shower and of finally being clean was delightful to her. The massive shower area filled with the scent of oatmeal and lavender as she washed away all the sweat and dirt, leaving her feeling delightfully fresh. She was beginning to feel a little more like herself as she toweled off her hair.

Discarding the robe and dirty underthings on the floor, she rummaged through her overnight bag she’d brought from the hospital. Her long shifts made it necessary to bring changes of clothing with her, toothbrushes, a hairbrush, and hair ties, and she had all of this with her when the world opened up beneath her feet and brought her here.

To Valora. Where ever that was.

She stared at herself in the mirror, her image blurred with the steam from the shower. I guess I don’t work at the hospital anymore, she thought bitterly, a frown creasing her mouth into a tight line. I guess I don’t work anywhere anymore. Here to be worshiped. What does that even mean? She shuttered at the thought of all of those men out there, hungry for a woman like no man she’d even met.

And she shivered, icy fear cutting through the residual heat of her bath.

Mariana pondered just staying in the bathroom, locking the door, and remaining inside as long as she could manage, but the voice of her old boss at the hospital echoed in her brain. Everything at this job is scary, he’d once said, that doctor with a sharp tongue and even sharper mind. Everything. There’s blood and death and injury. And the only thing that is scarier than all that is the unknown. So don’t hesitate to just keep pushing forward.

Perhaps his advice was equally binding here in this strange new world she’d found herself in. Maybe facing the unknown would be less frightening than whatever demented nightmare her brain could come up with. Maybe facing it would make it easier. With a deep breath, Mariana grabbed a hold of the door’s handle and stepped back out into the bedroom she’d woken in, steam following her like fog spilling over the threshold.