Chapter 3 | The Druid

    I reluctantly got out of bed to shower. These people are surely unfamiliar with the concept of soundproofing. The walls were made up of mostly straw with bits of wood for support. I could hear a lot of commotion; the clatter of dishes mixed with the chatter of people. I figured from their conversation that the Druid was going to stay for lunch. Dad brought wild boar home to cook and asked mom to make soup with it.

    Iona was walking me to where the bathroom was when we heard hushed whispers and footsteps. A tall man who looked bigger than my brothers and had a funny-looking mustache that covered his mouth appeared with my mom and grabbed hold of my arm. He looked anxious and talked too fast.

    "Allena, listen carefully. We cannot let the Druid know about your amnesia. It was his idea to ally with the Romans. If he finds out that you don't remember a thing, he may get second thoughts about choosing you as the bride. I put too much at stake to make this wedding happen." He turned to look at my mom and asked, "Did she forget to speak as well?"

    "He is your father by the way. Melvin, the Chief." Mom added.

    "All right, I need to go back to him. Remember, don't talk too much. I already told him that there is no need to examine you as you are awake now and seem to be doing fine." He spouted and rushed out. Mom smiled at us before leaving after him.

    The fire was burning in all fireplaces that Iona and I walked by. It was a bright sunny day outside but the low light in the roundhouse made it feel like it was 8 PM.

    I got a whiff of caramelized onions and fresh herbs as soon as I stepped out of the cramped bathroom. My stomach growled when I tried to remember my last meal at the university cafeteria which was ages ago. I put on the least ancient-looking linen dress that I could find in Allena's wardrobe and walked out into the living area.

    There was a ginormous fire pit in the center of the room with meat and herbs roasting over an open fire. The fire was so big that two more pots were simmering at the same time on the side. Mom and Selma were carrying food to the dining area and my brothers were clearing up space for everyone to sit.   

    The first person to notice me was the Druid. He was an old, tired-looking man and had an extra-long white beard which reminded me of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. He was wearing a white linen robe with a gold-colored silk cloak. Druids are a privileged social class who were occupied with half a dozen duties. They could mediate peace among warring tribes, heal people, take up teaching, preaching, and legal responsibilities.

    "You seem to be recovering pretty quickly!" He eyed me curiously, "I told your father last night that you may not wake up for months."

    I smiled awkwardly and sat next to Devin, right across the Druid. He continued to stare at me while passing a tiny glass vial to me.

    "This is a remedy for your headache. Mix a few drops in water and drink five times today."

    "Thank you."

    I wondered why he would bring me a remedy when I was not going to wake up for months. 

    There were quite a few dishes on the table; wild boar soup with fresh herbs and garlic, more grilled wild boar on the side, freshly baked rustic bread that made my mouth water, porridge with chicken, peas, parsley, and turnips.

    I was so glad to not have ended up in the Stone Age when people didn't know about fire and ate raw meat. 

    I observed the Druid as he helped himself with a huge chunk of meat. It must be wonderful to wine and dine for free every day with so many people readily buying his fortune cookie-like nonsense predictions.

    "I notice a strange aura around you," he said, "A change in personality that sometimes happens after a head injury."

    A change of person happened here, not just personality. I silently stared back at him; he made me feel uncomfortable.

    "I sense some arrogance and headstrongness in her," he said to my dad.

    My dad and everyone else in the room looked at me but no one said anything.

    Did he just make that up by reading my body language? I don't respect him the way my family does and he probably senses it.

    "The omens are troubling," he said.

    There you go!

    "The Roman alliance is crucial to our survival at this point. There will be war and strife sooner than we imagine. You have a responsibility to protect our people. If you don't tone down your behavior, that future husband of yours will waste no time getting rid of you."

    I was tempted to retort, but my dad threw a sharp look at me.

    "They call us barbarians," the Druid continued, "Men being superior is their idea of being 'civilized.' Celtic women are given many more rights than in other parts of the world. They are allowed to fulfill the role of Druids and warriors and also engage in polyamory. You will not have that luxury in the Italic peninsula. Roman women raise children and do housework."

    He does have a point about the Celtic tribes being in danger though. I read accounts of the constant massacres, burning villages down, making slaves out of those who were not killed. But historical accounts are always biased and don't tell the whole story. 

    "I have a question," I said, to my dad's horror. 

    I studied several cultures in college as part of my coursework to analyze the influence of invaders on art and architecture. A few things that I read never made sense to me and I could not resist the urge to ask.

    "You fulfill so many duties in different capacities. Then, why do you not document anything? If you say that knowledge is too sacred to write down, what do you have to say if I say that text is sacred? And that text with knowledge is the most sacred thing, an utmost favor that you could do to mankind so that their roots are not forgotten."

    He studied me with curious eyes.

    "Allena, eat your food. You must be starving." My mom said in a firm voice.

    "Music and language are never forgotten even if they are not documented. They will be remembered by people and used for many millennia to come. Change and evolution are inevitable, we can only expect parts of any culture to be integrated into the future." The Druid replied. 

    I had many more questions but decided to ask just one more.

    "Can you shapeshift?" 

    I was thinking about Wild shape from  Dungeons and Dragons.

    "I thought you didn't believe in any of the Druish folklore." 

    He smiled for the first time and his eyes twinkled. He looked like a very warm person when he smiled. I was not sure anymore if I disliked him. He was clearly a foodie, and his long white beard was oscillating when he was chewing his food. I couldn't help but smile back at him. For a fleeting moment, I got this feeling that he already knew my truth.

    The Druid turned to my dad after he finished eating, "I think your daughter will do just fine with those bastards. I will see you again tomorrow when they arrive for the engagement." He stood up and prepared to leave. "Allena, don't forget that 'magic elixir' for your headache," he added, before stepping out.  

    I got lost in my thoughts. 

    I was going to get engaged tomorrow? I don't even know his name. 

    All I know is that he has a girlfriend. And that the wedding is a business deal for him, for everyone.

    Did the Druid know a lot more about Allena and me than he appears to be?

    My loving family will probably turn me into a slave if and when they find out that I am not Allena.

    I desperately wanted to know how I ended up here. 

    How can I go back?

    Will I ever be able to go back?