Darya:"what the hell are these?... Sooo big and tall."
Cartherina:"welcome to the other side, mother... This is Russia. ... The modern empire, which you've been living hidden from since your birth."
Darya was mesmerized by the tall towers and buildings, because she had never seen these big, tall buildings in her life, as the town only had the biggest house that was as big as half the size of coconut tree.. And that was also her own house at that.
Cartherina:"we should walk forward. We might meet the person you wanted to meet."
That made Darya pause.. Yes, now she remembered the reason she climbed up the mountain... She want to find her father. But how did cartherina knows for his whereabouts?
Whatever was the reason, Darya just moved forward and got to the streets, she had never seen streets, places like this, even the food and clothing were too much different than her own.
Darya:"everyone look so different... Why is everything so different than our village?"
Cartherina:"that's because this is not a village, this is a city in the country named 'russia'... And if you're wondering what a city or a country is... So let me explain."
"a city is basically a village that covers a more area than normal villages and town, abd they have technology that village people not see evey time. But may have it themselves... It's not necessary for every village to be behind technology like yours."
"And a country is when the cities are together and make a state.. And those states combines and make a country... And every country is controlled by their particular government... Like here in Russia there's someone's government, similar to what your mom is in your village.. And every country have their own government."
Darya:"oh!... So.. They are like village rulers?"
Cartherina:"yeah... Something similar.. But the government politicians have more work to do compared to the village rulers... Given that they have a way big area to look over.
Cartherina was explaining in the simplest way to darya, because of her age and mind capacity.
After this they started walking forward and found themselves in front of a cafe...
And just then. Darya's stomach started to growl... She was hungry because it's been about a day since she had anything to eat. She kept moving forward and stumbled by a street stall, which was selling croissant. Darya didn't know what it was, since she had never in her life seen something so curved and look like a boomerang.
Darya walked to the stall, looking at croissant while holding her gut... The stall owner, a middle aged man with red hair that have started to get grey from his hair borders, after seeing a kid looking so much like a goddess and in ravaged clothes, he thought that she might've been homeless, because Daryl's clothes were torn from places by climbing the mountain and also when Cartherina grabbed her.
The stall owner came around the stall and crouch to darya's level.
Croissant stall owner:"hello young lady... Are you perhaps.. Lost?... I haven't seen you here before."
Cartherina:"don't tell him you climbed the mountain."
Cartherina warned darya in her mind.
Darya:"but... Why?... And.. What else should I say then?"
Cartherina:"say that you don't remember anything about why you are here or how you're here.... And you have been walking almost a day."
Darya:"ok."
Darya:"I–... I don't remember anything... I just.. I woke up... And I was here."
The stall owner looked at her with a frown, he was concerned because a child her age is walking in a seemingly unknown to her streets and don't even remember how she's here. He looked at her for a moment and thought that she maybe hungry.. He went back to the stall and quickly made a hot croissant and puts on some chocolate syrup, because he was making it for a kid.
He served it on a plate and got around the stall again, presenting it to her.
Darya looked at the plate. Surprised ... And not knowing what is it.
The stall owner saw her confusion and hesitation. He handed her the plate and said.
Owner:"you might be hungry... You can eat this."
The owner smiled at her and ruffled her hair.
Darya, seeing that he was offering food, remembered the food restaurant owner back in her village, who gave her food every time she went there. Giving her pamper and attention.
She didn't know how to eat that. So she held it in one hand and stuffed into her mouth.
Only then she realized that it's hot and pulled it back out and fanned her tongue.
The owner stiffled a chuckle after seeing her way of eating and the reaction after the burn she felt.
He gently took the croissant from her and divided it into small pieces for her.
Owner:"here... Try eating like this."
She looked at the plate with divisions of croissant and then back up at the owner.
Darya:"sa–.. Sapsibo~.... (It means "thank you" in Russian.)"
Owner:"dobro pozhalovat.. (It means "your welcome")... Now, you should start eating before it gets too cold."
She nodded and picked a piece, and puts in her mouth. She couldn't help but melt in the taste of it. She had never had anything like this in her life. Because back in the village, the food was mostly, rabbit stew, meat, or a bowl of vegetables that needs to be hot constantly. She doesn't remember the name of it.... (Hot pot).
After she ate it, the owner couldn't hold in a chuckle because of the way she was eating so fast, like she had never ate this in her life... His expression softened after few seconds, she looked like a innocent child to him. A child who's easily trust anyone as long as they are being kind.
She looked up at him with slightly wide eyes... Silently asking for water. The owner, after seeing her soft expression, gave her a glass of water. She took it from him and sipped on it a few time.
After eating and drinking, and having a conversation for about a few minutes, Darya went back to walking up the street as it was getting starting to get night.
She stopped by a alley to rest inside, it was cold... But she was pretty quick to adapt the temperature because in her village the cold was way more freezing than here.
She stayed inside the alley for hours, as the night fell darker and darker.. The light from the apartments, who's walls created the alley were softly falling between, over the space. She was bored and exhausted. So, she sat on a couch that was thrown in there and was torn in places.
She was about to fall asleep, her head falling down as she tried to keep it up.
After few hours, about halfway in the midnight a sound woke her up. It was like a sound of some people talking... About 4 or 5, and after few minutes in. 5 men in black suits came inside the alley and saw her sitting up from the couch. "A black haired man with a beard and mustache, a bald man with a mole on his neck, a brown haired man with a cigarette between his lips, Another bald guy but a black skinned one with about 7 feet tall bulky body. And finally a man in the center with white hair and looked pretty young compared to all of the others, his hands in pocket.
The men in the right handside of the center man(the man with brown hair and cigarette in mouth) whispered to him(the center guy with white hair).
Guy1:"what is a kid doing here?"
The second man replied with.
Guy2:"I don't.. Maybe she's a begar and just came here looking for a place to sleep."
Guy1:".. What should we do then... We need that couch... And we clearly can't let that girl know what do we need it for."
Guy2:"well... Do what?.. Just scare her away from here."
Guy1:"yeah... And make her think that there's something suspicious, huh."
Guy2:"then what?... Whatever we do, she'll suspect us either way."
The first guy thought for a moment before going close to Darya.
Guy1:"hey little one.... Are you,... Looking for a place to sleep?"
Darya, not knowing what's going on, just nodded to his question.
Darya still didn't understood many words that the people here were using. So, she just responded with her head.
The men looked at her and said.
Guy1:"well... Sorry to say.. But the couch you are on... We need that. Would you mind.. If we take it?"
Darya looked at them in silence for few seconds... She knew something was wrong.. Because of her combined consciousness with cartherina.
Darya:".. W–.. Why?"
Guy1:"it's nothing, to be honest... But... We just need that couch... You know.. To dispose it."
Darya:"why just the couch, and not the rest of the trash?"
The men sensed that she's suspicious... And.. Couldn't let her poke in any further. He puts on a chloroform drenched handkerchief on her nose. Making her unconscious.
In reality, Darya wasn't unconscious, because her body was far above average human after cartherina came in her life. She was just pretending to be unconscious and heard what they are saying.
Guy1:"I didn't plan to do this but,..she's more intelligent then she looks. I thought she's just a innocent girl for a moment."
Guy1:"what should we do with her now?... Leave her here?.... I don't think she'll die in the cold stone if we left her like this."
The guy with white hair was listening to him and looked at Darya...
Guy2:"... Take her to the den."
After few hours they were at a mension, a mension that looked abundant for years and was as big as ten football fields together in a square. It was dimly lit by few lights hanging on polls, and few lights were coming from the windows that were acquainted by roots of the plants that have been growing by the algae on the walls.
Then went inside and it was pretty clean and didn't look abundant as it looks from outside. There was a big living room with 6 hallways going down to other areas of the mension. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling that was as big as a dining table and the white walls, acquainted by paintings and antique pieces of vase and other stuff.
The young man with white hair and the man with brown hair, who was holding Darya over his shoulder came inside and the other 3 men took the couch to the other direction of the exit.
The man who was holding Darya, puts her down on the sofa, a bit gentle if compared to the fact that he just forced her to be unconscious an hour ago in that alley.
The young man with white hair was still looking at darya with a critique eye. He looked suspicious of her.
Suddenly the first guy with brown hair looked at him and said.
Guy1:"nikolai... You take care of her... I'll go talk to the boss."
Niko:"yeah.. Sure... Go and talk to him... I'll...look after her."
The guy with brown hair went in the front hallway and disappeared. As nikolai looked at darya with suspicion, he approached her and sat in front of the sofa.
Niko:"I know you're awake."
Darya, hearing that, sat up slowly. And looked at him with a calm and calculated gaze.
Darya:"you're more observant than your comrade warriors."
Nikolai looked at her with slightly wide eyes...
Niko:"wa–.. Warriors?... W–.. Why do you talk like him?"
He looked at Darya for a moment.. As if he realized something... And Darya looked confused after hearing his words.
Darya:"what do you mean."
Niko was about to say something but the man with brown hair came back with a man with blondish red hair in blue suit, goggles and a expensive watch with gold plated pins and strap. Even the boots hand a gold strip on the swed places.
And Darya was shocked by seeing him. She stayed stunned silent for a few minutes before saying.
Darya:"Da–.. Da–.. Dad?"