Destiny

Destiny
Fiona

This morning, Flavia, Sabina, Tullia, and I went to the temple just after first light, hoping to catch the priest of Venus before his schedule filled with preparations for the upcoming festival. From studying Pompeii, I knew that just before the eruption, the Feriae Augusti and the Vinalia Rustica took place, honoring Venus and Jupiter, so I expected the temple and the priests to be fully occupied—and we wanted to see if we could speak with him before he became too busy. 

When we reached the temple, we spotted the cutest little wolf-like dog lying on the steps, and we couldn’t resist crouching to pet him. While we were playing with the dog, two handsome men came out of the temple and walked toward us, and I realized he belonged to one of them. Both of the men were incredibly masculine and gorgeous, one of them particularly catching my eye. When he spoke to me, I felt the urge to stay and talk, but I shook it off as foolish and kept focused on my mission. After all, we’re all going to be dead soon as it stands.

When we stepped inside the temple, we could see that it was already busy. Attendants moved in and out carrying baskets and trays as they discussed arrangements, and a handful of priestesses stood talking about the festivals. 

We didn’t get far before one of the priest’s personal attendants intercepted us. He was polite, but firm, explaining that the priest was occupied with festival preparations today and wouldn’t be available to meet. I tried to press, just a little, but he shook his head and told us we’d have better luck if we returned around sunset, when the situation had settled, and the priest might have time to speak with us properly—so we left.

We walked back to the small apartment, and the rest of the day passed as usual–with meals and chores. The women seem certain the priest of Venus can help us, or at least offer guidance, but I’m not convinced. I wonder if he will even understand what I’m asking—or if he will think I’m crazy. I wonder if he can help me find a way back to 2026 or if I’m stuck here forever. 

Now, as the light is fading from the sky, we make our way back to the temple again. The streets have grown quiet, the earlier rush giving way to something calmer and slower. Flavia walks beside me, Sabina and Tullia just ahead, all of us hoping this time we can speak with the priest and gain some clarity on my situation. 

We reach the temple just as the last rays of sun slip behind the rooftops. Pushing open the heavy doors, we step inside and immediately notice how much less noisy it is than this morning. 

An attendant is speaking with a visitor at one of the shrines when he looks up and approaches us, his expression polite but wary. “What brings you ladies here this evening?” he asks.

“We need to speak with the priest of Venus, please,” Flavia says. 

The attendant nods. “I’ll check to see if the priest is taking visitors.” He leaves and comes back a little while later. “The priest is exhausted,” he says. “He said he will see one of you, but not all four.”

All three sets of eyes fall on me. Sabina says, “Fiona, you’re the one who must speak with the priest.” 

“Yes,” I agree. “I’ll go,” I say. 

The attendant leads me past the flickering braziers and into a small chamber behind the main altar. The shadows dance across the walls, and the air is filled with incense. The priest sits behind a large desk, head bowed, shoulders slumped, his eyes half-lidded with fatigue.

He looks up as I approach and gives me a tired smile. “Come in. Please, have a seat.” 

I step forward and lower myself into the chair across from him. 

He leans back and asks, “What is your name?”

“I am Fiona,” I begin, and pause only long enough to gather myself. 

“And what have you come to ask of me, child?” the priest asks.

There’s nothing left to do but blurt it out. “I have come to tell you that I am from the future. I traveled more than two thousand years into the past from my time. I believe I was sent to warn everyone in the city that, within days, the mountain above Pompeii—Vesuvius—will erupt, destroying the city. Many will die if nothing is done.”

He raises a brow, and I catch the faintest smirk. “From the future,” he says, tone amused. “How…intriguing. Surely a young woman like you is accustomed to telling such tales?”

“I am not telling tales,” I insist, urgency sharpening my words. “I’m telling the truth. You must warn the people, or they will be buried in dust and ash.”

He moves his eyes over me slowly, stopping to stare at my chest, and my stomach churns. Suddenly, I realize the attendant must have told him a group of ladies of the night were waiting to speak with him, and now he thinks I’m willing.

“And what do you expect of me, girl?” he sneers. “You come here offering prophecy, and yet I should… what? Be grateful? Have faith in words like yours?” The hunger in his gaze makes my skin crawl. “Do you imagine I could give weight to words born of delirium? No doubt some potion or herb has muddled your senses,” he adds, and the leer in his eyes makes my blood run cold.

I glare at him. “I’m only trying to help by telling you what I know, to warn and protect the people in this city. I may sound mad, but I’m not. Within the week, the city will fall. If you don’t do anything about it, you’ll be the one to blame.”

He rises from his seat and circles the desk toward me, his mouth open, tongue flicking over his lips in a grotesque, predatory way. I recoil, but he’s on me before I can stand, straddling my left leg with his robes draped over my lap. The priest’s hand darts for my breast, but I slam it away. I spring to my feet, shouting, “I’m not yours to do with as you please! And you will regret not listening to me! Pompeii will fall!” I try to run, but he’s faster than I am, and his lust is replaced by rage.

“Madness!” he hisses. “Impiety! You come here with your stories of destruction and pretend the gods care what you say. Do you know what could happen if such claims were repeated to a judge?” He leans even closer, his voice sharp as a knife. “Imprisonment. Exile. Worse! I could have you killed!”

I spin on my heel, my heart pounding, and flee the chamber. The door slams behind me, echoing through the temple. When I burst into the main sanctuary where Sabina, Tullia, and Flavia are waiting, I shout “We’re leaving—now!” They follow, and we hurry out of the temple into the empty, shadowed streets.

We rush quickly back toward their room. Sabina walks beside me. “Fiona… what happened?”

I shake my head, trying not to cry. “He wouldn’t believe me… and he tried to take advantage of me.”

Tullia looks at me, concern in her eyes. “What? Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not hurt. I just want to get back to your room,” I say, tears brimming my eyes. 

Sabina takes my hand and squeezes it. “We’ve all faced that at some point. It never gets any easier, but you don’t have to face it alone.”

I squeeze her hand back. “Thank you.”

By the time we reach their room, the sun has fully set, and the stars are beginning to peek out. We step inside, and Sabina pours four glasses of wine while the rest of us find a place to sit, completely exhausted and defeated. 

“What do we do now?” Tullia asks, taking her glass from Sabina. 

“We could speak with a priestess of Venus or the priestess of Jupiter. They’ll be available during the festival,” Sabina offers. “They might know what to do.”

Flavia nods. “Or perhaps someone older and wiser. One of the elders of the city. Perhaps one of them can guide us.”

Sabina hands me my wine, and I sip, trying to calm myself down. “Thank you, Sabina,” I choke out. 

“We could pray,” Tullia says. “We could ask Fortuna why she sent you here. Maybe she’ll help by giving you more instruction.”

“I appreciate all your help and everything you’ve tried. I appreciate your friendship—and especially that you believe me,” I say.

As silence falls like a veil over the room, I realize I’m trapped here—stuck in this time. Soon, they’ll ask me to work the streets, and the thought makes me feel even more nauseous than when the priest tried to grope me. I glance at Sabina, Tullia, and Flavia. I care for them already, and I don’t want to lose them to Mt. Vesuvius.

Finally, Flavia sets her glass down and looks around the room. "What should we have for dinner?" she asks, the question light, but practical—something we can focus on to push the heaviness aside.

Sabina leans back in her chair, stretching her arms overhead. “We’ve got bread, cheese, olives, and there’s a little bit of fish left. That’ll do. We just need to throw something together.”

Tullia nods, already standing and moving toward the small kitchen area. “I’ll get the fire going, and we can cook the fish. Shouldn’t take long.”

I rise to help, the motion automatic. There’s a comfort to helping them that gives my mind a break from the constant worry. Flavia stands, too, grabbing the bread and cheese to cut while I move to the small cupboard and pull out a couple of bowls. I pour olives and figs into them, making sure there’s enough for everyone. Sabina opens another bottle of wine, and the four of us work together to get a meal on the table in no time.

Once everything’s ready, we sit down again, the table lit by the soft glow of a candle. Sabina’s first to break the silence. “So, Fiona,” she begins, “how much time do we have? How soon until it happens?”

I pause for a moment, setting my glass down before I answer. "We’ve got about a week. Maybe less. It’ll start with tremors—the earth shaking. They’ll be small at first and will go unnoticed. Then the ash will begin to fall like snow from above, and eventually everything will turn dark. The mountain will send down waves of superheated fire and ash—faster than any storm, hotter than any forge. They will sweep through the streets and into the houses. The air itself will burn so fiercely that it kills in a single breath. Anyone caught in it will die almost instantly, their bodies twisted in pain, and then the ash will bury everything so deeply that the city will vanish for centuries. There will be no time to run once those burning clouds reach us. We must leave before the mountain truly awakens—head to the north while we still can.”

I watch as the three of them stare at me, their mouths hanging open.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so graphic, but I just wanted you to understand what we’re up against,” I add.

"No matter what happens, we’re getting out of here before that mountain decides to destroy the city," Flavia says, her voice a little shaky. "We’ll take our families and leave. We’ll get out before it’s too late."

I nod, meeting her eyes. "I’ll help you however I can, but we’ll need to move fast. Once the tremors start, our time is running out."

Tullia clears her throat, trying to shake off the gravity of the threat. "We’ll figure it out," she says with more determination than I expect. "And we’ll have each other. That’s what matters, right?"

Sabina nods, forcing a smile. "Exactly. And once we’re out, we’ll have to make sure we have enough food, water... somewhere to stay…." She pauses, glancing over at Flavia. "It’s not going to be easy, is it?"

"Perhaps we can find a nice spot on the coast. A place we can live without worrying about rocks raining down on us,” Flavia says, clearly trying to see the silver lining. 

I let out an appreciative sigh at her attempt to lighten the mood. "That sounds perfect," I reply. 

Flavia reaches for the wine bottle, refilling our cups. "Right," she says, smiling a little more. "Well, we’ve got a few days, at least. Let’s make sure we’re ready."

The tension eases, and the topic shifts slowly from the eruption to the rest of the evening. "We’re going out after dinner," Tullia says, looking at me. “You don’t have to join us, Fiona. I know it’s not for everyone, but if you’re going to stay with us when we leave, you’ll have to find some sort of work.”

I glance at each of them. The thought of working the streets, of doing what they do, makes my stomach start to hurt again. "I understand. I’ll figure something out."

Sabina smiles, nodding. "Good. We’ll help you find something.”

“I can’t thank the three of you enough,” I say, my relief so overwhelming, I could cry. 

When the meal is over, we clear the table, collecting the empty dishes. It’s strange how quickly I’ve come to care for and rely on these women in this foreign time. 

As they prepare to leave for the night, it hits me. Maybe I was sent back just for them—to help them through this devastation. After all, they are the only ones who have listened to me, believed me, and they’re the only ones helping me. Maybe destiny—or the gods—really did send me back in time just for Flavia, Sabina, and Tullia.