On the shore of the calm blue sea, a small village was settled. It lay on the border of a great empire far enough that the capital's politics did not fully reach it, yet close enough that the movement of sea trade could sometimes be seen. The houses in the village were made of stone and clay. Their roofs were covered with red tiles, which glowed golden when the morning sunlight touched them. In front of every house were small courtyards where women fetched water, dried grain, or spun wool.
On one side of the village stretched an olive grove. The old trees had twisted trunks, and their branches swayed gently in the sea breeze. On the other side was a small harbor a wooden pier where fishermen's boats were tied. Before sunrise, the fishermen would wake up, take their nets and small boats, and head toward the sea.
On the other side, Elena was walking quickly. In her hands, she carried a white cloth bundle containing bread made by her mother and olives. She held it close to her chest so it would not fall. Her long skirt moved as she hurried. With one hand, she tightly held the bundle.
Elena moved swiftly through the narrow street. At first, she walked fast, but as soon as she realized that Alexios might already have reached the harbor, she started running. The stone street was not straight; it had small turns. While running, her breathing became heavy. Her chest rose and fell quickly.
After running some distance, her steps slowed. Her throat felt dry, but she did not stop. Fatigue was visible on her face. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her heart was beating rapidly. She paused for a moment against a wall, then continued forward. Now she had reached the middle of the street…
Standing there, she stopped for a moment, took a deep breath, and then called out loudly to her older brother.
"Alexios!"
Alexios heard the voice and immediately turned. He looked toward the street, where Elena was standing, breathing heavily, her face red, and the cloth bundle in her hand.
Seeing her there, Alexios first showed surprise, then mild concern. He quickly stepped down from the boat and walked toward her.
"Elena? Why did you run here?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Is everything alright? Is Mother okay?"
Elena nodded while still trying to catch her breath.
"Yes… everything is fine, but you forgot your food again," she said softly, with slight irritation.
Alexios took the bundle.
"You didn't need to run so far," he said.
Elena said nothing at first. She looked at him quietly. Her breathing was still fast. There was tiredness on her face, but only concern in her eyes.
"No. Don't go to the sea on an empty stomach," she said, with mild firmness and affection.
Alexios looked at his sister for a moment. She was tired from running, but her eyes showed clear concern. A gentle, reassuring smile appeared on his lips.
He placed the bundle in the boat, then turned back to her.
"Alright. I'll return by evening," he said calmly.
Elena slightly narrowed her eyes, unconvinced.
"That's what you always say, and then you stay late with your friends," she replied.
She looked away briefly, then back at him. Her eyes were full of worry, though she tried to hide it.
"If you are late again, I won't tell Mother… you'll explain it yourself," she said, pointing a finger with a small playful smile.
Alexios looked at her silently. His stern expression softened. He gently lowered her raised finger.
"This time I won't be late. I promise. I'll return before sunset," he said confidently.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Goodbye, Elena," he said softly.
Alexios turned, walked toward the boat, and without looking back, stepped in. Within moments, the boat began moving across the water. Elena stood watching until his figure became smaller in the distance. Then she slowly started walking back home.
As she moved through the village streets, she felt something different in the atmosphere. A distant sound reached her ears someone shouting urgently.
She ignored it at first. Then another voice clearer and more frightened.
"Close the doors! Look toward the sea!"
Elena stopped. Movement increased in the street. People rushed out of their homes. Some hurried back inside. Fear was visible on their faces.
Suddenly a man ran past shouting।
"A foreign ship is approaching the shore!"
Hearing this, Elena's expression changed. Her eyes widened in fear. Her hands began to tremble. She looked around in panic.
The peaceful village was now filled with chaos. Elena quickly ran toward her house.
The narrow streets were full of shouting and confusion. People were closing doors and windows. Mothers held their children tightly. The sound of wooden doors shutting echoed everywhere. The atmosphere had changed completely from calm to fear.
The village leader stepped forward. He was tall and strong, wearing dark clothing. A sword hung from his belt. Behind him stood armed men with serious expressions.
They moved forward without hesitation. Anyone in their path was treated harshly. People ran in fear. The air was filled with screams and chaos.
Elena ran toward her home, her heart beating rapidly. Suddenly she felt something behind her before she could turn, she was struck on the head.
Her eyes widened in shock. Her vision became blurry. The sounds around her grew distant. Within moments, darkness covered her sight. Her legs weakened, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.
After some time, Elena slowly began to regain consciousness. First, she felt a sharp pain in her head. Her eyes moved slightly, and she slowly opened her eyelids. At first, everything looked blurry, but after a few moments, her vision became clearer. As soon as she looked around properly, she realized she was inside a closed space. There were wooden walls, and she could hear the sound of sea waves from outside. Then she understood that she was inside a ship.
Realizing this, panic spread across her face. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows furrowed, and her breathing became rapid. She tried to move, but she was tied with ropes. Slowly, she noticed that there were many other girls around her about forty-seven. All of them were also tied with ropes. Some girls were frightened, some were quietly crying, and some were trying to encourage each other.