"Anise, is there any way to get out of this?”
"Oh, my dear, my dear.” Anise took Hesper in her arms. "May God be gracious to you. The only way out is to follow the light in your mind until you’re no longer here because you’re there.” She reached up and tapped Hesper’s temple.
Stiff and unresponsive, Hesper allowed Anise to hold her. May God be gracious to Adahy. It certainly had not been gracious to her.
Eight | Post-Conquest: 232
Hesper had eaten the snack they provided for her and iced her head. Now, Anise led the way downstairs. At the bottom of the steps, a blur of red whipped around the corner and slammed into Hesper.
Dressed in red trousers and a red coat, a tall woman slathered on a thick smile just in time to conceal a full withering glare. Eyes trained on Hesper, she called over her shoulder toward the room she had just exited. "Well, David, she’s adorable. Have you played with her yet?” A false smile could not hide such thick contempt. It was unlikely she wanted the contempt hidden to begin with. "And, my, my, she’s a wide-eyed one. That’ll be fun, hm?” Without waiting for an answer, the woman mumbled something about "owl eyes” and clacked away in high-heeled shoes.
"That’s Evelyn,” Anise whispered. "A very unhappy person. Don’t let her trouble you.” She gestured for Hesper to go into the room in front of them.
Hesper halted in the threshold. A honeyed-rose aroma overwhelmed her, and the room’s rich colors of blue, gold, and blood-red were a wonder to look at. A large aged map hung on the wall with shining fern-green dragon illuminations along its edges. To Hesper’s right, the statue of a blue woman with several arms stared through large, black, painted eyes, wearing an unusually placid expression when considering the skulls around her neck and her cherry-red tongue sticking out. Hesper touched one of the statue’s hands. Her eyes watered. A cold, lifeless thing made her feel?
"Hesper, are you all right?”
Wrapped up in the wild colors and interesting features near her, Hesper had been ignoring much of the room, including the other person in it.
David stood by a table. His black hat hung off the back of a chair, leaving his shock of wavy brass hair exposed. His curious expression toyed with amusement.
Of all the things to be disturbed by, the fact that he saw her rear bothered Hesper the most. The mere hint of a dress, hanging on her body, made her feel exposed.
She crossed her arms in front of her chest as David gestured to a chair, smiling. "Come sit with me.”
Hesper narrowed her eyes. As trustworthy as he seemed, trust would lead to attachment, and she must not do that, or she would believe lies as poor Anise did.
A few books and a pen lay before David. An exquisite spouted pot, painted with vivid birds and pink flowers, sat on the table to his left. A small cup rested on a plate to his right. Hesper sat in the chair he had gestured to.
"You look lovely,” he said, seating himself.
Sincerity rang out in every word, but even stigs could be genuine.
How shiny his hair is.
"Lovely is weak. I am not weak.”
"Is it?” He set his pen down and leaned his elbows on the table, resting his chin against steepled fingers. "Loveliness has twisted my arm behind my back and brought me to my knees when strapping young bodies and vigorous minds couldn’t sway me in the least. I can’t say I’ve ever equated loveliness with weakness. It’s quite strong, just in a different way.” Pen wobbling between his thumb and forefinger, he said, "You can be the kind of strong you value most while still being lovely.”
"Fine.”
"Hesper, how are you managing?”
"You saw my rear, sir. It bothers me.”
David dropped the pen and sat back in his chair. "Understandably. Listen, I have seen many rears in my life. Many.” He laughed under his breath. “Some have been quite nice, some have been frighteningly not, but when I saw your poor derriere, my only thought was that it should not be out. While that doesn’t unsee anything or give your pride back to you, I hope it helps to know that your rear means nothing to me. You pain and perception of your dignity do, though. Let’s talk.” He waved his hand over his books and pen like garbage to discard. "This can wait. I have the oversight of a section of the country. I have to review and . . . Well, you don’t care about my boring business.” He scrunched his nose and pushed his work aside. "Right now, you’re my business.”
His business? Hesper’s face flushed, and her temper ignited. "Sir, you have been kinder to me than I ever expected a Meros man to be, but I do not wish to be your business.”
He whistled. "You’re a strong-tempered woman, aren’t you? Here, before you spoil that silk dress.” Producing a white cloth from his sleeve, he said, "We never use those for anything. Military personnel keep one around the left wrist, just peeking out. A reminder of our service to God and Its messengers or something like that.” He tried to laugh as he offered it.
She set her jaw. Let his devotion to God to wipe his own tears when she kneed his stones and escaped.
He left the white cloth in the middle of the table, patted it, and sat back. "I’d prefer you not be my business, too, sweetheart. However, they execute Gentles who are not spoken for within two weeks. If you reject me, your strength and fine features will sell at an auction and secure you a home somewhere—that much is true—though whether it will be with someone who will call you ‘darling’ and mean it?” He shook his head. "I can’t guarantee that.
"You might wind up with a fine sap—I mean chap . . . like me”—he winked—"who will let you impose your spirit on him, but you might not.”
"How can you do this?” she whispered. "How? How can you know this is wrong, and hate it, but still do it?”
His fingers drummed out a steady cadence for only a few seconds, then stopped with the gentle slap of his palm on the table. "This is not the system I want; it’s the system I have to work with. I do what I feel is best in the circumstance I am in.”
"I will never go home, will I?”
David brought his chair around the table and sat with her, knee-to-knee. He slid the white cloth closer.
She ignored it, allowing the tears to fall on her lap.
"Hesper, some of your people come to the Meros and find relief from fear, appreciating the security,” he said. "Others find that life is easier here and learn to enjoy their lives with us in time, and some join us of their own volition, preferring this to the forest. You will find your own reason to make peace with your situation.”
"Nepenthe?” she asked, sniffling.
He delayed his answer, surprised, then said, "Yes, nepenthe.”
This time, she took the cloth when he offered it. "I cannot find nepenthe.”
"It’s understandable to feel that way, but, darling, what if you were to find it? Imagine that.”
What would it be like? What would bring it about? David? She eyed his uniform and gold buttons. He appeared too good when compared to the people who trapped her here. If only they were in the forest and he was Unified. What excellent friends they could be.
If only.
But they were here. Would he help her forget?
"What are you thinking about?” he asked, barely above a whisper.
"Your words.”
"You were. I knew you were.” He smiled. "How do my words make you feel?”
"Calm and quiet.”
He nodded. "You want happiness and contentment, and you can find them here, too.”
Maybe, but she should not have to. Her face twisted with tears. "Sir, I want to be in my loft. If I cannot have my home, all the pleasure you have to offer will never compensate for what I have lost.”
His watery smile said more than words could. "I’m sorry, sweetheart. Meros laws are different from the laws of the human heart. Gentles have to stay.”
She slapped the table. It hurt more than she realized it would. "Stop calling me that. I am Unified, not Gentle. You will find me anything but gentle if crossed as my ancestors were.”
"You’re right”—his eyes flitted to her hand and back to her face—"I spoke carelessly. Did you hurt your hand, Hesper? It’s bruising.”
"No.”
"Did Trinity hurt your hand?”
Hesper twisted her jaw and answered with a glare.
An eyebrow curved. "I’ll take that as a yes. Everything move properly? Wiggle your fingers and all that?”
“It’s not broken,” she said. “Do you have comfrey or arnica?”
“Arnica. I’ll have it brought to you.” He checked something on his wrist. "I have to go soon, Hesper, but before I do, I need to know if you’re married.”
"What would it mean if I am?”
"It would mean I won’t marry you myself. The Kyrios aren’t concerned with marriages they can’t sanction, but I am. They won’t allow me to keep you here unmarried for more than the two weeks. I suppose the papers can be signed without consummation to follow.” He shrugged a shoulder. "It’s no one else’s business, after all. Maybe it can be worked out.”
"Marry?”
"‘Course.” He frowned. "Say, your face just went from cream to wine and back to cream in two seconds. Such a reaction! Do you need a drink of water? What did you think I’d do with you?”
"Make me a slave.” The lack of hesitation surprised her. The answer was stupid. Why would he go through all this for someone he was going to use as a slave? He would not. How could she have thought so?
"Slave?” He laughed. "Some serve as slaves elsewhere. However, that’s not how I see marriage . . . or women.”
Slavery might be better. "I am . . . was to be married in one week’s time.”
"You poor, sweet woman.” He shook his head. "I’m sorry, Love. Our policies favor order and consistency over mercy, even to merciful people like you.” A far-off look overtook his usually strong presence of mind. With a few blinks, he came out of his thoughts.
"Thirsty?”
"Yes, sir.”
He stood and passed behind her. Hesper studied her fresh, clean hands. So foreign and strange. A brief clink and a gentle wooden tap passed over her ears, but she did not care what it was. David would not hurt her.
He seated himself and poured a golden-pink liquid from the spouted pot into the cup. "Spiced rose. Lovely stuff,” he said. "I meant to pour you a cup earlier, but you needed to talk more than you needed tea, I think.”
Staring into the liquid, Hesper said, "Why did you stop them from hurting me, sir?”
"Oh, that. Well, I was heading to a meeting. While screaming is not uncommon around here, I felt I needed to follow yours.” He sat back, crossing his ankle over his knee.
Hesper wasn’t cold, but the warmth of the tea’s steam on her shaky fingers soothed her. "Why?”
Surprise raised his eyebrows, then thought lowered them. "Because you’re a human? Because I hate public humiliation? I don’t know.”
She studied his face. "I am uncertain about you.”
He grinned. "As you should be.”
His buttons caught her attention again. She had almost forgotten about them for a while. "Whatever your motive, you treated me with respect and asked them to cover me. You have my gratitude.”
His hair really was shiny. Come to think of it, Anise’s hair was, too.
"Give the tea a try,” he said.
Hesper took the delicate little cup and sniffed. It smelled like peace. Peace? Her thoughts were turning to poetry. Peace had no aroma. She sipped it. Tangy, floral, spicy.
"Do you like it?” He touched her shoulder.
A nod was as much as she would give him.
"I’m pleased to hear it.” He glanced at his wrist. "You’re pleasant company, Hesper, and I’d love to spend more time with you, but I have a mess of boring old people who require me to be useful to them in a few minutes.” He strode around the table to gather his books and pen. "When you’re ready, someone will show you to your room, and I’ll be around to see you later.
"I’ve contacted my brother about a few necessities. He’ll pick them up from the market and be home tonight.” Books cradled on his left arm, he spun his hat around his right hand and stood in front of her.
"Why is your hair so shiny?” she asked.
The hat stopped spinning. "Shiny!” He crinkled his nose and gave a lopsided grin as he positioned the hat on his head. "Uh, well, have you seen yours since you washed and dried it? It’s as lustrous and enticing as the Koh-i-Noor diamond.”
"From washing it, then?”
"Possibly?”
Hesper stood slowly and handed the white cloth back to him.
He pressed it to his nose and inhaled. "Thank you. I’ll treasure it for the rest of my life.” A wink and a smile bade her farewell.
Alone with her cup of tea and its whispery steam and a soothing tick, tick, tick from an unknown source, Hesper tried to heal her mind with comforting thoughts of home.
* * *
David engaged the ignition of his car and pulled away from the house. No time to walk to the Bastion today. Every Gentle tried to escape at least once, and it was imperative that he be there when it happened. The promising interaction with Hesper secured nothing. He must be home as much as possible until he had her heart anchored in his hand.
Until now, he’d had no intention of taking more Gentles, but his heart went out to Hesper when he heard her scream. So young and overwhelmed.
Then she spat on him! That stirred his heart right out of pity into a longing to give her an enthusiastic kissing.
He had never attempted to woo a betrothed woman before, or a woman so fresh out of the woods. This required a moderate level of formality and distance. For now. Too much physical affection would clam her up. He might have the tastiest handful of yum-yums in the world, and a wild deer would still want life more than treats.
However, Hesper’s woodsiness wasn’t the biggest challenge. A young buck waited in the forest for her. Some poor Gentle fellow considered himself the luckiest guy in the woods just a short time ago. Now the darling girl would never be back to love him and have his babies.
I’m sorry, buddy.
David had to be better than the other guy, whoever he was. At Hesper’s age, he had to be better than her mother and father, too.
Tall order.
He was in excellent shape, whipping guys twenty years younger when he took his turn as Military Instructor.
He checked himself in the rear-view mirror—not bad-looking. He winked. Plus, he had the skills. He snorted and laughed at himself.
You’ve also got a hemorrhoid, stud muffin.
Though he had never had trouble gaining the affection of women he wanted, assuming Hesper wouldn’t be an exception might be a mistake. She submitted to light hypnosis when they met. In the parlor, however, she strode up to resignation and acceptance, teetered on the edge, and tumbled backward. She often regarded his uniform just as he thought she might be trusting him with her subconscious mind. It must be a hang-up for her. He’d try to alleviate that next time they spoke.
A conflicted girl, Hesper carried a strange mixture of nerves and confidence. It couldn’t be a fun way to live. Though it probably put her on edge enough to work in her favor if the average person wanted to manipulate her.
Fortunately, David wasn’t average in this area. She needed to be brought to a place of peace. If he could help her get there, he would. She swayed with his suggestions, bending under his influence, but a brand-new stiff bit of cloth required time, effort, and a little steam to get to favorite-shirt comfortable. If she didn’t take well to steam, he’d give her more time. No problem. All the time in the world, sweetheart. He smiled.
Hesper’s emotional response to the Kali statue intrigued him. The moment carried an electric weight he felt from across the room.
One legend of the dear goddess of destruction told of the time when she resisted the control of ignorant thieves who had ideas about how she operated and thought they could manipulate her with the offering of an innocent monk.
>
She manifested herself and slaughtered them.
An interesting omen if ever there was one. Perhaps he should apply his skills with a lighter hand. An honest hand.
Pianissimo, Mr. Charmy-Pants. Soft and true.
Hesper demanded his help when he stepped out of his house that morning. For a split second, that scream, a shattering crystal vase in a sun-flooded room, struck his nerves and loosened everything that held him together.
Whether either of them wanted her to be his business or not, she was. Despite her defenses, they clicked together like a loaded magazine and pistol. In time, they’d chamber a round, aim for the sky, and pull the trigger. The moment would probably be unexpected and glorious. They were meant to know each other.
Or he was just nuts.
No kidding. Did he really have to tell himself?
David parked the car in the small lot beside the Bastion and flopped his head back against the headrest. Hopefully, his work in the jail would go quickly. Another of those young Earth People waited for him, accused of assaulting an officer.
David often got crap from the Glorious Ones because he wouldn’t use violence when handling Earth People. Yes, well, when they used violence, they didn’t get anywhere. Unified men were tough folks who responded to honesty and held up well to pain.
If he ever got his hands on one of the jokers who organized the Earth People’s efforts, though, he’d probably be willing to resort to violence. It was as if they intentionally fed their young to the military while eluding law enforcement themselves. In the name of Unified patriotism, the scumbags sent zealous Gentle kids to commit crimes for them. While the Kyrios were willing to send specialized forces after mongrels and dissidents, none dared organize a concentrated effort to hunt down the Earth People’s ringleaders. It was ridiculous.
One cigarette before dealing with the Kyrios. David rolled his eyes. Maybe two.
Hesper even touched Kali’s face . . .
He had to get home to her. Just one smoke.
Nine | Post-Conquest: 232
Anise stood in the hallway chatting with two other women. A button-nosed redhead with green eyes and freckled candle-glow skin broke away from the group to hug Hesper, then held her at arm’s length. "I’m Jade.”
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