“The first…the first year…” Esther paused to bite her bottom lip. “It seemed too good to be true. After what we been told for so long we all sat here holding our breath, waiting for them to show us their true selves.” She gestured with one hand as she spoke. “But it’s been, what? Three years now?”
“Of course your leaders would lie to you,” Elentinus said. “The soldiers had to believe surrender was worse than death in order to sacrifice themselves. Your allies reassured your governments time and time again that we were gracious conquerors. They hid this from you.”
“’Gracious conquerors.’” Dugan sneered. “You knew our soldiers were lied to and you still killed them all.”
Whore stepped forward, but Elentinus lifted his hand.
“The only reason you’re not paying a penance now for your prolonged resistance is because of those lies. We are usually not so gracious to stubborn worlds.”
“Was it gracious to sick those parasites on us?”
“Shut your mouth, Dugan, for God’s sake,” Magpie said. “What’s the point?”
Dugan turned away with his chin quivering.
“Okay, so fine,” Inga said. “Never mind the past. How is it for you now?”
“Well, we’ll show you,” Esther said.
Dugan crossed his arms. “I don’t have to be involved, do I?”
“Leave,” Elentinus said.
Dugan set off straight ahead. The women led us to the side, toward a row of barracks. We passed vast gardens that several people were tending to. A few white chickens scurried around. Normally this would have excited me. The air felt too heavy on my shoulders to enjoy it. I looked, but all I could think about was Elentinus as the ruthless conqueror.
I knew what the Dak-Hiliah had done to Earth before I got here. It hadn’t mattered before. I was a girl kidnapped out of her home and time. Of course my kidnappers were evil. I was just glad one was nice to me and that I was going to be able to survive the ordeal.
Now I had to reckon with everything I’d learned. Inga pushed me out of my safe bystander mode. I couldn’t justify not helping her out of loyalty to my husband.
My husband was evil.
That thought made my legs weak. I loved Elentinus. He was good to me. We joked together and got wild in bed.
I felt safe with him.
But he was Earth’s conqueror—and completely unrepentant.
“Maritza.”
Elentinus’ voice snapped me out of my daze.
“The only reason we attacked Earth was because we were facing extinction. If we didn’t conquer them, there was no hope for our survival.”
I looked at him. If I was paranoid I would have thought he could read minds. I knew better. We were on the same wavelength again.
“Do you have as good a reason for all the other worlds the Dak-Hiliah conquered?”
He looked into my eyes a moment, and then turned away. “No.”
My shoulders rose and fell with a deep sigh.
“Maritza.” Elentinus took my hand. “I’m not proud of everything in our history, but I led this war because our existence depended on it.”
I nodded. In a way I was touched at how badly he wanted my approval. Elentinus kept proving his love for me was genuine. He made it hard for me to stand against him.
But it was the right thing to do.
Esther and Magpie led us into the nearest barrack. We went through a lobby area first which had been converted into a daycare. Toddlers played together on the floor while several women kept watch. I saw some cribs along the back wall. The rest of the building was a gigantic mess hall with long tables. It was only a quarter full. I could smell bread baking. About a thousand people, mostly women, turned to look at us and point. There were as many people knitting or crafting as there were eating. Esther was talking about how they milled their grains and how many kilos of produce came out of the gardens. I was still distracted.
Out the back were open dirt fields that had white lines painted for sports. I think it was soccer, but there were four goals instead of two. A loud group of girls were kicking around a ball in one of the fields. Elentinus took my arm. I realized our group had moved on to the next barrack.
We came in the back directly into living quarters. About 200 double bunk beds stretched out in front of us in two lines. Most of the top bunks had bare mattresses. The bottom bunks all had blankets hanging from the top bunks to serve as curtains. This had obviously been a military barrack once, but all the order was gone. Personal items were piled high in homemade shelves against the walls. The beds that were visible were sloppily made. We walked down the center aisle glancing down each row. Some of the lower bunks had the beds removed in exchange for three cribs. The apparent mothers had bunks on either side and above it. I saw both men and women in the area. This explained the need for the curtains.
“Elen, how can you let them live in such disorder?” Nayjoor said. “The whole place stinks.”
There was a bit of a college dorm funk, but nothing catastrophic.
“So long as they meet my obligations I don’t dictate how they conduct their personal lives.”
“You’re too lenient. This place is ripe for a revolt.”
“My leniency is precisely why they don’t revolt.”
I smiled.
“I would be happy to live here,” Inga said.
“Bah. No you wouldn’t,” Nayjoor said. “This place is disgusting.”
She crumbled into silent tears beside me. I clutched her arm.
The front lobby was another daycare. Esther seemed at a lost once we passed through it.
“That’s about it. There’s five of those mess halls. Twenty of them living quarters. And then all the gardens. Oh, there’s a greenhouse and a pool. The pool was turned into a fish tank for aquaponics. You want to see that?”
“Have you seen enough?” Elentinus said to Nayjoor.”
“Absolutely. My feet are killing me.”
Elentinus looked at Esther and Magpie. “We’re finished. Thank you for your time.”
“You’re leaving?” Magpie looked at me. “We can’t talk to them for a bit?”
Inga dug her nails into my arm. “I don’t want to leave. I want to stay, damn it!”
“Inga!” Rolf-tem said.
She screamed in Russian through her sobs. “Why can’t I stay here? Huh? This is my world! Not that fucking shithole! You heard that girl!” Her cries became choked. “You can pick another wife to replace me! Someone who wants to go! Any of them! Just let me stay!”
Nayjoor turned his back to her. “Really, Inga. You have to cause a scene in front of these dregs?”
She wept so hard her legs gave. I struggled to hold her up.
Magpie came to her other side and soothed her hair. “What is it?”
“She…she doesn’t want to go back,” I said.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Magpie plucked her from my side to hold her.
Esther started to cry angrily. “I knew it. I knew they weren’t treating you well.”
Elentinus stood watching them coolly. I looked at him with my own tears forming. He lowered his gaze and spoke to Nayjoor.
“Would you consider trading her for another bride here?”
Nayjoor sneered. “What? Why would I do that? I don’t even speak their language.”
Elentinus spoke more sternly. “You came here because you were unhappy with her. You should start fresh with a new bride, having learned from your mistakes.”
My heart felt like it skipped a beat. Oh, God, please!
Nayjoor’s nostrils flared. “I didn’t make any fucking mistakes. The girl was unruly from the start.”
“A maniac!” Rolf-tem said.
“So get rid of her,” Elentinus said.
Nayjoor stared at his sobbing wife with a sneer. “I didn’t come here for this fucking hassle, Elen! By the gods, why do you try my patience like this? Let’s go. I’m exhausted and fed up.”
He spun on his heel to leave. Elen
tinus caught his arm.
“Are you keeping her because you love her? Or because you’re too bullheaded to accept a solution from me?”
Nayjoor wrenched his arm free. He moved his face so close to Elentinus’ their noses almost touched.
“Don’t overstep your boundaries, Elentinus.” He glared at him a moment more before storming away.
“No! Please!”
Inga reached for him, but Nayjoor refused to look back.
“I won’t go back!”
I plucked her back into my arms. “Come on, Inga.”
I pulled her face against my bosom and leaned forward. She gasped at the sight of the control unit, and then looked at me. I nodded to her. It made my insides twist, but I gave her my silent promise.
Inga stood without assistance to wipe her eyes and nose on her sleeve.
“So, is she staying?” Magpie said to Elentinus.
He walked close to her. “Find women of child-bearing age who might be willing to become Lord Nayjoor’s bride in her place.”
“Why would anyone want to marry him?” Esther said. “He’s been abusing her.”
“He harmed her in the name of our former druid who ordered harsh treatment towards women. There’s a new druid now. He has to change his ways or he’ll be a blasphemer.” Elentinus paused to consider. “Find a candidate for him who is of a submissive nature. If she is obedient to him and his servant there would be no trouble.”
“We’d have to seriously mull it,” Magpie said.
“I will guarantee the girl’s well-being.” He locked eyes with Magpie. “Do as I command.”
Neither woman met Elentinus’ eyes.
We headed off after Nayjoor who had a huge lead. I moved to walk astride Elentinus.
“You’re going to make him do it?”
“I can’t make him.” He kept his gaze straight ahead. “But if I put someone lovelier than Inga before him, it might convince him.”
He was walking almost too fast for me to keep up. I grabbed his arm to slow him down.
“I’m sorry.”
He eyed me.
“I know you’re doing this for me. I’m sorry I caused you so much trouble.”
He took a few steps in silence. Emotion started bubbling up my chest. Say something.
Finally he said, “Don’t concern yourself, Maritza. I interjected myself into the situation by my own choosing.”
“I am concerned.”
“This…this is the bane of my existence.”
I frowned.
“I offer my colleagues the right solutions, but they always dissent. Nayjoor’s too proud to concede to me. I’ll have to cajole him to make it seem as though he’s doing me a favor. That’s what he wanted this whole trip. To demean me.”
“Damn it. Why are people so childish?” I fixed on the plodding dipshit in front of us. (Rolf-Tem and two of the Defenders had gone with him). “You shouldn’t have to lose face with that idiot. You ought to send Inga back and take off without her. Then tell him if he wants a wife he needs to accept one from the colony. He lost the right to be married to Inga when he abused her.”
Elentinus smiled sadly. “My darling, such an act would cause civil war.”
My face got hot. How dare that asshole tie my husband’s hands? He was so beneath Elentinus.
“Okay. So how about you stick it to him without being culpable?”
Elentinus looked toward me. I kept focused straight ahead. I knew I was venturing into dangerous territory. My heart rate sped up.
“Take Inga back with us, but sneak her out later. You have escape pods or something, right? When we can’t find her make it seem like the same people who rescued Sasha got Inga too.”
We got too close to Nayjoor to continue the discussion. He stood with his group waiting for the gangplank thing to open. Elentinus moved beside him and touched his shoulder.
“My friend, let’s not allow our disagreement to spoil your visit.”
My brow rose. He really was a gracious conqueror.
Nayjoor swallowed and lowered his head to consider. “Alright. I’ll stay. But do watch your tone in the future.”
Elentinus said nothing. I was the only one who knew the anger behind his serene expression.
We boarded the ship and left Earth.
Nayjoor insisted he needed a nap once we returned. Inga tried to get me to go into the bathroom with her. I resisted, despite needing to pee. There was still hope that I wouldn’t have to betray my husband. I was determined not to let go of that control unit until I knew there was no other option.
“I’d like to go exercise,” Elentinus said after Nayjoor had left us in the big lobby area.
“Sure, honey,” I said. “Go blow off some steam.”
“She refers to him so disrespectfully?” Rolf-Tem said.
“Frequently,” Whore said.
“Why don’t you compose another letter to Pakpo,” Elentinus said before heading towards the elevator. “Try to convince him to outlaw the use of shock collars on brides.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said.
He kissed the air towards me as the elevator doors slid closed.
“That’s a horrible idea,” Rolf-Tem said. “How can he suggest such a thing after Inga threw a tantrum in front of all those slaves? He’s not just ignoring an egregious crime. He’s encouraging it.”
I spun around to face him. “The reason she threw a tantrum was because you shock her so much she’s desperate to escape the torture.”
“No.” He lifted his nose high enough for me to see into his nostrils. “The reason she threw a tantrum was because Lord Elentinus crushed my control unit and she knows I can’t shock her.”
“Save your breath,” Whore said. “Maritza enjoys bickering. You’re just giving her sport.”
I fixed on him with narrow eyes. “You know, Hor-Denay, I thought you were better than this guy. I was actually grateful to have you instead of him. Now I know you couldn’t have shocked me even if you’d wanted to. You weren’t holding back because you wanted to.” I tried not to get emotional. “I bet you would have shocked me just as much as Rolf-Tem shocks Inga if you could have.”
“That’s not true.” Whore gave me his most vicious stare to date. “I would have shocked you more.”
I don’t know why this hurt me so bad. My throat got so choked I could barely speak.
“Why?”
Rolf-Tem shrieked with laughter. They reminded me of two playground bullies.
“May I tell her?” Rolf-Tem said.
Whore smiled at him. “Oh, yes. I’d love to hear your take.”
(Throughout all of this Inga was clutching my arm with her head down. Her only consideration was getting me alone with her. She proved this with a constant tug toward the bathroom behind us.)
“You think you’re one of us,” Rolf-Tem said. “As if you could marry into the exquisitely noble Dak-Hiliah race. How dare you presume this? You’re just filthy alien scum to be scraped off the bottom of our shoes. What have you done to earn a place among the Dak-Hiliah? Any female can spew babies. You’ve done nothing, and yet feel you should be privileged.” He leaned forward so his cruel eyes could sear into me. “I cleaned toilets as a boy, and kissed the boots of unworthy masters. I had to give up my manhood to stand beside a nobleman. Oh, but your noisome demands are endless. You whine like spoiled infants. ‘I was kidnapped. It’s not fair.’ Not fair? Was my life fair? It wasn’t, but I neither whined nor demanded privileges. I proved myself worthy of privilege through sacrifice. That’s more than you’ll ever do.”
He left me exasperated. “How could I possibly prove myself?”
“You can’t,” Whore said. “So cease with your bloated sense of entitlement.”
I shook my head with my mouth open. I was mostly shocked at myself. Why did I lower my guard again? Especially with Rolf-Tem, who was just a more extreme version of Whore. He probably had it even worse than Whore growing up due to his homeliness.
Rolf-Tem
I couldn’t care less about. Whore, who I had to live with and who my husband genuinely cared about, was harder to dismiss. I wanted to think that there was a way I could prove myself to him. Part of me knew he’d never accept me. He hated himself too much to let go of his hate for me.
I strode off dragging Inga along with me. “I’m going to go write the letter on that white board.”
“What you write is useless unless I load it to a tablet,” Whore said.
“I’ll get Kang to do it.”
“Kang?” Rolf-Tem said.
“She named a Domestic.”
They started following us. I was fine with that. I still didn’t want to be alone with Inga.
“You know what happens when you name a Domestic unit, don’t you?” Rolf-Tem said with an annoying nasal laugh.
I didn’t slow my stride.
“They’ll want to have sex with you,” Whore said.
This made me stop. “What?”
The two morons laughed together. It was surreal seeing Whore so happy.
“What are you talking about?”
My outrage just made them laugh harder. It became obvious I wasn’t going to get an answer. I kept heading for the meeting room.
“I have to use the bathroom,” Inga said.
“Go by your damn self!” Rolf-Tem said. “You just want her to go with you so you can talk about me.”
Whore and Rolf-Tem exchanged scoffs.
I got a decent one page letter written despite my thoughts being dragged in all directions. It was a simple point to make: Leave the collars on for their protection, but turn off the shock mechanism. It struck me that if the letter worked Inga wouldn’t need my drastic betrayal. I tucked that knowledge away with all my other conflicting thoughts for analysis later.
Kang brought us refreshments. I had an urge to ask him some awkward questions, but the matter seemed so small compared to what was really weighing on me. I looked forward to the situation with Inga being over with so I could make our sex talk a priority.
Eventually I had to go to the damned bathroom. I tried to knock the girl off me, but she was like an octopus. I had to pee too badly to struggle with her.
“Give it to me,” she said the second we were alone.
The Complete Alien's Bride Page 17