The Duke's Handmaid (Book 1 of the Ascendancy Trilogy)

by Caprice Hokstad

  Chapter 28

  The kitchen wasn’t running very smoothly and Vahn wasn’t sure whether timna’s absence or the neglected chores made the difference. He praised his house staff for their service at tea then delegated some to laundry and other household chores, leaving the kitchen less crowded. This gained an immediate improvement in their mood and efficiency. He granted them leave to eat once he and the duchess retired from the parlor. For Keedrina’s sake, he hoped that would be soon.

  Vahn was happy to have someone else appease Saerula’s incessant need for commiseration. He was pleased Keedrina got along so well with her future mistress. Surely, anyone who could put up with the epic whining Saerula was presently inflicting could fill the void he’d tried so hard to satiate.

  The only question now was when he would have her and under what conditions. The “P” implied punishment and shame, two concepts far removed when he contemplated the gentle farmgirl. Not even timna’s current infractions would have earned something so drastic. If she had dissuaded Keedrina from her intent, he might have lengthened her term by a year, but not to Permanent.

  timna was another puzzlement to him. He shuddered to think that she might allow a blameless orphan to be branded a pariah just to gain a year of freedom. He and Keedrina would work out something, but it would not entail such extremities. The “P” would not be tattooed on an innocent in his house. He prayed that timna would not disappoint him into needing another plan. He didn’t want to lose timna either, no matter his present dissatisfaction. With the duchess wanting to hire her own servants and Keedrina joining at some point, the house would be unstable until everyone was properly trained and accustomed. The imminent baby added to Vahn’s anxiety. He couldn’t wait to settle the matter.

  “Is timna back yet, Master?” one of the slaves asked.

  “She is back, but she is confined to her quarters right now.” He paused, waiting for the surprise to gain him more attention. “timna is no longer optimess.”

  That revelation met with gasps and questioning looks, but he dismissed further inquiry with a wave of his hand. He left the kitchen, knowing the news would be whispered from slave to slave until the entire house knew. In a way, he was doing timna a favor by not disclosing her deeds. Some would think he punished unfairly, but he didn’t care. He enjoyed gaining a tougher reputation while being lenient in his own mind.

  Vahn returned to the parlor but refrained from retaking his seat. He hoped to hint to Saerula it might be polite to end her woeful tales, but the duchess was too intoxicated with the attention of an audience to notice subtleties. Finally, he caught a momentary lull and cleared his throat. “Saerula, love, I’m glad you and Lady Keedrina have hit it off so well, but I need to discuss some business with her. Perhaps you would like some help upstairs to rest?”

  The duchess sighed. “Yes, thank you, Vahn. I admit I’m tired.” She rose from her chair, using his arm for leverage and stability. She smiled at the guest. “It was lovely having you. Please do come again.”

  “I am very honored, your highness. I hope to see you again as well.” Keedrina looked so happy; Vahn couldn’t help winking at her.

  “I’ll be right back so we can take care of our business,” he said to Keedrina as he escorted Saerula out of the room and toward the stairs.

  “Please take your time, your highness.”

  * * *

  Once the duke and duchess were out of sight, Keedrina gathered the rest of the dishes and shuttled them to the kitchen. The slaves were horrified to find a guest in the kitchen and fell all over each other to relieve her of the burden. She smiled and assured them it was no problem. She longed to tell them that she saw them as kindred spirits, but decided against it. She was confused about what was going on. First, the duke invited her to join his house, then he told Lord Patkus that he would take her as his slave. But when she formally offered herself, he wavered. Had he changed his mind after she first refused him? Had he been blowing wind in front of the healer?

  It suddenly occurred to her that she just wasn’t worth enough, no matter how long she committed to serve. timna was Elva; why would the duke accept some mere Itzi in her place? One way or another, Keedrina hoped to find out before she left Rebono Keep.

  She peered at a portrait painting on the wall, wondering who the beautiful woman could be. The coronet, deep black eyes, and the angular jaw line led Keedrina to decide it was probably one of Duke Vahn’s relatives. She got the same warm feeling as she looked at the painting that she got when she heard his voice.

  * * *

  Vahn delivered his wife to the master chambers then stopped at timna’s quarters. He knocked this time. He heard a muffled, “Come in.”

  He opened the door but did not enter. “Please report to the dungeon, timna. Lady Keedrina and I will be there shortly.” He turned to go without waiting for her answer, but heard it from down the hall.

  “Yes, Master.”

  Vahn didn’t react to her affirmation. He hated that she had put him in this position. He tried to summon a semblance of a smile for Keedrina’s sake when he arrived back in the parlor. Keedrina stood studying the portrait behind the table. “That’s my mother,” Vahn said. Heavens, how he missed her. Maybe if he’d brought her to Ny with him when Father forced him out, she’d still be alive. If she had outlived Father, she could have righted the ascendance issue, but even without her influence as Queen Mother, his heart longed for her. Judging by the letters from her nurse, the feeling had been mutual. Vahn’s name, not Brendax’s, was the one Mother had called when the sweating fever came.

  Keedrina was startled by his appearance at the opposite side of the room. She looked as though she were going to kneel. “Please, you don’t have to do that while you are dressed like a princess.”

  She looked down. “Yes, your highness.”

  “We have some unfinished business, yes? I’m having timna meet us in the dungeon—” He stopped, reading the shock in her eyes. “I’m sorry. That’s where I keep the bands. I didn’t think to consider how frightening a place it might be for you. If you like, we could—”

  “It is fine.”

  “Very pleasing.” His lips hovered on a smile. Now if only timna would be the woman he thought he knew. If only... He shook his head to halt his musing and motioned to Keedrina. She followed his lead. As they descended the spiral staircase, she stumbled. He grabbed her arm, but she had firm grasp of the rails and didn’t need his help. Neither said a word. The heavy iron door creaked loudly when he pressed it open to allow room for Keedrina to enter at his side.

  Chapter 29

  timna lay prone on the cold stone floor in Abject. She waited nervously in the dark, trying to keep her shivering at bay. She had already made up her mind; it was only a matter of explaining. She still couldn’t get over it. An Itzi she barely knew was willing to give her entire life for a single year of hers. Never since Mother died had anyone cared so much about her.

  “Standard, please, timna,” Master Vahn instructed as he lit the oil lamps. His voice was nearly as pleasant as she could remember.

  She pushed up from the floor and assumed a Standard Kneel with her head bowed. She saw the long blue skirt next to her master and assumed it belonged to Mistress Saerula, coming to enjoy her humiliation. She had yet to see Lady Keedrina, but assumed she was with them.

  “Head up, timna, I need to reach your neck.”

  timna lifted her head for him. She was surprised to find Lady Keedrina was the one wearing the gown. She looked so different that timna blinked twice and then stared. Keedrina smiled at her but kept silent.

  Master Vahn unlocked and removed her bands, beginning at the neck. She rubbed her skin as each band came off. It felt so good to be able to reach those long-covered areas. She ached to give more attention to the skin, but she wouldn’t dare make her master wait. For him to remove the ones at her ankles, she had to shift her position. She rubbed the last ankle for merely seconds before returning to Standard Kneel.

  He
set the silver Unringed bands aside and arranged a set of steel Ringed bands in front of her. “timna, slave of the house of Prince Vahn Rebono, duke of Latoph,” he said, “Lady Keedrina has offered Permanent service in exchange for the one year you owe me. You may accept her offer and place these bands on her, or you may accept your own consequences and wear them yourself. What is your choice?”

  Keedrina opened her mouth, but she had no time to object. timna did not hesitate. “timna chooses the bands herself, Master Vahn, if it pleases you.”

  “It pleases me very much, timna. Thank you.”

  Keedrina shook her head. “timna, wait. You wouldn’t be placing your bands on Keedrina. Keedrina wants this very much. Keedrina thought you wanted freedom.”

  “Your offer was too kind, but you cannot know what it would mean. Besides, it would not please Master Vahn.”

  Keedrina looked at her, then back at him. He frowned. “Explain, timna,” he said sternly.

  Though his tone sent shivers up timna’s spine, she knew she was right this time. She turned to Keedrina and smiled. “Permanent Slaves are cheap. They are criminals and lowlife. It would be a disgrace and ruin your value to be given a ‘P’. Would it not, Master Vahn?”

  He relaxed and smiled. “That is true, Lady Keedrina.”

  “Then how many years would it take for Keedrina to redeem timna? Keedrina could be Numbered...” Her voice carried a frantic tone. Master Vahn sighed.

  “timna is fine as she is. Can you not see that Master Vahn would much rather have you as Freewill? That you would honor him much more that way? Besides, why can he not have us both? Don’t you want timna as a ‘sister’?”

  “Of course Keedrina wants you as a sister. She only wanted you to be happy.”

  “timna is happy, Lady Keedrina. She will never forget what you offered.”

  “Very pleasing,” Master Vahn said.

  timna held her hands out for the bands. She deserved this and she would accept it with what little dignity she had left.

  Master Vahn whispered in her ear, “Thank you.” He wrapped the bands around her wrists then slipped the largest band around her neck and locked it in place. timna shifted so that he could bind her ankles.

  When he was done, he looked up and noticed Keedrina’s longing gaze. “Now, Lady Keedrina, timna said something about a vow you made concerning my house. Would you share it with me?”

  “It was something Keedrina felt her mother wanted—a promise to wait three months before making any decisions regarding banding. Keedrina wanted to prove that her desire is not just a reaction to the murders, that this was something Keedrina wanted for herself.”

  “Mmmmn. I see. Yet you were willing to break the vow for timna, yes?”

  “Yes, Master Vahn.”

  There was silence for a long interval. “Keedrina, it’s obvious that you haven’t taken this lightly. Furthermore, if you take my bands as a Freewill Slave, all you would ever need do is ask and you would have freedom that very moment, so if this is some ‘reaction’, you are still protected. However, I cannot claim to be objective. I want you for my house. I will lose two slaves on Queen’s Jubilee and the duchess is due to give birth soon. Still, I would not ask you to break a vow. Your place in my house is secure, no matter how long I have to wait.”

  Keedrina smiled and nodded.

  “If you like, you might meditate and see if your mother would release you from the vow. I give you my word that you may change your mind at any time, all right?”

  “Thank you, Master Vahn. Keedrina will do that.”

  “May I ask where you intend to stay since you sold your henhouse?”

  “Keedrina planned to rent a room in Ny.”

  “I have a feeling by the time you leave here it will be too late to look tonight. Why don’t you plan to stay in my guest cottage while you meditate and look elsewhere? It would give you a chance to learn some more about the house as well.”

  “Keedrina will stay if you allow her to pay for room and board. Keedrina will not be a leech.”

  He laughed. “You want to pledge yourself to my house, place yourself under my absolute authority indefinitely—for no pay—and you think you are a leech?”

  She looked down. “Keedrina does not want to take advantage of your kindness.”

  “And it is very commendable. How about we agree that you are my guest for as long as you need to either ask for banding or find lodging elsewhere? If you become mine first, we are even. If you find other arrangements, then you may pay me 20 silver a week for whatever room and board you used. Acceptable?”

  timna doubted he would try to collect, but even if he did, the price seemed quite fair, considering the nature of the accommodations.

  “Yes, Master Vahn. Thank you.” She hesitated a moment. “May Keedrina ask a favor?”

  He arched a brow. “What is it?”

  “Would you consider telling Keedrina what you would call her when she is yours?”

  “You wish to know your slave name. Very pleasing.” He smiled and tapped his forefinger on his chin.

  Keedrina’s given name was too long. By tradition, two syllables were the maximum—couldn’t have owners strain themselves or waste time while trying to order their property around. timna tried to remember how happy she had been when he gave her a name, because her first master had called her “slave”. Perhaps it wasn’t so ridiculous for Keedrina to want this. Master Vahn would treat her well.

  “Would you prefer ‘Kee’ or ‘Drina’?” he asked.

  “It is not up to a slave, but whatever is the master’s whim or pleasure,” Keedrina said softly.

  “Excellent. I name you ‘Kee’ then. Oh, I have two favors to ask of you now.” He looked at her expectantly.

  “Kee is at your pleasure, Master Vahn. Your wish is her command.”

  “Very pleasing, Kee. I ask two things as simply a duke now. The first will become an order if you are banded. The second is only until that time.”

  She nodded.

  “It is my wish that you keep both your breed and your ability to read a secret. You are not to lie, but you are to say that Duke Vahn Rebono forbade you to speak of it. I am very pleased with your hair this way.” He ran his hand down the length of it. “It hides your ears well. If you belong to me, you will wear it like this at all times. Until then, I request you wear it in some fashion that hides your ears.”

  “Kee will gladly wear her hair as pleases you and speak not of her breed or ability to read.”

  “Good. That goes for you as well, timna. No one is to be told she is Itzi—not the other house staff, not Saerula. Understood?”

  “Yes, Master,” timna said. It wasn’t hard to guess why he’d decided that. timna only hoped his ruse would work.

  “Secondly, you are both to understand that timna is no longer optimess. There will be no further ‘training’ of the sort that wounded Kee. timna or any of the other slaves may tell you about the ways of the house, explain manners, or demonstrate rituals, but nothing more. Once you are banded, you will be trained at the ITC by the professionals. Do you both understand me?”

  “Yes, Master,” they replied in unison.

  “Excellent. Then the last order of business is timna’s punishment for her impropriety. Kee, let me ask you...was it unreasonable or cruel to have your hands bound behind your back and be ordered to kneel for four hours? Don’t worry about timna right now. I want the truth.”

  “No, Master Vahn,” Kee answered. “It was not cruel or unreasonable.”

  “All right.” He turned to timna. “Hands behind your back, timna.” She complied without a word or disparaging look, holding her head high. He placed a padlock through the rings on her wrist bands and clicked the lock shut.

  timna held tight rein on her expression, but she couldn’t help that sinking feeling in her stomach. She hadn’t been locked up like this since she left the ITC. This time was worse, since she fully deserved it.

  “Now all I have to do is find someone who can
look in on you from time to time, to be sure you are not injured...” Master Vahn trailed off, eyeing Kee.

  “Kee will stay with timna if it pleases you, Master Vahn.”

  “I rather thought you might. I suppose you just want to stay down here the whole time?”

  “If there is nothing else you wish Kee to do, and if it pleases you, yes.”

  Master Vahn chuckled. “It pleases me very much. I will leave the door open. Kee, please be comfortable. I will return in four hours. If there are any problems, come look for me. If you cannot find me, you may unlock timna yourself, all right?”

  Kee nodded. “Yes, Master.”

  Master Vahn exited. Kee found one of the pillows left by the “vacationing” slaves and set it next to timna, then sat atop it. “Kee is sorry she got you into this, timna,” she whispered.

  “You didn’t get timna into anything; it was timna’s fault. This punishment is nothing. You said so yourself. There is no cutting on timna’s wrists and timna has company. You had no such luxuries. Now, tell timna about selling the henhouse and the dress and having tea with the mistress.”

  The two young women talked about Kee’s day for nearly an hour before Kee got up. She apologized for stretching, but timna encouraged her to go ahead.

  Kee massaged timna’s shoulders and arms to keep some circulation going. She checked the bands to be sure no chafing or rubbing occurred. The hand pump in the corner was employed to quench both of their thirsts. They talked about timna’s past and timna thanked Kee again for attempting to buy her freedom. Slave customs were discussed at length, but both heeded their master’s order. timna was hardly in any position to demonstrate any rituals, so she made promises for her next free time.