While the breach was fairly minor and forgivable, he couldn’t just ignore it. The whole house knew. If he did nothing, they would suspect favoritism. Why did she put him in such a position? “Report to the dungeon.”
“Yes, Master.” She sniffled, scrambled up from the floor, and ran toward the dungeon stairs.
Vahn was torn. He didn’t know whether to make the punishment light and risk breakdown of discipline or to make it harsh and risk losing kee. He planned a walk in the garden while he considered. He spoke to timna before he left. “timna, please go lay a quick fire and make up my bed so the duchess can get to sleep.”
“Yes, Master Vahn.”
Chapter 63
timna slid back into her uniform and hurried upstairs. She felt badly for kee, but this was exactly what she had tried to make kee understand about banding. Even those who tried their hardest were bound to make mistakes. Master Vahn probably wouldn’t use the whip, but would opt for a paddling and leave her chained to the wall a few days. It would be slightly painful and terribly humiliating, but she would recover from the punishment long before she recovered from her feelings of inadequacy.
timna could hear Prince Dauntere crying in the nursery as she passed. From behind the closed door, it sounded as if the nursemaid was pacing with him. When she reached the master chambers, timna knelt at the door. “timna requests permission to enter, Mistress Saerula, to make your bed and fire.”
“It’s about time,” Mistress snapped. timna started to get up. “Well, get in here and do it, girl.”
“Yes, Mistress,” timna said softly. There were several occupied rooms close by and timna respected their sleep even if the mistress didn’t. She entered and worked on the fire first, then turned her attention to the bed.
Shortly, Lady Ultomp arrived at the open door with the screaming prince. The nanny’s eyes widened at the sight of the chaotic room. “What happened, your highness?”
“Just stupid, incompetent slaves,” Mistress Saerula said. She made no move toward comforting her son.
“lopi? She seemed such a nice girl.” Lady Ultomp swayed and bounced with the inconsolable child.
“Heavens, no. Vahn had better not be assigning an Itzi to come in here. I think it’s that wench kee he’s beating for this.”
“Beating kee? But she was busy all night helping me.”
“Well, that isn’t her job. She was supposed to prepare my chamber.”
“I have to tell the duke. Can you take Dauntere?” She approached Mistress Saerula with the crying babe.
“Most certainly not. And you will refer to him as ‘Prince Dauntere.’”
Lady Ultomp glared at the mistress, then dashed out with the prince in her arms. timna mustered her courage and dared to call out after her. “Try the garden, milady.” She had seen Master Vahn head in that direction. He often went there to cool his temper before dispensing punishments. timna hoped he spent plenty of time cooling tonight.
Chapter 64
Between the nanny’s calling and his son’s crying, Vahn had no trouble homing in on Lady Ultomp. “What is it, milady?” he asked, looking over his son with concern. He took the baby from her without any prodding. Dauntere calmed quickly in his arms.
The nanny was still catching her breath when she answered. “The young prince is fine, your highness. I came about kee.”
Vahn arched a brow and studied her. Surely, a new hire wasn’t going to attempt interference in his house discipline.
When her breath returned, the story came in a continuous torrent. “You told me I could ask her for help. Prince Dauntere cried all night long. He wasn’t wet or hungry. I tried rocking, singing, everything. kee ironed clothes and gathered wood; she didn’t shirk what you assigned. I asked her to hold the baby while I went to the watercloset. He quieted right away, just like he did for you.
“She gave him back and returned to work. He just started crying again. Everyone was on their last wit when I begged her to hold the baby. She asked lopi to take care of your bed and the fire. I heard her. lopi promised to do it. kee asked later if the job had been completed. lopi ridiculed her for asking.
“After kee finally got the baby to sleep, she fetched a basin, ewer, and towels for me. That girl was washing bottles when I went to sleep. If she’s in trouble for anything, it’s my fault. You told me she could help me. I didn’t mean for her to get in trouble.”
Vahn laid a gentle hand to her back and smiled. “Thank you, milady. You have just saved an innocent girl from something I didn’t want to do.” Dauntere was asleep. “Can you take him back now?” he whispered.
She dipped in a curtsy. “Yes, your highness. Thank you for listening.” Gingerly, she accepted the baby so as not to wake him. The nanny disappeared up the stairs.
Now Vahn had another dilemma. If he believed Lady Ultomp, kee was vindicated but lopi was in serious trouble. She had broken her word, lied to kee, deliberately left the job undone to implicate kee, then lied to him on top of it all. If she continued in her lies, how was he to explain he believed this new servant over lopi, who had been with him for years? He waited at the foot of the stairs until timna returned from his chambers. “timna, I need a favor,” he said quietly.
timna dipped her head and answered in a whisper. “timna is at your command, Master.”
“Tell me, how do kee and lopi get along?”
“kee loves all the others even though some are jealous of her. timna thinks kee would accept a whipping to protect lopi if that is what you are asking.”
“No, that wasn’t what I meant, but it’s important nonetheless. Why is anyone jealous of her? Isn’t she treated the same as all of you?” He had purposely kept kee Ringed for over three months to prove he wasn’t playing favorites. Not even timna had waited that long for her Unringed bands in the beginning of her term.
“No one thinks you are unfair, Master Vahn, but everyone knows kee is Freewill. They know she could leave if she wanted to. That is what they are jealous of,” timna explained.
Vahn nodded as his lips formed an unvoiced ‘aha’. “timna, I want you to sneak into the quarters and get xassa. Do not tell her I asked to see her. Request her help or something. I don’t want lopi to realize I am checking out her story.”
“Yes, Master Vahn. timna understands.” Seconds later, timna returned with xassa. Both knelt at his feet.
“xassa, I need to ask you something, but I want you to keep it secret you’re telling me, understand?”
“Yes, Master Vahn,” the young girl replied.
“Good. Now I need to know what kee said to lopi tonight. Did you hear them talk at all?”
“xassa did not hear what kee asked, but lopi said, ‘Of course, kee, lopi will see to it.’”
“Very well. Anything else?”
“No, Master. xassa was just glad that kee kept the young prince from screaming so we could sleep.”
“kee kept Dauntere from crying?”
“Yes, Master. He wouldn’t stop for a bottle or anything else. xassa saw the nanny-lady try. When kee held him, he stopped like a charm.”
Vahn smiled. This was solid corroboration. Out of curiosity, he ventured one more question. “xassa, why do you think Dauntere is quiet for kee, but not the nanny?”
“xassa does not know. Perhaps he recognizes her voice or her smell. Maybe he just knows kee would never let anything happen to him. Babies can sense things.”
Vahn chuckled. “Touché, xassa.” He brushed her cheek with two fingers, then purposely made his voice stern. “That is all. Remember, not a word to anyone on what you just told me, understood?”
“xassa understands, Master.”
“All right, you and timna may both go back to the quarters. I will be there in a moment.”
“Yes, Master,” they chimed together. They rose in unison and slipped back into the slave quarters. Vahn paced in the hall, formulating a plan.
After a few minutes, he knocked on the door. timna opened it. Though it was dim within, all
the girls dipped their heads as he appeared. “kee has disobeyed a direct order tonight. I will make an example out of her. So that none of you may be tempted likewise, you will all watch her punishment. Meet me in the dungeon in five minutes.” He left no room for opting out. He closed the door, grabbed a lamp, and descended the spiral stairs toward the dungeon. It seemed to him colder and damper than usual.
kee, as expected, lay face down on the dank floor, trembling lightly in Abject. He ached to tell her she had been vindicated, but he was afraid she might spoil his plan if she knew. Without a word, he lit a fire in a small brazier and laid a branding iron within.
He had only used branding as a punishment once before, on an obstinate male who argued constantly with chupo. He had tried stocks and a whipping first. It was not until his third offense Vahn resorted to branding. He never forgot the acrid smell of burning flesh. He could barely stand to look at the iron ever since.
In moments, the house staff began to file in. lopi was the second one in the door. Vahn tried not to look too closely at her, but she seemed to be less somber than he thought was appropriate. When the last girl arrived, he ordered the door shut. The resounding thud vibrated in his stomach as well as his ears.
kee, prostrate on the floor, neither spoke nor moved beyond her trembling, which was considerable. Vahn waited for the observers to kneel in a straight line. He steeled himself, cleared his throat, and summoned his most derisive tone. “kee, slave of the house of Prince Vahn Rebono, duke of Latoph, you disobeyed a direct order and lied to cover your mistake. You have admitted guilt and submitted to punishment. Do you have any last words before I pronounce sentence?” It was customary to allow slaves to beg for mercy, especially in cases where the disobedience had been accidental.
“kee asks only for her life and her bands, that she may continue service to your house. Please do not throw kee away, Master. Anything but that, kee begs.”
“Very well. I agree to spare your life and to allow you to remain in my house. You will submit to anything else I decree?”
“Yes, Master Vahn.” Her voice was clear despite her trembling.
“Very well.” He turned to lopi. “lopi, since she dishonored you, you will name her punishment.”
lopi blanched. “lopi leaves the details to you, Master Vahn. She is sure you will be fair.”
Vahn frowned a bit and grabbed several padlocks, rocking them in his hands as if to consider their weight. “But this is fair, lopi. You were wronged; therefore, you should choose kee’s punishment—anything short of death or removing her bands. This is my wish. You choose her punishment.” His tone was commanding. She could not back out without infraction.
lopi bit her lip. She stared at kee in Abject, then at the locks her master toyed with. “Two days detention without food?” she offered tentatively.
Vahn was surprised lopi had not caved, but he hid it. He crouched down and grabbed kee by the arm, yanked her up, and dragged her across the room. kee made no attempt at resistance. Bolted into the wall were numerous eyelets at varying heights. Gruffly, he pushed kee face forward into the stone. He adjusted her stance so that her neck band aligned with one of the rings in the wall, then he hooked a padlock between the ring in her neck band and the wall ring. The lock clicked into place. kee gulped.
Vahn’s heart went out to her. She was crushed with her assumed failure. No doubt, she would submit to whatever was to come. She had played her part. He didn’t have time to explain, but he just couldn’t leave her so disheartened. He leaned in, pretending to check the lock, and whispered very softly in her ear, “Trust me.” He withdrew abruptly so no one would suspect he spoke to her.
With clipped movements, he attached kee’s wrist bands to the wall with her arms stretched to their full lengths. Legs were separated and locked by the ankle bands. Vahn turned to lopi and called across the room. “Detention? You mean just leave her chained like this for two days?”
“If it pleases you, Master Vahn,” lopi replied.
She was good. Vahn shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Much too lenient. lopi, she lied about you. That’s too grave an offense to just have her stand around peaceably for a few days.”
Cringing inwardly at what he was about to do, Vahn grabbed kee’s house uniform at the neck in both hands and yanked hard, tearing the back away from her body in a loud rip. kee was left nude to the back, the front of the dress pinned between her body and the wall. Several girls gasped. lopi swallowed hard and wiped her palms against her night clothes.
kee flinched at the rip. Her limbs trembled noticeably, but her breathing had slowed since his whisper.
“How many lashes, lopi?” Vahn asked. He pretended not to give kee a second thought.
“Master Vahn, perhaps kee did not lie. Perhaps she asked lopi to take care of your chamber, but lopi didn’t hear her. lopi holds no grudges. lopi doesn’t want kee whipped, no matter what she has done to lopi.”
Vahn found it hard not to swallow her lines. She sounded sincere and respectful. If this girl were trustworthy, she’d make a perfect spy. “I do not punish her to vindicate you, lopi. I punish her to be certain she never repeats such an offense again. I do it in front of the whole house so no one else will be likewise tempted. I cannot have my orders taken so lightly. Even if you didn’t hear kee, it was her responsibility to make sure the job was done. But perhaps a whipping is not suitable.”
He stopped a moment to study lopi. She looked relieved the whipping was called off. She didn’t want to see kee hurt badly. Good. He was counting on that. He widened his focus to include all the girls awaiting the uncomfortable duty.
“It is rumored some of you are jealous of kee because she is Freewill. I will not have jealousy among you. We can rectify the situation by giving kee an Owner’s Mark. I could free any one of you anytime I liked, whether your term is completed or not. With an Owner’s Mark, kee will be at my mercy as well.”
He hadn’t wanted to put such a restriction on kee, even with her consent. While not the disgrace of a “P”, it would be a huge step up in her commitment. Though she could ask for freedom, she would legally be at his whim, trapped as a slave if he decided not to keep his word.
timna and xassa both frowned and shook their heads. Several of the other girls perked with interest. Vahn noticed lopi smiling. No one dared a verbal assent, but lopi nodded.
“I think we can incorporate the punishment and the Owner’s Mark into a single act. lopi, since you were wronged, I want you to do it. The branding iron is behind you. You will brand kee’s right cheek and forearm.”
lopi’s smile faded. She arose, walked to the furnace, and pulled the red-hot iron from the coals. The imprint was a simplified house crest, an inch and a half tall by an inch wide.
kee turned her head so her right cheek was exposed.
“Master Vahn, please do not ask lopi to do this. lopi will ruin the mark,” lopi said desperately.
“Not at all. kee is securely chained. I will hold her head still. Do the cheek then I’ll lock her to a restraining chair for the forearm brand. If you ruin it, we can always do another one. She deserves this after what she did to you.” Vahn tried to sound callous. To punctuate, he grabbed kee’s head with a jerking motion and held her, being sure to keep her ear covered. kee offered no resistance, but Vahn pretended to struggle against her.
lopi looked back and forth between the glowing iron and kee’s face viced between his hands. Her steps got slower as she neared. Finally, she sank to her knees and dropped the iron on the stone floor. “Master Vahn, please, kee didn’t lie to you. lopi did.” She folded herself up in Submissive and wept.
Vahn released kee’s head and kissed her cheek. He whispered softly, just to her, “I’m sorry I had to put you through that. I would never use that hideous thing on your face, but it was the only way I could get lopi to confess.” He looked up to the other girls and raised his voice. “kee is innocent. I have other witnesses.”
kee closed her eyes and breathed deep
ly. Vahn unlocked her bands to free her from the wall. When kee was clear, all her bands hung from the iron rings. She held her uniform front to keep covered.
“lopi, remove your uniform and give it to kee,” Vahn ordered. lopi made no reply through her tears, but shifted to obey. Wearing only bloomers, lopi handed her uniform to kee.
“kee, put that on, then go kneel with the others,” Vahn said.
“Yes, Master.” kee took the dress and slipped it over her head, then placed the torn one in front of lopi who made no effort to cover herself. kee crossed the room to the line of girls watching in amazement.
Vahn grabbed lopi by the arm and pulled her up. He had no stomach for ritualized speeches. There was no point allowing her to beg for mercy he had no intention of granting. He shoved her into the wall where kee had been, then removed kee’s bands and secured lopi in the same place. The lock securing her neck band had to be lowered, since lopi was a good four inches shorter, but he left the wrist bands where kee’s had been, stretching lopi’s arms to a painful position.
When lopi was secured, naked and crying, Vahn looked at the rest of the girls. He had only ordered them to attend so lopi could be compelled to confess. They didn’t know the extent of her crimes. “lopi not only lied to me, but she purposely left the chore undone in order to get kee into trouble. This is the worst offense I can imagine. Slips and mistakes I can forgive, but willful transgressions against the house or any of its members I will not tolerate. Tomorrow I will take her to the ITC for auction. Right now, I sentence her to fifteen lashes. Anyone who does not wish to watch is excused.”
The dungeon deserted quickly. Even kee scrambled up the stairs. Vahn thought fifteen lashes was extremely charitable considering the violation. However, he found he couldn’t continue after six. Punishment was supposed to be deterrent and corrective. He had little interest in either. He would be rid of her in the morning; that was enough. He stormed out of the dungeon, leaving lopi locked to the wall.
The Duke's Handmaid (Book 1 of the Ascendancy Trilogy) Page 25