The Girl Without a Name

by Rachel Burns

  He shook his head. Daddy would have found his sort of weakness revolting.

  “Miss Reeves, do you know the answer?” the director asked me.

  I stood and answered the question.

  The director stood up. “I declare you the winner of this year’s competition.”

  The boy raced past me and went out into the hall and threw up. I was shocked by his behavior. I didn’t know what to do.

  The teacher who would be teaching me the alien language rose to his feet. “Congratulations. You may go out and tell your father the good news, Miss Reeves.” He smiled at me kindly.

  “Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.” I curtsied to them and turned to leave. I went out the door to my father. Hundreds of people were gathered outside, but Daddy was waiting for me on the steps.

  “Sophia, you came in second. I’m so impressed with you. You were wonderful.” He embraced me and repeated how proud he was. Because the boy had been sick, he hadn’t come out yet. Daddy thought that I was second.

  “Daddy, I didn’t come in second. I won. The boy who came in second was sick because he lost to a girl. That’s why he didn’t come out.”

  The director of the university came out, and a hush fell over the crowd. “We are very proud to announce that we have a winner. Sophia Stephanie Reeves is the winner of this year’s competition.”

  Everyone clapped and cheered after a moment of surprise passed. I went to the director and shook his hand. The reporters took our picture. “I am also proud to announce that Sophia will be learning the alien language free of charge as part of her prize. You can be very proud of your daughter, Mr. Reeves.”

  The director did that on purpose. The last question had been rigged so only I would know the answer. By publicly mentioning the lessons, Daddy wouldn’t be able to back out.

  Daddy was mad. First, they blackmailed him, and now they were publicly humiliating him. He tried not to let it show as he clapped for me.

  I received a gold bar as my winning. It was mine. We hadn’t talked about what would be done with the money if I won because no one had thought that I could.

  Daddy stepped forward, and we smiled for the cameras together. I held up my gold bar and the crowd cheered for me. It was so heavy.

  “You are one very rich young lady. I couldn’t be more proud of you if you were really my own.” Daddy took the opportunity to tell the reporters that I had been the one to fly here, and that I would fly home too. “The smartest girl in the universe is more than capable of flying in deep space. More girls should learn how,” Daddy told them.

  I spent the rest of the day giving interviews. I avoided questions about my past. Daddy also gave interviews and told the reporters about my accomplishments in fighting, shooting, playing the flute and be told them that I adored the combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

  The reporters were fascinated to hear about my unusual upbringing that included training the body, the mind and the soul.

  I was too exhausted to fly. Daddy agreed that it would be better to go in the morning.

  Shane told me that his friends were impressed that I was his sister. He was using my success to his advantage.

  When we got home the next day, my siblings and the nannies threw a party for me. I finally got to have a special day. I received presents and showed everyone my gold bar. My name was on it along with the date I won it.

  It was the proudest moment in my life.

  ~

  On a side note, Daddy sent me to the competition for the next two years. I knew that everyone would have their eyes on me. I stayed focused and won it two more times. Each year, more girls took part. I was treated like royalty when I walked into the university. My language teacher greeted me and gave me lessons in between tests.

  Daddy had calmed down about the lessons because the government never called on me to have contact with real Aliens.

  One day, Charlotte had blurted out that it would be good to be able to speak their language in case we needed to interrogate an alien. Daddy had to admit that he liked that idea. Charlotte had turned my lessons into something that could be useful in the war.

  I was able to speak the language, read and write it. It baffled me that such warlike killers could write such beautiful poetry. The words were soft and soothing to my soul. I loved the language and would secretly jump at a chance to practice my skills with a real alien. But Daddy would see that it never came to that.

  At home, I was Sophia, one of the Reeves children and not the smartest girl in the universe. I still had to train and do my chores. Amy’s chores had become mine when she married and moved away with her husband. He was military, and she went along to plan the movements of the troops. She was also a spy who told Daddy everything.

  That scared me. I constantly wondered whom Daddy would choose for me to marry, and what Daddy would want me to do. I didn’t want to be a spy.

  Daddy was still strict with me. I had to obey him or bear the pain of a punishment. On that level, nothing had changed for me.

  Chapter 14

  We were out in the orchard picking apples again. The yearly routine was so ingrained that I was looking forward to it. I was sixteen and had only won the Children’s Academic Championship once at that time.

  I filled several baskets and brought them to the truck. Because Daddy was explaining everything to his newest adoption, I was able to separate myself from the group. Daddy usually had an eye on me because of this habit, but I felt that he was slowly giving up. That was just how I was. The chatter of the others got on my nerves.

  I sat down under a tree and pulled out a book. It was the one that my language teacher sent me. I was still fascinated by the language. I also had the current normal book that I was reading in my backpack. I always had a book on me. Daddy teased me about that often. But I found precious minutes to read when it wasn’t my turn to train or when we were waiting for everyone to arrive at the table.

  I sat down to read and eat an apple in peace, but then I got a feeling; the feeling that I was being watched. I looked all around, but no one was there, not even Daddy. I held still and listened, not showing that I knew that I wasn’t alone.

  The noise repeated itself ever so slightly. It was right above me. I leaned my head back against the tree with my eyes closed. Through my closed lids, I could see the red of the star shining down on me, and there were black areas too, and I could make out a form where someone was blocking the light.

  I opened my eyes for a second and saw him. It was a boy, an older boy. I slowly rose to my feet, leaving my book and apple on the ground. Then I gracefully walked over to a branch. I picked a hard fat apple, twisted around, and threw it at the boy.

  I got him, and he was unbalanced. He had to reach up to a branch above him not to fall. His legs were dangling under him. He swung back and forth until he let go and landed on the ground. “Hey, are you crazy or something? What’s wrong with you?” He was a lot older than I was. I guessed that he was already eighteen or nineteen.

  He had dark jet-black hair and green eyes. His fists were balled, and he was coming for me.

  “You’re trespassing on our land. And judging by the apple cores scattered around here, you are also a thief.” I stuck my chin out and stared him down.

  “And what are you going to do about it?” he asked me, stepping closer.

  “I’m going to kick you off of our land.” I delivered this dead pan even though he was so huge. Not fat huge but strong thick muscles huge and so tall.

  He smirked at that. “Why don’t you go get one of your pretty older sisters to help you fight me off?”

  Okay that was easy to understand. He didn’t think that I was pretty. I don’t know why that bothered me so much, but I charged at him and dropped to the ground and swooped his legs out from under him. He landed on his backside with a loud howl. A second later, he had me pinned to the ground, and he was lying on top of me. I hadn’t expected him to be so strong.

  “What is wrong with you
? You little beast. Are you sick in the head or something?” He leaned his face down towards mine as he yelled at me.

  “Get off of me.” I grabbed onto his arms and tried to push him away.

  “What happens when I let you go?” he asked me. He didn’t trust me. That spoke of intelligence.

  “The question is what happens when you don’t.” I bit into his wrist.

  He let go of me in a flash and looked at his wrist. “You’re crazy. You stupid little kid.” He was shaking his hand.

  “What’s going on here,” Daddy was marching towards me.

  “She bit me,” the guy said, walking right up to Daddy.

  Daddy examined his wrist and then stared at me.

  “He attacked me.” I told Daddy.

  “She attacked me first. I was sitting in the tree, minding my own business when she chucked an apple at me.” He sounded like he was in shock. Disbelief was written all over his face.

  “Tristan is our neighbor. He asked years ago if he could play here, and I gave him my permission. But you, I didn’t give you permission to take off. All of your brothers and sisters are working. Only you are off playing.” Daddy was removing his belt as he spoke.

  “Please Daddy, I thought I was protecting our land.” I took a step back away from Daddy.

  “You are getting a punishment for taking off and not seeing to your duties. Apologize to Tristan before I start in.”

  I was shaking now. I hated that dumb boy, and now he got to watch me get punished. I blushed red as Daddy grabbed hold of my arm and turned me so I was facing Tristan.

  He was looking at me like I was a tiny insect, one he’d like to squish.

  “I’m sorry, Tristan.” I couldn’t get out more than that.

  He was covering his bite with his hand. “Whatever. I’ll go help the others pick apples, if that’s alright with you, Mr. Reeves?”

  “Fine.” Daddy sounded pleased now, but as soon as Tristan turned his back, Daddy leaned me up against the tree. He really let me have it. He scolded me for always taking off. I had made him very cross. He didn’t stop until I couldn’t stand anymore. I bawled at the bottom of the tree while he replaced his belt.

  “I’ll give you five minutes, but then I want to see you helping again. If not, then this spanking will look like a joke.” He stormed off.

  Okay, calm down, I told myself. I had to hurry. He meant it when he said things like that. I wiped my eyes and stumbled over to the others. I tried to appear as if I had everything under control before the others spotted me. They teased me a lot about being Daddy’s girl. They thought that I was his favorite, but he had proved once again that I wasn’t. Daddy didn’t have favorites.

  I saw Tristan helping my older sisters with their work. He was smiling at them and flirting with them. He obviously thought that they were pretty.

  “Sophia, get back to work now,” Daddy barked at me.

  “Yes, Daddy,” I practically whispered. I grabbed a basket and went to work. I could hear the others laughing at me and making jokes. They liked it when I got in trouble.

  I peeked over to see if Daddy could hear them. He was walking around with one of the newer kids on his shoulders. The little one was picking apples that way. I felt a stab of jealousy. I wished Daddy were smiling at me that way.

  I had filled my basket, so I walked over to the wagon. I was tipping them in when Tristan also came over and emptied his basket. He looked at me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but I couldn’t hold his stare, so I glanced away from him.

  I went back to work, but I had to cry every now and then. I wiped away my tears so no one would see them and pick on me. Daddy would see them as a weakness too.

  “Thank you for helping, Tristan,” Daddy told Tristan when it started to get dark.

  “You’re welcome, sir. Have a nice evening.” He waved over at my older sisters before he left. They giggled and waved back at him.

  “That was a really nice boy. Don’t you think so girls?” My sisters were laughing again. Daddy wanted to match one of them up with him so they could have children together. I was glad that I was too young for him. Besides, I didn’t want any man as a husband who had seen me get a spanking.

  “Tristan will be turning eighteen next month. I wonder if his parents will think of you girls when he needs a wife.” Daddy was beaming. I had to wonder who he would find for me.

  ~

  Tristan came back a few times and helped out. Daddy found out that his parents weren’t interested in breeding him anytime soon. He was going off to the academy to learn how to become a pilot like Daddy used to be. I was glad that he would be gone.

  My older sisters were sad, and they fussed around and argued about which one of them he would have wanted. They went on until Daddy had to take them into his study and spank them soundly. The whole house could hear him lecturing away. He made it clear that he, and he alone, would be choosing their husbands.

  Things were back to normal between us again too. I worked all day every day, but at nighttime Daddy would stop by my room and give me a book or two that he wanted me to read. He was trying to balance out my education. He hated that another teacher was talking to me and had an influence on me.

  I told my teacher from the university lots of things. I was able to confide in him without getting into trouble. I told him about Tristan, telling my teacher what a jerk I thought Tristan was.

  He asked me if I liked Tristan. I laughed that off. No, besides it wouldn’t matter. Tristan told me that I was ugly.

  My teacher was furious that Tristan had said that. He made me tell him the whole story. Then he joked that Tristan was acting like a young boy in love.

  I laughed at that. My teacher thought the world of me. He was convinced that I was a good sweet person.

  I loved the undivided attention I got from him.

  Chapter 15

  We were outside training when Tristan approached us. He went to Daddy and talked with him for a bit. I tried not to look at him. It embarrassed me that he had seen me getting a spanking. It was bad enough when family saw that happen to me. The difference was that I saw it happen to them too, but I would never see Tristan with his ass bared for a punishment. At least, Daddy hadn’t required me to take down my pants and panties in front of Tristan.

  Daddy and Tristan went over to the air pad to continue their talk. I was fencing with Kyle who was home from his training. He played basketball and soccer professionally. He was the best sportsman now that Jenny was married and having a baby.

  Kyle lounged forward and got me. “This isn’t any fun if you aren’t paying attention, Sophia.”

  “I don’t like that boy.” I admitted.

  “That boy is a guy.” Kyle informed me.

  “No, he isn’t. Not yet.” My eyes were locked on Tristan.

  “What did he do to you?” Kyle asked.

  I told him the story, and Kyle told me to focus my hate on the game. I did and got Kyle right away. Kyle didn’t like that, and then we really went at each other. I rarely took training seriously, but today I was having fun with it.

  Daddy came over to watch us. He praised us.

  Kyle was able to make a point when I surveyed the area to see where Tristan was. He was talking to Charlotte, flirting with her.

  I attacked Kyle with a vengeance, taking his advice and pretending that he was Tristan. I was also mad at Charlotte because she was flirting with him.

  I won against Kyle for the first time. Daddy was very pleased with us. He wanted to have a go against Kyle when I was finished. I had to put in so many hours of training every day, and that number was finished. I went over to Amy. She had her eye on Tristan.

  Daddy had been trying to make a match for her. He had already gotten two men to agree to marry her, but they backed out when they heard about Daddy’s plan. He wanted the guys to train and keep their wives pregnant. The idea was so unusual for normal people that they saw having more than one child as sick and wrong. Their parents were the ones who
decided, and they said no.

  Amy was beautiful, so I figured that some guy would go along with what Daddy wanted so he could be with her.

  Amy strolled over to Tristan. She smiled at him and made him blush. Both girls asked him when he was going to finish school.

  He told them that he needed another year.

  “It’s a shame. I don’t think that Daddy will let me wait that long,” Amy sighed.

  Tristan stared at her as if she had slapped him. “Why are you girls always worried about marriage?”

  “Daddy wants us to have good matches. He especially likes air pilots,” Amy told him.

  “I’m not going to marry one of you Reeves girls. I’m going to marry a woman from fine standing and not any of the Reeves orphan girls. Someone famous. Maybe a singer,” he teased them. I smiled and turned away. Tristan was an ass. I was glad that my sisters were seeing his true side.

  I went inside to read.

  ~

  Two weeks later, Daddy found a match for Amy. He was very good-looking and in the military. When Daddy told him and his parents about his plan to have strong children in case the war ever broke out again, they agreed with him, telling him that certain people had a duty to have intelligent children. Amy was married within the week.

  The wedding was beautiful. I was moved to tears when their hands were bonded together, and they traded promises.

  One day I would make my promises to the man Daddy told me to marry. I hoped that my husband would be my friend too. My older siblings all got along well with their partners. At first, a few of them had problems. But with time, they were blissfully happy.

  I wanted to be blissfully happy too.

  Chapter 16

  Daddy stepped out into the hallway. He waved us to him. “Tomorrow we will be having visitors. A young man’s parents have requested a chance to meet Charlotte. I want this house cleaned spic and span. Go off, girls. I really want this match. I need everyone to be on his or her best behavior and to make Charlotte look good. Is that clear?” We nodded at Daddy.