by T R Tells
“We don’t have to, like, prostitute or anything, right?” Sabine asked she wrinkled her nose as she looked around disgusted.
Maggie took no offense to it and shook her head. “No, it’s sort of under new management. So, it’s no longer a brothel, you won’t have to worry about selling your bodies or work until your fingers bleed . . . You can just be children.”
She sighed. "That's a rare sight nowadays."
“Oh, thank you!” Cassie exclaimed happily. She ran into Maggie and hugged her. “Thank you so much, Maggie.”
Maggie grinned. She placed her arms around Cassie and hugged her back.
“You’re welcome, Cassie.”
When Cassie pulled apart, Maggie looked at Sabine, who quickly looked away. Maggie knew that it was a front. Sabine had been shielding and hiding for so long, that being cold and distant was the only thing she knew how to do.
It reminded her how Thea first acted when they had met for the first time. She pushed Maggie away and didn’t want to let anyone in because of what she had endured and that almost destroyed her if she hadn’t come out of her shell.
"I'm going to check on the others," Cassie said, and Sabine followed behind.
"Sabine," Maggie called out to her. The girl stopped, but she didn't turn around. "It's okay to be on your guard and be wary, you should be, but don't let that eat you up inside because the more you let it harbor inside of you, the more you let darkness and negative seep into your soul."
Sabine didn't say anything, but Maggie could see her shoulders grew tense before she started to walk off to catch up with Cassie.
She’ll be alright, I know it.
Maggie started to head back into her room when someone called her name. She turned her head to the right, to see a beautiful, ebony skin woman holding her skirts as she walked up the steps.
“Hartley, how are you?” Maggie asked the woman. She was one of the many dancers who worked with and looked up to Thea and Maggie.
“I’m good, Maggie. Everything is perfect, actually, and I wanted to thank you for that.”
Maggie turned her body to her. Her brow raised slightly. "What do you mean?"
Hartley pushed her thick black locks behind her ears and held out her hand in a gesture. "All of this. I mean, I know it was the prince, and his brother's doing, but you were behind it too. I can finally move out of my father's home and raise my son."
Maggie grinned. "Well, no one deserves to live that life or grow up in it. I did what was best for all of us."
"And that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Hartley whispered. The tone in her voice changed suddenly, and Maggie furrowed her brows wondering what could have been so grave. "I believe you should take over the Meretrix. Not as a Madame, but as a caretaker to women."
“A caretaker?”
Maggie never thought about that. Incidentally, she never really thought of herself being a leader that role always fell to Thea or Eddie. She was there for moral support.
“I don’t know about that, Hartley. I’m not much of the leader type. I just want everyone to be happy and not live in servitude for the rest of their lives. Where is this coming from?”
Hartley turned around back to the steps. Maggie looked as well, wondering who she didn’t want to hear them.
“Some of the girls . . . They aren’t happy with the changes made to the Meretrix.”
Maggie was taken aback. Weren't they happy? She didn’t understand why anyone would want to be treated like property.
“What are they doing about it? I haven’t heard wind of it.”
“That’s because some of the girls were too scared . . . Until they found someone who they could follow and depend on. That’s why I wanted you to take charge and be the leader, even if we’re free, a society will always end up crumbling without a leader.”
Maggie bit her lip, worry crossed her face.
“Where are they now?”
“They are downstairs . . . And Maggie?” Hartley called Maggie back, who was already heading for the stairwell. She turned back around. “Don’t be too surprised by who it is.”
***
When Maggie went downstairs, like Hartley said, there were girls huddled together. Some sat on the couch, and the others sat on the floor, she recognized the curly black hair of a girl who stood in the middle.
Freya? It couldn’t be her.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Maggie walked up to the girls, pulling her lips into an even smile.
Everyone immediately turned at Maggie's presence and their expressions were crestfallen, except for Freya; whose lips were set into a deep frown, letting Maggie know her thoughts were correct.
“What’s with all the long faces? You act like someone just died. We should all be happy that the Meretrix is no longer a brothel.”
Freya scoffed and narrowed her eyes at Maggie, her lip twisted into a grimace. "Happy? Tell me what the hell do we have to be happy for Maggie? We're out of a job."
No, No, Freya. Not you! “This isn’t our life, Freya. At least, we have a choice now, and we can finally do things that aren’t about sucking cock or lying on our backs.”
Freya chuckled and shook her head.
“Wow, you’re really that oblivious, aren’t you? Tell me, Maggie, since your ‘second in command’ and Thea is nowhere to be seen,” she spoke Thea’s name acidly, “What is a woman supposed to do without a husband, children, or anything that qualifies her as useful because if we don’t have that and we aren’t prostitutes, then what are we? There will never be a happy life for us!”
Freya craned her neck and leaned forward shouting at Maggie. There was a fire in Freya’s eye that Maggie had never seen before. She knew that she had her mean streak and attitudes, but she had never spoken so curtly before.
Maggie looked at each girl’s face who quickly looked down before their eyes made contact.
“I don’t understand. You all still want to be prostitutes? I know it’s hard girls, but we’ve been through some harder things before. The prince will—”
“Oh, fuck the prince, and his brother,” Freya interrupted her. “It might seem like they helped us, but they’ve damned us and taken everything away.”
Freya huffed and straightened her shoulders, craning her neck from side to side. “No one wants to be prostitutes, Maggie, but that’s all we know how to do. Some of us grew up in this life. Most of us don’t know how to read. And while you get to play mommy to those orphans, some of us will never be able to bear children because we've had one too many abortions."
Freya shook her head and sniffed. A pain-stricken face crossed Maggie’s face when she realized that Freya was crying.
“We’re women. What kind of life do we have? Because of all those reasons, what man do you really think will wife a whore? Who will risk his life to love one? I’ll tell you, no one.”
Maggie parted her lips as she watched the rest of the girls slowly nod at what Freya was saying.
Without a leader, people can crumble, and lose hope.
"Girls, I don't know what to say and I can't pretend that I have some wise words of wisdom for you, but I know I'm fed up with being the same person I was since I was a little girl. I don't want that," Maggie said and gripped her hands into tight fists. "Yes, that's all we know, and yes, we have limited means of survival because of what we went through, but I would rather die on my feet than to constantly live on my knees."
Freya stared at her, her arms crossed over her chest and a nonchalant expression replaced the anguish on her face.
"Then you're living a sad reality, Magdalen," Freya sarcastically spoke Maggie's full name. "The only person who will live gloriously is Thea. She has the prince wrapped around her damn fingers and you'll probably benefit because you two are such good sisters."
The spiteful words that came from out of Freya’s lips made Maggie flinch, seeing the ferocity return. She knew there had always been tension between her and Thea, but she never once thought it would boil into hatred.
>
"Thea will forget about us and be a pretty little mistress, I mean, that's all she'll amount to. She's already left us once and she'll do it again."
“You know damn well Thea has always had our best interests and she stood up for each and every one of us!” Maggie shouted at the girls. Freya jumped not expecting the fire to bellow out, but it was gone just as quickly.
"Edward should be here, not you, not Thea, but where is he? He's rotting in a jail cell, and you did nothing about it. Face it, Maggie, you're a cold and a heartless bitch, just like Thea." Freya shrugged her shoulders and smirked. "No wonder why your mother killed yourself."
Maggie's eyes twitched and stared at Freya, unblinking. Her arm went in the air and her hand slapped hard against Freya's cheek causing Maggie's palm to burn seconds after.
Everyone gasped and stared, shock crossed the girl's faces at what Maggie had done. Freya, however, was not shocked, her face stayed sideways where Maggie had slapped her.
“Don’t. Ever. Talk. About. My. Mother. Again.” Fury and anger that lingered in Maggie’s dilated eyes.
Freya slowly turned to Maggie. Her cheek was inflamed red and a thin cut rested on her face as crimson colored blood trickled out.
The anger that had been on Maggie's face washed away when she saw the blood. She gasped and her expression softened. "Freya, I'm sorry. I didn't-"
“Save it,” Freya cut her off. “You’ve never cared about me or my feelings. Your little outburst proved that.”
"That's not true, and you know it! You don't have to be like this Freya."
Freya closed her eyes and touched her sore cheek.
“I’ve always been the one forgotten in your merry band of two. I’ve lost people I thought were friends, my family, and the only job where a man would touch me and not be repulsed by this.”
Freya removed the diamond-studded eye patch off of her eye with her other hand, revealing a gaping hole. “And, now I’ve lost . . .Edward.”
Freya touched her stomach and Maggie looked down; her eyes grew wide before she stared back at Freya.
Freya opened her eye, leaving her eye patch off. “I won’t argue with your decision, Maggie, that’s yours to make, but do not make it for the rest of us because we’ve already decided what’s best for us.”
“Freya this isn’t what’s best for everyone, you have to see that, if you keep going down this path you’ll never be able to be whole again.”
A sad, weak smile pulled at the corners of Freya’s lips.
“Who said I wanted to be whole again.”
Freya placed her eyepatch back on and walked past Maggie. The rest of the girl's followed her back upstairs and all Maggie could do was watch.
***
Thea and Kadda had been out for most of the day with Angeal, they had rented out an inn and spent their time inside. Angeal suggested they walk through in the marketplace, but Thea had told him no. She believed Angeal when he said, he wasn't ashamed of her, but the King was still made the rules.
Thea would not endanger Kadda.
Angeal didn’t object and said, “As you wish, my gift.”
Thea's cheeks burned, having still not used to be loved as she was right now.
Thea watched as Angeal played with Kadda, covering his eyes, and then removing them revealing a silly expression on his face. Kadda giggled with detail and clapped her hands. Thea had never seen her daughter so buoyant and happy.
“How are you doing that?”
Angeal looked up at her and shrugged his shoulder. "My sister. She always loved it when my mother did it and when she passed away, I did all the things my mother did."
"Well, you're a good brother and I think Kadda can agree with that. Isn't that right, baby?" Thea cooed into the child's ear and leaned down to tickle her sides.
Kadda let out a joyous cry. Thea lifted her girl and sat her on her lap, kissing the side of her head.
Angeal stared at the tender reaction Thea showed her daughter. The Hope and Strength he had seen before. It made him want her even more.
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Kadda said when she stopped laughing after a few moments, gently tugging on her mother’s hair.
“Guess that means lunch break. I can get us something,” Angeal said standing up.
"Angeal, are you sure? I don't want to impose or feel like I'm taking advantage. I've always done this and it's -"
Angeal leaned down and scooped Thea's cheek in his hand, pulling her to his lips. It had been the first time they had kissed. Thea hadn't expected it and when Angeal pulled away, she was left with her lips parted slightly and warm. Kadda looked to her mother and poked her mother's cheek, unsure why she had become still.
“Don’t worry about it.”
When Angeal returned they ate and played a little longer. He read Kadda a story and Thea watched her daughter resting her head on his chest with her thumb in her mouth, staring at the book as he read them. Occasionally, Angeal lifted his eyes from the book to look at Thea, smiling at her, before looking back down again.
Thea curled her lip, hiding a smile.
“Angeal,” Thea whispered pulling Angeal’s attention from the book. “Kadda’s sleeping. You were really into that book.”
Kadda’s eyes were shut and her mouth slightly agape, as she was curled into Angeal.
“Oh, I didn’t even notice. I’ve always loved this book as a child.”
Thea picked Kadda up and held her against her chest.
“Your mother read to you?” Thea asked keeping her voice low.
Angeal nodded. "Yeah, she'd read to Kholette and me before bedtime.”
“What about Donnie? He didn’t get a chance to listen or was he a big boy and didn’t want bedtime stories.”
Angeal chuckled. "He did say that but don't let that fool you into thinking he didn't want to hear it and our mother never wanted to deprive him of that either. She'd tell him to sit outside the door or wait really late so she can come in and read him a story . . . Our father prohibited her from seeing him."
Thea’s eye twitched. Of course, he would tell their mother that. I hope he burns.
“But, uh, there’s only a little bit left. You want to hear the rest before I walk you back?”
Thea didn't hesitate and nodded. She rested Kadda at the end of the bed and carefully sat next to Angeal, curling into him, in the same manner Kadda had been and he read to her.
Thea darted her eyes over the words, sounding them out loud, and pointing to a word she didn’t understand. She could read a little better than others, but every so often, she would stumble over certain words. Angeal never was annoyed when she kept stopping him and slowly sounding out the words and even explaining what they meant.
***
When Thea and Angeal had left the Inn, small flakes started to come down from the dark blue sky.
“Stick out your tongue,” Angeal instructed her to do.
Thea gave him a weird look but did as he suggested. She held it in the air for a few minutes, when a tiny droplet fell on her tongue. She pulled her tongue back in her mouth and started to laugh.
"Donnie and I would have plenty of snow fights in the castle's gardens. Khloette would be sitting down on a bench and watch us chase each other with snowballs. Maybe, I could teach Kadda how to make a snowball one day?"
"Maybe, yes, that sounds nice," She said they walked side by side through the streets. Thea was thankful that there weren't many people lurking about.
When they reached the Meretrix moments later, the first thing Thea saw was a parchment paper nailed to the door with an S mark on it. Her eyes grew wide, and she raced over to the door, peeling the paper down.
“What was that?” Angeal asked seeing her remove something from the door.
“Nothing. It’s just some wanted poster, thieves, I think,” Thea lied and adjusted Kadda in her grip.
Angeal slowly nodded. “Well, with that being said, maybe no late walks? Anyway, I’m glad that we all got to spend time together.”
Angeal chuckled and grinned. "I'm fine with it. I had a good time with you, Thea. I hope we do this again.”
Thea smiled and nodded as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “I do too. Goodnight, Angeal.”
The foyer of the Meretrix was dimly lit, but Thea paid little attention as she made a beeline upstairs to her room. She undressed Kadda and tucked her into bed, before reading the letter to the Sicarri.
Thea's eyes quickly darted over the letters and her mouth dropped. Her chest heaved up and down at the contents that laid inside the message. The panicked look on Thea's face morphed into one of anger.
The images of the Kingsland guard with two colored eyes flashed into her mind. Remembering the splash of blood that spewed in her face as she stabbed the dagger into his eye.
Dominya’s screaming face as they dragged her out their home.
“Kill him . . .”
The whisper was so low and unexpected that Thea jumped. She grasped the side of her head and closed her eyes. She had not heard the voices in weeks.
There was a knock on the door, pulling Thea out of her thoughts and she wrenched the door open to see Maggie standing on the other side with her fist raised ready to knock.
“I heard someone come up. I thought it might . . . Thea? Are you okay?” Maggie asked and reached her hand out to support Thea, who looked ready to collapse.
“Mar Donias.” Were the only words Thea let slip through her lips as she handed the parchment to Maggie to read.
Maggie’s eyes darted over the words as she read them:
“An illegal fight ring?”
Thea briskly nodded, determination set on her face.
“And, we’re going to stop it.”
Chapter Fifty-Six
Month of Winters Eve, Year 669 of Ya’skr
The snow-covered Svarta's grounds turned the area into a frozen wasteland. Clovis trekked through the narrow snowy streets, only seeing a few patrons lurking on the outside, but hurried to their next destination and out of the cold.