Encircled

by Robin Roseau

  “I’ve never heard of it,” Lassa said.

  “It’s all over in Ressaline,” Lisolte said. “My aunt’s entire family suffers from it. They largely recover every summer, but by mid-winter, they’re in bad shape. My cousin died three years ago from it.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Lisbon said. She turned to me. “You knew about this.”

  “I didn’t know about scurvy. Gigi, this is what I meant when I talked about people starving to death.”

  “No,” she said. “People don’t starve to death.”

  “Listen to them,” I said. “And it’s our fault.”

  “That’s not being fair,” Bernadette said quickly. “Our winters are a lot harder than yours.”

  “It’s our fault,” I said. “We put tariffs on the food you try to import. I bet it’s impossible to get luxury foods in the winter. You know, like the foods that prevent this scurvy.”

  “No,” Lisbon said. “That’s wrong.”

  “You tariff everything,” Bernadette said. “Well, you used to. You don’t anymore.”

  Gigi turned to look at Olivia. The two held gazes for a minute, then Gigi nodded.

  “We didn’t know,” Lisbon said.

  “Your council did,” Jessla countered.

  “No. Okay, Blackbird was mean, but most of them were really nice. They wouldn’t let people starve to death.”

  “Yes, Lisbon,” Jessla said. “They would. In fairness, our other neighbors haven’t been kinder. But for at least two hundred years, we’ve had to pay tariffs on anything traveling through Charthan bound for Ressaline.”

  “Not food.”

  “Especially food.”

  She looked away. “People died?” I could hear the pain in her voice.

  “All the time,” Bernadette said. “But it’s worse during bad winters.”

  No one spoke. A tear crawled down Lisbon’s cheek. Then she said, “I don’t blame you for staying. I would have.” She turned back. “You cut our population in half. There should be more than enough food.”

  “We also cut your workforce in half, and there are a lot of fallow fields now.”

  “This is why some of us have moved south,” Bernadette said.

  “For food?”

  “No. To replace the workforce and to facilitate trade. My family are food importers. I’m helping the duchess to determine how much we can ship north without causing shortages.”

  “You’re not going to let us starve instead?” Sarala asked.

  “And cause a revolution?” Olivia asked. “Absolutely not. Although you’re a lot closer to the rich fields of Flarvor, so it’s possible we’ll ship more food and import to here.”

  “That means we’ll get foods we don’t grow,” I said. “Some of them are really good. We consider them luxuries, though.”

  “If we can keep the farms operating,” Bernadette said, “We’ll eliminate hunger in Ressaline City, at least for several generations. It might not be the solution for north of the mountains. Moving food through the mountains is very difficult.”

  “How can we help?” Lisbon asked.

  “This isn’t your problem to solve,” Bernadette said. “It’s ours. But if you’re serious, all I want is to make friends.”

  “I like making friends,” Lisbon replied.

  * * * *

  We moved back to the ballroom. That was when Jessla whispered to Gigi. Gigi stepped into an open space at our center and said, “Many of us know what’s going on.” She turned to Jessla’s friends. “Do you?”

  “You’re deciding if you want to invite us to your Practice Challenge group,” Mellta said.

  “Yes,” Gigi said. “I personally have numerous concerns. I’ve tried talking to most of the others. Some are more casual about this than I am. Others pointed out some things I haven’t considered.”

  “What can we do to help you decide?”

  “I think I’ll list our concerns,” Gigi replied. “First, you were raised to this. We were not. We believe that gives you a distinct advantage. That’s not necessarily a problem unless it’s extreme. You are four and we are eleven. However, no one wants you if you’re going to win distinctly more than your share of events.”

  “May I say something?” Mellta asked. Gigi nodded. “You know the winning isn’t going to be even, don’t you? Some of you are going to be better than others. Some of you are going to become so accustomed to losing that you may never win. That’s how it works.”

  “We recognize that,” Gigi said.

  “Are you going to implement a handicap system to offset that?”

  “It hasn’t come up,” Gigi replied. “At this point, I’m opposed, but if the same three or four people consistently win, then I will change my position.”

  “There are other ways to even this,” Mellta said. “No one is fabulous at everything. If you find someone is particularly good at a type of event, don’t hold that event very often.”

  “You see? That’s my point,” Gigi said. “You know things like that. We don’t know any of that. Some of us are very clever, and we might think of it. But we didn’t grow up with it.”

  “But you have Lady Olivia guiding you, and Judge Jessla. You couldn’t possibly have better advice than if Queen Lisdee herself was helping you. Don’t you trust them?”

  There was a pause, and then Lassa said, “Not entirely.”

  “Why not?” Bernadette said. “Okay, Lady Olivia isn’t that well known, but Judge Jessla is famous for being incorruptible and wise. People hate her because of it.”

  “That doesn't make sense,” Lisbon said.

  “It does if you want to corrupt her, and you can’t.”

  “Why would someone want to do that?”

  “Lisbon,” I said. “Tarith Blackbird corrupted half the council. Money, Lisbon. Or power. They’re the same thing. You want to corrupt someone when she stands in the way of money or power.”

  “There are other reasons,” Jessla said. “But those are most common.”

  “Let’s get back on track,” I said.

  “Right,” Gigi said. “Okay. So we have access to advice. And maybe we can trust it. But don’t you understand? They invaded us. They kicked out the men. They destroyed our military. And they won’t let us leave. After the conversation at dinner, I’m not sure I blame them, but until then, I did.”

  “But…”

  “Mellta,” Jessla said. “Put yourselves in their shoes. They didn’t know the things they learned at dinner. None of them know. That’s why Olivia brought it up, surprising the host. But she was right to do so.”

  “Okay,” Mellta said. “So there are trust issues.”

  “There are legitimate trust issues,” Gigi said. “They’re improving, but everyone is afraid. No one knows what all these changes mean.”

  “I think I understand.”

  “We’re also worried that not only did you grow up with these things, but due to trust issues, you might be very, very good. You could convince us you’re not, then trick us into real challenges.”

  The four of them looked around, to each other, to Jessla, to us. “It’s hard to argue that’s not a legitimate fear,” Arestht said. “People try to do that all the time.”

  “Some of us want to figure this out a little more ourselves,” Gigi said. “Others have pointed out that if we can trust you, then including you would be amazing.”

  “We understand,” Aresht said.

  “And I personally am worried how big this is getting. I feel quite responsible for everyone in the group. At first, there were eight of us. We added three more, making it eleven. But I personally already knew at least a little about those first eight, and more than a little about most of them. I trust all of them. I trust they’ll take care of me when they win, and I will enjoy taking care of them when I win. I have some concerns about the three we added, and I think 12 is a better number than eleven. Now we’re up to 15, and 16 is a better number than 15.”

  “Five times three isn’t ba
d,” Lisolte said. “Or four times four, but I like five times three.”

  “Is that three groups of five, or five of three?”

  “Five of three,” she said. “My first was with a woman who took four of us for our First at the same time. I didn’t like it. She couldn’t pay proper attention. I’ve had two practice challenges. The first was one on one. I lost. The other was also one on one, but it was with a citizen, a friend of my older sister, and she already had a slave. I really, really liked that.”

  “Gigi,” I said. “Are there more issues?”

  “More ways of saying the first few,” she said.

  “I’d like to suggest a trial. I don’t think we can solve the issues raised, and so we either trust the people involved to make it work, or we don’t.”

  I let them discuss it. We didn’t get anywhere. Then Mellta said, “I’d agree to significant handicaps for the first several events.” The rest immediately agreed. “We’d be guaranteed to lose, but we could still compete hard. It just wouldn’t be enough. Or if it were, then we really deserved to win.”

  That added to the conversation, but it was Lisbon that said, “I don’t like that. I’d rather offer a proper trial, treating the four of them just like anyone else. If it doesn’t work out, then we can adjust. What can it hurt?”

  “Ten days belonging to someone who treats us poorly,” Gigi said. “Or to someone who hauls us away and doesn’t free us.”

  “That’s illegal,” Jessla said. “And I would permanently enslave anyone who tried it.”

  “And that answer involves completely trusting you.”

  “Gigi, if I were willing to let someone do that, I could have you collected at any time and just do it.”

  “I will state this,” Olivia said. “Anyone captured north of the Ressla river was permanently enslaved. Most of them were sent to Ressaline. Two are seated on the sofas here.”

  People looked around, not figuring it out until I said, “Dee and Bee.”

  “But,” Rondi said. “They’re so happy. Like. All the time!”

  “Olivia treats us very well,” Dee said. “We are happy. We’re happier than we were before. Olivia promised she would keep us together forever. She adjusted her will. If something happens to us, then we get to pick who owns us.” Then she turned to me and gave me a pointed look. “She has to be a citizen.”

  “Nothing is going to happen to Lady Olivia,” I said. “But why are you looking at me that way if you want me to offer myself permanently?”

  “Because nothing is going to happen to Lady Olivia,” Dee said. “And we could be together for decades.”

  Gigi snorted. “It’s hard to argue with that.”

  “Gigi,” I said. “I hear your concerns. I think either we trust Olivia and Jessla, or we don’t. If we don’t, why are we even here?”

  She paused then nodded. “I’m afraid.”

  “I get that. I am sometimes, too. I won’t share the details, but the evening I learned about the starvation in Ressaline involved me demanding straight answers. I believe I received them. I decided to trust Olivia and Jessla after that. If they’re tricking us, they are. But if that’s the case, I’m not sure they need our cooperation. Frankly, if anyone would escape their games, it’s not anyone in this room. We’re the first they’d grab, and no one would notice.”

  “Maybe hanging around with you isn’t a good idea.”

  “You loved belonging to me,” I said with a grin.

  “Yeah, I did,” she said. She talked about that for a minute. Mellta and the others nodded.

  “That’s how it should be,” Aresht said. “It’s not with every woman. There are people I wouldn’t want to belong to, not even for a night. Lots of women I wouldn’t want to belong to. But what you just described is what it’s supposed to be like.”

  Gigi nodded. “I propose we offer a trial period. If we find it’s not working, we agree to talk about it and adjust. We agreed that growing the group should be unanimous. I think we could talk all night and not come to unanimous agreement. I don’t know what to do.”

  No one spoke until Olivia suggested, “How about if we hold an event right now, with a two-hour duration? I volunteer to play with a significant handicap, if you want, and if Dee and Bee want to play in some capacity, they may.”

  “Really?” Bee said.

  “Really,” Olivia said. “But we have to be creative. I do not want anyone else reclaiming you from me, not even for a brief period. You are mine, and you will stay that way.”

  “There must be some way to make them wild cards of some sort,” I said.

  “Lady Olivia, are you willing to let them own some of us?” Lisolte asked.

  “I am.”

  “You can do that?” I asked. “Slaves can own slaves?”

  “It’s not really any different than if I order Dee to obey one of Jessla’s slaves.”

  “I’ll play,” I said. “Gigi, what do you say?”

  “Everyone raise your hand if you’re willing to play?” Most of the hands lifted. We all turned to Jessla.

  “Well, Jessla?” I asked. “Willing to belong to someone else for two hours?”

  “You need someone to run the event.”

  “Oh, please,” Olivia said. “People self-run events all the time. Nice try. Yes or no, Jessla?”

  She turned her gaze on Olivia. “You and I take identical handicaps?”

  “Yes.”

  “We should add two of my slaves, but I don’t have any set as pleasure slaves tonight, and I don’t want to switch them. It would be too big an interruption.”

  The two negotiated details. Mellta and Lisolte made suggestions. They reached a plan. I thought it sounded like fun. Then Gigi asked, “If you’re both enslaved, who enforces the rules?”

  “People self-run events all the time,” Mellta repeated.

  “Yeah, no,” Gigi said. “I don’t know you. I’ll play if Olivia or Jessla can convince me the rules will be obeyed.”

  “It just so happens I have a cadre of guards available,” Jessla said. “Will you trust them, even if you don’t know them?”

  Gigi paused. “All right.”

  * * * *

  It was chaos.

  Olivia quietly talked to Dee and Bee. They brightened significantly, nodding.

  I intercepted a moment later. “What did you tell them?”

  “I need them to help judge the four new people, but I’ll manipulate you into going home with us more often if they help us.”

  I laughed. “Sure. You know, those two are the biggest argument against becoming a citizen.”

  “That statement doesn’t make sense.”

  “We couldn’t keep playing.”

  “Why not?”

  “We can?”

  “Of course we can,” she said.

  “Oh. Really?”

  “Of course. But they’ll talk you into getting rid of any slaves you accrue they don’t like.”

  I laughed. “Fair enough. You’re really going to let someone catch you?”

  “Yeah, but not the newcomers. They won’t treat me the way they’d treat someone with no power. And I don’t think you should come after me, either. Let one of them catch you.”

  “I was going to, if they try, but they might go after someone else.”

  “They might,” she said. “Or they might think they should throw the event.” She laughed. “That would be funny, don’t you think?”

  “If I was throwing the event, and so was she?” I laughed with her. “Yeah.” I looked at her. “We really get to keep playing?”

  “Claary, let me put it this way: if you told me you would stop playing after becoming a citizen, you’d be my permanent slave next week.”

  I laughed. I thought she was joking, or perhaps making a point, but I hugged her. “I’m glad.”

  “I wish I’d known you didn’t know that,” she continued. She caressed my cheek. “Answer a question for me. Did you like being Jessla’s?”

  “It was diff
erent. Yes, I did. If you made me pick between the two, I think what she had me do was maybe more important, but I’ve been a lot happier as yours.”

  “I’d probably rotate you,” she said. “Or give you two colors.”

  “You can do that?”

  “I can. Give yourself to me for a week, and we can try it. It’s hard. It’ll have to be an event that’s easy for me to win. Queen Lisdee has two slaves that are three colors, but I’ve never been able to do that.” She smiled. “She’s talking about coming for a visit, maybe in a year.”

  “Will I meet her?”

  “She’s expressed interest.” She barked a laugh. “Interest. That’s not the right word. I believe her words were, ‘I can finally meet this woman you keep mentioning’.”

  “Will I like her?”

  “I don’t know. That’s the wrong question. You’re going to be fascinated and impressed. She never stops thinking, analyzing. But then she grows still and then will say something no one else considered. She’s fascinating to watch.”

  “She sounds like she’s hard on her slaves.”

  “No. Not hard. They’re utterly devoted to her, and not just from the magic.”

  I considered. “She’s said more than that about me, hasn’t she?”

  “She may have asked how to convince you to accept a challenge.”

  “You’re doing it again, Olivia. She may have asked?”

  “In this case, it’s appropriate. I’m not sure she really asked. I don’t remember the exact words. I got the impression she wanted to know how to lure you into a challenge.”

  “Would she try to make it permanent?”

  “Only if she thought she’d get more from you belonging to her than staying here. She is always looking to wring the most from the resources available.”

  “If she comes, and I’m available to say this, I’ll accept any challenge she wants. However, I would rather have a real chance. If I don’t have a real chance, or if I won’t learn something, then I don’t want to pretend.”

  “Noted.”

  “Tell me she doesn’t have a thing for sisters.”

  Olivia laughed. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Claary.”

  “Would she?”

  “Not if I asked her not to, or if she understood you had a problem with it. It’s not the same taboo for us. She owns a mother/daughter pair. Well, she owned one, but I’ve been here for a year, so that might have changed.”