by Hotter Edge
The baby constricted in a hard ball beneath her hand, as if sensing Lake's distress.
He smiled at her. “Well, really what did you expect? I couldn't let you go, but I see your worry. Let me reassure you.”
He nodded to the two men across the room. They were by her side in a flash. In one move they had her out of bed and her nightgown ripped off. Each man held her arm as she struggled, but it was of no use.
Syon walked behind her. She could feel his fingers tracing Hudson's name tattooed on her back. “I see your late husband spared no expense. The craftsmanship of the Mark is excellent. Not many masters in the field left. It must've been hard for them to stare at all those naked women and not be able to touch any of them. Women, women everywhere, but never enough for a poor, old Marker. For me, that would never have been a problem.”
His hand came around and twisted her sensitive nipple.
She gasped.
“These large breasts and grotesquely swollen belly are disgusting to me. I prefer…it doesn't matter, but I want you to know you’re safe from me in that regard. I'll never be that kind of husband to you.”
Lake looked up at one of the men detaining her. He didn't seem to be of the same mind as her soon-to-be husband. His stare lingered on her breasts. His nostrils flared, mouth parted. Lake broke her gaze and focused ahead trying to find courage from somewhere deep inside.
But animalistic fear quivered through her legs, and her knees would’ve buckled if not for her captors.
“Too bad this work of art on your back will have to be crossed out. But that's the custom.” A loud hiss sounded from behind her. Black fingers of panic clawed at her brain. It took every ounce of control she'd learned as a Rebel to swallow her screams. Screaming wouldn't help. She knew Syon would just enjoy it all the more.
“Since husbands come and go, I like to have a little more permanence to my brands. Leave a little something of me behind.”
There was a grating sound of metal on wood.
“Lake, as I welcome you into the family, you have to understand we all have jobs to do.”
He was close, voice sickly-soft, sending her muscles into constriction.
“I make boys into men, and you make microbiotics. So, Lake, if you survive, let this be a reminder to you…we all need to perform.”
A burn so hot it went cold sunk deep into her skin. Her body convulsed as vomit spewed across the room.
The last thing she remembered was the most visceral and inhuman-like sound that she’d ever heard.
Chapter Eight
Vonn peered around the pile of trash and wooden crates to make sure Hudson was still there. Yep, still there talking to that soldier man. Though he didn't look like a soldier, he tried really hard to look like a poor farmer, but Vonn knew. Vonn had seen his gun, he might not have any of those bullet thingies that went into them, but only soldiers had guns.
Vonn squatted back down and continued drawing with his stick in the dirt. If Hudson found him here, Hudson would beat him for sure. Vonn was supposed to be at home watching their camp. That used to be the healer lady’s job, but Hudson had finally told her to go back to her father. Vonn was so glad. He’d hated the healer lady. Yeah, she fixed Hudson up, but she also took the place of Lake. Had even helped Hudson see color again, but Lake was supposed to be the only one getting naked with Hudson, not her. Yeah, Hudson didn’t think he knew, but Vonn was quiet like a shadow and sneaky like a snake. Or at least he was most of the time.
Vonn sighed and gritted his teeth. Stupid Hudson. How many times had Vonn told Hudson that they needed to go and get Lakie? How many times had he said Lakie might die if they didn't do something? But Hudson hadn’t listened. He'd just walk away, and when Vonn kept following him, Hudson got angry and said that if he mentioned Lake's name one more time then Hudson would leave Vonn with the old man and not look back.
That had shut Vonn up. He hated the old man and his daughters. The old man smelled funny, and the daughters kept making him take a bath. The only one who could tell him to take a bath was Lakie, well, Lakie and Hudson, since Hudson had finally picked Vonn up, kicking and screaming and thrown him into the river, almost killing him with a bar of soap.
Vonn crawled on his hands and knees to look at Hudson again. He wished Hudson would hurry up. It was boring sitting here waiting, but he didn’t want Hudson taking off without him. Vonn had found a pack of boys who didn't seem to have any moms or dads to make them take a bath. They pretty much ran the streets stealing food and whatever else they could find. Vonn never stole, but he liked to run with the boys. They taught him things that Hudson never would, like how to fight and how to disappear into a shadow. Hudson wanted him to know stupid stuff like the growing season of the apio vegetable and where to find the most clams.
The soldier man looked like he was ready to leave. Vonn wondered if he were a Rebel or not. Pretty sure he was. Hudson seemed to hate the Elders even more than Lake had.
Again the thought of Lake did something funny to his stomach. How long had it been? He wasn't sure, but when they'd taken Lakie it was hot, now it was chilly in the mornings and at night.
Someone grabbed his shirt from behind. Vonn turned around swinging.
"What the hell are you doing here?”
Vonn's heart sank. It was Hudson and by the way the line between his eyes got deeper, Vonn knew he was mad.
“I…I…”
Hudson shook him. “What is wrong with you, boy? Do you want to get killed? Portal City is no place for a boy. You could get taken, sold into the training camps or worse.”
Vonn wasn't sure what could be worse, but he was smart enough not to ask. He decided to go for the sweet look he'd seen some of his friends use on the older women when they’d got caught. He made his eyes go all wide and stuck out his lip. “I missed you.”
Hudson's eyes went even squintier as he shook Vonn, letting his feet dangle in the air. “If I were a better parent, I'd beat you. As it is, you’re going to be putting in extra hours pulling weeds.”
Vonn shook his head. He'd rather be beat.
“And…” Hudson dipped in closer and took a sniff. His face screwed up all gross like. “By the goddesses, I thought that was you. You are going to take a bath. With soap. You understand?”
Vonn nodded, but showed he wasn't beat by adding a glare of his own.
Hudson dropped him and grunted a laugh. “Goddess, you looked just like Lake when you scowled like tha...”
Hudson's voice trailed off, and then he quickly turned and started walking away.
Vonn scurried to his feet, the threat of a bath and extra chores forgotten. He hurried after Hudson. “You remember? You remember my sister? I knew you would. I knew you couldn't forget her for long. She is going to be so happy to see us when we go and get her. Mad at first because we took so long, but after we tell her what happened, she'll be so happy. And—”
“Enough!” Hudson raised his hand for silence. “I don't remember. Not really. Just snippets. Not enough to really remember. Hell, I don’t even remember getting you, except you were there when I woke up and wouldn’t leave.”
Vonn wasn't going to quit. For the first time since the siege his heart seemed all light in his chest. This was the most Hudson had ever talked about his sister. “But you do remember at least a little bit? That's enough. Enough to go and get her. I'm sure once you see her. You'll remember how much you loved her—”
Hudson skidded to a stop and grabbed Vonn by the shirt collar. “Never again! Do you hear me? Never again are you to mention that I loved your sister. Whatever it was I felt could not have been love. That was obsession. That was a sickness. And I know you don't understand now, but a man doesn't give up everything he has for one woman, unless he's under some sort of spell.” He shook Vonn again. “Was that it? Was your sister some type of sorceress who had casted a spell over me?”
Vonn shook his head. He had no idea what a sorcerer was, but he knew Lakie wasn't that.
“I just...I just
...”
“Tell me, boy. Tell me or I promise I'll make everyday a living hell for you if you keep secrets from me.”
Vonn swallowed and blinked away the burning sensation in his eyes. “I just know that you were happy. That's all. When you were with her, you were happy.” And he had been. This Hudson after Lakie was nothing like the Hudson with Lakie. This Hudson was angry, liked to hit things, yelled a lot. The other Hudson had never raised his voice. The other Hudson laughed.
Hudson's face drooped, and his eyes turned sad. He released Vonn, straightened out his shirt, and then continued walking.
“You’re right, Vonn. I'm sorry. Whatever went on between us, she was your sister. And I know that you loved her.”
Vonn nodded, but decided he'd better start talking about something else. “Are we going to Dark Planet?”
Hudson shot a quick look around, then down at Vonn. “Be careful what you say.”
Vonn got hurt. He was no baby to talk about Dark Planet in front of anyone. Hudson should know him better than that. He'd basically grown up on Dark Planet, well sorta, for a short time after his parents had been killed. He barely remembered his parents. Lakie had never talked about them. Lakie and Hudson were the only family he'd ever known. And no matter what Hudson said, Vonn knew Hudson would be so happy once he saw Lake. Vonn just had no idea how to get them together.
Hudson rechecked the area around them. They were walking down the road that headed out of Portal City. Most people wouldn't start back until later this afternoon. They had the road all to themselves. “No. At first I wanted to, but the Rebellion needs some good men here to keep an eye on the Elders. Plus, if I left now it would raise too many red flags.”
Vonn noticed Hudson's use of the word I and not we. He blinked back that burning sensation again, refusing to give in. He looked down at his feet and kicked a lone rock.
“Hey,” Hudson ruffled his hair, “don't look so glum. I'm thinking of setting up a farmer’s stand. I figured I was always good at growing things and people need to eat. I bet there’d be a good market for Black Creek clams. What do you say, you help me? Plus, no one expects a farmer's son to be clean, so you won't have to take as many baths.”
And just like that Vonn's heart had wings because not only did Hudson call him “son,” but Hudson said they’d be staying in Portal city. And Portal city was the one place where all the Elders came sooner or later. And if he had to wait for Lakie then the best place he could wait was Portal city.
Chapter Nine
Two months later…
“Push, damn you!” Someone screamed in her face. Probably her husband. Then he slapped her. Most definitely her husband. “You're going to lose this baby if you don't do your job and push.”
Lake felt like she'd been screaming for days. Probably had. When had she gone into labor? She couldn't remember. There’d just been days of red haze and pain. Days where she pushed and pushed, but nothing happened. Now, now she was just tired. Her husband's slaps didn't even faze her. Didn't he know she'd already been severed in half? She was beyond his abuse. Now all she wanted to do was sleep.
“Maybe give her some water, Elder Syon. She's been in labor for days. She needs a little food, a slight rest, before going at it again,” said a woman’s soft voice in the dark.
Lake had forgotten her midwife was even in the room. A group of Elders, a bunch of old sun-spotted men with yellow teeth, had come in with her husband for the birth. At first she hadn't wanted them there, too embarrassed to have a handful of men examining the development between her legs. Now she didn't give a damn.
Someone gave her some water, wetted her forehead with a cold cloth. The room was dark and stank of sweat and blood.
“Fine, rest,” Syon said. “Gather your strength. This is the last push. Your last chance.”
She didn't even nod just let her head lull to the side. Rest, yes. That was what she needed. She tried to find the quiet space where nothing but blackness and numbness existed. Her mind threw images against the back of her eyelids of a little boy with white hair and blue eyes. Of a man's laugh that sounded like flowing water over smooth rocks. Of rows and rows of green plants waiting to be harvested.
“She's out cold again. I'm not sure she's going to make it,” said another voice in the distance. Everything sounded so far away it was hard to know if she was dreaming or not.
“This is a hard birth,” said the midwife. “Most women wouldn't have made it this far. The boy's too big, and her hips are too narrow.”
“It’s a girl, and she'll make it!” Lake recognized the voice. Her husband. Well, not her real husband, but her husband now. “This baby is the one mentioned in the Prophesy. This baby is the symbol the people are looking for. If we control the symbol, we control the people.”
“If it's a female,” said a harsh voice that had deepened with age. “You've been wrong before Syon. We've all suffered under your zealous fanaticism. That’s why the Rebellion started in the first place. People were beginning to question the mortality rate of female infants. If they knew there was truth to some of these rumors we’d have a full scale revolt on our hands. One we’d never be able to quell.”
“Trust me. It will all be worth it,” Syon said. “This has to be the baby. The time for the Prophesy is correct. Look at the mother, white hair, blue eyes. The brother had the same coloring. Almost unheard of in this day and age. The girl child must come from this line. We can't afford to be wrong.”
There was some rustling farther away. The sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. “We could always cut her open and get the baby,” said another man. “Stop all this nonsense.”
“I would prefer to keep my wife alive or have you forgotten she’s the only one who's been able to formulate the microbiotics. If she dies, we’ll get the baby, but I'm not willing to cut until there's no other option.”
Lake tried, tried really hard to get her strength. She was going to tell them they couldn't take her baby, but it was hard to know if they were real or just voices in the mist. Was this really happening or had she died already?
She’d sleep just for a moment, just enough to gather her strength.
A sharp smell stung her nose. When she opened her eyes her husband was waving a small capsule under her nose. “Wake up, Lake, it’s time to push. This is it. This time, I'm sure the baby’s ready.”
Two men pulled her into a sitting position, each one grabbing a leg. A pressure that had been like a fire fist-deep in her back finally traveled lower so she could get behind and push her baby out.
“Bear down. There you go. One more time just like that,” said the midwife as she gave her hand for Lake to squeeze.
Lake dug deep, closed her eyes, and saw the light wavy hair of Hudson, the same autumn gaze she'd fallen into more than once. “Please be a boy,” she whispered, “please be a boy.” And pushed with everything she had left.
A baby's cry filled the air, cementing a connection that went bone deep inside of Lake.
“It's a...boy,” Syon said, bewilderment coloring his words.
“A boy?” Someone else asked.
Lake's heart lurched, and she lifted her arms toward her baby. “Let me see him, please let me have him.”
Syon's face was drawn, his mouth slack as he stared at the screaming baby boy in his hands. “I don't understand. I thought...”
“You thought wrong, Syon.” The oldest man with the sunken in face and sharp eyes wagged his finger at Syon. “You thought wrong again.”
The three men shook their heads and left in disgust. Lake couldn't have been happier.
“Please,” she whispered. “Let me see my son.”
Her husband's face went red, jaw clenched, and for a moment she thought he’d harm her baby, but whatever violence went through his mind he quickly got it under control. He wrapped the infant in a blanket and placed him in her arms.
Then as if he couldn't stand the sight of the domestic bliss of mother and son, he turned in disgust and left the
room.
Lake's hand shook as she pulled back the blanket to take the first peek at her son. His faced was scrunched up and a red, tiny fist waved around trying to find his mouth. Lake could already tell who he would take after, with dark, maple eyes, a strong chin, and a pair of ears she hoped he’d grow into, he was the spitting image of his father. His tiny, red mouth opened and closed as he rubbed his face against her breast. Quickly, she undid her shirt and watched in wonder as her child's mouth found its way around her nipple. It wasn't until drops of water wetted the soft brown tuff on his head that she realized she was crying.
It was in that moment she finally found what she believed in. It wasn't the Rebellion and a chance at the New Republic. It wasn't in a husband, new or old. Not in romantic love or those soft feelings she still longed for at night. It was the hope in her new child and the absolute, iron-forged desire to protect him.
Eight months had gone by since the siege. It was time she accepted the fact that Hudson and Vonn were dead. There was no one coming to get her. It was her and her baby boy against the world. Time she started acting like it.
“The boy is special,” the woman said.
Lake startled. She hadn’t realized she wasn’t alone. She looked up into the light gray eyes of the midwife. Her skin was pale and loose, lips creased with a thousand worries.
“Of course he is. He’s beautiful.”
The old woman smiled. “That husband of yours is a cruel man. That’s why I didn’t let on that the baby was a male at first. I was afraid of what he’d do. But he’s also smart. I had no idea he knew as much about the Prophesy as he let on. But he was wrong about one thing. The boy is connected to the Prophesy, just not in the way that he expected.”