by M. K. Eidem
“A bowlful?!!”
“Yes, Paganus said Bertos always carried some…. Anyway, I’ll get out of your way so you can get dressed in peace... I know you don’t have much time.” Quickly made her way to the cleansing room, making sure she stayed out of his reach.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Leaning back against the cleansing room door Abby clenched a hand to her chest, trying to stop her sobs from escaping. Ynyr was lying to her… why? What was going on? He had been the one thing she could count on when she had been in Torino. He had always been on the other side of that hedge when he said he would be. If he had to miss a day he told her before and why. He had included her in his life and helped her make sense out of how crazy hers had become. He was her refuge. He was her strength. But now he was lying to her and she didn’t know what to do.
He had seemed as surprised to be wearing the kril as she did.
Pushing away from the door, she tried to gather her scattered thoughts. Had Ynyr gotten up during the night and she not realize it? When he woke he had said he had missed her… she thought he had been teasing her and laughed. Had he just returned to bed? But he looked rested…
Why wouldn’t he tell her? That was the thought that kept running through her brain. Why did he think he had to lie to her? Removing her nightgown she tossed it aside and stepped into the cleansing unit, still warm from Ynyr’s shower. Activating it, she tilted her head up letting the water flow over her, hoping it would clear her thoughts as it cleansed her body. After a few minutes she sighed… nope, it wasn’t going to work… her mind was still full of questions.
Had her actions yesterday, her storming into his office, somehow caused him to think she was unable to handle his world? That if he just didn’t tell her things she wouldn’t get upset? Or was it something else?
Stepping out of the cleansing unit she grabbed a towel and began to briskly dry off, moving onto her hair, her movements stilled as she saw the kril on the floor. Leaning down, she carefully picked up what had caused all this pain and confusion. Her eyes filled as a sense of love and acceptance filled her driving out the cold that was trying to take root.
Somehow she knew it was coming from the kril but she didn’t understand how or why. She also realizes that the kril wasn’t what had caused all this pain and confusion, it was her and Ynyr not being honest with each other. That needed to change.
Carefully setting the kril down, she quickly finished drying off and changed into the clothes she had put in the room the night before. Dressed, she picked up the kril again and went to get some answers.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ynyr just stared at the door of the cleansing room. He didn’t know what was going on but he knew he didn’t like it. His Abby had never shied away from his touch before. In the short time they had been together, she had always wanted to be close to him. She had never intentionally put distance between them before. He needed to find out what had happened to change that so he could fix it.
‘How can you fix being a third male?’ a dark, insidious voice whispered in his ear. ‘You were never meant to have a female! Were never meant to rule. Is it any wonder she already regrets Joining with you? Finds your touch offensive? Soon she will leave you and all will know just how unworthy you are!’
“No!” Ynyr shouted spinning to find the source of the voice… but he was alone.
A knock on the doors of the chamber had him moving swiftly towards them. He would end this now! Jerking the doors open he found Paganus.
Paganus jumped back as the doors to the Lord’s resting chamber were suddenly jerked open and an angry Ynyr confronted him.
“What do you think you are doing?!!” Ynyr demanded.
“I… I am bringing the first meal as my Lady ordered, my Lord.” Paganus stuttered. “She stated that you needed to leave shortly and requested it be brought without delay.
Ynyr glanced at the tray Paganus carried and realized his error. Taking a calming breath, he stepped back and gestured for Paganus to enter.
Saying nothing Paganus entered the chamber and put the tray he carried on the table. Quickly he began to gather the platters from the night before. ‘I shouldn’t have jumped.’ Paganus thought to himself. He was used to sudden outbursts, Bertos had them quite often. He just hadn’t expected them from his new Lord. Lord Ynyr seemed so much calmer and in control than Bertos had been. Perhaps he had been mistaken.
Ynyr watched the other male carefully. This male was spending a great deal of time with Abby, more time than Ynyr actually was and if anyone might know what had upset Abby, Paganus would. It grieved Ynyr that he had to ask… it was one thing to speak to Grim or Wray about such things, for they had more knowledge of Earth females than any other male. Yet Paganus had just spent nearly an entire day at the side of his Lady, which was more time than Ynyr had, for Ynyr had wasted his time with her by resting and having crazy dreams.
“Did something happen yesterday that upset my Lady, Master Paganus?” Ynyr began to dress as he spoke.
“Upset her?” Paganus set the plates down with a clatter as he straightened to look at Ynyr.
“Yes. This morning she… she was upset about something.”
“I… well….”
“Speak Paganus!” Ynyr ordered.
“My Lord, besides being disgusted at many of Bertos’ possessions, the only time I saw her upset was when she saw the condition of Trainee Mabon’s face and found out that he had not received treatment. This you know.”
“There was nothing else.” Ynyr demanded.
“No my Lord, although I fear she may become upset once she enters Risa’s rooms.”
“She has not yet seen them?” Ynyr looked above his head. He had not yet seen what was up there either but he could well imagine. He couldn’t believe Abby had not yet explored them.
“No my Lord, she seemed to have… forgotten about them until I mentioned it last evening. She decided to wait until today.”
Ynyr tensed when he heard the cleansing room door open. He would allow no other male to see his Lady without her coverings. Moving quickly to block Paganus’ view his steps slowed as Abby came out of the cleansing room fully covered and carrying the kril.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“A kril…” Paganus’ awed whisper had both Abby and Ynyr’s head swing towards him.
“You know what this is?” Abby demanded, lifting her hands, indicating the kril.
“I…” Paganus’ eyes flew from the kril to Abby. “Well yes, my Lady… although I have never actually seen one. I have only heard tell about them in ancient legends.”
“What legends do you speak of Paganus for I have never heard of a kril in one?”
“It goes back to the time of King Varick, my Lord.” Paganus told him.
“Go on.” Ynyr crossed his arms over his chest and waited.
“The legend tells that after King Varick rescued the Goddess that her mate appeared. He was said to stand head and shoulders above every male there, he was already bloody from battle and wore only a white kril and carried a blazing sword.”
“It doesn’t mention his name?” Ynyr interrupted.
“I… no my Lord, his name was never mentioned.”
“Continue.” Ynyr ordered.
“Yes, my Lord. It was said that when he saw his Goddess in the arms of another male he let out a roar so deafening that the ground trembled, knocking the Warriors off their feet… all but the King who still held the Goddess. When her mate raised his blazing sword to end the King it was the Goddess’ gentle voice calling out to her mate that saved the King. Her mate flung his sword aside and ripped the Goddess from the King’s arms disappearing with her.”
“It was only when the King and his warriors were returning to this very House,” Paganus’ eyes ran over the walls of the room, “that they discovered that the male’s blazing sword had cut a new passage through the mountains.”
“The Blazing Trail.” Ynyr said quietly.
“Yes,” Paganus told h
im, “had it been there before, the King would have reached the Goddess days earlier.”
“But that doesn’t explain how you know it was called a kril.” Abby said her hands clenching the silky material.
“The legend goes on to say that it was later, after the King had found his Queen that the Goddess’ mate returned and gifted King Varick with a golden kril for his assistance in saving his Goddess. It was said that the kril had special powers that when worn not only protected the King, but would make sure he had many fit and worthy offspring because….” Paganus found he couldn’t continue to look at Lady Abby.
“Because?” Abby asked then realized what Paganus was blushing over. If a male wore only a kril there would be little or to nothing to stop him from easily Joining with his female. Something she had discovered earlier. “Oh.” And it was Abby’s turn to blush.
“I would say twelve was many.” Ynyr muttered.
“You are aware of the true number of offspring King Varick had?” Paganus eye flew to Ynyr unable to hide his shock.
“Why wouldn’t he know Paganus?” Abby frowned at him.
“Most, when asked, say King Varick had six offspring… for that was the number of males he had. They have forgotten that he also had females.”
“But why? Females are so important to Tornians.”
“It was not that way in the ancient times Abby.” Ynyr informed her and suddenly realized this was something that Bertos had not put in the educators or something she was unable to process, either way she did not know. His poor little Abby. She was so brave. She wasn’t afraid to ask questions when she didn’t understand something. Was not afraid of what others would think. It was something he needed to learn, especially with her, for he knew she would never think less of him for telling her truth. “In King Varick’s time there were more than enough females and males were deemed more important.”
“This is true,” Paganus agreed with Ynyr. “King Varick’s females were forgotten. Yet not by you.” Paganus raised a questioning eyebrow at Ynyr before he realized what he was doing. “Pardons my Lord.” Paganus quickly bowed his head.
“No pardons are not necessary Paganus. I know about the twelve because…” Ynyr looked to Abby. What would she think… would she believe him?
“Ynyr?” Abby didn’t understand why he was looking at her so strangely.
“I know about this because my manno’s line descends directly from King Varick’s first female, Princess Ori.”
“Truth?!!” Paganus’ eyes widened with shock as they moved to stare over Ynyr’s shoulder. “You descend directly from King Varick?”
“So I have been told.” Ynyr took his eyes from Abby to see what had captured Paganus’ attention. As he did the first full rays of morning broke through the windows of the room and illuminated the bed frame on its opposite side. Inexplicably drawn to it Ynyr let his eyes travel over the frame and felt his heart begin to pound faster.
The carving of the frame, while masterful, was not overly ornate. It was simple but strong and made a statement about who slept in it. If he had seen the frame before Ynyr would have been confused at the ‘J’ carved into the footboard. He now knew the ‘J’ stood for Jacoby the name this House once held. Looking to the headboard, his breath caught, for there, carved in the center of the headboard was a female that so greatly resembled the Goddess that she could only be one person.
“Queen Rawnie.” He whispered and suddenly realized that his dream had not been a dream at all. He had actually met with a God and Goddess. Bowing his head Ynyr silently thanked Rawnie for all she had done.
Abby watched Ynyr slowly approach the bedframe she had instantly fallen in love with. Watched as he took in the craftsmanship that had gone into making it and knew she had made the right decision in keeping it. This was the male she knew and trusted, her place was at his side and she moved to it.
“You know of her?” She asked quietly.
“Some.” Ynyr looked at Abby surprised to find she had moved to his side. “She was once a Goddess, but she gave up her immortality and everything she knew, choosing instead to become King Varick’s Queen.”
“She was truly brave.”
“She was but so are you Abby.” Ynyr turned framing her face with his hands. “You too have given up much to be my Lady.”
“I gave nothing up, it was taken from me.” Abby surprised them both at the bite in her tone.
“This is truth.” Ynyr told her regretfully and watched her eyes begin to fill with tears.
“I’m sorry Ynyr.” Abby leaned forward, rubbing her forehead against his chest, drawing comfort from him. “I know that you had nothing to do with all that.”
“Tornians took you Abby.” Shame filled Ynyr at that fact, even as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “I am Tornian. Therefore, I had something to do with it, especially since I am benefitting from the unfit act, but that does not stop me from thanking the Goddess that you are in my arms. ”
Abby lifted her head, her chin resting on his chest as she looked at him and saw truth in his eyes. He regretted how she got here, but he didn’t regret her being here. “I can agree with that.” She told him, giving him a small smile as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “So it is alright with you if we keep it. It seems to belong here.”
“It does, Ynyr agreed, “and it will be my honor to share it with you… once it has a proper mattress.”
Chapter Eighteen
It was sometime later that Abby stood on the third level, unable to believe what she was seeing. She and Ynyr had sat down to eat first meal together both knowing there were things they needed to discuss when Ynyr’s comm had gone off. There had been a major fight amongst the remaining Warriors and Dai needed to know how Ynyr wanted it handled. Ynyr had immediately left, giving Abby a quick kiss goodbye and promising they would talk later.
Now she stood on the third level looking around in shock. She thought that she had seen in Risa’s area on the Ascension had prepared her for this level. She was wrong. She wasn’t prepared at all.
“What is all this?” Abby questioned, turning to look at Paganus in horror.
“This is all that Risa acquired from giving her gift to the males she Joined with.” He told her.
“Seriously?” Abby walked further into the room at the top of the hidden staircase Paganus had shown her.
“I am always serious my Lady.” Paganus said, frowning at her. He didn’t understand why she would think he wasn’t.
“It’s an Earth expression Paganus.” Abby told him, seeing him frown. “It means different things to different people, but for me it means ‘I can’t believe it’.”
“What is there not to believe?” Paganus asked, looking around the room, finding nothing ‘unbelievable’.
“That any one female could possibly demand so much… receive so much... just to ‘Join’ with a male.” Abby’s eyes traveled over the filled room, to her this boarded on prostitution, or desperation. To take so much… what was left when she decided to leave.
“A female always takes everything a male gives her for her gift. Bertos was Risa’s fifth male.”
“Really? She didn’t seem old enough for that.”
“I believe she was 33 years at her death.”
“I…” Abby didn’t know how to respond to that. “Will you tell me a truth Paganus? Just the truth, whether I like it or not?”
“Of course, my Lady.”
“No Paganus, I need you to really stop and think about this before you answer me. You may not like my questions.”
“My Lady I am here to serve you. If you need truth, I will tell it to you.”
“Even if I do not like it?”
“Will you end my life if you do not?
“No! Never!”
“Then I will tell you truth.”
Abby nodded, understanding what he was saying. “So tell me Paganus, if a female takes everything with her when she leaves what is left behind?”
‘There was neve
r very much, my Lady.” Paganus told her. “But for a male it is enough that his bloodline continues.”
“And this area?” Abby gestured to the room they were in with many chairs, couches placed around the room covered in rich materials and lush pillows. The tables filled with a variety of items, large and small, most of which Abby had no clue what they were.
“This was Risa’s waiting room my Lady. It was where she would remain whenever someone else was on this level.”
“I thought no one else was ever allowed on the female’s level. Only her male.”
“That is true. Bertos was the only male allowed to enter whenever he wished and be alone with her in any room. When a servant would arrive bringing her meals she would wait in here as he arranged the meal in the room where she liked to eat.” Paganus gestured to a door across the room. “She would also remain in here when servants attended to her rooms.”
“Attended to her rooms?” Abby frowned at him.
“Yes, when they cleaned them, made the bed, changed the sheets. She would also use this room when the clothier would come for the fitting of her gowns.”
“I see.” Abby moved across the room, sure she was now ready for whatever was behind the next door…. She wasn’t. “OH… MY… GOD…” she gasped at what was revealed.
While the ‘waiting’ room had been decent sized, this room was as long and wide as the entire second level… including the bedrooms… and it was filled! If Abby wasn’t mistaken to the ceiling in some places.
“Your things my Lady.” Paganus told her quietly.
“I… she…” Abby staggered at what she was seeing… It was like Fort Knox and Louvre combined. Dear God in heaven. What was she supposed to do with all this? She hadn’t realized she had spoken out loud.
“It is for you to enjoy my Lady.”
“Enjoy?!!” Abby all but shrieked. “Enjoy? Paganus I’m a small town girl… never in my life have I… I never even realized…. I…” Abby spun out of the room. “I have to call Lisa!”