Chapter two: Night with the Emperor
It's bath night. I get to use the large tub and scour my body with scented soaps and wash my hair and oil and moisturize my skin. I feel luxurious; this is the first time I feel sexy. I like that word the way it rolls off of the tongue and the way it sounds to the ear pleasing and holding a hint of eroticism. I have to get out after a while there is someone knocking. I dry off and put on a robe. After I am covered I am guided to the bed room. It will be a while, I must always be waiting. I dry my hair more. I like the smell of it when it falls to my shoulders. It is that time. He will be coming soon; I must prepare.
I go somewhere when he is inside me, on top of me breathing me in like a rejuvenating fragrance. He can hardly function properly. Sometimes if he is tired someone comes in and moves his body back and forth to keep things moving. I don't care I'm not there.
Amano and I meet after the track meet; we are the last to leave for the might. He's captain of the team, I like that. He asks me to wait, he runs to catch up. I'm headed for the showers. He talks at first, he's nervous blushing even. I don't remember much of what he said I just remember that first kiss. I felt his mouth on mine and his tongue moving around in my mouth with my tongue. He was the first boy I ever kissed. I liked it. We didn't part ways; we went back to the showers together. He snuck me in and I hid in a stall. I remember his hand sand his kiss and the warm water running down my skin. I liked his long hair; he scrubbed my back and rubbed my sore body. I'm there with him that first time when I'm with the emperor. When he touches my body I don't feel it, any meeting of flesh or fluids is beyond me.
I snuck Amano back to my apartment that night. I didn't tell Yukari; I knew she'd understand. I pull him into bed with me, I'm wearing his large t-shirt as a nightgown and we hold each other and talk until there is nothing to say and we fall asleep. I love him, my Amano.
Another cycle has come and gone; I am still not pregnant. I don't really care, but they are impatient they don't understand why. One month passes the same, two months pass, and then three. Still I am with Amano at night in my apartment back on Earth. Then it happened. I woke up and was summoned before breakfast; they had brought in a specialist. He was a tall man with blonde hair and a lean frame. He was professional, he examined my vitals, took my blood, ran his tests; there was nothing wrong with me; but he could not imply that there was instead something wrong with the emperor. Surely he would be killed. News came soon after that two earth women had given birth to healthy children and the spotlight fell on me. I was an it and it was my fault. I'm not trying hard enough I could hear them whisper. The specialist felt sorry for me. We were alone one day, something that rarely happened.
"I could help you." He said quickly. I looked at him through the eye slit. He was serious. "It's not your fault, I know that and you know that." He was handsome, but something inside me said no.
"That's okay I'll keep trying," what was I thinking the Emperor could never get me knocked up; but I felt like a trader for even thinking about the offer. If I slept with a man not my husband and not my forced captor then would it be wrong? I felt sick inside.
Spring came and I had a new walking partner; a cat girl. She was short and bouncy. She talked and I listened, though she talked about nothing really; it was still nice to here someone talk. I guess they didn't like that though she didn't last long. What was her name? I remember now it was Merle. I had liked her company she knew the runner; the one I could see from my window. He would wave or give a quick smile every now and then, but only because she was there. I still see him now and then. His name was Van; and he did a little bit of everything. It was his punishment to serve. His family had been part of a resistance faction during the destiny wars and now he was a slave.
"A slave." I said, just like me. I was summoned in the spring time, still no baby. It was then that I became aware. I was sitting in the first wife's parlor, she was pacing.
"I know he is old. I know you are not from here; but I cannot have a baby unless you do." She said. I could see something of panic in her eyes, in her movements. Was there a party behind the scenes putting pressure on her or was it her own biological clock ticking as mind was? I felt sorry for her. I almost wish I could get pregnant. I wanted to help her. And then she said it the first breaking point in my comfortable illusion. "I didn't want to tell you this, because it is a cruel thing to do." She began. She bit her fake nails. "He's dead you know. The man you were with." I felt something silently shatter inside of me.
"What?" I ask; she must have misspoken.
"He's dead; your mate." She said it again. It stung at first but it couldn't be true could it? "I'm telling you this because I have seen you, like you go somewhere when you are with the emperor." It was common knowledge that the wives were allowed to sit in on the fertility ritual. They were even allowed to join but they were repulsed by the thought. I would be if I were them. "It's not a good thing to do." She said shaking her head. "You might go too far away one day and never come back." She said. "I will make you a deal." I was listening now, she had my attention. "If you give me a baby then I will let you see your daughter." She said.
"Aki is here?" I questioned confused. Maybe she too had been taken away that night; it was hard to remember clearly. She nodded.
"I have arranged for you to spend time with a man; a man I have chosen because I own him too." She said it like we were carry on baggage. "Will you agree?" She asked. I wasn't sure.
"I need some time to think about it." I said. She shook her head.
"No I need to know now." Her voice grew scared as though this was a meeting that wasn't officially happening and wasn't suppose to. I regretted it in that very second.
"I'll do it." She seemed relieved.
"I'll tell you more later. Now go and speak of this to no one." She shoed me away. I fled back to my sanctum and had my breakfast. After wards I met with my walking companion. We walked through the village and down to the river. It was funny when she leaned in and spoke to me.
"I have news from him." She said covertly. I was confused but she continued. "We are working around the clock as we speak to help you. We have a man on the inside." She whispered. We walked some more.
"How will I know him?" I asked. Any news of help was good news.
"You'll know he bares the mark of the dragon clan." Of course I didn't know what that looked like. We returned and parted ways although I was eager to meet with her again tomorrow.
A few days later it happened. The unthinkable. The first wife met me returning from my walk. She ushered me through hidden walk ways and corridors until we were somewhere I had never been before. We may even have left the castle. I walked toward a dimly lit room with a chair and a glass window. She took me to the window and I looked inside. Among several other children I could see her. She was taller now she must have had another birthday. She was wearing a blue dress, her brown hair was in pony tails and she had his eyes. I don't think his name too much now; I'm trying to become detached. I saw her and I began to cry. I didn't know if the first wife could see or hear it, but I fell apart under my blue shroud. They were holding my daughter captiveā¦.no they were holding my heart captive. She was laughing I would have died to hear than melody. After several minutes I was led away. I was panicking but the first wife prevented me from staying; I had to go. I vowed to come back.
I wondered then as I sat on my bed if her blue dress was like my blue dress and my fate hers. Or if the window room was the same set up that was provided for the emperor and I during copulation. She explained it all to me before she departed and left me alone in my hall.
"It's all arranged, I will show you where to go the night after the fertility ceremony. He'll be waiting for you." She said forebodingly. I nodded submissively. I wondered for a brief moment if it was that specialist, but then he wasn't under the first wife's control per say. A servant maybe. My mind tried to remember what some of them looked like, the only complete image I could get was the one of Van the slave like me.
I lie back I want to know that its all a lie, that back on earth Amano is waiting for me and Aki. Damn I said his name; I promised not to say his name.
I remember again. We're there in bed and Aki is scared of the thunder. She crawls in and falls asleep. The thunder continues. I hear it grow louder and louder; it doesn't sound much like thunder to me. Then I think of that night long ago and I go to check the locks on the door. I push aside the bed spread and stand. I walk to the foyer and the front door; it's locked. I head back to bed some of my fear subsiding. Its still there like an itch, that irrational fear. I can't give it a name but I hurry just the same. I crave the comfort of my bed and the safety of my family. Nothing can get me if Amano is there, no boogie men, no ghosts; but then it happens.
Glass shatters through out the house. I see them in suits; like armor. They are kicking at the bedroom door. We're all awake now. Aki is in my Arms as Amano pushes the dresser in front of the door. It doesn't stop them. Amano holds us, he protects us. When they come in through the window in the bedroom he stands in front of us. Like black beetles they fan out and one of them rushes forward slick with rain and slash. Amano falls to the floor. I'm there holding Aki tight we're hiding now in the corner by the bed. Maybe they won't see us; but they do. I hear her scream, she's calling me, and she's scared I can hear the frantic shrill of her voice. We're separated all of us. I struggle I scream, and then it all goes black.
I wonder now; did Yukari get taken. She lived pretty close to us. How many did they say it totaled who knew? The people of Earth would have found out, would have fought back; that's what humans do. They survive. They would have stopped it; but what about us here on this alien world; subject to this punishment? I fall asleep, I don't see Amano, or Aki or Yukari; I am alone. I will survive. I don't forget my vow.
The next day is the same though m walking partner didn't show up so I had to return. The day went by slower. I counted how many more days until the next copulation. Not long. It was never as long as it seemed. This time would be the last time. It had to be or I might die.
