Hey, another chapter! Yay! I've been on a roll the past few weeks ... anyway, again please excuse the artistic liberties I've taken here. The first and last sections are in third person while the middle is in first. For the sake of the story, just bear with me; I promise it gets better! But before I encourage you to read on, I must admit that I'm not sure what the deal is with Rose's personality in this chapter. For those of you who are actually reading this, reviews would be greatly appreciated at this point (but by no means required) ... Thanks, and enjoy!
"Good morning, Your Excellency."
The fresh-faced assistant stood in the doorway, ready with the dictator's morning ritual. Frahma went through the motions on auto-pilot, sticking his arms into his bathrobe, slipping his feet into the house shoes and accepting the proferred cup of coffee.
His assistant flitted about, jabbering on while completing his duties.
"And how did you sleep, Excellency?"
"Well," Frahma replied. "How are the preparations coming for this evening?"
"Spectacular, Your Authority!" the slave chimed, nearly toppling a potted plant as he spun around, carrying the coffepot and a stack of mail. "I think you'll really be surprised!"
"And the security measures?"
"Already taken care of!"
Frahma nodded his approval, fighting the biting remark resting at his lips.
The assistant handed over the newspaper and mail, then left to check on breakfast. Frahma headed onto the terrace outside his bedchamber, where he'd grown accustomed to taking his morning meal. He relished the fresh air for a moment, then sat cross-legged at the elegant wrought-iron table to enjoy his coffee and reading material.
He glanced over the newspaper, and finding nothing of interest, turned to his mail. An odd, weather-beaten envelope caught his eye; he broke the seal and began to read.
To the attention of His Royal Authority, Melbu Frahma:
Good day, Your Excellency.
Though I'm sure you've already noticed the recent developments in Human perception of your rule, I find it wholly necessary to inform you of the current state of affairs.
With Humans escaping by the hundreds, and the resistance growing tenfold, it should be painfully obvious that your reign has brought only sadness and despair upon the People. You have caused nothing but widespread pain and torment, Wingly supremacy being a far-flung plague, an ugly scar upon the earth. Though their escape shall only breed more sorrow, they have sanctuary here. Your careless release of me has forged a means of renewal for Humankind, blazing a road to freedom for all those oppressed. For that I thank you.
However I must confess this letter serves a much higher purpose: to warn you-no longer shall Humans be your puppets, forever fated to dance at your whim like gruesome marionettes. No longer shall we be forced into submission, torn down until we break beneath the pressure of your hand. No more shall we suffer in silence. I say now, Melbu Frahma, war is coming to your world. A war so brutal and deadly, even you may not survive.
I sincerely hope this letter finds you well. May you enjoy the current peace in your life, for it won't be long until we shatter it.
Signed,
E. Diaz
Diaz, he fumed silently, crumpling the parchment in his fist. War ... we shall see.
He flung the paper at the trash receptacle. It bounced, rolled around the rim and fell in.
I found myself distracted during practice.
With every jab, slash and counter, Zieg's words buzzed around my head, torturing my brain and throwing me off.
"Hah!"
"Tah! He-yuh!"
My last (and only) attempt at freedom had landed me in the hospital in Mirr. I desperately desired to throw off my chains, to run away from this hell and never look back. I needed to become something other-something greater-than the pathetic creature I knew I was. But I was afraid it wasn't possible. I wasn't strong enough to endure the hardships awaiting those who escaped.
"Oh! Tah!"
"Rah! Hah!"
But again, Zieg's words ... No, not just his words. The way he'd looked at me when he said them, the look of a madman, desperate with longing, with need. But somehow, he wasn't nearly as foolhardy as he seemed. Those eyes like blue steel burned with fervor, a hunger for a world that didn't exist, but a passion to make that world come to fruition. He truly believed he needed my help, and I couldn't figure out why.
"Yah-ah! Touche!"
"Damn it!"
I flung my rapier away, tore my mask off and collasped to the ground, hands pressed to my eyes like they would somehow stop the anguish. I felt the urge to cry, but what good would come of spilling tears over freedom? They wouldn't make me free, so I just sighed instead and sank back against the brick wall enclosing the space. The coolness of the masonry refreshed me and I regained a shred of composure.
Toan dropped his rapier, though, and ran to me, probably afraid I'd been hurt. He looked relieved when he found me healthy.
"Are you all right?" he asked slowly, as though he might be afraid of the answer.
I considered telling him my dilemma, but quickly decided against it. Though Toan was one of the kindest, most genuine men I'd ever known, at his core he was still a Wingly-the enemy. He couldn't be trusted.
"Yeah," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "Yeah, I'm ... fine."
Toan didn't reply right away; he just moved closer and removed his own gear: first his mask, then his gloves.
"Rose, you've been training with me for three years, and you're good," he said. He sat down next to me, pulling one knee up and leaning back. "Really good. Good enough to fight professionally."
I laughed. It sounded hollow. "Are you implying I should be a Coliseum warrior?"
"No! No, I meant you should quit your nanny position. You should come work with me."
His statement, so honest and enduring and forthright, sent me whirling from the balmy summer evening into the coldest depths of Kashua. Though I'd always been upfront about my station in life, never before had its reality struck me so deeply. In that little garden, tucked carefully away from wandering eyes, I was a free woman and slavery didn't exist at all; then I'd re-enter the monotony and go on with my life.
Tonight, though, Toan had blended my two worlds so irrevocably I'd never again seperate them. I wasn't sure I could forgive him for it.
"I can't exactly quit, Toan," I said, fighting the bitterness dripping from the words. "Urele owns me."
He looked at me strangely, like he had forgotten I was a slave.
"Shoot," he said, quietly, turning away. "That's right." I swear I heard disappointment in his voice.
He slipped an arm around my shoulders and we sat there like that, nothing between us but silence. The sun was sinking slowly beyond the hills, spraying a haze of purple and orange across the sky. Again I was struck with the truth of my existence; only after dark, in hidden gardens and secret meetings, could I be free. Somewhere in the distance an owl began to hoot, searching for its mate or its dinner.
"I don't care that you're a Human, you know," Toan said finally.
"You can be killed for that."
"That doesn't matter to me." He grasped my chin and turned my head so I could look at him. "I care about you, Rose."
He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to mine. I felt the urge to close my eyes against his amber gaze. It was like he could stare right into my soul, and I was uncomfortable.
"I was taught not to trust your people," I said. "How will I be sure I can trust you?"
"Let me show you." And Toan pressed his lips to mine.
I let him kiss me, if only because I was too shocked to protest. When he pulled away, it was several seconds before I could react.
"What was that?" I asked, turning to face him.
He blushed and shook his head, but he looked clearly dejected. "Nothing," he said. "Just ... nothing. Forget it."
I nodded slowly, but then it made me wonder ...
"Toan, I've been thinking," I said.
"'Bout what?" He wasn't looking at me. He traced patterns in the dirt with a finger.
"I ... About freedom. I've been considering escape."
"What?"
His head shot up and he turned to me. The pink flush to his cheeks had vanished.
"You can't!" he cried. "You can't escape! It's illegal!"
""But I can't keep on like this. Like I'm nothing ..."
"But you're not nothing, Rose," he protested. "You're an amazing fighter, and you've got a warrior's heart. You can't just give all that up by-"
"I wouldn't be. I'd be giving up my chains, my life as a slave."
"What if the authorities link you back to me? There's no mistaking your technique."
I felt fire rise in my chest at Toan's selfishness. Only a Wingly could worry about his own skin in someone else's nightmare. It made me suddenly bitter again.
"You don't know what it's like," I said, my voice low, the choking, hot sting of tears ripping my words apart. "You'll never know. I can't do it anymore. I need to leave."
"I can't let you do that ..."
"I'm not asking for your permission, Toan."
"You'd be leaving me." He hung his head, rejected. Disappointed. Like a child who'd lost his favorite toy.
I didn't have anything more to say to him. He'd ruined the conversation with his bigotry. I should have known better than to trust a Wingly with such a secret, let alone all the other ones I'd told him over the years. I was suddenly afraid he'd reveal my intentions.
No, my instincts told me. Toan may be a bigot, but he'd never blow the whistle on a scheme he knew could cost me my life.
I avoided his eyes but felt his hot gaze on me like the noonday sun, burning with frustration and pain.
"Just please," he said, his voice full of emotion. "Please ... stay."
I just sat there for a moment, then shook my head slowly. I knew what it must have felt like for Toan to get his answer. Like the world had been pulled out from under his feet ...
"Fine, Rose," he snapped, obviously hurt. "Have it your way."
He pushed angrily away from the wall and stood, not offering me a hand to help me to my feet. He just walked to his bag, removed his gear, and packed up without another word. I stood then, watching him, sure he had just embarrassed himself as much as he had confused and surprised me. And he left the practice area without so much as a wave or a backward glance.
Suddenly saddened and worried I'd lost my only friend in the world, I turned and made my way back to the house, unsure if I'd ever see Toan again, let alone practice with him. But even if his actions had confused me, they made me certain of one thing.
I needed to speak with Zieg again.
I hadn't the time to waste it thinking. Frahma's party started in less than two hours. I had to put the pieces of myself together before then.
So I went looking for Zieg.
Not finding him in the men's quarters or in the backyard where I knew he often pretended to swordfight using tree limbs, I knew there was only one place left he could be. It made perfect sense. With her father's party likely to last well into the night, Urele wouldn't be able to revel in her normal nightly routine. She would need to call on Zieg early.
After developing a half-assed but surefire plan, I made my way to Urele's room, where I pounded on her chamber door, trying to appear as frantic as possible. Moments later, Urele wrenched open the door, wrapped in a sheet. Somehow she managed to look elegant in it, like a flowing pink toga, but the look of disgust on her face ruined the whole image.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
I saw Zieg over her shoulder; he clambered about in the bed, as if he couldn't decide whether to hide himself entirely or just his genitals. I paused for a second then, gathering my bearings. This would only work if done right. I sighed and spoke.
"It's Master Thayus, Mistress," I said, hoping I sounded nothing but deeply concerned. "He requires your urgent attention. Something about the children."
Urele grunted in disgust, shot a look over her shoulder at Zieg, then grumbled something under her breath about Dorian always needing her most when she was 'busy.'
"Where is he?" she asked.
"I'm not certain," I replied carefully. "I received the news from a messenger. Perhaps he's at work today?"
Urele grumbled again as if she were thinking aloud, then hugged the sheet a little closer.
"Out of the way, Rose!" she snapped, shoving past me.
She stormed down the hall, the sheet billowing behind her and flying open just enough to reveal her bare buttocks. I wondered if she had every intention of walking into his public office wearing nothing but a bed sheet, then remembered I had more important matters at hand and turned back to Zieg.
He sat upright in the bed now, bare-chested with a blanket tucked closely around his waist and looking quite guilty. I couldn't understand why he felt remorseful, unless it was because he actually enjoyed what he'd been doing. I, however, fought to make my brain work properly; it seemed to struggle with the fact that Zieg was naked beneath those sheets.
What a trivial notion, I thought, mentally chastising myself, but my mind resisted. I clearly noticed Zieg no longer sported the lustful expression he'd worn in previous encounters with me. An unfamiliar emotion bubbled up. Was I ... jealous ...?
I blurted my question before I had a chance to collect my thoughts.
"Why do you want to escape?"
Zieg looked at me incredulously. "I ... is ... is th-that ..." He cleared his throat, clearly fighting nervousness and embarrassment. "Is that a serious question?" His voice squeaked like a pubescent boy's.
I nodded, forcing myself to look at him and not avert my eyes, as I wanted so badly to do.
"Because," Zieg replied, shortly. "You do realize that Urele will probably whip us both when she discovers your lie, don't you? Thayus isn't at work today. Frahma declared it a ... a national holiday."
"I want a real answer," I said, ignoring his pronouncement. "Now give me one."
"I was born free, as all Humans should be."
"And why do you think that?"
"Because it's how Soa intended it!" he cried, growing visibly frustrated. "Didn't we talk about this already? Besides, you'd better get out of here before Urele gets back!"
"Why?" I snapped. "Afraid your of your Wingly girlfriend?"
He narrowed his eyes and I saw him fighting to hold his anger in check. It amused me and I just shook my head, refusing to leave until I had answers to my questions.
"I just want to know what's so great about freedom that you'd leave a life like this. We don't exactly have it rough, Zieg."
"You've got to be kidding-"
So maybe he doesn't enjoy it ...
"-you think I want to continue to subject myself to this humiliation on a daily basis?"
I shrugged nonchalantly, knowing it was probably a rhetorical question.
"Well I don't. I would give anything to be anywhere else right now. I have to get out." I saw him dart a glance at the clock.
"When are you leaving?" I asked.
"Tonight."
"How do you know?"
Zieg reached down, off the side of the bed. The covers shifted and I quickly looked at the floor, not wanting to see something I wasn't intending to.
"Here," he said. I looked up to see him holding a small piece of paper. I moved forward to take it and immediately discovered it was a newspaper ad. It read:
DEAREST Z-:
In response to your last note, I
admire your zeal. We must meet.
Come celebrate His Excellency's birthday with me!
You'll find me in the city park, nearest the patrol station.
I'll be wearing white. Hope to see you soon!
Love, D-
The more I looked at the ad, the more I came to understand how Zieg had been communicating with the man. I was silent for a time, trying to decipher the ad's hidden message. I could almost hear the seconds tick by as I wasted more time.
It's easier just to ask him, I thought and looked up.
"Have you figured this out?" I asked.
"Some," he replied. "Diaz told me the ad would contain a reference to a meeting spot. I'm assuming that's what the city park means, but it's nowhere near the patrol station."
"And Diaz must be wearing white, right?"
Zieg shrugged. "I guess. Then what does the patrol station reference mean?"
My brain suddenly fired, and I smiled.
"The authorities' uniforms are white," I said. "They must be coming dressed as a patrol guards."
"Great!" Zieg exclaimed, but his expression was far from eccstatic. "Now that you've figured that out, you need to leave," he said.
I ignored him, knowing we had more time; there were questions yet to be answered.
"What are you going to do when you get out?" I asked.
And there it was, the philosophical question of the century. Zieg looked at me like I suddenly possessed three heads. I only raised my eyebrows, prompting him.
"I ... I'm ... not sure," he said quietly. "But really, you should leave now. I don't want Urele to come back and punish us for talking."
"I'm not done," I said, perhaps a little too coldly. Zieg rolled his eyes. "How can you risk escaping when you have no idea what you're going to do once you're free?"
The notion of leaving without a goal in mind other than simple freedom was foreign to me. I'd had a plan the last time I left; it hadn't worked out, but I'd had one. Perhaps that was where I went wrong.
"I think you're missing the point," Zieg said. "It's about the freedom itself. It's always been about the freedom. I don't care if I end up eating shit, as long as I'm free to do it."
I fought the urge to laugh, as he was painfully serious.
"So it doesn't matter?" I tried to wrap my mind around the idea, but it only sent me spinning into oblivion.
"No, not at all."
"And you have no idea what's going to happen to you once you get out there? I mean ... if you get out."
He didn't counter my doubt. Instead, he was just honest. "If I did, Rose," he said, "I don't think I'd be here. I'd be one of those fortune-tellers out in the marketplace."
"But-"
"Soa's balls, please ..."
Zieg rolled his eyes again, then turned them to the clock. I watched him visibly wince as he saw how much time had already passed.
"Come on, Rose." He practically begged me now. "Please leave."
He was right. I had pressed my luck far enough.
"But what about you?" I asked.
"I'll take your punishment too. Just go."
I turned, but suddenly I couldn't make myself move forward. It was like my brain had stopped working again, as if it were holding my body hostage to entertain its own whims. It wasn't like me to consider another slave's plight, but there was something about Zieg... I shook my head and turned back around.
"I won't," I said. "Not unless you come too."
Zieg grinned and practically leapt out of the bed. I hid my eyes while he hastily yanked his pants on, and we were out the door as Urele rounded the corner, still clutching the sheet around her naked body.
"Hey!" she screamed as Zieg and I tore down the hall.
She attempted to run after us but luckily tripped on her makeshift garment. I knew she'd continue her pursuit once she'd dressed, so we didn't stop until we reached the back patio door. Looking for a place to hide, I grabbed Zieg's arm and jerked him into the generator room.
It was a tight, cramped space where the generator poured forth the magic to operate the gadgets in the Thayus house. Zieg and I barely fit, my back against the wall and our bodies pressed together. Almost instantly I felt perspiration on my brow. The musky scent of Zieg's sweat lingered in the air but the pungent odor of sex was thankfully absent. I fought the urge to ask him about it.
The top of his head nearly brushed the ceiling, but he stood erect, grinning down at me like some creepy stalker. I frowned and shoved him a little, but he only bounced off the generator and smacked back into me. I glared at him. He shrugged sheepishly.
It wasn't long before footsteps thudded down the hallway outside the door and vaguely, I heard Urele screaming at someone.
"I can't believe it! I can't!" Urele cried. "I should've known better than to buy that stupid monkey!"
Zieg jumped, clenching his fists. A muscle in his neck twitched.
"They tricked me! Those ignoramuses tricked me," the Wingly empress wailed on. "Her, of all the slave bitches! Of all of them! She led him away and now they're probably off fucking together somewhere!"
Zieg made a move toward the door, but I laid a hand on his chest to stop him. His heart was racing. I pressed a finger to my lips, urging him to stay silent and invisible.
"I know, dearest, I know-" Dorian's tired voice now. "-calm down. We'll find them, and when we do, they'll get their just punishment. Really, we should be getting ready for your father's celebration right now, not worrying over a couple of slaves."
Urele continued to carry on, with Thayus incessantly trying in vain to calm her. Their voices grew quieter until they faded altogether. I assumed they'd gone into another part of the house, probably to get ready for the party. Zieg made a move toward the door, but I grabbed his arm.
"It isn't safe yet," I said. "We should wait until they leave."
He paused for a moment, then relaxed and nodded his agreement. He knew it was foolhardy to do anything right away. So there we remained, cramped and sweating in the sweltering heat of the generator room, until I heard the faint buzz of the teleporter. The silence that followed afterward indicated the absence of the Thayus family.
Cautiously, Zieg and I stepped from the room, relishing the fresh air and open space. Zieg stretched his shoulders as I peeked around the corner. The house was empty. We'd gotten lucky.
"We'd better round up the others," he said. "It's almost time."
"You mean you," I corrected, turning around. "I'm not coming."
"You're kidding, right?" Zieg said flatly. "After all that, and you're not gonna come?"
I understood Zieg's frustration. I'd felt it only hours earlier, speaking with Toan. I like to think reason and practicality tore at my emotion, but I knew the real reason for my hesitation: fear. I dreaded the unknown, and freedom was the biggest uncertainty I could ever face. Beyond my own fear, though, was another concern. Tonight just wasn't the right time. If I left tonight, I might never see the children again.
I looked away. "I can't," I said.
"Why not? Why did you just ask me all those questions and then decide?"
"I just had to know. I didn't want to expose you unnecessarily..."
"You already have!"
"But the children ..."
"Let Urele learn how to be a mother, for Soa's sake!" Zieg reached forward and grasped both my shoulders, leaning down to meet me face-to-face. Then, he lowered his voice.
"I said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not leaving without you, Rose."
He looked me straight in the eyes, only it wasn't as unnerving as it had been with Toan. Somehow, Zieg's gaze calmed me, reassured me that everything would be okay if I would only trust him ...
"Round up the others," I said. "I'll think about it."
With only minutes to go before his grand entrance, His Royal Authority Melbu Frahma sat at the carved rosewood desk in his office, elbows propped on its surface, fingertips touching in a teepee. A man stood before him, one tall and muscly in build, Human in breed. According to the gate guard, he'd come with valuable intel, news of dire importance to the Wingly emperor.
"What information could you possibly have that requires such immediate attention?" Frahma asked, his voice icy with indifference. "They're holding my birthday party in the ballroom, and I must be there in ten minutes."
The man bowed. "Your Excellency, I bring you news of a potential escape orchestrated by your former slave, Diaz."
"Is that so? Interesting ..."
"Yes, Your Authority. But the most fascinating part of it is the participants. Nearly all of them plan to run tonight, during the celebration of your birthday ..."
"Go on," Frahma purred.
"... from your daughter's household."
Feld ..., Frahma thought immediately, but he was careful not to betray his emotions. His lips curved upward in a wicked smirk.
"Indeed," he said, leaning forward again. "I desire your assistance, then."
"Anything."
"Make certain they fail in their endeavor," Frahma said coolly. "Don't allow them out alive. Lock the doors, set traps-kill them all, if you must, but don't allow them to get away."
"Yes, Your Excellency," the man said. He bowed deeply, then turned and left, headed in the direction of the Thayus residence.
Through the huge picture window in his office, Frahma watched the man trot away, then stood and moved to the looking glass, where he straightened his robes and inspected his appearance.
I promised I would get you, he thought. And this time you won't get away ...
