Chapter Forty-Four: Gorna Turns Over A New Leaf

Two hours later

The entire meeting hall had long ago cleared, but a shocked Gorna
stayed there alone with Rojal. Rojal put his hand on Gorna's arm.

"Mother, don't worry, this is all for the best," Rojal told his
stunned mother.

Gorna said nothing, and her pale eyes were becoming watery when
Riccan dashed into the meeting hall and shouted aloud:

"Tayla's gone! Ridikar came to pick her up on his hover bike, and
they flew out of the city! Look at this note!"

Dear Nama, Dirkan, Gracina and everyone else,

I have decided to go away for a little while. Ridikar is taking me with him
to go explore Calmag, and so I will be with him for a few days. Maybe by the
time we return,everyone will be happy again.

I'm sorry for any pain or worry that I'm about to cause.

Love, Tayla

Gorna stayed on her knees and cried. She saw in her mind the pain
in Tayla's eyes when Tayla had cried out loud that Gorna had always hated her.
Gorna forced herself now to remember the awful way she had treated her youngest
sibling the past twelve years of the girl's life. Tayla's haunting question,
"Why do you hate me so much?" kept banging against the walls of Gorna's mind.
In that moment, Gorna realized the full horror of what pain she had caused her
sister.

"Kami Orchida," she whispered, "what have I done to that girl?"

Shalila returned at that moment with Gracina. Both of the women's
eyes were full of tears.

"We can't find that child anywhere," Gracina choked.

"Gorna, Rojal, Riccan, you haven't heard from her, have you?"
Shalila asked worriedly.

Gorna arose sadly, the pain of what she had done to her youngest
sibling weighing upon her heart. Rojal stood nearby quietly, not saying a word.
Riccan stood in a corner with his face to a wall, trying not to let anyone see
his tears at Tayla's departure. Finally he went over to his mother and put his
face in her dress. Gracina held his head against her thigh.

"She would never come to me. Never." She showed Shalila and
Gracina the note and whispered, "This is all my fault."

"WHAT?" Shalila and Gracina cried, not only shocked at the note, but
also shocked at Gorna for admitting blame. It wasn't like Gorna to admit that
she was wrong, unless she was forced to do so.

"You are right, Nama," Gorna whispered hoarsely, unable to look her
grandmother or her sister in their eyes. "That child has done nothing to me,
and I treat her so badly."

"Why, Gorna?" Gracina asked quietly. "I never understood what you
had against our sister."

Gorna was deeply ashamed now, remembering that look of extreme pain
festering in Tayla's brown eyes. "My Kami," she whispered, "what have I done?"
She tried to think of her next words carefully. Finally she said chokingly, "I
don't hate her, I really don't. How could she have thought that I hated her?"

"You've never given her any reason to think otherwise," Gracina told
her severely.

Gorna said softly, "No, I haven't. I have always been jealous of
her, and she is just a child. Strange, she's younger than my own children. Why
have I treated her so badly? It is not her fault that she is more loved than I
am-"

"Gorna," Shalila told her gently. "You are loved no less than
Tayla. You are both loved the same, in different ways for different reasons.
Gorna, many people look up to you and are expecting you to rule over them wisely
and well one day. No one can replace you, and I rely on you in many ways. Look
what you have done to help this alliance with Calmag; most of the credit goes to
you, my dear. Yes, Tayla may be petted more, but she is the youngest and a
little girl--well I guess I can't say she's really a little girl anymore, can
I?"

"If she is, she won't be for long," Gracina whispered. "She's
already growing up, and so fast too. I remember I had started thinking of boys
when I was her age as well."

"You had a flock of suitors before you were thirteen," Gorna
scolded, but the usual sharpness was not in her tone. "It took me a long time
to find someone who wanted to marry me, and Etros came along. I will admit that
I envied you as well, Gracina, for the way you could always twist Pappa and
Granpappa around your little finger as well as the boys your age." Gracina had
always been the most popular with suitors out of all of the Mantros Chloe
sisters. Blond, blue-eyed, brave, intelligent, and the most beautiful Mantros
Chloe sister, sensible Gracina had never been denied any attention that she had
wanted. Gorna, plain, plump and peevish, had thanked the ancestors and Kami
Orchida when Etros had begun courting her.

Gracina tried to think of a way to deny this, but she couldn't, for
she knew Gorna's words were true. Finally, she said, "True, but don't you
remember, Gorna, that Granpappa favored you above most of us? Remember when he
used to call you his little chocolate dumpling?"

Gorna permitted herself a small smile. "Yes, I do. I miss him so
much, even to this day. I guess that's why I was angry with you, Nama, for
marrying Dirkan five years ago. I was afraid that you had forgotten about
Granpappa."

Shalila rested her hand on Gorna's shoulder and smiled gently. "No,
dear, I haven't forgotten about your grandfather. I will always love him, and
he gave me so much, including you two ladies, and our little Tayla. I wouldn't
have any of you right now, if it hadn't been for him." Her reminiscing face
clouded suddenly. "Speaking of Tayla, we have to go find her now! Gracina,
Gorna, I'm worried about her; she's never been like this before."

Gorna hung her head in shame, blaming herself further. "I'll never
forgive myself if anything happens to that poor girl." Gorna felt worst than
ever now, for she had remembered several times in her life when a small Tayla
had tried to make overtures of affection towards her and had been cruelly
snubbed. Gorna could never bring herself to show love or affection towards
Tayla, and she had secretly envied Shalila and Gracina's easy ability to do so.
Tayla had always been petted and doted on.

Gracina noticed and said, "Gorna, you can't dwell on that now; when
we find Tayla, you'll have plenty of time to make amends with her."

"She'll come back," Rojal said curtly, speaking at last. "She's
just hiding out, hoping to make us feel sorry for her. At least she did the
right thing for once by agreeing to marry Prince Ridikar; when she marries him,
she'll be one less problem we have to worry about-"

Gorna turned on him in a rage. "Don't you ever belittle her again,
Rojal, do you understand me?" she hissed in such a sharp a tone that even
Shalila and Gracina, used to her rages, drew back.

"Mother!" Rojal gasped in amazement at his mother defending Tayla.
"I was just-"

"You were just going to say how much trouble she is, weren't you?"
Gorna snapped. "Rojal, neither one of us are going to do anything to hurt her
again, do you understand me? We were both wrong to treat her the way we have
been; it is more my fault than yours, for I started this, making you think that
Tayla was inferior to us. Well, I am going to do something to make up for what
we have done, and so are you. You are going to help us search for her."

"You can search for her," Rojal shouted at his mother. "She's not
my problem or my concern. I am not about to waste my time, knowing that she
will eventually come back on her own. I'll be here waiting." He marched out of
the room.

"Rojal Chloe!" Shalila screamed at him angrily. "You come back here
immediately!" But Rojal was already long gone.

"Never mind him, Nama," Gorna said firmly. "I will settle him
later. Tayla is our main concern right now."

Shalila nodded, and then something stuck her heart. "My Kami, I am
no less innocent than anyone else! I snapped at her myself when I should have
tried to tell her kindly why Ridikar wasn't right for her. The tone I used to
speak to her when she asked me if I wanted her to become a Queen was harsh; she
wasn't being impertinent. She was simply asking honestly. I thought that she
was talking back to me, and she had never really done that before. I will never
forgive myself if-"

"Nama, please don't think about that right now," Gracina said,
distressed. "Let's just find her and bring her back safely. I could break that
Prince Ridikar's neck; this is all his doing! He probably talked Tayla into
going. If that little bastard lays an improper hand on her, I'll show him just
how dangerous a Princess of Chloe can be!"

"I'll hurt him too!" Riccan declared vociferously, speaking for the
first time since he had shown Rojal and Gorna the note. "Just because I'm
littler than he is doesn't mean I can't beat him up!"
"Riccan," Gracina told her son more quietly. "The adults will
handle that part, if necessary. Why don't you go ask the other children if they
heard from Tayla, okay?"

Riccan nodded and left the meeting hall. The others followed behind
him shortly after.






A small woods near the city of Magan under the city dome.

Tayla and Ridikar had not actually left Magan yet, but they were
preparing to. Ridikar had his two menservants pack some things for him, and
Tayla had packed herself a small suitcase. Ridikar had told Tayla that leaving
for a few days would be best for everyone.

"And then by the time we come back, everyone will be so glad to know
that you're alive that they will let us marry," Ridikar told her happily,
kissing her cheek. He and Tayla were sitting on Ridikar's hover bike near a
small pond. Tayla liked Ridikar, but she was having second thoughts about
leaving her family behind without permission. She smoothed her pale blue caftan
and twisted her pearly yellow sash with blue birds on it in her hand.

"Ridikar, I've been thinking," she began quietly, now that she had
had time to calm down and think things over. "I don't think it's a good idea
for us to leave; your family and my family will not approve-"

"My father will understand," Ridikar interrupted, "and I've already
left him a note. He will approve of our marriage, Tayla, I promise you. Tayla,
we are going to be so happy together; you will enjoy being a Calmagian Princess
and bearing my heirs. Just think: King Ridikar and Queen Tayla of Calmag!" He
wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, their lips almost touching.

Tayla was quiet and thoughtful now, now ashamed of her earlier
behavior. "I shouldn't have talked to Gorna the way I did back there." She
suddenly didn't want to be held, and she began easing herself away from him.

"Yes, you should have," Ridikar assured her easily, not allowing her
to pull away. "Your elder sister should have been happy for you. Doesn't she
realize what a tremendous opportunity this is for you? She should be proud to
have a sister of hers become a Queen someday! You worry too much, Tayla."

Tayla tried again to pull away from Ridikar, but Ridikar's hold on
her was firm. "Ridikar, my family was right: I should not have gone off with
you by myself yesterday; I should have had a chaperone with me. What we did
yesterday was wrong; it felt nice, and I liked you kissing me, but it was too
soon. We should have waited. Ridikar, I like you very much, but I think we
should break our engagement off; at least until we are older."

"Break our engagement off?" Ridikar laughed. "Tayla, you are so
funny sometimes! I love you and I want you to be my bride! I'll never agree to
you breaking off our engagement; we are as good as wed now! And once you marry
me, you won't have to worry about being a warrior anymore!"

"Will I be allowed to be a warrior?" Tayla asked, more concerned
than ever now.

"Of course not!" Ridikar laughed merrily. "Fighting is for men!
The only thing you need to be concerned with after our marriage, Tayla, is
bearing my heirs and being a good wife. You won't need to fight anymore; I will
fight for you. You also won't need to be a healer anymore either; you can just
relax and be a lady and a future Queen." He put his lips on her neck, and Tayla
grew hot and uncomfortable, as his hands began stroking her torso. He wasn't
this aggressive yesterday.

"But Aunt Toria, Kami Orchida, Dirkan, and Nama all expect me to be
a healior," Tayla protested. "Everyone is expecting me to grow up strong and
powerful, maybe even strong enough to defeat Frieza one day. Kami Orchida has
trained me long and hard for two years, and I can't let her and the others down.
I can't stop being a warrior or a healer, Ridikar, I can't. And I don't want
to."

"Sure you can," Ridikar declared. "I don't want my wife fighting
and possibly getting killed when her job is to be the mother of my children! I
will take care of both of us, starting now." He pulled Tayla tighter against
him, and Tayla managed to get a hand free.

"Stop!" she cried out, trying to push him away. "What are you
doing?"

"Trying to spend time with you before our departure," Ridikar told
her, kissing her neck as Tayla squirmed uncomfortably. "You know, Tayla, you
make me feel so good, and I don't think my father will object if we were to
consummate our marriage before the actual ceremony."

"Consummate?" Tayla asked, a new fear rising up in her heart. "You
mean lie with each other before marriage? That would be wrong."

"No, it wouldn't, the men in my family do it all the time. My
father lay with my mother before their marriage, and Alberm lay with Caline a
week before the ceremony. Of course, she said he was too rough, but she
survived. I'll be gentle with you, however, seeing it's your first time." He
began reaching under the hem of her sky blue caftan and began sliding the dress
over her thigh.

"No!" Tayla cried, her voice loud enough now to frighten nearby
birds away. "I don't want to do this, Ridikar! I promised Nama, Seven Moons
Oath, that I would wait until I was properly wed. Let me go; I want to go
back!"

"No, you don't," Ridikar said to her smoothly, completely ignoring
her protests. "You are going to stay here with me until I lay claim to you and
make you my wife in spirit. You're going to enjoy this, I promise you." He
pushed her down onto the ground faster than Tayla could free herself. He tried
to pin her beneath his weight, as he and Tayla struggled with each other. Tayla
was about to punch him in his ribs, as she was terrified beyond belief, but
Ridikar quickly seized her by both of her wrists, and her ki began to drain.
Tayla was more scared than before, for she was now absolutely helpless.

"Let me go!" she cried in terror, for Ridikar was holding her wrists
so tightly that her ki was becoming weaker by the second.

"I didn't want to have to do this, Tayla, but it was either that or
paralyze you," Ridikar told her with a new, hard edge in his normally suave
voice. "I know that Astorians cannot fight back when they are grabbed by their
wrists, and I didn't want to have to resort to this, but I guess I have to." He
crushed his lips against hers, as Tayla continued to fight him with little
energy that she had. Ridikar had now succeeded in pushing her caftan up to her
waist. Tayla continued to squirm, as Ridikar whispered with his lips against
hers, "I've been wanting you for a long time, Tayla, and once I lay claim to
you, you will have to marry me-Calmagian law. Even your family won't have a
choice." Ridikar tore her caftan open up to her chest, ripping her dress and
her sash, a new sash that Gracina had made for her.

Tayla was trying not to cry, but she couldn't help it, as a tear or
two slid down her cheek. This was all her fault; she shouldn't have been alone
with Ridikar, she should have listened to her family, and now she was about to
get what she thought she deserved.

Ridikar crushed his lips against hers further, as he pushed his
tongue in her mouth, and that was his first real mistake. Tayla sank her teeth
into his tongue, and Ridikar screamed in pain. She tasted blood-Ridikar's
blood. Tayla spat out the amber fluid that had leaked into her mouth.

"You little slut!" he screeched, now being forced to release her
wrists entirely, as he brought his hands to his now bloody mouth. He made
another grab for her, as Tayla managed to slide out from underneath him. Before
he could seize her, however, Tayla punched him hard in his face, making him fall
backwards into the pond. He made a fantastic splash, scaring away the fish in
the pond. When he came out of the water, a red frog was sitting on top of his
head.

Tears still streaming down her cheeks, Tayla rose to her feet and
then, she began to laugh uncontrollably, seeing a normally smooth and debonair
Ridikar soaked to the bone with a frog on his head.

"As Nama would say, you're all wet!" Tayla couldn't stop laughing at
him, as she pointed to him.

"I'll get you, Tayla Chloe, if you don't go through with the
marriage!" Ridikar snarled. "I'll ruin you, if you don't marry me! We are
betrothed, and only the man may break the engagement, not the woman! You will
marry me, or I'll-I'll tell my family and there will be no alliance between your
planets! Your family will hate you, and so will mine, if you don't agree to be
my bride! No lady refuses me!"

Tayla grew worried then, her laughter suddenly coming to a halt.
Could Ridikar do that? She repressed her fear for now, however, and turned on her heel away from him, trying to hold her torn caftan together. She leaped into the air and flew away from a soaked Ridikar as fast as she could, taking her bag with her.

When she was out of the Magan woods, and near the outskirts of the
city, she heard a faint sobbing below in some bushes beneath her. Tayla landed
gracefully down near the bushes and searched the shrubs, suddenly finding a
crying, bloody figure with pale hair and white skin.

"Caline!" she cried, alarmed.

Caline looked up from the ground. There was a large bruise on her
snowy cheek, and she had two black eyes. Her nose was bleeding and her gold
dress was torn in shreds. Bruises decorated her exposed torso, arms and legs.
Tayla especially noticed the bruises around Caline's thighs and stomach.

Tayla swiftly drew the girl up into her arms, and Caline cried loud
and hard into Tayla's budding bosom. Tayla put aside her troubles for now, for
Caline needed her.

"Alberm?" she whispered.

Caline sobbed and nodded.

"I-I was feeling sick, very sick, and I told Alberm that I did not
want to lie with him last night, but he became angry and forced me, beating me
up. I-I tried to fight him off, begging him to stop, but the more I resisted,
the angrier he became. Finally he-he had his way with me and hit me harder for
refusing him. He is so cruel when he couples with me, Tayla!"

Tayla's concern hardened into fury. "I'll-I'll kill him for that!
He'll pay, Caline; I promise you, he will pay! I'll make him pay for this!
We'll go to my Nama and your father, and they'll-"

"My father won't do anything, I know," Caline whispered fearfully,
her bloody and bruised face in Tayla's torn caftan. Caline was too wracked with
fear and terror to notice that Tayla was also in distress. "He admires Alberm,
and they are close friends; he'll think that I deserved what I received. No one
will help me, except for maybe you, Tayla. Tayla, I am so scared! Will you
help me hide or run away? Please?" The little child bride began to cry louder.
Tayla held her close and pulled out her small suitcase.

"Caline, come with me," Tayla ordered her softly, as she opened her
suitcase and drew out a small red, leather case. The red case held medicines
that Tayla, like all healiors, carried with her. She led Caline further into
the bushes, hiding them both fully. She gently removed Caline's garments and
began cleaning and treating her new friend's wounds the best that she could with
her healior kit. She whispered to Caline that she was not going to hurt her, as
she felt the other girl for broken bones. Thankfully, there were none, although
the Calmagian princess did have a sprained wrist, which Tayla put a splint on.
Tayla then took out an extra caftan from her suitcase that was a deep purple and
encouraged Caline to put it on. The caftan was a size too large, but Caline was
grateful and happy for it. Tayla gave her a violet sash to match.

"I-I promise that I will have these returned to you," Caline told
her in a whisper.

"Don't worry about it," Tayla assured her softly. "You may keep
them; I have others." Tayla pulled out a damp cloth and cleaned Caline's pale hair with it, as best as she could. She then took out a pale green hairbrush and brushed Caline's hair slowly with it, trying to fix her friend's tresses the best that she could. She gave Caline several poultices for her bruises, but it would be a while before the bruises went away.

Caline was calmer now, but then her pale blue eyes widened, as if
just remembering something horrible. "Tayla, I forgot, forgive me, but there's
something that I must tell you-"

Tayla cut her off for now. "Tell me on the way; we are going to see
Nama and Dirkan about this." She then gently put her arms around Caline from
behind and was about to carry her into the air when a sharp voice that Tayla had
come to hate sliced through the still Calmagian air. She quickly released
Caline and dug into her suitcase quickly, finding her sword.

"Where are you taking my wife?"

"Alberm!" Caline shrieked in terror.

Tayla pulled out her blade quickly from her suitcase. "Touch her
again, fat man, and your heart will meet my blade," she said coldly, the last
half of the sentence being one of her grandmother's favorite battle quotes.

Then she heard a familiar voice call for her.