Chapter Three.
D'Hara was beautiful, stunning in fact. Everything was full of light and perfection, except for the fact that it was all a farce. All of it was fake, covering up darkness at the heart of the place; in the heart of its ruler.
Egremont had been most helpful in finding her a room, and clothing that fit. She had been offered a place amongst the sisters of the agiel who made much of her height and denser more enduring bone structure. They seemed to think she would make a good M'ord – Sith. She had considered it before she found out exactly what the M'ord- Sith were, and that agreeing to be one meant agreeing to do anything the Lord Rahl asked. And that meant anything.
In fact, it had taken her the full three months she had been here to find some way to be useful. Why had she tried so hard? Because she had quickly come to realize that those who weren't useful to the enigmatic Lord Rahl tended to disappear.
No, Christa had found her niche in the libraries and science rooms. Her know how, which in the regular world, (the world she had come from) was sadly basic, was practically a miracle here where they hadn't had ideas like plumbing, and proper irrigation yet. Christa had endeavored to make herself an asset that was irreplaceable. She had no desire for her life's blood to be used as ink for Darken Rahl's journey book.
The man was certainly around her often enough. He seemed to think that she had a brilliant mind and was always overseeing her plans. Today she was helping the wizards and scientists to create plumbing. She took herself out of her reverie when she noticed that Lord Rahl had been watching her disappear into her own headspace.
"Well the plans for the piping are simple enough, especially with Giller's magick to help us. The only real problem we have is where to dump the waste and how to get rid of it. Are there any creatures that will eat the waste or dispose of it?" She asked the drab wizard. He looked at Christa in thought for a moment.
"Putting a spell on the dump site should be simple enough." He studied the map. "About here should do for a dump site." Christa leaned over the map.
"Your right. All we need to do then is to modify the pump design so that they all lead to a main pump going through here." She motioned to a blueprint of the castle. "And with the aid of your magick, no one needs to fill the unhappy job of pump cleaning or maintenance. Once completed this should work better than the pump systems in my world." Lord Rahl studied their plans for a moment, fiddling with his insignia ring like he always did.
"You have succeeded again Christa, in not failing me. This will be put in motion tomorrow." Christa smiled at him.
"Thank you Lord Rahl. I promise, the improvement to quality of life will be worth the effort."
"I believe you Christa. If you would come with me." He walked away, in his imperious fashion, obviously expecting her to follow him. She did of course. Her feelings about her new benefactor were mixed. He was kind enough to her, and highly intelligent. They had had some very interesting conversations, and she found him a soothing companion when they were alone. He was quiet, and something about his calm presence served to center her.
Yet she didn't like the way he did certain things. He was good to his own people, and he made for a conscientious ruler. However there was something cruel and evil that lay at the center of who he was. He was as likely to sacrifice a baby to the keeper as he was to kiss it. And that was the other thing. She had been researching the belief systems of this place while she had been here and she was absolutely certain that he was aligned with the keeper in a very personal way. He had an air of darkness around him that spoke of forbidden things. But perhaps that was part of what made him so enigmatic; that little taste of the darkness; the forbidden. She hated the way he hurt innocent people.
But Christa was if nothing else a practical woman. She knew better than to betray him. Her quality of life on this world relied completely on whether or not she was in his favor. And so she bit her lip and kept silent whenever he did something cruel. He led her to his private wing and into the circular room he used as a study, motioning to a comfortable divan. She always sat there when he brought her up here, and she did so now; curling her legs underneath her, and arranging her dress. It was black and curved to fit her form in a most flattering way. The purple sash at the waist fell in delicate waves the length of the dress, and the sleeves were nothing more than gossamer purple and black fabric that hung like faery wings to her wrists. Her hair was down as it always was; left to hang to her waist. He studied her for a moment before turning back to the window.
"You always wear black and purple. Why is that Christa?" He asked, his slick voice as deep as ever. Christa shrugged.
"They are my favorite colors Lord Rahl. I wore them all the time back home too."
"You have always dressed so?" He turned and gestured to her dress.
"No. Clothing is very different there. The women wear similar clothes to the men, just a little more feminine." He nodded.
"You are unused to dresses then?" She wasn't sure but she thought that maybe he was joking. So she laughed.
"Oh yes. My mother used to try and dress me in these pink frilly abominations when I was a little girl." He smiled.
"You never speak of your life Christa. I would like to know of it."
"Okay, what do you want to know about?"
"What is the place you were born called?"
"I was born in a hospital; kind of like a healing center; in a place called Harrisburg Pennsylvania."
"Is that a small town?"
"No. Small compared to places like New York City or any of the other metropolis cities. But Harrisburg is the state capital of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a state inside of the country of the United States of America."
"And how many states are in that country?"
"There are fifty states and several commonwealths." He turned and gave her his full attention.
"That is a vast territory. Your king rules it all?"
"No king remember? Our government isn't a monarchy like this one. It's a Democracy. There is a president elected by the people, but the country is ruled by the president, the senate, the congress, the state representatives… Basically the people vote and then the government argues amongst themselves until something is decided." He nodded.
"How does your government hold the territory?"
"We have one the biggest armies, navy, and air forces in the world."
"What is an air force?"
"Soldiers, who pilot big flying machines that are equipped with destructive weapons, fly over enemy territory and drop the weapons, which then explode and kill the enemy."
"That would certainly be a military advantage."
"It is." Said Christa seriously.
"Do you know how to make these flying machines."
"I'm sorry no. I was never taught the logistics of making them. Not to mention all the materials that would probably be needed that don't even exist here." He nodded.
"And does your country rule all the others?"
"No, they rule themselves."
"Your country gets along with all the others?" Christa laughed.
"Heavens no. There are wars every few decades or so. But most countries agreed to cease wars for reasons of conquest."
"How do you find my country in comparison?"
"It is both similar and completely different at the same time Lord Rahl. Of course there are differences in the government. Your country is far less technologically advanced, however what you lack in technology you make up for with magick which is something relegated to myth and fable in my world. Your laws are more stringent, and people are not free to worship whatever god they like here. They also don't have the right to free speech, which is a matter of great importance in my country."
"Right of free speech?"
"Yes. It means that people can say what they like to whomever they like with the exception of treason. So if someone doesn't like the way the government is doing things they can say so both privately and publicly. It's the best way to keep the government from abusing its power. The people keep the government in check and vice versa. It's a check and balance system. Here is someone speaks out against the government, they don't often speak again." He raised an eyebrow at her and she was at once afraid she had gone too far and offended him. It's just that he was so easy to talk to and she had gotten comfortable enough around him to give her tongue free reign. He was too hard to read because of that unflappable calm he had. He moved forward and offered her his hand. Warily she took it, and he helped her to stand up.
When she did he pulled her up against him. She looked up into his piercing gaze, her own eyes widened in fear.
"Of all the people in this palace my dear, you are the last person who needs to be afraid of me." It was then that she realized that he liked her, and not just because she was useful. Her cheeks heated as she finally understood that Lord Rahl wanted her. The feel of him against her may have added to her blush, but she would never admit that. At least not right now. He fingers found her cheekbone and traced the curve of her jaw. "I like that you are honest with me and do not try bow and scrape. I find it…refreshing."
"That's a good thing. I'm terrible at pretending." He smirked at her and moved slowly, his lips millimeters from hers, so that when he spoke she could almost feel his lips move.
"One day, Christa, you will belong to me. Consider this your advanced notice."
"And what…what if I say no?" He raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, his lips meeting hers in a surprisingly gentle kiss that shivered all the way to her toes. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to melt in his hold. He released her after just a moment and studied her face with that intense look again, before that smug smirk graced his features.
"I think, my dear Christa that you will not say no to me." He released her. "You are dismissed." Shaking slightly, her head in a whirl she walked out of the room, blushing at the knowing look of the Mor'd-Sith guarding Lord Darken Rahl's private wing.