Chapter 7

Chuckles eagerly heads up the staircase. Three follows, seeming much less excited. I walk behind him, feeling my heart starting to beat faster - and it's not from the stairs. I've never liked meeting Warlords. Arrogant, brutish, often mad. Meeting a God seems like it'll be even worse. I tighten the scarf around my neck and brace myself for whatever comes next.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I find myself staring down a long, well-lit, stone hallway. At the end of the space, sitting on her throne with legs crossed, is unmistakably Anuket herself. The merchant Yale wasn't lying when he spoke of her beauty; it's the first thing I notice, and it takes me several moments to notice anything else. Even from this distance, I can see her bright, green eyes, which stand out against black eyeshadow. As we step closer, I make out more details. Woven into her long, braided, black hair are various leaves and berries from a plant unknown to me, along with colorful, ceramic beads She wears a sheer, white robe - completely see-through, revealing her well-toned body. Her skin is pale and lacks any kind of blemish. She appears to be rather young - about my age, maybe a little younger. None of the rumors or tales could have prepared me for seeing her in person. Even the women of Utopia - perfect women - pale in comparison.

I notice the Handmaidens kneeling on the dais, awaiting instruction. They are all gorgeous as well, but not rivaling Anuket. Unlike their mistress, they wear no makeup, decorations, or jewelry. Their hair is worn loose instead of in braids. Although they all share the uniform of revealing robes, each of the women is unique - not near-perfect replicas of each other like the women of Utopia. One is incredibly thin with pale skin and straight, blonde hair that nearly touches the ground where she kneels. Another had curly, red hair and green eyes; her hips are wide, and her white skin is covered in freckles. Next to her sits a dark-skinned, slightly heavier-set woman with wavy, brunette hair that just passes her shoulder blades. Another woman has an angular face, olive skin, and shoulder-length hair so black it glistens in the light. The final Handmaiden's skin is much darker than Anuket's, and she has freckles on her nose. Her eyes are a piercing blue that contrasts her dark brown hair. But what strikes me most is the look on her face. Eyes wide and childlike, not narrowed from squinting in the sunlight. Mouth soft and content, not a hard line. Innocence. That reminds me of the woman I was paired with to make children. It reminds me of Simon, before he and I left the city. It reminds me of everything in Utopia - perfectly peaceful. I must have looked that way once. But it may just be an act. A trap. I tear my eyes away from her and look back to the others. They all have the same expression on their faces. I tell myself it can't be real. No one out here is truly innocent.

Finally taking my eyes off the women, I examine the room. The hall is obviously carved into the mountain; all exposed surfaces are rough rock, but much of it is covered in moss. Lanterns suspended from the ceiling pour out light, which bounces off the mossy walls to give the room a green color. Hanging with the lanterns are troughs full of dangling plants. Two streams of water flow out from somewhere behind Anuket's throne, running down dual channels that no doubt lead to the eyes at the entrance and feed the river. The air is thick and has a mysterious aroma to it. I breathe deeply, taking in the odd smell. The air is almost… soft. Not abrupt like the hot, bone-dry air of the Wastes. It's even better than the crisp, clean air in the rest of East Eden.

"Well, Anuket, since you went through all the trouble of allowing me, a wild Road Warrior, and one of your Blackthumbs up here, I imagine you have a job for us," Three proclaims loudly as we near the dais.

"Your skills in perception seem to have improved," Anuket confirms, head held high.

She has an incredibly soft, pleasant voice - not what I expected from a ruler. She's like the air: soft. Her voice, her manner - it's not harsh or imposing. Three doesn't use titles when he addresses her, just like the Crocodiles. Anuket doesn't object, but she tilts her chin up. Her apparent friendliness may just be an act - a ploy to trick people into getting too comfortable. And when they slip up, the facade disappears - like soft sand suddenly blown away to reveal a snake about to strike. The only thing I know for sure about Anuket is that she is beautiful. It's intimidating to see someone so untouched by the horrors of the dead world. She's probably lived here her whole life - that's how she turned out like this. But somehow it seems to be more than that. Like she's… above the rest of the world. If anyone could pass for a Goddess, it's her.

But at the end of the day, she's still just a person. She certainly is powerful, but she's no deity.

Three opens his mouth to say something else, but Anuket quickly cuts him off.

"Three, you have proven yourself skilled and capable in the past, and I trust you to have only brought someone who could handle themselves to me. As for the Blackthumb, he was simply in the right place at the right time. So I offer the three of you of a job - price negotiable, as always. But first, I would like to know who I am dealing with."

Anuket's sharp eyes scan the three of us standing before her.

"Blackthumb, approach me," she commands softly.

Almost before she finishes her sentence, Chuckles surges forward. He kneels in front of her dais, bowing and making the sign of the V8.

"You wish to speak, Blackthumb?" soothes the Goddess, knowing the answer.

"Yes, my Great Lady Anuket," Chuckles blurts out.

"Then do so, but do it quickly."

"My Great Lady Anuket, Goddess of Water, you honor this toiler of engines by allowing me in your presence. I do not know what your Holiness has planned for a lowly Blackthumb, but I will do it with all the strength I can physically muster."

"Have you seen War?" Anuket snaps coldly, her gentle demeanor suddenly gone. I narrow my eyes. A trick after all.

"E-excuse me, Your Greatness?" Chuckles seems taken aback.

"Have you fought, been in combat, killed?" The Goddess simply stares down at him.

"It… it isn't right to speak of violence around the Great Goddess An- "

"I'm asking you a direct question." A spark of anger appears in her voice. Impatience.

"Yes, I have, My Lady," Chuckles stammers. Anuket stays silent, awaiting further detail. "Three. Three battles, My Lady. Two border defenses and a scavenging skirmish. A total of four of your enemies have fallen by my hand," Chuckles barely manages to say.

"Mediocre," Anuket states. "But as a Blackthumb, you aren't expected to be a warrior."

The power resonating in her voice never falters. Everyone in the room understands she is absolutely in charge. She uncrosses her legs and stands up, stepping off the dais. Her bare feet make soft patter on the hard stone as she gracefully strides toward Chuckles.

"As of this day," Anuket says, speaking directly to the Blackthumb as he kneels at her feet. "You are no longer a Blackthumb. You are relieved of your duty as a mechanic to these holy cities. You may now claim the title of Road Warrior. I shall wash away your mask of servitude."

With that, she bends down and uses two hands to cup water from one of the streams. She pours the liquid onto Chuckles's face. The young man keeps still, arms loose at his sides, not speaking for what feels like several minutes.

"T-thank you, My Great Lady Anuket," the former mechanic finally blubbers.

"Oh… dear Road Warrior," Anuket replies. "You should not be thanking me. I gave you a curse. Not a gift. Ask these two men right here. The Wastes are not as safe as my city. Even if you were not a half-life already, you may as well be one now. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day, but for now… your position is needed."

Chuckles says nothing. He struggles to rise to his feet.

"I am finished with you, Road Warrior."

After a brief pause, Chuckles turns around and returns to stand beside Three and me. The black and white facepaint has been completely washed away by fresh water and tears of joy. Part of me wants to be happy for him. I haven't known him long, but he seems like a good man. To see him - hell, to see anyone - in this miserable world be happy is a welcome sight. But Anuket's right: it's a curse. He's not so sheltered as I was when I set out into the Wastes, but he's still got a lot to learn, and he'll likely learn it the hard way.

Anuket returns to her throne. The short, elegant walk somehow looks more powerful than the disciplined sprint of the Crocodiles. Everything about her shows pure confidence and authority - a strength unmatched by anyone but a Warlord.

"Blonde wanderer. Approach me."

I suddenly find myself wishing I had asked Three more questions about how to act around Anuket. Three talks to her almost like they're old friends, and Chuckles couldn't grovel any more if he tried. In the end, I decide to go for a sort of middle ground. I step forward and give a half-bow. I've never bowed before. It feels awkward, like sort of a low nod, but it's the best I can do. Hopefully, it's good enough for her, or I might never bow again.

"Lady Anuket," I manage to say.

The silence seems uncomfortably long, though it can't be more than a few seconds. I can almost feel her sharp eyes burning through my skull.

"I see the beast has manners," she finally says. "What shall I call you, Blonde One?"

I raise my head a little to look up towards the throne. Under the weight of her unflinching stare, it's impossible to tell if she is amused, insulted, satisfied, or something else. Despite the pleasant air, my throat feels as parched as a skeleton left out in the sun. I grit my teeth for a moment, determined not to show weakness in front of her.

"My name's Roman, Lady Anuket," I reply through dry lips.

Anuket frowns slightly, appearing to be mildly displeased with the response.

"Very well… Roman," she says, returning to the blank but fierce expression that perfectly hides her thoughts. "You are a Road Warrior, correct? Otherwise, I'm sure Three would not have brought you. Tell me of your exploits." She shifts slightly on her throne. "Don't be shy about it."

I hesitate for a moment, unsure how exactly to start. I don't want to go into too much detail. I don't like people knowing too much about me, not even Goddesses. But she wants to know what I can do - if I'll be useful.

"I am a Road Warrior, yeah," I begin. "Didn't start out that way, but I learn fast. Used to travel with two others, till one went mad and killed the other. This was after we'd massacred a whole town to get a ride. I killed the mad one and took the car. Been alone on the Road ever since, mostly doing jobs for folk in towns. Sometimes they're little ones, like bounty hunting. Brought in a man just a few days ago, easy going. Other times, things get complicated. I once ended up with a little War Party on my back, but I outdrove them after a good fight. My car's fast, and I know how to handle it." I pause and take a deep breath. "Been in plenty of scrapes since I set out. One thing they have in common is that I survived all of them. I can get a job done."

"You killed the mad one…" I hear a hint of something in her voice, but I can't put my finger on it. Whatever it is, it's not good. "You are a Road Warrior. You killed a whole town and your two allies for a car. You kill for hire, you loot corpses. You are missing an ear. You are suffering a major wound to your leg that needs tending. In the past two days, you have been drugged, stabbed, shot at, and tied up. You work with a man you just met that you don't trust. You come to me, a ruler you have heard nothing but horrid things about. You have heard my cruelty. You fear me. You know you should run."

She pauses, appearing lost in thought for a moment.

"Yet here you are," she continues, regaining focus. "Bowing before me, willing to face death itself for an unknown material gain. You follow the path of the Road Warrior, a life choice that has made corpses of those just like you. I know you are capable; you defeated two Mozzy War Parties by yourself. But have you ever stopped to think that if madness and War follow you, you may just be the mad one?"

In a truly terrifying display, Anuket smirks. It is beautiful and unnerving all at once. She quickly hides it.

"The truth is that you love this, don't you? You love murdering your way down the rabbit hole that leads to your glorious demise on the Fury Road. You know you going to die in some grisly fashion someday, but you wouldn't have it any other way."

Her tirade hits me like a sandstorm - sudden and harsh and downright frightening. She's right about me fearing her. Who wouldn't? But despite that fear, I find myself clenching my jaw in irritation. She thinks she knows everything about me. How she knows anything at all, I have no clue. But she doesn't know everything. She wasn't there when Simon finally broke. She didn't see the look on Cord's face when he fell dead. She doesn't know anything about me.

"Everyone who lives out there is mad, Lady Anuket," I reply, returning her cold stare and trying not to let any of my anger show. I don't think it works. "Gotta be a little crazy to survive in this world. If I tried to take the moral high ground every time, I'd've been dead a long time ago. I do what I have to do, and I try not to think about it too much. But you're right. When my time comes, I'd like to go out with a bang. Lot better than just withering away in the sun. If that makes me a madman, then that's just fine."

Anuket doesn't seem fazed by my remarks. I wait for her to snap, to throw me out, to have me killed, but she doesn't move. She retains her calm expression, not stirring in her seat.

"Indeed, you are mad, Roman… But you are no Max. Just another lost soul in the Wastes. A Warlord or a legend you are not, but your skill in the seat of a vehicle cannot be denied. You are also brave, or stupid, for facing a Goddess with near immeasurable power compared to yourself and daring to speak up when you know the consequences."

She averts her gaze for a moment to look at Chuckles. I remain silent. It wasn't bravery that made me speak up, that much I know for sure. As the anger fades, I feel relieved that she didn't choose to punish me for that outburst. She probably thinks I'm not worth the effort. Either way, I don't think I should push my luck any further.

"I will hire the three of you," Anuket declares, returning her eyes to me. "However, I wish nothing but the best for my former subjects. I wish Chuckles the Road Warrior to survive his first job. Roman, his life is your responsibility. If he dies, you will be executed. Is that understood?"

Before I have a chance to respond, she continues.

"The job being that a group of tribals have been ravaging my borders and abducting my subjects. The previous parties have failed, so I require Road Warriors. Find the tribals, eliminate them how you wish, and if my citizens live, return them."

I simply nod. I've done more than enough talking. I take a few steps back, rejoining Three and Chuckles. The former Blackthumb's tears have now dried. I expected the job to be tough, sure, but I didn't think I'd have to babysit the whole time. As if keeping myself alive isn't hard enough.

"Now, what do you wish for your reward?" Anuket asks, her voice now slightly less harsh.

Three begins: "Jus-"

"I require no payment, Lady Anuket!" Chuckles exclaims, immediately cutting him off. "Please, allow my free labor to be a gift to your glory!"

Anuket sighs. "If you insist, Road Warrior." She appears to be getting annoyed with her former servant's piety. He doesn't notice; he's too busy brushing some dust off of his oil-stained blue jeans, like he's suddenly become self-conscious of how dirty he is in the presence of his Goddess.

"Just my usual," Three continues blankly as if he were not just interrupted by a fanatic of the woman who robbed him of his eye. He is fiddling with something between his fingers in his right hand. Most likely his die. "Three shares of what's scavenged, two bundles tobacco, a few meals and three pounds of spice."

"Of course, Veteran."

With that confirmation, the dark-skinned Handmaiden with freckles begins scribbling notes on a piece of parchment placed in front of her on the ground.

"And what do you desire, Roman?" The way Anuket says my name is vile, like a curse.

I avert my gaze as she speaks to me, trying to keep myself from glaring at her. I lock eyes with the scribe for a split second. She's stopped her note-taking and is looking at me, her large blue eyes staring with enviable innocence. Her gaze seems to pierce through my skull from across the room. I look back to Anuket.

"One share of the scavenged things." I'm not exactly sure what a 'share' entails, but I figure I should try to follow Three's lead on this one. "Water. A few cups of spice. And, uh, a few cans of old food," I add, remembering the dog tied to my car.

"I see one of my most humble allies has brought me one even humbler," Anuket says.

Three glances at me and then throws his die across the floor. The object rolls for several seconds before stopping on a four.

"Lady Anuket," Three speaks up robotically the moment the die stops, interrupting Anuket as she opens her mouth to continue. "I have indeed brought you a humble man, but his skill certainly deserves more payment than he asks. If you express your generosity, he may return to perform great deeds for you."

Anuket's sharp, green eyes meet mine again. "Very well. You carry the weight of another man and ask for little. That much is to be respected. Chuckles has refused payment, but you take what would have been his. Do you accept three extra shares?"

Three and his die to the rescue again, I think dryly. It's not that I'm not grateful; I'm glad to take more stuff. It just seems a stupid way to decide things. I wonder briefly if Anuket thinks it's as ridiculous as I do. Probably not. Somehow I get the feeling that she and I don't have much in common.

Those thoughts are quickly chased away as Anuket and the young freckled scribe watch me carefully, waiting for me to speak. The intense stares nearly make me ill. So many eyes. When I entered this room, I thought the air was soft and sweet. Now it seems stifling. Everyone is looking at me, talking to me and about me. It's sooner I can get out of here, the better.

"I accept, Lady Anuket."

"Excellent," Anuket breathes with relief. "Since East and West Eden are doing well on scrap this season, the tribals are sure to not contain much we need, and just because I haven't seen you in awhile, Three, I have decided to only take five shares."

The scribe stares up at her with doll-like eyes, briefly pausing from her note-taking. Anuket quietly nods in confirmation. Three quickly strides over to his die, pockets it, and returns to the group.

"And now, I will leave you to my Handmaidens," the Goddess states, standing up from her throne. "You will be well taken care of for tonight - will be treated as guests. You shall leave in the morning."

She steps down from the dais, not sparing us another glance. The scribe passes her notes to another Handmaiden, who disappears with Anuket into a hallway to one side of the throne. I breathe a sigh of relief, then quickly regret it as the Handmaidens approach, staring at us with those blindingly pure eyes. An act, I'm sure of it. They are Anuket's servants, after all. They make me miss the dangers of the Road; at least I know how to deal with those.

Author's note: I hope everyone is having an enjoyable holiday season. Thanks as always to all you readers, and special thanks this week to new follower CherryBlossomTrinity. Don't be afraid to leave reviews if you're so inclined; I dig feedback and hearing people's thoughts. See you all in 2018, and stay tuned.