Ch. 28

Kathryn stood staring out the window. The stars always looked so different from the surface of a planet. She pulled the light blanket closer around her shoulders and wished she could enjoy the sight of them. Sitting in the chill night air was not the smartest thing she should be doing, but she was thankful that at least tonight she had the option of a bed instead of the hard stairs. Looking again to the bed, she had another reason to be thankful. Maddie slept soundly burrowed into the blankets and being swallowed by the huge mattress.

After the King's failed attempt to seduce her, she'd been relegated to the side of the dais and ordered to watch the afternoon's proceedings quietly. Two guards positioned directly behind her, one brandishing the vile green drug she'd been given before, had been all the encouragement she'd needed to cooperate for the time being. The afternoon had passed in a tediousness rivaling that of her required Protocol and Decorum class at the academy. Odaro's kingdom was definitely working on a feudal system of some sort, and he had spent the afternoon handing out judgments and punishments to his people. Some asked for restitution for minor grievances, others were given harsh punishments for perceived crimes committed. It did not escape notice that the cleaner, wealthier citizens escaped the crueler sentences and received generally whatever it was they'd been requesting.

More than once, Kathryn had been the center of attention as well. The wealthier had praised the king for his ability to capture and hold her while the less fortunate had seemed terrified of her. She supposed the idea of her being a demon had gotten around and some believed it wholeheartedly. That was not the impression she got from the king despite his words. Kathryn felt sure he knew she was not really a demon, but was simply using the idea to his advantage, making others believe she was. If it appeared he'd tamed a demon, how very powerful he must be.

Anytime there had been a break between people seeking his audience, and sometimes even as they were speaking to him, his eyes had been on her. Smoldering dark orbs that had held her possessively. She'd refused to back down from them. Twice she'd thought he was going to storm across the small distance to strike her, but surprising her, he hadn't. He'd simply gone back to addressing the people in front of him. It had also surprised her to not see the waif again that afternoon. Only once had she even felt dizzy and it had been brief, lasting only a moment.

The waif's plea for one more night to work on Kathryn had loomed over her all afternoon, and now she didn't trust falling asleep. The day had ended and the king had left the hall without so much as another word to her. The man in robes had appeared and led her to the bedroom where she now sat. When she'd seen the size of the bed, she'd worried that the king had decided not to wait another night for her after all, but now well into the night she'd begun to relax slightly. The room was simply another pretty cell for her to stew in.

In the first hour, she'd determined that the door was truly the only way out of the room. There was a window, but when she'd peered out of it she'd discovered that it was too high on the castle wall to be considered any kind of escape route. The small water closet, as her grandmother may have called it, was useless as well except for its intended purpose. Kathryn had tentatively taken a seat on the bed, which she found to be stuffed with some sort of feathers, when the door to the room had opened for a second time, and Madelyn had come barreling inside. The woman from the kitchen, Kala, had brought her and their dinner to the room. Kathryn had been so thrilled to hold Maddie, despite the rather pungent aroma that seemed attached to her, that she hadn't even had a chance to say thank you before the cooking woman was gone and the door had been closed again.

The first order of business after that had been to get Maddie cleaned up. Until that point, Kathryn had had no intention of using either of the two shifts she'd found folded neatly on the foot of the bed, but the scent of wet dog mixed with pepper and vegetable clinging to Maddie's clothes and hair was more than she could take. After a simple sink bath, and hanging Maddie's clothes up to dry, they'd sat down to eat the spicy meat stew that Maddie had ensured her mother she'd helped to cook.

Kathryn had been concerned when Maddie didn't seem to have much to say during dinner, but then she'd almost fallen asleep sitting up and still holding her eating utensil. Working in a kitchen all day was harder work than her six year old was accustomed to. Watching her daughter sleep, Kathryn shook her head. It bothered her to no end to think about her daughter's indentured servitude, but all things considered the situation for Maddie could be so much worse.

Shaking off another dizzy spell, Kathryn got to her feet. She'd already nodded off once tonight and dreams of Chakotay doing the most wonderful things to her had begun almost immediately. The dream had been intense and overwhelming, but after only a few minutes, something in her had sensed the wrongness of it. She'd tried to pull back from her dream husband and he'd pursued her. Finally she'd woken herself up by actually tipping over the chair she'd fallen asleep in and landing on the floor. Immediately she'd been nauseous and she knew that the waif had been in her head again. Since then, she hadn't stayed still long enough to sleep. If there was one thing Kathryn Janeway knew how to do, it was to go without sleep.

And so it was well into the night with her constantly pacing the room that she heard the lock on the door slide open. Kathryn was more than a little surprised when the waif slid into the room having barely opened the door more than a fraction. It was the first time Kathryn was actually able to get a good look at the girl. Pale skin, paler hair wearing wispy clothes that exaggerated her lithe body. She moved like a breeze into the room eyeing Kathryn.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, her voice still sounding like chimes.

"Don't need to," Kathryn replied evenly. There wasn't enough space in the room for them to circle each other, but Kathryn certainly felt like she was squaring off with the girl as she slowly closed the distance of the room. They were both sizing each other up and down. Looking for chinks in the armor. Waiting for the opportunity to throw a punch.

The waif looked at Madelyn's sleeping form. "I wonder what her dreams are made of."

"If you try and find out," Kathryn said, keeping her voice low and stepping bodily in front of the bed, "you'll find out what I'm made of."

"But I've already seen what lies in your mind, Kathryn. Tasted your dreams." She retreated several steps, drifting towards the window. "Why aren't you sleeping tonight? I was looking forward to feeling your mate's touch again."

Kathryn fumed but said nothing. She knew a taunt when she heard one.

"You miss him. I know you do. I can help with that." She took a deep breath in and Kathryn actually felt the touch against her mind.

The sensation took her breath away. She could feel his touch on her skin. His mouth leaving a hot trail of kisses down her neck. The back of her knees hit the bed behind her as she staggered back. The physical sensation was enough and she latched onto it, retreating from the Chakotay in her mind. Forcing him out. She was left reeling and she heard a mewl of frustration.

"Why won't you let me help you?"

Kathryn managed to get her eyes open to see the waif advancing towards her. She shot a hand out catching the girl on the chin, knocking her backwards. "Stay the hell away from me."

The imp righted herself but did not move closer. "The King is magnificent. You'll enjoy it like no other experience you've ever had. I can make sure of that."

"No," Kathryn said firmly, regaining her senses. "I'll fight you and him with every breath that I have."

"Then you will get us both killed." The melodic voice was hard now, sounding more like a rusty hinge than chimes. "You can't stay awake forever, Kathryn."

"I can stay awake long enough."

"Long enough for what?"

"Long enough so that the king will see you cannot control me." Kathryn saw the momentary trace of panic flit across her adversary's face. "I don't think he'll kill me. After all, I am one of a kind, but you, you might be expendable. Tell me, are there others with the same talent as you?"

"Stay vigilant, Kathryn, because the second you slip…you'll be mine," her voice was a hiss as she moved towards the door. "And then…you'll be his."