Chapter 5: Change

A/N: The Y'gora tree and the province of Calanista do not belong to me. My research places their origin in non-canon Romulan fiction. "Ihhei" means "Madam" and "Ihhai" "Sir". I found them and the other Romulan words on the website of the Imperial Romulan Language Institute. The Romulan name generator came in useful again for the name of Asha's language tutor. If you want to see how a dupatta (Indian shawl) is worn, you'll find many pictures and descriptions on the internet. Thank you so much for your reviews and encouragement!


Asha was surprised to find that everything had been thought of when her assistant Kihika showed her her new wardrobe. She had unpacked her suitcases and moved her Earth clothes to a large cupboard, only to discover that special Romulan wear had been delivered for her.

"These are all for me?" she asked, admiring the clothes inside another part of the cupboard.

"Yes, my Lady."

"They are so beautiful."

Kihika's suspicious face relaxed a little. "Ihhai has refined tastes."

"He certainly does."

She found a simple sleeveless dress consisting of silvery material, and a shawl to go with it. Obviously, he had gone by her measurements on the PADD. It fitted well, although for a perfect fit, she would have to regain the weight she had lost in prison. She pleated the shawl and placed it over her right shoulder, securing it carefully with a small safety pin, and draped the front end over her right arm. Kihika watched approvingly.

"An unfamiliar style of wearing it, but very becoming."

"Thank you. How is it usually worn?"

"Loosely around the neck or the waist."

"I will give that a try later, then."

"Can I assist you in any other way?"

"Not at the moment. Thank you, Kihika."

The young Romulan inclined her head gracefully and left.

When Thorek returned, there was no sign of Asha. Kihika, however, told him that she was in the garden.

"She rose at five-thirty, had breakfast and went outside. I am keeping an eye on her movements lest she should attempt to escape."

"Excellent. Did she eat everything?"

"Yes – her plate was empty."

"Any observations about her mood?"

"She seemed calm enough and greatly admired her wardrobe. She asked me about the flowers and trees in the garden."

"Thank you, Kihika. Please continue to observe her."

As he headed towards the garden, he reflected on the situation. She seemed interested in learning the Romulan language, but who said that she genuinely wanted to do so? Maybe she was just pretending and, in the meantime, secretly searching for avenues to escape or even alarm the Federation. He slowed down his pace. He was forgetting that his wife was Human and not used to the paranoia and suspicion so rampant in Romulan society. Of course, Humans could be just as cunning as Romulans, but Asha seemed…different. How come he had told her about his Vulcan great-grandmother when he had never even told his lover R'ëal about this part of his ancestry? As he mulled over this fact, he reached the garden, and he found her standing in front of the huge tree planted in the centre, her face uplifted as she studied its golden-green flowers reverently. She was touching its trunk with one hand as if it was sentient being – and for all he knew, maybe it was. She had chosen to wear the plain silvery dress with the shawl draped in an unusual manner, and it became her very well. Her hair was loose, and his eyes lingered on the tips curling rebelliously off her back.

"I believe you are an early riser," he greeted her. Asha suppressed a smile. Obviously, Kihika was keeping him well informed about the status of her movements. He was so tall he easily towered over her. He had high cheekbones, a stern mouth and penetrating dark eyes. Despite this rather patrician appearance, his features were pleasing, especially when his lips curved into an almost-smile. She wondered if all Romulans were averse to smiling openly or laughing, or whether it was simply her own bias distorting her impressions.

"I was admiring this tree. It's enormous," she said.

"Indeed. It is more than three hundred years old."

Asha laughed. "On Earth, trees are almost notorious for their longevity – not all kinds, but many. It seems to be the same over here. What is this tree called?"

"It's an Y'gora tree. If you are interested in Romulus's flora and fauna, you will find inexhaustible materials on them."

His eyes moved to the shawl on her right shoulder.

"The dress suits you well, as does your unusual style of wearing the shawl."

"I am grateful for your generous and detailed attention to my needs. I thought I would see what the shawl looks like if worn like a dupatta."

"It is an unfamiliar word. What is a…?"

"A dupatta is a shawl woman wear with some of their costumes in India or Indian communities abroad."

"Interesting. It would seem your people have a variety of styles and fashions."

She smiled, and he noticed dimples emerge on her cheeks.

"We certainly do."

"I will inform you once I have spoken to your prospective tutor. Enjoy the morning." He inclined his head and walked back to the house. It was going to be a long four weeks while R'ëal and he tried to figure out their relationship and Asha adapted to her new environment.

After ten days, Asha's new tutor came to the house to teach her Rihan, as the Romulan language was called, and its written form Kzhad. Rhian t'Merek was a tall handsome Romulan woman with the typical glossy crewcut and – unfortunately – a scornful look and an attitude to match when she saw Asha, her grey eyes lingering on her student's non-existent forehead ridges. Thorek introduced them briefly to each other and left them together in one of the rooms facing the garden. He had given Asha a PADD containing Rhian's profile and credentials. She had worked at notable educational institutes all over Romulus as a linguistic researcher, teacher and expert on Romulan literature. While the subjects were right up Asha's door, thanks to her own training as a Xenolinguist, she was intimidated by her new tutor, who opened the lesson by saying haughtily: "I see you have a background in Xenolinguistics. Whether it will be useful for learning one of the most noble and sophisticated languages in all the universe remains to be seen. My expectations of your species are, frankly speaking, quite low."

Asha took a deep breath to suppress her anger at her new tutor's arrogant tone.

"Then it's time for me to raise your expectations, lhhei t'Merek. How about giving me a chance to prove myself?" Asha said firmly.

Rhian stared at her for a few moments, the wind clearly taken out of her sails. She arched one eyebrow so that it nearly brushed her black-grey bangs.

"Very well. The alphabet is a good start."

Asha wondered how to translate "No shit, Sherlock" into Romulan.

She decided not to ask.

After four weeks, Thorek told Asha that he would be spending the night away again. She nodded knowingly. It was a bizarre situation, and the best she could do was accept it with grace. She had undergone three weekly gruelling sessions with Rhian t'Merek so far. While her tutor was exacting and often addressed her using a sarcastic undertone, the woman was truly passionate about the Romulan language, its context and culture. She explained its Vulcan roots to Asha, stating that to learn a language, its etymology was of profound importance. Asha agreed with her. She decided to spend her husband-free evening going over her homework.


Thorek was received by R'ëal herself, as both of them always planned his visits after the staff had retired in the evenings. Despite her military training, he could see that she was tense. She led him silently to her sitting room.

"Please," she said, gesturing at their favourite sofa. He complied, and they looked at each other in silence. She opened her mouth to speak, but he was faster. Taking her hands in his, he announced: "I know what you are about to say, R'ëal. I'm about to say the same thing. I know that we have no future together."

She exhaled and nodded. "Yes, you're correct. It pains me, but I see no other option."

"It is a logical solution," he said, sounding and looking Vulcan-like.

"My betrothal to my cousin has been arranged. We will be marrying in three months' time. He will arrive in a week, and after our wedding, we will move to Calanista where he resides."

"It is good that you have a clear vision of your life," he remarked neutrally.

They looked at each other again, then he drew her to him and kissed her. She responded and when their kisses and caresses grew more demanding, she rose and held out her hand. He took it, and they went to her bedroom. They undressed each other slowly, knowing it was the last night they would be spending together. Once on the bed, she straddled him, and he propped himself up against the pillows so they could embrace and kiss each other. They moved at a leisurely pace, wanting and not wanting this last act of intimacy to end, bringing each other to satisfaction several times. Inexorably, however, they approached the peak and death of their relationship, and she cried out and drew blood as she sunk her nails into his back and her teeth into his shoulder. He did the same to her and shuddered as pleasure and despair overwhelmed him simultaneously. Then it was over, and they were breathing heavily, exchanging gentle lingering kisses, their foreheads touching. Outside, the sky turned a gentle blue-grey as the sun rose.

They hugged each other and stayed that way with him inside her until his body had the last say and slid out of her, separating them. R'ëal slowly withdrew her arms from around his neck, looked intently into his eyes and got up from his lap. They dressed silently, and when it was time to part, they exchanged a long gaze.

"Goodbye, my dearest," she said softly. "I enjoyed our time together."

"I wish you well in your future, my love. You have always known what is good for you."

She nodded. "I wish you fortune with your wife."

"Thank you. Jolan'tru, R'ëal, and be well." He kissed her on the forehead, and she returned the gesture.

"Jolan'tru, Thorek," she said, touching his cheek briefly; and she turned around and vanished inside the house.

When he came back later during the day, he found Asha sitting on a bench near the Y'gora tree, immersed in a PADD.

"What are you reading?" he asked her somewhat abruptly.

"I'm doing my homework. Ihhei t'Merek has asked me to read up on Rihan's etymology," she answered.

"Hm." He paced around the bench once. Then, after a minute, a second time. After the fifth time, Asha decided that she simply couldn't concentrate with her husband prowling about like a tiger.

"You seem distracted about something," she said finally, placing the PADD next to her on the bench. Thorek stopped marching up and down and stood in front of her, folding his arms across his chest.

"R'ëal is betrothed and we have terminated our contact."

Asha didn't know what to say. He glanced at her.

"Our outlooks on life were always very different. She in fact seemed relieved."

Asha nodded. "I guess because the decision was made for her, in a manner of speaking."

"Yes, one could say so."

"How do you feel about it?"

"Relieved that it is behind me, and of no relevance now."

There was a tone of finality in his voice, and that was the end of the matter. She was glad he was not letting out his disappointment or anger on her – at least at the moment. It would have been very easy for him to make her a scapegoat; but she also knew that he was suffering from a fresh wound only time could heal; and even then, he would carry the scar. He had not said much, but his pain had been evident from his behaviour and the look in his eyes.