Leaving the Light
By: Christine Schnell
Episode 6: Slavery is Freedom
Chapter 37
When I had been released my body was like a sandbag with
elastic limbs. Now it was more like that concoction had been
thrown into a cement mixer and allowed to solidify. Except,
cement doesn't have nerve endings. Right now those were
bursting. The touch of the blanket made the little hairs on my
arm stand on end. The mattress pressed up into me. I felt
crushed and trapped. My heart started pounding and feebly I
tried to move to free myself.
There was new pressure on my head. I was being pushed down
into the pillow! Suffocated!
"Shh." The pressure on my head alleviated slightly. I started
to lose feeling in my extremities and my back was no longer on
fire, just smoldered slightly. Sluggishly I lifted my heavy
eyelids. I could only see a hip before my eyes. I guessed it
belonged to Kama as I felt her long fingers petting my hair.
Then a voice from high above spoke. "How are you feeling?"
"Horrible." I mumbled as my cheek was embedded in the pillow.
"I know dear. Just remember the pain will eventually pass."
I didn't believe it. Not at all. If she were lying here,
helpless, she wouldn't be thinking that. No, the pain will only
get worse. If she could only feel what I felt, she would not be
so calm. She'd be begging for release. She'd want to cry and
find she couldn't. I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. My
parched mouth barely let me get out the words, "Help me."
"I can't do any more than I am. I have blocked some of the
pain for you. I'm afraid I'm not allowed to heal your wounds."
She explained.
She would no doubt be in trouble if she did much more. I was
grateful for what little she had done for me. No doubt I'd be
suffering and alone on my cot had she not brought me here. I
wanted to thank her for doing this. I also wanted to apologize
for being such a jerk to her. I should never have questioned
her integrity. She was taking such pains now to care for me
even after how I've treated her. I inched my hand towards her
to show her I had no hard feelings but it was heavy and hard to
move. The motion also moved my back muscles which rubbed
against the sheet and I let out a small gasp as my wounds hurt
anew.
I tried to cry, but that too was denied me as I was so
dehydrated. Kama knew exactly what had happened and that I had
no tears. She had quickly left my bedside and returned with a
glass of water. I slowly lifted my hand towards it. For the
first time in my life I saw my hand shake uncontrollably. I
couldn't make it stop for it took all my effort just to lift my
hand. She placed the glass in my hand but clasped it with hers
to steady it. She placed the straw in my mouth and I found my
dry throat could hardly even swallow. It even hurt for me to
close my jaw around the straw and suck in the life giving
liquid. I did though and it was good.
I couldn't handle much, once the suction started it was like a
flood in my mouth and Kama had to take it from me as I started
dribbling all over the bed. She didn't remonstrate me.
Instead, she softly wiped my mouth and stroked my cheek.
Slowly she helped me to a sitting position and we tried the
water again. This time it went much better and actually went
down my throat. It hit my empty stomach hard. Its coldness
sent shivers across my body and I began to shake.
Arms wrapped around me and I was warm again. Then they began
to squeeze. Frightened I looked down and saw the thick, dark
skinned arms that could only have been Keir's. He crushed my
breast as he whispered in my ear "You are mine."
I twisted and turned and tried to shirk him off me. Of course
I would fail, he was too strong for me. I cringed as he licked
me starting from my temple down the nape of my neck. It chilled
me and I shivered. I was wet and cold now. He slapped me then
for good measure.
Or did he? No, he was holding me, how could he slap me? I was
slapped once again and this time I realized it wasn't him, but
Kama. Why would she slap me? I looked up to her. She didn't
say a word. Then I looked around to Keir to see if he would
answer why. He wasn't there. I looked down and what I had
imagined were his arms was only a blanket. The wet cold lick he
had given me, I now realized was what remained in the water
glass before Kama had thrown it in my face. She put down the
glass and took my hands, warming them in hers. Then she dried
off my face. "I'm sorry, I had to, you were hallucinating."
She was apologizing to me? How extremely odd. "No, I'm sorry."
"Come here." She half carried me over to her mirror. For the
first time I saw the full impact of the vampires' wrath.
I looked in the mirror only for a second, for I could not stand
the sight. Yet it drew me to look again. Each time I looked I
saw something more I didn't like. My skin had turned sickly
pale, almost green. My hair had thinned and in spots only a few
meager strands covering my head. The worst thing of all, I had
lost so much weight that my ribs were sticking out like a poor
Ethiopian kid. I had never imagined myself to be capable of
such a dilapidated state let alone that it could happen in a
month's time.
I was glad I had promised to never be with Bram, for how could
he love such a foul corpse like me? How different I looked from
when I first came here. It was a complete reversal. I used to
be fat and soft. Now I'm sharp, hard and skinny. I didn't want
him to ever see me like this, nor anyone else.
I had to sit as I didn't have the strength to stand for long,
nor the will. "It's all over." I expected her to remonstrate
me for being so down. She took me in her arms and I soaked in
her warmth. "I can't live, I can't die. I have nothing to hope
for." I sniffed. Then an impossible thought crossed my mind.
"Release me, please Kama."
She turned my head towards her and leaned our foreheads
together. This close I could see there were tears in her eyes.
"I would if I were allowed sweet-thing. I know the pain. I
understand how you have no hope. All I can say is you must find
some within yourself. You will survive and you will eventually
be happy again."
I shook my head. I couldn't believe that.
"Do you remember our conversation about will?"
I shrugged. It was so long ago. I didn't remember it word for
word just the general gist of it. "I remember you telling me I
was too stubborn."
"Yes, but will and stubbornness is not the same thing. You
must maintain your will to survive. Do not be obstinate, but
show them you are strong enough to over come this."
I moved away from her. I couldn't look her in the face and say
what I was about to. "I don't think I can." The King's most
recent mind invasion came to mind. There was no way I could
hold my own against him.
"Do you trust me?" She asked after a long pause.
I did once but that was a long time ago. Of course what choice
did I have now. I shrugged. "You have more strength than just
what's up here." She poked my forehead. "Use this." She poked
my heart. But it was broken.
"No. I was wrong to fight the King. I should have known I
wasn't strong enough. Now look at me." I tried to cry, but the
tears still wouldn't come. Still a little shaky I took a drink
of water.
"Toni!"
"I've caused too much trouble. I must apologize to him."
"That's right. Be a good little slave and suck up to him."
She leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Don't let him win."
"He already has." I didn't need to see the disappointment on
her face. I was disappointed in me too but there was nothing I
could do.
She stiffened and moved away from me. "You wish to apologize
to him, I will not stop you. However do not be stupid and rush
in there."
"How then?" I looked to her as a willing student and that's
how she treated me.
"Recall your history." Kama said as if I would know the
answer. "Kings did not become rich on their own."
"Oh, a gift!" She nodded. "Um... I'm a slave, what kind of
gift could I possibly give him?"
"That, my dear, you'll have to figure out on your own." She
thought for a moment then added. "If you are determined on this
course you should also treat him as you would me when attempting
to placate me."
"You mean submissively." She closed her eyes and nodded once.
Another tear fell.
She quickly changed the subject, "Now, I'm afraid I can not
keep you. For now you should see the doctor. He will be able
to help you more than I."
"Okay." She helped me to my feet.
"Are you all right to walk?"
"I guess so." I took a few tentative steps. It felt as a
knife had sliced its way straight down my spine to my heels.
"I had best go with you."
We were half way to the slave court, at least I think we were,
I was kind of out of it, when Kama came to a stop. "No."
I looked up at her, what had I done?
"We must hurry." She dragged me along quicker. I had no
choice but to force my legs to move despite their stiffness. As
expected, just as they begin to move properly we came to another
stop. This time there was someone blocking our way.
I was the one to utter "No," now.
"You didn't honestly believe you could escape this, did you?"
I was going to reply but Kama beat me to it. "She needs
healing Keir, surly you can see that."
"The only healing she needs is in her mind, and you are not
helping."
Kama moved in front of me. "I think you've already done enough
for her."
"Kama." Keir growled.
"Kama." I said. "I'll go." I think I shocked them both into
silence. I didn't want to cause trouble for anyone else. I had
brought this upon myself and I wouldn't let her protect me for
it.
"Toni, this is not right, you need medical attention." I knew
that, but I didn't have it for a month, what was a little
longer? "You're just doing-"
"As I'm told."
She finished dejectedly "What he wants." She did nothing to
stop me as I limped forward towards Keir. He didn't handle me
roughly as I expected. We walked in silence to his room.
I fell into his couch. Still exhausted, I only wanted to
sleep. I knew I wouldn't be allowed though. Still silent he
bent over me and I thought he was about to hurt me when he stood
back up with something in his hand. I tried to focus on him to
understand his action. Either my eyes or my brain wasn't
working very well. He dropped something before my face and it
floated vertically. Now that it was mere inches away I could
somewhat make out a long rope. God, was he going to tie me up?
No, the texture was wrong. It was leather, but not all. There
was metal on it. "That is the bane of your existence." Keir
examined it lovingly.
The gears in my mind started grinding and slowly I was putting
it all together. It was a whip, not just any whip either. I
imagined the little thorns digging into my skin and the world
started to spin out of control. "Don't visualize." I chastised
myself. Yet I had the feeling that was something I couldn't
control.
It wasn't thorns covering it after all. They're more a type of
metal barb tied into the braiding. These catch on the skin and
rip it as the whip pulls away since they pointed downwards. No
doubt, this was a deliberate design to make it hurt more. Hurt
it did as I could feel them tugging now even though I saw it
before my eyes and knew it wasn't touching me. I closed my eyes
and forced the memory from my mind.
"I see you fully appreciate the ingenuity of it. Actually it
was you who gave me the idea." I didn't remember ever talking
to him about whips with spikes on them. "It was your love for
Arthurian tales. There was one in which a knight, Sir Turquine,
tortured those he had triumphantly battled with a thorn bush and
then threw them in his dungeon. Hence I created this beautiful
design. The only problem I have with it is I have found it
difficult to clean all of your blood from the thorns."
I cowered from him. The memory of the event was very clear in
my mind and just thinking about it made my skin crawl. I did
not ever wish to feel its cold metal barbs against, or in, my
skin again. My dignity was probably the only thing keeping me
from begging him not to do so and that was holding on by a thin
string. Like a dog he sensed my fear and leaned in over me.
"Don't worry I only use it for special occasions."
***
I basically had to crawl into the infirmary the next morning to
get a pain killer. I had struggled to climb my way up onto one
of the beds and I had just managed to fall asleep when
Dr. Wendel walked in. "Damn." He rushed to my side and looked
in my eye to see if I was conscious or even still alive.
"Mornin' Doc." I mumbled through weak lips.
He didn't acknowledge me right away but went over to his
medicine cabinet while complaining, "Can't they see you're in
pain?! If they'd at least let me speed up the healing
process..." He ran a quick blood level check on me as he talked
to himself. "Then the idiots have to go and drain you."
The taste of my own blood was in my mouth mixed with saliva and
the saltiness skin.
"Who was it this time?"
A black mass pounded into to me pressing my sore back into the
bristly material of the couch.
"Keir." I think I said it aloud.
"Figures." I guess I had. The doctor went about his ravings.
"That one couldn't care less about the servants. I suppose he
had intercourse with you too."
A hand caressed my breast and this time the shivers were from
pleasure. After all that pain it was a nice change for him to
be gentle even if it was fleating.
"Yes."
"Sadistic Bastard." Well, at least we agreed on one thing.
"I'll have to lodge a formal complaint. In the meantime I'm
confining you to that bed until you've recovered."
"You are mine." Keir's voice rang in my ear as he gripped me
harder making sure I understood the pain and pleasure he could
give me as he kissed me.
"Thanks Doc." I mumbled as I began dozing off again. Not
tonight Keir, I have a headache.
I awoke several hours later a little more refreshed, I supposed
the doctor had replenished some of my blood. The pain had
lifted somewhat, but my back still stung and I hadn't gained
much energy. He looked at me quickly as he walked by but didn't
say a word. I watched him go somewhat grateful that he at least
cared enough about me as a patient to let me lie here. As he
walked by a second time I noticed some strange discoloring about
his neck. "Doc, what's that?"
"Hmm?" He had to stop and actually register in his mind that I
was lying there.
"On your neck. It's not a bite mark." It looked more like a
long thick scratch.
He felt around the back of his neck. "Oh that." He waved it
off. "I had almost forgotten about it." Though his expression
told me he had far from forgotten it. "Of course you were in
such a dire state I don't think you even knew what was going
on." He stopped to explain. "Each of us received a lashing for
your 'indiscretion.'"
I searched my memory of the horrible day just over a month
before. "I remember him saying something about that, but I
didn't think he went through with it."
"Yes, the King thought it would make us hate you. But don't
you worry, not one of us blames you for it, and we each took it
well." He patted me on the head and moved off. The King didn't
have the faintest idea what he had started. Well later he would
claim I had started it. I almost smiled.
Over the next couple days that I lay on the bed unmoving I had
received at least a hundred visitors. Each wanted to know how
well I was doing and that I had their full support. My question
was support for what? They made it sound as if I had become
their leader or something. I had news for them. I didn't want
the position. People came by to tell me they are behind me
100%. Behind me? Why couldn't anyone be in front of me for
once and take the brunt of the assault? Being a martyr once was
enough for me.
I had finally gotten to the point where I couldn't care less
about other people. Even though, it did bug me a bit to know
they each received the whip at least once. Now of all times
they want me to lead! Had they asked me to a year ago I
wouldn't have had a problem. Now all I wanted was to be left
alone. I've had enough of the struggle.
It was obvious though that the King wasn't going to let me die.
He had the perfect opportunity twenty times now to kill me and
he hadn't done it. It was obvious that he didn't fear me as a
leader. They all saw me give into the King didn't they? They
knew what I had sacrificed to stop the pain? They must know I
was in no position to help anyone but myself.
Still, they watched me from afar when I insisted to be left
alone. I saw their mouths move as they glanced my way every now
and then. I couldn't take much more of this. I would not let
them make me an idol, not after what I had been through. Or
maybe, as my paranoia spoke to me, I imagined they were guarding
me from me doing something rash. Or they were spying for the
King for any sign of regression. Either way, I couldn't take
much more of it. I slowly sat up with the intention to walk out
of there. It took a bit of effort for my muscles to comply with
my demands. In that time the Doc rushed to my side. "Whoa
there. You shouldn't be getting up quite yet."
"I need some fresh air Doc."
"You're in no shape to do anything until tonight."
"Tonight?" What the hell was this? I thought they granted me
a break.
He looked to the diagnostic readout briefly avoiding my
question. "I'm afraid there's not much more I can do for you.
I did replaced 6 of your teeth while you were unconscious."
"Six?" I felt around in my mouth with my tongue then a probing
finger.
"Oh, you won't notice a difference. I used your originals for
the mold."
"How did I lose them?"
He stared at me for a second. "Well, Keir knocked several out
himself. The others I'm afraid rotted a bit while you were..."
He couldn't bring himself to say it. "Frankly I'm surprised
that's all you lost. You have rather strong teeth."
"All the better to chew with."
"Or bite." Dr. Wendel didn't often offer a bit of sarcasm and
somehow I don't think this was. He didn't give me time to ask.
"Okay, I'll let you go. Just to get something to eat." He
hesitated a little like he was fighting himself over something,
then finally decided to tell me what he was avoiding. "Then I'm
afraid Keir wishes to see you." I felt sick all of a sudden.
"And tell him, if he knocks out another tooth to not break it
into pieces, I had a heck of a time trying to make some of them
whole."
My eyes widened and suddenly I was sorry that my teeth were the
only thing Keir knocked out of my head. He nodded and looked
away his voice was suddenly soft. "Yes, I'm afraid he has
spoken for you again tonight."
***
"Here you go." Harrison dropped a bowl of gruelish looking
stuff on the counter.
"You've got to be kidding me." The vampires seriously were
after me if they wanted to torture me with this crap.
"Doctor's orders." He said. "Dr. Wendel said you couldn't
handle anything more than this yet."
"Great."
"Oh yeah, almost forgot." He dropped a lump of jiggling yellow
gelatin down before me. "Desert."
"Yum." I murmured. I took the gelatin and left the gruel. If
I was going to see Keir it probably was best to not have much on
my stomach anyway. There truly was no rest for the weary.
A spoonful of the yellow stuff had hardly slid down my throat
before I heard this; "I hope you're happy Antoniette." I should
have known Gary would interrupt another of my meals. At least
he wasn't asking me to lead too.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone else would get hurt."
"That's just it Antoniette You don't think. You didn't think
about the consequences of your actions and you didn't think of
anyone besides yourself. If you would for once look beyond two
minutes from now you might realize you need more facts before
acting."
"You're right. I'm sorry."
Gary was going to say something other than "Huh?"
"You are right." I enunciated. "And I'm sorry."
He sat across from me quietly debating his next words. "Why
did you run?"
"I..." Why had I? I couldn't remember now. Keir pushed me,
but not over the edge. Was it Bram? He murdered and I hated
him for it, but it still wasn't enough. Even before I left I
had nearly forgiven him. So what sent me over the edge?
Perhaps it was only the opportunity. Hmph, some opportunity I
nearly got myself killed on the way out. "I don't know."
"Of course you don't. You didn't really want to leave. You're
just trying to get attention. Attention from Bram. He doesn't
want you, he won't drink from you and he wanted you to die-"
"Leave him out of this."
"Don't you get it? You can't have him. Things have changed.
Bram is no longer the King's second. We have had privileges
stripped from us. You won't be allowed to just be with anyone
you want, nor can the rest of us. I don't know why they spared
you, but I wish they hadn't. We were happy and now this stupid
escape of yours has ruined it."
"Don't you get it?" I said much more calmly than he. "We're
not supposed to be happy here. We're prisoners, even if the
prison is a tolerable one. Inmates are not supposed to be
happy. You were living on borrowed time. This was bound to
happen eventually."
"It wouldn't have happened had you listened to me. I'm doing
my best to keep the slaves happy and you work against me all the
time."
"Well not anymore. It doesn't matter anyway. None of it does.
There is no escape. We just need to do as we're told right?"
Gary was almost too shocked to speak. "Yeah, I guess so."
"So don't worry about me anymore. There's other slaves here
that still have hope for you to crush."
"Hey! I'm not trying to do that. I'm-"
"Gary, I don't think you need to yell at her, hasn't she been
through enough." Al put his hand on my shoulder.
"Thanks Al, but Gary should be perfectly free to yell at me,
after all it's his job to keep people like me in line, isn't it?"
"He's not a police officer Toni."
"No, I'm not." Gary agreed.
"You're right, who am I to argue?" I said.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Gary snapped.
"I'm sorry if I'm not myself lately. I've been through a rough
time."
"I'm so, sorry, Kiddo."
"I don't understand why. I am the one who should apologize.
They hurt you because of me. I can do nothing to make up for
that."
"A single crack of a whip isn't enough to break through my old
hide. I told you how to escape from here, and about the town.
I feel responsible for convincing you to escape."
"Wait, you!? I thought Bram-" Gary said.
"Will you stop blaming Bram for everything that goes wrong!"
Al snapped.
"Oh, Al, it wasn't you at all or Bram. It was my stupidity and
my arrogance that got me caught. I never should have expected
to get that far. As Gary has pointed out, I have done nothing
but bring pain to the people here. It was wrong of me to be so
selfish"
"You don't have to be so damn subservient to them." He looked
pointedly at Gary who sat defiantly. "You can find some middle
ground between this and rebellion."
"I don't know. I kind of like her like this."
I said, "Gary, do me a favor please. Go to Doc Wendel ask him
for some Formalin." He raised an eyebrow. "Then stick it up
your ass."
"That's my girl." Al gave me a hardy pat on the back. I
winced trying not to appear weak in front of Gary.
"Oh geez, I'm sorry." Al leaned over me.
Gary shook his head and left.
***
I still had a few hours and the Doc thought I should get some
rest and might sleep better in my own cot. I didn't. So I was
awake when Lacey came in. She was trying to be quiet but I had
something to ask her. It was the first time I had seen her
since... well, since I tried to escape. "Did they hurt you to?"
"Shelly is normally gentle." Lacey, like always, didn't have a
clue.
"I meant when they wh-whipped you?" I found it hard to say
that word. Maybe I should not have brought it up.
"Yes." She didn't look at me.
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I didn't mean for anyone else to get hurt."
"I know."
"Do you hate me now?"
"How could I?" I was confused by this and the breaking of her
voice as she sounded about to cry. I sat up to really see what
was going on. She was sitting on the side of the bed holding
something.
I moved over next to her to get a better look and comfort her.
"Thank you." She said holding up the CD's. I had forgotten
them. In fact I had no hope the vampires would give them to
her. "I haven't, listened to them yet."
"I know, I have to fix the jukebox. I'll try to do that soon."
"It's okay. You've done a lot already."
I didn't want to hear anymore. I hadn't done anything right.
So I changed the subject back to what I should have originally
asked her. "Lacey, if you were me, how would you apologize to
the King?"
"I wouldn't."
That was somewhat surprising, the instant reaction at least.
"Really?"
"He unnecessarily put you in solitary. Everybody knew he had
gotten the point across with the whipping." Well, not really
but I wasn't going to tell her that. "I think he should
apologize to you. A lot of us think that."
"Yeah but if I don't I'm afraid something worse will happen."
"Like what?"
"Like... Like... I don't know. I've already been assigned two
nights with Keir since I've gotten out five days ago. I don't
really want that to continue."
"I know but do you really think begging to the King will help?
Or is there something else you think will come of it?"
When'd she get so smart. "I just don't want anyone else to get
hurt. Gary said things have changed here. I want to make them
right."
"You listened to Gary?" She was shocked.
"He was right I've done nothing but ruin things for people
here. I want o fix that."
"I don't think the King will fix anything for you."
"No, but I should at least try."
"Do what you think is best." Quietly she opened one of the
CD's revealing a picture, not of the artist but of the Sheriff
and others who looked like they were related. She fingered the
picture lovingly, especially looking at the boy who couldn't be
more than 10. I realized I had probably ruined her chances to
see them again. She was my friend and so no doubt the King's
punishment would extend to her as well to show others what
associating with me would gain them. I suddenly truly regretted
the selfishness of my actions. I put my hand on hers then got
up to leave. I had something I had to do.
The next thing I did was pure madness, especially after what I
had been through. Well, I never did claim I wasn't insane. I
had never seen the King outside of the throne room. I tried
there first with no luck. A few quick questions here and there
revealed the location of his room.
I knocked and nervously shuffled my feet while I waited. The
door opened revealing a sleepy and disheveled woman. At first I
didn't recognize her and thought I had the wrong room. She
brushed back her raven black curls with a sneer. "What?"
I quickly realized why I didn't recognize her, she wasn't
wearing a crown and royal red robe. "I apologize for waking
you. I wish to speak with the King."
"Come in." Her voice changed and was almost ladylike. "Why do
you wish to see him?"
"I need to apologize."
She laughed. "You want a drink?"
I looked around. The apartment was larger than the others. It
had at least one other room as the bed was not in this one. Was
the King in there? "Um... Can I see him, please."
"He's not here. You take your brandy with ice?"
Ah what the hell, maybe I could get more info out of her.
"Straight please, Your Majesty."
"Call me Lenore."
"Okay." I took the proffered drink and watched as she tossed
hers back and started pouring another. I sipped mine. Again I
examined the room and observed it wasn't decorated the way I
thought the King's would be. It was too girlie with lace and
glittering crystal speckling the area. "So when do you expect
him back?"
"I don't."
"Really? Why?"
"He respects my privacy." She said with a fake laugh this
time. "Can we not talk about him?" She took a long swig of her
drink then refilled it and mine despite mine still being fairly
full.
"Um sure."
"So, he doesn't like you very much."
I blinked as I tried to register what was happening. "No, I
guess not."
"You're very brave to face him. He was hoping you couldn't
think for yourself anymore. Guess you showed him huh?" She
drained the glass again and looked at the empty bottle and I
thought she was going to drain the last drop from it. Instead
she got up and picked up a second nearly empty bottle. She did
nothing except hold onto it. "He's afraid of you, you know."
"Why?"
"Are you thirsty would you like a drink?" She slurred a
little. I looked at my full glass then back to her. She was
swaying slightly. I didn't know it was possible for a vampire
to get drunk. I wondered how much she had to drink before I got
there.
"Um, no thank you. Are you all right?" I went to her to try
to steady her.
"Fine, fine." She grasped for a chair and I helped her into it.
"He doesn't want your apology." There she goes again bringing
him up.
"I know, but it's all I have."
"No it's not."
"What? He wants me to fall on a sword in front of him?"
"No, he wants your complete dedication and loyalty."
"Ouch." That was far different from just acting submissive.
"Of course, I'd never ask such a thing of you."
"What would you ask of me?"
She laughed again. "Your blood." Like I didn't see that
coming. "Your soul."
That I didn't. It scared me a little, the way she said it was
almost like that zombie thing in Evil Dead 2 who said, "I'll
swallow your soul!"
A smile spread across her face. "Not now, later."
"Um..." I became very uncomfortable now and despite my new
doctrine of servitude I wished to leave. "Could you tell me
where I could find the King?"
"You don't honestly believe I can live with that insufferable
man do you?"
"No, of course not, but where-"
"I'm tired." She waved me off. "Put me to bed."
So I wouldn't piss her off, I did just that. She wouldn't let
go of the bottle therefore I wrapped that arm around my neck and
heaved her to her feet. My own legs nearly gave way beneath me.
Her arm that draped over my shoulders rubbed against the wounds
on my back. The smell of alcohol on her made it even harder for
me to breathe. "You are such a good servant." I labored with
her across the room. The door was an awkward obstacle. I
managed to open it with the side of my thigh and a foot.
Finally, I laid her down on the bed on top her covers. As I
slid my arm out from under her she grabbed my hand yanked it
towards her then bit down hard. Between the shock and the agony
I gasped and fell to my knees.
She pulled me close so that her reddened teeth shone in my
eyes. "Always remember who rules here." She fell asleep still
grasping my hand. A little woozy and a lot terrified that she
might wake again and do something worse I backed through the
room to the door.
***
As if all that wasn't enough, my feet dragged me to my next
engagement. "Sit." Keir instructed. I was hesitant to do so
after how he treated me last time.
He moved in towards me as if to force me. "Please don't." I
backed away and sat as far from him as I could. Okay, I really
kind of fell onto his coffee table but I pretended like I meant
to sit there.
"You need not fear me all of the time." No, of course not. I
flashed back to a night where he sat at Bram's dinner table
telling witty stories. It didn't make him any less scary right
now.
He stood towering in front of me. "I will not hurt you if you
answer my questions honestly." I didn't like the sound of that.
I nodded knowing I probably would regret it.
Keir asked almost as if he didn't care. "Where'd you get the
sleeping gas?"
I figured this time would come eventually. After all I had
been surprised that no one interrogated me while I was in
solitary. The thing was, if I told him he wouldn't believe me.
If I didn't tell him he'd hurt me. Well, on second thought he'd
probably hurt me both ways. Oh what the heck, I decided to give
it a shot. "It was magic, came out of thin air."
"Magic!?" He laughed. "We may be creatures from folk lore, so
you think we'd believe in such things?" He leaned in
dangerously close. "Do not lie to me, I know Bram helped you
obtain it."
I had to talk fast though I knew he wouldn't listen. "No
really, I was hiding in the closet and this guy appeared out of
thin air, he talked to me, told me he wanted to help then handed
me the vile. Bram had nothing to do with that. It was even
before he gave me the sword." Keir's eyes opened wide. Ah
damn. Me and my big mouth.
I wished Bram would just show up. He could set this right. He
had before. The last time Keir had me in isolation Bram started
a petition to have me released. Then there was the time
Heremon and his cronies were ganging up on me and he appeared
out of no where. Somehow I knew Bram was working right then to
see me again it was only a matter of time. Keir growled at
this. "Do you think he is your knight in shinning armor? He
won't come to save you. You have forsaken him. He didn't come
to your aid while you were in solitary. He won't come here now.
If it came down to your life or his, it would be a simple
decision for him."
"I don't believe that."
Keir smiled, he thought he knew Bram, he thought he had the man
all figured out just because he's known him for centuries, I
knew better. Keir's voice was soft but menacing. "If the king
ordered him to kill you, or else he himself would die, he
wouldn't even hesitate to kill you. I've seen him do it before.
You can ask any vampire here, even your beloved, and they would
tell you it's true."
There was so much conviction there I was starting to believe
him. I wasn't about to tell him that. "But... He loves me."
"Do you really think so? Could anyone love you after you
begged the King to transfer your pain to him?"
What? No, that's not what I said, was it? I promised not to
pursue him. I didn't want him hurt though. "You lie!"
He raised his hand but he didn't strike. "I have tried, over
and over to open your eyes to the folly of your feelings for
that man."
I wanted to strike him, but I knew I shouldn't. I wanted to
cry, but I couldn't. I could barely whisper, "I still don't
believe you."
"Why are you doing this? It's as if you are asking for
punishment. Do you like the pain?"
I didn't know how to answer that. Was it Bram or he that he
was referring to hurting me? A knock at the door saved me.
There was so much tension in the room we both jumped.
"Oh, sorry to interrupt." Gary grunted as he pushed the door
open. "You're first shipment has arrived." He lugged a large
box in and slid it on the coffee table next to me. It looked
very heavy. The box itself had no markings. Gary started to
leave when Keir stopped him.
"I'd like you to stay for a moment." Then he placed a hand on
the box and looked directly at me. "I have something for you,
but you must give something to me in return."
Oh lord, hadn't I already given him enough? "What is it?"
"You wish to see Bram again. You know you must appease the
King but don't know how. You can return to a somewhat normal
life here and help your friends at the same time. You can do so
much with this." And here I thought vampires didn't watch TV.
Keir was perfect for the infomercial circuit.
"What is it?"
"I ask for only one small thing in return."
I sighed. Obviously he wanted to do this his way. "What do I
have that you could possibly want?"
"Your journals."
I looked to Gary who shrugged, then back to Keir. "Why on
earth would you want those? You already know what's in them."
"It is not just the journals I wish to have, but your pledge
that you will never write any new ones."
"I don't understand."
"They think the expression of your thoughts might make you want
to enact them." Gary helped.
Keir didn't deny it.
I didn't like it. Something was amiss. "Why are you helping
me?"
"Let's just say I have an investment to protect." Before I
could inquire further, he said, "We are agreed then, your
journals for this." He placed a hand on the box.
"Yes." What choice did I have?
"You are witness to this Gary. You will ensure that she writes
no more."
"Wait, the deal is I don't write my journal, not that I don't
write at all."
"Fine. As long as you do not write unsupervised." He
compromised.
"But-"
"How else could we be assured that you are not secretly writing
a journal or just putting it into another form?"
So I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Give up one of my
remaining freedoms or take my chances with the King and what
little I could give him without Keir's gift. I'm screwed.
***
The contents of the box were sprawled before me. After a week
I had hardly progressed far enough to figure out what each piece
did. Electrical components, chunks of metal, motors and
miscellaneous parts that I had no idea what they were for were
all over the place. On top of all of this was a 250 page
document that was worse than an operating system's manual.
With hardly any pictures for me to match the parts to let alone
know how they fit together, there was also no simple insert tab
A into slot B. No there were poorly written statements like
"The framer must also manage the protocol flow control
mechanism, and respond accordingly when the local receiver
asserts busy, and must assert busy when the backplane protocol
indicates busy. This busy signal inhibits creation and
transmission of arbitrary IML L2 packets onto the IML backplane
from the FGI bus." I'm not kidding! Even an engineer like me
gets confused by this. This sentence sounds like something out
of the vampire's rule book if they had one, "In this way, two or
more instruments may be ganged and one master of that group can
send commands to the slaves."
Besides the interesting documentation some of the circuits came
preassembled, but not all. Talk about some assembly required!
Some parts, that according to the document were supposed to fit
in a certain location, I found impossible to jam anywhere near
it. I was beginning to feel that Keir's offer to "help" was yet
another torture device.
Speaking of torture, "Look at you. You think you're queen of
the mountain or something."
"Cut it out Gwen." I went on to explain why I had asked her
here. See, what Keir gave me wasn't enough. It was just a
starter kit. There were other things that I needed to add to it
on my own. Things I couldn't get without help. God this was
hard for me. "I could really use your help."
"Get out! Like you totally think I'd help a dweeb like you?"
I was tempted to mock her with my own Valley Girl accent but I
controlled myself. "It's not really to help me, this will, I
hope, help all slaves."
"You think you're like gonna fulfill the prophecy? Fat change
slave girl." She knocked me on the back of the head as she
walked by. "As if!"
"Wait." I called after her with no luck. "What prophecy?" I
asked Nate after I gave up on her. "How come everyone knows
about it but me?"
"It's all about..." He stammered a little. By now I
recognized vampire intervention and this was it. "I wouldn't
worry about her. She's just jealous. After all the one she's
after is focused on you."
"Everyone's after Bram huh?"
"Nah. Heremon's her choice."
"Gag me!" I didn't see how it would even be possible for me to
persuade her to go see Wen if she was going to maintain an
attitude like that. "What does she see in him?"
"Can't say. I try to stay out of others' business, as you
should have learned by now."
"Yes. I know, but I need to push Gwen in The Master of All
Thing's direction for him to help me."
"Can't you just program it yourself?"
"Yeah, build an AI from scratch when I know just a basic amount
of C++? Not."
"Isn't there anyone else who knows software?"
"Plenty. Dr. Hilltop programs the medical database. John
Wichern handles the assembly code level stuff, and I do all the
rest. None of us come close to the expertise needed for this."
"And Wen does? There's not even another vampire that could?"
I thought briefly of Kama sitting at the computer console
helping me to log in. She was so natural there. I wondered how
many others knew how to use computers. "Maybe. No doubt they
would want something as well. I still think The Master of All
Things is my best hope."
"If you ask me I'd rather tackle the software myself than get
Gwen to be nice to anyone."
"No kidding."
"Cyrano." Lacey's voice said behind me.
"What?" Nate and I said simultaneously.
"Cyrano de Bergerac. That guy with the big nose."
"You think I should be a Cyrano?"
"Why not?"
"You certainly can write." Nate agreed.
This made my heart drop. Would Keir think writing a letter a
violation of our agreement? It wasn't as if I would be writing
propaganda against the vampires. I would be helping one.
"Except for one problem." Lacey picked up a round chunk of
metal that I think was supposed to be the head.
"And that would be."
"Roxane fell in love with Cyrano at the end, not the other
guy." She sent the head rolling across the bench.
"Oh, I am so dead." I buried my head in my hands.
***
"'My most lovely and magnanimous Gweneth,
'Life's many twists and turns have brought you near me. Life's
cruelty has kept you just out of my reach. I have admired you
from afar for many years. Your beauty has flourished with age.
You have impressed upon me your most lovely soul and I, your
most humble servant, would be honored if you would only consider
looking upon me with your celestial eyes.
'Please consider returning my most undeserving love. I would
appreciate your gracious presence for a gourmet meal in my
apartment tomorrow night.
'Your most adoring and loving fan, Wen Su.'"
"Too much?" I asked Wen as he pondered the letter.
"This is incredible. Do you really think she will like it?"
"Only one way to find out." I made to take the letter from him.
"No wait."
"Is something wrong?"
"Well... It's just..."
"Yes?"
"I couldn't live up to this stuff."
"I'm sure you won't find it that hard. Just stoke her ego." I
slowly slipped the paper from his fingers.
"Um, I can't cook." He said as I was about to leave.
I dropped my head in defeat. What could this guy do other than
write code? "Okay, don't worry about it." I'd have to go beg a
favor of the chefs. "I'll take care of everything. Except..."
"Yes!" He sounded grateful.
"I think you should do something for her on your own.
Something to show her your love, that only you can do."
"Like what?"
"I'm sure you'll think of something, you're the Master of all
Things." Though, I was beginning to think he wasn't as
deserving of that title as I once thought.
***
I swear I am in an adventure game. I mean every time I think I
can get close to getting something, someone wants something in
return. If I kept this up I know I'd be picking up every object
that wasn't nailed down. Then storing it somewhere on my person
until someone asked for it or I could combine it with another
object to make some silly thing. Look at fork - it's shiny and
pointy. Use fork with orange - I'm sorry those do not work
together. Use fork with pillow - I'm sorry those do not work
together. Put fork in ear - Ouch, that did not work try
elsewhere. Give fork to barman- barman gives you rose. Give
rose to girl-girl gives you remote control. Knock on door and
give the password. Use remote on TV until you find the
skin-a-max channel, the guard won't take his eyes off it so you
can sneak upstairs. Unfortunately, life wasn't like a game. It
is a bit more mundane if not as frustrating.
"So let me get this straight, you won't do this unless I get
you a CD player?"
"Well it gets lonely back here doing laundry all day." I
didn't really think of Cindy as someone who would enjoy music.
"You sure a good book wouldn't do just as well?"
"It would be nice to have something drown out the noise of the
machines."
"Look, you realize I don't have the kind of influence I once
had don't you?"
"Yes, I know. We don't need a big one like the jukebox mind
you. Oh and can you get me a few CD's classical of course."
"Yes of course." I said exasperated.
Just where I was going to get a CD player I had no idea, I'm
sure I'd have to do another favor for someone.
The CD's were easy. I just "borrowed" a few from the jukebox.
I was tempted to cannibalize the jukebox for the CD reader.
Then I thought of the happiness that it brought when we first
received it. It was brought in for the enjoyment of many, not
just one. I vowed I would fix it at my first opportunity.
However, I did have people to placate at that moment so I headed
to the next logical place that would have a CD player. Or
should I say CD reader.
I expected the computer room to be locked to me. It wasn't. I
even still had access to the network. I took one of the older
computers apart stripping it of everything except the bare
essentials. I grabbed a pair of speakers, monitor and cables
then went on my way.
You'd think after all of this Cindy would be happy. She was,
but as anyone who's played adventure games knows there is always
something else that needs to be done to reach your goal. "You
realize I can put it on the list, but that doesn't mean it would
be approved."
I stopped breathing for a moment and let this news sink in. I
was going to be at the mercy of yet another person. "Who
approves it?"
"Oh, well the King usually."
"I can't go to the King about this."
"I know." She thought for a moment. "The Queen! She's
approved it in the past."
"The Queen." I sighed and found myself going in circles. She
would never approve anything that would benefit the King, would
she?
***
I reached up to the top shelf stretching on my tip toes. I did
a quick intake of breath as my back seared. For the first time
I could feel my ribs rubbing against my clothes and realized I
really needed to eat more. I also needed to exercise more as my
stiff muscles wouldn't stretch enough to reach the top shelf.
"What are you doing?" Harrison asked.
I quickly fell back onto the flats of my feet grateful for the
interruption that put me back to a normal state. "If you must
know I'm trying to get a bottle of brandy to bribe the Queen
with."
"No-"
"Hey, if you're going to tell me I need to give you something
in return you can forget it. I've had it up to here with
getting stuff for other people." I showed him where I had it up
to.
"Actually I was going to say that you don't want Brandy. If
you really want to make an impression you'll take her some of
the 35 year old, three wood, single malt, scotch whiskey."
"Oh. Sorry for snapping."
"It's okay. I think we all understand. I'll be right back."
He went into another room that he had to dig for a key to get
into. When he returned, he brought two bottles of the whiskey
with him. "Here ya are. Put them to good use."
"I certainly hope I am." I began to walk out then snapped my
fingers as I remembered. "Oh, one more thing." I crossed my
fingers hoping he still wouldn't ask for anything. "Can you fix
an extremely pleasant gourmet meal for Wen Su and an extra
person tomorrow night?"
"Sure thing." I blinked. He asked no questions, nor acted
like he would have a problem with it at all.
"Thanks."
***
"You are desperate." The Queen laughed at me. "All this
effort for one little signature. You shouldn't have."
"Okay." I withdrew the proffered bottles. Or at least tried
to, my hands stopped moving before the were at my side.
"I never said I didn't want them." She took them from my hands
then released her control. I shrugged it off and walked further
into the room. "I've heard you've been very helpful. Have you
seen the light and becoming a proper slave?"
"I have always felt the need to help others."
She took a long draft straight out of one of the bottles.
"Must you always be so damn diplomatic? Just tell me you hate
being a slave and we'll both be happy."
"Do you hate being Queen?"
She wheeled on me teeth bared and smelling of liquor. "You
could never understand what it is like. So do not presume to
ask questions like that."
I cowered back. There was no doubt in my mind that she would
hurt me and no doubt that I was pushing my luck with her. "No,
ma'am. I didn't mean it like that."
"I will teach you what it is truly like to be a slave. Feed
me."
Without wavering I pulled my sleeve up so that she could bite
me. She looked at me in disgust. Surely she didn't expect me
to cut myself so that she could feed. She snapped her fingers
in the direction of her table that held a fruit bowl.
Like an idiot I said, "Oh." I picked up the bowl and brought
it to where she had taken a seat. Talk about humiliating. The
next thing you know she'll want me to fan her. I took a
strawberry off the top and held it out for her. She opened her
mouth, but otherwise didn't move.
With a bit of repulsion I slid the berry onto her tongue. Her
teeth snapped down cutting off the crown and nearly took my
fingers. She smiled then eyed the peach. Grateful for
something large enough to save my fingers I brought it to her
lips, but they remained closed. Realizing she was beneath
biting the thing whole and getting juice all over her (spilling
alcohol apparently was okay though as she slopped another bit
into her mouth). I broke the peach in half and apparently that
too was not good enough. She then horrified me by saying, "Bite
off a piece for me dear." Yeah, then what?
Afraid to defy her I bit off a piece and was saved from finding
out what would come next by the door opening. I nearly choked
on the bite of peach when Heremon entered. "Started dinner
without me?" He was lugging a mini tower computer case under
his arm.
"Merely getting comfortable." The Queen said. I tried to make
myself as small as possible. It didn't work and I had a feeling
I wasn't going to be able to get out of there unnoticed. No, he
hadn't had a chance to repay me since Eric and I played our
little joke on him. I knew he wouldn't believe Keir's
punishment to be enough.
"I confiscated this from the laundry room. Seems they didn't
remember that they are no longer allowed such entertainment."
He looked directly at me. I tried to clear my mind of all
knowledge of this. I did everything in my power to distract him
from it and my previous digressions and tried to make him feel
comfortable. I even fed him.
I was the perfect servant. I knelt before him and with all my
heart attempted to show pleasure when he drank from me. I let
he and the Queen do every base thing they could think of to
humiliate me such as giving his disgusting feet a massage.
With every last ounce of effort I led them to believe that I
enjoyed it and was thankful to them for sharing the experience
with me. The Queen was too drunk to notice my change in
attitude and Heremon too stupid. I still believe that this
saved me from further pain and public humiliation. Heremon
would no longer find it fun to insult me. The Queen, well,
hopefully she'd remember enough of the night to sign the
acquisition form.
***
The next day, I sat with my project attempting to complete the
motor functions. I was so involved in it that I hadn't noticed
her approaching me. "Did Wen talk to you?" Gwen asked in a
tone I didn't like.
"All the time, why?" I blinked but didn't look up.
"About this?" She slammed a piece of paper down scattering
chips and resistors around the table.
Ah, the letter got to her after all. I was beginning to doubt
Nate delivered it for me. "What's that?"
"Don't be such a goober. Did you, like, write it or not?"
To lie or not to lie? "Listen, just give him the benefit of
the doubt."
"Why?"
I rolled my eyes. I didn't really want to tell her. "Because
he likes you."
"Well, duh!"
Okay, time for a different tactic. "Okay, how about this, you
go to dinner with him, and at least try to see something in him
and I'll do you a favor."
"Helllooo, he's a nerd."
"So, nerds have feelings too." I should know I was one.
She gave an exasperated sigh while stomping her foot. It
looked like she was actually thinking. Maybe it was the steam
coming out of her ears that gave it away. "Like, any favor?
You'll do anything for me when ever I ask?"
I knew I was going to regret it. "Yes, once."
"I suppose I could party with him for one night."
"Oh no, this isn't just go and serve the vampire. You have to
genuinely try to like him. You have to make an effort. You
have to take him something nice. Put on makeup, a nice dress,
the whole shebang."
"Grody to the max!"
"Hey, if your favor is unconditional mine has to be too."
"But-"
"Please."
"But what do I give a nerd?" I quickly counted to ten. I
looked around me, I was in nerd heaven and she didn't realize
it. I reached over to the next table and grabbed a laser
display and handed it to her.
She looked at me queerly and handled it like it was a dead rat.
"Cool. What is it?"
"It's a light display. To impress a nerd, giving him this is
not enough. You have to know trivia about it."
She looked at me as if I were crazy and I knew she was one of
those debutantes who never paid attention in school. "Okay,
look, if you do this, and this." I pressed a couple buttons,
"It will make a little robot that dances."
Her eyes opened wide as on the opposite wall a little green
robot flipped and spun.
"And tell him that he can program his own in with this." I
handed her a CD. "He'll fall head over heals for you."
"I thought he already was."
"Whatever." I pushed her out the door as she fiddled with the
gadget. "Oh and one more thing, drop the Valley Girl act."
"Shhyeah, like that's gonna happen." She flicked her hair in
my direction. I watched her go and my heart warmed up. I knew
what was waiting for her; a room filled with roses, candle
light, a five course meal, and a freshly made over Master of All
Things. If that didn't appeal to her romantic nature, I didn't
know what would.
***
I had just waddled back into the court after a rough night with
Neala. The Master of All Things called out to me. He did not
look at me when he held out a small memory stick. I blinked
unsure if I should take it.
"What's this?"
"Stuff."
"Wen." I whined.
"Now." He put it in my hand. "It's the program you wanted."
"So soon?" I was instantly awake.
"It wasn't hard."
"Wasn't hard. Wen, this is a complicated instrument. I don't
want it to just move around. I want it to interpret moods and
react accordingly."
"I know. It's all there. You won't be disappointed."
Either he was smarter than I thought, or being a vampire had
more advantages than I anticipated. "I can't thank you enough."
"You already have."
"How did it go last night?"
He shrugged. "Okay I guess."
"Just okay, but what about this?" I held up the stick.
He shrugged again. "You did what you could."
"What about dinner? Was that okay? The flowers?"
"Fine, she like them."
"Then what?"
"I don't know. She was just acting weird."
"How weird?"
I could tell I was bothering him with these questions. He
started to go into his little shell. "Thanks for trying."
"Guess I'm no Cyrano."
***
A week or so later I was putting some of the last touches on
the frame when someone dropped the pelt down in front of me. I
trepidly touched the soft fur. "Please tell me you did not get
this from a real one."
"Okay, I won't." I felt sick and Cindy saw how pale I became.
"It's synthetic."
"Good. Good." I rubbed my hand over it again. It certainly
felt real. "Thank you. Oh, hey, sorry about the whole CD
thing."
Cindy shrugged it off. "I didn't really expect it to last
anyway. You tried. Thank you." She left me so I could try to
figure out how to attach it. It was the last piece I had been
anxiously awaiting before I could go groveling to the King.
There wasn't much to do now but wait. Lord I hated waiting!
Waiting was what I had to do if I wanted to see the King. No
one could tell me where he resides and thus I stayed in the
throne room. For days I sat there waiting, just me and my
present. I began to wonder if he was ever going to show. I had
to be persistent though. I had to show him I was willing to
wait for him just as a proper servant would. At least that's
the impression Mistress Kama gave me. I only hoped she was
right.
I was fighting sleep when I heard footsteps behind me. Were
they in a dream or real? I focused my mind and pried my eyes
open. I turned to find the man himself walking towards me, robe
flowing, gold shimmering, and a glare that could split a diamond
in twain.
Quickly I came to my senses and doing as instructed by Kama I
kneeled in the stream and kept my head bowed. I watched his
shiny leather shoe stop just before me. This was going to be
interesting. "You wished an audience with me?"
"Yes my King." I kept my eyes down. Damn I hated not being
able to make eye contact.
"Proceed."
"I wish to apologize for the trouble I've caused. I wish to
beg your forgiveness for how I've treated you and the other
vampires."
"And what do you wish to gain by this?" As if he didn't know.
"I ask for leniency for all of the other slaves. I realize I
personally am responsible for their hardship. I ask that you
return their privileges. I know I do not deserve such for
myself."
He stood over me silent for a few moments. I felt his eyes
drilling into the top of my head. He softly probed me sparing
me the pain he normally caused when doing so. "There is more."
I didn't want to admit there was more. True I had hopes that
he would also spare me. That maybe, just maybe, he'd let me see
Bram again. I was too afraid to ask for or even hope for such
things.
"Do not think you are special. Others more willful before you
have been through this training period. They all accepted their
position here. Perhaps now you will realize you are only a
servant and have no authority, nor any right to act as you have."
Keeping the sincerity in my voice I said. "Yes Your Majesty."
"Do not be so arrogant to presume that begging anything of me
will correct the wrong you have done."
"Of course not Your Majesty." I just didn't want anyone else
to get hurt.
"You already have presumed much. I see you have brought me
something."
"Yes your Majesty."
"Open it."
I should have realized he was not going to open the box
himself. It was too much like work. He could have at least
unwrapped it himself. If I had known this, I wouldn't have put
it in the box in the first place. I dragged myself out of the
stream dripping a trail on the cement to where I had placed the
box. I slid the ribbon off then ripped at the paper trying not
to take my frustration out on it. Then the tape had to come off
and finally I could unfold the top. I knew this wouldn't be
enough for him. I tore the cardboard down two of the sides so
that a flap now exposed one side of the box. The King watched
this last step with curiosity. He did not have a direct line of
sight so I knew I could impress him somewhat with this if I did
it right. "Come on." I said to the thing inside the box as I
patted my thigh.
The paranoid King took a quick step back as the box shook
slightly. Then he moved further back almost into the stream
when a large object wobbled unsteadily out of the box taking its
first steps towards its new master.
The rather unsightly hound walked up to him and sat before him
with a paw up. Its tail wagged and if it had a tongue it would
be panting happily. To my dismay it didn't really look like a
real dog, sure it had a head, four legs, a tail and an ill
fitting fur coat. Beyond that, it wasn't recognizable as a dog.
Its body shape was more cylindrical than streamlined as it had
to house not only all of the electronics and power source but
also most of the mechanics. I intended to make it look somewhat
like an Irish wolfhound knowing that some of the scragglyness
could be attributed to that breed.
I hadn't managed to get the mechanics quite right and every few
seconds its tail would flinch or its head would cock just a
little too far to one side. There was so much more I could do
to make it better. I just knew if I wanted to do anything for
the other slaves I had to finish it quickly and thus didn't do a
perfect job. Besides I figure I'd have all the years ahead of
me to perfect this puppy.
"This," He pointed to the thing before him, "is it?"
"Yes Your Majesty." I said in a meek and sad voice. He didn't
like it after all.
"Very well." He tentatively touched the top of the dog's head.
It wagged its tail faster and pushed its head up into the
King's hand. "Your offering has amused me. I do believe you
have learned a lesson or two. Perhaps I will consider some of
which you asked for."
"Thank you Your Majesty. It is very kind of you." I bowed.
"Don't grovel, it doesn't become you. Just accept that you are
not superior to anyother servant here. Remember that I am the
ONLY one who reigns here."
"Yes your Majesty."
"Now go. Do not attempt to placate me for profit again."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
I walked out as if in a dream. I felt free and unrestrained.
I was pretty sure no vampire was spying on me at the moment. I
could breathe easy for now.
Then I had a horrible thought; what if it was a dream? I
sloshed my way back to my cot. Nope, it isn't a dream if my
shoes are wet.
