After the End

Reck

     Yadira suddenly gets quiet and goes limp. I look down at her and see she’s crashed out. On the one hand, that worries me, especially due to her having hit her head pretty hard on the furniture. On the other, she could just be tired. I suppose I should keep an eye on her, make sure she keeps breathing. It’s certainly a job I’m happy to do.

     I’m… in… so much trouble.
     This was unplanned. At least, unplanned like how it happened. I had a bad dream. It was so bad that I couldn’t shake it when I woke up. I don’t even remember the details anymore, but I do remember something was hurting her and I couldn’t make it stop. When I woke up, I thought if I could just see that she was really okay then I’d be able to get back to sleep.
     I didn’t intend to stay, but when I got here, she looked distraught. And after that dream I had, it was like it was amplified. I didn’t HAVE to get on my knees in front of her. I could’ve sat next to her on the loveseat, but did I? No. Because getting in front of her meant I could better read her face–to make sure she was okay.
     Then nature took over. My lack of good sense took over.

     Did I really say I don’t care what the order is? I think in regards to her saying the ‘goddess before the king’ thing.
    Yes, I’m in deep trouble.
     My original plan now seems like the delusions of a madman. She was going to be like a kind of trophy, like saying, ‘Hey, all you religious nutcases, I have your goddess here. Come, join me in creating a utopia worthy of such a couple.’ Then, she started picking me apart, piece by piece, until the only thing left was, well, me.
     I’m terrified.
     What if I no longer have what it takes? What if I lose everything I’ve worked to attain? I NEED my masks. Lately, I’ve been doing my best at faking that nothing has changed, but that all stops the moment she’s around.
     She whimpers in her sleep, stirring a bit.
     “Shhhhh,” I pet her head. “It’ll be okay.” Then I kiss her forehead.

     What am I doing? I really should just carry her over to her bed and let her sleep, not sit here holding her like this when I’m still very much aroused.
     But she may have a concussion. She DID hit her head pretty hard. I should stay and keep an eye on her. The truth is I don’t WANT to stop holding her. And… what if carrying her over to her bed proves too much a temptation? Right. I should keep an eye on her. Just in case. I know I’m full of shit, but I don’t care.

     I arrange how I’m holding her to where I can stare at her face better. There’s no denying she’s an immaculate beauty. And simple she is NOT. I’d hazard a guess that even she doesn’t know the depth of what she’s capable of.
     Are you really a goddess?
     “I’m tired of fighting you. I’d much rather love you instead.” Did I actually say that? And I didn’t totally mean physical love.

      Bloody fucking shit paste. I love her. 

      Oh no. Oh no no no no no. No. No, that wasn’t supposed to happen. Not totally. No, the last time I thought that about someone, she cheated multiple times and then ran off on me.
      ‘But that wasn’t love. That was obsession.’ The thoughts feel like they come from somewhere besides me. Strange.
      Dammit. NO. I stand up and carry her to her bed.

     I have to leave this room. I’ll instruct Niel or whoever is on guard to check on her every few hours. I am still worried about her head.

      After I gently place her, I make the mistake of looking at her for a moment too long. Fuck. I quickly stand up straight and turn around, putting my hands and forehead against the wall in an act of abject misery.
     I don’t want to leave. After all, it’s MY fault she hit her head. So what that she was attempting to ‘beat me up.’ I deserved it.
     I turn around and look at her again. Fuck. Almost stomping, I go to the other side of the bed before carefully settling down next to her. Then I look at her and sigh.
     You are such an idiot, Reck. And what was all that earlier about? ‘Earn her forgiveness’? I didn’t care about that. I just wanted to bloody kiss her.

     I reach over and lightly brush her cheek with my fingers. She is so soft it’s unreal. Like a rabbit.
    She speaks in her sleep, “No, Orion.”
    I scowl. What the devil is she dreaming about him for? My eyes turn to slits. 

     Hers suddenly open. “Wh-what?” She moves to sit up but then holds her head and thinks better of it.
     I reach for her. “Careful, poppet.”
     “What are you doing here?” She closes her eyes.
     “Keeping an eye on you.” It’s the truth. “You hit your head, remember?”
     Her eyes open again, and she looks around. “I remember you being a dunghead. I don’t remember how I got here.”
     “You were asleep.” I can’t help but smile at her calling me a ‘dunghead.’

      She flops back on her side. “Well, I’m fine. You can go now.”
      “Hm. No, I think I’ll stay.” I’m enjoying the view.
     “Stubborn jackass,” she replies sleepily and slips back into slumber.
      I smile. She’s incredible, totally not afraid to tell me exactly what she thinks of me. Of course, she does keep saying she hates me. I need to make that stop. How do I make that stop?
      While I ponder this, my fingertips trace down her arm before landing at her hand. I take it, pulling it towards me. She’s completely out. With a trace of a smirk, I start kissing her fingers, also just running my lips across her hand. I can’t get over how soft her skin is! Is she this soft everywhere? I’m aching to find out, and it’s all I can do to keep my focus on just her hand. And her arm. I decide to run my tongue along the length of her inner forearm.

     Landing at her hand once again, I pull her index finger into my mouth. I was thinking about something before. What was it?
     There’s a tug on her arm. I open my eyes and see her silently watching me.

     Her voice is breathy. “Don’t. Do. That.”
     “You mean this?” I cheekily lick the space between her two first fingers. She tugs again.
     “Of course I mean that.”
     “Then is this okay?” I move back to her inner arm.
     “No, it isn’t, and you know that.” Her lips are slightly parted from her breathing quickly.
     “Then where, pray tell, MAY I kiss you?” I hope she knows where my mind just went–because I would love that right now.
      She shakes. “Reck… Just. Stop.”

      I do, looking down at her. I want to kiss away that expression. But as she told me to stop, I don’t. “Answer me truthfully. Is it because you don’t like it or because you like it a little too much?”
      “Leave me alone.” She fails once again at getting her hand back.
      “But you haven’t answered my question.”
      “I don’t have to answer your question.”
      “Well, that doesn’t help me at all. If you don’t answer, I’ll be forced to draw my own conclusions.”
      “I don’t care what you think. My head hurts. I want to be left alone.”
      “I’m afraid I cannot do that BECAUSE you hit your head, poppet.”
      “Just don’t mess with me.”
     “I must admit I’m finding that incredibly difficult.”

      I release her hand and then spring myself above her, being sure to touch her as little as possible, my hands on either side of her head. “You’re really quite lovely, do you know that?”
      Her eyes widen from my position. “Reck, please. I can’t do this right now. If you insist upon staying in here, keep to that side of the bed or move to the little sofa.”
     I look down at her for a moment longer before moving away as requested. I do not go to the loveseat, preferring to stay here.
     She breathes a sigh of relief and turns facing away from me. I get more comfortable and watch her, running over and over in my mind what she just said. I caught it. She said, ‘I can’t do this right now.’ As in, ‘I can’t do this RIGHT NOW,’ meaning the future is still up for grabs.

Yadira

     I wake up in the morning to the sight of two little white pills on my bedside table. There’s a little note next to them. It says ‘take these for your headache.’
     I glare at the strange little white discs. I’m no dummy. I’d read about drugs. I’m not taking anything like that. I don’t touch them.
     After I walk over to the chest of drawers to pick out a change of clothes, there’s another note. ‘Dress warmly.’ What is he cooking up?
     I shrug and pick out something I hope is warm enough. Then I go have a seat on the little sofa.

     Memories from last night prick at my mind, and I decide to move to the chair instead.

    I can’t believe I kissed him back. Why do I let that happen to me? First Orion now Reck. I’m too easily swayed by a good kiss. What a terrible weakness.
     Someone knocks twice at my door then enters without waiting. Reck walks in as I think, No more. I won’t let that happen again.

     “Morning,” he says in a chipper way. “I’ve cleared my schedule.” It takes me a minute to realize he said ‘schedule’ because I pronounce it totally differently. “I thought we might try going out and see what happens.” He finally notices my expression. “What is it?”
     I don’t even want to discuss it with him. “Nothing. Good. Let’s go.” I stand up and charge at the door.

     He reaches for me but then has to immediately block me trying to hit him, grabbing my wrist. His other arm gently pulls me closer. “Darling, what is it?”
     I growl and pull at my wrist. My other hand claws at his coat. I’ll bite him if I have to. “Don’t touch me!” I snarl. I’m not your ‘darling’ either!
     He blinks, wide-eyed, and he immediately lets me go. “I apologise. Truly.”
     I don’t even look at him as I turn back to the door. I may be in no mood to try and see if I can find someone to help, but I’m not being alone in a room with him. Niel follows me once I enter the hallway. Reck exits my room a few moments later, a scowl on his face.
     I get to the stairs, and I have to blink a few times to clear my head. I’m sure to hold the handrail as I descend, Niel right on my heels.
     I don’t stop until I get to the main doors. Then I pause, take a deep breath, and open them.

     The sunlight strikes me harshly, and I shield my eyes.
     Reck says from somewhere near me, “I suppose we could try a stop at the tea shop across the way.”

     I turn toward him, my eyes still adjusting. “A tea shop?” They’ve given me tea occasionally with my meals. It’s okay, more interesting than water at least, but I didn’t think it was special enough for its own shop.
     “Yes, it’s a good place for you to get your bearings if you like. It’s quaint. I like it.”

     I shoot him a strange look as I make my way across diagonally from where we stood. I don’t want him to figure out that I’ve never been in anything like this, never been in any kind of shop period. Sure, I’ve read about them. This should be interesting.

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Next chapter: Orion comes home! (the others too but yeah)

A/N: I play hopscotch with the 180 line. Sorry. I just kept selecting different pics, and when I shot it, I wasn’t sure which direction I most wanted things to be. I SUPPOSE you could say it works well with Yadira’s back-and-forth on what she wants. Maybe. I don’t know, but here we are. 🙂

CW: sexual themes, mention of previous trauma

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Yadira

     I can’t take it anymore! I’m losing my mind. It’s been weeks, and Reck has only allowed me to help a select few people. They’re always people HE chooses, and he brings them to me. Yes, they also need help, but I know they’re not the ones most in need. What more must I do to convince him that I can do this on my own?
     I hear my chamber door open.
     “Yadira? Are you all right?” It’s Reck. His voice is tight and little higher pitched.

     “I had a bad dream,” he explains, “and I thought… Well, now it all seems silly.”
     “Right. Now you see I’m fine.” I stare at the floor. I can’t sleep, these aggravating, frustrating thoughts continuing to circle in my head.
     “Are you sure?” I hear his feet move to the carpet. “Because you don’t look it.”

     I pick my head up a little. “No. I told you. I’m FINE.”
     “If I believed it every time a woman said that, I would be the biggest git who ever lived.” He pauses. “Please talk to me.”
     I roll my eyes and then look up at him, and I have to work to hide the slight jump I do when I see him as he is now. My stomach does something weird… weird because it’s him.

     “What do I have to do, Reck? When will you just let me go out among the people?” I try to keep my eyes on just his face and don’t really succeed.
     “Is that REALLY all you want?”
     “YES!” I yell out. Tears fill my eyes. “I’m not dangerous. Why are you keeping me locked up in here all the time?”
     He walks in front of me. “You want the truth?”
     “Of course I do.”
     “I don’t want you to escape.”
     “Bloody hell, Reck. I just want to help people.”
     He gets on his knees now, his hand over mine.

     “If I let you out, you’ll run off the first chance you get.”
     Why does he have to smell so nice? He must’ve just taken a bath. “If I DO happen to run off, it’ll be so that I can fix things. You know I’m not going to leave.” I sigh, wanting to punch him. “Dammit. I’m supposed to be here.” I look back down at the carpet.

     “I agree.” His other hand lightly rubs up and down my arm.
     Now what? I wonder if this means he’s finally going to trust me. “You could try, um, test runs. Send Niel with me as I go out. Go with me yourself. Just let me do what I’m meant to do. Let me mingle and find the people who really need me.”

     He doesn’t say anything, so I wait, letting him think it over. His nose rests at the top of my head, and he breathes in deeply.
     That brings me up short.

     “Did you just SMELL my HAIR?” I watch his expression for any giveaways. It remains a stoic mask.
     “Well, it was right there, and I wanted to.” His hand rests on my knee.
     “So you admit it that you did.”
     “Yes. It was lovely.” The corners of his mouth lift for the shortest of seconds.
     “I’m okay now. You can go. We can talk later.”
     He scowls. “I’m going to be busy later. We should discuss this right now.”
     “It can wait.” I’m not liking this turn of events… and it’s not for the reasons that should be the reasons.
     “But you were almost in tears over it. You want me to trust you completely. Do you even realize how hard that will be for me?” He scoots forward, intent upon us having it out.

     He puts his knee between my feet, and his hand follows one of mine when I break them apart. This whole moment is entirely too sensual. Does he even realize what he’s doing? Is he doing it on purpose? Or is he just so accustomed to women falling at his feet that this is no big deal for him. Of course, I’ve only heard about how he’s had all these lovers, but I’ve not seen any hint of anything with anyone the entire time I’ve been here. Maybe that’s part of his problem: he needs a girlfriend or whatever.
     “Do you?” he asks again since I haven’t answered him.
     “I…” Nothing. I keep getting distracted. Like why do I even CARE whether or not he has a girlfriend/lover/whatever?
     He maintains the actual topic of conversation. “Every. Single. One. of my old mates are gone. The woman I thought I loved left me. Everyone leaves. I probably drive them away, I don’t know. Don’t you leave me, too.”
     “I already told you. I’m not going to leave.” I huff. “I can’t when so many people need me.” A king with abandonment issues: it’s kind of sad, really, except that it’s him. Maybe that’s his deal as in why he doesn’t have anyone.

     He stresses the ‘I’ when he says, “I need you.”
     “Reck, I’m not-” I no longer see him as just the bad guy. His inner self, ‘Derek,’ is a good and decent person. Thing is is that I don’t always get ‘Derek.’ I’d wager even he still fights himself.
     “Yes, I know. I mean that in such a way as to say I need your help bringing people together, of ending the feuding. That’s definitely true. But yes, Yadira. I mean the other way too. I need you… for me.” He reaches up to touch my cheek.

     “That’s not part of the deal,” I tell him. I KNOW that’s why he forced me into renouncing my marriage. I’m not an idiot, but I question his motives. I don’t think he sees Yadira when he looks at me, just the daughter of the Goddess. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t had a whatever; he has some notion of winning me over, but I’m not the daughter of the goddess. Or… I am? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. What matters is I have a job to do–and it’s not to be some figurehead.
     “Which deal are you meaning?” His fingers start playing in my hair, occasionally brushing my cheek as they do. It’s distracting in the best way except that I don’t need this right now. It’s just really nice…
     Focus! “The deal where you let me help people and I don’t stage a coup.” From what I’ve seen from both him and the people I’ve helped, he honestly cares for the people of Victoria and humanity rebuilding itself. That is a huge boost to my opinion of him. Above all, that’s how he SHOULD be.
     “If we were working together, a coup wouldn’t be necessary.” His other hand starts moving up my thigh, and I quickly place my hand on his.
     “I don’t think we’re capable of working together.” Honestly, I don’t really know what he does all day, but I’m of a mind to be belligerent. He wants us to work together yet also says he doesn’t trust me not to run off. Maybe it’s that he WANTS to trust me. I want him to trust me, too, but I don’t know if I can trust HIM. Do I want to trust him?
     He’s kept me prisoner; he threatened to hurt my friends. But with everything else I’ve seen, even looking in people’s minds, he’s a good leader. He’s doing what he thinks he has to do in order to lead his people. He just has insecurities, and I’m unlucky enough to be right at the center of them.

     “And I do think we’re capable of working together, so t’would appear as if we were at an impasse.” The fingers of his other hand run through my hair, down my cheek, and briefly caress my neck before starting over again. It makes it harder to focus, but I don’t exactly want him to stop. The hand on my leg, however, that’s different. He probably thinks he’s being clever with some sleight-of-hand thing, but I’m not fooled.
     “Correct.” I have to press on his arm to stop the hand on my thigh from going any higher. This is an important conversation, but he keeps distracting me from my purpose. I need him to trust me to work on my own. He needs me to trust him so that I’ll work with him. Neither of us appear ready to agree to the other.
     “It changes nothing.” His hand may not move higher, but his fingertips start dancing around.
     I don’t know why he would say that. If we’re at an impasse, we’re at an impasse. “How can you say that?” I’m barely hanging on to the gist of the conversation. I’m so tired. I want him to stop with the distractions but I don’t which pisses me off. So, I unsheathe my claws and scratch at his arm. He gets the message and stops… kind of.

     “Because just as you say you’re meant to be here, we’re meant to be together.” To my expression, he continues, “Think about it: the king and his goddess.”
     That distracts me from everything else, and I scowl. Not that it changes anything, but he needs correcting. “What if it’s the goddess and her king, huh?” If I AM this goddess person, I outrank you.
     It backfires.
     He moves closer.

     “Sure. If that’s what you want.” His hand returns to my thigh, but I’m more interested in getting him to back off. His skin is warm.
     “That’s not what I meant. I was just… putting you in your place.” I knew it. I’m just this goddess person to him. And now he’s in here and touching my face and looking way too damn hot. The whole hair down and no shirt really make him seem like he’s just him and not his majesty the dunghead. I can’t push him back, and he closes in, wrapping an arm around my waist with his other hand behind my head.

     “Reck…” Wow his eyes are SERIOUSLY blue.
     “As long as my place is next to you, I don’t care what the order is.”
     “Reck, don’t you DARE kiss me.” This is getting out of hand. Or… even past that. If he kisses me, I will not win this conversation.
     “I want to.” 

     “Too damn bad.” He keeps getting closer anyway.
     “Sweet goddess Yadira, you would deny your truest worshiper a taste of your lips?”
     I blink with the result making my eyes wider. I LIKED that. … Bastard. “You haven’t earned it.” There.
     “Then instead, I shall have to earn your forgiveness.” As I ponder what he means, he crushes his lips to mine.

     I make a noise of surprise and start slapping his arms, but he ignores it, his lips now gently working against mine. The hand holding my head is NOT gentle, however, meaning I can’t back away from him.
     My hands turn to claws now. All I can think is, How DARE you! Then he pulls back.
     His lips touching mine as he speaks, he says, “And I’m afraid I must ask your forgiveness once more.” He kisses me again, the dunghead.

     I speak as much as possible against his lips, my voice sounding muffled as I growl, “You bastard.” I didn’t say you could kiss me.
     He pulls back just enough to reply quietly. “Oh yes, I’m being very bad.” Then he goes back to kissing me, just light and sweet–until you take into account that he’s holding my head in place.
     I whimper and punch him in the chest. No this isn’t happening! I don’t want to admit he’s actually really, really good at this. Why can’t he just go back to being an asshole? I can handle that better!
     Then his tongue really gets involved.

     I’m kissing him back. I want to. Damn him.
     Why… was he even in here in the first place? Why did he have to bother me as the king of shirtless masculinity? I hate him for this. This isn’t how you go about doing this! It’s all wrong!

     Thing is–I know he meant everything he said. He just doesn’t do things the right way.
     I’m torn. One hand wraps around his shoulder while the other pushes against his chest. I hate him. But I know he really does need me. But he’s an asshole. But his people love him. But he needs a serious lesson on how to do things right.
     He starts kissing my face, releasing my lips, and the hand on the back of my head moves to remove my hand pushing against him.

     “That,” I tell him, “was totally uncalled for.”
     “Mmhm,” he agrees wordlessly, continuing to plant light kisses along my cheek and near my mouth.
     “You have a lot of nerve.”
     “Yes, I do.”

     “You’re,” I feel him move my hand away, “really pissing me off.”
     His lips speak against my skin. “Then I do most humbly apologize.”
     “You don’t mean it.”
     “But I do mean it.”

     He moves my arm down and proceeds to start kissing my neck. “It’s not like I planned this. Not like this anyway.”
     “But it WAS your plan all along.” I should be more mad.
     “Of course.” His kissing moves downward, and his other arm wraps around me.

     “You’re a… jackass.”
     He lets out a one-second chuckle. “I’m certainly behaving like one, aren’t I?”
     “You don’t have to agree with me on everything, you know.”
     “But it’s so much better than fighting, don’t you think?” He moves yet lower, arching my body backward. Then he pushes my hips forward.

     He’s pressed against me in an alarming way.
     “Maybe we… should,” I pause when he moves his hips against me, “fight.”
     “No… I’m tired of fighting you. I’d much rather love you instead.” His hips start moving more frequently, not quite in a rhythm, but it’s getting there. He leans into me, arching my back more.

     His lips land on my breast, and he moans before his hips DO start a steady movement.
     “Reck.” I start more than a light tap on his shoulder.
     “Mm?” he asks but doesn’t stop.
     “That’s quite far enough.”
     “What is?”
     “Stop!”
     He lifts his head, his expression wide-eyed.

     “You’re stopping me? Now?” His arms still hold me to him, one of them moving to my leg.
     Uh oh. I nod my head.

     “I WANT you! Badly.” He pushes his hips into me again, just in case I didn’t get his message.
     I shake my head. “I…” Is he going to force himself on me? “It’s too much. It’s just… too much.”
     His eyes are so wild as he does nothing but breathe deeply, not letting go of me. I can almost see his thoughts. He looks like he wants to devise a way to bring us back to a more seductive moment, but then the presence of a painful childhood memory pops up. It must be that that makes it possible for me to get close to a clear read on him. Something about what happened to his mom? Then something in him snaps into place, and I can see he would never do that. His face falls, and he drops his forehead on my chest.
     “Yadira, are you trying to kill me?”
     “No.” I squirm for how tightly he holds me. “That… How does that even make sense?”
     “Because it’s KILLING me to stop.”
     “I…” I start crying. I’m so confused! I’m so tired! I hate him! Right?
     “Oh no. Shit no. Damn it all to hell. Please don’t.” He holds me more tenderly. “Shh. I’m sorry.”
     My voice sounds whiny as I cry and talk at the same time. “Why did you have to kiss me? I told you not to, you dunghead. I hate you.” Oh, he has some nerve! Coming in here doing all that? He’s going to regret it!

     I hit his chest with my fist as he works at pulling me into his lap. He sits on the sofa. I don’t even care that he’s holding me. I’m still going to beat him up.

     “Stop.” He tries to catch my hands. He gets one wrist, but he can’t get both of them and hold me at the same time. I try to keep punching him, but I can’t match his strength.
     “Oh now YOU’RE telling ME to stop! And I’m not supposed to be mad at you?” I keep hitting him on his back with the heel of my other hand.
     “Yadira…” He keeps trying to make me stop hitting him, not able to stop the hand at his back. I’m SO MAD. I’m mad at him. I’m mad at me. I’m mad at EVERYTHING.

     Finally, he lets out a vicious growl, throws his arm that was holding me around and over my head, and he catches both of my wrists. I fall back and hit my head on the arm of the loveseat. “I said stop it!” 

     Then he sees how I hit my head. “Dammit.”
     I’m crying again. He pulls me up, being sure to grab both wrists in one hand, and then he holds me too tightly in order to prevent more abuse from me. He just holds me and lets me cry it out.

     “I hate you,” I tell him.
     “Bully for me then.”
     “You ARE a bully.” I wipe my cheeks on his chest since I can’t use my hands.
     “Well, I used to be, but then this beautiful woman came in and started messing with my head.”
     “Good for her. She must be a genius.”

     He laughs. “She is. For nobody else was going to make me see that the first thing that needed fixing in my kingdom was me.”
     “Well, you’re still an ass.”
     “So she tells me.” He smiles and holds me tightly again, probably thinking I’ll start hitting him like before.
     I don’t. Honestly, I’m way too damn tired.

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A/N: Rest assured, Reck is about to be taught a lesson. Just wanted to put that in to say that Yadira isn’t swayed.

Reck

     I get back home, and I’m immediately approached by a few of my department heads. I’d almost forgotten today was scheduled full of meetings. One of them really catches my attention.

     “An engineer?” I ask Rien, a man I have in charge of helping me find important people to fulfill the most needed roles. I kind of think of him as my ‘casting agent.’ He’s also in charge of those who run the entrance interviews, putting the right people in the right places, and he has the final say.
     “Yes,” Rien replies. “Said he’d worked as a higher-up in another plant before the wars.”
     I ponder. “How old is he?”
     “Fifty? Fifty-five? Sixty? I don’t know.”

     “Interesting.” For some reason, not many people above age thirty survived the plague. Although, I say ‘survived’ when I really mean ‘did not contract it’ because if you got it, you were a goner. It had attacked the elderly first, then those with weaker immune systems, then middle-aged people, then… children. The ones who most survived were my generation, older kids to young adults, making a huge gap between other age groups. It was a while before any of us started having kids, and the older folks continued to stick out. It was like Peter Pan but with teenagers, or Lord of the Flies. “What’s his name?”
     Rien tells me his name is Carter, and I ask to have him arrange to meet with me. I truly hope the answer to reactivating the power grid has been found. It’s long overdue.

     I meet with my agricultural head, and we discuss plans for the upcoming planting season. I ask him how our satellite settlement to the south is doing, and he reports what I want to hear. We’re going to have oranges again.
     As I meet with each specialist, my thoughts never stray far from the most recent happenings with Orion. I have my guard, soldiers, police, anyone in that line of work searching for anyone suspicious. A few people matching Orion’s description with a similar accent have been detained, but Niel himself said none of them were he. There have been no reports of anyone with a westerner accent excepting of course those who have been here for a while.

    He kissed her. The thought of it makes me feel as if red-hot insects are crawling around in my veins, igniting everything they touch. That LOOK on his face right before he did it. He knows exactly what I’m hoping comes to pass, and he hates it. He thought he’d put on a show, perhaps thinking she’d back away, and it would be like he would be telling me ‘see? this is what you get when you try.’ That isn’t what happened in actuality, even to his surprise. I grit my teeth and try to pay attention to my financial advisor, who tells me how funds are secured to build schools, but I can’t stop thinking about earlier.
    She kissed him. I can’t get that image out of my head. If I could, I would flip open the top of my head, dig around until I could find it, and physically remove the hated recent memory. Her kissing him is ten times worse than him kissing her. I could tell from her previous facial expressions that she knew he loved her yet she didn’t feel quite the same. Then why kiss him like that? Was it really just a goodbye, or was she trying to get under my skin? If it was the latter, it worked. 

     I have a very long day, and with a heavy step, I make my way to my quarters. The guards at my door snap to attention. I give them the slightest nod and wearily open the doors…

     …to find Yadira sitting at my desk, her feet propped up on it, and reading a book. She’s still wearing the same dress she had on last night and this morning. She doesn’t look up, but her face still shows a scowl that appeared seconds after I entered.
     “Why are you in here?” I slowly walk to the desk.
     She gives me a look, gets her feet off the desk, and then unexpectedly flings the book at my face. I barely duck away in time.

     “Hey! Be careful! It’s not like we can go out and have more of these made yet.” I bend down to pick up the precious resource of knowledge. I DO want to get book printing done again, but it’s rather low on my to-do list.

     “What am I DOING in here, you ask? Hell if I know, but no one has let me leave!”
     “What?” I look around, and then I remember: I told Niel to take her to my room and leave my guards guarding her while he headed up the search for Orion possibly returning. I never told anyone to take her back to her room–which should be put to rights by now. After I get the book back on the coffee table, I put my hands on my head and look up before quietly whispering, “Oh, fuck.”
     “Just answer me one question, oh most high ruler. Did you forget about me?” She leans on the desk, reminding me of a pose a boss might take if he or she were scolding an employee.

     “Hah!” I answer quickly. Sometimes I would LOVE to forget about her for only a moment, but I seem to have the same affliction every other man who’s ever met her (as it feels to me) has. “Never. I did, however, believe that you had been taken back to your quarters.”
     “You’ve sent Niel on some fool’s errand, and you’ve not directed anyone to do so. Ergo, you FORGOT!” Her voice raises significantly on the last word.
     “Okay, okay. So I forgot to give the order to have you sent back to your room. I’ll remedy that right now.” As I turn to leave, her stomach makes a noise. “Have you eaten?”
     Her lower lip trembles, so she bites at it to calm it down. She shakes her head no.
     Now I feel like a universe-sized heel. “Oh, Yadira. I’m truly sorry.” I walk towards her, but I stop when she holds up her hand. Here I thought I had a bad day; hers was worse. “I’ll fix that immediately.”

     I turn and head to the door. Then I get a better idea. Looking over to her, I say, “Come with me.”
     Her voice is whiny and tired. “Why?”
     “We’re going to the kitchens.”
     She sighs dejectedly and follows me out of the room.

     I end up fixing her an omelet, proving that I’m not a spoiled, posh, and out-of-touch person. I know my way around a kitchen–and at one time a campfire. She dips her fork into the eggs in such a funny and suspicious way that I can’t help but smirk and get my own fork.

     “Did you think I’d poisoned it, poppet?” I eat a small amount just to prove her possible suspicion wrong.
     “No, of course not.” She eats a bite and glares at me.
     Ah, so it’s just that it’s me. I have to fix this. I know she has so many reasons to hate me, but I wish she didn’t. Her reasons for hating me are sound, but I can’t change my decisions nor the reasons for my decisions. What am I to do? I get a small idea.
     “I thought, perhaps,” I begin, “that I might bring in a few people for you to… meet. Maybe I’ll randomly select some that go on the daily tour. Would you like that?” I keep my voice calm and watch her silently chewing.
     She swallows. “Of course I would.” She still looks like she’d rather scratch my face off–but perhaps there is a BIT less glare now. “It’s only what I’ve been asking since the day after I got here.”
     I take a breath. “I’m told the lady you healed in the jail has recovered and went to work for a tailor. Hopefully, with time, we can have more success stories like that one.”
     She shoots me a peeved expression before going back to eating. “Or… Or you could just let me go live on my own and do things as I see fit.” She watches me for my reaction, and it occurs to me she only said that to see what I’d do.

     I lean against the counter. “Yes, I suppose I could, but you haven’t the means to provide for your own security. Once word would get out, you could be in some danger. The people coming on the tour have already been searched, so they’re safer.”
     “You could assign guards to me.”
     I raise my eyebrows. “And thin my resources unnecessarily? I would have to hire more guards, which means the ones I have wouldn’t be offered payrises. Do you think that’s fair?”
     “I could somehow get my own funds. Donations, maybe, and I could hire my own staff.”
     “Sure. Perhaps, in time, but for now, why don’t you accept the protection I’m providing. Then go from there, hm?”
     She puts her fork down on the plate. “I’m finished.” Then she gets up, walks to the sink, and starts to wash her dish.

     “You don’t need to do that.” I walk over to her.
     “Yes, and you didn’t need to cook, either. But since you forgot about me, you had to. Now, I don’t want to give more work to the kitchen staff.”
     I decide not to argue the matter further, and when she finishes washing her dishes, I offer, “I’ll walk you to your room.”
     She doesn’t look at me, and her eyes display no emotion when she mumbles, “How gentlemanly.”
     Along the way, I attempt to engage her in conversation, but she either ignores me or rebuffs my every attempt.

     Over the next few days, every evening, I bring her two or three people, starting with my department heads. The next ones get randomly selected from the tours, and she performs her miracles. I love staying and watching her better the lives of my people, our people. She’s amazing.
     Word begins to spread about her abilities, and we soon have a waiting list of people signing up for the castle tour. Everyone knows they might not be selected, but many try again by signing up for another tour. Yadira begins to look a little happier, but I know she still isn’t satisfied, still wanting the freedom to roam. I have my reasons for preventing it.

Sama

     There he is, my husband. I happily dash over to him where he hides in some bushes. His wonderful green eyes light up, and he pulls me into his arms. And I’m home. It doesn’t matter where. I’m home.
     Before any discussion can be had, he kisses me. I hate being separated from him, especially since it feels like neither Asa nor I are doing any good. For just this second, I try not to think about it as my crazy-sexy husband does a fantastic job of keeping me warm in the snow.

     “No sign of him?” I ask Vik after catching my breath.
     “Nary a peep.” He puts his chin on the top of my head, quietly thinking. I let him do it.
     Finally, he has something to say. “I think Asa was right.” He means that Orion shouldn’t have gone on his solo mission.
     “So do I. We basically let him do what Corin accused Rohan of possibly doing.”
     “Aye, and I’m worried. He should’ve long been back by now, with or without her.”

     I look up at him. “I didn’t see any sign of any public execution or whatever that megalomaniac might do.”
     He gives me a sad smile. “He could just as easily kill him out of sight.”
     “Oh.” I look off into the distance, trying to keep my panic at bay. How long do we wait before we try something else? Are we going to have to free both of them? Is Orion dead? I see movement at the treeline before the beach. “Look,” I tell Vik quietly, “there’s a lot of people.”
     “That’s Orion!” he whispers in exclamation. His eyes are apparently better than mine.
     “What are they doing?” It looks to me like Orion’s hands are bound behind him, and guards occasionally shove him forward, probably hoping he’ll trip.
      “That’s Reck!” he hisses. “The one with the brown hair tied back.” Vik picks up the shotgun next to us.

     “Vik, there are too many of them.”
     “Get out of here, Sama.” He aims.
     “Stop. We don’t know what they’re planning.”
     “Looks like an execution to me, and I’m not about to sit here and let it happen. Now, please for once do as I ask. When they discover me, I’ll be outnumbered.”
     “I won’t let you do this! We’re outnumbered. WE. I’m not running off so you can get yourself killed. I think I’m pregnant again, Vik.” This isn’t exactly how I’d pictured telling him. I’d been pregnant before, but I lost that baby of his before the second trimester. It was during the Corin/Lars drama, and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. Vik and I did the best we could consoling one another, and the only other person I’d told was Orion.

     Vik has at least withdrawn the shotgun. “Sama.” He looks torn, wanting to both fight for our friend and yet sit back to see what happens, keeping the two of us safe.
     “Shh. They’re speaking.” The man Vik tells me is Reck walks over and says some things to Orion, who tries to spit at him. One of the guards pushes him into the sand. Someone else throws a kind of waterskin at him, and another person tosses a small leather bag as well.
     Orion quickly gets his hands in front of him by bringing them under his feet, and he grabs the items. He yells something to Reck, who doesn’t even turn around.

     “I can’t believe it,” Vik says. They’re just leaving him there.
     I breathe in. “This has Yadira written all over it.”
     “I believe you’re right.”
     We see Orion looking around and trying to get out of his bonds. He puts the small bag clumsily into his pants. Then he tucks up the waterskin under his arm before walking right towards us. He knows where he is.
     He lumbers into the bushes, sees us, falls to the ground, and starts sobbing. 

Asa

     “Go? Now?” I’m still at The Watch, waiting for Macie. Apparently she and Erin got along great, and they’ve been talking into the late afternoon. I’m not comfortable letting her walk back into town on her own. She strikes me as a little naive, and although this is a kind of utopia, it still has nasty characters.
     I was starting to look forward to my next day off so that I could visit Isolde again. But that looks like it won’t happen.
    “Yes, Asante. Come on. The guards are doing a search.”

     “Wait.” I give a pining look in the direction of Isolde’s little house.
     “Why? Let’s go.” She pulls on my arm.
     I have to at least ask. I must. I barely know her. This could be a huge mistake, but if I don’t ask, I may regret it forever. “I have to ask her.”
     “Who? Maren?”
     “Who? Oh. No. Not her.” I dash down an alleyway in the direction of the house of the sisters.
    I startle Macie and Erin when I charge in without knocking. “Where’s Isolde?”

     “Asante! I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the time.” Macie stands up.
     Erin points to the other door, and I barge in on Isolde as she looks to be preparing for bed.

     “Come away with me.”
     She turns to me, her beautiful eyes just as wide as when I first walked up to her today. “What?”
     “I have to leave. I’m… I’m from across the ocean, Isolde.” I drop the accent, or try to. “I’ve known the daughter of the goddess since she was two. We grew up together, and we tried to rescue her. It looks like it’s failed, and now my companions are telling me we have to leave.” I watch her. “Please. I’m not crazy. There are a few of us over there, maybe even some you already know.”

     “Please say Zuri,” she tells me. “Please tell me that’s where she ended up and that her baby is okay.”
     I actually breathe a sigh of relief. Zuri had told me that many of her ‘sisters’ had vowed to hate her after finding out about her infidelity. “Yes. And Amina is fine.”

     Saying Amina’s name earns me her arms thrown around my neck. Then she pulls back. “Asante, this is crazy.”
    “I know, and I’m sorry to spring this on you. But I had to ask.” My eyes continue to plead to her.
    She takes a breath. “Okay. Give me two minutes.” She grabs a kind of woven bag and starts shoving things into it, including some food items, I notice. Meanwhile, my heart is singing.
     Finished, she looks at me. “Let’s go, pirate captain Asante.”
     I smile and laugh a little in spite of everything. I remember now how at first she’d said she dreamed of me stealing her away in the night.

     “Isolde, are you crazy?!” Erin shrieks. Apparently, she knows what’s going on. I can only guess Sama, but I’ve no idea how.
     “Goodbye, Erin. I’m going to Zuri. Tell Mother thanks for everything, but also tell her I know this is my path.” 
     I look between the two of them and notice there is no love lost. I guess they weren’t happy roommates.
     Erin folds her arms. “She’ll never forgive you.”
     Isolde shakes her head. “That’s a risk I’m going to have to take.” We leave the little house and find Sama and Macie standing on the porch.

     “Please let me go with you, Samantha. I want to go.” She looks at Sama like a little sister would.
     Sama puts her hands on her temples. “Macie, do you know what you’re asking?” She has also dropped the accent.
     Macie pouts. “I think so. I don’t really like it here. All the people make me nervous. You two have been the only ones outside the goddess who have been truly nice to me.”
     That gets her attention. “The goddess.”
     I take Sama’s elbow. “I’ll fill you in later.”
     Macie follows us as we start rushing to the beach. “I’m going.”
     Sama growls. “Then you’d better keep up!”

A/N: This chapter occurs simultaneously with the previous chapter (the morning part). It’s what Asa gets up to while Reck gets ready to throw Orion out at the beach.
Very little of anything is insignificant. 🙂

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Asa

    Macie likes to talk. I mean, she REALLY likes to talk. She won’t shut up! She acts like Sama hung the moon simply because she was nice to her. I know I owed Sama a favor, but walking Macie to The Watch today is going to test my patience.
    Then she grabs my full attention. “Did I tell you I met the goddess?”
    My eyes widen. “Wait, what?”
    She smiles. “Yes. I don’t really like to admit it too much, but as you’re about to meet the ladies who managed to calm me for a few moments so that the guards could take me away, I need to explain.”

    “The… the guards? What happened?”
    “I’ve had… a miserable life, Asante. I lost everything, even after eop. I don’t want to tell you about it because I don’t want to put something so horrid into your sweet mind, but trust me, it was enough to make a woman go mad. And I did.” She takes a breath. “I don’t remember exactly what I did when I finally snapped, but it got me locked away in a cell underground.”
    My stomach plummets. “Was the goddess in a cell underground?”
    Her mouth drops. “Oh no. Certainly not. She looked well cared for. She visited me in my cell, and she… the best way I can think to describe it is that she cleaned up my mind. Yes, my memories are still there, but the agony that went with them is lessened. I know that what happened wasn’t my fault, and she helped me get past it.”

     I remember comforting Zuri one evening when she’d told me a similar story, that Yadira had helped her find closure after losing her little brother. We continue walking, and finally, I reply, “That was a miracle.”
     She smiles sweetly. “Yes, it was. Later, one of the guards admitted to me that his majesty had used me to try and see what the goddess could do, if anything.”
     “You were a lab rat?” We discuss what she’d learned, and I hear about how Reck probably knows everything about Yadira. I inwardly groan. “Have you told Samantha any of this?”
     She shakes her head. “No. She always looks busy. I’d hoped to speak with her today, but instead, we’re visiting The Watch! This has to be the work of the gods because this is something I needed to do anyway. And now, I’ve made another new friend.” She links her elbow into mine.

     Thankfully, we’ve arrived, and I see two ladies all in white. “Are those the ladies you were looking for?” As I point, I manage to free my arm from hers.
     “Yes!” She grabs my hands. “Will you come with me? I’m actually very nervous. I didn’t make the best first impression, you know.”
     “Uh…” I look at the door to the pub.
     “Please?” She looks at me with doe eyes. Crap.
     “Okay.”
    “Thank you!” She hugs me.

     “All right, Macie, ease off a little.” I step back and put a little space between us.
     She puts her hands behind her back. “Sorry. I get a little carried away.”
     I nod and adjust my hat. Okay, so I go meet the nuns and use some excuse to get away. Then I go find Maren. I dutifully follow Macie to the nuns.
     One of them has really round eyes, which manage to widen when we approach. “H-hello.” She starts messing with the thing on her head. The other nun walks away to go do something on the other side of the house, it looks like.

     Macie replies, grabbing the woman’s attention. “Hello. I don’t know if you remember me. My name is Macie.”
     Her eyes keep darting back to me. They’re very expressive, although I’m not sure what her expression means. “Yes. Yes, I do. My name is…” She blanks for a second. “Isolde.”
     “I just wanted to say thank you. I understand you prevented me from hurting anyone else,” Macie solemnly states, but Isolde only looks at me.
     What? Is there something wrong with me?

     Macie does a little bounce. “Oh! My manners. This is my friend Asante.”
     “Of course it is,” she replies, and I have to look down at my shirt to see if I’d spilled anything on it.
     Wait. ‘It’? “I beg your pardon?” I ask, my eyebrows raised.
     She jumps. “Oh! Yes. Right. It’s a good name, so, of course that’s your name.” She puts her hand on her forehead. Great. Another nutter. “Er… tea. I’ll put on some tea. Would you like to come inside? It’s not much, but it’s warm.”
     Time to dash. “Actually, I, er…”

     I watch Macie’s expression, wide-eyed like she’s begging me to go inside with her. Crap.

     “I would love some tea.” There I go getting roped into something when I’d rather be doing something else. Story of my life. Am I too nice?
     We enter the house, and Isolde is bustling around, looking in every cupboard. “Tea. I know it’s here. I just had it yesterday. It has to be somewhere. What did Erin do with it?” She looks frantic. Then, she breathes an enormous sigh of relief when she finds a tin of what is apparently tea. She drops it. “Oh, bollocks!”
     My lips twitch, and my chest bounces up and down as I try to hold in the laughter. I can’t help it. I never expected a nun to talk like that. Surely she would’ve said something silly like ‘fiddlesticks’ and the like. True, she could’ve dropped the f-bomb, but still.

     I can no longer hold it in, and I crack up laughing, slapping my thigh twice.
     She’s on the floor, sweeping the small amount of spilled tea leaves into her hand. “I’m glad to see my clumsiness has provided some amusement.”
     I smile and look at her, but when I see her face, I stop laughing. She looks like she wants to cry. “Here. Let me help you.” I walk over to her.

     “No, I’ve GOT it.” She tries to edge me out with her shoulder.
     “Well, at least it’s only a small amount.” I honestly have no idea about tea and how it works, but as everyone around here apparently does, I fake it.
     Macie speaks quietly. “You don’t have to make the tea, Miss Isolde. I know you were just being nice.” She holds up a basket. “Besides, I brought a picnic! Would you like to join us? I packed enough so that both you and the other sister could join us. You know, just in case.”
     “A picnic?” Isolde asks, a little taken aback. “In the snow?”
     “Well, why not? It’s a lovely day.” Macie smiles.

     Isolde looks at me, and I just now realize how close we are. “And you’re going?”
     “Er…” I look at Macie, who watches me expectantly. “Yes. Yes, of course, but I can’t stay long.” I stand up, ready to get the picnic over with.
     “I’ll go tell Erin,” Isolde says, and without even thinking, I offer to help her stand. She stares at my hand and doesn’t take it.
     “Ohhhhhkay,” I say awkwardly, and I take my hand back.
     She shakes herself. “No, sorry. Would you?” She holds out her hand and smiles sweetly up at me.

     Turns out Erin didn’t choose to come, and from the snide comments, I wonder if she resents Isolde for deciding to.
     I lounge on the blanket, which isn’t getting too wet thanks to the more dry type of snow, and try not to stuff my face in an obvious way. How long should I stay before I can skive off? I made the mistake of thinking about Maren while we walked, and it’s done nothing but drive me more crazy.
     “And what do you do?” Isolde asks me.
     Thus far, Macie has been holding down the conversation solo, the two of us just listening. Now that Isolde has said something, Macie finally puts a lid on it.

     “Me? Not much. I got a job at the lumber mill.” I pick at the blanket.
     “I see,” Isolde replies, her eyes traveling down me. That is NOT how a nun should look at a man, but I think I like it.
     Now, instead of leaving, I kinda want to figure out some way to get rid of Macie. I get an idea.
     “You know, it’s a shame Erin decided not to join us.” I pointedly look at Macie.
    “Yes. I would like to get to know her too.” Macie sighs.
     “And we have this food for her.” I gesture to the basket.

     “Oh! I’ll take it to her. You don’t mind, do you?”
     Isolde smiles. “Certainly not. I think that’s rather generous of you. We’ll be okay.”
     Continuing to run her mouth a mile a minute, Macie gathers the basket and marches off back to Erin.
     “Finally,” Isolde says, and then she climbs on top of me.

     “Whoa!” I work at back-crawling away from her.
     “I’ve been dreaming about you, and here you are. You’re here to spirit me away like a pirate in the night.” She keeps following me, and I back up to the edge of the blanket.

     I gulp when she settles herself on my hips. “And now I have a name for the face.” She runs a nail down my cheekbone.
     “Uh, Isolde?” She’s a nun! “This is very unexpected, and I…” I wince. She’s making me uncomfortable in the best way but also makes it hard to think clearly. My breath shakes. “I don’t know what to do about it.”
     “Oh right,” she says, appearing to come to her senses, and she climbs off me. “You hardly know me. It’s just… you’ve been in my dreams for almost a month now, and the dreams are very… involved.”
     I miss the pressure of her body on top of me, and I almost ask her to come back. She looks a bit embarrassed now, though. That doesn’t stop me from asking, “How involved?” I sit up. Is she blushing?

     “VERY involved.” A little smile tugs at the corners of her full mouth. Those expressive eyes of hers flip over to me before returning to the blanket.
     Totally forgetting she’s a nun, I say, “Hmm… I don’t know. That’s not very descriptive. I’m having a hard time painting the picture in my mind.”
      Not hiding her grin anymore, she says playfully, “Asante, you beast. You hardly know me.”
      I shrug. “You brought it up.” I scoot a little closer. “Details. I need details.” We’re almost touching, but she remains just out of reach.

     She bobs her head. “I did bring it up, and I apologise.”
     This is unlike me, but right now, I wonder why that is. I’m completely comfortable discussing this with an almost stranger. “What was happening in your dreams?”
     Her eyes meet mine, “Well, for one, you were looking at me just like you are now.”
     “Was I?” I move my hand, putting my arm and shoulder over her hips. “Then what?”

     She sounds breathy. “You kissed me.”
     “Did I. Well, then.” I lean in and touch my lips to hers. Simply. Wow, she has great lips. I want more. “Just once?”
     “Not just once.”
     “Oh good.” Yes!

     She meets me halfway, and quickly, I’m locked into a heated re-introduction to the world’s most perfect lips. My arms wrap around her, and I start exploring her mouth. My skin is alive in ways I’ve never felt before. It was good with Zuri, sure, great even, but this is incredible. I want to touch her everywhere, all at once, now. I want to feel her body with my mouth.

     I leave her lips–temporarily–to kiss her face. Then that damn handkerchief gets in my way, so I start trying to tug it down.
     “Wait,” she says, and my spirit sinks. Then she surprises me when she reaches up and pulls the white piece of cloth FORWARD instead of down her head. It practically pops off her face. “There.”
     I reach up and hold her cheek. “Beautiful.” I guess this is fast, right? But it’s like she’s already known ME for almost a month.

     She takes a breath after I kiss her again. “I’m dreaming.”
     I smile and lightly shake my head. “You’re not.”
     She smiles back. “Prove it.”
     “If you insist.” I reach around and pinch her ass. She instantaneously slaps my hand. “What? You asked me to prove it, so I did.” I grin facetiously.
     “But you had to pinch me THERE?”

     I kiss her neck and say into it, “Seemed like a great place to me.” I manage to get both my hands under her butt and pull her towards me while I lean back, eventually putting her deliciously on top of me.

     I wrap a leg around hers, and my arms assist in the snare as my hands go wild, exploring this beautifully-formed woman. I moan and listen to her erratic breathing. Then I reach up to hold her head to me so that I can deeply kiss her again. While my hand holds her head, I find little hairpins stuck here and there, and I begin pulling them out and tossing them aside.
     She pulls up some. “Asante,” I pull out more pins, “this is,” she tries to catch her breath, “so real.” Finally, her hair is free, and I love the way the little waves and curls spill down on either side of her face, framing her as she looks down at me. I sit up and reclaim her mouth.

     She makes a little noise when I roll us over, putting me almost on top of her now. “I believe you,” I tell her, meaning her dreams, but I don’t want to explain it. No, I just want to keep kissing her and rocking my body against her.
     Her mouth jerks free of mine, so I end up kissing her face. I don’t mind. “Asante, please. This is too fast.”

     What? I pause, lift my head, and look down at her. I’m so glad that stupid handkerchief is gone. It makes a big difference, and I suppose that’s why they wear it. She’d be too beautiful otherwise. A beautiful… NUN. “Oh shit.”
     “No, it’s fine. It’s just… dream me and real me are two different people.”
     “No, I mean you’re like a nun or something.”
     She looks confused and yet somehow entertained at the same time. “What?” A little laugh escapes. “No I’m not. Well, I suppose I can see why you’d say that, but we’re not like,” she swallows, “that.” She watches me look at her swollen lips. Then she moves to sit up. I relent and let her. She looks around. “Where are my hairpins?”

     “Here and there. Around.” I manage to find a few and gather them up. Then I get an idea: I don’t want to give them back to her. On a mission now, I frantically search for them, finding most of them piled up where my hand would land when she was on top of me. Now they’re mine.
     “Oh good, you found them.” She reaches for them, but I pull my hand away, out of reach. “Asante!”

     “If I give them back to you, you’ll just wind up putting your hair up again.” I smile. “I like it better like this.” It’s wild, having been tousled during our kissing.
     “No no no. I HAVE TO put my hair up.” She again reaches and fails.
     “Why? So that there’s less of a chance of anyone noticing how beautiful you are?” Acting on another idea, I grab the square piece of white cloth and toss it as far away as I can manage for it being so lightweight. “I’ve decided I hate those things.”
     “Asante! You don’t understand.”
     “Apparently not.”

     “I NEED to put my hair up! I’m supposed to guide people to the goddess, not make them notice ME.”
     I scowl. “Do you enjoy that?”
     She looks down at the blanket. “It… gives me a sense of purpose. The Mother has always taken care of me. It’s what I’m meant to do.”

     “Then why the dreams?” I lean closer to her. 
     She shakes her head. “I don’t know.”
     I suddenly realize I’ve forgotten all about wanting to see Maren. In fact, I question my sanity on the whole matter. I just met Isolde, but there’s something about her that peaks my interest. I just wish I had more time. I know I’m on a mission to free Yadira, but until such time as I can be of more actual use, I’m free to explore.
     “I should get back.” She holds out her hand. “Please return my hairpins.”
     “What? Oh.” I’d actually forgotten I still had them. I hand almost all of them back, but I keep one. 
     “What are you doing?” she asks when she sees me pocket my contraband.
     “I’m stealing a hairpin. Guess that makes me bad. If only there were an expert on religion to teach me the error of my ways.” I watch her roll her beautiful eyes as she works at assembling her hair in some controlled coif. 
     We both stand and together, we fold up the blanket. I carry it and get ready to walk her back. 

      My heart beats quickly. “Well, since you’re NOT like a nun, could I visit again some time?”
     She smiles. “Of course.”

---

Next chapter it’s back to the others with Sama visiting Vik as well as Reck depositing Orion at the beach. Then what happens in this chapter gets roped in.
I have so many fun (fun to me anyway) surprises coming up!

Orion

     I failed. I failed the mission; I failed Rohan. I failed Yadira. Perhaps Corin should not have let me come. I did just as Asa said: I put everyone in danger with my foolish actions. Reck wants to know who else came. I’ll never tell. 
     And I’m such a miserable bastard that Yadira herself had to bargain for my release! Why did she do that? Let me rot! Let me die! Anything but give that monster so much as a millimeter. And then Reck refused to tell me what she bargained away, enjoying himself at my misery.
     “Tell Rohan he’s free,” she told me. Now I know something is wrong. What has Reck done that would make her say that?
     She said she has work to do. I don’t give a frog’s arse about the people of Victoria! Let them all kill each other and be done with it! She can’t save the whole blooming world.

     My thoughts circle around and around, and my fitful dreams are no better. Morning comes, I presume, and I hear the sound of many feet. 
     The ninja has hold of her arm. She demands he let go of her, but he only does so at the nod of his liege. 

     “Orion!” She runs up to the bars, and my heart aches at the sight of her red-rimmed eyes. 
     “Why di’ye do it? Don’ give that man anythin’.”
   She doesn’t reply to my statement. “Are you hurt? Do you have a concussion? Let me help.”

      I smile only to ease her worry. “Na. Me head’s harder than that.” My smile doesn’t stick. In a more pained voice, I ask “What did ye surrender to buy my worthless freedom?”
     She shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
     “Tell me, or I’ll think the worst.”
     She bites her lip. Whatever it is must hurt. She finally replies quietly, “I renounced my wedding vows.”
      I now yell at his royal turdness.

      “Ye bloody bastard! It’ll never work! There’s only room fer one man in ‘er heart, an’ it sure as hell ‘int you!” Bastard! And it’s all my fault!
     He doesn’t respond, but his expression says it all. He disagrees with me. That’s HIS folly. 

      She lets out a breath. Then she takes in another one and says, “Orion, listen to me. Please don’t do anything stupid.” Her eyes convey that she’s already given up enough. She’s begging me not to try again once I’m out of here.

     “Yadira, why?” I’m still on the vows thing. “Ye can’t possibly mean it. If there’s anyone alive ta know that, yer lookin’ at him.”
      “Please listen! They’re giving you a little bag. Inside it are seeds. Wheat… and corn. Sama always wanted bread, and I know you can get that going for the island.”
      “I’m ta trade you for ruddy seeds?” Impossible. 
      “No. But they’re a gift. For everyone.” She bites her lip again. 
      They open the bars. There are six of them, three in the cell and three out. Plus, there’s Yadira just on the other side of the bars. A man cuffs me while the lovely Yadira squeezes past them. I have to hand it to her, they’re all so terrified of me that they failed to notice the slip of a girl get past them. 
      “Yadira!” Reck calls out like he can possibly think to command this woman. 

     She ignores him. “Take this.” She folds an envelope and puts it in my back pocket. “Please give it to Rohan. Though… wait a few days. I don’t want him to get angry and… toss it into the fire or something.”
      “Yadira…” My heart is breaking. “Please. Take it back. Take it all back. I don’ care what happens to me.”
      Her lower lip trembles. “Well I do.” She reaches up and hugs me. 

      Over her shoulder, I glare at my old “mate.” Then, for me and to spite him, I move my head around and kiss her. My wrists may be bound, but it doesn’t stop me. 

     She doesn’t pull away! I honestly think she knows exactly what I’m doing! She wraps her arms around my neck, and I’m allowed to really kiss her like I’ve longed to do so many times. 
      They’re pulling her away entirely too fast. “Goodbye,” she whispers and lets them pull her back. 
     The ninja immediately steps in and grabs her arm again. “Unhand me, you lapdog brute!” she yells, pulling at her arm. 

     I’ll kill him. I start struggling. 
     Reck’s voice is heard. “Niel. Do as she says.” I look at him and see him watching me.

     To me, he says, “No one will hurt her.”
     “Like I’d believe any o’ that hissin’ spewing from that slit in yer head.” I glare.
    He raises his eyebrows. “Time to go.”

Corrine

     “But what if I DIDN’T change my name?” I ask Zuri. I’m worried about what Orion would think if he also doesn’t like the name change. 
     We’re sitting in her house. It’s one that Orion built for himself before he had to move to the other settlement over some bet with Rohan. She’d decided to move out of Asa’s little place, thinking it inappropriate for her to stay there. It makes sense to me; this house is a little bigger.

     She smiles. “You’ve already changed your body, what’s the problem with changing your name as well? Besides, Corrine is like the female version of Corin, which is who you are now.”
     I huff and clench my fist in front of myself. I FEEL strong– but it’s different. I don’t know if I can get the power behind it. Maybe I could get that freeloader Rohan to spar with me.
     Speaking of Rohan: That smirk he did when he figured out who I was! It was the closest thing he’s done to a smile in weeks. The tosser was making fun of me! Does he think less of me now that I’m a woman? Maybe I SHOULD give him a good walloping.

     “You’re right,” I tell Zuri. “I’ll use Corrine now.” That is, if I don’t end up changing back should Orion hate me for this.

     I start making my way down to Rohan’s tent. We found that tent in the city across the way. It’s in great condition. At least it WAS, but of course, he’s only thinking of himself and his own misery.
     As for me and my misery, I haven’t slept well because my mind races with all the different possibilities that could happen when Orion sees me for the first time. I have a few favorites, but the nightmare situations haunt me as well.

     “Rohan!” I find him sitting and staring at the horizon. I don’t have to do that job since he has it well in hand. No, I just have to do everything else.
     He turns and looks at me. “What do you want, princess?”
     Ugh! He gets on my nerves. Always has. He’s such a moper. Such a loner. It was like he only joined with us, before the wars, to skive off from school. The wars made school irrelevant shortly thereafter, so in the end, it didn’t matter. He’s grand with architecture; I’ll give him that. And he’s a crack-shot. Other than those, he’s dead weight. He’d taken to training youths once the Skeeves settled as a way of trying to make himself useful. That is, until Jers died.

     I glare at him. Princess, eh? I decide to play into it, and I look at my nails as I say, “We declare you our appointed sparring partner–so that we might test our skills.”
     He snorts. “I don’t fight girls.”
     “I never took you for a sexist bastard. Bloody hell, Rohan. I just want to find out what I can do, and Zuri isn’t trained.”
     “I’m busy.” He returns his gaze to the horizon.

     I stomp over to him and shove the side of his head with my hand. “No you’re not, you lazy fuck.” That gets him. I knew it would. I wanted it to. 
     He throws himself to his feet, and he flies around the chair to face me in a raging stance.

     “You have NO IDEA what I’m going through! You! You fucking twat told me not to go save my own fecking WIFE! I can’t bear to even look at you! YOU’RE the one who brought that arse here who took her! YOU’RE the reason she’s gone, and YOU’RE accusing ME of being a lazy fuck?! Now you think I’m supposed to dance around all pretty-like just because you had a magic sex change? Fuck you! SPAR with you? Piss off. You’re getting nothing from me. I wouldn’t give you the steam off of my piss if you got on your knees and begged! If I’m ‘lazy’ then it’s because I can’t stand the sight of you or all. Leave me the fuck alone.”

     Fffffuuuuuuuuuuuuccccckkkk. I’d had no idea that Rohan despised me so. I’d always thought he was just a loner because he generally didn’t like people. Lately, I’m number one persona non grata. “Right. So… that’s a ‘no’ then.”
     “Bugger off before I really let you know how I feel.” His shoulders slump, tired out from the yelling.
     “For the record, I stand by my reasons.” I’m sure if he thought about it, he’d know that I had no control over Lars’ actions. I never intended for any of that to happen.
     He moves to return to his seat. “I couldn’t give a rat’s left stone for your reasons.”

A/N: You’ll notice I use the names Reck/Derek interchangeably. I hope this doesn’t cause too much confusion as he is one person. Sometimes, Yadira will say Derek in a kind of power move whereas I use it as a way to express his more human/nicer side.
Reck’s a complicated dude, certainly more so than when he first arrived on the scene, and I really try to show the many sides of Derek.
(Now I’m smirking as I remember Derek from The Good Place TV show. NOT a complicated dude, that one.)

---

Yadira

    “You want… corn?” Reck thinks for a minute. “You mean maize.”
     I scowl. “I mean corn.”
     He blinks a few times. “All right. Wheat AND corn. Naught else?”

     I ponder what else I could ask for. I’ve already asked him for paper to write Rohan a letter. “If you’re feeling generous, sure, include others, but we’ve… they’ve struggled to get any grain going. It used to be my job to take care of the garden.” I bite my lip for a moment. “I guess… I guess Orion could take over.” I remember back to when he said he had a garden in his old home. “They’re what Sama would want.” 

     Finally, he shakes his head and waves his hand dismissively. “Fine, fine. I’ll arrange a small purse to give him.” He reaches into a desk drawer and pulls out a few pieces of paper and a rectangular thing. 

     “Here is something for your ‘Dear John’ letter. If you’d like, fold it up and put it in this.” He sees me look at the thing like I’ve never really seen one. “You tuck the papers inside. Then, you lick these areas and fold the paper over to seal it.” He watches me for a moment, perhaps expecting me to roll my eyes? “You’ve never seen an envelope before?”
     “Sure I have.” I haven’t. Not like that one. I’d read about them, though. “I had one as an old bookmark.” I’d once found a folded paper like that. It was pink and had little hearts drawn all over it. As a child, I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, so I kept it.
     He watches me as if reading my face, but he doesn’t comment on what he sees. Instead, he stands, leaving the papers and envelope on the top of his desk.

     He gestures to them. “Here. Use my desk.”
     I look at the door. “I… I wanted to write it… in my room.” I know I’m going to have a hard time doing this, and it’s a foregone conclusion that I’m going to cry my eyes out.
     “I can’t send you back to your room yet. Your ‘hero’ fights dirty when he has to, and things got broken.” He watches my eyes move from the desk to the door over and over again. Then he sighs. “All right. I’ll give you some privacy.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a square piece of cloth. “Here.” The corners of his mouth turn down, and he won’t meet my eyes.
     Am I supposed to thank him? I don’t. I don’t want to do any of this. This is for Orion’s freedom. If I hadn’t been given the paper, I would’ve made him memorize something to tell Rohan. As it is, I’m going to recommend that he wait a little while before giving it to him. I know him. I know them. Rohan is going to blame Orion, and I hope someone breaks up the fight. And should Orion give Rohan the note too soon, he’s likely to throw it into the fire without reading it. At least knowing that gives me an idea of how to begin this awful task.
     During my quiet musings, Derek silently turns and walks out the door. There’s a cloud over his head now, and I don’t think it has to do with agreeing to let Orion go. But I don’t care to ponder it any more than that.

    I slowly sit down and grab a pen, and with a shaking hand, I begin my letter.

Reck

     Why do I feel like the monster? I’m letting. him. go. The old me would’ve NEVER considered that. Orion would be dealt with. I might’ve considered banishment… but not likely.
     I march my way to the jail block, passing people on a tour who quickly bow in surprise. I merely offer a silent, still wave as I pass, keeping my face a stoic mask. Once I reach the jail level, however, my true feelings can easily be read from my face.

     He’s standing at the bars, casually leaning against them, one of his eyes nearly swollen shut. He watches me approach, and a smile grows on his face, probably to spite me. “Well, look who look who it isna, Mary Poppins herself come wi’ her brolly ta fly me away.”
    “You got lucky.” I’m sure to stand far enough away. I don’t even want any of his spit to make it to me.
    “Did I now?” He looks around. “I’ve a mind ta disagree.”
    Part of me, a child kind of part, wants to yell at him and ask why he isn’t my mate anymore. Why did he leave? I could’ve used his help many times over. I still could. But, of course, I don’t say any of that.
     “She has successfully bargained for your freedom,” I tell him, and he doesn’t disappoint me with his response.

     He grips the bars until his knuckles turn white. “WHAT? What did ye make ‘er do, ya ruddy bastard?”
     I can’t hide my smirk. “I’ll let her tell you that if she wishes.” Good. Let his imagination torture him. I’m not THAT much of a monster, but I’m positive his mind just went there.
     “Ye’d better never let me outta here, ya cockroach’s arsewipe!” he screams. “I’ll kill ya!” He reaches through the bars as much as his arms let him, it of course doing no good. “Ye’ll wish ye’d never been born when I’m through wi’ you!” He roars and tries to bend the bars. I raise an eyebrow and, for a moment, wonder if he can.

     “What the bloody hell do you think happened?” Then I grin at his fury. “Honestly, Orion, what sort of man do you take me for?”
     He grunts as he talks, still pulling at the bars. “Tha kind that steals a woman from ‘er home then locks her up when he realizes he could use ‘er.”
     I stand straighter after I’d leaned in to listen. “Ah, well, then yes, you’re spot on. But as for what you’re apparently thinking… Come now, Orion, we used to be mates.”

      “My mistake,” he replies, stopping his attempt at the bars for a moment and panting. “It was my mistake ta follow ye.” His one good eye glares at me.

     “Well, I’m shocked you’d think so lowly of me as to consider I’d do something like that.” I watch him and see the face of a frustrated man, in love with a woman he couldn’t have. “Now, let us get down to why I’m down here.”
    “In-it obvious? Ta torture me.”
    “Who else came with you? I know you’re not working alone.”
    “Why should I tell ye?”

    I put my hands behind my back. “Because, when you leave,” I’d stressed the ‘when,’ “I need to make sure you ALL leave. If I find that even one of you stayed behind, I won’t be as kind as I’m being now.”
    “Well now, ye’ll just haveta wait an’ see won’ ya?” He continues to glare.
    I sigh. “I suppose.” Then I give him the details of how he’ll be released and when. “For now, she’s assembling a sort of… care package… to go with you on your journey back.”

Yadira

     That was one of the most horrid things I’ve ever had to do in my entire life. I doubt I’ll ever recover, and if I think I have, I’ll just picture him reading it and go right back to agonizing over it.
     I had to be careful not to get tears to land on the paper. It’s really nice paper, actually. Very clean, like it was just made. And it fits perfectly with the envelope like they’re part of a set.
     Which they probably are, dummy. They came right out of the king’s own damn desk.

     I wipe my face. I didn’t use Derek’s handkerchief. I didn’t want any part of him during that. It was bad enough I had to write it in here.
     The villain himself walks through the door like he owns the place. “I sent my man to gather the seeds.”

     I have a bad thought. “You’re not going to try and pull a fast one on us and put in something that would harm the environment, are you?” I’d read about something like that in a novel.
     He sighs and rolls his eyes, “No, poppet, I have no desire to tarnish the pure paradise that is Haven.” His head pops to me. “By the way, I was wondering. What would we call you? Havenites? Havenese? Havenilians? Havenians?”
     “Pick one. It doesn’t matter.” I wipe at my face again.
     He scowls and walks over then picks up the unused bit of cloth. “Use it.”

     I glare back at him. “Up yours.”
     He actually smiles. “No thanks. I think instead I’ll return it to my pocket.” Then he stands and stares at me for moment as if pondering what to do. I don’t honestly care what he does.
     I pull my knees to my chest and turn sideways in the large chair, ignoring him and clutching the sealed note in my hand.
     “Yadira?”
     “Leave me alone.” I tuck my head into my knees now. He walks around to the back of his desk and sits on the edge.

     I hear him let out a heavy sigh. “I want you to know that I am not enjoying this.”
     “Coulda fooled me,” I retort in a muffled voice from inside my cocoon.
     “I realize that, I do. I don’t enjoy hurting you.”
     “Doesn’t stop you though, does it?”
     He’s quiet for a moment. “I suppose not.” He takes a breath. “Terrible timing to say this, I know, but I was hoping we could be friends.”
     “Go to hell, you rat bastard son of a bitch.”

     “Hm. I might already be there. Let’s take stock here. All my mates are gone. The woman I thought I loved is gone, and her child that I loved turned out not to be mine after all. My close-to-a-best-mate just threatened to kill me, and one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met hates me. Yes, I think that about covers it. You win. I’m there.”
     I sniff. “I don’t care.”
     “Right. Understood.”
     He sounds like he’s shuffling some things around, but I don’t care to raise my head and find out what. My head does, however, pop up when the chair I’m in starts rolling, but I don’t say anything.

     He deposits me near a window, and I look at the snow falling outside. Then I see in the reflection of the glass as he drags an armchair over to his desk and sits in it, pulling down a paper and beginning to read. He sits up and writes something on the paper, looking like a child that’s too small to properly sit at the table with the way he has to reach up. Satisfied with what he’s done, he sits back again and reads more of the paper.
     He does this quietly for what feels like hours, and I stretch my legs every once in a while and flip back and forth from side to side. He never once looks over at me that I can tell, totally engrossed in whatever it is that he’s doing.

     Then he drags over another stack. With these, he appears to skim them, dragging his finger down the page. Next, he signs them, I assume. He does this over and over again with each page. One or two of them, he puts aside in a smaller pile, unsigned.
     My eyelids droop, and I fall asleep in the chair.
     The next thing I know, he’s tossing a blanket about me. It’s soft, and it smells nice. I go back to sleep.
     However, I don’t sleep long because I wake up with a leg cramp. After making it go away, I scowl and get out of the chair.

    I stomp over to the sofa because no way am I sleeping in the bed. The blanket comes with me, and I still clutch the precious letter. His eyes follow me as I make my transition, but I don’t acknowledge him. Then I close my eyes and go to sleep.

Derek

     I’ve broken her, and I hate myself for it.
     What was I supposed to do? Let him go free so that he could try that stunt again, possibly seriously hurting one of my staff? Let her go back home where she will be of little use to the world? I can’t do either.
     I think the Rohan part was where I went too far. I just couldn’t stand it. What I saw in this room earlier tonight both shocked and awed me. She was amazing the way she battled me like that. The way I see it, she won. After such a performance and such ferocious charisma about her, it was all I could not to either fall to my knees or kiss her like a man possessed. I’m very glad I did neither.
     She won! Why is she broken then? Was it writing the letter?

     I steeple my fingers in front of me, probably looking ridiculous in this low chair while sitting at my desk. Yes. It was the letter. It represents the final tie back to her old home being severed. She’s feeling guilty for how this will undoubtedly hurt Rohan.
     Is Rohan in Victoria? Is pretending he’s far away merely a ruse? I’d honestly like to see him. I ironically owe him an apology. I was convinced and filled with rage that he’d killed Jers, but I believe Yadira’s vision after everything else I’ve seen. Jers tripped and tragically fell. Poor, poor Zuri.

     Dammit! I miss my mates. With this more anger-free state of mind, I can see how I drove them away. Because of that, I have no one close to me, no one I can confide in. I’m alone.
     Yadira stirs, and I watch her turn over. The blanket no longer covers her properly. If she doesn’t notice it, I’ll walk over and fix it in a little while.

     I look at her, and my heart just aches. I HAVE NO CHOICE, YADIRA! I want to scream that at her. Orion made himself my enemy. What I’m going to do on the morrow will be incredibly, ridiculously, utterly stupid. I’m going to merely dump that lug by the sea, presuming that’s where he came from. He’ll be given a canteen of water and the little purse of seeds, nothing else, and I’ll have every soldier stationed in the city on the lookout for him. If he comes back and tries again, Yadira will not be able to help him.

     She will hate me all the more, but I have to do my job.

A/N: continuity issue. I’d totally forgotten to put a fireplace in His Majesty the Dunghead Reck’s room. Whoops. That, and I really didn’t like the candelabra next to the desk. AND the thought of re-shooting that makes me wanna hurl. Just pretend… 🙂

---

Asa

     I can’t stop thinking about her. Maren. She’s cast some kind of wicked spell on me, visiting me in my dreams with her sweet smile and sinful giggle.
     After our interrogation, also known as the ‘interviews,’ Sama and I were placed in jobs. I earn a wage for the first time in my life, working for a timber mill. We also were placed where they place new people until they can get something better, in temporary apartments, or ‘flats.’ It’s just a room and a bathroom. Sure, it’s flat. I don’t get it, but I try to soak in stuff and not look like I don’t know what I’m talking about.

     The money is interesting. It’s coins from all over. People just go by what the number on the coin says. All I can think is there’s no security in it. It could suddenly be worthless and nobody could do a damn thing about it. But it’s kind of a collective agreement that if you enter the society, you value the value of the coins.
     I only want to spend my coins in one way.
     Sama has a job at a tailor, piecing together bits of fabric to turn into clothing. She doesn’t actually sew them, just put them together to then be handed off. People are even making their own, new fabric. They have sheep, which means they have wool. There are also cotton fields somewhere. The infrastructure is amazing, to be honest.
     Speaking of infrastructure, they have running water. No electricity, though, so it looks like what Corin told us either wasn’t true or hasn’t happened yet.
     I’m exhausted, but I still walk over to my window to watch the street. Sama is supposed to be going to the local pub tonight to report to me how things went with Orion rescuing Yadira.

     No one wanted to listen to my opinion. I told him not to go, that it was a fool’s mission. Corin told Rohan that he couldn’t go to Victoria because he’d put everyone at risk being too emotionally involved. Now, Orion is pretty much doing the same thing. For all our sakes, I hope it works, that he’s somehow able to single-handedly free Yadira.

     Sama goes into the pub. I take a breath, put on my hat, and exit.
     At least it’s not the Golden Gate, where Maren ‘works.’ This one is boxier like everything else on this street. As I enter, I see Sama seated at a corner table. I don’t look at her, but I nod anyway and work my way to the bar.

      I order some kind of drink I once heard a man call a ‘pint.’ Then I lean back on the counter and drink a little bit of it, looking around with a bland expression. No one bothers me. Then I act like I notice Sama for the first time, pick up my glass, and walk over.

     “The eagle has not landed,” she tells me, sipping a glass of wine. Her fingers pick at the edge of the glass, telling me she’s nervous.
      “Why the bloody hell not?” Once I started doing the accent all the time, I couldn’t turn it off.
      “I have no idea. I’ve seen nothing.” Her workplace is closer to the castle whereas mine is almost at the outskirts.
      Again, I wish I could’ve gotten a job as a member of the guard, but that ‘Gerald’ guy didn’t consider it even after my well-placed hints about my fighting skill. Maybe I was too obvious. I don’t know. I feel useless stacking wooden planks all day. I must admit, though, it IS nice to have an actual shower when I’m finished with my shift. The water is cold, but I don’t mind a bit.
     That’s another thing. I like it here. Sure, my job isn’t the best, but I could see how I could make my lot in life better if given the time.
     I finish off my drink. It’s awful, but plenty of people act like they like it. So, I try to act the same.

      I sigh, feeling helpless. Glancing, I notice Sama hardly drinks any of her wine. “You don’t like it?”
     “I’m thinking it might not be a good idea.”
     My eyebrows come together. I can only guess she means she wants to be sure to stay sober. Looking down at my now-empty glass, I feel sheepish.

     “I’m going to the Golden Gate tomorrow,” I tell her.
     “Don’t.” Her voice has a kind of whine to it.
     “I can’t stop thinking about her.”
     “She’s not interested in you like that.”
     I beat my thumb into the table repeatedly. Orion could be fighting for his life or worse, and all I can think about are grey eyes, a sweet smile, and a fine ass. “Maybe I just need to get her out of my system.”

     She looks off into space. “I’m going to go visit the Robin tomorrow.”
     I blink. “Is that wise?”
     “No, but it’s my day off. I’m going to the beach.” She smirks, sounding like someone from the past getting ready to go on vacation.
     I smile. Sama already knows quite a lot about the ins and outs of this city, surprising me. She probably notified Vik of her plans via putting notches on tree trunks. She does the same for me, leaving a stick just to the right of the door to my building, only obvious to me apparently. If the stick is there, I meet her here after work.
     “Too cold for the beach.”
     Her eyes sparkle. “I’ll stay warm.”

     A woman walks in a little too energetically for the feel of the place, and she looks around. Sama groans and sinks further into her seat. Apparently, she’s a little too late because the woman grins widely upon seeing her. “Samantha!” She dances around a table and comes to take an empty chair. Smiling, she says, “I heard you tell Gavin you were off to sightsee tomorrow. Mind if I tag along?”
     Sama does take a drink from her glass now. “Asante, Macie. Macie, Asante,” she says, giving quick introductions, switching to something akin to Orion’s accent. “Asante an’ I entered Victoria together. Macie started at th’ tailor’s tadee.” Then she takes a breath. “I hope ye don’ mind, Macie, but I was hopin’ ta have th’ day ta myself tomorrow.”

     “Oh,” Macie’s face falls. “Okay. I just… well, I don’t know anyone else, and those people that I DID meet would… never mind.” She looks at her hands.
     I glance at Sama and notice she’s giving me a pleading expression. ‘You owe me,’ she mouths.
     Oh. “I was planning to visit The Watch tomorrow, if you’d like to come, Macie,” I offer.
     Her eyes get brighter. “The Watch? Oh! There are two sisters there that I’ve not had the chance to thank yet. Did you meet them?”
     “Er… your sisters?”

     She giggles. “No, silly. Sisters of the Order of the Lily. I’m considering joining, but… I haven’t decided.”
     Trapped now, I say, “Er, sure. I’d… love… to meet them then.” Crap. I don’t want to be spending time with some religious people on my day off. I plan on ditching them at the first opportunity. But as long as I’m helping out Sama in the long run, maybe she’ll not judge me on wanting to ‘visit’ Maren.

     Without warning, Macie almost leaps across the table to take my hand. Then she drags it towards her. “It’s so nice to meet you, Asante! Thank you so much for offering to escort me to The Watch. I’ll bring things for a picnic. We could make snowmen!”
     Sama smirks behind her glass. “Aye, Asante, how very noble of ya.”
     I glare at my ‘sister.’

Yadira

     I want to destroy his room. I want to rip the sheets off the bed and throw all his papers into the fireplace. I want to throw anything breakable on the floor and shatter it.
     But I don’t. That won’t help Orion.
     Instead, I wait, trying to plan out what I’m going to say and how he’ll possibly react. With Orion on the scene, I’m seeing the monster come out in Reck again, and that scares me for Orion’s sake… and anyone else who may have come with him.
     The door opens, and I jump. Reck walks in with a satisfied smirk on his face and closes the door behind him. 

     “Your illustrious hero has been dealt with. Your room is being set to rights.”
     I feel my face go pale. “You didn’t…” Maybe I should’ve torn apart his room after all. NO! Benjamin! My lip quivers.
     He waves his hand down dismissively. “No, we didn’t kill him, poppet. But as to what to do next, I’m debating. I mean, after all, he IS a traitor. I suppose we could have a trial for treason.”
     “Just let him go,” I say as calmly as I can.
     He almost laughs. “So that he can try again? I don’t think so.”
     “I’ll convince him to go home. Let me speak to him.” and make sure that if he does have a concussion that I heal it.

     “Is he in love with you?” Reck watches me closely for my reaction.
     I fight to keep my face from turning red. “That doesn’t matter if he is or isn’t. I’m married. So, that question is irrelevant.”
     “So he is.” It’s like I may as well have not spoken.

     I want to roll my eyes. Still, I have to make whatever happens work in my favor. “Well then wouldn’t that mean he’d listen to me and hold to a promise to leave?”
     “He won’t promise that. You forget, I know the stubborn bastard.”
     “Then do something to make sure he leaves! Officially banish him or something.”

     He motions to the door. “You JUST SAW the man sneak by my entire staff to get to you. What makes you think a city will stop him?”

     “Because he’ll listen to me,” I argue. Of course, I think back to all the times he DIDN’T listen to me.
     “Not even you believe that; it’s written all over your face.” He walks over to his desk and flips through some random papers, not really looking at them. “I may have to do it. For the future peace of my kingdom, I may have to kill him.”

     I stand up, and I don’t hide any of the venom in my voice when I spit out, “You do that, and I will NEVER help you or anyone else here. I will shut down, and there will be nothing you can do. I will hate you with everything I am and everything I have in me, and I will do my utmost to have you removed from your place of power.”
     His eyes look up at me, and I notice he no longer has a smirk. In fact, in no way is he looking at me like I’m some amusing child-like adult. There’s actually a dose of… respect… and something else behind his eyes.

     “And what will you do if I decide to let him go?” His gaze is dangerously calculating.
     “Well, I’ll hate you a little less, for one.”
     He lets out a quick exhale out of his nose. “That’s something I can fix on my own. Do better.”
     I scramble in my brain while he walks around to the front of his desk. What do I have? What kind of bargaining chips are in my possession? I start pacing back and forth. “You already have me agreeing to help you maintain the peace, which, by the way, you’re also preventing me from doing. What else?”

     He sits on the edge of his desk. “For one, accept that you are no longer married.”
     My heart drops to my stomach. I don’t like where this is going, but I fight to remain in control. “You really get bothered when I mention that, don’t you? That I refuse to accept your little proclamation just because you’re king. Well, reality check. My authority supersedes yours in this type of matter.”
     He scratches his cheek contemplatively. “You’re asking me to determine whether the concept of marriage is a matter of church or state. Well, of course I say it’s the state. It’s like a contract between two people.”
     “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s the church, and everyone knows it’s the church. Why else do people get married in RELIGIOUS ceremonies?” I leave out how Orion would argue that didn’t happen between Rohan and me, but Zuri, at the time, said it did but that I wouldn’t understand why. Now, I think I do. It’s because I said it. “It’s not a contract; it’s a binding of two souls to behave as one.” I also leave out how I told Orion to tell Rohan he’s free. I don’t know if I’ll ever be home again, and I don’t want Rohan to be alone. I once more have to bite my lip to stop it from trembling.

     “All right, then YOU declare you’re no longer married.” He blinks and stares me down.
     You bastard. “And you’ll let him go.”
     “I won’t kill him or have him killed,” he replies, that calculating gleam returning.
     “AND let him go.” I slowly walk towards him. I MUST win this. To do otherwise isn’t an option. “Face it, Derek. I outrank you. I potentially have more power. I could announce myself and have the mother priestess back me one hundred percent. The people, YOUR people would fall right in line. Peace would be restored, but you would be irrelevant.” I’ve never felt so powerful. It’s quite a rush.
     He glares. “You think to take my kingdom from me. What do you know about running a country? The success of this city has quite a lot to do with me and the systems I have put in place. Do you think you could keep that running?”

     I remember something from a book. “It’s all about putting the right people in the right places.” I will not lose my footing here. I honestly don’t WANT to run the country, and I think he knows this. But he knows the threat is there.

     “Oh, and you know the right people,” he says like he believes the total opposite. His hands grip the edge of his desk, and his nostrils flare out again.
     “The right people are already in place. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I shrug and look at my nails.
     He blinks a few times. “So YOU know how to get the power plant running again, do you? You going to wiggle your little fingers and fulfill promises I made?” He playfully wiggles his fingers like some street magician I read about in a children’s book. The smirk returns for a moment.
     I roll my eyes. Fine. “You and I both know I don’t want that. I’m merely pointing out what COULD happen. What’s it to you if you let ONE MAN go?”
     “And word gets out that a man that was once as close as I had to a best mate gets to walk free after betraying me, what then?”
     “Who says it gets out? And if it does, it’s just a rumor,” I offer. “Or…” I smirk now. 

     “Say it was the will of the goddess.” I fold my arms triumphantly.

     A smile slowly starts spreading across his face. “Incredible.” He doesn’t answer my questioning expression, me wanting him to explain why he said that. Instead, he continues, “But you have to concede something, Yadira.”
     I huff. “What so that your ego is satisfied?”
     He laughs for a moment. “Sure. If that’s the way you let yourself see it.” His fingers once more grip the edges of his desk, almost like they’re anchoring him there. His knuckles are white.
     “What then?” I have to work very hard not to roll my eyes again.
     He shrugs. “I’ve already said it. Renounce your wedding vows, and it’s a deal.”

     Fuck, I think in a very unladylike way. After everything I’ve just proclaimed, me so much as uttering the words truly ends it. All the triumphant posture about me crumbles like walls down to piles of pebbles. My marriage officially ending for my friend’s life and freedom, it hurts, but it’s worth it. “I… renounce my marriage… to Rohan.” I feel sick. If I were near a mirror, I’m sure I would see that my face appears grayish-green.
      “Done. I’ll arrange for his release.” He spins around and once more starts rifling through papers on his desk. I have a split-second fantasy of walking over and sweeping my hand across all his neat stacks, sending papers flying everywhere while I sport a look of triumph.
      However, something else matters more. “I want to see him.” I think of something in my misery. A gift. “And I want to give him something. For the island.” A note to Rohan… and something for all of them.
     His eyebrows raise curiously, and I explain to him what I need.

Corrine

     I blink.
     Peter stands in front of me, smiling. “Damn, I do good work,” he says, looking at me a little too much.

     I look at my hands. They’re a little smaller, and the scars are gone. Pulling a bit of my sleeve up, I see my arms are much less hairy. I look down, and some of my hair falls from my back over my shoulder. I have breasts. I move my legs a little. I have… girlie bits.
     Peter interrupts my personal inventory, “So what do you think?”
     I stagger from one thought to the next. No way this is real. Is this what I really wanted? What is Orion going to think? Is this real? What am I supposed to do now?

     I clench my fist. I’m still pretty muscular, at least. Although, I may need to focus more on agility and evasion.

     “Are you seriously wondering what kind of SOLDIER you’ll be?” Peter asks, raising his voice some.
     I scowl. “What? It’s what I know.” My voice is a little different, too.
     Zuri has walked over. “A woman can’t be a soldier? You weren’t paying much attention, then. The Skeeves had many women as fighters.”

     I put my hand up. “All right, all right. Easy. I’m trying to come to terms. This is… instant.”
     Peter huffs. “But do you like it?”
     “Well, I haven’t got that far yet.” I look at him. “How long do I have?”

     He smirks. “You’re not going to change back at the stroke of twelve, Cinderella.”
     “I gather, but… are you going to disappear and not be able to change me back if…” if Orion hates me for this? I couldn’t bear him hating me.
     “I meant what I said. I give you my word. Not even my parents could stop me should you call out saying you’ve changed your mind.”
     “Right.” I stare at my hands some more. They’re so smooth. Are the scars on my face gone?
     Peter picks up a rock then transforms it into a hand mirror. “Here.”
     They are! “It’s like hitting a reset button.”
    “Why would I do all that work and give you imperfections? Not my style.” Peter folds his arms and watches me look at myself. I touch my face. It’s real. I touch my hair. It’s real, too. And longer: I guess more of that ‘why not’ reason.

     “Th-thank you?” I sputter out. “Well, I… I think.”
     He takes a deep breath. “Don’t rely on others to determine your self-worth.” I think he means don’t decide whether or not I like the change based upon how Orion will act. I can’t bloody help it.

Yadira

     “Niel!” I cry out, scolding him as he pulls me off Orion.
     He looks at me with absolutely no kindness in his eyes. “Go into the corridor.”

     “What?”
     “Now. I will drag you out there if I must.” He searches Orion and finds a key.
     I’ve not seen this side of him before. He’s always been patient, almost laughing at me sometimes, but then, there’s never been an escape attempt. “No. This is my friend.” What’s wrong with Niel? It’s like he’s afraid, maybe afraid of losing his job. If he would just give me a chance, I could explain it to him.
     Without any more warning, he grabs my arm and pulls me into the hallway.

    “Hey!” I cry out.
     He doesn’t respond, instead closing and locking the door behind him. “This way.” 

     A little more gently but still firm, he grasps my arm and pulls me down the hallway, around a turn or two, and down another hall. Then he knocks at a door. Two guards stand on either side of it, eyeing me in a way that makes me want to slap them.
    “Enter!” we hear from the other side. It’s Reck.

     We walk in, and he immediately stands from his desk the second he sees it’s us. “What’s happened?” He doesn’t miss how Niel holds my arm.
     “The Scotsman came alone.”
     Reck scowls and walks around his desk. “Where is he?” he asks him but looks at me.

     “Locked in her room.”
     Reck’s eyes travel around the room, thinking. “Four of you. Your pick. He’ll be ready for you so be prepared. Take him to the jail.”
     My mouth drops. “He hit his head. He could have a concussion!”
     He spares me a glance. “She’ll stay here.”
     “What are you going to do?” I demand.
     “Go,” he tells Niel, and after a quick bow, my guard leaves us. 

     As soon as the door closes, Reck’s eyes slash over to me. “Looks like the plan failed.” His nostrils flare. Making a too-obvious attempt at controlling a rising temper, he turns his back to me and walks over to the window. That calm that I’d previously sensed about him is gone, gone, gone. He’s a bundle of fierce emotions all fighting for dominance. I can’t get a specific read on him, meaning this has nothing to do with past events that I could fix.
     “I had no idea about this, so don’t even go there.” I fold my arms. “Orion came, yes, with intent to bring me home.”

    “THIS IS YOUR HOME!” he yells, making me jump. Then he closes his eyes and takes a breath. “Continue, please.” He turns back to the window with his hands behind his back, watching some of the goings-on of his city. He’s reminding me of the stories I heard from the others, about the monster. That yelling was totally uncalled for. Is he scared? Whatever it is, Orion being here is not my fault.

     I glare at him. I want to tell him where he can shove it, but I know Orion is in danger. It IS my fault that Orion got caught. I healed Niel too quickly. Perhaps if I can allay some possible fears, that would work out better for my friend. “As I said, he came to get me, but I told him no.”

     Derek exhales in a rush as he turns to me. He doesn’t breathe in again, his eyes wide. The room sits in frozen animation, waiting for one of us to speak.
     To spite the atmosphere in the room, I shrug and have a seat on the very nice sofa. I act casual when really I want to scream and hit him until he at least sends Orion on his way. I cross my legs and look at him. “I have work to do.” I bite my lip to stop the sadness from creeping in.
     “You told him no,” he repeats back to me, not having moved a muscle from his spot near the window. He blinks, forming I don’t know what conclusions in his mind. “You told him you’d rather stay here.”
     Whoa. Those aren’t the right conclusions. I have to set him straight right now. “No, I didn’t say that. I’d rather go back to being the old me and live on the island again, but that would be selfish.” My teeth and lower lip become reunited. It gets harder every second to maintain this calm facade.
     He walks over to me. “Which is it? Do you want to stay or go?” His wild eyes pierce into me. I almost wonder if he wants to shake me. I’m torn between telling him off and telling him what he wants to hear.

     I decide on a compromise. “If you’re using the word ‘want,’ I want to leave. As to what I’ll actually do, I’m staying.” I can’t look at him anymore, so I have no idea how he reacts to what I said.
     His voice oozes something nasty, a kind of a sarcasm but more, when he says, “Well, thank you, Lady Yadira, for your loyalty.” He paces to the door. “I’ll help them myself. I owe Orion a little something, after all.”

     I quickly stand, my heart racing. “What are you talking about?” He opens the door, and I rush over to it. “What are you doing?”
    “Stop her,” he casually tells his guard, and both men block the doorway after he exits it.
     “Reck! You bastard! What are you doing?” One of the guards shoves me hard, and I land roughly on my butt. He smirks and closes the door behind him. I hear the familiar click of a lock.

     I curl myself into a ball and cry. It’s all my fault.

A/N: 180 line bouncing (1st half anyway). Sorry. I just wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to shoot from, and I like some from both.

---

Yadira

     “I’m takin’ ya home,” Orion tells me.
     My heart sinks. He’s worked so hard for this, and I’m going to ruin it. “No.”
     He pulls me back, holding my shoulders, his eyes wide. “No? But…” His mouth opens and closes, unable to form any more words.
     “I’m sorry.” I bite my lip to fight the tears. It feels like I cry ALL THE TIME now, and I’m sick of it.
     “Why?” he finally manages to say.

     I let out a puff of air, still fighting my emotions. “I have work to do.” Of course, the work would be EASIER if Reck trusted me to leave, but somehow I think that’s part of it. I don’t know how, but it’s a hunch.
      “What work? Yadira, come HOME. It’s where ye belong, na here wi’ that monster.” He almost looks as if he’s debating throwing me over his shoulder and making a mad dash for it.
      “But that’s just it. I have to fix the monster too.”
      He shakes his head. “No. No ya don’t. What kinda hogwash is he feedin’ ya?”
      Niel moans at our feet. Orion makes like he’s about to knock him out again. “No! Hold on.”

     I take a deep breath. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I’ve not ever really consciously tried to heal someone. I place my hand on his shoulder and focus, probably too hard, on the desire for his arm to fix itself. Nothing happens. A little noise escapes me as I exhale.
     “Yadira, what’re ye doin’?”
     “It just HAS to work.” I bite my lip, again holding back the damn tears. “No. Please.” I close my eyes. Then Niel moans again.
      Suddenly, Orion has yanked me up, pulling me away from my guard. “Don’t!” he cries.
     “What? But he’s hurt.”
     “He’s tha enemy.” He gestures to the nearly-comatose man on the floor… whose shoulder looks much better. “If he wakes up, I’m done for.”
     “Oh.” I look at my old friend. Then I hug him.

     He staggers back for a second before his arms wrap around me tightly.
     “You have to go.”
     “Not wi’out you I’m not.” His arms tighten.
     “Benjamin, I’m supposed to be here. I know I am.”
     “Na. Yer supposed ta be at home,” he swallows, “wi’ Rohan.”
     The damn tears win the war, and I cry into Orion’s sweater. “I’m sorry. I can’t. I want to, but this is beyond me. I wish…” Whoa. I almost wished I’d never met Rohan at all. “Tell him… Tell him that I’m sorry. And…” My heart shatters into a million pieces. “…tell him he’s free.”

     Orion yanks me back, holding my shoulders again, and he shakes me. “Now I KNOW ye’ve lost yer damn mind. I’m sorry, Yadira.” He grabs me and starts to pick me up.
      Then, out of nowhere, his knees are knocked out from under him, and he falls backwards, taking me with him. He shields my fall with his body, but he bangs his head pretty badly on the floor.
     The next thing I know, Niel hits him, knocking him out cold.

Corin

     “…but I can change YOU,” echoes in my recent memory.
     I pause. The possibility is there. It used to be done via surgery, but once the world started going to shit, that stopped. Doctors had ‘more important’ work to do. Therefore, I never considered it an option.
     Could I do that, though? What if I don’t like it? “Is… is it permanent?” I still face away from him.
     “I don’t suppose it has to be,” he answers, finally being serious for once. I’m glad because this is VERY serious. “I guess if I had any concerns, it would be psychological, not physical.”

      I do turn around now. “You think I’m a nutter.”
      “No. I worry about your motive.” He looks at me like he can see into my very soul. Which, I guess he can. And Zuri FUCKS this guy? “Don’t get distracted,” he warns.
      “Can’t help it, I’m afraid.” I thought you said I was funny.
      “Yeah, but I’m not funning around now.” He walks over to me in a slow, steady rate. Zuri stays at the temple proper. The closer he gets, the more my heart races. Okay. I’m not an idiot. Even I can sense some kind of power about him. I back up a step.

     “How would I… explain it to people?” I sound as if I’ve already decided.
     “Easy. Tell them about me.” A walking advertisement?
      I picture in my mind Orion coming home to be greeted by… Cora? Corrine? He’d lose his shit. What if he hates me? What if he doesn’t? What if he never speaks to me again, calling me a freak of nature? What if… No. I don’t go there. But… WHAT IF?

       “Corrine, if you don’t like it, let me know. Let Zuri know, and she can tell me.” He watches me. Then he grins. “I have an open return policy.”

       “How much… would I still look like me?” I do still want to look like me, after all, just… yeah.

       He tilts his head to the side. “I like the picture in your mind.”

       “Okay.” I take a deep breath. I AM a nutter. “Do it.”

      His grin widens. “Excellent.” And he snaps his fingers.