Kingdom Born

Chapter 14: Cousin

Pain rattled inside my skull, left to right, searching for escaped from the jagged hole that used to be the back of my head. Moaning reached my ears. It was mine. Cradling my head in my hands would have been a blessing but they were still locked behind my back. Opening my eyes to a blurred world, I attempted to twist my head around.

"Lay still, woman." The voice rang around inside my head. Gentle fingers stroked the side of my face then a cool cloth was draped over my forehead. This voice wasn't familiar. I focused my sight on him. A grey haired man turned away and began to return bottles and clothes to a black bag.

"You may feel like you're going to die but I've never had anyone die on me from sea sickness yet. I gave you a shot that should settle your stomach. Drink plenty of water, I left some herbs to mix with the water incase you get nauseous again. Other than that, I can't do much more for you. You're going to live."

I just stared at him. Was the Goddess punishing me for breaking my Oath of Protection? I had failed Karl, Kyle and the whole town of Sandshore. So slavery was my punishment?

Sanderson came into the room, spoke quietly to the Healer then sent the man on his way. He crossed over to me and reached out to touch my cheek. I jerked away from his touch even though the sudden movements made the room spin wildly. When world righted again, I stared up as his blue eyes watched me with concern.

"For all the trouble you have caused me, I didn't think that a few days at sea would cut you down so quickly. If I had known that I would have had Misha bring you out to me." His voice was full of lightness and jest.

There was nothing to say, so I just lay still feeling ill at stomach and heart. The silence in the room was deafening.

There was a knock at the wooden door leading into this chamber. "Enter." Sanderson called out.
Another grey haired man, compact and wiry and sun and wind burnt like the sailors that littered the docks of Sandshore, bowed and stepped into the chamber, "Captain there is a ship on the horizon."

"Is it doing anything we should be concerned about?" Sanderson asked quietly.
The man shook his head but continued speaking in low and urgent tones, "I had the helmsman change course slightly just to make sure that it just wasn't another trading vessel. We're not too far from the established trading lanes. She's still with us though."

"Who do you think they are, Mitch?"

"I don't know"

"Keep me informed."

The man turned to leave. I struggled to sit up, "What colors are they flying?" I asked him. He continued out the door. I called after him, "Are they red and gold?"

He turned on his heel and sent me a blue eyed stare filled with disquiet and suspicion. His silence was acknowledgement of my question. The colors of the pirate raiders had puzzled me in the past but now it sent a shiver down into my deadened soul. In the tales Karl read to Kyle and me in the winter nights as we sat before our stone hearth, the pirates flew a field of black with a silver skull and crossed leg bones. In real life, the pirates/raiders had flown a yellow field with black diagonal tiger stripes until three years ago. Now they flew gold and red - the colors of Misha's brothels.

"Captain?" Mitch stared past me to Sanderson.

"Just keep watch." My voice halted his progress out the door, "The pirates have light and faster ships. They've got experience fighting ship to ship..."

"For someone who can't keep her stomach settled on a cargo ship you have a lot of opinions," Sanderson leaned over and brushed his fingertips along my hair line. I jerked my head away. He looked down at me annoyed.

I closed my eyes and recalled from memory, "The standard pirate ship carries forty to fifty skilled fighters. They come in hard and fast usually at twilight or at the break of dawn to get the surprise on their quarry. They're in and out so fast there usually aren’t any prisoners left worth taking."
Sanderson and the first mate looked over at each other in silent communication that left me blind.

Sanderson's blue eyes narrowed as he thought, "Mitch?"

"We can put a watch on duty and break out the weapons but..." Mitch glanced over at me with mistrust plastered on his face, "...what do you know about this woman...She could have been a pirate herself.'

"Extra precautions are always a good idea...still spread it around to keep sharp. I would rather not get into any more delays. The Thane will be worrying about us as it is."

Mitch nodded then shut the door behind him. I felt myself battling the sea sickness and anger of having my warning so easily brushed aside.

Sanderson pushed me back on the bed. His finger tips grazed my hair again. "In case you have forgotten my name is Matthais Sanderson. I would prefer to hear you call me Matthais in your sweet voice but I will answer to Sanderson or Milord. We can dispense with Master as I know how little you like it." He fingered the angry purple of the bruise at his throat. "Now we are at sea, you would do well not to test my patience."

I said nothing.

He signed, reached out and mixed a wooden cup with water and herbs the healer had left, "Drink this. I'll send you back into a healing sleep. You're still too weak to be involving yourself in these battles." I looked emotionlessly into his scarred face. Somehow I knew he wouldn't hesitate forcing it down my throat.

I drank down the bitter tasting water he held to my lips. Carefully, I laid my still pounding head back into a feather pillow and waited for the healing sleep to take me. Beautiful dreams came.

I found myself standing on one of the cliffs a half day's walk from the Sandshore. The familiar grey stone walls beckoned me with a sense of comfort. I had played here when I was younger. There was a narrow jagged path leading down to the beach front. I was jumping down onto it when a hand reached out to steady me. I glanced back into Karl's loving face. He had tanned in the summer sun, and his hair had lightened a couple of shades of brown and his eyes glowed bright with joy. He had on the blue and gold kilt that I had given him on his birthday several years ago. The wind fluttered it around his knees. Kyle tore past us, his straggly red hair streaming away from his red freckled face, as he ran down the path with the high energy that usually got him into trouble. He ran to the water, splashing around and laughing with excitement by the time Karl and I had reached the warm sand. Kyle tore out of the waves and launched himself at me. I caught him under the arms and hoisted in him to the sky. He let loose a laugh and wrapped his arms around my neck and slobbered a wet kiss on my neck.

"I love you, mama."

"I love you too, baby." Kyle squirmed away from me.

"I'm not a baby any more." He propped his hands on his hips and gave a grey eyed stare.

I grabbed a red tendril and gently pulled it, "You can be married and be raising three children and you'll still be my baby."

"Just don't call me baby in front of my friends."

"Give me a kiss then and I'll think about it."

Kyle slobbered on me again then turned and ran down to the water. Karl stepped behind me and breathed on my neck. He lifted my braid and placed a soft kiss on my nape that send flames of passion down my spine to stoke a lower fire. His hands curled around my waist then trailed up to stop just below my breasts.

"You feel wonderful." More love words were whispered into my hair. One hand began to trail down to the tops of my breeches...his fingers began to work their way inside. A seagull cry made me jerk my eyes open. Kyle could see us.

"Not here."

"I miss your hair." Karl kissed my neck, flicking his tongue and sending shivers of desire through me.

"No." I turned and pushed against his hairy chest...hairy... Karl's skin was smooth..."NO!"
I broke free from the dream and shoved hard on the body that was sprawled atop me. "NO!"

Sanderson pressed his groin against my thigh. He was primed. I stiffened as he leaned forward, planting wet kisses on my throat and the side of my face. I gritted my teeth and began twisting underneath him, making sure that my aim was centering on his groin. He leaned forward crushing the small remains of breath from me. I fought him wildly. There was nothing disciplined my defense. - twisting, kicking, punching and even trying to rake his face with the nails of my freed hands. He grunted and the soft coaxing expression faded away as I punched him the side of the neck that held most of his bruises. He lurched forward pining my arms beside my head and sat astride my breasts.

"Settle down...for god's sake."

I kneed him hard in the back. He grunted and tightened his hands on my wrists. I kneed him again. Screaming out a war cry, I strained my lower back and hips straight off the mattress, bucking with my whole body. The sudden shift sends Sanderson flying off on the floor. He held onto me and dragged me over with him. I tried to get my entire weight landing on his stomach and groin.

He groaned as I connected with his privates. I jerked one wrist free from his grasp, reached down to his waist for the small dagger that I had noticed hanging at his side. I pulled it free and brought it up under the soft part of his chin. He stiffened at the contact. His blue eyes widened with admiration.

"I keep underestimating you. I told myself that I wouldn't settle for another beautiful doll - I didn't know what I was asking for." He smiled charmingly, relaxing all his muscles in surrender. I made to shift off him. He moved faster than anyone I had ever met. He slapped me hard across the face and pried the dagger hilt from my hand. The whole room rocked...and kept rocking as my sea sickness returned with a vengeance. I turned my head aside and threw up. I crawled away from my mess and glared at Sanderson as he re-sheathed his dagger.

"Why are you acting like this?" He demanded angry and still clutching his wounded pride.

"I am not a criminal, I won't be treated like one." I returned calmly as possible. I had to grab onto the stationary bed post to keep the room from spinning. My face throbbed from his contact. I had taken more pain from drill practice but I felt so ashamed for being bested so easily. Especially by a man.

"You are property. You are bought and paid for."

I pulled my feet underneath me and swaying stood, still keeping my death grip on the bedpost. "Slavery is against the Laws."

"You're wrong. I've seen mothers selling their sons to Misha to be made into well pampered entertainment."

"City dwellers have left the ways of the Goddess."

"I don't have time for this right now." Sanderson rolled to his feet beside the bed. He reached past me carefully keeping an eye on me for any more attacks. A green kingdom dress landed on the bed beside me. "We're out at sea. You've no place to escape to. And I am not so starved for female companionship that I can't wait until you're ready to come to me. We've got a three week voyage before us. Get dressed..." He paused for a moment as if expecting me to say something. I just stared up at him dully, "... when you're ready come out on deck. I'll introduce you to my crew."

He had seen me naked so there was no need for any masculine demands for privacy. I could feel his eyes on me as I stripped off the sweaty thin white night shift, someone had dressed me in and pulled the green dress over my head. This dress was just as revealing in the bodice as the last green dress he had forced me into. I pulled my head clear and yanked it down to my hips were it flared out wildly.

"The fit is rather snug but I find it appealing." I didn't bother to offer any comment. "You are a very beautiful woman, Phara."

"So my husband has told me."

Sanderson pulled himself to his gigantic height as his face darkened with anger. I just sat on the bed and watched him. There was no fear in me about what this man might do, could do to me if he decided. "Every falcon when first trapped fights and rails wildly. After a while, when the trainer shows the bird that he means no harm, the falcon begins to accept her new lot in life. Soon, the falcon anticipates her trainer's arrival and does all she can to appease him."

"I am not a bird." I drew myself to my full height, ignoring the way the gown constricted my breathing and tripped my feet. My nausea was no match for my anger.

"We shall see, my little dove." Sanderson pushed open the door leading to a narrow flight of stairs which exited to the deck of the ship.

The sun was a deep red that tainted the entire sky with it's ever reaching laws. I closed my eyes against its' brightness. I could hear Karl's deep voice whispering in my ear, "The setting sun proclaims the end of a day and the beginning of a new one. You're hair is the same color as the sun. You're my Sunset...a proclaimed of better things to come. Sunny...I love you so much."
I could feel gazes burning into me. I opened my eyes and filled them with the fiery sky of the sinking sun. The end of one life and the beginning of another. Karl...

Sanderson braced himself on the rolling deck. His voice boomed out over the creaking of the ship and the sound of the wind as it filled the sails. "Many of you know what our mission was when we left the safety of our waters two moons ago. We came to this land of women to set up trading relations...We were delayed leaving by a few days because of another purchase I made." He reached out, caught my wrist and pulled me beside him, "By the laws of Coveport this woman here is a convicted criminal. I own her life."

About fifty men stood gathered on the top of the deck. I felt their eyes staring through me. Sanderson dropped my arm once he was assured that all his followers had taken their fill of staring at me. I turned my eyes back to the dwindling sun. There was no land on any horizon. Coveport was gone. Sandshore was gone. I was being taken to a land I didn't want to see. I walked over to the railing and watched the horizon dip and rise with each swell of the sea. Funny, I didn't feel nauseous anymore. Sanderson continued with his speech, "Once I have her suitably trained, maybe others will come for more exciting bed mates."

They all laughed.

The sun was calling to me. The Goddess forbade the taking of your own life, especially if you were of child bearing years, but then I had also swore an Oath of Protection...to safeguard and cherish the man I had married. The memories of how he looked in the Scarlet Arena, filthy, disoriented and so dependant on me to free him from that hell battered at my head. I had failed him miserably. I had bore one child to the glory of the Goddess. I didn't know if Karl was alive or dead, I prayed that he was dead. I focused my eyes forward on the red sun. I tossed my leg over the railing.

"Milord!" Someone shouted a word of warning.

I let myself fall forward. The sea rose up to enfold me. I stretched out my arms to embrace the waves. I hit the side of the ship chest first. Air exploded out of my lungs. I looked past the reams of material hanging over my head into the eyes of the grey haired Healer as he held onto my ankle.

"Give me your hand!" Sanderson reached over the railing, stretching his fingers to grab at me. I let my arms hang over my head. I was in the Goddess's hands now.

More hands reached out and grabbed hold of me. Slowly I was pulled back up on deck. I lay on my back as the sky and orange tinted clouds lost their valiant but useless battle to the armies of darkness.

"What did you think you were doing?" Sanderson ran his experienced hands down my limbs checking for broken bones. My body ached from where the Kingdom men had held me but all I had gotten were bruises.

Sanderson gathered me up like a small doll and carried me back down into the darkness of the lower chambers. His voice was raised and angry, "What did you think you were doing?"

I returned emotionlessly. It felt like everything inside had been cushioned with ice. "Trying to die."

"You hate me that much?" He took my chin and forced me to look at him "Can't you find any room in your heart for me?

I stared at him stunned. This man had given me nothing but pain in varying degrees. He had treated me worse than a horse and now he expected me to open my heart to him I began to laugh. I could see his face firm up with resolve before I could master myself. "My heart belongs to my family - my husband and my child."

"A woman can love more than one man."

"This woman cannot. Some women take the marriage pledge but can conveniently forget it when a handsome face parades by. I'm not one of them. You listened to the lies of my enemy because they suited your purpose. You've taken me away from my family and familiar surroundings. I know that Misha has lied to you and she has always done it better than I, but I would still like to see your life's blood spilt out on the deck of this ship for what you've done." All my speech was relayed to him in that same toneless voice.

"What about your precious slave boy? If you love your husband so deeply what are you doing with him?"

"That is my husband. He's a teacher to the village children back in Sandshore, but then I don't expect you to believe me. Misha could always tell better stories that anyone else I had ever met."

"I have little doubt that you feel something for that poor slave but love has nothing to do with it."

"What will happen to him?"

Sanderson didn't play the fool. He knew who I was speaking about. "As far as I know Righthander will continue with his training. He was progressing faster than she had expected. It was almost as if he had been trained before."

I closed my eyes in pain, "It would have been kinder if you killed him, Kingdom man."

There was a long lengthy pause. Sanderson dragged the covers over me and tucked them around my shoulders. He continued on with his words but the madness and accusation had been replaced with pure true curiosity, "Righthander told me that you were found guilty of theft. You stole a gold plate from a temple to pay for more wine."

"I would never profane the Temple. I was banished from Sandshore for insubordination and dereliction of duty. I held a messenger from the Council against her will and took my Guards out on an attack on Badlanders who had been raiding the countryside to fill Misha's brothels."

A puzzled expression captured his face, "I thought that you were from Coveport."

"I avoid the city as much as possible. It is a goddessless town. I was Captain of the Guard at Sandshore. The Council banished me for one year." Sanderson's brows wrinkled in astonishment. I continued, "Righthander didn't tell you that most banishment is only for a definite period of time. What are the other laws she neglected to inform you of?'

"She told me that you would have very plausible stories - that's what made you a good thief. You're still a little green looking in the face..." He reached for a porcelain jar sitting on a small table. He sprinkled some brown and green herbs into a flask, shook it vigorously then held it to my lips.

"Drink it down. It'll help settle your stomach and things will not look so bleak. Living in the Kingdom will not be so disastrous."

I took the flask and drank down the bitter tasting tea. It wasn't long before the warmth in my stomach spread to my limbs making them heavy as iron, then my eyes began to droop. I fought the sleeping potion but I had let it lay too long in my belly.

Gently, I felt fingers tracing my face and threading through my hair. "You shouldn't have cut it."
I wanted knock his hands away from me but they wouldn't obey. "It's shameful to cover it up with that ugly shade of brown. When it grows out it's going to look absurd," he signed, "Sleep...when you wake you'll feel better."

"I could kill you." My voice was weary.

"My men would hang you from the highest yard arm."

"Do you think I care about my life?" My thoughts were growing musty and thinking was becoming impossible. "Without Karl I have no life."

The bit of merriment that had danced in his eyes died as he realized my words were from the heart. I continued on, "I don't want to set foot on your Kingdom lands. Karl told me all about the life the Kingdom women has to endure. She can't touch weapons to defend herself. She has to be the wife to which ever man happens to win a sword match for her and she might even be the third or fourth wife to that man. A woman can hold no land or monies of her own. Do you think I want to live in a land that treats women with such small regard? Do you think I would even entertain that thought that I could set foot in a land where a father wouldn't even pay the ransom for his only son?"

"How do you know this? Who told you?" Sanderson demanded.

"My husband." I replied sleepily.

"Karl? Phara talk to me." The healing drought did what it was supposed to. I drifted away on it's beneficial remedy as Sanderson barraged me with questions.