by Marie Dry
“Yes, it shows that you have a strong warrior to protect you.”
Just to be difficult, because she was still mad at his teasing, she added, “I’d like some flowers painted on there, as well.”
He Stiffened. “A proper Zyrgin sleeping place does not have flowers.”
“And I might not feel the need for spending many hours in a bed that does not have flowers on it.”
He stared at her, unblinking and Sarah had to work hard not to laugh. Tease her would he? “I will program flowers on the bed,” he said as if he’d agreed to a great sacrifice.
Sarah rolled her eyes and motioned around them to the area with the bed. “Is it possible to have a wall to seal off the bedroom and bathroom area? The sleeping place should be private.”
He walked over to the wall and grated at it. As she watched, a thin, silver wall rose out of the floor and obscured the bed and their pallets. The bedroom and bathroom area were now private from the rest of the massive room. “How did you do that?” It was like a magic show.
“Superior Zyrgin technology,” he said. She didn’t know if it was funny or rather frightening that he was dead serious.
She stroked a finger over the glossy wall. She’d love to be able to tell Natalie and Julia about her many pelts and new bedroom. And how angry she was with him for teasing her.
“I want to talk to my friends. I’m desperate for news from home.” With their technology it would be like making a local TC call on Earth.
He stood taller. “I will tell you everything that is happening on Earth that you need to know. Zyrgin is your home now.”
She clenched her fists and resisted the urge to stamp her feet like a four-year-old. Arrogant, he was so arrogant. “I want to talk to my friends—hear it from them. You have no right to isolate me like this.” She’d thought that witch Destiny was done with her. She had this overwhelming feeling that destiny had a plan for her among the Zyrgin people. How was she supposed to help anyone if she was stuck in this room, not even able to make calls to her friends?
“I am the parenadorz of the known galaxies—”
She held up her hand. “And soon to be parenadorz of the unclaimed galaxies, I know,” she interrupted. “What does that have to do with me talking to my friends?”
“I am superior at telling news to my breeder.” He glanced at her and then walked up and down in front of her. Slowly.
She tapped her toe. “Oh really, if you’re so good at it, tell me how Natalie and Julia are doing. And the kids?”
He kept walking up and down in front of her. “Natalie’s daughter is training to be a warrior.”
Sarah frowned. “I didn’t know you allowed females to train as warriors? And isn’t she a bit young?” Maybe Zaar could train her, show her how to defend herself. She threw off that thought. If he wouldn’t even let her speak to her friends, she didn’t see him teaching her self-defence.
“We do not train females. No one knows who is training her. Zacar has threatened harsh consequences when he finds the warrior responsible.” He sounded curiously toneless.
An idea occurred to her, but she rejected it. He could barely stomach the thought of letting her out of this room. She didn’t see him training a human child to fight. “I don’t understand why you won’t let me talk to them.” She put her hand over her chest. “Did something happen to them?”
“No, they are healthy.”
“I don’t understand why you won’t let me speak to them. I miss Earth and my friends, and it’s unbelievable cruel of you to refuse me even a call with them.”
“You will need furniture for the warrior’s breeders to sit on,” he said out of the blue.
Sarah blinked. “You will allow the other women to come here?” She knew he was deliberately distracting her from talking about Natalie and Julia, but she was too excited to care. Apart from Srinisisa she hadn’t expected to meet any of the others.
“Yes.”
“What’s the catch?” She had a hard time trusting him after his horrible teasing and half expected him to break out in that awful laughter again.
He cocked his head. “I do not wish to catch anything.”
“I meant, why are you agreeing now? What conditions are you setting, or what are you going to demand from me in return for this?”
“I do not demand anything. Your meeting will be monitored to ensure your safety.”
Everything inside her rejected the idea of meeting the other women for the first time while someone watched them. “No.” It would be a violation of her guests’ privacy. Wait a minute. “Do you have cameras watching me?”
“No.”
“Are you monitoring me in any way?”
“Yes, I monitor your food intake and vital signs.
She put her hands on her hips, tapped her foot. “And how exactly do you do that?”
He stared at her hands and then pointed to her tapping foot. “What does that mean?”
“It means, mister that you’d better start explaining yourself.”
“Warriors do not explain themselves,” he continued before she could tell him what she thought about that. “The women will come to visit you in an hour. Srinisisa will come to assist you in one week, to get ready for the ceremony.”
“What ceremony?” She’d have to teach him to talk to her and not spring things on her like this.
“It is a tribute ceremony. All the planets send representatives to bring their yearly tributes.
“What am I supposed to do during this ceremony?” She’d love to see more of Zyrgin culture, but the tribute ceremony sounded very formal. What if she made a blunder in front of everyone?
“Nothing—you will sit in the formal reception at my side.”
She didn’t have any desire to do anything or say anything at this ceremony, but the role of the women in this society was dangerously passive. “Will the other women from Zyrgin be there?”
“Yes, I have instructed my warriors to bring their breeders.”
Because of her? “How long does this ceremony last?”
“One day. Each delegate has ten minutes to hand over tribute. Some in the outer reaches of the galaxies will send their tribute via electronic transfer.”
“Do you do this tribute ceremony a lot?”
“No, we already had a ceremony this year—this is in honor of my new breeder.”
If they had to hand over more tribute, she imagined the people on the other planets would not be pleased with her. “The other women will be here soon, for our visit,” she reminded him. “We still need to get furniture for them so sit on.”
“I will program the jinz izwe. When you know the styles you want, I will change it,” Zaar said. He produced a small silver box in that magical way he had, and six chairs rose up out of the floor.
“Can you make small tables, as well?” She’d barely finished when several small tables appeared out of the floor.
“Do you think Srinisisa can come earlier and help me with getting the right drinks and food to serve?”
He made the silver box disappear and drew her closer. She stood still while he pressed his forehead against hers. “She will be here soon,” he said, and he was gone.
Srinisisa appeared soon after. In the end they settled on coffee and cake. Sarah was amused to learn that coffee had also become a hit on Zyrgin.
Including Srinisisa, five women came, and at first they were stiff and formal. But when Sarah told them about her plans to weave the spider silk, they relaxed and asked questions. All of them wanted jeans and when she told them she could make a simple loom to weave on, using a chair, they all wanted to learn to weave.
They left after two hours and Sarah went to bed and pretended to be asleep when Zaar came in. He wasn’t getting any hours in the sleeping place if he teased her in that cruel way. Instead of trying to talk to her, he simply got in beside her and went to sleep.
The next morning he was gone when she woke and she showered and dressed and then ate the food left for her
on the table. She sighed and moved the food on her plate around. She missed him—he might not talk a lot at meal time, but she missed sharing first meal with him.
The bell rang. “Enter.”
Sarah turned when the door opened and Srinisisa entered. She carried a basket filled with more balls of pearly-white silk.
“I still can’t believe you are going to spin and weave spider silk?”
Sarah smiled and accepted the basket. “Yes, I thought it was about time this planet produced something more than war.”
“You won’t change anything, you know.”
Sarah shrugged, disturbed by Srinisisa’s bitterness. “I can try. It’s women that create civilization. Not with weapons and war, but with our nurturing and creative abilities.” She’d always believed that, but her time in the camps had made her forget.
“I will help you. My warrior said the Zyrgin gave permission for me to spend time with you.”
Sarah nodded, but again that word permission rubbed her wrong. This was not a life. If she accepted this without fighting for what she wanted, she’d end up bitter and spiteful.
“The supply ship will bring the cotton for more jeans,” Srinisisa said. She had a flare for getting things done. During the lunch, like a general, Srinisisa organised the next visits and the weaving class Sarah would give them.
When it was time for the class, the doorbell rang and the other women arrived.
Srinisisa wore the jeans Sarah had made from her old jeans and a T-shirt with a carefully embroidered cartoon across the chest, exactly like the one Sarah had on one of her own T-shirts.
“That is a beautiful T-shirt, Srinisisa. I especially love the embroidery.”
The other woman bowed her head. “It is the new parena style. Everyone is wearing it.”
“Parena style?”
The other women laughed—strange tittering, but happy sounds. “After you.”
Sarah frowned at them. “What do you mean?”
“Our leader is the parenadorz and you are the parena.”
“I thought there was no title for the breeder of the parenadorz.”
Please don’t let this be another example of his horrendous idea of teasing, she prayed softly.
“It is a new decree from our leader,” Srinisisa said.
Sarah didn’t know what to say. This was the last thing she’d expected her stubborn warrior to do. And of course, he’d make a decree without informing her. Just when she thought she knew him, Zaar turned around and did something like this and confused her all over again.
The bell rang again and for the next hour she didn’t have time to think about Zaar’s new decree.
When the other women left, all of them having brought her requests from friends for more Earth-style clothes, she sank down on the cushions. Did this mean that Zaar would be willing to give in on other issues? Maybe he’d let her talk to Julia and Natalie.
A loud knock sounded and he stomped inside. He came to her and pressed his forehead against hers.
“Parena?” she asked softly and reached up to smooth the collar of his uniform.
He lifted her up so that they were face to face. “I have a female that is more than a breeder. She is a parena. An empress.”
Sarah smiled and kissed him. “Your parena thanks you for honoring her like this.”
His eyes gleamed crimson. “Does this mean that tonight you are willing to spend many hours in the sleeping place with your warrior?”
“I will concede an hour, but I can be persuaded to spend more hours by a determined warrior.”
“I am the most determined warrior in the known galaxies and the soon-to-be conquered unknown galaxies.”
Sarah giggled and drew him down for another kiss.
The next week flew by in a haze of activity. She taught the women to weave and spend a few hours every day weaving the cloth she planned to use to make a dress for the ceremony. Zaar had sent Srinisisa with a beautiful Aurelian-made dress, but she was determined to wear something made on Zyrgin. The silk was so lustrous that she decided to keep the style simple. She cannibalised the Aurelian dress for the smaller beads and less gaudy jewels. Each night Zaar made love to her and every morning, when her stomach took some time to settle, she wondered if they’d soon have a little warrior running around their rooms.
On the day of the ceremony, Srinisisa stood with her hands clasped together when she saw the dress Sarah had laid out on the bed. “It is beautiful,” she whispered.
Sarah smiled at her. “Thank you. I don’t need your help, but I wanted to show you the dress first.” Srinisisa was the first friend she’d made here and she wanted her to be the first one to see. And also to get a second opinion. “Do you think it will be all right for the ceremony?”
“It will be the most beautiful dress of all the dresses,” Srinisisa said.
After her friend had left, Sarah hurriedly dressed and put her hair up in an elaborate style to hold the new combs Zaar had given her. Jewel-encrusted, they were heavy and it took some figuring out to keep them secured in her hair. After heavy knocking, Zaar walked in with that exaggerated slow way. He wore a silver uniform with sword symbols on the collar and on the shoulder of his jacket.
“You are so handsome,” she blurted.
Zaar stood very still for a moment and then came over and pressed his forehead against hers. “Thank you, my breeder.”
When he lifted his head, she stood back and smiled uncertainly. “What do you think of the dress?”
He stared at her, his gaze sliding up and down her body. “I am thinking that I will abolish the tribute ceremony and instead spend many hours with you in our sleeping place.”
“Do you recognise the silk?”
He cocked his head. “Aurelian silk?”
Sarah shook her head. Males were the same, no matter which galaxy you live in. All she’d talked about this last week was weaving the spider silk and making the dress. “This is spider silk and this dress is Zyrgin made. We do not need to get Aurelian dresses anymore.”
His lips pulled back, revealing a lot of very white, sharp teeth. “I will make sure to point this out to the Aurelian representative,” he said.
Sarah smiled back at him and put her hand in the crook of his arm. “Lead on, McDuff.”
“I am not McDuff,” he said.
She sighed. “Lead on, my warrior.”
Zaar escorted her through endless silver corridors and this time his personal guard fell in behind them. Sarah trembled and held on tight to Zaar. She could do this. She didn’t have to speak or do empress things.
At last they entered a large, silver room with swords mounted in a row along all the walls.
“Swords of fallen warriors,” Zaar said softly. He led her to two chairs that looked very throne-like. She stared down at the smaller chair. “Why is it stone? I thought you made everything from jinz izwe?”
He seated her and sat down in the larger chair. “It is the throne made for the first Zyrgin.”
She’d have to ask him to tell her more about that first leader. She looked around. This room with its mosaics and inlaid stone thrones was the most elaborate she’d seen in the palace. She frowned down at her chair. “I thought you made a new rule for women to be present.” She gestured to her chair. “Did woman attend ceremonies when the first Zyrgin ruler sat on these thrones?”
“No, I had the chair made for you.”
Sarah smiled at him and then stiffened when the Wise One entered. Logically she knew he wouldn’t harm her, but her body equated him with the pain and degradation she’d experienced at the Reverend’s hands.
He bowed to Sarah and then sat down next to her. For the first time she was grateful for their habit of not speaking to women.
The other warriors entered with the women walking timidly by their sides. They all glanced at Sarah and then smiled. Srinisisa’s warrior took the chair next to Zaar and she sat a little behind him on a padded chair. Sarah looked around—smaller padded chairs were placed
behind most of the other chairs. Well, it was a start.
A mind-numbingly boring ceremony followed. At first she was fascinated by the clothes and different alien races, but after three hours it all became a blur. Food was served, but for once she had an appetite.
When the line of people presenting Zaar with tribute dried up, Sarah relaxed. Maybe this was all over and she could go home and take off her shoes and relax. But something changed; a kind of hushed expectancy hung in the air. Zaar turned to the warrior who’d escorted the officials from the other planets. “Send in the Aurelian.”
Quiet fell over the room. The Zyrgins didn’t seem inclined to chatter or play music, but now no one moved. The Zyrgin Zaar had instructed to bring in the Aurelian held himself rigid.
“The Aurelians sent us a message, my leader.” He held up his hand and a hologram appeared of a tall, bald man dressed in colorful silk pants and an elaborate jewel-encrusted jacket.
“Greetings, Zyrgin.” Each word dripped with disdain.
Sarah could feel her eyes widen. That man was either extremely stupid or very brave, because no one in his right mind should talk to a Zyrgin warrior in that disdainful way. And to do it to Zaar—she doubted there’d be enough pieces left of this colorful alien for his family to bury.
He yawned, an odd open movement of his mouth before he spoke in that sly sneer. “Our planet didn’t yield anything extra this year and therefore we are not sending tribute.”
He’d looked languid, almost bored, but now he shifted, his eyes sliding away, as if he couldn’t hold the Zyrgin’s gaze, even as a hologram. “It is also my sad duty to inform you that your priest on our planet died, and as a consequence, your fire went out.” His image winked out. Sarah didn’t believe him. And she seriously doubted his intelligence. She could understand if the Aurelians wanted to be rid of their alien rulers. But the way they were going about it, she didn’t see any good happening.
