She felt less marooned.
Kaljeet stood a few feet away, watching her sort through her locker.
“Anything missing?” he asked.
“My sidearm. My knives. My throwing stars.” She looked at him coolly.
“Those have been added to my collection. If you’re a very good girl, I might let you have one of them back.”
Not trusting herself to say what was on her mind, she simply said, “Right.”
“Everything else is as it should be?”
“It is.”
“Good,” he said. “I expect my people to be honest, because without laws, what are kingdoms but savage bands of thieves and scoundrels?”
She resisted the urge to point out that she was his prisoner, so what did that make his realm of Senne? A savage band of kidnappers and enslavers?
As she headed for the bathroom, he handed her the tunic he wanted her to wear. For a dangerous moment she considered arguing about the ethics of being denied her personal freedom but decided against it.
Then, as they were leaving the bedroom, he said, “It’s time for my people to meet the woman who may be their next regent.”
Regent. Maybe her translator implant was faulty. A regent had power. She certainly wouldn’t be wearing cuffs and a collar, intended to restrain her, if she was a regent. Not in any sense of the word regent that she knew.
Regent echoed through her head as she took Kaljeet’s arm and followed him down to the courtyard.
She was furious with herself for the frowns and silences she’d shown. While under his control she needed to be smarter than that. If he could read her moods, he could use them against her, no two ways about it.
He’d made it more than clear he could control both if he wanted. He was a wily opponent and she needed to persuade him that she was bending to his will.
At his insistence, she draped her hand on his arm lightly and was happier for his support than she wanted to admit. They followed a labyrinth of passages, down several narrow stone staircases, to ground level. He led her past a huge kitchen, bustling with cooks and serving staff. They passed through the Great Hall to the outside courtyard. He stopped in the doorway as they looked out over the gathered masses.
Adriana saw her crew members scattered among all the Devmaereans and Kedrants. They called and waved to her, all of them smiling happily. They were dressed in tunic tops like hers. She didn’t know if they’d been allowed to wear trousers or not.
As more people became aware of Kaljeet and her standing there, the chatter and laughter subsided. Kaljeet took her to a table set up on a dais. There were two other couples at the table, but the middle two seats were unoccupied. Kaljeet held out a chair for Adriana before addressing the crowd.
“This breakfast is a special celebration to welcome the incomers from the unknown planet called Earth. I’m glad to see my people have been generous with their hospitality. I know our star travelers are weary and much in need of nourishment and rest. Thank you, kind residents of Senne for including them in your community.”
He nodded at Adriana to stand. “I’m honored to introduce the ship’s commander, Captain Adriana Brennan. She is under my protection for now. You will treat her with the deference due to a consort until her role in my household is determined otherwise.”
Adriana smiled at the crowd, her face brightening each time she picked out someone she knew. She searched for another female in cuffs and a collar like hers but saw none. A cold stone of dread sank to the pit of her stomach.
“Now let’s eat and make merry, giving our new friends a proper Senne welcome. But please be mindful of their compromised health and let them return to their much-needed recovery quickly.”
When they sat down, he introduced Adriana to the others at their table. The two other couples weren’t couples at all. They were Kaljeet’s senior ministers, come to inspect his latest trinket.
The only one she recognized was Penrath, who’d been in the Condor6 with Kaljeet the day before.
When Kaljeet finally turned his attention back to just her, she asked. “My crew all look well. They’ve lost their deathly pallor.”
Kaljeet nodded. “They have.”
“I don’t see any in cuffs and collars.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Why not?” She tried, without success, to keep the resentment out of her voice.
“Because they are free people of Senne. They will be given a small parcel of land to settle and, in time, will become citizens of Senne. Until then, my people will help them learn our ways and establish their homes.”
“But I am not a free person.”
“No.”
Adriana struggled to stay civil. “They are free, but I am not.”
He picked up a few berries and popped them into her mouth. He placed a hand over hers. “That could be changed.”
Her eyes brightened at the thought of joining her crew on a new, free settlement. “How?”
“You could have your freedom.”
“I could?”
“In exchange for theirs.”
Chapter six
Words failed Adriana.
Kaljeet had just given her a choice that was no choice at all. He looked her in the eye with shocking force, like a lightning strike. She swallowed hard and nodded to indicate that she’d heard correctly.
He held her gaze until the Devmaerean woman seated on his other side touched his arm. She asked a question about housing and land allotments for the incomers.
Gratefully, Adriana turned back to her meal. Her appetite had vanished, but she knew better than to let emotion undercut her nutrition. She forced herself to eat even though the delicacies on her plate suddenly tasted as bland as the food pellets on the Condor6.
Penrath, beside her, began plying her with questions which she sensed were meant to distract her from the conversation Kaljeet was having. He pretended to be curious about life on Earth and her answers were equally empty. She entertained him with stories, mostly invented to hide the tragic state of her planet when she last saw it. She told him tales of a time and place that never existed. She spoke of a peaceful world populated by people who cared for each other and protected the environment.
After breakfast Kaljeet escorted her back to his room. At the top of the second staircase, her sides were heaving, and her breath came in ragged gasps.
“As I suspected,” Kaljeet said, lifting her into her arms.
“It’s okay. I can walk. Put me down,” she said weakly. The memory of the sharpness of his smacks the day before was still fresh, so she didn’t physically resist him.
“You still haven’t figured out the chain of command here, have you, Captain?” His smile was only mildly reproachful.
At least he hadn’t thrown her over his shoulder like cargo. This way she could look at his face as he carried her. “I should be working,” she muttered.
“I haven’t decided what your work will be,” he said. “For now, your only responsibility is to regain your strength. When you’re in full health again, I will discuss your role in the House of Perac.”
Her conscience said she should fight him and his determination to enslave her, but she didn’t have the energy. When he handed her the pale green nightgown, she accepted it without argument. She even stripped and put it on while he watched.
Thus the routine for the next few days was set. Breakfast. Rest. Lunch. Rest. Light exercise in the form of a stroll around the castle and the gardens outside. Dinner then early to bed.
While she rested, she often woke to find him sitting in the armchair by the fireplace, usually bent over paperwork or an opticscreen. It seemed like he never left her side. Maybe he thought if he took his eyes off her she might sprout wings and fly away.
So, after so many years in command, she decided to treat her recovery time as a holiday. There was freedom in only having to be responsible for herself.
She’d never admit that it was pleasant to let someone else take over the decision makin
g for a while. She’d also deny it if anyone ever suggested she liked the way Kaljeet tucked her into bed every time, stroking her hair and wishing her sweet dreams. It had been years since she’d know this type of tender care.
Her parents had died when she was fourteen. With no other family, that had left her an orphan. However, her excellent school marks and legendary fighting skills had brought her to the attention of the head of an elite secondary school. Within days of her parents’ funeral, she was whisked off to one of the top space academies on Earth.
By her twentieth year, she had worked herself up to the position of lieutenant. At age thirty, she took command of her first ship, the Condor6.
She’d sworn to give her life to protect her crew and was prepared to do that without question. Only she never thought she’d have to give up her freedom. Even in her weakened state, she knew she couldn’t continue as Kaljeet’s compliant, chaste trophy for long.
Once her health was restored, he’d demand more than simple submission. All he’d done so far was caress her breasts or cup his hand over her mound during the night, letting the thin fabric of her nightgown shield her from more intimate contact.
But his intention was clear, as he revealed by occasionally pressing an erection against her clothed body.
He was an attractive man, but she didn’t want to live out her life as his concubine, devoted to pleasing him.
She wasn’t sentimental about sex. but she associated it with an exchange of favors. You touch me here. I touch you there. A little treat for both partners. No emotional engagement.
On her fifth day, Adriana woke in the morning and the last wisps of fatigue had vanished. She stretched and yawned, unable to suppress a grin.
Kaljeet smiled. “Your energy is returning, Captain.”
“It is,” she said. “I don’t think I will need to sleep after breakfast today.”
“You will,” he said in his indomitable tone. “But if you’re still feeling strong after lunch, and my physician agrees, I will arrange a new activity for you this afternoon.”
After the midday meal in the Great Hall the healer arrived and checked Adriana from head to foot. Once she was declared returned to full heath, Kaljeet took Adriana to the inner courtyard where Nahla and Saavi waited.
“Captain, these two young ladies will be your guides this afternoon.”
A twinge of disappointment surprised Adriana. Where did that come from? “You’re not joining us?” she asked.
“No. I have some affairs of state I must attend to. The ladies will introduce you to equid riding. If you can master it, you may be able to hunt with me in a few weeks.”
Hunting! They’d have to give her a weapon for that.
Kaljeet asked, “Are you up for the challenge? Equids can be frisky.”
“I could ride them bareback I’m sure,” she boasted. That was absurd because she’d never even seen one before, but the girls laughed at her bravado and that pleased her more than it should.
Kaljeet admired how the three females found a happy level of communication quickly. Males didn’t bond that easily. Still, he trusted that Nahla and Saavi would remember they were his allies, not Adriana’s.
“Take it easy with this incomer. She may not be as strong as she thinks she is.” Kaljeet put a protective hand on Adriana’s shoulder.
“Adriana, you will stay with your two guides here because they know the dangers of this land and will keep you safe. You have two hours outdoors with them today. They both have watches and will ensure you return on time.”
Then, to make a point that needed to be perfectly clear, he looked at Adriana while speaking to the others. “Nahla. Saavi. Tell me when I will expect you back here this afternoon?”
“In two hours, my lord,” Nahla said.
“Correct.” Kaljeet smiled as though she’d just solved a difficult riddle.
Next he asked the question he most wanted Adriana to hear. “And what happens if you are late?”
Their faces fell with sudden shyness. Saavi cleared her throat, “We get the switch.”
“Correct,” Kaljeet repeated, noting with satisfaction the sudden sobriety in Adriana’s expression as well. “So don’t come back late, offering excuses. To make it clear for the captain, who is new to our rules, if you are back late, Penrath will take a switch to you and I will look after Lady Adriana myself.”
Adriana’s eyes widened at both the threat and, he guessed, at his use of the honorific lady.
Good. He wanted her to be off balance. It was time for him to claim what was his.
Chapter seven
Adriana followed Nahla and Saavi to the tack room where they traded their silk pants and sandals for riding trousers and boots. Collecting saddles and bridles, they headed to the outer courtyard. In a small corral, one hump-back equid lay sleeping on its side on the thin carpet of grass. Five others stood around it like sentries, keenly watching the approaching women.
The animals were huge, taller than the tallest draft horse Adriana had ever seen, twenty-five hands at least. They weren’t broad and muscular like workhorses, but they had legs and solid hoofs that would have made any Clydesdale proud. Their solid necks, thick manes, and triangular-shaped faces gave them a pleasant, friendly appearance. Their single, camel-like humps made Adriana wonder how easy they’d be to ride.
Nahla put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. The standing animals trotted over to her. She and Saavi picked out three and put bridles on them before leading them outside the castle to another, larger corral. The saddles were tiny, not much more than a belt of leather that circled the animal’s middle and provided a way of attaching stirrups.
“That’s it?” Adriana asked as Nahla showed her how to tap the equid’s shoulder so it would kneel for her to mount.
Nahla grinned. “Yep. You’ll find it’s quite comfortable when you’re on.” She stroked the animal’s golden neck. “This is Smokey, he’s the best-behaved equid in the herd.”
Adriana swung into the seat and discovered that the hump was quite soft. As she settled into it, waiting for the others, the hump shifted and changed shape. It molded around her body like a custom saddle, complete with back rest.
Immediately Adriana felt natural on Smokey’s back. He responded quickly to the touch of her knees and feet. Nahla and Saavi saddled their rides, keeping an eye on her progress.
Adriana knew they were deciding if she was good enough to ride outside the safety of the pasture fences. She prompted Smokey into a trot, then a canter while leaving the reins loose on his neck. When she wanted him to slow down, she shifted her weight back in the seat and murmured, “Easy now.”
As if he’d been listening to her his entire life, Smokey slowed. Nahla and Saavi applauded.
“Okay,” Nahla said. “Let’s go exploring.”
They exited at the far end of the sprawling pasture and were immediately in a labyrinth of forest trails. Keeping the pace at a leisurely walk, the two girls pointed out different flora, listing dozens of uses for some plants. Other plants got a simple, ‘stay away’ warning. They identified birds and spoke about the savage wickdogs that roamed the country at night.
When the forest opened to a wide plain Adriana knew they were headed back to the castle, back to her prison. She’d been navigating by the two crescent moons that had risen in the daytime sky and didn’t need a watch to tell her the two precious hours of freedom were drawing to a close.
She wasn’t ready for that, not yet.
On impulse, she touched Smokey into a trot and cut a couple of circles around the grassy plain, as though practicing her riding. From there it was easy to take him from a lope to a canter.
Nahla and Saavi copied her, grinning broadly at her playfulness.
She waited until she was on the opposite side of the plain from them. Then, without warning, she nudged Smokey one more time. “Go, Smokey, go.”
As though he’d been waiting for the command, Smokey broke into a gallop.
“Hey! Wait!�
�� Saavi called.
Smokey shot into the dense shade and tangled branches of the woods, in the opposite direction to where the castle was. Adriana didn’t know where he was taking her. She just wanted to be free of other people, if only for a short time.
It was obvious that Smokey knew the trails under the dark canopy of the towering trees, so she let him have his head. With her weight on her heels, she rose out of the saddle, bent forward slightly from the hip, and held on with her legs. Smokey responded by galloping faster.
At first she could hear Nahla and Saavi begging her to stop, to come back. The voices spurred Smokey on. Adriana wondered if he’d been a racing animal at some point in his life, driven to win at all costs.
Or maybe, like her, he just needed to be alone for a while.
He charged through a deep gully, along a wide ridge, and back into the forest. The pleading voices faded in the distance.
“Easy now, Smokey.” She shifted her weight back in her seat and Smokey responded by gearing down to a walk.
She leaned forward and hugged his thick neck. She was alone with nature, not in a virtual reality chamber in the Condor6, but a natural world with plants and soil and birds calling. The loamy smells wrapping around her were real, not synthetic.
It was the best moment she’d had in years.
She dismounted and walked beside Smokey for a while, grateful for the impetuous act that had brought her here. This was life at its finest: a stroll through a quiet forest with a gentle beast by her side.
No one waiting for her command, her decisions, or her guidance. Better still, no one was demanding her obedience.
Life in a tin can had been chosen for her at a young age. No one had ever asked her what she wanted, not that she could have told them. She’d grown up following orders until she was the one giving them. Now Kaljeet wanted to undo all those years of training, to make her little more than an accessory, a prize he’d plucked from her ship.
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