“No way!” Brisethi said, “what happened?”
“Apparently,” Korteni continued conspiratorially, “the Nav on watch fell asleep.” She started laughing, “Oh, you should have seen it! The CO standing there screaming at Nav, his uniform covered in the stew. He was so mad, he actually took a piece of the potato stuck to his shirt and threw it in the Nav’s face!”
Brisethi’s jaw dropped for a second before she burst out laughing with Korteni. “What does ‘Nav’ mean?” Joss asked, feeling a little out of place.
“Navigation officer,” Brisethi answered quickly before continuing her conversation. “Sometimes I wish I would have gone Navy but then I remember the angry Chiefs and Officers I’ve had the pleasure of ‘meeting’ and I’m suddenly thankful I chose Army.”
“Ah, you get used to constantly being chewed out for every little thing,” Korteni replied. “Besides, the kinship of navy comrades after the reprimands unite us all as family. It's something that I noticed parts of your army doesn't have. The females of the army we've taken on board are not the friendliest, especially to other females.”
Brisethi sighed, “I know what you mean, I've had the hardest time befriending them when they introduce themselves stating irrelevant quips such as, ‘I don't get along with other females’.” She swallowed a large gulp of wine in annoyance of those types of people. “Wanna know what I said to the third female to say that during her promotion board? Promotion board!”
“What did you say?” Korteni eagerly asked.
“I told that female sergeant, ‘Neither I, nor the Dominion, give bull manure that you have issues being civil among those you consider to be your competition. As long as you're in the Dominion, we're sisters in arms and you’re going to treat them a such’.” Brisethi was intolerant of the narrow-minded.
“She must have hated being chewed out by a junior officer still in school,” Korteni chuckled at the expense of her friend. “You should have walked out of her board and given four rings to the bell, ‘ding-ding, ding-ding’, ‘First Lieutenant Sen Asel departing!’ ding-ding, ding-ding,” she shouted in an inner city dialect through her cupped hand to imitate shipboard announcements.
Brisethi buried her face in her hands and muttered through a chuckle, “Stupid navy jokes.”
It was well into the evening when Joss and Brisethi made the return trip. Brisethi was finally happy that Joss had given up on trying to influence his lifestyle on hers and instead supported her ambitions. His change in priorities kept her from straying away from him as easily.
In his bed that night, Brisethi crawled on top of Joss, kissing his neck and chest until he started removing her shirt.
“Who did this to you?” He asked when he laid eyes on Brisethi’s bruised ribs.
“Oh this,” she gently touched her abdomen after returning a kiss on his lips. “Just some roughing from the last hak’ii game,” she lied.
“I don’t believe that. You’re just an overly padded goalie, nobody roughs up the goalie-”
“Excuse you-I’m only the reason our team is undefeated! And that’s why other teams try to take me down!” she shouted rather defensively.
“This isn’t from roughing, this is a serious injury-” he was cut off.
“Acolyte Roz is in the south for mystic instructor duty and Acolyte Krain had the day off so I didn’t get a chance to get this healed right away. This is nothing compared to the marks I usually get during the week that you never see,” she admitted.
“Who did this, ‘Sethi? I’ll kill him!” Joss was outraged. He stood up, no longer in the mood for intimacy.
“Could you, uh, calm the fuck down, Joss? It’s just a bruise!” Brisethi said quickly. “Like I said, the healer wasn’t in yesterday or else you would have never known. We go through bouts like this every other day,” she replied. “I slipped up, is all, and I ate his foot – with my stomach.” She chuckled nervously.
“This isn’t funny. How many times does this happen?” He interrogated her. “And why would you lie to me about this? What are you hiding?”
“By the spirits, Joss, I do more damage to him than he does to me if it makes you feel any better!” She was exaggerating about her strength as she threw her clothes back on. “And I lied because I wanted to avoid this discussion.”
“So it’s the same person every time?” He towered over her when she sat up on his bed. “Is it your Kiaran friend?”
“What if it is?” she hissed.
“I will fucking destroy him!” his temper flared as he searched for his clothes.
“I would love to see you try,” she taunted, wondering why she couldn’t simmer her temper. “Thanks for fucking ruining my one day I get to spend with you this week,” she muttered darkly before she stormed out of the bedroom and into the dining room.
“How often does he do this?” Joss followed her, refusing to drop the topic. He was protective of his lover and loathed the fact that people intentionally beat her for “training” purposes.
“Joss! It’s called combatives - I went all training expedition doing this and it’s what we do every other day. It’s what I will be doing every other day until I retire!”
“How can anyone stand to just strike you? How heartless does a man have to be to bring pain to you?” He was genuinely worried about her health but the jealousy in the tone of his voice told her otherwise.
“Oh, so am I heartless for succumbing others to just as much pain?”
“You can’t possibly deal as much damage to a man that he can to you-”
“Don’t tempt me,” she deeply stated, cutting him off. She hadn’t realized that her hands had become fists in an attempt to lure him to fight her. Her aggressive temper was taking charge of her rationality. “I may not have the physical strength of a well-trained man, but I can destroy the soul of anyone who dares cross me.”
It was a dark side of her that Joss had never seen. He was used to her over-confidence while growing up with her, but he had never seen her ferocity thrown back at him with threatened hate. She was no longer the cheery, loving girl he had loved over a decade ago. “You should leave, ‘Sethi,” he reluctantly muttered.
“You’re right,” she sulked, petting his happy dog before gathering her things. She didn’t dare look back as she opened the door, but barely forced a whisper, “I’m sorry.”
The cool air soothed her temper, and she briefly wrestled with the idea of returning and giving Joss a real apology, but remembering his words just made her angry all over again. She took one last look over her shoulder at the house and set off for the long journey back to the Citadel.
Chapter II
Livian was overjoyed when Acolyte Elion Hadson returned from his six months of training an expedition on how to summon their mystics. She ran to him before he could place his packs down and leaped into his welcoming arms.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Livian mumbled into his neck.
“I missed you, too, my dear sweet Livian. I read each your letters at least ten times a night!” Elion replied and kissed her forehead.
Livian found her footing and stared into his bright green eyes. She couldn’t just remind him that her birthday was two months ago without sounding awkward. Instead, she reached up to him, and brought his face to hers. She felt his lips kiss hers.
Elion held her close once more, needing no reminder of what they had been waiting for. “Let me get settled in and cleaned up. I smell like an army,” he chuckled. “Then we can go downtown for a belated birthday dinner.”
Livian grinned and reluctantly broke from the embrace. “Alright!” She followed him to his living quarters two floors above the officer candidates rooms. Since her last birthday, she was relocated to the more spacious quarters of the top floor as well, complete with a kitchenette for permanent acolytes and citadel workers.
She sat at his dining table while he readied himself for the evening. Her heart skipped a beat when the door to his room opened. She stood and stared at him longingly.
“Elion,” she quietly spoke. “I don’t want to go downtown.”
“Oh? What would you rather do instead?” Elion asked.
“I thought you’d never ask!” Livian replied and playfully ran to him once more, pushing him back into his bedroom. They fell onto his bed and traded kisses. “Elion,” she continued. “Will it hurt?”
He smiled while they began taking each other’s clothes off. “No, my love. Two spirits who genuinely love one another will not experience discomfort.”
-:- -:- -:-
A frosty breeze blew the ocean spray up onto the docks, nearly drenching Livian where she stood trying to read the sign that kept swaying in the wind. Her hand drifted to the pocket of her overcoat where two letters lay safely out of reach of the salty water. One was a list of supplies Acolyte Roz needed her to fetch for his trip to help the next group of Dominion trainees with their mystic training. The other was what had brought her to the docks.
Her ears began stinging from the cold air. She decided not to put it off any longer and opened the door. The light was dim inside, but a roaring fire in the center of the room cast a glow all around. Several faces looked up as Livian walked inside, but only one mattered to her.
“Liv!” a woman squealed, rushing toward her and enveloping her in her arms.
“Hello, Bri,” Livian responded cautiously.
Ibrienne’s excited expression fell only slightly, but she smiled at the younger girl and pulled her to a table at the other side of the room from where she had greeted Livian. “I was so afraid you might not come, and we leave in a couple of days, so I was worried I might not get to see you.” Ibrienne’s words fell out of her mouth in a rush.
Livian regarded her old friend with the slightest trace of a smile on her lips. Some things would never change. In the glow from the fire, Livian was still able to observe the changes in Ibrienne’s physical appearance. She had lost more weight, but not in a necessarily good way. Her face did not look as full, and there were dark rings under her eyes, like she hadn’t been sleeping well. Suddenly, all the bitterness Livian had felt at being left alone evaporated in concern. “Bri, are you alright?”
With a smile, Ibrienne waved a hand as if to dismiss it all. “Oh, I’m fine. We had a rough journey back, that’s all. Ship life is not what I thought it would be. Nin isn’t a bad captain by any means,” she hurriedly amended with a furtive glance at the other side of the room. She shook her head and changed the subject, beginning to drill Livian on what she had been up to.
Livian obliged willingly, happy to share with someone her triumphs and all she had learned while earning her keep at the Citadel. “They wanted to send me back to the orphanage when it reopened, but Acolyte Roz said I had exceeded expectations beyond even what his apprentices did, so he vouched to keep me on until I am able to enlist.”
Ibrienne beamed with pride. “You’re still planning on enlisting?”
“I don’t know,” Livian said, shrugging but happy to see Ibrienne look more like her old self. “I’ve become involved with one of the acolytes.”
“What do you mean, ‘involved’?” Ibrienne asked.
Livian grinned widely. “We’re in love, Bri. I can’t imagine going four years without him. I have never been so happy,” she didn’t mean to boast. “I would love for you two to meet.”
A group stood up and walked to the door near where Livian and Ibrienne sat. Livian saw Ibrienne give them an almost imperceptible nod. Then she turned back to Livian and reached across the table, tenderly brushing a strand of Livian’s golden hair away from her face. Closing her eyes, Livian took several deep breaths.
“I’m so happy for you, my dear little Livi.” Ibrienne’s voice was so quiet that the younger woman had to strain to hear her. When she spoke again, her voice took on a hushed resonance. “You are so strong, so brave. No matter what, your resilience will always see you through.” Suddenly, her tone was more forceful as she glanced at the door,” Promise me that you’ll never forget yourself. Never compromise your beliefs.”
Livian’s eyebrows furrowed, but she agreed. “I promise.”
Ibrienne’s intense expression relaxed a little. “I have to get going. But you be careful, okay?” They stood, and this time Livian fully returned the embrace. She whispered in Livian’s ear then hurried out the door.
Livian stood stunned, then turned and ran out the door, pushing her hood up over her head as she went. It was too late. The docks were crowded with the crew of a ship that was preparing to depart. She scanned the crowd, but she couldn’t find the brown furs that Ibrienne had been wearing. After several long minutes, Livian turned and began walking away from the piers. She pulled out the other envelope and started to plot the route back to the Citadel that would enable her to pick up as many of the supplies as she could.
As she headed up the stone stairs, her eyes began to sting, and not just from the cold air.
-:- -:- -:-
“Antuni, his new girlfriend, and Brisethi?” Drienna asked her son about his invited guests, gesturing for him to give over the handful of herbs he held.
“Ah, not ‘Sethi this time, I couldn’t find her this morning. I invited Serythe,” Etyne replied.
Drienna tried not to scowl and turned to concentrate on the pasta. “Serythe isn’t the most sociable girl you’ve brought over,” she commented, trying to make her voice light. “Kara was sweet, however.”
“Why would you bring up Kara?” Etyne whined and leaned against the doorframe of the small kitchen to get out of his mother’s way. “I know that Serythe is on the quiet side. Her sense of humor isn’t exactly the same as ours, but she’s incredibly smart - smarter than me.”
“She has more knowledge than you about uninteresting facts, Etyne. That doesn’t make her smarter than you,” she stated matter-of-factly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t afford to put you through a nice college like the ones she has attended,” she added. She waved one hand at the cabinets, keeping her eyes on the sauce, and Etyne obediently began withdrawing the dishes.
“Please don’t ever apologize for my decision to enlist and commission into the Dominion,” Etyne retorted sharply. “I can very well pay for higher education now, and I probably will once I rank up more. I’ve met some remarkable people in the military. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything else,” he replied in a final tone as he laid the silver on the table.
Before his mother could reply, there was a quick knock on the door followed by the click of it opening as Antuni let himself and his companion in. Etyne rushed to greet his old friend.
“Hey, man, how is officer life treating you?” Antuni asked as he embraced his childhood friend. “You’ve been hitting the gymnasium a bit hard, haven’t you? Just when I thought your ego couldn’t get any bigger.”
“Ah, you know I always enjoy a groping from a sailor,” Etyne joked back, swatting Petty Officer First Class Antuni Crommick’s hands from his shoulders and chest.
Antuni shrugged, “Someday you’ll be as big as me, but today is not that day.” He held out his arm with a flourish to introduce his partner, Alise, to both Etyne and Ms. Vorsen. Alise colored with embarrassment but smiled sweetly and thanked the Vorsens for allowing her to join them for solstice.
“Is ‘Sethi on her way? She was here early last year,” Antuni asked, pulling out a chair for Alise.
“Serythe is on her way,” Etyne corrected.
Antuni dropped his head in disappointment. “Rest in peace your failed existence. I wanted Alise and ‘Sethi to meet, to help share our expedition stories! Your boring teacher friend doesn’t even laugh at any of my jokes. I could trade insults all night with ‘Sethi!”
Etyne arched his brow, “First off, she’s not a teacher-”
“It’s alright, Antuni, I was just as disappointed in his choice of guest as you were, even Kara would have been a more delightful guest,” Drienna interjected then retreated to the kitchen once more.
“You both are being pretty harsh-” Etyne started to say be
fore being interrupted by Antuni laughing abruptly.
“Nah, we’ll give her another chance, right Ms. Vorsen?” Antuni called out.
Etyne understood why they were both hoping for Brisethi, or even his last lover, Kara, who could make anyone smile by entering a room. He had wished Brisethi could be there as well to share winter solstice dinner but in a desperate act, agreed to continue a relationship with Serythe.
Etyne watched as Alise was quick to offer help to his mother bring the food out to the table, the way Brisethi usually did. Alise had quickly adapted to their family the same as Antuni, the same as Brisethi.
After a light knock at the door, Etyne opened it to greet Serythe. As he had expected, she was dressed in the latest fashion of long coat over her wool dress. Her hat and scarf were trimmed in white fur with gray ringlets; that of a young Mira Cat. He took her coat to hang with the others as she rolled her eyes at Antuni’s greeting of “meow”.
Etyne shot Antuni a glance. “Thanks for coming down, Serythe,” Etyne quietly said, knowing she wasn’t fond of his mother’s neighborhood so close to the inner city. Res’Baveth didn’t have slums, but there were parts where the families of lower income resided, where the crime rate was higher such as Antuni and Etyne’s homes.
She gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Next year, we dine at my folks’ manor,” she quietly chimed. He hoped to the spirits he would have his own division to take on an expedition by then. She awkwardly stood by, wondering what she could offer even if she lacked skills of cooking and setting the table.
Dinner went on not quite as awkwardly as Etyne thought it would. Antuni spent the evening making Alise and Drienna laugh at his jabs at Etyne, who smiled genially but continued to try to include Serythe. Antuni kept making a point to bring up their memories at expedition training, particularly the ones that involved Brisethi. “She was trying to tackle you so hard and instead she tickled you until you released the ball and fell to the ground,” Antuni laughed as he reminisced one of their games of Chel’kan.
Spirits of Falajen Page 20
