He stared at the paper. It said so little. The purpose was to relieve Nyumbani of any responsibility, not inform them. He wanted to tell them how much Donte had done for them and how badly they missed him, but they wouldn’t want to hear about Nyumbani. They wanted Donte back…dead or alive. He added one more line.
I would like to conference with a representative from one or both of your colonies.
He signed the paper, folded it and sealed it in an envelope, addressing it to Quade & Pieter. He called a messenger to take the note to the dock. There were always ships going out to sea, searching for seafood. Libertad still allowed them to dock in Playa, where they could leave messages that would get to Quade or Pieter in a day.
Halisi was their leader, but right now Halisi had another problem that consumed her thoughts. Chiku had developed a bad cough – probably from being held in the cellar for so long. Halisi was using herbs, but she lacked the knowledge of them that Donte had. Chiku was constantly asking for Donte, and to be honest, at the moment he would like to see the man appear. But Donte wasn’t their answer. They could only find a long term answer by working together and solving their own problems. They couldn’t sit here and starve, refusing to communicate with other colonies in any way but raiding. Donte might never speak for them. They couldn’t blame him. In any case, they needed to stop depending on other colonies for their meager existence. Libertad & Bergen were thriving colonies. If nothing else, he hoped to get information from them. They had no reason to help the Nyumbani after what they had done to Donte and his family. Still if Donte was true to his upbringing, they might be compassionate enough to realize that Farasi was not a fair representation of the colonists of Nyumbani – not yet, anyway.
CHAPTER 17
Donica was waiting at the tram station with her father when the message arrived. Dylan, one of Quade’s sons, came into the lobby wearing a huge grin.
“I apologize for interrupting, but I thought you would want to see this immediately.”
Quade took the message from him, giving him a curious look. His attention focused on the message as he read it. He glanced up and handed the message to Donica.
“You were right.”
Donica read the message and gasped. “He’s still alive, and he’s coming home!” She looked at Quade. “I can’t wait to tell Papaw. He hasn’t been the same since Donte’s letter arrived.” Overcome with joy, she squealed her delight.
Quade chuckled. “I feel the same way.”
Dylan grinned. “Shall I make an announcement?”
Quade shook his head. “Not yet. I don’t want a crowd waiting when they arrive. It might frighten the Lochfowk guests.
Donica heaved a deep sigh. Leave it to Donte. He couldn’t simply return home. He had to top it off with an historic event. She glanced up at Quade.
“But why Lochfowk? How did he get there?”
Quade shrugged. “He said he was released. Maybe they assisted in some way. I heard that Lochfowk had been raided and President Sima’s sister had been captured.”
Donica handed the note to her father. “Maybe I should send Papaw a message.” She smiled. “But I am looking forward to seeing the joy on his face when he hears the news.”
Quade smiled. “I’m sure it can wait a little longer.” He glanced up as a tram pulled into the station. “Here’s your transportation.” He hugged her and kissed her forehead. “Will you be here to welcome Donte?”
She gave him an eager nod. “Try stopping me!”
He laughed. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
The tram ride to Bergen seemed longer than usual, but she finally arrived and took a carriage to her grandparent’s home. When Saskia answered her knock at the door, Donica gave her a big grin. “I have the best news ever. Where is Papaw?”
Pieter called from his office. “I’m in here, Donica.”
The wheels of his chair squeaked as he crossed his office. He appeared in the doorway and frowned at her. “What is this good news? Are you exchanging vows?”
Donica made a face. “No…much better news than that.”
He lifted his brows. “Well, don’t keep us waiting. What is the news?”
“Donte is alive, and he’s coming home!” She blurted the news out.
Pieter and Saskia stared at her.
“Seriously,” She said. “Dad got a message from him today. He’s in Cuna right now, waiting to take the tram in the morning. He was released!”
Saskia started to cry. “I can’t believe he’s alive.”
Pieter frowned. “Why did they release him? Where has he been?”
Donica shrugged. “I don’t know. It was a short message. He said he has two people from Lochfowk with him…and he found Kenyon.”
Pieter looked skeptical. “Are you sure Donte sent the message?”
Donica released an exasperated sigh. “Papaw, I told you I didn’t think he was dead. Don’t you think his twin would know?”
Saskia wiped her eyes with a kerchief and gave her mate a playful slap on the shoulder. “Must you always doubt everything? You doubted when you heard he had been executed and now you doubt when you hear he has been released.”
Pieter smiled up at her. “I suppose it takes me longer to accept things than you.” He sat in his chair and considered the information for a while. Finally he looked at Donica. “When is he supposed to arrive?”
“He said midnight tomorrow.”
He eyed her thoughtfully. “I assume you will be there to meet him.”
She nodded. “If I have to crawl all the way.”
He laughed - the first time she had heard him do so since Donte’s letter. “I think the tram would be a better choice.”
“I need to go send a message to Rianne. She was pretty upset about his letter.”
Pieter nodded. “She was upset when she heard he exchanged vows, wasn’t she?”
Donica glanced at Saskia and frowned. “That was over a decade ago.”
Saskia smiled at Donica. “You run along and do what you need to do. I want to talk to Pieter.”
Donica left their home wondering what Saskia needed to talk to Pieter about that she didn’t want Donica to hear. At the message center, she first sent a message to her father, letting him know that she had told her grandfather, and then to Rianne, letting her know that Donte was alive and coming home. After she left the messages, she decided to take a walk. It was a beautiful day, fragrant with all the flowers that had begun blooming since the weather warmed. She took the pathway that wound around the side of the mountain and overlooked the pastures in the valley beyond.
What would Donte be like now? Why had he remained silent for so long? Surely he had recovered from his ordeal. Every time she thought of Liana’s death, she remembered Donte’s face at the funeral. Who could forget it? No doubt he was in shock. He didn’t talk or cry. He only stared at the graves, his face void of expression. Later, when he told Quade and Pieter that he was going to Nyumbani to give them an heir, everyone tried to talk him out of it. They shouldn’t have let him go. He wasn’t capable of making a rational decision at that point.
Would Donte go back to the farm he and Liana built? He had seemed restless the last few years before her death. He loved Liana, of that she had no doubt, but he also missed the mountains.
Donica understood his feelings about the mountains. She had been brought up in the mountains, but he hadn’t. Was it something in their genetic makeup? The colony of Bosvrouwen had the same genetic makeup, but they preferred the lowlands. Rianne said she didn’t like the long cold winters in Bergen. Papaw’s comment about Rianne came to mind. Did he think Rianne was in love with Donte? Was she? She had confessed to being infatuated with him years ago, but she said nothing about how she felt about him now. Of course she had been upset when she heard the news of his demise. He was the twin brother of her best friend.
Donica considered her own reaction. She hadn’t been as upset as Rianne, but she had never actually accepted that Donte was gone. Ma
ybe it was simply easier to deny it than accept it, but she had been right. Papaw might have been thinking that Rianne might be a way to bring Donte back to Bergen. Rianne was Bosvrouwen’s representative and a very beautiful woman - inside and out. Even so, she couldn’t imagine a lasting relationship between Donte and Rianne. Donte was always on the go, while Rianne liked to stay close to home. Nailing Donte down long enough to have a permanent relationship would be difficult enough, but Rianne would always be competing with him. At least, that was her opinion. One thing she was certain of was that Donte would do what he wanted to do.
The next morning Donica was up early, preparing to go to Libertad. It would be near midnight before Donte and his guests arrived, and she could have worked on a community project, but she was far too excited to keep her mind on business. She dressed and ate breakfast with silent and reflective grandparents.
“I’m taking the morning tram to Libertad to see Dad.” She finally said.
Pieter looked up. “When he arrives, send me a message. We are planning a celebration for him.”
So that was what Nana wanted to talk to him about in private. She smiled. “I will.”
Finally Papaw was accepting the information as authentic - sort of. He wasn’t going to cement the details of the celebration until he had visual proof that Donte was alive and in Libertad. Hopefully he would accept her word on that.
Actually, it was more an indication on how deeply he had been hurt by Donte’s letter. In the six years that Donte had been gone, Papaw’s health had deteriorated at an alarming rate. Not hearing from Donte was bad enough, but to be told he had been executed was devastating news.
When Donica arrived in Libertad, Quade met her at the station with more news. Kenyon was with Donte. Quade was more excited than she had ever seen him. Having two sons return from the dead would tend to do that to a person.
CHAPTER 18
Akira stared out the tram window at the green fields of Libertad, still trying to absorb the shock of change. Never in her life had she been treated with so much respect. She would have relived every humiliating step of her life to achieve this moment. It wouldn’t last, but she was going to savor it as long as she could. The four of them sat in seats facing each other. Chait was directly across from her. They had been given seats by the window so that they could get a close look at the country. Donte sat beside her and Kenyon opposite him. They were being treated with honor now, but she was afraid of what would happen when they reached their destination and the president discovered that they had held his son captive for thirty years. She glanced at Chait, staring out the window in a reflective pose. He should be concerned about what the President would do when he discovered he had tortured Kenyon by allowing him to escape almost to the border before recapturing him. Of course, Kenyon had complicated the issue by taking other captives with him. Personally, she applauded his courage and tenacity, but he had to know it would make things worse for him. They had finally resorted to putting him in chains. Sima said they could not execute a mascot from another colony. The way she saw it, Sima didn’t want Kenyon to leave at all. It was a hopeless situation. She obviously desired him, but would not have relations with someone from another colony. Every time he tried to escape, she would have him working for her at the complex where she could keep an eye on him. Kenyon would get into trouble flirting with women in front of her. When she finally broke his spirit by forcing him to vow that he would not try to escape with other captives, she lost interest in him and sent him to the river country.
Akira could understand Sima’s frustration. She even understood Kenyon’s hatred for her. Akira had been sent many times to verify that he was still in the river area. It had made her a part of something she despised. She agreed with the closed borders in theory. After all, it had saved them the horror of the plague. She even agreed that there should be a quarantine for those who came in uninvited - as if anyone was ever invited. Holding them captive was another thing - especially for thirty years. Each time she went to check on Kenyon, she secretly hoped he had escaped, but he was always there. She had cursed the people who thought this was wrong but never did anything to change it. Unfortunately, that included her as well. She had argued endlessly with Sima about the logic of it. The captives were not a health threat, but in the eyes of Sima and the council, they were a threat. If they were released, not only would others violate the borders, but the colonies of the captives might retaliate. Then came Donte. Sima couldn’t wait to gather her private lynch crowd, once again making Akira part of it. Only this time she outdid herself. Donte’s story about the Nyumbani killing his mate and children had gripped their hearts. Some of them had lost relatives in the recent raid by the Nyumbani. He had killed Farasi and rescued the sister of their president. Sima wasn’t expecting sympathy for him, nor was she prepared for his honorable method of shifting his good deeds to Akira. In short, he mesmerized them, the way he had Akira. His knowledge about the airfield and spaceships had been the final step. Of course, he hadn’t divulged that information, she had, but he possessed it, all the same. They no longer saw him as an intruder. What they saw before them was a messenger. It was time for change. She would like to have been present when the council told Sima that Donte was a diplomat. Equally interesting would have been their argument that led to the release of Kenyon. She had been so concerned that he would take a captive with him, but Sima’s statement that he was a test release may have been the reason he left without confrontation. Both Kenyon and Sima had to know that it was the beginning of the end for captivity - and probably for Sima’s presidency as well.
In a way, she felt sorry for Sima. Until Donte came along, Akira had felt dominated by what she considered an inferior gender. Until their confrontation near the border, she had believed he was the exception. Strangely enough, it was Chait’s submission that made her realize that men were much stronger than she had imagined. Chait could have turned back at that point. If the truth were known, he probably considered it. But what happened that day was not about strength or weakness. It wasn’t about hierarchy. It was about negotiation. Donte, on the other hand, had gone a step too far when he told Chait that he would blacken his eye. Chait met Donte’s challenge, but like Kenyon, he had seen the advantage of submission. It wasn’t about Akira’s honor. It was about seeing that airfield and getting aboard a spaceship. She always knew women understood the art of negotiation, but she had never recognized that men did the same thing. She had always assumed that they had an advantage simply by being born men. That was Sima’s idea, and where did it get her? Sure, she was president, but her personal life was full of short term conquests. With Kenyon, she hadn’t even got that far.
That moment near the river had been a turning point for her with regard to Donte as well. Kenyon’s comment about bringing the children along had hit her hard. She was closer to Kenyon’s age than she was Donte’s. Up to that point, Donte’s strength had not inspired her to be strong. Quite the contrary. When had she started leaning on him? She wasn’t in love with him. She was attracted to him, sure, but at her age she should know the difference between infatuation and love. Their kiss had not been born of sexual attraction alone. Donte was a lot of man in many ways, but the biggest factor was the sharing of what they had been through. They had both been humiliated beyond capacity. They had found companionship and understanding in each other. She would be forever grateful for what Donte had done, but she wasn’t in love with him. For some reason, that thought was a relief.
She turned from the window. Both Chait and Kenyon were dozing, but Donte was watching her.
“You’ve been quiet since we reached Libertad. Have I said something to offend you?”
She smiled. “No. I’ve been thinking, that’s all.”
He smiled. “I suppose all of this is a little overwhelming.”
Kenyon opened his eyes and she turned back to the window. “I feel free for the first time in my life.” She could feel Kenyon’s gaze boring into her but he said nothing. “I c
an’t explain it,” she said. “I’m not sure I even understand it.”
“Is that why you said you would be glad to get across the border?” Kenyon asked.
She nodded. She wanted to cry, but couldn’t explain that feeling either. What was happening to her? “I don’t want to go back.” Until she heard her own voice, she wasn’t aware she was speaking out loud.
Chait lifted his head and stared at her. “Sometimes I think you’re crazy.”
She sighed. “Sometimes I would agree.” She looked at Donte. “Is there someplace I could lie down for a while? I don’t feel well.”
Donte summoned the officer and spoke to him in their language. The officer nodded eagerly and motioned for her to follow him. He led her to the back of the car they were in and lowered a ramp to the next. There he took her to one of several rooms with a bunk. She thanked him as best she could and closed the door. Alone in the compartment, she sank down on the bunk and began to cry. What she was crying about, she didn’t know. Maybe because she was thoroughly disappointed in herself, or maybe because she had no idea where her life was going from here. All she knew was that she didn’t want to go back home. If they would have her, she would sign up on a spaceship.
Finally, exhausted from crying, she fell asleep.
She woke to darkness, unsure where she was at first. Memory flooded her with despair again. Some of her anxiety could be attributed to the fact that only the four of them spoke her language. It wasn’t as though she could blend into Libertad.
She stood and straightened her hair and clothes. Opening the door, she was startled by a man standing in the hallway. Recognizing his uniform calmed her heart, though. He led her across the cars and to the seat with the men.
Both Donte and Kenyon stood when she arrived. She took her seat and they sat down again. Donte looked at her, his gaze searching hers. He could tell she had been crying.
The Purlieu Experiment, Book 1 Page 14
