“What did you just do?” Coraset asked him as she began scooting back from the edge of the examination table.
The grey haired doctor tossed the gloves in a red bio bin and rushed out of the room.
“What the hell!” Coraset screamed at the nurse who was cleaning up and separating the test tubes.
“Get dressed. Hanako will be waiting for you outside.” The nurse left the room with a tray full of tissue samples before Coraset could get herself together.
A red tunic and a short red skirt were on the table on the other side of the room. Coraset quickly dressed and swung the door open. She nearly ran into Hanako, who stood tall in the entryway.
The native Japanese woman did not move from where she stood. Her dark eyes showed a deep solemnity, and Coraset backed off not really certain what was about to happen.
Hanako remarked, “Follow me, Coraset.”
“He stuck me with a needle, and I want to know what was in it.” Coraset demanded as she stood fast.
“Did you see him stick you with a needle?” Hanako challenged her.
“I know what it feels like.”
She asked again with a heightened tone, “Did you see him stick you with a needle?”
Coraset considered the answer and the consequences of it. She was now considered a concubine, and she knew her actions and words were closely monitored.
“Maybe, I was mistaken.” Coraset remarked with a subdued anger.
Hanako took Coraset to another room, but this time it was carpeted with a deep burgundy rug. Near the back of the office was a large oak desk. The corner posts and trims of the desk had carvings of elaborate cherub designs. A flat screen glass monitor on a wide wooden pedestal was at an angle on the left side of the desk with a wireless glass keyboard in front of it. The desk had nothing else on it. On the right, two portraits hung on an ivory textured wall. One was of Chancellor Katherine Erato sitting in a regal red chair in front of the Colors of the Erato Federation, and the second was a picture of the newest leader, Chancellor Dominic Erato. He had a wide smile. The portrait was doctored to take away his wrinkles, and his full head of head didn’t have a speck of grey. On the opposite wall were shelves full of books, bookends, and statues of all kinds. An Akhenaten sculpture caught Coraset’s attention, and she went over to the bookshelf to get a closer look at the delicate stone piece. She remembered studying about the Egyptian King, how he changed religion, and she also studied more about his wife and son. She wondered if the stone was real.
She’d heard of Erato officials travelling around the world, taking items after the population had decreased significantly. She’d heard rumors that the Mona Lisa painting was taken and was presently in the palace somewhere. The Hope Diamond that was once in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC was rumored to be in the personal vault of the deceased Chancellor Katherine Erato.
“You recognize history when you see it.” Sekai stated as she entered the office.
“Maybe,” Coraset answered with an untrusting look.
“At one time that piece was considered priceless. Now and days, nobody wants a tablet of a long deceased civilization.” Sekai went to stand next to Coraset and asked as she peered at the stone tablet, “You know what it is, don’t you?”
Coraset answered guardedly, “I’ve seen pictures. I’m not quite sure.”
Sekai looked at Coraset knowing full well she knew. She moved away with a wave of her hand directing Coraset to the nearest chair, “Please, have a seat.”
Coraset slid into the high back wooden chair, and Sekai took her place behind her desk. The view behind her was of a raised pond with a rock formation waterfall. Ducks waddled around the foliage and sometimes dipped into the water. Coraset hadn’t noticed it before, but she thought it was beautiful, a wonderful change to the steel and cement structures of Erato.
“I’ve been reading through your history, Coraset. It seems as though it doesn’t quite add up.” Sekai began typing on the computer, and Coraset could see her picture pop up on the screen.
Coraset kept her cool as she continued to listen.
“You graduated from the University of Maryland in 2009. If my calculations are correct, you’d have to be around 21 or 22 years old to graduate from college. Then you were employed with Erato Biotrade soon afterwards, and you were the Director of the International Humanitarian Aid Division. That means you were probably close to 23 years old at that point. That would make you close to 40 years old today.”
Coraset swallowed hard. She was pissed. Malie was supposed to handle her background, and now Sekai was picking it apart. Coraset’s heart was pounding hard in her chest. There was no fixing this. No lies to explain it all away. Coraset looked away unable to make eye contact.
Sekai continued, “Chancellor Erato hired me as his assistant because I am very thorough in my work. Nothing gets passed me. Now, it says here on your file that you’re 25 years old. In 2009, you would have been 8 years old when you graduated from college. These are the kinds of lies that will place you square in front of the firing squad.”
Coraset rubbed at her forehead, unable to come up with anything. Her entire face felt flushed as she angrily thought about Malie and her carelessness. She wondered if there was a way out if she had to run. Was there any chance she could make it to an exit out of the palace?
“How old are you, Coraset?” Sekai plainly asked.
She took her chances on the truth and answered, “I’m thirty-nine years old.”
Sekai nodded and commented, “Why are you here? You are aware of the Chancellor’s qualifications for the harem.”
“I’m here because I want to be with him.”
She stared at Coraset considering her answer but not believing it. Sekai exhaled and remarked calmly, “In order for you to stay, I will have to take out the college and the job you held at Erato Biotrade.”
Coraset held her breath. She couldn’t believe what she heard. She looked back at the door and turned back around and asked, “You’re helping me?”
“He choose you, and I don’t want the Chancellor to think he made a decision based on erroneous information. He won’t be very pleased if he finds out he was fooled or lied to. If he ever questions you, I would recommend you simply telling him that you are a horticulturist, and you were Federation trained. Before then, you were just a kid. Your parents are dead because of the virus. You start telling anything more complicated than that, it’ll be more difficult to keep up with, and you don’t want the Chancellor to be suspicious of you.”
“Why are you helping me? You could get into trouble, too?”
“I’m helping you because I’m interested in the real reason why you’re here. I don’t believe it when you say you want to be with him. I have a feeling you have alternative motives, and I want to see what they are.”
This was not what Coraset wanted. Was this woman going to be watching her? Coraset knew she had to watch her back.
“I have no alternative motives. I am here to be with Chancellor Erato.”
Sekai didn’t comment, but she began changing Coraset’s history in the computer completely to reflect what she told her to say. She brought up another screen and read the results of her pap smear and physical.
“Since you’ve passed all of your testing, Hanako will take you to wait with the other women.”
Coraset stood. She walked to the door, but then she stopped before turning the knob. She asked, “The doctor that gave me the examination gave me a shot. What was in it?”
“A vaccination,” Sekai answered flatly.
Coraset didn’t push the issue. She opened the door and saw Hanako waiting in the hallway. She was taken down the hallway to another room. This time, the room was filled with tables of food and sofas. Sheer curtains hung from archways that led outside. The sun was beginning to set, and a warm breeze was drifting through the room.
The women who passed their medical were in there. Some were standing at the tables and fixing their plates. Others were a
lready seated, and they were drinking and eating, as well. At the most were ten women, and they all wore the same outfit as Coraset, a red tunic with a gold rope decorative trim attached and a red skirt. Everyone’s hair was down, and everyone was relaxed and in a better mood.
Coraset glanced around for Katarin. She wondered if she was checked out yet, or if she was turned away because she failed the medical. Deep down inside, Coraset wanted her to be turned away, but she didn’t want Katarin to go back home disappointed. She sat down on an empty settee and waited to see what would happen with the young woman.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A total of eleven women passed their medical exams and were led to the harem, their new home. They were taken through winding corridors and up five marble steep steps to a final marble landing. In front of them was an arch opening showcasing the growing skyline of the Selatan Region set against a blazing sky about to turn to darkness.
Sekai swung the double doors inward on the right side, and all of the women flowed into a large space. The walls were a peach granite marble with gold trim across the top. The floor had paintings of cherubs and clouds. Four pillars were anchored in the main room, two on each side, and burgundy sheer curtains hung from the ceiling around the pillars. On the left was another extension, and it had tables and chairs where the women could dine comfortably. An entryway was on the far side of that room that led to the kitchen where their food would be prepared for them.
In the main room, there were more couches and large plush pillows big enough to sit on. Near the back was a long banquet table with fruits, vegetables, cheese, and crackers. There was a silver fountain with a red liquid spilling from the spouts. Back behind the table were two openings, one on each end of the wall that lead to the sleeping quarters. To the right was a huge arch opening that led to the harem’s private gardens and pool. Torches brightened the area around the pool where lounge chairs and tables were set up for the girls.
Coraset had to admit the place was spacious and beautiful, but it wasn’t near big enough for the different personalities of eleven women. She didn’t really care for nonsense. She didn’t like drama that could easily be spurred by a bunch of women living together.
The women began to separate and filter throughout the room. Some didn’t say a word. They walked around, touched the sofas, considered the food that was on the table. There were a couple of women who immediately striped off their tunics and skirts and headed for the pool only in their underwear. They were giggling and screaming as they jumped into the water.
Before any of them realized it, including Coraset, the double doors to the harem were closed and locked. When she tried the latch, it wouldn’t turn. Coraset didn’t like that at all. Now, she felt like she was trapped. She’d gone from a prison in the desert to a prison in the palace of Erato, and honestly, she didn’t know if she’d be able to get away from this one so easily.
Katarin pulled on Coraset’s hand and said excitedly, “We need to choose our room! You’re going to be my roommate, right?”
“I guess so.” Coraset answered as she was led across the room to the opening on the left.
From what Coraset could tell, all of the rooms looked the same. There were two beds and two large chests of drawers. There were no windows, and there was a single lamp that hung from the center of the ceiling. Katarin huffed in disappointment at the setup in the bedrooms, and she stood in the last room with her hands on her hip.
“Well, I thought it would look better than this. It’s so plain and boring.” Katarin sat down on one of the beds and bounced on it gently. “You’d think he would give us a better place.”
“You’re living in a palace, Katarin. Nothing is as good as that.” Coraset remarked as she started going through the drawers. She placed her purse with the compact holding the secret vial in the top drawer.
“In his bed would be pretty good.” Katarin remarked with a chuckle.
Coraset was surprised to hear her say that, and peered over her shoulder to take a quick glance.
“I know that red head is with him right now, but I plan on being his wife, Coraset.”
“You do, huh?”
“Before I came here, I was reading about Kama Sutra. That is some wickedly good reading.” Katarin laughed as she sat back further on the bed. “I’m going to do all those positions with him. I forget the names of some of them. There were so many.”
Coraset couldn’t help but to laugh. She sat down across from Katarin once she discovered there was nothing in the chest of drawers.
“I’m a virgin. Do you think he’ll notice?”
“Are you serious, Katarin? Why would you ask me that?”
“Is it an inappropriate question?” Katarin stared at her with confusion.
Coraset began to wonder if she was different. She seemed so innocent like a child at times. She cleared her throat and asked, “No, it’s not, but I won’t be able to tell you if he’ll know.”
“What is the first time like?” Katarin’s attention was glued to Coraset, awaiting an answer.
Coraset didn’t want to continue on the subject. She scratched at her head and pulled her hair back wishing she had a band to pull it in a pony-tail. She knew Katarin wasn’t giving up, and she finally answered, “It depends on the person you sleep with. If he loves you and understands how your body works, then it’ll be beautiful. If you’re with a man who doesn’t care a thing about you, then it’ll be the worse experience you’ll ever remember.”
The seriousness of Coraset’s tone of voice woke Katarin from her fantasy. She remarked naively, “I hope he loves me.”
“He doesn’t even know you.”
“He’ll get to know me, Coraset. He’ll know me, and he’ll love me more than any of the girls here.” Katarin pointed at her and continued, “You watch what I tell you. I was meant to be his wife.”
Coraset wasn’t going to question her certainty. It was obvious where Katarin’s mind was, and she wasn’t about to try and change it. Without saying another word, Coraset stretched out on the bed. As her body relaxed, she began to give up the rest of the day.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
An eruption of glass and shouting brought Coraset from a deep sleep. She sat up in bed confused as to where she was. She remembered she left her purse in the top drawer of the dresser at the foot of her bed. She got up quickly to make sure it was there along with its contents. It hadn’t been touched, and Coraset breathed a sigh of relief. More screaming came from up the hallway, reminding her why she was awakened in the first place. She left the room at a slow pace, not really interested in seeing what was going on.
Just as she came into the main room, she saw Katarin and Aisling toe to toe. Everyone was watching them, as the two argued. The banquet table that had fruits and vegetables the night before was a mess now with bagels, croissants, and other breakfast items strewn all over the floor. Coraset really didn’t feel like breaking up the fight, but it was obvious no one else was going to do it. She stepped to Katarin and pulled her away.
Coraset remarked calmly, “Katarin, calm down.”
“She thinks she’s so special!” Katarin yelled angrily as she yanked out of Coraset’s grip.
Aisling threatened, “You better get used to being nothing to him, retard.” The women brushed at the wet milk stain on her shirt. “All of you better get used to it. The Chancellor and I had a wonderful night. I’m going to be the Chancellor’s wife. And when we get married, all of you will be gone!” She stormed angrily into the other entryway that led to the other bedrooms.
A low rumble of whispers came from the women as they began to disperse. Two women that came from the kitchen approached the mess on and around the table with buckets, mops, and towels.
Coraset turned to Katarin and asked, “What happened?”
Katarin crossed her arms and answered, “She said that Chancellor Erato already asked her hand in marriage. She was bragging about it. She’s a liar, Coraset. He hasn’t even met me yet.”
; Coraset was about to give Katarin advice, but she decided against it. Instead she said, “You have to calm down. You’ll get your time with him, and he’ll be impressed with you.”
“You’re right.” Katarin loosened her stance and smiled confidently. “He will.”
“Anyway, she wouldn’t be here if he asked her to marry him.” Coraset noted before she went to the other side of the table to fix herself something to eat.
Katarin considered what she said carefully, and she felt even better. She watched as Coraset prepared her plate, and she watched with a silly grin on her face.
“What is so funny, Katarin?”
“The other girls think that I’m strange, but I think you’re the one who’s strange, Coraset.”
She lifted her eyebrows and turned to go sit. Katarin followed behind her.
“Maybe, we’re both strange.” She added as she bit into a piece of toast.
While Coraset was eating, an army of women with brand new clothing came into the harem. Each one found the concubine they were looking for. The woman that approached Coraset handed her a huge pile of folded clothes, and the woman walked away before Coraset could thank her. She set her plate aside to look at each piece, and she was amazed. The colors, the lightweight beauty of each cloth, and the soft feel of the fabric between her fingers. Coraset loved it. She left the plate on the settee and went to her room to put them away.
She then went to the showers that were at the end of the corridor to get cleaned up. The bathroom had gorgeous pastel yellow and soft white porcelain tiles. Body washes with all kinds of scents and perfumes set in a glass cabinet for the women to use. Coraset chose a light scented vanilla body wash. Afterwards, she put on a sleeveless white wrap around dress that stopped above her knees and white leather sandals on her feet. Coraset decided to keep her hair down.
All of the women had showered and changed into the new clothes they were given. They loved all the colorful garments and showed off their new outfits to one another with oohs and aahs. It was a complete difference from the bland clothing everyone else wore around Erato.
The Secret Weapon Page 10
