4 Safe and Sound
Providence
Providence started awake at the knock on the door, sitting straight up in the cozy bed.
Her first day on Cadi had been a whirlwind. They had arrived at Sargon, the capitol city, just as the sun was setting. Giselle showed Providence to the room next to her and Kagan's, where she took a long bath and then promptly fell into an exhausted sleep. Things had been so crazy, she hadn't gotten good rest in a long time. She was lucky she didn't drown in the tub when she almost nodded off in the warm water.
"Providence are you okay?" She heard Giselle say through the door.
"Yes come in."
Providence sat up and rubbed her eyes as Giselle entered the room.
Seeing her new friends instantly brought her comfort. It wasn't like anything bad had happened to her on Cadi. In fact despite their overwhelming appearance, Dagaa and Madhava had been kind. Madhava had been sweet attempting to ease her fears, while Dagaa had been funny and let her fly the starship, distracting her from her predicament.
But still she was on an alien world with only one other human, who freely admitted things were in turmoil regarding foreigners like her. Even if she had been a hundred percent certain she was free and safe, she was still on a freaking alien planet!
Providence had been ripped from her life and everything she knew. Now she was among a people that were rather frightening in appearance and culture. Who knew about the planet itself? What if she was allergic to some food or got stung by some insect she didn't know was dangerous?
"I started to worry when you didn't wake up." Giselle said as she sat on the end of the bed.
"Sorry I was exhausted. What time is it?"
"It's past lunch, almost dinner time."
"Oh wow! I never sleep that long." Providence yawned.
A bubbly Cadi boy raced into the room.
"Hi. I'm Sabin." The child, that was nearly Giselle's height, greeted her.
"Sabin our guest just woke up. She may not be ready to have visitors." Giselle said. "I know he's big, but he's only ten."
Providence smiled at the large child. Considering the size of the people on the planet, his size made sense.
"Hello Sabin. Nice to meet you. My name is Providence."
The boy put his fist on his chest and bowed which seemed to be the traditional Cadi greeting. He then plopped down next to Giselle and snuggled into her.
"Dinner will be in a few hours, but I can find a snack if you'd like?" Giselle asked.
"No I should be fine."
"I brought you some clothes that should fit. After you are dressed I can give you a tour of the manor if you'd like?"
Giselle pointed to a few bags by the door.
"Thank you. That would be great. What are Dagaa and Madhava up to?"
Providence wondered since they were the only other people she sort of knew. She had no clue if they even lived in this city or what?
"The guys are meeting with the regents of the other provinces. Not long ago we finished a tour of all the regions so the people could meet Kagan. He is trying to make sure everyone is well informed and has input in how the government is run. Otherwise this whole unification thing won't work. I think we'll see the guys at dinner."
"Alright."
"Come on Sabin, don't you have some school work to do?" Giselle patted the boy.
"Yes." The child said sounding less than thrilled.
Sabin hopped up and gave Providence a hug before racing out of the room.
"I'll be next door when you're ready." Giselle smiled then left Providence to get dressed.
Providence found several skirts and small tops in the bag. There weren't any underwear in the bags so she had to go without. Providence also found a brush and something resembling a toothbrush in the bag. Once ready she exited her room and headed next door. Providence was poised to knock on the door when she heard Giselle on the other side.
"That's such bullshit Kagan!" Giselle yelled angrily.
"Pet the regents voted. I can't veto everything they decide, if I want them to go along with the major decisions I've insisted on."
"So that somehow makes this crap okay?" Giselle practically screamed.
Providence was standing wide eyed in the hall when the door flew open and Giselle stormed out, almost knocking her down. Kagan stood in the room scrubbing his hand over his face in frustration. Giselle took Providence's hand and tugged her down the hall.
"Come on."
"Is everything okay?" Providence asked.
Kagan had obviously given Giselle news she didn't like.
"No! Of all the misogynistic bullshit!" Giselle mumbled.
Giselle quickly led Providence down a set of stairs, through the large stone fortress then out into a garden. The garden had flowers, groomed hedges and trees. It was large, more like a park. Providence didn't have time to do more than glance at it all as Giselle pulled her into a separate wing connected to the large stone manor. Providence noted there were mainly Toufik in this area of the fortress, all working on various tasks.
"This is where I go when I want to get away. Not many of the Cadi come here."
The pregnant hairy female, Petal, greeted Giselle and Providence with a gesture. Providence attempted to mimic Giselle's hand gesture but the Toufik's eyes widened. Giselle suddenly giggled.
"You basically just said you wanted to eat Petal." Giselle grinned. "Here you place your thumb like this on your forefinger, now wiggle your other fingers like this."
Providence practiced the gesture as they sat among the circle of Toufik.
"You mind peeling tubers?" Giselle asked as she grabbed a root and started skinning it.
"Nope." Providence liked keeping busy.
"Sorry I need to cool off. My hormones are out of whack and Kagan just told me some shit that I need to share with you, so you're not surprised later. I figure this is the best place to talk."
Providence didn't like the sound of this. She squared her shoulders for bad news as she peeled the thing that looked like a sweet potato.
"I don't even know how to explain this." Giselle started, looking nervous. "Here on Cadi things are a bit old fashioned, paternalistic, if you hadn't noticed. Kagan is my mate and my protector. If he died Dagaa would take over the role as my protector. He is my Second and could petition to mate me if he wanted to. In fact it would be expected if he isn't already mated. Of course that would never happen since we're just friends. But he'd still be considered my protector."
Giselle rolled her eyes. It did seem like an archaic notion, but Providence didn't feel right judging Cadi society quite yet. She hadn't been on the planet long enough. She would just have to take Giselle's word for it.
"All females on this planet go from their parent's to their mate's home. They don't live on their own. When a woman mate's, a Second is chosen, like a back-up husband. Kagan is even a Second to a female whose mate died. Thankfully her family took her in since Kagan is mated to me. But Kagan is still honor bound to provide them with assistance. Women here, hold domestic roles rather than working outside the home. If they do work it tends to be in family businesses. Woman's lib certainly hasn't visited Cadi."
Providence appreciated the information on Cadi society and was sure this was leading somewhere, but she wished Giselle would get to the point faster.
"Okay so what does their custom mean for me?" Providence waved her hand encouraging Giselle to speed it up.
Giselle swallowed.
"Kagan already is someone's Second, otherwise according to tradition he could be your protector but..."
"Are you saying I'm going to be given to some random Cadi male?" Providence gasped.
Giselle swallowed then nodded. Providence's eyes widened.
"It's not like you have to mate him, at least I don't think so. I sort of blew up at Kagan before I got all the details. I'm so pissed. Our home is more than big enough for you to stay here, but Kagan insists. I am sorry Providence."
"It's okay.”
Providence’s shoulders slumped. "I heard you giving Kagan hell. I guess this is better than being a slave or tortured by the Jurou Biljana."
Providence said it was okay, but she was silently freaking out. She'd been relieved when she landed on this random planet and found another human. The odds of such a thing happening were crazy. Now she was going to be given to some random alien and taken away to god knows where.
"Yeah, but it still sucks a big one. I'm seriously debating sending Kagan to sleep with Sabin. See how he likes blue ball for a while."
"I appreciate that but don't ruin your relationship on account of me." Providence frowned.
"I wouldn't be ruining anything. I've been testing these people's boundaries since I got here. How else will they learn we're more than delicate freaking flowers? Unfortunately Kagan was right. He's can't fight his regents on everything, when he needs them to agree with him on the major issues the Cadi are facing."
"I get it, politics are a give and take situation." Providence conceded. "How soon is all this happening?"
"After dinner, I think. I'm sorry."
"So what does this really mean?" Providence asked.
"It’s a good news, bad news situation. It means we are formally being given the same status as any Cadi female. But like I said, they're overprotective of woman. They're not used to girls like us. Cadi woman have opinions, but more often than not they seem to defer to their men. They aren't represented in government though it seems to be more by tradition than written law. It's seriously like the days, before suffrage. I think I'm twice as outspoken here because of all this." Giselle waved her hand about. "You know back home I was the type of person who really didn't get into politics unless some candidate pulled a boneheaded move, like speaking out against birth control or crap like that. Here I'm bombarded by issues I can't ignore." Giselle groused.
"I thought I had double standard issues to deal with at home. I guess I was wrong." Providence frowned. "So what happens if I defy whoever my protector is?"
"Not much. Kagan threatens to spank me and has, but it doesn't work." Giselle winked at Providence.
Providence snorted catching her meaning.
"The major laws aren't too hard to abide by. No killing, theft, battery, etc. The Cadi take their Goddess Kali pretty seriously and its taboo to bad mouth her, but not illegal. Censorship is nonexistent. It's considered a right to speak your mind though as I said the woman tend to be more reserved than what you and I are used to. There aren't a lot of Cadi females around the manor, but I'll introduce you to Jolana next time she visits. She's one of my good friends and very sweet."
Providence listened to Giselle talk about the Cadi, but her mind kept wandering back to the fact she'd be handed over to some male. Providence was beyond relieved she wasn't going to be slave. She appreciated the Cadi voted to give them the same status as their own females. That was a step in the right direction. However that also meant she had to follow their strange traditions.
Providence hoped desperately that she wasn't shipped off far from Giselle. According to Giselle she'd still have the freedom to visit her. But how would that work when Providence didn't know her way around, or even how to use the odd hovering vehicles, the Cadi zipped around in? Everything was too new to be ripped away from her only friend and comfort.
Dinner arrived sooner than Providence would have liked. She felt like she was being led to the gallows as they made their way to the dining room. Providence studied the manor architecture as they walked into the large dining room, hoping to occupy her mind. She hadn't had time to really look around and take everything in yet.
The dark, granite stone walls leading up to a vaulted ceiling were reminiscent of a castle fortress. Colorful tapestries lined the walls giving the space a warm, less somber feel. Too bad they didn't brighten her mood.
Massive blazing fireplaces at both ends of the long banquet table threw off a pleasant warmth, heating the room with their flickering flames. Providence wondered if that was how the Cadi heated their homes since she saw no vents in the walls.
The room was also lit with an artificial light that poured from sconces on the walls, augmenting the fire light. Providence had no clue how they turned on and off. Were they wired and electric or some other type of technology? She felt so ignorant of this place.
The table was already set and nearly two dozen Cadi men stood waiting to be seated. They were massive. Providence couldn't help but compare them to the demons she first thought they looked like. The men wore kilts, which appeared standard considering their tails. Some wore leggings that were armored or leather. All the Cadi men seemed to abhor wearing shirts regardless of age, bandoliers of knives crossing their tattooed chests instead. They were no longer at war, couldn't they set aside the weapons, at least for dinner?
Kagan smiled when he saw Giselle and Providence approach. Giselle smirked at him as he pulled out her seat. Giselle smiled and kissed Sabin who sat on Kagan's other side. Providence sat next to Giselle and noticed Madhava and Dagaa when they took the seats across from her. She gave them a tentative smile.
"Here try this, it’s the root vegetables we were peeling, they're like potatoes. This meat tastes similar to chicken. If you like spicy foods this dish is good, it's called capsur." Giselle helped her load her plate.
"The capsur's not that hot." Sabin leaned around Kagan to tell her in a happy helpful voice.
Providence picked at the food on her plate although it was good she wasn't hungry. Her stomach was tied in knots. Giselle had been kind enough to assist her, but after tonight that wouldn't be the case. Would this Cadi protector be willing to teach her, or would he be too busy to bother with her? Providence felt lost. She wasn't in danger and yet she felt this strange fear welling up inside her.
Providence was glad Sabin twittered on, as children often do, capturing Giselle and Kagan's attention. She was in no mood to make conversation.
Occasionally Providence looked around the table wondering who among these hulking men Kagan would choose to become her so called protector. It almost made her laugh. She'd lived alone for years and done quite fine. Surely she could stay in the room next to Giselle without the whole of Cadi society collapsing.
Providence looked to see both Dagaa and Madhava watching her as she pushed the food around her plate.
When Kagan stood up and cleared his throat Providence nearly cringed.
"Recently the human female Providence arrived on Cadi. As it has been decided the human females are to be treated as we do any Cadi female. Since Providence has no family here on Cadi, a warrior and his Second must step forward." Kagan looked at Giselle who refused to look back at him since she was still mad. "This is not a decree that the warrior must mate Providence, just offer her protection." He amended.
Providence was relieved that she wouldn't be forced into some sort of arranged marriage. That hadn't been quite clear.
Her eyes widened in surprise when both Dagaa and Madhava stood up simultaneously. She hadn't known them long, so for them to do this was a shock. It sounded like a serious commitment from the way Giselle described it.
Kagan seemed stunned too.
"Dagaa as Second to my bonded, Giselle, do you understand what this promise means?"
Dagaa looked at Providence, his expression far more serious than it had been on the ship yesterday, as he nodded.
"So be it. Warriors of Cadi on your honor I charge you with the protection of a female we have accepted as one of our own. May you uphold that promise with your life."
Both men placed their right fist upon their chests, bowed to Kagan, and then to Providence. It felt strange being bowed to.
As frustrated and freaked out as Providence was with this situation, she found herself glad that Dagaa and Madhava had stepped forward. Besides Giselle, they were the only ones she knew. Providence exhaled a deep breath, she felt like she'd been holding it in since Giselle had told her about this weird turn of events.
Madhava
Madhava and
Dagaa followed Providence to the room she'd stayed in to get her things. He couldn't believe both he and Dagaa stood up for her, but it made sense. On the Jurou Biljana ship they had both promised the fiery little female that no harm would come to her. He would have chosen Dagaa as his Second, and he felt Dagaa would do the same for him.
However it shocked Madhava that Dagaa would make this promise in the first place. It meant the male was now honor-bound to protect two females. Should a female come along Dagaa wished to mate it would be impossible, and Dagaa wasn't one to break his oath. Then again perhaps Dagaa had his eye on Providence.
Madhava wasn't quite sure how he felt about that. Dagaa liked females, lots of females.
Madhava shook off the notion. He was foolishly letting himself get carried away. As Kagan had stated Providence merely needed protection as was proper for any female.
Madhava paused.
"Which of us is her Prime and who is her Second?" Madhava whispered to Dagaa as they waited for Providence to gather her few things in the washroom.
"I don't know. Kagan never said." Dagaa shrugged. "I guess it's a good thing we share the house on the west lawn."
Madhava nodded. This would be strange. He'd never lived with a female that wasn't family. To his knowledge neither had Dagaa.
They took Providence's two bags and left the manor. She was quiet the entire time they walked across the estate. The female seemed just as nervous as he was about this arrangement.
Why had he promised to do this?
As Madhava looked at Providence with her wild red hair, pale skin and green eyes, he knew the answer to that question, though he was unwilling to admit it to himself. Providence didn't look at him with revulsion. In fact she seemed to find comfort when he promised no one would ever hurt her again. That was why, he foolishly hoped that just maybe...
Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2) Page 7
