Demiourgos

by Chris Williams

  “We are not permitted to say much because it is a secret.” Nina looked around to make sure no one else was within earshot. “But I don’t mind telling you. It is far into the desert, farther than most can travel so it’s very dangerous. There are a lot of creatures out there that would love to make you a meal and for some of them an elf or human would be just an appetizer.”

  “I can imagine, I’ve read a few books about the creatures of the deep wastes.” Rose said with a curt nod.

  “Well beyond the desert there is a mountain range and on the other side is my home. It is the last forest on the face of this continent; the mountains keep it safe from outsiders and the harsh weather. It goes on for hundreds of miles before it drops off into the Last Sea. My people live in the trees; we use fallen wood and magic to make our homes within them. You would like it Rose, the bridges spanning across them are so high in the air that you can taste the sun as it rises and feel the rain so cold and pure.”

  “A forest?” She whispered harshly, surprised by the story. “Such things are lost to the world!”

  “No, there is one forest left on this continent and one sea, untouched by the magic that devastated the remainder of this land. I hear that beyond us, there are more.” Nina whispered back. “But I digress, that is why we are not permitted to talk about it. We have a very large library as well, stuffed full of volumes from ages past. The curator preserves them for us.”

  “Oh I would love to walk through your library and read until my eyes stopped working from old age.” Rose smiled looked over at Nina again; a strand of hair fell in front of her face. Rose brushed it back behind her ear. “Your home sounds lovely.”

  “Thank you, we take much pride in our heritage.”

  The double doors opened wide and a pair of guards stepped into the room carrying a bone-carved burning bowl on four obsidian legs. The burly armored men closed the door and placed the object in the center of the room. The skinnier of the two pulled a leather pouch off of his belt and dumped the contents into the center of the bowl. Prajma was more like a moss than a weed so it burned quickly and thick. Once it was packed in the guard pulled a piece of metal and stone out of his pouch to light it as they always did at this time.

  “What’s that he’s using?” Nina said as she stood and started heading for the matron’s room.

  “Firesteel.” Rose looked at the red piece of metal and the obsidian stone the guard was holding and realized that Nina had most likely never seen such a thing. The firesteel was a fairly rare metal that was found among the ore mined from the city’s only functioning mine. It sparked fire at the slightest touch of obsidian. “If you touch it to obsidian it sparks flame instantly.”

  “Interesting.” Nina stopped suddenly and Rose spied the reason why. Vishna and her crew were all standing in her way. She was sure they’d adjust if either of them made a move to go around. “Um, hello.”

  “New girl, do you really want to hang around with this freak instead of us?” Koral and Neeshka looked on silently, letting Vishna talk exclusively as usual. “That doesn’t look good on you.”

  “Vishna, there is no need for this type of confrontation.” Rose looked her over once. She had dark hair, dark skin, and equally dark eyes. Her features were delicate and she had a curvaceous figure that bespoke of a sensual nature. Rose could not help but laugh internally at that, her body was much different from her attitude. “She is allergic to Prajma so we must use the matron’s chamber.”

  “Allergic? What nonsense is that?” Neeshka piped in with her squeaky, high-pitched voice. It was definitely annoying if one listened to it for too long but she had a body not unlike her mother, Maudette. She had light milky skin and brown eyes with raven-black hair tied back in a series of twists that somewhat resembled a wide tail.

  The third girl, Koral, did not speak often. She was with the two other girls mainly because she was intimidated by them more than anything. She was somewhat pretty. Her red hair was fanned wide behind her making her skinny body look a bit strange in contrast. She was short and her frame looked like that of a porcelain doll with freckles painted on its face. Her green eyes were a stark contrast, which was what most likely had drawn the pasha; her features were exotic. “We should let them go Vishna; allergies are no one’s fault.”

  “Shut your mouth Koral or I’ll shut it for you.” Vishna said with a scowl on her face which was screwed up in a manner that made her look more like a beast than a girl. “You don’t want to associate yourself with the unpopular ones this early in the game little elf.”

  “My name is Ninantha and you will call me as such you mordant little bitch.” Nina said with her shoulders squared and her face hard-set. “I will associate with who I want and I need not your permission to do so.”

  Vishna growled with rage as she lunged forward with her hand going wide for a slap across the small elf’s face.

  Nina ducked under the blow and grabbed onto Vishna’s arm tight. Carrying the larger girl’s momentum she tugged Vishna forward and sent her sprawling out on the floor directly at Rose’s feet. Once she had angled her squirming captive’s arm behind her back she leaned forward and whispered into the girl’s ear. “Now kiss her feet and tell her that you are sorry.”

  “I’ll do no such thing!” Vishna yelled at the top of her lungs trying to get her face away from Rose’s feet. “Let me go!”

  Rose looked on at the guards who had pulled a pair of hide whips from their belts only to put them back when the situation unfolded. They both wore amused expressions as they looked over at the bitch of the harem getting her hatred spoon fed back to her. Seeing the guards taking no action made her breathe a sigh of relief.

  “You’ll do it or I’ll break your arm in several places with one jerk.” Nina replied in a tone that sounded sickly sweet like poisoned sugar dates. “Now apologize to her.”

  Rose watched Vishna struggle internally for a long time before she finally pursed her lips up and kissed her toes. She was taken aback by the display that would definitely have repercussions. “I’m sorry Rose.”

  “Thank you.” Nina said as she released the older and seemingly more powerful girl’s arm then stood and walked around the other two stunned cronies. Rose followed blankly for a moment.

  “Where did you learn to do that?”

  “I told you, I was trained by the best elven tutors my parents could afford. This world is dangerous so we who walk it should know how to defend ourselves properly.” Nina walked into the matron’s quarters without another look around though she had not missed the various whispers and snickers she got as she walked by.

  “You have made an enemy already my dear.” Rose said in a wary voice as they both took a seat by the window and watched the main room. The girls huddled around the smoking bowl to get their high. The fairly common plant relaxed most people and made them drift along as if in a daydream. It also boosted the smoker’s want for physical love as well. She figured that was the pasha’s way of getting his girls ready for him in the evening. Most days he enjoyed having several of the girls at once. “I was hoping we could avoid such conflict.”

  “They will get high and forget all about it for now.” Nina looked over at her for a second and then back at the gathering in the middle. “Rose can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure, anything you’d like.” Rose replied through a grin.

  “I feel like I can trust you, and more than that my lyrica tells me you have a good heart and soul. I need your help.” Nina looked very serious.

  Rose turned to her physically and nodded her head. Barring the obvious question about what, by the sands, a lyrica was. “Name it love; I’ll do what I can.”

  “The pasha has a book that I need; it is a small book with bone pages and a slarkskin cover. This book is why I am here but while I am in the harem I cannot go looking for it. I have to get out of this room and find it.” Nina looked up at her in all seriousness and indicated the girls in the center. “I am not here because of a debt like these gir
ls or their parents. I am here because my people wanted me here; I am here because I volunteered.”

  “You’re serious?” Rose said in yet another whisper as she looked over Nina trying to sense the truth from her demeanor. She would not believe it if she had not seen the tome Nina spoke of herself. It was in a language she did not recognize and she knew the common tongue and trade cant. “I know the book you speak of.”

  “You know where it is?” Nina said excitedly. She leaned into Rose as if she were tired trying to mask her jubilance. “Can you get it for me?”

  “I cannot, if my master finds out I have taken it he would be very cross with me.” She said in all seriousness. She knew being his favorite would not keep him from lopping off her hands and legs and pinning her up in the guard’s quarters as amusement. She had heard stories about a girl that had been treated in just such a manner after stealing a dagger from one of the guards. “He would dismember me and give my remains to the guards if not outright kill me.”

  “I can guarantee you safe passage out.” Nina countered with a growing smile. “I know you would like to see the rest of the world. You have been in this palace since you have been born, you read about the outside though you are forbidden to. I can see the wanderlust in your eyes.”

  “Give me time, I must think.” Rose said softly as she ran her hand over the girl’s hair attempting to make it seem like she was asleep or fast heading that way. She watched the matron break off from the group and blow out a long stream of smoke as she headed for her quarters and the two girls within. Her smile was genuine if not a bit lop-sided from the drug.

  “Matron.” Rose said simply as she inclined her head to the older woman. She attempted to look as if she were not in deep thought nor troubled but she knew she was doing a bad job.

  “Rose, don’t worry. The girls will pretty much leave her alone now that she has asserted herself. She’ll do fine.” Maudette lay languidly across a series of plush blankets and closed her eyes. “The drugs they bring seem to make me sleep more often than not.”

  “This is your room after all, feel free.” Rose said with a smile as she swung her gaze out toward the other girls who were inhaling the sweet smoke that was still pouring out of the bowl. “I shall be right here.”

  Once the matron was asleep Nina looked up at her and then back to the matron. She was an observant girl, Rose was sure she knew the relationship between the two of them so she didn’t bother to explain. “You said it would work if I gift it to someone right?”

  “Yes, all you have to do is allow them to ingest a few drops of your blood and mark it verbally as a gift.” Nina said quietly. “You wish to do this for her?”

  “I think so, yes.”

  “She must mean a lot to you.” Nina replied softly.

  Rose could only nod as she watched the rise and fall of her surrogate mother’s chest. She did indeed sleep more; her aging had gotten to her with no doubts. She had watched the older woman age slowly over the years and with each passing year become more fragile and weak. The process perplexed her; she would see the rise and fall of countless human generations in her time. The prospect of that made her feel strange if not apprehensive about remaining in the harem. “She is the only mother I have ever known.”

  “Bite your wrist and hold it over her mouth. When two or three drops or more have gone past her lips just name it a gift. In theory that’s how it should work.” Nina whispered to her.

  Rose was trembling slightly as she approached the matron that had looked after her for so long. She wanted to give this woman something that would last through the years, something she would never forget. A few more years of youth were all she had to give. Moving to the side of the door she made sure no one saw what she was doing. It took a small nip from her sharp teeth to open a wound on her wrist; she let a few droplets fall into Maudette’s mouth and took a deep breath. “This is my gift to you, the woman who has shown nothing but love for me since I was born.”

  The wound quickly healed over and she licked the marring red marks from her fur. For a moment she looked down at her matron and then back at Nina, wondering if it had worked. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her and she fell back against the wall hard, unable to support herself. It took a few deep breaths to steady herself. With her hands on her chest she fought the rush of dizziness that hit her just as fast as the nausea. “I can feel it; I think I’m going to pass out.”

  “Don’t pass out on me.” Nina replied softly as she walked over and took a seat next to her ailing friend. She put a supportive hand on the shapely furred shoulder and helped to steady her. “The brunt of it should pass in a moment if I’m not mistaken.”

  “Oh my god, look at her.” Rose said as she pointed one of her delicate fingers at the sleeping woman. She could visibly see the lines on her face smoothing out and the grey of her hair coloring back to its former raven-black sheen. Her skin tightened and the slight discoloration beneath her eyes disappeared. “She’s so beautiful!”

  “What was that?” Maudette said as her eyes fluttered open. The lustrous sparkle had been renewed in her mother’s eyes though she could still see the telltale signs of experience still burning within those lovely orbs. “I didn’t hear you my dear.”

  “I have always wanted for a way to pay you back for your kindness matron. I just found it.” Rose said in awe as she watched the now-younger woman rise up from her sleeping position and stretch languidly. “Wow, I don’t sense that I was asleep long but I feel great.”

  Rose smiled broadly as she watched Maudette pause and look down at her hands. They were once again smooth and silky, the skin taut against her. She put those same fingers against her face and looked over at Rose with surprise. “Rose what did you do?”

  “I gave you a gift matron; I gave you the only thing I have as payment for your kindness.” Rose smiled a bit at the woman’s shock. She was sure that her matron would be happy about what she had given her.

  “What have you done?” Maudette said as she put her face into her hands and began to sob softly. Rose was taken aback by this reaction, so much so that she had no response. “You’ve made me young again. I was so close to being retired from the harem, I would have been a house servant. I would be allowed to run errands outside of the palace grounds and be away from the constant advances of every male allowed into the harem room. Rose why did you do this to me?”

  “I’m sorry matron; I thought that you would like the gift of youth. You looked so envious of my long life span when we talked about it those many times. I thought you would be happy!” She found tears in her eyes suddenly, Rose knew she had done something horrid even though she had not intended to. “Mother I’m sorry!”

  “Get out Rose, leave me.” Maudette whispered lightly as tears streamed down her face. “Go join the other girls.”

  “Yes matron.” Rose, dejected, exited the room with Nina in tow. “I’m sorry.”

  “Rose I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Nina said with a worried look on her face. She obviously was sorry she had said anything to Rose about the process. “My mouth gets me in trouble more often than not.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Rose said softly as she sat down on her favorite pillow to think. “You can guarantee that you can get me out then?”

  “On my honor.” Nina replied almost instantly, a serious look creeping onto her features.

  “The pasha will be in soon, I will get his attention and retire with him to his chambers for the night. When I return I will have the book. Can you get us out at that time?” Rose had just betrayed the only person in the world she cared about so there wasn’t anything left for her within the walls of the palace.

  “Yes I can get us out as soon as I have the book.” Nina stated with a smile upon her lips again. “If you can do this you will be a free woman.”

  Rose nodded her head slightly and leaned against the wall to think. She had known only the palace her entire life. There weren’t many girls in the harem, ten total not counting hersel
f or Nina. The guards were all loyal to the pasha and he had many throughout the palace. The servants and slaves other than the harem girls were all a diverse lot even considering that half of them enjoyed their servitude in the palatial mansion home. It had all of the comforts one could ask for but with none of the freedom. She was not even allowed to enter the palace grounds on the rare occasions she had been able to leave the harem room at all. Her lust for life could not contain her now that she felt she had a way out.

  Time passed slowly for her as she regarded the harem proper and allowed her gaze to sweep back to the matron’s room every now and again. Maudette had not emerged from the room since Rose and Nina had left so Rose was sure that the matron was still angry at her. She hadn’t thought of the consequences before granting her mother, her mentor, youth and an extended life span. For the first time in her sheltered life she felt guilt, regret and something more that she just couldn’t identify. It was like someone knifing her heart.

  Later in the evening as the Prajma weed began to smolder down to nothing the double doors swung open. On the other side was a man dressed in a long purple robe with stars and moons scattered across the fabric. He wore enough jewelry made of precious metals and gems to purchase a small home and land. His hair was salt and pepper from age and his skin was wrinkled and brown from exposure to the sun. He sported a neatly trimmed goatee tapered off into a point and a long moustache that stuck out into two points. All of his facial hair was held that way with a sweet smelling honey wax made from the byproduct of the desert lichtor. She remembered reading about the bug-like lichtors but the details escaped her at the moment. “The pasha is here.”

  Most of the girls shied away and bowed low before him as he entered the room with all of his usual pomp and superiority even though he was a relatively short man compared to the ladies in the room. Rose watched him walk among his various trinkets smiling at their bodies and running his fingers across the wax-hardened facial hair he sported trying to decide who to take this evening.