by Robin Roseau
"I have wine from Centos Four with me," I said. "Would you like some?" I picked up my glass. "Sniff."
She did, and when she smiled, I encouraged her to take a sip.
"I like it."
"I'll pour you a glass, then."
"I just drank from yours?"
I smiled.
"You don't hate me. I thought you might."
"I don't hate you, Sartine. Surely you understand that."
It took a moment, but I handed her a glass then went back to my seat. I gestured to one opposite, but she drank from her wine, set it down, and then moved behind me. It took her only moments before I was thanking her, and at least one moan escaped me.
She worked for several minutes, and I didn't rush her.
"Congratulations," she said finally.
"I didn't want it."
"No one would be better, and you know it."
"You know I don't believe that."
"Everyone else does."
"You are all fools."
She didn't say anything, but I moaned again.
"You speak with an accent."
"I always will."
"You had no trouble understanding any of us these last six weeks."
"That's in no small part to my time in Indartha."
"Do you hate me?"
"No."
She continued to work, not saying anything else. I had no idea what she wanted, but I closed my eyes and melted under her hands. Finally she said, "I would like to speak with you about several things. You are still tense, and so if you like, I will offer a proper massage after our conversation."
"You don't have to do that."
"It is not a burden, and I would like to."
"Well, sit," I said. I gestured. She collected her glass and took another seat.
"Governor-"
"Cecilia."
"I have several topics, and the first is with the governor."
"I'll try not to interrupt, Vendart."
She wagged her finger. "You should not call us that."
"Perhaps not, but I choose to call you that."
"You are so confusing."
"You were saying..."
"Governor, I would like to know if the old laws of Talmon remain intact."
"Yes, of course. We discussed this. The Empire allows the planets to rule themselves with some restrictions. While some of your laws are considered odd, none of them require interference. Unless the people of Talmon choose to change their laws, your old laws all remain."
"Including the laws of galatzi."
"Even those, although I will be very, very upset if a non-Talmonese is caught up in a galatzi trade without a written agreement in a language he or she speaks."
"Isn't everyone living on Talmon considered Talmonese?"
I sighed. "You know what I meant. Are we going to argue semantics?"
"No. Does that mean someone from, for instance, Centos Four could be involved in galatzi trade, as long as I have her agreement in writing? Does it have to be in English?"
"If she reads and writes Talmonese fluently, and the language of the agreement is clear, so that she has complete understanding of the agreement, then it could be written in Talmonese. Sartine, what matters is that she knows what she is getting into and agrees to it."
"What if I absolutely know she understands, and she gives verbal agreement in front of witnesses?"
I sighed. "Written is better."
"Is that the law?"
"Guideline."
"So you offer room for judgment."
"And if she later complains, and I am not satisfied, I will be livid."
"That is fair," she said.
"Do you intend to ask for a galatzi trade with someone?"
"Yes, I do."
"Who?"
"Will you let me get to that?"
"It's late. Is this going to take all night?"
"That will be up to you," she said. "I need only a few more minutes, if you stop interrupting me."
We both smiled. Enough time had passed, we could tease a little, and I was feeling a lot better after her ministrations. I drank some of my wine.
"I want you to tell me about your headaches. You said you would tell me someday."
"Why now?"
"Please."
I sighed, and then I explained about the implant. The telling took some time. She listened without question. "If it had been working the night you took me, the results would have been different."
"Probably not. We barricaded all the other doors."
I thought about it and shrugged.
"Thank you for telling me," she added. "Next question, and then I will get to the heart of my visit. Where will you set up your residence now? Back at Sudden. Right here?"
"Not here. This is to be a rejuvenation and recovery center."
"Really?"
"Talmonese will need to travel here. If they have the funds, they may travel abroad. It is expected this center will largely perform only basic rejuvenations with minor changes, as it is not expected many Talmonese will be able to afford more drastic changes. But the clinic will be available for the gamut of changes, for those who can afford them."
She looked away. "Thank you for this, Governor."
"You are welcome. I also expect travel from other planets to visit the center here."
"Why?"
"Several reasons. Not all planets have rejuvenation facilities. And some people like to travel for their rejuvenation simply as an excuse to travel. Plus, this is a particularly pleasant location, overlooking the sea. The center may provide an influx of tourism to the planet by very wealthy individuals. But I make no promises."
"However, it may be that some of them will wish to see a cave lined with diamonds."
"It very well may be. You will need to watch them carefully so the diamonds stay in the cave."
She laughed. "We will. You have not answered my question."
"I don't know where yet. I am considering a roving residence. I may build homes in several places around Talmon and travel between them. Or perhaps I will allow the vendarti to invite me to visit, and will keep a central base somewhere, but travel much, staying in their homes. I have had the job for two days and wasn't expecting to still be on the planet in two more weeks."
"Are you upset about that?"
"Did you know ahead of time?"
"Yes."
"You little shit. You didn't say anything."
She laughed. "Cecilia, the writing was on the wall long before the invitation. A bunch of us got a letter to your Anna White, asking for you."
I stared at her. "Seriously? You're not a little shit. You're a big shit."
She laughed again. "You could have declined."
"Yeah, yeah. I don't need these headaches. I'm rich, you know." I told her a little about it.
"I had guessed. And to think you were dependent upon me for a few small coins."
"You loved it."
"So did you."
"Yeah, I did. I would have let you keep me for as long as you wanted, Sartine."
She looked away. "I'm sorry about my reaction that night. It was not my heart."
"I get it. Four times your age. Blah blah blah."
"My kiss when you left was my real reaction. You'll never ever understand how sorry I am. As soon as you got mad, I realized what I had done. But it wasn't your age. Well, it was, but it was something else."
"What?"
"For an instant, I thought about the age difference, and I had this horrible image. It was only an instant, but you saw what happened. But as soon as you got angry, my body caught up with the kiss, and I was on fire for you. If I had just let you kiss me a few seconds longer, I would have had you under me, and I wouldn't have been able to stop."
I stared at her.
"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, Cecilia. Please."
I looked away, picking up my wine and staring at it. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Then I forgive you, and I
'm sorry I couldn't believe you back then."
"I would have kept you. I would have spent my days making you happy."
"What could have been," I said.
"Yes. Will you look at me? I am finally at my real reason to be here." I turned to her. "Governor Grace, as you have new duties, quite extensive duties, the people of Indartha would like to offer our direct assistance to you."
"Intriguing," I said. "Is everything else we've discussed a prelude, or is this an entirely new conversation?"
"It was all a prelude."
"I see."
"You will need assistance. Indartha would like to offer a galatzi trade with you."
"Indartha would. And does Indartha realize that the governor has no one to trade to you?"
"Yes, but Indartha would take trade of another form."
"Oh?"
"We would like the governor to establish a presence in Indartha. You mentioned placing a residence here and there. We would accept this plan or you could propose others."
"And in exchange, you offer me Hilopid?"
"I must explain one more thing about galatzi trades before I complete my offer." I sighed. "When the galatzi prisoner does not fight, the rules for how she is treated are simpler. She must be taken from her home in a fashion matching how you were taken. And she must arrive in her new home as you were. But it is understood she is there because she wishes to be, and then she is not a prisoner, if her vendart does not wish to treat her in that fashion."
"If I had not fought..."
"I would have tied you until an hour out of Sudden. I would then have made sure you were happy to be with me and untied you. I would have tied you again an hour from Indartha. I would have then untied you as I did, but your room would have had no lock."
"It already had a lock."
"You wouldn't have been in that room. You would have been in mine. Or if you weren't ready for that, a different room. Or I didn't have to lock your room."
"I see. Continue."
"Indartha would like to offer the current vendart as a galatzi trade. She will not fight when you take her, but she requests you take her from Indartha, for all to see. You may decline that portion and take her immediately, but you must wear the sash and parade her for all assembled here to see. I would help you to tie her."
"Are you not the vendart of Indartha any longer, and you are offering someone else?"
"Cecilia, don't be coy."
"Sartine..."
"Colonel Blue taught me a Centos Four custom."
"Oh?"
She slipped from her chair and took to one knee directly in front of my feet. "Cecilia Grace, I have no ring, but will you marry me?"
Confusion
I stared. I stared for a long time. Finally I found my words. "Do you request marriage in the imperial fashion or do you request a galatzi trade, as you have offered?"
"I offer a galatzi trade, but phrased it twice over. I wish the galatzi tradition, but I would accept a Centos Four marriage in addition to a galatzi trade."
I took up my wine glass and sipped from it. I tried to think.
I couldn't.
"You're insane."
"For wanting you? Or for thinking you want me?"
"For... I don't know. This is too fast. Please, get up. Go sit over there for a minute. This is too fast."
"I want an answer."
"Right now, I don't care. I need to think."
She got up, but she didn't let me think. She crawled onto my lap, and I didn't stop her.
Nor did I stop when she lowered her mouth to mine and began kissing me.
I didn't stop her when her tongue invaded me.
And I didn't stop myself when I moaned with the pleasure. I didn't stop myself when my arms wrapped around her waist. I didn't stop myself when my heart began to pound.
Finally she released my mouth, but she loomed over me. "I require an answer, Cecilia. You already know I'm going to get what I want. Put that sash on, and I'll show you how to tie me."
"Just slow down, Sartine," I said. "Slow down."
"Your heart is pounding for me, and it's not just lust. It's excitement. It's love. And yes, it's desire. You want me. I want you. If you cannot be my galatzi wife, then I wish to be yours."
"Just slow down!" I said, but I pulled her to me. "Slow down. I can't think."
I held her tightly, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.
I couldn't think. I just couldn't think.
"You want me," she whispered. "True or false?"
"True," I moaned. "Oh god."
"I want you. Do you doubt me?"
"No."
"Then we have an agreement. Do we need it in writing?"
"We do not have an agreement. Just slow down."
"I don't want to slow down. We wasted enough time."
I pushed her away. "Hello. Young forever. We can waste a little time to get it right."
She laughed. "Tell me young together, forever, and I'll slow down."
"Forever is a long time. You will grow weary."
"Maybe, but not for decades, and that is decades of bliss."
I pulled her back to me.
"Give me what I want," she said. "You know you're going to."
But I held her, not saying anything.
"Please, Cecilia. Don't let us be apart any more."
"Slow down!" I said. "I have questions. Get off me. I have questions, and I can't think with you this close."
"I will agree to climb from you if you come to this other couch with me. I want to touch you, and you want to touch me."
I let her pull me, not resisting, and we sat down together, touching, and she caressed me the way she always had. I closed my eyes, and I still couldn't think. Finally I caught her hand.
"Say 'yes'. I do not want to cheat."
I opened my eyes. "Cheat?"
"We're not supposed to make love until I am your prisoner, but you can't resist me, and when I have you under me, you'll agree to anything I want."
"You are very cocky."
"Am I wrong?"
"Shut up."
She laughed. "Say yes, Cecilia."
"Just... You are vendart. How can you be my galatzi prisoner and remain vendart?"
"I won't be vendart anymore. I will resign."
"You would resign?"
"Yes. For you."
I pushed away from her. "Go there." I pointed. "Do not argue with me. Back away. I mean it."
"Cecilia?"
"I don't want you to leave, but I need some room."
Reluctantly, she moved further away on the sofa, and I did the same. I stared at her.
"Say yes."
"Stay there," I said. "Don't move. If you push me, I'm tossing you out."
I got up and went to my desk, grabbing my computer. I returned to the sofa, opened it, and began to type.
I could have had Minerva do everything but sometimes I liked working this way.
"What are you doing?"
"Quiet."
"Do not take that tone with me."
I looked up and smiled. "You just offered to become my galatzi prisoner. I believe you just offered to let me take any tone I desire."
She closed her mouth, and she let me finish. I read it through twice. "Did you bring your tablet tonight?"
"No. Mordain was fascinated by it, and I left it with her to watch."
I got up and retrieved another tablet. I had bought a lot of them, some with imperial funds, and a great many with my own. This was one I had bought. I told Minerva to take the steps to register it as Sartine's personal tablet and to transfer the document I had just written to the tablet. "Add my signature to the bottom of the document."
Sartine didn't say anything, letting me bustle around. Once the document appeared, I moved back to the sofa and sat down. I kept possession of the tablet.
"Vendart Sartine," I said. "I want you to listen to everything I say before reacting."
"Cecilia, just say yes."
"The ne
w governor of Talmon requires Talmonese with training not yet available on Talmon. Furthermore, House Grace has need of Talmonese who speak Engish and have training not available on Talmon. We find ourselves investing in opportunities on Talmon, and we do not want to import people to run the operations we create."
"I don't understand."
"I want to send Hilopid to Centos Four to attend school. He will live with my parents or my sister and act as apprentice to them and later to me until he is sufficiently experienced to assist in the operations of my businesses."
She stared.
"I reject Indartha's galatzi trade. Talmon is about to experience many significant upheavals, and I require you to serve as Vendart of Indartha. I can't let you resign, Sartine. However, I accept Indartha's offer of assistance." I handed her the tablet. "This tablet is now yours. I will assign your old one to your little sister. This is my proposal. Read it before you get mad. You may recommend changes."
She read it carefully then scrolled up and read it again.
"This is what you want?" she asked.
"Yes."
"I-"
She read it again.
"Cecilia, I do not believe it is fair to send Hilopid so far without giving him the choice to decline."
"Then if Indartha proposes another name, I require the opportunity to interview the individuals involved."
"Indartha believes this is an unbalanced trade."
"Oh?" I lifted an eyebrow.
"Indartha would like to send four galatzi prisoners, not one. We believe this better balances the trade. Is House Grace interested in this amendment to the proposal."
"I. Um. Really sort of didn't want to travel to Indartha to interview people. Frankly, I don't want to take the time, and I believe I can convince Colonel Blue to provide free transportation, if I move quickly."
"Really sort of?" she asked. "This is how our governor speaks."
"It's been a shocking night. The governor is fatigued and not at her best."
"Will you trust the vendart's judgment?"
I thought about it. "I'll have someone from my staff send you more information."
"Do they all need to be as young as Hilopid? Or would you accept older apprentices." She smiled. "As imperial citizens, perhaps some of them could undergo rejuvenation treatment before beginning their training and apprenticeships."
I laughed. "Clever. Your grandmother?"
"I'll offer that. Or Halarain."
