The Emperor's Concubine

by Killarney Sheffield

  I want desperately to believe him.

  “What would it have changed if I told you the truth? It would have only added to your fear and heaped upon you more hopelessness than you already struggle beneath.”

  Sol crosses the room to join us. “Listen to him, Ocean. You can give up if you want, but I never will. Will you give up on me? On our love?”

  My lips quiver. “How will you love me, Sol, after I lie with the Emperor, after I am forced to give him what should be yours? How?”

  His eyes grow shiny and his voice trembles, “I will love you even more because you do it for us, for the other girls and for Imram, Ocean.”

  I want to throw myself weeping into his arms, yet I know I can’t, not here, not now. “I can’t believe you love me that much,” I whisper.

  Hurt reflects in his eyes and I regret my words. “Believe it, Ocean, and cling to it during all the things you must bear over the next while. Hold me close to your heart and I will see you through. I promise you.”

  Sol is the one I must believe in, for he has never been anything but faithful and trustworthy. Even though I don’t want to endure what is coming I must, so I nod. “Don’t stop loving me.”

  “Never. I will love you until the day I die, Ocean, nothing and nobody can change that.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  We’ve had our last breakfast together as sister concubines before we are led through the tunnels into the main officials’ compound. Allowing myself a moment of joy I lift my face to the artificial sun, the first of which we have seen since being taken from our families. Our solemn group passes into the courtyard and are met by a representative of each official’s household. I glance behind and meet Danika’s weak smile. At least my best friend is coming with me this time.

  A stern looking woman motions for me to approach. “I am Chanel, head housekeeper for the Empress. You and your maid will come with me.”

  Too afraid to speak lest my voice betray my fear, I simply nod. Two enforcers join us, but I can’t tell if one of them is Sol or not. We walk through the walled courtyard and out onto a busy street. Here, unlike in the hubs, everything is bright and cheery. Planters full of red and yellow flowers adorn the walkway running the length of the street bordered by little shops. The shop signs fascinate me. There is everything from candy makers to portrait takers. Classical music drifts from an unseen speaker system. Everything is so beautiful.

  When I reach out to touch a bright yellow daisy Chanel slaps my hand. “Don’t touch. The flowers here are very fragile.”

  “They’re real?”

  The woman nods and carries on.

  “I don’t understand. Why are there flowers here, yet no plants allowed in the hubs except the genetically grown ones in the greenhouses?”

  “There are plants here because the Empress wishes it.”

  By her abrupt tone, it doesn’t seem the housekeeper wants to answer any questions, so I retreat into silence and follow. People stroll here and there, laughing, chatting and animated compared to the quiet existence of those in the hubs. Behind the shops loom the houses of the officials. Where the hubs had been crammed with attached square boxlike dwellings, these houses are stand-alone mansions twenty times the size. Each is made of marble, some with pink, blue, grey or green hues. Large glass windows allow plenty of light and each has a small patch of artificial turf in front dotted with flower pots, or flowering shrubs. I can’t resist drawing a deep breath, savoring the floral perfume.

  My breath is taken away by an ornamental gate of gold at the end of the street. Two enforcers stationed in front open it at our approach. Pausing on the threshold I let out a gasp of wonder. A row of shrubs lead to a set of wide marble stairs. It isn’t the stairs, however, that draw my wonder, but rather the shrubs, each trimmed in the shape of animals. I recognize a horse, a tiger and an elephant among the creatures. Over the hedge behind are a gazebo and a fountain gurgling with clear water.

  “It’s like paradise.” Danika wanders ahead, open-mouthed until the housekeeper jerks her back to trail behind us.

  The housekeeper keeps going as if it is nothing special and we hurry to catch up with her. We climb the steps to a massive mansion and I realize it is a replica of the White House that used to exist before the disaster. I’m dying to remark on it when I remember we aren’t allowed to know of these things. The White House is noted on another site on the inter web which isn’t supposed to exist anymore. You would be amazed what teenage hackers can find when left to their own devices for only a few moments. I lack the computer skills to be a hacker, but it doesn’t stop me from leaning over hackers’ shoulder to see what they find.

  We enter the house and stroll across the tile entranceway. The inside is as white as the outside, yet it is decorated with bright bits of colored furniture, flower filled vases, carpets and paintings. My eyes and head begin to ache from the infusion of color in my normally bland white, navy, grey and dusty green world. We carry on down a long hallway to a set of double metal doors. The doors open to expose an elevator and we follow the housekeeper into it.

  The housekeeper pushes the number three. “Your suite of rooms is on the third floor. You are allowed to wander the first floor, but never the second one.” The elevator begins to move.

  “Why not the second?” I ask and then bite my lip when the housekeeper scowls.

  “It is the Emperor’s personal part of the house and not available to servants, unless they are summoned, or stationed there.” She points at Danika. “You are to remain in your concubine’s suite at all times unless accompanying her on an outing, or in the gardens.” The elevator comes to a stop and the doors open. The housekeeper steps out and subdued, we follow. She leads us down a corridor to a set of cream-colored double doors and then comes to a halt. “You will rise by ten a.m. each morning. All your meals will be served by your maid in your suite, unless you are requested to join the Emperor and Empress at their table. You will find your daily schedule on the organizer tablet on your desk inside. Meals and activities are pre-planned and you are expected to adhere to the guidelines without fault or question. You will have a two hour block of free time every afternoon to spend as you wish, visiting the shops, or in the gardens. Every Monday you will attend a concubine meeting, every Friday you will visit Dr. White and once a month starting today you will see the physician. Any questions?”

  Though the housekeeper’s demeanor doesn’t suggest she really wants to answer any questions I ask anyway. “When... where will... you know... it, happen?”

  Her face twists in disgust. “The Emperor will come to your room every night during your fertile time from nine until ten. You are expected to be bathed and ready for his arrival.” She glances at the maid. “As for you, you are required to make sure there is refreshment and anything else the Emperor requests for his visit before you will be dismissed for the evening.”

  After opening the doors the housekeeper stalks off. Reluctant to enter, I stand on the threshold and peer into the room. It is done tastefully in cream and gold with subtle bits of color here and there such as a planter of dark green ivy mixed with red flowers. To one side of the room are two cream-colored plush arm chairs, each with a gold trimmed throw pillow facing each other in front of an artificial fireplace. A gold coffee table is placed between them and off to the side. In the centre of the room in front of a large picture window is a small oak dining table, flanked by two chairs which match the arm chairs. A plush cream colored carpet with red and gold accents covers the floor. When Danika enters I gather my courage and do the same, crossing to open one of the two doors on the far wall. A bedroom decorated in the same color scheme greets me. Instead of a narrow cot like back home in my dorm there’s a massive canopy bed dotted with gold and red throw pillows. Gold and cream lace wine around the pillars secured here and there with bright red artificial flowers. A large armoire, dressing screen and table are the only other furniture.

  “Wow.” Danika’s eyes widen.

  “Yeah,” I
breathe in awe. It’s not what I expected, although I’ve no idea what I expected, really.

  Danika opens the second door. A smaller room meets our inspection decorated in the same color scheme though less elegant. A single size bed sits in the middle of the room with a matching amoire and dressing screen. “I guess this is my room.”

  “You can have the other room if you want.”

  “I don’t think the Emperor will be amused to share a single bed with you.” Her face turns a deep shade of red and she looks away.

  My stomach rolls and I force the bile rising to the back of my throat back down. “Probably not.”

  Danika crosses to the third door and opens it. “Come and look at this.”

  Curious, I peer over her shoulder. “If I didn’t know this was hell, I’d be in heaven.” A large bathroom opens before me. Instead of a single tap over a basin attached to the wall like in the hubs, there is a set of gold faucets bending in graceful brilliance into a large matching sink. A mirror with tiny lights around its edge takes up the whole wall above and to each side is a tower of golden shelves filled with soaps, shampoos, bottles of perfume, white towels and washcloths. . The most impressive thing in the room, however, is the oval-shaped sunken tub. Bathing in the hubs consists of a narrow shower stall made of concrete containing one faucet, pre-set to the allotted temperature and personal amount of water as deemed appropriate by the officials. In awe, I wander over to the sunken tub and run a hand over the two faucets, one marked ‘H’ and one marked ‘C’. “I can practically swim in this tub.”

  Danika giggles. “I guess being a concubine’s maid is a privilege.”

  “Don’t count your blessings just yet.” I make a face and exit back into the main room. “I’d give anything to be back in the hubs in my old cement home.”

  A large screen above the fireplace draws my inspection and it flickers to life much like a giant tablet when I run my fingers over its surface. Startled, I snatch my hand away. Five rows of four squares pop up, each labeled from one to twenty. Curiosity moves my hand to touch number one with my fingers. The tablet flickers to life with the word ‘Animals’ on it. Curious I tap it again. An elephant lumbers onto the screen spraying itself with a trunk full of water from a watering hole it wades in. “Danika, do you know what this is?”

  “It’s what they used to call a television, isn’t it?”

  “It’s just like pa told me. I remember watching cartoons on it before the round-up of people began.” I can’t resist touching the elephant with my fingers and in the blink of an eye the picture disappears. “It was so real, so life like.”

  Danika picks up a tablet on the table. “Here is your schedule. You are required to attend lunch every afternoon with the Empress, there is a gym on this floor you must report to for exercise each day and you are allotted five shopping tokens a week. It says here you can redeem the tokens for things in the stores.”

  Flopping down in the chair, I roll my eyes. “So, I eat lunch with her... highness...” I glance around the room to see if there were any cameras, but can’t detect any. I wish I dare call the nasty woman by a cutting name, “Work out to stay in shape, shop and watch television all day long?”

  “I guess.” Danika taps the tablet to flip the page. “It also says there is a cabinet full of games supplied.” She points out a trunk like cabinet.

  “Great. I will die of boredom before I bear the Emperor two children.”

  “It might not be all that bad.”

  “I suppose it is better than doing some tedious work assignment in the hubs day in and day out.” A grin forms on my lips despite everything I’ve been through in the last twenty four hours. “The first thing I am going to do is try out that fancy bathing pond in the washroom. I still have styling goop in my hair from the pageant. The five minutes of allotted water in the shower cubicles this morning wasn’t near enough to get it all out.”

  I head into the bathroom and mix the water hotter than the usual lukewarm allotment of the hubs and fill the bathing pool with scented bubbles. Shedding the plain white robe I arrived in and my undergarments I slip into the water. Leaning back, I close my eyes and sigh. “Oh Danika, you have got to try this when I’m done.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  I wile away the morning in luxury like I’d never experienced before, though not without guilt. As I soaked in the tub full of rose scented bubbles I couldn’t help but think of how much Petie would have delighted in a swim in the warm fragrant water, and how much my ma would love soaking her feet when she came home from her early shift in the meal kitchen each day. My joy is cut short soon enough and with regret I dress in one of the white robes hung in the wardrobe and wait for Danika to don her red servant attire. Finally the knock sounds on the door I had both been expecting and dreading. I cross to open it and discovered Sol standing there in his usual enforcer attire, minus the helmet with the dark tinted visor.

  “Sol! I am so glad to see you.” After drawing him inside I throw my arms around him.

  He pushes me gently away and shuts the door. “Careful, Ocean, I am not sure what the Emperor has for surveillance here yet.”

  “There are no cameras in my rooms.” Though it is hard to conceal my disappointment I step back. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been assigned as your personal enforcer. Where you go, I go. You have to meet with the physician this morning, right?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Though I wished he had come to see me I smile, glad at least to be with him for even the briefest moment.

  “I think you have some free time after dinner, don’t you?”

  “I guess.” My gaze drops to the carpet. I’m suddenly awkward in his presence. I’m not really sure why. Things have changed, but we are still the same, aren’t we?

  His fingers cradle my chin and lift so I look him in the eye. “Remember where we used to meet on home days?”

  “Yes, the—”

  He puts a finger to my lips and lowers his voice. “Last door at the end of the hallway, follow the passage past the laundry chutes to the ladder. I’ll meet you there after dinner, okay?”

  When I nod, he removes his fingers and winks. “All right, let’s go, we don’t want to be late for your doctor appointment.”

  “Says you,” I mmble, and head out the door with Danika in tow. We take the elevator down to the first floor and then go outside. Raising my face to the artificial sun, I sigh. “One day I am going to bask in the real sun, Sol, if it still exists.”

  His chuckle makes me grin. “I hear it is still out there.”

  I sneak a peek at him to be sure he isn’t teasing, but his expression is totally serious. “Really? Are we ever going to escape from here?”

  “Are you bored of luxury already, Ocean?”

  My glare results in a lopsided grin from Sol. “All the luxury in the world can’t make up for being used as an unwilling broodmare, to be extinguished once the deed is complete.” Tears well up in my eyes and I brush them away before he notices. It serves no purpose to make him feel worse than I already know he does. “What are we going to do, Sol?”

  He gives my hand a quick squeeze and then moves away as we come to the golden gates. The enforcers look up from their game of dice and open them. “Hang in there, Ocean.”

  As we stroll down along in silence, I imagine city streets before the apocalypse. They must have looked much the same. Shop keepers chat with customers and people pause on the sidewalks to greet each other. Everything has such a festive feel to it, unlike the quiet of the solemn hubs. Before long we come to the building marked ‘Doctor’. Sol opens the door. “I will be waiting right here when you are done, I’m not permitted in.”

  Taking a deep breath I enter with Danica on my heels. A woman in a white uniform greets me and I’m hard pressed not to laugh at the mustard yellow beehive wig perched on her head. Why do all the women of position wear such silly wigs? Do they lack hair of their own, or is it some strange fashion statement?

  “Number Two
-twenty-three, I presume?” the woman asks with a tight stare.

  Unable to answer without giggling I nod, biting my lip to keep from refuting I’m merely a number.

  “Come with me.”

  Danika stays in the white waiting room and I follow the nurse to an exam room. A doctor is already seated in a chair there punching info into his tablet. He hardly acknowledges me as the nurse ushers me in and shuts the door. I take a seat in the other chair and fidget with the gold trim on my sleeve.

  The doctor finally finishes his work and sets the tablet down. “When was your last monthly flow?”

  My mouth drops open and I stare at him in shocked silence for a moment trying to find my tongue. “I—I don’t know... a week or two ago.”

  He frowns. “I have advised the Emperor and all the officials that it would be beneficial for the first bedding to take place after your next menstrual cycle, so there is no confusion when checking your innocence. It’s just a formality of course and it is better to get it out of the way before the real work begins.”

  Geeze! Must we speak about such personal things? I squeeze my eyes closed, wishing I could block out his banter.

  “I will suggest to the Emperor to have the official ceremony on Friday then.”

  My eyes fly open. “Ceremony?”

  He nods. “There will be a ceremony and formal bedding, with the priest and Empress there to witness your virginity and consummation.”

  The urge to run screaming from the room is so powerful I clench the arms of the chair until my knuckles to white to counter it. Public humiliation is what it is. First subjected to medical and psychiatric evaluations, put on public display for the official’s enjoyment and now this. How much more can I endure?

  “You may go now, future of Imram.” He smiles as if I am the luckiest girl in the world.

  In utter disgust, I exit and make my way back to the waiting room. Another concubine whose name I can’t remember waits there. She gives me a tight smile when she’s summoned by the nurse. Unable to look the poor girl in the eye, I drop my gaze and leave.