by Vicky Savage
She picks up the muddy, blood-spattered pants I’ve thrown into the corner and tsks at me disapprovingly. “You really should let the men handle the fighting, you know.”
Drew has obviously been regaling her with stories of yesterday’s skirmish.
“Yes, well I would’ve been dead or worse if I’d waited for the men to save me,” I say, holding my head in my hands.
Her eyebrows pop up. “Oh my! Well, that is different, you had to defend yourself. And now you are feeling poorly?”
“I ache all over,” I say, lifting my night dress slightly to reveal the bruises covering my shins and knees.
“Oh my,” she says again. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” She hurries out of the room.
I grasp the bedpost, pull myself up, and limp to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. A glance in the mirror tells me I was wrong—I actually look worse than I feel. My hair appears to have been styled with an egg-beater. Dark crescents are deeply imbedded beneath my eyes.
A smiling Erica returns a short time later and holds out a hand to me. In her palm are two greenish-brown pills. “Take these,” she says, giving me the glass of dark red pommera juice in her other hand. “They will make you feel better.”
I eye the pills suspiciously. “What are they?”
“They are pain relievers. Your father makes them from herbs. I take them during my time of the month. They are very helpful.”
I swallow the pills and drink the syrupy juice, while Erica rummages around in my trunk.
“Here,” she says holding out a light peach-colored sweater and a pair of doe-skin riding pants. “Put these on, then we will work on that hair.”
I obediently take the clothes and hobble back to the bathroom, while Erica begins to neatly fold and repack my things.
By the time I’ve finished dressing, I’m starting to feel a little more human.
“Come and sit while I fix your hair,” she says. “And finish your juice, you will need the strength for your journey.”
I sip at the sweet nectar while she expertly uses a comb to tease the tangles from my knotted tresses. “You have lovely hair,” she says. “So many different shades of gold.”
“Yeah, well, I’m thinking of cutting it. It’s too hard to manage on my own. I like the length of your hair.”
“Oh no! You mustn’t. You have princess hair. A princess must have long, silky hair.” When she has detangled the unruly mess, she begins to weave my hair into a French braid. “This will be a pretty style for you.”
“Thank you for your help, Erica,” I say, and I mean it.
She makes a tut-tut sound with her tongue, brushing off my thanks.
“So,” she says, changing the subject, “you are fond of our Ryder?”
“I am,” I answer, not really liking the way she calls him “our” Ryder.
She makes a deep throaty mmm sound. “He is very handsome.”
“Yes, he is.”
“And a good kisser, no?”
“Yes.”
“But not as good as Prince Andrew, I think.”
“What?” I swivel around to look at her.
“Don’t turn your head, I am still working,” she scolds.
“You’ve kissed my brother?”
“I should say, he is more of a willing kisser than Ryder,” she adds for accuracy’s sake.
“Yeah, I’ll bet. Do you kiss every man who comes to the house?”
“Only the good looking ones. And why not? I do not intend to marry, so I will have my fun while I am still young and beautiful.”
This intrigues me. “Why don’t you intend to marry?”
“Oh, I think men are mostly fools. A woman cannot be her true self if she is with a man. They love a woman to be strong and boundless when they are courting her, but when they marry her… pfft… she can no longer be that free spirit. They want to put her in a cage.”
I consider this for a moment. “I guess that’s true in some cases. I don’t think all men are like that, though.”
“Maybe not for a woman who is a princess. But for someone like me—a house servant—a man wants only to own me.”
Her comments bother me. I thought the Enclave was supposed to be an enlightened community, everybody equal and all.
She turns me around to look in the mirror. “See, you are beautiful.”
I have to admit, I do look considerably better, and I feel better too. I guess Father’s little pills really work. “Erica, have you spoken with my father about your feelings… I mean about wanting to be more than a house servant?”
“Oh no! I am grateful for the job. John has been very good to my family.”
“But what if you tell my father you want to help out in the hospital, that you want to study nursing, or become a doctor, or be some other kind of apprentice? Don’t you think he would help you?”
She shrugs, “I don’t know. He is a good man, but he might think I am trying to be above my station.”
“No. He doesn’t think that way,” I say. “I know he would help. I can speak to him for you, if you like.”
“You are very kind, Princess. Let me consider it. Maybe when my mother returns to run the household again, it would be a good time to discuss it with John.”
“All right, but let me know if I can help. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me this morning.” I give her a quick hug. “And please call me Jaden.”
We walk together downstairs to breakfast. Ryder is waiting for me. He awoke early to get things ready for our trip. Ralston is decked out in his travel attire and sporting a new brown fedora.
“Nice hat,” I say.
“I got it yesterday while we were in town. Don’t you remember?” he says. “You seemed a bit distracted.”
“Oh, right.”
We eat a quick breakfast with Father and are preparing to leave when Drew comes clunking down the stairs, dragging his gear behind him.
“I’m coming with you,” he says. “If it’s all right with Blackthorn,” he adds, looking to Ryder.
“You will be most welcome in Unicoi, Prince Andrew.”
“I wish to bring my men along.”
“Of course,” Ryder says.
Father walks with us outside and hugs me tightly. “Be safe, Jaden.” He embraces Drew also, and shakes hands with Ralston. Turning to Ryder he says, “Please give my regards to Chief Blackthorn. If there is anything we can do to help him here at our hospital, please let me know.”
“Thanks John,” Ryder says. “I have implored him to leave Unicoi, if only for a month or two, to see whether his condition will improve, but he refuses to consider it until he can offer the same opportunity to the entire population.”
“I understand,” Father says, patting Ryder’s shoulder. “In that case, let me know if there is anything I can do.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The two men shake hands.
As I climb onto Gabriel’s back, I hear Erica calling me from the veranda. “Jaden. Wait. I have something for you.”
Loping gracefully down the front steps, she comes to Gabriel’s side and holds up a small enamel box for me. I open it and find several of Father’s herbal pills inside.
“You will need these for later today, and maybe tomorrow,” she says.
I smile at her. “I’m sure you’re right. Thanks.”
I tuck the box into my pocket, wave goodbye to Father, and our small entourage sets out on our journey to Unicoi.
THIRTY-FIVE
It’s a fairly short ride to Wall’s Edge—so named because it is literally located alongside the dome wall. The lower part of the wall is overgrown with vegetation, but the upper wall is clearly visible. Up close, the swirling gases are a kaleidoscope of ever-changing shades of silver. It’s mesmerizing to watch.
After a few miles, Ryder steers his horse onto a dirt pathway barely wide enough to accommodate our wagons. We ride along the wall for about a hundred yards, stopping near an outcropping of rock. Ryder clim
bs down from his horse and walks to the largest boulder in the outcropping. To my surprise, he steps behind it, and completely disappears from view.
When he reappears, he’s accompanied by two men. They are nearly as large as Ryder, and wear similar leather body armor. As they walk toward us, I see Drew’s hand go reflexively to the hilt of his sword.
“Princess Jaden, Prince Andrew,” Ryder says. “These are my friends Alexander and Makoda.” Both men bow their heads briefly.
Alexander looks like a platinum blonde version of Ryder. He’s tall and graceful with light skin and nearly colorless blue eyes. I remember he was there the day I was kidnapped. Makoda, in contrast, looks very Cherokee. He’s darkly handsome, with coffee brown hair and eyes to match. His skin, though pale, has a coppery hue to it. He appears wary of our group. Clearly, he was not expecting to see Drew and four members of the Royal Guard.
“Makoda will ride ahead and let my sister know of our impending arrival,” Ryder says. “Alexander will travel with us to Unicoi.”
“I prefer that they both accompany us,” Drew says. “That way we will all arrive together. I wish to have no surprises awaiting us on the other end.”
Ryder gazes at him, as if deciding whether to argue the point. He shrugs and says, “If that is your desire Prince Andrew, we shall do it your way. But I warn you my sister can be most unpleasant when her instructions are ignored.” Alexander and Makoda both make snorting laughs at this comment. Ryder, however, seems genuinely concerned.
The three men walk again to the large boulder. Together they swing it open like a door. Alexander and Makoda disappear inside. Ryder remounts Tenasi waving us to follow him. When we are nearer to the entrance, I see that the boulder is attached to a large metal gate on hinges, allowing it to be opened and closed. When closed it’s impossible to detect that it’s the entrance to a tunnel.
Once inside the tunnel, I’m shocked to see Ryder’s friends, Makoda and Alexander, seated in a small, engine-powered vehicle that looks like a go-cart. It glides smoothly along the dirt floor, making almost no sound. The tunnel is larger, brighter, and cleaner than I thought it would be. Rows of lights line both walls. There is more than enough room for our wagons to fit and for Ryder and me to ride side by side. The road descends in a steep incline, and it dawns on me that we’ll need to travel beneath the dome wall to get out of Domerica.
“Nervous?” Ryder asks.
“A little,” I admit.
He smiles. “The tunnels are perfectly safe, and the journey takes only three hours. Do not be troubled.”
The trip passes more quickly than I expect. The road, which had leveled-off for most of the excursion now turns steeply upward, and I know we must be getting close to Unicoi. When we reach a small plateau, Alexander and Makoda park their vehicle to one side and walk to a large metal door. I realize anxiously that we’ve come to the end of the tunnel and are about to enter Unicoi.
Drew brings his horse up next to mine. “What are they doing?” he asks Ryder.
“They are announcing our arrival to the guards,” Ryder says.
Alexander speaks into a gray metal box on the wall next to the door—some sort of intercom, I assume. Ryder climbs off his horse and helps me down from Gabriel’s back. He tells us we must enter the town on foot. Our horses and the wagons will be brought in later.
The massive door opens automatically, and Alexander and Makoda lead the way inside. Guards line both sides of a long ramp ascending from the tunnel. Cheers and cries of welcome greet us. This is good. I find myself smiling, my jangled nerves easing a bit.
I can’t see much until we emerge from the dimness of the entrance ramp into the city. In my imagination I pictured Unicoi to be dark and cavernous. Instead it’s surreally lit and intensely bright. I squint against the harsh light, which casts bizarre shadows over everything, creating strange illusions.
When my eyes finally adjust, I’m immediately struck by the congested feel of the city. It’s as though we’ve stepped into the middle of a teeming metropolis. The platform on which we’re standing is crammed with a mish-mash of people in motion—brushing shoulders, turning sideways to get by—mothers with children, teenagers, business people, uniformed workers, shoppers, and many, many others. I hold onto Ryder’s arm so I won’t be carried away in the flow.
The contrast of the Unicoi people with the population of Domerica is remarkable. The styles of clothing here pop with color and panache. Some women dress in short skirts and sleeveless tops. A sprinkling of teenagers sport pink or purple hair. A number of people wear glasses with pastel-colored lenses—yellow, rose, and blue. Ryder tells me these glasses soften the garish light. He offers a pair to me, but I decline. I don’t want to miss any sensations of this amazing city.
Buildings, several stories high, push up to the edge of the roadway, crammed so tightly together that no space exists between them. No trees or grassy patches surround them. In fact, I see no natural vegetation at all. Everything is wood, concrete, metal, brick or stone. The architecture is austere and utilitarian. Totems, sculptures, and painted murals add color and interest to the surroundings, but this environment is devoid of all green—not just green eyes.
The air around us is damp and smells earthy, but not in an unpleasant way. The temperature feels about ten degrees cooler here than in Domerica, and I shiver slightly. Ryder, who has stayed close by my side, asks if I would like a jacket, but I just shake my head, totally absorbed in the sights surrounding me.
“Where are we?” I ask.
“This is a conveyance station, for transportation of the public. The people come to this station and are able to ride to their destinations on village conveyances.” He points to a line of large, blue vehicles. They are bus-like but open, without doors or roofs.
“Horses are not necessary for most travel in Unicoi,” he says. “They are very expensive to own and stables are scarce—they take up too much room. In fact, horses are not allowed in town at all. Catherine will send carriages for us, once I get word to her that we have arrived.”
“How are the conveyances powered?” I ask, pretty sure they don’t use gas and spew pollution.
“By elohi energy. That is how everything is powered in Unicoi. Elohi utilizes the earth’s natural energy to provide a clean, inexhaustible source of power.”
Although our arrival hasn’t been formally announced, the crowd begins to take notice of us almost immediately. Glances and whispers quickly turn into shouts of “Prince Andrew” and “Princess Jaden” and “Welcome to Unicoi.” More people gather on the platform to get a look at us. I wonder, uneasily, if it will hold us all. Alexander, Makoda, and the four Domerican guards form a protective circle around us. Many from the crowd reach their arms through to shake Drew’s hand or to touch me.
“Look, at her eyes. They are green!” Someone says loudly.
“I was concerned this might happen,” Ryder speaks into my ear. “Our escort would have been waiting had Makoda gone ahead. We will seek refuge inside the office until Catherine is able to dispatch the carriages for us.”
He takes my arm and our group slowly shuffles its way through the crowd into a small building. Ryder waves to the excited assembly, and I do my best to look pleasant and regal, but I’m a little freaked out by the clamoring sea of humanity.
A uniformed man at the door speaks anxiously, “Chief Ryder, this way.” He waves us inside the station, locking the door behind us. “Please take shelter inside my office. Is someone coming for you or shall I lend you a conveyance?” he asks, showing us into a tiny office. It’s too small to hold all of us, so Drew and his men wait in the hall outside the door.
“Thank you, Stationmaster. I must contact my sister,” Ryder says. “She is sending transportation for us. May I use your transceiver?”
“Of course. It’s there on the desk,” he says, gesturing to a small, silver oval object. “I will keep things locked up until you’re safely on your way to Sequoyah Hall.”
Ryder thanks hi
m and picks up the silver object. He punches some buttons on its face and holds it to his ear. “Yes, it’s Ryder, where is Catherine?” he says into the device. “We are at the station.”
“You have telephones?” I ask in amazement. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ralston wince at my faux pas.
Ryder smiles and holds up his free hand in a just a second gesture.
I hear Catherine come on the line. In fact, I’m sure everyone in Unicoi hears her.
“Why are you there already? Makoda was supposed to come ahead to let us know when to send the carriages,” she roars.
