Blind Hero

by Nix Whittaker

He just hoped he was right and not just dreaming a fool’s dream.

  ___

  Megan stood awkwardly in the large reception room of Warren’s house. She didn’t feel right in his house anymore but she wasn’t so sure it had to do with the crowd. Although it was strange to have a crowded house. How many people had Warren invited to his symposium?

  Hal came to stand next to her. “They are surprisingly intelligent for their breed.”

  She motioned to a small group who were arguing with Warren over some texts he had on a projector.

  Hal continued, “They’ve been able to translate a few more words I think will be very useful in some of my inventions. There is another word or two that will be good on people. I might use your in-laws for those.”

  Megan laughed at the straightforward nature of Hal. Most thought of her as abrasive and blunt but she liked that about her the most. Megan had lived amongst the academics long enough to be sick and tired of the subtle insults and backstabbing to appreciate Hal’s honesty.

  Natasha came up to them and gave them a couple of drinks. She motioned with her head to the crowd. “Thanks for the suggestion of the architects. I have a couple of leads which will keep me busy until I’m old and wrinkled.”

  Hal took a sip of her drink. “That might be awhile.”

  They both shot a look at Hal. Megan decided not to ask what she meant and instead changed the subject. “I’ve been thinking it might be best if we have a community purely made up of people with the atramento.”

  Natasha frowned and asked, “Is it getting that bad in the city?”

  Hal shook her head. “Our neighbourhood is almost completely made up of people with the atramento. They stick to themselves and the others leave them alone. Most people think we are just a bunch of weirdos. And that is fine. Weirdos have a place in society. I’m just saying it might be better to not to have to worry about outsiders.”

  Megan had known Hal since she was a little girl so she knew Hal wasn’t always the best at communicating ideas. They were there in her head but she didn’t always get them out in the way they were meant.

  So Megan asked to clarify, “When you say outsiders do you mean refugees or just people who don’t have the atramento?”

  Hal said, “No, I mean people who aren’t weirdos like we are.”

  Natasha laughed when she saw her expression. It was always fun to talk to Hal but often perplexing. Hal was called away and she left.

  Natasha said, “It isn’t a bad idea. I mean making up another community. One which could just be people with atramento.”

  Megan winced. “You mean for refugees if it gets too bad in the city or here in Edge.” An idea struck her and said, “Yeah, for refugees. They could come here first. You can check them out and give the atramento and then they can come out to a secret community.”

  Natasha smiled. “I see you have found your passion again. I noticed you had some new drawings in your office.”

  Megan shrugged. She had been dreaming about that valley and the pods on the walls of the valley. She hadn’t told anyone about them because it was still only a dream.

  She hadn’t finished furnishing the palace and it was finished. She was already thinking about selling it or convincing some friends to live there. But she hadn’t made any plans for that cabin she had spoken about.

  Megan knew Warren didn’t mind her staying at his place even if she came with extra people. But it was time for her to move into a place of her own.

  ___

  Toa heard someone mention there was a Professor Nasser outside. Megan had said he might come to the symposium. He decided he would go out and find out if it was truly the Professor Nasser who had created the Weather Shield.

  He was standing around seeming a little lost or it seemed that way from his shifting feet as he moved in small circles. So Toa went out to greet him. “Sir?”

  His voice was thick with his smile as he said, “Ah, you must be Toa.”

  Toa was surprised the man knew his name. Surely this couldn’t be the Shield Builder. Perhaps the person he had overheard had been wrong.

  Toa offered his hand. “I am Toa Williams.”

  The man took his hand. He had a firm handshake and he said very casually, “I’m Nasser.”

  Toa frowned confused. “Nasser as in the Shield Builder Nasser?”

  Nasser nodded and the frown was in his voice. “You mean Megan didn’t tell you?” the man continued when Toa couldn’t find any words. “I’m Megan’s father.”

  Toa was light-headed with the revelation. He must have been stunned like that for a long moment as Nasser said, “Can I have my hand back?”

  Toa dropped Nasser’s hand like it was on fire. He apologised quickly but his mind was bereft of words or thoughts still.

  Nasser patted his shoulder. “It couldn’t have been that much of a shock boy. She is brilliant after all. Takes after her mother.”

  Toa collected himself to say. “She is. But I thought she was just an architect, is all.”

  Nasser chuckled. “She is that. The city is one of the best places in the world to gain an education. Their average age of University graduates is two years younger than anywhere else in the world and Megan wasn’t interested in a doctorate so she finished her education faster than all her siblings.”

  Toa had known Megan had been building for a few years. She was in her twenties so he had thought she had graduated young but Nasser was implying she was smarter than even that. And she was the Shield Builder’s daughter.

  No wonder they had let a teenager design buildings.

  Toa asked, “Are you upset I married your daughter?”

  Nasser laughed. “Far from it. You seem like a gentleman.”

  Nasser was a gentleman not to mention how idiotic he was acting. Toa shook himself as he gathered himself completely. “I was hoping to meet you, sir. You see, I wanted to ask you something. A little late I suppose but it’s tradition.”

  Nasser grinned and placed his hand on Toa’s arm. “Let us go for a walk and we can talk. No one will miss us.”

  ___

  Megan caught Misha’s arm and asked, “Have you seen Toa?”

  Misha shook his head. But she was already away seeking for him. Toa had said he would help her with the ice sculpture she had designed. The ice sculpture was made from a mould so it needed to be pulled apart and flipped before they could set it out. The process would be delicate work and would show off some of the atramento Hal had incorporated in interesting substances to give them new properties.

  Megan asked someone else and they suggested searching outside. Warren had put a few lights out in the garden and since the rain had stopped, it was a lovely spot for some fresh air. Megan headed out there and listened for people.

  She heard soft voices speaking and headed towards them. If it wasn’t Toa then they might know where he was.

  Megan stopped when she heard her father’s voice. “She is difficult like that.”

  Toa added, “But that is also a part of her which makes her amazing.”

  There was a pause then her father said, “It sounds like you are in love with her. I was under the impression you married for convenience.”

  There was another pause and Megan knew she was holding her breath, desperate to hear what his answer would be.

  “I think I do love her.”

  Her father ever the one to get to the crux of a situation asked, “Have you told her that?”

  There was another pause. Then Toa said, “I’m not sure she wants me to say it.”

  Her father chuckled. “Ah boy, they always want to hear that.”

  Idiot, Megan thought. Of course she wanted to hear he loved her. After all she loved him. Surely he knew that.

  They slept in the same bed at night. They made love. They were married. Surely he understood none of that would be happening if she didn’t love him.

  Megan moved away. She would get Misha to help her with the ice sculpture because she had just realised how hypocritica
l her thoughts had been. She hadn’t told Toa either that she loved him.

  Toa found her while she was setting the sculpture out. Misha huffed. “I think you can manage on your own now.”

  Misha gave a look at Toa which said he expected him to continue to help her. Not that Toa would have seen it. But he must have understood anyway.

  Toa came up behind her and placed his hands on her waist and said softly, “Sorry, I was a bit late.”

  Megan shrugged. She turned to look at him. She placed her hands around his neck and before she lost her nerve she said, “You know I love you, don’t you?

  Megan expected him to kiss her or to smile and tell her he felt the same. Instead, he was silent and he appeared very serious. She went still in his arms. Possibly he had been lying to her father.

  Megan stepped back and said in a strained voice, “It’s fine.”

  But it wasn’t. She felt ashamed she had borne her feelings to someone who didn’t feel the same way. He reached out to touch her. Megan pulled away and decided anger was a more useful emotion and snapped. “Just leave me alone.”

  “Megan,” his voice was pained.

  Megan shook her head and turned back to him. “I think you should find somewhere else to sleep tonight.”

  Toa reached for her again but she was already storming away. The nerve of the man to lie to her father and say he loved her and then trap her into admitting her own feelings.

  Megan felt terrible. Was Toa like Noah just more subtle? She felt sick to her stomach. Surely it couldn’t be.

  She went outside and leaned against the wall of the building and took in some deep breaths. Her tears were a mixture of shame and anger and she wasn’t sure which she preferred.

  Chapter Twelve

  Edge July 2097

  Megan sat down opposite her father without a word. In the sunroom though the shield diffused light that it really didn’t matter what side of the house it was. Nasser sipped at his tea as he flicked through some news on his tel pad. Warren had probably put it in here just for their dad. Neither Natasha nor Warren cared much about the news around the world so this news tel was probably only there for guests. Guests like her father.

  She sighed as she was exhausted. Sleep had eluded her the whole night before. Her father glanced up and frowned at her. When she didn’t say anything straight away, he went back to flicking through the news. He knew she had something to talk about and he was good enough to let her gather herself in her own time.

  After a long moment Megan said, “I told Toa I loved him last night and he didn’t say anything.”

  Her father frowned and she could see he was as confused as she was by the development.

  Megan rushed on. “Do you think he is like Noah and only married me for what he could get from me?”

  She had thought about this a lot last night while she had stared at the ceiling above her bed.

  Nasser asked with a raised eyebrow on the unscarred side of his face, “What would that be?”

  Megan leant forward over the table. “He is a refugee. Maybe he just wanted to make sure he would be accepted here. By marrying me he would have that. He was attacked by some of the men here and he was worried he wouldn’t have a safe place to be.”

  Nasser took a sip of his tea as he thought. “It’s possible but there are some holes in your logic.”

  “Oh?” Megan hated when her father did that. Agree, but at the same time completely disagree. The tactic used to drive her mother up the wall as well. He had always remained calm while she would pour every ounce of her passion into a situation. Then Nasser would agree with her and yet completely disagree. Megan wondered if her father missed those arguments as much as she did. She had loved that her mother had so much passion.

  Nasser nodded. “He is a soldier and no coward. He would not have backed down from a fight. Are you sure he was concerned about these threats?”

  Megan fiddled with a napkin on the table. “He said he was but that was before he left.” She glanced up as she realised something. “Do you think he only said that as an excuse to leave? Why do you think he didn’t tell me he had family he had to go after?”

  Nasser said, “I can only speculate, but he has been protecting his family for a long time. I bet keeping them secret and close to his chest is merely second nature to him now. I’ve been to a lot of places and he has a right to be wary about how refugees are treated. The islanders in particular have been treated with mistrust and fear all around the world. It isn’t like they can go back to where they came from.”

  Megan refolded the napkin. “But that still doesn’t explain why he let me make a bloody fool of myself last night.”

  Nasser patted her hand. “That is a question lovers have been asking for centuries. I suppose in time he might come to tell you what he truly feels.”

  Megan sighed. She hated it when she wanted to rant and rave and her father was so reasonable. “But what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

  Nasser gave her a crooked smile. There were fewer wrinkles now he had the health atramento. He still had the scar he had received when he had been burned years ago saving the tower which housed the weather shield plant in the city. He seemed better now than he had, especially just after Mum had died.

  “I can only give you the secret to my own marriage, Sweetheart. Love him. Just love him. And when he drives you up the wall list in your mind all the reasons why you love him. In time things will work their way through. I don’t think he is like Noah. There is something about him which is different. He was very surprised when he realised you were my daughter. Almost awe struck. I had to talk to him for a while before he settled down to speak to me honestly.”

  Megan was only worried it hadn’t been honest. What if he really didn’t love her? Or worse could never love her. She had hoped over time his feelings for her would grow as hers had for him.

  Her father took a sip of his tea. “But enough of that. I wondered what you are going to do with your Palace?”

  Megan sighed. “I only made it to snub Noah and the Edgers who think I am a princess because I’m your daughter but I never really liked the place. I’m seriously thinking of making a cabin and tucking myself away for a while.”

  Nasser said, “That is one option. You like building too much for that to last long.”

  Megan laughed softly. “I’m aware of that.”

  She hesitated. “I do have an idea. I discovered this spring which is in a valley. It had plants growing and everything. I was thinking of starting a new community out there, but for people like us.” Megan motioned to the tattoo on her cheek to indicate the atramento.

  Nasser gave her a look which told her he was already aware of her plans and happy she was finally discussing them with him. “I knew you would do something like that. When you came out here, I knew you weren’t suited for the city, but I didn’t think you had found your place yet.”

  Megan nodded, agreeing with him. “I think I’ll make my own place.”

  Nasser nodded. “You are a lot like your sister and your mother. They liked the smaller communities as well. If your mother hadn’t fallen in love with the city, I think we would have moved to Freedom like your sister did.”

  Freedom was a small community of scholars. Freedom was the town which had first discovered the weather plant in a waitomo which fed their community. Her mother had been living there at the time. Hiding away from her past crimes. She had seen the potential in the new plant which had been discovered. She had developed the plant into a self-sustaining structure which produced power and only needed to be fed water. The plant filtered the light so inside the dome of the plant it was humid and mostly warm but not overly so. It truly was a miracle plant.

  Megan had been tempted to go to Freedom as well, but she had never gotten along with her sister. This idea to build something of her own was better.

  ___

  Toa was sulking. He had slept in a spare room last night and it made him frustrated and angry. How the hell had
he messed up so bad? Shouldn’t every man wish his wife loved him? He should have just admitted to her what he felt. Though he thought he loved her, he still wasn’t sure and he didn’t want to tell her until he was completely sure.

  Toa found a quiet place in the garden. The house was too crowded in there to be any peace in there. He turned when he heard someone walking towards him. He was about to guess it was Warren when the scent of cut plants came to him and he quickly got to his feet and said, “Sir.”

  Nasser chuckled. “You don’t have to be so formal with me, boy. After all, you are my son now.”

  Toa felt lightheaded with the idea. To be married into the Shield Builder’s family was the same as marrying royalty in this day and age. He hadn’t even told his sister or his mother that Nasser was now his father-in-law. Nasser took a seat on the bench next to him.

  Toa nervously sat down. “I suppose you heard I had an argument with Megan.”

  Nasser made a non-committal sound and let the quiet sit around them.

  Toa struggled with the quiet and eventually had to fill it up. “I didn’t want to be dishonest with her. I mean I think I might love her, but when I tell her I want to be sure. I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

  “Are you going to tell her that?” Nasser sighed.

  Toa admitted to himself, he had been hiding from his wife, but that wasn’t really an option. He bowed his head a little. “Yeah, I suppose I should say something. Is she that mad with me?”

  Nasser said, “Can never tell with her if it’s anger or hurt that makes her snap. I think this time she is more hurt than she is angry. I hope that helps.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Toa said with genuine feeling. He didn’t want to mess up his marriage with Megan.

  Nasser chuckled. “Not sure I’m going to be used to being called Sir. Call me Nasser. Everyone does. Even when I was a professor, I hated the titles.”

  There were soft steps coming towards them and Nasser said with a smile in his voice. “Well, I’ll be on my way. It seems there is someone who wants to talk to you.”

  Nasser then left. Toa was focused though on Megan, who approached hesitantly. It seemed Nasser was correct and she was more hurt than angry. That made him ache.