by L M Lacee
EIGHTY:
Rose held her sister in her arms as Frand stood by them both, his face impassive, but his eyes glowed with anger.
‘I am sorry.’ Peyton said as she walked to them. ‘I was unsure, so I had to ask.’
‘She tried killing Rose and Frand.’ Miko stated in a soft, hesitant voice.
‘Yes, she did.’ Savo replied for Peyton.
‘Why?’ Miko asked of her Unta, who came to her side.
‘Probably.’ Teelu answered as she stroked a soothing hand over her niece’s hair. ‘Because of the wed price. In her family the Darma receives a credit bonus if her young wed. If they wed inside the family, it is an enormous bonus. To have all three of you wed would have made your Darma very rich. When Rose and Frand took you and left the family as you were entitled to do. She lost her ability to have you wed, therefore losing the credits she would have made. So her only option was to secure your deaths.’
Heather was appalled as she said. ‘That makes no sense they are her children.’
Teelu agreed. ‘I agree, in fact no rational person would think to do such a thing. Leanii is not now or has at any time been rational.’
‘After our Papa’s death she became even more unbalanced,’ Rose stated, ‘which is why the three of us decided to leave.’
Savo told them. ‘It was a wise decision the credits Leanii would have received for the wed price for each of you would have carried her through the rest of her life. So imagine when I tell you, those credits would have been pittance, to what she would have received from the trader’s guild on your deaths.’
‘Dearle Stars, she would have ruled a world.’ Rose said.
Miko looked at her Unta and Parta and asked. ‘Unta Teelu, do you think she did this all for credits?’
Teelu’s face held sorrow as she softly told her. ‘Yes sweet one, all for credits.’
‘And nothing can be proved, she never admitted to anything.’ Stated Melody.
Peyton stared at Savo as she asked. ‘You will of course bring this matter up at the next guild meeting?’
‘Ahh, well…’
‘If not, I can always do so for you.’
‘No, I can do so. I will need the recording of this eve’s conversation.’
‘Of course, Darby will see to it.’
‘Thank you.’
Peyton inclined her head, and no one missed the fact that the Star Daughter had issued a gentle demand and a reminder of who she was.
Frand said in tones devoid of emotion. ‘She always felt her contract to our Papa lessened her value somehow.’
Savo said. ‘I am sure she did, still does I imagine.’ He looked at Teelu, who inclined her head slightly, then he sighed as he prepared to reveal a few family truths.
‘Your parent’s union was a trade, back before the houses were joined, the Undinly house and ours were warring.’ For the non-traders, he explained. ‘Which in trader terms means, one house would out bid at every opportunity the other house and then it would turn around. This type of warring is normal and condoned by the guild. What the houses began doing was under cutting prices for trades before they were placed on the market which affected other houses, unbalanced the whole community. Deaths became a regular practice for the houses, to ensure the trade as well as having a house benefit by removing competition. It became so bad the trading guild convened a special gathering.’
Teelu told them. ‘Only twice before has a gathering been called out of time. The guild members demanded a reason for the war. Unfortunately, the houses could not or would not remember what or who had started the argument. It had escalated so much that the original reason had disappeared under so many other crimes.
The guild demanded a resolution which proved fruitless, as none were forthcoming.’
Teelu shrugged as she took a bite of the tasty morsel Brenda passed her. A pleased expression crossed her face as she hummed, then told Brenda. ‘I could trade these.’
Brenda laughed as she moved on, Teelu looked after her and said. ‘I meant that.’
Savo finished his drink, then took up the tale. ‘The guild realizing that both family heads were unwilling to accomplish a resolution made two proposals. The first was to dissolve each house.’
Gasps where heard from the younger members of the family, Rose said. ‘No, it has never been done.’
Teelu said. ‘Yes it has, on three occasions in our history.’
‘Amazing!’ Miko said as she looked at her siblings and cousins.
Teelu frowned. ‘Apparently, you have not read the records, make sure you do, you should know this history. You will be initiated at the next gathering, and the guild will demand you all understand the records. Also, you must have your house name by then.’
‘Yes Unta.’ They all agreed.
Darby said. ‘If you like you can download the records to me, I will ensure they study.’
Teelu raised a dark brown eyebrow as she looked at Darby. She was unsure of this small quiet female, her intuition told her she was dangerous. She hesitantly nodded. ‘I will do so.’
Darby unaware of the older female’s thoughts nodded and just stared at her while her mind churned over other problems. Like her cyber-hackers who needed a new name, and she wondered if they had found out any more about the world of Jenersar for Peyton.
Hawk shifted slightly in front of her, cutting off the staring, he said soothingly. ‘Lady Darby is grateful.’ Teelu nodded again and could not help smiling as she heard Darby say. ‘I said that.’
‘Yes, but he said it without freaking her out.’ Melody told her.
‘Oh, sorry, I was thinking about my data-collectors, which is not a bad name for the cyber-hackers.’
This seemed to break the tension that had been gathering in the room. Smiling, Teelu realized she had been allowing her imagination to run away with her. Clever and dangerous Darby may be, but far too innocent to be a threat to her or her family. She shook her head and asked Melody what cyber-hackers were.
Peyton growled. ‘I want to know what happened.’ She fixed her eyes on Savo and asked. ‘So what happened next?’
Netta mumbled. ‘Such a nosy female.’
Peyton blew her a raspberry, which had Netta scowling and opening her mouth to retaliate in kind. Savo hurriedly started his story again. He too had young and knew when an argument was beginning.
Instantly every eye was on him as he said. ‘Well, it is obvious they did not dissolve the houses as we still have them both.’
Teelu took up the tale. ‘The other option proposed, was to join both houses together. The heads of the houses, after much debate, decided on option two.’ She snorted in disgust. ‘As if there was a choice. Savo and I were already in an arrangement.’
Netta asked her. ‘They could not have broken it?’
Teelu looked at her and smiled without humor. ‘You think Netta that would have been wise of them. My former house was and is the second biggest in the Universe, I would not have liked that at all.’
‘No, I can see that.’ Netta nodded, knowing blood would have been spilled if they had tried.
Peyton asked. ‘Who is the biggest house now?’
Teelu answered. ‘Then it was Undinly, now it is Leesungha.’
Peyton fist pumped the air. ‘Yes, knew it!’
‘Ignore her.’ Esther said as they all looked at the happy Peyton and could not help but smile as well.
Melody asked. ‘So where is Undinly house in rankings now?’
Savo replied. ‘They are ranked fourth, still a worthy house.’
Teelu added. ‘When both Savo and I declined the offer to dissolve our betrothal. It was decided the next in line of both families would join in contract. Which happened to be your Papa and your Darma.’
‘It was never a love match.’ Miko stated.
Teelu shook her head as Peyton placed a comforting hand on Miko’s shoulder.
Savo stated. ‘No sweet one, it was not.’
‘They had the three of us.’ Said
a bewildered Rose. Savo raised his eyebrows. ‘One has nothing to do with the other, lust is lust and love is love, totally different.’
Teelu grinned as she looked at her mate. When she saw the speculative looks of her offspring, she sighed and told them. ‘You should be well aware, we have love, much love.’
Savo grinned as he waggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively. ‘With lust, plenty of lust.’
There were embarrassed groans from his children, which made them all laugh. Teelu told her nieces and nephew. ‘Well, that is the tale of the life of your Papa and Darma.’
Savo told them. ‘You must decide what you wish to do now. We will remain your family, nothing changes that.’
Rose nodded and stood with her sister and brother on either side of her. ‘We are Leesungha, Papa’s next in line.’ She asked Peyton. ‘Are we under the protection of the Star Daughter?’
Peyton shook her head to gasps of surprise. ‘No, if only it was that simple. You are under the protection of the Star Child, which makes this much worse, believe me.’ She told them with a grin. ‘Also, you should remember at the signing of the contract you became Maikonian, you are ours now as well.’
Rose gave her a small smile. ‘Thank you Peyton, I think we should leave and talk.’ The siblings bowed to Peyton and then to everyone else and said. ‘Good-eve.’
Very shortly after that, the gathering broke up so they could all retire for the night. Peyton fell into her bed. She was exhausted and slept until morning without dreams for the first time in wekens.
Two days later they said goodbye to Rose’s family. The day before they left, Reeico and his sister Teenarlo after a long discussion with their parents and cousins decided they would finish their rotation with the family. Which would give them three or four luneras to purchase the equipment they would need. Then they went into tortuous negotiations with Rose, Darby and Teelu, who decided she would negotiate for her son and daughter. The meeting had gone on for three hours, only coming to an end when Peyton stepped in and said they were to give Reeico and Teenarlo anything they wanted. Just get it done.
After that, Teelu drew up the contracts that Peyton and Hawk duly signed. Frand and Reeico’s agreement took thirty minutes a handshake and one bottle of whiskay. Frand would be the only cargo carrier for his cousins.
Savo told Peyton credits from the trades would be released within twenty-four hours. She had smiled when he told her, causing him to wrap her in his powerful arms and hug her, which she adored.
With a laugh in his voice, he growled. ‘Welcome to the Universe, Madam Peyton. It will be amusing to see what you do with the place.’
EIGHTY-ONE:
The following night after the Leesungha family had left, Peyton spoke to Hawk, who was in his cabin, which he now shared with Dinas.
‘Comp, connect to Commander Hawk.’
Connecting…
‘Greetings this eve, Madam Peyton. How may I help you?’
‘Greetings this eve, Commander Hawk. I wish for all the Warriors on Patamoglian to be recalled please.’
‘Madam, Patamoglian is home to the Pattamogytes. The jewel and precious metal dynasties, for the entire Universe.’
Peyton was unmoved as she said. ‘I understand.’
Hawk stared at her for a minute then said. ‘You wish for me to recall all the Warriors?’
‘I do so wish Commander Hawk.’
‘As you will, Madam.’
Peyton asked, and her eyes told him she already knew the answer. ‘Do you need anything to accomplish this?’
‘No Madam, I have codes and ships in place.’
‘Then I will leave it with you.’
‘Madam, may I ask, for how long will they be without Warriors and why?’
‘For the foreseeable future and I am sure you already know why.’
‘Thank you, Madam.’
‘Sleep well, Commander. Comp off.’
Peyton dropped her head in her hands and hoped she was doing the right thing. It felt right, and this was so much better than her first thought, which had been to completely obliterate the planet from the Universe.
Dinas handed Hawk a glass of Jenersar Ale as he sat heavily in his chair. ‘Hawk, my brother, explain what has disturbed you.’
‘Madam Peyton has recalled all the Warriors from Patamoglian.’
‘I heard, I do not understand.’
‘They own and operate the jewel houses for our Universe. No precious metals or jewels are purchased or traded without firstly going through them.’
Dinas said slowly feeling his way. ‘So, recalling the Warriors is not good.’
Hawk drank his ale in one swallow and stood to refill his glass. ‘No, my brother it is not. Someone told her… told her about the Warrior, it has to be that.
How else would she know and be doing this?’
He stared at nothing while his mind churned over all the possibilities and repercussions of this action.
Dinas said. ‘You are not making sense, tell me what Warrior, what about him?’
Hawk jerked back to the here and now, turned and sat placing his elbows on his knees. He leaned forward, his glass dangling from his fingers as he told Dinas. ‘Willian, his name is Willian Devet. I do not think you have met him yet, he is on my squad. We… I sent him to Patamoglian.’ He looked up at Dinas. ‘He is from after the fire.’
Dinas nodded. ‘I have met him fleetingly; he seems to be a quiet, introverted young male.’ Dinas stared at his brother and asked, even though he really did not want to know what caused his brother such heartache.
Hawk my brother, what happened to him?’
‘So young.’ Hawk whispered to himself more than to Dinas, who nodded and drank his own drink, giving Hawk time to settle his thoughts.
‘That would make him Kerol’s brother, Lukkas’s age.’
Hawk took a swallow of his own drink and said. ‘I think younger, as you know we sent out thousands to hide them, so they would be assimilated under older Warriors. Willian was sent to Patamoglian, a world we considered safe. He was there for five yentas before he was singled out.’
Hawk shut his eyes and took in a deep breath as the feelings of anger, disgust and hatred bled though his mind and into the pores of his skin. Dinas placed a comforting, healing hand on his arm. ‘Breathe Hawk, let it out and let the poison leave.’
Hawk took in more breaths and allowed the negative emotions to wash through his system. He had not lied when he told Peyton every part of his body could be used to kill, even his emotions.
Once more in control, he continued his narrative. ‘Willian was presented as a gift to the first daughter of the House of Pentamogytes. Twenty-five yenta is the first yenta Pattamogytes are considered adults. It is a very important party to celebrate the beginning of adulthood. Twenty-three of her close personal friends or at least her parents close personal friends, from level four and five houses attended.’
‘Or those the parents wanted to align with or be aligned with.’ Dinas murmured, having seen the same on other worlds.
Hawk nodded. ‘Probably.’ His voice became slightly husky, the only sign now he was moved. ‘Sometime during the party, Willian was strapped to a pole and then the young females of the houses took turns whipping him.’
Shocked Dinas felt the bile rise in his throat, he pushed it back down and hurriedly asked. ‘How were they able to manage that, did they incapacitate him?’
Hawk nodded. ‘We believe he was drugged.’
‘A drug that can make a Warrior senseless, that is some powerful drug.’
‘Yes, we are looking for it or any trace of it. So far we have found nothing, but we will.’
‘No doubt you will. Nothing stays hidden forever. I am an example of that.’ Dinas said, trying to lift Hawk from the dark place he seemed to have dropped into.
‘Yes, you are, and I am thankful for that. We also have our own weapon, the Star Daughter.’
Dinas agreed, then asked. ‘Yes, we do. I have one quest
ion though, how did they manage to do this without the other Warriors knowing?’
Hawk grimaced as though he tasted something bitter as he explained. ‘Conveniently the Warriors from the house were sent on a shipment run.’
‘I see, very convenient, go on.’
‘From what I have been able to find out. It appears the blood lust, the nation was known for in their brutal past, overtook the daughters of the jewel houses and they lost their minds.’ Hawk swallowed the remainder of his drink, Dinas refilled it for him as he continued. ‘The society of Patamoglian is run on a system of jewel houses. The lower the number as in one or two, the closer to the seat of power the house is and the more say they have in their world.’
Dinas nodded. ‘I see.’
‘The Pentamogyte house belonged to level four, which was five from the royal family. Apparently it was the best party of the yenta. It was so good the house was promoted to level three. Which means now the head of the house has an enormous say in their world and of course they are closer to the royal family.’
‘When was this?’ Dinas asked, feeling anger eating at his stomach.
‘Two yentas, three luneras ago.’ Hawk sipped his ale, swallowing the disgust he felt as he blandly told him.
‘In fact, I have heard another house has a daughter ready to turn twenty-five in six luneras. I have heard whispers she is in the market for a party just as good as the Pentamogyte house’s party, or at least her father is.’
‘No other house until now has tried since that party. I am amazed I assumed there would have been a repeat performance, considering what it did for the Pentamogyte house.’ Dinas asked, amazed no other house had sought to copy the success of the Pentamogyte house.
Hawk looked at him grimly. ‘No, I paid a visit to the Emperor and asked him politely to not allow it to happen again.’
Dinas asked. ‘How did you ask?’
Hawk grinned as only an Elite could. ‘I stole into his palace in the middle of the night and dragged his court magistrate out of his bed. Then I poisoned him in front of the Emperor with my touch. He agreed to my demands, but I have heard he is ill so…’
He left the sentence hanging, maybe he thought Peyton was right. Maybe this was the right thing to do and the right time. Regardless, if it was or not, he would do as she asked.
