The Gift
(Extended Version)

by Trystl

 Chapter Five

 1

Tereesan stood up and stepped out of the bath, rubbing a towel over his arms as he walked to the sink and looked at his reflection in the elaborately framed mirror. It still felt weird seeing Damian�s face. He had to look every so often to reassure himself that it hadn�t changed back into his own.

The whole time Braidon was confronting him, he had been sure the Comilaun warrior would sense that something was wrong. Tereesan wasn�t sure he hadn�t! The man was smart, and his weasel-like eyes were unnerving�they never seemed to blink. In his own body, Tereesan�s palms would have been sweating and his neck would have been on fire�but Damian�s body had felt none of those things.

The man had nerves of steel!

Tereesan was thankful for that. It would have been worse if he�d turned red or acted nervous in front of Braidon.

The odd thing was that he had been nervous. His chest didn�t get tight; he didn�t get flutters in his stomach. It was simply that his mind made to much noise�was still making to much noise. His head buzzed like insect wings. His thoughts were a tangled jumble, a dozen individual strands, each trying to surge to the top and making it difficult to focus on any one.

It occurred to Tereesan, as he looked at the strange face in the mirror, that he didn�t fit into Damian�s body very well. The way he responded to stress was just one of the clues. There were others, among them a general sense of ill-ease that he couldn�t seem to shake. It was as if Damian�s body was a suit that was to loose in some places, while in others he could feel it grating against his will: all confining boundaries and hard biting edges.

Damian�s head was not a comforting place to be.

He toweled the dripping water from his hair, and headed towards his bed. He would be glad when he could shed this body, and get back into his own familiar skin. There was a lot to do before then...to much; but the warm bath had helped, and now he was looking forward to the comforting oblivion of sleep.

�Hello, Damian!�

He whirled around, his mind hard and glowing suddenly bright, focused clearly around a spark of anger. It was like a coal, suddenly hot in a gust of wind. The tangled mass of his thoughts fell away with the adrenaline rush, as he took in the young girl who had spoken, and judged that she wasn�t an immediate physical threat.

The part that was Tereesan marveled at Damian�s reaction, but with the self inspection, he felt the new clarity beginning to soften and fade back into the pool of nervous confusion that was his own personal response to stress.

�Shalis?�

She sat at his desk, an amused smile on her face. If that smile had been on Damian it would have been the look of a predator who�d just cornered his prey. On Shalis it was a look of sweetest innocence.

�I�m flattered that you remember me,� she said.

�I remember you.� He clenched his jaws. �What are you doing here? How did you get in?�

She stood and walked towards him without answering. �You want me here, don�t you?� She pressed her hand gently between his legs, and he couldn�t hide his immediate and intense response. She smiled almost shyly, blushing a deep red. �You wanted me last night,� she said, and her eyes told him that she knew how much he wanted her now.

He pulled away from her, confused and appalled. A wave of lust filled him, then turned as suddenly to disgust, like the smell of rotting flesh in his nostrils.

Damian had to know what she was doing to him. He must have felt the same tug from Shalis� sex lure; and now he was using that knowledge against Tereesan. He swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth and let his voice grow hard. �Trespassing is a serious crime, young lady.�

�Trespassing!� Her eyes narrowed with a look of hurt and betrayal. �Would you really claim that I was trespassing? Don�t you remember how you felt last night? You wanted to buy me... I�ve only come to tell you that you can! I�m free!�

�Your a child.�

She shrugged. �I�ve yet to come of age, but I�m free just the same. All you have to do is make an offer Yarvin can�t refuse and you can incorporate me into your holdings. Wouldn�t you rather have me around, where you can keep your eyes...and hands, on me.�

Tereesan�s thoughts were a whirlwind inside Damian�s head; it was impossible to follow one to a conclusion or even tell which ones were his own. They slipped through his grasp like Slick Eels�and he had a desperate feeling that Shalis knew exactly what was happening to him. She would use his weakness against him! She would expose him and ruin Serria�s plans!

�Why,� he managed at last. �Why would I want to do that?�

Her smile hardened; for the first time her eyes lost their innocence, and took on a hint of the predatory malice that hide behind them. �I think you owe me that much?�

�I don�t owe you anything,� Tereesan snarled. The hot fire of Damian�s emotions flared again inside him, bringing his thoughts back to a sharp edge. He smiled, letting the anger build. He couldn�t afford to slip back into his confusion until this confrontation was over.

�We both know what you are!� He said.

�What you�ve taken from me,� Shalis said quietly without anger.

It unnerved Tereesan that she could speak so calmly, when by every right she should be the one enraged. It was almost enough to make him soften to her�but Damian�s body seemed to feel the anger for her; and it was the weapon Tereesan needed desperately. He couldn�t afford to loose it now.

�Then we both know I can�t trust you, don�t we.�

She nodded. �You�d be a fool to trust me.�

A movement of her hands caught his attention and he glanced down. She stoped clenching her fists, but not before Tereesan had seen it. He smiled. So she wasn�t as calm as she seemed. The knowledge gave him a new surge of confidence.

Shalis� face reddened, her eyes hardened slightly as he looked up, but she gave no indication in her voice. �I don�t think your a fool, Tereesan. But I don�t think you want to raise to many questions about yourself either.�

�What�s that supposed to mean?�

�You may have Damian�s body�but I suspect there are certain things you will never have from it. For instance, tell me when my father died!� Her eyes were bright with challenge. Tereesan smiled. She hadn�t realized, yet, that memories were keep as much in the physical brain as in the spiritual mind.

He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, trying to relax as Serria had taught him to do when he needed to pick a piece of information from Damian�s brain. The key was not to try to hard, but just let it happen; to ask the question without searching and then wait for the answer to come. The brain knew where the memory was, and how to bring it to the surface, even if his mind didn�t. What worried Tereesan was how poorly he fit into Damian�s shell. Could he separate the answers from the jumble of his own thoughts?

He forced his mind to quiet.

After a moment, he could feel the answer taking shape. He had a vague notion of Damian standing beside a bed, looking down at his father. The glow of lamp light turned the old man�s face red, and in memory it was as if his skin were on fire. He had looked up at Damian and his lips moved, but no sound came out.

�It was night time...early morning.� The words felt dead in Tereesan�s mouth; he was surprised, at how little emotion he felt towards the dying man. �The fifth day of Janmieur. He died even as he was trying to speak.�

�How?� Shalis breathed.

Tereesan ignored her. �Darniel was the healer attending him, he signed as witness on my liege papers...�

He looked at Shalis, saw her blinking back tears that looked like real emotion. He wondered, almost laughing at the irony: was Damian finally able to feel something over the old man�s death? Or were the tears for herself?

Tereesan felt little from the memory. It was remarkable how clearly names and dates came to his mind, but above that there was also a vague sense of relief. Damian had been glad to finally inherit his father�s estate. Anything more that might have come from Damian was covered by Tereesan�s own relief at knowing what to say.

The anger in him had gone cold, but a bitter satisfaction burned like smoldering coals. Tereesan had no idea where the emotion came from, or what it ment�But suddenly he realized that he was enjoying this girl�s distress far to much. It was just another, in a long list of reasons, why he loathed being Damian.

He was desperate to be rid of this awkward body, filled with its terrible thoughts and ugly emotions, but there was still a great deal of work to be done.

The surging tide of thoughts and emotions was starting to break loose. He wanted to fall into his bed. Surely it would be easier to keep himself under control in the morning, after a good night�s sleep.

�Any more questions?� he asked.

Shalis was wringing the hem of her tunic. She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes, and shook her head.

�Good,� Tereesan said. �I�m going to bed!�

She looked up at him, her eyes going wide, and she sniffled, rubbing her nose. �Your not going to throw me out?� Her voice was full of hope. �You�ve proven your point. I won�t try to cause any trouble, I swear. Who would believe me anyway?�

For a moment, Tereesan found it hard to believe that this girl had Damian�s heart; that she was the same person who�s shell was even now filled with an ambiguous lust, not just for a girl�s body, but more for the power he�d had to hurt her. It would be so easy to gain control of her life now, to watch her suffer as he destroyed her.

It would be just as easy to fall in love with her.

Suddenly he understood. Damian was afraid of falling in love with her! Hardening his heart and being cruel was a defense mechanism he used to keep his feelings from surfacing. Tereesan wondered why Damian would want to deny himself the luxury of love, but he was to tired to think about it for long.

He turned and walked to the bed. After a moment he heard Shalis following him.

�Put out the lamps,� he said rolling onto the bed and sinking body and mind into his pillow.

2

Tereesan woke with Shalis wrapped in his arms; and thoughts of her wrapped in his mind. The length of his flesh tingled everywhere they had touched. The compulsive urge to kiss her lips, or her naked breasts was almost overwhelming.

Instead he tore himself away.

It wasn�t only Tereesan�s sense of love and loyalty to Serria, it was that this lust belonged to Damian. In his own body, Tereesan had only seen Shalis as a sweet and innocent child. Those things were gone now, but the part of Tereesan that wasn�t Damian still saw Shalis as that same child.

He got up, stretching stiff muscles, and went to his closet for something to wear. Keeping his mind blank he let Damian�s body chose. With a night of rest behind him it was easier to control the flow of thoughts, to sort out his own from those that were distinctly Damian�s. He no longer felt as if his thoughts were carrying him helplessly on a current that was beyond his control.

He went down stairs to the kitchen and sat at the table. Moraka looked up from her cooking in surprise. �I�m sorry your breakfast isn�t ready yet, my lord.�

Grinning, he waved away her apology with the realization that she usually woke him up with breakfast in bed.

�Your up early this morning,� she said timidly.�I didn�t sleep very well,� he admitted truthfully. Neither of them knew what else to say. A silence fell between them until she had finished cooking his food and served it to him. She excused herself then and left him to eat alone; returning only when he was done. As she cleared off the table, he wondered how she knew when he was finished. He watched her for awhile, until he noticed that he was making her even more nervous than before; and then he almost apologized. He caught himself just in time, realizing that it would only make things worse. The problem was that he wasn�t acting like Damian, and an apology would definitely be out of character.

The thought amused him, but he stifled the smile that would have come to his lips.

�Moraka,� he said.

She turned to him expectantly.

�I�m going to be leaving town today; I�ll be gone for a week...perhaps more. I know it�s rather sudden but you�ll just have to make do the best you can. I expect you�ll keep on top of things while I�m gone?�

Moraka straightened her back indignantly. �Of course, my lord! This isn�t the first time you�ve gone away.�

Tereesan nodded, but from her expression he knew he had done something wrong. Perhaps it was the suddenness of his departure. That seemed likely.

�There�s also a young woman in my chamber,� he said, noting that this caused Moraka even more surprise than the news of his leaving. �I don�t want to wake her before I go, but you should have a carriage waiting for when she does get up. She will leave sometime this morning!� He paused to add weight to his command. �Until then make her feel at home, and give her anything she needs�but keep your eye on her! I don�t want you to set Braidon on her, in fact I�d just as soon he didn�t know about her. I don�t want him...Well, you know how he can be.�

Moraka nodded.

�Make sure you have the carriage waiting for her. I want her to leave this morning. You understand?�

�Yes, my lord.�

He nodded without further comment, got up and went to find Braidon by letting the unthinking mind find his way. He wasn�t looking forward to this confrontation, but it was necessary. And after a night of sleep and a good meal, he was feeling more up to it than he had been yesterday. Still he would have to be careful. It would be impossible not to raise Braidon�s suspicion: leaving so abruptly as he planned to do. Perhaps it was the man�s warrior training that always put Tereesan on edge. All he knew for sure was that every time they spoke he could feel Braidon�s eyes boring into him, always probing for answers he didn�t want to give.

How many mistakes had he already made? How many could he make before Braidon became more than just curious? And what would the warrior do then?

For a moment Tereesan wished Serria had simply killed Damian, instead of giving him a new body. But that was Damian�s logic, Tereesan was as strongly opposed to killing as Serria.

One thing seemed clear: he had to keep Shalis and Braidon apart. Shalis wanted Tereesan to believe he had broken her spirit, but he didn�t buy that for a moment. Damian was far to stubborn; and clever. Much of that would remain in Shalis; she would keep trying new and different angles until something worked or she was utterly destroyed. And if she got together with Braidon and began claiming to be Damian�with his doubts already planted�the warrior might choose to believe her.

The best strategy was to send Shalis away, and then give an excuse why Damian had to leave for an extended period. That would give Serria time to consider her options. Maybe she could find someone else to play Damian�s role permanently. Tereesan certainly didn�t look forward to wearing his body any more than he absolutely had to; and as poorly as he meshed with it, he wasn�t likely to fool anyone capable of a close inspection. The little display of memory he�d given Shalis, probably wouldn�t hold up under a serious interrogation, let alone the probing of a skilled soul reader.

Tereesan was already on the borderline of heresy. It wouldn�t take much to turn the council�even the might of the emperor�s army�against him, despite his wealth and his newly found position on the town council.

Serria might refuse to express any doubts of her own, but Tereesan knew how precarious her strategy was. If Shalis started making claims, and someone believed her enough to detain him long enough to check up on Tereesan: they would of course find that the healer was no longer around.

Even if he escaped with his life, and more doubtably his estate, Serria�s plans would be utterly ruined. The other Aldermen would be watching much to closely for them to continue maneuvering effectively. But once Tereesan was back in his own body, it would be much less likely that anyone would believe Shalis�s claims. They would wonder where Damian had gone, but unless they searched Tereesan�s estate and found Damian�s body, they would not be likely to connect his disappearance to the healer...

...Tereesan realized that Damian�s body had stopped; and his focus shifted from his thoughts to the door in front of him. It took a moment to remember where he was, or rather where he had wanted to go. Damian�s body memory should have lead him to Braidon�s room, but of course he had no way of knowing for sure.

He paused only a moment before knocking.

�Enter,� came the harsh reply.

When Tereesan entered Braidon looked up from his desk, his eyes narrowed with surprise and concern.

Tereesan realized that again, as he had happened much to often in the last several hours, he had done something out of character: Damian would have sent Moraka to find Braidon instead of coming to find the warrior himself.

He suppressed an illogical urge to smile. That would be wrong too. The tangled web of thoughts surged to the surface of his mind, and he had difficulty holding a logical strand.

�I�m going out of town for awhile,� he said grasping for the first strand he found. It was direct, to the point, and there was a sense of rightness about it.

Braidon�s eyes widened; but it was more surprise than suspicion; and after a short pause, in which Tereesan didn�t add any more, he finally spoke. �Am I to know the nature of your business?� He asked.

�I need to find a skilled earth magician. The logical place to start is in Solali.�

�Yes. That city is well known for its rock workers,� Braidon agreed.

�There�s also an acquisition that looks to be quite profitable...I may be gone for several weeks.�

�Tereesan has asked for a council meeting. A messenger brought the notification last night.�

Tereesan frowned, wondering how to get around that. His mind was spinning out so many half-ideas he couldn�t focus his thoughts. Then he smiled. It was really quite simple. �Tereesan�s river proposal should be the only thing on the agenda,� he said. �Since I�m in favor of it, I�ll simply notify the chairman, and give him proxy to cast my vote, then before I go, I�ll encourage those I can influence to vote for it as well.�

�Keep in mind that the proposal he sent you was only a rough draft, he could have changed it.�

Tereesan wondered how he could solve that little problem.

�Of course,� Braidon said. �You can send your copy to the chairman, with the stipulation that your vote is dependant on the final draft being the same as what was sent to you.

Tereesan smiled, and sighed with relief. �Yes,� he said. �That�s what I�ll do.�

�Will you want me to go with you or...�

�No!� Tereesan said, a bit to hastily. Braidon looked at him in surprise, and he felt obliged to explain. �I want you here to keep an eye on things.�

Braidon nodded. �Then I�ll pick my best man.�

�No,� Tereesan insisted. �I�ll be going alone!� He had to go alone. Otherwise he couldn�t go home to Serria, and he had to go home if he was to be free of this horrible body. But how could he explain going alone? It was all to obviously unlike Damian.

�Secrecy is of the utmost importance to our plan,� Tereesan said at last. He pursed his lips in contemplation, unsure if he should continue. The words sounded incredibly stupid now that he had said them out loud; but he had started with it, and it was all he could think of for the moment. �The fewer people with clues, the less likely one of the other Aldermen will figure out what Tereesan and I are doing with the river.�

�If that�s what you�re worried about, what about Leesha? She was with you while you were discussing your plans with Tereesan.�

Tereesan nodded. It obviously didn�t occur to Braidon that Damian might have invited the carriage driver to escort him as well�but he might learn of it from Leesha.

�I don�t think she was paying much attention to what we said, but I�d feel better if you�d keep her isolated for a while.�

�Of course.�

�I took the driver in with me as well.�

At this Braidon raised a curious eyebrow.

How could Tereesan explain why Damian had done that. He shrugged self mockingly. �She�s young; attractive... It seemed best to keep her with me, where I could keep an eye on her. I�ve taken a few precautions; I don�t think she�ll be a problem.�

�But if she is?�

Tereesan sighed, reluctant to utter the words he knew Damian would. �Keep an eye on her, from a distance. If it looks like she�s trying to cause trouble...then do what you have to. But only as a last resort!�

Tereesan winced at his own words. His hesitancy about Shalis was undoubtedly out of character. Why had he said it? It was foolish�the last thing he wanted was for Braidon to get close to the girl. Yet he did say, �from a distance.�

�And your mind is made up?�

�Yes.�

Braidon shrugged. �Then I won�t tell you how foolish I think this is. And did I mention that sneaking off like this might raise the curiosity of the other Aldermen; and do more damage than good, if they start investigating why.�

Tereesan smiled. �Thank you for not telling me any of that, Braidon. But my mind is made up.�

�Very well,� Braidon said. �When will you be leaving?�

�The sooner the better, I think.�

�You�re making my job very difficult.�

�Yes,� Tereesan agreed, as he turned to leave. �But I suspect that, as usual, you�ll be up to the task.�

3

The sun shining through the skylamp woke Shalis. She raised her head, looking around, at the familiar surroundings of Damian�s room. For an instant she was relieved to think the day before had all been a terrible dream, but then she raised her hand to her bare chest, felt the small unfamiliar mound of sensitive flesh, and knew it hadn�t been a dream at all.

Her side began to ache, and touching her ribs where she had landed on the tree branch the night before, she found them very tender. Sinking back into the soft comfort of Damian�s bed, she gave herself up to a wave of depression. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she let them fall unhindered.

It seemed useless to fight against Tereesan.

Somehow he had taken Damian�s body, and learned how to summon up his memories. How could she fight against that? The letters she had written seemed trivial now. Any good thief could pick the lock on Damian�s desk, giving them access to his seal; and her letters wouldn�t fool anyone who was really familiar with Damian�s handwriting. Even a second rate forger could have done a better job imitating his script.

If she tried to produce them as evidence, and claimed to be Damian, they would take her for a crazy child; or perhaps think that she was simply a little to clever for her own good. Either way her fate would not be an entirely pleasant one, she was sure.

As long as there was a �real� flesh and blood Damian, who didn�t want her around, she would never be able to gain control of his assets in the way she had planned. Yarvin had told her there was an imposter Damian, yet somehow she hadn�t really expected to find one waiting at his home. Even when she had, she had hoped he would be willing to take her in; and she certainly hadn�t expected him to have Damian�s own memories.

Now it seemed obvious!

What other purpose could Tereesan have, but to replace Damian with someone more malleable. It didn�t even have to be Tereesan. It could be anyone! In fact, it had to be someone else since sooner or latter both Tereesan and Damian would have to show up at a council meeting.

Shalis couldn�t bring herself to get out of bed.

She couldn�t go back to Yarvin. What would she say? How would she explain the way she had left? And she didn�t want to go back there anyway...she had sworn she would rather die than live as his slave, and being a free youth under his charge didn�t change the way she felt. Except for a few technical loopholes, it was essentially the same thing: she would still be stuck working coaches for the rest of her life.

But what options did she have? She could take the money from the safe and what possessions she could carry, and run like a thief in the night to any one of the southern cities beyond the Zanadian provinces. It was illegal to sell or own slaves there; and the money she had would be enough to live for a few years. But what would become of her then? What could she do to make a living that would be any better than the stables at Bromin and Kerodyn.

Damian had made it clear he didn�t want her around, and she could hardly blame him. She had no illusions about changing his mind. Oh, it would be worth another try, but the chances of success weren�t very good.

She rolled over so the sun was no longer in her eyes, and glanced at the time piece on Damian�s shiny black dresser. It was an elaborate dome-shaped glass, housing a complex of gears and springs and suspended weights. She remembered being fascinated by the clock as a child...Damian used to sit in one of the huge stuffed chairs in the living room�where the clock was keep in those days�and watch the motion of the gears for what seemed like hours.

This may be the last time I ever lay in my bed and stare at my great, great grandfather�s clock. Tereesan has stolen that from me! And how many other memories? How many other simple pleasures has he taken from me.

Tossing the covers aside she got up, without slipping back into her tunic, and wandered into the bathroom. Not looking, she reached for the pull chord that opened the water line to the holding tank. It wasn�t there! Surprised, she looked up and saw that the chord was still several inches above her hand: being shorter than Damian, the end wasn�t where she had expected.

She felt a familiar sort of controlled rage building within her, and she welcomed it; angerly reaching up to give the cord a sharp tug. It was harder to open than she remembered but in a moment there was the sound of water running down the pipes and she cupped her hands beneath the spout. The water was cold against her hands and face. She pulled the chord again, splashing it on her body as well. When she examined her ribs, she saw that her skin was scraped and torn, but it was already healing over with a light sprinkle of scabs and would likely be gone in a few days.

Then turning, she closed the door to look at herself in the full length mirror mounted on its other side.

Shalis stood naked on the other side of a doorway...

For a moment she felt that odd sense of duality that she had only experienced one other time in a dream: that sense of otherness, as if her body were not the center of her awareness; as if she were only the dream and suddenly she remembered the dreamer.

She reached up and touched herself. The nipples of her small breasts stood erect, glistening and wet. The small bulbous nipple hardening beneath her finger, and it was tender. She closed her eyes, tracing delicately across her ribs and along her sides. They were much more sensitive than Damian�s had ever been. Her own touch tickled; her breathing had become strained and low. She opened her eyes looking at her flat trembling stomach, her long coltish legs, and dainty feet.

�You won�t beat me,� Shalis snarled, twisting her own nipple savagely between her fingers. Her body reacted as if without warning, and she shuttered convulsively at the sensation that rocked her. �You�re a weak, stupid little bitch,� she said, spitting the words out venomously. �But I�ll find a way!�

Her other self glared back at her, but without a tenth of the hate she felt. This child�s face was to sweet to contain that much fury, her voice to weak and high pitched to convey it.

Suddenly Shalis realized that she was rhythmically clenching her hand, and forced herself to stop. That was one of Shalis�s habits, not one of Damian�s; and right now she wasn�t of a mind to let her body dictate her actions.

She would not be ruled by such a weak body! Its chemistry was full of passions and instincts to difficult to control; and the flesh was to sensitive and tender. Yet she still had Damian�s mind, and he had not risen to the top of the counsel without good reason. She could feel certain differences, a sluggishness and a vagueness, as if his mind were poisoned with the residual toxins from Shalis�s body. But in time she would purify those toxins. She would learn and she would master this new body, such as it was.

As if to prove her point, she bite her lip hard enough to draw blood. She cried out with the pain of it; yet when she raised her finger to her lip and saw blood she smiled. She wanted to rake her face with her long fingernails�to hurt Shalis�s body in some way�but at the last she held back.

Her body was one of her weapons now, and she could not afford to damage it.

4

Moraka shifted her weight from one foot to the other and knocked on Damian�s door. For a long moment there was no answer. Then the door opened a crack.

�Yes,� came the sound of a sweet, uncertain voice.

�Good morning miss. Did I wake you?�

The door opened, revealing a ghostly white girl wrapped in a dark blue towel. The contrast of color was startling, and Moraka�s eyes widened in disbelief.

This was the young woman in Damian�s room!

Why she was nothing but a child. Her face and legs were slightly smudged with dirt or bruises, Moraka couldn�t tell which; and one of her knees had a small but nasty scrape that still needed tending.

�Where is Damian now,� the girl asked, letting the door open wider. Her accent marked her as coming from common stock; yet there was something about her voice that was not slavish or vulgar. She carried herself with a certain incongruous confidence, and there was a commanding tone in her voice that made it obvious that she was used to getting her way, whoever she was. The girl�s coloring was Romastion, even if her blood wasn�t pure, so she could be quite a bit older than she looked; but Romastion blood wasn�t a lofty line...and the girl wasn�t even pure blood.

�He�s already gone,� Moraka said. �He left earlier this morning.�

This caught the girl by surprise. �Gone? Where to?�

Moraka hesitated, not sure how much to tell this stranger. �He didn�t say. Only that I should make sure that you have what you need and...�

�He said that?� The girl raised her eyebrows in a very unchildlike expression that seemed a mixture of surprise and pleasure. �Where is he? I must talk to him.�

�I don�t know, he didn�t say.�

�Then I suppose I�ll just have to wait for him here.�

�Now that, I�m afraid won�t be possible.�

�Why not!� The girl said, her face brightening with color, although Moraka couldn�t tell if it was an expression of anger or embarrassment.

�Damian is sure to be gone more than just the day, and he was careful to make sure I had a carriage waiting for you. He said he wanted you to be gone before noon.�

The girl turned, putting her hand to her face.

Moraka wasn�t sure if it was out of surprise or grief. �I�m sorry,� she said. I�m only telling you what he said, you understand; but I have to do as he tells me. I can�t let you stay.�

The girl nodded. �Of course,� she said�her voice hard and steady. �It�s just that I expected...I mean. I can�t believe he�d make me go...� it seemed she had intended to say more but her words trailed off.

�I�m sorry miss. He said you�d want to go.�

She nodded her acceptance, and Moraka turned to leave.

�Moraka?�

She turned back startled by the girl�s sudden volume.

�Did he say I�d want to leave?�

She nodded, not quite sure what to make of the girl�s smiling, hopeful expression.

�Tell me exactly what he said. Everything!�

�Well.� She paused for just a moment, �He said that he�d be leaving town for awhile, and then he said that you were sleeping in his room; and I should give you anything you needed. Then he said to make sure that I had a carriage waiting because you would want to leave this morning sometime. He said then that I was to make sure that you left.�

A smile lite the girl�s face, making her positively beautiful, and Moraka found that it was infectious. She smiled to. �What is it then?� she asked.

The girl laughed. �Do you have the carriage ready yet?�

Moraka nodded. �I�ve sent word. It�ll be ready shortly.�

�Good,� she said. �Because I�ll need to leave shortly, but Damian didn�t mean that I�d be leaving for good! Look here...� She walked directly over to Damian�s desk and picked up a letter, handing it to Moraka.

It looked like Damian�s handwriting as far as she could tell, and his seal was clearly visible on the bottom of the page. She scanned it quickly and gave it back to the girl. The letter said clear enough that Damian would be leaving, and that a girl, with Romastion coloring; named Shalis would be staying in the house until he returned.

�Your name is Shalis?�

The girl smiled. �Do you want to see my papers?�

Moraka nodded. �I believe you, but...�

�Wait a moment then,� she said and went to find a slave�s tunic laying on the floor. Moraka wondered at that, but she didn�t say anything. Shalis pulled out her papers, and while Moraka glanced at them she produced an envelope and held it out for her to take.

It was unsealed, and the letter inside was also imprinted with Damian�s seal. This one was obviously addressed to the guards at the club, being an order to let Shalis into his private office for the purpose of cleaning.

�That�s why he said I would be leaving.�

Moraka shook her head in disbelief. It was incredible that Damian would entrust her with so much.

�You still don�t believe me?�

�Of course I do, Shalis,� Moraka said handing the letter back to her. �It�s not that... It�s just very odd that he didn�t say all this more clearly. He prides himself on being precise, and he tells me most everything.�

Shalis pursed her lips petulantly. �Perhaps he was being cruel?� she said. �He seems to like playing little tricks like this. Or perhaps he was testing me, to see what I would do.�

�Yes, that something he would do,� Moraka admitted. She wanted to believe this girl; she had suffered his little testings and pranks often enough. �Still...it seems odd that he would ask you to clean up his office. He�s very secretive about his private places. He won�t even let me into his study unless he�s there; and his office at the club he keeps even more private.�

�Oh? I didn�t know.�

�Oh yes. But then Damian�s been...acting oddly all day,� Moraka said. �And I think maybe you�ve have a little something to do with that.�

Shalis said nothing, but her face colored bright red.

�You�re good for him, you know. He seems so much...�

�What,� Shalis prompted when Moraka stopped.

�I shouldn�t speak so freely; I overstep myself, but... he seemed more kindly today than I�ve seen him in a very long time.�

Again Shalis reddened.

�I shouldn�t dare speak that way,� Moraka said, suddenly afraid that Shalis might tell.

�Don�t worry,� Shalis said. �I won�t tell Damian a thing.� And there was a reassuring softness in her eyes that set Moraka�s mind at ease.

She smiled. �Listen to me chattering away, while you�re standing here in nothing but a bath towel.�

�I don�t mind,� Shalis said, but Moraka was sure she was simply being polite.

�Well, if you can hold off on your bath for a few minutes, I�ll get the boiler man to warm up some water. That always makes washing a lot more pleasant.�

�Thank you. Oh! And Damian mentioned something about some clothes he had that used to belong to one of his women.�

�By the White Glories! He told you that?�

Shalis nodded uncertainly. �Is it a problem?�

�It�s just that... well, he hasn�t let anyone touch those clothes in years. I packed them away in chests, with cedarwood and herbs so they wouldn�t be ruined. They may have a strong, unpleasant smell, but they should still be good. And Rodjuh only wore the finest clothes. Damian made sure of that.�

�Rodjuh? Was that her name?�

She nodded, surprised at the young girl�s pained expression; and there was something so sad in her voice that Moraka decided to change the subject. �Well,� she said, turning to go. �I�ll go find the boilerman now, before the morning�s gone. But I�ll have a nice breakfast waiting for you in the kitchen when you come down.�

�Thank you, Moraka.�

She stopped at the door, and turned back. �I do have one question, before I go. How did you know my name?�

�What?�

�Before, when I was leaving�and just now�you said my name. It didn�t strike me then, but I�m sure I haven�t told you.� She looked at the girl, more curious than suspicious. �Damian told me,� Shalis said, her face so bright with red that Moraka was almost sorry she�d asked. �He said that Moraka was the name of his headwoman. I guess I just assumed that had to be you.�

Moraka considered her for a moment; wondering how long she and Damian had been seeing each other.

�I�ll bring you a few things to wear,� she said instead of asking more questions. �If your going to his offices to clean you won�t want anything to nice, but I suppose I should send you some supplies. There�s no telling where he keeps them.��Thank you,� Shalis said with a laugh. �I�m sure it will be an utter mess!�

Moraka shrugged. She had never been to Damian�s club office, but she couldn�t imagine Damian letting anything of his be a mess...

5

Shalis was still smiling and feeling extremely pleased with herself, when the knock came at the door, and Moraka reappeared with an arm load of fine clothing and perfumes and a few nice, though not extravagant pieces of jewelry. Shalis went to examine them and was surprised that she recognized most of the things, although it had been many years since Damian had seen them.

�They�re still beautiful,� she said truthfully.

�Yes, they�ve kept well,� Moraka said. �I�ve had the boiler turned on. The water should be ready for you shortly.�

�Thank you,� Shalis said, �Leave me now. I think it will be alright if my bath is a little cold. I�m used to it, and besides I don�t think I can wait any longer for breakfast. I�m famished.��As you say.� Moraka said with a friendly smirk.

Shalis watched her leave; and when the door closed she got up quickly and went towards a still life picture hanging on the wall behind Damian�s desk. Pulling it away from the wall, she set it on the floor. Behind it was a wall safe, similar to the one in the floor by his desk. Quickly she turned the dial. The lock clicked open and she reached inside, bringing out a choker made of the finest imported Verminese Black Velvet, with a large �D� cut out of a huge ruby, which was Damian�s birth stone.

Holding it up, she brushed its softness against her neck; and for a moment she seemed to catch the faintest scent of Rodjuh. With it came a sudden memory of her and a tearing ache of sadness that sliced through her with a sharp and urgent pain. Rodjuh had been full blood Srowidian, with an angelic face: the delicate Srowidian nose, and firm chin; the full lips which she painted red to match her long curly Srowidian hair; and sparkling green eyes that flashed like emeralds in the light of a fire.

For the last many years Damian had been able to keep thoughts of her all but hidden in his mind�but now, with the feel of velvet against Shalis� skin, the past came slashing back with a vengeance.

She had inherited the Srowidian�s damnable emotionalism, she thought darkly, wiping the tears from her eyes. But then being a child it would be expected of her. Very well then, let her seem the simpering little minx. If her body was a weapon, then her vulnerability would be a weapon too; and the kindness of others would be a weakness she would use against them.

Such thoughts were a bleak and cold comfort.

She closed the safe and carefully replaced the picture; then hurried back to the bathroom. Testing the water with her hand, she found that it was not hot yet, but most of the chill was gone; and she decided to go ahead and fill the tub. Then, kneeling on the floor, she swam her hand over the water, pouring in some of the scented bath oil Moraka had brought; and when the tub was full, she eased herself into its cool fragrance and began to scrub.

Several minutes later she jumped out of the bath with wet hair smelling fresh and clean; her skin glowing from a vigorous scouring. She toweled off in front of the mirror and daubed herself with talcum powder and Rodjuh�s fragrance, although not to much...her own scent was one of her most powerful weapons.

She had no desire to weaken it.

She picked a leg-ring out of Rodjuh�s things: it was a spiraling snake, made of a soft but high quality metal that could easily be shaped to fit around her leg. It was one of Damian�s favorite pieces, although Rodjuh complained that she didn�t like to wear it. Most of the clothes were a little big, especially around the hips and bust, but she found a light tan, robe that had fit tight and revealing on Rodjuh, but with a belt would be modestly loose on her. The material was very fine�much to high a quality to scrub floors in, so she settled on wearing Shalis�s old slave tunic beneath it, so that she could remove the robe while she worked.

It was important, however, that she present herself with an image of prosperity, so that she would be taken for a keep woman, if not free; and no one would bother asking her for her papers. So she picked out a finely crafted cross-link bracelet made of gold; and a ring with a small but non-the-less magnificent sapphire. And to top it off Rodjuh�s choker.

Locking it in place she studied herself in the mirror, and was pleased with the striking contrast of the choker above the pale robe and her even paler skin.

The rest of the clothes she stacked neatly on top of the larger of Damian�s three dressers, then she left the room to go downstairs. She was eager for that breakfast Moraka had promised.

 *****

One of Damian�s girls was waiting in the hall for her. She looked up as Shalis came out of the door, and then made a formal curtsy. �My names Zedeenia. Moraka sent me to guide you to the kitchen,� she explained cheerfully. �It�s a big house and easy to get lost in, if you know what I mean.�

�That was thoughtful,� Shalis said coldly.

She recognized the girl. Damian had always thought of her as being rather dull, and shy; and Shalis wouldn�t have thought that she were so close to her womanhood. She probably wasn�t asold as Shalis�s seven years, but her body already had the fuller curves of most women.

When Shalis made no effort at conversation, Zedeenia lead the rest of the way to the kitchen in silence, and left her with a slight bow.

�So there you are,� Moraka said looking up from her stove. She began dishing food onto a plate. �You look much nicer after a good washing.�

�I left Rodjuh�s things on Damian�s dresser,� Shalis said taking a seat at the head of the table. �Most of them don�t fit me very well.�

�Maybe I can have Ludisha take a few of them in for you when you get back later today.� She brought over the plate and set it down on the table in front of Shalis. Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw Rodjuh�s choker on Shalis�s neck, but she didn�t mention it.

Shalis couldn�t help herself. She took a deep whiff over her plate and smiled. Moraka had been generous�serving a rounded wedge of sausage, two bird eggs fried and scrambled with chunks of bread and cheese. While Shalis was still chewing her first mouthful, Moraka set down the glass of gentle, mulled wine. Shalis recognized it as the very wine that Damian liked to sip with his breakfast, but when she took a mouthful she was surprised and disappointed that she did not find it nearly as delightful as she remembered.

Shalis stuffed her mouth again.

When she looked up, Moraka was staring at her with a mixture of disapproval and curiosity; and she suddenly realized how totally lacking her manners had been.

She could feel herself turning red.

�I hardly realized how hungry I was,� she said, forcing herself to sit up straighter, and chew her food more slowly.

Moraka didn�t comment, but Shalis could feel her eyes watching carefully, if not unkindly; and she concentrated more on her eating after that, since manners were obviously not something that came naturally to Shalis.

�Can I intrude on your thoughts,� Moraka said. �Or would you rather I left you to yourself. You seem so... preoccupied.�

�Do I,� Shalis asked, Making no attempt to mask or hide her growing nervousness. �I guess I was just thinking about Damian. Wondering what he�s doing right now.�

Her instincts proved right for Moraka seemed to think she was worried about Damian while he traveled on business. �He�s capable of taking care of himself,� she said. He worked his way into his father�s business by running the trade routes, you know.�

Shalis stabbed at her eggs and stuffed them between a wedge of bread and a wedge of cheese.

�What a funny thing,� Moraka said. �That�s just how Damian eats his eggs.�

But Shalis hardly heard her�she was thinking about Tereesan, and wondering what part he played in giving her this new body. The more she thought about it, the less likely it seemed that he could be capable of such a feat.

Suddenly she became aware of Moraka watching her intently. When their eyes met the older woman smiled before she spoke. �You haven�t been listening to a word I�ve said, have you?�

�I�m sorry,� Shalis said, genuinely embarrassed. �I was thinking about something else.�

�You can�t be that worried about Damian,� Moraka said. �So...do you want to tell me what�s so heavy on your mind?�

Shalis smiled without much conviction. �Thank you, Moraka,� she said. �But I think I need to work this out on my own.�

Yet even as she spoke, her body was urging her to talk; she needed to tell someone something to release the pent up emotions and frustration. Remembering her vow from earlier that morning�how vulnerability would be one of her weapons�she thought Moraka might be a useful ally. It wouldn�t hurt to befriend her; and the best way to do that would be to invoke her motherly instincts.

�What does he want from me, Moraka!� Her voice almost broke, and she was surprised by her own intensity. Moraka, she could tell, was taken a little back as well.

�You mean Damian?�

She meant Tereesan, but she had known Moraka would take it another way. She nodded, willing to listen to Moraka�s soothing voice.

�He�s a difficult man to understand,� Moraka said gravely. She took Shalis�s hand in hers and held it gently.

Shalis let the raw honesty of her emotions show, thinking of her voice as a tactical weapon; yet it was also a purge to sooth her own doubts and fears. �He scares me,� she said. �I wish I knew what he wanted; I wish he hadn�t gone away.�

�To be honest with you child, I�ve been wondering myself, what he sees in you. Oh,� Moraka said when she saw Shalis�s hurt expression. �Not that you aren�t attractive enough. And he�s had plenty of lovers, even a few of the Romastion phylo�but...� She shrugged and breathed a heavy sigh. �He�s never been serious about anyone since Rodjuh.�

Shalis blinked back tears, shuttering at painful memories; but she was seized by a sense of morbid nostalgia and before she could think better of it she heard herself asking: �What was she like?�

She could tell that the emotions on her face, cut to Moraka�s heart, opening the woman�s own emotional wounds. �She was born in the province of Krasaun.�

�You were her friend.�

A dark mood flashed across Moraka�s face, and as quickly faded. �Yes, we became close.�

�Tell me about her,� Shalis said, her heart fluttering as she spoke. �What was she like?�

�She was flawless Srowidian,� Moraka said, a smile touching her lips. �Full blood�pedigreed; with that...gift: the sensitivity and magnetic attraction to men that all Srowidian women have, but only a few as strong as Rodjuh.

�We used to tease each other about our pedigrees: I think we were both jealous of the other. I was still somewhat bitter about my appearance, and she was always saying: �I wish I had been born Briemarian;� and scolding me for leaving the palace when I was only six and twice a six-part old.�

 Although Shalis was aware of Moraka�s background, She let her eyes grow wide. �You were one of the dancers?�

It had the desired effect. �Indeed. I was a royal dancer. Property of the emperor.�

�Your so graceful, I should have known. But then...�

�How did I end up here?�

Shalis nodded, happy enough to move the subject away from Rodjuh, the memories were still painful. �Tell me,� Shalis said. �Tell me the whole story.�

Moraka hesitated only a moment. �I was trained from birth in the dance,� she said. �And my talent showed at a very early age. I became part of the child�s troupe before I turned seven as they count years in Lemar. That would make me just less than three and a half-part old here on Meswitch. By the time I was five I was chosen to be in the troupe that entertained the emperor and his guests, and before I was six I had become one of the emperor�s first and given more than a dozen solo performances to ambassadors and heads of foreign state.�

�You were,� Shalis paused as if figuring the numbers in her head, even though she already knew. �You were about twelve, as Lemar counts time?�

The strength of Shalis�s curiosity was unexpected. She had never heard this story from Moraka�s point of view; and was eager to hear more.

�Yes,� Moraka said. �Unfortunately I entered puberty a short time after that, and it was the end of my dancing career. Before the year was a six-part old�a mere ninety-eight days�they removed me from the emperor�s firsts.

�I still remember the day: they came to my room and told me in private. It was not meant to be a public disgrace�but for me it was. When they said I would be placed with one of the traveling troupes...I thought it was the most devastating moment of my entire life. I wanted to die.

Shalis understood. Briemarians were bred for dancing skills, but they were also bred for beauty; and they were a new breed, not as fully perfected, or as nearly identical as many of the other pedigreed breeds. They still produced offspring that had to be weeded out. As a child Moraka may have been cute, and her tremendous skill keep her worthy of consideration. But when she reached puberty, and didn�t bloom as fully as other dancers, she could no longer be considered for a breeder.

�I keep my pedigreed status,� Moraka said bitterly. �But I was neutered. They didn�t want me to corupt the breed!�

�Moraka, you don�t have to tell me,� Shalis said, but she knew the older woman would not stop now.

�No, it�s alright,� she said. �It doesn�t bother me any more. At the time it was very hard. I was very bitter. Next to dancing, the only thing I longed for was a child; and they took both from me just like that, without warning...Well, not entirely without warning. I had not danced infront of the emperor for nearly a full Lemarian month.�

Moraka sighed. �Are you finished?� She asked, taking Shalis�s plate.

Neither of them had eaten anything for several minutes.

Shalis nodded and Moraka stacked the plate with the other dishes. �Come into the kitchen, if you want, and I�ll tell you more,� Moraka said.

Gathering the glasses and silverware, Shalis followed her into the kitchen, helping where she could to put things away, but feeling more in the way than useful. After a while, Shalis sat at the kitchen table and took to watching Moraka work. And although the woman didn�t speak of it one way or another she seemed to relax and shortly thereafter she took up her story where she had left off.

�Of course,� she said. �I still danced. But it was never the same. I felt my disgrace harder than most: I had been the emperor�s first�very proud of it, and not afraid to boast or show off in front of my friends. Then suddenly I wasn�t even in the emperor�s personal troupe!

�All the other girl�s knew why, and what had been done to me�some even teased me about it. I became rebellious, and resentful. My practice sessions became difficult chores that I dreaded; and before long I was hard pressed to hold my own with the other girls in the secondary troupes. After that, I didn�t stay at the palace every long.

�Perhaps I should have stayed with it. Dancing was a good life, and traveling would have been more interesting than palace life if I would have only opened my eyes and enjoyed what was around me. After a few years I could have become a teacher, or a gaurdian: one of the communal mothers who watch the dance children. They know more of motherhood than the children�s real mothers, anyway. But instead I left the palace with papers that said I was free.�

leaving her work for later, Moraka came and sat in the chair next to Shalis. She took the child�s hand and continued her tale. �It was not long before I was out of what little money I had earned at the palace. I was forced to become a street child, but I was not used to a hard life: sleeping on the streets, and going days without food. Growing up in the palace, I knew nothing of survival outside. Within a half a year I became so desperate that I went back to beg the palace to take me in...but when I came to the gates I couldn�t do it. I would die before I shamed myself by begging to come back!

�And I almost did die. I was starving, begging and doing anything I could just to get by. Occasionally I would get a job working all day just so I could eat a decent meal. And I sleep with more than one man for the warmth of his bed.

�And just when I thought it couldn�t get any worse the cold weather came; and I nearly froze one night when I couldn�t find a place to go. That was when I knew that the only way I could stay alive was to offer myself for indenture; which I did that very day.

�Foolishly I refused to tell them that I could dance, and I knew no other trade of value; moreover, I was sterile so no one would take me for a mate. And my youth, and fraile body were not made for heavy labor. Few wanted me, and those that did were free to drive a hard bargain.

�Masrond, Damian�s father drove a hard bargain as well,� Moraka said. �but I think it was the best I could get. I would not have lasted much longer on the streets, even with the free meal from the auction blocks. So I took his offer and was indentured for ten years. At first I was upset when Masrond set sail for Meswitch, and I was livid when he employed me as a dance girl at his club.�

Tears ran down Shalis�s face but she laughed, and Moraka joined her.

�Of course,� Moraka said. �He knew what I was all along�Briemarian�s only come from the palace, and none leave unless they are sterile�but for his business, that was not a liability, and I think I proved to be more capable than he expected. After a time I came to enjoy dancing again, although I never regained the drive and passion of my youth.

�It was at the club that I meet Rodjuh,� Moraka said. �I was thirteen, by Meswitch, she was six: a little younger than I was when I came to the club, although she had already reached puberty well over a year earlier.�

I don�t want to hear about this anymore, Shalis thought. But her body knew that it was a lie, and she could not hide the sad longing in her eyes.

�She was a better student than most,� Moraka said. �She knew what I was, and who I had been, so she looked up to me with respect, unlike many of the other girls.� She paused smiling at her memories. �She was temperamental, though: sometimes sweet, but given to foolish outbursts. She had the prettiest green eyes I�ve ever seen. Her whole face light up when she looked at you.�

Shalis remembered, and tears formed in her eyes.

�Ah, she was a favorite with the customers, I can tell you,� Moraka said. �And when Damian began to take an interest in her I really wasn�t surprised, even though she was several years older than him.�

�What of her life before you meet?� Shalis said.In all Damian�s life he had never heard Rodjuh talk of her past; and once again morbid curiosity had taken a hold on Shalis, despite the memories it brought.

�We talked very little about that,� Moraka said. �I know she was born on Meswitch, in the province of Krasaun; and I assume, like most Krasauns, her father was poor. When his mate bore him no sons to carry his line, he sold another daughter to the slavers, to ease the burden of the new child.

�Krasauns are mostly Srowidian, like Rodjuh�s family; or Podastion. Both phylo have sons only rarely. I remember her saying she�d been told she had thirteen sisters, but she only remembered five of them, most of them younger than herself. The very young, of course, don�t bring a fair market price. The traders must house them in costly nurseries since they are to little to fend for themselves in the slave pits, and not old enough to perform slave duties that would otherwise be required of them. But why she didn�t remember the oldest sister I don�t know. Maybe her father did not hold to tradition and sold her as well.�

�Maybe her real mother died in childbirth, and the oldest daughter took her place in the family,� Shalis suggested.

�Perhaps,� Moraka said. �That�s common enough. But in any case, Masrond bought Rodjuh at the auction blocks, and I took her under my wing, treating her like the daughter I�d never had�Although sometimes we were more like sisters: very close. I delighted in teaching her to dance. She had quite a flair for the more vulgar dances.

�When I was sixteen years and a half-part, I was ready to become indentured for another ten years if I could only stay at the club, to be with Rodjuh and the other girls that I had grown to love; but...in my heart...I knew. I wasn�t as young any more. I wasn�t old, but I had not aged well. I still danced occasionally, but fewer and fewer patrons requested my services.

�I keep myself busy teaching the new girls to dance, and serving drinks and after the club closed in the evenings I would help with the domestic chores. It may have made a difference, but I was not given a second indenture: I was offered employment. Masrond was getting old, and he required a personal attendant to serve him. I was told that I could still teach the girls, as long as Masrond remained healthy, and did not require constant attention. That was the best I was likely to get, and I still remembered my days on the street after leaving the palace, so I accepted the terms, even though I had saved enough money to live comfortably for a few years.

�As the next few years passed I found that I was not unhappy with my new duties, even when Masrond fell ill and required most of my time, it was not a burden. Rodjuh and I saw less of each other, but we remained close.

�After Masrond died, I was allowed to stay on. Damian took over his father�s business, and moved his office to the club so that he could be near Rodjuh, who he had become rather fond of. He was only twelve but he was very much a man: very proud and worldly like his father.

�Less than a year later, Rodjuh came to live in the house. Damian had grown to love and trust her. And when a few years had passed he gave Rodjuh her freedom, thinking that she loved him and would consent to be his mate. Instead she ran away with a traveling silver merchant named Foxil who hailed from the southern city of Merssal...�

A great sob suddenly wracked Shalis�s body.

Moraka looked at her in surprise, but then she went to her and held her close, only wondering at the intensity of the child�s emotions.

�She never said good-bye.� Shalis said, in a broken voice; to upset to care what she was saying. But of course Moraka misunderstood, taking it for a question.

�Maybe she worried that I would tell Damian rather than let her go,� she said, still holding Shalis tight. �The slave pits had left a terrible scar on her. Even though she never spoke of it, I could tell she hated the idea of belonging to someone else; and even though Damian had freed her, she still felt the memories of his ownership. She wanted to go somewhere where she would not be a freed slave, but simply free.� She sighed. �Damian was not as understanding. I don�t think he ever got over her. Unless perhaps, now that he meet you...�

No, Shalis thought, I never did get over her!

Tears streamed down her face, and she sniffled pitifully as she remembered what Damian had done out of vengeance: the very day Rodjuh left he had hired a band of mercenaries to pose as thieves and raid Foxil�s caravan. He�d heard that they killed the Merchant, but never learned what became of Rodjuh. She would be part of the mercenaries plunder though, and he assumed that eventually she had been sold into slavery again.

�It�s an awful story,� Shalis said her voice full of regret.

�Yes,� Moraka said. Her eyes were dry, but she was looking at Shalis with a new depth of feeling. �Isn�t love a funny thing? Who can say for certain what Damian sees in you!� She shook her head sadly, and Shalis sensed a deep felt remorse in the older woman. �Maybe I understand a little,� she said. �Your so innocent, and sensitive; so vulnerable and naive.�

�You think so,� Shalis said smiling; although as expected, Moraka missed the irony in her voice. The sorrow was lifting from her chest, and with it Shalis�s own tensions and fears were gone. She took a deep breath; caught the fresh clean smell of fragrant soap.

Understanding Rodjuh�s desire for freedom from her new perspective, made it easier for Shalis to bare.

Death is better than being at the mercy of others. Rodjuh had understood that! And because of it Damian had destroyed her. The same thing was likely to happen to Shalis�but if she couldn�t get what she wanted, it would be better to be dead; and, if by some miracle she succeed...

The smile on her face grew wider.

�You have a weird sense of humor, child.

Shalis looked at the older woman and laughed, then hugged her close. She was no longer surprised at the strength of the emotions that sweep through her. �I was just thinking how glad I am to meet you,� she said.

And more than she would have wanted, it was true.

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