Enslaved in Lytias- Chapter Two

           Father was gripping the arms of his chair so tightly his knuckles were turning white. I couldn’t tell if he was more scared or angry with me. I hesitated a moment in the doorway, staring at Father’s flushed face, wondering if I was in trouble.

“I’ve been in town Father, one of-“

“Town?” he asked angrily, lowering his voice to a threatening whisper. I nodded nervously. “I see. Just why were you in town, exactly?”

 “One of Makata’s soldiers took me.”

“Oh? And I suppose he just turned you free to come home?”

“No Father, he and Mr. Myrond started arguing and I got away.”

Father stared at me another moment before his face softened.

“Oh Tasia,” Father sighed, closing his eyes as he tipped his head back. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry, Father,” I answered gently, kicking my boots off and starting toward him. I stroked his hand gently. “I tried to tell the soldier I couldn’t go unless I asked first, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Father suddenly threw his arms out and wrapped me in a tight hug, pulling me onto his lap. He sat for several long moments, unmoving, holding onto me tightly, breathing deeply. I tried not to squirm, even as his arms pressed on the bruises on my abdomen. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I lied. “I’m okay.”

“...a soldier?”

“Yes sir.”

“There haven’t been any soldiers in our township for years.”

“I know, but there was one this afternoon. When I was weeding...he came up on me, and demanded I take him to Mr. Myrond’s house.”

“Why?”

“He had a letter from Makata, and wanted the whole town to hear it.”

“A letter? Did you sneak away before or after he read it?” Father was slowly relaxing.

“After. The soldier couldn’t read, so he made me read it,” I answered, crawling off his lap.  

“Well, I suppose that proves it’s true then. The soldiers are strong, but a little girls smarter.”

I smiled at him at him weakly. We both knew that it was a rare gift to be able to read, our family being the only literate one in the entire Sector, and I often wondered why more people didn’t learn. But, all the same, I was still too startled to care at the moment.

“…What happened after you read the letter? What was it about?”

“Uh, well, I-” I didn’t want to tell him about soldier being rough with me. “People started complaining about the letter. Makata wants all boys that are sixteen or younger to report to his castle.”

“Why?”

“We didn’t really figure that out. The soldier got mad when Myrond asked him.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Mr. Myrond and the soldier started arguing, and that’s when I ran away.”

“Did you come straight home?”

“No sir. I was scared…so I hid in the fort Tylia and I made… Liandior walked me home.”

“Is he still out there?”

“I doubt it. He wanted to get home.”

Father nodded. “Sensible...are you sure you’re okay?”

My ribs were still throbbing, but the pain wasn’t as great as it first was. “Yes sir.”

“Have you eaten yet?” I asked, as I retrieved a small block of cheese from our icebox and a stale loaf of bread from the shelf.

“I haven’t,” Father answered wearily. “I’ve been worried sick.”

I stared at the loaf of my hands for a moment, embarrassed that I’d gone with the soldier so easily.  He didn’t actually hurt me. I was just scared, so I did as he said so he wouldn’t hurt me. I should’ve fought him harder.

“I’ll scream next time, if there is a next time, so you’ll at least know I’m going.” I promised as I broke the loaf in half.

Father chuckled humorlessly.  “Then I’ll just wonder if you’re skewered on the end of a spear, instead of dragged into the woods by a panther.”

I started, my hand faltering as I divided the block of cheese. I glanced at my Father, eyes wide, carefully studying his face. He never spoke to me like that. I’d always insisted that he didn’t need to worry about me, that he could speak his mind, like he did with his friends. But now that he complied, I wished he hadn’t.

Father glanced at me and cleared his throat. “Ah, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

“Quite alright,” I answered automatically, as I pushed Father’s plate across the table to him.

I felt a bit of resentment that he’d spoken so easily, as if neither thought brought him the least bit of fear. As if he didn’t care. I knew he did. I knew I was overreacting. I couldn’t calm myself, even though I knew he’d be as troubled by me being dragged off by a panther as I would be.

I couldn’t suppress a shudder than ran up my spine at the thought. Facing the soldier or the panther was a tough choice. One had claws and fangs that would rip me to shred in seconds. The other had a sword and a dagger that would do the same.

“Forget I said that, Tasia.” Father said after a moment’s silence.

“It’s true, I suppose,” I answered sharply, pouring the milk carelessly into our cups. “Makata’s soldiers are barely to be favored over the Mountain Cat. Only, I don’t reckon I’d be eaten by one of the soldiers.”

I was aware of Father’s eyes following me as I returned the milk jar to the icebox, and then as I walked over to the table he was sitting beside. Father’s eyebrows drew together. “Tasia?”

“Yes Father?” I asked snippily, sitting down.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” I glared at my plate, trying to level my temper out once more. “I’m not skewered on his spear, or in the belly of a panther, at least not at the moment. I’d say that makes me wonderful.”

“I apologized for saying that.”

“And I accepted your apology.”

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing.” I huffed, growing weary of his constant stream of questions.

“No, something did. You don’t usually act this way.”

“Am I not allowed to act differently?”

“Oh lord.” Father lifted his eyes to the heavens. “Is it that time already? Liandior’s just getting through it himself.”

“What do mean?”

“We haven’t said the prayer yet.” Father said sharply, as I lifted the bread on my plate.

“Ah, that’s right.” I set the bread back on the plate and decidedly relaxed my muscles, sighing deeply. I don’t want to annoy God...

“Are you ready?”

I was fairly certain that I’d smothered the heat of my temper and nodded, eyes closed, hands folded.

“Father, please bless this food that You have provided for us. Thank you for giving Tasia a strong body that she’s blessed me with by supplying the energy needed to grow our food. Thank you for making her mind as strong as her body, and please help us both through this...time of transition, in her life. Please protect Kyan, wherever he might be tonight.  In Your Name we pray, amen.”

Blushing furiously I glanced at Father, and then glared at my plate, hardly believing what he’d said. And to God, no less...Discussing matters like that...and God’s a guy too...

“Eat up Tasia, we’ve got long days ahead of us.”

I glanced at Father, and then quickly back at the cheese, my cheeks still burning. There was another moment’s silence. I felt Father’s eyes on me, but didn’t look up to meet them. I didn’t feel like looking at, or speaking to, Father at the moment.

I heard him snort. “Have I actually embarrassed you, Tasi?”

I shot him a venomous look and quickly tore a piece of bread free, cramming it in my mouth in a rather unladylike manner. Father’s eyebrows rose in amusement but he didn’t pursue the matter. Instead, he sat back in his chair, thoughtfully stroking his bare chin, as he chewed a bite of cheese.

I ate quickly; glad when I found my plate bare and my cup empty. I swept the crumbs onto my plate and strode across the kitchen to dumb my crust into the scrap bucket. It was mostly empty, as it always was. The hog was getting little more to eat than we were.

“I’ll go wash the dishes.” I said, as Father finally removed the last of his food from the plate before him.

~~~

By the time I pushed my way through the thick bushes on the riverbank the night was already alive; the frogs were beginning to croak to each other, the owls were beginning to hoot, and the crickets were serenading. I peered up into the dark woods in front of me, looking for the panther that was surely nearby.

I’d always been scared that there was a panther near that watched me when I came outside at night, just waiting for me to let my guard down, so it could drag me off into the forest and sink its fangs into my flesh; and Father’s comparison did little to alleviate my fears.

All the same, I appreciated the moment’s thought that the solitude allowed me. I shrugged off the thought of beasts and forced my thoughts to the task at hand. The icy water that ran off the mountain and through the little creek behind my house thoroughly chilled my hands as I cleaned the dishes. My anger quickly drifted away with the current and soft babblings of the creek.

I slowly allowed my mind to return to the letter, and Kyan. I began to wonder if he knew about the decree yet, if he knew about it earlier when I saw him last. He said that he had bread to deliver, but then I heard him talking to Father about waiting for a moonless night. I wondered what he was really delivering.

A soft rap on the back door of our cottage roused me from my thoughts.  I turned and peered through the bushes, afraid that the soldier came back for me. Heart pounding, breath caught in my chest, I slowly pushed a briar aside, careful not to let it rustle.

I sighed softly, relieved, when I saw that it was only Myrond standing on our doorstep. I was about to stand up, when I noticed Myrond was wringing the handle of a steak knife in his hands, looking around nervously.

I knew he didn’t have any ill intent towards us, but I still thought it a good idea not to startle him; he seemed anxious. I pressed myself out flat against the river bank, peering under the bushes. I whistled softly, a soft twittering that resembled a bird’s, though was different enough Myrond whirled around to investigate.

“Who’s there?” Myrond demanded.

“It’s just me, Tasia,” I replied calmly.

He took a deep breath and lowered his blade, “Where are you, sweetheart?”

I squinted up into his face; he was still anxious, but was in control of himself. I pushed myself up to my feet and squirmed through the last of the brush in front of me.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“I’m fine…Why?”

“Well you have that…that." I gestured at the knife in his hands.

He looked at his blade and then back at me. “Well would you go from town to way out here, alone, at night, when you know Makata’s men are tromping about?”

I hesitated. I wouldn’t go back into town alone, at night, when I knew Makata’s men were about-- knife or no knife. But it seemed to help his nerves, at least a bit, so I agreed. “No sir.”

“Speaking of which, what are you doing out at this time of night?” he asked, as I walked into the warm light that spilled out the back window and onto the step Myrond was standing on.

“Washing the dishes,” I answered evenly. It was, after all, my house that we were standing behind. “And you?”

“I need to talk to your Pap about this,” Myrond said, as he pulled the letter out of his pocket. “Is he home?”

I thought it a strange question, since Father was always home. “Yes sir, he’s in the house…please come in.”

I gently pushed the door open and stepped to the side, gesturing for Myrond to go in before me.

“Father,” I softly called my warning, “We’ve got a visitor.”

Father turned around in his chair; and, seeing Myrond, tried to scoot his chair around to face him.

“Don’t,” Myrond said as he put his hand up to stop Father. “Please don’t strain yourself.”

Father hesitated, his face betraying his thoughts of trying to turn around regardless of Myrond’s protests; I quickly intervened, pulling the table away from Father and gesturing for Myrond to take my seat in front of Father. I retrieved Father’s tobacco box and pipe from the shelf and offered it to him, as Myrond settled down in the chair.

The two sat in silence as Father tamped his pipe. After a long moment he lit the pipe and motioned for me to offer some to Myrond.

“Would you like some?” I asked, as I turned it around and held it out to Myrond.

He shook his head. 

“What can I help you with?” Father asked at last, as I placed the tobacco box back on its shelf.

“I’m sure Tasia told you what happened this afternoon,” Myrond said.

Father nodded once. “Part of it.”

“…I don’t know how the soldier got a hold of her…or really anything before they showed up on my doorstep. I didn’t even know she was involved, to begin with; that’s just what Tylia said. Tasia was gone before I got to the door.”

I lowered myself to my knees beside Father’s chair.

“Yes?” Father asked, encouraging Myrond to continue.

Myrond sighed, “Well the soldier and I got into it; he wanted me to read the letter.”

“Why you?” Father asked.

“He seemed to have the notion in his head that I was in charge around here,” Myrond suddenly stopped and looked down at me. “…I wonder how he ever got that idea.”

Father looked down at me too.“Tasia?”

I took a deep breath, “Well, he snuck up on me when I was weeding, and demanded I take him to a delegate.”

“I’m not the delegate.” Myrond interrupted, “We don’t have one.”

“I know! That’s what I told him; so then he started asking about all sorts of officials, so then I told him that you’re the judge.”

“I’m not a judge!”

“Well, I mean, you kinda are. When people are arguing about something, they always come to ask you who’s right.”

“Of course, I’m their father,” Myrond grumbled.

“Not just Tylia and Liandor, everyone does,” I insisted.

“They do not.”

I sighed. I couldn’t argue with an adult, it would be disrespectful; and the last thing I wanted was to disrespect Myrond.

Father took a puff from his pipe and laughed, breaking the silence that settled in around us. “Well judge or not, will you continue your tale?”

“…Well, he talked nasty…I don’t remember exactly what all was said, but then somebody volunteered her.” Myrond said, as he nodded towards me, “and she was stuck coming back up there to read the letter.”

“She did well, I hope?” Father asked.

“Oh yeah, she did great reading…The soldier-“

I cleared my throat and stood; I wasn’t sure what Myrond was about to say about the soldier, but I figured I probably wouldn’t like it. “Would you like some water, Mr. Myrond?”

He looked at me questioningly. “No, that’s alright.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure, thanks,” Myrond said.

I shook my head ever so slightly, and then looked down at Father, “Would you like some water Father?”

“Don’t be rude Tasia; apologize to Myrond for interrupting him.”

“Yes sir.” I turned to Myrond, “Forgive me for interrupting you, sir.”

He nodded slowly, “Of course.”

“…Good…No I don’t want any water, sit back down here.”

“Yes sir.”

I sat back down.

“I’m sorry…What were you saying?” Father asked.

“I-uh- well…long story short, I got into an argument with the ass- excuse me- I mean...no, I said what I meant. That’s what he is…though I shouldn’t use that sort of language in front of your daughter.”

“It’s alright,” Father assured him. “But he’s gone now?”

“Yeah, he took off back to castle a bit ago…had three boys with him,” Myrond grumbled.

I gasped; shocked that anyone would turn their sons over to that brute.

“Who-um…Tasia, will you go check on the animals please? I think you forgot that,” Father said.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep myself calm. I knew that Father was merely trying to get rid of me so that he and Myrond could talk about something interesting; but I couldn’t argue with him either. He was my father, and, however badly I may hate his orders, I had to obey them. Another temper flare would only make me look childish in front of Myrond.

 “Yes sir.”

He knows best Tasia…

~~~

I walked silently, pausing as a cloud passed over the moon, leaving me without the soft light it provided; a moment later the cloud passed and I continued down the well worn path. I pulled open the squeaky wooden door on the barn, and walked inside; I was greeted by the sweet aroma of hay that always ruled the barn, and a gentle nicker from our old gelding Bo.

“Hey Bo,” I whispered, as I climbed into his stall.

I scratched behind his ear as he brushed his soft muzzle against my cheek. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with his lovable odor. I sighed. “Oh Bo, don’t you just wish you could be an adult, so Father didn’t always send you away when something interesting is happening?”

He snorted; his breath tickling my neck. I squirmed away from him, smiling despite myself. “I guess you wouldn’t."

I tested his water bucket. It was full. I put my hand down on the edge of his trough, which was so full the hay spilled over the sides and pricked my fingers. I patted his stomach which bulged from him gorging himself with grass when he was in the pasture earlier. "My fat little Bo, so easy to please."

I climbed out of his stall and slowly made my way down the dark aisle, being careful not to trip in the shadows that filled the aisle. I slipped through the fence of the goat pen and carefully stepped over a lazy doe that didn’t bother to move for me, careful to avoid Lucifer, the buck.

“I really shouldn’t be angry about it. Father knows better than me, doesn’t he?”

Baa!

I snorted. “Well what does that mean? ‘Baa’ don’t tell me anything.”

Baa!

I snorted again; quickly checking to make sure that they had plenty of hay and water too. Finding that they did, as I knew they would, I climbed out of their pen. “He doesn’t have to accuse me of going through...well...that, though.”

My complaint was left unanswered. I didn’t particularly care. I never found their responses very helpful anyway. Hurrying across the dark yard, I threw the door open to hear Myrond saying, “Yeah, I’ll find--”

Both men looked at me as I walked in and kicked my boots off by the door.

“…How were the animals?” Father asked.

“Fine.”

“Okay, thank you for checking.”

“No problem,” I replied, mustering up a sweet smile.

Myrond stood, “In case we should need it. I’ll be ready.”

Father nodded, “Thank you for coming by, Myrond.”

“Bye Tasia,” Myrond said.

“Bye Mr. Myrond,” I replied, as I opened the door for him.

He walked through the door, disappearing into the darkness mere feet from our doorstep. I shut the door behind him and latched it.

“…Time for bed Tasi-daisy,” Father said.

“Yes sir,” I sighed.

I dearly wanted to ask him what he and Myrond discussed, but I knew it was pointless; he wouldn’t tell me. Especially not after the fit I’d thrown earlier. I hugged Father, helped him into his bed, and then blew out the candles we had burning. A moment later I crawled up into the partial loft Kyan built in the corner; the loft my cot sat on.  I crawled under my blanket and curled into a little ball.

Please Lord, keep Kyan safe.