
NIGHT AND DARKNESS
Cassie Walder
Year 7893 ATNE(After the Time of Near Extinction)
SETI-WHO Sacred Fields
Council Chambers
"We must move forward with the project," John Lowe, a tall, thin man with mocha colored skin, stated with heat in his voice to the eleven other men gathered in the Council Chambers. "We must begin to implement stage two, now! We should have done it years ago. Our window for doing this is closing. Not acting soon will spell the total extinction of our race."
"No one said we were going to discontinue stage one of the Race Longevity project, at this point, John," Charlie Wu, an older, bald, slightly built, Chinese man, the head of the Council, stated. "This is not true science, more technology than anything else. But, we have to do what we have to do, even if that is a dead-end leading us further towards extinction. Stage one has bought us extra time to find the true solution, that's all."
John sighed, and spoke in a dry tone "We're still chasing after this legendary spell knife that no one on Kaeradearth has seen for over six thousand years, if it really ever did exist. Does this seem like grasping at straws to anyone, except me?"
"The council agrees with Matt Belmont. This is the best lead we have to find a planet with genetically compatible females," Charlie answered with more confidence in his voice than he felt as he brushed his left hand over his bare pate in an unwitting show of frustration. "You know the damage the Alku did to our race when they attacked the women. The damage was slow to fully manifest itself. But it's paid a heavy toll on us. We are once more facing total extinction, as our people have become like the men of Kaerad once more, a race of men without women. Our best hope is to let Matthew do his work."
"The situation is critical! There are scientific answers to the problem. We don't need to chase myth and take our solutions from legends," John answered, his voice angry. "We have science, we don't need superstition."
Planet Heita, one hundred billion light years from Earth
Heitan Year 15 of the Service of Archimandrate Noller Yohanssen
Near the end of the Season of Darkness
In the Temple of Light, in the heart of the city of Rigga, Alia Raveensdautter, newly made Priestess of Light, fed small brown fuel pellets into the sacred blue flame. Alia's long red-auburn hair was knotted on the back of her head and hid under the hood of her coarsely woven habit. Loose hair and flame were not an advisable combination.
Archimandrate Noller Yohanssen, the Servant of the Servants of Light, rose from his prostrate meditation before the sacred flame and crossed over to where she kept firewatch. As he came towards her, he threw back his own hood revealing his face to her.
He was a tall, strong, lithe man in his mid-thirties, nearly ten years her senior. He had the white-blond hair and deep olive complexion common on Heita. His straight hair was, in the manner of the Priesthood, cropped at a distance of three fingers from his head. His face was strong, without the full beard and mustache normally worn by the men of the People. One of his dominant facial traits was the cleft in the middle of his strong square chin. His eyes were deep emerald green within palest icy green, as were the eyes of all Native Heitans. He wore both power and sensuality the way that other men wore their skin.
She should have been single-mindedly watching the flame. Yet, she had been stealing surreptitious glances at him since he had entered the Sanctuary of the Flame shortly after her firewatch had begun. Alia knew none among the Sisters who failed to find him fascinating, who failed to build sexual fantasies around him, herself included.
"Alia, I would have a word with you," he told her quietly.
Until this moment, she had no idea this important man even knew her name.
"The time will soon be here for the Light Bringing," he continued.
She nodded as she fed fuel pellets slowly into the fire. Maintaining the flame was important. The goal was to keep the flame at this precise shade of blue. She didn't have time for idle conversation. For the flame to change to a cooler color would be a disgrace immediately known to all the People. The light from this flame was gathered by the crucible and channeled to the outer walls of the Temple complex. The crystal walls amplified the light and cast it out into the city during these long months of darkness.
Besides, Alia really didn't want to hear what he had to say to her about the Light Bringing. No news in this case would be good news. But all day, people had been looking at her strangely, with speculation in their eyes. She had heard the whispers and felt the curiosity in their minds as she had passed groups during her duties today. She was very much afraid of what that might mean.
"I am speaking to you, Alia," Noller said in a gentle voice. "Kindly acknowledge this fact."
"My lord, I am at firewatch," Alia chided in a low rush of words, torn between her obligation to acknowledge his authority, and her duty to a single-minded tending of the fire. Tending the fire had to be her first concern.
"I have today created you the Servant of the People of Light, Alia," he told her his voice both gentle and indulgent.
Her hands stilled. Startled, she looked away from the fire into the all-too-handsome face of the leader of her world. She knew that her deep brown eyes had to be large and that her freckles would be uncomfortably pronounced upon her porcelain skin.
She forced her attention back to the fire. When all else failed, she could always fall back on duty to give her a way to compose herself. Her head spun with the implications. To be the Servant of the People was a position of great honor and power, a lifetime appointment to be one of the two principal leaders of the People. It was not an honor she could refuse, even though she knew herself completely unworthy of it. For this position to be given to a young woman without a history of service to the People was utterly unheard of. This had to be one of his legendary jokes. She simply wasn't finding it funny.
"My lord, I fail to understand the humor," Alia replied her voice strained.
"It is no jest, Dame," he told her in a gentle voice.
Dame? Oh Light! Alia thought as she looked up at him. She searched his face and found only truthfulness in his expression. He really is serious.
Noller continued with a smile, "Your possessions are being taken from the Sisterhood dormitory to the Servant's private apartments, apartments adjoining my own, even as you stand firewatch. You will be fitted with the robes of your new station in life as soon as you leave here. The tailors are waiting for you in your apartments. An honor guard awaits just outside the sanctuary to escort you wherever you go from now on. In the next few days, you will need to choose your private staff. Dame Berghetta's secretary, Roaman Rolfsdautter, is willing to continue in your service, if you would have her in that role. Yet, you are under no obligation to do so. At dinner tonight, you will take your place at my right hand. Your boxes of documents to read and digest are in your chamber office. There is no help for it, Dame Alia, you have to hit the ground running. You still have a little over eighteen turns before the Light Bringing."
She forced her attention back to the fire, then dropped in more fuel pellets as the flame was just on the edge of cooling.
Allie thought hard and fast, trying to find something to disqualify her from this role. Then it came to her. "My lord, I cannot be the Servant of the People of Light. I am a virgin. No virgin can hear petitions. You know the law."
He smiled and offered in a lowly sensual voice, "After dinner, if you wish, I shall be delighted to initiate you fully into the arts of love."
Alia felt her face grow exceptionally warm. He could have gone all day without making that last offer. She was already overwhelmed with the magnitude of the changes he had announced in her life. To have him as lover as well felt like drowning in good fortune. Any moment now, she knew that she must awaken from this precious dream. Either that or someone was going to jump out at her and declare her actions had been recorded for the amusement of the Temple staff.
Yet, neither of those things happened. Instead, her mind filled with images of the pair of them, touching, kissing, sucking, sharing the pleasures of their bodies, and finally fucking, time and time again in different positions until they fell into exhausted sleep. She felt her breath leave her in anticipation of the pleasure he would show her. The images in her mind made her breasts grow heavy and she felt herself begin to lubricate in anticipation of mating. To take such a man would be a pleasure beyond her expectations, especially for a first lover.
Like all females who studied for the office of Priestess, her intellectual knowledge of sexual acts and reproductive biology was encyclopedic. Her knowledge of the pleasure points of her own body had been learned both intellectually and physically through carefully tutelage from her superiors. Her knowledge of the male anatomy was limited to her classwork. That was about to change. She couldn't ask for a better teacher than the most desired Heitan man. She had no intention of letting this relationship exist as a learning experience, in spite of how he phrased it. Instead, she fully intended that they meet and continue on a much more equal footing.
"Ah, the blush of your clan. It is a charming thing, this blush of innocence your people wear," Noller said, his voice softly sensual. "I shall be sorry to see it go. But, I shall welcome the smile of the well aware upon your beautiful rosy lips. Will you have me as lover, Alia?"
She glanced up at him. "When was the last time any woman ever denied you, my lord?" Then she returned her attention to the fire before she totally disgraced herself.
He chuckled, his voice full of sensual delight. "I was a callow lad the last time I wanted any woman who refused me. Yet that was not an answer to my question. Will you have me as your first lover, Alia? Will you gift me with your innocence? Will you allow me to share your bed and to give you pleasure upon pleasure?" He reached for her chin and gently urged her head upwards until she was looking at him.
His touch was gentle and firm, giving Alia a good hint at the kind of lover he would be. She could hardly wait. But right now, she had a duty. Pleasure would have to be deferred as duty always ran before pleasure. Both of them knew this. However, she had never been so tempted to abandon duty as she was at this moment.
"I am at firewatch," she told him, reluctance in her voice. "Kindly let me do my duty. Your offer is a temptation."
He smiled at her as he released her chin and watched as she returned her attention to the flame. "So, I tempt you. This is good. However, I still do require an answer from you, Alia."
"Yes, my lord. If you wish, I would be grateful for your tutelage in matters sensual," she replied, trying to keep her voice level although her insides felt anything except level. What he was offering her was nothing less than the dreams of many in the Sisterhood, the fantasies of many of the People, and her own secret desires to become reality.
She could see this now in her mind's eye. He'd dismiss his guard. Then he'd come to her, take her into his arms, kiss her sweetly for an instant before the caress changed into one of great passion. They'd disrobe in the sitting room of the Servant's quarters, leaving their clothing scattered along the path towards the bedchamber. He'd expect her to be shy, but she'd surprise him by being aggressive, by meeting his passion with her own. She would make him remember this night, and long for more, even as she knew that one encounter with him would never be enough for her.
Dinner was at least a half turn away. Knowing that she would be taking him as lover shortly after the meal, she wondered if she would be able to eat anything. And yet, she knew that she must eat if she was to have the energy to keep up with him. His sexual energies were legendary. She only hoped that she could meet him as an equal. The last thing she wanted was to be was a "duty" or "pity" mating.
"So polite, Alia," he said in amusement. "Is all you feel in reaction to my proposition a sense of gratitude?"
"You have to know it is not," she said as she looked up at him. "Even now, I feel the excitement of your mind at the prospect of our joining. Your passion both humbles and excites me," she told him, her voice barely over a whisper.
He looked at her for a short moment, puzzlement on his face. "I sometimes forget that your clan has special sensitivities to thought and emotion in others."
"We consciously try not to display those sensitivities," she answered quickly. "They make others uncomfortable."
"One should use all of one's powers," he told her, his voice thoughtful. "Otherwise you do a disservice to life." His voice became low and soft as a lover's caress. "Now, tell me just how excited you are at the prospect of our mating. Lacking your own ability to know others thoughts and feelings, I cannot know yours unless you tell me."
She sighed and debated how honest to be with him. Then she decided there was no other valid choice but to lay everything before him. Alia spoke softly, "Were I free to touch you right now, our clothing would form a puddle of cloth on the floor and my mouth and hands would be upon your bare flesh, bringing pleasure to both of us, as surely you would be caressing my body as well. The fact that we are in the Sanctuary of the Flame without any measure of privacy would be no deterrent to our joining. Even now, it is profoundly difficult to keep my mind on my duty, and my hands away from you."
Noller laughed. "I have been told that you fail to have any hesitancy in speaking your mind. I delight to see that assessment of your instructors be correct."
Alia felt her face grow even more warm. She glanced down at the fire and fed it more fuel. "I do tend to speak my mind," she admitted quietly.
"That's a good thing," he told her, his tone gentle.
She looked up. "Sometimes. Sometimes not. It is who I am. I can be no one else. Do not expect me to change, my lord. I will never be an easy woman with whom to get along. I usually say what I mean, and have no patience for polite lies, intrigues, or subterfuge. This may not be the best disposition for the Servant of the People to manifest."
"Everyone changes, Alia. Sometimes the changes are small, sometimes large. Life changes us, everyone. Like water wearing on a rock, the flow of life carves us, changes our substance."
Alia nodded. "I see that, but life does this to us to nourish others with our resources. We all pour ourselves out in the aid of others through life just as the water dissolves the minerals from the rock and washes them downstream where they nourish plants and other living things."
He smiled. "You will officially be introduced to the People tomorrow morning during the Petitions. The announcement of your creation as Servant was posted at the city gate first thing this morning," he told her. "You have been named. The public notice has been given. Welcome to a new stage in your life, Dame Alia, most favored Servant of the People."
"You certainly weren't taking any chances with my declining the appointment, were you?" she observed quietly as she glanced at the fire and fed it more fuel.
"No," he answered with a smile that did not reach the seriousness of his green eyes. "I take chances only when I can afford to lose."
"My lord, I am at firewatch." Then she added, "I am also most unworthy of this great honor."
Noller chuckled as he walked away. "So you are, Alia. So you are."
She wondered which of her statements he agreed found agreement. There were times that she wished her mental powers were more finely honed.
Servant of the People, Alia thought in something akin to terror. She had never aspired to that role. It was enough just to be a Priestess of the Light. At times, she had wondered if she would ever be found worthy of being a Priestess. There were definite advantages to the position as Servant. Those were advantages that did not come without a great deal of responsibility. It boggled her mind.
Alia's whole life, well, her whole life since she had been a young child, was involved in the Temple. She'd been accepted here as an Oblate of Light at the end of her fifth cycle. Everything she knew was here. But many girls entered as Oblates and never rose to the Office of Priestess. Many in her Oblate, Aspirant, Postulant, and Novice classes had already left the Temple and had been either returned to their families or placed into marriages arranged by the Elders after having been deemed unsuitable by temperament for the life of service to Light.
But, she wasn't sure that she could be a good Servant of the People. The prospect frightened her. It would be a job that would call on every bit of strength she possessed. The fact that she could be named to this office boggled her mind.
An older Priestess came into the fire hall to relieve Alia at the end of her firewatch a few moments later. The gong marking the end of the watch and the beginning of the next rang just as the other woman entered.
"Sister, the sacred fire burns?" the older woman asked the ritual question.
"Yes, Sister, the sacred fire still burns brightly. By Light, I charge you during your watch to keep the fire burning for the good of the People," Alia answered according to the ritual as she handed over the fuel pellets she still had in her hand to the other woman.
"I now have charge of the fire," the older woman said. "Walk in Light."
"Light be with you," Alia said with the required bow.
"And with you," the other woman replied with a smile and a nod.
Alia stepped back from her post, threw back her hood, rolled down her sleeves, then circled the fire seven times, once for each of the major duties of the Priesthood, before she dropped to her knees and recited, "Blessed be Light that makes true life. May Light ever fill our lives and give us the guidance to walk as the People of Light."
Suddenly, Alia felt the crystal walls and floor of the chamber begin to vibrate with an intensity she had never felt before, not even during the devastating landshake five years ago. That shaking had destroyed much of the city and had caused many deaths. Things were just now returning to normal. Surely they couldn't be going through that again.
The older Priestess's eyes met with Alia's. Fear was in that woman's eyes. Alia felt none too calm herself.
A sharp odor, like that of the air after a lightning strike, filled Alia's nose. Then there was a prolonged surge of light so bright that Alia closed her eyes in reaction. Yet, even that protection wasn't enough. She could see the light through her closed eyelids. She raised her arm to cover her eyes.
Alia could hear the thunder of footfalls as people came running from throughout the Temple complex. The light gradually subsided to the point that Alia could comfortably open her eyes.
There, between her and the sacred fire, at a comfortable reach, lay a dagger that she had never before seen. It was silver in color, with an irregular stone the color of cooler red flame set in the thick handle. The blade was long and double-edged. The hilt curved downward on each side of the blade. It would be a most formidable weapon in the hands of one intending to do harm. Yet, doing harm was not the purpose of the weapon.
She had never seen the dagger, but she knew it as all did who studied the ancient writings of her clan as well as the history of the People. The Blade of Destiny!
Alia could hear the chanting of her foremothers, chanting that grew until she could hear nothing else. Child of the Goddess, child of Earth and star, wind and water...
Noller made his way through the crowd as she reached for the dagger.
As though the dagger was charged with static, Alia's fingers and hand tingled as she grasped the hilt. The hilt was warm, not uncomfortably warm, but warm like living flesh. And like living flesh, the hilt pulsed with energy. The warmth permeated her hand and spread throughout her body, like a surge of desire. That feeling settled tingling in her breasts, making them grow heavy, and in her womb. She turned the dagger in her hand so that she was holding it by the blade and looking into the oddly shaped red stone.
Noller came to her side and then knelt down beside her. "Blessed be Light," he said, his voice awed.
Everyone, except Alia, echoed that blessing.
"Blessed be Light that gives us life," Noller continued in the liturgical prayer.
Alia, lost in the wonder of the moment, did not hear them. The chanting of her foremothers still filled her head. Her eyes were fixed upon the changing image within the stone. She watched the stone as the solid red color became a dancing red, like the flickering of a cool cooking flame, then those flames cleared away.
Inside the stone an image appeared. Although it was itself small within the stone, the clarity was astonishing. It was as though the image expanded to life sized within her mind, letting her see all the details.
The image was of two men and herself. The men faced one another and stood one on her right and the other on her left. She was naked, her auburn hair unbound and hanging free, covering her breasts. The men were clothed.
One of the men was Noller. He wore the grand festival robes of his office. The other was a strong looking, large man with hair as unusual in color as her own, only his was shortly cropped and curly. His face was covered in freckles, just as hers was. She had no idea of the man's name. He wore the rough clothing of a field worker. Then, as if he realized he needed more to compete, he looked at his clothing and changed that, by simple force of his will, into a richly detailed Heitan robe as fine as Noller's own festival robes.
Each man held gently and firmly onto one of her hands. In the image she saw herself being pulled, ever so gently, between them. There was both need and tenderness, along with a shade of fear of loss, on the face of each man. She knew whomever she chose, she would hurt one of them and hurt herself as well. Either way, she would lose someone, something, very important to her. So, she didn't want to choose. The jealousy, possessiveness of the curly-haired man was as strong as it was unexpected.
Each man moved towards her. Both of them kissed the side of her face nearest to him. There was equal tenderness, passion, and affection in both men's way of dealing with her. Both men loved her in his own way of expressing that emotion. Either of them, both of them, would have moved land, sea, and sky to keep her with him.
She loved both of them totally, completely, without reservation, with every fiber of her being. Both of them were as essential to her happiness as was continuing to breathe. They were as necessary to her being able to function, as having two legs were to her being able to walk.
Both men needed her. She needed both of them in very different ways, but she had to choose. She didn't know why it was so. She only knew that it was. She could not have both men. It would be one or the other. Yet, if not both, she would have neither. The agony of needing to choose between them, between the lives they represented, was almost more than she could bear.
Then the image and the chanting faded.
Alia kissed the stone in veneration, trying to make sense of the vision it showed her. It was not a happy vision. She would need to think about it for a very long time, she suspected. Still, according to the law of the Temple, this vision needed to be adjudicated before a tribunal. She didn't want to have to relate something this personal. Yet, there was no choice. The Blade had come. It had come to her. The visions, although seemingly personal, were for the good of the People.
"Blessed be Light in which we live and move and have our being," the group echoed the final blessing of the liturgical prayer.
Alia slid the blade between her belt and habit tunic as she rose to her feet.
Noller smoothly rose to stand beside her. "Dame Alia, the People will want an explanation," he told her. "They've most likely come running to Temple Square and are now gathered, waiting and fearful."
Alia nodded. "I wish I had an explanation to give them, my lord. At the moment all I have are questions."
Noller smiled. "We shall have to discuss at length the vision you have had, my lady."
"I need a tribunal convened, my lord Archimandrate. Today. In short order. All visions must either be verified or declared spurious. You know the law as well as I do."
He nodded and looked around. "You are as wise as you are beautiful. The tribunal shall consist of myself, Mehan Quinansdautter, and Verna Liamsdautter."
"I respectfully request that you excuse yourself from sitting on this panel," Alia asked.
Noller looked at her curiously. Then he nodded. "Very well, Carl Leifssen shall be the third member."
"Thank you. The Blade would not have come if this wasn't a time of change," she replied. "It only comes to us when we need special guidance."
"Light has done well in choosing you to serve the People. Shall we go?"
"I am not dressed to go before the People," she told him.
"There is no time to change," he said, with a bare hint of impatience in his voice. "If we do not go now, there may be rioting. The People are frightened. They are at the end of a long season of darkness. It would take very little during this season to push them into violence."
Alia sighed. "I understand." She started to walk along with him. Then she stopped. "I don't know if this will work. The vision showed it to me," she said. "I have to know if this is possible." Then she closed her eyes and visualized her plain habit becoming a gown of emerald green silk shot through with gold threads. Alia visualized her plain cloth belt becoming a cincture of broad gold braid finished with stamped ends displaying the seal of the Servant of the People. The gown was cut on the same pattern as the habit and was suitable as daily wear for the Servant of the People.
The crowd of priests and priestesses surrounding them gasped. Alia opened her eyes and looked at her clothing. Near as she could tell without a looking glass, this was exactly as she had envisioned herself.
"Will this do?" she asked Noller.
He shook his head in amazement. "My lady, you are awe-inspiring."
She smiled, but the expression did not reach her eyes. Her eyes still reflected her shock at actually being able to manipulate matter to this extent. "My lord, let us go to the People to soothe their concerns."
Noller offered to her the comfort and support of his arm as they walked to the Temple doors, out through the courtyard, and to the front gates of the outer walls. Honor guard, his and hers, formed a security contingent around them. Alia wasn't sure that she could get used to having this many people surrounding her at all times.
Alia could hear the commotion of the assembly on the other side of the great gates. The crowd sounded profoundly frightened. She couldn't blame them. The gatekeepers threw open the gates. Trumpeters got the attention of the crowd as the gates were being opened. The leading edge of their honor guard went out first. She assessed that it must be virtually all of the People gathered here in Temple Square. She saw the faces of men, women, and children all crowded close together. Alia could feel, almost smell, the fear. This would have to be handled gently, or the crowd would explode into violence. There was the potential for grave injuries for a number of people to come out of this. Noller was right about that. Everyone was on edge. It wouldn't take much to urge them over that edge. The crowd fell silent in the wake of the trumpeters.
Noller addressed them. "Good People of Light, I know that you are concerned. Do not worry. All is well."
"What about the surge of brightness, that shaking?" someone called out.
Noller continued, "The Blade of Destiny has once more appeared in the Temple. It appeared to Dame Alia in the shaking and the great surge of brightness."
Alia removed the dagger from her belt and held it up by the tip of the blade for all to see the dagger with its double-edged blade, curved guard, heavy hilt, and red hilt stone. She could practically hear jaws dropping all around the square. When she was certain that she had the attention of all, she replaced the dagger into her belt. "Good People of Light," she addressed them for the first time. "Be at ease. Be at peace."
"What does this mean, my lady?" a woman called out.
"The Blade comes to us only rarely. It always comes in times when we need guidance. As time goes by, we will learn more and more about what Light wishes us to learn by sending this to us now. One vision has already been seen," Alia replied. "It will today be submitted to a tribunal for authentication, as the law requires. Until or unless the verification is given, it would be improper to discuss the vision."
"There have always been many visions, many dreams, many revelations, whenever the Blade has manifest itself to us. Some of those are authentic words from Light. Others occur in people sensitive to the energy emitted from the Blade. Some stem from a person's own imagination. A very few, I am certain, come from the Darkness," Noller added.
Alia said, "If you experience a dream or a vision, I beg you to come lay this matter before a good and understanding priestess or priest who will serve as the advocate of your case before a tribunal who will rule on the source of the particular vision. The Priesthood is well-trained in the interpretation of dreams and visions. Only when certified by the Temple tribunal can a vision be said to be an authentic message of Light. Interpretation is one of the seven great functions of the Priesthood. Now, I bid you to go about your lives in peace."
"How long until the festival?" a man called out.
Noller smiled. "We were going to announce that at the next Petitions. Yet, we can tell you now. The Light Bringing will begin in eighteen turns."
The people cheered.
When those cheers died down, Alia added in a serious note, "Those of the Clan coming of age this cycle need to register with the Priesthood and be screened for compatibility. We will not chase down young people and force the issue. However, failing to voluntarily screen and register will likely be the last mistake a young Clan adult will ever make. Clan parents, we humbly beg you to make sure the new adults in your family come to the registrar's office. The lives you spare may be those of your own as yet unborn grandchildren, as well as those of your children. Thank you."
"Any other questions that can't wait until tomorrow's Petition time?" Noller asked.
"Three cheers for Dame Alia!" the cry went up. "Three cheers for the Guardian of the Blade of Destiny!"
\*
Noller spoke in low tones to her as they walked back towards the Temple. "You did extremely well, my lady."
"Thank you, my lord."
"When we are alone, I would like it if you would simply call me Noll. No one has called me by my own name in a very long time. Always being 'my lord', 'my lord Archimandrate', 'reverend father', and all the other grandiose titles gets very old in a very short order."
"Then I must be Alia to you as well," she told him.
"Alia was a name meant to be whispered to a woman in the lower light of a bedchamber in the middle of passion," he told her, his voice low and intentionally smoky.
"We need to talk about my vision."
"Obviously genuine," he stated. "How else would you have known how to change your rough habit into a fine gown? I've read passing references to this in the histories. But, there was never any description of how to do it. This was a lost art. I see little need of a tribunal."
"I would rather not discuss this at all. Still, I must have sanction on it before a tribunal. I am not above the rules, Noll, nor can I afford to appear to be. No vision can remain standing without a ruling one way or the other."
"If they rule that it is spurious?" Noller asked, his voice hesitant.
"Then they do. I will abide by that ruling and treat it as such. But, there has never been a spurious vision given in the hilt jewel; not in all the records of the Blade. I do not believe this one to be the first."
"For the record, neither do I. Why did you ask me to excuse myself?"
"You are a prominent player in the vision. It would not be right for you to judge it."
He stopped walking and looked at her, searching her face for clues to her meaning. "How am I a prominent player in the vision?"
"Let us sit alone and talk for a few moments."
Noller dismissed the guard. The members of their guard merely stepped back some distance and formed an outward facing ring about them. He took a seat with her in the courtyard on a stone bench. "Tell me of this."
Omitting nothing, she told him of this vision in the stone.
Noller was quiet for a few moments, obviously thinking. "I don't understand what this means. Why should there be a choice? Neither of us are free to love exclusively. We are both under priestly vows. There is nothing in Heitan law or custom to require, or even allow, exclusivity in relationships on the part of a member of the priesthood."
"I don't understand everything surrounding this. Yet, I know it to have been shown to me. Another man, a man of my clan, yet not of my clan, will come and he will force me to chose, not only between you and him, but between clan and Temple."
The choice is bigger than that, Alia heard in her head and knew that it was the Blade speaking to her.
Alia continued, trying to ignore the 'voice' and knew that she wouldn't be able to, "This will be a choice forced on me, on all those of the Clan. This man is a symbol of a great choice that is coming for the Clan, I believe. He isn't the source of the change. He's caught up in it, as are all of us. Eliminating him when he appears will not solve the underlying problem."
Noller looked at her and smiled. "I'm not certain I like the way you are able to almost see my thoughts."
Alia sighed. "I can't see your thoughts. I can feel your emotions, to an extent. If you think I'm reading your mind, it could simply be the fact that we have both had the same training. Our ways of thinking have been formed similarly."
"What kind of choice or change do you suppose this man represents?"
"I don't know. A dramatic and painful one. Otherwise, why would the Blade have come? The details of this I do not know. I see no other reasonable interpretation."
"Sit before the tribunal. Tell this to them. Get your ruling, in accord with the requirements of the law, and move on."
"That's the only thing I can do."
"You know, I would never force a choice on you like that. No true loving person ever would require you to betray your vows," Noller said. "You have worked too long and too hard at forming yourself so that you can serve Light and the People for anyone who truly loved you to ask you to throw that away."
"See, already, it begins. You categorize the other as lesser than true love to draw distinctions and to influence my choice," Alia replied wearily. "Whatever that choice will be between. Don't do this, Noll. I beg of you. In telling you the vision, I have given you the ability to influence the outcome. I'm not certain that was totally wise. But, I know I felt compelled to do so. Together, we two are now the authority figures in our culture. There must be open communication between us, for the good of the People, no matter how difficult that honesty may be."
Noller thought about that for a moment. "Indeed, you are correct, Alia. I ask your forgiveness for my interventionism."
"There is nothing to forgive. Any normal person tries to influence all situations to fall favorably for them."
"Will you still allow me to be your lover, Alia?" he asked.
"There's nothing I would wish for more," she told him honestly. "Now, I must lay this matter before the tribunal and get their judgment. Then I have to go to my office and dig into my duties during the time until dinner."
"Shall I dismiss the tailors? You obviously will not need their services," Noller asked, a small smile on his face.
Alia laughed. She couldn't help herself. No, she would need many things in this new life as Servant of the People, but tailors would never be one of them.
\*
While sitting before the two priestess, one priest panel, Alia became convinced that there was someone else in the room. Someone she couldn't see. It made her uneasy. She didn't think a surveillance device was active. Her honor guard would have caught something that egregious. But, that was the only reasonable solution. The completely unreasonable solution was that there was actually an invisible person in the room. Frankly, that was as likely...well, as likely as the Blade of Destiny appearing to her or of her being named Servant of the People of Light.
She said nothing about it. Her sanity was already questionable. She didn't need to be adding fuel to that particular fire.
The panel examined her sketches and asked her questions for close to ninety minutes.
Carl Leifssen looked at the other members of the panel. "I believe we are ready to take a decision. Dame Alia, would you please step outside for a moment so that we may discuss this privately."
Alia paced outside in the hall for three minutes.
She definitely wasn't alone in the hallway. Her honor guard was there.
Verna, one of her former Oblate instructors, came to the door, "Dame Alia, we've reached a decision. Would you please come in?"
Alia entered the room and took her seat.
"We find," Carl stated, "that there is ample reason to accept your vision as genuine. The image of this man you have drawn from your vision will be given to your guard, posted in the dormitories, and passed among the people. Anyone seeing him will be told to report the sighting."
"I really don't think we're going to have problems finding him when he appears. Still, thank you, for this consideration," Alia told them.
"Should you have future visions through the Blade, this tribunal will hear them."
"Thank you," Alia replied again as she rose from her seat and went towards the door. She stopped, looked at the corner of the room. "You might as well show yourself. I've known you've been here all along," she said. "I have felt your mind. Now, have the courtesy to show yourself! Or are you a coward as well as a sneak?"
The members of the tribunal exchanged glances among themselves before a man appeared exactly in the spot Alia had been looking.
Verna screamed. The other two couldn't tear their eyes away from this exchange.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Alia demanded.
The dark-haired man, Fred Versen, smiled broadly, "You are brave as well as beautiful. We are no threat to your people. Be easy."
"You are of my Clan, yet not of my Clan. Who are you? From where do you come? Why are you here?" Alia demanded.
"I am merely a traveler on a quest."
"A quest implies the search for something of immense value," Alia replied. "What do you seek?"
"Life," he said simply.
"What do you mean by saying you seek life? Are you not alive?" Alia demanded. "What do you want here?"
Then he vanished without answering her. But it was more than just returning to invisibility. He simply ceased to be present.
SETI-WHO Sacred Fields
Council Chambers
A few moments later
Excited, Matt Belmont transferred into the conference room. Matt was a large man, tall and strong, with fair skin and curly deep auburn hair that he wore fairly closely clipped to his head. Freckles covered his face and arms, and any other part of his body that ever got exposure to the sun. "Excuse me, Councilors, I thought you ought to know, we have both located and confirmed the finding Athame."
Matt's excitement was contagious.
"Are you certain, Matthew?" Charlie Wu asked carefully.
"The energy signature is unmistakable," Matt replied. "It's been confirmed by two different eyewitnesses who transferred in and remained unseen most of the time. Athame is there."
"You know, even on the odd chance that you're correct and have actually found the ritual knife of our legends, you have no guarantee that we will find a planet with genetically compatible women," John Lowe stated, his voice full of doubt. "Do you have any idea how much of a long shot it is to think that you can find a genetically compatible life form on another planet? If the legends are right, that's already happened once with our race. Do you know what the odds go to for two instances of that sort of thing? They're beyond astronomical. They're beyond belief. We should stop wasting time with this superstition and the hopeless quest that has sprung from it. Damn it, men! We have to start solving our own problems and stop waiting to be bailed out. No mystical power, no god or goddess, is going to save us. We must save ourselves!"
"The Council heard you, John, and voted you down. Your ideas are just too extreme," Charlie said. "What you propose is profoundly radical. Now, let's hear Matt out."
"Chasing after ancient legends and myths isn't extreme? Pinning all our hopes of staving off extinction on this search for this mythic artifact is utter insanity!" John demanded as he rose to his feet and struck the table in emphasis. "You all are taking the time we need to save our race and throwing it down a rat hole!"
Everyone in the room could feel the frustration coming from him.
"The witnesses report the woman to which Athame appeared is descended from Kaeradearth, after the Time of Near Extinction, as she carries both human and Kaerad genetic structure," Matt replied, his voice calm in the face of the heat coming from John. "It is possible, even highly likely, she is a descendant of one of the many groups of refugees who fled before the full scale attack of the Alku."
That was greeted with a stunned silence.
John spoke with derision in his voice, "Well, it would have to be before the full scale attack, now wouldn't it? Transferring was the first thing we noticed the women fail to be able to do after the Alku got serious in their attack on our race. But, we still don't know that these women are genetically compatible. Appearances can be deceptive. And if by some stretch of implausibility this planet is populated by descendants of the refugees, we don't know they would be willing to help. What could possibly be their motivation for doing so? A familial feeling? I think not. We must consider what the costs may be of eliciting their aid."
"Point taken," Matt answered his voice quiet. "We need to go there, and find out how many of our women of breeding age are on the planet and how many would be willing to come to Kaeradearth. We certainly can't simply kidnap them and force them to come. First, it wouldn't be right. Second, even if we did bring them by force we couldn't keep them here. There would be nothing we could do to keep them from transferring back to their own planet."
"Not precisely. They could be drugged and forced to remain. That's not an option most of us would prefer to take," Liam Rogers, another of the council, said his voice quiet. "But it could be done."
"At the risk of war," Matt answered. "That would rather defeat the purpose of staving off extinction, now wouldn't it?"
Charlie sighed. "Okay, this is what we are going to do. Matt, assemble your team. Genetically screen the women with whom you come into contact on this planet. Offer any who are compatible with any of the few remaining fertile men anything they want, within reason, to come with you. Kaeradearth needs healthy babies for our race to survive. For that to happen, we need women. Lots of women. We all know that soon we will be coming hard against the problem of replicative fading. There're only so many generations that can be duplicated before no further cloning becomes advisable."
"Which is why," John began, "I still strongly recommend that we proceed with stage two of the plan, now, before it's too late for all of us. Less than half of our numbers are still capable of breeding. Less than a quarter of those carry no genetic degradation that could impact offspring. Are we to stake the existence of the entire race on only ten thousand men?"
"In some mythos, the entire human race came about from one couple," Matt offered.
John glared at him. Disdain dripped from every word. "Damnit, man! Reliance on myth and legend is about what I'd expect from you. Then again, there's a reason men like you go into history as a profession. They can't handle the intellectual rigors of science."
"It's not a matter of intellect," Matt answered, keeping his anger in check. "It's a matter of imagination, of being able to comprehend that we are more than long strings of atoms and biological components. There is something very special about the mind of man. Once, long ago, our race held that we had been created in the likeness of God in that we could create. That might not be a bad way of putting it."
John looked at Matt with utter disdain. Then his tone became even more impassioned, "Our answers don't lie anywhere but within ourselves and science. They definitely don't rest within history, myth, or legends."
"Determination is a good thing, John, until it borders on fanaticism. You are quickly approaching that point. Your plan was found to be just too risky. Now, leave it alone. Matt's team has succeeded in finding Athame. Something, I believe you have repeatedly told this Council was an impossibility. We will allow them the time to see if this can be our solution," Charlie warned. Then he turned to Matt. "How soon can you leave, Matt?"
"My team will leave in the morning. I thought it would be best to go when we are well rested and well fed."
Charlie looked at him thoughtfully. "This is wise. May you find our solution on this planet to which you go."
John huffed and vanished, transferring out of the room.
"He's not happy," Matt observed.
"You think?" Charlie said, his voice dry as the desert outside. "Do quickly what you must do, Matthew. I'm not at all sure I can keep the lid on this much longer. John isn't the only one who holds the opinion that the Council is throwing away the viability of our race. We have a good many angry men around. I don't want to have to deal with riots and civil disorder on top of everything else. There aren't that many of us remaining. We can't afford to war among ourselves."
"Understood. You know if we can't find compatible women, we will have to take John's desperate measures," Matt replied.
Charlie sighed. "I'm all too aware of that. It's not a prospect I look forward to. Go, and bring back good news."
\*
John Lowe simply fumed. "Idiots. Superstitious, short-sighted, idiots!" he raged as he paced in his laboratory. " Athame! Hanging the whole race on the hope of a mysterious witch blade and upon the good will of the descendants of war refugees. If they are indeed among the descendants of refugees. Insane! Utterly and completely insane."
Then he began to work. They might be all willing to suffer the extinction of the race. He wasn't. Even though the Council was unwilling to proceed, that mistake of theirs would not doom humanity to extinction. Not if he had anything to do about it. Stage two would be much easier if he had the backing of the Council. But even without official sanction, he could get much of the necessary work done in preparation for the eventual failure of the idealists and superstitious fools. There was no doubt in John's mind that these efforts of theirs would be failures and that his work would be desperately needed.
\*
"What's the world like where Athame appeared?" Matt asked his assembled team.
Fred Versen, the man who had been challenged by Alia, "It seems to be like Alaska on steroids."
"Cold and snow?" Pete Morris asked carefully.
"No, seasons of complete darkness and unrelenting light," Fred answered. "I probed several minds. The season of darkness is coming to an end. We might just do better, if we would wait until after the festival that is coming. It tends to be a time of disorder."
"Disorder, how?" Matt asked.
"A lot of fucking in the streets. Ritual deflowering of a virgin priestess to appease the agents of darkness and bribe them to leave," Fred continued.
The men chuckled.
"And this is something we should stay away from?" Matt asked in disbelief. "Sounds a lot like our old Eostre, a celebration of spring and new life, a time of fertility rites."
Bill Douglass, the other man who had gone to Heita, spoke, "There is some similarity. A great ritual bonfire, celebration of new life and growth. But I keep getting images of blood. I don't know whose and in what connection. This wasn't clear to me from the minds I touched."
"Besides, there will be no time for screening," Fred told him. "The images I received when looking into minds was of pandemonium, with people choosing sex partners at seeming random, sometimes group sex, all of which is very public."
"What do the men descended from Kaeradearth do?" Matt demanded. "Surely, they do participate in this festival."
Bill Douglass said, "The Clan, that's as close I can come to their name for the descendants of Kaeradearth, are screened for categories of compatibility as they come of age and given a screening pendant, similar to the ones that are being made for us now, to help them screen potential partners. Their priesthood serves as facilitators for the making of breeding alliances."
Matt nodded, "Are the Clan not fertile with the native Heitans?"
"It doesn't appear that way," Bill replied. "The people I've seen are definitely of one of two ethnic groups, either ours or the Heitan."
"Is there that much difference?" Pete asked.
"The Heitans have white hair, dark olive skin, and emerald green within pale green eyes. Otherwise, there isn't much surface difference. I haven't been able to examine the comparative anatomies. Their culture is fairly modest, at least most of the time in public, with clothing covering them from neck, sometimes from head, to toe. There is little bare skin to be seen," Fred said. "But the minds I've scanned say that Clan women can and do fuck pretty well anyone they want outside of the Clan. And the men of the Clan can have sex with the Heitan females without any difficulty arising, for some reason, probably because of the lack of fertility between the races. Of course, within their own group, there are the standard compatibility issues."
Bill nodded. "We will stand out, Matt, but not uncomfortably. The descendants of Kaeradearth are an ethnic minority, but an accepted one. I sensed no hostility between ethnic groups, either native Heitans or the Clan."
Pete Morris asked, "Any idea how many of our women there are on the planet?"
Fred spoke, "I touched the mind of one native Heitan woman who is responsible for registering vital statistics. The number in her head was fifty thousand. I don't know how accurate that is."
"It's been hundreds of generations since they left here," Pete Morris said thoughtfully. "If they are the descendents of one of the groups we believe them to be descended from, there would have been ten couples to begin with. That means they haven't been terribly fertile on this planet."
"Fertile enough that they haven't died out," Fred answered. "Maybe they have some record of where the other groups went."
"After almost four hundred generations? I doubt it," Pete replied, his voice dry.
Matt spoke, "50,000 women is a large group. We could count our venture incredibly successful if we could bring back one-fifth of the female population. 10,000 healthy, fertile, women matched genetically to our fertile population would be a solid start towards repopulating Kaeradearth."
"The best of all possible starts would be all 50,000 cross matched and compatible with each fertile man having five women bearing his children," Bill said.
"That's too much to hope for. Even 5,000 would be a start," Fred replied. "We could make a real difference with 5,000 fertile women. Or, even if the women did not wish to relocate, if we could even make an arrangement to have children with these women and transport the children to Kaeradearth in order to continue life on this planet, we'd be successful."
"That's a terrible responsibility to place on the heads of children," Pete replied, thoughtfully.
"It's the responsibility every generation bears, to carry the future of their race," Matt told them. "Get some sleep, guys. We go in the morning."
"Matt, you might want to rethink coming. They're on the look-out for you. You featured prominently in the vision of the woman who received Athame," Fred warned quietly.
"So they know I'm coming. That should make it that much easier to see the powers that be on Heita, shouldn't it?" Matt asked with a smile.
"Except that they aren't happy at all about the vision she had," Fred warned. "There has already been talk of eliminating you, in hopes of ending the threat."
Matt shrugged. "They might find that a difficult thing to do."
Dinnertime following the appearance of the Blade
Alia was tired. It had been quite a day. The amount of work that faced her as Servant of the People took her breath away. She had already spent quite a lot of time working with Roaman, her secretary, going through the boxes of documents, lining up speeches that she had to give in the next six turns, and generally trying to bring her up to speed. It had been nearly sixty turns since Dame Berghetta had joined Light. There was a good deal of work that had to be caught up, in addition to new work that had to be dealt with.
Conversations died off as she entered the communal dining room on the Temple grounds. Everyone stood as she walked through the room.
Noller bowed to her. She returned the bow. He showed her to her chair at his right.
Alia felt everyone in the room was looking at her. Only when she was seated was everyone else free to sit.
"You look as though you were born to those formal robes of the Servant," Noller told her.
Alia smiled at him. "Do I? I feel as though I'm a small child dressed up in her mother's clothes."
Noller smiled in return. "You don't look anything like a small child. You look every bit a grown and desirable woman."
Alia laughed.
"You are so beautiful."
She shook her head slightly. "No. I'm not, but you make me feel that way."
"In many ways, how a woman feels dictates her reality."
Alia smiled.
"You are wearing the Blade," he said.
"I don't run from things that scare me."
"And this frightens you. Why?"
Alia looked down at the knife on her belt. Then, with obvious hesitancy, she grasped it, removed it from her belt, and handed it to him, hilt first.
"It's warm and it vibrates." Noller took hold of the hilt and took the dagger from her. "It seems to hum in my head."
"When I handle this, it's as if the Blade is alive."
"How so?"
"It's warm. It pulses. And it speaks to me."
"Literally?"
"I'm afraid so."
Noller cocked his head to one side as he laid the blade upon the table. "What does it say?"
"It says this, 'Daughter of the Goddess, Child of Earth and Star, of Sun and Moon. Wind and Water', and so forth in the same vein." She shook her head, "It's simply an ancient invocation from the planet on which my clan was born."
"It's addressing you as a demigoddess," Noller observed, shock in his voice.
"No. Under one of the many pre-Heitan belief systems of the Clan, the goddess was the source of all life. For someone to be called, 'Daughter of the Goddess' was nothing more than to say the person was both female and alive."
Noller nodded. "I see. Who is this 'Earth' you are child of?"
"Not a who, a what. The planet of our origin. Or rather what the planet was called before the Time of Near Extinction and the coming of our fathers, the men of Kaerad. After the blending of our cultures, the planet came to be known as Kaeradearth."
"You know more of the history of your clan than I do."
"It's my history. I'm sure that you know the history of your ancestors just as thoroughly as I know mine."
Noller nodded as a small tureen of soup and a small loaf of dark, crusty bread were put before them.
He stood and lifted up his hands in invocation. The room fell silent. "Blessed be Light who enables the land to bring forth fruit."
Alia smiled at him. "You know, I could sit for hours and just listen to the sound of your voice. There is music in your tones."
Noller smiled in reply as he ladled the steaming, smoothly pureed soup of root vegetables into both their bowls.
Alia sliced the bread. She gave him a slice while taking a piece for herself.
"I'm quite happy that you think so." Noller placed her soup before her, then sat down.
"Why was I selected to be the Servant of the People?"
He looked at her. "Light chose you, as Light chooses all of its Servants."
"Spare me the pious pap," Alia replied, her voice pitched so that it went no further than his ears. "I would very much like a straight answer. I know I wasn't on anyone's preferred list."
"Eat your soup. We can talk as you eat. Or we can save this conversation for a time in which we can speak privately."
Alia looked at him for a long moment without saying anything. Then she picked up her spoon. The soup was good. Or she was hungry. Or both. She wasn't quite sure.
"Would privacy be advisable?" she asked him, lowly, between bites of her soup.
"Privacy is always advisable."
Alia took the hint. She didn't like the fact that he didn't want to publicly discuss the reasons she was placed into this position. Her mind began working overtime coming up with reasons she could have been selected to fill this post.
Was she selected because she was young and impressionable? If so, he had badly miscalculated. Young, she was. Malleable, she wasn't.
Was she selected out of some political scheme? Was she some kind of pawn in a political power play? She didn't think so. Alia knew herself to be the least political of all the people she knew. She had no patience for game playing.
Was she selected because Noller had an overwhelming passion for her? She couldn't imagine that being the case. There were far more beautiful women among the sisterhood, women more likely to arouse his passions. Fuel pellets for the sacred flame were the only thing to which an all-too-pale virgin was likely to set fire. Besides, after the festival, all the Archimandrate would have had to do to have her in his bed would have been to ask. From his own lips today, she had heard the admission the last time any woman had refused him had been in his less practiced youth. There was no reason for him to have given her this responsibility in order to have her in his bed. That would have been potentially suicidal anyway to give over this position of authority because of a temporary passion. Passion, for members of the Priesthood, was a temporary thing, by definition. Appointing her to this post would be a permanent solution to a temporary urge. Noll was far more canny than that.
So, why? She was at a total loss. In many ways she knew the whys and wherefores didn't really matter. The fact was she was now the Servant of the People. Once her new position was announced by the Servant of the Servants, only her death could end her tenure in this post. Alia ate the rest of her soup in silence without really tasting it, preoccupied with her speculations.
"You seem deep in thought, my lady."
"It is a day for deep thoughts, my lord."
He nodded as the tureen and their bowls were cleared away. A small rectangular casserole dish bubbling with hot cooked grains, vegetables, and legumes in a thick and spicy sauce was placed before them. Alia served Noller and herself this course of the meal as he sliced two more pieces from the small loaf of dark bread.
"Melody Jarlsdautter and her staff have produced another excellent dinner," Noller stated after he took a bite of the casserole.
"I've always been quite happy to let those who have talents in cooking serve the community in this way. I suspect that Mother Melody was never so happy as she was to dismiss me from kitchen duties." Alia swallowed a bite of the casserole and took a sip of her ale to cut the spiciness of the dish.
Noller laughed. "I always thought her happiest moment was when she dismissed me from those duties. I am hopeless in the kitchen. I had specialized as a healer before Dame Berghetta tapped me on the shoulder one day and told me that I was to be named Servant of the Servants to replace Archimandrate Edwin."
"Do you miss serving in the hospital?"
"I cover sickwatches when the hospital is shorthanded. Being able to serve this way is one of the larger joys of my life."
Alia nodded. "Practicing law always has given me joy."
"In a way, you will continue to serve in the law. One of the roles of the Servant of the People is to adjudicate the petitions and grievances of the People. That requires a keen knowledge of the law and a keen sense of justice. Both of which you have in abundance."
"Frankly, this scares me."
"I understand that. You are wise to be cautious in approaching this. It is the hardest part of being a Servant, I've found. You have to hear petitions, then solve people's problems for them. You will mostly deal with the People. I mostly deal with the Temple, with keeping civil order, and maintaining the security of the city and of our outposts. I will make myself available to help you during the first few times you hear Petitions."
"Thank you. I do appreciate that."
"Dame Berghetta did the same for me when I was newly named. It is a good thing for each of us to cross train in the other's duties, as we each may have to name replacements for the other and help train those replacements," Noller told her.
The thought of losing him was more than she could bear. And yet, she knew he wasn't hers, could never be hers, to lose. She closed her eyes for a moment because she didn't want to show him how much that prospect hurt.
"It's a fact of life, my lady," he told her, his voice gentle. "Sooner or later, you will likely have to name my replacement. I am older than you. Eventually, I will go to join Light."
She sighed. "I know. May that be a long time coming, my lord."
"Indeed, I am in no hurry to leave my flesh," he agreed. Then he changed the subject back to that of the Petitions, "Largely, the cases you will hear are small and matters of equity. Now and again, there are matters of law and criminal procedures. No society is without the violent and the lawless. In those cases, the petitioners will need advocates appointed for them who will argue the cogent points of law in presenting their cases. The Petition Hall staff will look up the law and bring you the books to verify the arguments."
"I know how the system works."
"Of course you do. You aren't eating. Is the casserole not to your taste?"
"There is nothing wrong with the food. It has been an incredibly eventful day. I'm simply not very hungry."
He nodded. "I couldn't get through dinner the night I was named either. Dame Berghetta told me it was normal. She said she hadn't been able to eat dinner the day she was named either. Then she had my favorite dessert brought out to tempt my appetite, just as she said Archimandrate Edwin had done for her, just as I'm doing for you."
"You didn't need to do that."
"Would you have me break tradition?" he teased.
Alia laughed. "Not at all. What are we but guardians of tradition?"
"Guardians of tradition, maintainers of the peace, and protectors of the future."
"Does anyone ever feel worthy of filling this role?"
"No one who is sane feels worthy of the job. You know the history. The few Servants who have felt worthy of the office were usually assassinated within a truly short time of being named. Even though we know we fall short of the goal, we do this because we are called under Obedience to serve. We have to trust Light, and move on. We have vowed to serve Light and the People in whatever ways Light would call us to serve. Now eat some more of that excellent casserole so that Melody will not be insulted."
"Insulting Mother is not a good thing."
"No. One tends not to eat very well if one makes a habit of insulting her."
Alia forced herself to do justice to the casserole.
When the dishes were cleared, Mother Melody herself brought out one of several carts containing small fruit-filled cakes and demitasse cups of a steaming hot beverage. Melody Jarlsdautter, a native Heitan, abandoned her cart, took a cup, and walked into the middle of the dining hall. She rang a bell to get everyone's attention.
"Brothers, Sisters, thank Dame Alia for this uncommon sweet treat. These cakes are her all-time favorite sweet. On this day of her naming, we deserve a small celebration. So we have this cake to eat and kallah to drink with it," Melody said.
There was a wave of surprise go through the Temple dining hall. Kallah was a hot sweet dairy drink, served only rarely and then only in very small cups, as it was incredibly costly to prepare. There hadn't been fresh milk in the hall since the Darkness began. There normally wasn't fresh milk for drinking until well after the Light Bringing.
Melody explained, as the kitchen staff passed out the cakes and cups of the drink, "Five of the dairy bova have given birth early in the turn of her naming, to bring nine new healthy female calves and a fine new bullock to our dairy. The cows have had an unusual abundance of milk for the day of birth. 'Tis a good omen for the year. In the kitchen gardens, the first of the new season's greens have broken through the soil this turn. We will be eating fresh tender stalks by the Light Bringing. Even the poultry seem to know the time is special as they have, this turn, resumed laying eggs. We will have new chicks hatched by the beginning of the festival. These are very good omens signifying the approval of Light for Dame Alia's appointment as Servant. But then Light itself confirmed and blessed her naming with the appearance of the Blade."
She paused, letting people absorb the impact of her words. "My lady, when you came to the Temple as a five cycle old orphaned child, I wouldn't have placed a bet that you would have lasted a full cycle in the Oblate program. You were such a small girl, with that flame hair and those odd brown eyes. A strong wind could have blown you away. There was bone deep terror and sadness in your eyes whenever you thought no one was looking."
Melody continued, "Over the last twenty cycles, I have seen you put your heart into whatever you were asked to do, even things that you had little interest in, like kitchen duty. I can still see you sitting with a pile of roots I'd ordered you to peel, working hard, never complaining, always with a kind word and a smile, although that was enough work for a grown man let alone a small child. You have never shirked, never complained, have always risen to duty performing tasks in a true spirit of obedience. You are one of only two members of the Priesthood class I've ever been able to dismiss from kitchen duty on an accelerated basis while Oblates. Obedience is deeply engrained in your soul. You didn't need the practical lessons in obedience that come to many through Kitchen Duty."
Melody raised her cup. "Light had a purpose for you and sustained you, allowing you to grow in wisdom and in favor. Knowing you, as I came to do, I am not at all surprised that you have been named as Servant. There is no woman in the Priesthood who could possibly do a better, more dedicated, job of serving the needs of the People. Everyone, I give you the health of our lord and lady, the Servants. Were our rule of life ever to be lost to us, it could be rewritten simply by examining their way of living. Long may they serve Light and lead us!"
The people in the hall rose to their feet, raised their cups, said "To the Servants", then sipped the sweet hot beverage in agreement.
Alia blinked back tears.
Noller rose to his feet. "Dame Alia would like to thank you for your kind words. She is overcome with emotion at the moment, touched by your love and good wishes. Please, everyone, enjoy the cakes and the kallah."
Alia savored the sweet fruity cake and the comforting hot creaminess of the kallah.
When everyone had finished, Alia stood, as was her duty, to dismiss everyone. "Let us go forth in peace. Walk in Light, my Brothers and Sisters. Enjoy recreation, and rest well that you may serve the People of Light on the next turn."
Then escorted by their honor guards, Alia and Noller walked to the apartments of the Servants.
"Might I have a private word with you, my lord," Alia asked as they reached her door.
Noller nodded. "Yes."
A detachment from both their honor guard went into her chambers and looked around to verify it was safe for them to enter. Then they went through the connecting doors to search his apartments. Finding both safe, the guards allowed Alia and Noller to enter.
Alia dismissed her guard, as did Noller. He went to the drinks table in the corner of the room and poured them both a cordial.
Roaman, her secretary, a Heitan woman of indeterminate age, came out of Alia's private office as Noller was pouring drinks. "My lord and lady, do you require my assistance during recreation?"
"No," Alia said quietly with a smile. "Go enjoy some recreation time, Roaman. There is a chamber music concert and a poetry reading scheduled, along with any of several discussion groups, and a few games of chance for imaginary stakes of which the organizers think us ignorant. But, it's an innocent enough diversion."
"You have a full schedule on the next turn, my lady. Do try to rest. We've already been through your boxes before you left for dinner. Shall I have your breakfast served here so that you can begin your work in peace?"
"I would appreciate that, Roaman Rolfsdautter," Alia replied.
"After Petitions, you both are meeting with the committee on public safety. Following that, my lady, you will be meeting with the agriculture committee to finalize plans for the crops to be planted this light. Following that, you are to speak to the Oblates. The revised text of your speech is on your desk, as you requested earlier. Make any other changes you wish to make. I'll see that the final version is on the podium when you go to speak. After that, you have a meeting with the committee on formation of religious to discuss proposed changes to the novice curricula."
Alia sighed. "Sounds like I shall be busy."
"Indeed," Roaman said in a kind voice. "Yet, I am confident in your abilities to handle everything."
Well, that makes one of you, Alia thought. "Now, go on, have a little relaxation. See you after breakfast."
"Good night, my lord, my lady. Rest well," she replied before leaving the apartment.
"You look like you could use a drink."
"Whatever gave you that idea, Noll?" She took the stemmed glass of berry cordial from him. She drank, letting the flavored alcohol seep into her, relaxing her slightly.
"You are a sensual woman."
"Yes. I am." She put the glass down on a table and placed the dagger on the table beside it. Then she moved towards him.
Touching his face, she said, "We're both wearing entirely too many clothes." She disbursed the atoms of their clothing, leaving them both standing there nude.
Noller was stunned. "Wh-at did you just do?"
"Saved us some time. You were the one who encouraged me to fully use my abilities, were you not?" she teased him.
He laughed. "Woman, my hands itch to touch you."
"So, who's stopping you?"
"Absolutely no one." He reached out to lightly trace his fingertips over her breasts. With satisfaction, he watched as even this lightest of caresses caused her to draw a shuddering breath.
"You are so sensual."
"Is that a complaint?" she teased as she touched the hollow at the base of his throat with both hands and allowed her fingertips to trail down until she was teasing his deep brown nipples.
This time it was his turn to draw a shuddering breath. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
"I think you're sexy," she whispered as she moved to kiss him. "Too sexy for words."
He reached for her.
"No." She pushed his hands down to his sides. "Don't touch me. If you touch me, I'll not be able to control myself. I want to get to know your body."
"There's no way I can stop myself from touching you."
"Then let me help you." Alia visualized a thin band of soft black leather going around his hips, ending with loops surrounding both his wrists and holding them firmly against his hips.
"Into bondage are you?"
The emotions she felt coming from him were anything except anger. This excited and frightened him a little.
"Does this offend you?"
"Alia, look down at my cock. Does it seem as though I'm offended?"
She stepped back a single pace and looked at him. He looked about as ready to mate as any man she had ever seen. His cock jutted out large and hard from his hairless groin. Native Heitans, unlike Clan, did not grow pubic hair.
He was so inviting, so available, it was all she could do not to throw him to the floor and take him within her. But, she had promised herself time to play. Alia just hadn't realized how strong the need for him would be.
"Actually, you look about good enough to eat, with whipped cream, fruit syrups, and candied fruit."
He shuddered.
Alia laughed. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
"I may not survive."
She smiled and looked at him seriously. "Anytime you want to stop playing, just say, 'Stop it now, Alia. I mean it.' I'll release you. Nothing will go further than both of us find exciting."
"I find the fact that you breathe exciting. Being near you and knowing that you are alive is all I need to get and stay hard."
"We'll see about that." She grabbed hold of the leather and led him into the bedroom.
"You have a beautiful back. I'd love to touch your ass, to cup your cheeks in my hands as you face me, and to pull you to me. To kiss you, hold you tightly, lift you from your feet, urge you to wrap your lovely legs around my hips, then slid my cock deep into the waiting hot wetness of your furry pussy. I want to fuck you until you scream out my name in ecstasy. I want to feel you spasm your release around me, time and time again."
She reached her bed. The quilted cover and the sheets had been turned down. Releasing her hold on the leather strap, she turned to face him. "Think you can last that long?"
"Don't you worry about that."
"Hold onto that thought. I'm sure we'll do that together eventually. Probably not tonight."
"You have a long-term relationship in mind?" Noller asked, his voice tight.
"We are very available to one another, no?"
She was unwilling to verbalize how much of a long-term relationship she wanted with him. As long as she never formed the words so that he could hear them, there would be no chance of seeing revulsion in his eyes as he learned she had already broken her vows not to love any person above another in loving him with her whole heart.
He smiled. "We are indeed easily available to one another. I'm more available to you right now, than you are to me."
"So you are. How does that make you feel?"
"Needy."
Alia chuckled. "Can't have that." She sat down on the bed. "Come here, Noll. Stretch out, relax. Make yourself comfortable."
"Is comfort your goal?" He sat down on the bed and swung his legs around to rest on the bed.
"Lay back. Of course the goal is comfort. Well, at least pleasure, if not comfort. Pleasure for both of us. Do you want to change the rules?"
"It's your game. My turn will come."
"No, you're wrong. This is your turn for pleasure. Mine is coming."
"You talk a good game."
"Don't I? Let's see, I said something about fruit syrup and whipped cream didn't I?"
"You want to ask Melody Jarlsdautter for those things?"
Alia chuckled. "Who says I have to?" She closed her eyes and visualized a nozzled dispenser of thick dark sweet syrup, a pastry tube filled with sweetened whipped cream, as well as a small bowl of stoned and candied hedgecherries.
"Magic," Noller said, awe in his voice.
"No. It's just part of the history of my people, this ability to rearrange matter into other objects, to make things appear from 'thin air'. I'd discounted it as legend until today, with the vision in the hilt stone." She picked a couple of hedgecherries from the bowl. The opening where the tart, deep purple fruit had been stoned was sized just right to fit snuggly over his male nipples.
He drew a deep breath as she placed the fruit onto his right nipple, then as the opening of the fruit changed in diameter to lightly but firmly pinch his nipple. She repeated the process with the other nipple. She covered both of them with piped whipped cream before drizzling on the syrup.
That deep breath was followed by a shudder as her tongue began teasing his skin, laving the sweet richness of the cream and fruit syrup from his chest. Her tongue vibrated against the fruit.
He moaned in pleasure and his body jumped at the sensation.
"Woman!"
"Say my name!"
"Alia Raveensdautter, you are a tease."
She laughed. Then she resumed playing with the improvised nipple clamp by nibbling off the blossom end of the fruit. She dipped her tongue inside the opening of the fruit and began to flick his nipple with the tip of her tongue.
When he jumped again, she lifted her head and asked, "Feel good?"
"You know it does."
"I can suspect, but never know for certain, unless you tell me."
"I don't think I can take much more of this."
She laughed. "Weren't you the one who said I didn't have to worry about your lasting?"
"I lied. I've never needed any woman the way I need you."
"I'm glad," she told him just before she nibbled away at the fruit.
"If my hands were free," he began, his voice holding the "threat" of retribution.
She lifted her head from his chest. "Just relax, Noll, and enjoy. I've barely begun to give you pleasure."
"You know turnabout is fair play."
"Light, I hope so! I can think of little I'd like more." Then she closed her teeth around the base of his nipple and freed it from the grip of the fruit.
He moaned quietly with the mixture of pleasure and pain.
When she finished disposing of the second piece of fruit in the same way, she drizzled fruit syrup down his chest, over his belly, around the base of his cock and over his four testicles.
Slowly, teasingly, she licked the syrup from his skin. As she reached his groin, she brushed her cheek against his hard and stiff cock. Then she took a moment to kiss the tip and repeatedly tease the length of the firm shaft with soft flicks of her tongue.
"Alia! Keep that up and I'll disgrace myself."
"There is no disgrace in pleasure. Do I please you?"
"If I could touch you, you would find out just how much you please me."
She laughed. "It's a good thing then that you can't touch me, or I'd not be able to finish this."
Then she resumed licking the syrup from him, removing the last dribbles of the sticky substance from the quartet of his balls.
When she had taken the last bit of syrup from his skin, she lay beside him and kissed his mouth. He tasted of berry cordials, except a thousand times more intoxicating.
She had been kissed during sex training. But no one had ever made her feel this way, shivery, weak, strong, and charged with static all at the same time. Electrical tingles spread through her as she ran her tongue over his lips. He did not resist as she nudged his lips apart. Neither was he willing to remain passive with her mouth so available. His tongue danced with hers. The heat, the need in her, intensified.
Alia raised her head. "Noll..."
"Enough games. If I don't get inside you soon, I'll disgrace myself utterly as I have not since I was a youth."
"You want to stop playing?"
"Yes."
"Then say the code phrase."
"Stop it now, Alia. I mean it."
"Very well." She disbursed the atoms of the leather restraint.
"Mating with you is an adventure." He moved his arms and flexed his hands.
"A good one? Or a misadventure?" she only about half-teased.
He laughed. "The best of joys." He pulled her into his arms and rolled them over so he was half-lying upon her.
"What is your preference, my lord?"
"Turnabout is fair play." He took the pastry tube and dotted her nipples with the sweet, thick cream. Then he licked and sucked them clean.
She had never felt anything so wonderful. Need built upon need. She couldn't hold still under the onslaught of his lips and tongue. When his teeth began to gently tease her nipples, she heard herself cry out in a soft keening sound.
He lifted her head from her breast. "What do you want from me, Alia?"
"You. Only you," she replied, knowing that it was true, hoping that he didn't understand the full implications of that statement.
He smiled at her. "And you shall have me."
"Soon?"
He laughed. "Impatient?"
"One of my besetting faults. Please, Noll. I need you as much as you need me." She reached down and wrapped her hand around his cock. The smooth warmth of living flesh was so different than the training vibrators they had used in sex training. She stroked him slowly and heard his shuddering breath.
"I can think of many things I want to do with you, pleasures I wish to show you and share with you. But, those will have to wait." Noller removed her hand from his cock.
Alia kissed the side of his face. "Good. Give me your cock. I want you inside me."
He reached down and gently stroked her labia. "I love the smell of your pheromones. Knowing that you want me is a tremendous joy."
She wanted to ask him if he loved her, but she didn't dare.
Noller slid one finger inside her vagina. "You're so wet. And so tight."
"Fuck me, now, Noll."
"I'll hurt you."
"The first time always hurts some. Come to me."
"Not yet. I can wait a little while yet. Your pleasure comes before my own."
Alia moaned as Noll withdrew his finger from her vagina and began to tease her clitoris.
She lay back, closed her eyes and just enjoyed the building of need. When his hand gave way to his mouth on her pussy, she moaned his name through her ragged breaths. His tongue began to tease and flick her clitoris. Then lightly, ever so lightly, his teeth closed on the nub. Almost before she recognized that she was going to, she was climaxing.
"I want to be inside you when that happens again."
Alia looked at him, her breath seemingly caught in her throat. She couldn't think of anything she wanted more than to have him inside her. "Who's stopping you? Now, Noll!"
He laughed as he positioned himself above her.
She wasn't going to let him hesitate. Alia wrapped her legs around his hips, reached down and gently guided his cock to the opening of her vagina.
With breathtakingly slow and shallow strokes, he entered her. She thought she had been on fire before, but the man was driving her mad with need.
Her hands cupped the cheeks of his ass, urging him forward, urging him deeper.
"You feel so good," Noller moaned.
And that was the last thing either of them had the breath to say for a long time.
Full. Empty. Full. Slowly, gently, then with greater speed and vigor, he filled her then retreated, all the time kissing her mouth. Their tongues danced and mated. Noller lifted his mouth from hers.
He buried his face in the pillow on which she rested her head. He'd been so careful not to give her his full weight, to support himself on his elbows. But as the strokes came closer together, his chest came to rest on hers, skin against skin. The soft skin of his hairless chest felt like silk against her nipples.
She thought she would die of the pleasure. Then another orgasm was upon her. Contractions wracked her as her muscles milked his cock.
A hoarse groan from him, then the warmth of his own climax filled her.
For a few moments, the only sound in the room was their labored breathing and sighs of contentment. Contentment, she decided, was too tame a word for what he made her feel.
Gradually, their breathing returned to normal.
"I'm crushing you," he said quietly as he rolled away from her.
"I didn't mind." She felt bereft as he left her.
Noller pulled her to him and held her snuggly into his side so that her head rested on his shoulder. He turned his head and brushed a kiss on her forehead.
"You had pleasure?"
Alia was touched by the uncertainty in his voice. "You know I did."
He chuckled. "Clan women have been known to fake such things."
She sighed. "As have Heitan men, at least according to the literature."
"I have no experience with men, apart from myself, so I couldn't say." Noller yawned. "And I've never seen any need to fake pleasure."
"I don't think I want to know about your level of experience." Alia suddenly found herself unreasonably jealous of the pleasure he had shown to other women, of the Heitan women who had borne his children.
"Jealous?"
"A little."
He yawned again. "There is no need. I can't even remember their faces, let alone anything about them, at the moment. My mind is entirely too filled with you."
She smiled for a moment. Then she resolved to keep his mind filled with her. It wasn't more than a few moments later when the slow rhythm of his breathing told her he was asleep. Alia closed her eyes for a moment and was quickly asleep.
Alia awoke alone in her disheveled bed. A note was on the pillow beside her. "See you in the Petition Hall. N."
She smiled. What a life, she thought as she rose from bed. A slight ache in her pussy and legs reminded her of muscles she had used almost to the point of overuse during the previous few hours. She saw the bowl of fruit, the pastry tube, and the dispenser of syrup. That made her smile more broadly. She looked at them, then disbursed their atoms.
Alia wondered what he had worn for clothing in order to return to his own rooms. Probably nothing, as he likely had left through the door connecting their sitting rooms. She could well imagine the look on the faces of his personal guard.
She went into the luxurious bathroom off her bedroom. She quickly showered and washed her hair. Before the mirror, she combed out the wet strands. Quickly, she wound her hair into a knot on the top of her head before she slid into the hot tub to soak.
Luxury of luxuries. In the dormitory, all shared one communal shower and a soaking tub that could hold thirty people. This one was smaller, much cleaner, only big enough for four people. She decided, as she sank her head into the soft pillow left there to cushion her head from the ceramic, that she could get used to this luxury.
After fifteen minutes soaking, Alia pulled herself out of the tub. She wrapped a large, emerald green, thickly absorbent, soft bathsheet around her and walked out into her bedchamber.
Two young oblates were there. Alia knew both of them by name, Breeana and Dina Trejesdautter, twelve year old twin daughters of a prominent city innkeeper. Neither of them were destined for the Priesthood. Their father paid handsomely for the girls to be educated in the Temple school and to be boarded here. In a few years, they would exit the Temple and be placed into arranged marriages. They had stripped the sheets from her bed and were remaking it with crisp, fresh sheets. Seeing her walk in, they stopped and bowed deeply to her.
She acknowledged the bow with a shallower one of her own.
The girls looked at one another and giggled.
Alia smiled at them. Then she went to her dressing table. She released the knot of her hair and allowed it to fall freely down her back. Running a comb through her hair once more, she parted it down the middle and braided her hair into two long plaits one at each ear. Those she then wrapped around her head in a coronet.
During the process, the girls finished making her bed then went to clean her bathroom.
Yes, she could definitely get used to this, she decided.
Alia was just putting the last of the pins in her hair to hold the coronet of braids in place when the girls exited the bathroom.
"My lady?" the bolder of the girls asked.
"Yes, Breeana Trejesdautter," she turned around on the dressing table bench and answered the child, then watched the girl grow embarrassed at being addressed by name.
"Shall we help you dress, my lady?" Breeana stammered.
Alia laughed. "No thank you, Breeana. I've been dressing myself for a very long time."
"Your breakfast has been delivered. Shall we lay the table for you, and serve your food?"
"Thank you, that would be appreciated. I'll be out in a few moments."
"Yes, my lady," Dina replied. Then both girls bowed deeply then left her bedchamber, taking her sheets with them to be laundered.
\*
Alia walked into the Petition Hall moments before the scheduled gong that would mark the beginning of the hearings. The crowd already assembled there fell silent. The people behind the rail and gate bowed. The staff bowed. Alia returned all bows, then took her seat behind the great desk of carved black stone that sat at the head of the hall. This felt weird. Her honor guard scattered throughout the room, six members remaining immediately around her.
No sooner had Alia seated herself than Noller walked in.
Alia felt her mouth go dry. There was no man on the face of the land who touched her soul the way he did. He was so handsome, so gentle, so loving.
"Good morning, Dame," he said, his voice polite as it would have been to anyone. "I trust you slept well."
Alia smiled. "Indeed I did, my lord. Thank you."
He spoke quietly in a voice meant for her ears alone. "How do you want to handle these hearings?"
"Let me do it. If I need help, I'll ask."
"As you wish."
Alia became aware of the presence of more minds than she could match up with the number of faces in the Hall. Clearly, more of the "seekers of life", as she had mentally labeled the one whom she had encountered, had arrived.
The gong sounded to begin the hearings.
The senior of the Petition Hall workers, Lars Rossen, rose and called out, "Hear one and all, draw near. The Servant of the People of Light, Dame Alia, and the Servant of the Servants of Light, Archimandrate Noller, sit now to hear and to judge. May Light and Justice be found by all. The first case on the docket is the petition of Andreas Erickssen. Andreas, draw near and be heard."
The man came forward alone, without an advocate. He was a large native Heitan man with long hair and full beard. The man's hair was pulled back in a queue. He wore the trousers, boots, and loose shirt of a stockman and carried the crook of a lemma herder.
"Light bless you, Andreas," Alia said in the ritual formula. "Step near and lay out your concern."
"My lord, my lady," he said clearly ill at ease. "I am only a simple herder, not given to dealing with great people. I am more comfortable with my lemmas out in open pasture than I am with cities. I come here only during the Darkness."
"Indeed. The city is happy to provide refuge to all the People during the Darkness," Alia answered, putting him at ease. "Please continue."
"I request a contingent of the militia to accompany me and my core herd back to my pastures when I leave the city after the festival. There are caves in the area of my pastures. I tend to lose lemmas into those caves with the animals being lured in by Creatures of Darkness. I can see the Creatures' red eyes glaring out at me, challenging me to come in and meet the same fate as my lemmas. They screech at me in that high pitched rodent voice of theirs, taunting me to come closer. I want these vermin exterminated."
"I understand your anger. My own parents and older sisters were lost to attacks of the Creatures of Darkness shortly before I entered the service of the Temple," Alia replied, fighting back her own terror. "Many of us lost loved ones during the eclipse that occurred that cycle."
Heads nodded all throughout the hall. Although twenty cycles before, this was still fresh in people's minds as it was the last time most of the People of Light had encountered the Creatures in any significant numbers.
"I still can close my eyes and see the vicious attacks on the small settlement where we lived. I was one of the very few survivors of that attack upon my village. My personal loathing for the Creatures is without bounds," Alia continued, her voice level and only hinting at the leashed anger she still felt.
There was a murmur of agreement in the crowd.
"What you ask from us, that we militarily take action against the Creatures," Alia continued quietly, "is difficult. We do not know how many of the Creatures there are. No wise commander begins a battle without first assessing the strength of the enemy. For us to charge blindly into this could be utterly disastrous for the People of Light. We are not willing to suffer more losses without possessing a higher degree of confidence that the problem can be solved."
Andreas was not happy. Alia could feel his anger and frustration.
She continued, not giving him time to respond, "However, I may well have a solution to your specific situation. Will you listen?"
"Of course, my lady," Andreas said, his voice gruff and hesitant.
"I wrote and filed the dying will of Hans Burghessen at the beginning of this darkness. He had no heirs, so his grazing rights and core herd have reverted to the Temple. There are no caves near the pastures where he grazed his flocks. There is abundant water and the lemmagrass grows well there. He had never experienced a problem with the Creatures. The grazing rights to that parcel have not been reassigned. I ask you, Andreas, if you will for the good of the People, surrender your grazing rights to your parcel and accept the grazing rights on the pastures formerly grazed by Hans Burghessen. Your former parcel will be left dormant. This will solve your problem and give us more time to assess the strengths of the Creatures which could save many lives of the People when the time comes that we find it prudent to move against the Creatures."
The herder looked at her for a long moment. Then he smiled. "I knew Hans. I know his ground. It is twice as big an allotment as mine and he ran a herd thrice as large as mine."
"This will give you more space to develop your core herd. His core herd was left to the Temple. We can establish a trust for you to care for those animals and to take them out to pasture during the season of light. You can see Damien Robertssen in the herds section to hammer out the details so that it is fair to both you and to the Temple. Are you in agreement?"
" Ja, Dame. This is fair, just, and far more than I had hoped for. I agree," he replied. "Light keep you, my lady."
"Walk in Light." Then Alia turned to one of the Hall workers. "Solveig Wilhelmsdautter, kindly take him to see Damien. See that the agreement is worked out so that it is fair to all. Then record that and bring it back to be filed with the case record."
"Yes, my lady," the young Heitan novice replied. "Come with me, please."
"Very nice handling of that, Alia," Noller replied lowly, so that his voice would not carry any further than her ears. "We postponed the coming war, and got someone to manage the herds and the pasture the Temple doesn't have the staff to manage. You don't need me here."
"I always need you," she told him, her voice low.
Alia nodded as the next case was called.
He smiled at her.
"We hath company. Invisible people," she wrote in the High Temple Tongue on the pad before her. And she drew his attention to it.
"They be long here?" Noller wrote in the same language as the next petitioner stepped up.
"Aye," she wrote back.
Alia felt Noller's tension level increase.
"It be nothing in our control," she wrote. "We shalt see them at their will."
"Where?"
"Left corner. Before the rail. They remainth there, still and observant."
Alia looked up from her writing pad.
She smiled at the next petitioner, a young woman of the Clan. "Restate your name, please?"
"Freida Nilsdautter, my lady," the petitioner said, her voice shaking.
"Light be with you, Freida Nilsdautter," Alia stated in concern as she looked at the young woman's face. There was a large bruise on her face and the young woman's right eye was swollen nearly shut. Freida had been badly beaten. Blood seeped through the girl's dress.
Alia probed Freida's mind and "saw" the injuries that were hidden beneath her clothes. It was all Alia could do not to be ill. "Sit down and lay out your concern. You need medical assistance."
"Yes, my lady, I do," the young woman said as she gingerly sat in the chair one of the Hall workers provided for her.
"Why did you not seek the healers before appearing before us?" Alia demanded in concern.
"I knew that he couldn't hurt me here. I am safe in public. He doesn't want to be publicly known as the beast he is. I have known him to hurt other women who have always been too afraid of him to come forward or to remain public in their accusations of him."
"And you are not afraid?" Alia asked, her voice skeptical, because the young woman's fear was a cloud around her.
"I'm terrified," Freida stated, her voice shaking. "But this needs done. He has to be stopped from hurting anyone else."
"Indeed. Tell us of your injuries."
Alia listened, attentively, to the petition concerning Freida's employer, Mikhail Rollinssen, whom Freida claimed had raped and beaten her only a short time ago. Alia recognized the man's name. It had been listed among the number of Heitan men who had filed marriage contracts with Heitan women and had scheduled commitment ceremonies for the last day of the Festival.
"These are serious charges. Go now with the healers. You shall be physically examined to verify your claim. They will deal with your bruises and the cuts that you've hidden under your clothes," Alia replied, her voice kind.
Freida's eyes widened in shock. "I said nothing of his using his blade on me, my lady."
"Neither did you say anything of the pain in your ribs where he hit you. I suspect two of those ribs are broken," Alia said. "I have eyes and can see the blood seeping through your clothing from the cuts. I can see how gingerly you move."
The girl's face crumpled.
"Do you tell us the truth?"
"Of course I do," Freida answered, anger in her voice. "I wouldn't make up a story like this."
Alia sighed. "I didn't say you would. I am required under the law of the People of Light to remind you that bearing false witness under oath by bringing capital charges is itself a crime subject to capital punishment. Freida Nilsdautter, you are strongly urged to reflect on this before you file formal charges. You will be taken from here to a place of healing seclusion until a jury of the priesthood can be assembled to hear this, later this turn. Mikhail Rollinssen will be brought to this Hall to answer the charges. Both of you will have advocates to speak for you. Then this matter will be heard fully. Light extend it's healing toward you. Captain of the Guard!"
"Yes, my lady," the Heitan militiaman stepped up and spoke firmly.
"Take her to the hospital and provide her with a healer to treat her wounds, and to gather all such forensic evidence as may be found in support of her claim. She will need time in a secluded healing chamber. Then summon Quinan Liamssen to serve as the prosecuting advocate. See that she is fed and provided with fresh clothing once the healers have completed their ministry to her."
"Yes, my lady."
"Next petitioner," Alia stated as Freida left the hall in the company of the captain.
"Calling Wulf Wulfssen," the clerk said.
A Heitan man stepped forward. "Light save this honorable Hall and all who serve within it," the man said smoothly.
Alia disliked him on sight. But she tried to get over that.
"Step near, Wulf Wulfssen, and state your concern."
"My lady, my lord, I can no longer live with that woman to whom I am joined. I seek a divorce."
Alia sighed. "All unions are annulled at the Festival. This is only a matter of turns away. What is your urgency, Wulf?"
"She has in the last two turns borne me a bastard," the man said with disdain in his voice. "I will not have that child bear my name. I will not support a child not of my own flesh."
Alia looked at one of the Hall clerks. "Send for both the wife of Wulf Wulfssen and the child, at once. We will have the genetic tests done. When the evidence is in, a ruling will be made." She looked at Wulf. "You realize that in bringing charges of adultery against your wife, you have set in motion a chain of events that could have serious impact upon the lives of your wife and the child? Are you certain of your claim of the child's parentage?" she demanded.
"It is painfully obvious that the child is not mine," Wulf told her.
"Nothing having to do with genetics is obvious. It is a profoundly complex area of knowledge in which years of intense study are required. Have you had those years of study, Wulf?"
"No. I am a stone mason by trade. My education came through the guild, not the Temple. Still, I will not support a child not of my own flesh," the man answered, anger in his voice.
"The genetic tests will determine the truth of your belief," Alia replied. "Step back and remain here until such time as your wife and the child are brought in. At that time, you will go to the registrar's office where the required tests will be done. The results of those tests will then be reported to us. A decision will be made on your petition at that time. I do caution you, Wulf, mark these words well. I will enforce the law to the letter on this matter, whichever way it goes."
"The child is not mine," he answered firmly. "I have no fear of the law."
"Think hard about what this means to your wife. Surely, there must have been a time you loved her?" Alia suggested.
Wulf's face crumpled. He nodded. His voice was pained, distressed, as he spoke, "I still do love Treena, more than life. Yet, I will not have this child as mine own when it is not a child of my body. I hate this. But, I can do naught else."
Alia sighed. "What do you want from us, Wulf?"
"I am willing to forgive her transgression. This will spare her the penalty. I will not see her harmed. I will be willing to keep her as wife. I will take her once more at the Festival. The child however must not be part of our lives. I will not support the bastard."
"And what would you have us do with the child?"
"You know the law, my lady. 'A bastard, the child of adultery, must not live among the People.'"
Alia cleared her throat, then spoke firmly, "That's a paraphrase, not a quote of the law. That passage talks about the penalty for a capital crime committed by an illegitimate person and is by no means a blanket condemnation of all born outside of marriage. Do not twist the law to us, Wulf Wulfssen. Do not come to use seeking the death of an innocent babe!" Alia fixed him with a look of disdain. "We will not tolerate it. Step back. And wait. Next petitioner."
Alia heard four cases before Treena Evertsdautter was brought into the hall, carrying her newly born child. A clerk came and whispered in her ear that the wife of Wulf Wulfsen was among them. Alia called Treena to stand before her. "Treena Evertsdautter, you have been summoned to this Hall on a complaint of adultery during your fertile period and the resulting bearing of a bastard lodged by your husband Wulf Wulfssen."
The shock on Treena's face told Alia all she needed to know.
"Sit down Treena, before you faint," Alia instructed, her voice gentle.
"I have never been unfaithful to Wulf," the woman said as she took the seat placed behind her by one of the Hall clerks. "Not during my fertile period, and at no other time. I've never as much as desired another man. I was a virgin when Wulf and I were joined at the festival three cycles ago. We have renewed our commitments to one another at each festival since then. He has been my only lover. Our daughter is the child of his body and of none other. I pledge my life on the truth of this, my lady."
There was a shocked gasp throughout the Hall.
Alia sighed. "Very well, we accept your freely offered pledge of truth. Light grant we do not need redeem that pledge! In accordance with the law, I have ordered tests run to determine the parentage of the child in your arms. Has the child a name?"
"My lady, she will be named at the Festival. I have a name for her, but publicly it should not be said until her naming ceremony," Treena replied her voice distressed. "That is custom, not law, so if you wish me to court the wrath of the shadows, I can tell you her name."
Alia shook her head. "It is not imperative that the name be said publicly before it has been formally given. Indeed in this case, it would likely be best for the child in the long run if it were not. I ask you to voluntarily submit to the tests. Will you comply?"
"Indeed, I will. I have nothing to hide, nothing of which to be ashamed. I have been naught but a true and loving wife," Treena stated.
Wulf made a loud and disgusted sound from his seat behind the rail. "That child is not mine."
"You were not asked for input, Wulf Wulfssen. Your opinion has been heard already," Alia chided. "Go now to the registrar's office. Nata Calvinsdautter, accompany him and stay there until the results are ready. Then bring him and the test results back here."
When Wulf was out of the Hall, Alia instructed Treena, "Please go now to the registrar's office and have the tests done. We must have firm proof one way or the other in this matter."
"Yes, my lady," Treena replied. "This is so outrageous. Wulf walked out without even looking at our child when the midwife told him her sex. He had been speaking of this child as a son. He longs for a son. He hadn't returned home. I came here fearing he had gotten into mischief after consuming too much mala at the tavern."
"Is he given to strong drink?"
Treena shook her head negatively. "No. He's actually not. Oh, he likes to lift a cup or two with his friends. But, they usually do that over throwing dice at our dining table in the quiet following dinner. He's not a bad man. He just had himself worked up by the hopes of having a son. I can't believe he'd do this to us. I simply cannot believe this."
"And yet, he has. Go now, Treena. The sooner this is resolved, the better," Alia replied.
"Yes, my lady. Thank you for handling this as you have."
"Justice will always be served in my Hall."
Treena rose and bowed before she left.
"Next petitioner!" Alia demanded.
Alia heard ten fairly simple cases involving money disputes before the test results were brought in, along with Wulf, Treena, and the baby. The test results were clear and convincing. Both she and Noller read them and agreed. But in keeping with the law, Alia sent the results to a jury of six specialists in genetics whom agreed unanimously on the heritage of the child and sent a brief written opinion to that effect.
While waiting for that report, Alia heard five other simple cases.
"Wulf Wulfssen and Treena Evertsdautter draw near," Alia instructed.
All three of them, Wulf, Treena, and the child in Treena's arms, stood before Alia and Noller. Wulf's face wore a seriously unforgiving expression. Treena held her child close to her. The expression on her face was profoundly hurt.
Alia didn't know how this could be resolved. There was so much pain and anger here. Healing had to be brought. Light, give me the words to heal this breech, for the child's sake.
She spoke, her voice firm and kind, "The test results are in. The child is without a doubt born of the flesh of both of you. The test results have been read by the nine required sets of priestly eyes. We are all in agreement that this precious little girl is the biological child of Wulf Wulfssen and Treena Evertsdautter."
Wulf was clearly stunned. "This must be in error! This child cannot be mine."
Noller spoke. "The only error, Wulf, has been yours in accusing your virtuous wife of betrayal. The test results were run twice and read by nine pairs of priestly eyes; the registrar, the two of us, and the jury of six. There is no error. The child is yours."
Alia continued, "We therefore deny the petition for divorce brought by Wulf. We further order, in accordance with the law of the People, the marriage of Wulf and Treena will exist as long as Treena desires and will not ever automatically annul at the Festival. In reparations for the slander brought this day upon the soul of Treena Evertsdautter, all possessions belonging to Wulf Wulfssen will be transferred immediately to Treena. His use of any of her possessions is at her discretion as long as it suits Treena to remain married to Wulf. In the event of a divorce sought by her, the property, except for three sets of his clothing, a satchel, and tools of his trade, will go with her in order to support their child or any future children. This is the law. It is enforced by my authority as Servant of the People of Light."
Wulf spluttered, "This isn't fair!"
"It is the law," Alia replied. "I did caution you as this began I would enforce the law if you proceeded with this. I can have the clerk read back your response to my warning, if you need to be reminded."
Wulf sighed and nodded. "I just never thought..."
Alia looked at him. "That's correct, Wulf. You didn't think. You came to this Hall on a half-baked thirst for revenge against a woman who had done naught but faithfully love you."
The Heitan man cringed under Alia's clear scorn.
Alia addressed Wulf's vindicated wife, "Treena, do you wish to remain married to this man?"
Treena was silent for a moment. She looked at Wulf. Alia was surprised at the lack of emotion in her expression. Only the slight trembling in Treena's hands told her how tightly Treena was holding her control to herself. The woman couldn't afford to let her emotions free at the moment.
"My wishes, my lady, do not enter into this. He may come around in a turn for his clothes and tools. They will be packed and on the doorstep for him to take away," Treena stated, her voice trembling. "I entreat you, my lady, to adjudicate this marriage and to deliver a final writing of divorcement between Wulf and myself. I will not risk the life of my child in order to live with him."
Alia sighed. "This is your right, Treena Evertsdautter. I shan't deny your petition, if this is what you truly want. I would recommend a cooling-off period, a separation, until the festival, however, in which you two may attempt to reconcile for the sake of the child."
"You know the seriousness of the penalties and public scandal to which he would have subjected our child and myself. This was not a loving act," Treena said, her voice flat, obviously suppressing her emotions. It was obvious her heart was broken.
"He would have spared you any penalty, Treena. By his own admission to the Hall, he loves you."
Treena's lips quivered and Alia could tell she was on the edge of breaking down. Only strength of will kept her together.
"The one thing, Treena, all people have in common is that at times everyone acts stupidly and hurts someone badly. Light calls us to forgive," Alia replied.
"Perhaps someturn. Not this turn, or any turn in the immediate future. He could have spoken to me, and we could have handled the tests privately to reassure him. I still would have been angry at him. He wouldn't have made a public spectacle and a scandal of us. He wouldn't have endangered our child."
"That much is true," Alia allowed with a sigh. "He handled this very badly."
"Please, my lady, give me a writing of divorcement, I beg of you. Grant me an order of protection against Wulf. I must protect my child."
"No, Treena. I beg of you," Wulf said as he knelt down before her. Then he went prostrate and kissed her feet. "Do not cast me away, my dearest. I never wanted to lose you."
Treena looked at Alia, then rolled her eyes. Tears came unbidden to the Heitan woman. She blinked and dashed them from her face.
"Darkness take you!" Treena cursed him, her control finally slipping. "Don't speak to me as though you were the injured party. You aren't."
Wulf looked up at her, his expression extremely pained.
"Treena?" Alia asked, her voice gentle. "It is your decision. Think carefully. You've loved him enough to stay with him for three cycles. Is it not possible that you still love him?"
"Love isn't the issue here, my lady. Of course, I love him. Somewhere under all this pain he's caused me, there is love. I simply don't like him much at the moment. My obligation to my child is not to subject her to the danger of a man who would wish her harm. He still doesn't believe our daughter is his child. And I fear for her safety if he remains in the house. I must protect my child, regardless of the cost to myself."
Wulf rose to his feet. He was a clearly broken man. Alia might have felt pity for him, except that he had done this to himself.
"Wulf, are you convinced this newborn female is the child of your body?" Alia asked him.
He shook his head negatively. "You say the tests say so. I cannot doubt your word that the tests say so. Yet, I do not believe the tests. My father and his father and his father, back as far as we can remember, have never sired females. I do not believe that so sired, I could have a female as the child of my body."
Alia closed her eyes and sighed. "It's not that simple, Wulf. Have you a dolma in your pocket?"
"Yes, my lady," he said retrieving the coin.
"Flip it and tell me if it comes up heads or tails."
He looked puzzled. Yet, he flipped the coin. "Heads"
"Again."
"Heads."
"Again."
"Heads."
"Do you think you could toss that coin another ten times without it coming up tails?" Alia asked.
"It's possible."
"Does the coin still have a tail?"
"Of course," Wulf said in a tone that said he doubted her intelligence.
Alia spoke gently, "This is the way conception is. The sex of a child is like a coin tossed in the air. It could go either way. Just because it's gone one way for a long time, doesn't mean it can't go the other way on the next toss."
Wulf's face showed a sudden understanding.
"The child is yours, Wulf," Alia told him, her voice kind. "There is no doubt. No one would lie to you about that. The tests were absolutely conclusive. And if you think about it, you know that part of what made you so unreasonably angry was the thought that Treena, whom you have always trusted absolutely, could have possibly been unfaithful to you. You've seen no sign of infidelity in Treena because she has never been unfaithful."
"Oh, Light, what have I done?" Wulf said, his voice breaking with pain.
"Made a public fool out of yourself, and a source of scandal out of us," Treena answered, her voice pained.
"Treena, forgive me, I beg of you!"
"You ask much of me, Wulf."
"The baby? May I see her? Please?"
Treena showed him the baby's face.
"She looks a bit like my mother," Wulf said in awe. "And all that hair. She's beautiful."
"She looks exactly like your newborn images, Wulf," Treena said her voice full of gentle rebuke. "And she has the same birthmark you have."
"Light!" Wulf said, his voice pained.
"Treena, will you withdraw the request for divorce? It is always available on nothing more than a single word from you. Give yourselves a cooling off period, a period of trial separation, until the Festival, before asking for the divorce?" Alia asked.
"I suppose that would be the best thing," Treena agreed. "But, he will not live with us until we can reconcile in truth."
Alia nodded. "This is wise. We'll find a bed for him within the pilgrim's quarters. Megan Bejoldsdautter, see to the assignment."
"Yes, my lady," the Hall worker answered. "Right away."
"Wulf," Alia warned, "we will be keeping a careful eye on you."
"No need, my lady. I'm grateful for a reprieve. I will make this up to Treena, if it takes the rest of my life."
"It may indeed take a long time for her to fully forgive you for this," Alia warned. "We will pray for you."
"Light bless this honorable Hall," Treena said.
"Very well, Treena. Light bless the three of you."
"My lady, will you preside at the naming of our child at the festival?" Wulf asked.
Alia smiled. "If this is what Treena wishes, I should be delighted. Send the details to my secretary, Roaman Rolfsdautter. Walk in Light, Wulf and Treena."
Alia's watched as the three of them left the Hall.
"Very nice work, Alia," Noller told her in an undertone. "That was masterful."
"We'll see. I'm not sure that I've done any of them a favor," she answered equally lowly. "Only time will tell."
The healer's report on Freida's injuries was placed before her. It was accompanied by a report of the registrar matching the genetic material found in Freida's body with a particular Heitan man. Accompanying these was a report from the civil militia stating the criminal record of Mikhail Rollinssen, arrests, charges, withdrawn charges, and a lack of convictions on anything more serious than disorderly conduct or brawling. She read the reports quickly then handed them to Noller. She didn't care for any of this.
"Mikhail Rollinssen, step forward," Alia stated firmly.
The large native Heitan man stepped up. His face was scarred as though he had been on the receiving end of a blade more than once in a tavern fight.
"Why have I been summoned?" he demanded as he came through the gate.
"Charges have been brought against you that you have this day raped and beaten a young woman," Alia replied.
"I didn't lay a hand on Freida," he said coldly.
"We did not give you the name of your accuser," Alia replied.
Mikhail looked at her. His nostrils flared in anger.
Alia felt his rage grow.
He turned to walk away.
"You have not been dismissed," Alia told him.
Mikhail kept walking.
One of the hall guards tried to stop him. Mikhail picked up a chair from the petitioner's area. Mikhail hit the guard over the head. The chair splintered into small pieces. The guard fell unconscious to the stone floor.
"Next person who tries to stop me dies," Mikhail said as he pulled a lethally sharp knife from his belt.
Alia envisioned heavy metal shackles around his ankles with a short and heavy chain connecting them. Those materialized.
Mikhail fell to the stone floor just a bit past where he had left the guard. The knife skittered away on the stone floor. He pushed himself up off the floor and rose to his feet. Then he went for his knife.
Alia shortened up the chain between the bands of metal so that he could not walk at all. Then she visualized heavy metal chains around his torso, binding his arms to his sides in three places; upper arm, elbow, and wrist.
Noller ran to the side of the fallen guard.
Mikhail started cursing them aloud, "Child of Darkness, Clan Bitch! I'll kill her, then I'll come for you. I'll kill all of you! No one treats me like this."
Alia envisioned a gag for his mouth and shut him up.
"We will not tolerate this behavior in the Hall," Alia said firmly. "Is this understood?"
"Call for a stretcher!" Noller said to one of the guards. "Have a neuro team assembled. This man has a compressed skull fracture, and possibly a broken neck. If he doesn't get help of a neuro team immediately, he will die. Even then, he may. Move it now. I need a spine immobilizer."
Alia visualized the downed guard with the spine immobilizer placed on him and with a stretcher beneath him. Eight members of the guard didn't stop to ask how this was, they just picked up the stretcher and took their injured companion at a double-time pace it to the Temple hospital, while keeping their gait smooth so not to jostle him unnecessarily.
"Put Mikhail in a chair," Alia demanded.
Noller slid a chair under the Mikhail and forced him down into the chair. "Sit there and don't twitch a muscle unless we give you leave."
Then Noller returned to the desk and took his place beside her. "Thank you, Dame, for those mercies to Rickard Hanssen. We shall have to trust Light and the skill of the neuro team to pull him through this."
Alia sighed. "We can only trust Light for mercy."
"Indeed."
Alia spoke firmly to the chained man, "Mikhail Rollinssen, your genetic markers are on file. Sperm has been retrieved from the body of the accuser. It matches your genetics perfectly. The healers are of the opinion that her injuries are in keeping with aggravated rape. They have retrieved from her body the prints of your hands where you with bruising power forced her thighs apart. The physical evidence is overwhelming that you did this thing. How plead you?"
The gag disappeared from his mouth. He worked his jaws for a moment before he answered her. "Sure I had sex with Freida. The bitch enjoys rough sex. It was consensual sex. It wasn't rape by any measure. She wasn't a virgin. She's been my mistress for over two cycles. She's just complaining about it because she's jealous that I'm marrying a Heitan woman at the festival."
According to the physical examination, Freida has suffered terribly at the hands of this man. According to the healer's report, verified by two separate healers examining Freida, the young woman had been a virgin before she had been attacked. Given the evidence, his record, and the fact he had changed his story from not having touched her to consensual sex, Alia was not disposed to believe anything he said.
Alia stated, "Long ago, this society determined that we would not tolerate among us any person who harmed another by transforming the gift of sexuality into a weapon of harm. The penalty for rape is expulsion from the city during the darkness."
Mikhail cursed hotly.
"My lady," one of the younger priests, an advocate specialist named Ulrich Gerretssen, rose. "As a servant of the Hall, may I speak?"
Alia mentally cringed. Ulrich and she had been in classes together. He had always been a thorn in her side, arguing with every statement she had ever made in classes. If she had said Heitan eyes were green, he would have argued that they were blue.
"We recognize you, Ulrich," Noller said.
"No matter what the evidence, my lord and lady, no matter how foul the character of the accused, he is entitled to a trial by jury with adequate advocacy," Ulrich stated.
"The crime we just witnessed in his attack upon Rickhard Hanssen has a penalty that at least equals, and potentially supersedes, that of the charge of forcible rape. No jury is required, under the law, in this matter as the crime was witnessed by both the Servants. We declare before the People that you are guilty of this crime. Until we know Rickhard's fate, it is not a good use of our time to try him before a jury for rape, as he is facing a potential charge of the murder of a Hall guard should Rickhard actually die."
Ulrich struggled for words. He couldn't publicly question her truthfulness, although Alia could see that he was biting back those words. "Can you cite the law that would strip this man of his right to a trial by jury, my lady?" The words were respectful enough, although the tone bordered on obnoxious.
"Indeed, I can. Lars Rossen, pull volume forty-two of the Law of the People, Chapter Thirteen, Section Twenty-six, Subsection Forty. The passage lies in Paragraph Five."
The book was opened. Lars read the passage silently. He handed the opened book to Alia, who reread it. Yes. This was precisely the passage she was thinking of. She handed it back to Lars who presented it to Ulrich. After he read it, he closed the book and returned it to Lars.
"My lady, you are indeed correct. However, I urge this honorable Hall to be merciful to this man," Ulrich stated, although Alia could see that it was painful for him to make the admission she was right. "Mercy is an admirable trait, best given to those who do not deserve it."
"'The quality of mercy is not strained,'" Alia quoted Portia's speech from the Merchant of Venice as adapted for Heitan society. "'It drops as the gentle rain from heaven, Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed. It blesses him that gives and him that takes. It is mightiest in the mightiest... It is an attribute to Light. And temporal power does become like Light's, Where mercy seasons justice.'"
Ulrich smiled in that smarmy way of his. "Precisely. My lady is wise beyond her years. I beg you to be merciful to this man."
"Yes. Be merciful to me," Mikhail begged.
Alia fixed the accused with a speaking glare. "Mercy for you, Mikhail, lies in the fact that we did not remove you to the Temple Square and take your head immediately after you were contemptuous of this Hall by bringing carnage and destruction into this sacred space. This was our right, under the law."
She made the chain on his leg irons longer so that Mikhail could walk at a shuffle. "You go now into secure seclusion where you will be kept in a penitential fast until we know the outcome of the injuries to Rickhard Hanssen. You will be kept in the restraints. We've seen how dangerous you are, and we will be merciful to those guarding you by not putting them in jeopardy of injury from you. When we know the consequences of your actions, we will call you forth from seclusion. We now appoint Ulrich Gerretssen to serve as your advocate before the Hall, should advocacy be necessary. At the time we call you forth, you will face a jury on the charges of forcible rape or sentencing on the most serious charge resulting from your attack on Rickhard Hanssen. May Light shine into your heart. Take him from here, now!"
People booed Mikhail and heaped insults on him as he was led away.
Mikhail shouted vile insults, threats, and curses on his way out. Alia gagged him once more to shut him up.
Alia looked over at the left corner by the rail. "And you, the bunch of you, cloaked with invisibility over there by the rail, show yourselves. You've witnessed enough drama as it is. Now, kindly have the courtesy to show yourselves."
Matt and his team appeared as though by magic. The remaining crowd cried out in shock and fear.
Alia felt her breath leave her body in a whoosh. This was the man of her vision, the man who would present her and the entire clan with a terrible choice, the man whom she would need as much as she would need air to breathe.
The tension level among her guard escalated dramatically. Both sets of honor guard tightened up their cordon on the leaders. Alia forced herself to continue sitting, with her hands in her lap, although she wanted to rise and run from the room. This urge to run surprised her. She had never been one to turn and run from things that frightened her.
"Stand down. If they had sought to harm us, we would already be dead," Alia said, wryly.
Noller placed his hand on hers as to reassure her. She turned her hand and closed her fingers around his with sufficient force that her fingers turned white.
"Be at ease, People of the Light," Noller commanded, his voice sharp, and rising over the murmur of the crowd.
Alia addressed Matt, "You of the flame hair. You are the leader of this group, are you not?"
Matt took three steps forward. "I am."
"May we know your name?" Alia asked.
"I am Matthew Belmont of Kaeradearth."
"Belmont, as in the Blessed Tia, the one to whom Brok of Kaerad came?" Alia asked, both shock and care in her voice.
"Yes, she was one of my ancestors. When we resumed the practice of surnames, the families took the names of those of the first generation Earthers in our lineage right at the time of near extinction."
Alia digested that. Their common ancestor made them related in a way too distant for most to name. If it were true, that was. At this point she wasn't certain that she could believe anything these men said.
"The name of your father?" Alia asked.
"Also Matthew," he replied.
Alia knew there was something strange in the way he said that. He wasn't telling the whole truth, but why would he lie about his father's name?
"Very well, Matthew Matthewssen," Alia demanded of him. "You have come a great distance to be among us. What do you want from us?" She pointed at Fred Versen. "That one and I have spoken. He said he was on a quest and that which he sought was life. Would you care to explain this to us?"
Matthew looked at her and smiled.
Alia, realizing that she was hurting Noller's hand, released him. It would not do for her to show this man of Kaeradearth anything less than a composed demeanor. She forced herself not to return Matthew's smile.
"You recognized the name of Belmont. How much of the history of Earth and the Kaerad do you really know?" Matt asked.
"Our records are fairly good," Alia replied. "Does the answer for what you seek have to do with history?"
"In a way, yes, it does."
"In what way, precisely?" Alia demanded.
"What do you know of the Alku?"
"They are the reason the Twenty Parents fled from Kaeradearth. There was a terrible war coming that no one thought Kaeradearth could win, so they fled to save their lives and in an effort to preserve the race," Alia stated. "The Twenty were only one of many similar groups that fled throughout the known galaxies. But none of the groups were told where the others had fled so that there would be no chance of one group betraying the others, should the Alku discover their refuge."
Matt nodded. "This is true. We did defeat the Alku. It was a costly victory. The Alku even now laugh from their graves. Seems that although we eliminated the threat they posed by exterminating their race, they also doomed our race to extinction. The damage they did to the women of Kaeradearth after the departure of the small refugee groups grew worse with each generation until it resulted in total infertility of Kaeradearth females. There are no more women on Kaeradearth. No more children. We are a dying race."
There was an outcry from the people beyond the rail. Heitans, both native and those of the Clan, valued fertility, valued their ability to reproduce, above all else.
Alia understood, and shared, the shock of the People. She forced herself to move past that. For them to be here now meant that they wanted something from the People. The most logical thing for them to want would be women for breeding a future generation. That would fit with the vision.
"What do you seek from us, men of Kaeradearth? We ask you this bluntly and demand a blunt answer in return," Alia demanded, keeping her voice level, although she wanted to panic.
"We have come here seeking genetically compatible women for the purpose of mating and having children to repopulate Kaeradearth," Matt told her.
"How many men of Kaeradearth are there?" Noller asked.
"We are truly few," Matt replied.
"How few is few?" Noller demanded.
"At the last census, our numbers were down to just about one hundred thousand. Only forty thousand of us are in any way fertile," Matt stated, answering the next question before it could be asked.
Noller looked at him. "The other sixty thousand?"
"Genetically damaged such that they are infertile," Matt replied.
"And the fertile ones, do they carry genetic damage that could be passed on to children?" Alia demanded.
"Most do," Matt admitted.
"How many completely undamaged men are there?" Noller demanded.
"Only ten thousand."
"So, one out of ten of your men could potentially father undamaged children," Noller said.
"Yes," Matt answered quietly. "That is correct. And that number shrinks as the population ages and men die."
The crowd punctuated his comments with an outcry of sympathy.
Alia addressed the crowd, raising her voice to get their attention, "Good People of Light, we understand and share your concerns. I do ask for order in the Hall. Our laws require that the dealings of the Hall be open to all wishing to attend and speak in order. The People have the right to be here. I beg you all, however, to be silent witnesses in order that we may undertake these important matters calmly and in order."
Then she addressed the men of Kaeradearth, her voice thoughtful, "What is the state of your undamaged male population? Do they carry this genetic degradation as if a recessive trait? Will they be able to produce children completely free of the genetic damage that plagues your people?"
"We see no sign of any damage in the ten thousand," Matt told her.
"What you ask of us is difficult," Noller said. "On one hand, our laws and customs require us to do what we can in order to maintain genetic lines. To let a line die out is complete anathema to us. On the other hand, we cannot allow any breeding in which the child would possibly carry a genetic defect such that he/she would impair the future fertility of the line. These are the laws under which we live in respect to the continuance of our races."
Alia nodded. "Matthew Matthewssen, is your group representative of the fertile population on Kaeradearth?"
"Yes," Matt replied.
Noller said, "We can easily determine the state of your genetics through testing."
"We have done all the genetic workups already," Matt stated. He approached the desk where Alia and Noller sat. The guards stopped him.
"I want to give them the reports on the genetic testing."
"Let him show us his test results," Alia ordered.
Then he took the bags from his shoulders and sat those on the desk. Opening the bags, he presented them with the ten binders containing the genetic test results on the ten thousand undamaged fertile men of Kaeradearth.
Noller opened one of the binders and looked at the reports.
Alia did the same.
"I can't read this," Noller stated.
"I can," Alia said, her voice soft and thoughtful. "But, I doubt there are twenty members of the priesthood skilled enough in the old written language of the Clan to be able to decode these, quickly enough to be able to use them. Converting all of these to the way we now denote genetic coding will take far more time, and be more prone to error, than to run new tests on everyone."
She looked down at the book open before her. The name Matthew Belmont leapt out at her. She read the record of his genetic coding and quickly converted it. It came as no surprise to her that he was her perfect mate.
She looked over at Noller. In the High Temple Tongue, she told him, "The vision cometh to pass. This book saith the man be mine perfect mate."
"How feelth thee?" Noller asked her, retaining the formality of the antiquated language.
"Frightened, my lord, to the bone. This fillth me with dread."
"Thee mayst not hide from Light, Alia. Thee hast not a breeding partner amongst the Clan. Thee's the last of thine line. If this man may givest thee children, thee must needs, as thy highest duty, pursueth him," Noller told her, his voice gentle. "The law requireth this of thee, Alia."
"I wishest this not, Noller."
"Doth thee always receiveth things according to thy wishes?"
"Nay. Thee knowst better than that." She sighed. Then she pulled off over her head the chain on which she wore her compatibility screening pendant.
"Matthew Matthewssen," she addressed him in the common tongue. "This book you offered us proclaims that you and I may be perfectly matched genetically. If this is true, then I am likely the only perfectly matched breeding partner you will have on Heita, as I am the last of my line. This is my compatibility screening pendant issued to me when I came of age. The Archimandrate will hand this to you. We shall know when it touches your flesh if we are truly compatible."
Matt reached under his shirt and removed a similar pendant. He placed it on the desk before her. "This is mine. It's been newly made for this purpose, after consulting our records on how to do so. Dame Alia, let us take these in hand at the same time and test this."
"Very well," she agreed. As Noller handed her chain and pendant to Matt, she picked up his pendant by the chain from the desk. She really didn't want to do this. There were some things she didn't want to know. She loved Noller with a forbidden passion. She didn't want another lover. Yet, he was right. This was her duty under the law.
Matt watched her carefully. She was aware of that when she looked up at him. Not looking away from him, she held her hand out palm up and dangled the egg pendant over her palm. He did the same.
"Down to one?" he asked her.
She drew a deep breath. "Count."
"Three, two, one," he said then dropped the chain and let her pendant land in his palm.
She dropped his into her palm.
Matt moaned and fell to his knees.
At the same time, Alia drew a shuddered breath. Her body shook with the force of the instantaneous orgasm. She threw back her head and closed her eyes. Her body was wracked by pleasure after pleasure. She could feel the sensations of his mouth on her breasts, of his fingers stroking her clit, of his cock invading her pussy. The orgasms came one after another, one on top of another, until she was certain that she could experience no more pleasure.
The smell of clan pheromones, of raw sex, filled the hall, leaving no one in any doubt that the moans coming from Alia and Matt were those of ultimate pleasure.
Oh, stop, please, stop. For now. This is too intense. On three, drop the pendant, Matt said mentally.
Alia nodded. Three, two, one, she mentally counted down, then turned her hand palm down. Yet the pendant seemed to be stuck to her hand. She looked at Matt, who was trying in vain to shake the pendant from his hand. She couldn't help it, she laughed. The more she laughed, the more the sensual sensations faded away. Matt laughed as well as he tried to shake the pendant from his hand.
The pendant fell from Alia's hand. Then it fell from Matt's hand.
She met Matt's eyes. "That removes most doubt, doesn't it?"
"So, that's what a perfect match feels like," he said quietly, his voice awed.
"Apparently," Alia said, her voice dry. "That's my first time experiencing that."
Matt smiled at her. "Mine too, obviously. So, where do we go from here?"
Noller instructed, "You and your retinue go to the Office of the Registrar where you are fully screened. When we are certain that you can be aided, we will speak again. As soon as we are done here, I will have someone escort you to be tested."
Alia turned to Lars Rossen. "Where are we on the docket, Lars?"
"My lady, we are complete on all scheduled cases."
Alia looked out on the crowd. "Very well. Make last call."
Lars stood. "Hear one and all! Anyone having petitions unheard draw near or hold your peace until the next Petition hearing in the Hall."
No one stepped forward. Alia and Noller rose. "Light bless you, good People. Walk worthily of being the People of Light," Alia blessed and dismissed the crowd.
"Lars Rossen, take these Kaeradearthers to the Office of the Registrar and see that they are all tested, and registered if the tests come back acceptably."
"Of course, my lord," the senior Hall official answered.
"Thank you, Lars. Thank you one and all," Alia told them. "We are due in meetings of the public safety and agriculture select committees."
"You work all the time?" Matt asked.
"Pretty much, yes," Alia told him. "I am the Servant of the People. This is my office, my duty, and my life."
"Seems like a terrible life for a beautiful woman."
Alia exploded, "What do you know? I have been in the Temple since my fifth cycle. This is my life. How dare you judge it and find it wanting? What do you know of my planet? Of my people?"
Matt was taken aback. "We are the same people."
"No, Matthew Matthewssen, we may be biologically compatible, but we are not the same people," Alia denied strongly. "You are not a child of Light. You know nothing of my life."
"I can learn," Matt offered.
"Perhaps. Excuse me. I have meetings I must attend."
"You have to admit I curl your toes," Matt said.
"It would likely be no hardship to take you as lover. If you test out appropriately, I will bear your children. I don't see that we have anything beyond breeding in common."
"And you aren't willing to see if we could work out an understanding, become friends as well as lovers, and see if we couldn't make this breeding arrangement into a real---lasting---relationship, are you?"
Alia sighed. "That's another thing you obviously don't understand about me, about my culture."
"What is?" Matthew said impatiently.
"I cannot have an exclusive relationship with any man, no matter how much I might want to do that. I am a woman under vows to love all persons, while not valuing any single person above the rest. I cannot do that and still love anyone as a wife must love a husband," Alia told him her voice kind and gentle. "Members of the priesthood are barred from marrying because of that vow."
"Vows? What kind of vows?"
"I am bound by life vows to serve the people in the seven fold ways of the priesthood, and to abide by the rule of life of the priesthood of Light," Alia replied.
"Are these vows of chastity? Celibacy? Perpetual virginity?"
"No," she answered with a laugh. "None of us could fully function in the Temple Priesthood if we were required to be virginal all our days."
This only confused him more. Alia could feel the confusion pouring off of him.
"Part of our service to the People of Light is to serve as sexual surrogates for any whom are unmated at the time of the Festival," Alia told him, her voice gentle.
Matt's confusion became disbelief. "With all comers?"
"Heavens, no! The festival honors fertility. We partner with one person, if necessary."
"If necessary?"
"We try to find everyone a perfect mate for the festival, or a selection of perfect mates, if that is the desire of all involved. No one is alone during the festival," she explained patiently, as though to a child.
"No one except those priestesses without an assignment," Matt offered.
"Not even then. Anyone who wants to be with someone can be, even members of the priesthood. We of the priesthood simply have restrictions on our fertility unless our lineage needs to be preserved, or the lineage of our festival partner is sufficiently challenged that they need to reproduce to continue their line."
"I'm your assignment for the festival?"
"No. You aren't anyone's assignment."
"Then what would you call this?"
"I'm the only woman you're likely to find here with whom to be a perfect match, if the pendants are accurate. You would not want to run the risk of psychic shock with less than a perfect match, would you?"
It was clear to Alia that Matthew was choking back strong emotions. "No," he answered. "I wouldn't."
"Then don't fight this, Matthew. It is what is. Neither of us can change it. We must make the best of this situation."
"Is that what you're doing? Making the best of a bad situation?"
"Did I say it was a bad situation?"
"No."
"Then don't put words in my mouth. I usually mean what I say and say what I mean."
"I don't think you really like me very much."
"I don't know you, Matthew. How could I like or dislike you?" Alia said in a tone she would have reserved for a particularly dense child.
"Neither of us knows the other, and yet, we're going to make a baby, maybe several babies, together. Does this seem odd to you?"
"It's a genetic pairing. I don't need to know you, aside from in the physical sense of knowing someone sexually."
"Maybe I want to know you, more than carnally. Maybe I want to know your mind, understand you down deep to your soul."
"Maybe covers a lot of ground. Declare yourself."
"I want to be your friend, as well as your lover, Alia Raveensdautter."
Alia smiled at him. "This may yet happen, Matthew Matthewssen."
"Good."
"You must excuse me. I really do have other places I must be," she told him. "Light be with you, Matthew Matthewssen."
As she walked away, she thought she heard him mutter something about lunatics running the asylum. She didn't know precisely what that meant, but she admitted to herself it didn't sound at all complimentary.
It seemed that Alia could go nowhere in the complex without Matt being right there. Alia delayed the meeting with the committee on public safety long enough to make a stop at the hospital to check on the condition of Rickhard Hanssen. The team of neurosurgeons was working on him. Yet the situation was profoundly grave. While she was at the hospital, she briefly consulted a fertility specialist and took the drugs to urge her body to ripen and release multiple ova, as a precaution in case Matthew's tests came back favorable. This treatment wasn't something that could be done at the last moment.
Alia resolved to ignore the fact that Matt was following her around. But that was more difficult than she had anticipated.
Finally, after her meetings and speeches, she returned to her apartment to work in her private office, hoping to enjoy some quiet and to be able to relax a little.
Roaman greeted her unceremoniously. "You look tired."
"I am tired. Today has been a strain the likes of which I hope never again to experience."
"I heard about Treena Evertsdautter," Roaman offered quietly.
"I doubt there is anything you fail to hear about," Alia allowed.
"Not much. You know who she is, don't you?"
Alia sighed. "Who?"
"Treena is the child of Evert Janssen and Flavia Edvardsdautter," Roaman told her. "Her mother had her privately educated, even though Evert wanted to have her educated in the Temple. But then Flavia was extremely well to do, and she held a grudge against the Temple on account of Evert's vows. Treena inherited all that money."
Alia closed her eyes. Evert Janssen had been one of Alia's favorite law instructors. He had been a good priest of Light, but she had never known anything about his personal life. "Now that you say that, I see the resemblance between father and child. Light enfold him."
"You did the right thing on Mikhail Rollinssen. That man is bad news personified."
"You know him?" Alia replied, shocked.
"Know of him. He's been accused of rape at least three dozen times. Charges were always dropped. I've counseled at least a dozen of his victims over the years."
"His criminal record sheet was disgusting. How any man can be so vile and get away with it for so long is beyond me."
"Dame Berghetta and I schemed and schemed to find a legal way to remove him from the population. Without any of his victims being willing to testify, there was nothing we could do, legally."
Alia listened to the things that Roaman was not saying, things that Roaman could not ever admit, especially to an officer of the Hall. She understood and sympathized.
"Rickhard Hanssen is not expected to live through the rest of this turn. There is no possibility that Mikhail will ever hurt anyone again. We may use his execution to a good purpose."
"I heard about the aliens," Roaman offered.
Alia sighed heavily. "That's going to be a topic of conversation for quite a while, I think."
"There's nothing we can properly do except go to their aid," Roaman stated. "Law and custom require it."
"I know. Provided they are correct that the ten thousand do not carry the some degradation of the genome, it's the right thing to do. I haven't yet seen the report from the registrar on that. None of this is going to be easy."
"Few things are ever easy, Alia, especially for the Servants."
The blade grew hot. Alia removed it from her belt and looked into the stone.
Once more, the color in the stone danced like flames before clearing. She saw herself covered in blood, lying on a floor. Bodies lay all around her, over her. Some were whole. Others were not. The destruction in the room was substantial. She saw herself vanish and reappear back on Heita in the hospital. Noller was there. Then the vision was gone.
Alia didn't know what to make of this. It needed to be put before the tribunal. To reappear back on Heita? Did that mean she was to go someplace else? Under her obligations as Servant, she was tightly bound to the Temple complex. She couldn't imagine a situation in which she could have the time or the ability to go anywhere else.
"Have the tribunal summoned, Roaman. I need to present this to them."
"Another vision?" she asked in concern.
"Unfortunately."
"I want to talk to you," Matt said gently as he transferred in behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
Alia drew a deep breath as she fought off the wave of need that single touch created in her.
"Matthew Matthewssen, you are not allowed in this part of the complex without an express invitation. This is our enclosure. It is a private area for the members of the priesthood only," Alia said without turning to look at him. "Please respect my privacy. Leave now."
He placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Alia."
She removed his hands from her, in a sweeping move too quick for most people to follow. Then again, she had been trained in defense, as part of her formation. "Matthew, do not touch me without permission."
"Call me Matt. We need to talk."
"I'm tired and have a terrible headache. Can it wait?"
"You push yourself too hard," he said gently with concern and tenderness in his voice. "I can loosen up those muscles for you. I'm said to have good hands."
Alia laughed in a snort. "I'd wager that to be true."
"What can it hurt?" Matt urged. "All I'm offering is to help relieve your pain. After the time you had presiding at trials, I'm not surprised that you are tense. We can even keep a chaperone, if you don't want to be alone with me."
Alia laughed tightly. "I need not a chaperone for anything I choose to do. I am a grown woman fully capable of living my own life according to the laws and customs of my people."
"Perhaps you do not, but if there is another person here, it will protect me from your jumping my bones."
She couldn't help it, Alia laughed boldly at the image of this phrase. "'Jumping your bones'? Why would anyone care about bones? Jumping upon your flesh, perhaps. Yes, caressing flesh with lips and hands, this would be far more pleasurable. And if we began to mate at the moment, I do imagine that Roaman would find it pleasurable to join us. Would you not, Roaman?"
Her secretary laughed. "I've always enjoyed the men, and women, of the Clan. They have such delightfully different bodies. Furry places. Two testicles instead of the four of the Heita. Clan women are so easy to arouse with their single clitoris. The scent of Clan pheromones is tremendously pleasurable to native Heitans. Every person in the spectator's gallery this morning left there quickly to find someone with whom to mate. You both raised the level of excitement throughout the city substantially."
Matt made a strangled sound.
She looked at him curiously. "Are you well, Matt?"
"Getting to know your people is going to be an adventure," he said. "Again, I'm not surprised you are exhausted. That court session was enough to bring on a tension headache."
"Petitions are not usually that dramatic. Most people's troubles are considerably smaller than some of those we heard this morning."
"The woman in the registrar's office told me that there are no men in the population who are above a Neutral Match for you," Matt told her.
"That's correct," Alia told him as she rubbed her neck.
Matt smiled. "Turn around. I'll give you some relief by loosening up those muscles."
Alia did as she was bid. Matt's hands began working out the tension in the knotted muscles of her neck and shoulders. Yet, as those muscles relaxed, a whole other kind of tension built within her. The therapeutic massage became a sensual one. But, this was not the time for it.
"I think that's enough, Matt," Alia said, her voice quiet, as she stepped away from him. She turned to face him.
"Feel better?"
"Definitely. Thank you. I really have work to do now. Thank you."
"So polite," Matt chided her.
"What do you want from me, Matthew Matthewssen?"
"All I want is to spend time with you and get to know you, since you will be the mother of my children."
"That very much depends on your genetics report. I haven't yet had a chance to read it."
"The registrar says you are the only woman on the planet with whom I can make a Perfect Match."
"Indeed, I know this, if your genome looks like what your report and the pendant screening suggest. I believe I told you that earlier, in the Hall. There are four, maybe five, Definite Matches in the population, as well; Britta Larsdautter, Talia Micahsdautter, Gerta Olsdautter, Fredricka Liamsdautter, and maybe Naomi Iansdautter. But, Naomi may be only a Compatible. She's really rather borderline for you. There might be a total of ten Compatibles in the population."
Matt looked at her carefully. "That's the list the registrar gave me. You carry the whole population's genetics in your head?"
"Not everyone's. Just those most closely related to me genetically."
"You need to sit down with some soft music playing in the background, take off your shoes, and put your feet up. Just to relax," Matt told her.
"Why are you hovering and fussing over me?"
"Someone has to. You're too damned independent for your own good, according to what I hear. Given what people say about you, you've never made room in your life for anyone or anything not directly related to your studies or work. That's no way to live."
"I do happen to have other interests than work. I also have a lot of work to do. If I don't do it, it won't get done. I'm trying to dig out of a sixty turn backlog of the work that wasn't done after my predecessor in this office died. It's not easy."
Matt looked at Roaman. "Is this true?"
Roaman bristled. "One simply does not question the honesty of the Servant of the People. It's not only bad form, people have lost their heads over the eons for doing that within the presence of former Servants."
Alia laughed. "I'm more patient than some, Roaman."
"Ah, but you're young yet," Roaman allowed. "And you've not truly gotten used to the power of being the Servant, yet, as you've been in the office for only about four turns."
"What's a turn?" Matt asked.
Alia thought for a moment. "About one half of a Kaeradearth day."
"Then you are relatively new to this office?" Matt asked.
"Yes. I was only recently named."
"From the way you handled the legal matters this morning, no one would have known that you hadn't been doing that for years," Matt allowed.
Alia smiled at him.
"So, help me understand about this backlog of work. Was there no one who could have handled matters?"
Roaman spoke. "I've handled what I could and put aside the rest. About ninety percent of the things that come into the office don't have to be decided by the Servant. So I've always turned them back to the sender with a strongly worded suggestion that the committees handle the routine matters themselves and only forward executive decisions to the Servant. Still, the remnant is enough to keep a body busy from first bell until dinner."
Matt smiled. "Then you have free time after dinner?"
"Usually. That's known as recreation time."
"And what do you do during recreation?"
"There are usually concerts, plays, time for exercise, hobby work, or free reading," Alia told him.
"How about walking out with me?" Matt asked her. "You could show me the city."
Alia laughed. "If you want to see the city, I can find you a better guide. I'm not allowed to walk freely among the People. You can imagine the stir that would cause."
"Your life is totally encased in the walls of the Temple complex?"
"More or less."
"Come to Kaeradearth with me. Let me show you the planet from which our people sprang, the planet you and your people are trying to help."
"A State visit?" Alia asked, her mind filling with dread.
"No, just a friendly visit. Since you can't show me your city, let me show you the beauty of my home."
"I can't do that," she hedged.
"You can do anything you wish," Matt told her
"No one can do everything they wish, Matthew," Alia said wearily.
Roaman laughed as she rose from her chair and walked around the desk. "By your leave, my lady?"
"As you will, Roaman."
Her secretary came to stand before Matt. "I smell the pheromones, Clan man. You excite me." Then Roaman kissed him.
Alia looked at them. Matt wrapped his arms around Roaman and was returning the kiss. She fought back the wave of jealousy she felt. But she couldn't fight the fact that she found the thought of being in his arms exciting, that she wanted his cock deep inside her.
Matt's clothing disappeared. So did Roaman's. Alia didn't know if she did that or Matt had done it. Matt broke off the kiss and put Roaman away from him. He looked at Roaman's nude breasts and swallowed hard. "You are lovely."
"I please you, then?" Roaman asked him.
"Any more and I'd come right now."
"This is not good. Premature ejaculation is a bad thing. We will have to work on this before you mate with the Servant. I can teach you how to prolong the pleasure."
Alia's mouth went dry as she looked at Matt's nude form. He was muscular, strong, extremely well formed, with deep auburn hair under his arms, a furry mat of the same color hair across his chest, out of which poked the brown of his male nipples. That hair tapered down to a vee before it repeated around his cock and balls. The thick length of his cock jutted out, stiff at attention. He was more than ready to fuck. Her palms itched to touch him. She longed to take him within herself. That wasn't going to be possible at the moment.
Roaman reached out a hand and encircled his cock. Slowly, she began to stroke him.
Matt moaned. He looked at Alia with questions in his eyes as Roaman stepped towards him and began to plant light kisses on his neck and shoulder, before trailing her lips down his chest.
"You just going to watch?" he asked her, his voice harsh with need.
"I wouldn't want to interfere with your pleasure, Matt. Roaman teaches the young of the priesthood, both male and female, in sexuality. You couldn't ask for a better person to teach you the arts of love," Alia replied, her voice gentle. "Besides, it excites you almost beyond words for me to watch, and you know it."
Matt laughed, his voice hoarse. "I don't think I like how well you already know my thoughts."
As Roaman found his right nipple with her tongue and teeth, he moaned and threw his head back.
"Like that Clan man?" Roaman teased.
"Of course he does," Alia replied.
"Come here and find out," Matt said.
"No. I think I'll stay right here."
"Chicken!" he charged, disbursing the atoms of her clothing, leaving her naked. "You are so incredibly beautiful," he added in an awed voice.
"Did I tell you I wanted to be nude in your sight?" Alia demanded, her voice holding a hint of anger mixed with the pure pleasure of his thinking her beautiful. She envisioned herself in a long gown of soft black silk, slit up to the hips at the sides and featuring a plunging vee neck. She covered the gown with a long robe of black lace.
"What excites you?" Matt asked.
"Watching you take your pleasure, for now," she told him. "Having me watch your pleasure fills your mind with excitement as well, does it not? Roaman, do you want to give him pleasure? Or are you simply teasing him?"
"I will give him pleasure and take my own with him," Roaman said. "If he wills it."
"Matt?"
He looked at her and swallowed hard.
Roaman smiled.
"Sofa, bed, or floor?" Alia asked Roaman.
"Bed. Definitely. More room to spread out and be comfortable. I want to screw him until he begs for mercy."
"I won't be the one begging for mercy," Matt told Roaman.
"Then again, you've never been fucked by a woman," Roaman told him, a pleasure threat in the words.
"I don't intend to 'be fucked' by anyone," Matt told Roaman, his voice fierce.
Roaman laughed. "Relax, Kaeradearther. With no women on your planet, you've never had a proper introduction to sex with one not of your own gender. Mating toys, self-pleasuring, or encounters with other men, this has been your sexual history, yes?"
Matt looked embarrassed. "Yes."
"Understandable," Roaman allowed, stroking his cock. "This is such a fine cock. Hard, long, thick. Most women on Heita would gladly bed you. You could have your pick of any except the Clan. Now come to bed with us and experience pleasure, Matthew." Roaman smiled at Alia. "Your bed, my lady?"
"We'd create a stir walking down the hall to the dormitory," Alia teased.
Roaman laughed. "Then again, we'd have quite a party when we got there."
"I'd rather keep this private," Alia replied.
"You're young yet. One day, you will learn how to let loose in order to enjoy the pleasures of life."
Alia didn't reply, instead she turned and led them from her office towards her bedroom. Matt was right behind her. She was completely aware of how close he was to her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck.
When they entered the bedroom, Matt wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him. Being held against his hard, hairy body, excited her almost beyond words. She had just enough sense of self-preservation break free from him. This was not the time for them to be intimate.
"We will not mate now. Play, yes. Mate, no," Alia told him, her voice soft. "Now, you get to mate with Roaman."
"I'd rather have my cock inside you," Matt said.
"Later. Not now," Alia told him firmly.
He smiled at her as Roaman offered, "A little three play in the hot tub?"
"I think we'd all drown," Alia replied, her voice tight.
"Then again, you are both drowning in desire now, are you not?" Roaman offered. "No. That's not quite right. He's drowning in desire. Your pheromones are curiously low, my lady."
Alia turned back the comforter and the sheets. Climbing into bed, she said, "Come here, Matt. Right into the middle of the bed. Let Roaman and I both touch and caress you."
Roaman laughed. "Sex is meant to be enjoyed in all the possible variations. Come let us enjoy one another, in ways you have never imagined. Every orifice of my body exists to pleasure you. My role is to serve you and facilitate your pleasure. Climb into bed. Let Alia and I touch and pleasure you."
Matt climbed into the bed.
Alia said, leaning up on one elbow looking down at him as she touched his chest, "You are such a beautiful man."
Her breast fell out of the deep neckline of her gown. He moved his head enough so that he could take her nipple into his mouth and begin sucking upon it.
Alia drew a shuddering breath. Even with her hormones all out of kilter as a result of the drugs, she still wanted him.
"Light!" Roaman said in awe, joining them on the bed. "His pheromones are driving me mad with need. If I don't have his cock soon, I'll explode."
Alia backed away from Matt. She forced a smile, although all she wanted to do was to throw her secretary out of the room and fuck Matt until both of them were too exhausted to move. The only thing stopping her was the knowledge she wasn't capable of doing that at the moment. "Pleasure him," she said.
"I can pleasure both of you," Roaman offered.
"No, Roaman," Alia said. "Pleasure Matt."
"You are young," Roaman said quietly.
"I'm also undergoing multiple ovulation therapy," Alia explained, her voice tight, although she didn't want to explain that much of her life to the other woman. Yet, only the truth would do.
"Ah," Roaman said, understanding dawning. "That makes sense."
"What makes sense?" Matt demanded.
"The first half a turn after the drugs to force multiple ovulation enter her system, a Clan woman can't lubricate. That ability to enjoy sex comes back rapidly. But, taking a cock into herself could be excruciatingly painful, even damaging to tissues, during that initial period of time. She is wise to abstain just now. You don't want her memories of your first time together to be ones of utter pain."
Matt's face became a mask of concern. "Are you in pain?"
"Not at the moment," Alia dismissed. "It's temporary. Take your pleasures with one another," Alia offered. "I simply cannot enjoy you at the moment."
"You're more of a game player than I would have thought, my lady," Roaman said, approvingly.
"Pleasure him. Take him inside you. Tell me how he feels," Alia said as she rose from the bed.
Roaman straddled Matt. Alia watched as her secretary took Matt's cock deep inside her.
The gasp of pleasure Roaman made told her all she needed to know. He would feel good. Very good.
Alia was lost in her own fantasies about breeding with Matt.
Matt rolled over, taking Roaman beneath him. Suddenly, he was the one in charge.
Roaman laughed. Then as he began to thrust more deeply within her, Roaman wrapped her legs around his hips.
Alia sat down on the bed. Lightly, she began to plant kisses on his shoulders and neck and to stroke his back.
"Faster, harder!" Roaman moaned just before the spasms of her orgasm began.
Alia felt Matt's muscles tense a few moments later. Under her hands, she felt him shudder with the force of his own release. Soon she would experience the full force of mating with him. Alia couldn't believe how much she wanted that.
Matt separated from Roaman and rolled over onto his back. He pulled Alia down beside him. He kissed her. Then he pulled Roaman into his side and Alia into his other side. The three of them lay there content, two of them drowsy with release.
Roaman yawned. She looked at Alia. "The man has talent. With a little practice, he could be awesome."
Matt lightly, teasingly, swatted Roaman on the butt.
Both Matt and Roaman laughed.
"So," Alia asked, humor in her voice, "did you enjoy yourselves?"
Matt looked at her. With a false seriousness, he answered, "No. Not at all."
"I see." She chuckled.
"When will you be able to make love with me?"
Alia shook her head. "I won't be fully fertile until the festival. If your reports come back acceptable, then we'll think about this. Not before."
Matt smiled at her. "Not that we're complaining, mind you. But, why are you even thinking about being so generous with us?"
"Our laws require it," Alia replied.
"Which laws?"
Roaman choked back a laugh. "Matthew, never ask an advocate for specifics as to the law. You'll get an earful. Alia has a better mind than most for this sort of thing. She knows the law as if the books were all stored verbatim in her mind."
Matt nodded. "I noticed that earlier when she put that Ulrich character in his place."
"Ulrich Gerretssen," Roaman said with disdain. "That man needs a large lesson in humility. Good looking man with a really ugly personality. Self-centered. Thinks only of his own pleasures during mating. One of the few priests I ever had to give a failing grade in Sexual Courtesy 101. He had to take that course three times before he finally passed with low marks."
Alia snorted. "We can only pray for him."
Roaman lifted her head. She smiled. "What are you planning to do to him?"
The anticipation in her secretary's voice made Alia smile. "Roaman, Roaman, Roaman, I don't take petty vengeance."
"So, this ought to be good, then," Roaman countered. "Do tell."
Alia smiled. "Ulrich has always wanted to teach law. He's not ready for that. He has a number of weaknesses that need to be corrected. We'll start with his research ability."
Roaman spoke with approval in her voice, "My lady, you are creative."
"Right now, I need to call the Tribunal together."
That got Matt's attention. "Having visions still in Athame's hilt stone?"
"Yes."
"Tell me about this?"
"Not until the Tribunal rules one way or the other whether this is an acceptable word from Light," Alia told him.
"Will you come to Kaeradearth with me?"
"Let's see what your reports show. Then we'll see."
"Good. We'll leave after dinner."
"Not until there are fewer unanswered questions."
Matt smiled. "We'll see." Then he vanished.
Roaman shook her head. "I wish I knew how they did that."
"We all have read of the science of transferring. I've never done it, but it's time I learned. Get dressed, Roaman," Alia told her secretary as she reclothed the other woman in the same type of simple habit that she had been wearing earlier. Then Alia changed her own clothing to something acceptable for public wearing.
"Summon the Tribunal, will you?"
\*
The Tribunal assembled in Alia's office. The members sat on the petitioner side of Alia's desk, with the recorder sitting behind them.
Simply, Alia told them of her latest vision.
Verna sighed. "This is not a happy image."
Alia nodded. "It frightens me."
"With good reason," Carl stated.
"Be careful, my lady," Mehan advised.
"I don't even know what caused the destruction. It's in a meeting room, a council room of some sort. It could be anywhere. But, I have the feeling it is on Kaeradearth, as I return to Heita from there."
"Are you planning to go to Kaeradearth?" Verna demanded.
"I received an invitation after this vision appeared."
"An invitation from Matthew Matthewssen?" Mehan asked.
"Yes. He wants to show me the planet."
"He wants more from you than that," Carl stated.
"I am aware of this. I know my duty, Carl."
Mehan nodded. "Light bless you! Of course you do!"
Carl spoke. "There is no doubt that this vision is authentic. We validate it."
Verna added, "If you go to Kaeradearth, my lady, as the deputy chief for security, I insist that you wear level ten personal armoring at all times. You are a member of the Clan. You should be able to pull this together by force of will. We have seen how you were able to change clothing. You should be able to protect your torso, at least from impact of projectiles. Full body armouring is restrictive and not actually that good as we've never yet found a way of joining the sections so that they aren't at risk of falling apart in use."
Carl cleared his throat. "That is a wise precaution, my lady. We are all aware that the Kaeradearthers are not telling us the full story. They are hiding something important. Something they fear we will find totally unacceptable."
"That was my reading of them, as well," Alia admitted.
"Be mindful, be careful, my lady," Mehan told her.
"I shall. Thank you."
\*
She reached out with her mind and found Noller. Then she willed herself into his presence. Alia found him in his office, working at his desk. The door was closed and he was alone in his office.
He looked up from the documents before him. "I didn't hear you come in," he told her with a smile.
"No reason why you should have heard me. I'm trying to learn how to travel by transfer of matter," Alia told him, satisfaction in her voice.
"This is part of your legends, as well."
"Yes. It is."
"You have something on your mind?"
"I have been invited to visit Kaeradearth," Alia said.
Noller looked at her. "You can get there and back in one turn?"
"Oh, I think so, Noll. Transfer is supposed to be a quick process. I know that when I just transferred here, it was nearly instantaneous. But, I don't want to go."
"Why not?" he asked, trying to understand. "I would think that you would be curious about the place from which your race sprang."
"I had a disturbing vision," she admitted.
"In the hilt stone?"
"Yes."
"Have you presented this to the tribunal?"
"Yes. They've accepted it."
"How disturbing?"
"A level of blood and gore I haven't seen since my childhood. Destruction. Death. Profound injury. I'm still trying to make sense of all this."
He rose from his desk and walked around to her. He lightly touched her face. "I'm sorry. Any idea of when it is supposed to occur?"
She sighed. "No."
"You can't live your life in fear of visions. You are entitled to recreation. Society won't fall apart if you are incommunicado for a turn. If you want to go with Matthew, I'm certain that it's perfectly all right. He does care for you and will keep you safe. I'm assuming from the level of pheromones I smell on you that you've been sexual with him."
"Roaman was. I watched."
Noller chuckled. "And how did our Kaeradearther friend adjust to pleasure with Roaman? I almost would have paid to see that."
"It was worth seeing," she admitted, satisfaction in her voice. Then she added in a more sober tone, "But I haven't yet mated with him."
"Has the report not come back yet from the registrar? That's odd."
"I haven't seen it. I'll go to the registrar's office in a little while to check on that."
"Alia, all you have to do is ask. The days of your having to physically track things down are gone," Noller said indulgently as he went to the door, opened it and announced to his secretary, "I want the reports from the registrar on the Kaeradearthers."
"Yes, my lord."
Then Noller closed the door and turned to her. "See. It's easy. Just ask."
Alia laughed. "I'm not used to speaking and having people jump to do my bidding."
"You'll get used to it, Alia."
"Probably. Yet, I hate to think how the full acceptance of that authority will change me."
Noller looked at her, curiosity on his face, "Aside from not knowing about his genetics, was there another reason you didn't mate with him?"
"I've begun the multiple ovulation therapy."
Noller looked at her for a long moment then nodded. "I see. You weighed the risks and benefits before you began this treatment?"
"Yes. I did. It was a sudden decision, but not a rash one."
"It will be fine, Alia."
"I hope so. This frightens me as much as, or more than, the vision."
"I'd be concerned about you if it didn't. Are you clear from the initial side effects, yet?"
"I think so. I'm beginning to feel more like my old self."
"There are many reasons to mate, Alia. Conceiving is only one of those."
"He frightens me, Noll."
Noller nodded. "That's honest. And understandable. You should take your pleasures where you find them. The pleasure at conception will be greater, if you take time to let him learn your body now."
"He has a very appealing form, Noll. It would be too easy to become attached to pleasures with him."
"That is a real concern, especially for one of the priesthood."
"I don't usually fret myself over invalid concerns."
Noll chuckled. "No. You don't. That's one of the things I find so reassuring about you. When you go to Kaeradearth, you will take adequate guards won't you?"
"I'll take those of my guard who are of the Clan. It's time that they learned to travel by transfer," Alia replied.
"That's wise."
"Will you hold me?"
"My dear, I wish I could do nothing but hold you," he said as he drew her close to him and held her gently.
Her head rested on his shoulder. "I thought I was the only one who felt that way."
"No. You aren't."
Alia swallowed hard, knowing that was as close to a declaration of love either of them could legally make for one another.
Noll turned his head and lightly kissed the side of her temple. "How much time do you have before you leave?"
"I won't even consider it until after dinner. Transferring takes a lot of energy. I need to be well fed."
"You will be able to return home, won't you?"
"I will always be able to find you. You are my homing beacon, my tower of light in a dark universe."
"Love me, Alia?"
"Yes," she confessed before she thought about it. Then she covered her tracks, "I'll make love with you. Your bed or mine?"
"We don't need a bed, my sweetest love. The smell of your pheromones just about drove me over the edge earlier today in the Hall. I greatly enjoyed watching you have that intense pleasure. Just thinking about how great your pleasure was has kept me in a heightened state of arousal since then. And now, with the scent of sex still on your skin, I can think of nothing I would like more than to love you, long and hard. If you are certain that you are over the side-effects of the drugs, that is?"
"When you touch me, you can determine that for yourself."
"I spend a good deal of time thinking about ways to touch you. It's working havoc with my ability to concentrate on my work, woman!"
"Good. I like the fact I can arouse you." She lifted her head and looked at him. "We both have on too many clothes." Then she disbursed the atoms of their clothing, leaving them naked. She wrapped her arms about his neck and kissed him.
Noll's hands cupped the cheeks of her ass. He backed his head away from her slightly, breaking the kiss. "Hold onto me. I've got you. Lift your legs and wrap them around my hips."
Neither one of them were disposed to take passion slowly. Their need for one another was too great. Alia complied with his request without hesitation. With a single thrust, he entered her.
"You're so hot and tight."
"Complaining?" she teased.
"No. If you weren't wet as well, this would end right now," he told her, his voice thick with need. Then his tone became tender, "The last thing I ever want is to hurt you."
"I know that."
He sank to his knees, then helped her lay back upon the carpet, keeping her legs wrapped around his hips. Not finding that position comfortable, she reached up, grabbed his arms and pulled him down so he lay upon her.
"You drive me mad," he told her.
"Good. Hard. Fast."
He thrust. She lifted her hips to answer that thrust. His mouth covered hers. Their tongues danced and mated, even as his hard thrusts were bringing both of them near to release. Their mating wasn't gentle. It wasn't sweet. It wasn't slow. But it was just what they both needed.
Noller held off his own release until he felt her spasms begin. Then he moaned as he felt his release filling her.
When their breath came easily once more, Noller asked her, "Alia, if you weren't bound to the Temple, would you take this Matthew person to husband?"
"I don't know. How could I know something like that? That's a question for the writers of fiction. Only someone who wrote 'alternate reality' could provide an answer for that. All I know is what is."
"And what is?" Noll asked as he separated himself from her and rose to his feet.
Just looking at him made her mouth go dry. He was such a beautiful man. How could she want him again, after they had just had sex? She didn't know, but she saw that he was growing hard again. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
She visualized him in his clothing. As much as she wanted to spend her whole life making love with him, they both had duties that weren't getting done.
"Alia? What is?"
She shook her head as she rose to her feet. "You are. I am. That's all the significance. Everything else fades into the background."
"You will have to mate with Matthew," Noll told her. "You will carry his children. I envy those children the pleasure of nursing from your breasts."
She visualized herself dressed as a knock came at the door. "I don't want him."
Noller's secretary, Lisle, entered carrying a stack of reports he was looking at. "These are the reports you asked for my lord."
Then Lisle looked up and saw her. "My lady, excuse me, I didn't realize you were here," he said in embarrassment.
"No matter, Lisle Aamessen. No matter. May I see the report on Matthew Matthewssen?"
"Yes, my lady," he said with deference.
"Leave them, Lisle," Noller instructed as Alia read through the report Lisle had handed to her. "Thank you."
Lisle left the room and closed the door behind him.
Noller skimmed several of the reports and saw that the Kaeradearthers had no defects in their genome. He saw the list of cross matches for each from among the People. If these men were actually a representative subset of the fertile population on Kaeradearth, then there would be no problem finding mates for them.
"How is Matthew Matthewssen's?" he asked in concern as she was too quiet.
"Perfect," Alia said, her voice flat.
"That should be a relief. Yet it doesn't seem to give you joy."
Alia sighed. "No. It doesn't. It frightens me."
"You are genuinely scared, aren't you?" Noller asked in amazement.
"I don't know what this is going to mean to me, personally. Or to the Clan."
Noller nodded. "Yes. I understand this."
"I don't want him, Noll."
"We both know that's not true. All he has to do is touch you and you will go willingly into his arms."
"He's touched me. He even gave me a massage to loosen up my neck and shoulders. What stimulation I feel with him is no more than I feel with you. In fact, it is less than I feel with you."
Noller smiled broadly. Then his expression became serious. "There is no conflict here, Alia, unless you let him create one. It doesn't have to be him or me. Neither of us can be exclusive with one another, no matter how much we might wish that. It's not possible in our society. There is a culture clash between Matthew's people and ours. We have different ways. Being with him will settle any future rumors that you and I have an exclusive relationship. All we have to do is to point at your children by him as prima-facie evidence that you have relationships with other people."
"That may be an understatement, at least as far as the different ways go."
"I saw with my own eyes, and smelled with my own nose, the level of pleasure you can have with this man. I am envious of that."
Alia sighed. "Don't be. I don't love him, Noll."
"No. I don't imagine that you do. Love isn't a prerequisite for a genetic mating. But you should relax and enjoy him. And regular sex during pregnancy can be a good thing."
"I know the biology."
"You and he are perfect matches for one another."
"We're biologically compatible. I can't help it. I don't know him. I'm not sure I even like him."
"They aren't being fully truthful with us," Noller said. "You know this."
"I know. The Tribunal knows. I don't know what they are withholding. I'd wondered if I were seeing something that wasn't there until the Tribunal members confronted me with it."
"No. There's definitely something they are not telling us. Something that they are afraid if we know we will not aid them," Noller stated.
"Perhaps I actually need to go to Kaeradearth and find out what this is."
"Only if you feel you must."
"Yes. I'm afraid, Noll. There's death waiting. Anyone I take might not make it back to Heita. I think I'll come through. Going is imposing a death sentence on those I take."
"You don't know that. You said there was no time frame on this vision. It could be now. It could be twenty years from now," Noller replied.
"It's not twenty years from now. My appearance was not changed. It's soon. It may be this turn, this cycle, or next. I don't know."
"All you can do is try always to do the right thing, Alia."
"Do you think I'm being silly?"
"No. I think you're being prudent. But, we need to know the truth, Alia. To learn that, we need for one of us to go and see what the conditions truly are on Kaeradearth."
"I know that. Noll, can we steal a little time together to bathe and play and maybe to make love again more leisurely?"
He smiled at her. "We'll make the time. I can think of nothing I would like more."
Matt stood in her sitting room when she returned from dinner. Noller came into the room just behind her.
The two men exchanged polite greetings.
"We have read the reports of the registrar, Matthew," Noller said.
"And?" Matt answered, his voice showing his nervousness.
"We will require all the men coming to Heita from Kaeradearth to undergo testing,"Alia said. "Only those who test cleanly and can be matched to women in our population will be allowed to breed. Anything below a perfect match must have a healer present at the time of mating."
"This is acceptable," Matt agreed.
"Will the fact that we will only allow undamaged men to mate cause difficulties among your men?" Noller asked.
"No. It will be understood," Matt replied. "We all have the same goal."
"There is often a large gap between understanding and feelings," Alia stated. "The history of Old Earth is littered with wars, battles, and campaigns fought over less cause than survival of the race. I will not place the People in danger. Although we are willing to aid you, our first loyalty is to the People. I want this understood."
"Understood. Sounds like you have an imminent danger on your hands at the moment, with these creatures of darkness, whatever they are," Matt said. "We could perhaps help you with eliminating that problem in exchange for your helping us."
"You would trade death for life?" Alia demanded, aghast.
"If necessary. We would certainly be willing to wage a campaign or two for you to help you solve the problem of these animals," Matt offered.
"You have no idea of what you are saying," Alia dismissed, the mental picture of the destruction caused by these Creatures still fresh in her mind even after more than twenty years.
"Then show me what the issues are. Do your people still know how to share thoughts?" Matt asked.
"Matthew Matthewssen, we usually only share thoughts between perfect mates and then only when a certain level of personal trust is involved," Alia replied, her voice more sharp than she wanted.
"So, tell me of the Creatures," Matt demanded.
"In the lore of Old Earth, there were myriad legends of creatures who lived in the darkness and preyed on unwary souls. So it is here. Except these are more than bogey men created to scare children. The Creatures are native to Heita. They live underground during Light and on the surface during the Darkness. They are murderous vermin who strip the land of every living thing they can catch---bird, reptile, mammal, fish; no legs, two legs, four legs, six legs, winged, finned, whatever. Light causes them pain and even death, with sufficient exposure."
"Which is why your city here is so well lit," Matt replied, understanding in his voice.
"Indeed. Keeping the city lit during the darkness is one of the seven sacred functions of the priesthood. Without this light, we would become prey for the Creatures," Alia explained. "Protecting, defending, and supporting the People is our role in life."
"Then why do you not go after these Creatures and exterminate them?" Matt demanded.
"You will not be satisfied with less than a full disclosure. And I can't disclose this to you in words. A verbal description will not do this justice. You have to see it. I don't want to do this. Perfect Mates we are. Trusting, we're not. So, I will show you this one set of information. If I find you probing around in my mind, I will end this and you will never be permitted in my thoughts again. Do you understand me?"
"That's clear," Matt said, his expression frosty.
"Open your mind to me as I open to you." Alia opened her mind to his. She showed him her memories of the Creatures, of the destruction they were able to wreck, of what they knew about the habits and physiology of the Creatures.
"We can offer you safety from these Creatures. We can transfer every human and Heitan on this planet to our planet, leaving these Creatures here," Matt offered.
"That's out of the question," Alia said quickly. "Heitan physiology would not tolerate the differences between your planet and ours. Native Heitans would not thrive on Kaeradearth. It took almost a hundred generations before we of the Clan fully adapted to the ecology here."
"Then we can take all humans out of here and bring you back to Kaeradearth," Matt offered.
"We have been here long enough that we think of this planet as home. Many of our kind have until today relegated the stories of our immigration to the realm of myth and legend. Besides, given our acculturation to Heita, I don't think we'd thrive a lot better on Kaeradearth than the native Heitans," Alia told him.
Noller spoke, "We will aid you under a set of conditions."
"Which are?" Matt asked, his voice uneasy.
He explained, "First, we've already covered the first condition of testing and registration. Second, the People of the Clan may freely visit Kaeradearth, if they so desire. But, any of your men forcing or urging permanent immigration will be forever barred from Heita. Leaving here is a decision that each person must make freely, whether that person is a man, woman or a child. Your parental rights will not extend to taking children from the planet for more than brief visits to Kaeradearth before the child is of the age of reason, and only then with the child's mother accompanying you. The penalty for abduction is death. Our laws allow us to follow fleeing felons and summarily execute them on the spot. I hope that you understand this."
Matt nodded. "We don't understand, but we accept this is a condition of the deal. What is the age of reason for your culture?"
"A child is said to know right from wrong and to be able to make moral decisions at the age of ten cycles," Noller replied. "It is at this age that a Heitan youth becomes an adolescent and begins to take on adult responsibilities. Another seven cycles, and they are able to carry out adult responsibilities, including those of parenthood, unless they are designated for the priesthood. Then the normal age for full participation is between twenty-two and thirty cycles, depending on the educational track of the novice."
Matt absorbed that. "What are your other conditions?"
Noller continued, "Third, all matings will be accomplished under Heitan law. This means you must accept the matches made for you by the Temple staff. You will wed the woman under the provisions of Heitan law. The children will be legitimate, and entitled to all the benefits of full citizenship on Heita."
"What are the provisions of Heitan law for marriage?" Matt demanded.
Alia sighed. "You will provide financial and emotional support for your children. You will provide financially for the woman while you are married. Heitan marriages usually begin at the Festival and annul at the Festival, being of one cycle duration. Unions may renew, and most do, cycle after cycle. Yet, both parties are free to terminate the arrangements and seek other partners at the end of each cycle. A woman is expected to be faithful during her fertile time so that there would be no doubt as to the paternity of the child. Otherwise, it is a civil contract of partnership."
"We will make certain that the broadest possible support is given to genetic diversity in the resulting children," Noller assured him. "Where several possible mates exist, the effort will be made to encourage subsequent breedings among several mothers."
"This is no more than we desire," Matt agreed. "Have you other conditions?"
Noller continued, "We will arrange four cycles of mating with the Clan women of Heita. This will give you potentially forty thousand healthy children over the next four cycles, or four children per undamaged male. Perhaps more, depending on the willingness of the Clan women to undergo fertility enhancements in order to produce multiple offspring from a single breeding."
"As Alia has done?" Matt asked.
"Indeed," Alia answered.
Noller continued, "We can easily engineer fraternal twins in most cases by urging the expulsion of two ova per woman."
Alia sighed and spoke thoughtfully, "We usually discourage that kind of manipulation of breeding, unless there is a pressing need for the continuation of the line. However, this is about as pressing of a need for the continuation of the line as any we've ever envisioned. This multiple ovulation can be done easily enough in any female who so desires it. Yet, we will not ever force the issue. There are side effects and risks of this procedure. These have to be weighed carefully by every woman involved."
Noller spoke, "Neither will any woman will be coerced to breed with the men of Kaeradearth. A woman's mating partners must be of her own choosing within the parameters dictated by genetics. Neither will we interfere in the marriage plans of the Clan women. If only one Perfect Match exists for one of your men, but the woman has already pledged to wed to another, we will not encourage her to break her promise. To do so would be against our laws and customs. But, where we can have influence, we will encourage the genetic matings to take place."
Matt nodded. "We don't want forced breedings."
Noller looked at him. "Let's be honest, here, Matthew. You are desperate enough for new life on Kaeradearth that I suspect even forced kidnappings have been contemplated."
Matt smiled. "Many things are contemplated when approaching a new situation. Contingencies lie within plans and other contingencies. Strategies and tactical moves are plotted. A long time ago a military man of my people said, 'Make your plans to fit the circumstances.'"
Noller continued, "Assuming that the children born are approximately evenly divided per sex, and assuming that at least half will want to immigrate to Kaeradearth, this will give your planet a good start towards repopulating. Our own population cannot tolerate more of a potential loss of our future generations than would be provided by the loss of all the children from these four cycles."
Matt nodded. "We understand. Is that the extent of your conditions?"
"No. Towards the end of the Darkness, we tend to run low on food. You will have to bring your own foodstuffs sufficient to feed your people," Alia stated.
Matt smiled at her. "That will be no problem."
Alia nodded. "No. It probably won't. Matter reorganization should cover it."
Matt smiled. "Yes. We can take almost anything and make simple food out of it."
Noller added, "A sudden influx of ten thousand men into this already crowded city may create difficulties."
"That's understandable," Matt allowed. "Would it be less disruptive of your culture if we came in shifts, part this year and part next?"
Alia answered him, "No. Your race needs aid urgently, or you wouldn't have come to us. Who knows how many of your fertile men will still be among the living the longer we stretch this out. Go back to your Kaeradearth, and bring your undamaged fertile men. We need time for the registry work to be done. The festival begins in just a bit over one of your weeks, Matthew. That isn't much time to get everything done."
"Members of my team have already gone back to Kaeradearth to begin the gathering of the men. I'll be returning to Kaeradearth shortly."
Noller said, "When you bring your men, you must gather and mostly remain in the Temple courtyard. This will be less disruptive for the city than billeting you in the already overcrowded inns while we do the genetic work."
Matt nodded. "That makes sense."
Then he looked at Alia, "Will you come with me and allow me to show you something of the planet of your Clan's origin?"
"Yes. I'll come," she said. "Yet, I must return in no more than a turn."
"You understand how important it is that Alia is kept safe?" Noller demanded of Matt. "I can't impress that upon you seriously enough."
"I have no plans to let her be other than safe," Matt replied.
"Alia, are you ready to leave?" Noller asked her.
"I guess so, Noll. My guard will fix on me. I will fix on Matt. We all should come through okay. I can find my way home."
Noller smiled at her. "Of course you can. We have meetings in a turn. If you haven't repatriated by then, there will be questions. Walk in Light, Alia. Return safely."
"Yes, my lord."
"Fix your minds, guard!" Alia commanded. Feeling all of their minds upon her, Alia turned to Matt. "Anytime, Matt. I'm following you."
Matt took her hand in his, then he vanished. Alia and her guards followed him almost faster than Noller could believe. He stood there just looking at the place where she had stood. He couldn't believe how much this hurt. He couldn't believe how much he was afraid for her.
Noller had to admit to himself just how much he loved her, even though that sort of exclusive love was forbidden to him. But the heart, he was learning, had a mind and will of its own.
\*
Alia and Matt transferred to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
"This is the most beautiful place I know. I come here a lot," Matt told her. "Especially when I need to gain some perspective on my life. All my problems seem small when I stand here and look at this. I've taken the liberty of adjusting our arrivals in time so that we are here early in the day before it gets too hot."
"I can understand why you like this place. I've never seen anything like this. It is utterly beautiful."
"The river carved this over ages and ages."
"Noll and I were discussing just a couple of turns ago how water dissolves and changes rock. You have to wonder where the minerals that were carved out of this canyon ended up. How many generations of life have been nourished by them, directly or indirectly?"
"You are amazing."
Alia chuckled. "No."
"Yes. I envy our children the pleasure they will have at your breasts as you feed them."
Alia drew a deep breath. Noll had just said something similar to her. Light! How she missed him. "They'll be good looking children, if they look like their father."
"Better looking if they favor their mother," he told her with a smile.
"You are a smooth talking Irishman, aren't you?"
"I go there, to Ireland, now and again."
"The legends speak of the Emerald Isle. Is it as beautiful as the legends say?"
"Yes. Would you like to see it?"
"I would like to see Kildare."
"Why Kildare?"
"Brigit."
Matt smiled. "I wasn't sure you would know the Catholic legends."
"All the history of earth and its religious history were written down. It's in the archives. I may well know more about the history of this place than those who live here. At least the history up until the time the Twenty Parents fled from here."
Matt smiled and touched her face. "You may well at that."
"Are you a religious man, at all?"
"Not really. I know that there exists a Higher Power. I don't know what to think about that. Most of us aren't very religious. There are small sects with a handful of adherents here and there. A small Hindu group with five remaining members exists in India. There are still a hundred Christians in Rome and guarding their holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. About fifty Jews live in Jerusalem. About that many Moslems continue to maintain the holy site in Mecca. But most of us give lip service to the official Wiccan religion, without that being more than a cultural thing."
"Except for Judaism, those are all religions that officially anthropomorphize the Creator and Sustainer of Life, casting the Power as male or female. On Heita, we tend to think it is silly to do that. God, for the lack of a better term for the Power, is greater than we can begin to understand, so we don't try to force the Power into a smaller box. Reducing the grandeur of the Power to something that we can get our minds around does no one any good. Sometimes, I think we on Heita do a disservice to the Power by identifying it with light as strongly as we do."
Matt looked at her thoughtfully. "There is something to that. I'll have to think on it."
"Show me Ireland," Alia said.
"Anything you say, my dear," Matt said indulgently.
They ate a picnic while seated on the grassy bank of a small river near a ruined castle. The area was so peaceful that Alia could understand how people had once found this land a place of magic.
Matt stretched out on the blanket on the grass beside her. "What are you thinking?"
"This is so beautiful."
"It's not nearly as beautiful as you are."
"You have a smooth tongue, Matt."
"Simply telling the truth, Alia."
Alia looked up at her guard. "Give us some privacy."
Her guard spread out and made a cordon around them, all of the members of the guard turning their back to her.
Alia took Matt's face in her hands. She kissed him. He returned the kiss. The next thing she knew she was lying beneath him in a soft bed with both of them naked.
"Where are we?"
"My quarters," he told her.
She "felt" her guard fix on her. Three members appeared in the room with their swords drawn. Seeing her in bed with Matt, they shrugged and vanished. She knew that they were just outside.
"They take your security seriously, don't they?" Matt asked.
Gently, she pushed him back on the bed. "Let's not think about them Matt. Let's learn each other's bodies and give each other pleasure."
Then she proceeded to begin to kiss him, trailing kisses from his collarbone down to his testicles. Lightly, teasingly, she licked his cock from the tip down to the base before kissing his two testicles. She took his cock into her mouth and began to move her head up and down.
Matt moaned.
"Do you not like that?" she asked as she came to lie beside him.
"Honey, if I liked it any more, you'd be flat on your back and I'd have my cock inside your pussy."
"Sounds good to me. Fuck me, Matt."
"In a while."
Matt reached down and stroked her pussy, then slid one finger then two into her.
"More!"
With his thumb, he began to lightly tease her clit. Then he added a third finger to continue to finger fuck her.
She moaned. "Don't tease me, Matt. Fuck me, now."
"Not yet."
Alia felt herself build towards an orgasm as Matt continued to tease her. He sucked and licked at her nipples, first one then the other, not stopping his sensual massage of her clit or his rhythmic possession of her pussy.
"Matt!" She called out his name as she came.
He laughed, "I do love you."
Alia wished that she could say those words to him. It was true, she suddenly realized. She did love him. It frightened her how much she loved him. It was against the laws of Heita, it violated her vows, for her to love even one man and yet she was equally in love with two men whom she needed as much as she needed her legs to walk. To love one man above all others was forbidden. But to love two? She'd have to research that to see what the letter of the law said. "Matt," she began softly.
"Hush," he said as he placed a finger on her lips. "You don't have to say the words. It's enough that I know you love me at least a little bit. I can feel it in your mind."
"Fuck me, Matt. Fuck me, now."
He smiled at her. "No."
"No?"
"Not until you tell me you love me."
"That's extortion."
He laughed. "Yes, baby, it sure is. But, if you want the cock, you gotta give me the words."
Alia smiled. She pushed him back on the bed and scrambled astride him. She threw her head back with the pure pleasure of his cock filling her. "I don't have to do anything except enjoy your body."
"You don't play fair," he complained teasingly.
"No. I play to win," she told him as she shifted her hips.
Matt rolled them over in the bed. There were no words. No need for words between them. There was only the pleasure as Matt slowly withdrew and slowly entered her again and again, building in speed, building in force. Alia found breath coming hard as she came close to another orgasm. She felt the release begin before everything faded to black.
The first sight she saw when she came back to herself was his face looking down at her in concern. "You okay?"
He was still inside her, still hard. "Yes. Fuck me, hard!"
A great laugh bubbled up inside him and couldn't be contained. Then he began to move within her faster and harder than before, racing her to completion, challenging her to keep up with him. Only when he felt the spasms of her orgasm begin did he allow himself to take his own release.
Rolling off of her, he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I do love you."
Sleepy, she smiled at him. "Just hold me for a little while. Rest. I need to be getting back to Heita."
"Would you like to meet the leadership of Kaeradearth before you return to Heita?"
"That would work. Let's just rest for a little while first. Okay? Just hold me."
"This could easily be the best part of my life, holding you."
Then they both drifted off to sleep.
\*
About three hours later, after their nap and satisfying their need for food, Matt and Alia transferred into the Conference Room at the SETI-Who Sacred Fields.
Alia had seen this room before. It was the room from her latest vision of death and destruction. She fought the urge to flee.
"Councilors, this is Dame Alia, Servant of the People of Light on the planet Heita," Matt introduced her.
Matt introduced the various councilors to her, coming to John Lowe last.
John Lowe glared at her.
Alia felt the hatred coming from him.
She looked directly at him. "What is your problem?"
John visibly recoiled.
"Tell me the problem. I have done nothing to you. I have just now set foot on this place. You look at me as though I have destroyed your dreams."
"That's not a bad analogy," he replied before he transferred out.
Alia sighed. "Someone tell me what dream of his has possibly been destroyed by my people aiding your people! There are entirely too many secrets here."
Charlie Wu sighed. "John has been working on a theory that we should completely shed flesh and translate ourselves into pure spirit."
"Why would you want to do that? All go to join Light soon enough. To rush that process is profoundly unwise. The limited time we have in flesh is precious and is to be savored to the fullest extent," Alia said.
Charlie smiled. "Wise and beautiful."
"I don't understand something. How long has it been since Kaeradearth has had women?"
"A very long time."
"Define very long?"
Charlie looked around the room, then he looked at her. "Six thousand years, just a little more, actually."
Alia blinked. She tried to make sense of this. Comprehension eluded her. "You aren't all that old."
"No. We've maintained the race through cloning," Matt told her.
"Cloning," Alia echoed. Of all the secrets they could have possessed, that was one she never would have dreamed of. But it all fit. Light! It all fit too well.
"And now, you've come flush against the problem of genetic degradation," she offered, her voice flat.
"Yes, m'am," Charlie answered. "We have."
"Cloning and hybridization are both forbidden on Heita," Alia explained. "Those are both practices that challenge creation."
"Are you less disposed to help us because of this?" Charlie demanded.
"No. While we do not approve of the method you have used to maintain your race, it does not change your situation of needing to have children to carry on your society in this place."
"We are grateful beyond words for your assistance," Charlie said.
"We are happy to help."
John transferred back into the room. He tossed a box onto the table then vanished a split second before the box exploded into a ball of fire, splintering the table, and sending shrapnel through the room.
Three of Alia's guard tackled her and took her to the floor, but it wasn't soon enough. Alia felt slicing pain before her head hit the floor and she blacked out.
Alia lay on the floor beneath a pile of dead and wounded bodies. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air.
Pain. Alia knew only pain and an overwhelming need to go home.
She transferred back to Heita, into the ward of the Temple hospital where Noller was keeping sickwatch.
"Noll, help me!" she moaned before she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Noller caught her before she hit the floor.
He shouted for assistance as he put her on a nearby empty bed.
Two postulant brothers were immediately at his side.
Noller cut her clothing from her, including the body armor, so that he could assess her injuries fully. He had to see from where she was bleeding to know how to save her life. Her head wounds were bleeding freely as she had been cut in many places by what he could only think had been flying debris. He had seen terrible injuries in his service as a healer, but never any like this. There were many projectiles embedded in the flesh of her arms and legs, a few in her face and throat, but none in her torso where she had worn armor. There were large projectiles embedded in the armor. Enough so that she would have died without the body armor.
The vision of the Blade had given her enough warning to let her save her life. Noller was grateful for that, even as the state of unconsciousness and her unequal and unresponsive pupils gave him cause for serious concern. Head wounds were tricky things at the best of times. With all the other trauma, he couldn't help the fear that welled up in him for her.
"Jarl, get me a vascular tray. Now. And get a transfusion set up. She's lost too much blood. We have to keep her as stable as possible. And I need an image taken of her cranium. I need to know what's happening there."
Noller and the two postulants worked for almost twenty minutes on her before a novice came their way.
"Light! What happened to her," the young woman demanded.
"Explosion," Matt said as he transferred in.
Noller took one look at Matt. "Ian, tend him. Amelia, assist me."
"Yes, my lord," both people said and were immediately on their tasks.
"Tell me what happened, Matthew!" Noller asked.
Ian put Matthew on a bed and began to examine the big Kaeradearther. "His pupils are unequal, my lord. I fear concussion."
"That is likely. Alia has a fractured skull. I'm still waiting on the second set of images and the rest of the diagnostics to determine how bad it is. There's no compression of the fracture. Thank Light! I don't know what kind of damage has been done to her brain. Only Light knows at this point," Noller said. "Have you lost consciousness, Matthew?"
"No."
"Do you feel dizzy?"
"Yes," Matt said.
"Blurring vision?"
"Yes."
"Nausea?"
"Yes."
"Good diagnosis, Ian. Sounds like concussion to me," Noller said. "Now tell us what happened, Matthew!"
Matt moaned as Ian pulled a large metal fragment from his arm. Then he spoke, "A dissident dropped a fragmentation bomb in the council chambers. All the members of the Kaeradearth Council are dead. Most of Alia's bodyguards are dead or injured. Our healers are working on them. If the guards hadn't shielded her from the worst of the bomb, she would have been dead, too."
Noller didn't stop working on Alia. "That was their duty. I want the head of the person who did this."
"He won't bother anyone anymore," Matt replied, his voice grave. "I saw to it. He's permanently out of the way. "
"Good," Noller said firmly. "Thank you. But I doubt it was that easy, especially with you injured as you are."
"No. It wasn't easy. But, John will never harm anyone again."
"You knew him, this man who did this thing was your friend?" Ian demanded.
"No. Never my friend. He loathed everything I stood for. I just never thought he'd go this far. This was not the act of a sane man."
"Will you be in trouble back home?" Noller asked. "Do you need to take refuge here?"
"No. Thanks for the offer. With the Council gone, I am the ranking member of the government. The penalties for treason and murder are both summary execution on the order of the Council. At the moment, I'm the Council. Things should be fine."
"And if trouble comes, you'll deal with it, right?" Noller replied.
"That's right. How bad is she?" Matt demanded.
"Bad enough. She's lost a lot of blood. She has a worrying head wound. I suspect that she has some internal bleeding. And she's still bleeding from these limb wounds. I have to get the remaining fragments out of her and repair the veins. Thank Light that no arteries were severed, or she would already be dead."
"I'm so sorry, Archimandrate," Matt told him.
"As are we all. She saw a vision of this, you know," Noller said, his voice thoughtful.
"No. I didn't know. She didn't say a word to me about it."
"That's why she was wearing body armor on her torso. Without that, she would have been dead on the scene."
Matt shuddered, and it wasn't from pain.
Silence stretched as the Heitan healers---master, journeywoman, and apprentices--- worked on the two injured people.
"What did this dissident want?" Noller asked.
"To scuttle the arrangement between Kaeradearth and Heita."
"Was he suicidal?" Ian demanded.
"For all practical purposes, yes," Matt answered tightly. Ian had just removed a large splinter of wood from his arm.
"Keep talking," Noller urged Matt. "Don't pass out on us."
"I'm fine."
"Sure you are," Amelia stated. "About as fine as a newborn babe."
Noller removed a large metal chunk from Alia's arm. Blood spurted. "Arterial nick. Clamp that and let's repair it, now!" The metal made a clinking sound as Noller tossed it into the basin.
"Thought you said no arteries were severed," Matt said.
"This is a surprise. The metal was acting like a pressure bandage to keep her from bleeding so severely. It's just a small hole, though. Thank Light!" Noller told him as he repaired the artery.
Cleaning the wounds and staunching the bleeding was all they had time to do. She was still losing blood almost as rapidly as it was going into her. But without the transfusion she would have already been dead.
"Get more whole blood for her," Noller ordered.
He continued to work on her for some time. Her blood pressure rose and stabilized as the wounds were finally sealed off.
Together with Jarl and Amelia, Noller transferred Alia to a wheeled cart to take her to a special healing room where the harmonics were more conducive to allowing the body to heal itself.
"Light bless you and keep you. Light heal you and restore you to us," Noller blessed her as they moved her to the fresh cart.
The Blade of Destiny began to hum. Noller picked it up and laid it upon Alia's chest. The knife began to hum and glow, casting Alia in a cocoon of soft white light. The glow seemed to surround her body, extending out only a handspan in any direction before stopping.
Overcome with emotion, Noller sank to his knees beside the wheeled cart. "Thank Light," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. "Come on Alia, come back to us."
Matthew's wounds had been dealt with for some time. But he had sat there watching. When Jarl and Noller moved Alia, Matt followed them.
"May I sit with her?" Matt asked.
"No," Noller told him firmly. Then his tone became more gentle. "She needs this time alone to heal. People around her will disrupt the flow of healing energy. And with the Blade acting, it's more important than ever to leave her alone and to let Light work."
Matt sighed.
"Can I have a private word with you?" Matt asked Noller after Alia was installed in the healing chamber.
"Right now, you need to go into a healing chamber yourself. We can talk after you've healed some. Rest and heal now, Matthew. There is plenty of time," Noller told him, his voice gentle.
\*
Matt looked at Noller after Matt awoke a turn later. They were in a private room. Only the two of them were present.
Noll did a brief examination of the Kaeradearther patient. His wounds were well on their way to healing. He seemed to be over the worst of the effects of the concussion. That was all Noller normally expected from the healing chamber. That there was no sign of infection was something for which Noller was grateful.
"We need to talk," Matt said.
"You want food?"
"Yes."
"I'll have a tray brought for you." Noller spoke to one of the young Oblates outside and had the child run to the kitchen for a tray.
"How is Alia?"
Noller shook his head. "She's still cocooned in light. The Blade no longer hums. Now it sings in a harmony that we've never heard before. She seems to be healing, quite rapidly. But, it's best not to disturb that process. Light is working. It is best to stay out of the way and let this work."
"I love her," Matt said.
"We all do."
"No. I LOVE her."
Noller nodded. "Yes. That's understandable, even commendable, for you to feel that way towards her as she will be giving birth to your children."
"What would it take to get her released from her vows, so she could immigrate to Kaeradearth?"
"A miracle," Noller said, his voice quiet and firm. "She is bound for life to her vows. There is no way she could live with herself if she broke her vows. Her position as Servant is a lifetime posting."
Matt looked at him. "You are in love with her, too, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Does she love you?"
"That's something I'm not free to ask her. I believe so. We don't speak of emotions. We neither one can afford to do that. It's better not to raise the issue than to put the other person in an uncomfortable position."
"I don't understand you people."
"We don't understand you, either. So, that makes it even."
Matt could just barely stop the laughter that bubbled up in his throat.
The food was brought in. "Eat, get your strength back. I'm sure you're needed back on Kaeradearth to handle things there."
Matt nodded. "I will be back."
"Of course you will."
"You can't get rid of me. I'm a permanent part of her life."
"Did anyone say we wanted to get rid of you?"
Matt looked at him. "No."
"Don't put words in my mouth. You don't know me that well."
\*
Noller kept watch on Alia as much as possible during the next few turns. Word had spread quickly through the Temple that Alia had returned injured. A continuous prayer vigil was being held in the Sanctuary of the Flame as well as in the Assembly Hall. Virtually every member of the priesthood, and a good many of the People, came through the hospital to see the miracle of the cocoon of light and the music of the blade. Alia, he knew, would cringe at being so public in her healing. Yet, it could not be helped.
The light surrounding Alia changed from a soft white to an intense red before finally fading away entirely, taking the music with it.
When the light had faded and she was awake, Noller went into her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better. Thank you."
"You know that I will always be here for you."
"It all happened before I could stop it, Noll."
"I know. It's okay. Let me look at your wounds, Alia."
"You're the healer."
"Yes, I am." Noller examined her thoroughly. "Light has been merciful to you, Alia. I've never seen such deep wounds heal so quickly. I've never seen a broken skull heal so well or so quickly. The Blade brought you this grace. Do you remember anything of the time you were seemingly unconscious?"
"Not really. The blade sang to me."
"That it did. What did the song sound like to you?"
"It was wondrous and beautiful. Peaceful."
"Yes. It was. Everyone who saw and heard it agreed that it was special."
"I've been an object of curiosity, I take it."
"You've had visitors, looking through the window, listening in on the music, being touched by the healing."
"Is Matt around?" Alia asked.
"Matthew has returned to Kaeradearth. He will return for the festival."
"How is he?"
"He was wounded, but he's healing nicely. By the festival, he'll be fine."
"I'm glad."
Noller smiled at her. "You're going to be weak for a while."
"I'm very hungry, Noll. Could I have something to eat?"
"Of course. I'll send to the kitchen for a tray for you. What would you like?"
"Anything, as long as there's a lot of it. I'm starving."
"That's understandable. You've been out for quite a while. But we should start with something fairly liquid and bland otherwise your stomach will revolt."
"I wouldn't want to have a revolting stomach," Alia answered, her voice dry.
He laughed. "That's the Alia we all know. Glad to see you back."
"Food!"
Noller spoke to one of the young oblates outside, sending the child running to the kitchen for a clear fluid tray for Alia.
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"Twelve turns."
She absorbed that. "The festival will be upon us soon. There is too much work to be done for me to be lounging about here. I need to be in my office."
"Just give yourself some time. The world will not end if you take some time for yourself. Trying to be too strong, too soon, will only land you back here for another stretch of time. You lost a good deal of blood. We had to transfuse you. You suffered a skull fracture, woman. I've seen people die from lesser injuries than you had sustained. You probably would have died except for three things; your guards, the body armor, and the actions of the Blade."
Alia smiled at him. She took his hand in hers. "It's good to see you."
"It's good to see you awake. Let's get you dressed," he said as he handed her an infirmary habit.
"I always thought those things were ugly."
"They are," Noller agreed with a smile. "Why don't you do something about it?"
Alia smiled. She looked at the habit and reorganized the molecules until the rough gray wool was finely woven and the precise shade of the brown of her eyes.
"Do you want help sitting up?"
"Am I going to need it?"
"Probably," Noller allowed as he positioned himself to help her.
Alia tried to sit up. She relapsed onto the bed. "Definitely," she said, disgust in her voice.
"It's to be expected, Alia. You are going to be weak for a while. Let me help you dress."
"Funny, I always hoped you'd want to get me out of my clothes."
He laughed. "When you're stronger, we'll talk about that."
"Just talk about it?" she teased him as he put the dress over her head and helped her put her arms into the sleeves.
"Be good."
"Oh, I am. You should know just how good I am."
"Woman, I know you are feeling better."
"You suppose that food will be here any time soon? I'm starving."
"Soon."
"What's happened since I've been out of it?" Alia asked.
"Rickhard Hanssen died."
"And Mikhail Rollinssen?"
"Beheaded in the Temple Square. Freida and Rickhard's wife both participated."
"This is good. They saw their justice. What of Mikhail's intended, Xanthippe Odinsdautter?"
"I'll be her partner for the festival. She's innocent in this."
Alia sighed. "Yet, she'd still be marked by it without intervention. This is a good thing you do for her, Noll."
The tray arrived from the kitchen. Noller helped her eat.
"Rest now," he told her. "You will get stronger each turn. Just give yourself time to bounce back. Lie back and rest. You'll be stronger when you awaken."
While Alia was supervising the final preparations for the festival, Matt transferred into her office.
"Hello, beautiful. How are you feeling?"
She looked up from her checklists and smiled at him. "I am well, thank you. You're looking well, Matt. Congratulations on being named the Chairman of the Council of Kaeradearth. That's a tremendous responsibility."
Matt nodded. "Can we talk?"
"I thought we were."
Matt looked at Roaman pointedly.
"Alia?" her secretary asked.
"Roaman, why don't you go check on the happenings in Temple Square?"
The older woman laughed. "Yes, my lady. And I'll take my time coming back, unless you want a repeat of an earlier encounter with the three of us."
"I think we can live without that. Take your time, Roaman."
After Roaman left, Alia motioned for Matt to be seated.
He didn't take the chair. Instead, he came around her desk and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her. He claimed her as if he had every right to claim her. And she reciprocated, fully.
Then Matt put her away from him. "You should have told me that you were in love with Noller!"
Alia sighed. "It is not permissible for me to be in love with any one person."
"Come on. It's just us here. Be straight with me."
"You aren't of this culture, Matt. It's understandable how confusing this must be for you."
"Are you still willing to bear my children?"
"Yes. I'm incredibly willing to bear your children."
"I'd like to have you with me on Kaeradearth."
"My life is here, Matthew. Yours is there. We each have our own lives and responsibilities. We each have a culture which we serve in leadership."
"Neither of us are irreplaceable," he told her.
"Then come here and live," she countered.
Matt sighed. "You're right, Alia. It wouldn't work. Neither of us fits into the other's culture."
"Somehow, we'll have to raise children who fit both cultures, or maybe who can blend both cultures into something new," Alia said thoughtfully.
"Even when you are pregnant with my children, you intend to sleep with Noller?" Matt asked quietly, his voice pained.
"Under Heitan law and custom, I'd be free to have other men as long I was not fertile at the time, even if we were bound by marriage. It's different from the expectation of monogamy under the laws of Old Earth. I can never be fertile with Noll. Therefore, I am free to make love with him whenever I wish."
Matt sighed. "I don't understand your law and culture. But, I do love you, future mother of my children. I will always love you."
"In just a few of your hours, the great bonfire of the festival will be lit. The dancing, the fertility festival, will begin. Will you dance with me?"
"After the dancing?"
"Fucking, hours and hours of fucking."
Matt nodded. He smiled. "Do we need the festival for that?"
"No. But, I have a dozen people coming here any moment to discuss final arrangements for the festival. It wouldn't be the best way to greet them if I had you under me on the floor and we were having sex."
Matt moaned. "Honey, keep talking like that, and I won't care who sees us."
Alia laughed. "Dance with me at the festival."
\*
Matt stood beside her at the end of the opening ceremonies. Noller stood with Xanthippe. A couple, a priestess and a man playing the role of an agent of darkness enacted a skit in which the priestess offered herself to the man if he would make the darkness go away. The two of them made love in the middle of the Temple Square.
Last year's priestess in the role, Mariam Yodersdautter, went to the open air stage, carrying her baby who had been born only a turn before. "Life comes anew to the People of Light. New life comes with the return of the season of Light. All around us new life comes, people, animals, plants, all know that it is time to renew and replenish Heita. Let us join them in this celebration."
Then several people with torches came into the center of the square and lit the great bonfire.
The dancing began as a communal circle dance around the fire. Alia took Matthew's hand in her left and Noller's hand in her right. Noller took Xanthippe's hand. The four of them went to the flames and joined the several intertwining circles that formed the opening dance. Then the circles split up into couples.
Matt took her in his arms and kissed her.
All around them, the dancing couples began to strip off their clothing.
"Bed?" Matt asked.
Alia nodded.
Matt transferred to her sitting room, bringing her with him. "Alone, at last," he said as he held her at arm's length and looked at her.
She laughed as she stepped back from him. "You are a strange man, Matthew."
"And you are so beautiful."
"Am I?"
"I feared that I would have to share your attentions with Noller," he said.
"No. First, he's busy for the festival."
"I noticed. The woman he was with was lovely."
"Xanthippe is a beautiful young woman. They'll make a handsome child together."
"This doesn't bother you?"
"Why should it? Noll and I can never be exclusive with one another. We knew that as we began. Besides, he's doing her a tremendous service in helping her redeem herself from her betrothal to Mikhail Rollinssen. She has her whole life before her. There is no sense of her being marked for life because of what had been an arranged marriage."
"I'm sure that all makes tremendous sense from your culture. From where I stand, it's odd. But, you said first. That means there is a second reason. You have the lawyer's care with words."
Alia smiled at him. "Yes. There's a second reason. This is a breeding mating. There are strict rules about such things."
"What kind of rules?"
"During the time of fertility, a married woman or a priestess engaging in a genetic mating may only be sexual with one man. A priest in a genetic mating situation has to keep the woman with him until the end of her fertile period to make certain she is with him only during that time. To do otherwise is to break the law."
"I gathered that there were concerns about paternity from the divorce case you heard that first morning we were here. What's the penalty for adultery during a fertile time?"
"Expulsion from the city during the darkness."
Matt looked at her. "That's a death sentence."
"It's possible to survive out there during the darkness, but it generally requires a community. For a single person to do so is unusual. It's a penalty set intentionally high so to act as a deterrent to the behavior."
"No kidding," Matt said his voice dry.
"We take paternity seriously here. Motherhood is hard to deny. Paternity has to be a matter of trust. The penalties are stiff to make certain that it can be."
Matt nodded. "So I see. You have tests to determine such things."
"Yes, but we can't test every child who is born. That would be cumbersome."
"I can see that."
"Are we going to talk or are we going to make love?" Alia demanded.
"Now, there's the root question. Do you love me, Alia?"
"Yes. I do, Matt."
He smiled at her. Then he looked concerned. "Isn't that breaking your law, as well?"
"Not in this circumstance."
"Why?"
"The law prohibits me from loving any one person above all others. I love you. Yet, I love Noller, as well. I love neither of you more than I love the other. As I love both of you, by definition I do not love any one person. I love two persons. There is no law against that. I researched it fully over the last few turns. The initial vision hinted at this. Yet, I was too dense to see it."
"You are anything except dense."
"At times, I am. This is really quite elegant. I am free to love both of you. In doing so, my vows are not violated and I do not break the law."
Matt couldn't help it. He laughed. "Now, there's a solution only a lawyer would find."
"I take it you approve?"
"Honey, I'd approve of anything that lets you love me."
"Do you want a drink?"
"All I want is you."
"That's good."
"Why?"
"Means we're of one mind at the moment."
"Let's just take this a moment at a time."
"In this moment, will you come to bed with me?" Alia asked.
"Try to stop me," he told her as he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
He returned her to her own feet as he stood beside the bed. "I've never undressed you."
"I'm right here."
He lifted the Blade from her belt. Then he looked at it. "Amazing how much we owe to this ritual knife, isn't it? This is the second time that it's saved our race."
"Let's hope it never needs to do so again."
"You know, this was how we found you. We were looking for the energy signature of Athame."
"You found it."
"More importantly, I found you. You can't know how much that means to me," Matt said as he put the blade down on the bedside table before returning his attention to her. He unfastened her braided gold belt and removed that from around her waist. Folding that, he put it beside the blade on the bedside table.
"Can't I?" Alia challenged. "Do you think I feel any less for you than you do for me?"
"I hope not." He sank to his knees before her and lifted her right foot. Matt pulled off her slipper and dropped it to the floor. After lowering her foot, he went for her left foot. Then having her in her stocking feet, he lifted the hem of her gown to her knees and rose to his feet, pulling the garment off over her head. He put the gown on the table as well.
She stood before him in her black satin and lace slip.
Matt drew a deep breath. "You are so beautiful."
"You know, your turn is coming."
Matt shuddered. "I don't think I could stand it."
"Tough," she replied, her voice quiet, as he pushed the straps of her slip from her shoulders and let the slip slide down her torso and legs until it puddled around her feet.
The only things she still wore were her opaque black stockings and the scrap of lace serving as a garter belt holding those up.
Matt drew another deep breath. "Oh, wow."
"You like?"
"Any more and you'd be on that bed with me on top, right now."
"Hmmm... Yes, please."
Matt, out of patience, rid himself of his clothes by disbursing the atoms. He pulled her to him. "I wanted for this to be gentle and slow," he told her, need and regret mingling in his voice.
"Slow, right now, would be more than I could bear, Matt," she said, as snuggled closer to him. Alia wrapped her arms about his neck. Then she kissed him, deeply, hungrily.
He need for her was just as great as hers for him. Matt urged her backwards to the bed. The back of her thighs made contact with the turned back coverlet.
Alia sat down and pulled Matt down with her. They lay crosswise on the bed, just looking at one another.
"Are you ready for me?" Matt asked as he reached between her legs to test her arousal.
Alia drew a shuddering breath as he tenderly touched her. She rolled over onto her back and spread her legs wider so that he had full access to her.
His fingers stroked her wet slit and found her clit. With his thumb, he played with that while one finger penetrated her vagina, then another, and another. Stroking her, teasing her, filling her in a pale imitation of what she knew was coming, of what she longed for.
She felt the tension build, her insides turn to superheated syrup before she exploded with her release.
He laughed. "I see that you are."
"I doubt there is any time you are going to be near me that I won't be ready."
"Except if you're undergoing multiple ovulation therapy," Matt stated, his voice careful as he began to tease her afresh. Then he pulled his hand away.
"There is that. But, we are both the last of our lines. This is worth the risks."
Matt stroked her face with the back of his dry hand. "We came in search of babies. Now, I wouldn't care. All I want is you."
"You'll have me and our children. They'll be lovely children. You'll see."
"I almost lost you," Matt said, his voice breaking. "You can't know how hard that was to watch you lay there in the hospital, unconscious, and know that it was my fault you were there, because I didn't protect you well enough, because I put you in that situation."
"Life happens, Matthew." She stroked his face, then allowed her hand to slide down his throat before coming to rest on his chest. "I love your chest."
"Just my chest?"
"No. I can't think of a single part of you I don't like to look at, or touch, or kiss."
She felt Matt tremble under her touch.
"I love you, Alia."
"Come to me, Matt," she said as she turned herself around in the bed so her head rested on her pillow. "Come fuck me, hard."
Matt scrambled to his knees. He didn't hesitate to position himself between her legs. With care, he entered her. With exquisite care, he possessed her and withdrew from her, time and time again.
She moved her hips with his, needing him, wanting him.
"Harder!" she insisted as she felt herself rushing headlong towards her second release. "Faster."
"No," he said. "We'll take our time."
It wasn't a matter of five more strokes before she felt her own spasms begin. As Alia's breathing came hard, she felt the edges of her consciousness blur.
When she had finished her second orgasm, Matt picked up the pace, sending her rushing once more towards pleasure. Yet, he waited for her to have her third release before he collapsed onto her with a harsh grown and she felt the spasms of his release and the warmth of his sperm filling her.
Matt rolled onto his side and snuggled her into his embrace.
She looked at him until he fell asleep, then she felt her own eyes growing heavy.
As they lay sleeping, the Blade of Destiny, the Athame of Kaeradearth legend, vanished. It had accomplished its task. Needed elsewhere, it left far more quietly than it had come.
The End

