My voice broke and I sobbed gazing at the mighty, towering peaks that contained us on this Land.


    Beyond them is where my daughter would stay. Beyond them was where she belonged. I was where I


    would always stay, in the ve pen concocted by the women.


    “You will see her again,” Damien said with confidence. “We are Nu-reeh’s favorites. We will barter with


    her. She will allow you to see our offspring. I can do this for you.”


    The other men agreed. It was something they could manage. Maybe a few extra couplings or a Lunar


    cycle in the mountains would buy me what I wanted. There was really no need for me to worry, they


    would take care of it.


    I knew the truth of it. I watched the grey slopes as the transport cruised steadily away. Damien and his


    Brothers would do whatever Nu-reeh wanted, when she wanted. If she found it eptable, I would see


    Hannah. If she did not, I would never see my daughter again.


    Silently, I said good bye to Hannah. I prayed for her and released her to the wild world. Make her


    strong and happy was the silent appeal I made to any deity that might listen. It was all I could do for


    her.


    As the transport got closer to thepound the sun got lower in the sky. Just before it set, the men


    pulled a sheet over my head. Now I couldn’t see anything. I was surrounded in white with the sense of


    movement under my feet. It was quite disconcerting.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    The transport lowered and then stopped suddenly. I heard voices, so I thought maybe we were home. I


    yelped when someone suddenly picked me up.


    “Ciara,” Damien sighed, “rx, you can’t walk bundled like this.”


    I was carried and set down on my feet, but I still didn’t know where.


    “Ah, Damien,” I heard Fredrick the shopkeeper say, “that pesky lost ve has been found. How


    wonderful.”


    My head covering was removed and I was standing in the opulent dressing room of Fredrick’s shop. I


    nced up and he Looked just as perky as always. He jokingly asked Damien if it had been difficult to


    “find” me. He found the entire thing quite humorous. Damien warned him not to let the secret out.


    “Boys,” Fredrick saidying a hand on Damien’s shoulder, “this world is full of secrets. I know many and


    choose to keep them, because my Brothers and I are kept happy. What we know will not be spread


    around. It never is.”


    My family seemed to rx and Fredrick called Mia out. She unwrapped the nkets from around me


    as the men talked.


    “You are well, cousin?” she murmured quietly “Yes, thank you,” I answered trying to help her untangle


    me.


    “I helped my owners make warm outfits,” she said quietly, “they parted to expose your breasts so you


    could feed a child. It was amon design for women feeding their young in the coldest part of my


    world.”


    A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y


    “It was effective, thank you. I would have been ufortable without it,” I told her.


    “The child,” she whispered hesitantly, “on my world it is rude not to ask a mother of the fate of their


    child. From my human friends, I believe this is your custom also.”


    I saw her eyes dart to the men, who were still talking about secrets and mountains.


    “Female, strong, and free,” I said trying desperately not to tear up. Mia offered what sounded Like a


    prayer andid her hand on mine. “Not a ve then? You have been blessed,” she whispered and then


    walked me to the small stage.


    The fitting was quick. The only real issue was my new size. I was smaller. Damien told Fredrick I would


    be gaining weight, so the ornamentation should be adjustable. During a break I whispered in Damien’s


    ear.


    “I don’t mind being smaller. Being fat isn’t really a good thing for a human.”


    He sighed and whispered back to me, “You look ill. This is not healthy for you. Our family is strong; we


    will feed you so you be strong again