《e'Silea Interactive Fiction》


 A New Home

    One


    Ruby and her elder sister Isla stood side-by-side at the passenger railing on the port side of the ship, watching the brilliant green island grow larger to their view. They were not the only two passengers enjoying the welcoming sight of land. Ruby and Isla had been at sea for nearly eight months, including the two-week stay at Atpost, where they had been forced to locate a new ship to take them the last leg of the journey. Ruby felt an immense surge of relief to be looking at their destination at last.


    Eight months ago, when their drunken uncle Rupert had rushed them onto the boat and into their private cabin, Ruby had scarcely gotten the chance to say goodbye to her home. From a porthole, she caught a tiny glimpse of a dock as their ship pulled out of harbor. That little glimpse of land was all she saw for months. She had dreamed of it over and over in her violently sea-sick first months at sea. Sea-sickness was long behind her now, but the sight of land still filled her with a sense of relief and excitement.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± she breathed for the hundredth time, squeezing the railing.


    Isla glanced sternly at her and shushed her. ¡°Remember what Uncle Rupert told us.¡±


    Ruby remembered. When he dropped them off in their cabin, his goodbye was as cold as his affection for them.


    ¡°Walk small and keep yer heads down. Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ wrong with bein¡¯ an orphan as long as you do it quiet-like.¡± It was the most words he said to them at once since their mother died a week before. Uncle Rupert was some sort of distant relative¡ªor perhaps just a friend¡ªof their deceased father¡¯s. He was their only known relation, and so had been contacted to serve as their guardian until some other family could be procured. They lived with him in his tiny smoke-filled dock-side apartment for a total of two days before he came home and told them to pack up. They got very little information out of him except that they had an aunt waiting to receive them in e¡¯Silea. But his final admonition that they keep their heads down and stay out of the way had not been very heartening.


    ¡°I remember,¡± Ruby replied, exasperated but obediently lowering her voice. ¡°I know our aunt may not have had adequate warning of our arrival and may not be pleased to be taking on her sister¡¯s two children. I know I must be very quiet, obedient, and must restrain my impulses.¡± They had talked this to death for months. ¡°But I am excited. That¡¯s real land, Isla. Real land.¡± Being off this ship was a dream!


    Isla gave her a tight smile¡ªthe only kind of smile she had been able to muster since mother¡¯s illness began months and months ago. Isla had always been somewhat of a serious girl. Of the two of them, she was more practical and thoughtful. Ruby was the wilder of the two¡ªboisterous and animated as mother had always been. Ruby supposed Isla must have been more like their father, though she never knew him.


    ¡°It will be nice to sleep without fear of being pitched from our bunks,¡± Isla agreed, looking at the green mountains and tan beaches with hungry eyes.


    Ruby watched her sister for too long before turning her gaze toward land once more. She often stared at the older girl, hoping to find their mother in her features. But neither of them looked like their mother. They were both blond, with long straight hair, gray-blue eyes, sharp noses and chins, and fair skin. Mother had been dark¡ªblack hair, brown eyes, and softness everywhere. Isla and Ruby were all corners and edges. Mother had been curves. Once in a while, though, Isla¡¯s eyes took on a haunted quality that sometimes reminded Ruby of her mother. She dreaded seeing her sister carrying such heavy emotion, but she missed mother with enough passion to once in a while wish for the haunted look to appear.


    It did. As Isla turned away and glanced around the deck of the ship, her eyes took on a haunted, grownup expression.


    The two girls had kept very much to themselves on this voyage, but this ship was different from the last. Strange levels of different that Ruby and Isla had only mentioned in hushed whispers at night. There were no male sailors. Women with filthy vocabularies and incredible strength pulled line, shouted orders, and climbed in the rigging. In fact, the only men who seemed to be present on the ship either cooked in the galleys, or followed women passengers around silently. Ruby spent so little time around men, she hardly knew what to think, but the sailors on the first six months of this voyage seemed more like Uncle Rupert than the men here. Her school master back home in Louvel had also been unlike both these men and the sailors. He was well-spoken, but swift with discipline. She could not imagine him on this ship, or on the previous one.


    ¡°I hardly know what to expect,¡± Isla whispered to herself.


    Ruby did not care. Certainly, she hoped they would be well-received and given proper care, but she knew that she and Isla could care for themselves if they needed. They had been doing the job since mother got sick. Ruby did not care where they ended up as long as they were on solid ground again.


    Above their heads, from a perch in the rigging, one of the sailors started singing. Isla and Ruby exchanged troubled glances. The sailors on both ships had been fond of singing, but their choice of chanteys always burned Ruby¡¯s ears and made her blush. The female and male sailors were similar in that. But this time, as more and more sailors took up the tune, Ruby realized it was not filled with filthy language and filthier images. This song was some sort of tribute. Even many of the passengers took up the tune, belting out their anthem with rigorous dignity. Ruby turned her eyes toward the oncoming land, her heart burning with possibilities. This would be their new home. Soon maybe she would be singing the words as well, with as much heartfelt passion as the sailors and passengers all over the ship.


    Isla reached for her hand, but her eyes were no less concerned than before. The possibility of happiness was so remote in her mind that the song haunted her rather than comforted her as it did Ruby.


    Together, they watched the mountains loom overhead, the beaches spread out in both directions, and the dock grow in length and size.


    Two


    The dock was crawling with activity, as was the ship as it glided into port. Ruby watched in surprise as she saw that much of the activity on the dock was dozens of waving, excited people. They shouted, but their shouts were drowned by the sea, the ships creaking timbers, and the shouts of the people on the ship waving down.


    ¡°There may not be anyone here,¡± Isla reminded Ruby softly. Ruby ignored her. They had already talked about this. Their Aunt Vara might not even be expecting them. She might not come to collect them at all, and then they would have to contact the local ministry of family affairs and report their problem. This day could turn out to be another horrid day of flux, where they did not know what would become of them or where they even would sleep at night.


    Ruby knew that possibly none of the waving greeters on the dock were there for her and her sister, but she waved anyhow. They seemed welcoming, even if they were welcoming others.


    An eternity passed before docking was complete, and then another eternity while the passengers began unloading. Isla did not move toward the gangplank even when everyone else did. She waited, looking up at the mountains as if expecting them to reach down and snatch her away.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Ruby insisted.


    Isla shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she whispered in response. She shifted her pack on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re not in a hurry like the others. They have a family to see. We are already with our family.¡±


    It was a sensible explanation, but Ruby sighed. Isla was not excited, so she was in no hurry. Even if she had been, though, Ruby realized, they might not have gotten off the ship any faster. People moved slowly down the gangplank, and there were over a hundred passengers off-loading.


    Isla did not move toward the exit until the crowd thinned significantly, and even then, she moved slowly. The crowd on the dock was also thinning, and Ruby felt a flutter of nerves. There may be no one there, she reminded herself. Isla¡¯s plan to offload last was sensible, since they did not know who they were looking for, and the people who would be looking for them would not recognize them either. But it was hard to be patient as the minutes passed by slowly.


    Finally, they reached the head of the line, facing a young woman with a collection of wet pages on an equally wet clipboard. The passenger manifest. ¡°You two must be Eye-luh and Ruby.¡± Isla blinked in confusion, but Ruby scowled.


    ¡°It¡¯s IS-luh, and Ruby. Isla and Ruby,¡± Ruby corrected the woman. Was she crazy?


    The woman shrugged like she did not care and marked the manifest with a pencil. At the same time Isla sent Ruby a warning glare. It did not matter how the random stranger pronounced her name. But it did matter to Ruby.


    ¡°Aight,¡± the woman slurred, jerking her head toward the plank. ¡°You¡¯re free to go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Isla remembered her manners. Ruby said nothing, but politely managed not to roll her eyes. She marched down the plank first. It wobbled under her feet a little, and even more so when Isla climbed aboard as well. Ruby found herself inching along, staring hard at the choppy water beside the ship and the dock. If she fell in, the water would churn her to death between the two forces.


    When she got to the bottom, she looked up and watched Isla¡¯s descent. The girl looked like she had been walking on bouncy planks all her life. She managed it with a straight spine and a serene look straight ahead of her. She hardly glanced at the water below her at all.


    Isla grabbed her hand, though, when she reached the bottom, and turned away from the ship. Ruby¡¯s heart began to pound as she remembered there might be no one here. She, like her sister, scanned the people on the dock for someone who looked like they might be looking for someone they did not know. Most of the people on the dock were doing purposeful work: carrying items, walking briskly one way or another, chatting and hugging other passengers who had gotten off the ship already. No one seemed to be out of place or waiting at all.


    ¡°Well,¡± Isla said on a quiet sigh. ¡°We were not sure anyone knew we were coming.¡±


    But just then, some reunited passengers moved away down the dock, and a line of sight opened to a woman leaning against one of the dock posts chewing on a thumbnail. This was undoubtedly a relative of their mother¡¯s. She had the same curved body, the same dark hair and eyes.


    ¡°Look,¡± Ruby told her sister, nodding discreetly toward the woman. Isla turned her head and let out another sigh, this one somewhat relieved, but she did not move closer.


    The woman caught sight of them. For a moment, she only stared at them from where she leaned, then she glanced up the gangplank toward the ship. For a moment only, she looked as if she were still waiting, but then she smiled and unfolded from her lean. She strode toward them with purpose.


    She was dressed unlike anyone from Louvel. She wore a dress that was much too short to be respectable, and was mostly sheer. Ruby tried not to look too closely, but she was fairly certain the woman¡¯s body was on display. The strangest part of the outfit, though, was the fact that she wore trousers with her dress, as if she were a man! But these were unlike any trousers Ruby had ever seen a man wear. They were thin, and hugged the legs tightly, and ended somewhere short of her ankle. In Ruby¡¯s opinion, the fit, the cloth, and the bright colors were a hideous combination. The only part that Ruby could immediately approve of, and envy, were the sandals on her feet. In this painful humidity, Ruby would have done anything to pull off her woolen stockings and button-shoes.


    ¡°Hi,¡± the woman said with a warm smile. She stopped directly in front of them. ¡°Are you Eye-luh and Ruby?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Isla, actually,¡± Isla corrected gently.


    The woman narrowed dark eyes at her, but continued to smile. ¡°Unusual name.¡±


    Isla¡¯s name was not unusual in Louvel, but perhaps e¡¯Silea had different names, since it had different standards of dress, and strange, slow speech.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Isla agreed politely. ¡°You must be Aunt Vara.¡±


    The woman laughed aloud, and shook her head in amusement. ¡°Oh, no,¡± she contradicted. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m her daughter, Chloris.¡± She chuckled some more. ¡°But thanks for thinking I¡¯m such a grownup!¡±


    She was a grownup! This woman could easily have been near the same age as their mother, if not a little older. Yet she laughed as if it was the most ridiculous assumption in the world! Ruby hardly knew how to respond, but when she opened her mouth to speak, Isla stepped down hard on her toe. Fortunately, the button shoes protected her feet, but Ruby bit back her retort.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I offended you,¡± Isla said, forever polite. ¡°We know virtually nothing about Aunt Vara, and you look similar to my mother.¡± Isla¡¯s eyes clouded for a moment in remembrance, and the woman¡¯s smile softened.


    ¡°Yes. We always did look alike. We were often mistaken for sisters.¡±


    Ruby frowned. Chloris spoke as though she had known mother, but then had the audacity to laugh that they thought she might be their aunt. She was confusing.


    ¡°You knew mother?¡± Isla asked, jumping onto the possibility of happy memories.


    Chloris grinned. ¡°We were born the same month. We grew up in the same temple. She was my best friend for years and years.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s understanding of linear families became jumbled in her mind as she tried to figure out how her cousin could have been raised alongside her mother. Isla also seemed baffled by the idea, but she answered with a polite, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Chloris reached out a strong arm and tugged Ruby¡¯s pack off her shoulders. She took Isla¡¯s as well, and carried them with ease. Marching down the dock, she said, ¡°Come on, then! Let¡¯s go introduce you two to ¡®Aunt Vara,¡¯¡± she paused to give a little chuckle, ¡°and see what she plans to do with the two of you.¡±


    Three


    Let¡¯s introduce you two to ¡°Aunt Vara¡± and see what she plans to do with you.


    The words were foreboding, and Ruby reached out for her sister¡¯s hand. Isla¡¯s spine straightened. It was no secret that orphans were often rejected by their relations and left to fend for themselves. They could do it, if they had to, but it made Ruby¡¯s stomach tie up in knots. They were nearly out of the few coins Uncle Rupert gave them for their journey; they could not make it far without food to feed themselves.


    They stepped from the dock onto a cobble road marked with a decorative carved stone sign that said ¡°Mainway.¡± Ruby fingered the stone as she passed it, and found it smoothed from hundreds of fingers over the years. Isla hissed at her not to touch anything, and they followed closely behind their cousin.


    The Mainway road curved up the beach and sauntered into the trees. The trees were different than the trees back home in Louvel. These were tall and narrow, bending back and forth all the way up, with tufts of green fronds stuck out of the top. There were flowering bushes, smaller trees, and ferns and plants everywhere Ruby looked. It hardly seemed wild to her, but there was too much of it to be a manicured garden.


    Once through a section of trees, the road curved around a bend, and Ruby found herself staring up a great white road carved straight into a mountainside. The road seemed to be one long ramp, with occasional sets of stairs, and it ended in front of a massive white palace cut from the mountain itself. Another mountain, pure green and lovely broken only by a series of cascading waterfalls, rose up behind the palace. Against that backdrop, the white of the building stood out and owned the view of this side of the entire island.


    Below the palace, as far as Ruby could see, was city. It was the largest, most beautiful city she had ever seen. From one end of the island, to the other, cobble roads crisscrossed, and houses and businesses bunched together like flowers everywhere. One section of the city¡ªthe section directly below the palace on down the mountain, looked especially dominated by businesses, interspersed with steepled churches, vine-covered restaurants, and elaborate towers and outdoor theatres. But, at the heart of the city, nestled in the center between streets of large, ornate houses, and decorated shops and businesses, sat a piece of land that could only be described as a garden. It went on for miles of rivers, fountains, grassy knolls and long fields, trees, flowers, bridges, and gazebos.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    So shocked by the expanse of the city, the beauty of its buildings and gardens, the majesty of the white palace, Ruby stopped dead on the path and stared for too long. Fortunately, Isla did not notice she was dallying, because she was also stunned by the scene. Chloris got several yards ahead of them before realizing they were not following her. She smiled jovially and went back to retrieve them.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beauty, isn¡¯t it? Nothing like it in the world!¡± She nodded her head down the road. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s beautiful at every vantage.¡± She kept walking, and the girls quietly followed.


    It turned out to be a good thing Isla had Ruby¡¯s hand; she kept getting distracted by flowers the size of her head, and crowing birds with colorful foliage, that her step continually halted, and Isla was forced to drag her along. She did not scold her, though, because she too was entranced by the loveliness of the place.


    Isla stopped abruptly once, eyes riveted on a couple of girls chasing one another in the park. Ruby turned to see what had caught her eye, and found herself recoil in shock. One of the girls was naked! Not naked, Ruby realized after a moment; she had on a pair of lacy white panties, but that was all! The other child was scarcely better-dressed: she wore a sheer tunic tied with a belt of flowers.


    Chloris was forced to call back for them again, but she followed their gaze and found the source of their discomfort. ¡°Running wild,¡± she commented with a little smile. ¡°Never a dull moment in the e¡¯Shea Titania.¡±


    Ruby looked at her cousin in confusion. ¡°The what-what?¡±


    Chloris pointed to a sign on an archway over a white-stone path leading into the park. The words: e¡¯Shea Titania were wrought into the iron of the archway that was now covered in vines and flowers. ¡°The eh-SHAY Tie-TANE-ee-uh. It¡¯s the public garden.¡±


    ¡°The children are naked,¡± Isla corrected her on the source of their discomfort.


    Chloris seemed surprised by that observation, and she turned to look after the squealing little girls. ¡°Not completely,¡± she replied.


    Isla¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is it common practice not to cover your bodies in e¡¯Silea?¡±


    Chloris studied her thoughtfully for a moment, a cloud of some kind appearing in her eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t cover up beautiful things.¡±


    She turned and walked on without another word. The sisters shared alarmed glances but hurried after her.


    Once past the miles of garden, Chloris turned off the Mainway, onto a street whose first row of cobbles declared it Ashbury Row. The houses here towered three and four stories, with elaborate gardens, walkways, and large windows facing the street. More nearly naked little girls played in yards protected by stone or metal fences, and here and there men and women sat or worked in the yards. Halfway down Ashbury Row, Chloris turned them down another street. It turned out to be a circle of five houses, each more impressive than the last. Children laughed and squealed, ran and tagged each other on the cobbles of the road as much as in the yards here. The yards did not seem to be as restrictive. Their walls were all short enough to step over. The children scrambled over them with ease.


    The house where Chloris led them was the one at the center of the circle. It was made of white and cream stones, with dark caulking between. The windows of the entire three stories were open, and sheer curtains pulled in and out with the breeze. It had a short front yard, with green grass, flowering plants, and several trees. The walkway led through the fenceless yard, up to a set of double wooden doors carved with vines and flowers. One door stood open, and a small mountain of sandals could be seen piled up inside the doorway.


    ¡°Vara!¡± Chloris called as soon as she stepped into the house. She dropped the bags on the floor and pushed them against the wall with her foot. ¡°Vara of Capitol, I come bearing gifts!¡±


    ¡°You call your mother by name?¡± Ruby asked, trying hard not to sound accusing. She had tried calling her own mother by name long ago, and was firmly told that she would call her ¡°Mother¡± forever.


    Chloris smiled, as if that answered Ruby¡¯s question, and Isla shot her a withering look to remind her to be quiet. Keep yer head down, that look seemed to say. Ruby ducked her head and let out a breath of frustration.


    The entryway was a clean space decorated by mirrors and paintings. It led out into several rooms. One room appeared to be some kind of lounge or parlor, with red upholstered furnishings, glass tables, and more artwork. Another room, at the back of the house, was mostly windows, with a long table and a multitude of chairs. To their left, there was a stone stairwell curving up to an upper level of the house. They could see the railing that stretched up all the way, and marched across the house under the vaulted ceilings and bright skylights. Ruby was breathless. Aunt Vara was wealthy: that was the only explanation for all the nice things.


    Chloris smiled at their awe and said, ¡°Welcome to Vara¡¯s temple. It¡¯s the nicest on the street.¡± Temple must have been the e¡¯Silean word for house. Although, to Ruby the word house scarcely seemed glamorous enough to describe this place.


    A sound from above them turned their heads upward, toward a woman walking down the stairs. Isla¡¯s breath caught in her throat, and Ruby knew why. This woman could easily have been their mother¡¯s twin. She had the same soft curves, the same dark eyes, the same waving curls. Her hand glided down the railing the same way Mother¡¯s would have. Her soft step on the stairs whispered memories of their mother.


    Yet, there were differences. This woman was older, by many years, judging by the wrinkles at the edge of her eyes and mouth. Her hair was sprinkled with gray, and her eyes carried a weight of age. Her blue clothing, like Chloris¡¯s, was heavy-weight sheer, but she wore a highly impractical black panty and bra underneath. Mother would never have left her bedroom in her underclothes.


    ¡°Why are you shouting, Chloris?¡± the woman said in a voice deep, like mother¡¯s had been, but with an unfamiliar hint of sternness. ¡°I saw you coming up the street.¡±


    Chloris did not seem to be unsettled by the woman¡¯s sternness. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± She stepped aside and presented Isla and Ruby with the sweep of an arm. ¡°I bring you your newest wards, safe and sound from the most recent ship.¡±


    The woman¡¯s gaze swept over to the girls, and Ruby found herself holding her breath under the scrutiny. Isla¡¯s spine somehow straightened even farther, and she held her chin high. She wanted to be as appealing as possible to their new family. On the ship, she told Ruby they must both attempt to be as appealing as possible, so they would not end up in some filthy orphanage. But Ruby did not know how to look appealing to this woman; she was certain they had different standards of appeal. For instance, it would never occur to Ruby to waltz around the house in her underwear.


    The woman narrowed her eyes, ¡°Your names?¡±


    Ruby glanced at Isla, but when the older girl seemed tongue-tied, Ruby spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m Ruby McKnight. This is my elder sister Isla. Are you Aunt Vara?¡±


    She shook her head, and Ruby was alarmed until the woman said, ¡°Vara of Capitol.¡±


    ¡°But you are our mother¡¯s sister?¡± Isla sounded almost suspicious, though the softness and politeness of her tone probably masked it from strangers.


    Vara descended to stand in front of them. She was nearly a foot taller than Isla, so both girls were forced to look up to meet her dark-eyed gaze.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vara drawled. ¡°I was your mother¡¯s sister.¡±


    Isla seemed to find her courage. The speech she rehearsed in their cabin for months now came forward. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Aunt Vara. We are¡ª¡±


    Vara interrupted her practiced speech. ¡°Vara of Capitol,¡± she corrected. ¡°You will call me Vara from now on.¡± She glanced at Chloris with a look of question in her eyes. ¡°They look nothing like Ava.¡± Her tone was unreadable, but Ruby thought they were being insulted.


    ¡°We look like our father,¡± Ruby insisted. Isla drew a sharp breath, but the two women did not seem to notice that Ruby¡¯s tone was sharp.


    ¡°Intriguing that he would have the dominant genes,¡± Chloris replied to her mother¡¯s words. The woman¡¯s return smile was not friendly, like a person who grinned when someone fell down in the muddy street. But before Ruby could be more hot-headed and say something to get them kicked out on the street, Vara¡¯s gaze returned to them.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Isla squeezed her sister¡¯s arm and did the talking, ¡°Ruby is fourteen. I am sixteen, but I¡¯ll be seventeen in a matter of months. If you agree to take us in, it need only be for a short time. I know a little about dress-making¡­¡± she stumbled on that, probably because she knew nothing about making the kind of dresses Vara and Chloris wore. ¡°¡­and soon I think I can procure a wage enough to care for myself and for Ruby until she is old enough to find work.¡± She held up a reassuring hand. ¡°We are good, hard workers, and we won¡¯t make trouble.¡±


    Chloris looked puzzled. Vara appeared to be hiding her amusement. Ruby looked back and forth between them and then she scowled.


    ¡°We are hard workers!¡± she snapped. ¡°We have been taking care of mother, and keeping up with the laundry business for months without any help. If not for the laws of the country that state we have to be under family or city care until Isla is eighteen, we would still be there now! You¡¯re no happier to have us than we are to be here!¡±


    Isla groaned and her eyes slid closed. Once Ruby¡¯s mouth stopped, her face flushed, and she jerked her hands up to cover her cheeks. She had always had a temper, but she practiced and practiced walking small all the way to e¡¯Silea. Now, not even an hour on land, and she had blown their chance of being accepted and cared for. Her stomach plunged and the flames of anxiety began licking up her throat. Whatever would they do to care for themselves until Isla was old enough to work? Would they end up in a wretched orphanage after all? Her stomach clenched and unclenched. She was furious with herself for losing her temper.


    But Vara laughed, and this time it was warm instead of cruel. Chloris laughed, too, a twinkling sound that filled the entire entryway up to the top of its vaulted ceilings.


    ¡°She certainly acts like Ava,¡± Chloris crowed, patting Ruby gently on the shoulder blade. ¡°Better watch that temper of yours, Love. It landed me and your mother is all manner of difficulty growing up.¡±


    Vara touched Ruby¡¯s face with a gentle hand, then smoothed Isla¡¯s hair with the other. ¡°Oh, you poor girls! How long have you been cooped up at sea trying to hold your tongues?¡± She leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ruby¡¯s forehead, then repeated the gesture for Isla¡¯s head. Isla stared at her in confusion, but Ruby allowed herself to be engulfed by it. The last time she was kissed was mother, the day she died. Vara¡¯s kiss was similar.


    ¡°You must be scorched,¡± Vara said, backing away and looking their clothes up and down. ¡°And exhausted. And probably hungry.¡± She pinched Ruby¡¯s chin. ¡°Little wonder, with the swill they serve at sea. Let¡¯s get you settled in, huh? And then we can discuss how you¡¯re¡­¡± she turned her warm eyes on Isla, ¡°not going to ¡®make trouble.¡¯¡±


    Isla colored slightly, since Ruby already disgraced those words. Ruby blushed some more, too, but Vara seemed only to be amused by it. ¡°Come.¡±


    Four


    Vara snapped her fingers at a man standing in the doorway to the dining room. He wore only a pair of navy blue shorts with white stitching¡ªas lightly dressed as everyone else Ruby had seen. He stepped out and picked up their bags, smiling at the girls kindly but saying nothing.


    ¡°That¡¯s Argos,¡± Vara introduced once the man was walking away up the stairs.


    ¡°Is he our uncle?¡± Ruby wanted to know.


    Vara spun back to look sharply at Ruby. Isla¡¯s eyes widened at the sternness, and her arms protectively wrapped around Ruby from behind. They both held their breath under the scrutiny. Vara saw their embrace and her face softened. Her voice was gentle when she explained, ¡°No. He¡¯s no relation to you. You will call him Argos.¡±


    Isla glanced down at Ruby with concern in her eyes, but Ruby didn¡¯t know how comfort her. She gave her sister¡¯s arms a pat and pulled away. But she was confused about why Aunt Vara had been so affected by her question.


    They followed behind their aunt as she led them up the stairs toward the bedrooms. Ruby did not allow herself to get distracted this time, even though everywhere she looked was something interesting to see: statues and sculptures on marble platforms, vases full of flowers, bright-colored paintings on the walls.


    When they walked down a hall with portraits, Vara halted and presented a portrait on the wall. The girl in the painting looked to be about Ruby¡¯s age. She grinned ahead, with flowers surrounding her, and a silken dress draping to the floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s your mother,¡± Vara said gently. She looked longingly at the child smiling out of the painting. ¡°She was such a beautiful girl.¡±


    Ruby stared at the painting, too, and could see her mother shining out of the child¡¯s eyes. The painting beside it was nearly an exact match, but the child in it was obviously Chloris.


    Isla looked up at Vara thoughtfully. ¡°Were you close with our mother?¡±


    Vara stared at the picture for far too long before she turned to smile softly at the Isla. ¡°I raised her. My own mother died in the week after delivering Ava, so I inherited her. And now¡­¡± she stroked Isla¡¯s cheek. ¡°I have inherited you.¡± Isla froze under her aunt¡¯s touch, but was too polite to pull away even though she was uncomfortable. Vara¡¯s eyes took on a distant look¡ªa troubled look that pulled Ruby¡¯s heart tight. When Vara whispered, ¡°I expect to be more successful with you,¡± it was to herself rather than the girls.


    She pivoted on her heel and continued down the hall as though she had never been distracted by the portrait on the wall. But Ruby was puzzled.


    ¡°Why did Mother leave here?¡±


    Mother had never mentioned e¡¯Silea, Aunt Vara, Chloris, or anything about her life before adulthood. Ruby never thought about it before, but she realized it was a bit strange she never talked about her childhood.


    Vara stepped against the doorframe of an open door and studied Ruby emotionlessly. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Ruby nibbled on her lower lip. She did not know why she asked. She believed this was her mother¡¯s sister. She did not doubt that story, but she also found it strange that her mother had an entire life she had never mentioned. A life of wealth, where people did not wear enough clothing, and childhood portraits hung on the walls. Ruby lifted one shoulder in a shrug. But Vara continued to look at her, expectant, and Ruby found herself floundering for an answer.


    ¡°Because¡­well, she never mentioned you¡­¡± a fierce look from Isla made her shrug again. Isla did not want to hurt their feelings, but it was true what Ruby said. ¡°And until Uncle Rupert told us we had an aunt in e¡¯Silea, we never knew we had relatives. We never heard of a place called e¡¯Silea. So¡­ Mother must have left at some point, and I guess I wondered why. You speak of her with the same sadness in your eyes as she sometimes had when she looked at the necklace Father gave her.¡±


    Nervousness wafted from Isla, and her chest even heaved, as if afraid at any minute Vara would snarl hateful words at them and kick them out into the street. But Ruby was not ashamed of her question. It seemed perfectly reasonable to her.


    Vara studied her silently for another moment, then smiled. Instead of answering, she motioned into the room against which she lounged. ¡°This will be your room, Ruby. It overlooks the rear garden but has no balcony. Isla,¡± she nodded to the door across the hall. ¡°That will be your room. It has a balcony, but it overlooks the street. Some of my daughters found they could climb down the trellises to get to the ground. They began using that as a mode of entrance and exit to the temple, but I will just warn you that it is my expectation for everyone to use the door.¡±


    Isla¡¯s face crumpled into confusion, and Ruby wondered if she was as mystified by why people would climb trellises when they could much more easily go through doors. But Isla¡¯s expression had different roots. ¡°Aunt Vara?¡±


    Vara corrected her immediately, ¡°Vara of Capitol.¡±


    Isla¡¯s face flushed, embarrassed at having been corrected. While she stumbled over her words, she still seemed intent on asking her question, ¡°Ruby and I need not have separate rooms. We have always shared a room together. In fact, we have always shared a bed in Mother¡¯s room.¡±


    The sternness returned in Vara¡¯s eyes for a moment, the same swift sternness that was there when Ruby asked if Argos was their uncle. It was difficult to understand why Isla¡¯s attempt to be accommodating could be taken offensively. But, like last time, Vara¡¯s gaze softened, and her words were gentle, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. You will now each have a room and a bed of your own. Come,¡± and she beckoned them into Ruby¡¯s room. Again, Isla exchanged concerned looks with her sister, but Ruby only shrugged again and followed their aunt into the bedroom.


    One look at this room made Ruby¡¯s eyes pop. It was easily large enough to fit their entire Louvel house inside, possibly with room to spare. The bed was three times the size of the bed she shared with Isla all their life. A canopy of pink and mint-green sheers hung over the top of the bed. The bed itself was covered with embroidered pillows and a comforter in geometric pink and green designs. Some large pillows in the same colors adorned one corner of the room¡ªeasily large enough to be used as chairs. Another corner of the room held a white desk and chair, and two shelves with a handful of books. There was an entire wall of windows with sheer curtains blowing in the breeze, and heavier drapes pulled away and tied with pink ribbons. A white dresser stood between an open closet door and a door to the toilet. Ruby was astonished! Throw in a stove, and she could feasibly live in this room without any need for the remainder of the house.


    ¡°If the colors are not to your taste, we will redecorate,¡± Vara offered. Ruby stared up at her aunt in shock.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful as it is,¡± Isla whispered. Ruby was not certain if the words were meant as a thank you for her aunt, or as a warning that Ruby not be greedy. Ruby would never dream of asking for new things. It was impossible to imagine another color being lovelier than what was already here.


    Vara put a hand on Ruby¡¯s arm and guided her out of the doorway as Argos stepped into the room. He held Ruby¡¯s pack, but when she reached for it, he ignored her and walked it to the bed. When he lifted the leather straps of the pack and began pulling clothes out onto the bed, Ruby gave a strangled cry, ¡°I can do that!¡± Most of her clothes were filthy after the hasty washes they had been given on the ships. She had outgrown nearly everything. The idea of this man sorting through her dirty laundry made her blush. Isla was also blushing, and Ruby knew why. She was wondering if he had already done this service for her clothes.


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Vara said dismissively of Ruby¡¯s outburst. ¡°It¡¯s his responsibility.¡± But she must have noticed the mortified look on both girl¡¯s faces, because she called, ¡°Argos, stop. Get the trunks from the attic and bring them down to the workroom.¡± When she turned back to the girls, it was as if the man ceased to exist. He murmured something under his breath and then walked out. Vara said, ¡°We¡¯ll go through some of our clothes and see what we can make work for you until I can order you a wardrobe of your own.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes widened again. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I have some coin¡­¡± she fumbled at the pocket of her dress, where she had sewn the money pocket. ¡°I can afford some cloth and I will make Ruby and me some dresses. You need not¡­¡±


    Isla¡¯s words died when she saw the sharpness was back in Vara¡¯s eyes. She looked at them thoughtfully in the uncomfortable silence, then shook her head as if arguing with herself. ¡°There are many things we need to talk about, but not right now. Right now, you will get settled in and rested. I¡¯ll have someone make something to eat.¡± She moved gracefully toward the door, but at the last moment turned back and met Isla¡¯s eye. ¡°You will no longer be making dresses. If you would like to design them, that will be fine, as a study of the art of clothing design. But you will not be providing for your own worldly needs any longer. From now on, that will be my task. You are children. You will no longer carry the burden of adult responsibilities.¡±


    Isla looked in their aunt¡¯s eyes for a long time before giving an awkward nod. The woman swept her gaze over to Ruby then. She nodded too. Though she was confused about the implications of her words, she was eager enough to be cherished and cared-for that she felt no desire to argue.


    Vara smiled again, and all the warmth returned to the room. ¡°If you would like to sort through your own belonging, that¡¯s fine. Anything that must be laundered can be placed in a pile by the door. Anything that is either too big or too small for you can be placed at the foot of your bed. I will have someone come collect it all.¡±


    Isla suggested, ¡°We can launder our own clothes,¡± but it was spoken in a hushed way, as if afraid of the reaction. But all Vara said was, ¡°No. Leave it and I will have it collected.¡±


    Vara ran her finger along the edge of the doorframe. With a brief frown, she examined some dust on her fingertip. Then she smiled up at the girls. ¡°When you¡¯re hungry, come down. The food will be ready in a few minutes, and I do not permit food in the bedrooms.¡± She paused to stroke each of their faces. A gentle caress across Isla¡¯s cheek, and then Ruby¡¯s. ¡°I know it all seems confusing right now, but soon you will relax and grow comfortable here.¡± She stepped out of the room, but called back, ¡°This is your new home.¡±


    Isla¡¯s hand, cool and clammy, grasped Ruby¡¯s and squeezed hard. But the words New Home danced in Ruby¡¯s ears for a long time after her aunt had walked away.

 Sweetness VS Suspicion

    One


    Isla stared at Ruby after their aunt walked out, feeling only flutters of nervousness where her stomach used to be. It all seemed too good to be true. Even though she tried not to be suspicious of generous people, she always was. Mother had taught her to take care of herself. That sometimes meant speculating on people¡¯s motives.


    Isla had not expected to be welcome in e¡¯Silea. When Uncle Rupert took them in after Mother¡¯s funeral, he was not accommodating at all. He made it obvious Isla and her sister were a nuisance, and eagerly searched for another placement for them. That was just fine for Isla. She did not need anyone to take care of her. She was nearly an adult and could care for herself. Her uncle¡¯s attitude had not bothered her much, but it was the standard by which she judged others now.


    Vara of Capitol was far too welcoming for Isla¡¯s comfort. Giving them their own massive bedrooms was unnecessary, and an entirely new wardrobe was excessive. Not even expecting them¡ªallowing them!¡ªto do their own laundry¡­? It all seemed a little suspicious. Isla did not know what to think, and she had an uneasy feeling.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ruby whispered once they were alone.


    Though Isla did not want to spoil everything for her sister, Ruby was not so young that she could not understand the strangeness here. She murmured, ¡°I¡¯m wondering when the other shoe will drop.¡±


    Ruby scowled and gave a huff. ¡°You worry too much! She¡¯s nice.¡±


    Isla nodded. Vara was certainly courteous, no doubt about that.


    ¡°It¡¯s all too much, Ruby. You understand? We are orphans who were just dropped into her hands with little warning.¡± She pointed in confusion toward the direction her aunt had gone. ¡°She is treating us like royalty!¡±


    Ruby gesturing around and the room that could only have been made for a princess. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? It¡¯s nice to be treated. It¡¯s nice to be wanted.¡±


    Isla shook her head and shot her own suspicious glance around the room. ¡°There must be a catch of some kind. No one does this! You know that, right? Maybe if we were very small¡ªbabies or a little older¡ªsomeone would be willing to adopt us and treat us like their own children. But we¡¯re nearly adults, Ruby! It makes no sense.¡± She narrowed her eyes at the doorframe. ¡°Did you notice the way she checked the dust on the doorframe? She has high standards. This is a very large, very fine house.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± Ruby tried to argue.


    Isla cut her off, ¡°Perhaps Aunt Vara accepted us because she wants unpaid servants.¡± It seemed the only likely reason Isla could imagine.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just nice.¡±


    Isla stared hard at her younger sister but decided not to argue. Instead, she changed the subject. ¡°What were you thinking, losing your temper, Ruby? I¡¯m not sure if I have enough coins left to even buy a meal here! What would we have done if she threw us out?¡±


    Ruby¡¯s face flamed to her hairline. She looked away from Isla¡¯s gaze, around at the beautiful room with its flowing curtains and bright tapestries. ¡°I know,¡± she whispered in self-reproach. ¡°I thought they were questioning our attachment to mother. I overreacted.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t overreact again. You have got to control your temper.¡± But Isla knew her words were useless. She had been cautioning Ruby against losing her temper all their life. Especially since Mother grew so ill, Isla needed them both to seem well-behaved and quiet. Ruby had the unfortunate habit of speaking before she thought. More than once it had landed her into trouble. It made trouble in school, for Mother¡¯s business, and often at home. Mother had usually brushed it off with a slight admonition. Isla could not be so passive, though. Ruby¡¯s temper could cause more problems than the girls could handle on a new land, with new laws and customs.


    ¡°I know,¡± Ruby replied hotly, but her face was still flushed.


    ¡°It¡¯s important, Ruby. They may have laughed off your temper earlier, but they probably won¡¯t laugh forever. Most people do not like to be yelled at by the people they are doing huge favors for.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    Isla pointed a stern finger at her sister, but let it go.


    She looked around the pink and mint-green room and shook her head slightly. It was ridiculous extravagance, but it made her smile. To think, she had spent her life sharing a bed with her sister, and tonight she would be expected not only to sleep in her own bed, but in her own room. She caught Ruby¡¯s eye, and nodded her head toward the door, inviting her sister to tour the room across the hall with her. Ruby followed eagerly, the color fading from her cheeks.


    Isla¡¯s room was similar, but the colors were navy blue and yellow. The bed in here was on a slightly raised platform, and seemed to be rounded rather than rectangular. Isla puzzled over how she would find sheets for a rounded mattress.


    She did not have a chance to think about sheets for long. She saw sorted piles of clothes on the bed and flushed as brightly as Ruby had. Imagining Argos picking through her dirty panties in order to fold them on the bed made her want to burrow straight into the ground. She looked away before she burst into humiliated flames.


    There were no floor pillows in this room, but there was a set of two over-stuffed chairs with a small table between them. The desk in this room was also white, but was rounded like a table, and had three shelves rather than two. The double doors to the balcony were open, and there was a set of two chairs and a table out there as well. In one corner of the room was some kind of padded, narrow table. A cart sitting beside it had glass bottles and candles all over it. Isla had no concept of what to make of it. She resolved to explore it more thoroughly later.


    Her closet was actually a tiny room with shelves and hanging bars on three sides. Isla could not imagine ever having enough clothes to fill those shelves. She was relieved when she realized there was not also a dresser expected to hold her wardrobe. She only ever had one pair of shoes, two work-dresses, and one formal dress in her life. There was a door into her own toilet as well, and she shook her head in disbelief. She and Ruby could easily have shared this space.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes widened and she shushed her sister. ¡°Ruby! Be quiet. I don¡¯t want to seem ungrateful.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s expression was as dry as her tone. ¡°Not liking a room you are given does not make you ungrateful. Complaining about it does, and you never complain.¡±


    That was true enough. She never even complained when her mother failed to make enough money to provide dinner for them. Ruby was right about opinions not making her ungrateful, as well, so Isla looked around the room with the intent of forming one.


    ¡°Do you like yours?¡± she asked.


    When Ruby did not immediately answer, Isla swiveled to get a good look at her. The younger girl shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a lovely room.¡± Isla nodded in agreement, and looked around once more, until her sister added, ¡°Big.¡±


    Isla let out a breath she did not know she was holding. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed on the exhale. ¡°Very, very big. I scarcely know how we¡¯ll get any chores done, with a room this big to clean each day.¡±


    That must not have occurred to Ruby, because she pulled a face. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Isla moved toward the bed, and whispered, ¡°He touched my clothes.¡±


    Ruby joined her beside the folded, piled clothing. All she said was, ¡°Yeah,¡± once more, in a whisper, too.


    Isla touched the pile of underclothes, and tried not to blush again. Ruby was blushing, too, but when she spoke, Isla realized her discomfort had a different root.


    ¡°I won¡¯t wear clothes that are see-through, Isla, no matter what Vara and Chloris wear. I won¡¯t do it, even if it¡¯s impolite to turn it down.¡±


    Isla put an arm around her sister and pulled her into a hug. ¡°That¡¯s alright. I won¡¯t dress that way either!¡±


    Isla wanted to cry, for a lot of reasons. The journey on the ship had been long and uncomfortable, and even though most people left them alone, no one had been kind or considerate. The second ship was scarcely less-frightening. And all the months of pent-up fear of rejection, or cruelty, had put a stain on enjoying her return to land. Isla was hungry, and worried, and completely out of place. But she did not cry, because Ruby needed her to be strong.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ruby said in a comforting voice, and Isla smiled against her sister¡¯s cheek. When they separated, they both looked around the room once more, then Ruby said, ¡°I better sort my clothes. I don¡¯t want Argos to come back and do it.¡± Isla nodded agreement and watched as her sister walked out the door and across the hall into the pink room.


    Isla had not grown in over two years, except perhaps thinner on the ship while she was sea-sick for months. Nothing in her clothing was strictly clean, not even the dress on her body. She piled everything on the floor beside the door and then looked around the room again. Not sure what to do with herself, she sat down on the edge of the bed. The bed-covers were the softest material she had ever touched, and she found herself spinning onto her knees to examine them more closely. She could not be certain, but she thought it was silk! She saw silk in the general store once, but never touched it. Silk was extremely delicate; the oils from hands could stain it. Isla popped off the bed immediately, worried that her soiled clothing and hands might ruin it. But besides being slightly mussed, the bed covers looked exactly as they did before.


    Not able to bring herself to sit back down on the bed, she walked to the patio chairs. They were made out of some kind of hard vines woven together. Once she lifted the decorative cushions off the seat, she sat down. The vines bit at her thighs and backside, giving good reason for the cushions, but they were so lovely she did not dare sit on them.


    Behind her, she heard a bit of laughter. She spun to look, and then immediately stood up when she saw Chloris standing in the doorway. A bit sheepish, Isla replaced the cushions and walked inside.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chloris asked in a teasing tone of voice.


    ¡°I¡­um¡­sitting. Your mother told us to relax.¡±


    Chloris grinned. ¡°Have you ever relaxed before?¡± She did not wait for an answer. She walked to the bed and dropped a pile of bright clothes on top of the comforter. ¡°I brought you some options. I¡¯m sure nothing will fit well, but it should do for tonight. Tomorrow Vara should have the chance to make a purchase.¡± She looked Isla up and down. ¡°You must be absolutely roasting in that dress.¡±


    Isla was very warm. She had been too warm in her clothes for a few weeks, but especially now there was no sea breeze to cool her. The breezes from outside helped a little, but even they were warm. Her dress was made for a much cooler climate.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very warm. Thank you.¡±


    Chloris cocked her head to the side. ¡°You¡¯re extremely polite, kid.¡±


    It was a strange observation, and Isla had no concept of how to respond, so she ignored the comment. She asked, ¡°What shall I do with the clothes I don¡¯t pick? Just hang them in the closet?¡±


    But Chloris said no. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Argos or Galen will do that. It¡¯s their responsibility.¡± Then she smiled. ¡°Would you like one of them to draw you a bath? They can make it cool for you, since you¡¯re basically melting.¡±


    Isla could not imagine having someone draw her a bath. She only recalled a handful of actual baths in her life. Usually she and Ruby washed at a basin in the house each day, and only washed their hair once a week on an off-school day so it had adequate time to dry. Bathing always seemed like a luxury for the rich, and the few times she was privileged enough to get into a tub, it was a magical experience. But she could not comprehend the wastefulness of drawing a full bath just for herself.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she said, trying to find a polite way to refuse. ¡°It does sound lovely, but¡­¡±


    Chloris waved away any argument and called out the door, ¡°Galen! Come draw Mistress Isla a bath!¡± She grinned back at Isla. ¡°He¡¯s good at his craft, I promise you. He could even stay to bathe you if you want¡­¡± She paused long enough that Isla¡¯s horror could not be masked in her expression, and then Chloris laughed. ¡°I thought not. He can draw the bath and leave, if that¡¯s better.¡±


    A man stepped into the room, wearing shorts exactly like Argos¡¯. He was darker-skinned than Argos, and had darker hair, but his light green eyes twinkled more brightly, and he actually spoke. ¡°Would you like it to be cool? It¡¯s a scorcher out there today!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Chloris answered him, when Isla failed to find words to speak. ¡°Cool, but enjoyable, Galen. And she wants her privacy in there, so leave her the towels and cloths.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress,¡± Galen answered, and walked past Isla into the toilet.


    She stared after him in shock. There was a tub in her room? It was so extravagant, she could hardly think straight. People in Louvel were extremely wealthy if they had even one tub in their whole house. But in Vara¡¯s house, she had tubs in every room? It was more than Isla could grasp. How wealthy must Aunt Vara be?


    ¡°When he¡¯s finished, send him to Ruby¡¯s room. She should bathe too,¡± Chloris commanded as she walked out. For a few uncomfortable minutes, Isla stood in the center of the room, not sure what to do or how to respond to Chloris¡¯s instructions. She finally walked to the bed, and began sorting through the clothing to find something that would work for her. There were no pieces that were sheer, to her relief, but also nothing that seemed even remotely like something she could wear. She chose a dress that had tiny capped sleeves, and seemed a respectable length, though it would never fit her around. It also had a belt, so she hoped she could cinch it tight to her waist. She stared at it doubtfully for a while, turning it every which way, trying to decide if a plunging section was meant for the back or the front. And trying to figure out how to close it up.


    Galen walked out and offered her a smile. ¡°If the temperature is not right, let me know. I can adjust it.¡±


    Surprised, Isla spun to look at the tub. ¡°You did that so quickly,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have to heat the water?¡±


    Galen shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s heated in the kitchens and piped up to the bedrooms. We always have the water heated, just in case.¡± He winked at her. ¡°Did Mistress Chloris say I should fill the tub across the hall too? I thought I heard her say that.¡±


    Isla nodded, but she was distracted by the tub full of water, and what he could have meant by ¡°piped up¡± to the rooms. She moved toward the tub, a little entranced by the idea of sitting in a bath. It felt decadent, really. She wondered if her mother would approve.


    Snatching the dress she chose, and a pair of silk panties, she walked into the toilet and closed the door behind her. The room was much bigger than she originally thought, much bigger than it needed to be. But it was lovely. There were narrow, horizontal windows high up in the walls, open to allow a slight breeze. The tub was three times the size of any she had ever seen before, and filled to near the top with water, sprinkled with flower petals. Towels hung over a rack on one wall beside a towel-draped bench. A cloth was draped over the edge of the tub, with a razor and lotion-soap on top. Isla shook her head and drew a sharp breath at how spoiled she was to get this kind of treatment.


    Being spoiled, though, did not stop her from shucking her clothing and slipping into the tub full of scented water. Her mouth fell open in pure delight, and she let her eyes slide shut. She tried to relax then and forget about her fears. Aunt Vara had no feasible reason to spoil her. Maybe there was no other shoe.


    Two


    Isla crossed the hall into Ruby¡¯s room to find the girl still sitting in the tub up to her neck. Isla quickly looked over her shoulder toward the hall, afraid Ruby would be caught luxuriating overlong. When she moved to the tub to hasten her, she found the younger girl asleep against the pristine white tub ledge. She hesitated waking her. Ruby did not sleep well on either ship. Seasickness got to her, but she also regularly suffered from nightmares and fitful slumber. Sleep seemed too precious to waste.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Ruby awoke on her own though. She sat upright when she saw Isla beside the tub, blue eyes shining and wide ¡°Am I late?¡±


    Isla shook her head slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. No one has come searching for us. But perhaps you should speed this along now. I don¡¯t want them to think we are lazy and ungrateful.¡±


    Ruby pulled a face but, for a wonder, made no argument. She only picked up a cleansing cloth and attended to the task.


    Isla sorted through the pile of clothing on Ruby¡¯s bed in an attempt to find something suitable. There were no sheer clothes in this pile either, but these were even harder to pick through than her own selections. Nothing seemed to be complete, missing length on the hemline or sleeves. One even seemed to be a collection of ribbons rather than clothing. Isla had no concept of how it was meant to be worn. She selected a crimson dress of a respectable length, but was forced to pair it with a gray silk blouse. The dress by itself had only a tie that she supposed was meant to wrap around the neck, but it left the entire back, arms, shoulders, and armpits on display! The gray blouse, though not at all complimentary to the dress, would keep Ruby decently covered.


    When the girl emerged from the bathing room, Isla presented the clothing she gleaned from the pile. At her sister¡¯s doubtful expression, Isla explained, ¡°I know it¡¯s not perfect, but with the garishness of their color choices, perhaps they won¡¯t even notice.¡±


    Ruby said nothing¡ªshe did not have to, because her face spoke volumes on their own¡ªand proceeded to dry and dress herself. Isla walked across the room to the vanity while she waited. Picking up the ivory-handled hair brush from its brush-shaped silver plate on the vanity, she drew it through her own damp hair. In the humidity, she was not sure how quickly it would dry, although the heat would surely help it along. She absentmindedly counted the strokes, as she always did when she brushed her hair. Her mother used to laugh at her for the habit, usually scolding her playfully that ten strokes was plenty if it detangled the hair and tamed it. But Isla had learned to comb her hair from her father¡ªand he had always counted one-hundred strokes.


    At 27, Ruby interrupted with a sigh of frustration. ¡°Does the blouse go over or under the dress?¡±


    Isla turned and saw the girl fighting to hide the gray blouse beneath the red dress, and completely destroying its perfect lines.


    ¡°I think neither,¡± Isla answered. ¡°They aren¡¯t intended as a pair, but nothing in the pile has the slightest degree of modesty. Just wear the blouse over the top and we will find a belt to cinch to your waist.¡±


    Ruby was obviously displeased with the solution, but she obeyed. She joined Isla at the vanity on stroke 62. She used a towel to vigorously dry her hair while watching Isla¡¯s progress in the mirror. The seriousness on her face carried weight. It did that when she had something to say that she thought Isla would dislike.


    Isla paused on stroke 84 and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Better the girl should voice her concerns than she should bear them in silence and distort her face.


    Placing the now wet towel on the vanity, Ruby stared hard at Isla in the mirror. ¡°Please just try to like them, Isla. Please just give them a chance. They knew mother¡ªas incredible as that seems¡ªand they loved her. Maybe I am just being na?ve, but I would like to think they are sincere in their welcome. I do not think they will dismiss us as easily as Uncle Rupert did. I do think they want us here.¡±


    She was being na?ve, but Isla did not say so. People did not welcome foreign orphans into their established homes and set them up to live like kings. That sort of generosity was the fodder for imaginative stories, but not reality. People held to their own and did not like anything that disturbed from their routine. She and Ruby, as polite and as well-behaved as they were at their very best, must still be an inconvenience and a nuisance to anyone forced to take them in. Their mother¡¯s death could not have been timed more inconveniently.


    Yet, for Ruby¡¯s sake, Isla kept her doubts to herself. ¡°They both seem to be very generous and welcoming.¡± If nothing else, it was kind of Vara to allow them both to bathe and dress in clean clothes. It had been months since their clothing was been truly clean and comfortable.


    Isla continued her count until she finished, and then she passed the brush to her sister. Ruby was not fooled by Isla¡¯s blithe comment. Her apprehension clouded her gaze and fueled the ferocity of her own one-hundred strokes.


    Isla went in search of another belt to wrap around her sister, and ended up having to satisfy herself with a wide white ribbon she removed from another outfit she could not make sense of. While Ruby tamed her hair, Isla belted the gray shirt over the top of the red dress, and pulled at and arranged the garments until Ruby leaned away in silent resistance. It was hopeless anyhow¡ªit would never look as though the two pieces were meant to go together.


    In silence, Isla braided Ruby¡¯s hair and the girl in turn offered her the same service. The hair would not dry as easily this way, but at least it would not look like they were unkempt and wild.


    ¡°One year,¡± Isla murmured at her sister. ¡°We have to keep them satisfied with us for only one year, and then we can be on our own and all will be well.¡±


    Ruby gave her a long-suffering look. Possibly because she made similar speeches all the way from Mainland, and so it wasn¡¯t news. But Isla didn¡¯t say it to remind the other girl; it was to comfort herself. In one year, she could be legally considered her own caretaker, and she could keep Ruby too. She would provide for them both somehow, until Ruby could work. It was the plan¡ªit had been the plan since mother took ill.


    ¡°Everything is going to be fine,¡± Ruby insisted. Isla gave her the smallest of smiles, but could not bring herself to agree with the her assessment.


    The worst they can do to us is be unkind, she comforted herself. The worst they can do is kick us out.


    Three


    Ruby led the way down the stairs into the main area of the house, her bare feet padding softly on the stone steps. Isla followed behind, examining the finery that surrounded them. There seemed to be statuettes and vases everywhere, and paintings on the walls. Her eyes had to move too quickly¡ªthere was no way to take it all in in one quick jaunt down the steps.


    In the main area of the house, there were oversized couches and chairs, black wood end tables and a stone coffee table. The windows here were draped with sheer curtains blowing the breeze, as every window was open to capture the breezes. This room held more finery. There was a matched set of paintings on one wall of ocean vistas. On a high table along one wall sat miniature portraits in delicate frames and candle enclosures that looked a little like lanterns. Isla¡¯s eyes could scarcely settle on one item before something else caught her eye. The wealth virtually screeched at her from every corner.


    ¡°Look, Isla! It¡¯s mother.¡±


    Ruby stood at the table of miniatures, pointing at one of the framed portraits. Isla moved beside her sister to inspect the illustration. Gold stenciled words on the frame named the child ¡°Ava¡± but if this was Isla¡¯s mother, there was no way to tell. The child could scarcely be more than four years old, with ragged black curls and a crooked smile. The expression of her eyes hinted at mother, but they lacked the maturity and worry adulthood inevitably produced.


    ¡°She was beautiful, huh?¡±


    At the sound of Chloris¡¯ voice, Isla and Ruby both turned around. The older woman seated herself in an overstuffed chair and curled her bare feet beneath her. With her head cocked to one side, she bore a strong resemblance to mother in mannerisms rather than looks. When neither girl answered her, Chloris nodded toward the miniatures behind them.


    ¡°Ava, I mean. She was a beautiful child. Everyone always commented on it. They would stroke her head and say ¡®You¡¯re so beautiful!¡¯ and then they would notice me and add something like, ¡®All little girls are beautiful in the eyes of the Goddess.¡¯ As if I couldn¡¯t see through that half-assed compliment.¡± She gave a good-natured smile. ¡°But it was true what they said about her. She was always a beautiful girl. She turned heads in the street every day.¡±


    Isla wondered what that must have been like for their mother, to turn heads. She was beautiful, though Isla knew she went to great lengths to cover it up. She always tied back her luxurious hair and covered it with head scarves. Layers of warm clothing covered the curves of her body. She had kept her head down in the streets and moved quickly. If she had not been so determined to be ignored, she might have made heads turn. At home, when she was in her nightgown for the evening, and her hair was brushed out and hanging down her back, and her eyes sparkled with laughter and amusement, she was beautiful.


    ¡°Yes. She was stunning,¡± Isla agreed.


    She would have been content if nothing more was said about it, but Ruby¡¯s tongue was unrestrained.


    ¡°Mother was the most beautiful person in the world,¡± she gushed, crossing the room to sit beside their cousin. On her knees on the couch, like an ill-mannered heathen! Isla tried to gesture at her to sit on her bottom and cross her ankles like a lady, but the child was focused solely on Chloris, who was likewise focused on Ruby. ¡°Sometimes I would just lay with her in bed, wishing her beauty could be gained by merely sitting beside her. I would close my eyes and¡­¡± she demonstrated, squeezing her eyes shut like a five-year-old making a wish on a birthday cake. ¡°wish I could look more like her. I even once took coals from the fire to blacken my hair.¡± She pulled a face. ¡°It made a mess and was not beautiful at all. But, she never thought I was not beautiful.¡± A sad smile on Ruby¡¯s face and a faraway expression made Isla¡¯s eyes burn. Memories could become addictive, so Isla immediately shut them down. Mother was gone. She was dead, and memories of her could not make the situation better. The important thing to do now was to move on. There was work to do.


    ¡°I used to wish I could look like her too,¡± Chloris confessed into the stillness after Ruby¡¯s gushing words. ¡°And smell like her and act like her. She filled the temple with fun and joy.¡±


    Ruby nodded along, entranced. ¡°What I miss most about her was her laugh. When mother laughed, it was like angles singing. Like the very light from heaven poured in on her tongue and bounced about the house, making everything sparkle. And I tingled all over with it. When she laughed, I swear I could feel her love in it.¡±


    Chloris looked away, a sad smile pulling at her lips. She whispered, but in the quiet room, her words were plain. ¡°I miss her every day.¡±


    Ruby placed a delicate hand on the woman¡¯s leg and admitted, ¡°Me too. Every moment.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Isla?¡±


    Vara¡¯s voice was not gentle and did not whisper into the stillness. Her voice cracked them out of their memories as she glided into the room. ¡°You seem a great deal more pragmatic than your sister. But what do you miss about Ava?¡± She seated herself in another chair, one that suited her frame and body weight exactly. Her arms slid to the ends of the arms of the chair, her fingers curling around the edges. Made for her specifically. Impressive.


    Isla thought perhaps she ought not to answer, but in the sustained silence, she began to feel pressured. In Vara¡¯s expression of expectance, there seemed to be nothing for it but to answer in some way. She tried very hard to be honest.


    ¡°I find I have very little time to miss my mother. There is simply too much to be done in her absence. She was kind and beautiful and courageous. But she is dead. And before she died, the sickness took everything from her¡ªexcept her unstinting kindness. I would rather not dwell on memories of pain, and think instead of the future. There is work to do.¡±


    Ruby gasped into the silence, as though Isla was harsh or unkind. And truthfully, she admitted to herself that her tone was detached. But if Vara was unhappy with her honesty, she said nothing of it. She only studied Isla with those penetrating, knowing eyes.


    Chloris cleared her throat. ¡°Maybe I should check on dinner¡­?¡±


    Vara waved a hand that seemed to say no, but she spoke to Isla, ¡°You¡¯re very similar to me, child. I find memories of my losses to be counterproductive. Though they plague me at times, all the same. I¡¯m afraid, as much as I loved Ava, and as beautiful and kind as she was, it is not her charms that come to my mind. It¡¯s her cruelty.¡±


    ¡°Vara,¡± Chloris scolded in a hushed tone. ¡°Not now!¡±


    But Vara ignored her. ¡°And I don¡¯t find memories of cruel childishness to be very inspiring in my day to day work. Because, as you said, Isla, there is work to do. I find I do not have time to waste on pining.¡±


    Isla did not feel as though they were in agreement, because she had in no way indicated her mother was cruel. The pain of that accusation needed to be fought down with vicious force. It was everything Isla could do to keep her face serene and her voice calm. ¡°I keep my tears for my pillow.¡± And let her aunt take from that what she willed. The worst she can do is be unkind. The worst she can do is kick us out.


    But Vara smiled. ¡°Very practical, but also lonely. You needn¡¯t be so strong.¡±


    Isla did not know how to answer that, so she said nothing, and instead looked again at the finery in the room.


    Four


    Ruby filled up the silence. ¡°Isla is very strong. She hardly cried at all when they buried mother.¡± She gave a sad sigh. ¡°Mother looked so small in that little box.¡±


    Chloris sounded offended. ¡°They put her in a box?¡±


    Isla remembered, though the memory was a haunted one. The ground had been frozen and difficult to cut through, so the mess bill was been much more than expected. And the coffin was made for a child. Isla did not want to think about how the undertaker made her fit in it. Isla had dressed her in a white dress from the back of her closet. It had always been there but was never worn, and at the time Isla wondered if it was the gown in which she married Father. But now, looking around e¡¯Silea, Isla knew the silk gown with draping sheer sleeves had in fact been a memento from here¡ªMother¡¯s childhood home. It was too big on her slight form, and Isla was forced to pin it to hide how much the sickness had robbed from her fullness and beauty. In the brisk morning, in snowfall, they said a few simple words, and then lowered the coffin into the grave. Isla had forced Ruby to leave the cemetery, or the child would have stood there in the cold, watching them until the last bit of dirt covered the coffin. Isla dragged her away.


    ¡°A coffin,¡± Ruby corrected. ¡°And then buried her during a snowstorm.¡±


    Vara cleared her throat. ¡°They bury people in the ground in Mainland.¡± She spoke that with authority, and Isla realized she was instructing Chloris.


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Because they like scars of death marring their landscapes.¡±


    Ruby gasped. ¡°What does that mean? Where do you bury your dead?¡±


    Isla turned around, interested in the answer to this question. If they did not bury their dead in the ground, and had no undertakers, however did they dispose of their dead?


    Vara answered coolly, with no kind of emotion, as though no one she ever knew needed death services. ¡°In e¡¯Silea, they dead are taken to sea and returned to the goddess through the bounty that preserves us: our ocean.¡±


    Isla was intrigued, but Ruby was clearly horrified. She made a gesture like water lapping toward her. ¡°Don¡¯t the bodies just¡­ come back on the tide?¡± She pulled a revolted face, as if imagining scores of dead bodies floating onto the beaches in half-decay.


    Chloris laughed, and even Vara smiled. ¡°The bodies are weighted, so they sink to the ocean floor. Or are consumed by sea creatures. It makes no difference. The body is flesh. The spirit is what is claimed by the goddess. Once you or I have died, the burial at sea is simply ceremonial. Death is the true separation, when the Goddess collects her citizens to bring to her own temple.¡±


    Isla was struck by their constant reference to a feminine deity. In order to turn the conversation from death, or her mother, she asked, ¡°Do you worship a feminine deity, then? A Goddess? We never had any religion, really.¡±


    Something in the look on Vara¡¯s face made her wish she had not asked, but the answer came with no delay. ¡°I would not call it worship. I have great respect for the Goddess, but as one respects a superior businesswoman rather than as one worships a deity. In my mind, the Goddess represents the pinnacle of e¡¯Silean success. She does not demand worship from her citizens. She expects industry, strength, and the wise disbursement of comforts.¡±


    It did not sound like any kind of religion Isla knew. Religious people always seemed full of words like ¡°worship¡± and ¡°bow down¡± and ¡°repent¡± but none of those words even remotely resembled the way Vara spoke of her Goddess. By her representation, the Goddess could simply be the greater of two equals, living in the fancier house down the street. There was nothing ethereal or divine about that image.


    ¡°But you believe you go to heaven when you die?¡±


    Ruby¡¯s question was sincere. Like Isla, she had little concept of religion, except what was forced on them in school.


    ¡°I believe the Goddess gathers her citizens,¡± Vara corrected. ¡°I don¡¯t know about heaven¡ªwhat it is, what it means¡ªbut I believe the Goddess collects her citizens at death, and gives them a space in her temple, or gives them a temple of their own.¡±


    Ruby nodded, as if she caught onto the elusive religious aspect of this. ¡°And are there certain things you have to do to earn a temple? Say prayers and be kind to your fellow men? Pay tithes to a church, and take care of hungry and poor? Refrain from wickedness and unkind words?¡±


    Vara¡¯s smile was cool, and her voice was almost patronizing. ¡°No. I think if you worked hard enough to own and keep a temple in life, the Goddess is not going to refuse you because you once said an unkind word to a business associate or struck an ungrateful slave. I don¡¯t think the Goddess keeps a tally book of my errors. She is not discriminating in life or death.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes took on a hopeful glimmer, and she sat forward, a little too eager. Isla wished she could stop her. But the child asked her question, voice full of faithful optimism. ¡°Does that mean mother is waiting for me in the Goddess¡¯ temple?¡±


    Chloris hissed under her breath, a look nearing panic in her eyes. And Vara¡¯s face clouded over like a violent thunderhead. Idiot, Ruby! Isla thought at her sister¡¯s inability to read a room. Vara rose to her height, and Isla felt she would have to look up forever to actually see her face up there. Her words, though quiet, cracked like a whip. ¡°No, Ruby. I assure you, she is not waiting humbly at the Goddess¡¯ side, surrounded in the joys and comforts of the Goddess¡¯ temple. She is waiting in what will become my temple when I arrive there. Your mother is waiting for me.¡±


    Vara swept from the room. Ruby had the decency to not feel comforted by those words. She sat back hard against her chair, probably wondering what she had done wrong. Isla was not quite so far in the dark. She captured the threat in Vara¡¯s voice. If her interpretation of Heaven was real, their mother had some sins against Vara to atone for.


    Isla did not move except to glance at her sister. Ruby looked embarrassed and afraid. Her gaze flitted to Isla¡¯s, pleading for her to somehow break the tension.


    Isla could hardly refuse her sister. As Chloris was rising to follow her mother, Isla asked, ¡°Chloris, I meant to ask Vara: what is it she would like us to do?¡±


    Chloris settled back down, giving a smile to lighten the mood. ¡°What do you mean, kid? What she wants you to do is relax from the journey and rest from the grief.¡±


    Because she wants us to be ready for¡­? But Isla did not ask that question. She thought whatever Vara might be expecting out of them was the other shoe waiting to drop. But Ruby might not be ready to accept that. She just said, ¡°Right, I know that, but I just wanted to know what I could help with. I know my way around the kitchen a little. I can¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Chloris replied quickly. It was serious, but not harsh. ¡°No, Vara will not have you working in the kitchens.¡±


    Isla nodded once, but her nerves spiked once more. No sewing. No laundry. No cooking. What was it Vara intended for her and Ruby?


    Chloris stood up and smiled at them both. ¡°Listen, it really is okay for you to relax for a little while. I mean, Vara will probably eventually sign you up for Classes, and you¡¯ll probably make friends and begin making all kinds of mischief¡ªlike me and your mother when we were your age¡ªOops! Did I say that out loud?¡± She winked and moved to the exit. ¡°But you have been through an ordeal, and then the journey. Just rest for a while.¡± She called over her shoulder. ¡°Dinner won¡¯t actually be for a few hours, but Vara set Galen to preparing you a little something. I send him in.¡±


    Isla moved to Ruby¡¯s side, squishing into the chair beside her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ruby.¡±


    Ruby shook her head, fighting back her tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset her.¡±


    ¡°I know. It was an honest question. And it doesn¡¯t matter what she thinks, anyway, about mother or where she is. What do you think? That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    Ruby was quiet for a little too long, and when she finally spoke, it was in a whisper. ¡°I think the idea that mother is waiting for us is very nice. I miss her. I miss her all the time.¡±


    Isla could not allow herself to feel similarly. She had to be here for her sister now. She had to take care of the girl until she could care for herself.


    ¡°She¡¯s waiting with father. They¡¯re together again and they¡¯re watching us all the time.¡±


    It may or may not have been true; Isla did not know or have any sort of hope. It seemed to be the right thing to say, though, because it comforted Ruby. She pulled back and settled against the back of the seat.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Her mind had wandered elsewhere, as it often did.


    Galen came in soon after, bringing a platter of various fruits and sandwiches. He spread them on the coffee table in a way that resembled an artistic display.


    ¡°Please call if you need anything else,¡± he instructed with a smile before leaving them alone. Isla watched him curiously.

 The Other Shoe

    One


    Ruby and Isla did not know exactly what to do with themselves after they ate the food Galen brought them. Before they could clean up the meal and go in search of a kitchen to wash dishes, Argos appeared and took the tray away himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fine day,¡± he prompted them gently. ¡°You might wish to explore the garden.¡±


    Exploring was the only thing they could think to do while waiting for instructions from their aunt or cousin. Ruby reached for her sister¡¯s hand and pulled her away from the large sitting room. In their ramble through the main level of the house, this time they stopped to admire the finery that seemed to be in such abundance. In the downstairs hall, there were rich blue vases filled with flowers, paintings of oceans and islands, and decorative candle sconces. When they came into what appeared to be a library, Isla gasped and ran to admire a wall full of bookshelves. Ruby¡¯s eyes, though, were immediately drawn to the piano on a raised platform in front of the bay windows. Reverently, Ruby placed her hand on the fine black lid of the instrument, closed now. She had seen pianos before but had never touched one. She had never been near enough to one to be tempted to touch it. The battered brown piano that stood in the old church in the village was the only one Ruby had ever heard.


    ¡°Isla, look,¡± she prompted in a hushed whisper. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    Isla turned almost reluctantly away from the books she seemed to be scanning with hungry eyes. She squeaked, ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± when she saw Ruby¡¯s hand caressing the instrument. Ruby¡¯s hand snapped back to her side.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Ruby repeated, not allowing the reproachful look in her sister¡¯s eyes to dampen her spirits.


    Isla gave a nod, and her gaze traveled across the instrument. ¡°It looks like the one in the Governor¡¯s house,¡± she murmured. Ruby did not know, because unlike Isla, she had never gone to the Governor¡¯s house to deliver or collect clothing for mother¡¯s laundering business.


    ¡°Did you ever play it?¡± Ruby asked, though she was certain she knew the answer was no.


    Isla¡¯s face looked skeptical, and she sighed on the answer, ¡°No. Of course not. I only ever saw it through the picture window in the front of the house. I heard Joyly playing one time, though. It was magical.¡±


    Ruby glanced momentarily at the pristine white keys, but Isla¡¯s growl warned her against touching them. Ruby sighed, but then heard a laugh from behind them. Both girls spun around to find a young woman in the doorway. She was obviously related to Vara and Chloris; she had the same dark hair and vibrant eyes. She also had the same indecent attraction to immodest clothing. She wore a white, flowing sheer blouse and a pair of tiny, tight lace shorts. Unlike Vara, she did not wear any form of undergarment to cover her breasts. Ruby blushed when she realized the other woman was entirely on display.


    Isla, too, colored, but she was able to compose herself better.


    ¡°How do you do?¡± she asked, managing to somehow keep her eyes fixed on the other young woman¡¯s face.


    The girl laughed again and bounded into the room in the same flowing gait Chloris used. Except, this girl was sprier. She sauntered past Ruby and Isla and seated herself at the piano with practiced ease.


    ¡°You¡¯re meant to touch it, silly girls,¡± she scolded them in a gay tone. And at once her fingers landed on the keys and began to play a melody. In the rapture of the music, Ruby forgot to be embarrassed. She sat down on the piano bench beside the newcomer and watched in fascination as the woman¡¯s fingers made magic.


    When she finished, she looked aside and smiled at Ruby. Then her grin flitted to Isla.


    ¡°You must be Ruby and Eye-luh. Vara told me you might be showing up one of these days.¡±


    Ruby nodded, but said, ¡°My sister¡¯s name is Isla. But I¡¯m Ruby, yes.¡± She would have said more, but a sharp look in Isla¡¯s eye silenced her. The young woman saw it and grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯m called Lia of Vara. You don¡¯t have to be nervous around me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re our cousin, too? Like Chloris?¡± Ruby asked, deliberately ignoring the concerned look in Isla¡¯s eyes that was probably meant to warn her not to be too curious and chatty. But Lia did not seem to mind the questions.


    ¡°Uh¡­ No. I¡¯m her apprentice, so I¡¯m learning her trade.¡± Lia studied Ruby¡¯s face for a long moment, then grinned again. ¡°I am related to you. Vara is my grandmother. I am the daughter of Odelle of Capitol¡ªVara¡¯s second daughter.¡±


    As Ruby tried to wrap her mind around the confusing relationships, Isla asked, ¡°How many children does Vara have?¡±


    Before Lia could answer, Ruby interrupted with, ¡°How old are you?¡± She had been trying to do the math, but she could not seem to make sense of how Vara¡¯s family fit together. Isla, though, gasped in horror at Ruby¡¯s question, and hissed her name in shock. Coloring to her hairline, Ruby retreated from the bench and backed up to stand beside her sister.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go around asking women how old they are,¡± Isla hissed at her once Ruby stood next to her. Ruby folded her hands in front of her and stared fixedly at the carpet on the floor. However, Lia was not offended by the rude question. In fact, she laughed again, a tinkling sound that was every bit as musical as a touch on the piano keys.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so silly, Isla! You may ask me whatever you wish.¡± Deliberately grasping Ruby¡¯s hand, attempting unsuccessfully to recapture her gaze, Lia stated, ¡°I¡¯ll be twenty next week.¡± Then, giving her attention back to Isla, she said, ¡°Vara has four daughters: Nerina, Odelle, Mira, and Chloris. Although, I think it would be unkind not to include Yalene of Capitol in the list, as she loves Vara well enough to be her own daughter. She apprenticed under Vara, and then purchased the temple next door when she graduated to her own trade. She always comes to family dinners, so I think of her as my auntie as much as any of the others.¡±


    Companionably, Lia slid an arm around Isla¡¯s shoulders and steered her around toward the exit. She pulled Ruby along by the hand. Ruby went willingly enough when she saw Isla not putting up any fight.


    ¡°Now, you mustn¡¯t let my youth confuse you,¡± Lia went on as she steered them away down the hall. ¡°I was very young when I began attending Classes, and I just finished a few months ago. For a few years, Odelle had been hinting at me to take up my apprenticeship with Vara when I finished. And since I think she¡¯s the best at what she does, I begged her, and she accepted me. I wasn¡¯t sure she would. She thought I was very young to be beginning an apprenticeship, even though she was the same age when she started.¡±


    It was a confusing jumble of ideas for Ruby, who understood little of what the older girl said. Ruby could not even figure out how she was related to Lia, though she tried over and over again to remember what a cousin¡¯s children should be called.


    ¡°Have you been shown to your rooms?¡± Lia asked as she directed them onto the front porch.


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Isla answered, and gently pried herself out of the other girl¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Good,¡± Lia replied with a wide smile. ¡°I knew Vara put in countless hours getting them ready for you, though she was nervous all the while that the rooms would not suit your tastes.¡± Then, as if it had just occurred to her. ¡°If they don¡¯t, I know she will be happy to get you new things. She wants you to be comfortable.¡±


    Ruby shot Isla a wide-eyed look of excitement. Vara had spent hours preparing rooms for them? It did not seem likely that she would kick them out into the street if she had been eagerly anticipating their arrival.


    She spoke before she could talk herself out of it. ¡°We were not at all sure Aunt Vara would accept us when we came.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes tried to burn holes into the side of Ruby¡¯s face, but Lia only laughed at Ruby¡¯s words. ¡°Not accept you? Of course, she will accept you! She¡¯s happy to have you home at last. You have no idea how much she worried and waited for you since we got the letter last month saying you were coming. She sent Chloris to the docks every time there was a ship expected, in case you were on it. She is delighted to have you here.¡±


    The fluttering wings of hope began to stir in Ruby¡¯s stomach. She met Lia¡¯s eye again, to be certain she was telling the truth. Lia¡¯s smile and nod seemed to encourage Ruby¡¯s hope.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be so happy here,¡± Lia promised her. Ruby gave a relieved sigh and reached for Isla¡¯s hand, hoping to pass along some of her excitement and hope to her more pragmatic sister.


    Two


    Lia led them onto the front porch before relinquishing Ruby¡¯s hand. She pointed toward the rounded street in front of the temple.


    ¡°This is Zoltar Circle,¡± she explained as she gestured around at the gardens and walls and street. ¡°Vara purchased this plot when she was just a very young woman, and then a few years later, her sister built a temple next door.¡± She pointed toward the navy blue, gray, and white temple to the right, with its massive wrap-around porch and large vertical windows. ¡°That¡¯s the temple of Cynthia of Capitol¡ªVara¡¯s sister.¡± Gesturing right of Cynthia¡¯s house, Lia motioned toward a temple which was slightly smaller, but with a bolder red-stone foundation and wider windows. ¡°When Nerina finished her apprenticeship, Vara purchased that lot and helped her build a temple of her own. Then, just to be sure she would not have to put up with unwanted neighbors, Vara went ahead and bought the rest of the lots on the circle. They went to Yalene when she finished her apprenticeship.¡± She gestured at the green and gray temple directly left of Vara¡¯s¡ªa large one with sharply peaked roofs and dormer windows on the top level. Lia¡¯s hand at last gestured toward the temple on the end of the circle, on the corner lot. ¡°Then, Odelle¡ªmy mother¡ªfinished her own trade and asked Vara for the right to purchase the final lot from her. Odelle apprenticed to a medical trade, so was not a part of the family business, but Vara wanted her children close, so she said yes. Odelle then built her temple and so now the entire circle belongs to Vara¡¯s family.¡±


    Isla nodded along respectfully. Ruby was fascinated enough to ask questions. ¡°What about her other kids? What about Chloris? Where is her t-temple?¡± She stumbled on the word, and shot Lia a questioning glance.


    Lia gave a nod. ¡°Temple.¡± Then she smiled widely. ¡°Well, there are a lot of family jokes about that. Chloris, in fact, should get a move on with her education and training. If she finishes her training hours, she could move away from Vara¡¯s temple and start her own trade. But she won¡¯t do it. She teases that it¡¯s just because there¡¯s nowhere for her to fit on the street. But we know that¡¯s not really true, because Vara has offered to purchase Ashbury Row¡ªthe street beyond, to house the rest of her family as they come of age. I think Chloris just is not ready to grow up and leave home. And there¡¯s no shame in that, really. As long as she stays with Vara, she does not have to worry about all the intricacies of managing a trade and a temple.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes took on a strangely distant quality, though she continued to nod along as if she was paying attention. Ruby watched her nervously, but asked Lia, ¡°Where will you live, once you¡­grow up?¡±


    Lia gave a little shrug. ¡°Close, I imagine. Vara will want to keep the trade secrets close. But I have quite a few years ahead of me before I have to start thinking about a temple of my own.¡±


    With a soft clearing of her throat, Isla spoke up. ¡°Will you get married?¡±


    Ruby smiled at the question. She and Isla had spent their childhood asking their mother to tell about her marriage to their father. And they had dreamed of marriage themselves, for when they were older.


    A look of confusion crossed over Lia¡¯s face as she turned to meet Isla¡¯s gaze. ¡°Will I¡­what?¡± Her confusion shocked Ruby¡¯s smile off her face.


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    Isla answered steadily, ¡°Get married. Will you get married when you are sufficiently grown? So you don¡¯t have to do everything all by yourself?¡± The distant quality in her eyes had flamed forward into a burst of passion. Ruby knew what it was. She had seen it before when the coroner claimed he would not be able to bury their mother without some extra coin. He claimed that entering the house wherein a person died of sickness and disease would cost extra for the danger it posed to himself. Isla was furious, but her anger did not explode, as Ruby¡¯s always did. Hers tended to sharpen her gaze and strengthen her words. When Isla was passionate about something, she spoke with assertive ease, though her tone never slid into disrespect.


    Lia still looked confused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand.¡±


    Isla¡¯s chin came up a bit. She spoke slowly, but with a crisp edge to her words, as though she was expecting trouble. Like when she had insisted the coroner do his job without extra pay, or she insisted she would do it herself and then let everyone know he tried to swindle a couple of friendless, innocent orphans out of their last few precious coins.


    ¡°Where are your men? If you don¡¯t wed them, and you don¡¯t need them to own a home, or do a job¡­ If you don¡¯t need them to care for you and be your other half, what do you do with them?¡±


    Lia¡¯s face lost its brightness, though none of its kindness. She sat down on the porch railing and gave Isla a long, studying look.


    ¡°You¡¯re from the Mainland, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ruby answered, though Isla replied, ¡°No. We lived in Louvel, a little village in the northern part of the Foreland.¡± Then, sharply to Ruby, she corrected, ¡°Foreland is not the Mainland as outsiders know it. Mainland is the continent across the Bitter Ocean from Foreland¡ªwest from Louvel.¡± She turned her attention back to Lia. ¡°But you haven¡¯t answered my question. Where are your men? Are they all servants?¡±


    Ruby blinked in surprise again. She had not even thought of it, but Isla was right. She had not seen any men in the house or in the yards who were not working. While the little girls and the women seemed to bathe, and eat, and lounge, and play, the men were the only ones working.


    ¡°No,¡± Lia answered gently. Ruby felt a sense of relief at that pronouncement, until Lia went on. ¡°They¡¯re slaves.¡±


    A cloud of something dangerous crossed Isla¡¯s eyes, and Ruby herself was alarmed at Lia¡¯s casual assertion that all the men were slaves. But Chloris¡¯ voice overtook them from the doorway.


    ¡°Your mother never told you?¡± her voice was cooler than it had been before, more like Vara¡¯s. ¡°She never explained your divine nature, or a slave¡¯s rights? I suppose I¡¯m not actually surprised, at that. She did run away from home with a slave, and I don¡¯t suppose she could have treated him as he deserved, or she would have brought him back home long ago.¡±


    Isla turned her face away from Chloris and Lia, grasping her sister¡¯s gaze in her own. ¡°This¡­¡± she whispered in a sharp tone, ¡°¡­is the other shoe.¡±


    Three


    Ruby felt a sinking feeling at the tightness of her sister¡¯s voice, and the darkness in her expression.


    Without another word to either of the older women, Isla grasped Ruby¡¯s hand and pulled her toward the temple door. Chloris made way for them, though when Ruby searched her face for some indication that this was a misunderstanding or a mistake, there was nothing in her eyes except hardness. Ruby let herself be dragged along, looking back once as the pretty little street with its lovely tiny gardens disappeared from view. Lia¡¯s concerned face was the last image she had before being swept away, back into the temple and up the stairs.


    ¡°Isla,¡± Ruby whispered when her sister pulled her into her own room and shut the door. ¡°Isla, what are you going to do?¡±


    Isla did not answer at once. She strode into her room-sized closet and wrenched her tiny suitcase from the top of a shelf. Ruby¡¯s knees gave out, and she sat down hard on the bed.


    ¡°Isla!¡± she whispered again, more urgently this time.


    Still, her sister did not answer. She searched the closet for a few moments, somewhat frantically, as if expecting to find the clothing she had already sent out to be cleaned. Not out, Ruby realized in shock. She now understood what Vara meant when she had said ¡°That is his task.¡± There was no need to send laundry away to be cleaned when there was a slave in the house to clean the laundry.


    ¡°Where will we go?¡± Ruby asked her sister insistently. Panic began to rise in her chest again, as it had so many months ago when the Louvel city elders came to inform them that they would need to be cared for by a relative or go into the orphanage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Isla burst out, breaking her silence at last. Her gaze tackled Ruby from across the large room. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ruby, but we can¡¯t stay here. We can¡¯t live in a house where men are all treated as slaves. It¡¯s not right! We can¡¯t do it.¡±


    Ruby felt panic rising. She scooted forward on the bed, perching herself on the edge in her insistence to be seen. ¡°Think about this, Isla! Aunt Vara accepted us. She wants us here. If we go back to Louvel¡ªor anywhere else!¡ªthey are going to make us go to an orphanage. We will be packed into tiny, pest-ridden beds and forced into service. We will be kicked out into the streets with nothing when you come of age.¡± Ruby¡¯s hand slid lovingly over the silk bedspread, and she whispered, ¡°It¡¯s clean here, and they want us.¡±


    Her sister¡¯s quick steps got her across the room in a couple heartbeats. She yanked Ruby off the silk bedding, pulling her onto her feet.


    ¡°Ruby! Did you not hear what they said? Mother used to be here, and she ran away. Why do you think she did that?¡± Isla shook Ruby slightly, eyes widening as if she too was only coming now to the realization she was forcing on Ruby. ¡°Did you hear what she said? About father? She said mother ran away from here with a slave. They treated father like a slave, Ruby. We can¡¯t stay here!¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes stung with tears. ¡°Where will we go? We haven¡¯t enough money for fare on a ship!¡± The idea of boarding another ship was too much. Her tears spilled down her cheeks in a cascade. ¡°What will we do, if we don¡¯t stay here?¡±


    Shaking her own head back and forth a few times, Isla admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we can¡¯t wait around to decide that. We need to leave now.¡±


    Ruby wailed, ¡°All of our clothes are in the laundry!¡±


    Isla hissed, ¡°Stop bawling! We will figure it out. Go get your suitcase.¡±


    Ruby sobbed, ¡°Maybe we should just¡­¡± But the stern look in Isla¡¯s eyes made her think better of her words. She gave a hopeless cry and jerked away from her sister, yanking the door open in despair. She crossed the hall into her own room and went in search of her suitcase. Like Isla¡¯s, it had been shoved into the recesses of her closet. With a sigh of confusion and sadness, she tugged several strange garments from hangers and out of drawers, and shoved them into her suitcase. The things did not technically belong to her, and she did not know how to wear them, but she could not walk out of this house with nothing in her suitcase. She sealed the case, then looked around at her room with a heavy heart. For a few moments, it had all been hers: the giant canopy bed and the bathtub inside the room, and the wide, open windows, and the cushions and paintings. For a little while only, Ruby had been a princess.


    Isla appeared at her door and reminded her with one stern look that they were not princesses. They were going back to being beggars. Isla¡¯s open hand beckoned Ruby and, with one final glance around the pretty room, she clasped her sister¡¯s hand.


    They stole down the steps and across the entryway. As they approached the open front door, though, Vara stepped into their path. She looked much fiercer in the doorway, backlit with the evening sun, wild dark hair in a mane around her head, eyes burning with uncompromising authority.


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving,¡± she informed them in an austere tone that reminded Ruby of her mother when she brought home notes from school detailing misbehavior.


    ¡°We are,¡± Isla answered, though how she managed to respond so assertively, Ruby might never know. ¡°It was a mistake to come here.¡±


    Vara shook her head once, and answered, ¡°No.¡± The word made Ruby¡¯s insides clench. She felt like a naughty little girl with a hand in the honey pot.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Isla replied, her tone still strong despite their aunt¡¯s insistence. ¡°We need to leave. If our mother wanted us to come to e¡¯Silea, she would have told us about it. She would have told us about you. She wanted us to take over her business in Louvel. We should have insisted they allow us. I¡¯m old enough and wise enough to handle it, and¡­¡± Her voice trailed away as Vara stepped over the threshold and lifted a hand to someone behind them. She snapped her fingers, and pointed at the suitcase in Isla¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Take that,¡± she ordered.


    Argos stepped up beside Isla and grasped the suitcase. Surprised, Isla let it go before she could understand what was happening.


    ¡°And that one,¡± Vara added, nodding toward Ruby¡¯s. With a stern brow raised at Ruby, she ordered her, ¡°Drop it.¡±


    Ruby swallowed and, under her aunt¡¯s stern eye, she squatted to place the case on the tiles. Argos whisked it away while Ruby was still entranced by Vara¡¯s stare. Vara gave a tiny, approving nod at her before jerking her head around to address her slave.


    ¡°Those can feed the trash fire; the girls won¡¯t be needing them.¡±


    Isla managed to find her voice again. ¡°You can¡¯t keep us here against our will, Aunt Vara. If we would rather risk our chances in an orphanage, we have that right. I don¡¯t expect you to pay our fare back to Foreland, but you will not stop us going.¡±


    Vara raised both brows now, and kicked the door shut behind her.


    ¡°I can and will keep you here. By e¡¯Silean law, you belong to me. And in e¡¯Silea, there are no orphanages, and no ships that would accept fare off minors without consent of a temple keeper. While you do have rights, risking your chances in foreign lands is not one of them. You will stay here with me, as wards of my temple, and you will have the right to be children. You will have the right to be daughters of the Goddess. You will eat at least three square meals each day, receive the best healthcare and education e¡¯Silea can offer you, and be the pampered little girls you ought always to have been.¡±


    Isla¡¯s breath was coming forward in sharp gasps now. ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± Vara interrupted unapologetically. ¡°And I will. Ava belonged to me. She stole you from me. If you think for one moment I am going to relinquish you when I have you back¡­¡± She shook her head, as if there was no end of her sentence to satisfy her. ¡°I¡¯m not. I love my family. You are my family, and you belong with me.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s confusion receded slightly in favor of her aunt¡¯s words. Hope started once again to flutter its feeble wings inside her.


    ¡°Now, come here, Ruby.¡±


    The tone of command made Ruby¡¯s stomach sink again. She feared punishment for trying to run away, and indeed, when she tried to step obediently toward her aunt, Isla held more tightly to her hand. Vara, though, gestured gently.


    ¡°Let me help you with that,¡± she said in a softer tone. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Ruby obeyed, and Isla was forced to relinquish her. Vara tapped Ruby gently on the underside of her chin once, then reached for the hem of the gray blouse. She tugged the silk belt off of her, then pulled the blouse up over her head and off her body too. Ruby reached up to pull up the front of the dress, which Isla had rigged to stay up using a couple of tied straps. Ruby swallowed down her concerns about modesty when Vara chuckled at her.


    ¡°You silly girl,¡± she chided gently. ¡°The dress is a complete outfit. Turn round.¡±


    Ruby obeyed at once, turning her back on Vara, and meeting Isla¡¯s wide-eyed gaze. Vara untied and tightened the straps, tugging the dress up so Ruby¡¯s knees and half her thighs were uncovered. Vara tied the straps more snugly around the back of her neck. The result was a much more comfortable fit of the dress, although the amount of exposed skin made Ruby¡¯s cheeks flush.


    ¡°There you are,¡± Vara told her, spinning her back around by the shoulders to face her. ¡°Much better. It fits you well.¡± She fingered the front of the straps, straightening them with a quick movement. Then she met Ruby¡¯s eye and smiled at her kindly. ¡°You¡¯re a very pretty girl. You have no reason to hide yourself under all those layers.¡± She leaned forward and placed a kiss on Ruby¡¯s forehead.


    Ruby could feel Isla watching, could sense her disapproval, but was desperate to ask anyway.


    ¡°Why do you want us here, Aunt Vara? Most people don¡¯t like to get saddled with extra mouths to feed. Do you really want us here?¡±


    Vara cocked her head to the side, black hair cascading around her shoulders as she looked intently into Ruby¡¯s eyes. Then, she opened her arms and tugged Ruby into an embrace. Ruby felt herself pulled against the woman¡¯s bosom, tucked in against the warmth as she had been when Mother had hugged her. Enveloped by affection.


    ¡°I want you here,¡± Vara promised her. ¡°I want you here so much, I will not let anything pull you away from me. Nothing. This is your home now, and a couple extra mouths to feed is a blessing and a pleasure.¡± She kissed her on top of the head as she gave her an especially hard squeeze. When she relinquished Ruby, the young girl stepped away reluctantly. And Aunt Vara gave her a sharp swat across the bottom. ¡°Don¡¯t you let your sister try and steal you away from me again. Do you understand me?¡±


    Blushing to her hairline, Ruby gave a vigorous nod. Vara, though, had turned her attention on Isla.


    ¡°Come here,¡± she ordered the older girl. When Isla did not immediately obey, Vara raised a stern brow at her. ¡°Come here, Isla. I do not expect you to understand or trust me yet, as we are only just getting acquainted, but I do expect you to obey me. Everyone under my roof obeys me because I am the keeper of this temple. Come here.¡±


    Isla gave a shuddering breath and stepped obediently toward Aunt Vara. Ruby let out a relieved sigh that her sister had not put up any stronger fight. The tone of Vara¡¯s voice when she scolded Isla was too eerily similar to their mother¡¯s.


    As soon as she was in front of Vara, the older woman tugged at the dress she wore. ¡°This is backwards.¡± Without waiting for her to submit herself to manhandling, Vara spun Isla around and unbelted the dress. She tugged it up and off of her before Isla could more than cry out in horrified shock. She unclasped the bra Isla had on and then tugged the dress back over her head. Isla was drawing huge, gulping breaths when her head again appeared in the top of the dress. The bra fell to the floor as Vara maneuvered the dress on Isla¡¯s slim frame. Ruby¡¯s eyes widened in shock when she saw why Isla had put this dress on backwards before. She must have assumed a dress whose most distinguishing feature was a deep plunge could not intend that plunge to be in the front. But it was. The plunging neckline exposed the sloping inner sides of Isla¡¯s breasts, and exposed her nearly to her belly button. The cloth Isla had used as a belt to cinch the dress close to her, Vara wound into a cord and looped through several delicate loops. The cord was not meant as a belt at all, but as a decoration to enhance the curves of the body. It wrapped around, cutting across the plunging neckline a couple times, although not succeeding in hiding anything, and ending in a knot on Isla¡¯s right hip.


    Vara smiled in satisfaction at the garment, but Isla was clearly appalled.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± she tried to argue.


    Vara only kissed her on the head and said, ¡°You¡¯re a lovely girl too.¡± She kicked the bra aside, where it was immediately snatched up by the waiting Galen. Without waiting for an order, he turned and jogged below stairs. Isla watched him go with real pain on her face.


    ¡°Dinner,¡± Vara told both girls, and nodded toward the dining room. When Isla only continued to stare after Galen, Vara put a hand on the small of her back and pushed her toward the dining room. She grasped Ruby¡¯s arm as well and ushered them both ahead of her into the room. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

 Dinner Conversation

    One


    Lia, Chloris, and a couple other women were seated at the dining table when Vara, Isla and Ruby walked into the room. The women rose when Vara entered, and she nodded to them as she crossed the wide, window-lit room. She gestured toward two seats beside each other on the side of the table near Chloris. Ruby moved obediently toward the chairs indicated, reaching back for her sister¡¯s hand as she went. Though she reached the chairs quickly, she did not sit down until Vara reached her own chair at the head of the table. The woman nodded down at her table, and Lia, Chloris, and the others sat down. Vara¡¯s chair was pulled by Galen, who also kissed her affectionately on the neck as he pushed her in. Ruby saw Vara¡¯s hand reach up and stroke the side of his face gently as he kissed her. Ruby¡¯s gaze flitted away in embarrassment at seeing what appeared to be a private, intimate moment between lovers.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± Vara told the table as she settled into her seat more comfortably. She turned her head to look up into Galen¡¯s eyes, placing her hand over his on her shoulder. ¡°Bring the wine yourself and send Argos and Plato in with dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mistress,¡± he answered, and his hand on her shoulder squeezed gently as he pulled away from her.


    ¡°May I welcome Ruby and Isla to the Temple Vara of Capitol,¡± Vara greeted after she sent her slave from the room. She gestured toward Ruby and her sister. ¡°Isla is sixteen. Ruby is fourteen.¡± Her gaze swept over them, and she sent them a tight smile. ¡°You already met Chloris and Lia,¡± she said as she gestured first at Chloris on her left side, and then down the length of the table to Lia, who was seated directly across from Isla. ¡°I would also like to introduce you to some important friends of mine.¡±


    Ruby expected the two women seated on the right-hand side of the table to be a couple other daughters, so was surprised to hear them labeled as friends. Galen returned while Vara was speaking, and he halted beside the door with the wine bottle in his hands, a wine rag draped precisely over his arm.


    ¡°This is Tethys of Capitol,¡± Vara introduced the woman seated across from Ruby. Tethys had long, straight red hair that fell down the middle of her back and cut off in an abrupt line below her shoulder blades. She had brown eyes below full black brows, and a mouth that curved naturally upward. There were a few lines at the corners of her eyes, but Ruby could not gauge her age.


    Tethys gave a nod and offered Ruby a small smile.


    ¡°And this is Delta of e¡¯Silea.¡±


    The woman she presented had curled silver hair but was not nearly old enough to have hair that had turned silver from old age. In fact, the silver did not look like the gray associated with old age at all, but seemed to have a metallic shine Ruby had never before seen. The only conclusion Ruby could come to was that the young woman had somehow manufactured silver hair, though there was no reason Ruby could think of to do that. Her face was soft, but she had strong blue eyes, a gently upturned nose, and full, pink lips. Despite her apparent youth, this woman was the strongest of the two guests. Her beauty did not detract from the air of authority that surrounded her. Her dress was an ice-blue silk that draped to the floor. It had no sleeves, and it had cut-out triangles along the sides of the dress that showed skin all the way down her body. Her smile encompassed both girls, but when her gaze swept over them, she seemed to take their measurements and read their minds in an instant.


    Vara motioned Galen forward as she said, ¡°Tethys will be your instructress when you begin Classes. She teaches e¡¯Silean history, values, law, and arts.¡±


    The red-haired woman gave them both a smile. ¡°I¡¯m eager to get to know you both.¡±


    Galen served the silver-haired young woman first, and then Vara, after which he served Tethys. Chloris and Lia were both offered a cup of wine, and they both declined. When Galen moved toward Isla and Ruby with the wine bottle, Vara cleared her throat and shook her head slightly at him. Galen withdrew with a smile at them and a whispered promise, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some fresh juice.¡±


    Before Vara could say anything about Delta, the girl spoke. Her voice drew the attention of the entire room, though she spoke neither loudly nor harshly.


    ¡°I understand you come from overseas. You were raised in a hamlet in the Foreland, I believe?¡±


    Ruby glanced aside at Isla, whose head was down and her eyes staring into her lap. When she did not seem ready to speak, Ruby spoke up.


    ¡°Yes. Mother was a laundress in Louvel.¡±


    Delta¡¯s head tilted to one side, and her silver curls bounced on her shoulder as she did so. ¡°She was quite young to own her own trade,¡± the woman said with a smile.


    A flicker of annoyance scraped at Ruby¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re very young your own self,¡± she replied tartly before she could rule her tongue.


    Isla let out a defeated breath beside her, and Ruby slapped a hand over her own mouth in surprise. But again, Vara laughed at Ruby¡¯s meager display of temper. Delta and Tethys also laughed, as did Chloris. Lia smiled and reached across the table to rub Ruby¡¯s hand gently.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Delta agreed on a laugh. She moved aside automatically as Argos placed a filled plate in front of her¡ªserving her first again. ¡°I am quite young. I was eager to begin Classes at far too young an age, and my mother was much too busy running trades and leading the country to argue with me. Like her, I finished in record time and began in her Trade; she believed I was too young to apprentice away from her. Once done with that Trade, I began another. Actually, I got lucky and apprenticed to a woman who practiced two trades. I had to count hours separately, of course, but I was able to walk away from her temple with two extra trades in my hands.¡± She smiled at Ruby¡¯s expression of confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Tethys will teach you about everything I said. At any rate, when my mother retired, I was called before the e¡¯Silean Council and asked to represent the interests of the people of e¡¯Silea as their queen.¡±


    Ruby blinked in surprise, and Isla¡¯s head shot up.


    Vara nodded in confirmation of the woman¡¯s claim. ¡°Delta of e¡¯Silea is the e¡¯Silean Queen. I think you will find, though, that queens in e¡¯Silea differ greatly from rulers in Foreland and Mainland.¡±


    When Galen leaned forward to refill the Queen¡¯s cup, Delta reached up and placed her hand on his face. She met his eye from the corner of her own and shook her head ever so slightly. Vara chuckled lightly, and said, ¡°Delta is also the Trainer of my slaves. That does not, however, give her the right to handle my slaves.¡± She shot Delta a playful scowl, but the silver-haired woman¡¯s eyes danced, and she deliberately continued stroking down the man¡¯s chest before pushing him away.


    ¡°Obviously, I am testing his loyalty to e¡¯Silea,¡± she insisted, with a tone of merriment in her voice.


    ¡°Incidentally,¡± Chloris spoke up, breaking into the conversation of the other women. She looked down at Isla and Ruby. ¡°It is actually considered very rude to touch another woman¡¯s slave without permission. It¡¯s not strictly against the law, but it¡¯s unwise. Women are tetchy about their men.¡±


    Isla¡¯s chest rose and fell heavily, and she returned her gaze to her plate in fury. Ruby, though, speculated on Chloris¡¯ warning. Once, when she was a very small girl, she got distracted in the market by a doll in a shop window. A man stooped to speak to her in a friendly way, and asked her about the doll. He offered to give her a doll that was much better if she went off with him. Then, he took her by the hand in a kind way. They only made it a couple yards before Mother found them. She saw the man¡¯s hand clasped around Ruby¡¯s and shrieked at him to unhand her daughter. ¡°She¡¯s mine!¡± she shouted at the top of her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever lay a finger on my children again!¡± Ruby never forgot the black look the man shot Mother as he ducked between two market stalls and disappeared. She never forgot the panic-stricken look in Mother¡¯s eyes as she wrapped her arms around Ruby and asked her repeatedly if she was alright.


    ¡°A little like touching someone¡¯s child without invitation,¡± Ruby said aloud into the room, and met Chloris¡¯ gaze. It was Vara, though, that spoke.


    ¡°A little, yes. In general, it is safer to keep one¡¯s hands to oneself.¡±


    Two


    Delta gave a tinkling sort of laugh and shook her head slightly as she picked up her fork. ¡°I assure you, I do not go ¡®round e¡¯Silea manhandling all women¡¯s slaves. I have a trick, actually. I only sell to women who will allow me to continue handling the merchandise once it¡¯s been placed.¡±


    Ruby did not completely understand her words. But Isla¡¯s head shot up again. Her tone was as cold as a mountain storm, ¡°So, you owned Galen before Vara? You sold him to Vara?¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes widened at her sister¡¯s tone, but also at the idea that a person could be owned in e¡¯Silea. It was a completely foreign concept to her.


    Delta did not answer immediately, and when Vara seemed ready to speak, the young queen placed a gentle hand on her arm to halt her.


    ¡°No,¡± she answered at last, not looking away from Isla for a moment. ¡°Galen was Trained in the illustrious Temple Gaia. Gaia sold him to Vara. But I was there when he was Trained for service. I was there in the temple when he learned about his divine right and his role within the True and Natural Order.¡± At Isla¡¯s snarling expression, she went on, ¡°I would like you to understand, Isla, though I do not expect you to accept it right away: Galen was very much like¡­ a brother to me. We were raised together. In the same temple, we learned about our roles and our responsibilities. In the same temple, we were taught, raised, disciplined, loved, and trained. Both of us. And I cannot speak for him, but I was raised quite happily.¡±


    Isla snapped, ¡°You were raised to be free!¡±


    Vara scoffed, and Chloris¡¯ eyes darkened. But Delta only laughed. It was not a scornful laugh. It was gentle.


    ¡°Oh no, child! I was never raised to be free. Honestly, I have never known what that word meant. As a child, I belonged to Gaia of e¡¯Silea every bit as much as Galen did. I was not given a blank canvas of choices, and neither was he. When he made a mistake, he was scolded, as was I. When he earned an infraction¡ª¡±


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    The man interrupted her in a scandalized tone, ¡°I never earned an infraction!¡±


    Delta laughed again, and said playfully, ¡°Hush, you! I¡¯m making a point.¡±


    He pulled a face. ¡°Not very well.¡±


    Vara shot him a glance Ruby did not understand, but he gave a slight shrug and stepped back from the table under her gaze.


    Delta went on. ¡°If he had earned an infraction, he would have been punished, just as I was when I earned an infraction. Tell me this, Isla: did your mother never punish you?¡±


    Ruby remembered her own punishments very well. But she had always been more willful and less controlled than her sister.


    Isla seemed to be grinding her teeth. All she said was a tight, ¡°Of course she did.¡±


    Delta gave a single nod. ¡°And did she let you make any choices you wanted? Did she give you the freedom to do anything you wished?¡±


    Again, Isla ground her teeth around the words, ¡°No, of course she didn¡¯t.¡±


    The e¡¯Silean Queen gave a single nod. ¡°I train slaves much the same way, Isla. They are not free, anymore than I ever was, or you were. They are taught my expectations, just as I¡¯m sure you learned your mother¡¯s. Just as my children learn from me. When slaves are punished, it is not because I am some sort of evil dictator: it is to teach a lesson. When I raise my daughters, I look for their strengths and I help them develop their skills to be successful in life. When I train my slaves, I do the same thing.


    ¡°Freedom is a false precept created by people who spend their time with the outliers of society. I am not for one moment saying there are not slaves who are mistreated and abused. Just like, as I am sure you know, some parents abuse their children.¡± The silver-haired young woman pressed a hand to her heart. ¡°But, and listen carefully to this, Isla, because this is what I am most passionate about in my life: Happiness is an emotion. It ebbs and flows. Galen does not always feel happy, and sometimes his unhappiness is because of the way he is treated. But, I think if you examine your own happiness, you will find the same experiences. The way I am treated, or mistreated, affects the way I feel and my level of happiness at any given time.¡±


    Delta straightened in her chair slightly, sitting taller and somehow more regally than before. ¡°I cannot base my decisions on happiness, as it is unpredictable. But order can be established, and does not have the intransience of emotion attached. While you are trying to decide whether to fight for the cause of ¡®freedom,¡¯ I urge you to think about this: e¡¯Silea is founded on the principles of order, safety, balance, harmony, and family. Because of this, e¡¯Silea has virtually no poverty, crime, or illiteracy. e¡¯Silea has no abandoned children¡ªno orphans¡ªno beggars. e¡¯Silea has no prisons. In e¡¯Silea, there are no women, no men, no children who do not have a place, a purpose, and a home. Can you say these things about Foreland, whose countries are built upon precepts of freedom? I¡¯ve been to Foreland, Isla, and to Mainland. I would never claim that people cannot be happy there. Of course, happiness is an emotion everyone can feel, no matter where or who they are. But, when I walk the streets of cities in Foreland, I do not see safety, order, balance, or harmony. Many times, I don¡¯t see family. In e¡¯Silea, I never do not see these things.¡±


    She drew her wine glass to her lips, took a sip, and then smiled over at Vara. ¡°Sorry, Vara. I never intended to spend your dinner preaching e¡¯Silean values. What would you like to talk about?¡±


    Ruby, though, could not concentrate on the conversation at the table. Her mind was full of the words order, balance, family, safety, and harmony. Her brain tried to comprehend a place with no crime and no poverty. She assumed when she looked around the house that Vara was very wealthy, but was this simply the standard for living in e¡¯Silea? Did everyone here enjoy this much beauty and relaxation?


    While she thought, she ate the food on her plate. She finished her entire meal without really tasting it. She could not concentrate on anything except the queen¡¯s words about how she and Galen¡ªa slave¡ªhad been raised the same way. But, if that was true, why was he serving the table instead of eating at it? It was too foreign an idea for her to try and wrap her mind around. Somehow, it just seemed as though she might have had an easier time accepting this if the roles were reversed.


    In the middle of a pair of conversations between Tethys and Lia, and Vara, Chloris, and the queen, Ruby burst out with, ¡°Did Galen get to choose whether or not he wanted to be a servant?¡±


    Choice seemed to be the only hinge left in the casket of her fears about e¡¯Silea.


    The room silenced around her. Vara¡¯s eyes widened in amused surprise. But Delta said, ¡°No. Not really. But then, did you decide to be who and what you are?¡±


    Galen cleared his throat and stepped forward. With a look at Vara, he asked, ¡°If I may¡­?¡± She raised a stern brow at him, but gave a nod. Galen turned then and smiled at Ruby. ¡°Mistress Ruby, they can¡¯t force me to do anything I don¡¯t want to do. In an attempt at brutal honesty, Mistress Delta can claim I did not choose my life, but I did.¡± His gaze flickered toward Delta, who looked quite surprised. ¡°Forgive me.¡± He looked back into Ruby¡¯s face. ¡°Every day, I choose to be this person. I choose to serve Mistress Vara, and be an asset to her temple, and a string in her heart. ¡®Slave¡¯ is just a word here, a noun that denotes my gender. Some people want it to mean something vile. But for me, it is not an ugly word. It means I have a mistress who loves me and wants me, and keeps me satisfied, healthy, and occupied. I don¡¯t dispute that happiness is an emotion, but I can say with all honesty that I am happier much oftener than I am unhappy. And, as a man who was raised in Mainland as a lad, and experienced plenty of freedom, I can competently say, I¡¯m happier and more content here in e¡¯Silea.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s heart continued to fill with hope, and she begged him, ¡°Really? And you don¡¯t mind doing the laundry, and stuff?¡±


    Galen grinned. ¡°I detest laundry, actually, but that doesn¡¯t matter, because Argos does the laundry.¡±


    Ruby had a feeling he was teasing her, but his words made her relax a bit more, even if they seemed to have no effect on Isla whatsoever. Isla, in fact, became stonier and cooler with every word.


    ¡°Do you ever get to do what you want to do? Or are you stuck doing chores all the time?¡±


    Vara spoke up at this. ¡°How filthy a temple do you think I have, little girl? My slave complement is plenty large enough to accommodate education and relaxation times for my slaves. I bought that piano in the library for Galen¡¯s use. What, did you think I kept him chained in a basement when he isn¡¯t serving table?¡±


    Ruby¡¯s lower lip trembled, and she cried out, ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know how it all works!¡±


    Lia came around the table and wrapped her arms around Ruby¡¯s slighter frame. She scolded, ¡°Honestly, Vara! Stop teasing her.¡± She stroked Ruby¡¯s head and spoke soothingly, ¡°You can ask any questions you want, Ruby. And your question was a good one. Galen and the other slaves do many things during the day, and not all of them are service tasks. Just like you may have attended school in Louvel¡ªit might not have always been your favorite thing, but it was your responsibility. Same for them! He does do the laundry sometimes, when he¡¯s needed, and he doesn¡¯t always love it, but it¡¯s his responsibility. We all have activities we would rather be doing than the tasks we are required to do. The slaves are people, too. They have needs and desires, and ambitions just like you and me. But Vara does not abuse her slaves. She loves her slaves. And they love her.¡± She looked up. ¡°Don¡¯t you, Galen?¡±


    Galen¡¯s expression of adoration when he looked at Vara could not have been faked. If he had truly despised or feared Vara, he could never have caressed her name when he said, ¡°Serving Mistress Vara is my highest privilege.¡±


    Ruby let herself be held against Lia for a moment, then she looked aside at Isla, who was watching her with clouded eyes.


    Boldly, Ruby insisted, ¡°I want to stay here, Isla.¡±


    Three


    Isla¡¯s expression cooled further, but she did not have a chance to say anything. Vara spoke up. ¡°You are staying here, Ruby. Both of you. Because you belong to me. It is my right to love you and keep you.¡± She snapped her fingers sharply at Galen. ¡°Dessert.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress,¡± he exited the room without a backward glance and, watching him, Ruby could not see any displeasure or resentment in his face or body language. Lia squeezed her again and returned to her own seat.


    Once dessert was served, and everyone was back to conversing cordially, Ruby hissed under her breath, ¡°I think we need to give them a chance, Isla. No crime? No poverty? No orphanages!¡±


    Isla turned her head very slowly and looked Ruby in the eye. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t leave you, Ruby, and I would never try to drag you away unwillingly. But I¡¯m not nearly as drawn into all this as you are. They can dress it up all they want, indoctrinate their men to believe they are servants, and tell everyone this is the ¡®natural¡¯ order. But it won¡¯t work on me. It will never work on me. I keep thinking about Mother.¡±


    Ruby was puzzled at her sister¡¯s reaction. ¡°Me too! I think she would want us to be here, Isla. I think she would want us to be cared-for and surrounded by family.¡±


    Isla shook her head, as if weary with Ruby¡¯s naivety. ¡°If that¡¯s so, why didn¡¯t she tell us about this place? If she considered these people to be her family, why didn¡¯t she ever write to them? Why didn¡¯t she talk about them? Why didn¡¯t she bring us back here herself after father died, if she wanted us to be here?¡± She shook her head. It reminded Ruby of their mother, the stubbornness. Isla hissed, ¡°If e¡¯Silea is so good and wonderful, why did Mother run away in the first place?¡±


    Ruby could not answer that question. All she knew was that she felt relaxed and loved for the first time since mother died. She did not want to worry about the things on Isla¡¯s mind. She wanted to feel at peace again.


    ¡°My heart sings for this place,¡± Ruby told her sister urgently. ¡°It¡¯s like I found a piece of myself I never knew was missing.¡±


    Isla scoffed and shook her heavy head. ¡°And for me, it¡¯s like I discovered a dark and shameful secret I never knew I had.¡± She pushed her plate toward the center of the table without tasting the pudding Galen served her. Argos removed the plate as soon as her fingers moved off the rim.


    ¡°Tired?¡± Vara asked down the table, looking intently at Isla. ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Isla replied with little kindness in her tone. Though, in its softness, people who did not actually know her might not have been able to pick up on her dissatisfaction.


    Vara rose to her feet. ¡°Excuse me, then, Delta, Tethys. Chloris can take you through to the sitting room. I¡¯ll just tuck the girls in and come right back.¡±


    The idea of being tucked in made Ruby feel warm inside. But Isla let out an exasperated sigh that could not have been hidden by even the densest of watchers. ¡°We are well-grown young women, Aunt Vara. We do not need to be tucked in like little children.¡±


    Vara did not let the scolding words stall her from her intentions. She tugged Isla¡¯s and Ruby¡¯s chairs back from the table and said gently, ¡°Not needing and not deserving are two different things. A child does not need a spanking for being disrespectful to her temple keeper, but she might well deserve one. And a child does not need to be tucked into bed, and kissed, and loved, but every child on the Goddess¡¯ green earth deserves it. Come along.¡±


    Just as she had when she¡¯d brought them into the room, she bundled the two of them out of it. And Vara was true to her word. She sent Isla into her own room, while she went into Ruby¡¯s with her. After helping her out of the bizarre, immodest dress, and helping her into a bizarre, immodest nightgown, Vara peeled down the covers of Ruby¡¯s bed and sat on the edge as Ruby climbed in. It did remind Ruby of the way her mother sat at her bedside when she was a small girl, but it did not bother Ruby.


    As Vara pulled the covers up to her chin, she smiled down at Ruby and said, ¡°I still tuck Chloris into her blankets some nights. If it wasn¡¯t against the law to break into another woman¡¯s temple, I would probably go tuck all my daughters in and kiss them goodnight.¡± She leaned over and kissed Ruby softly, just as Mother used to do. Ruby¡¯s eyes burned with tears.


    ¡°Why did Mother leave here, Aunt Vara?¡±


    Vara¡¯s eyes took on a distant, haunted quality, and she answered simply, ¡°I don¡¯t know, little girl. I ask myself that question every day.¡± She smoothed Ruby¡¯s hair away from her forehead, leaned and kissed her again.


    ¡°Good night, angel. My room is at the end of the hall, if you need me in the night.¡± She rose smoothly, checked the counterpane was covering Ruby up to her chin, then closed the curtains around the bed with the tug of a single silken cord. The sheer curtains dropped around Ruby on all sides, surrounding her in a cocoon of softness.


    ¡°Sleep tight,¡± Vara said as she slipped from the room, leaving the door ajar. But Ruby popped up in her bed and tugged the curtain aside slightly to watch Vara cross the hall and enter Isla¡¯s room. She shook her head slightly, knowing that Vara would not be as welcome in there as she was in this room, but hoping that Isla would not resist the affection their aunt so obviously wanted to give them.


    Ruby¡¯s mind was full of what she had seen and heard tonight. It was full of Aunt Vara¡¯s wealth, and Queen Delta¡¯s smiles. It was full of hopes and possibilities for the future. She fell asleep smelling island flowers through the windows that had been left ajar. And somewhere, off in the distance, she heard the slap of water on the sand, whispering promises in her ears.

 Past and Present Treachery

    Isla


    From her seat at the small writing table, Isla watched her aunt saunter into the room. Watching the woman come, Isla fought the urge to frown at her. She had always been a respectful girl. Her mother insisted on her being respectful to everyone and cultivating a good habit of showing a stoic face to the world. She insisted those things were important in a world where a single negative interaction could soil an entire business. Isla was taught by her mother how to be a businesswoman first and an emotional creature second. She leaned on that training as Vara entered and crossed the room.


    The woman seated herself in the vacant chair and folded her hands on top of the table.


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me yet. That¡¯s alright.¡±


    Isla forced her face not to betray her annoyance or her fear. ¡°I know it¡¯s alright. But to be honest, Aunt Vara, I do not see a good prospect for trust growing up between us. You have not given me any reason to believe you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I haven¡¯t lied to you, child.¡±


    Isla let out a harsh sigh. ¡°I know, and I appreciate your honesty, but it is your truths that make me think we will find no common ground. I can¡¯t accept into my heart what you accept as truth. You can¡¯t make me believe in slavery just because you and your family and your queen are steeped in it.¡±


    Instead of reacting coldly, as Isla half-expected her to do, Vara nodded seriously. ¡°It is only your first day in e¡¯Silea, child. It would hardly be reasonable for me to expect you to adjust to life here that quickly.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes stung, and she answered, ¡°Ruby seems to be adjusting very quickly.¡±


    Vara leaned back in her seat, raising her hands toward the ceiling in a helpless gesture. ¡°Ruby has not seen all the harshness of the world, as you have. Ruby is still very young, and has you to guide her through the difficult times.¡± Isla was surprised at how perceptive Vara was proving to be, and could not keep her surprise from her features. Vara smiled gently at her. ¡°I know a troubled girl when I see one, Isla. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you would have a harder time adjusting to a new place and new ideas than your sister. She has not had to fight for her convictions or status.¡± Vara leaned forward, as if reaching for Isla¡¯s hands, though she did not touch her. ¡°And you love your sister and want to care for her. There is no shame in those desires. You have seen the bitter sides of life, and that aged you beyond your years. The shame in that does not belong to you.¡± Isla did not miss the insinuation that there was shame in her premature adulthood, and that it belonged to someone, if not to her. ¡°I would just like to share the burden with you, Isla.¡±


    Isla felt tears stinging her eyes. Dropping her gaze to her hands folded on the table, she let out a slow, pained breath. Mother had given her the responsibility to care for Ruby. She turned over her business to her. She got sick and expected her¡ªIsla!¡ªto run the business, keep the house, and manage their expenses. And Isla did it. She was perfectly capable of continuing to do it. Vara was trying to steal away the responsibilities her mother gave her.


    ¡°I do not need you to carry my burdens for me.¡±


    This time when Vara reached for her hand, she did not stop herself touching Isla. Isla felt a flutter of fear at that gentle caress. She wished she felt repulsed, so she could pull away and be justified in thwarting her aunt¡¯s attempt at friendship. But she was not an unkind girl, and the gesture was warming. It had been so long since someone tried to comfort her.


    ¡°I know you do not need me to help you, Isla. I know you are very capable. But I want to carry your burdens, so they will not be so heavy for you.¡±


    Isla felt troubled at the older woman¡¯s insistence. She pulled her hands out of Vara¡¯s and placed them in her lap. When she looked up to meet the woman¡¯s gaze, she knew her eyes were hard, though the tears sliding down her face now might have softened her to look like a little girl when she most wanted to appear like a capable young woman.


    ¡°If you want me to grow to trust you, you are going to have to tell me the truth. I will `need to hear and understand the truth, even if I cannot accept it into my own heart.¡±


    Vara nodded once, as if they were making a business agreement.


    ¡°I need you to tell me about Mother. If she was so dear to you, and you treated her so well, why did she run away?¡±


    This question obviously caused Vara some pain and discomfort, but she nodded again and sat back against her chair, folding her hands once more on the tabletop.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she answered with another nod. ¡°Ava was born to my mother when she was well-beyond healthy birthing years. My mother¡¯s pregnancy was very difficult, and so was the birth. Ava was breech. Do you know that term?¡±


    Isla nodded. ¡°Upside down in the womb?¡±


    Vara nodded, but she said, ¡°She was buttocks-first, and unfortunately, the labor and delivery was taxing on both mother and child. Ava was born unwell and was not expected to live through the night. However, she was stronger than anyone ever thought. She pulled through. My mother, though, was never well after that. She held Ava, named her, but never could nurse her, so the task fell to me. She never fully recovered. She died when Ava was only a few months old.


    ¡°Now, you may not understand e¡¯Silean law, so let me explain that when a woman dies, everything she owns goes to her named next of kin. That is to say, a relative of hers who has a name and trade of her own and can take on the responsibility of assets.¡±


    Isla scowled slightly, trying to understand. ¡°There isn¡¯t a will?¡±


    Vara shook her head. ¡°No. I mean, a woman could certainly tell her family and friends what she wants done with her possessions and assets after she dies, but that is a rather morbid discussion. In e¡¯Silea, we focus on life rather than death. Anyone who has ever been under a woman¡¯s name can claim her assets after she dies. It¡¯s a big responsibility, though, so is not taken lightly. When I claimed my mother¡¯s assets, I did it for Ava, and for the slaves. Slaves can be grossly mistreated in a claim, and I wanted to be sure that did not happen.¡±


    Isla felt a pang of disgust at the idea that a man could be claimed as a woman¡¯s asset, but she said nothing. Vara¡¯s eyes sparkled, though, and Isla knew she¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Everything that belonged to my mother became mine after the claim went through. That meant Ava became mine. I moved her to this temple and raised her here.¡±


    Gently but insistently, Isla asked, ¡°What happened to the slaves?¡±


    Vara studied Isla silently for a moment, and at last answered, ¡°My mother¡¯s House slave¡ªthat is to say, her exclusive and most precious slave¡ªmoved into my temple with me. He had been with her since his youth and was sick with grief over the loss of her. I kept him here until he died a few years later. The other slaves stayed with me only until I found good temples for them. They are thriving still to this day.¡±


    Isla was not fooled. ¡°You sold them.¡±


    Not batting an eye, Vara nodded. ¡°Yes. To reputable mistresses in strong trades, where I knew they would be well-cared-for and respected.¡±


    Isla sighed and shook her head. ¡°Are they expensive, human property?¡±


    A smile stole across Vara¡¯s face, and Isla felt a stab of annoyance at not being taken seriously. Though when Vara spoke, there did not seem to be amusement in her tone.


    ¡°Some go for more than others. My mothers¡¯ slaves sold well because they were well-trained and well-cared-for. If I had been capable of selling Calais, he would have sold for much more. For some reason, a woman¡¯s House Slave sells at higher rates than others. As I said, however, his grief was too strong for him to have done well in another temple. It was his grief which ultimately killed him; he could not get himself motivated to live after she died.¡±


    It pained Isla to hear it. ¡°Why?¡±


    Vara arched a brow at the scandalized tone, and said evenly, ¡°Because he loved her and did not want to live without her.¡±


    This revelation silenced Isla. She knew all about love. Her mother told her fanciful stories about her love for Isla¡¯s father. Their love was always a shining beacon of magic in Isla¡¯s mind. And Isla¡¯s mother said she did many impossible things in the name of love.


    ¡°Is that enough of economics?¡± Vara asked coolly. ¡°Shall I go on with the story of Ava¡¯s treachery?¡±


    Isla scowled at the term, but she spoke politely. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Vara sat back in her chair, her eyes taking on a distant quality. ¡°Ava was a ferocious little thing. Fierce. With a horrid temper that never ceased getting her into trouble. As her guardian, I was responsible for educating and raising her. She was never easy, but she was beautiful, and smart, and a determined little e¡¯Silean girl. She started Classes too young¡ªshe and Chloris both, because I needed them out of my hair for a little while every day.¡± With a heavy sigh, Vara shook her head at herself. ¡°They were a handful, the two of them. Ava was the brains, and Chloris the muscle. When Ava wanted something done, she spouted a plan and Chloris put it into action. And, as I said before, it landed them both in no end of trouble.¡±


    Vara cleared her throat and sat forward, catching Isla¡¯s eye. ¡°I need you to understand, I loved Ava as if she were my own child. I treated her no differently than I treated Chloris or any of my other children. She could have been from my own womb; I loved her so much.¡±


    The ferocity of her aunt¡¯s tone made Isla swallow a lump of sadness in her throat. Love like that could not be faked. She nodded to reassure Vara that she understood.


    ¡°I educated her well. We talked of her future. She had big plans and a bright future. She was a dancer and¡­¡± Vara shook her head and looked away, clearing her throat a couple times. When she looked back into Isla¡¯s eyes, the sheen of tears that was there a moment before was replaced by a hard expression. ¡°I bought a slave for the girls. They were growing up, and their needs were changing and expanding. My regular slaves could not do everything. No one could keep up with Ava and Chloris. I hoped giving them a slave would steady them a bit. For a while, I thought it had. They spent less time making mischief. But they also spent less time together. It took me too long to realize I made a grave, foolish error. I underestimated the jealous nature of teen girls. Also, I did not purchase a slave worthy of their attention. Unfortunately, I realized much too late that he was a source of contention. Ava and Chloris had fallen out of each other¡¯s confidence by then, Chloris being pushed to the outside.¡±


    Isla interrupted, ¡°But, why?¡±


    Vara studied her a long, quiet moment. With a little sigh, she admitted, ¡°Ava was very beautiful, Isla. And the slave was very young and not well-trained. He was beautiful, too, and when he had two girls swooning over him, he lost his mind to that temptation. Without meaning to, I put him in a position of power. I pitted my two girls against each other. They fought for his notice and his attention in a way I never expected.¡± She sighed and shook her head at her memories. ¡°I was a fool.¡±


    Isla shook her head. ¡°So¡­ what? They stopped being friends because they both liked the same boy?¡±


    Vara made a sound in her throat that may have been impatience or disgust. ¡°No. They stopped being friends because he had sex with Chloris, told her he loved her, and then turned all his attention on Ava.¡±


    Isla¡¯s face flamed, and her hands flew up to her mouth in shock. She knew about sex, of course. Her mother taught her to guard her virginity like a treasure. To speak of it so casually was unnatural for her. It made her uncomfortable. Yet, Vara pressed on.


    ¡°I was a fool not to realize they were having sex. Not to even consider that they were of an age where hormones ride like a wild tide. I purchased him to give my other slaves a break from the demanding service of two growing young women. And I did not think about the repercussions of such a gift.


    ¡°He was young and charming, working first on Chloris because she was more susceptible. She was given less attention and praise in her life, because she was never as beautiful or as talented as Ava. She always, sort of, walked in Ava¡¯s shadow. So, she came on strong to that smarmy little slave, wanting his attention all for herself. But Ava could never be bested in anything. As soon as she started to show that slave some attention and affection, he abandoned Chloris completely. He broke her heart.¡±


    Isla¡¯s hands remained on her cheeks, still warm under her fingers. But she shook her head. She was not sure she wanted to know the rest. Vara angled a sharp look at her though, and plowed on unforgivingly.


    ¡°Ava was not a cruel girl. She started her affection with him as a playful game. I truly believe she was unaware of Chloris¡¯ affection for the slave, or she would not have been so forward. She was naturally affectionate and flattering, so she was able to steal his attention without even trying. When she started a sexual relationship with him, and let it slip to Chloris, all hell broke loose in this temple! Chloris came unglued. She had never been particularly violent, but she attacked Ava and the slave. Ava fought back. When Chloris told her that she had slept with him, too, it became an all-out war. My slaves had to peel them off each other. Fortunately, my House Slave had the good sense to send for me. When I came home, I got to the bottom of it. What I thought was the bottom of it. I knew I could never have peace with that slave in my temple. So, I took him that very evening and sold him to businesswoman I knew.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes were wide now, and she nodded. She thought¡ªputting aside the disgusting idea that the man could be sold away¡ªVara made a wise decision.


    ¡°Ava was beside herself, completely devastated that I took him away from her. Chloris was heart-broken and inconsolable. I was upset, as well. Too upset, by far, to be rational. I was angry with them both for having sex without my permission¡ªwhich I assure you, is still a very real trigger for me, child, so I recommend waiting to copulate until you clear it with me.¡±


    Isla flushed again, and murmured, ¡°I would never¡ª¡±


    Vara gave a sharp nod. ¡°Unfortunately, my own anger got in the way of me seeing the entire picture. I mistakenly thought he was a horny little bastard who wanted sex badly enough to trick Chloris and then Ava into giving him what he wanted, whether or not any of them were ready for that step in their life.¡± Vara shook her head again, giving a heavy sigh. ¡°I was dead wrong about that. His intention had always been to latch onto a young mistress and deflower her in the hope of creating an unbreakable emotional connection. Because, the truth was, he was not well-trained and was not loyal to e¡¯Silea. He wanted to seduce a young woman into helping him escape. And I¡ªunwisely¡ªgave him two opportunities. What I discovered much later, to my deepest chagrin, was that he tried his tricks on Chloris first, and failed to sway her from her deep-seated beliefs.¡± Vara paused, eyes clouding. When she spoke again, her voice was softer, and colder. ¡°He was much more successful with Ava.¡±


    For a long moment, Isla stared at Vara in shock, but could not bring herself to ask the question that was burning in her mind.


    Vara¡¯s narrative continued in the cold tone, ¡°Ava wept and railed at me for getting rid of him. She told me she loved him. I was too cross to listen, to understand completely. I told her I would buy another slave when she was older and better able to control her emotions.¡± Vara shook her head again. ¡°I was such a fool. Chloris received more of my attention, because I thought she was hurting on a deeper level. Also, she was much more accepting of my affections. Ava was too angry with me to be affectionate. She was defiant, and violent, and unusually acerbic toward me. And, instead of countering with affection and concern, I bit back with violence and force. That had never nor ever could work on Ava.¡±


    Isla nodded along. She knew well that her mother had always been stubborn. Isla could imagine the exact set of her jaw and the twist of her mouth when she was at her most intractable. After Father died, mother wore that expression a lot as she went through her business life.


    Vara¡¯s tone took on a softer, more distant quality, ¡°One night when I was away on business, Ava sneaked out of the temple, down the trellis, and out into the streets. She met that slave¡ªwho had likewise sneaked out of his new temple¡ªand took passage on an old fishing vessel. I still to this day don¡¯t know how they arranged it. I don¡¯t know how she even found him or made a plan.¡± She shook her head slowly in bewildered sadness. ¡°A foolish traitor helped them sneak onto an e¡¯Silean ship bound for the Mainland. They hid among the fish packaged for trade.¡± Vara swallowed, looking down at the tabletop with hard eyes glazed over. ¡°For two weeks, they lived among the fish, packaged like goods. And when they reached the Atpost, they were transferred to another ship in the packaging. Not an e¡¯Silean ship this time. I believe they allowed themselves to be discovered, and Ava was able to pay for passage to Foreland. I don¡¯t know where they made port, because I was never able to get anymore information on her after that.¡±


    Isla could not hold in her fears any longer. She burst out with, ¡°That was my father? That slave who used Chloris and my mother?¡±


    Vara¡¯s gaze lifted to meet Isla¡¯s, and she gave a firm nod. ¡°Well, you look like him, child, so I guess yes.¡±


    Isla squeezed her eyes shut. True, she remembered little of her father, but she had the hardest time accepting he was not the stalwart and true man her mother always made him out to be.


    ¡°But ¡­ but ¡­ Mother always said he was the son of a foreign lord, who disowned him for marrying beneath his station.¡±


    Vara scoffed. ¡°I assure you, little girl: that slave married well above his station.¡±


    Isla gave a weighted sigh. ¡°Mother ran away because you¡­stole her lover from her?¡±


    Vara lifted one shoulder in a resigned shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Isla. I know that Ava gave up a brilliant future and a loving family when she jumped into the fish barrels with that boy. And I know she was pregnant when she left here, because she missed her cycles for the second time the week before she disappeared. I can do the math.¡± She tapped Isla¡¯s hand with one finger. ¡°That was you.¡±


    Isla gave a shaky nod, attempting to assimilate this into her reality.


    ¡°I went after them, but I lost their trail after Atpost. Though I found the ship they rode to Mainland, I was never able to catch wind of them. I asked around a lot. I put her image out as an endangered runaway. Several times, I caught a hint of something that might have been her. I got my hopes up, traveled to Mainland, to Foreland, only to be disappointed three separate times.¡± She let out a pained sigh. ¡°Eventually, for my own heart, I had to stop pursuing her. I ultimately failed to find her and bring her home.¡±


    Vara¡¯s eyes were watery now, and she brushed away a tear. She did not look at Isla when she whispered, ¡°I never stopped hoping.¡±


    For several moments, silence descended on them. Isla¡¯s mind spun with the story. She could picture her mother as a young woman, climbing onto a shipping boat with a young lover. She could picture the two of them running away together into the night. But Isla was not entirely satisfied with the story. Not because it seemed untrue. Rather, it was uncomfortable because it seemed entirely too possible. It explained a lot: her mother¡¯s attempt to hide herself in the streets. Her unwillingness to discuss her past. Even her pained expressions when she spoke about falling in love with their father. All of it made sense in relation to Vara¡¯s story.


    Isla let out a slow breath. ¡°She never breathed a word.¡±


    Vara arched a brow, firm gaze returning to her. Her eyes were still glassy but her tone was strong when she said, ¡°Ava was always very stubborn.¡±


    Isla rose to her feet, murmuring, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sure this was not easy.¡± It was a dismissal, though a gentle one. She wanted to be alone now. She wanted to think it all through and decide how she felt about it. And she needed to do that on her own.


    Vara stood up and approached Isla slowly. Isla¡¯s shoulders tightened, and she drew in on herself a little. But all Vara did was kiss her on the head.


    ¡°Sleep well, little girl,¡± she said gently. ¡°If you have more questions later, I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Isla said again, though all questions had fled from her mind. Her entire attention was captured by the tender kiss on her head. Exactly like her mother used to kiss her. It started a burn in her chest, a tightness in her throat, and a cascade of tears down her cheeks.

 Morning Lessons

    Ruby


    Ruby awoke to the sound of running water and the smell of flowers. When she sat up, she saw Argos filling the tub with water and flower petals. He turned to smile at her as he tossed in the last petals.


    ¡°I am glad you¡¯re awake,¡± he said kindly. ¡°Mistress Vara told me to run your bath and waken you for breakfast.¡± He approached the bed and pulled the covers off her, folding them down to release her from their warmth and comfort. ¡°I was instructed to help you with your morning routine.¡±


    Blushing slightly at being seen in such lightweight sleep clothes, Ruby quickly rose and slipped past him to the bath. He followed her. When she stood beside the tub, looking over her shoulder at him, he reached for the hem of her nightdress and pulled it upward. She gasped as he exposed her, but he immediately carried the garment away and placed it on table. She scurried out of her undergarments and splashed into the tub up to her neck before he turned around. He smiled as he returned.


    ¡°How¡¯s the temperature?¡±


    Blushing to her hairline, she nodded in answer. She did not trust herself to speak.


    Argos pulled a stool out from a niche in the wall and seated himself beside the tub. Ruby stared at him with wide eyes while he reached for a cleansing cloth and lathered it with sweet soap. He reached into the water and softly grasped her arm, but she jerked away from him.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She knew her voice sounded hysterical, but she could not keep the shrill note of panic out of it.


    Argos, though, was patient. ¡°I was instructed to bathe you, Mistress. I assure you I am gifted at my craft. I will not hurt you.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes were so wide now, she feared they might fall out of her head. ¡°No ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­ I¡¯m quite ¡­¡± Her voice faded to a whisper, ¡°I¡¯m naked.¡±


    His smile became a smirk of amusement. ¡°Of course, you are naked, Mistress. How else should you be bathed?¡± He reached again for her arm, but she slid it away from him. In fact, she slid her entire self away from him, to the other side of the tub.


    His voice lost its amused edge, and he spoke a little bit sternly, ¡°Mistress Vara does not like to be kept waiting for her breakfast. I was instructed to complete this task, and I assure you I intend to do so. But I will not pursue you, Mistress. Please come here and allow me to serve you.¡± It sounded less like a request than a command. But Ruby only shook her head.


    Argos sighed. Laying aside the lathered cloth, he rose to his feet. He turned and exited the room. As soon as she was sure he was gone, Ruby grabbed the cloth and began a vigorous scrub of her body. She was relieved he had left her to complete the task herself. She scrubbed her arms, legs, and nearly completed the more private areas of her body when Vara sauntered in with Argos on her heels. Again, Ruby ducked herself under the water to her chin.


    Vara wore an icy blue blouse today in heavy sheers. There was enough opacity that her breasts were not visible, but enough transparency that their shape was evident. She wore tight white trousers that clung to her body indecently, and ended a few inches above her ankle. Her black hair was pulled back from her face with an icy-blue sheer tie that exactly matched her blouse. She wore shimmering silvery makeup above her eyes and on her cheeks. The effect would have been lovely if her face had been smiling. But since her eyes were narrowed and her brows lowered, the sliver makeup only enhanced her iciness.


    ¡°Do you need a spanking?¡± Vara asked in a stern voice as she looked down at Ruby.


    Ruby blushed at the idea and spluttered, ¡°What? No! I¡­¡±


    Vara cut across her. ¡°Are you refusing to allow Argos to get you ready for the day?¡±


    Ruby gave a scandalized cry. ¡°He wanted to bathe me!¡±


    Vara sat down on the stool Argos vacated when he went to tattle to his mistress. She leaned closer to Ruby¡¯s face.


    ¡°He was doing what I ordered him to do,¡± the woman explained in a no-nonsense tone that reminded Ruby uncomfortably of her mother¡¯s sternest voice. ¡°By refusing his service, you are disobeying me. Wards of my temple do not disobey their temple keeper.¡±


    Ruby could not find different words to explain her concern, ¡°But ¡­ he wanted to bathe me.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vara replied sharply. ¡°And while I usually expect my slaves to respect the refusal of personal services, I have given Argos the instruction that he may not accept your refusal this morning. I know you are new to my temple and to e¡¯Silea, but I cannot allow you to continue to believe you are unworthy of service. You are a child, and children in e¡¯Silea are bathed, dressed, and served by slaves.¡±


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    Ruby¡¯s face flamed again, and she argued, ¡°But, I¡¯m naked!¡±


    Vara smiled, though her eyes did not lose their hard edge. ¡°What difference is that meant to make, sweets? Argos knows what a feminine body looks like. He has been bathing young women all his life.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes began to fill with tears. She whispered, ¡°Mother taught to me guard my nudity from men.¡±


    Vara¡¯s eyes hardened some more, but when she spoke it was with more gentility. ¡°I understand. You have been living in the world of wild men, who have unseemly appetites and no willpower.¡± She reached out a hand and stroked Argos¡¯ arm with gentle finger. ¡°I promise you, Argos is well-trained. He is respectful. He will not stare at you or touch you inappropriately. You are safe with him.¡± She leaned over the bath again, and this time she stroked Ruby¡¯s face. ¡°You are safe here in e¡¯Silea, my sweet.¡±


    She stepped back after a moment, relinquishing the stool. ¡°I will stay with you, though, while he gets you ready for the day. I do not want you to be uncomfortable.¡±


    Ruby glared at her. ¡°More people in the room looking at me when I¡¯m naked is not going to make me more comfortable.¡±


    Vara raised a stern brow. ¡°I am livid that you were taught to hide your body, as if it is something unseemly. The only way I know how to help you unlearn that lesson is to teach you the e¡¯Silean way: all bodies are beautiful. And we do not cover up beautiful things!¡± She snapped her fingers and ordered, ¡°Argos, bathe this child!¡±


    He seated himself once more on the stool and reached for her arm. Ruby, under her aunt¡¯s glare, allowed him to take it. Vara leaned back against the opposite wall and watched the ritual with stern eyes. Ruby, though embarrassed, allowed Argos to complete his task, adjusting as he requested. When she was able to ignore the idea that she was surrounded by people while she bathed, it was really rather pleasant. He was gentle and self-assured. He knew exactly what he was doing. When he washed her hair, it was one of the best experiences of her life. Or, it would have been, if Aunt Vara was not staring her down the entire time, preaching.


    ¡°It will be impossible to teach you everything you ought to know in a matter of days or hours, but I intend to make a proper start of it immediately. The trouble is: you were raised with certain ideas and values about life that are no longer appropriate for your new circumstances. You are not some little beggar who can be tossed into the street if you displease me, Ruby. Neither can you misbehave enough to make me regret taking you in. Let me be perfectly clear: you belong to me. In fact, you have always belonged to me, and I consider myself cheated out of fourteen years of your life. If you lived here all of those fourteen years, you would never have been taught that your body should be hidden. You would not have learned shame about Argos bathing you, because you would have received this service every day of your life. It would not feel strange or unnatural; it would feel right.


    ¡°That¡¯s the difficulty I now have in instructing you: I must teach you things are right that you should never have even questioned. You should never have had to worry that you would not be accepted here. You should never have been told to be quiet and not make trouble. Or, rather, you should never have thought my acceptance or love would be dependent on your silence and studiousness. The fact is, you could slap my face, and scream at me until the windows shattered, and it would not change anything. I would still keep you here and love you, and teach what is right.¡±


    Ruby looked at Vara with hope and doubt in her mind. Hope, because she sincerely wanted to believe she was wanted here. Doubt, because her life experiences, especially since her mother¡¯s death, had taught her that no kindness was free.


    Somewhat defiantly, Ruby asked, ¡°You would let me slap you and scream at you? Without throwing me and Isla out into the street? I doubt it.¡±


    Vara squatted beside the tub and tapped Ruby on the underside of the chin, catching her eye. She looked firm, but also seemed to be hiding amusement deep in her eyes. ¡°Listen to me, Ruby of Vara, there is nothing you can do that will make me kick you out. You belong to me.¡± She backed away and smiled down at Ruby from her height. ¡°But, of course, I would not let you slap me and throw a tantrum. I would discipline that nonsense, because I will have peace in my temple.¡±


    That sounded ominous, and Ruby studied her aunt¡¯s face to be sure she was serious.


    Vara continued, ¡°I punish disobedience and disrespect thoroughly. In fact, if you will not allow Argos to complete his services, I will punish you for it because I mean it when I say I intend to teach you your rights and responsibilities in e¡¯Silea.¡± She pulled her gaze away from Ruby then, and turned to look at her slave. ¡°Argos, finish bathing her, then I want you to dry her, and dress her in the clothing I laid out. Do her hair up so she can run and play without it getting in her way. Then bring her to breakfast. I am needed across the hall.¡±


    Ruby strained to hear if there was commotion across the hall. There surely would be, if Vara sent a slave in to bathe Isla. Ruby knew Isla would not take to this service even as well as Ruby had¡ªand Ruby was still blushing to her hairline and trying to hide herself from Argos¡¯ view. The man continued with his task diligently, however, as if Ruby was not resisting him with every move she made.


    At last, he grasped a towel and held it up. ¡°I shall look away, Mistress, if it will make it easier for you to step out of the tub,¡± he conceded when Ruby resolutely refused to leave the cover of the water. He looked away as he spoke, staring at the wall with a mildly harassed look on his face. Ruby dashed from the water and into the waiting towel. He wrapped it around her without looking her direction. He grasped another towel and wrapped it around her hair with expert precision.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Into the bedroom, if you please. If you sit at the vanity, I will first do your hair. That will give your body a chance to dry a little.¡± Ruby recognized his kindness. He was trying to make this easier for her, though he clearly intended to follow his Mistress¡¯ orders completely, no matter what type of protest Ruby gave.

 Threats, Shenanigans, and Laws

    Isla


    Isla understood very well why Vara¡¯s daughters used the trellis to get out of the house. It was perfectly placed so that a girl who pushed herself off the side of the balcony could grab hand-and-footholds down to the grassy garden below. As Isla climbed down the side of the trellis, Galen leaned over the edge of the balcony and shook his head at her.


    ¡°Mistress Isla, this is completely unnecessary,¡± he scolded, but his voice was pitched low, as if he did not want it to carry into the streets.


    ¡°I will do ¡­¡± her foot slipped and she had to catch herself by clutching the trellis more tightly with her arms. Then, she glared up at Galen. ¡°¡­ whatever I have to do to protect my modesty, sir. I told you that.¡± Then she primly¡ªcould she be prim when scrambling down a trellis?¡ªcontinued her climb to the garden.


    ¡°Mistress,¡± Galen called again, still with his voice pitched low. ¡°Modesty has no place in a bathing chamber. I told you that. How am I supposed to get you cleaned up and ready for the day without being in the room? It makes no sense.¡±


    Once safely on the ground, Isla put her hands on her hips and glared even harder. ¡°Just because you have no modesty doesn¡¯t mean I have none.¡± She pointed a firm finger at him. ¡°Stay away from me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay away from you, Mistress,¡± he said, smiling. His tone was exasperated, though. ¡°I was commanded to serve you.¡±


    She glared at him and backed away. ¡°You can just go find somewhere else to serve.¡±


    She backed into someone and startled. Spinning around, she found Queen Delta there with arms outstretched as if to capture her. Isla took a short step backward from her and blushed. Although the woman was not a queen like Isla had learned about back home, it still seemed wrong to greet the woman while wearing only her sweaty nightdress.


    Delta looked like the depictions of angels in the churches and monasteries back home. She wore a flowing white dress with a bizarre hemline that started high above her knees in front and swooped down near her ankles in back. She wore silver sandals that tied up her legs, crisscrossing indecently all the way up her thighs. There was silver jewelry on her arms, as well, wrapping up both upper arms. Her hair was up today, too, curled and styled high on her head, pinned with silver pins that were almost invisible in her silvery hair.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Delta said politely, but there was a hardness in her eyes that made Isla uncomfortable. The woman slid and arm around her, in a way that might look companionable to anyone who happened to be watching, but Isla felt the firmness of it. The woman grabbed Isla¡¯s near arm, too, and walked her back to the house in steady steps that did not allow for any squirming. ¡°Come on,¡± she murmured when Isla tried to pull away. As they neared the trellis, Delta looked up and caught Galen¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Get in the temple,¡± she said, but it was less voiced than mouthed. Her eyes looked fiery.


    ¡°I am not taking a bath,¡± Isla promised firmly while the Queen marched her inside through the front doors. Delta kept up the companionable demeanor the whole time. Once she backed against the heavy to door shut it, though, the smile slid away and she relinquished Isla.


    ¡°What load of nonsense are you talking about, girl?¡± Delta asked, eyes snapping with anger.


    Isla rubbed her arm where the woman had held her too tightly. ¡°You are all trying to force me to accept morals and values I do not accept. I don¡¯t care if you are a queen. You can¡¯t force me to take off my clothes in front of anyone, and I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°No one can force you to do anything, silly girl,¡± Delta answered back firmly. ¡°But it is extremely unwise to be climbing down the trellis in your nightgown in the middle of the morning.¡±


    Vara came hurrying down the steps, with Galen a few paces behind her. Isla backed away at the sight of the strong man with the frustrated look on his face. Delta, though, turned on the newcomers with ferocity.


    ¡°And what exactly did you think you were doing, Galen?¡± she asked in a hard tone that made him flinch slightly. ¡°Arguing with a child in the front garden in the full light of day!¡± She shook her head at him. ¡°Mother would have a conniption.¡±


    Galen answered respectfully but earnestly. ¡°I was trying to encourage Mistress Isla to come back inside and behave herself.¡±


    Vara held up a silencing finger to him and turned her attention on Delta. ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Delta shook her head. ¡°Nothing too incriminating. He was speaking to her over the balcony while she climbed down the side of the trellis. As far in the circle as you are, no one on the outer street might have seen anything.¡±


    When Vara¡¯s dark glance swept over Isla, she felt goosebumps rise on her arms. Mother used to look like that immediately before handing out punishments and reprimands.


    ¡°What did I tell you about climbing the trellis, Isla of Vara?¡±


    Isla would not let herself be browbeaten into submission by these women. She replied tartly, ¡°And I told you that I will not offer trust easily. Did you think you could force me into your morals by sending a man in and asking him to do indecent things to me?¡±


    Vara hissed under her breath. Galen gave a scoff of disbelief. Delta shook her head.


    ¡°Indecent things?¡± Vara answered back, cooling rather than heating. Like Mother at her most dangerous. ¡°Indecent? I would kill anyone who did anything indecent to you, girl. What Galen was doing was service, basic household service I commanded him to do. All he was supposed to do was bathe and dress you. Did he do something other than that?¡± There was threat in her tone.


    ¡°No!¡± Galen insisted, half-scandalized, half-furious.


    Vara cut her eyes at him, and he dropped his gaze to the floor, clenching his teeth. Then Vara looked at Isla, demanding an answer with her eyes.


    ¡°He tried to take my clothes off,¡± Isla said, slowly and as calmly as she could. ¡°That may be something you consider ¡®basic¡¯ in e¡¯Silea, but I assure you it is highly indecent where I¡¯m from.¡±


    ¡°How was I supposed to bathe you without removing your nightdress?¡± Galen snapped back, though he never took his eyes off the floor.


    Vara turned her attention back to Galen. She tilted her head until she was in his downcast line of sight. Her voice was so quiet, it was a hiss when she asked, ¡°Are you trying to dig yourself into a hole you can¡¯t climb out of, Galen for Vara?¡±


    He clenched his teeth but, instead of speaking, merely shook his head.


    Vara pointed to a space off to one side of the living area. Galen went where she pointed and, without a sound, dropped onto his knees in the spot. Isla shuddered. No matter how angry she had been with him for trying to pull her nightgown off, no one deserved to become someone¡¯s property.


    ¡°This entire country is perverted,¡± Isla declared forcefully. ¡°And if I have to climb over the trellis everyday to keep his hands off me, I will do it.¡±


    Delta hissed, ¡°Stop phrasing this like he was trying to assault you! Sexual assault is punishable by castration in e¡¯Silea. This is not a funny game.¡±


    Vara put up a hand to silence the Queen with as much firmness as she had silenced Galen. ¡°Enough.¡± She grabbed Isla¡¯s chin in a vicelike grip that forced her to meet her eyes. ¡°Did Galen touch you in any way besides trying to undress you for a bath?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Isla said, though it was not easy to talk in Vara¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Did he ask or suggest he wanted to do anything except undress or bathe you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What happened, then?¡±


    Isla tried unsuccessfully to pry her aunt¡¯s finger¡¯s off her face. Finally, she gave in and spoke with the woman¡¯s hand still cupping her chin, ¡°He said he was instructed to get me ready for the day and then he grabbed my nightdress by the hem and yanked it up. I kicked him in the leg to get him away from me.¡± Vara¡¯s eyes darkened, but Isla hurried on. ¡°I ran across the room and told him not to take a step nearer. He told me he had to do what he was ordered, and he tried to approach me again. I ran into the bathroom and tried to lock the door, but it doesn¡¯t have a lock! He came in and tried again to grab my clothes. I told him that if he didn¡¯t get his hands off me, I was going to scream and kick him again. When he wouldn¡¯t stop trying to get near me, I crawled under his legs to get out of the bathroom. He chased me out into the bedroom again and then blocked the door so I couldn¡¯t leave. He said he had to help me prepare for the day. I told him if he left, I would prepare myself without his help.¡± Vara¡¯s eyes darkened even further. ¡°He said he could not leave. So I told him one of us was leaving the room right now. He said he wasn¡¯t leaving, so I ran to the balcony. I climbed down to keep away from him.¡±


    Delta buried her face in her hand with a mild groan.


    ¡°Listen to me,¡± Vara said in the tone that sounded so like Mother, Isla¡¯s stomach sank. ¡°You go upstairs right now and get into that bath before I strip you myself. And if you go over the balcony again, I will tear the trellis out completely. Do you understand me?¡±


    Isla glared but gave an angry nod.


    ¡°Go,¡± Vara ordered, and unhanded her. As she walked past her aunt, though, the woman slapped a firm open hand on her backside. Isla spun around in surprise, blushing to her hairline. Vara shook a finger in her face and snarled, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever lay a finger on my slaves again, girl.¡±


    Isla backed away from her aunt, wary but also furious and embarrassed. The last time her bottom was smacked was when she was about six years old, and Mother found out she struck Ruby.


    Once Isla reached the steps, she turned and raced up them. The only thing she heard from below was Vara¡¯s icy voice saying, ¡°Come here and tell me what happened, Galen.¡±


    Back in her own room, away from her aunt¡¯s furious gaze, Isla was more capable of disobedience. She went into the bathroom only to do a hasty wash, as she might do simply with a washbasin. She cleaned her teeth and braided her hair. In her closet, she found only frustration. The clothing was distressingly immodest. But, afraid of how long it would take Vara to finish downstairs and come up, Isla did not have time to waste. She had no idea what might happen if she was not dressed when the woman arrived.


    She stripped out of her nightdress and pulled on one of the pink silk dresses she found. It had no sleeves, but she was able to wear it without a brassiere which was good since her aunt had confiscated the only one she had. She could not tie the straps meant to hold it up, though. She tried but could not get them tight enough to feel secure. She gave a hopeless cry.


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    ¡°Isla,¡± called Ruby¡¯s voice from the bedroom. Isla leaned out of the closet and urgently gestured for her to come in the closet.


    ¡°Help me,¡± Isla begged, turning around so her sister could tie the straps of the dress.


    Ruby grasped the straps and pulled them up so Isla¡¯s dress held her securely. She tied them in a bow at the back of her neck. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s meant to be a bow or not, but it¡¯s cute,¡± Ruby said gently. Her voice changed to concern when she asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let the slaves help you, would you?¡±


    Isla spun around to give her sister an incredulous look. Only then did she notice the blue skirt laced up the side and tied expertly on her sister¡¯s hip, and the white backless blouse her sister wore. There was no way Ruby could have put those things on herself. They were too complicated, with all the ties and loops.


    ¡°You did?¡± Isla asked in shock.


    Ruby shrugged. ¡°I tried not to, but Aunt Vara said I had to.¡± Her face flamed brighter than Isla¡¯s dress. ¡°Atlas washed me in the bath.¡±


    Isla shook her head, pressing her eyes shut. ¡°No,¡± she whispered in horror. ¡°No, Ruby! No. We can¡¯t stay here.¡±


    When she opened her eyes, Ruby had a stubborn expression on her face. ¡°Once you get over the awkwardness of the nakedness part, the bath part is kind of nice, Isla.¡±


    ¡°No, Ruby!¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes clouded and she said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, Isla. I like Aunt Vara. I like e¡¯Silea. I want to stay here.¡±


    Isla¡¯s eyes bulged as she tried to silently communicate her horror. ¡°What happened to your modesty, Ruby?¡±


    Ruby shrugged. ¡°Vara told me that ¡®modesty¡¯ is just a concept wild slaves came up with as a tactic of controlling women and their bodies.¡±


    Isla¡¯s stomach plummeted. ¡°Listen to yourself, Ruby. ¡®Wild slaves¡¯ indeed! Is that what you think of Father now? He was some wild slave who did not know his purpose, or whatever?¡±


    Ruby¡¯s face colored again, and she looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She scrubbed the toe of one soft white sandal across the floor. Then she looked up. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think of Father. I don¡¯t remember him, really. But I think about what Aunt Vara tells me. And I do wonder, Isla, why women are expected to cover their bodies so thoroughly, but the men don¡¯t have to. You know? Boys in school were always tugging their shirts off during breaks when it was hot out, or rolling up their pants to wade into streams and rivers. But if I so much as pulled my petticoats above my ankle, I was reprimanded by the schoolmaster. It doesn¡¯t make sense to me.¡± Her eyes went from stubborn to pleading. ¡°Does it make sense to you?¡±


    Isla had never thought of it before. She opened her mouth to retort, but stopped short when no words supplied themselves.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± Ruby went on, a little more confidently. ¡°Chloris and Vara and all of them go around with see-through clothes on, and no one tries to touch them inappropriately. No one looks at them and thinks wicked thoughts. Everyone just wears the clothes they wear and goes about their day without worrying about offending people. Offending men. No one tells Chloris that her gowns are a distraction to the slaves.¡± Ruby looked at her sister intently. ¡°And they¡¯re not, Isla! The slaves served dinner last night without getting distracted at the sight of shoulders, knees, or even ¡­¡± she lowered her voice. ¡°¡­ full-on breasts. They did not get distracted once. Which makes me think the schoolmasters were liars when they told me my ankles would distract the boys. Or maybe that there was something wrong with the boys.¡±


    ¡°Probably a little of both,¡± came the firm voice of Vara from outside the closet. The girls froze. Isla¡¯s stomach sank when the woman said, ¡°Come out here.¡±


    She was seated on the edge of Isla¡¯s unmade bed, one leg crossed over the other. Isla knew that the tight trousers the woman wore would be considered indecent in Haslett. They absolutely hugged the curves of her legs and hips! But Ruby¡¯s concerns and thoughts about the schoolmasters made Isla stop and think, as much as she didn¡¯t want to.


    Vara crooked a finger at them. Ruby stepped forward at once. Her face was a little flushed, but that was the only indication she was nervous as she went to stand before their aunt. Isla considered refusing. Or even trying again to flee over the balcony. But her aunt raised a brow as if she knew what Isla was thinking. A brow that seemed to threaten punishment.


    Isla joined Ruby, standing in front of their magisterial aunt. The woman reached forward and caught one of each of their hands.


    ¡°This will be an adjustment,¡± she told them in a tone that Isla thought was meant to be gentle. But all Isla heard was the firmness. ¡°I am going to attempt to be lenient and understanding, since you have had so much of your childhood robbed from you.¡±


    Isla opened her mouth to speak, but Ruby grabbed her unencumbered hand and shot her a glare. Even though Isla did not want to admit it, there was too much truth in the accusation that her childhood had been robbed from her.


    ¡°I will try to be lenient, but we need to come to a right understanding about a few things,¡± Vara went on firmly. ¡°I do not approve of anyone harming, hitting, slapping, or kicking my slaves. These boys work hard to make our life beautiful, and they deserve all the respect they can get. I will not have unruly little girls kicking them or punching them!¡±


    The unfortunate thing about Isla¡¯s fair skin was how easily it flushed even when she did not feel ashamed of herself. Galen had cornered her! If the same circumstance happened again, she would probably react the same way.


    ¡°Isla!¡± Ruby scolded in shock. Isla glared at her for the rebuke, but neither of them were able to say more. Vara interjected.


    ¡°The slaves are as much a part of this family as you or I. You do not have the right to harm them.¡±


    ¡°Then keep them out of my bath,¡± Isla instructed without shame. She would not let these people force their corruption on her.


    Vara¡¯s eyes hardened. ¡°I will have continued patience with you, Isla, because you and I have an agreement to allow trust to grow between us. But I will not be able to grant you any trust if you strike my slaves another time. I will be forced to take action.¡±


    The foreboding sound of those words made Isla¡¯s skin crawl. But her aunt seemed to waiting for something. Isla gave a sharp nod.


    Vara looked at Ruby then. ¡°This nonsense about covering yourself up or being afraid to be seen is likely to make my blood boil. But, I am going to the shops today to order you each a wardrobe. I want you to be comfortable both physically and emotionally.¡± She looked between them both. ¡°So, I think it will be best for me to bring you along so you can help the sewists and designers understand your preferences.¡±


    Isla recognized this as a kind and accommodating gesture. She met her aunt¡¯s eye for a moment before giving the tiniest grateful nod. Ruby was already gushing her excitement and gratitude in too many words and squeaky tones for Isla to bother saying anything else.


    ¡°Before we go out into the streets, I need to warn you about something serious,¡± Vara cut in to Ruby¡¯s squeals of joy. ¡°It¡¯s about how the law works in e¡¯Silea.¡±


    Isla was puzzled but asked no questions. Ruby also fell silent, squeezing her sister¡¯s hand. Vara squeezed each of their hands in turn as a means of comfort.


    ¡°As you already know, e¡¯Silea is set up in families,¡± Vara explained, and though Isla objected firmly to the term ¡°family¡± being used to explain slavery, she did not interrupt. ¡°As the head of my temple, anyone who lives under my roof is subject to my authority. I make the laws. I am a magistrate of my home and grounds.¡± She waited for them to nod acknowledgment. Isla did so very reluctantly. ¡°Anyone who lives under my temple is under my name. Both of you are ¡®Of Vara of Capitol¡¯ because you are my wards.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ruby chirped. ¡°Ruby of Vara.¡±


    Vara gave a nod. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We don¡¯t have surnames in e¡¯Silea. Your name is attached to my name because you are under my temple. The same is true for slaves. Everyone is attached to a temple name, and under the magisterial power of their temple keeper.¡±


    ¡°So, your house rules are ¡­what¡­ laws in e¡¯Silea?¡± Isla wanted to know. She could not wrap her mind around it.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But surely you can¡¯t do anything you want,¡± Isla argued. ¡°Like ¡­ murder? You can¡¯t kill people indiscriminately, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Vara said with a nod. ¡°There are public laws as well, to ensure the safety and harmony of our nation.¡± Isla refused to believe there could be harmony where people were being trafficked as personal property, but she kept her thoughts to herself. ¡°If I break a law ¡­ not murder, because that¡¯s a serious crime that would be handled by the Queen and Council ¡­ but something minor, like defacing public property, maybe ¡­ I would be given a citation. It¡¯s essentially a fine and a mark on my permanent public record.¡±


    ¡°What if you weren¡¯t caught?¡± Ruby asked, her eyes as bright as if this was an adventure story.


    Vara made a negative sound in her throat. ¡°e¡¯Silea is full of people, Ruby of Vara. And the people in e¡¯Silea are talkers. Even if no one reported it¡ªwhich is unlikely¡ªeventually word would get around.¡± She sat up straight, removing her hands from theirs and folding them on her lap. ¡°Additionally, there are people whose job is to report on crimes and give out citations. Instructresses of Classes¡ªas a means of managing unruly students¡ªand all military personnel, Council members, a specific leader in every neighborhood known as a Guardian, and then roaming officers and officials. If you look at a group of a hundred women, chances are at least ten of them have the responsibility to hand out citations. Probably more.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Ruby murmured.


    ¡°Can these citation-hand-outers be given citations?¡± Isla asked doubtfully, and then was surprised by her aunt¡¯s firm answer.


    ¡°Yes. In fact, they tend to be stricter with themselves than with others because they hold so much of the public trust.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Guardian, aren¡¯t you?¡± Isla felt like she knew where this conversation was headed.


    ¡°No. But that¡¯s only because I was raised to the Council last year and had to give up by Guardianship. You guessed it, though, Isla: I am very strict with those under my name because I have so much of the public trust. I am the Council Speaker for the entire Southeastern side of Capitol. That is over twelve thousand souls who expect me to speak for them and represent their best interests.¡±


    ¡°Is that your job, then?¡± Isla wondered. ¡°Your ¡­ trade?¡±


    Vara shook her head. ¡°I had a military trade when I was younger, and I eventually became a citations officer. Then, I gained experience and rank, and began overseeing citations officers. Now, I am head of the Citations Office. That¡¯s my current Trade. I oversee the training and daily activities of the five thousand Citations officers currently commissioned to work on Capitol. It¡¯s a government office.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Ruby said again.


    Vara nodded. ¡°I will explain it all to you in better detail at a later time, but I need you to understand this part: I have given citations out to most people we see. Many of them don¡¯t resent that¡ªFor all us temple keepers, citations are a part of life¡ªbut some people do resent me. Some people outright despise me for my role in keeping e¡¯Silea safe. They will look for any reason to embarrass me or get me a citation of my own. For this reason, the people under my name are held to a very high standard.


    ¡°If I take you to the markets today, and you decide to throw a little tantrum like you did in the temple this morning¡­¡± her gaze captured and held Isla¡¯s. ¡°¡­ it will not be smoothed over like it was in the temple. Delta and I work closely together, and she knows our situation well, so she was able to help get you back inside before we could be accused of any kind of public disturbance. If you tried that outside in the streets, I would likely have been cited. Or been obligated to cite myself, which I have had to do on occasion to protect my reputation.¡±


    ¡°Reputation seems very important in e¡¯Silea,¡± Ruby remarked.


    Vara gave a sharp nod. ¡°Reputation is lifeblood in e¡¯Silea, little girl. If a woman sullies her reputation, she can¡¯t do trade. I protect my reputation ferociously.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean for us,¡± Isla asked with firmness in her tone. The entire conversation was making her stomach squirm. ¡°If we get into trouble in the streets, we¡¯ll be cited? And our reputations will be ruined?¡±


    Vara said no. ¡°If you get into trouble in the streets, I will be cited, and my reputation will be at risk. All citations follow the name. Since you are my wards, your behavior is a reflection on my temple management. I receive the citation, and then it is up to me how I discipline my wards for their behavior.¡±


    Isla felt her stomach drop even farther. But Ruby was brave enough to ask, ¡°What does that mean? You would ¡­ kick us out?¡±


    Vara reached forward and grabbed Ruby¡¯s face in a firm hand. ¡°Silly girl, what did I already tell you? There is nothing you can do that will ever make me kick you out. You are here with me until you grow up and enter an apprenticeship.¡± She pulled Ruby forward and kissed her forehead. ¡°¡®Kick you out,¡¯ indeed! You have to stop worrying about that. I would never, ever do that.¡±


    ¡°It would hurt your reputation,¡± Isla said darkly.


    Vara narrowed her eyes at Isla. ¡°Yes, it would. You¡¯re a fast learner. But that¡¯s not why I wouldn¡¯t kick you out. I wouldn¡¯t because you are mine and I love you both. Nothing you could ever do will change that.¡± She looked back at Ruby and added, ¡°But if you earn me a citation, I am likely to paddle your bottom and restrict you to the temple until we come to a right understanding.¡±


    Ruby and Isla both blushed to their hairlines at the very idea. Isla felt she had to protest this punishment that was being tossed around like it was an acceptable threat. ¡°We are grown up young women, Aunt Vara. It would hardly be appropriate or necessary to paddle us.¡±


    Vara arched a brow at her. ¡°I paddled Chloris a few months ago for bringing home a citation, and she¡¯s twice your age, Isla.¡± The very idea of it made Isla¡¯s heart start to pound in fear and humiliation. Chloris was a full-grown woman! She caught Ruby¡¯s eye and saw the same stunned, wide-eyed expression on her face that she knew must be on her own.


    Vara firmly stated, ¡°I will do what I must to have peace in my temple and cleanliness on my name.¡± She grabbed their chins and looked at them both with sternness emanating from her. ¡°Am I making myself clear to you?¡±


    Ruby whispered, ¡°Yes, Aunt Vara.¡±


    Isla only swallowed, but when her aunt turned to pin her with an expectant glare, she gave a tiny nod.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Vara said with a sudden smile. She dropped her hands down to capture theirs in her own as she rose to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the market.¡±