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If this was Earth and not Pateria, I would have called what the men did a physical. My body was measured and prodded thoroughly. Swabs were taken from my mouth and vaginal area. The men took samples of urine. The Healers recorded everything about me.
Before the men left they asked about the health drink. Damien explained an extra one had been ordered when I vomited the first. The Healers recorded that information and praised Damien for good thinking. I started when they told him Nu-reeh would be pleased, she had been confused why they ordered an extra dose. I absolutely could not miss the drink.C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.
The Healers left and the family was ready for bed. The men didn’t even bother to tell me what was going on. I had to ask.
“You must stay healthy,” Christof explained stretching out on the bed. “Nu-reeh wants you cared for a certain way, so the child will have every advantage.”
“When you become pregnant,” Damien said yawning, “we will go back to the mountains immediately.”
That was it for the men and the explanations were done. Before I could formulate my rampaging thoughts into more questions, they were snoring lightly around me. The men were exhausted.
I wasn’t tired and stared out the window at the stars. Finally safe and at home, I could think about what was happening. This was slavery again.
Whether I wanted to give them to her or not, Nu-reeh would take my children from me. The girls I could handle. Hannah was powerful and we could still talk. The idea of sons that I would never know broke my heart. I wondered how many would leave me before I stopped caring.
It was a long time before sleep finally took my teary eyes.
At the Keepers I talked to Rose and Fuji. Rose lamented the loss of my children with me. Fuji didn’t understand that, but she would miss me when I had to leave to give birth. It was a depressing conversation for all of us.
The next days passed without incident. I was given my health drink twice a day. The Healers came and checked me over. Damien explained that would become a pattern.
Nothing was very exciting until one morning Damien told me Basin wanted to share a meal. He had some special form of entertainment in mind, so I would not be dancing. Basin and his Brothers would be joining us for dinner in our rooms that night.
It was to be quite a meal, Fuji’s owners would also be coming. The three families were good friends. Damien and his Brothers were looking forward to visiting with their friends outside of work.
The morning of the famed meal I went to the Keepers and Rose wasn’t there. Perhaps her owners had the day off and had kept her home. Fuji and I spent the day talking and laughing. We both hoped Rose had a good day with her owners.
In the evening the transport dropped us at the bathhouse. The men cleaned themselves quickly and we went upstairs. They dressed and I was wrapped in several pieces of clingy fabric. It was a new style from Fredrick and the men couldn’t decide if they liked it. Even with the fussing, we were ready quickly.
Fuji and her owners showed up first. Rose’s family arrived last just as the food came. I wanted to say hi to her, but she wouldn’t look at me.
The men sat to eat while Fuji, Rose, and I knelt. It was a lively, raucous conversation as the men discussed new techniques and old battles. They had been friends it seemed for a long time. From the sound of it Basin and his Brothers had grown up with Damien. Fuji’s owners were newer to the compound, but still long time friends.
Eventually the men retired to the crowded sitting area. I knelt on the floor somewhat leaning on Evan. The conversation paused and Damien asked Basin what the entertainment was.
Basin laughed and told Damien he had the very same entertainment in his house. Perhaps we would like a sample of what was most lately amusing to his family?
Basin stood and pulled Rose up. He stood her in front of the fire. She looked at the floor until he lifted her chin with his finger.
“Our slave,” he said suddenly serious, “has been here many moons. We have listened to many stories the slave made up to amuse us… The truth has been far more entertaining.”
Rose spoke then at Basin’s prodding. The big man stood looking calmly down at her. She talked about the women and the mountains. She said Nu-reeh’s name and described her in detail to the gathering. With tears falling down her face, she explained how the men were owned. I felt Evan stiffen as she talked.
The story wasn’t long, thankfully. I didn’t breathe the entire time she spoke. I sat on the floor trying to sink into it.
I never would have thought Rose would repeat the things I told her. It had never occurred to me the men might ask her. She could not lie to them, none of us could. Obviously this was the only outcome that was probable.
Basin pulled her to kneel beside him when she was done. He stared at Damien.
“We asked it to tell us about the extra health drink as a joke,” Basin said sounding hard. “We anticipated a wild and funny story as our slave often concocts for our amusement. Instead we heard the harsh sound of lies filling our ears… The truth soon followed and that was no less harsh.”