C. Bryant - Broken

“You will not.” But in the midst of her protest he crossed the room and walked through the arched doorway she’d seen earlier. Along both walls were shelves and hooks where clothes hung-trousers on the right, and shirts and tunics on the left. The biggest walk-in closet she’d ever seen. Through another doorway they came to a large brass tub sitting in the center of the room. Steam rose from the water’s surface.

“No, Octavion. It’s too hot.” The thought of hot water hitting her back sent her struggling to get free.

“Hold still, Kira. I will drop you.” He adjusted his hold and stepped closer to the water. “The steam is not from heat. I added something to help sooth the pain of your wounds.”

Kira relaxed the sore muscles in her body and waited for him to set her on her feet, but instead he lowered her into the tub, clothes and all.

“ Octavion! ” As the warm water rushed over her body, her gown filled with air and rose to the top. She grabbed it and pulled it into the water.

Octavion laughed.

“What?” She couldn’t see what was so funny, but then Ussay gasped. Kira looked down to find her nightgown, now soaking wet and clinging to every curve of her body, was almost completely transparent. She quickly gathered the fabric to cover her breasts, then picked up a sponge and threw it at him.

“Get out!” she shouted.

He bowed. “As you wish, my lady.” He left the room snickering.

“Men,” Kira said, only half serious. How could she be mad? She was safe in Xantara with the man she loved.

Ussay giggled.

Between the two of them, they managed to pull the gown off. Kira leaned her head back and Ussay poured a bucket of warm water over her hair. It felt as though years had passed since she’d had a bath or shower. Her skin craved a good scrubbing. Ussay opened a small bottle and poured a dollop of lavender liquid into the palm of her hand. The fragrance reminded Kira of Lydia. Her hair always smelled like that.

Kira’s heart ached. As much as she wanted to ask Ussay about what had happened, she thought better of it. She didn’t want to get her in trouble. So while Ussay gently massaged her scalp, Kira thought of something else to occupy her thoughts.

“Have you taken care of me since I arrived?”

“Yes.” Ussay lowered her eyes and Kira wasn’t sure if she was shy or being respectful.

“How long have you worked in the castle?”

“Since my thirteenth year.” She lifted another bucket of water into the air and gently rinsed the soap from Kira’s hair. “I am in the middle of my sixteenth year now.”

Her strong accent suited her. Even more surprising was that Kira understood her at all. Back on Earth, the Crystor magically taught her to speak and understand Eldor, but the tiny thread of silver wasn’t working now. Not even a tingle of power remained. Maybe it was like learning any other language-her mind simply remembered the right words.

“Did you know Octavion. . before he left? I mean, before he came to my world?”

Ussay walked to the side of the tub, picked up a sponge and poured some of the soap mixture onto it. “I have known him my whole life. My mother worked here and I came with her. May I wash your back? I will be gentle.”

Kira nodded and then pulled her hair over her shoulder to get it out of her way.

“What was he like?”

“Octavion? He was my whole world.” Ussay rinsed her back and handed Kira the sponge to finish with the rest of her body, then started rummaging through some clothes that lay across a large upholstered ottoman. She held up a simple blue dress with a bodice that laced up the front. “Would this gown be acceptable?”

What Kira wanted was a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, but she didn't want to hurt Ussay's feelings. “Perfect. Now tell me more about Octavion.” She really wanted to know what he was like before his world came crashing down around him and he had to take Lydia away. She could only imagine what he'd missed.

Ussay brushed the other dresses aside, sat and loosened the ribbon on the blue gown. “I was very young, but he had a kind heart and allowed me to follow him everywhere. He never seemed irritated with me, like other boys. I guess I was a bit of a pest.”

“I’m sure he enjoyed your company.”

She giggled. “I did not give him a choice. He was learning to be an alchemist and, even though it is frowned upon, I wanted to learn as well. He taught me many things. When he left, I continued my learning. I used to sneak into his lair and read his books. It was not the same as learning from him, but I did well.”

When Kira finished with her bath, Ussay held a towel out and helped her stand. Her legs were weak and shaky, but she was able to stand on her own long enough to dress. While Kira laced the ribbon loosely across her chest, Ussay brushed out her hair.

“Could you braid it for me? I’d like it out of my face.”

“Of course.” She ran her fingers through several strands and separated them. “You have beautiful hair. We do not have this color in our world.”

“Really? Not one has red hair?”

“Not one.”

“Wow, so tell me something. Why can’t you learn?”

“Pardon?”

“You said it was forbidden to learn. Why is that?”

“Forgive me. Your accent-sometimes it is difficult to understand your words.”

Kira laughed. “To me, you’re the one with the accent. I’ll try to speak slower.”

“That will not be necessary. I will ask if I do not understand. As to your inquiry, women are permitted to learn if it does not interfere with their duties, but we are not allowed to hold positions as alchemists or physicians. The best I can hope for is to be a midwife.” Ussay flipped Kira’s braid around in front for her to see, but she couldn’t get the full affect.

“Where I’m from, you could do anything, even be a physician.”

Ussay rounded the ottoman and stood in front of Kira, her eyes wide with amazement. “A woman can be a physician?”

“Yeah.. You can be anything you want. Now, I need a mirror.” Kira scanned the room, but didn’t see one.

Ussay’s smile quickly faded. She clutched her neck and took a step back, a fearful expression crossing her face.

“Ussay, are you all right? Did I say something wrong?”

She shook her head. “No, my lady. It is. . not. . I was told not to bring a mirror to your room.”

“What? Who told you that?”

“Octavion. He made me take them out and said you were not to have one.” Ussay began gathering things from around the room-avoiding meeting Kira’s eyes.

“Ussay, would you help me to my room and then please tell Octavion I need to talk to him.”

She curtsied. “Yes, my lady.” Holding her arm out, Ussay offered support as they made their way back into Octavion’s sleeping chambers. Instead of sitting on the bed, Kira sat in the chair so she could see out the window.

“I will return in a moment,” Ussay said as she exited the room.

“Bring me a mirror,” Kira called after her, but Ussay didn’t respond.

A small gap in the rain clouds let a stream of sunlight break through and splash across the room. It felt warm against her face. She gently ran her finger along the scar on her cheek. It felt only a little tender, but mostly it itched. He lied. It was worse than he’d said. So bad, he thought it would upset her to see it.

While she waited, she took in her surroundings. She could see the whole room now that she sat in the corner. A huge fireplace rose up to the ceiling on the other side of the bed-the opening almost big enough for a small person to walk into-the dark wood mantle covered with ornate carvings. Above it hung a tapestry of a lion.

Another window, shrouded with long heavy drapes hung from ceiling to floor, stood to the right of the fireplace-the deep burgundy fabric a drastic contrast to the white stone walls. On the other side of the fireplace sat a large desk with a rectangle bench slid underneath. The only door in the room appeared to be made of the same wood used for the mantle. On either side of the door, built in bookshelves stretched so high a ladder rested at one end to reach the books at the top. The shelves were filled with tattered volumes of all different sizes and colors. Some stood neatly arranged while others were piled askew, like in Octavion’s lair back home.