Catherine Asaro - The Night Bird

“Come, dont be silly. Rose regarded her expectantly. “You must tell me about Aronsdale. Is it as exotic as they say?

“Well, I dont know what they say. But I would love to tell you about it. Did you know women own all the property there?

“Oh, you are funny. Rose smiled. “But no joking. I would really like to know.

“Im serious. My parents run a dairy, but my mother owns it.

Rose seemed bewildered. “Your mother cannot own a dairy. She cannot own land. Or livestock. Or anything.

“Of course she can.

“But how?

“Her mother owned it before her. And her grandmother before that. For many generations.

“If you say so.

“Its true.

“Well, you are gone now. So who will own it?

That felt like a kick in the stomach. Allegra had always assumed she would marry, probably after she finished her studies at the guild, and she had hoped she and her husband could help in the dairy. Or she might teach, as she had done for the last two years, helping an older instructor in the village of Spindle Vine. As a mage, she would be asked to help ease the lives of the people in her village, singing warmth, light and health. Of course, she might have fallen in love with a man who didnt want to milk cows. Nor was she sure why the guild had invited her to study there. It seemed far-fetched to think the invitation was connected to Prince Aron, but she had seen the looks her parents passed when they didnt know she was watching. They wondered. She lacked the mage strength the royal family sought, but if no one else had it, either, they might consider her.

Allegra had thought of asking Tanner if he would marry her. He had come around a lot before she left for Crofts Vale, and he had hinted he would wait for her. She didnt love him as a woman should love a husband, but she could do worse than to marry her best friend. The passion might come, someday.

Surely that couldnt all be gone. Someone ought to tell his purportedly perfidious Majesty, Cobalt the Dark, that nomads in his conquered territory were selling Aronsdale women as pleasure toys to insurgent warlords. Maybe he would throw this general and prince regent in chains.

“Dont look so grim, Rose said. Her wistful gaze went to Stubble and his brother. “Azi can stay over there tonight. Ill stay with you, to talk if you want, or just to be here. Things will seem brighter in the morning.

“I hope so, Allegra said.

She feared it would only get worse.

In the morning, Rose took Allegra to bathe in a small lake fed by the only river in the otherwise barren desert. Vardok, Driver and Sot helped guard the area, but only Stubble sat where he could see them. Allegra supposed she should think of him as Azi, but the name Stubble was too fixed in her thoughts. He settled against a rock with his hands behind his head and his legs stretched out. Watching two women bathe each other was so obviously a treat for him, Allegra wanted to slap the smug look off his face. Instead she drank her fill of water, which he had denied her since her last bath. It cleared her head.

She wished she could make a spell for strength. Triangles showed everywhere on wagons, but they were distorted. She saw nothing resembling a polyhedron. She even dove down in the lake and dug along the bottom. She found a metal ball, but she couldnt use it, for a sphere was the most powerful shape, a polyhedron with an infinite number of sides. Rumor claimed that Cobalts wife, the empress, could wield such power. Well, maybe. Allegra certainly couldnt. She would burn out her gifts if she tried to use the ball. Just concentrating on it hurt her head. Bilious colors swirled in her vision until she dropped the ball into the river.

After they returned to Stubbles tent, the nomads gave Rose the clothes they wanted Allegra to wear. Allegra couldnt believe it. The “skirt covered almost nothing. The front panel was a beaten gold triangle the width of her palm and length of her forearm, its scalloped edges curved too much to form a useful shape for spells. The back was the same. The panels hung from a chain that rested low on her hips. Slender gold chains of diamonds, rubies and topazes formed a skimpy fringe from the hip chain down to about midthigh, swaying and clinking when she walked. Rose told her the skirt was made from real gems and gold, in honor of the bidders.

The halter was just as bad. Gold chains secured little gold cups over her nipples and held up her breasts so they appeared to have the most remarkable engineering, as if they could stand up on their own despite their size and weight. It was mortifying.

Rose didnt like the outfit, either. “Might as well send you in there with nothing on at all, she muttered as she helped Allegra dress. Her sympathy helped a little, but Allegra still felt as if she were going to a funeral. Her own. She had passed on, replaced by this barbaric pleasure girl in chains, jewels and little else.

Rose coiled Allegras hair on top of her head and threaded gems into the locks, with curls framing her face and wisping down her neck. “Its lovely, she told Allegra. “So few women have curly hair here. And you sparkle. Gold, topaz, ruby and the purest of all colors, diamond. For your purity. She lowered her voice. “I have to tell them.

Allegra scowled at her. The blasted nomads had insisted Rose check her virginity. She wished now she had taken Tanner up on his offer that day in the barn and given away her purportedly precious commodity.

“How about you tell them Im not a virgin? Allegra said. “Maybe theyll cancel the auction.

“They wont, Rose said. “Besides, you should be glad. This means the buyer may treat you more gently your first time. She hesitated, then said, “It depends on hispreferences.

Allegra winced. “Dont tell me what that means. She looked across the tent to where Stubble sat with Vardok, Driver and his brother. They were joking among themselves, but their impatience practically snapped in the air.

“Do you think the buyers are here yet? Allegra asked.

“Probably. Rose sat on her haunches and gave Allegra an apologetic look. “Ive redone your hair five times. I dont think I can come up with any more excuses to hold them off.

Allegra managed a smile. “Thank you for trying.

“I wish Rose took a breath. “I have been happy here with Azi and the children. Ive not wanted for anything. But sometimes She sighed. “You talk about your home with such love. Its hard for me to imagine, but it has clearly been good to you. Im sorry they took you away from that.

Allegra couldnt answer without tears threatening her eyes. Footsteps sounded nearby, and she looked to see Stubble standing a few paces away, holding a charcoal-gray robe.

“Are you ready? he asked.

Rose went to him. “Shes ready, she said softly.

Stubble put his hand under Roses chin and kissed her. “You look beautiful today.

Roses blush added a lovely tinge to her creamy skin. It was a moment before Stubble pulled his gaze away from his wife and turned to Allegra. He offered his hand, but she stood on her own. She didnt want to appear even more dependent on them, but it was also for Rose. It didnt take a genius to see she feared her husband would bring home a concubine. Although Allegra doubted he would, it obviously wasnt unheard of for men in this culture. Rose might believe him to be good, but as far as Allegra was concerned, his gentleness didnt change the fundamental brutality of his chosen profession.

“Is she ready? Vardok demanded from the other side of the tent. “I dont see what takes them so long. Just put on the damn skirt and go He stopped as Stubble moved aside so he could see Allegra.

“Gods above, Driver muttered.