Slavery Ch. 06

"I'm sorry, so sorry." Kalen mopped her brow with a cool, damp cloth as painful cramps continued in Alana's lower abdomen. She was losing her baby. Kalen hadn't wanted this, she realised. True, he wanted the baby gone, but he hadn't wanted to be deceitful. The doctor tricked him, too. Alana clung to that thought as he nursed her, clung to the idea that with time he would have come around to her way of thinking.

Alana clutched at his solid forearm as she felt something wet and sticky trickle from between her legs.

"No." Her baby was leaving her. Kalen gently pushed a finger between her thighs. It came back crimson.

"Mia!" Kalen climbed on the bed next to Alana as he called for the old woman. He held her close, his thumb wiping away tears that streamed down Alana's cheeks. The trickle hadn't stopped, neither had the cramps, and she imagined that it would be a while before they did. Burying her head in Kalen's chest, she tried to escape the pain, but failed.

"Oh!" Mia's voice startled Alana. "I will run a bath and bring fresh sheets." Her voice held sympathy, and a practicality that suggested that she had done this before. Was this the first baby that Kalen had made, and seen die? Alana doubted it though now was not the time to ask.

The hours that followed were a blur to Alana. She felt numb, not even able to summon anger when she thought of Jaron. She was bathed, wrapped in clean towels, put to bed. She was brought food which she picked at, and Kalen tried to teach her the letters of the language she was learning. Nothing held her interest though. In the end Kalen just held her, slipping next to her under the sheets, and pulling her tight to his naked body.

"How many?" Alana felt the question slip from her lips before she considered the repercussions. Kalen, to his credit, kissed the top of Alana's head, and answered without flinching, or feigning ignorance.

"Two others. The slave before you was careless, and didn't always use her birth control. She despised me, and sometimes I think she wished to die. I sold her on, to someone who would make her happy. She was afraid of my race, and disgusted by us. I will never forgive myself for the way I treated her. I was young, foolish, and thought that I had to be cold to be her master. She did not wish to mate with me, not even once. She knew what my face had done to hers, what pregnancy could do. Now I know what Jaron has done to you, I wonder if she was as careless as I thought. Perhaps the birth control was faulty."

"And the other?"

"The other was my wife." Sadness rang through his voice, and Alana wondered if she had died. Kalen didn't seem so old, but she supposed it was a possibility. Was that why he lived here?

"Your wife?" Alana prompted when he didn't elaborate. She tried to keep her voice gentle, but it was stiffer than she liked, and held a touch of jealousy. It caused her master to chuckle into her hair.

"My wife did not wish to endure the pain of childbirth. I think it was done to spite me, since she knew how much a child mattered to me, and she was perfectly capable of withstanding one. We are not a happy match, I am afraid. This is a better one." His arms tightened, briefly.

"You're still married?" Kalen nodded.

"On my home planet, yes. It is one of the reasons that I wish I could stay here. My wife is a fierce woman, and not one I would have chosen to spend my life with." Alana's blood ran cold.

"You're not staying?" Her voice trembled, and she felt on the verge of tears. This was too much. What would happen if he left her?

"We're not staying," he whispered. "Things have become somewhat difficult since I acquired you, and will become somewhat heated after I kill the doctor tomorrow. Tomorrow night, we go to war for Zeve. After ninety nights, we will leave this planet for good." Alana felt an overwhelming sense of relief, mixed with confusion. Why were they going to war? She knew that Kalen had gone to fight before, and could only assume that they were going back, but why take her? Was war the reason why he was on this planet? And what would his wife do to her when they got back to his world? Obviously he didn't share her concerns. Soon his body relaxed completely into sleep, his breathing gentle and steady. For a moment, Alana wondered how easy it would be to smother him as he slept. She was sure that the warriors would kill her for it, and take away all of her suffering. The thought went, though, as quickly as it had come.

Even the sun could do nothing to dispel Alana's gloom the next morning. As she sat in the sun, tears trickled down her cheeks. Over the months, her skin had become accustomed to the heat, and now it took a long time for her tanned skin to burn. Her clothing, as always, was grey and sheer with an assortment of embellishments. According to Kalen, it would be the last of such outfits that she would ever wear.

"Here." Mia threw a pile of fabric at her. "Make yourself useful and pack this." Alana climbed to her feet, and wondered the cool hallway of the house to the dressing room. She had a bag in there that was just for her. The clothes that Mia had given her consisted of light tunics, and rough leggings. The clothes would seem constricting and heavy after months of near nakedness, but she would be glad to be covered in a camp of soldiers.

Big hands encircled her waist, turning her for a kiss. When Kalen saw her tear streaked face, he sighed. As his lips met hers, Alana allowed herself to get lost in his strength. Her body ached terribly, as did her heart, but he was an anchor for her, a testament to the fact that the world would go on. He wasn't happy about yesterday's events, or the previous abortions that he had been witness to, but he was still standing. Alana decided that she would be brave, too.

"Why are you taking me?" He grinned wolfishly down at her as she asked the question. He leant towards her to give her an answer in a mock whisper.

"So you can spend your evenings warming my bed, and your days mending my clothes, woman." Alana laughed, and realised that had been Kalen's intention.

"What about cooking for you? You seem to have forgotten that one." Alana joined in with the joke, a playful look of concern spread across her features.

"Trust a slave with my food? Never! I would not risk poison." The mood sobered a little, then. The topic of poison was a little raw for both of them. "Sorry," Kalen tacked on the end. Patting her bum gently, he turned and left the room, a little package on top of her bag where a moment ago there had been nothing. Alana had no idea where he had hidden it, since he had been wearing close to nothing. Opening the wrapper, she found the most beautiful pair of blue earrings. The mounts were gold, the stones turquoise, azure and sapphire.

"When will I wear these?" Alana muttered to herself, and jumped when Mia replied.

"On his home world slaves may dress as they choose." Mia was gone again before Alana could question her further, but she slipped the earrings into her bag with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Even the sun could do nothing to dispel Alana's gloom the next morning. As she sat in the sun, tears trickled down her cheeks. Over the months, her skin had become accustomed to the heat, and now it took a long time for her tanned skin to burn. Her clothing, as always, was grey and sheer with an assortment of embellishments. According to Kalen, it would be the last of such outfits that she would ever wear.

"Here." Mia threw a pile of fabric at her. "Make yourself useful and pack this." Alana climbed to her feet, and wondered the cool hallway of the house to the dressing room. She had a bag in there that was just for her. The clothes that Mia had given her consisted of light tunics, and rough leggings. The clothes would seem constricting and heavy after months of near nakedness, but she would be glad to be covered in a camp of soldiers.

Big hands encircled her waist, turning her for a kiss. When Kalen saw her tear streaked face, he sighed. As his lips met hers, Alana allowed herself to get lost in his strength. Her body ached terribly, as did her heart, but he was an anchor for her, a testament to the fact that the world would go on. He wasn't happy about yesterday's events, or the previous abortions that he had been witness to, but he was still standing. Alana decided that she would be brave, too.

"Why are you taking me?" He grinned wolfishly down at her as she asked the question. He leant towards her to give her an answer in a mock whisper.

"So you can spend your evenings warming my bed, and your days mending my clothes, woman." Alana laughed, and realised that had been Kalen's intention.

"What about cooking for you? You seem to have forgotten that one." Alana joined in with the joke, a playful look of concern spread across her features.

"Trust a slave with my food? Never! I would not risk poison." The mood sobered a little, then. The topic of poison was a little raw for both of them. "Sorry," Kalen tacked on the end. Patting her bum gently, he turned and left the room, a little package on top of her bag where a moment ago there had been nothing. Alana had no idea where he had hidden it, since he had been wearing close to nothing. Opening the wrapper, she found the most beautiful pair of blue earrings. The mounts were gold, the stones turquoise, azure and sapphire.

"When will I wear these?" Alana muttered to herself, and jumped when Mia replied.

"On his home world slaves may dress as they choose." Mia was gone again before Alana could question her further, but she slipped the earrings into her bag with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Jaron, when he arrived, was supporting a lovely bruise. Alana grinned at him, which made him look nervous. It was actually quite entertaining to be on the giving end of an unsettling smile. With her pale face, and blood shot, red rimmed eyes, she imagined it would be very unsettling indeed.

"I believe you have something for my slave?" Without replying, Jaron held out a small box in his unsteady hand. Alana opened it to find hundreds of pills loose. She grinned a genuine grin, knowing that this would stop her feeling the heartbreak of another pregnancy.

"Thanks," she said to Kalen. She had never been so grateful for something, and couldn't find the words to tell him without bursting into tears. Instead, she steeled herself for what was sure to come next.

"Let us three walk." This surprised Alana. Kalen had said that punishment for Jaron would be swift and merciless. Was he changing his mind? He took her hand, and smiled at her as they walked towards the door, a few steps behind the doctor. "Trust me," he murmured. Alana felt she had little choice.

As they walked through the grounds, Alana started to realise that Kalen wasn't backing out of his commitment. They were heading for the stadium where thousands of warriors were gathered ready for departure. It was less than an hour until they would leave this place for good. Alana tried to memorise the green sky, the brightly coloured flowers, the way the air smelt, but she was too full of nervous energy to really concentrate. It surprised her that Kalen kept her hand in his as they approached the crowd.

"I wish to speak." His voice boomed out as the entered the arena, and every pair of eyes were on them. Jaron visibly paled. "Warriors, I know many of you did not wish me to take a slave, and that many more of you saw her bruises as a sign of ill treatment. I wish to announce that, as you feared, my slave fell pregnant." Many gasps were heard around them, several warriors drawing swords, and a few stepping forward. Kalen continued.

"The good doctor here assured me that a human would not be able to conceive a child of my species. With good faith, I took this women to my bed. In her native tongue, which Jaron speaks, she begged him for contraception, but he refused, telling her I wanted to breed. This was untrue. Knowingly, he allowed her to carry my child. Yesterday, he deceived us both, and gave her a drink to flush this child from her body against her will." Alana was trembling, and Kalen pulled her close. She was glad that he was so big, and able to shield her a little from the onlookers. Jaron had turned to stare at them, his face ashen, eyes full of fear. His shook his head as Kalen drew his sword one handed.

"I demand retribution." A cheer echoed through the stadium. Stepping away from Alana, Kalen gripped his sword and swung in a deadly ark. The edge of the sword whooshed through the air, drawing a thick line of blood across the doctor's throat. He gagged, hands reach for the wound. He started to choke. Kalen through his sword to the floor, and stepped forward. His hand shot out and broke through the doctor's ribs as he collapsed. Steaming, the heart sat in Kalen's hands. Alana felt faint, but was determined to see this through. She thought of the pain in her stomach, the horror of having her body violated by his wishes, and fought off the darkness. Kalen bit into the bloody flesh, triumph on his face. He turned to Alana as a roar of approval rippled through the crowd, and offered her the torn flesh.

Shaking her head, Alana stepped back. Kalen thrust the heart towards her again, nodding. With his free hand, he gripped her wrist and tugged her to his side.

"Taste you revenge," he urged her. Disgusted, she met his eager eyes, and decided that, with thousands of men watching, there was nothing else to do. She licked the coppery tasting muscle, then turned and threw up her breakfast. The vomit splattered her feet, and the corpse of the doctor. Another cheer erupted.

"Well," said a quiet voice beside Alana, "this is an unexpected turn of events." Alana turned to see Zeve's piercing stare studying her master. She did not think that their actions would go unpunished, even on the battlefield. With a last cry of triumph, Kalen turned, and brought his blood stained lips to hers.