The Island Ch. 08

8.

Lux gritted her teeth slightly against the persistent burning sensation radiating through her arm. The metallic whine of the tattoo gun was setting her on edge; she stared out of the window of her room and tried to focus on anything else; the foliage, the clouds in the distance. She had no doubt she would be sitting still in the same chair for most of the day – she would dine in her room tonight. The view had already become old.

She knew she should feel victorious. Her 'maid' (the idea of her own maid still seemed absurd to her) – one of the young lower tier girls who dressed her hair each day, had been brimming with excitement. Lux was in, she was staying – she had secured her place in the esteemed higher circle, and the maid would stay to serve her. This mark was being indelibly etched into her arm to prove it.

The higher circle tattoo was almost beautiful in its intricacy. It had the same woven-knot black circular border of the other tiers. Usually, this contained in its centre interlinked red circles – two for the second tier, three for the third, and so on. For the higher tier, however, there was just one thin red circle, and in its centre a single ornate design depicting a crown. The elite, royal circle.

In some way, she mused, she did feel a sense of victory – the tattoo, her acceptance, was at the King's order. She had not seen him, or the prince, since her ordeal in the dining hall the night before; but she must have impressed him. It seemed like a triumph, she had finally fully infiltrated this trusted circle. Still, as the silent tattooist continued, a sensation of depression, tinged with guilt, grew.

She circled her ankle, subtly, feeling the slight tug of scar tissue where her only other tattoo had once been. It brought back memories, this process, the burn. Last time, however, she had been so excited – so proud, as the little image of the tiny bird had been etched carefully into the delicate skin. It had hurt, perhaps so had been too brimming with excitement to feel it. All she could think about was the pride of her Father; the honour at being elected by the council to be their youngest ever member – only thirteen years old. The excitement of the upcoming feast in her honour, when she would be sworn in, and the tribe would bow to her. That evening, the celebration had been the best moment of her life to date – she felt that with absolute certainty. In fact, it would be the best moment of her life whatever became of her, she felt. How could it possibly be bettered now?

Of course, she never even got to sit at one council meeting – hell had reigned down before that chance came. All at the hands of the Panthera – who were now marking her as their own.

No, she didn't feel proud. She felt like a traitor, rapidly losing the little bits of her past that she had tried so hard to cling on to for ten years.

She felt a strange desperation to distance herself from her own skin.

***

It was a knock at the door that woke Felis up from his ruminations. He realised with a start, glancing at the vintage pre-war clock hanging above the door that he had been staring at a blank spot on the wall for over forty-five minutes.

He rubbed his eyes, and the prince's bowed head was what greeted Ethan as he entered the study.

Ethan's face was momentarily etched with concern.

"Are you well, your highness?"

Felis gave him a small weary half-smile as he looked up, leaning back in his chair and raising his arms behind him in a stretch.

"Yes, course Ethan. Come sit down." He waved vaguely in the direction of the large, brown leather high-back arm chairs by the fire. He rose wearily and moved to sit opposite Ethan. The fire, always in – whatever the weather and season, burned cheerfully in the grate. It seemed out of place amid the general tension.

Ethan examined the prince critically. He was clearly stressed, and not sleeping enough. There were faint dark shadows under his eyes, a gaunt look about him – he was uneasy. He decided to go for the direct approach.

"Felis – something is getting to you. You look like crap, to be frank..."

"Well, thanks!" came the sarcastic reply, but it was tinged with humour, and a little half-hearted.

Felis didn't believe in any pre-war, old–world gods – but if he had, he would have thanked them for Ethan. He was the only person in Pantheon the prince really trusted – who knew him the best, and would be absolutely honest with him. He sighed.

"The growing atmosphere can't have escaped you, Ethan...."

Ethan leant forwards in his chair, elbows on his knees, and looked at Felis keenly.

"No....There's all the usual turmoil that hits when the king returns from a trip...sexual tension is palpable everywhere you go, and there's no doubt that he's planning some spectacular celebratory orgy in honor of his return. I can see that..."

Felis gave him a flat, challenging look.

"Yes, all of that. But it's worse this time – and you know it."

"Why, though?"

Felis simply cocked an eyebrow in response.

"I'm serious Felis – you're right, everyone's on edge – more so than usual. We need to think this through. Why is that? "

The prince frowned, and seriously considered Ethan's question. He swirled the drink in his hand absentmindedly.

"Well," he murmured, "Things have been slipping. I was left to set examples amongst the scouts in the Kings absence, since they've started getting slack – that looks bad. They think the King doesn't care what they do – he turns a blind eye to what is frankly criminal. It isn't good when the second in command has to enforce the law...Then of course, there's the unrest amongst the consorts..."

"The new girl?"

Felis frowned again.

"It started before that, and you know it. Lana has been pushing the boundaries for months – she seems determined to grasp as much power as possible. The King has let her get away with too much."

He sighed.

"The girl is just bringing all the problems out in the open, let's face it. First her unusual entrance, then her clash with Lana...."

"That was hardly avoidable. We both know Lana would never let someone muscle in on her 'territory' without a fight."

"True." Felis looked tired. "But I have this awful feeling it's going to get so much worse before it gets better..."

Ethan leaned back casually, and chanced to venture into slightly dangerous ground.

"And yet, you're not exactly taking the low-risk management route..."

Felis rolled his eyes at Ethan, letting out a loud, slow breath between pursed lips.

"Go on then E. Don't hold back, tell me what you really think. You'll always make your feelings known eventually, whether I like it or not."

He smiled a little wryly, and Ethan grinned in response.

"I saw you the other night at dinner Felis – I watched your little stunt with the wine while Lana and the King weren't looking. You deliberately risked pissing off daddy dearest just to cut the newbie some slack...Why?"

Ethan hoped Felis would divulge what his feelings were for Lux. He'd been watching the Prince, trying to gauge how he felt about her, but Felis was an infuriatingly closed book when he wanted to be.

"Lana was seriously pushing her luck," Felis said grimly. "Frankly, I was a little worried about whether Lux would snap and do something drastic if I didn't step in..."

"The King has put many girls though similar if not worse 'tests' before, Felis, and you've rarely intervened in the past." Ethan pointed out, rationally.

Felis frowned again as he considered this.

" You're right. But I've never before been worried that the girl may have the potential to cause any real problems – and let's face it, generally new consorts are utterly submissive and only too eager to please. They're raised here in the city, taught to aim to serve the King."

Ethan's face was more serious now, as he met Felis' eyes.

" I agree. Which means what, that we don't really trust Lux?" It was more of a query than a statement.

A moment of thoughtfulness ensued. Finally, Felis broke the silence.

"She's a wildcard. We don't know her origins, or her motives – and we know she is strong and smart enough to be potentially dangerous. Given where she was found, I think you can guess what my suspicions are...." He gave Ethan a significant look.

"You think she may be a survivor from the... incident, ten years ago?" It had occurred to Ethan too. "She was found on the South-West isle, it would have taken a boat to travel from the South Isle. Plus, someone's trained her to fight. That's just strange."

"It's not impossible. It would be foolish to dismiss the idea completely. On the other hand, even if she is a survivor – there's no evidence she intends anyone harm. There's every possibility she would hide her origins for fear we might suspect some revenge motive and cast her out, or worse. "

Ethan murmured his agreement.

"I expected the King to be concerned about the possibility, when we told him about her."

Felis sighed.

"The King is growing careless. He thinks everyone was dealt with that day, and it was a decade ago. I'm not sure it would occur to him that one beautiful girl could be a personal threat."

"Do we talk to him about it? Make him aware of the possibility?"

Even as Ethan thought about it, he cringed. To open old wounds might have some nasty consequences. Nasty in the sense that Lux may not survive. He knew Felis was thinking the same thing.

"Maybe we're being suspicious bastards and she isn't even from...that island, originally. Perhaps she really did escape some hunters who had captured her and passed through. God E, we can't just shop her to the King for him to do who knows what to her, based on speculation!" Felis threw his hands in the air in frustration.

Ethan nodded.

"So what, we just keep an eye out? Watch her?"

Felis shrugged, and then nodded back, still looking troubled. For a moment, they sat in silence, mulling the situation over in their own heads. A bird outside the open glazed wall broke the silence with a flurry of song.

Ethan looked up at Felis.

"On the plus side... you think she's a 'beautiful girl', Eh?"

***

The beautiful girl in question was watching layers of make-up (or 'war-paint', as she'd taken to thinking of it) being applied lovingly and precisely by her maid, Mai. She observed with some detachment the increasingly familiar progression to the groomed femme fatale of Pantheon. She was almost getting used to this new alter-ego.

Night was approaching, and the tattoo on her arm was now a smarting circle of ornate tender flesh. The tattooist who had spoken not two words to her throughout the whole process had smoothed some kind of heady-smelling balm over the design, sponged off any remaining blood, and left. It was sore, but she could now ignore it.

What was occupying Lux's mind more thoroughly were the two messages she had received as the tattooist had been finishing up.

The first came from one of the guards. He had knocked (on the wall beside the heavy draperies that concealed the entrance to the rooms), and she had murmured some kind of assent for his entrance.

She didn't recognise him, but he was in the usual black get up. He gave a deep and formal bow.

"I bear a message from his majesty the King, Lady Lux." He paused, waiting for permission to speak.

'Lady Lux...' she thought to herself. Weird. That's going to take some getting used to.

She nodded.

"He wished me to convey his congratulations. His majesty requests your presence at his side during dinner tonight, and in the high lounge after dinner."

Lux nodded hesitantly as she processed the message, and the guard bowed gracefully and left.

Is she was at his side...where would Lana be? She felt distinctly nervous.

The second message came not long after the first, after the tattooist had left. The same guard was back.

" There is a consort from the second tier wishing to see you – apparently, she has permission from the Prince."

The guard's face was neutral, but the phrasing made it seem as though he half expected to refuse her visitor entry. Apparently, lower tier members didn't visit the royal quarter very often.

When she gave her assent, she surprised even herself with the relief she felt when Luca sashayed into the room. She gave Lux a deep curtsey. Lux felt a little ridiculous.

"Honestly," She murmured as the guard left, "You get a bit of ink, and suddenly everyone's bowing and dancing around you..."

Luca rose grinning.

"Congratulations, Lux of the higher circle! You certainly earned it." Her face turned a little harder.

Ah, so Luca knew what Lux had done to get here. Luckily, Lux wasn't one to feel embarrassed. She shrugged.

"So I take it you don't come up here too often?" She changed the subject.

Luca let out her fabulous throaty laugh.

" Nope, I had to tell the guard to go ask the Prince himself since he didn't believe me – eventually he caved. I'm privileged to get an invite up here..." She grinned again.

They sat down on the edge of the huge, soft bed. Lux found some of the tension that had built up over the last few days easing – it was hard to be stressed around Luca. She had an infectious brightness about her.

"Did the Prince really invite you up?"

"Yep. Well, usually its E's job to give new consort's the rundown – but he suggested to the Prince that I do it. Normally, it's not too urgent..."

Lux frowned.

"Why is it urgent now?"

Luca gave her a sidelong look.

"Girl, tonight things are going to get real heavy, real fast. The King is in the mood for a little celebration, and you and Lana are the guests of honour, so to speak..."

They spawled on the bed for about an hour, then moved to sit out in the afternoon sun, which hit Lux's balcony and warmed her skin.

She had had no idea how many rules there were to this game, but it emerged that Pantheon Law had been written down when the first women had appeared at the army base – rescued (or more likely captured, Lux thought) from the post-war wasteland.

It made some sense. There were more men, holed up safely in their military bases, than women – bombed in their homes and at the mercy of invading troops – left. Those women that survived were often traded, pretty much as slaves, between raiding post-war looters and gangs - who eventually became known as the 'hunters' of today. It was unsafe to be female since the war.

The general of Panthera was organised, fighting to make the base into a working, self-sufficient civilization since hell had come to the planet. When women arrived in the city, so few to so many men, a system needed to be developed – to protect them, and satisfy the troops. So tiers and consorts were created, and with that came even more rules.

Even after hours, Lux felt she only knew the basics, but she listened carefully. The smallest bit of information could prove useful, or essential. The girls were bound by many rules, but surprisingly, so were the men – even the King.

Lux was now property of the King and Prince – who could demand her as and when they wanted her. As Felis was second to the King, Leon's wishes came first, but she was to respect them equally as royalty. Not only that, but if they were to order her to satisfy another man or woman – whoever they may be, she should obey – but only at royal orders. She was absolutely forbidden to have sexual relations of any kind with any other male or female.

"If you were to break any Pantheon law, in theory, you can be thrown out of the tier – to be downgraded, or even imprisoned – if the crime is bad enough. Prisoners have no rights whatsoever. Those deemed enough of a threat are occasionally shot." Luca was being deadly serious now.

Well, it had been a military base, Lux thought. Rules made the place function.

"Other rules – and these will become apparent tonight, I suspect – no fighting amongst tier members. I have a feeling Lana will suffer the backlash of that tonight..."

"You mean she will be punished? For the fight we had?"

Luca nodded. "She knows better."

"She's the King's favourite...perhaps she doesn't fear him as much."

Luca laughed.

"Oh, that's possible, but then she's a fool. The King only truly loves himself these days, and his moods are fickle. And he can be cruel – he likes to inflict a bit of pain."

Luca looked at Lux carefully as if gauging her reaction. Lux's jaw tightened slightly. It was not the idea of pain turning the King on that bothered her, so much as his apparent freedom to do anything he wished. That was dangerous.

"And what's to stop the King getting carried away?" she asked, carefully neutral.

"Oh, plenty." Luca leant forward, and dropped her voice just slightly. "You need to understand, laws apply to him also – to all the men. No man can touch a woman outside of his tier, and although the King can technically upgrade anyone he fancies at any time – it doesn't happen often. He doesn't like his women to have been the property of lower men first.

You are the first new member in the higher tier for two years. It is punishable by death if a man touches a woman of another tier, especially higher, without the King's permission. Although the King is generous with his consorts, and I've no doubt some of his guard will be rewarded in the lounge tonight."

Lux nodded, to show she understood.

"No man can touch a woman like me, who is another man's sole consort – no matter what tier they are in", Luca added.

"You mean even the King can't touch you?" Lux was surprised.

"Even him. Claiming sole consort is incredibly rare, and means you are bound by some of Pantheon's oldest laws."

"Ethan loves you a great deal."

"Yes, he must do." Luca paused a second and smiled to herself, then went back to her task.

"Provided they are abiding the law with their choice of girl, a man may take whatever pleasure he chooses. Everyone has different tastes. However," at this point Luca looked at Lux significantly, "he cannot draw blood. Much of Pantheon is watched by camera in order to witness this, in case a girl should ever claim blood falsely, or a man should deny it. It is a serious offence."

"Who would punish those at the top if they should break the law?"

Luca smiled. Lux was clearly a smart girl.

"I've never seen it happen, but should complaints from five parties be raised against the king, the matter is dealt with by the Elder council. It is composed of Elder members of Pantheon, elected by the population. They know the law in great detail, and although they have no power in running the city, if complaints are raised they in theory have the power to overthrow a King, and elect a new one at the people's bidding." Luca sounded like she was quoting a book – which was probably the case.

Lux raised her eyebrows. The sheer scale and intricacy of Pantheon was stunning.

"So you see – it's complicated, but really if you keep your head down and do as the King says, you'll survive."

Lux looked suspicious. "And yet you were worried enough to make sure I knew the score before tonight..."

"E and the Prince thought it wise to prepare you. Lana and the King... they play some pretty sordid games, and they both like their sex on the rough side. To someone who doesn't know that, It can look pretty extreme..."

"...after all," Lux finished for her, with a dawning sense of apprehension, "...I imagine you could go rather a long way without ever drawing blood."

***

Before dinner, Lux had been nervous – primarily at dealing with Lana's reaction if she sat at the Kings side during dinner. She imagined that wouldn't go down too well, and as fun as it would be to drive the bitch mad with jealousy, Lux felt tired at the thought of yet more hostility. Catty skirmishes just weren't that satisfying...she was always left wanting to unleash a few blows to the head, and it wasn't permitted.