Brides of War - Ch. 05

That Evening

We were a little behind schedule. We wouldn't enter the magnetic fields till sometime in the early morning. In the meantime, I knew exactly what I wanted to be doing.

Drawing close to my quarters I brightened upon spying Alora out in the hall. Instead of the welcome expected, though I noticed right off that she was very nervous, even upset.

My protective instincts went into overdrive and as I neared her I asked, "What is wrong?"

Alora's arms were crossed. She took in a steadying breath and then began, "The three other women are here. Sally is inside with them."

I looked with concern towards the closed door fighting for patience so that I didn't bark at Alora, who seemed to be on pins and needles. Forcing control I brought my gaze back to Alora.

I knew that I could be very intimidating at times and doing my best to calm the façade of my face down I said, "Darling, I need to know what's wrong."

Alora spoke haltingly, the tone of her voice reflecting the utter truth of her words, "These three women do not want to be your wives. I cannot understate that enough. They have been quite clear about it. Very clear and frankly their dangerous, especially the Cherion. Pardon me for saying this, but I think she could go head-to-head in a fight with any man on this ship and potentially win. I'm not saying she would beat you in a fight, but my fear is that any one of the three seems more than capable of stabbing you in the back or cutting your throat while you're asleep. Sally is in agreement with me. Neither of us can fathom why the Doctor picked the ones that she did for you. From what I have gathered from others on board is that the refugee girls to a one are ecstatic over their changed fortunes and well.... to bluntly state the matter, it seems that the only three rotten eggs in the basket have been dumped in your lap. They are quite attractive, but they are also very deadly."

"Aren't you deadly? You were a field agent were you not?"

Alora ducked her head down, "Yes, I am deadly, but I would never hurt you. I'm afraid these girls will and I don't want that to happen and Sally feels the same way. It's all your decision, but I just.... I just..."

"Wanted to warn me." I finished for her.

She nodded. I tipped her chin up and kissed her passionately.

When I was done, she had a bit of a dizzy look that said she'd briefly glimpsed heaven, even as for myself, I could say that I had almost been living there for the past three days.

"Shall we then inspect the tigers?"

Alora rolled her eyes, but quickly added, "Please be careful. If you want Sally and I can help hold them down or tie them up."

I looked askance at her and exclaimed, "Good grief no! No one's getting tied down!"

Moving past her I decided on making a grand entrance. Opening the door of my cabin I slammed it backward hard, so hard that it rebounded off the cabin wall.

I caught it on the rebound and pushed my way into the room. All four women in the room had jumped to their feet in short order of the door opening.

My face wrathful, because in truth I was angry I stared at the three new additions. These three newcomers had greatly disturbed two women that I cared deeply for and I wasn't happy about it.

"Petty Officer Sally Lee have these three been burdensome to you?"

Sally stuttered as to what to say and thus the truth was instantly discernible.

"That's enough. I'll take that as a yes."

I turned to face the three women. They were gorgeous.

They were also sullen, sulky, and even bitchy in the ways they were gazing at me as each had managed to regain their composure after my grand entrance. Three hard cases to be sure, indeed, what was the good Doctor up to?

My hand went down to my side and without hesitation I pulled my gun free and bringing it up I cocked it at the ready. I registered a gasp from somewhere behind me, while Sally remained very still saying nothing.

The indolent self-assured confidence on the faces of the three women before me had completely disappeared at the un-sheathing of my weapon. I aimed down the gun barrel at each of their faces taking my time before saying with utter sincerity, "If any one of you so much as harms one hair of either of my two wives I will put a bullet right between your eyes. Is this understood?"

All three of the women glanced toward Sally and then Alora and quickly nodded assent as their gazes came back to me. I released the trigger safely and brought the gun down to my side.

"Good, I'm glad to see that you can agree to something other than your stated wish not to be my wives. About that, about being my wives - I don't need you. I have more value with these two women than any ten men are lucky to find in a lifetime of endlessly searching for just one good woman. I already have two of the finest women ever made so if you three think I'm going to put up with your bratty disrespectful ways you've got another thing coming. I run this ship. The lives of everyone on board are my responsibility and if I think that any of you three are a threat to the others on board then I will end the threat. Out here I am the Captain in charge of everything. In here, in the presence of my women, I want to find peace and if you three think you're going to disrupt my peace then you three had better think up a different plan. So if you don't want to be my wives that is fine by me and right there's the door."

Silence reigned in the room as all three women glanced at the doorway. A very street savvy looking candidate with light chocolate colored skin and a head full of long beaded tresses said, "I don't want to go."

The other two looked at her like she was a traitor, but she patently ignored their looks. Meeting her gaze head on I stared her down.

I could see that she was both tough and smart. "You're good with the rules, as stated, so far?"

"Yes Sir." She did a good bluff, but there were telltale signs that she felt like she was on thin ice.

"Very well, you can come and stand over here by Sally."

Obediently she did as I commanded. Turning my gaze to the two remaining women I said, "Well, what's it going to be? I don't have all day and what free time I have I'd like to be spending doing something else."

The shorter of the two, a brown skinned girl with raven black hair glanced uncertainly up at the face of the ringleader of the three. The ringleader stood perhaps an inch taller than me and she was very strongly built and if I had been a betting man I would've placed odds on her being able to best over half the men of the ship, myself potentially included.

Her skin was coal black and she stared at me out of a pair of eyes that knew how to hate. Her athletic face reflected both anger and passion.

No doubt a passion to ram home a dagger and snap it off in my chest. She appeared to be full blood Cherion and her people and my people had been at odds for a very long time.

The shorter girl pressed her leader by nudging her, but got no response. The tall black woman spoke then and I felt a thrill as the sound of her exotic accented voice rolled off of me, "If we go what happens to us?"

Gazing into her dark eyes I gave her the truth, "If we were still over landmass I'd offload both of you and let you make a go of it on your own, but we're not. We've been over open ocean for a day and a half now and we're not going back. You are stuck on this ship and your fate runs right along with the rest of the crew and their new wives. If you go out the door, I will see to it that you have your needs cared for and as the occasion warrants I will field the request of members of the crew who wish to take you on as additional wives and don't care that you are unwilling to that reality. I will do my very best to see that you are placed well, but you will be placed with a man, regardless and again if any of my crew end up dead because of it then you will die. You have my word on it. I know full well that this arrangement is very cold and heartless, but the reality is that your people sold you to us and we as a very plain matter of fact bought you in order to sire babies through you in order to build back the ranks of a people almost wiped off the face of the map. Whether you want to have babies by me or another man is entirely up to you, but you will have babies nonetheless."

"I did not ask to come here!" The tall woman rejoined passionately.

"I know that and I'm truly sorry for you, but the facts are the facts. There is no going back."

Emotionally, she looked about briefly before her eyes came back to me. She looked at a loss for words.

The shorter girl beside her did a flurry of hand movements, which caught me by surprise. The tall woman looked from her to me and with reluctance, she relayed the message, "She is asking if we could have some time to decide, whether... whether our life will be with you or another man."

She looked away from me as if saying the words had left a bitter taste in her mouth and what a mouth it was. My gaze left her and settled on the shorter one.

I rather got the picture that these two were a team. The big one was the protector for a girl who could not speak and the shorter girl was the calm reserve that her bigger compatriot sorely lacked.

I knew sign language and my own hands moved as I said, "Only if you both agree to give me an answer in three days. During that time I will not touch you, but you will be free to sleep on the beds behind you and I will see that no harm comes to you."

The girl's face reflected relief and then looking up at her compatriot she gave the taller woman a sharp tug of the arm. Jaw working hard the tall black girl after a moment nodded her assent to the deal.

The shorter one smiled and I felt myself being endeared toward her. She was a loyal friend. Loyalty was a trait hard to come by.

My hands moved, "Why can you not speak?"

Instead of her hands moving it was the black girl that spoke, "A man, it was a man! He not like the way she suck him off so he cut out her tongue!"

Speaking the words that she had it was clear that in her eyes I was no better than the man that had done such a deplorable act. Her war was on all men and not just on me apparently.

The shorter one laid a calming hand on the arm of her protector and the veracity the black girl was manifesting as if on the verge of being ready to try to destroy me stepped down a notch. The brown girl wasn't deaf so I said out loud to her, "Something tells me that you have a desire to learn. To attain knowledge. To read. Am I correct?"

The girl didn't deny it and by the way her eyes pulsed with interest I had my answer. I glanced to Sally, whose expression had turned softly caring, "Would you mind showing her the records room and facilitate her getting a passcode for the database library."

Sally was already moving, "Yes, Master, it would be my pleasure."

She moved forward and directed the girl out the door who went only to eagerly at the proposition of gaining access to so much knowledge. The black girl watched her go with concern and to ease her concern I said, "She's completely safe with Sally. Do not worry."

Her gaze came back to me uncertainly and I asked her, "What is your name?"

"Talia." She said with evident reluctance to divulge anything to me.

"That is a very beautiful name, even as you are a very beautiful woman Talia. But no matter how beautiful you may be you have a flaw that's about a mile wide that runs right down the middle and is destroying your life. You have seemingly no control over your anger. I'm sure you have every right to be angry Talia. But the reality is that if you hope at all to make a good life for yourself with me or any other man you've got to get yourself put in check. Now I assume that you know how to fight, correct?"

The girl blinked and then said sullenly, "Yes, all my life."

"Any particular fight style requiring discipline?"

She shook her head no.

"Alora?"

"I'm on it Captain."

Alora beckoned to Talia, "Come with me and I will do my best to instruct you in the art of Jinglama. Maybe we can even find a man or two in the practice arena for you to spar with and beat the living sense out of."

The two moved off. My head turned and I took in the girl with long beaded tresses who was looking at me with frank admiration.

"What made you jump ship early?" I asked of her.

"I recognize a superior negotiator when I see one."

Smiling softly I said, "You're very good with flattery. Something says you have a lot of experience with men. You know how they act and what they like to hear and so knowing these things serves all the better for you to learn how to best manipulate them."

Her smile broadened and she nodded as if admitting a point to my tally. Entirely serious faced, though I said, "I hate manipulators whether they be male or female. Tell me what are you scared of? Don't give me the tough girl look. You've been hurt and you use your cleverness to stay one step ahead of the game and if there's one thing I don't need near me, it's a woman that I can't put any trust in."

She immediately redirected, "You trust Talia?"

"We're not talking about Talia, we're discussing you. Out with it or you're on the same probation that they are."

That jerked her chain and I saw her eyes look for the answer to my question. I recognized the struggle and softly I said, "Never belonging anywhere, never being respected for who you are, and no hope of a positive future that will last past a few well-placed lies meant to maintain it?"

She blinked and looking very shaken, she whispered, "Yes."

"What you don't see in your endless manipulations is that the lies you tell are the very things that end up ripping apart your reality again and again. In your heart you know this, I think."

She nodded, looking truly undone.

"No matter how hard you try you can't stop though can you?"

She nodded again.

"Well, I'm going to prove to you that that's not the case. When you're with me, you will speak the truth and don't you dare add anything to it or subtract anything from it. In order to get started on this path of truth you're going to need some encouragement. Have you ever been spanked?"

Looking shaken, she nodded.

"Well, it goes like this. You lie or seek to manipulate me in any way and I will spank you. Just one spank. You do it again and I will spank you two times and on and on it will increase until we reach 100 times per a lie. If you haven't learned honesty and the value of being a person of their word by then, I will know then that you are far too gone to change and I will write you a bill of divorce and you will be free to go on your own way."

I watched her take in my declaration of intent. She swallowed hard and I said, "You know what I think? I think you'll never get close to 50 let alone a100. I think you're smart, even as you are beautiful. I think more than anything you want a chance for positive change and right now I'm giving it to you. You know what the stakes are and Honey, I'm very accomplished at being able to see through lies and any fabrications you might think to come up with. I crave honesty both in myself and others. I also admire loyalty like your friend who can't speak has in great supply. I admire the caring heart and willingness to protect that I see in Talia towards her friend. She's been hurt and she's angry because of it and I am able with that in mind to forgive a lot of bad attitude on her part. You've all been hurt and it affects you in different ways, but now is the time to move on. We can't change the past, but we can change the future by what we do in the present. So what is it that hurt you the most? We're going to have a conversation now and you're going to speak the truth or so help me your ass will feel my hand often."

I pulled a chair out at my desk and said, "Here, sit down."

Slowly she came to it and sat down. I knelt down before her and start taking her shoes off, if shoes is what you could call them. They were little more than rags wrapped around pieces of tattered leather.

Glancing up I asked, "Still glad that you asked to be a wife of mine?"

Her lips moved, "Yes and no."

In general, she stared at me with great trepidation and uncertainty as to what I was up to. I smiled and said, "I do believe you are telling me the truth. Speak the truth and I will respect you, always. Got it?"

She nodded.

Her bare feet were now in my hands. Sitting down on the floor I began to deeply massage each of them one by one.

"What are you doing?" She asked after a long moment.

"Showing you who I am. Who are you?"

"I'm nothing." The words she spoke were the very essence of bitterness. I glanced up and saw the reality that what she had said was what she held to be the actual truth of herself.

Shaking my head I said, "No, you're wrong."

"How would you know?"

"Because you're my wife and to me you will never be quantified as being nothing."

"What if I lie too many times?"

"We both know that you won't. Do you like your feet being massaged?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever had a man do this for you before?"

"No."

"What have you had men do to you?"

There was a long pause. I glanced up, but my hands didn't stop their task.

She was on the hook and she hated it, but there was something else hindering her too.

"I won't judge you. Tell me. Tell me everything."

A war seemed to end in her and I felt it through her feet. I glanced back down and focused on continuing the massage of her feet as I patiently waited for her to speak.

Her voice sounding husky she said, "Things were never good."

I nodded encouragingly.

"My father put me out for tricks when I was 12. He'd been making use of me since I was 10. The men paid him and I got nothing. He only fed me enough to keep men interested. He said if I was hungry, I should suck more men. There were days the only food I had was what I sucked out of men. I hate the taste of man seed!"

I nodded. She was quiet then and I glanced up.

Her eyes were turbulent as she asked, "You still want me?"

I nodded.

"Why?"

"I find you beautiful and I don't just mean this physical body that you possess. You have a soul and I can see a different future for you and as much as I am able I would like to help you attain it."

"I thought my only purpose was to be used to make babies?"

Shaking my head I said, "Alas, my own words used against me."

"You said them."

"I did. You're right. In my defense, though I was speaking to a very angry woman in an emotionally charged moment. The reality is different. You aren't just a baby making machine to me. Truly I mean that. There is so much more to a relationship between a man and a woman than simply the process of making a baby. I want to really know you."

"There is nothing good about me to know."

"I don't agree at all with that. Now, you've done a good job of being honest and sharing a little bit about your past. Now I have a question for you about me."

I stopped massaging her foot and looked up to see her intensely regarding me.

"Do you think I'm a man of my word?"

Her answer was instant, "Yes."

"So if I tell you something you'll believe me, right?"

She nodded.

"Okay then. Here are some promises that I will make to you. I don't abuse children. Do you believe me?"

"Yes."

"I would never ever sell one of my children, even if my life depended on it."

I glanced at her and she nodded, even as a single tear started to make its way slowly down her cheek. For emphasis I reached my hand up and placed it over her womb and looking into her eyes, I said, "Every child born to us will be loved, cherished, and protected."

More tears were falling, but again she nodded.

"You will be an exceptional mother."

More tears flowed down her face. It took a long time before her head moved, but it did finally nod.