Laramie: Chapter Three: The Master

My heart beat fiercely against my chest. A boy with tousled hair and a girl with dead eyes, both my age, and myself were taken to see the master the next morning. The woman who had purchased us, or the head madame as I had now found out, was not there to escort us as she had promised. In her stead she sent one of the lesser madame’s, one that was kinder and gentler to take us to the dreaded master.

While the rest of the slaves were sent off to eat, the three of us chosen were taken to a room to be tidied and examined. My stomach was growling but the madame either did not hear that I was starving, or she did not care. She gave me new clothes and attempted to comb out a months worth of knots from my hair, which was nothing short of excruciating. I reveled in the pain however. Anything to take my mind off….

No. It was too painful to think of. A sharp tug on my arm told me we were leaving that room. We were taken through a maze of long corridors and bustling rooms, until after we had traversed the entire palace it seemed, we had at last arrived at a great double door, intricately inlaid with gems and linings of gold. It seemed the master was unabashed at showing his wealth. And indeed he wanted everyone to know just how well off he truly was.

My stomach was doing summersaults and I was sure I would throw up at any moment. We were called inside and the great doors seemed to open at their own will. I had trouble catching my breath. I was in awe of the great world around me, and yet I was terrified by that same greatness. The madame ushered us in, bowed her head and announced our names to an old man sitting atop a throne at the far end of the highly crafted room.

“May I present to you three orphaned children of the year of the biting serpent. At your request, I give to you Markus, Angelia, and Laramie.” Her bow so low she looked as though she ought to topple over.

“Thank you Liha.” The man across the room said and he waived a hand. The madame straightened and exited the room. His eyes turned towards us three children standing destitute before him. “Markus, tell me your mothers name.”

The boy looked up, a whisper of fear in his eyes. “My lord?”

“Your mother. What was her name?” the old man seemed tiered and impatient. It appeared he did not like children.

“Marna.”

“You may leave. Go back to your duties. I wish not to see you again.” The boy had barely had his mothers name on his lips when he was dismissed. It was as if the master had been looking for someone for some time and he was bored of the searching. “Little blind girl. Your mothers name?”

She let out a terrified squeak, then swallowed and tried again. “Me ma’s name was Ig-”

“Thank you, you are dismissed.” He turned towards me. “Do I even bother to ask?”

“Mellinor.” I don’t know why I lied. Perhaps it was that I had felt closer to her than my own mother, perhaps it was self-preservation, perhaps it was shear recklessness. I saw a pattern of recognition pass across his face and for a moment I was terrified that I had already been found out, but then it passed and he too dismissed me.

“Get back to work, I have a school to run. I have no time searching for someone who does not exist.”

And that was my first experience with the cold-hearted master.

 

I ran through the halls. Searching. I needed to find Insurgi; I needed to know if he was ok. I couldn’t help but be fearful. I needed him, and right now I had a sinking feeling that he needed me too. My mind was racing faster than I was flying through the halls, not knowing where I was going, but sure I was headed in the right direction. It was as if his presence called to me, and I would never get lost as long as I could feel where he was. He was my light in that dark world. And I was his.

I clumsily stumbled into the kitchens. I don’t know how I found it. All I knew at that moment was pure relief as I saw Surg glancing up at me. Joy in our hearts for being together again. Pain of our loss. A release from all the fear. And safety, that once again my world was whole. As long as he was there, nothing could touch me.

Liha took me aside to explain to me my tasks, but my eyes never left Surgs. “Do you understand what I’ve told you?” She asked, but I did not respond. She slapped my face. “Laramie!” she shouted.

I dragged my eyes away from him. “Yes I understand.” I looked at her. Again I saw kindness in her eyes, but it was distant. As if this life had made her hard as stone. But there it lingered, needing only someone to break down the barrier around her soul.

“Then get to it.” She demanded. And turned back to her other duties. I walked to the far wall to grab my kitchen smock. We all had our uniforms, so the madame’s could make sure we were doing our proper jobs.

I went over to the ovens to grab my smock. I would be in dark green, for washing dishes. And there was a surprising amount of dishes. As I was pulling the shirt over my head I heard someone sidle up beside me, I already knew who it was.

“Are you ok?” Surg whispered through the corners of his mouth.

“I think so. The master asked me who my mother was.” I was so hungry I could have gnawed off my own arm. Surg seemed to have known already for he stuffed a stale lump of bread into my hands, which I devoured greedily.

“Oh.” He sounded mildly surprised. And relieved.

“I gave them your mothers name.” He looked at me with curious surprise, and with an obvious air of why. I scoffed. “Its none of their business who my mother was. And besides, my mother only lived long enough to bring me into this world. She cared nothing for me, and Mellinor was more mother to me than anyone else could even attempt to be.” I said all matter-of-factly. Perhaps trying to convince myself a little. I didn’t feel the need to mention the master’s slight recognition at the name. I wasn’t even sure how to feel about it myself.

One of the madame’s found her way over to us, and stood towering over us. “Ought there be jobs to do for both of ya?”

Surg scampered away quickly, and I didn’t blame him. This woman’s girth was terrifying. “I apologize ma’am.”

“I don’t want ta hear it!” she glared down at me, but I stood my ground. Grant it I may have shrunk a few inches. “I just know I’m gonna have a problem with you. Now get to work!”

“Yes ma’am” I stammered and I gratefully turned and bounded over to the sinks.

There was a team of seven of us. All we did, all day long was wash dishes. Five girls and two men. They were a dour bunch. But I suppose, as slaves, one can’t really help being dour.

We washed the plates, bowls, cups, and eating and carving utensils used by the students and staff and slaves. We washed the cookery that was used to prepare the meals. If something fell on the floor we washed it. If it was just lying around and no one knew why, we washed it. We washed and washed. We washed until I could no longer feel my fingers. They became raw and itchy for over exposure to the soap. And still we washed.

Days turned into weeks and into months. The Withering wasted away and soon the Abounding came into its full. I turned thirteen with no celebration. No presents no mention of it except from Surg; my loyal and faithful friend who never ceased to find time for me, nor I him.

For months now we had been sneaking out of our shelter at night to find one another in the gardens and to simply rest in each other’s company. We hardly felt the need to talk, and indeed we were often far too exhausted to do so.

 

Tonight was the same. We each snuck out at the darkest time of night, between the moons. Led by starlight we separately found our way into the gardens, light by starlight. The gardens were almost magical. The master had imported fantastical trees and flowers for his piece. Trees from the forests of the Relvuline with their blue leaves and silver bark. Fire roses the burned at their cores. There was also a shrub that looked as if it might eat you should you get too close. We and everyone else who traveled through the gardens stayed away from that particular bush.

I snuck around to the most centre point of the garden. There held a single golden plant that held a single fiery red bud that bloomed only once every thousand years, but that was so beautiful it was said to make the hardest men weep for joy. This was where Surg and I met every night. No one came here unless the flower was about to bloom, which wouldn’t be for another hundred years or so. We would be alone.

“Surg?” I asked quietly into the night. I heard a bird call answer from the other side of the golden leaves. I smiled. Only he would do a birdcall at night. I gandered around the bush and saw him sitting on a stolen pillow. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Its better than sitting on the ground!” he reminded. “And besides, no one will notice. You’ll clean them up nicely with your vene and I’ll put them back in a cupboard no one has opened in years.”

I gave him a sarcastic smile then plopped down next to him. My eyes met his and a flash passed before our eyes. It had become so common now we hardly noticed. I saw him throughout his day. Cleaning room after room. Dull and boring. That’s how he felt. I saw him being beat by a madame. “Surg!” I exasperated. “Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“Get under the madame’s hair like that. What if they decide you’re not worth the trouble? What if they trade you to another house?”

“Larie,” he said soothingly, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. “If they chuck me out I will find a way to take you with me, we will always be together I promise you.” He didn’t even ask how I knew, we had simply begun to accept the strange link between us.

“Now that’s terrifying thought.” I started giggling. “You and me together forever.” I teased.

“Oh shut up.” He rolled his eyes at me. But smiled nonetheless. We lay there for a few moments simply gazing at the stars, creating our own constellations. Nearby I could hear a gazelle and her fawn wandering through the garden. The master also enjoyed displaying exotic pets. “I heard the Shadow Master is coming tomorrow.”

“I heard that too.” I didn’t let him hear the fear in my voice. He needed me to be strong tonight. “I’m sure all will be alright, he is inspecting the school, not its slaves. He won’t give us a second thought.”

“Its not that Laramie.” And of course I knew it wasn’t. It was about his parents and how they died. The gazelle turned a corner and began grazing at a near patch of grass. I sat up and watched not wanting to listen anymore. The sadness that made it hard for him to speak affected me as well. Somehow my hand found its way into his, and our fingers interlaced. “What if they are with him?”

He was talking about Nualen, Lawrence, and their colleagues, although he didn’t know their names. “They won’t be. And if they are-“

“I’ll kill them.” He didn’t say it savagely, although its what he meant. He was more frightened than anything.

“I won’t let them hurt you Surg.” I said gently. Holding his face in my hands, I gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.” No one will ever hurt you again.” I promised, and I intended to make it so.  He didn’t know how important to me he was.

“I do know.” I glanced at him. He had an uncanny ability to read my thoughts sometimes. “I know because its how you feel to me.” I put my arm around his shoulder and we laid back down and simply gazed at the stars, too tiered for anymore talking. A faint breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and bushes around us. The gazelle and her baby sniffed the air and trotted away. The sky lightened as the second moon dared to start making her ascension into the sky.

“Come on Surg. Soon it will be too light to sneak back into the quarters.” We gathered the pillows, I lifted my hand and willed them to be clean, and so they were. We snuck them back inside the school, and then we said our goodnights. I gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek one last time. And then we parted for the night.