Anya Surprised

The two middle aged men nodded, half-smiles flickering across their faces. Anya knew them both. The clean-shaven man was Dominic Iscarios, a wealthy Hellene merchant, and part-owner of the local office of the Mercury Lines trading company. The second man, with a military haircut, was Thorvald Moonhart, a militia officer and a well-to-do noble. Both had played against Anya in the past, and though they had each won a share of the games, Anya made sure that when she won, it was worth more. The three younger men were complete strangers, with no obvious familial resemblance to either of the older men.

The three younger ones openly appraised Anya. The closest, a youth with a sparse mustache, slapped his knee, saying, "Right here, pretty thing!"

Anya ignored him. Looking at the two older men, she asked, "What's the game?"

"Three Rivers poker," answered Thorvald. Two cards down, four cards up and one card down, and the best five counted.

Anya nodded and sat down in an empty chair.

The second young man, a blonde, who also had the least amount of chips in front of him, saw the platter of chips Cleo placed next to her and objected. "That's too much to start in with."

Anya took a quick glance around. Dominic nodded, and Thorvald just shrugged. She had probably as much as all of them combined. "Fair enough. Chanli?"

The young guardswoman stepped forward. "My Lady?"

"Pull up a seat," she instructed. Turning to the others, "You don't mind, do you?" Without waiting for an answer, Anya roughly divided the chips into half, moving one stack to the empty chair on her other side.

"My Lady?"

"You know how to play cards, right? Good. Sit down. These chips are yours. Do your best, even against me, do you hear?"

"How can I guard–?"

Anya gave her a hard stare, and Chanli sat down. She wondered just what Captain Fisher would do to her when he found out–and she had no doubt that he would. Doing as she was bid, she swallowed nervously.

Anya took a handful of chips. "Cleo, drinks for everyone. Whatever they had before. Chanli, take off your helmet and relax." As Cleo left with their orders, Anya smiled expansively at the dealer. "Next hand, new deck, please, and deal us in."

The hand ended within a few minutes. When a foot under the table touched the inside of her calf, Anya said nothing. She thought about it, and wondered why it bothered her so. She had come to town for coupling, after all. Nonetheless, she moved her leg away. When the foot followed, she sighed and sat back, muttering a few imperceptible words just as the foot pushed up between her thighs. Suddenly the young mustached man yelped and jumped up, banging the table, nearly turning it over. "Something bit me!"

"Maybe it went where it wasn't supposed to go," Anya smiled coldly.

Iscarios and Moonhart looked at Anya and then the young man. Thorvald shook his head. "Sit down, Gaius, or say good night. And be good enough to mind your manners. This is Lady Anya, not one of the house girls."

Iscarios put down his cards and reached out to the younger man, but Gaius shook him off, glaring at Anya. "You–you magicked me!"

Chanli, realizing what must have happened, rose up, her face purpling with anger, but Anya put her hand on her arm, and she grudgingly sat back down. Anya put a stack of chips into the ante, ignoring him.

"What are you?" he demanded. "Some hedge witch?" The other two young men watched, waiting. Dominic turned away, appalled.

Thorvald stood up. "She is a Lady. Mind your manners!"

One of the young men tried to laugh it off. "She's just another cold bitch, Gaius. Don't let her get to you."

Anya stared at them balefully. "You are rude young men. I hope for your sakes, we never meet again." With that, she drained her glass and stood up. Chanli rose beside her, wondering how much of a dent her helmet would make on a couple of faces.

Behind Anya, Pericles ascended the stairs, followed by his two ever-present guards. Cleo hovered around behind. Pericles surveyed the table sternly. "Is there trouble, Lady Anya?"

"I thought there was an open spot at this table. It seems I was mistaken." Anya moved past him and briskly descended to the main floor, Chanli immediately behind her. In the middle of the floor, Anya heard a woman calling after her. "Lady Anya! Lady Anya, wait for me, please!"

Anya stopped and turned, her face dour.

Cleo hurried up, her face pleading. "Please, Lady, don't be angry with my Lord Pericles. He–he wants to speak with you, to apologize for any inconvenience you experienced."

"You are supposed to attend to me tonight, aren't you?"

"Yes, Lady." Cleo lowered her head, eyes averted. "Command me."

Anya touched the thick silver bands on Cleo's arm. To Anya, they may as well been iron. Slave. "Find me a room, Cleo. I want to retire for the night."

"At once, Lady. What about my –"

"Tell your Master that I'm not angry with him, or with you for that matter. I'm done gaming for the night. What I want now is a bed. As for you, I will require your services for the rest of the night."

"At-at once, Lady." Cleo nervously moved around to lead while not appearing too bold. "This way, please."

In another part of the inn, Cleo brought them to a two-room apartment. Other servants soon followed, bringing fresh fruit, wine and glasses. One carried a large fan, but Anya curtly dismissed him.

A short time later, Pericles himself arrived, an assistant behind him. "Lady Anya. I've been made aware of the uncouth treatment you received at the hands of some of the other guests. I assure you, they have been expelled from the premises."

"Iscarios and Moonhart had nothing to do with it," Anya said. "And Moonhart acted honorably."

Pericles nodded. "So the dealer told me. Is there anything else I can provide? Would you care for a masseuse? A special wine? Lingerie? Anything at all?"

A servant carrying a tray full of chips moved to set the tray down on a table.

"Wait," Anya called to the servant. He looked up, surprised. "Bring that here," she ordered.

"It's all there, I assure you," Pericles said.

Moving to the table, Anya took a stack of chips and set them aside. "If I doubted it, I would never come back. You are a shark, Pericles, but you have always been honest with me. These are for tonight's stay. The rest, take and convert them to gems and coin, the latter to be no more than ten percent, minus your commission for money changing, of course."

"Then you won't be staying after tomorrow?"

"I will return, but not right away. I have other business needing my attention, some of it away from the capital. I wish to keep Cleo with me tonight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm ready to retire." Anya was too irritated to sit.

Pericles motioned to the servant, and the tray of chips was carried away. "Of course, your Ladyship. I am happy you are so pleased with her."

Anya pursed her lips, staring at him.

Pericles bowed, then snapped his fingers. At the sound, the servants scurried out. Pericles and his guards followed them out, closing the doors as they left.

As soon as they were gone, Cleo hurried up to Anya, pushed her shoulder straps down, baring her young breasts, then set to loosening her waistband.

"Stop, Cleo."

"Lady?" She froze, a look of fear on her face.

Anya stroked her chin thoughtfully, slowly walking around the young woman. "Chanli, did I see a sofa in the outer room? Yes? Good. Cleo, do you know who I am?"

"You are Lady Anya."

"Is that all?"

Cleo dropped to her knees, head down. "If I have offended you, Lady, please, tell me."

"Get up," Anya said quietly. "You thought you were going to sleep with me, didn't you?"

Standing up slowly, she nodded.

"How did you become a slave, Cleo?" Anya motioned for her to cover herself.

"My-my parents were poor, Lady." Nervous and confused, Cleo did as she was bid.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen, Lady." She trembled.

"Where are you from? And when did you become a slave?" The Kingdom of Tildor discouraged the importation of slaves, but allowed it because their own laws allowed slavery for major crimes such as murder. By law, however, after five years, weregild, or the right to buy one's freedom, had to be allowed, and no criminal bond ever lasted longer than twenty. Ba'lorian law strictly forbade enslaving children, and that law was enforced throughout the kingdom of Tildor. It might be difficult to enforce, but a Ba'lorian slave could even refuse sexual favors.

"From Malganna, in the Caloren States. I was seven, Lady." Seeing the look on Anya's face, she hastened to add, "My current master only purchased me last summer."

Her answer didn't sway Anya. If Pericles had purchased and brought her into Tildor before her fourteenth year, he would be heavily fined, and Chloe would be freed. It was obvious she had been coached on what to say. Anya turned to Chanli. "Take a pillow from my bed and a blanket into the other room, please."

While Chanli obeyed, Anya gently caressed the girl's cheek. "I want you to go in the other room and get a good night's sleep. When I need you, Chanli will rouse you."

"Yes, Lady." Flustered, the young girl exited to the outer apartment.

A few minutes later, Chanli returned, closing the intervening door. Anya poured water into a large basin, laid out a towel onto the carpeted floor, then stepped out of her short dress. "What do you think, Chanli?"

"Lady?"

"Chloe. Do you think she would make good use of her freedom?"

"I don't know, Lady."

Anya leaned over a wash basin, talking as she soaped herself from face to crotch, then washed off with a wet towel. "If she is of good character, I would like to help her out. Think of it. To be taken from your parents as a child. If we had lived in her country, it could have happened to either of us. Some people do not regard women or girls as highly as our people do. Perhaps she worked in a large household? There are scars on her back, but someone's gone to the trouble of removing most of the evidence. No doubt because it impaired her beauty. I don't think she was in a brothel, otherwise she would act more sure of herself. Sometimes I wish I had my mother's ability to read people." She wiped down her legs and feet, then began drying herself with a second towel. "I'm asking your opinion, Chanli. Part of your job is to assess people. Assess her."

"I've just met her. I scarcely think I can make such a judgment, my Lady."

Anya frowned. "Don't try that with me. I've been around soldiers and guardsmen all my life. My father prized men and women who can think on their feet. You're here because ... because ..." Because Captain Fisher – Jannon – thought she was good enough. She turned away. "Just think about it, all right?"

"My Lady, may I know why you want this? It would help me understand."

Anya wiped her eyes, and turned back. "My parents taught me that ruling is a serious responsibility. Sometimes I listened while they discussed and made difficult decisions. My father once told me that with so many people under our care, the sad truth is that there is always going to be injustice, poverty, and evil, no matter how much we try and fight against it. We must do the best we can so the majority will prosper, and that their lives will be as safe as we can make them. As for those who come into our path, we can and should intervene directly. Make a difference where we can. You know. Protect the weak and helpless."

"Quoting scripture, and living it, too." Chanli nodded thoughtfully.

"Not as much as I should be. Just something I learned from my mother. Over and over."

Chanli smiled at the common childhood memory. "Parents can do that." She looked around and scooped up a blanket. "I'll sleep here," she said, pointing to the foot of the bed.

Anya drank a glass of cool water, then climbed naked into bed. "Don't be silly. The sofa is long enough. Move it if you must, but don't sleep on the floor. I don't want to trip on you if I have to get up later. There's an actual toilet, not a chamber pot, behind that screen. It's magical, like the ones we have at home." With a wave of her hand and a phrase of power, three lights went out, leaving only the lamp by the door still lit.

Chanli did her toilet, washed her face and hands, then moved the sofa. Moving the lamp close by, she put it out, then pulled the light blanket over herself. She was tired and more than ready to close her eyes.

"Chanli? Aren't you going to remove your chain armor or even take off your boots?"

"No, my Lady. I'm on duty, even if I'm going to sleep."

"Very well then. Good night."

"Sleep well, my Lady."

* * * * * * * Chapter 9 * * * * * * *

Sometime around dawn, as she turned over, Chanli heard low cries coming from the bed. Instantly alert, she moved quietly. As her boots hit the floor, her sword hissed free. Chanli looked for anything out of the ordinary in the dark, but she could make only vaguely make out the sin-duchess and little else. She went to the lamp, reaching into her wallet for matches.

"No! Don't kill him!" Anya sat up and screamed.

Chanli sheathed her sword and rushed over. "Lady Anya! Are you okay? Lady!"

"No! Stop it, please! Stop!"

Chanli grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Anya paused, gasped, then collapsed and covered her face, sobbing.

Chloe pounded on the door. "Hey! What's happening?" came her muffled voice. "I heard a scream. If-if I don't get an answer, I–I'll get somebody! I will!"

Chanli looked helplessly at Anya, then went to the door and unlocked it. Chloe stood there, brown eyes huge, the lamp shaking in her hands.

"It's all right," Chanli said, taking the light from her. "I think it was just a nightmare. Go get some warm wine for her. I'll leave the door unlocked."

Chloe tried to peer past. Muffled sobs came from the far side of the dark room.

"Hey!" Chanli barked. "I gave you an order. Get to it!"

The young girl jumped, then bolted. Chanli closed the door and went back to the sin-duchess, setting the lamp down onto a nearby night stand. The sin-Duchess cried into her pillow. Chanli waited half an instant, then instinctively did what she had done for her younger siblings not so many years earlier. She sat down, drew Anya into her arms and began to rock, caressing her back. "It's okay. Just a bad dream. It's okay. You're safe now."

Anya clung to her, her sobs soon quieting to ragged breathing filled with sniffles.

A short time later, Chloe returned, timidly entering the room with a decanter and a large cup. "Is she all right?"

"I'm okay, Chloe," came Anya's muffled voice. She sniffed and sat up. Chloe passed her a hand towel. Anya took it, wiped her eyes and then blew her nose. "Thank you."

The young girl filled the cup, the steam clearly visible as its fruity aroma filled the air. Hands shaking, she picked it up and moved closer. Chanli intercepted the cup and took a drink before handing it over. "Taste's fine. Be careful," she advised. "It's pretty hot."

Anya looked at them both before taking it from the guardswoman's hand.

"Go on. That's right," Chanli said. "Get it down. It'll help."

Chloe cleared her throat. "Lady? May I get you anything else?"

Anya shook her head. "No, thank you. I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep now."

Chloe bowed, picking up the second lamp, and left, closing the door behind her.

Chanli stood up, taking the cup from Anya. "Another cup?"

"No. I'll be fine now." She blew her nose again.

"Yes, Lady." Chanli put down the cup, then went back to the sofa.

"Chanli?"

The guardswoman straightened out her blanket. "Lady?"

"Please, come into bed with me. Right now, I really need to be held."

Understanding crossed her face. Like her younger siblings. "Of course."

"But first, I insist you take off your chain mail. The sword can stay close, but not in the bed." Anya looked down. "Boots, too."

Chanli chuckled. "Yes, Lady." She pulled off her over-shirt and the chain followed, laying them on the sofa. Many pounds lighter, she removed her boots and heavy leather trousers as well. She set her scabbarded long sword leaning against the night stand. Wearing undershirt and panties, Chanli climbed into bed. Anya moved back, making room for her.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Anya closed her eyes briefly. "No."

The waver in Anya's voice gave Chanli all the instruction she needed. Drawing her close again, she kissed the top of her head. "Shhh. You're safe now."

Anya closed her eyes, huddling close. The light from the lamp flickered, casting wild shadows across the walls, but it was comforting nonetheless. In the far distance, Chanli heard the town bell chiming. Five bells. Nearly dawn. Soon, they were both asleep.

* * * * * * * Chapter 10 * * * * * * *

It was the sound of people entering the room that woke Chanli. Grabbing her sword, she rolled out of bed and crouched defensively. The servants eyed her nervously, but continued with their duties. Anya sat nearby at a new table. Chanli stood up, chagrined at finding so many people in the room without knowing about it first.

One servant, with a cart, set down a covered tray before Anya, then another at a second, empty seat. Others brought in a large tub, while behind them, a line of carters brought in buckets of steaming hot water, pouring the contents into the tub.

"Relax," Anya told Chanli. "Use the toilet, wash up, and then come have some breakfast." A servant uncovered Anya's plate with a flourish and stepped back. Anya glanced at Chanli. "You might wish to dress while you're at it." Another servant poured glasses of juice, water, and cold milk. Anya sniffed appreciatively. "It smells good."

Chanli blinked, then did as she was bid. Hurrying through her morning toilet, she washed quickly, then put on her trousers. When she picked up her chain armor, Anya chided her.

"Please, Chanli, sit down and eat before it gets cold. Chloe, go get your own breakfast, then inform your Master that I wish for him to attend me."

The young slave-girl bowed and left.

Chanli lifted her arms and let the heavy armor slide down. A roll of her shoulders and a tug helped it sit more comfortably. "My Lady, there are people coming and going. How can I protect you if something goes amiss?"

Anya smiled faintly. "Be assured that right now there are protections in place. So, please, sit and eat."

Servants continued to enter, filling the tub. When one servant moved to put oils and perfumes into the water, Anya motioned him over. Sniffing through the selection, she said, "Roses, crocus, and violets. Kemetic kyaphi, yes? I thought so. I like roses, but they don't agree with me. Hmmm, that's jasmine? Yes, that and the almond oil. That's enough. Some like a different scent for different parts of the body. I think too many scents confuse the garden. Leave several towels. My guard will attend my bath."

The servant bowed and complied. When the waterline was reached, the tub was covered to keep the heat in as long as possible. After the last of the servants left the room, Anya stood up, disrobed, and stepped into the water.

When Chanli rose, Anya said, "Sit. Finish your breakfast. When I'm ready for your help with my hair and back, I'll let you know."

"Yes, Lady."

"Call me Anya. At least when we're in private, all right?" Reaching for soap, she began lathering up.

"Lady?"

"You've earned it. You're conscientious and take your work seriously. I like that." Anya lathered up her shoulders and breasts. "More than that, Chanli, you were there last night for me." She smiled, more to herself than to the young guardswoman. "I'd also like to think that we can be friends. In the years ahead, I will need friends, people I can depend upon."

"For when you inherit the duchy?"

Anya nodded, pleased at the insight.