Chapter One

Arlissa sat on the front step with her arms wrapped around her legs and chin on her knees, waiting for her father. He was running late, and her worry was turning to fear. There were Merculonians in the area, after all.

The sun dipped below the horizon to her left and she was bathed in twilight. “Where are you, Papa?” Soon it’d be too dark to cross the Barrens safely. She shuddered as she thought of the men and women who had died over the years in that desolate, dangerous stretch of quicksand and marshes. Tears stung here eyes as she thought of her father joining their ranks.

She blinked the tears from her eyes and squinted, trying to see the point where their path joined the one safe trail through the Barrens. There! A tiny speck was quickly growing larger. A traveler, enveloped in dust, made his way toward her. Arlissa jumped up and took a hop-step to start running. After two steps her heart jumped into her throat and she stumbled to a stop. There was more than one coming; the dust was too plenteous, even in this drier dormant season. Who was with her father?

She tucked a strand of red-gold hair behind her ear. Three figures emerged from the dust cloud. The lithe, tall figure of her father was easily recognizable. So were the squat, square, muscular figures of the other two: Merculonians!

She spun and dashed to the house, sliding on the thick dust which coated the ground. She whipped open the door, slamming it against the house, and tore inside. The crash of the door slamming closed echoed through the house and the walls shuddered from the double impact.

A middle-aged woman, just barely taller than Arlissa, bustled into the room and stopped the panicked girl. “What’s going on?” she asked as she wiped her hands on her apron.

“Mercs, Mama Joila! Papa’s brought home Mercs!”

Joila’s face relaxed. “Of course, Honey. He’s working on some negotiations and didn’t want to get stuck in the city tonight, so he invited them to dinner.”

“What?!”

“Hush! You’ll wake Jor, if you haven’t already.”

“They’re coming to dinner

?"

“Yes. Now go get cleaned up.”

“Is Papa crazy?”

Joila’s face lost its smile. “Arlissa…”

“I don’t want them here. They’re filthy, disease-ridden murderers.”

“They are not, Arlissa.” Joila’s voice became stern.

“You don’t know; you weren’t there!” she cried as she turned to escape down the hall. Her eyes met her father’s as he walked through the front door. He’d obviously heard her outburst, because his normally crinkly eyes were cold and hard. Arlissa broke contact and ran sobbing to her room.

She threw herself across the bed and buried her face in the pillow. A soft knock preceded her step-mother’s voice. “Arlissa, please come to dinner.”

“No!”

“Honey, please. This is important to your father.”

“Leave her be, Joy.”

“But, Kerl…”

“She’ll only make things worse. Come, meet our guests.” His soft voice stung her more than yelling would have.

“He doesn’t care!” she thought bitterly as she heard them move down the hall. She buried her face in her pillow.

There had been a time when he cared about what she wanted or thought. But that was before her mother died. Now, all he cared about was the next shipment of ore. He was bringing sickness and death into his home, and he was unconcerned.

She rolled over and sat up, legs dangling off the edge of the bed. He probably didn’t even care anymore that it was the Mercs that caused her mother’s death. Now that he had a new wife, he probably didn’t even think about Abrigana Shanto T’delona anymore. Four years after her death, and she was barely a memory.

Arlissa remembered her, though, and the pain was as sharp as the day she died. Arlissa had been barely fourteen when her mama passed, and the last few weeks of her mother’s life were etched deeply in Arlissa’s mind.


They were headed home. It had been a wonderful vacation, just her and Mama, at the resort on Je’ble. Two amazing weeks were spent poolside, surrounded by lush palm fronds, plate-sized hibiscus blossoms, and chattering birds of every color. The pool was long and irregular, following the contours of the Carcoa Mountains and being fed by a cool spring which bubbled from deep underground.

Mama had not swum with her this time. In fact, she seemed slightly jumpy and distracted, but Arlissa attributed this to the argument her parents had had prior to their leaving. They didn’t typically have arguments, at least as far as Arlissa knew, so this one was a big deal. She’d almost forgotten, though, after two weeks of fun, except for Mama’s lack of focus at times.

They were going to stop at Merculon first. When she asked why, Mama had told her it was business for Papa. Arlissa didn’t understand her father’s work; she only knew that Papa needed ore that was mined from Merculon to power the shield which protected their planet. Papa was some security guy or something, but Arlissa was never quite sure because neither of her parents would share anything about their work with her. Why Papa couldn’t make this trip himself, Arlissa didn’t know. Why should he ruin their fun by asking Mama to work on the way home? They’d landed about breakfast time, so they ate on the ship before venturing out.

Arlissa had never been to Merculon, but she’d heard hundreds of stories about how bleak and desolate it was. Still, she was excited to see this crazy planet. They were a poor race, these Merculonians, but occasionally one or two would find the means to make a trip to Sha’ilona to meet with her father, so Arlissa was familiar with the people, at least.

She stepped off the ship and found herself surrounded by various shades of black. The ground was a dusty gray-black, broken here and there by obsidian boulders speckled with diamond-like flecks. Mountains surrounded them like great rotten teeth. Even the sky was dark with angry-looking, roiling storm clouds.

She squeezed closer to her mother, frightened by the dark emptiness. “Where is everyone?” she heard her mother mutter under her breath. They picked their way across the littered ground toward a huge cave in the side of the nearest mountain to their right. Arlissa’s knees shook and she stumbled over rocks strewn across their path. The silence was eerie, and shivers skittered up and down her spine. The wind was hot and dry and smelled of sulfur. It was as if Death itself was breathing its foul breath upon them.

They were a few yards away from the yawning mouth of the cave when a Merculonian shuffled out of the darkness within. He was hunched and staggered toward them. Mama put her arm out, stopping Arlissa, and asked, “What’s wrong, Buror?”

“Sickness, Mum. Bad sickness. Come no closer.”

“Arlissa, go back to the ship and wait for me there. Tell Khaloon I’ll be back later.” Arlissa looked up at her mother’s face, saw fear and concern etched around her eyes and mouth, and decided to not argue. She turned and fled, stumbling over the loose stones scattered around the area.

Arlissa picked up her sketchbook and charcoal, and slumped into a chair in her suite. She was worried about her mother and wanted to go find her, but she was more frightened to leave. She sketched to take her mind off of her mother’s absence. Hours later, with stomach rumbling, she looked over the pictures she’d drawn. They were of open mouths full of black rotted teeth dripping blood and bony fingers reaching up from the ground to grab her. She whipped her book across the room.

Finally, her mother staggered in just about dinnertime, pale, haggard, her red-gold hair grimy and stringing down her back. Her gown was rumpled and stained. Arlissa ran to her, but Abrigana put up a hand. “Don’t, Arlissa. I don’t want you to get sick.”

“Are you sick, Mama?” she asked, voice shaking. She pressed into the wall, seeking stability in a swiftly tilting world. She had never seen her mother like this.

“No, no, Honey. But I’ve been around the sickness and I could be carrying it. Let me bathe and all will be well.” She staggered down the corridor to her suites across the way from Arlissa’s rooms.

Her mother looked no better at dinner, and Arlissa grew worried. Mama never got sick. Now, she was weak, pale, shaky, and quiet. Mama went to bed after eating only a few bites, and didn’t leave the rooms again the one-and-a-half days it took to fly home.

Papa met them when they landed. How he knew Mama needed him, Arlissa never found out; she assumed Khaloon must have called him on the comm-cell. Papa carried Abrigana to the trolley and held her on his lap as they rolled across the city. In their home, Papa laid her carefully onto the bed and nursed her faithfully and gently for three weeks until she died.

Arlissa knew it was the Mercs. They had given Mama their sickness. Mama tried to help them, and they killed her.

She shook herself. It did no good to dwell on all that. Mama was gone, Papa was remarried, and there was a new baby, Jor. The only thing that hadn’t changed in the last four years was Arlissa’s hatred of the Merculonians.

Jor! She jumped up from the bed. What if Mama Joila had him around the Mercs? He could get sick! She rushed from her room and sprinted down the hall. She just barely passed her parents’ room when she heard a whimper. She skidded to a stop and peeked in. The four-poster bed filled the room, leaving just enough space to open the door. On the other side of the bed, however, there was enough room to pass between it and the cradle which sat against the wall. She walked around the foot of the bed and looked down at the six-month-old. He was beating the air with his fists and kicking his feet against the mattress. His eyes were scrunched and two tears welled up and slithered down his soft cheeks. She reached down and picked him up, snuggling him under her chin.

“Shh, Jor. Lissa’s here.” She grabbed a cloth from the pouch hanging from the nail on the wall, turned, and laid the boy on the big bed. She quickly and deftly changed his diaper, patting his tummy when she was done. She tickled him with her fingertips then blew raspberries on his bare belly. He squealed and kicked his feet and she grabbed them to nibble at his toes. She played with him until his giggles turned to fussy whimpers. She picked him up and carried him to the kitchen.

“Are you hungry, little man?” she asked as she placed him down on the stone floor. He patted the rough stone as she mixed some mush in a small wood bowl.

She didn’t hear any talking from the adjoining dining room and wondered where her parents and their guests had gone. Probably out to the guest house behind their house. Of course the Merculonians would have to spend the night; there was no way they could negotiate the Barrens in the dark, especially since they were unfamiliar with the area. She picked Jor up, grabbed the bowl with the other hand, and walked into the dining room. Yep, it was empty, so she plopped into a chair and began spooning the smooth mush into Jor’s eager mouth.

“Dat is pretty baby.”

Arlissa jumped, smearing food across Jor’s cheek. She turned to see a Merc leaning against the doorframe. She glanced at the intruder and then the opposite door, planning her escape if necessary.

“Sorry to disturb. I come for my bag.” He pointed to the corner and her eyes followed his movement. Indeed, there was a crumpled, dusty, worn bag leaning against the wall. Somehow, she missed it when she came into the room.

He stepped around the table and stooped to snag the bag in his meaty hands. For a man who was so stocky and heavy-looking, he walked very softly. It had always amazed Arlissa as a little girl that they could come into a room and you wouldn’t even hear them. She hugged Jor protectively, her eyes glued to the Merc. Jor fussed; he was still hungry. Arlissa patted him absently. There was no way she was going to be distracted and let this murderer get too close to her and her brother.

He was young, probably in his mid-twenties, but he already had the creases of hard work and slim rations etched on his face. His eyes were sunken in, hidden in shadow, making him look even more evil than she already thought. He hitched the bag’s strap onto his broad shoulder and moved toward the exit. “Sorry to disturb. Please to go back to feed da baby,” he said as he left without a glance back.

Huh. She sat back in the chair. That was strange, she thought. Suddenly, a baby hand smacked her gently on her cheek and a wail pierced through her fog. She looked down at Jor. “Sorry, sweetie,” she soothed as she resumed feeding the little boy.

Her parents came into the dining room as she finished wiping Jor’s face. “Have you eaten, Lissa?” Joila asked as she sat beside the girl.

“No, I thought I’d feed Jor first.” She set the boy on the floor.

“Let me make you a plate.” Arlissa saw Joila and Papa exchange looks before Joila bustled into the kitchen. Kerl sat in the chair across the table and leaned forward. Uh oh, Lissa thought. I’m in trouble now.

“Lissa, we need to talk about your actions this evening.”

“Yes, Papa.”

“You embarrassed me, yourself and this family by your outburst and refusal to join us for supper.”

“But…”

“Do not interrupt. Chorhon and Burguro are my guests, and should have been treated as such. We had very important business matters to discuss, negotiations which would benefit both sides, and your prejudice nearly ruined that.”

She opened her mouth but he held a hand up.

“I know you believe they killed your mother. Goodness knows I’ve tried the last four years to convince you otherwise. Your mama got sick, yes. But it wasn’t their fault. It just happened. They couldn’t help getting sick any more than your mother could. That’s just the nature of epidemics. Now, most of them are gone, and those still alive are struggling to survive.”

Anger and resentment built up inside until it exploded through her mouth. “I don’t care if they all die! They’re filthy, stinking dogs who can’t take care of themselves and need us to feed them and clothe them. They can all go to rot for all I care!”

“Enough!” Kerl roared and slammed his hand on the table. Jor jumped and burst into tears. Kerl leaned down and scooped up the boy, snuggling him against his chest. “Sorry, buddy,” he whispered against the baby’s head then turned back to Arlissa.

In a slightly less angry tone, he repeated, “Enough! I don’t want to hear any more of that poison spewing from your mouth. You WILL be respectful of ANYONE I bring home, regardless of their race. You WILL treat our guests with courtesy. I WILL NOT have a repeat of today, EVER. Do you understand?”

Arlissa bowed her head. She knew she’d overstepped. Her father never raised his voice like that and it scared her. “Yes, Papa.”

“Good. Now eat your supper.”

She looked up to see Joila setting a steaming plate of stew in front of her. Their eyes met, and Arlissa saw sympathy glistening in unshed tears. She remembered, then, that Joila understood her pain; she’d lost her first husband in the same epidemic.

They left her alone to choke down her food.

Chapter Two

"Where's Papa?" Arlissa asked as she entered the kitchen.

Joila was standing over the wood stove, frying. "He's walking Chorhon and Burguro back to the city."

"Oh." Arlissa leaned over the pan and blinked the steam from her eyes. A slab of slightly purple meat was sizzling. "Burbul!" she exclaimed as she sniffed appreciatively, smacking her lips. She loved burbul. "Why didn't he take the Robin?"

"You know your Papa. He'd rather walk."

"Yeah. Not me. Give me convenience any day. I don't care how much it costs, give me a Robin to fly, a portable comm-cell to be able to call my friends, and burbul at least once a week!" She took the plate from Joila, heaping with thinly-sliced meat topped with an over-easy fried egg.

Joila chuckled. "You are the quintessential princess, aren't you?"

"Yep!" They sat and ate their steak and eggs in companionable silence. Arlissa reflected on how much she's grown to love Joila in the last couple of years.


Papa came home one day to tell Arlissa that he was dating a lady named Joila. Arlissa was shocked. Her mother had been gone not quite two years; how could he even think of another woman? She screamed and threw a fit, acting like a three-year-old instead of almost sixteen.

“I don’t want a new mama!” she remembered yelling. How she must have hurt his feelings, with the mean and hateful words that came out of her mouth, but at the time she didn’t care. She desperately missed her mother, and felt betrayed by Papa because he didn’t seem to feel the same way.

When she met Joila the first time, Arlissa was cold and withdrawn. Papa must have prepped Joila, though, because she didn’t seem offended, or even phased by, Arlissa’s attitude. Joila chatted casually, must as if she was just a friend of the family. Arlissa found Joila to be cheery and bubbly, a happy-go-lucky woman who liked to shop. Sadness lurked in her eyes, though, and Joila shared with her later about Artar’s death.

It had been hard at first to see someone come in to replace her mother when she and Papa got married. However, Joila had made a point to be more of a friend than a new mother, and Arlissa soon accepted the change. Oh, they butted heads of course, just like any teen and authority figure, but there was respect between them, too. When Arlissa turned sixteen, Joila made it a big deal: inviting her closest friends, over-decorating the house, and baking pies and cakes for the party.

It had been a difficult day, of course; Mama should have been there as she moved from child to adult. But Joila cushioned the pain with her presence, and that was the day Arlissa realized just what Joila meant to her.

She looked over to the woman who had become her best friend. “I love you, Mama Joila.”

Joila looked up, surprise on her face. “I love you, too, Liss.”

They finished the last few bites, and Arlissa took their empty plates to the kitchen and washed them. "Thanks for breakfast, Mama Joila. I think I'm going to wander outside for a bit. I'm a little restless, for some reason." She walked out of the door and meandered to the edge of the Barrens. She looked over the marshy land, green from the water that lay just below the surface, deceptively pleasant. One step off the path, however, and you would find yourself sinking knee deep in mud and mire, slowly being sucked down into the depths of the swamp, to die of suffocation. Or, if you miraculously didn't get caught by the quicksand that hid under the rushes, you could find yourself wandering miles of boggy land filled with snakes, poisonous frogs, and blood-sucking flies. There was only one truly safe continuous path through, and her father took this daily to the capital city of Blen’hran.

Arlissa had no idea why her father liked to walk to the through this death trap. But he found something relaxing in it, stating many times that the challenge of the walk helped him to forget the stress of work and the feeling of victory every time he emerged safely was invigorating. He told Arlissa the walk kept him young; indeed, he did look younger than his fifty-two years.

Arlissa would rather fly the Robin to Blen’hran whenever she wanted to visit. When she was younger, she lived in the city, but after her mother's death, Kerl decided it would be better to move out into the country. She didn't know what was behind that sudden decision, and fought tooth and nail, but now she preferred the country. She liked the quiet, soothed to sleep many a night by the songs of the frogs. Joila grew up in the country, and helped decide the current location because the Barrens reminded her of the lake area where she grew up on the other side of the Andara Mountains. She never really felt like she fit in with the citizens of the capital; her speech was coastal, she was shorter and chubbier than the more slender Central Andarans, and loved the sea.

Arlissa pulled a rush from the edge of the bog and squatted in the dirt. The cool air of the dormant season raised goose bumps on her arm and she wished she'd grabbed a sweater. She propped her chin on her knees and stared across the land. "Maybe I can run to Blen’hran and go shopping. I need some new combs for Tatana's party next month, and a new blouse wouldn't hurt." She played with the slender green plant. She didn't really want to go shopping. She didn't want to do anything.

She looked to the left and saw the distant mountains stretching from far south across the continent to disappear in the horizon to the north. She thought of the coastal cities on the other side of the range. She’d only been there once with her mother when she was ten. The smell of the sea stirred something in her, and she spent as long as she could on the beach, running in the foam, sitting and letting the waves roll over her legs. The salt dried her skin, but she didn’t care. It was hard to come back home and face the nasty, stinky, dangerous bog. I could go to Andara Lake; they’ll have boats available still, she thought.

She stood and went back into the house. Mama Joila had just clicked off the comm-cell and turned to Arlissa. “Hey, sweetie, your papa has some news…how would you like to go to Je’ble for a week?”

“What?” She jerked to a stop. Je’ble. She hadn’t been there since the year her mother died.

“Your Papa thought you might like a vacation. You haven’t hardly been out of the house since we moved here, except to go to parties and go shopping. He thought you might like to get away from Andara and travel. He said you loved traveling with him and your mama when you were smaller.”

“Yeah, I did love to go with them.” Je’ble. Yes, it would be nice to go, to get away. But could she go there, with all the memories of her time with her beloved mother? No, the memories would be too painful. “I don’t know.”

“Well, you think about it, and let me know. Papa will pick up the tickets before he comes home tonight, if you like. I’ll give him a call after lunch to let him know your decision.”

“It would be nice, Mama Joila, but Je’ble has a lot of memories of my mama.”

“Well, you could bring a friend. What about Tatana? Or Cloara?”

A friend might work…yeah…they’d keep her occupied when the memories got too bad. Hmm, it could work. But who to take? “Yeah, let me check. When does Papa think we should leave?”

“He suggested tomorrow or the next day.”

“Tomorrow? Why so fast?”

Joila looked away and swallowed. “No reason. He just thought you should get away for a bit. That’s all.”

Arlissa was skeptical. Joila was acting awfully funny, like she was nervous. Arlissa wanted to dig for more information, but she knew Joila would be closed-mouthed. She sighed. “Okay. I’ll give Tatana and Cloara a call.” Excitement and dread warred within her as she grabbed the comm-cell and hid herself in her room. She pressed the five buttons to connect to Tatana, then held the handset against her ear.

Tatana answered on the second buzz. “Hello?”

“Tatana, it’s Arlissa.”

“Hey, girl! What’s up?”

“Not a whole lot. How’s the party prep going?”

“Slow. We have pretty much all the decorations, and of course Mama can’t cook for it until that week, so we’re just in limbo for awhile. I need to get my outfit, but Mama and I are planning to visit Blen’hran in a few days. We are waiting for the new shipment from the coast.”

Of course, Arlissa thought. She swallowed the sarcastic comment before she voiced it. “So, I was wondering if you’d be able to go to Je’ble with me. Papa wants me to get away for a bit, but I don’t want to go alone.”

She could almost hear Tatana working through the pros and cons of the trip on the other end. She waited, a little impatiently, for Tatana’s answer.

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? There’s no way I could be ready by then. It’d take me three days just to pack.”

No kidding. And then you’d have six hundred bags to keep track of. “Oh. Well, I guess I could ask Cloara.”

“Wait…I didn’t say I couldn’t. Let me think a minute.” The line went silent. Arlissa forgot how jealous Tatana was of Cloara. For some reason, the two girls were always in competition with each other, and the mere mention of the other’s name would set them in a tizzy. Arlissa preferred to stay out of it. “I think it could be done. Let me check with my parents, just to be sure, and I’ll let you know in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” The line went dead before she could finish the response. Maybe it’d be better to go alone, she thought, Tatana would drive me nuts. I should have called Cloara first.

She paced her room. She hated waiting. The excitement was overcoming the dread, and she wanted to finalize plans so she could pack and go. The comm-cell buzzed. “Hello?”

“Hey, Lissa. My parents are okay with it. Mama thought maybe some of the exotic plants from Je’ble would look great at the party, and this would save us having to make a special trip. What time are we leaving?”

“Let’s leave first thing in the morning. I’ll meet you at the spaceport, say, an hour after sun-up?”

Tatana groaned. Arlissa was waiting for her to change her mind, almost hoping she would. “Okay. I guess I could manage. I’ll just sleep on the trip. I better get off here and start packing. Now, what to take…” she trailed off as she disconnected the call.

“Bye,” Arlissa responded into the silent comm-cell. She left to find her step-mother, who was sitting in the living room, gazing out the picture window.

“Mama Joila, I think I will go to Je’ble. I’ve asked Tatana to go with me, and she is going to meet me at the ship in the morning. Do you think Papa would mind flying the Robin to take me to the ship?”

“No, honey, I’m sure he wouldn’t. I’ll call him here shortly to confirm the plans and get him to purchase the tickets. Why don’t you go ahead and start packing; that way you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything in the morning.”

“Good idea. I’ll see you at supper.” Arlissa headed back to her room, stopping at her parents’ bedroom to take a peek at her little brother. Jor was sleeping away, taking one of his two or three daily naps. She looked forward to the time when Jor was old enough to run around, although she was the only one. Both Joila and Papa had told her they wanted the baby to stay little and cuddly. Arlissa knew when she first started walking destruction had been left in her wake: shelving wiped clean, books and knick knacks littering the floor. She’d been a clumsy child, more than was normal for a toddler, and the house testified to the fact. Papa said he wasn’t quite ready for a repeat.

Arlissa continued to her room, leaving the sleeping baby to his dreams. She stood, hands on hips, as she looked around. Her bed, heaping with quilts and pillows, stood in the far corner, pressed against the wall. At the foot of the bed, an old, beat-up chest held some of her most cherished toys and mementos: a stuffed bear she’d had since birth, dolls and their clothes from the best shops in the city, and a picture frame with a wrinkled photograph of her mother.

She pulled out a suitcase which was crammed in the back of her overflowing closet. Piles of clothes followed, heaping in front of the closet door. She pulled item after item from the heap and the rack, tossing this one on the bed, that one into another pile beside her. Periodically she would hold up two similar tops, looking from one to the other and back until finally deciding on one. Skirts, shoes, blouses, tunics, hats – these were sorted through and either selected or rejected. After an hour, she had a mountain of clothes and accessories perched precariously on her bed, and others strewn all over the floor. It looked as if a clothes bomb had exploded. She climbed over and waded through the mess, kicking and scooting the chaos into a semblance of order. “I can’t believe I have these many clothes,” she exclaimed in disbelief.

Reaching her bed, she sat down on the very edge, gently, trying to keep from toppling her stack and having to start the sorting process all over. She grabbed the suitcase, and began folding the various items and stacking them into the open space. The suitcase was full to bursting long before the pile was removed. She stood, finger on chin, and began the selection process again. Clothes flew over her shoulder, and a striped and frilled blouse draped over her father’s head as he peeked into the room. “Hey, easy!” he exclaimed as he plucked the shirt off.

Arlissa jumped and whipped around. “Sorry, Papa!”

“Packing, I see.”

“Yeah.” She watched as he gingerly picked his way through her mess. She scooted the pile on her bed over to give him room to sit down. She began cleaning up.

“So, Joila says you have a friend going with you. That’s great!”

“Yeah.”

“Are you excited?”

“I guess. I’m more surprised, though. It seems a little, um, suspect, maybe? Yelling at me last night, then sending me on vacation today.”

“I can see your point. I’m not sending you away because I’m mad. Please don’t think that. I really think you could use some time away.” He looked out her window.

Okay, Papa, now you’re acting weird. What’s going on with this family? “So, why are you really trying to get rid of me?”

He started. “I’m not trying to get rid of you.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking about this for awhile, and now just seems like a good time.”

“Oh.”

“Besides, I’m going to be pretty busy for awhile, and hardly home.”

“Working with the Mercs?”

“Yes.”

“Will they be here?”

“For a few days.”

“Ah. You’ll keep Jor safe, right? You won’t let him get sick?”

“Yes, he’ll be fine.”

She heard a slight catch in his voice, and she looked at him in doubt. “What’s going on, Papa?”

“Nothing, nothing. Everything’s fine.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“There’s just a lot of rumors going around that the Khartoonians are preparing for war. That’s all.”

“Is that why you’re sending me away?”

“No, I just want you to be happy, and you’ve been so miserable since your mother passed away. I want you to go to the resort, relax, have fun, and find that happy girl you used to be.”

“Okay, Papa. I believe you.” Not really, but you won’t tell me the truth, anyway, she thought.

“Good.” He rose. “I’m going to see what Joila has for supper. Don’t be too long,” he added as he exited the room.

She finished packing, pushing hard on the top of the suitcase to get it closed. Once snapped, she groaned as she moved it to the floor near her door then swept her bed clean. She surveyed the room. “I’ll clean it up when I get back. A week won’t kill it.” She walked out the door and down the hall to join the family for supper.

Jor was in high spirits. He beat the table with his spoon, giggling and gurgling in accompaniment. Arlissa tweaked his ear as she passed him, and he turned to look. A big smile split his face and he reached out his arms to his big sister. She pulled him from the chair and snuggled him on her lap. Joila placed a steaming plate of vegetables and bread before Arlissa, and she breathed in the aroma. “Mmmm,” she hummed as she recognized the sliced carrots, chunks of white potatoes, green peas and beans, and yellow squash, all fried in butter.

Kerl sat at the head of the table, and Joila took her place at his right. They all bowed their heads as Kerl prayed. Silence reigned at the table as they feasted on the garden mix, except Jor, who kept up an unintelligible commentary about each spoonful he swallowed. They finished, and Arlissa placed the boy on the floor to play as she helped clear the table.

“Mama, do you know why Papa wants me to take this trip so badly?” she asked as she helped clean the dishes.

Joila swallowed then answered, “He wants to see you relax. You’ve been tense lately, and not the happy girl he remembered, so he wants you to get away and find that joy again.”

Obviously scripted, Arlissa thought as she looked at her step-mother with skepticism. I won’t get answers from her. “Oh. That’s what he said.”

“So, do you have everything worked out with Tatana?”

“Yes, she’s going to meet me at the port.”

“Are you all packed?”

“Yeah, all ready. You know, I think I’ll go outside for a bit.”

Arlissa left the house and wandered down to the bog edge. She looked over the clumps of grass which seemed strong and safe, but in reality hid deep quicksand. If you stepped on a hillock, it would tip and dump you into the pit, where you would struggle until the pull of the sand dragged your tired body under and suffocated you. Lovely.

She turned to the house. It was a low, rambling building, made of the clay from the area, red-brown, with a cream roof. Windows framed the front door, the glass reflecting the light of the setting sun. The steps led to a shallow porch, where two benches sat against the house, one under each window. She worked her way toward the back, moving diagonally to circumvent the portion that jutted out for her bedroom. In the back, a smaller, square building sat about 100 feet from the back door. It had a single window in the front, with a door to the left. The guest house held 5 beds in 3 separate bedrooms, but the main common room in the center could be cleared to add space for bedding if necessary. It wasn’t often they had that many visitors to fill the house, but on those rare occasions, they were thankful for the room.

She continued around to the other side. All in all, it was a cozy house. They had been there for 2 years, moving right after her father’s and Joila’s marriage. Jor had been born in the master bedroom.

Arlissa thought about when they lived in the city. She didn’t really miss the hustle and bustle and the noise, but she did miss the vendors along Merchant Street and the shops throughout the city. The apartment where they had lived was huge: 6 bedrooms and 3 baths. Why did they need that much room? Perhaps they had hoped to have many children. Or, maybe it was because her father was so important in the government, and had lots of visitors. She shrugged.

She went back into the house and to bed.

Impressum

Texte: (c) 2011 Stacey Doss All rights reserved.
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 21.09.2011

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