Page 26 of What Fury Brings
And if so, what could she do to change that?
6
Time seemed to slow for Olerra as Andrastus fought her every step of the journey. When she tried to give him a history lesson, he talked over her, and so she gagged him. He would look anywhere but at her. To show that he wasn’t paying attention.
She tried to explain what their day-to-day lives would be like.
“In the mornings, we will dine together with the nobles. Afterward, I will resume my work with the queen’s armies, while you’re free to go to the gymnasium, where most of the husbands and harems spend their free time. You are welcome to pursue any activities you wish. In the evenings, we will dine together and enjoy the city together. We will retire together.” Here she paused, gauging his reaction. “After our nightly routine, we will separate until the next morning. You will have your own room. Most of your time will be your own, but I do need you to make appearances to impress everyone.”
“Fuck off!” he’d shout whenever she tried to remove his gag.
He was loud and obnoxious when he wanted to be, and she feared that he would be unsuitable for company when they reached Amarra.
For days Olerra tried to give him the information he would need. He ate from her hands. He gave her scathing looks. Nothing was changing.
She hadn’t expected immediate results, of course. But she’d hoped forsomething.
The night before they reached their destination, Ydra said, “We’vetried your way, Olerra. It’s not working. Gentle coaxing isn’t something the Brutes understand. You need to show him the alternative. How he will be treated if he doesn’t behave. Treat him as most of the court treats their men. You can be gentle as a reward. For now, it’s time to show strength. It may be the only thing he responds to.”
Andrastus overheard their exchange, as was Ydra’s intent.
Olerra pulled her friend aside, this time out of earshot. “What do you propose?”
“Make a mockery of him when we arrive at the palace. He doesn’t want to act like a prince? Don’t treat him like one. Make him a plaything as the other courtiers do of their common men. Not in private. Just in public.”
Olerra looked over her shoulder to where he was still strapped to the cart. “I didn’t want it to be like that between us.”
“I know, but it’s not forever. Just until he comes around. You cannot deny that our ancestors perfected these methods. They’re used for a reason.”
Olerra took a deep breath. He would hate her even more for this.
But as long as that hate turned into want, it would be worth it.
The next morning, they removed Sanos’s shirt. It felt nice in the overheated Amarran air, but then he had to guesswhythey were removing his shirt.
“What happened to your chest?” Olerra said, outraged.
Sanos looked down his torso, where patches of hair were missing from the birthday party traditions.
“My brothers,” he explained.
Olerra looked to Ydra.
“No one will notice from a distance,” her friend assured her.
Next they removed his shoes, then hoisted him up like a flag and tied his bound hands to the back of their seat so he would be forced to stand.
Only then did they ride through the city gates.
Trumpets sounded, heralding the return of the queen potential, and Sanos bore the scrutiny of the masses as they clopped through the city. He felt his skin burning from the direct contact with the sun. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, and he could taste the salt in the air from the nearby ocean.
Women pointed and commented on his physique. Men stood by their sides, holding groceries or other wares for their wives or mothers. Those whose genders he couldn’t discern were in the mix, too. Some appeared male but wore dresses. Some appeared female yet drew beards on their faces with makeup. There were also unusual pairings in the streets. Men holding the hands of other men. Women with women.
It wasn’t done in his country. Same-sex pairings were illegal, yet here they were in the open. Here they seemed to flourish.
The men paired with women wore peculiar armbands around their left biceps. Some were made with thin wires or twine. Some had rocks or seashells beaded through. Must have been some Amarran fashion.
He thought it peculiar that the men wore more jewelry than the women, but Sanos had more pressing concerns.
