Page 62 of What Fury Brings
“So I’m to be hated and treated like trash because of my preference for women?”
Olerra leaned forward until their knees were touching. She was pleased that he didn’t move away from her. “No. If you let me, Andrastus, I would besogood to you. I only wanted to help you understand. To punish you, yes, but, more importantly, to help you compare your country to mine and see the world through our eyes. I’m not saying it’s right. Just that there is areasonfor it. Most in my country believe that if we don’t dominate men, then they will go right back to oppressing us. We must behave this way to protect ourselves.”
Quieter, she asked, “What reason is there for the way the men of your country treat women?”
He didn’t answer.
When they returned to the palace, Sanos was relieved, thinking that would be that, but no, she had one more torture for him to endure that evening.
“Who the fuck is that?” he demanded.
A woman was waiting in his room. On his bedside table, she unrolled a leather case containing all manner of needles. There was also a bucket of ice, a burning candle, and vials of ointments.
“Sit,” Olerra instructed. When he resisted, she motioned for the eunuchs to strap him to his bed. He fought, but as usual, it did no good when he was so outnumbered.
“I’m honored that you sent for me,” the new woman said. She looked to be in her mid-thirties and was riddled with tattoos on her throat and arms.
“Thank you for coming, Ersha. We’re going to do a single piercing on the right lobe, I think.”
Piercing.Only now Sanos recalled her saying that word earlier. He hadn’t associated it with this, because why in the world would it meanthis?
His protests went ignored.
“And for the earring?” Ersha asked.
“Let’s do an onyx stud, please.”
“To match the armband. How perfect.”
Sanos watched her bring a hollow needle into his line of sight. She held it over the candle flame first. Then she put some sort of ointment on it. She cleaned his ear with the same ointment, using a warm rag.
“Ready?” the piercer asked him.
“Fuck off.”
“Breathe in,” she instructed. “And breathe out.”
“Fuck!”
“Just a moment more,” Ersha said.
He felt a lesser pinch, which must have been the earring going in. Then came the ice, which soothed his heated skin.
“Keep it clean. Use these vials twice a day. You know the routine,” the piercer said.
Olerra leaned over him to inspect his ear. Ersha removed the ice for her.
“Oh, it’s beautiful.”
Beautiful.
That was not a word one should use to describe a man.
Certainly not the crown prince of Brutus.
“I love it, Ersha. Thank you!” Olerra said.
She hugged the woman. Hugged her.
