Kalin's Story
Kalin came to the next morning, with the aide of cold water. He groaned, feeling stiff muscles ache as he first began to move. He opened his eyes to see the overseer glowering at him, sighed, and attempted to sit up, propping himself up on his arms.
Pain shot through his left arm and it collapsed. He winced, as the memory of it being fractured came back to him. They could at least have splinted it, he thought, wondering what other surprises he'd find when he attempted to stand.
His leg was in worse shape than his arm, completely broken. This had been splinted, although not well, and a crutch had been provided. It was too small for him, but better than putting weight on his injured extremity.
Too sore to argue, he followed the overseer's instructions and limped out of the hut. The rest of the slaves were eating a relatively decent breakfast, better than usual. It must be some sort of holiday, Kalin reflected, not surprised when he was told his food rations were suspended for the day.
Someone else caught the overseer's attention, and Kalin was glad to be out from under his scrutiny. He lent against a tree, wishing he had a real cast. His leg jarred every time he took a step.
"Hey, Kalin," his friend waved, walking to him. "I heard about what you and the Lady did last night." Kalin nodded in answer, still too out of it to talk. "Everyone heard. She's grateful to you and the Lady. But..."
"Hmm?"
"I still want to know what you two were doing together in the first place... Let alone afterwards, in our hut."
Kalin concentrated on a deep breath. "What's it to you?" he asked.
"I don't really care, but the rumors are flying. I'm not the only one who saw you two together, y'know, and more people have been mentioning seeing you two together for a few weeks now. Something going on with you and her?"
"What?" Kalin and Riss had been careful to keep their meetings discreet, as they doubted that Elthis would react well to Serissa befriending his favorite target. "Me and her? Hell no, we just saw our friend at the same time and went over to help."
"And after?"
Kalin shrugged, and then wished he hadn't. A wave of pain washed through his arm. "She was upset, she's never seen anything like that before. I was the nearest sympathetic ear, I guess."
"You? Sympathetic to one of them?" came the surprised reply. "I never thought I'd see the day."
[OPENING CREDITS]
Episode 4: Romance in Ruins
Kalin limped towards the kitchen, surrounded by the girls who worked with him. Normally, they'd be gossiping and laughing with one another, but the addition of the girl that Kalin and Serissa had helped quieted them. Kalin was glad to see the girl would be working in the house, and was pretty sure Serissa had been behind it.
"Are... Are you okay?" she asked Kalin quietly, as they walked.
"Fine," he answered cheerfully, lying through his teeth. No reason to give her another worry.
"You... Yesterday, you and Lady Serissa... If it wasn't for you..." she sounded as if she was about to cry. Kalin stopped walking, and placed a hand under her chin, lifting her face to look up at him.
"What happened to you was horrible. It wasn't your fault at all. I just wish that Riss and I could have prevented it," he said. She blushed, but the forming tears never fell, which came as a relief to Kalin. If there's one thing I can't deal with, it's crying...
They entered the kitchen a minute later, and Serissa was already there. Her face was bruised, as were her arms, but she was otherwise fine - no where near as bad as Kalin. "'Morning," she said to him.
"Yeah," he answered, exhausted. She saw his limp and the crutch, and wished she could have saved him. At least he won't be in the fields today, she thought, turning her attention to the girl she'd met the day before.
"How're you doing this morning?" she asked, a note of forced cheer in her voice. The girl gave her a wane smile. "I hope you're feeling better."
"I am, Lady, thank you," came the polite reply.
"Call me Riss," Riss said with a wink. "That goes for all of you, actually. We're stuck in here together for too long every day to be so formal."
Kalin blinked in surprise. They'd talked about that a few times, but she'd never mentioned she'd decided to go through with it. "It's Ocandis today," Riss continued, naming a holiday that was generally celebrated with a large feast. "My father has hired actual cooks to do the feast, but we're expected to present a better-than-usual breakfast and lunch." She sighed. "We should get working."
As the crew got started, Kalin kept his thoughts to himself. No one seems to be arguing much today. I think that yesterday probably gave everyone a good deal more respect for Riss. Even me, he thought.
She's been using "please," and "thank you," a good deal more today, too. That could be it. Or part of it. I should mention that to her later.
He watched Serissa orchestrate the meal's preparation, and smiled encouragingly. She grinned back, a smile so filled with pride and-Kalin realized with a start-something much deeper. An emotion he hadn't felt in a long time and one he had never thought he'd receive again.
Shocked, Kalin began to wonder why he'd done something as monumentally stupid as fall in love with a girl he ought to hate.
"Serissa, I..." he couldn't say the words. She was sitting at a vanity table, brushing her hair and preparing for the feast. "I..."
"Hmmm?" She looked up at him curiously.
"I...."
"Kalin, I know," she said, stepping closer to him. "I love you too."
And they kissed.
"Something wrong?" Kalin asked, sitting up. He'd been waiting in her room for the feast to end; lying on her bed and daydreaming. If he'd been caught, he'd have been in trouble, but Kalin knew for a fact that no one was looking for him, since everyone had been at the feast.
"Father liked the cooks," came the annoyed reply. "A lot."
"So...?"
She sat next to him. "So he's hiring them on a permanent basis. Which means that nearly all of the kitchen slaves will be going to the fields."
"Oh," Kalin said, mulling this over. He then added, "Damn." As if I wasn't hurt enough...
She sighed, sitting next to him. "I'm sorry... I'm... Look, I talked to Hirith-he's the one who assigns the servants and handles finances and things-he said he can keep you in the house as a servant until your leg heals."
"...Which could take a very long time," Kalin said thoughtfully. "I mean, when it's not properly dealt with- which it isn't - it can break again very easily." Serissa rolled her eyes. "How'd you manage to get that worked out?"
Now Riss grinned. "It seems Hirith has a grandmother who's completely insane and he's terrified my father will find out about it."
Kalin laughed. "This from the girl who though eavesdropping was immoral? What happened to that innocence?"
"You stole it," she answered, leaning over and kissing him. He kissed back without hesitation.
"Thank you," she whispered, as they separated.
"For what?"
"Everything," she answered. "You're the most important person in my life. If it wasn't for you... I don't ever want to go back to being the girl I was before we met."
"I don't want you to, either," he answered, kissing her gently again.
[EYECATCH]
It was almost midnight when Kalin made his way back to the slaves' huts. He and Serissa had spent the evening together, mostly fantasizing about what the future would be like together... But they both knew it was fantasy only, and that the difference in their stations would see to it that they could never really be together.
But, Kalin reflected, as he noted a few people sitting awake under a tree, it's fun to pretend. And mostly harmless.
"Hey, Kalin, where ya' been?" asked the familiar voice of his friend.
Kalin shrugged, joining them. He leant on his crutch and answered, "Here and there."
"Mmmhmmm. We were waiting ta' see if you'd been knocked out again or somethin' - this is where they usually dump you."
"So that leaves a guy wondering," said the second slave, the Loyal who shared the hut with Kalin, "...If you're here and awake, what were you doing? There're rumors..."
"Rumors?"
"Yep."
Kalin realized this sounded bad, if even the slaves who spent most of the day in the fields were catching on to him and Riss, how long could it be until her father noticed? "What rumors?" he asked, much calmer than he felt.
"Y'know..." the Loyal smirked. "You an' the Lady." Kalin started to object, but was interrupted by, "Please. Anyone can see... You're more loyal than I am."
"What are you talking about? I'm not - That's just stupid," Kalin answered.
The Loyal glanced at something behind Kalin, gave him another obnoxious sneer. "Really? Well, I don't think it's stupid. I can tell by watching you - you an' her. You're so loyal to her it's sick. Not even I'm that devoted."
"Devoted - Loyal -" Kalin shook his head. "I am not. Take it back!"
"You're not?" The loyal laughed. "I guess I was wrong, but I coulda sworn you'd fallen for her."
"Yeah, you're wrong," Kalin snapped. "Goddess' sake, I'm the one with a name - You honestly though I'd be loyal to any of them? To a... A whiny brat like her?" Kalin winced inside at the words, but figured they were necessary. He had to make the Loyal believe he and Riss didn't care about each other, and believe it enough to spread it. And, on top of that, he wasn't loyal. Serissa was one thing, but that was love - completely different.
"She's a whiny brat? I'd never have thought you'd say that..."
"Well, I am saying that," Kalin answered.
"Sorry to offend you, Friend," the Loyal said. If Kalin hadn't been half-panicked and half-mad, he'd have heard the manipulation in the other slave's voice or have noticed the look of concern on his friend's face. "It's just that from what we've seen, it looks like you care an awful lot about the Lady."
"I don't," Kalin said, "And if my leg wasn't broken, I'd kill you for even accusing me of being Loyal."
"Which you already said you're not, not even a little, not even to Lady Serissa," the Loyal continued, and now even Kalin was suspicious as to the extra emphasis. But he figured it was too late and he ought to continue for the sake of himself and Serissa.
"Yeah - I said it. You want me to say it again or something?"
The Loyal shrugged, and a feminine voice behind Kalin hissed, "Yes. Say it."
He spun to see Serissa standing behind him, her eyes narrowed into slits. She'd followed him. He had no idea she'd been there and it clicked into place why the Loyal had been forcing him to say things he'd regret.
"I -" he stopped. On the one hand, he couldn't say anything to Serissa, not when he cared so much for her. But on the other hand, he couldn't back down with other people watching, it would make their love too obvious and they'd both suffer for it.
"I had just said... That is, I'm not Loyal. Everyone knows that." It's the best I can do, Kalin thought to himself, almost wincing from the look of anger Serissa gave him. Goddess damn that Loyal, I'm going to kill him-
"But... You said..." she glared at him. He shrugged, silently praying she knew it was an act. However, if the Goddess heard him, She didn't carry the message. "You lying son of a bitch. I suppose that tonight - Everything that's happened - You were just using me?"
"Well, I..." he shrugged again. "What did you expect?"
"I expected-" she cut off, seeming to notice to other two slaves for the first time. "Get out of here," she snarled at them. They both fled immediately, and she turned her attention back to Kalin.
"How dare you!" she yelled accusingly, flying in to a rage. Her eyes glinted with anger. "You said you loved me, that you cared, that-" she stopped. "How fucking dare you?"
"Riss, I didn't mean-" he started. With the others gone he decided he'd risk telling her the truth. There was a chance they'd overhear him, but she was too angry think rationally if he didn't explain. "Listen to me, that wasn't what you think at all, it was-"
"Shut up," she snarled.
"Serissa, I-"
"I said shut up, slave!"
He stared at her for a moment, completely shocked. It wasn't what she'd called him-which was, technically, accurate-but she wasn't listening to him. One of the things Kalin loved about her was that she would listen to him, that his advice meant something to her, and now she wouldn't even let him explain. She'd ordered him to silence-
Not that being ordered to be quiet had ever kept Kalin from speaking his mind. Before he could think about it, an answer came by reflex. "My name is Kalin," he responded icily, his features now beginning to reflect her anger.
She laughed mirthlessly. "A name? No, boy, you have no name anymore. You're no one, boy, nothing to me or to anyone. You never will be again."
"Serissa-" he snapped, angry.
"Lady to you, you son of a-" she cut off, then fixed her glare on him and started again. "You used me and I let you! I'm so stupid!"
"Yes you are," he muttered, although he was thinking more along the lines of stupid for not listening than for letting herself be used - which, he reminded himself, he hadn't done. But even if he had... "But what do you care? You got what you wanted out of it."
"What do I care?! I care because I trusted you and you let me. I should have known better- I should have know my father was right, you're just a lazy, smart-ass slave."
"And you're a spoiled rotten, selfish, useless bitch," he spat. He was mad and he knew exactly what her weaknesses were.
Now it was her turn to be shocked. "You-" she stammered, stepping forward without knowing what she was doing. She raised a hand and slapped him across the cheek, turned and fled, tears streaming down her face. And for once, Kalin didn't care that she was crying. He was furious at her comments and the blow had made it worse, and at that moment, he wouldn't have cared if she'd thrown herself off a cliff.
"Brilliant move there, loverboy," commented one of his roommates when he entered the hut several minutes later. "I'm sure her Daddy will be thrilled with you."
"Shut up."
"I bet he'll beat the shit out of you for this."
"Shut up."
"I bet-"
"Shut up!" Kalin finally roared.
"Or what, you'll beat me with your crutch? I'm terrified - Boy." The Loyal smirked at him one final time before he sauntered out of the hut.
The anger hadn't faded by the next morning. Kalin noted other slaves avoiding him and didn't care, and knew what was coming as soon as he saw the overseer's twisted smile fix on him. "How the privileged fall from favor," he mocked, getting only a glare in response. "You're back to the fields where you belong today, boy, crutch or no. And step out of line once..." he trailed off menacingly.
I step out of line and they punish me. She'd love to see that. Damned if I'll give her the satisfaction.
And so he worked. Sweat drenched him, his muscles ached, he felt as if he would pass out from hunger - but he worked. The overseer watched him like a hawk all day, but couldn't find anything wrong with his performance. No one spoke a word to him that night, and it was just as well; he fell asleep directly after his tiny meal and didn't awake until dawn the next morning.
And he worked. Gradually, he found himself less tired at the end of each day, and less sore; at the end of a week, he found himself thinking of Serissa as he worked. He was still angry, although it was less passionate now. Never again, he thought bitterly. Never again will anyone get that close. Maybe no one will ever care about me again, but I won't care about anyone else, either.
No matter how pathetic she is. But she'll be back, I can feel that; Serissa needs me. But I don't need her. And I don't feel like-
He glanced up from the field, looking over the grain to see a group ride by. Serissa was among them, riding with a few young Warriors and other Ladies. She was watching the field, he could see, scanning it for him. He ducked his head and went back to work. If I'm nothing to her, then damned if I'll let her pick me out of a crowd.
Serissa ignored the witty remarks that were flying around her. Warriors were vying for her attention and she didn't care. All she could hear was the memory of the conversation she'd overheard, her father talking to Taylin.
"She's an adult, Taylin, it's about time she got married."
"Are you sure she's ready?"
"She'll get used to it. I just have to pick out someone for her, someone I want to inherit the manor. I've mentioned this to a few of the younger Warriors, told them to try and earn her favor. If she likes one, good; if not, I'll choose for her."
She'd heard this the day after she and Kalin had stopped speaking, and her first instinct had been to find him and ask his help. However, when she remembered what he'd said the anger flared back up and she couldn't stand the thought of asking for his help.
Better married to one of these idiots than...Than what? Married to Kalin? She would have laughed at the thought, if she wasn't surrounded by other people. He's a slave, and I'm an idiot for even having dreamed...
Without even thinking about it, she scanned the field for Kalin. However, the slaves working were too far away and too indistinct. If he was there, she couldn't tell.
Serissa reminded herself firmly that she didn't care about him and rode on.