Bitter Reunion
Katherine stretched, ignoring the gentle murmurs of the trio of women who seemed to be her constant companions. Blinking against the light as she opened her eyes, her lips pressed together as Zahra offered her a golden plate filled with fruits and almonds. She was determined not to eat again, stubbornly channeling her unhappiness into the only protest she could make. Rolling to her feet, she looked around her, noting that the room seemed much more a buzz, the rest of the servants moving busily to bring fresh reeds and lighting new and fresh incense. A moment later, she sat back down, a wave of nausea overwhelming her. Closingher eyes again, she waited for it to pass as the women chattered at her.
"I can't understand a word you are saying," she stated crossly once she was able to rise to her feet again. Waving them back, she took a bit of fruit and nibbled on it gingerly. Obviously she needed to eat something. He rstomach reeled again and she made a face, rubbing her belly absently. It was going to be difficult to stage a hunger strike if noteating made her feel this ill.
Her lean, tan face shrewd, Samira leaned close to Katherine to study her and then stood back, nodding to herself. She stated something at her companions which brought joyful laughter to the others who nodded and clapped. Her brows furrowing, Katherine regarded them bemusedly and finished her food. She could not understand them, but if they were happy with her, then well enough. The food seemed to settle her stomach just a little, even though it still rolled disconcertingly. She sighed and let them undress her for the bath.
Perfumed, cleaned, shaved, dressed and painted some time later, she found herself placed on new, lush silken pillows as lotus blossoms were placed in the fountain and petals strewn around the room. Samira walked around the chambers, pointed and commanding as servants rushed around, their bare, tanned bodies gleaming with perspiration from the heat of the morning. Samira had placed two servants near Katherine to fan her with the other two of the trio standing guard, pointing for Katherine to stay on the pillows. Her lips pursed, Katherine watched the process with interest and kept rubbing her unhappy stomach. Something was afoot.
At length, there was a flourish of cymbals, tambourines, and drums and the doors opened. All the servants fell to the floor, faces down as a woman was carried in on a litter held by men in kilts so thin as to be non-existent. Blushing fiercely, Katherine rose to see who was being brought to her and then gasped as she saw Flora.
Flora wished all of her kidnappings could be so nice. She had spent the days being pampered, waited on hand and foot. When she had awoken it was to being ona luxurious bed with soft sheets and pillows; servants at her beck and call. It was nice, despite the fact she had to use hand signals as she didn’t speak what she could only assume wasArabic. Cats were all around her; curled up in her lap. Purring, meowing and understanding her. None of that surprised her any longer really. The only thing was that she no longer had her amulet; the one that kept her from looking cat-like. She, as it turns out, was growing more and more feline like by the day. Flora realized easily that was the way her kidnappers wanted to be though why and for what purpose she still did not know. She was allowed to do most things; eat when she wanted, sleep when she wanted, lie around doing nothing, walk around but never alone and not far. The cat-like woman was, however, not allowed to leave. At first,she was a little scared but as the days grew she became more at ease with her captivity and though she missed Bertie and her friends there were worst fates that could have been given to her. One of the servants, a woman, came in and started motioning towards clothes that were brought in for her to put on. Rather nice clothing, if a bit see- through, though not in her normal style. It was little bother and she got dressed but didn’t know for what. She was taken and led out of the small but nice area she was usually in towards some unknown place and for some unknown purpose.
The walk was short as her feet carried her to another room, where she saw her usual litter with several men. The motion was made to get atop of it and Flora did. What fun this should be, she thought as her body was lifted off the ground asit had been before. The woman never exactly got used to the strange but nice feeling. There was some nice scenery involved with the half-naked men that had the bodies to go with the whole scene who were carrying her. While she wouldn’t cheat on her husband, thoughts did go though her mind more than once. Well, after as often as she and Bertie kept to the matrimonial bed, ten days was along time.
They walked for an hour, a canopy held over her head, the fans waving to keep her cool as they journeyed from what now was seen to be a grand palace to an impressively huge, stone building. Under and by the giant carved image sof pharaohs and gods that guarded the entrance and then into the cooler interior, the litter was carried between tall, curved and painted columns from one room to another. Finally, out of one room down what seemed like a long corridor and then the doors opened to another room. This room, right away, seemed not as nice as her own. People were bowing for her; it seemed. Strange. Very much as if she was a queen or something of great importance. One person then stood out to Flora’s eyes: Katherine? Katherine was here? Why? That same question that had haunted her the entire time did so even more now.
Katherine started to her feet with an exclamation of delight. "Oh Flora!" she cried, covering the floor between them in a few steps. The priests guarding the litter stood in her way and a frown marred her face. Dancing with excitement, she couldn't keep from grinning as the litter was put down so that Flora could alight. Darting around the attendants festooned with ostrich-feather fans, palms and incense, she lit into the dark-haired Eldren's arms like a happy child and then pulled back, holding tightly to her hands.
"Oh Flora! How are you? Are they treating you well? My heavens, they've made no more effort to dress you decently than that have me."
Flora heard Katherine’s voice and was quickly brought out of her temporary shock of seeing her friend here. She made a motion to be put down and the litter was soon put down so she could get off. The woman barely moved before her friend was hugging her. Once Katherine pulled back, Flora spoke. “I am fine. They have been treating me extremely well. I’ve been waited on hand and foot since my arrival and there are these cats…,” pointing down as oneseemed to sit near her, “that are always around me.”
Flora gave a gentle smile to her friend. “As you can see though they took my amulet. I am afraid that soon I will look so cat like that no one will recognize me.” As to the clothing. “It not the clothing that I mind as much as what had to be done in order for the look to be accomplished. How about you? Have you been treated well?”
Katherine nodded. "Aside from the sacrifice, I've been well cared for. But I’ve been lonely." She released one of Flora's hands, using the other to draw her to the inner gardens. Glancing back, her lips twisted in a wry smile as the entourage followed discreetly behind them. Well, they would follow them then, hers and Flora's caretakers. But she felt better walking and it gave her a since of normalcy to finally be with a friend. Sighing, she smiled and patted Flora's hand. "You seem to be becoming quite the kitty, darling. Neecy's amulet gone?"
Flora nodded; she figured that Katherine must miss Ezekiel. It wasn’t that Flora didn’t miss Bertie, she did but she just assumed that making a fuss was pointless and they were treating her well here. She easily let herself be led to the inner gardens; knowing they would be followed. The woman didn’t speak at first to Katherine’s comment; she instead seemed to take in the surroundings as she thought how to answer that. Despite it being obvious that these people wanted her this way, it still felt strange to the woman and she did wonder what would happen if she never got the amulet back or worse; she got it back but it no longer worked. What if she got rescued then would Bertie still want her? She couldn’t honestly say. After all thewhole marriage had originally been to get the inheritance; what if that was no longer possible? She glanced at Katherine for a moment and then said, “Yes, they took it from me when I was unconscious. I woke up with it off of me.” She sighed. “It must seem strange seeing me like this.” Even though Katherine knew about the curse, Flora always had on that amulet since she had received it, so the woman could only assume that this look was odd to her friend.
The red-headed Eldren smiled gently. "No," she answered, reaching to stroke the other woman's cheek. "I still find you beautiful. So will Bertie." She tilted her head, biting her bottom lip. "I just dread the look that Ezekiel will give me. At least your fur gives you some modesty. As you see, I am a painted woman, Flora." She leaned close, blushing slightly. "They manhandle me most inappropriately. I am. . .denuded of nature's finery as it were."
She knew that she was a married woman and so was Flora, but still the thought made her blush so thoroughly that she felt it warm even to her neck. "I am as bare as child just born, Flora. As you can plainly see through this thin covering that they call a dress." A nervous giggle escaped her. "There is not much of me that cannot be seen. Of course your men. .." She finally stopped in her tracks, boldly looking back at the coterie that discreetly followed them. "Heavens, Flora!" she whispered. "Your porters are practically naked!" With that, she led her friend to the edge of the fountain in the garden and sat them both down.
Not sure if Katherine was being nice or actually truthful; the woman just nodded and returned a slight smile back. She really needed not worry her friend about it; what was to be was to be. It was the way that Flora looked at things regarding life in general or at least tried to. She could never be sure if it was because of the amnesia or the way she had always been . . . but how would she know. “I think Ezekiel will understand, after all, this is not of your doing. I think he’ll just be happy to have you back.” Flora didn’t recall her arrival here much and wondered but she somehow doubted she was treated in the same manner as Katherine. “That sounds rather unpleasant. I am so sorry that you had to endure that.”
Flora wasn’t wearing much more than Katherine but didn’t feel that embarrassedby the lack of clothing so much as the way her body was changing. She nodded and then couldn’t help but breathe a laugh at the comment made regarding her men. “They are nice to look at, aren’t they?” She grinned. “They are always dressed like that actually.” She gotto the edge of the fountain and sat down. The woman spoke in a hushed tone, even though she doubted anyone could really understand her. “I wish I knew why we were brought here.”
Katherine nodded. "Me also." Helpless to stop herself, she kept hold of Flora's hand or sat close enough to touch her, soaking in the comfort of a friend. Flora's calm acceptance was contagious and as they talked, she found herself relaxing for the first time in nearly a fortnight. When the priests and her trio of caretakers finally approached the pair with unintelligible words and gestures, she nearly cried. Starting to her feet, her eyes flashing angrily, she glared at the group trying to get them to their feet.
"Go away! We want to be left alone." Turning to Flora, she scowled. "It's not fair. Not at all." She realized that the sun had gone beyond midday now that she was paying attention and her heart sank. "I suppose that now you must go back to your cage too. Come, if your caretakers are anything like mine, we will have no rest until we go with them. Maybe they will let you visit again soon." She rose to her feet and let the trio take charge of her, smiling at Flora sadly.
It seemed all too soon that the friends were to be separated once again. Flora wondered a little why they were given a chance to see each other but she was glad to have seen Katherine. She thought for a moment and tried to gesture tolet her stay a while longer or have Katherine come back with her, but it was to no avail and she rose when Katherine did. Letting her own watchers take her, but not before giving her friend a hug and saying quietly to her, “I believe that we are being looked for and will soon enough get rescued. Just keep in mind that Ezekiel has his powers to find us and Bertie has his. Between the two and then Josephine and her talents, we will be found.”
She was trying to give the other woman some hope and could only hope it worked. She then went towards her own keepers to be taken back to her room. The priests gently helped Flora onto her pallet as Katherine's women drew her forward. The drums and cymbals began to sound again as Flora was lifted high and the ornate doors opened. Katherine raised her hand to wave goodbye, but as the heavily muscled men began to carry Flora away, Samira and Kasmut gently ushered her to walk behind her. For a brief moment, Katherine's heart leapt with joy and then as they began to proceed down the corridor, the color left her face and she stumbled as her legs went to water.
"No, no, no, no, no," she moaned, shaking her head. They were going to the balcony; the way there was lit with torches, the floor strewn with flowers, the procession all too familiar. Whimpering, she planted her feet, only to be gently pushed forward behind the litter that carried her friend. Helpless, she couldn't stop the tears that began to roll from her eyes or the litany of denial that bubbled from her lips. Her steps had become leaden and the women were forced to close to her and propel her forward.
Flora’s reaction was, at first, the same as Katherine’s upon seeing her friend being ushered to walk behind her. However, it soon became obvious that the way they were headed was not the way she had come and they were going someplace else. She saw the way that was lit, with the flowers on the floor. It looked almost like a…wedding? Something seemed very wrong beyond Katherine’s repeated denial and she turned her head to see her friend crying.
Flora was not stupid and figured there must be a reason her friend was being shoved behind her and she was being carried. The waiting on hand and foot; the …well all of it. She was being treated like a queen, princess… well someone who mattered… so it was worth a try. She first tried telling them no but that did no good. She then tried something else and despite the height sat completely up, quickly dangling her legs over the side and jumping off the litter. Her watchers came over to her in an obviously respectful manner trying to get her back to the litter. “If you really respected me you would let me…” As she was speaking, however, one of the men did a few gestures that she didn’t understand.
“Back…litter….” Her mind suddenly became unaware of her protest of a moment ago and only wanted to get back to the litter. She was now unaware of Katherine at all…. Back. Gently and respectfully she was placed back on the litter where she laid down and if one was to listen carefully, a short but content purr could have been heard.
Through her tears, Katherine watched as Flora tried to depart her transport and then was placed gently back onto the pillows. Blinking to clear her vision, she whimpered softly, swallowing back a sob. A gentle touch of fur almost made her jump; a small ginger-colored cat slid expertly through her legs and then scampered on towards Flora's litter. Through her dread, a hazy thought meandered through her mind, knitting a few images together. There had been a herd of cats that seemed to accompany Flora into her chambers. And now another herd of cats seemed to be quite sedately accompanying them to the balcony.
I am going mad, Katherine thought to herself and bit her lip as she tried to steel herself for the panoply that surely awaited them in the inner courtyard. As she feared, the courtyard was full of worshipers and priests, the light of the late afternoon sun bathing the courtyard in a golden glow. An exquisitely carved throne, gilded and covered in fur waited on the balcony this time; Flora was reverently and gently placed into it by her attendants as Katherine was arranged beside her.
As her eyes took in the noise of the celebration below, she sought that sight that she feared and found it with a barely muted sob. Seven men, seven women, all decorated richly in gold and lapis lazuli, serenely waiting as the crowds below sang and celebrated, sneaking admiring, joyful glances and the occasional cheer at the balcony. Trembling, Katherine bowed her head, her eyes glazed, waiting for the sacrifice to come. Flora seemed to be in another world, blessedly unaware of what was to come. When the silence came, it struck Katherine with the force of a blow; she swayed, but Zahra caught her, standing firm behind her.
Flora’s mind was a morphed warped image of the reality happening around her. She felt fur, heard purring, meows, cats, her friends coming to visit that was what it was. Her hand reached to pet a cat and then another. There might have been one cat or several; her mind couldn’t tell but she was petting cats that she believed to be there. Something….music…. oh how I like music and then a cheer...good must be a concert. She heard what sounded like many voices as one or many voices as many, unsure. No idea what was really happening and then there seemed to be a blissful but sudden silence filling the air.
Oh no, oh no, no, no, no! Please dear Lord, please stop them! It was the litany that was in her head, the silent scream that was building inside her. Her stomach lurched as the priests found their places behind the young people, lovely healthy souls that looked up at now her and Flora with delight and awe. And the great, golden bowl but only now two of them, catching the light of the sun and reflecting the fire with fire. Shaking, she knew that she should close her eyes but could not as the knives began to move, graceful and deadly. Two murderers for two bowls, came the irrational thought as she noticed that the priest had garnered help in his vile deed. Wonder if he came with Flora? Andas the last two perfect bodies bled out and fell lim and the crowd below began to chant and sing, she threw herself into Flora's lap and sobbed.
There was silence and more silence, light and warmth. And then a crying head on her lap. Petting, petting makes things better. She started gently stroking Katherine’s hair not really understanding why anyone would be crying right now. It was about then though that she suddenly realized that it was Katherine sobbing and the woman looked down at her sobbing friend and then up to see… oh…God. It could not be but it was.... “Stop!”
She said with all the authority in her voice but the same man who had done gestures raised his hand once again and looked at her an odd look of respect but letting her know the same …Flora wasn’t sure what had happened but she really didn’t like more chunks of memory being taken from her mind. She said nothing else and pulled Katherine up to sit beside her, having no idea how to stop any of it from happening.
As Flora gathered her up, Katherine's eyes fell on Flora's. For a moment, she was there and then just as quickly, she was gone again, the lovely face almost blank. Hopeless and drained, Katherine yielded to the absurd and settled onto the arm of the chair and let the celebration go on below them, Flora's hand in hers. She stared mutely at the celebration, a nightmare of joy that she could do nothing to stop as silent tears ran down her face. When the sun began to touch the horizon, they were finally taken back down and Flora carried away. They were allowed their goodbyes and then it was over, Flora's attendants trotting her smartly down the corridor as Katherine was put back into her rooms.
"The celebration seems to have drained her," Zahra observed, watching the listless red-head wander towards the gardens as twilight began to fall.
Kasmut frowned. "She seemed upset, sisters."
Samira shook her head wisely. "She does not understand the honor, Kasmut. But she will. And the children within her tire her," she stated sagely. "But Bast loves her; you saw how they acted as close as sisters. The redhead will make a lovely bride for Set. He will be very pleased to have her."
Bot Kasmut and Zahra nodded. "They say the children are that of a holy man? What if their god comes for her also?" Zahra asked softly.
The older woman shrugged. "Their god has not come for her yet. He or she either does not care or is afraid of Set. Oh, look to her Zahra; she's stumbling. Make her eat something."
Nodding, the younger priestess Zahra ran to help Katherine, studying her. Yes, it was good. Set would be pleased with her. Hair like fire, eyes as green as spring reeds, strong, pretty and ripe with child, Set would reward them all for this bride.
Flora was taken back to her room and the litter was set down. She was helped off of it; proceeded to get back on to her bed, got herself comfortable and fell asleep. The priest and priestess simply nodded at each other….the goddessw as asleep and content; for now that would do.
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