Return of the Matka-Zem (The Sorain Chronicles) (24 page)

"
We can always fly, Matka-Zem." Alana's calm voice caused her to jump in fright. She spun around to find both Mlinzi standing behind her. Alana's lips quivered with a suppressed smile while Parth chuckled softly at her surprise.

"
Are you for real, Alana?" Valencia closed the distance between them to study the female, ignoring Parth.

"
Would I lie to you, Matka-Zem?" Alana voice was monotone but her eyes flashed with irritation.

"
I never said you did, Alana. It's an Earth saying for 'tell me more.'" It was her turn to chuckle. "Do you have an aircraft or a glider to get us off this building, if we need to?"

"
No, there are no airships on Sora, only hovercrafts," Parth said, answering her question. "The sky is the Apria domain. It belongs to their kind."

"
Then how do we get off this building?" Preferring a straight answer instead of the round-about ways of the Mlinzi, she felt a touch of irritation bubble inside her. She briefly wondered what other rules and domains she needed to know about.

"
Have no fear, Matka-Zem." Alana's voice remained flat and did not give away her true meaning. "The Mlinzi will help you."

"
Stop calling me that! I have a name, Alana," Valencia snapped with irritation. "Call me Princess like Thane does, if you can't bring yourself to say my real name." Just saying Thane's name aloud made her heart flip and she realized just how much she missed the Mlinzi already. Wishing he was here with her only caused her anxiety to increase. Thane was right. She did need to learn how to handle her own affairs without his guidance.

"
I beg your forgiveness, Matka . . . Princess." Alana bowed her head in servitude.

"
Do you know where they will be holding the council meeting?" Valencia changed the subject to a more important topic.

"
Yes, they hold them in the throne room." Alana tilted her head in wonder. "Are you planning on attending?"

"
I haven't been invited, but I will be joining the council."

Sly smiles grew on both Mlinzi
's faces at her response.

"
But first tell me what you heard last night." Strolling over to the recliner that sat by a small pool she ordered them to sit.

Through the Mlinzi, she learned that the people outside the city were happy the Matka-Zem had finally returned, but not all were content. Although their crops were now growing, some thought it was just a matter of time before she demanded compensation. The Torpek would reap the benefits, demanding the best of the harvest in her name, and charge them for the use of the Matka-Zem
's powers.

"
And if they don't comply, they think I will cause another drought or something?" She rubbed her chin between index finger and thumb in thought.

"
It has been this way for close to a hundred years, Princess," Parth grumbled.

"
And before that, what was the world like?"

When both Mlinzi remained quiet, she rose to her feet.

"I have to get ready. Remember to take Donna into the city, Parth. She has some research to do for me."

"
Does the human ever stop talking?" Parth groaned in misery. He asked so softly that she thought he was talking to himself, but she answered him anyway.

"
Never, but she will grow on you." As she headed back inside the apartment, she groaned when she saw the four women waiting for her. Like a pack of dogs, they rushed to her as soon as she stepped inside the suite. The women had obeyed her orders and had not worn the burkas, save one. The young girl still donned the purple veil.

"
I thought I told you not to wear that thing," she snapped at the girl and Gabby fell to her knees in fright.

"
Do not blame the child, Matka-Zem." Ona stood by a floating silver disk that held a tray of hot food and drink. With a wave of her hand, the disk floated toward her. "It is best for all concerned that she remains covered."

"
And why is that?" She touched the girl's back with her fingertips and felt the girl squirm in terror. "Get up, Gabby. I'm not going to hurt you." When Gabby finally got to her feet, she gently removed the burka and tossed it across the room. "You will never wear this again. Do you understand, Gabby?"

"
The child should be covered to hide her shame, Matka-Zem." With distaste, Ona looked down her nose at the girl. "She is the product of an unsanctioned union."

"
You mean she is from an interracial relationship?" Startled by Ona's comment, she started to dislike the older woman.

A low stool and a metallic table slid out of the floor. Ona began to prepare a dish of eggs and toast. Valencia sat on the hard stool and glanced at the Mlinzi. Their grim faces spoke volumes and she had to agree with their displeasure.

"For purity, there is no sanctioned breeding between the Torpek and other races, Princess." Ona set the breakfast before her and glared at Gabby. "The girl is the product of a Torpek lord coupling with his slave. Because of the Lord Torpek's blood, death was not an option, but the girl must remain in the city. She would not be welcome anywhere else."

"
There is slavery here?" Surprised by the news, Valencia lost her appetite and pushed the plate away.

"
Yes, everyone who wears the veil is a slave, Princess." Ona poured a glass of juice and set it before her. "The different colors represent the different Torpek lords. The dark purple is your color."

"
Come here, Gabby." When the girl did not move, she rose to her feet and closed the distance between them. With a firm grip on the girl's chin, she studied her face. At close inspection, she saw the combination of the two races in the girl's face. The dark curly hair was in contrast with her pale features. Her white skin had a faint tint of pale green, only visible when the rays of the sun touched her in the right angle. The girl was strikingly beautiful except for the large yellow bruise around her eye.

Valencia did not want to own slaves and she planned to take care of that issue in due course. First, she needed to get rid of the women, before she could plan her next move.

"You're going to be my personal maid." A gasp echoed among the women. "The rest of you will take care of the mundane things, but Gabby will take care of all my personal needs."

"
You're . . ." Ona started to speak, but one look from Valencia halted her words.

"
You may leave now, except for you, Gabby." Valencia knew she was being overly hard on the other women, however the hatred in the women's eyes sickened her. She did not want such behavior around her. Ona gave Gabby an evil glare before bowing low and leaving the room. The others silently followed close behind.

"
I'm not worthy, Matka-Zem." Again, Gabby fell to the floor in tears.

She squatted beside the girl and rubbed her back. Glancing at the two Mlinzi, she saw approval in their usually stony expressions.

"Yes, you are Gabby." With a firm pull, she brought the girl to her feet. "Now get off the floor and do your duty. No more falling to the floor every time I say something." The girl nodded her understanding as she scurried to her feet. "I need to find something appropriate to wear to a council meeting."

Transferring the Krysa to Gabby, who smiled brightly at the creature, she began the search for proper clothes. Gabby led her into a huge dressing area filled with colorful clothes. While she dressed behind a privacy screen, the Mlinzi stood guard as she tried on several outfits. Not sure what the fashion was, she occasionally stepped around the barrier to get Gabby
's opinion. It took longer than expected to find something suitable for her first Council Meeting. Most of the Matka-Zems' clothing consisted of long, flowing dresses with ridged corsets and stiff high collars. Some even had tight wide collars that firmly supported her chin.

"
What on Earth are you wearing?" Just as Valencia stepped around the screen for the fifth time, Donna strolled into the dressing room and stopped dead in her tracks, her blue eyes wide in surprise.

Valencia tried to look down at the bright yellow dress she
'd stuffed herself into but the wide collar prevented her from tilting her head.

Valencia glanced at her friend as Donna drew closer. They both burst out in laughter as their eyes made contact.

Losing control of their emotions, the Mlinzi, too, howled in laughter.

Donna doubled over as she held her stomach in pain.
"You look like a fucking daffodil."

"
These are the dresses of the Matka-Zem." Valencia tried to sound offended, but could not hold her solemn expression. Even shy Gabby giggled softly behind her hand. Valencia tried to reach a button at the nape of her neck, but the ridged arms prevented movement. "Help me out of here," she said to Donna and Gabby.

"
Why is it so stiff?" Donna asked as the two women struggled to remove the ridged dress behind a privacy screen.

"
It is to hold the Matka-Zem in place," Gabby whispered, not accustomed to talking to anyone.

"
Hold her in place?" Valencia barely heard Donna's question as she realized the meaning behind the girl's words.

"
Get me out of this thing!" Panic tightness her chest as she tore at the wide collar to get some air. Frantically, she ripped the dress off her body. She stared at the cumbersome clothes with loathing as a shiver ran through her. "They dressed her up like a doll and displayed her."

"
What do you mean?" Donna draped a robe around her shoulders and guided her around the divider.

"
The last two Matka-Zems became lost within their power, the way I almost did on the yacht." Valencia watched Donna's face change with understanding.

"
Before Thane brought you back," Donna confirmed. "The dress was designed to support a limp body."

"
And the chin cup is to catch my spittle, so no one can see it." Valencia finished her friend's sentence. "They must have paraded my comatose relatives around like party favors."

"
You don't have to worry about that, Val. Thane was able to call you back from your Gift. So he can do it again."

Donna
's confidence made Valencia feel better.

"
You will not meet their fate."

"
Thane is bound to you?" Parth asked in disbelief. "How could this be?"

"
Our brother helped you in the field, too. Is this right, Princess?" Alana looked at Parth, but her face remained as flat as ever.

"
Yes, and one other time too. That is why I don't want to draw on my Gift without him here." A blush touched her cheeks as the Mlinzi stared at her with barely contained surprise. "Why are you so shocked? Aren't the Mlinzi here to aid me?"

They refused to respond to her question. Frustrated with the guards, she turned her back to them.
"I don't have time to discuss this now. When I return, I want an explanation."

After more searching, she and Gabby finally found a dark green jumpsuit with a small train behind it. By the time Gabby finished pinning her hair in the trendy fashion of the Torpek women, she was already late for the meeting.

Alana escorted her to the Throne Room, but Valencia stopped her from opening the door. As she summoned the courage to enter, she tried to remember the Keeper's teachings. "Stay calm, watch everyone, and trust no one," Valencia whispered the rules of diplomacy.

"
Don't let them control you, Princess," Alana said when she saw the distress on her face. "What you did in the field was the right thing to do." The Mlinzi clasped her hand on her forearm and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You are the Matka-Zem, and you rule them, not the other way around."

"
Thank you, Alana." Valencia placed a hand on the door, but before she opened it, she gave an unsteady smile. "I would like you to stay close to me."

"
I wouldn't be anywhere else." With a slight nod from the Mlinzi, she entered the chamber. The domed, octagonal room was mostly bare except for a few tapestries on the walls. Not wanting to appear like a gawking child, she barely raised her eyes to peer at the stained glass dome, which reflected the history of Sora down upon its occupants. Delicately carved into a network of vines surrounding a golden tree, the throne sat upon a high pedestal at the far end of the room. With its bright yellow flowers a living Mort Groc vine twined around its base, preventing all from sitting upon it, save the Matka-Zem.

Below the throne sat an oval, metallic table. To her astonishment, most of the chairs were empty. Only four men and two women sat at the silver table, with her father at the far end. They stared at her in surprise as Valencia squared her shoulders and strolled leisurely toward them, as if she had done so a hundred times.

"Valencia dear, why are you here? I thought we were to meet later." Aeson rose to his feet and met her halfway, stopping her approach.