Had the prospect of marriage, or Intention, been presented to me before I went to Angeles City, then it would have been a thoughtless decision. To me, marrying an Ancient, though repulsive, would grant me access to much in the Ancient City. It would give me the ability to see their weaknesses and plan an easy victory over them.
My entire life was spent wanting to bring them down, to release us from their captivity, to destroy them and all the descendants of their curse.
There were more to the Ancients than met the eye. For every bad Ancient, there were at least three good ones, I was learning.
A good Ancient.
How many times had I argued that it was impossible? Yet, they cared for our elders with compassion. I don’t believe even those in Angeles City delivered that kind of care to those who were older.
But marriage? Prior to my West Coast adventure, marriage was a commitment between two people, an arrangement, that was all. Yet, I learned through my bunker experience and Marie, that it was much more. It was love and friendship, it was a companionship that saw a person through the most troubling of times. A spouse was the one you wanted to spend all eternity with.
The ‘love of my life’, as Marie stated, was real. I wanted what Marie had, I wanted what Mike and Carol Brady had. Perhaps I don’t want as many offspring as they, because I knew the rigorous ritual one must endure to create a child. I remember thinking ‘poor Carol’.
I suppose the love to please one spouse played a role in having multiple offspring.
Now I am faced with marrying Iry who, by all accounts, is not a bad Ancient. He is different, I believe because he loves humans and desires to be one. He told me that he would not ‘make’ me do anything that is required of marriage. But even marrying him was making me do something.
Admittedly, I was not very elated over the dresses the makers presented to me.
“This is a big deal,” Samantha said in a whisper. “Ancients do not marry often. And an Ancient has never married a Mare. Only once in history has a love affair developed between a Mare and Ancient.”
“Moses,” I said. “And that didn’t turn out well.”
“Oh, I believe he loved her.”
I quickly looked at her. “How do you know this? The Bible doesn’t say such things.”
“There was a movie out called The Ten Commandments.” Samantha sighed. “Starring an actor called Charlton Heston. Anyhow, judging by the movie, had they just been a little understanding of Moses’ plight to help out the people of Israel, it could have all worked out for the best.”
“That is a bold statement made about a moving picture.”
“True.”
Another dressmaker brought in a gown. He held it proudly.
“Set that aside,” Samantha stated. “I like that.”
“I don’t,” I said.
“You’ve not liked anything, Vala. You have to choose. As I said, it is a big event for Ancients and even more so that Iry is marrying a Mare. Your child will—”
“My child?” I screeched. “I do not want to have a child. Do you know what that entails?”
“I do,” Samantha replied. “A child born of a Mare and an Ancient would be the most powerful being ever.” She lowered her voice. “Your child can make a difference in this world, as Moses’ child could have.”
“Be that as it may, with the lifespan of an Ancient being a hundred years per one of the human, the marriage will be short lived, not to mention I will not live long enough to carry the child to term.”
“You’re not transforming?”
My gasp of offense was more of a squeal. “No.”
“But your sister… she will need someone forever to take care of her.”
My sister. My heart sank. Sophie deserved more than to be condemned to a life in a child’s body. As I lowered my head at that thought, Iry entered the room.
He snapped his finger to the dressmakers and approached Samantha and me.
Samantha quickly scurried away, as did everyone else in the room.
“There you go, proving you are not nice,” I said. “You scared off my friend.”
“She is the house maiden.”
“She is my friend,” I snapped. “So are my dressmakers.”
“Who are you kidding, Vala? You don’t care about the dresses.”
“I’m not having your child.”
“What?” He shook his head with a slight laugh. “Okay, whatever. We need to talk.”
“What did I do now?”
Iry waited until he had my attention and he grabbed my hand. I quickly withdrew it and he grabbed it again. “Enough,” he said. “This is serious.”
“Go on.”
“You have to stop projecting.”
“I projected to—”
“Yes, to let them know you were fine, I know. They were quite impressed that you didn’t give your whereabouts, which worked in your favor.”
“How do they know?”
“We all project. We have Seers. They saw you and followed. Because you didn’t divulge your whereabouts, they are withholding judgment on your loyalty, but you have to stop projecting.”
“What about when I sleep? I do that without knowledge or control. I am still new at it.”
“I brought that to their attention. The Seers will know when it is unintentional and will intervene.”
“You spoke about me out of my presence?”
“Vala, please. You’re communicating with the enemy. They are watching out for me. And you need to stop. If they catch you again, they won’t kick you out, they will kill you. They will release your sister into the wild, and they will kill you. Drain your blood and feast.”
“And you want me to believe you are good, peaceful people.”
“Betraying is the work of an enemy. We are peaceful. We just want to stay alive, as you do. I will do everything in my power to protect you. You have to help me out. For the sake of your life and your sister, stop projecting. I know what you are up to and I know what you are doing. If you must, find another way.” He gave a pat to my hand and stood. “I’ll let you return to pretending you like the dresses.”
“So give up projecting, marry you... The next thing you will tell me is I must bear you a child.”
Iry paused by the door. “To do that, we must have sex. And I have no intention of going though that with you.” He flashed a smile and walked out.
I exhaled and brought my hand to my chest. “Oh thank Gods.” To me that was a relief that Iry found it as repulsive as I did.
Though I wasn’t enjoying the dresses, I would move forward with the wedding, and I would stop projecting. I had to protect my sister, and like Iry suggested, I’d find another way.