Trials Chapter 13: Lesson

                Ramsey did not recognize the woman standing before him as his teacher. His teacher was old. She wasn’t. His teacher was short. She wasn’t. His teacher was frail. She wasn’t. The woman he knew as Lillian Merthwood was a mean, crotchety, old librarian who was barely five feet tall and walked with a cane. Not this young, athletic, beautiful woman who looked like she could arm wrestle and ogre and WIN! Her voice was his only clue. It was that voice that had found him when he was a young useless retch. It was that voice that raised him; made him the man he was today. It was that voice that belonged to the closest thing he could call a mother. It was smooth and wise with a bit of sharpness and confidence that made you feel like a child. Only now the confidence that was once tempered by age and experience was now on full display in proud Amazonian glory.

                “You’ve…aged well.” He rasped rubbing his tender neck.

                “You have always been and forever shall remain a fool Ramsey Lench.” she knelt down to face her student for the first time in three years. “What was the point in teaching you if you never learn?”

                “What happened to you? What are you doing here?”

                Lillian sighed looking down at Ramsey. In many ways he was still that poor lost boy she’d taken pity on all those years ago. “I would never in all my days have wished this fate on you boy.” Ramsey’s eyes widened slightly.

                “What are you talking about?” he asked. Lillian gestured towards Blue eyes.

                “Doratea, might I take these two for a while? It is clear they need educating.” Blue eyes briefly glanced at the large amazon next to her and gave a quick nod.

                “Might I speak to him first?” Queen Lucinda rose from her seat and stepped forward. She approached Ramsey who tried to kneel once more in reverence.

                “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” She pointed to Kiri whose expression had soured. She looked Ramsey in the eyes and smiled. “Imagine my surprise when I saw one of my soldiers had made it this deep into the forest.”

She took in his appearance. He was a disheveled heap. Parts of his uniform were torn, his right sleeve had completely burnt off, and he looked to bit in quite a bit of pain as he clutched his left side.

                “I think you cracked a rib.” She observed in a light almost childish tone.

                ”Maybe.” Was all Ramsey could muster. Lucinda continued to inspect Ramsey like almost every women he’d encountered in the last month. She stopped and took hold of his badge which had a flying sparrow plated in bronze sown onto to it.

                “Your one of Tyson’s men aren’t you?” Ramsey was surprised she knew his commanding officer Tyson Slate.

                “Private second class Ramsey Lench of her highness foreign scouting division ma’am.” He recited.

                “Well private Ramsey.” She chuckled. “You are no longer just a soldier but an ambassador for my kingdom.” Ramsey remained silent.

                “You must show these amazons the strength of the Qwailis empire.” She gave him a devilish smile. “I have high hopes for you Ramsey Lench.” The queen then turned and walked back to her seat.

“Come with me.” Lillian beckoned. Both Ramsey and Kiri followed her out of the dining area and into a side hallway.

                “Lily what is happening?” Ramsey asked desperately hoping to finally get some answers.

                “Have you even once wondered why you’re here Ramsey?”

                “I have asked a few times but this one won’t give me any answers.” He pointed his thumb up at Kiri who immediately slapped the back of his head.

                “Enough Kirisiala!” the amazon shot straight up at the reprimand and fell in line behind them. Ramsey was shocked by the reaction. Who exactly was Lily to these people?

                “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.” She said as they neared a doorway. The trio entered a room significantly smaller than the dining area but still quite large. The temperature was quite a bit higher than normal and Ramsey soon noticed half the room was filled with water.

                “Take of your clothes.” She said. Ramsey was justifiably hesitant at this.

                “I don’t think that’s-“

                “TAKE THEM OFF!” she ordered. “Dammit Ramsey if you’re going to survive this the first thing you’re going to need to learn is obedience.” He disrobed revealing the mark on his chest. He turned his back slightly trying to cover his modesty.

                “Now’s not the time to be embarrassed boy.” She swatted his hands away revealing his manhood. “You too.” She said pointing to Kiri. She undressed quickly revealing her own similar mark on her back. Once again Ramsey had to appreciate her beauty. The muscle complemented with her curves created an ideal and beautiful image he could stare at for hours. His body reacted like one might think. This time his teacher kicked him in the balls crumpling him to his knees.

                “SHIT!” he shouted.

                “Now’s not the time for that either.” Lily said. She walked over and inspected the mark on his chest. He flinched as she pressed her hand to it but this time it did not burn.

                “Have you told him what this means?” she asked Kiri. She responded in Amazonian a long string of words that went right over Ramsey’s head.

                “In English Kirisiala!”

Kiri bit her lip for a moment and looked at Ramsey worriedly.

                “Kerla Si.” She whispered.

                “She owns me?” he guessed. Lillian looked at her displeased.

                “You’ve only seen fit to lie to this poor boy.”

                “It’s not a lie!” she objected.

                “It’s not the truth either.” She bent down to Ramsey who was more scared than he had ever been. She placed a hand on his shoulder. He seemed so tiny to her. Lillian hugged her student for the first time in three years.

                “Ramsey you are a slave.”

                There was that word. It was a word he had tried to avoid through this entire ordeal. It was the one thing he never wanted to be again yet in the back of his mind he had always known what it was he had become.

                “I-I know.” He replied.

                “Not just a slave Ramsey but a Kerla Si.”

                “I don’t know what that means.”

                “How did you first meet Kiri?” Lillian asked.

                “She saved my life.”

                “How?”

                “You would be disappointed in me.” He said. “I had gotten lost and was about to starve to death. I accidentally ate some angel hair and spent a night sick and delirious. The next morning I was attacked by a rage beast. She slew it before it could kill me.”

                Lillian looked at Kiri and sighed. “So he owed you a life debt?” Kiri nodded in compliance.

                “And you saw fit to give him the rights in exchange.” She nodded again.

                “Is he trained?” Another nod.

                “Obviously not!” Lillian shouted.

                “Can someone please tell me what’s happening?!” Ramsey begged. “Please.”

                Lillian again turned to face him.

                “By now I’m sure you’ve seen the men of this village?”

                “Yes.” He stated. “I met one on the way here. He had a mark on his arm just like mine.”

                “Those mean are in the most basic terms Kerla Si.” She continued. “They have through different means pledged their lives to the women here.”

                Ramsey nodded.

                “They cook, they clean, they care for children and in many ways it is akin to a marriage.”

                “Is that what this is?” he asked slightly relieved. “Are Kiri and I married?”

                “No what Kiri has done to you is far worse than the oaths that bind those men. In many ways they will know happiness you may never experience.”

                Ramsey looked over to Kiri. He could see tears forming in her eyes.

                “KIri isn’t allowed to claim anyone.” Lillian stated. “She and her sister and even the Queen are all descendants of our three patron goddesses. When they claim someone it is more than just a pledge, they take something that can never be returned.”

                “What?” asked Ramsey.

                “You will forever serve Kiri in this life and the next.”

                “What did she take from me?”

                “You can never disobey her, never pledge fealty to anyone. Kiri is now your god.”

                “What did she TAKE!?”

                Lillian looked at her student with pain. She didn’t want to utter these last words. She didn’t want to tell him. She took a deep breath and choked back the tears. She had to finish.

                “Ramsey.” She said softly. “She has taken your soul.”