Chapter 15 #2
The queen took Sasha’s hand and drew her out into the hall and up the stairs leading to the big room. The full force of her entourage followed behind them, a quiet procession of pomp and haughtiness.
The queen's visit was not unexpected, Sasha realized. The drapery and crystals that hung from the ceiling were missing. The platform couch was absent, replaced by short tea table and cushioned seating. The room felt sobered.
Kane had barely spoken about the night Sasha saw him here other than making a vague, angry reference. She did not know if he’d visited since then. From the feel of the room and the look on the faces of the five gathered ladies, it looked as though he had not.
The women were with betas dressed in fine business attire standing behind them. The representatives wore the wide, flat neck vestments common to law scribes.
Sasha noticed that Annalise had three of her own betas with a similar white satin ribbon draped over their necks. The jewels and their representatives wore matching smiles of respect as they acknowledged the queen.
"King's Bride, Queen Annalise," Bella said. She dipped a bow that everyone else copied.
Sasha internally winced. She hadn't known to bow.
"Ladies, let's sit for this conversation."
Bella stood aside and motioned to the table. Everyone sat. Annalise kept hold of Sasha's hand and drew her down next to her.
Girta and her team of drones, Davila among them, appeared from between the tent alcoves. Each was holding a steaming teapot that smelled like black honey tea with lemon.
Tea was poured. Davila winked cheekily at Sasha, who quickly looked down to keep from giggling at the silliness.
Three scribes stood behind the queen and Sasha. One of them, an unusually thin male beta, introduced himself as the Taj, the queen's first chair. Taj did most of the speaking.
"Aright, we are here to finalize the dissolution of the exchange contracts with the ladies Bella, Eze, Laira, Ardrua, and Neena.
Please, if you will show your marks to my assistant to confirm your identities.
Bella, my assistant will confirm yours with a photo since you have chosen to remain unregistered.
May I ask, is that still your choice at this time? "
"Yes," Bella answered.
Sasha watched the other woman's face. Unmarked. Bella was sterile. Without any mark at all, she would always be vulnerable, easily trafficked as a sex toy. Why would she choose that?
"I will record your answer."
Bella tipped her head in acceptance.
"The queen has agreed to the penalties listed in the contract pertaining to an early end. If you agree to this, please sign your data pad. When you are finished, you are dismissed."
One of the women, the yellow jewel Ardrua, quietly got up to leave. Her scribe followed her out.
Sasha thought it all an extremely dull and formal affair for ending sleeping arrangements. Not that much sleeping was involved.
Her mind began to wander. Where had these women come from?
Where would they go? She pictured a secret hedonistic market where the women went to sell their wares with their scribe representatives in tow.
She could see prospective employers, the genteel mothers of powerful alphas, arguing the contract details.
"My client sees no reason the contract should be forced to end, since it clearly states she has access to all accommodations whether or not the alpha is using her services for the duration.
She is perfectly happy with things as they are and has offered no grievance," the scribe for the brown-haired purple jewel was saying.
Neena was seated on her cushions while her scribe spoke behind her, daintily sipping her tea and looking innocent, batting her eyelashes every now and then.
This was the same argument offered by the two other girls, Laira and Eze.
Bella's scribe agreed, but added another point.
"My client was promised ease from the first alpha for two estrous heats.
As you know, it is difficult to contract with available alphas of Constantine Kane's age, strength, and unique potency.
Indeed, to our knowledge, he is the only available alpha with these extensive qualifications. There is no one to replace him."
Sasha paused at the words "unique potency." She glanced at the queen for a reaction.
Bella's scribe continued. "Speaking for all the seated clients, they have done nothing to void their contracts and do not deserve the dishonor of ending the exchange early.
It is known to be an honor to serve in the house of the First Alpha Administrator, and to be set aside will decrease all of the ladies' value as agents of the exchange. "
Sasha bit back a snort of disgust. In the slums, they were just called whores.
Sasha had tried to not hate the betas Merrick brought in.
She'd been friendly at first, thinking them like the drones, with no choice in their labors. They soon enlightened Sasha that no force was involved in the job. They chose to work on their backs because it was better than being a shop girl or struggling through higher education for something else. They liked it. Obviously, they weren’t the only ones.
Taj responded. "The Queen disagrees. You are accused of hiding the presence of an untouched omega breeder and exposing her to the lust pheromones that triggered her first estrous before she was prepared for it. You are also accused of intentionally lying to the same untouched omega breeder."
"Untouched," Bella sneered.
Sasha wondered how someone who sold herself for sex could be so judgmental.
The scribes argued a bit about who had done what in regard to Sasha's night in the big room. The queen listened, looking bored. The jewels followed the flow of the conversation as they all had a dog in the fight, but none had thus far spoken up.
The longer they argued, the more irrationally angry Sasha became. They were not staying. Not the smug, conniving, unmarked breeder. Not the redhead, the blonde, or the brunette. Kane would not let her leave, so they would go, and that was all there was to it.
"You are not staying. There is nothing for you here. He hasn’t been in this room for months.
It sounds like the contracts have that all covered.
Knowing how alphas are, this can’t be the first relationship to end early.
Since he won’t come back to this room, you are not wanted or needed. You will go." Sasha inserted.
"You have no right to speak here," Bella said. "You are nothing. Just a little—"
The guardsmen in the queen’s entourage drew their swords in warning.
Sasha straightened her shoulders, confidence raised by the sight of the drawn blades.
She pointed to them. "That is my right. I’m here now.
The man won’t let me leave, and I’m not going to share.
Take your paper contract and a pile of sector credits.
Go. This is my place, my territory. There is nothing for you here, and I don’t think you want to stay.
"Who will do your laundry, prepare your food, and clean for you? Most of servants of this house do not like you or how you treat them. They will gladly ignore you. Since you all don't seem the type to know how to wash your own feet without help, I think you should take your settlement and go."
"How dare you?" Bella hissed.
Sasha would dare a lot. Her instincts were taking over, her intellect set aside. If Bella continued hissing, Sasha was going to attack her, pull her hair and shred that look off her face.
"Is it only because I’m a younger rival?
Is that why you hate me? I walked into this room a child, you knew that.
Saw that. You were kind and then you were vicious.
You wanted me to see you with him so that I would know my place, I guess.
Is it because you come from the slums too?
Did you have to prove something to me? Or were you trying to prove it to yourself? "
Bella flinched.
"You are not where you are born. And you could have been more, kind, better, even in this world. You could have chosen a different path. Breeders choose. You chose poorly."
Sasha tapped her heart and stood up. She caught the look of surprise on their faces and wondered at it, until she looked at Queen Annalise and realized she should have deferred to the other woman. Biting her lip, Sasha held out her hands to help the queen stand and was grateful when she took them.
The queen looked at her first chair. "Fulfill our end of the exchange contracts and escort the ladies out, please." Her smile at the room was gracious and ice cold.
Sasha saw where Kane got it from now.