Ma'in, the Imperial city-state along the coast of the Arabian Sea
Mari was still dreaming of tall dark evergreens swaying in the cold winter air, when a gentle shake woke her up. Temporarily lost in the smell of currant sauce boiling over an open fire, Mari blinked at the person touching her, not quite understanding who she was until a sudden flash in her mind brought it all back. Bolting upright, she almost fell when she realized she was curled up on a window ledge. An arm reached out to steady her and looking down at the dark designs painted onto the slim dark fingers, Mari yanked back and scrambled to her feet. All the wives looked at her and not sure what to do, Mari backed up against the wall wringing her hands together.
["I-I don't belong here. I need to go."]
The women exchanged glances and continued staring. Looking down at her ruined clothes, Mari felt a pang of regret at having torn the beautiful clothes to shreds the night before.
["I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, but you have to help me……I, I have to get out of here."]
The woman that had woken her up, shook her head slowly, not understanding Mari's words, but understanding their meaning. Mari felt her heart rate increase a notch and sniffled to prevent the tears from starting up again. These women couldn't get her out of there even if they tried. Putting her head back against the wall, Mari closed her eyes and slid down to the floor. The woman that had woken her up, got down on her knees beside Mari and placed her hand on Mari's shoulder. The warmth of the skin made Mari look up at her and the eldest wife spoke in a low voice.
"Queen Zainab will come soon, you must be prepared or she will be angry."
Mari stared at the red stained lips, trying hard to understand at least one word, but it was hard. She looked at the others and they had equally blank expressions.
["I don't understand."]
The eldest wife paused in thought and having an idea called for her fellow sister-wife. The girl dressed in teal came forward with green fabrics and gave them to the eldest, who put them in Mari's lap. She clutched Mari's hand and pressed them into the emerald green satin.
"You must get ready."
Mari looked up at the last word. It was the one Battam always declared when the tribe was to start gathering. It was a call to get equipped and organized. She understood clearly what was being asked of her and even if she didn't want to see anyone, it was an opportunity. Just the opportunity she might need. Nodding furiously, Mari sniffed and went to stand up.
["Okay, I'll get ready."]
The eldest wife smiled at Mari in relief and nodded at the others, who moved to bring all the things that were needed. With hand gestures and slow words, they instructed her to remove her outer clothing. Mari did so reluctantly, but complied nevertheless. If she wanted to escape, she needed to behave and be patient. What they did was scrub down her skin with tiny seeds so that the black markings became more reddish-brown in tint. Mari examined her hands carefully, seeing the beautiful artistry in them for the first time and felt an overwhelming sorrow for the women that waited on her. Just like the time she attempted to escape with the Romans, Mari felt like she was betraying the women by leaving them behind, but there was no way she could promise them freedom. She would have to go alone because she couldn't live with a person's life on her conscience and like she had sworn the night before, she was going to escape or die trying.
Sighing deeply at the thought, Mari did not even notice that they were finished scrubbing until she felt something wet cloth in her hand. Mari was told in gestures to go to a giant tub and wash. Doing it quickly under the careful gaze of the eldest wife, Mari emerged from the enormous clam shaped basin with her skin glowing. Wrapped in absorbent cottons a short while later, Mari was seated on a fringed cushion and told to wait, as the green fabric that was to be her outfit was unfurled before her. Mari's eyes widened at the lack of material and was almost in tears again when she remembered that it was the only way. Timidly dropping her robe, she nodded to the women, who quickly began to dress her in it.
An hour later, she was completely dressed and being led to a mirror, something she had never seen before. When the eldest wife parted the curtains that protected it, Mari gasped and jumped back, but the woman held her in place and pointed to the mirror. Mari scanned her reflection slowly, not sure what shocked her more, the fact that she could see herself, or the fact that she was so changed. Wondering how the Arabians had ever managed to capture water and make it hard enough to press to a wall, Mari stepped forward and stretched a pale hand timidly to touch the smooth surface. Her bracelets jingled merrily and to her surprise, it was as cool to the touch as the marble floors. It was a beautiful thing, perfectly clear and pure. Mari smiled in wonder and only then looked past the surface to see herself. She could barely recognize the girl in the mirror.
Her skirt was made of a sheer fabric, a vibrant green that she imagined was chosen to compliment her eyes. It was low on her hips and split on both sides up to the gold cording that rested and circled on her hips. The top was equally as sheer, draped in the front and secured behind her neck, leaving her arms, back and stomach completely exposed. The gold bangles on her arms that clattered and chimed as she moved went halfway up to her elbows and she even had some around her upper arms. The same thin gold bands adorned all her fingers, her ankles and even the occasional toe. A jewel was added to her bellybutton and it too was green. Her hair was streaked with gold cording and little clasps, an entire chain swinging delicately past her forehead. Her ears were also hoped in earrings and the strangest things of all were her eyes.
Mari stared at them in the mirror and slowly watched as a single tear filled one and rolled slowly down her cheek. They were lined in heavy black kohl lines like the other women. Her lids and even under the eye was all smoky black and swept upwards. The effect brought out the greenness and exaggerated it greatly. Mari never thought much of her eyes before. They were green just like her father's and Danea's. They were another part of her, never to be thought of, but now, she hated them. They were the reason she was there and she hated them. They made her different and people stared, not because they were pretty, but because they were grotesque and unnatural. She would give anything not to have them, and looking away quickly from her reflection, Mari sobbed.
The eldest wife frowned and moved to hold Mari, but just then, the door clicked and all eleven women fell to their knees facing it. With great aplomb, the queen walked in, flanked on either side by blue turbaned guards. Mari froze were she was and stared. The queen's eyes fell on her and she snarled.
"Get down to your knees, child!"
Mari felt herself get pulled down by the eldest wife still kneeling at her side and got to her knees with tears still in her eyes. Her eyes fixed on the cane the queen had at her side. Her face still hurt dully from when she was hit with it. It occurred to Mari that the old woman really didn't need it, but that she carried it as a weapon. Something in her twisted at that realization. This woman was used to breaking people, turning them to nothing and making them bow at her presence, but she was not going to bow down to her.
"What are you looking at, insolent child?"
Mari yanked her hand from the eldest wife at her side and stood to her feet. The old woman in blue startled a little but quickly resumed her venomous look. Mari took that half-second's worth of fear and used it to fuel her resolve. She had wanted to cooperate and wait for a chance, but the blue witch was a thief that did not deserved to be bowed at. She stepped forward and both guards blinked at her, not sure what to make of the green clad beauty insane enough to stand to their queen.
["Give me what is mine, you witch!"]
Eyes wide in surprise, the queen lifted her cane and pointed to Mari.
"Stay where you are, or I will give my son your eyes in a box!"
Mari did not hear a word the queen said and continued to run to her, past the huddled forms of the other wives, angrily. Tearing one of the bracelets from her right hand, she flung them at her as she charged. One hit the old woman square on the chest, the other connected with a guard, who seemed to snap out of his indecision and stepped forward. The queen clutched her chest and screamed before they even hit the ground.
"Get her!! Get her!!"
Mari smiled at the fear she elicited, but was already intercepted by the guards before she could do any more damage. They had orders never to touch the Sultan's women, but unsure of what to do, held Mari in place while she struggled. The queen had recovered enough to slide up to Mari and bringing her cane up to strike her, froze when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"What's going on here?"
Everyone stopped wide-eyed as the Sultan burst through the door with two more guards. Everyone that is, except Mari. She looked right into the old woman's eyes and challenged her.
["Give me what is mine, thief!"]
The queen's eyes flared, but she dropped her cane quickly and turned to face her son, the Sultan, with a completely different expression.
"Nasir, you have ruined your surprise!"
The Sultan looked from his mother's playful smile, to his women all with their foreheads to the floor, to the terrified guards that were holding a…………green-eyed girl.
"Who is this, queen mother?"
The queen balked as her son moved forward to approach Mari. The guards had enough sense to straighten out a little but the queen could still see the flare in Mari's eyes. She quickly stepped forward to stop him.
"You mustn't, my most precious child. She is a surprise for the celebration tonight."
Nasir's smile spread on his face and he took one last glance at Mari, already forgetting that he had heard his mother scream.
"I cannot believe you did it! Where did you find her?"
The queen smiled and answered his next question before he even asked as she pulled him out of the room.
"You must be patient, my dear. I have gone through great lengths to acquire her from those thieving mongrel desert dwellers. But alas, I would do anything for my precious son."
The Sultan chuckled and tried to look back one more time. He hadn't thought of seeing his harem that early, but there was still time. The old woman looked at her guards and with a silent nod dispatched them.
"Mother, you are not dressed yet, perhaps you should……"
The old woman smirked knowingly.
"Absolutely not!! She will be on display for our guests. You can see her later."
To make emphasis, the queen squared her hands on her hips and the Sultan admitted defeat in his chuckle.
"Alright then, have you seen my new expansion plans?"
"No, but I would love to, my dear."
With her most sugary smile, the old queen let her son rant on about his plans, all the while cursing Mari for daring to challenge her. After her little display, she had all intentions of cutting her eyes out, but she was interrupted and now had to go through with her presentation to their guests. But there was time. She knew very well what her son's violent tastes were and she would only add to Mari's suffering gladly. No one crossed her, and the girl would learn soon enough.
Meanwhile, Mari was being led down another hallway. She knew that the guards were scared of handling her and having seen the Sultan, she stopped struggling and concentrated on memorizing all the passageways she was being led through. She watched carefully as the rooms got bigger and grander and as the sounds of laughing and music grew louder. Eventually, the guards stopped and the same woman that bought her from Battam came out to greet them. She was well dressed herself and nervously talking to the guards, Mari gathered that she learned of the little scuffle she had with the blue lady.
To Mari's dismay, the woman chained her again, only this time with a thin, delicate looking gold chain that linked her hands to her waist, instead of with heavy irons. Thankfully, it still offered maneuverability. The chain went around her waist loosely and more importantly, her feet were free. Led again by the guards, Mari was taken to a small curtained room, where she was made to step into a cage. It too was made of gold and lined with a cushion at the bottom, but her heart dropped when she saw how small it was. The only way she could fit was if she knelt and that was not something she wanted. To make matters worse, they locked her in with a key that the woman took away with her.
Holding onto the bars, Mari watched in growing horror as the men then went to the far side of the room and started pulling on a series of ropes that caused her cage to pitch forward.
["No, wait!! Please!!"]
Before she knew it, the entire thing was off the ground and the woman was pulling on the curtains that walled in the room. As they parted, the source of the noise and music hit Mari at once and she felt faint. A chorus of oohs and gasps could be heard as she was revealed to a roomful of strangers. Staring wide-eyed at the hundreds of people drinking and laughing in the massive room below her, Mari felt her hope get crushed yet again.
She was fifty feet in the air, suspended in a small cage by two ropes and locked with a key that she watched walk away in someone's hands. The only way she would escape is if someone let her down, and looking with watery eyes over the intoxicated throngs of wealthy partygoers, Mari did not see a single compassionate face. On the contrary, they stared and pointed at her strange eyes and pale skin, making Mari feel more exposed, alone and different than ever before. Swinging faintly in her gilded cage, she wept. For the first time in her months of slavery, Mari contemplated ending her life once and for all.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000