Eclipse: the Beginning

“Your friend was taken with the soldiers, you say?”

“Yes,” Celestial replied, grinding her teeth for having to repeat herself. “Where did they take her and why? We have to meet this apprentice’s master in Eastern Earth. We haven’t time to delay.”

“I’m afraid you may never see that girl again,” the old woman replied in a sad tone.

“What do you mean? Miss Saraii has to come with us!” Samuel blurted out. He received the soldier’s glowing, vacant gaze for talking as he covered his mouth.

“Viceroy Bog has soldiers scout for women some nights to entertain him after his meal.” Celestial’s jaw slacked, and her blank eyes widened. The innkeeper nodded. “Those he likes are given gold and sent home, and those he does not … he kicked a young woman from his bed chambers for denying him. They said she was dead when they reached her. He is a cruel man. If only Lord Zion …” she trailed off, as if her words were treason themselves.

“Come, whelp.”

“What?” Celestial grabbed Samuel up by his clothes, storming for their room. “What’s going on, Miss Celestial? Why are you so panicked suddenly? Miss Saraii will be all right, won’t she?”

“That fool,” she whispered to herself as she gathered their things. Celestial looked desperate, frightened even. “I have to get her out of there before he touches her! I can’t leave her like that!”

“You don’t mean … he would really rape her, do you?” Samuel had read about kings and nobles taking peasant women into brothels and harems, but he had always thought they were part of an inhumane past. He gaped in shock. It was sinking in that this was not 21st century England. “What can we do?”

“You run for the edge of town and hide.” She threw a flint and torch at him. “I’ll sneak into the mansion and get her out of there. Do not leave the capital’s lights and keep the torch burning. Otherwise, you are done for. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” he replied with more confidence. Calm settled in when Celestial realized how the Nomad pulled himself together when it counted.

“Go then.”

Saraii backed into a pile of large pillows, hiding her face behind her hair. The viceroy was a lanky, ashen man. He was licking thin pink lips just looking in her direction, making her stomach turn. Celestial’s safety was assured, but now, she had to entertain the viceroy or face a worse plight. There was another problem as well, and if discovered, Saraii feared the chaos to follow.

“There’s no need to run away.” His wheezing voice was reminiscent of a sick creature. Under his steel blue gaze, the Wind felt pinned to the floor. “You might be big, but you may yet earn my favor. I can be open-minded. Let me be the judge, eh?”

Ever since she had left her companions, a lump of regret had swelled in Saraii’s belly. From the moment she had met the viceroy at his table to this in his chambers, she had wished she had never come. The way he glanced up and down her body ripped up memories better left buried. They had taken her cloak in the dining hall without much fuss, but as he tried to pull her wrap dress open, Saraii flinched. The viceroy yanked at her collar, making Saraii hug herself tighter. When he snarled in irritation, the Wind coiled up in a ball, whimpering anxiously.

“If you refuse me, you face my wrath, you wretched westerner! You should be honored I even consider taking your kind into my chambers! Do you hear me?”

“Yes …” her soft whisper replied, “Forgive me, your excellency, but I fear that I will not meet your expectations.”

“I will be the judge of that!” The viceroy ripped her sash from behind her, leaving only a hand’s grasp holding the dress together. “Yield, or I shall throw you from this window!”

Saraii burrowed her face into her knees. The strong arms trembled as she clung to her muscular legs. She could not die here. Her life’s quest would be left unfulfilled, and she did not want to part with her new friends. Saraii knew Samuel Watson was special, and she wanted to keep her promise to the Wingie. This would not be her end.

“Yield!” The creep grabbed Saraii’s shoulders, pulling at her dress.

The Wind kicked the lecher away, flashing a black gaze of rage.

“Don’t touch me!”

The viceroy gasped at the deep voice bellowing back at him. He gave Saraii another once-over with his droopy eyes. For the first time, he noticed just how broad her shoulders were. The arms were much thicker after flexing. With the wrap torn open, the viceroy beheld a sight that made him shriek.

“What …! What are you?!” He fled to the other side of his bedchamber. Gasping at what she had just done, Saraii pulled her tattered clothes about her and fled out of the window, scaling up to the rooftop. “Guards! Guards! There’s a monster in the mansion! A monster! Kill it!”

By the time Celestial arrived, soldiers were running about the grounds of the viceroy’s estate. She tried to hide herself, but the white of her garments reflected in the firelight illuminating the entire estate. Her keen ears picked up the words that a monster had attacked the viceroy. She hoped Saraii wasn’t caught up in that mess.

The soldier climbed the mansion walls along the window frames, looking inside for any sign of the giant traveler. She found some lounging pillows under one of the windowsills. The bed centered in the room shielded a twig of a man, embracing himself. That was when the torn sash near the bed caught her eye. She had seen that color on Saraii when she had taken off her cloak. Was she too late?

“You!” The soldier leapt into the room, holding her military issued sword toward his face. “Where is the woman who wears that sash?”

“You know that monster?!” the coward shrieked. He was a spineless man if he shed tears at the sight of a sword.

“Where is Saraii?” she demanded, storming toward him. She had no patience for weaklings like this, and it showed as her eyes blazed brighter at him. The horror in his voice as he screamed at her god-like rage made her yell, “Quiet, crow!”

Celestial stopped, gasping as she realized what she was doing. This was not her week. Not only was she on a foolish quest with an alien, but she had just now threatened the Wind Viceroy. It would be foolish to try to take on the whole mansion alone. That would only stiffen her punishment.

“The monster must have come back for the viceroy!” Soldiers clambered at the chamber door. “Corner it! Don’t let it escape!”

Celestial saw hands fumbled into the window. There was nowhere to run. She was caught.

Across the rooftops Saraii ran like the wind, desperate to reach the edge of town. This was awful. She had been exposed to someone again. Could things be any worse? At least, the others had not gotten involved. Once she got outside of town, she might meet up with them in the morning once she calmed down. It seemed like a good plan.

“Cherub!” her deeper voice called toward the city’s limits as if summoning a dear friend. “Cherub!”

A familiar cry echoed back from the outskirts of town, where flame light caught the Wind’s eye. Saraii gawked. What was Samuel Watson doing out there?

The wailing youth jerked about in the air, pulled by something in the dark. He had grabbed the boulder he had been standing next to, but whatever snagged him had a strong tug. It was all he could do to grip an edge and hope someone came to help.

“Why do these things keep happening?” the youth whimpered.

“Cherub, be still!” The tugging ceased at once, but that left the seventeen-year-old to fall to the ground. Something broke his fall though, or someone rather ….

“Sorry,” he apologized as he tried to sit upright. “I didn’t mean to fall on you.”

“I really hope this does not become a recurring event,” the deep voice groaned. “One of us might hurt themselves at some point.”

Samuel opened his eyes to see Saraii’s face in the torchlight, staring up at the night sky. She looked irritated and very unladylike from where he laid on top of her. Her torn wrap was open, making the youth blush at the touch of flesh under his hands.

“Miss Saraii, why is your voice so … deep?”

“Huh?” The Wind gaped in the firelight. The two jumped away from each other, fleeing to either side of the boulder. Saraii gasped in the higher voice, “What are you doing out here, Samuel Watson? Where did Celestial go?”

“She told me to wait here,” Samuel replied, as panicked as the other. He was unsure why he fled as well. Why did he think he needed to hide? “She went to the viceroy’s mansion to save you. Why are you here?”

“I escaped, but the viceroy’s not thrilled right now.” The Wind felt terrible. The whole mansion was swarming with soldiers on alert now. Celestial could not fight all of them. Saraii bit a clenched fist for leaving the soldier with such a mess.

“Miss Saraii?”

The Wind gasped as the young man appeared beside her.

“Shouldn’t we go after her?”

“Well …” Saraii’s voice dropped again. The black gaze stared at the ground, trying to pull the torn wrap closed. She racked her brain, thinking of a new plan.

“Your voice dropped again,” Samuel’s confusion was obvious in his voice.

“Please don’t hate me!” The Wind cried as she dropped to the ground. Face in the dirt, soft cries carried to Samuel’s ears. “Please … Samuel Watson … Don’t hate me ….”

“You have done nothing to make me hate you. Please, you needn’t to grovel before a friend.” Samuel knelt to touch the trembling shoulder. “I could never hate my first, real friend.”

“You think of me as a friend?” Tears fell from the dark eyes as Saraii glanced up to see his face. “Even if I were a monster?”

“You’re no monster, Saraii. Come now. What’s the matter?”

Saraii swallowed the lump of nerves growing in her throat. The Wind stared up at the shadowed face of the young man, and a calm of reassurance settled within her. Samuel Watson was unlike others she had met away from home. Perhaps he might accept her as she was or even look past the obscure circumstances. Rising from the ground, Saraii’s cheeks turned red with shame as she sat on her heels.

“What is it? Did the viceroy hurt you?”

“No … he discovered my secret.” The voice was deep again. Samuel watched Saraii’s eyes turn away in the torchlight.

“What secret is that?” Samuel blinked back at the Wind. He was at a loss. His eyes caught sight of a finger pointing downward. He followed the directive. His education as a gentleman abhorred the thought of staring at a woman’s bare self, but Saraii seemed to be asking him to look. That was permission, right? When he saw between Saraii’s legs, he gulped in surprise. “Saraii … you’re … a hermaphrodite?”

“A what?” the deep voice asked as the Wind turned back to look at Samuel, perplexed.

“A hermaphrodite. It’s a genetic state where a being has both male and female characteristics. At least, that’s the term in my botany text. I believe intersexed was the term for human beings though … I think.”

“You mean … you know what’s wrong with me?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Samuel explained in a rational tone. “I suppose people here might not understand genetics. They might say you’re cursed or deformed in some manner. The truth is you aren’t. You’re fine. Though from your voice, I’d say you lean more on the masculine side. Am I right?”

The Wind hugged the teenager in a trembling grip. Tears fell as whimpers escaped. Samuel let the other cling to him, speechless. It occurred to him that Saraii must have faced hardships and confusion, just as people had mocked his eyes back home. The youth had known no better than to accept the abuse. He could hardly change his eye color. Samuel hugged back as his spirit sank, realizing Saraii must have suffered alone as well.

“Thank you!” Saraii’s deep voice whispered. “You’ve treated me so kindly. It’s like I’m safe. I’m home. Ever since the breasts grew, I couldn’t keep my curse a secret. Away from home, I can’t be myself. There were … incidents, so I created Saraii to protect myself. You allowed me to drop the guise! I thank you so much, Samuel Watson!”

“That’s what friends are for. You’ll always be a mate of mine,” Samuel replied with a smile, leaning back. He took his inner sash off to offer it to the Wind. “It’s not much, but it should hold the wrap closed for you.”

The Wind wiped away the fresh tears, accepting the sash with another flood of “thank you.”

“If Saraii is a fictitious name, what is your birth name?” Samuel asked as the Wind tried to fix the mess of a dress.

“My mother believed I was male at birth,” the Wind replied, composure returned at last, “despite my later discovery, so I grew up as a man. My real name is Seraph of Wind.”

“Seraph? As in the angel?”

“Oh no! I am far from an Angel! Though Celestial would best tell you about Angels.” The Wind smiled at the teen. It had been a while since Seraph used his natural voice around someone. It was so relaxing. Grandmother Wingie, as Samuel called her, had been right about the disguise not lasting much longer, but now that Samuel knew, he was grateful to drop the act.

“We’d better head back to the viceroy’s mansion. Cherub will turn the winds in our favor.”

“Who is Cherub?” Samuel asked with a hint irritation. “You said the name earlier, but who were you calling?”

“Cherub,” Seraph replied with a smile. Whistling a quick summon, a wooden staff from the ground near the boulder flew up to Seraph’s hand. In Seraph’s hand, it was taller than he was! “He’s my weapon.”

“Weapon? You neglected to mention that before,” Samuel grumbled. Now, he really looked helpless. He was the only unarmed person in the group. “It’s male too, eh?”

“Cherub has been following us the whole time. He’s an enchanted staff. I hope we can be of help to you in our quest. Sorry I never mentioned him before now. It helps to appear fragile in front of people. I look more feminine.”

“Saraii … Seraph,” Samuel grasped the thick arm, “promise me we won’t keep any more secrets between us. I’m ignorant enough in Aurora. I want to at least know my friends.”

Seraph gaped at Samuel’s pleading face. What a noble pact. Seraph had never had a true comrade around his age. He smiled a boyish grin at the proposal.

“I promise, Samuel Watson.”

“Also, I can use ‘he’ from now on, right? Mis-gendering you feels so rude.”

“What is ‘mis-gendering’?”