Agnes Smith AGNES & THE INFIDELS Part VII 846 A.D. Ifriquiya .......... The next two days are mostly spent setting up some permanent small camps to monitor the defeated Berbers, camps which will soon be joined by larger garrisons sent from the north. There are wounded men from the battle to care for, and with the reduced manpower, once again your assistance in picking up camp is needed. Kemal remains warm and very gracious and accomodating towards you...and Antonella, who is no longer being quite so pointedly chilly towards him, but neither is she warming up. Whether or not she will decide to forgive him, she obviously intends to make him wait a while. Kemal accepts this with patient sighs. Clearly he is a little saddened by Antonella's attitude, but her rebukes don't hurt him as much as yours did. By the time you're ready to leave, Antonella's breathing is much improved. At Kemal's insistence, the surgeon comes to examine her again. Kemal waits outside the tent, while you kneel at her side, both of you veiled. Antonella pulls aside the top of her light robe, exposing as little as possible, obviously not at all pleased that he saw so much of her flesh earlier. The older man remains as impassive as before, and doesn't actually touch her breast this time, just leans close to peer at the wounds. "They seem to be healing," he says gruffly, and Antonella immediately covers herself back up. The surgeon rises. "You are a remarkably lucky and healthy young woman. I've seen grown men who've died from less serious wounds." Her back is not life-threatening, but it promises to cause her considerable anguish on the ride back. Arranging a palanquin for her just isn't feasible, which means she must either ride, or lie on a stretcher dragged behind a horse, as the most seriously wounded soldiers will be. Either way, she's going to be baking in an extremely uncomfortable position, and probably rubbed rawer and thoroughly miserable by the time you finally reach Tunis. Antonella says she can ride, but you aren't so sure....she is recovering her strength rapidly, true enough, but she's still much weaker than she should be, and you fear her suddenly toppling from her horse. <><><><><> [Agnes] She is pleased that she recovered the situation with Kemal when she did, especially as he seems to be making an effort too. She had visions of sailing back to Rome with hatred in her heart for the man that deep down she loved very dearly. That Antonella still fights the fight against him that she had abandoned as against her own interests, saddens her, but she can hardly blame the girl. Her own anger had been so strong not so many days previously. She makes the effort, with mild admonishments, to gently turn her from her attitude. After the doctor's visit which was reasonably uneventful, she congratulates the girl on her good recovery so far. "Don't overdo it though," she warns her. For the journey, she looks at Antonella's back. Unhappy at the damage likely to be caused to it, she tries to convince Antonella to allow her to smear it thickly with lard, so that there is less direct rubbing of the wounds. She also tries to convince Kemal to allow them to ride ahead of the main body. If they were to ride at a more tiring pace, but one that let them stand up in the stirrups, she would chafe less against the saddle. They could rest the horses and let the main party catch up every hour or so. <><><><><> [GM] Antonella is not terribly enthused about having lard smeared over her back, but faced with a long, agonizing ride, and more importantly, the possibility of scarring, she agrees. Kemal is not too enthused about having the two of you riding ahead of the main army either, when you should be riding with the rest of the women, in the rear. However, you are quite persuasive, and he finally relents. As you're saddling up, Nabila comes by, looking disapproving again. She shakes her head. "Kemal ibn-Hakim must love you a great deal," she says. "He is enduring a great deal of criticism for allowing you to get your way so often....they are saying ibn-Hakim ibn-Daud cannot control his wives, and is too lax. It harms his reputation." She sniffs. "And you are setting a very poor example for his younger wife. Of course you are both very young, he really should marry an older woman who can take proper charge of his household..." "Why don't you mind your own business, Nabila?" Antonella snaps, in the best Arabic you've heard from her yet. Nabila gasps and reels back as if slapped. "It's a good thing for you you are recovering from one whipping, else your husband would do well to give you another!" she hisses. "Kemal never beats us!" Antonella retorts. "If you think husbands should beat their wives more, go ask your husband for a beating!" Though you can't see it beneath her veil, you're sure Nabila's mouth is gaping open, dumbstruck. Nabila is a self-righteous busybody....but she's not a malicious person, and is usually well-intentioned. She is also the most influential woman in the camp. Making an enemy of her could make your trip back to Tunis miserable....being ostracized by the other women would not only be lonely and inconvenient, but it would no doubt also reflect even more poorly on Kemal. <><><><><> [Agnes] "Antonella!", Agnes exclaims, "appologise to Nabila at once!". She turns to Nabila. "Fogive her, Nabila, she is still in a lot of pain." She continues, having fixed Antonella with a cold stare, "Ibn-Hakim hasa preference for lashing his wives with words, but only the other day he did hold a whip in front of me and made threats. I certainly don't feel he is as soft on us as you make out." Her gaze returns to Nabila, "You are most kind though, Nabila to take an interest in us younger wives, and point out to us where we might be going wrong. Your words of wisdom, from your many years as a wife are most appreciated." Agnes continues her sycophantic praise until the woman leaves. Once the busybody is gone, she says quietly to Antonella, with a smile, "She was right, you know. I am a poor example for his younger wife, and she is a good learner. I hope you learned that lesson too. She has the ability to make our lives miserable. Our only contacts are Kemal and the other women. Given that you are still not fully reconciled with Kemal, it would be foolhardy to cause the rest of the women to ostracise us. Yes, Kemal doesn't whip us. But the culture expects him to. It's bad enough that we are non-arab, but now everyone wil think we are spoiled too. I have obviously missed out in teaching you tact and diplomacy." She laughs. "Now there is the pot calling the kettle black. You can say what you want to me and Kemal, but others may take offence at what you say to them, and you might not like the consequences." Before they set off, she seeks out Kemal. "Husband. We have made up. If you find it necessary to make public displays against me, I would understand. I have heard that your reputation is being harmed. People are saying that you cannot control us, and that you are too lax. This hasn't been helped by Anttonella telling Nabila that you never beat us. I know how much your honour and reputation mean to you." she puts her hand on his arm. "No, I mean this seriously, not to berate you or inflict barbs. You know me well enough not, that you know that I don't often stop to think of the consequences of my actions to myself never mind to you. I do not want you to suffer in silence, just because I have failed to think. Please tell me when I ask to do something, if it will hurt you. I think I know you well enough to know that you truly love me. If your standing requires you to give me a public dressing down, then I will understand. I am not saying I will like it, nor that I will definitely accept it without a fight, nor that I won't resent it for a while, but I will understand." "Now, Kemal. Do you want us to ride with the other women at the back?" <><><><><> [GM] Antonella very sulkily mumbles "Muta'asif" to Nabila. Your efforts to mollify the woman succeed, for the most part. "It's all right," she says, patting your shoulder, with a tone of voice that says she is the very epitome of indulgence and forgiveness for allowing herself to be placated. "You have both been through a terrible ordeal, and you are both still learning proper behavior, I suppose it is to be expected that you slip now and then, especially the girl." Antonella bristles slightly, but holds her tongue. "If you need anything, please let me know. I know that you are a devoted wife too, in your own way, and neither of us would like to see your husband suffer any more embarrassment." After she leaves, Antonella brightens when she realizes you were only scolding her for Nabila's sake. "She IS a busybody!" Antonella blurts out. "Where does she get off passing judgment on us? I'd like to see how she'd react if HER husband let her be stripped and flogged!" Kemal listens to you, and then takes your hands and kisses them. "There are worse reputations to have than being tender-hearted towards one's wives," he says gently. "But it would be appreciated if you and Antonella could both behave a little more....docilely, in public." "And I have never liked the practice of beating a disobedient wife. I think sometimes it is used unnecessarily. Even the Prophet did not actually beat his wives, he only said it was justifiable in some cases...." his voice trails off, watching you. He touches your cheek. "I could never beat you, Agnes," he says softly. At your final question, he paces back and forth, thinking. "It really is not proper for you two to be riding ahead of the main body," he says. "It is unprecedented, and the men already think you are something of a hellion. Though that is not said without a certain measure of grudging respect." He smiles ruefully. "I....would much prefer it if you stay with the other women. However, if Antonella really is finding it unbearable, do let me know, and....we will think of something else to do for her." <><><><><> [Agnes] "Very well, Kemal," she says dourly, "we shall ride with the baggage." She can manage a serious face for only a few moments before breaking into a smile, "I'm sorry, the other wives, I mean". She turns to look at Antonella. "And Antonella will be civil to them, won't you? We don't want to make our journey any more difficult than it has to be. And, as Kemal said, if your back starts to hurt, let me know, and we'll think of something." She embraces her husband, and then returns with Antonella to their horses. She finishes preparing the horses, and as a final touch, carried out with a mischievous smile to Antonella, she hangs a shield and scabbarded sword off each of their saddles. They ride with each other as company. They are polite, welcoming even, to any wives that join them, but they do not go out of their way to mingle. 'Antonella is still unwell' she explains, to those that suggest they do. Agnes knows that they are different. Others way think it is because they are foreign, but she and Kemal know the true reason. <><><><><> [GM] "My back already hurts!" Antonella says. "All the time." Of course, there's not much you can do about the persistent pain, except try to keep it from getting too severe. The other wives are reasonably friendly towards you, though some are stand-offish. Some others seem admiring, which you're sure doesn't go over well with their husbands. And Antonella, who of course whines quite a bit the entire trip (though she isn't as bad as she used to be) elicits a mixture of sympathy and irritation from the other women. Checking her back and chest wounds when you stop each night, you find her chest continues to be healing well enough, but her back isn't being helped at all by this long ride, though it doesn't seem to be getting worse either. Antonella is probably in even more pain than she's letting on, but her primary concern seems to be that she will scar. She is quite enamored of her looks....even if the scars she may carry should only be seen by her husband anyway. At each place you camp for the night (or, when reaching a desert town, you and Kemal get to take up residence as guests in a local home), Kemal conscientiously checks on his wives, and you two continue to enjoy your reconciliation. Antonella, for her part, becomes progressively slightly less sulky and resentful when Kemal inquires of her health...it almost seems as if she's timing it so she can finally forgive him once you reach Tunis. You suspect the obvious pleasure you take from your nights with Kemal plays a part....Antonella is probably starting to feel jealous and neglected. If not for her injuries, which right now would severely limit any enjoyment she might get, she might be quicker to make up. Since she's still not really in any condition for passionate lovemaking, she continues to let Kemal feel her cold rebukes, slowly warming to mere coolness. <><><><><> [Agnes] She too is concerned that the girl may scar, and does what she can to try to prevent it happening. Although she feels pity for Antonella not being able to have a full reconciliation with Kemal, she isn't going to let that fact get in the way of her own fullsome reconciliation with him. She loves him each night as if each night were their last. After all, she doesn't really know if Antonella will succumb to her desire to return to Rome. <><><><><> [GM] After a journey that seems entirely too long (especially for Antonella), the low wall around Tunis comes into sight. The entire army is eager to disperse to their homes or barracks- almost half the force has already departed, having broken off from the main body as it passed other cities along the way from which certain elements were mustered. Riding at the head of the troops, Kemal ibn-Hakim and his commander receive cheers and adulation from the Tunisian citizenry. Even Antonella seems to be a little caught up in the excitement- you have to slap her hand down when she starts waving to the crowd. The other women are riding sedately in the rear as always. Unpacking the horses seems to take forever, but at last it's done, and at a final assembly, Kemal and the commander give a speech to the army and the spectators, praising their courage and skill and piety, and thanking them for a job well done. Some of the troops are full time soldiers, but others were volunteers who came along just for a chance to fight infidels. The former march away to occupy their semi-permanent headquarters camp at the outskirts of Tunis, the rest trudge wearily home. Kemal comes to you, smiling wearily himself. "Well, wives, are you ready to go home?" "Yes, Kemal," Antonella answers, along with you. Then she faints, collapsing against you. <><><><><> [Agnes] Agnes watches impassively as the crowd cheer the homecoming troops. The futility of the whole escapade weighing heavily upon her. So many lives lost and so much suffering and death, just because some people chose to worship God in a slightly different way. She doubted she would ever truly understand the religious side of Kemal. She just wanted it all over, and to go home, so that Antonella could truly rest. The unpacking took for ever, and she went through it mindlessly, thinking of their house beckoning them - but eventually it was done. Her weariness is set to one side as Kemal approaches. "Yes - take us home." "Antonella!" she shouts in surprise, catching the girl from her faint. Closely followed by "Kemal!" "Oh you stubborn, stubborn girl!" she says as she hugs her, holding her up. "Kemal, let us get her to the house, and then you can fetch the doctor. At least then she won't have to move again afterwards." She lets Kemal sweep Antonella up into his arms, and they set off for the house. Hurrying to keep pace with him in her robe, she says to the unconscious form, "Why didn't you say anything?" <><><><><> [GM] Kemal is only a second behind you, and lifts Antonella into his arms. The look of concern on his face is unmistakeable. He flags down a couple of soldiers, one of whom is detailed to have your baggage brought to his home, the other is sent running after the surgeon. Then with long strides, he carries the unconscious girl down the street. By the time you arrive in the courtyard you left a lifetime ago, she is starting to revive. She looks up at Kemal, as he carries her inside, and lays her gently down on a couch in main room. The servants have been keeping the place neat the months you were gone, and he immediately calls for a pitcher of water. Then he kneels next to her. "You should have told us you were in pain, you foolish girl!" he chides, but with tenderness in his voice. She looks at him, and says "I didn't think you cared." Kemal's face twitches. He pauses for a moment, then sighs. "Of course I care." He rises and looks at you. "Agnes, please tend to her while I go make sure the surgeon is coming." <><><><><> [Agnes] She carefully takes off the girl's robes to see what damage lies underneath. "Oh, Antonella, of course he cares. You just haven't let him show it. Really! You are worse than me - or him - when it comes to stubborn." She waits, anxiously for the doctor. She knows she can't really trust her thoughts about what she sees, as she knows nothing about wound care. <><><><><> [GM] Antonella's chest wounds look no worse than before. They've healed shut by now, and scabs have begun to form. Her back is still tender and raw, but you nothing outward that tells you why she suddenly collapsed. Her breathing is shallower than normal, though. "I am *not* stubborn!" she protests. "I'm just still...still so *angry* at him! How can he be so...so loving and kind one day, and so harsh and unfeeling the next?" She presses a hand to her forehead. "Oh Agnes, I'm so tired." <><><><><> [Agnes] She gives the girl sips of water, as she worries greatly about her. "Antonella? Where does it hurt? Are you hot? Thirsty? A headache? What's wrong?" **Come on Kemal!!!** <><><><><> [GM] "No....just tired....and short of breath. My back hurts so much....but I didn't know I was going to faint," she says weakly. She starts trying to swallow large mouthfuls of water, but then almost chokes on it. Kemal arrives with the army surgeon, minutes later. He stops at the door, instinctively hesitating at the sight of his wife partially undressed, and definitely not happy to have another man seeing her this way. Then he proceeds inside, with Mohammed following. The surgeon inspects Antonella's wounds even more circumspectly than before, and says "They seem to be healing fine...those stripes on the back are still fresh partly because of the lard on them, but that also probably spared her skin, so assuming she now has plenty of opportunity to heal, they should be all right. Since her stab wounds have sealed shut, she can lie on her stomach now." He feels her forehead and throat again, then shrugs. "I can't be sure what's wrong....perhaps she just became overcome with all the cumulative heat and stress." He rummages in a small box of medicines he brought along, and pulls out two vials. "Have her take a sip of this in the morning, and this in the evening. She needs to rest." "Of course I need to rest!" Antonella retorts. The surgeon scowls angrily, and Kemal glances at her, slightly annoyed, then touches the surgeon on the shoulder. "Thank you, Mohammed ibn-Farouk," he says. "It was most kind of you to come treat my wife so quickly." "And what about you, Kemal ibn-Hakim?" Mohammed demands. "You still have stubbornly refused to let me treat YOUR wounds! You could be dying of blood poisoning right now, or doing yourself irreparable damage...." "I assure you, I am not," Kemal says. He's been neglecting to act wounded for the past day, actually. <><><><><> [Agnes] **He has seen her like this before, there is no harm in him seeing her this way again - especially if he can say what is wrong with her!** She watches him and listens attentively to his pronouncements. **You can't be sure what's wrong!!! What kind of quack are you!!** she rages to herself. **She isn't just anyone!!!! Make her better!!** She keeps to herself her distress, even when Antonella retorts to him. At another time she might have smiled to herself at Kemal's difficulties with he surgeon, and the criticism of his stubbornness. But today, she just wanted them all to leave them alone, now that they had patently failed to cure her friend. Eventually they leave. Agnes busies herself preparing a bed for Antonella, and once she's on it, making sure she's comfortable. Then she arranges for a hand-bell to be placed beside her, so that she can call for assistance. Then, like a broody hen over her chicks, she fusses over Antonella, making sure that it won't be for lack of care if the girl doesn't get better. "Kemal", she says after a long vigil. "Stay with her a while, whilst I get some sleep. Demonstrate to her that you care." <><><><><> [GM] Kemal nods. Before you leave, he takes your hand gently. "I know how very much you care about Antonella," he says. "Thank you." "I care about her also. I will do anything necessary for her." "If worst comes to worst...then she will become immortal at an inconveniently young age, but it will be God's will." Seeing that this doesn't seem likely to comfort you, he adds "In my experience, immortals tend to be rather resistant to disease and infection, even before they become immortal. I only know of one immortal, in fact, who actually died his first death from disease, and that was during a severe plague." In the morning, you wake up and immediately go to check on Antonella. Kemal is sitting at her side, keeping vigil. She is asleep, but wakes as soon as you enter. "Good morning, Agnes," she says. And glances at Kemal. "And you, husband," she adds, with eyes downcast. Kemal smiles. "Good morning, Antonella. Now that Agnes is here, I will go see about having the servants bring you some breakfast." He rises and approaches you. "She seems to be doing better," he murmurs. "She woke up about an hour ago, spoke to me briefly, and then pretended to fall back asleep until now." He sighs, sounding a little exasperated. <><><><><> [Agnes] She embraces Kemal. "Thank you for keeping vigil, Kemal," she whispers in his ear, after kissing him. She smiles, and then whispers in his ear again, "I think we have each of us been setting her too good an example of how to be stubborn." She lets go of him. "Now go and organise some breakfast for us. And you will be having yours with your beloved wives won't you?" This latter sentence sounded as much a command as the first. She watches him leave and then goes to sit by Antonella. "You are cruel to him, Antonella," she says, smiling, "pretending to be asleep like that. He wasn't fooled you know. And he does care for you. He carried you back here; he fetched the doctor; and he sat with you through the night after I'd fallen asleep." "He is going to have breakfast with both of us. Are you going to sulk throughout, or remain civil? You could even try to be pleasant to him." Agnes checks herself from pressing the issue more. She knows that if she tries to pressure the teenager, she will just rebel. And then ...? Well then, she'd have to keep her promise and return to Rome with Antonella. And she doubted that Antonella would wish Kemal to go to Italy with them, even assuming that he would actually want to go. She tries to take her mind off the subject before she gets depressed. "How are you this morning, anyway Antonella? Still faint? Let me see your wounds: how are they doing? Do you want to lie there, or get up and walk about?" <><><><><> [GM] "I'd like to walk around," Antonella replies, averting her eyes and not answering your questions about her behavior with regards to Kemal. "I feel fine, really, I think I just overheated yesterday." Despite her protests, however, she still looks a little pale to you, and she needs help standing. She is able to sit up properly for breakfast, though. Kemal speaks coversationally, telling you that for now, he has agreed to be a drill instructor for the Tunis garrison, as well as advisor to the city governor. Antonella says, "So what shall we do, husband?" Kemal raises an eyebrow. "I mean, before, practically all we did was stay home and learn to sew and cook and things, while you went out doing whatever you do. There's hardly anything for women to do here," she continues. "What do you want to do?" Kemal asks mildly. "Well...." Antonella looks down at her food. "When I'm all better, I want to keep learning to use a sword, and brawling. Agnes has been teaching me that." "I know," Kemal says with a smile. Antonella stirs the food on her plate. "You promised, if we want to go back to Rome, you'd let us. Did you mean that?" Kemal's smile fades, and his expression becomes more serious. He glances at you, then says "Yes. Of course I meant it. You are no longer my slaves, Antonella. You are my wives. That is usually a lifetime relationship...but I would not hold you here against your will." He pauses, then asks, with a controlled voice, "Do you want to go back?" Antonella stares at her plate, looks up at him, then to you. You see her eyes are glistening. She looks at Kemal again, who is studying her face, silently patient, then lowers her head once more. "I don't know," she whispers. <><><><><> [Agnes] Agnes congratulates Kemal on his appointment. When Antonella tells Kemal what she supposed was a secret about her training, Agnes herself smiles too. That was one more bit of pretence she and Kemal could discard. Antonella asks about Rome. Agnes meets Kemal's glance, worry in her eyes. Then, when Kemal asks the question that had to be asked: 'Do you want to go back?' she watches Antonella for her response. Her heart sinks. A pit opens up in her stomach. **Antonella wants to go home! Oh, no!** **This is the best position a new immortal could ask for, for their initial training: civilised, two trainers, no worries about bandits, or money. She's going to throw it all away!** She almost, for a brief moment, considered telling her her fate, but put it aside. Telling her would not help - it might even make things worse. She knew what Antonella really wanted to say, rather than 'I don't know', but here was no way she was going to say it for her! "Well, there's no rush," she replies to the girl, "after all, you are hardly fit to travel yet. There is time enough for you to decide." Inwardly Agnes wanted to cry, but that would be unfair on Antonella. <><><><><> [GM] Antonella nods. Kemal tries to remain cheerful, but a shadow has fallen over his face as well. Antonella has a point- there *isn't* much for a woman to do, at least not one who is used to travel and independence. Confined to the house except for when you wish to venture out into the soukh, you might become a little stir crazy yourself. There's only so much time you can spend talking to Antonella. You'll definitely be glad when she's well enough to resume weapons training....*if* she doesn't insist on leaving at that time. That evening, Kemal takes you to his bed again, more passionately than ever. Like you, he fears your days together may be numbered. "I don't know if she is going to forgive me," he sighs, lying next to you. "She is still so young, and easily manipulated...I am reasonably certain I could...seduce her. But that would not be honorable, or fair." He looks at you. "I do not understand how a woman's mind works, Agnes. What does she want from me? I have apologized, I have shown her I love her and care about her in every way I know how- aside from appealing to her base desires, what will it take to make her happy again?" <><><><><> [Agnes] She knows herself that confinement to the house would drive her up the wall too. But she also knows - or at least suspects - that she could get away with a ride into the countryside now and again. As she lies in his bed, blissful, caressing his back, she replies, "I don't think she is going to forgive you, Kemal." "And seduction is not the right answer. In ten, twenty, a hundred years, however long it takes her as an immortal, do you not think she will realise that you manipulated her. I think that she would come to resent that much more than anything, and she would have as long as she needs to fuel the fires of resentment and revenge. That would not be honourable, fair, or wise." She strokes his hair gently, considering whether to say what she thinks, and does so eventually. "Kemal. I was not the one whipped, and I almost did not forgive you. Had it not been for Antonella still being in the camp, that night I rode away, I would not have come back." She remebers the scenes vividly. She can smell the desert and the sweat of the horse, and see the sun rising over the sand. "In the morning, when I stood in the sun, I didn't do it to humiliate you. I did it because I couldn't bring myself to return to you, and yet I couldn't bring myself to ride North, abandoning Antonella." "Oh, I loved you then - much like Antonella probably loves you too - but that wasn't enough." Tears roll out of her eyes and onto the sheets as the memory of that morning comes back. "It was when you said you were going to see us onto a ship for Rome that I knew I had to forgive you. You see - we are both immortal. I knew that in a lifetime of looking I would never meet a man like you. A man who was a good man, and who loved me. A man who would not grow old and wither in front of my eyes. A man who would be by my side always. A man I didn't have to lie to, to deceive from the moment we met. Because of all these things, Kemal ibn-Hakim ibn-Daud, I chose to set aside my anger at what you'd done to your two wives, perhaps even to forgive. Certainly not to understand. You were too good a man in other ways, for me to throw away our relationship." She pulls him back onto her and hugs him tightly. Crying now, she adds, "Antonella does not have that spur. She thinks that she is a half, maybe a third of her way through her life. Why should she spend the rest of it as the wife of a man who did nothing to stop her being beaten, when she could return to her family in Italy and put the whole traumatic affair behind her?" "Oh, Kemal. I will have to go with her back to Rome, to await her first death!" She sobs, "I don't want to leave you!" <><><><><> [GM] "Nor do I wish you to leave," Kemal murmurs, holding you just as tightly. "But I cannot go with you to Rome.....even if I was willing, Christians would never tolerate a Saracen in their holy city. Especially after the raid earlier this year." Earlier this year....it's really been only a few months, since you were in Rome for the first time, as a business partner and wife in all but name to Sancho Aristeles. So much has happened, good and bad, it seems like a lifetime ago....how much longer it must seem to Antonella! "What is done, I cannot undo," he sighs. "Antonella will probably take at least a few more weeks before she is well enough to travel. Until then, I will continue to show her all the kindness it is in my power to give. If she insists on leaving....." he caresses you, "you must do what you promised as well." He begins kissing you again. "But there is always the future, and we have time. Somehow, we will be together again...." As he promised, he continues to be unfailingly kind to Antonella, despite her continual coldness towards him. She is thawing slightly, however. As you guessed, you're pretty sure she still loves him too, deep in her heart. She simply cannot bring herself to forgive him for allowing such an indignity to be performed on her. She's a vain child, and is continually worried about whether she will be scarred. One evening, about a week later, as she sits and sews (despite her disdain for such a dull pasttime, it beats doing nothing), she looks up at you with a rare serious expression, as if she's been doing some uncharacteristic heavy thinking. "Agnes, is Kemal immortal also?" she asks. <><><><><> [Agnes] The girl's question floors her. She stares at her long moments, as she struggles to decide what to say. That she has stabbed herself through the hand with her needle stirs her into saying something. After her expletive she manages, "Yes, he is," continuing her policy of honesty. "What makes you ask?" <><><><><> [GM] Antonella smiles slightly. "It was just a hunch." She looks down at her own sewing. "You two love each other a lot...and you're stuck taking care of me. If it weren't for me, you could both live happily ever after, couldn't you?" She sniffles. "I know you don't want to leave, Agnes, but I....Kemal might, might love me now, but what happens when I get old? He'll still be young, and you'll still be young, and I'll be an old woman. I should go back to Rome while I'm still young enough to marry." She starts jabbing her own needle too hard through the cloth, causing tears. "Except I'm not a virgin anymore, and God help me if my family finds out I was a Saracen's wife....I'm really *not* marriagable anymore. I'll be an old maid.....I'll have to join a convent!" Tears start running down her cheeks. She looks up at you. "What am I going to do, Agnes? I'm so useless! I can't stay here just to have the two of you watch me get old, but I don't have any prospects at home either!" <><><><><> [Agnes] She listens to Antonella, and watches the tears run down her cheeks. She feels her own eyes start to join in in sympathy. Her mind was in turmoil. Part of her wanted to tell the girl all. Another part said no: that the girl was too young to handle it, that she might rush off and commit suicide or something. She was too young for mmortality. **Who am I to judge what is old enough? Who says that being immortal as a woman of 30 will be any easier than one of 23, or one of 16?** She realises that Antonella is watching her, as they both sit in silence with tear-stained faces. She tries to hide from making a decision. "Kemal and I are not +stuck+ taking care of you. We are taking care of you because we want to. We both love you Antonella." "And what is so bad about you growing old whilst you live a happy life with us. The alternative would seem to be that you grow old with someone who may not love you as much, or treat you so well, and who grows old in front of your eyes also. Perhaps he will get grouchy and knock you about as he grows old, as he realises his own mortality. What if, after a lifetime of his debauchery, you find yourself old and frail, tending an older and frailer husband, whilst having to work long hours to keep you both fed. With us, if the time came for you to be old and frail and bedridden, the two of us would still be fit to look after you." "Even if you do go back to Italy, there is no reason for anyone to know that you were a Saracen's wife - I certainly won't be telling anyone. I would be ostracised just as much. Anyway, you are talking as if returning to Italy and getting married is the be-all and end-all of your life. You will end up like Nabila and all those other women. So what, if you are apparently ineligible as a wife. Make a success of yourself, girl. You make yourself enough money or create for yourself enough power and influence, and you'll have more suitors than you can shake a stick at, clamouring at your door. " "I will say though, return to your family as a sixteen year old who is only a little the wiser for her adventure, and they will still see you as a child, and will take over your life again, marrying you off as they see fit. Return as an eighteen or twenty year old, who has come of age, and learned about the world, and you will be in a better position to control your own destiny." She pauses to let the girl think. "But it is your choice. Kemal will still be here for me when I return, and I am willing to go back to Italy with you to try to ensure you get there safely. I wouldn't mind getting back to put in order my own affairs in Italy." <><><><><> [GM] Antonella wipes her eyes and looks at you. "I didn't think women *could* g- go out and *do* things, on their own....until I met you!" She looks at her sewing in disgust, and throws it on the floor. "You're right, I don't *want* to just go home and have my father pick me a husband and then sew and have babies for him the rest of my life! But I don't know how to do anything else!" She looks up at you. "Oh Agnes, you've had such an exciting life! I want to be like you, but I don't have as much time to do all the things you've done!" The girl slouches back in her chair. "And I....I know Kemal...is trying to be nice to me. Sometimes, I almost want to....to let him put his arms around me again." She sighs, sniffling. "But then I remember being held down on the ground, stripped naked, with a bunch of heathen savages staring at me, while Kemal looked on, and that whip-" Her voice cracks. "Am I being unfair, Agnes? I know he's sorry, and I know forgiveness is a virtue, but I still get so, so ANGRY every time I think about it!" She holds her head up with some of her old haughtiness. "And he's *never* actually apologized to me!" <><><><><> [Agnes] "Well, Antonella, I *had* to go out and *do* things. I look too young! Maybe if I looked 10 years older, people would think nothing of me keeping my looks for ten or fifteen years. As it is, people start to remark on it well before ten years are up. I had to learn to *do* things as you put it , because I had to keep moving on, not staying in the one place long enough to arouse suspicion." Looking pained, she adds, "Oh, Antonella, it got so lonely at times. That's why I couldn't throw away my friendship with Kemal." "However, that doesn't mean that I'm willing to spend forever in this desert with him. That would drive me up the wall as much as it would you. Why don't you stay here with me until I get fed up enough to leave for a while?" "As for him apologising, I think that I will get him to mend that error." She nods at Antonella's sewing. "I think that's enough of that for now. Let me show you how to count and write down numbers instead." That evening, when Kemal comes to see her, she says with a smile, "I think you have more than made your peace with me Husband. No seduction - we agreed that was a bad idea - but I think you should make your peace with Antonella. You have never actually apologised to her for what happened in the desert. I think that would go a long way to getting her to forgive you." She kisses him. "For me, and for her, visit her tonight and say you are sorry." <><><><><> [GM] Kemal sighs, and nods solemnly. "I shall." He twirls a strand of your hair around his finger idly. "Do you think she would be more comfortable if you are there?" About that, you're not sure, but you think Kemal would. He may realize the need to apologize to Antonella, and be willing to do it, but for a 245 year-old Muslim man to apologize to a 16 year-old girl is still a very large chunk of pride to swallow. <><><><><> "Kemal," she says, stopping him from, playing with her hair. "If I go too she will think that you are only apologising because I am there to make you. You either want to apologise to her or you don't. If you do then you don't need me there. If you don't then I am not going to make you." "Anyway, I wouldn't want to get in the way of 'developments' after the apology." She looks him in the eye. "Well? are you staying here or are you gooing to apologise to your other wife?" <><><><><> Kemal lets his hand drop. "Very well." He takes a deep breath and leaves, to go to Antonella's room. He doesn't return for the rest of the evening, so it seems Antonella accepted his apology. <><><><><> [Agnes] After what seems a decent interval, Agnes gets up and makes her way to Kemal's room. She stops at the door and listens. Should she hear nothing she will open it and peak in. Before going to sleep, she just wants to reassure herself that he did indeed to to Antonella's room. There will be time enough the next morning after breakfast, and after Kemal has left, to quiz Antonella. <><><><><> [GM] Kemal is not in his room. You sleep alone for the first time since leaving the Shatt al Jarid. In the morning, there is not much outward sign of anything having changed- Kemal is still reserved but warm, Antonella remains quiet...but if you watch closely, you can see a slight smile, and coloring of the girl's cheeks, when she glances at Kemal, and then glances back at you and sees you glancing at her. And Kemal gives both of you kisses before leaving to inspect his troops, and Antonella returns his kiss with real affection. After he leaves, she's silent for a bit, then folds her arms over her chest. "All right, so I forgave him," she says, blushing. <><><><><> [Agnes] She laughs, "I can tell that from your smile." She watches her blush even more, before adding, "I'm really glad, Antonella. How were your wounds? Obviously not *that* sore." As they finish breakfast, she asks, "If you want, we could walk to the soukh today, or between us try to work out how to shoot a bow, or if you do not feel up to it, we could do some more arithmetic." <><><><><> [GM] Antonella is bright red now. "He was very gentle," she says. She coughs. "Actually he was rather worried about hurting me, I....kind of, had to encourage him...." Things fall back into a sort of normalcy. Kemal spends most evenings at home with his wives, though not all. You and Antonella manage to work out a sharing arrangement that leaves both of you reasonably satisfied. You can tell that Antonella would quite like to have more than her fair share of time with your husband, but she manages to abide by an equitable agreement. Over time, Antonella continues to heal, physically and mentally, until her anger at Kemal is all but forgotten. She keeps two marks from her experience- a single long red line across her shoulders, the very lash mark that the army surgeon said might scar permanently. The other is a pair of scars marring the perfection of her left breast, which causes her no little consternation. Kemal assures her, however, that the scars do not mar her beauty....and points out that no one but you and he should be seeing any of these scars, anyway.... The only tenseness in the household is from the continued presence of Nadi. Though a slave, she seems hurt by Kemal's ceased interest in her, and Kemal speaks to her gently and seems to be trying to console her. You know now that it's common for married men to continue to have relations with slave girls as well. Antonella's eyes flare whenever Nadi goes near Kemal, and it's clear that while she might be willing to share her husband with you, she won't tolerate having to share him with Nadi as well. You and Antonella teach yourself enough about bows that you can at least send an arrow flying in the right direction. Aiming is not as easy as it looks, but that's true of a sling as well. She takes avidly to your continued sword lessons, and brawling, less so to more intellectual pursuits such as mathematics and writing in Arabic. Her fluency in Arabic is improving, but not as much as it should, because both you and Kemal find it easier to speak to her in Latin when she struggles too much with Arabic. Realizing that you are trying to educate her as well as teach her to fight, Kemal brings home some books one day, written in Arabic. You have to spend time puzzling over them yourself, but realize they are treatises on mathematics, astronomy and geography. Kemal admits to not having read them himself, and picked them rather haphazardly. "A scholar brought some of his texts from al-Qayrawan, and I asked to borrow a few. I thought you and Antonella might appreciate having some works of higher learning to study." Since you can read them yourself only with dificulty, there's not much chance of Antonella studying them, but you can translate some of it for her. One day Kemal arrives home early, while you and Antonella are in the courtyard, sparring with swords. Usually Kemal avoids watching the two of you engaged in combat practice; it still seems to offend his Muslim sensibilities. But today he comes out and observes silently for a few minutes, nodding at you with a smile, indicating you should continue. He watches you exchange blows back and forth, as he munches on a piece of fruit. <><><><><> [Agnes] Agnes too makes it plain, that although she will be civil, and even warm to Nadi, she will not tolerate any 'sharing' of Kemal with her. As for Antonella's scars, Agnes feels hurt and self conscious embarrassment every time Antonella examines and complains about the scars on her left breast. She knows that it was she that put them there. The books that Kemal brings pique Agnes' interest. That she has travelled so widely already, and knows how to use the stars, allows her to realise the worth of understanding the books. After all, there are many nights when she is on her own from the early evening. She continues sparring with Antonella a while, and then stops to speak to Kemal. "Well, as you can see, Kemal, I am teaching her the way I know." She holds up her big shield and heavy sword. "When you watched me fight in Aquitaine, you indicated that it is a rather unsubtle way of fighting. You reinforced that impression by giving me a small shield and light sword before we went into the desert. After those were taken off me by the Qaid's men, when I got the opportunity, I picked up weapons that I was comfortable with." She indicates her weapons again. "And I still have them." "Would you like to show me the finer points of the lighter weapons? Perhaps you would fight me, or at least show me how to use them?" She shows him a pretty smile, one he has seen often: a smile that indicates in a friendly way that she is willing to struggle with him to get her own way. It is going to degenerate into a battle of wills if he resists. <><><><><> [GM] Kemal looks slightly embarrassed. "Well, it is not that you were completely unskilled," he mutters. "That is, you are not, you are quite competent, better than most mortals." He looks at your sword and shield uncomfortably. "I, ah, chose the lighter shield for you, because I had trouble reconciling myself to your wielding a man-sized shield, though I see now you can wield one just fine. I do use that small style occasionally myself. It hinders me less if I need to move in for close combat." "The lighter sword is sharper and holds an edge better. Your thick, heavy swords are made for battering past shields and heavy armor, I prefer to bypass both and cut flesh." He shuffles. "I am sure with-" he glances at Antonella, "-another century or two of practice, you'll be quite skilled in your own fashion." "Oh, I want to see you fight, Kemal!" Antonella says. "I mean, I want to see how you fight....Agnes says you're very good, but I didn't really get a chance to watch you, out in the desert." <><><><><> [Agnes] "Oh, come on, Kemal." she says as she walks over to him. She takes her sword under her left arm, and gently pulls him towards the centre of the courtyard with her right hand. "Antonella is determined that I am the best swordswoman ever - despite my poor showing against the Sheykh. Just show her that I pale into insignificance compared to a true warrior like you." <><><><><> [GM] "I do not want to embarrass you, Agnes," Kemal says. He allows you to pull him into the courtyard, reluctantly. More reluctantly, he draws his sword. He has no shield, and waves Antonella back when she holds hers out to him. "I will not draw blood," he says, raising his sword to touch the tip of yours. <><><><><> [Agnes] "You will not embarrass me. I know you are much, much better than me. I think it is worth demonstrating this to Antonella, and me, whilst I try to learn from you." She touches the tip of his sword, and almost immediately launches a feint at his head followed by a cut at foot. **No! Stupid girl! Have you learned nothing! Aim for body!** Thereafter she tries to get past his defences and strike his chest, intending to pull the blow and turn the sword flat should she get through. <><><><><> [GM] Kemal ignores your feint, but to the surprise of both of you, you slip past his defense and slash his foot. Kemal grits his teeth, looking more irritated than hurt, as blood runs over his foot and pools on the courtyard. Thereafter, he defends himself more seriously, and slashes, backhands, thrusts and feints all avail you not. He parries your every attack with practiced ease, and he always seems to know when you're feinting. When you almost draw blood a second time, he finally begins counterattacking. The first time catches you totally by surprise, and suddenly the point of his sword is pricking the skin of your throat. Then he launches a flurry of blows, with amazing speed, coming so fast you can barely track them. Over and over again, he comes at your neck, and you can only parry about a third of them- his blade stops a fraction of an inch from the right side of your neck, then the left, then the right....you've been "beheaded" half a dozen times when he steps back. Then he comes at you again, showing you a thing or two about feints. You start to feel a little ridiculous; he swings at you so forcefully you're sure it must be a real attack, and when you lift your blade to parry, he's already coming at you from another direction, striking at your unprotected side, or chest, or arm or leg, or neck. You did not think it was possible for someone to be this good. You know Peter was not. Antonella is exclaiming "Oooooh!" and clapping her hands when Kemal finally lowers his sword and backs away. "I was really quite unkind in my earlier assessment," he says. "I have fought very few men that were your equal." He smiles. "I am reassured that you are clearly able to defend yourself." "But you ran circles around her!" Antonella blurts out, then looks at you apologetically. "I am over two-hundred years old, Antonella," Kemal replies gently. "And I was no mean swordsman even before I became immortal." The girl thinks, hands clasped in front of her, clutching her sword. "Are there other immortals, even better than you?" she asks hesitantly. Kemal smiles. "Well....probably." <><><><><> [Agnes] She is almost at the point of throwing her sword away in disgust, when he stops humiliating her in front of Antonella. His praise for her efforts pulls the rug out from under the sulk that she was working herself up for. "Really?" She asks incredulously, when he says that he is reassured by her abilities. She looks at his sword and then at her own. The number of point-attacks that she had been totally unprepared for had really shaken her confidence. If she'd hit him with the point of her sword, it would have been like hitting him with the edge of a plate. His sword though, came to a point that would do any dagger proud. She shakes off her shield - it would only get in her way as far as she could tell from the way that Kemal moved. "Can we swap weapons Kemal? I would like to try one with a point." <><><><><> [GM] Kemal blinks. "You want to continue?" he asks. He takes your sword reluctantly, hefts it adeptly. "I have *never* sparred with a woman before, even in practice," he sighs. He takes up position, while you feel the weight of the lighter blade. Antonella watches the two of you avidly. <><><><><> [Agnes] She pulls her knife out and holds it in her left hand, rather self consciously. She has never really come to terms with trying to parry with the thing, or stepping in close and using it as a weapon. She tries the balance of Kemal's sword - it is different, is all she can tell. Peter had taught her to use one type of sword, and she'd stuck with it. It was difficult for her to say know how its different weeight and handling was going to affect her skill - still the fight would tell. She decided that she would go at him hard. She wasn't going to win - she knew that from earlier, but she'd do her best. She'd try to use her dagger to defend herself. She knew that she tended to use the shield as a crutch sticcking it in the way of almost anything. Now without it, she'd have to think about things more and faster, and she'd have to be prepared to dodge about more. She could imagine having a sword and dagger under her robes in the soukh - but a 3 or 4 foot diameter shield? "Are you ready husband?" she asks as she holds forward the tip of her sword. <><><><><> [GM] He nods, and this time goes on the offensive first, slashing at you directly. You raise your sword and dagger, and deflect his attack, feeling like your movements are frantic and sloppy compared to his smooth parries. The outcome is the same; you feeling out the balance of a lighter, single-edged blade with a point, Kemal using a sword heavier than he is accustomed to, but he seems to adjust more readily. Indeed, after the first few moments, you can hardly tell that he's using an unfamiliar weapon. He still parries everything you throw at him, including the lunges with your off-hand dagger, though that does surprise him enough to force him to retreat a few steps. Even though you can tell he *could* hit you exactly where he wants to as easily as before, he doesn't. In fact, he seems to be moving slower, and you parry him more frequently, except for when you know yourself that your guard is flagging, and then somehow he's right there, pressing you to shore up your defense and pay attention. Perhaps he saw how frustrated you were becoming earlier, and doesn't want to show you up so badly now. The clash of steel rings in the courtyard for a long time, until you're quite winded. You know Kemal could have finished you off long before now, were this a real fight, but he seems to have naturally slipped into a role he's obviously practiced before, that of teacher, and he came at you from every direction, with attacks you've never seen before, forcing you to defend with your dagger and knife combination. If only he had Peter's harshness, to be able to actually hit you, or kick your feet out from under you, or yell at you, when you make mistakes...but you're slowly coming to realize that under his religious fervor, and ferocity in battle, Kemal is actually more soft-hearted than Peter ever was. Or it might be solely because you're a woman. You have no idea how he trained Marwan. <><><><><> [Agnes] It was hard work, both physically and mentally. She had never had to work so hard since Peter first taught her. All her other fights had been where she so outskilled them that her own mistakes didn't matter, or were to the death with other immortals, where there hadn't really been the oporutunity to try out new things or learn from mistakes. But this ... The same attack time after time, until she learned how to deal with it, and then something else, and then the first one again to test if she had actually learned how to deal with it, or whether she would return to her original instinct. And then he stepped back and stopped. She was covered in sweat, the sun have moved a remarkable distance across the sky in what seemed no time at all, and she really just wanted to lie down and rest. She lowered her sword, and tucked away her dagger. She walked, fatigued, to her husband and embraced him. "Thank you, Kemal. I needed that. I have realised how little I really know, especially when it comes to any weapon other than that." she taps her sword in his hand with the one she holds in hers. "Please - can we do that again? In a few days time , when I'm fresh again? I have learned more from you now than I have taught myself in the last thirty years." <><><><><> [GM] Kemal accepts your embrace, looking both flattered and a little discomfitted by your request. "Well, I...." he sighs. "Perhaps, to refine your techniques a little." "Me too!" Antonella says eagerly. Kemal frowns at her. "You are still learning the basics, and Agnes is more than adequate to teach you how to handle a sword competently," he says. "But you could teach us both at the same time," Antonella says. "I don't want to be just competent, I want to be good!" She looks at you, and puts her hand to her mouth. "I mean....I'm sorry, I'm not saying you're not good, Agnes, but Kemal is so much better-" She steps towards him, taking the arm that's not around you and pressing herself close to him, looks up at him with adoring eyes. "Oh, please Husband, I know you want both your wives to be as skilled as possible, to protect themselves...." Her manner is much more coy and seductive than anything you'd use to persuade Kemal, but there's something very familiar about her pretty smile. Kemal opens his mouth, trying to think of a response, half-smiling. He doesn't seem to realize some of the other things Antonella is learning from you. <><><><><> [Agnes] She smiles to herself on recognising Antonella's actions. **Perhaps there are things I can learn from her," she muses as she watches what Antonella does, and how she does it, and compares it to what her own actions would have been. **She's been watching me!** she decides, **but improving things. Poor Kemal.** She kisses him. "Kemal, you are a kind man, and considerate for both your wives. Thank you for agreeing to teach us both." With a twinkle in her eye for him she continues, "Now this wife wants to use the last of her energy to take you to bed." She kisses him passionately, and looking beyond him, wrinkles her nose at Amtonella with smiling eyes. <><><><><> [GM] "What? But I-" Kemal was definitely falling under the sway of Antonella's adoring embrace... but you quickly regain his attention. Antonella's eyes go wide and her mouth drops open, and then her lips twist together in a bemused pout. She smiles back at you. Then she presses her head against Kemal's shoulder, lays her hand on his chest and purrs "But *I* have plenty of energy I haven't even used yet!" And quite skillfully clings to his arm with her other hand in such a way that she pulls it against her bosom. Kemal, in the process of kissing you, finishes the kiss and then looks from your upturned face to hers, which is closer to his. Antonella winks at you, while she shifts slightly so that her breasts rub against his arm some more. Kemal clears his throat. "You two are *not* going to make *me* choose, are you?" <><><><><> [Agnes] She caresses his cheek with her fingertips, her sword clatters to the ground from her other hand. As her fingers run over his face and through his hair, she asks coyly, "I wouldn't have thought there was any doubt." She guides the hand that was embracing her until it cups her breast. Her silk shirt leaves no room for doubt in his mind thaat she is aroused. "Doesn't age have its privillage? Or are you after the exuberance - and inexperience mind you - of youth?" <><><><><> [GM] "Hey!" Antonella protests. Kemal's fingertips stroke your silk shirt, and the softness underneath. "It's supposed to be my turn anyway!" she pouts. She whispers in his ear, "I'll show you 'exuberance'..." Your husband shakes his head, as if clearing his mind. "Now really, this is not very dignified," he says. He does not, however, move his hand. He turns to Antonella, places his other hand on her cheek, and kisses her deeply. "It is not becoming for a man's wives to be competing with one another," he murmurs. "Now, wait for me in your room later tonight, and I am sure Agnes won't mind if I save some energy of my own for you." He takes a moment to sheath his own sword, rather than dropping it on the ground. Then he turns around and sweeps you up in his arms, to carry you off to his room. Antonella is left behind, with an almost comical expression of dismay. "That was hardly fair," he murmurs, nuzzling your neck as he makes his way to his bedchambers with long, hurried strides. "We can't have the poor girl feeling jealous. But I do prefer experience AND exuberance...." By the time he lays you down on his bed, he already has your blouse halfway off. <><><><><> [Agnes] She wakes up in Kemal's bed, with no Kemal. She smiles as she remembers why this is so. She puts on sufficient garments to be decent, and then goes to bathe and refresh herself before having breakfast. After Kemal leaves, after a friendly breakfast with Antonella and her, she catches the girl's eye, and smiles. "I see that swordplay and brawling are not the only things you've been learning from me. But I still got my man." "I'm afraid it's something I'm not that good at to teach you - assuming you want to learn, and we only have one 'victim'." She laughs and breaks into a broad grin. "I tell you what. One day a week, and not the same day each week, or Kemal will suspect, instead of taking turns, we compete with each other to see who he stays with that night." <><><><><> [GM] Antonella is still sulking a little when you join her. She considers what you say, then smiles. "All right." She drums her fingers on the table. "Since you have so much 'experience', I will just have to think of some way to make up for it, won't I?" She begins brushing her hair, then stops, and looks at you. "Agnes, please don't take this the wrong way. But....well, Kemal is the first man I've ever been with, and I guess the only one if I'm going to be married to him for the rest of my life." A vague, troubled look goes over her face. "Not that he's not wonderful," she adds, with a smile. "But, I'm curious...." She chews her lip as she regards you. "How many other men have you been with?" <><><><><> [Agnes] "Antonella! What a question to ask!" she exclaims in all seriousness. She only holds it for a few moments and breaks into a broad smile. "Of course you can ask that Antonella. Kemal is my third husband. Apart from them, I acted as the wife of another man - in all ways. And of the four, Kemal is by far the best in bed. Although I never thought I would think such a thing of my first husband, Kemal is also the kindest and gentlest." She is suddenly silent, and the smile falls from her face. She turns to her breakfast again, and toys with her food. When Antonella queries what is wrong, she looks up again. Tears stream down her cheeks, as she tries to deny that anything is wrong. Memories come back, and she buries her head in her arms on the table, sobbing. "I have also experienced five others ....... near Rome." <><><><><> [GM] "Oh yes....I remember," Antonella says faintly. Of course, it was less than a year ago. Uncomfortably, she looks down at her hands. Then stands up and comes around to kneel next to you. "I guess that's probably even worse than being flogged, isn't it?" She says softly. She puts her arms around you. "I'm sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to remind you of that with my silly prattling." <><><><><> [Agnes] She hugs Antonella tightly. "It's alright ... " she manages between the sniffles, "I know you didn't mean anything by it." Despite Antonella's efforts, Agnes is gloomy all day. Not only her ordeal haunts her, but despite trying to think of the happy times with them, she can only remember Kai's death, and the anguish she had inflicted upon Brian. She refuses to spar with Antonella, fearing that emotions might get the better of her and that she might actually hit her with her sword. She is no better when Kemal returns. <><><><><> [GM] Kemal notices your dispiritedness, and treads lightly around you, but does not comment, initially thinking it's probably normal female moodiness. Antonella initially takes advantage of the lack of competition to capture Kemal's attention for herself, but while cozying up to him, apparently feels guilty, or just concerned about you. So rather than spending the night with your husband, she slips away to find you in your room. "Well, now Kemal thinks *both* his wives are feeling 'out of sorts'," she says, flopping herself down on your bed. She looks at you with concern, displaying rare empathy for someone besides herself. "Are you all right, Agnes? Do you want me to leave?" <><><><><> [Agnes] Lying in her bed in her sleeping robe, her mousey hair tied in its usual long braid for the night, she turns from looking at the ceiling to look at Antonella. "No, please stay." she says putting a restraining hand on the girl's hand. "I've been miserable all day: I'm sorry. It's just ... it's just that I'd almost forgotten about being raped. Remembering about it brought back memories of all the bad times in my life. The death of people I cared for or actions I have regretted ..." "I want to go and kill all five of them, Antonella, or even just maim them so they'll never do to another what they did to me. I want vengeance. I know that is a sin - vengeance is the Lord's prerogative ... I know it is stupid also. In fifty years time they'll be dead and I won't be, that ought to be satisfaction enough. Maybe in a day or so I'll have got over it, and I'll be content to seek them out in thirty years and gloat over their decrepitness." <><><><><> [GM] "I know if it happened to me, *I'd* want revenge, Lord's prerogative or not," Antonella says. "I wanted revenge on those bastards who whipped me, but that's already been done. Kemal killed the Qaid, and it's likely most of the others who were there died in the big battle afterwards." Lying on her back next to you, she turns her head towards you. "I remember, Kemal did promise he'd take you back to Palermo and seek justice, didn't he? You could still do that if you wanted to, couldn't you? Although I'm not sure how Kemal would find them....they probably didn't tell you their names...." her voice trails off. <><><><><> [Agnes] "Oh, but Antonella, I would know them. Their faces are burned into my mind. The difficulty would be in getting to the right place to see them." She ponders for a moment as she lies looking at the other girl. "Still, acting as furniture, wearing yashmaks, would allow us to watch without being watched. I could sit at the dockside all day, and everyone ought to ignore me." She chews her lip, twisting the end of her braid around her fingers, thinking. "I'll ask Kemal. I doubt he'd want us to go alone, and we'd need to see when he could get away." With resolve in her eyes she looks Antonella in the eye. "I want revenge." she says. <><><><><> [GM] Kemal is gone when you wake up the next morning...probably choosing to leave early and hope his wives are in a better mood when he returns. Antonella somewhat hesitantly asks you if you'd care to spar today. Even she is being unusually accomodating towards you. She asks if you want her to be with you when you speak to Kemal, or if she should be elsewhere. In any case, Kemal returns home quite late that evening. <><><><><> [Agnes] She agrees to a spar with Antonella, but only after she has hurled rocks across the courtyard with her sling. Having done that for a while she feels less immediately angry, and safe to spar with Antonella. Kemal she wishes to see alone. <><><><><> [GM] Kemal nods when you ask to see him privately, and takes you into his bedroom. He is smiling when he turns to face you, but stands a few paces away- he can sense you probably aren't here to slide under the covers with him just yet. "Is all well with you, my wife?" he asks. "You have seemed....troubled, the last day or two." <><><><><> [Agnes] She toys with her hair as she glances at him, finding it surprisingly more difficult to speak with him than it had been with Antonella. "The memories of being raped in Rome came back to me." she replies as way of explanation, eyes downcast. The pause drags, as she finds she cannot start the finely crafted lead-in that would get him to wholeheartedly support her crusade for 'justice. "Kemal, I will be honest. I don't want to just have the satisfaction in fifty years of the knowledge that I have outlived them. I don't want justice. I want revenge." She looks at him in the eyes. "When I first told you I'd been raped, you said that we could return to Palermo in order to bring the criminals to justice. Would you still do that? And realistically what good would it do?" She shakes her head slowly, and sits on the edge of his bed, still finding something on the floor to look at. "It would be my word, the word of an infidel woman, who would no doubt be seen as bearing a grudge against those that bore her off to slavery, against the word of five good and true moslim men, whose stories would no doubt corroberate each others'." Looking back at him, she concludes, "It wuld be a waste of time wouldn't it? And just embassass you and hurt me." "What would moslim justice say and do if I just sought them out one by one and extracted my own revenge?" <><><><><> [GM] "I see," Kemal says, when you explain. He listens somberly to the rest. When you are finished speaking, he paces for a few moments, hands clasped behind his back and head bowed, before he stops and faces you. "I told you I would return with you to seek out the men who did you wrong," he says. "I meant it, of course, and will do so now if that is what you desire." He has to consider his words again, before continuing. "What you say is true in part....it would be your word against theirs. However, a Muslim court is not as one-sided as you believe. They may deny it happened and claim you are lying, but I can testify to your character, and to the...pain, I have seen you endure, with my own eyes." His eyes are dark and serious as he meets yours. "And these men....to be men who would do such a thing, are not likely 'good and true' Muslim men, and the Qadi will see that." He coughs, uneasily. "Antonella was there too, was she not?" "In any case, I will not promise you that the Qadi will find for you, Agnes. But I think there is a good chance he will." "If they are found guilty, the punishment would likely be a flogging....up to a hundred lashes, if the Qadi is fully outraged by their crime. Also a fine, probably. And a mandatory apology." His tone is carefully neutral...his expression compassionate. "What you suggest- hunting them down and killing them? That is forbidden, Agnes. The penalty for unjust murder is death....by beheading. Muslim law would not be sympathetic to you, even given your grievance against them." He lays a hand gently on your arm. "Agnes, if you wish to seek justice, I will stand with you, regardless of any 'embarrassment'. I cannot help you seek unlawful vengeance. Is that not a sin in your religion, as in mine?" <><><><><> [Agnes] Her eyes widen at his mention of death by beheading, fear showing through momentarily. She lays her other hand on his arm. "Yes," she says quitely, avoiding his eyes again. "It is a sin." "And I ought to be ashamed for thinking of it ... but I'm not." She clings to his arm tightly. "I could not bear to have it all brought out in the open again, to see them all, to hear them lie, and then possibly to be 'found against'. I know what 'found against' means. It means that I would be considered a liar, that they considered that I had fabricated the whole story, that I had convinced my gullable co-wife and husband to believe me." She stands, and releases his arm. "Thank you, Kemal. I think I shall let the matter drop. Now, I believe Antonella was looking for you she says as she makes for the door of his room, trying to get to her own before the façade of her composure crumbled. It may have been the repeated cry of "Bastards!" or it may have been the sound of breaking furniture that attracted them, but when Kemal and Antonella reached the door to Agnes' room they could see that she had destroyed it. In fact she was still in the process of doing so. Clutching her sword in both hands she was taking wild swings at anything that had the audacity to still be in one piece, or at least large sized broken pieces. "Filthy Scum!" she cried as the already fatally damaged bedside table was propelled into the air with an upswing. <><><><><> [GM] "Agnes, please!" Kemal exclaims. He steps forward, but Antonella restrains him. "Husband, please," she murmurs, trying to pull him back. "She is destroying the room!" Kemal protests, but Antonella clutches his hand with both of hers, holding it close to her heart and looking up at him with an earnest expression as she speaks to him in soft tones. <><><><><> [Agnes] As the table reaches the top of its trajectory, Kemal shouts "Agnes, please!", and the woman smites the table-top with a horizontal backswing, breaking it in two. She doesn't hear her husband, and the unfortunate table suffers a third blow as it hits the ground. There is nothing left that can be said to be undamaged. Bits of wood and Agnes' clothes - many torn, lie haphazardly scattered about the room. Lacking any more obvious targets, she stands, breathing heavily and lowering the sword as she looks at the scene with her back to the door. She turns, looking at what she has done to all her worldly possessions that now litter the floor of her room. Seeing feet at the door, she looks up. Red eyes above tear-stained cheeks regard the two of them in the door. The sword clatters to the floor. "I'm sorry." she whispers, her eyes glancing from Kemal to Antonella snd back. "I think I'm better now." She makes to start gathering together the debris in her room. <><><><><> [GM] Your husband and co-wife watch you awkwardly for a moment. Then Antonella comes inside and kneels next to you, and begins helping you pick up debris. Kemal remains standing by the doorway, at a loss for words but not willing to just walk away. <><><><><> [Agnes] She gathers the wood that had once been furniture into one pile. Remarkably few garments had been damaged, and she sorts through them, the undamaged in one pile, the repairable in another and the rags in a third. There is a sinking feeling in her stomach when she sees her books, but luckily it was their shelf that took the brunt, and they merely fell to the floor to be covered by debris. "There will be no need for us to go to Palermo, Kemal. In my mind, I have exacted my revenge. The reality would only likely be a bitter disappointment." She turns the maattress so that the gashes face the floor, and so the horsehair is less likely to fall out. The remains of the bedframe join the rest of the firewood. By the time the room is reasonably tidy, her storm has been weathered. With an armful of wood she heads for the kitchen. Pausing by her husband by the door, she leans over aand pecks him on the cheek. With just a hint of a smile, she whispers, "I love you, Kemal. I'm sorry about the room." and continues on.