The Purlieu Experiment
Chapter 13
Copyright 2015 & 2021
Donte looked back at the palace as the camelus plodded away. Celyn sat on the white wall, waving at them. He waved at her and turned to watch the trail ahead. Were there other Mascots like her - born so long after the plague?
The flat desert floor was scattered with dull green shrubs. In the distance were the mountains that formed a border between Anialwch and Lochfowk. He was certain that he could walk faster than the camelus, but at least this way they would be reserving their energy for the final walk to the colony. Hopefully he could get an equine there so that he could ride the rest of the way home.
Donte and Akira rode on separate camelus this time. They had been treated respectfully by the Anialwch. He didn't doubt their sincerity in inviting him to return. The only thing that concerned him about doing so was the little girl's obsession about her vision to exchange vows with him. For one horrible moment he had been afraid they were going to insist he exchange vows with her before he left. He saw the situation with Farasi all over again. But King Neirin didn't appear to take her vision seriously, at least for the time being. Right now, his focus was on bringing the colonies together. It was a dream Donte shared with Neirin. Kafil would have his hands full trying to pull Nyumbani together for a while, though. One thing Kafil said made Donte certain that it was inevitable. Halisi was now queen. Would she exchange vows with Kafil now? Chiku and Heri would be safe as long as the new government stayed in control. He smiled as he thought of Chiku growing up in a palace with nice things to wear. Would she miss the farm? Heri was young enough to adjust, but it would be more difficult for Chiku. Once again, he felt the shame of abandoning his children. Would he ever see them again?
They reached the border in time to set up camp before darkness surrounded them. Tonight, they would have the shelter of tents, but the rest of the way they would have to find shelter as they could. It wouldn't be as bad this time. At least they had food and water, and he had shoes and clothing to wear. He wished he had trousers and boots, but the robe would protect him from the sun now and the cold when they climbed out of the desert.
In the morning, after a good night's sleep and a sound breakfast, Donte and Akira started out on foot at a brisk walk. The Anialwch packed their things and headed back to the palace.
According to Akira, they would be at the main colony in a few days, and they would likely pass outlying farms tomorrow. Hopefully they wouldn't be mistaken for Anialwch. Of course, Akira had her hood down, exposing her red hair. That would be visible as soon as their attire was.
They reached low hills and sparse grass by mid-day. From that point, they began climbing more than they walked on the level. As the elevation increased, so did the grass. They circled around the mountains and set a course for the interior of Lochfowk, away from the sea. When they came to a river, Akira set a course alongside it, constantly going upstream. Later they heard a thundering noise. The skies were clear, though. Donte looked askance at Akira.
"Water fall," she said. "There is a lake behind it. That is where we will camp tonight. There is a little cabin where we can stay. It was built for travelers, especially in the cold season."
The waterfall was wide, but not much taller than he was. It fell over a sheer cliff. Akira led him around the face of the cliff and up a narrow winding trail to the top. There, she turned back toward the river. At that point, it was a small dark green lake.
"A boat would get stuck on that lake." Akira said. "It’s shallow and filled with water plants."
The area was alive with the sound of amphibians and insects. Trees with large leaves arched over a well-defined trail. Here and there small clumps of fragrant purple flowers pushed above the grass. In some places, vines hung from the trees, their foliage so thick that they formed an impenetrable wall. At one such place they walked around the wall to find themselves in a clearing. In the center of the clearing was a cabin. The lake was visible from a small porch.
"A person could live here." Donte said as he took in the view.
Akira nodded. "Sometimes they do for a while."
"How do you know someone isn't living here now?"
"You don't. As long as there is room, you share. It belongs to everyone."
The idea that someone could walk in on them during the night was disturbing. In Libertad and Bergen, they had large buildings with individual rooms.
The cabin was clean. There was a closet the length of one wall, bunks at the back and a stove on the other side.
Akira spoke as she headed for the stove. "It gets cold at night in this season. There are blankets in the closet. If you'll get the beds ready, I'll fix something to eat."
Donte found the blankets and prepared the beds while Akira warmed the food. They ate on the porch, watching wildlife as long at it was light enough to see. When they retired for the night, Donte pulled the robe off so it wouldn't get wrinkled and slept on the top bunk dressed only in the hide. The bed was surprisingly comfortable and he fell asleep almost instantly, not waking until dawn.
Donte woke to a quiet dawn. Climbing down from the bunk as quietly as possible, he went outside to answer nature's call. When he returned, Akira was still sleeping, so he decided to go for a swim in the lake. He grabbed the robe and sandals and slipped outside. At the edge of the lake, he hung the robe on a tree and placed the sandals at the base. Slowly, feeling his way across the sandy bottom, he waded into the cold water. Drawing a deep breath, he plunged into the lake. He swam about halfway across and then back again. Rolling on his back, he floated in the water, watching the sunlight warm the surface of the lake to wisps of steam. It was a peaceful place. Too bad they couldn't stay here a few days.
He rolled over and dunked his head, scrubbing his scalp. The hair was growing back and it itched. He stood and wiped as much water from his face and hair as possible before wading to the shore. He stood in the sun for a few minutes to let his skin warm and dry. Finally, he reached up for his robe. Akira was probably up by now and wondering where he was. He tied the robe on and slipped into the sandals. They needed to eat and get on the trail.
***
Akira woke to a quiet cabin. Donte was gone again. Where did he go this time? They had food to eat. She folded the blankets and put them in the closet before getting food ready. Hopefully he would be back soon. They needed to get started early if they were to have any chance of reaching the colony tonight.
She glanced out the window at the lake and saw Donte emerging from the water. For a few minutes he stood looking out at the lake, water droplets glistening on his golden skin. Once again, he wore only the hide over his lower torso. He stretched and reached into the tree, retrieving his robe. She watched him put the robe on and tie it. She sighed. He had such a beautiful body. She looked away, feeling a flush of heat on her cheeks.
What would she have done without his assistance? Surely, she would have been dead by now, and yet, how did she thank him? She intruded on his private moments. She had insulted him numerous times, and yet he had never retaliated. He was a nice person. It occurred to her that she had never thanked him. She had to remedy that.
When Donte came into the cabin, she turned to him. "I have some food ready."
He nodded. "I'm hungry."
"We will reach the colony sometime tonight or tomorrow morning." She stepped close to him. "I want to thank you for all your help." She lifted her face and kissed him full on the lips. He didn't respond, but neither did he resist.
She stepped back and sighed. "I guess tomorrow is the last time we will see each other."
His gaze traveled over her face; his brows slightly furrowed with confusion. "Are you telling me not to come back?"
She smiled and shook her head. "No, but I though you would be happy to get rid of me." When he didn't respond, she turned away from him. He couldn't have missed the implication of her kiss, which meant that he wasn't interested.
As she turned, his hand engulfed hers. He gently turned her around and pulled her into his arms. She went willingly, lifting her arms to capture his neck as he pulled her close. His lips found hers, warm and firm. She responded with enthusiasm, pressing her body to his. When his lips left hers and found her neck, she let her hands slide down to explore his pectoral muscles through the robe. She untied the robe and felt the warmth of his bare stomach against her hands. He drew her close again, his lips finding hers in an urgent kiss.
It was over in a gazillion of her heartbeats. He gripped her arms, gently pushing her away as he groaned. "No, we shouldn't do this."
"Why not?" She managed in a breathless voice.
He pulled his robe together and tied it shut. "Because it's wrong."
The fog of desire was beginning to thin. "Because we're from different colonies?"
He smiled. "No."
"Because I'm too old? There are advantages to that, you know."
The most important advantage was that she couldn't conceive. Still, she was a good twenty years older, which converted to more experience.
He knelt beside the fireplace and began adding sticks to the flames. "It has nothing to do with your age or the fact that we come from different colonies." He glanced up at her. "There are other ways to express gratitude, you know."
Warmth raced up her neck in a flush. "It isn't simply gratitude."
He broke a small stick into little pieces, absently throwing them one-by-one into the fire. "Akira, it's been a long time since I made love to a willing woman." His gaze came back to her face. "I want you, but it needs to be more than that." He stood. "Don't you see? It should be something you share with someone special - someone you want to spend more than a night with."
Actually, she would like to spend far more than one night with him, but that was a moot point right now. Obviously, he didn't feel the same way. Still, he was wrong about one night not being special. She had spent only one night with a lot of men, and it had always been special. It wasn't as though she made love to any man. He had to be special to get her interest. Still, Donte was trying to politely tell her that what he felt for her was desire, not love. She would have accepted that, but he didn't want her that way. It was an aching feeling to desire and not be desired in return. It had never happened to her before. Was that how he had felt for the last six years? What kind of woman did it take to live with him for six years, bear his children and still not love him?
"She treated you badly."
He stood. "Who?"
"Halisi."
He shook his head. "No. She was disciplined. She did as her father told her to do. She submitted to me because it was the only way she could give her father an heir. I can't imagine how humiliating it was for her, especially when she loved someone else."
"You were in the same situation - even worse. At least she wasn't a captive. It wouldn't have killed her to show you a little affection."
He smiled. "I appreciate your support, but she wasn't the problem. She was another victim of Farasi. She was kind to me and she allowed me to be a normal father to our children. I admire her courage and dedication."
Yes, Halisi was a victim. If Akira hadn’t been so focused on Donte’s side of it, she would have thought of Halisi as the victim. What had caused her to see it only from his perspective? How would she feel if her father had forced her to bear children with a man from another colony when she loved someone else? How could a father do that? Halisi had been the one denied love.
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