Immunity, page 19
“I’m not kidnapping any more humans.”
“By kidnap, I meant bribe with fabulous elvish sex.” She laughed. “And an amazingly revealing wardrobe.”
“You make it sound so attractive.”
“I could find someone.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Completely.”
“I want you to write books in your field.”
“I’ll think about that. I want to ask something.”
“Yes?”
“Did you tell me I’m going to live longer than I might have expected?”
“Not if you stay in Paris.”
“And if I live here?”
“Yes, Snow Dove, you will live a very long time.”
“Am I heavy?”
“You’re perfect.”
I snuggled a little closer. I thought about everything. She caressed my face. After a while, she said, “Will you please tell me.”
I understood what she wanted. “I am your harem girl, Khaleesi.”
She held me tightly.
Travel
A year passed. Or so. Many of our temporary harem girls departed the harem, four returning to their original harems, one returning to her mother outside the walls, and three returning to their roles as servants of the palace.
Silk asked to remain a harem girl, and we took in more women. Not all the servants of the palace were suited for the harem, but we took in the few remaining who were, and we took transfers from other harems.
Elvish began to spread amongst the humans. It would take time, but Persian was heard less and less. Not a single human I encountered seemed upset about that. I didn’t fully understand that.
But maybe they saw my status and attributed it entirely to speaking Elvish fluently. I don’t know. Regardless, the human women seemed to embrace the changes as best they were allowed.
Two weeks after Honey Bee left us, she was back, but only to visit with Glisten, and she brought two of her friends. Cherry Blossom and Bashful entered the harem.
By then, the other women of the harem were doing the majority of the teaching. They still saw me for guidance and inspiration, and they all said they wanted me to lead story time. But Glisten managed the process from day-to-day, and she handled it well.
And so, when the Khaleesi said, “We’re taking a little trip. We’ll be gone for a week or two,” I knew the teaching would continue.
“You’re taking me somewhere?”
“You and Otter,” she confirmed. “We’re going to the coast.”
* * * *
It felt weird, after four years, to wear clothing that actually covered me. It was even harder for Otter, and I had to help her.
Now, I’m going to say this. I should have figured out what was going on. I didn’t. Let’s leave it at that.
Our troop included about half the women who had traveled with me during that first journey, four years ago. We had a few others, including Teriani, the elf who was so good with rope. Yes, she brought rope. Yes, I got to enjoy it.
It was nearly a week to the coast, and we had no significant incidents along the way. On the second day I asked, “Will there be harpies?”
“There might,” Chasianna said. “But they won’t bother us.”
“They tried to, four years ago.”
“We were further south.” I didn’t think that was much of an explanation. I didn’t ask for more. And yes, there were harpies, but seen only at a distance, and they didn’t bother us.
We reached the coast, making a camp within sight of the mighty ocean, but not within sea monster biting range. Otter and I were reminded we weren’t to leave the camp.
“When are you going to tell us why we’re here?” I asked Rhosani.
“Tomorrow.”
“You aren’t trading us to someone, are you?”
“Never.” She set her hands on my shoulders. She looked like she wanted to say something, but then she pulled me to her, holding me tightly.
I really should have figured it out.
* * * *
We rose early. When Otter and I climbed from our little tent, Rhosani and Chasianna were dressed oddly. I stared. And then I dropped my gaze and stared at the two piles of clothing that were waiting for Otter and me.
Human clothing. And there was a backpack waiting. I grabbed it and sorted through. She had all my things, not that I’d originally brought much. But she even had my phone and the charger.
I started crying, plopping down on the ground, holding my things, and crying. But Otter began wailing and threw herself at me. “You can’t go! You can’t go! Please don’t leave me.”
We cried together, each of us for different reasons. I didn’t know how to reassure her. I was too busy trying to catch up to events.
But then Rhosani sat down before us. She set a hand on each of our backs. “It must be Amelie’s choice,” she said gently.
“Take us back!” Otter said. “Don’t let her leave.”
“We’re all going,” Rhosani said. “If Snow Dove wishes to remain behind, it is her choice. If you wish to remain with her, that is your choice, and hers as well. You’ll have to help her dress, Snow Dove.”
We prepared. And then it took four elves to make a portal.
To a forest outside Paris, and I don’t mean Texas.
* * * *
Otter was frightened by nearly everything, but when we’d offered to let her stay behind, she’d refused, muttering something about knocking me over the head and carrying me back if she had to.
I thought she might have been serious.
I spoke a little French, not enough. Rhosani’s English was excellent, and Chasianna’s wasn’t bad. We got by.
We stayed in a hotel. We did a little shopping. I had cash, and I bought dresses for Otter and me. We had a lovely dinner and went for a walk along the Seine. We took some attention; the elves weren’t hiding their appearance. But they wouldn’t have been the first elves to visit the city.
We eventually returned to the hotel, we stayed up late.
And I plugged in my phone.
Otter and I shared a bed, and she was clingy.
* * * *
In the morning, Otter wouldn’t look at me. I asked her to wear the dress I’d bought her. Then I led us all downstairs and to a cab.
“Eiffel Tower,” I told the driver.
“It is not open yet.”
“I know. Take us wherever we can best see it from the ground.”
He dropped us off and pointed to the security gates. “What is this place?”
“Just a tower,” I said, “a symbol of Paris. From the top, you can see a long, long way.”
“We’re not going up!”
“We won’t be able to get tickets,” I said. “Unless we want to wait. I haven’t been here in a while. Come. I want to show you something.” I pulled her to one of the tower legs, and then I pushed her back against it. “I received my first kiss in Paris right where you are.”
She laughed. “Did you.” And then she grabbed me. “Show me.”
We weren’t kissing friends, but she pulled me against her and then spun me around, my back to the tower. And in that moment, we became kissing friends. We most definitely became kissing friends.
And then she clung to me. “Trust me,” I whispered into her ear before kissing it.
We wandered around for a while, and then I led us away.
We crossed the Seine, and then I led us to the Arc de Triomphe. I explained what I knew of its history. It was hard to put anything into context.
None of them knew who Napoleon had been, or King Louis-Phillippe. They all stared, anyway, and Otter pointed out it was much higher than the towers of the palace.
We walked along the Champs-Elysées. In the Jardins de Champs-Elysées, I brought them to the statue of Charles de Gaulle. “Is this an important man to you?” Otter asked.
“No, but he was important to the French, very important.”
I turned to a woman who was looking at the statue and asked, in my poor French, if she knew where we could find a café for breakfast.
She turned to me and asked with a British accent, “Do you speak English?”
I laughed. “Does American count? I was only asking if you knew where we could find a café.”
“I just left one.” She pointed. It wasn’t far.
There was room for us, and we had a simple, French breakfast. I sighed over the coffee.
I brought us back to the Champs-Elysées. We turned right, and I brought us to the Place de la Concorde. We looked at the obelisk for a few minutes, and then I turned us away.
I brought us to the gates of the US Embassy. Tears began streaming down Rhosani’s cheeks. I pulled out my phone and asked another tourist, a teenage girl, “Can you take some photos for us?”
“Those are elves!”
“Yes, they are,” I said. “Please don’t steal my phone.”
“Here,” she said, handing me hers. “Mine is a lot nicer than yours. Please don’t steal my phone.” I smiled that she echoed me.
“Mine is old,” I said. “Take a bunch.”
“Sure.”
“Me first,” I said. I posed.
Then I pulled Otter next to me, arms around each other, and I kissed her cheek. The girl took photos. Later, I’d see they were quite cute. As the teenager looked like she was having fun, and her mother wasn’t looking impatient, I pulled Chasianna and a quietly crying Rhosani next to me.
“Why is she crying?”
“Allergies,” I said. She took the photos, then I said, “That’s your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“Mom,” I said, raising my voice. “Do you mind if I take a photo with your daughter?” We handed her the phone, and we got more photos.
“Would they… Do they…”
“The elves speak English. My friend only speaks Elvish.”
“Seriously? What does that sound like?”
“What’s your name?”
“Elvira.”
I laughed. “Seriously?”
“Parents.”
“I would have expected a more goth appearance.”
“That’s a cliché.” But then she showed me an image from her phone. Totally goth. “Mom hates it, but it’s her own fault.”
“Mom!” I said. “Is her name really Elvira?”
“It is not!” Her mother said. “It’s Eliza. And she’s trouble.”
“Elvira is way cooler,” Eliza said.
I took my phone back from Mom, and Eliza gave her phone to her mother. I introduced everyone, and Mom took more photos.
“Mom,” I said at the end. “If she’s too much trouble, we’ll take her off your hands for you.”
“I’m counting on her to take care of me in my old age. So sorry.”
“I’m totally going with the elves,” said the girl. “I’ll see you sometime, Mom.”
Her mother laughed then grabbed her arm. Eliza waved as Mom pulled her away.
“Well,” I said. “Back to the hotel? Or shopping? I vote the hotel first. Someone needs to clean up. I hope you have a lot of money, because I’m pretty sure my credit cards don’t work.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Was I speaking English?”
“I don’t understand,” Otter said.
“This building,” I said. “Is the United States embassy in Paris. If I go over to those nice gentlemen and tell them who I am, they’ll be very, very interested in talking to me. I have little desire to talk to them, so I think we should do something else.”
Otter looked at me. She looked at the embassy building. And then she grinned broadly and threw her arms around me. I received my second kiss of the day. And then I whispered, “Give me a minute.”
She released me, and I turned to Rhosani, pulling her down until we were touching foreheads. “I am your harem girl.” And then I let her go and looked for a taxi stand. My feet hurt.
* * * *
Rhosani was quiet. Otter held my hand and was practically quivering in pleasure.
In the car, I gave her a little kiss and said, “I am not treating your affection as promises. And we are harem girls, with all that implies.”
“I have loved you for a long, long time.”
“And I have loved you,” I said.
“When we get back, I’m putting you into the tickle rack.”
“Good.”
“And tickling you for days.”
“I won’t last days.”
“And then I am going to take you,” she threatened.
“With everyone watching?”
“If they are voyeurs, they may watch.”
“All right, then,” I said.
* * * *
I turned to Rhosani and then knelt in front of her. Otter quickly joined me. “Khaleesi,” I said.
She stared at us a minute, then said, “You’re a shit.”
“That is entirely unfair.” I stood back up. “You’re still catching up, aren’t you? You are going to apologize for calling me a mean name. Right now.”
“You’re right,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re forgiven, but only because I know you were scared. You now have a temporary reprieve from the S-word, but I think it’s far too much work to expect you to bring me to Earth once a year. We’ll figure out the frequency. How long are we staying in Paris? May we stay a few days? Are funds an issue? I don’t think my credit cards will work.”
“We can stay a few days,” she replied.
“Otter, I know you want to go back and may not believe I’m going with you until we do. Please, may we stay a few days?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” I checked the time and grinned.
* * * *
My phone didn’t have service. I didn’t expect it to. But it had an internet connection via the hotel. I initiated a Facetime.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Hey, sis,” I said. “Wake up.”
“Call me at a decent hour.” And she clicked off. I counted to five before I accepted a fresh request from her. She was screaming and crying.
“Amelie,” she said, over and over. “Amelie.”
“I missed you, too,” I said.
“Where have you been?”
“Well, it’s a long story, Lyric. Sit up. Pull yourself together. Is there any terrible news?”
“What?”
“Anyone die?”
“Oh. No. Well, Mom’s cat, but everyone hated that cat.”
“Conference Mom in.”
“Where are you?”
“Paris. Lyric, conference Mom in.”
“How did you get to Paris?”
“I can hang up and call her myself.”
“Fine, fine,” she said.
Several moments later, Mom added, although I don’t know what her phone was aimed at. “Who died? Someone better have died.” And then she was screaming my name.
“Mom,” I said. “Sit up. Turn on a lamp. I’m sorry it’s so early, but I wanted to call before Lyric started her day.”
Mom started crying, but she turned on a lamp. Finally she asked, “Where are you?”
“Paris.”
“France?”
“Yes. Mom. Lyric. I don’t know what anyone told you.”
“That the elves took you prisoner and… were doing things to you.”
“Well, they did take me prisoner,” I said. I paused. “Keira Moss was going to have me silenced.”
“That was in the news,” Mom said. “And to think I voted for her.”
“They kept me safe,” I said. “It’s a really long story. Mom, this is just a visit.”
“You’re going back?”
“Yes. Willingly. Can you both come to Paris? Please? Just for a few days. I don’t know if I have any money. I don’t know if I can pay for tickets.”
“I’ll pay for tickets,” Lyric said. “I’m looking up flights now. Mom, could you be ready in two hours?”
“Yes.”
“Make sure you have your passport,” Lyric said.
“Sis, write this down, in case my ancient phone doesn’t work.” I gave her the hotel and room number. “Lyric, do you know any historians?”
“One or two dozen.”
“That might like to write a book or six?”
“One or two dozen.”
“Women?”
“Not quite two dozen.”
“Unmarried, who would enjoy an adventure.”
“You’re serious, right?”
“One with a really, really open mind.”
“How open?”
“It would help if she’s a lesbian and isn’t anti-elf.”
“Fuck,” she said. “You really were kept in a harem, weren’t you?”
“Yep. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Lyric, it would be original research. She would live in the palace.”
“A real palace?”
“Yes. No technology. There’s an ancient, manual typewriter. No computers.”
“Running water?”
“Yes, although I admit I prefer Earth for that. She should probably be young.”
“She’s going to live in the harem, isn’t she?”
“Yep. But she’ll have unlimited access to the women who made history on Algonae. Once we teach her to speak Elvish.”
“You’re killing me here, Amelie.”
“Look, while you’re waiting for your plane, make a call or two, okay?”
“Sure.”
“Sis.”
“Yeah?”
“I know I’m asking a lot. Can you bring photos with you? Portraits? And if I send you some photos, do you think you could get them printed.”
“Geeze, Amelie. And make my flight?”
“Making the flight is more important.”
“Send me the JPEGs, and maybe I can print them at the airport.”
“Thanks. See you in about ten hours.”
* * * *
I was nervous. Everyone was nervous. We’d spent the day shopping and being tourists. My biggest purchase: I bought ten packages of my favorite pens. The elves kept swiping the ones Rhosani had bought for me, regardless of my protests.
I made Rhosani ditch the Khaleesi look. “I don’t want to explain it,” I said. She didn’t argue with me. Then I told everyone to calm down. Then I told myself to calm down. Then I begged Rhosani not to get mad if Mom yells at her.
