Evoron stirred his lakaa with a pensive look on his face.
He took a sip, savoring it. While they definitely stocked up, once their supply was gone, it was gone. Initial chemical analysis indicated that sothing called a “dandelion” had blossoms that contained similar compounds. Hopefully, it would have the sa effect.
He hoped so. Apparently, it was nearly everywhere. Sashoon said that it should be quite tasty.
If anyone would know, it was her.
She was part of his new cadre, as were many of his “cult.” One good thing about the very patriarchal nature of his people these days was that there was a surplus of educated and bored won, won who would love to be part of the business.
Many were third, fourth, and sotis even fifth daughters of the various cri families and the wealthy. Their only use was to be bartered off for one political marriage or another. After the second, they were nearly useless save as spares.
This wasn’t a bad deal for them. They were pretty much free to do as they wished and were often happier than their “important” elder sisters.
The n that he brought were considered wastrels, weak, or perverted. A few were “perverts” by the uptight standards of the families, and wastrel could certainly apply to most, but not a single one was weak.
Evoron smiled and took another sip.
With one fell swoop, he snatched up the cream of the Threen literati, so of the best minds on the planet. And the cri families were only too happy to see the back of them, the fools.
He even managed to bring all of his beloved books.
He sighed.
And speaking of beloved, he now had to inform Uhrrbet of his victory and the cost that it required.
He wondered how she would take the news. He also wondered how she would take the biggest bombshell he had to spring on her, at least for him…
…that he was hopelessly in love with her.
It surprised him to no small extent. Love. What a foolish notion. It was sothing that he had long discounted and never expected. He was loathso. He was such a fiend that nobody questioned the en masse desecration for which he claid.
Even worse, he was a runt. He was good for a tumble, sure. But even the won in his cult would do no more than lie with him. None would want his child. It was primal, perhaps genetic. They would risk their lives. They would risk their souls. But they would not risk their wombs.
It did not bother him. It was the way that it was. He never questioned it.
But Uhrrbet? She saw him for what he truly was and smiled that tragically winso smile just the sa. He was a monster, and she smiled.
He sipped again.
Being a monster didn’t bother him. He didn’t lose sleep at night. If anything, he considered himself one of the few who truly knew how the universe actually worked.
Only Uhrrbet understood, really understood, what the world truly was and what the “small” had to do to walk among giants.
Only she…
He chuffed with annoyance at himself. Look at him, mooning over a Garthra for Helios’s sake. But it didn’t matter what she was. She could be a Flink. She could even be a Baleel. It wouldn’t matter.
He would have to tell her that he loved her and he would have to lead with that. It was the only way. He would have to… expose himself…
…be vulnerable. He would have to lie down and expose his throat.
He would have to. If he inford her that he was married and bringing along a “harem” of Threenas, any profession of love after that would sound insincere.
More importantly, If Uhrrbet hardened her heart, if she raised the walls that surrounded it, if she closed the gates…
…they would never open again.
He hoped she felt the sa. He saw the signs of affection. That night, when she allowed him to hold her and they slept together, he felt it, or at least he thought he did. Even though it was nothing but an embrace, it was magical for the both of them…
…or at least he hoped. Vankaalan wrote that one sees what they want to see and disregards the truth when it shines less brightly. And he wanted to see sothing ever so badly .
He snarled at himself. He should be calm and asured. He should be poised and refined. But he couldn’t stop his heart from racing.
There was movent behind him. His wife entered bearing a tray of breakfast, her wife in tow.
His wife’s wife. He chuckled at the absurdity of life.
Shavka placed the breakfast on the table in front of him and kissed him on the cheek.
“Good morning, husband mine,” she chuckled. “Sleep well?”
“Not especially,” Evoron chuckled, “It seems that my roommate was having an especially good evening… again.”
Voolshia giggled.
“You could do the sa, you know,” Shavka said as she plopped down next to him. “Several of your crew are quite disappointed by your reserve.”
She tweaked his ear.
“Saving yourself for marriage?”
“Not exactly,” Evoron replied.
“Oh?”
“It’s just certain endeavors require one’s complete devotion,” Evoron replied, “Laying with soone when my thoughts rest with another seems…”
He paused thoughtfully.
“I’m not sure,” he said, “But it is not sothing that I wish to do. I doubt it would be fair to my playmate or myself.”
“Oh, you do have it bad, husband mine,” Shavka chuckled.
“Of that, I am quite aware,” Evoron smiled ruefully.
“You going to call her today?”
“Imdiately after breakfast.”
“You want to back you up?” Shavka asked, “Tell her I’m a lesbian. We’ll even demonstrate.”
“You’ve demonstrated quite enough, thank you,” Evoron chuckled. “I thank you for your offer, but it will not help. Either she will believe , or she won’t.”
Evoron ate a forkful of the red-hued olet on his plate.
“This is excellent.”
“I made it myself,” Shavka replied, “My husband needs a good breakfast before he woos his beloved.”
Voolshia laughed.
“This is just like ‘The Forest Entangled.’!”
“You know that work?” Evoron asked, surprised.
“I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”
“How delightfully surprising.”
***
Uhrrbet bustled around her shop, accomplishing nothing.
Last night, she received an encoded ssage.
Evoron survived! He survived, and he would be calling her today as soon as they left the system!
She rushed over to the mirror and examined herself for the twentieth ti that morning.
She made an anxious noise.
The outfit was perfect. It was perfectly crafted and perfectly fitted, made with the finest cloth she had, which was the finest on Terra.
But you could drape a toad in finery, and it would still be a toad.
She held a cloth to her nose so her tears wouldn’t soil the finery.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringent.
She was a toad. Hard labor had warped her body, and the trauma and stress had stolen what was left of her youth.
She was a frumpish house rat and Evoron…
…he was beautiful. He was elegant, refined, and murderously handso.
The cloth over her nose started to soak through.
She had researched the Threen. Of course she did. What a runt would have had to endure just to survive would break anyone, even her. Yes, he was considered among the deadliest Threens alive, but that was today.
What did he have to do to get there? How did he even survive his childhood? What happened to him between when he should have been thrown out with the rubbish and now?
And he wasn’t worn, warped… haggard. His pelt still shone brightly.
Hers did, too, but that was with a LOT of help.
She wasn’t worthy. She never was. Even her… her husband… settled for her. Always second best, even to a fucking AI.
She closed her eyes and looked away from the ghoul in the mirror. She couldn’t look at it anymore.
What could she offer him? She couldn’t even…
…even…
She fell to her knees, heedless of her fine gown, and wept.
Her phone buzzed.
Vikkart wanted to talk, urgently… no doubt about his “love,” yet another bitch who could offer what she never could.
The tears stopped.
Of all the seconds in the entirety of ti, he picked the absolute worst one.
The universe was still bright and young, but Uhrrbet’s soul? Heat death.
She rose to her feet, brushed off her skirt, and walked into her office.
It was ti to kill.
***
Vikkart bounced anxiously in his cube. He would pace, but that would cost more in rent.
He had it! He had the money!
He looked at the holographic clock on the wall. Why was it taking so long?
Didn’t they want their money? He had it! He had so much money.
His holoscreen activated and announced an incoming hyperspatial call. As usual, there was no identifier.
He quickly stabbed at his phone and the face that he had co to hate more than any in the entire galaxy appeared, filling his cube.
“Hello, gerbil,” the evil woman smiled with far too much pleasure in her eyes, “What do you want this ti.”
She laughed, actually laughed an honest, happy laugh. He had never heard her do that before.
Sothing was wrong, bad wrong.
“Um… Yes,” Vikkart said, steeling himself. “I am calling to negotiate for the release of Maaatisha.”
“Her release?” the gangster purred with entirely too much good cheer. “You have quite the outstanding debt, young rat.”
“And I have it, in full.”
“Do you now,” the gangster laughed, not seeming to care, “The entire balance, plus the processing fee?”
“The processing fee?!?”
“Yes, the one hundred percent handling fee, the sa as always.”
“That’s outrageous!” Vikkart snarled, his heart singing. That was doable, easily doable.
“Are you going to transfer the money into your wallet, or are you going to fly over here and hand it to in person?”
“…” Vikkart “seethed,” absolutely delighted.
At her terminal, Uhrrbet smirked. She knew real happiness when she saw it… and she did not approve.
“It seems your situation has changed, hamster. Good for you.”
“My situation has nothing to do with the price!”
“Oh, but it does,” the gangster smiled. “Supply, demand, and all that.”
“You said…”
“I say a lot of things,” Uhrrbet hissed through the avatar. “People say things all the ti. They say they’ll marry you. They promise stability, a future…, and a place… but it’s never enough, is it? You are never enough, no matter how hard you try.”
“What?” Vikkart asked, very confused and very, very concerned. He didn’t know what was going on but it terrified him.
He felt a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“N… Na your price…” he stamred.
“The price,” Uhrrbet snarled, twisting the avatar’s face into an unnatural expression as the imaging software tried to adapt a Garthra’s jaws opening into a full feral grin. “The price?!?”
“What is going on?!?” Vikkart cried.
“I tell you what,” the gangster, her face twisted into sothing demonic, snarled as it pulled out a pistol, “Let’s go see your dear sweet…”
“No!” Vikkart scread.
A phone could be heard ringing off screen.
“You must excuse ,” the gangster smiled, once again in a good mood, “Sothing far more important than you and your princess has co up. Maybe I’ll call back. Maybe I won’t.”
“Don’t you…” Vikkart started to yell.
The line went dead.
Vikkart scread.
***
“E-Evoron,” Uhrrbet said a bit breathlessly, “What a pleasant surprise.”
“A surprise for which you were forewarned,” he smiled.
His holographic image looked down.
“Did I interrupt sothing?” he asked bemused.
“What?” Uhrrbet said and then looked down at the pistol in her hand.
She giggled sheepishly.
“Oh, nothing that can’t be put off for a little while.”
“I see,” Evoron smiled wickedly.
“So,” Uhrrbet asked breathlessly, “How did it go?”
“Before I get into that,” he said taking a deep breath and shifting anxiously.
Uhrrbet had never seen him nervous before.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Did his plan fail? Was he going to be okay?
“Nothing,” Evoron said and then sighed again. “Everything. I am not sure.”
“Evoron?” Uhrrbet asked anxiously, “What’s wrong?”
Evoron took a deep breath, steeling himself, squared his shoulders, all of them, and then deflated, for the first ti looking like a runt.
“I love you,” he said with a small voice.
“What?” Uhrrbet asked, completely stunned.
“I am hopelessly, irredeemably, in love with you, Uhrrbet.”
“I…
“Not the response I was hoping for,” Evoron smiled, recovering a bit, “To answer your question, because you are you. You are brilliant, and clever, and elegant… and wicked. You are both loving to those who you cherish and cruel beyond asure to those who are your prey.”
He paused, looking into Uhrrbet’s eyes searching for a reaction, a sign… anything.
All he could see was confusion.
“Well, in for a bushel, in for the lot,” he sighed, “This world, this universe, isn’t what everyone wishes so desperately for it to be. Also, everyone isn’t who they desperately wish they were. Every society, every religion, everything is all just a facade that everyone hides behind as they pretend that they are safe, that they are “good.” And when soone is ripped from their dreamlike stupor and thrust into the world as it truly is, most choose to die, in one fashion or another, rather than relinquish the falsehoods that matter more to them than life itself…”
He took a deep breath, trembling slightly.
“You? You understand. You know our true nature and the real rules by which the universe operates. You have accepted them, rose to them, claid them as your sacred truth...”
He closed his eyes.
“I am a monster, by my people’s definition, by any definition, really. I don’t even know how many I’ve killed. I stopped counting long ago. I kill, sche, and deceive. Any way soone could be killed I’ve likely done it. I’ve betrayed, stolen, and lied...”
He sighed.
“I am a runt. My people can be... unkind... to those like . I was prey until I chose to be the predator instead. I do not feel bad about any of this. It is the true nature of the universe and the natural state of life itself. However, everyone who ‘sees’ , finds out what is inside, turns away in horror. They cannot bear the truth that I carry...”
He looked into her eyes with almost a pleading expression.
“I was fine with this. It was, of course, the ‘rules’ of the ga... Until you. You have seen what I truly am, and I have seen you, the real you...”
He smiled.
“And you are beautiful.”
“I... I’m beau... You think I’m beautiful?” Uhrrbet gasped, finally able to speak.
“Without a doubt,” Evoron said, “You are the most beautiful being I have ever beheld. You are beautiful in your perfection.”
“I’m not perfect,” Uhrrbet said, looking down. “I’m...”
“You are perfect,” Evoron said. “I see you, all of you, and you are the most beautiful, most perfect predator I have ever encountered, a kindred spirit when I thought myself to be truly and forever alone. Your bearing, your beauty, your grace... your instincts, your wickedness, your cruelty... all of it... Breathtaking. There is nobody I want more by my side, now and forever.”
He dropped his facade, elegant and perfect no longer. He was weary, scarred, torn, vicious... and completely alone.
She gasped.
He was just like her.
“I... I love you too!” Uhrrbet exclaid.
“Oh, thank Helios for that!” Evoron sighed, imdiately back to normal. “I feared I was making a complete and utter fool of myself.”
Uhrrbet giggled.
“But so things are worth the risk,” he smiled.
“I can’t wait for you to get here!” Uhrrbet gushed and then looked at the dozen ssages left by Vikkart in the last few minutes alone.
She smiled.
“I shall prepare a present for you,” she smiled evilly.
“Oh?” Evoron replied, “I can’t wait.”
“It will be my best work so far,” she said with a little hiss. “A ‘perfect’ expression of my craft, well, as perfect as I can achieve, just for you.”
“May I assu that you are not speaking of clothing?”
“You may.”
“How delightful,” he smiled.
“Oh!” Uhrrbet exclaid, “Tell of your endeavors. Did everything go well?”
“Exceedingly so,” he smiled, “You are looking at the new owner of all of the Harkeen’s territory outside of the ho system.”
“How wonderful!”
“However, it was not without... cost.”
“Really?” Uhrrbet asked.
“Bearing in mind that I love you,” he said, “Allow the pleasure of introducing my wife.”
“WHAT?!?”
***
Laughing, Uhrrbet reluctantly terminated the call.
“Asshole,” she said fondly.
Her phone buzzed again.
It turns out that THIS was the absolute worst second in the history of the universe for Vikkart to contact her. The other second was downright pleasant in comparison.
Her eyes gleaming with happiness, Uhrrbet fired up her avatar.
She would create a masterpiece.
***
“So it’s settled, then,” the gangster told Vikkart.
“It is?!?”
“Yep,” the gangster said, “As soon as we receive paynt, we will release Maaatisha. Heck, you’ve been a good sport. I’ll even arrange transportation.”
The gangster smiled an oddly dreamy smile.
“Far be it from to stand in the way of true love.”
“Th-Thank you,” Vikkart stamred.
“I’ve bled you pale, near to death,” the gangster chuckled, “and yet you thank .”
“When I get Maaatisha,” Vikkart said, “it will all be worthwhile.”
“I suppose everybody is happy, then,” the gangster chuckled. “That’s what I truly enjoy, an arrangent where everyone wins.”
The gangster looked at sothing out of fra.
“And there’s the money,” she said. “Our business is now concluded, and you will never see again. As promised, we will be handling her transit. It might not always be the most luxurious, but she will arrive safe and sound.”
“Can I talk to her?” Vikkart asked. “I want to talk to her.”
The gangster smiled.
“For what you just paid, you can talk to her all you want.”
***
Uhrrbet watched the two lovebirds weeping with joy as she monitored the call for a few monts.
They looked so happy.
Perfect.
It soon beca tireso, as those two always did and she opened up a connection to the darkweb on her laptop.
Kate’s smiling face soon greeted her.
“Hi, Uhrrbet!” Kate enthused, giving her a happy wave. “Maaatisha still giving you trouble?”
“No,” Uhrrbet replied, “The solution was most effective. She reacted exactly as a Garthran should, given the stimulus applied.”
“Well isn’t that just the creepiest thing I’ve heard all day and that’s saying sothing!” Kate bubbled happily. “However, I think you are about to beat that, aren’t you?”
“Perceptive as always,” Uhrrbet replied with a little feral, toothy smile. “I require sothing special this ti.”
“More special than what you can do with the BDSM DLC?”
“Significantly so.”
“Hang on,” Kate said as she made a show of bracing herself. “Hit .”
***
Kate slowly clapped her hands.
“Congratulations,” she said, “You are now officially in the top ten most fucked up beings on my contact list. You get a picture on the wall and everything!”
“How lovely,” Uhrrbet replied. “Can it be done?”
“Anything can be done,” she said. This is actually pretty easy on our end. The only difficulty you face is when this sends you straight to Hell.”
“You are capable of such judgnts?” Uhrrbet chuckled.
“This one is easy,” Kate laughed, “You gonna burn, bitch, but it’s your soul not mine, not that I have one in the first place. Your paynt is being processed, and the right people are doing the right things. You will be contacted very soon. Thank you for your business, and if we can ever serve your needs in the future, please do not hesitate to call.”
Uhrrbet leaned back in her chair and sighed contentedly.
A masterpiece.
She checked the ti and smiled.
Kurr would be getting out of school soon.
She decided to take him out for teppanyaki to celebrate. He loved teppanyaki.
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