Authors: Chris Lange
Blind to Men
BLIND
TO MEN
Chris Lange
Blind to Men
©Copyright Chris Lange 2014
This is a work of fiction. All
characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not
be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places
is purely coincidental.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this
publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing,
photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the
author, Chris Lange
Warning:
This book contains sexually
explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story contains
140 pages, additionally there is also a
free excerpt
at the end of the
book containing 4 pages.
The day has come for Anya to reclaim
her life. Protected by an Amazon, she must go to legendary Palance, the city of
her dreams. She has to leave her home without even knowing she was cursed at
birth. She is blind to men. She can't see them, and they can't see her. Except
one.
Dedication
To my family
for their unconditional love and support
One
It started with an
overheard conversation.
A woman spoke to her
mother in hushed, urgent tones. Ear pressed against the wooden boards, she
listened intently, praying not to fall deaf. That happened sometimes, as if
some words escaped her hearing, or refused to pass through her ears.
Frustration gripped her each time the sudden deafness came about, yet she had
never been able to prevent its erratic occurrences.
Coming home from the
fields, she’d spotted a big, white horse tied to a post. Someone was in the
house, a highly unusual event as nobody ever visited. So, she had crept into
the attached shed.
Concealed behind sturdy
boards, she couldn’t see the woman talking to her mother. She held her breath
to follow the conversation. The stranger's voice sounded low and grating, very
unlike the lilting notes she and her mother used.
"Anya has been
ordered to go to Palance. If she doesn't show at court in a few days, you know
how it will end."
Palance!
The name alone sounded magical.
The legendary city she'd heard so many tales about, the place where royalty
dwelt. A shiver of excitement spread through her, and she wondered if she would
ever lay eyes on the beautiful city. Her mother's urgent reply cut through her
daydreaming.
"We'll run away. We'll
hide forever if we have to, but I won’t let anything happen to my
daughter."
Should she feel scared? A
brief silence ensued, soon broken by the harsh voice of the stranger.
"That's wishful
thinking. You can't hide from the . . . You know it's pointless for . . . will
find her anywhere."
By the mighty gods, she
had fallen deaf again. The desperation in her mother’s tone didn't leave room
for ambiguity though, and apprehension constricted her throat. Why would her
mother be so frightened? Who was she afraid of? Who searched for them?
Spying a chink in the
wood higher up, she climbed on an overturned bucket, careful not to make a
sound. The crack was too narrow to see anything. She flattened against the
boards and strained her ears.
"What else can we
do? Do you think I'll just sit and wait for her to—" Her mother sobbed and
breathed hard before resuming. "The creators help me, I can't even say the
word!"
"Don't be upset, my
lady. The curse
can
be broken."
The stranger's rough
undertone made her skin tingle and gooseflesh rose all over her body. Why did
the visitor address her mother so formally and how come the title didn’t seem
to surprise her although she'd been born a peasant?
Weirder still, she had
the feeling the two women were on friendly terms. But what curse were they
talking about? And
who
? As a cramp slithered up her calf, a note of hope
entered her mother's voice.
"Thank the mighty
gods! Please, speak your mind."
"To break the spell—"
Her foot slipped on the
damp bucket. Arms flailing but unable to regain her balance, she fell down
heavily and landed hard on her behind. The door flew open before she could
move, and the visitor burst in the shed.
Flinching, she raised her
eyes to the tallest and strongest woman she had ever seen. Even her face looked
peculiar: unsmooth and irregular features, fair hair cut short, jaw much too
square, nose too long, right cheek scarred.
She was indisputably the
ugliest female in the Four Kingdoms, yet when their gazes met, she felt all
funny inside, her stomach fluttering for no apparent reason. The blue eyes drilled
into her as the woman smiled slowly, unhanding the hilt of the sword strapped
on her side.
"Anya, I
presume?"
An odd apprehension
prevented her from answering. Worry etched on her soft face, her mother rushed
forward.
"Are you hurt? Dear
creators, what were you doing in there?"
"I'm fine, I was
only…. Well, I..."
She blew out a long
breath, structured speech and simple words eluding her under the stranger's
sharp gaze.
"Your daughter was
listening in on us."
Although in the process
of getting to her feet, she caught the knowing look that passed between the
woman and her mother.
"Anya, we have a
visitor. This is Kylor, child of an old friend of mine. Now, get some milk, and
wash your hands before breakfast."
Thus dismissed, she
nodded while rubbing her behind. The stranger’s eyes never strayed from her, a
darker shade of blue glittering in their depths as she brushed dirt from her buttocks.
Somehow, the intense stare felt too hard to hold.
Averting her gaze, she
smoothed her dress, grabbed the overturned bucket, and left the shed. She
circled the house to get to the barn, questions bubbling in her mind,
threatening to drown her.
Who was this woman? Why
had she come to the farm? She carried a sword, could she be an Amazon? For that
matter, why didn't she wear a dress but some fabric that seemed loosely sewn
around her chest, and tight around her legs? And above all questions, what kind
of a name was Kylor?
She dropped the bucket
beside her. An instant later, a violent shove sent her sprawling in the dust. She
hit the ground hard, pain flaring up her hands and knees. Dizzy, she uttered a
sharp yell, but was instantly turned over by something—someone—unseen. Heart
trying to get out of her body, lying on her back, she darted her gaze around to
assess the situation. No trespasser. She was alone.
A heavy weight landed on
her stomach, pinning her down. Something vicious groped for her neck before
grabbing it. Mouth wide open, she tried to gulp down some air, but the pressure
felt like an iron collar clamped around her throat, squeezing it. Her head
span. She choked while the invisible force crushed her windpipe.
Engulfed in terror, she
panicked as life seeped out of her body but the pain didn't relent. She was
dying for no reason. Although her eyes were open, a black veil descended on
her, obliterating the familiar landscape. Gone was the farm, shed, and golden
fields glowing under the sun. Only darkness and suffering surrounded her. The
last image she'd see would be one of her house.
Just before the black
void took over, she glimpsed Kylor running toward her. The tall woman looked
like a bull charging. Sword sheathed, arms pumping, she closed the distance and
lunged at her.
She wanted to close her
eyes yet kept them open when Kylor collided into an invisible wall above her
body. The woman grunted from the violent impact then rolled over while
appearing to grip a mass in her arms.
"Anya, get
inside!"
Suddenly free from the
iron collar, her throat convulsed as she took a deep breath. She coughed, hacked,
but inhaled to her lungs' content. With a push, she sat up and uttered harsh,
whizzing sounds. The black veil disappeared, colors and shapes finally coming
back to her in a rush.
"Get inside
now
!"
Kylor's shout jolted her.
She knelt a few feet away, pummeling the ground with her big fists. Before she
could figure out the woman's weird behavior, her mother was by her side,
helping her up. She leaned on her arm to relieve her weak legs. Together, they
hurried back to the farm.
"Mother, I think
I've just had a fit. What's going on?"
"We don't have time
for that now. Kylor will tell you all you need to know later." Chest
heaving from the run, her mother took her hands. "Anya, you must go to
Palance."
Her instinctive reaction
was joy. She would get to see the legendary city, perhaps even the queen and
her Amazons. Although pleased beyond measure, her recent encounter with death
stilled her boisterous happiness.
"Why?"
"You have to see the
. . . the queen."
The slight hesitation
didn’t escape her notice. Her mother had been about to say something else, but
thought better of it. There might be no cause for alarm, yet a pang of fear
struck her heart.
"I can’t go to
Palance on my own, I don’t know the way. I'll get lost, and roads are
dangerous."
"Hush, baby, don’t
be scared."
Her mother brushed a lock
of hair from her face, but the loving gesture didn't slow her heartbeat.
"Kylor will be
escorting you. She’s a great warrior and the best protector for you at this
time."
A shiver travelled up her
spine. How could she be expected to travel with a complete stranger? To spend
days and nights with someone she’d just met? What would they talk about? Or do?
Having a protector was
all well and good, but why in the name of the creators should she follow a
person who carried such a big sword and punched the ground instead of helping
her up?
Beyond reasoning or
rationality, the strange emotion that rose in her each time she looked at
Kylor, at her hard blue eyes and large calloused hands, was most distressing. Her
pulse quickened. She didn't mean to plead, yet she heard her begging tone when
she grabbed her mother's forearm.
"I don’t want to go."
"You must. You can't
stay here."
Two
Kylor's rough voice made
them jump. The odd woman had followed them into the kitchen without their
noticing, but who was she to give orders? Her mother instantly cast the visitor
a questioning glance.
"Dead?"
The ominous word fell
between them. While she motioned to the door, the stranger's tone sounded
bland.
"Yes. . . . must
have seen the bucket Anya was carrying. More will come, we have to leave
now."
"Who's dead? More
what?"
Nobody answered her
question, but tears tumbled on her mother’s cheeks as she rushed to hug her.
"Please be strong,
my baby. Be strong for me."
Although frustrated by a
situation she couldn't fathom, she nevertheless felt urgency in her mother's
pleading face. They’d never been separated and she had no idea how they would
fare without each other.
"I'll go. Don’t cry,
Mother, I promise I’ll be back in no time."
The stranger's tall shape
moved to the kitchen door. Without glancing back, she crossed the threshold.
"Anya, it's time to
take our leave."
She didn't have the
luxury to stall any longer. A lump tightened her throat as she stepped outside
before her mother faced her.
"I understand you
don’t know Kylor, but on everything I hold dear, I swear you can trust her.
Whatever she asks of you on this journey, I want you to do it. Do you hear me,
Anya?"
She couldn't have sounded
more desperate, worried lines creasing her brow as she squeezed her hand.
"
Whatever
she
asks, don't forget that you have my blessing."
With this recommendation,
she released her fingers. If her mother said so, then it would be so. Swallowing
the hurtful knot constricting her breathing, she nodded.
"I'll do everything
she asks of me. I promise."
Sunrays falling on her
golden hair, the visitor she was bound to spend the next days with came to
stand in front of her mother.
"Take care of my
daughter, Kylor. She's precious, and she is my greatest love in this
world."
Incredibly, the stranger
went down on one knee before enfolding her small hand between her large palms.
"Upon my life, my
lady."
She kissed the ring on
her mother’s finger with reverence then she stood up quickly, and bowed.
"I'll die before
anything happens to her."
Kylor took hold of her arm
without further delay, led her to the horse tied to a post, and helped her up
before mounting behind her. Emotion gripping her stomach, unable to resist the
stranger's leadership, Anya stared at the beautiful woman who had given birth
to her and raised her.
"Go, my beloved
daughter. May the mighty gods be with you."
"Goodbye, Mother,
I'll be thinking of you."
They smiled at each
other, tears blurring her vision, her muscles tautening with the imminence of
departure. But when Kylor clucked her tongue to prompt the horse forward, she
wrenched her gaze away from her mother’s distressed face and addressed a silent
goodbye to the only world she knew.
"Kylor!"
Her mother pointed toward
the nearest hill, face constricted. With the visitor's arm around her waist, she
craned her neck past the woman's shoulder and spotted a dozen horses on the
crest. Riderless.
When Kylor leant a little
against her back to urge their mount on, she bent over to press her face on the
horse's neck. She gripped its soft mane between clenched fingers and closed her
eyes, her body attuned to the other woman’s.
The drumming of hooves on
dry ground obliterated all sounds of pursuit. Tree leaves rustled as a harsh
wind wailed in her ears. She'd never ridden so fast, or so intently. Kylor's
heavy body offered her protection but against what? Why in ether's spirits were
they fleeing from wild horses at such reckless speed?
They galloped deep toward
the forest, obviously in an attempt to hide as much as escape. When clusters of
thick trees and dense underbrush finally slowed them down, Kylor straightened.
Their bodies uncoupled. The sudden coldness striking her back prompted her up
while she heard the woman's assessment over the noise of the horse's hooves.
"We got away, but
they're not far. Hang on!"
They rode all day, never
leaving the woods. By nightfall, she felt a little sore and frustrated as to
why they had to ride so hard. No point in asking. Perceiving she wouldn't get
an answer from her strange companion, she sighed with relief when she spotted
the edge of the forest.
A drizzle began to seep
through their clothes as night came upon them. Silently, they entered a village,
following narrow, muddy streets, and soon dismounting in front of an inn. They
took the horse to the stables, across the street from the lodging house.
Unsaddling it with care, Kylor retrieved a haversack tied to the pommel.
"Now hush,
Anya."
Her words sounded like a
warning, although she kept her voice low. They crossed the street and climbed
the three steps to the door before she added as an afterthought.
"And don't touch
anything."
Inside the inn, Kylor
asked a small, dark-haired woman for lodgings and dropped a few coins on the counter.
The whole exchange was brief, somehow too rushed to be comfortable. Or maybe
her new companion was just used to spending nights in unfamiliar
establishments.
As soon as the innkeeper
grabbed the money, Kylor took her hand to lead her upstairs to a small, clean
room.
"We'll stay here
tonight. I'll call for hot water, or for whatever else you need, but don't go
out."
Before she had time to
thank her, the strange woman had gone. She came back a short while later with a
young maid, both carrying wooden buckets and spilling water on the floor. While
they emptied their load into the tub, she happened to see the odd glance the
servant gave Kylor.
The look reminded her of
the way her mother sometimes longed for warm, rich, creamy milk. But why would
a girl feel thirst when looking at a woman? The thought was ridiculous. Her job
done, the maid seemed reluctant to leave. She ignored her but closed in on her
companion.
"I'm Ash. Call for
me if you need anything."
Her lashes fluttered like
a sparrow's wings while she grazed her fingernails on the front of Kylor's
shirt.
"I’ll be happy to
oblige."
"Thanks, but we'll
be fine."
Kylor didn't comment on
the inappropriate touching. She tossed her a coin instead, and backed away from
the girl.
"Leave us now."
The maid obeyed, her
pretty features contorted with disappointment, and shut the door. Left alone
with the stranger, she looked at her awkwardly. What could they talk about? Conversational
topics eluded her so she decided to put the hot water to good use. A hot bath
was exactly what she needed. As she began removing her dress, Kylor stormed out
of the room while muttering under her breath.
"Mighty gods, give
me strength."
That woman was very, very
peculiar. What in the creators' names was she fussing about now? Shrugging, she
slipped into the tub, the warm liquid soothing her stiff muscles. Exhausted and
a bit sore after such a long ride, she closed her eyes to picture her mother’s
sweet face. Her nice smile, always a little sad. Her soft, brown eyes. The
tears on her cheeks when they parted . . .
The sound of a door
banging and of creaky hinges shattering the quiet room roused her from her
doze.
"Here, this is for
you."
Kylor dropped a shirt on
the back of the chair beside the tub before placing a mouthwatering tray on the
table. The moment of peace seemed over. She felt like sighing but got to her
feet instead.
Once out of the tub, she briefly
dried off with a large cloth then donned the garment. The large shirt fell to
her thighs, clinging to her still damp skin. She raised her head just in time
to catch an odd look on the woman’s face. A look of hunger. What an incongruous
expression given the large amount of food on the table.
"Are you all right,
Kylor?"
"I'm fine."
Yet she didn't appear
fine as she clenched a knife in her right hand, the knuckles turning white.
"Sit down and eat
before it grows cold."
The woman's request
sounded almost like an order. She must be famished indeed! In spite of her
weird mood, Anya listened to her empty belly, settled down at the table and
sampled the fare. The food was delicious, a loaf of bread still warm from the
oven, the grilled meat buttery, and tasty.
She ate with delight,
undaunted by her companion's silence. When she felt sated, she pushed her plate
back, blew a satisfied breath, and watched Kylor finish her meal.
"Are you an
Amazon?"
She must have taken her
by surprise because the woman hurriedly swallowed her food, coughing in the
process.
"No, Anya."
"Why are you taking
me to Palance?"
"That's for the . .
. to tell you."
She went deaf again.
Kylor’s mouth moved, yet she missed a word in the middle of her sentence.
Careful not to show irritation at her own impairment, she leant across the
table, hands flat on the wooden surface.
"I can't hear you. Who
will speak to me?"
"I'm sorry, it was a
slip of the tongue."
Kylor stood up with
brusqueness, and started piling the tray with their dirty plates and glasses.
"Your hearing is
fine, Anya, don't worry about that. It's just that there are words you can't
hear. Secluded as you've been all your life, maybe you haven't noticed there
are also things you can't see."
"What do you mean?
What things?"
The woman stretched her
arms, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again before walking to the
tub.
"It's late. Why
don’t you go to bed and take some rest? I might use that bath myself."
Although she wanted an
answer, she suddenly forgot all about it. Her eyes widened and she gasped when
the woman discarded her shirt.