Family Reunion (87 page)

Lena chuckled seductively, "Not even, for you? You don't like?" She asked, standing before him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"For me, yes…I like it a lot. However I don't intend inviting the neighbors over for dinner with you wearing it." He grumbled, hating the fact that she was giving in so easily, stealing his thunder.

"Anything… else?"

"Just…that…well, I love you…I love you."

"Emmm, so…do we go tell the kids…or, do we make them wait?"

"Hm, make'em… wait…another hour - won't matter." He finally grinned, feeling suddenly randy.

Makia Island - Eight days later…

"Oh you think this funny, do you?"

"What? I've done nothing!" Manny grinned, defending himself against his wife as he stood naked with his arms crossed over his chest within her bathing chamber. She stood before him, hiding his private parts from the two young serving girls LuMaden had sent to assist him. They were obviously not forced to the task, looking eagerly forward to it in fact, the problem was, that his wife wasn't having it.

"They said the king assigned them to me to aid in my bath, and um, you weren't around to assist me…sooo, if the king says I need help with my bath…then-…"

"Milord… at this moment, it is not wise of you to cross your arms at your chest, should you hesitate another moment, you will find they would have served you better elsewhere!" Lena threatened and then looked down at him. Manny was quick to cross and protect elsewhere.

"You and you… out of here! I am perfectly capable of assisting my husband with his bath!" She ordered in French.

"But princess ... we are not bothered... let us, surely it is too menial a task for you, we have the oils already heated to rub him down ... we mean only to please him." One assured her, also in French. Lena drew in a deep breath to be patient, then tilted back to look over her shoulder at her chuckling husband.

"I suggest you say something, and quickly – to dissuade them." She warned with a lift of a brow, and then her eyes pointed down at his vulnerable appendage. "Echm, um... thank you girls, my wife will see to my bath ... you may leave us now."

"Shzu call, we return, May - nard Webster." They set the oils down and left the bathing area, smiling at him as they made their way out. Lena turned with arms akimbo, "How dare you stand so ready and
willing
for them!" She charged.

"But Lena, all the men of your Island enjoy such-…"

"Manny!!"

Manny laughed out, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. "If I am to give up such comforts ... you will have to do the soothing in their absence, or else I shall ask for an audience with the king!" Manny informed her in mock snobbishness. Lena’s eyes narrowed as she socked him in the gut, eliciting a grunt from him. "Oh how quickly we do adapt! You seem to have slipped right into this way of life with little or no adjustment on your part."

"Now you wouldn't want me to make your father feel as though
I am unappreciative of his hospitality would you? Come woman, wash me, then soothe me with oil!" He dictated, turning from her to step into the bath. With the shake of her head and a smile, Lena shed her clothes and stepped in behind him. Picking up a sponge, she poured fragrant soap on it to lather him with slow leisurely strokes, soothing him so he moaned, "Oooh what it must be like, to be the king."

"I didn't think you had it so bad. Am I not enough for you?" She asked, feeling a bit insecure. Manny turned around and pulled her against him. "More than enough."

She smiled, lathering his chest, "So this pleases you?"

"I wish there was a way to make something like this at our home…emmm, nice."

"Put your arms up behind you there and lean back…put your head there…now…isn't that comfortable?" She instructed him and asked. Backing up Manny did as he was told and in pure heavenly bliss he nodded and moaned. She did each of his arms, across his chest, leaning in now and then giving him a little kiss. "Mmm…why do I feel the fool for not taking the king up on us staying here?" Manny murmured, feeling drowsy. "You would grow bored in no time…you are much too restless…I think perhaps so am I." The sponge started going lower, Manny brought his head up and looked at her.

"Careful madam, you seek to start something and I don't think this is a good time." He mentioned, trying to stick to Gaitsu's advice on when he could or couldn't make love to her.

"I only seek your pleasure, my lord ... am I finding what I seek."

"Oh indeed ... continue and you will also find yonder snake skimming the water." Lena laughed throatily in his ear, her warm breath caressing over his neck. "Lena-a-a."

"Shhh milord…relax." She encouraged, the sponge moving down until true to his word, a snake appeared, "Oooh, I wish you hadn't done that." He groaned, and suddenly she lifted him in the water, easily because he was boyant. Manny eyes grew round as she grew bolder, moving down his body, looking as if she were about to do something she'd never done to him before. "Lena?!" Manny's eyes grew wide. "Lena?" With a gasp and then a groan his eyes rolled back in his head. "Ohhh – ohhh – my – ssssss…yes."

An hour later he was stretched out on his stomach beside the bath, a silly drunken grin on his face as she knelt beside him rubbing him down with the oils the girls had left behind. "Manny…"

"Hm." He was jelly, totally relaxed unable to move, his mind clear, dreamily giving thought to remaining on the island with the king.

"I need to ask you, something.
"

One eye popped open; he knew the tone – the sound of something he wasn't going to like. "What?"

"Say yes first." She tried, knowing better. He shook his head. "Oh no, you know I must hear it first." She sighed rubbing him, enjoying it – but wondered what his answer would be. "Well-..." She bit into her lip reluctantly. "...I...I want to visit Ashtaphere, I want to talk to my brother."

"No... leave him be."

"Manny, he's my brother ... please. I just want to talk to him."

"I'm sorry Lena, I happen to agree with your father about him. I trust no man capable of selling his own sister ... leave him be."

"Manny please, don't deny me this-…"

"I would deny you nothing beneficial and you know that."

"Then let me talk to my brother. He's been on my mind ever since I came home, especially since my mother told me the truth that he sold me. I have to talk to him Manny, I have to, I want to make things right between us."

Manny turned over and sat up, pulling a cloth over his lap. "Fine, if you must, I will go with you."

"No Manny, I have to see him alone."

Manny sighed, "Take two of the palace guards with you." Lena nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

"LuMaden, I thought you learned from our first night here, that your daughter is not one who takes commands or demands lightly. She has a mind of her own; she would have defied me and gone anyway."

"You have given her too much freedom! Sometimes control is a good thing Maynard Webster. I thought about Ashtaphere long and hard after that night. Despite my wrongs toward them, he is evil. His heart is not good, otherwise – I would have forgiven him. Maynard Webster, he is not sorry for his deed."

Manny stood listening, giving him his full attention. "You don't think he will harm her do you?"

LuMaden shrugged. "He sold her to strange white men, did he not? He has no love for her, only for himself." Manny stood from the balustrade looking worriedly out over the village, wondering had he done the right thing.

* * *

Lena smiled and waved at familiar faces among the villagers as she
passed them, sitting within her litter as she was carried to the residence of her brother. She was in a good mood and all seemed to be going so well for her finally. By word of her husband, she no longer wore the garb of her Island, but the clothes she would wear had she been in New York or anywhere in the Americas. She was also full of joy because LuMaden was making the necessary arrangements for throwing another celebration, making Catamon a prince. In the event of King LuMaden’s death, his son would become ruler of Makia. The only sad part of it was that Ashtaphere was forever stricken from any remaining ties to his family. For that reason, Lena felt compelled to see her brother; she needed to at least try to mend the rift between them. She wanted him to know that she held nothing against him, if he was willing, maybe they could begin anew.

The four men who carried her brought her before the dwelling and set the litter down opposite his door, across the path. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Lena stepped from the litter and slowly approached her brother's hut. With her knuckles poised at the door, she inhaled and then rapped lightly. She stood waiting a moment for a response or word from within, but none came. She rapped again longer and stronger and then jumped as a deep voice boomed from within. "Whomever you be, get away from my door!"

Lena felt a start to her heart as she swallowed deeply and called out to him. "Ashtaphere...it is I, Ceś alena, I wish ...I wish to speak with you." She waited for a response, again, none came. After a pause, she called out, "Ashtaphere...please, I would beg a moment from you."

"Go away Ceś alena - go away!"

Taking a deep breath, Lena ignored the coldness in his voice, "Ashtaphere, I will not go away until we have spoken to each other. Please lend me a moment. I am your sister." An audible derisive snort followed that statement but that was all. He said nothing more, nor did it sound as if he was making any move to meet her halfway. With a spark of anger, Lena lifted the peg and entered his hut uninvited and immediately regretted it when the streaming light from outside fell and lit upon three naked bodies laying together across the hut on a floor bed of cushions, the strong odor of unwashed bodies and sex filling the air within. With a gasp of embarrassment, Lena quickly spun and closed the door behind her. Her face felt on fire with shame and disgust that he could be so nonchalant about his unclean state as he lay with two women. She further bristled in embarrassment as his roaring laughter followed her from the dwelling where she stood a few paces from the door, trying to inhale the fresh air.

The odors within were so strong, they clung within her nostrils.

"Ashtaphere! Please-…"

"Please what?! It is your own doing, you barged in on me, not I you!"

Lena turned, startled to find that he now stood in the open door, having donned his loose fitting breeches, naked from the waist up, he leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. Lena stood trying not to gape. She couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't believe the man standing before her was her - once - handsome brother. How he had changed; guilty of degrading himself, as if trying to reflect everyone's opinion of him. His hair hung way too long, almost the same length as her own, past his shoulders, badly knotted and dirty. His face was covered with hair just as unkempt as that on his head. His beard was long and tangled, growing in any order it pleased. At that moment the odor from his dwelling was creeping out around him as if it itself was alive, carrying with it his body odor, so intense her nostrils rebelled making her want to sneeze or gag. She could not believe her eyes, if it were not for the odors, her mouth would have fallen open, but she was afraid a stench so thick would force its way down her throat and turn her nausea into gagging, so she kept her mouth closed and wished she could do the same with her nose.

He watched the horror register on her face; his only reaction was an evil laugh as he threw his arms high like someone possessed. "Something wrong
'Little sister',
do you not like what has become of me!?" He asked with a smile, his amber brown eyes boring into her frightened ones. She did not know him; he was a stranger to her.

He looked over her manner of dress with a sneer; taking in her ensemble of aquamarine blue taffeta, with its matching silk scarf that draped loosely over her head. He walked over to her, his eyes surveying her from head to foot as he circled her slowly, disdain in his eyes. Lena stood shaking and unsure of her decision as he paraded around her.

He noted that her hair was pulled back at the sides with pearl jewelled combs to hang down her back, where the scarf pocketed the fallen tresses as a show to all that she had a lord or head over her. The sleeves of her gown were short and puffed round over her shoulders and on her wrist, she wore blue Indian jewelry incased in silver that her daughter had given her. On her finger was her diamond stone and wedding band. He noticed she smelled of fresh wild flowers and her skin glowed with health and beauty as it always had. Her success to overcome the manifestation of his hatred, increased the feeling that much more.

"Ashtaphere -…" She called his name, afraid of him.

"Well look at you! Still the little princess you were of years gone
by. Adjusted and primed all rich for the white man’s world. You draw away from me? Afraid I may touch you?! That I might soil your picture of perfection?!"

Lena was lost for words, unable to help it she pulled a handkerchief from her purse and wiped at her nose to inhale its scent, shielding the stink flowing from him. "How can you say that to me? Look at you! How could you bring yourself before others this way? Do you no longer care even for yourself?! We were not raised to live as pigs!?"