a while?
“Thank you.” A gentle voice laced with a confident strength touched her ears.
THE ASSISTANT HEALER glanced into the cell at Tigh and then at Jame. “I’ll be at my desk.” He pointed down the corridor. “Don’t hesitate to call for help.”
Jame gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. He walked away, looking back at her several times.
Jame sat in the chair and gazed through the bars in the door. The cell was as austere and tidy as the other Guards’ quarters. In shocking contrast to the last time Jame had seen her, Tigh was dressed in the simple white cotton tunic and leggings worn by the cleansed Guards. Her clean face revealed a striking fair-skinned young woman. The deep tan from years spent as a warrior had faded during her confinement. Tigh was stretched out on her back with hands behind her head and appeared unaware that anyone was outside her door.
Jame cleared her throat. No reaction from Tigh.
“I’m . . . uh . . . I’m Jame, assistant arbiter.”
Tigh continued to stare at the ceiling.
“I’m just going to talk a bit. I have a story I really want you to hear.” Jame took in a ragged breath. This nervousness was unusual for her and she didn’t quite know how to handle it. She gazed at her hands for a few heartbeats as she centered her nerves and her thoughts. “I just want you to understand why I’m here and why I want to argue your case.”
She waited in silence, trying to gauge the reaction from Tigh the Terrible. The other arbiters hadn’t been given a chance to state their case before Tigh intimidated them into making a quick journey back down the corridor. Jame, having grown up around warriors, was prepared for that kind of confrontation. This lack of acknowledgment of her presence was more disconcerting than overt threatening behavior.
Jame sighed. She’d come this far, she just may as well do what she was there to do. Even if Tigh didn’t understand, she’d feel better for trying. She cleared her throat and spoke in an easy tone, as if she were relating the story to her friends.
“I was walking across the plaza two moons ago. It was a beautiful evening and I stopped on my way to a lecture to revel in the last glow of the sun before nightfall. A wagon rolled in and I thought, another Guard has been captured. I stopped to let the wagon pass and the Guard in the cage was awake and alert, taking in everything around her. She captured my attention, pulling me in with the force of her personality. I admit I probably looked pretty silly standing there with my mouth hanging open, unable to tear myself away from those intense blue eyes. Then, as the wagon rolled away, the Guard laughed, breaking the spell she’d cast over me. For half a heartbeat I caught a glimpse of the woman beneath all the grime and the blood and the cold madness. I saw sadness and regret in those eyes. I’ve seen hundreds of uncleansed Guards as they were brought back here. I’ve never witnessed even a hint of humanity in them. They were like wild animals showing nothing but rage at being captured and caged. I realized, out of all of them, that you had the best chance of being completely rehabilitated because the extremes in how the enhancements affected you came from your deep sense of humanity.”
Although Tigh never moved during her narrative, Jame noticed a slight relaxing of her facial muscles and more blinking. She was listening at least.
“I was visiting back home when your name was added to our case roster but the moment I heard about it I volunteered. My mentor refused to let me take your case. I can understand about who you are always getting in the way of who you want to become.” Jame paused at the minute furrow between Tigh’s eyebrows. That particular arrow appeared to have hit the mark. “I was born a princess and, so I wouldn’t have to put up with having a guard with me while I was away from home, the school promised it wouldn’t let me get into any dangerous situations. I
“Thank you.” A gentle voice laced with a confident strength touched her ears.
THE ASSISTANT HEALER glanced into the cell at Tigh and then at Jame. “I’ll be at my desk.” He pointed down the corridor. “Don’t hesitate to call for help.”
Jame gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. He walked away, looking back at her several times.
Jame sat in the chair and gazed through the bars in the door. The cell was as austere and tidy as the other Guards’ quarters. In shocking contrast to the last time Jame had seen her, Tigh was dressed in the simple white cotton tunic and leggings worn by the cleansed Guards. Her clean face revealed a striking fair-skinned young woman. The deep tan from years spent as a warrior had faded during her confinement. Tigh was stretched out on her back with hands behind her head and appeared unaware that anyone was outside her door.
Jame cleared her throat. No reaction from Tigh.
“I’m . . . uh . . . I’m Jame, assistant arbiter.”
Tigh continued to stare at the ceiling.
“I’m just going to talk a bit. I have a story I really want you to hear.” Jame took in a ragged breath. This nervousness was unusual for her and she didn’t quite know how to handle it. She gazed at her hands for a few heartbeats as she centered her nerves and her thoughts. “I just want you to understand why I’m here and why I want to argue your case.”
She waited in silence, trying to gauge the reaction from Tigh the Terrible. The other arbiters hadn’t been given a chance to state their case before Tigh intimidated them into making a quick journey back down the corridor. Jame, having grown up around warriors, was prepared for that kind of confrontation. This lack of acknowledgment of her presence was more disconcerting than overt threatening behavior.
Jame sighed. She’d come this far, she just may as well do what she was there to do. Even if Tigh didn’t understand, she’d feel better for trying. She cleared her throat and spoke in an easy tone, as if she were relating the story to her friends.
“I was walking across the plaza two moons ago. It was a beautiful evening and I stopped on my way to a lecture to revel in the last glow of the sun before nightfall. A wagon rolled in and I thought, another Guard has been captured. I stopped to let the wagon pass and the Guard in the cage was awake and alert, taking in everything around her. She captured my attention, pulling me in with the force of her personality. I admit I probably looked pretty silly standing there with my mouth hanging open, unable to tear myself away from those intense blue eyes. Then, as the wagon rolled away, the Guard laughed, breaking the spell she’d cast over me. For half a heartbeat I caught a glimpse of the woman beneath all the grime and the blood and the cold madness. I saw sadness and regret in those eyes. I’ve seen hundreds of uncleansed Guards as they were brought back here. I’ve never witnessed even a hint of humanity in them. They were like wild animals showing nothing but rage at being captured and caged. I realized, out of all of them, that you had the best chance of being completely rehabilitated because the extremes in how the enhancements affected you came from your deep sense of humanity.”
Although Tigh never moved during her narrative, Jame noticed a slight relaxing of her facial muscles and more blinking. She was listening at least.
“I was visiting back home when your name was added to our case roster but the moment I heard about it I volunteered. My mentor refused to let me take your case. I can understand about who you are always getting in the way of who you want to become.” Jame paused at the minute furrow between Tigh’s eyebrows. That particular arrow appeared to have hit the mark. “I was born a princess and, so I wouldn’t have to put up with having a guard with me while I was away from home, the school promised it wouldn’t let me get into any dangerous situations. I
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