01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
punished or trained to do their house tasks. He tried smiling at the brute but it made little
difference.
"You may go."
It took time to penetrate, then he shambled off in a hurry. Steve felt a surge of distaste and
pity for the poor - man. Was it a man or a beast? He was surprised with the intensity of the
desire which wanted them to be men - but he couldn't be sure. He waited a while but no one
came to claim him. He decided to do some exploring, hoping that he wouldn't blunder into
some forbidden area.
It took some time to find the great room, it was deserted as he walked down the stairway.
He had counted on someone being there, someone who might be inclined to give him a few
answers. Krin would have been the ideal choice. Now Steve was at a loss again, he hesitated,
not sure what to do next. The door of Lyot's council room was closed but in any case, he had
no particular desire to meet the Thane. He found out one fact about the communal room, it
was never unoccupied for long. Maia emerged from one of the multitude of entrances and
eyed him without smiling.
"You are concerned about your woman?"
He didn't quite like the way she put it but she was right.
"She is your woman, isn't she?"
Steve cursed the mind-probing. He nodded reluctantly.
"Your woman is with my mother, who is caring for her. She will not come to your chamber
again, unless she expresses the desire to do so."
Steve opened his mouth to protest at the high handed decision which had been made
without consultation - and then closed it again.
"Is that all you think about? To fulfil your animal lusts. The woman has been raped and is
injured, or doesn't that concern you?"
Her voice was bitterly scornful in his mind. He felt his fury rising. What the hell would she
know? She had probably never had a meaningful relationship with a man in her sweet young
life! The thought stung and he had a grim satisfaction in seeing her flush bright scarlet. If she
would have had the power to project fire as well as thoughts, he would have melted to his
socks - if he had been wearing any. She swung on her heel and stormed out of the room.
Steve sighed, his relationship with Maia was going from bad to worse. He had to admit that
he couldn't expect much different treatment with Hara in the house. It was hard to conduct a
courtship with your mistress in residence at the same time.
Gloom settled on him like a cloud. He wandered out into the open air and shielded his eyes
against the glare of their star. The fields were alive with small figures moving back and forth
through the rows of crops. The house was deathly quiet, the only sign of life had been Maia.
Something had to be happening somewhere, so he decided to try to walk round the cluster of
buildings that made up the Thanehold. He hoped he might find Danyk or Krin - someone
worth talking to. He might even find Hara. All she needed was a good lecture to undo the
advice she had been given. After a few days rest, she would be as good as new. With that
ungallant thought, he set off.
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