Sacrifice

Chapter 16 - The Supper

Miriam paled when Kalli walked into her office the next day for her weekly lesson. Kalli knew that the makeup she had had Feylanna apply to her face had been in vain, but she had been unwilling to lose Miriam's goodwill by cancelling a lesson. Kalli brought out her datapad to avoid Miriam's eye.

"I may have found a way around the light pollution problem, tonight ‑"

"I'm not blind or dumb Kalli. What the hell happened to your face?"

Kalli looked up cautiously to see that Miriam's face was tight with anger.

"That's not a question that you should ask," Kalli answered quietly.

"Unfortunately for you, I just did."

Kalli lowered her datapad and looked straight at Miriam. "We both know that there's nothing that you can do. So it's best that you know nothing."

Miriam was indignant. "The law protects –"

"Some people," interrupted Kalli. "It protects the people who play by the rules. You knew that when you took a position at the university."

Miriam faltered for a moment. "We're not talking about the choices I've made; we're discussing what can, what must be done for you."

"There's not all that much of a difference," Kalli answered. "I know the stats, Dr. Iridan. You're in a male's role. The rates of assault and other such horrors for women in a man's role are twice those of a woman in a traditional role. Yet the rate of conviction for the perpetrators is 50% less. You knew this when you took your job, and you took it anyway."

Miriam stood, jammed her hands in her pockets and walked over to the window to stare out. She didn't answer Kalli's question; instead, she challenged her. "You're not in a non-traditional role, a 'man's' role."

Kalli tried to rein in the bitterness inside her. "As a young lady, I have an etiquette teacher, though most nobles call them ethics teachers. Do you know what they teach us when we're young? That there's no such thing as domestic violence or child abuse in the nobility like there is in the lower classes. Because in the fifteen hundred years since laws were created there has never been a conviction of either."

Kalli laughed and continued.

"They say that it's because the nobility are purer and better breed. But the reality is that there has never been a conviction because the people who commit the crimes are too powerful to be touched by the law. Some people get lucky and get protection from a more powerful family member, but mostly not. Mostly they just suffer in silence because there's no other option."

Miriam turned to look at Kalli with tears in her eyes. "That doesn't make it right," she said softly, staring at Kalli's bruises.

Kalli took a deep breath and replied. "Perhaps not, but let's not pretend that we can do anything about it."

Finally, Miriam nodded and returned to her seat to begin the lesson.

# # #

Kalli arrived at the Cirt compound at precisely 18h30 that evening. She'd sent Adir a message telling him of her success and that she might not be seeing him frequently if Raphiel continued to invite her to stargaze. She hoped that even if Raphiel's generosity didn't extend long enough for her to finish her project that it would last at least long enough for her bruise to fade. A young boy around 8 was already waiting at the gate; he bounced over to her.

"Are you Lady al Aratina?" he asked breathlessly and then, without waiting for a reply, continued. "I bet you are 'cause you don't look like a Cirt and no other Imkanians come in here. I'm Makiel; I'm Raphiel's grandson. So are you?"