The Fates

Part XXVI: Race

Aro paced about in his room, ruminating over his thoughts, wearing down his beige, embroidered carpet. He saw Demetri's thoughts and discovered that Makayla was slowly coming nearer to his home.

He sighed Now was his chance! Marcus had openly challenged him. He had stood from his throne and towered over him and said confidently: "I am to court Makayla, since you do not wish to have her. And the battle is half won for me."

He said it with the gayest smirk that boiled his gut. Aro's teeth were bared; his eyelids pulled back and facial muscles taut. He could not condone such impudence. So, he had to out do his colleague in the field of courtship. That would be simple enough!
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I bounced up and down on the balls of my feet. It was sunset and not even my stomach could stifle my excitement!

Demetri approached with a white man, whom was half his size. He gestured me over by elaborately swinging cloaked arms. As I approached the dwarf asked him: "Who is this woman?"

My head tilted he wasn't Italian? Why else would speak in English if there was no need?
Demetri shared a smile.

"Makayla, good evening. Go ahead..."

He opened the heavy wooden doors, to the entrance, wide for me but the short man barred the way in. He barricaded it with his stout chest.

"Ho!"

Did he just call me...? Before the train of thought could continue, he went on talking:
"Ho! You may not just walk in! What business have you?"

I gave him an eyeroll. I shoved my way in but he pushed aside my attempts. I decided to grace him with an answer.
"I am meeting Marcus."

His jaw slackened and his eyes widened.

"The Master? He meets no-one, especially not strange women."

"Well, this strange woman is meeting him," I answered as brusquely as him.

I tried to go around him. We danced around one another, one to block, the other to parry it. I was getting fed up with him.

I furrowed my brows. He held his head high, blond curls jiggling proudly. His pink lips curled into a satisfied, belligerent smirk. I glared.

"Then get a message to him, if you really think I should not enter, that l'm waiting for him."

He looked me from head to toe with a bellicose gaze. And I felt a chip form in my dignity.

"Why would I do that?" he said condescendingly.

"I am expected by him."
He turned his side to me and flicked me away. Demetri gave him a look. I started seeing red.

"You must be mistaken; how can he be associated with the likes of you?"

What I had long tried to forgot, those strange stares when I entered a nice part of town at home; a policeman subtly telling me I wasn't wanted at an up-class playground; being served last in a restaurant since I was part of the only group of African Americans there.

The police checking me every day for illegal substances, whilst they hopped over my fairer friends.... Finally, the misdirected anger Aro and Caius had shown me after finding out I was Marcus' girlfriend.

An anger defensively clothed me.

"I didn't think they would hire such cretins like you! There is nothing wrong with me. I am just as worthy as you to be around Marcus, that doesn't change because of my race!"

His black eyes shone with malice. He made a grab at my shoulder. It screamed out against his cold touch, contrasting with the evening heat. I smacked him.

"That means everything here; you are a lower race!" he spat.

"Let me go!" I screamed at him loudly.
Demetri had to drag him away from me.

"Fool, leave her be. The Master will not be pleased with you mistreating his guest."
The dwarf squinted at Demetri.

"Oh, is it? You know very well the Master cares about no one. Is this an excuse to bring your lovers in? What is this? Is she yours?"

I had become less than a dog, something that could be claimed by either of these men. I glowered. Demetri soon gave him the rough eyes l was.

"Do. Not. Cross. The. Limit. I'm warning you."

The words fell on deaf ears; the man came at me again and I scurried back. A white hand beat him over the back then clapped him over the head and he was disarmed. He winced.

"Ouch, you oaf!" he told his assailant.

I saw a long face with narrowed eyes and drawn brows. Demetri was right about his reaction. The dwarf turned to rebut his attacker only to become a ghost.

"Haaaah! Master! I had no clue it was you!"

The dwarf bowed. "Forgive me," he muttered.

Marcus was not appeased.

"Come to the hall when I return from my excursion and bring the twins," he said tonelessly.

The dwarf's eyes were wide and his lips turned white. He pinched his knuckles closed into a fist.
"But..."

What was he so afraid of? And who were the twins?
"Gunther, that is an order. Now get away."

He didn't even raise his voice. The tables had turned and it was Gunther who went away quickly, tail between his little legs. Marcus' hardened face cracked.

He drew near enough that I could smell his musky cologne. His fingertips stretched out to me and caressed me.

I was taken aback. His fingers came back with salty tears, dripping from them. I stared at them before looking at my red jacket, which was soaked through.

"I am gravely sorry for my employee's actions."
I sniffed.
"No, it was nothing. I've been through worse."

Much, much worse. Back home this was normalcy, belittlement for being black was not new. You just learned to cope and ignore while it chipped you away. He gave me a frown but he did not push the matter.

"Come in," he instructed me.
I went in and prepared to sit on the yellow sofa. Marcus took me away from it.

"No, not here. Let us go to my private chambers rather."