System

12. A Legal in the System

Esther loved pretty things. The dress that she had chosen for the ball was light and the fabrics were extremely delicate. It was held together by tiny and intricate clasps which were carved from ivory or silver. It hung from her slight body like gossamer in the wind and caught the eye of guests and servants alike.

She had often been described as 'pretty' herself and could appear fragile - although her muscles were well toned and she held herself like an athlete. She had pale blue eyes, a tiny nose and a perfect chin. Her hair was a subtle shade of brown and was able to turn on the charm when she wanted. Her smile could melt the hardest of hearts and had sometimes opened doors which were firmly bolted.

She had been built this way, of course. Every aspect of her identity had been carefully chosen by Adreus Certaine himself - from the shape of her breasts to the sharpness of her intellect. Esther knew that he was pleased with the result, since he often involved her in his more interesting engagements.

Although she was technically an artificial life-form, Esther had been designed with a high level of complexity. This meant she had freedom of choice and protection as an individual under the law. She was a 'legal'. It also meant that Certaine could not simply use her as a tool but had to employ her as he would any other consultant - and pay for her services.

She knew that her feelings for Certaine were likely to be suspect, but she enjoyed working for him and was always pleased to act as his agent. He had given part of himself to her and she shared his fascination with the messy side of life. She thought of him as her father - which, in many ways, he was.

Over the years she had earned enough to acquire a small island where she had her own home. It was built in a modernist style with a sunlit gallery and an open courtyard where she painted delicate watercolours, designed jewellery or constructed elaborate abstract sculptures. Some of her designs had been picked up by fashion houses and she liked to see people wearing them - either in the system itself or out there in the physical world.

Although she spent most of her free time on her own, she was intrigued by the idea of long-term relationships. She just hadn't found the right person yet. There was also the question of nurturing children or a 'potential' should the time seem right...

Her attempts to find out what had happened in the citadel had not been productive and she suspected that a change of role might be in order. The chief steward seemed particularly irritated by her efforts and clearly looked down at her as a 'dancing girl'. She suspected that he was being a overly defensive but it was hard to tell what that might mean.

She made her way down to her room which was halfway between the city streets and the lavish apartments of the upper levels. It was a small and basic space appropriate to the servant of a visiting dignitary. There was a simple wooden bed, a tiny window, a dressing table with a small mirror and just enough space for her trunk. It reminded her of a dressing room in a theatre or the servants' quarters in a stately home.

The window faced south and therefore took in very little direct sunlight. This meant that the room stayed cool even in the heat of the day. There was a tiny print in a broken frame on one wall - a black and white etching of bathers in a turkish bath. It didn't make her feel particularly warm.

A small oil painting of a swan hung over the head of the bed. She hadn't remembered it being there before but it didn't look out of place.

The trunk had been carried up to the room by the castle servants and dumped on the floor. It was relatively large because it contained all of the dresses and costumes that she needed for her work. Some of these were a little flimsy and left very little to the imagination but there were also some rather more sophisticated outfits for state occasions.