The Admonishments of Kherishdar
M.C.A. Hogarth

CHILD ABUSE II

jzirudar [ jzih roo DAH ], (noun) — recipients of a tangible gift (formed from "jzirusir" to receive a tangible gift); orphans

      I bit my sister as my husband rapped on the door to the shrine. When it opened on the shadow of a figure, he said, "She tried to kill our child."
      Shame's eyes flicked toward my midsection. "You have only this one?"
      "Yes," my husband said, and thrust me through the door. "She's yours. We don't know her."
      I twisted, trying to lurch back out, but a hand grabbed my upper arm and drew me inside the dark antechamber.
      "Why?" Shame asked, his voice hard.
      "I didn't know it would be like this," I hissed, unable to break free. "I hate it! I hate it!"
      More faces gathered out of the shadows. Shame said, "Couldn't you have waited?"
      "No!" I cried. "Even seven months is too long! I WANT MY BODY BACK!"
      And then all the sanity drained from Shame's white eyes and he lunged for me. I screamed and ducked, and around me voices yelled as I sank to the floor and silhouettes edged in red and gray strained and tangled. Panting. Curses. Someone said, "Send word, this is too much even for Shame."
      "No." His voice was so cold. I shivered, pressing my shoulder into the wall. "This Correction is mine."
      They let him go, and I covered my face, waiting for the blow... but he stalked past me, the wind of it tousling my sleeves.
      "Restrain her," he growled. "I'll be back."
      I didn't make it easy for them. But they bound me and left me in a cell. I hated being alone with myself. When the door opened, it was not on Shame, but on three women. They would have been beautiful to other Ai-Naidar, but they were hideous to me. I knew they had borne children by their bodies. And when they came closer, I knew them by their robes.
      "Shame tells us you are to be dedicated to our service for a year of Penitence," the priestess said.
      "W-what??"
      "We welcome you, sister. Come."
      "What? No! NO! NO!"
      But they pulled me to my feet and dragged me out, and when I screamed the Guardians came to their aid, not mine.
      Shame was waiting at the door leading outside.
      "Don't do this to me," I begged.
      "Seven months," he said. "You won't give seven months of your life to give sixty years of life to another Ai-Naidari."
      "I hate you," I whispered.
      "I wouldn't want your esteem," Shame answered.
      I thought he would stare as the priestesses of the Mother Goddess led me to the prison of their temple. I thought he would have remorse. I thought he would show some sign of having second thoughts. But the moment my foot crossed his threshold, he shut the door.
      "How beautiful you are," the priestess beside me said. "How far along are you, my sister?"
      I screamed.


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© 2007, M. C. A. Hogarth