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A few weeks after Ariel went back into hiding, the paperboys were all crying the same thing: Michael had become the Leader of the city. Two months after the announcement, Ariel was pacing around her rented room trying to decide what to do. She was pregnant with Michael’s child. Whenever she put her hand on the doorknob to leave the room, she’d panic and begin pacing again. She was shocked that Michael hadn’t set out to look for her. But then again, he probably did he just hasn’t made it known yet. Why did she run? She was beginning to have feelings for Michael, but seeing Ryan there pushed her over the edge of anger. She felt betrayed. Ryan lied to her. He pushed his way into her life and made a permanent dent in it.
Yes, she had slept with Michael, but she was upset. She wasn’t thinking clearly. She was stupid, and was paying the consequences for it now. But Michael should suffer to. It was against the law here for two people to sleep together unless they were married. It kept child breeding down, and kept everyone disease free. Unless they got married before it started to show they might be saved from the humiliation and the fee. And the child being killed instantly.
That sealed it; she’ll go to him now. Tonight. She grabbed her few belongings, which was just a shawl and a pair of shoes and left the apartment complex she was living at.
When she reached the door of Michael’s new residence she had to wrestle past two guards. When they gave in she rang the bell. She could hear chimes ring from inside and Ryan opened the door. She caught her breath in her throat as he tried to suppress a shocked gesture.
“Is Michael in? Its urgent.”
“Yes he’s in, but never mind him, you look awful! Worse then when I found you. Where have you been?” He stepped aside to let her in. She was wearing the same dress she wore the day she ran away and it was torn in many places. Her hair was matted and hung limp around her creased face.
“Where is Michael?” she asked, ignoring Ryan’s question.
“Upstairs. I’ll bring you to him,” he responded, moving towards a spiral staircase. He led her up three flights of stairs. A little way down the hall he stopped, knocked on the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. She waited patiently and then the door was flung open. Michael came out first with Ryan at his heel.
“Thank Adia you’re alright! I was beginning to worry.”
“I don’t need your worry yet. Can we talk alone?” she said, eyeing Ryan.
“Of course, come on in.” Ryan stepped out of the way and let Ariel and Michael in. As soon as the door was closed Michael glanced at Ariel to see her pacing, clasping the material of her dress in her hands and wringing it violently.
“Something on your mind?” he asked, taking a seat at his desk.
“I’m pregnant.”
She dropped it on him hard just as the day she realized why she wasn’t bleeding.
“Pregnant?” he repeated, standing up. He dropped the pen he was holding and it fell to the desk. “Are you sure?”
“Yes I’m sure. If this gets out we’re both in for it.”
“Then let’s have the wedding! It will fix everything. We’d be able to have a child if we’re married.”
“It would be too obvious. I’ll begin to show in a month or so. It has to be in the next week.”
“The next week! You’re joking, right? A week to put together a wedding!”
“Then let’s have a quiet one and put off the celebrations until after the child is born. That’s reason enough.”
“Good idea. We’ll need a witness, though.”
“Ryan,” she said so automatically that it scared her.
“Ryan? I thought you hated him.”
“I do. But I need to drop something on him to let him know what he’s done.” She stopped pacing and dropped to her knees leaning back on her legs, she sat. “He doesn’t have to know about the child. Just that we’re having a quiet wedding now and the celebration once I’m well again. I’ve been living with rats for two months, that’s a good excuse.”
“So be it,” Michael replied. “We don’t have a spare bedroom at the moment. I’m having a conference, so would you like to stay in my room? Or my mothers?”
“I don’t know your mother. Yours will be fine.”
He nodded, and went to the door. He beckoned Ryan and pulled him into the room. Ariel was just getting to her feet as Michael was shutting the door.
“Ryan, a few things before you can go to bed for the night. We, Ariel and I, would like you to be our witness for our wedding. Just a small thing, me, Ariel, you and the Priest.”
“Why though? Why not a party, or a big ceremony?”
“Ariel has been living in unfit conditions; she’ll need time to heal. After that, we’ll have a party. Would you like to witness?”
“Yes. It would be an honor.”
“Excellent. Can you show Ariel to my room? I have some paper work to finish. Good night, love,” he said, giving Ariel a kiss on the forehead. She smiled and let Ryan put an arm around her back and lead her to the door. When they were in the hall, they were silent. They stood for a moment until Ariel said, “Ryan, I’m sorry. For over reacting when I saw you for the first time after I… After I was caught.” She stared at her feet.
“Considering all the people I’ve caught against their will throughout the years, your tantrum was expected. You are forgiven. Now let’s get you clean clothes then I’ll bring you to Michael’s room. You wait here and I’ll be right back.” He walked down the hall, and went down the stairs.
When he returned ten minutes later he was carrying nightgowns, dresses, underclothing, towels, a robe, and a fresh bar of soap.
“This way,” he called from the stairs, beginning to ascend them. She quickly followed and was brought to a door at the end of the hall of the 5th floor. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. She walked in first and Ryan brushed past her dropping the things on a table. He dropped the key into her hands as he was passing her to leave.
“Enjoy your night, Ariel.” He closed the door after himself.
“Good night,” she whispered, beginning to shed the clothing she’d worn day and night for two months. She left them in a pile in the middle of the floor. She grabbed the towels and the soap and headed straight for the bathroom. She stepped into empty bathtub, and turned on the hot water. After adjusting the temperature she let it run until the tub was filled and steam filled the air. When she turned it off she sat back, leaning her head against the edge and closed her eyes.
The door opening, shutting and Michael poking his head in the bathroom interrupted her peace.
“Yes Michael?” she said, keeping her eyes closed, head leaned back.
“Just making sure you got up here alright. I’m going to read. Enjoy your bath.”
“I will,” she said sitting up and grabbing the soap. She washed her body first and then began to wash her hair. She used almost the whole bar trying to get to her scalp. After rinsing, she stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body and one around her hair. She drained the tub and stepped out to see Michael fast asleep on a chair. He was slouched down over the table, head in his arms. She smiled and walked over to him. She lightly shook him until he was awake.
“Come on now, time for bed.”
“Hmm?” he groaned, getting up and walking zombie-like to his bed. “Thanks Ariel,” he mumbled sleepily and then fell back asleep. Ariel pulled off his boots and placed them on the floor next to the bed.
After she was dry she put on a nightgown and sat at the table with the brush she found and began to brush her hair. It was an hour or so after midnight when she finished. There was a pile of hair on the table and her scalp was sore from all the tugging. She threw out the hair and cleaned the brush. Then she got the fire going and turned off the lights. She sat in front of it, arms around her stomach.
’Poor Michael’, she thought. He became the most important person in the city with tons of work and she came a dropped this on him. When she was little, she used to say to her mother that she would be the first one to see her baby. The first one to hold it. The first person to turn to when she needed help. She hated this family feud. Angry tears rolled down her cheeks, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She sighed then got up and got into bed next to Michael. She listened to his heavy breathing until the feeling to be touched took over. She moved his arm away from his body and moved closer. She put her head on his chest, draping her arm across him. When she was settled in Michael instantly pulled her in closer without opening his eyes. She smiled and went to sleep.
The next morning, they were awakened to the sound of breaking glass and overturning furniture. Ariel was up before Michael could even realize he was awake. She ran out of the room heading towards the noises. Michael soon caught up and they both walked in on the scene at the same time.
In the entrance hall, guards were trying to get an intruder out of the Estate. He had a mop of tangled brown hair on his head, with freckles covering his cheeks. And he must have been in his late teens. He had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. He seemed vaguely familiar.
“I need to see Ariel!” he cried out, trying to push past the guards. She looked at Michael who gave her a nod and she went down the stairs two at a time to see the boy. When she stepped off the last step, she was instantly pushed backwards onto the steps by the boy’s embrace. Michael was now running down the stairs and the guards were trying to pry him off of her.
“I found you, I found you!” he sobbed on her shoulder.
“Mateo?” she asked, hopeful this could be her brother.
He nodded vigorously and she nearly squeezed him to death with her hug.
“I thought you were dead,” she said, letting go of him. The guards were retreating and Michael was sitting down next to Ariel.
“Your brother?” he asked, and she nodded.
“How did you escape?” Ariel asked
He lifted his head. “Momma sent me to look for you a few years before they were attacked. And I found you, too late to save them. She wanted me to find you, to help fight.”
“And how did you find me here?”
“There was talk on the street of a wedding and I heard your named mentioned as well as his,” he said jabbing a thumb in Michael’s general direction. “So I asked for directions and here I am now.” He was on his feet, helping Ariel up. They hugged again, and then Michael offered breakfast. Ariel and Mateo’s face’s lit up at the mention of food.
After breakfast Ariel was getting dressed in Michael’s room when a stressed Michael came in with Ryan. She quickly slipped on the dress she was holding as the door was opening. She folded her nightgown and sat down at the table.
“And what’s happened now?” she asked.
“My mother won’t stand for the quiet wedding. She demands we have a huge ceremony with the party right away. She won’t stand for putting it off.”
“You should hear that woman yell!” Ryan added.
“So the wedding will be in a month.”
“A month!” she said, standing up so quickly she knocked the chair over. “Ryan, can you excuse us for a minute?”
He nodded and left the room.
“It’ll be to obvious in a month. I’ll start to show too early.”
“My mother is persistent. Even if Adia sent down fire from the heavens she’d force the wedding in a month.”
“We’re screwed. I’m screwed! Do you have any idea what they do to the child that’s born when their parents aren’t married? Instant death! You’ll lose your position and I’ll probably be taken away to a factory to make clothing till the day I die!”
“Calm down Ariel,” he said. She was walking around the room looking for something to distract her.
“I got it!” she said after a few minutes of silence. She came over to Michael and stood in front of him. “We’ll grab Mateo and Ryan, go to Finela and get married there! It’s only a day and a half’s journey by carriage. You could say you have a meeting, and you want us to come with you. We could get married and when we return, say we couldn’t wait then have the party!”
“My mother will be furious.”
“Do you want your son or daughter to die?”
“Of course not!”
“I’ll go inform Mateo and Ryan. Where is Mateo anyway? Haven’t seen him since breakfast.”
“He’s still at breakfast.”
Ariel laughed as she slipped into her sandals. Michael followed her out and Ariel told Ryan what was happening. He said he’d handle packing and ran off. Michael went to tell his mother of the meeting and Ariel went off to find Mateo.
Indeed she found him in the dining hall. It was a huge room with a high ceiling, holding a dozen chandeliers. There were four huge tables that ran along the length of the room, and two tables at the front of the room. The tables were wooden with matching chairs. Huge drapes covered the windows only letting in sprinkles of light in here and there. Behind the two front tables was a door where the servants served food and cleared the tables. Mateo was sitting at one of the two tables at the front talking to a young woman. Ariel walked to the table and politely interrupted. She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.
“You’re coming with me Ryan and Michael to Finela. We’re having the wedding there. You must not speak a word about this. If anything, say Michael has a meeting there and he wishes for us to accompany him. Understand?”
“Yes,” he answered.
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