Under The Tent Top (COMPLETED)

Twenty - Seven

MARIUS' gazed at me. Be enticing. His eyes glazed over with anger as he hastily fell to his knees, to gather my dress. I slowly lowered myself as I reached for his hands. My body suddenly consumed by the demands of Samil's expectations. My hands found Marius' and placed them against my face. I kissed his fingers. "I didn't mean to upset you..." I whimpered.

"Nalani, stop..." Marius pleaded, pulling his hands away from my grasp. He softly grazed my hair to the side. "Nalani. It's me."

I leaned back, exposing my torso to the man. "It's okay, Samil won't mind."

Marius shook his head in frustration and sorrow. His hands gathered me into his arms. "Nalani stop."

I reached for his face only to find his fingers wrapped around my wrist. My breath caught in my throat. In the haze of anxiety and Mendacium I began to panic. "Please don't be upset. Please I'll do what ever you want."

Samil wouldn't like a dissatisfied man leaving my presence.

"Nalani..." Marius begged. "You don't need to do this."

I trashed around in fear. "Please, I don't want him upset."

"Who?"

"Samil, please. It's okay - you can do what you'd like. I'll do whatever you need."

The world around me spun. My body ached, my sight became murky with the tears that began to gather, and I drowned under the terror that consumed me.

"No, it's okay. Shh."

I cried into his arms. The smog slowly faded around me. Soon I began to find the rhythm of my own breath back. "I - I..The show?"

Marius pulled me far enough away to find my eyes. "Forget it - you need to get yourself out of here."

I gazed at my reflection in his eyes - nodding in agreement. I had to leave before he killed me.

~*~

By the time I had returned to the performers' bunks. Mirna, Dandra, Rene, Marius, Artin and Lacey had gathered. A consensual sigh of relief escaped my friends.

"What happened?" Dandra asked.

I looked down at her, shrugging in defeat. "Samil - I..."

Lacey reached for Dandra's hand. "It's okay, you don't need to explain - are you okay?"

I nodded. "I am. But I think we all need to speak."

I explained my hopes of leaving, my fears of leaving them behind, and my lack of destination.

"We'll do what ever we can to help." Mirna reached for me.

Artin nodded, his hand squeezing my arm in comfort.

"When are you hoping to go?" Rene asked.

I shrugged. "Perhaps a few days from tonight? I need to plan a little more. I don't want any of you hurt from this - I have to find a way for him to think I wanted to leave you too. Or to convince him that I'm not worth anything anymore..."

"Could you pretend you're pregnant?" Lacey asked. "I assume the Nightingale would lose her image with a child?"

My face fell. "I can't. It's an abnormality from the nukes. I think."

"Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't know."

I shook my head. "How could you? It's okay. The nurses at a bunk when I was younger had done a physical when I was old enough - It's something I've known for a while."

Mirna cleared her throat. "Maybe we can stage an accident?"

"No," Marius shook his head. "Samil will blame her, and hurt her more."