Anathema Sample: Chapter One

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            Walking through the servant's hallways, roughly chiseled parallel to the grand halls to keep us separate from those who ruled us, I ran my fingers along the cool, damp stone walls. I wondered what it was like outside today. I'd heard it was beautiful. Sunny skies with puffy clouds. Not that I would get to see. I could count on one hand the number of times I'd been allowed outside this year.            My master, Kandek, only allowed me glimpses of the outside world in his presence. No open windows, no glances between the curtains, nothing. It was forbidden and anyone who saw me try was ordered to turn me in to him or face punishment with me if caught. To avoid getting anyone else in trouble, I had learned to ignore windows. I couldn't bear for anyone else to get in trouble for my mistakes.Most of my days were spent in the dark back room of the kitchen. I washed and dried dishes, put them away and repeated that for every meal. Not exciting, but better than cleaning out urine pots.            It wasn't my place to ask why the outside world was forbidden to me, but the other slaves had their theory. Due to Kandek's interest in having private meetings with me in his chambers, everyone thought he wanted to make me his concubine after I came of age. After today.Yet he always seemed interested in what I had to say and I'd never noticed anything inappropriate about his behavior.While it was strange he would request an audience with me and not any other slaves, I couldn't believe he had bad intentions. Behind closed doors he was kind, almost friendly to me. Although I had witnessed his cruelty, I couldn't believe he would ever treat me that way.No matter how much I protested their beliefs, the other slaves still treated me like an outsider. Only Ivy had gone out of her way to befriend me and over the years, she had defended me many times.             "Morning, Luci," I said as I walked into the kitchen. The heat of the room overwhelmed me as the breakfast bread baked in the ovens. The smell of rising yeast never failed to make my stomach growl.             "Finally." Luci said, wiping her flour-covered hands on her gray dress. "I've been waiting for you. I was about to send someone to fetch you. You spent too much time chatting with Ella this morning. You two need to move faster in the morning."            "Sorry." I balled my hands up into my dress, feeling the token lying within the secret pocket. "Since Ivy left so early this morning, I had a little extra work to do."            Luci rolled her eyes and grunted. "Ivy has never been anything but nice to you and here you are blaming her for making you late. You're so ungrateful. Now get out so I can open the windows."            "Yes, ma'am." I took one quick glance at the heavily curtained windows. Not only did they provide light for Luci and her staff on sunny days, but they also gave the heat from the ovens a place to escape. And they couldn't be opened until I had taken my place in the back room.            Holding back a sigh, I shuffled into the dark dish chamber. The walls were filled with shelves and with dishes of every kind waiting to be filled with every kind of delicacy from roasted pheasant to exotic fruits from the Southern Kingdoms beyond the mountains. There were small bowls for finger cleaning between courses. Soup bowls, salad plates, and mixing utensils. Hand-painted plates saved for visits from dignitaries ranked higher than Kandek and the chipped ceramic plates we slaves used for everyday meals. I was amazed how many dishes one man and his household could use in one day.            As I pulled dishes off the shelf for today's breakfast and placed them on the cart, I let my mind wander away from Ivy and to my other troubles.I wanted to forget today was my fifteenth birthday. I wanted to lose myself worrying about Ivy, but no matter how hard I tried to keep my mind off of it, I couldn't forget that today I faced my greatest fear.Handmaids sewed dresses of the finest silk with gold thread and embellished with pearls. Every man's finest garb would be aired out for the occasion. Food from all over the island arrived daily to be added to the feast. The oranges from the south shined like gold. My mouth watered just looking at them. I could smell the cakes, already in the oven for today's celebration.            Unfortunately none of it would pass my lips. I wouldn't wear a beautiful dress either. Those were only for noblemen and their wives who would be here to watch me receive a permanent gift from my master, the brand of a fox on the back of my head, forever marking me as his property.Every morning we slaves shaved our heads as a sign of our restricted status. Only free people were allowed to grow their hair. Long ago, there was the theory that if a slave ever escaped and hid long enough to grow an adequate amount of hair, she could join society as a free person. To avoid losing their slaves forever among the masses, masters branded the slaves they intended to keep on their fifteenth birthday.Ivy received hers last month and we had gripped hands until the moment the guards came to take her away to her party. Forced to stay behind because the great room had many windows, I called out to Ivy as the guards grabbed her elbows and led her away."Be strong Ivy, but don't be ashamed to cry." I cupped my hands around my mouth, yelling to Ivy as the guards dragged her out of the room."I'll never give him or any of his stupid guests the satisfaction!" Ivy shook her arms free from the guards. Shoulders thrown back, arms straight, and fists at her side, Ivy marched out ahead of them.I imagined the scene taking place and the murmurs of the lords and ladies as they would watch Ivy get strapped into the chair. Forced to bend at the waist with her arms still tied behind her back, Ivy's face would rest in a hole on the table. One guard would hold her head down as the other would sear the brand into the back of her head. It was always the same story, but only from those who were brave enough to tell the tale.Kandek did allow each slave one person to wait for them after the branding. Ivy naturally chose me, so I waited alone in our sleeping chambers for her return. Not long after taking Ivy away, the guards returned with her propped up on their arms.Her head hung down; the branded fox red and swollen on the back of her head. In the background I had heard the raucous laughter of the partygoers. My stomach flipped as I realized this would be me in a short time. I had never seen the immediate after-effects of branding before and I would never forget.Throwing her into my waiting arms, the guards left as quickly as they had come."Are you okay?" I whispered into her ear. Her head lay on my shoulder, my arms around her back."When it's your birthday I promise to hold your hand until the moment they force me away from you." Ivy held her head up to gaze into my eyes. A lone tear escape from a blue eye. After that, she didn't speak to me, or anyone else, for three days.I helped Ivy hobble to our bunk. Once she settled into bed with a medicinal poultice made for her by the herbalist, my duties as her aide were over and I was forced back to work. The day's party would dirty many more dishes than normal and I was needed in the kitchen. But that night we held hands as we fell asleep.As I pulled the last of the dishes off the shelf, tears fell as it hit me how alone I was.I wondered what anathema meant as I slipped the coin out of my pocket. I flipped it over and looked at the baby again. Its head turned and looked straight at me. But it didn't wink. Oh no, this time it smacked its hand to its mouth and blew me a kiss.