Part Ten: Adrianna's Story
Author's note
I decided to introduce the character of Adrianna (formerly Thomas Adarian) gradually throughout the story. At first, you only hear accounts of him, then you only see him through the eyes of other characters. It is only at the beginning chapter 20 that I let the story play through Adarian's eyes. I wanted to give the reader the impression that his character was important, but I didn't want to bog down the plot by introducing him early in the story when so many characters --Yavara, Brock, Zander, Prestira, Elena and Leveria—needed to be introduced as well. But Adrianna is just as important as many of those characters, and even more important than some. Since I couldn't give him (her) the air time the others got earlier, I decided to devote an entire book to him. This takes place between Chapters 26 and 28 of the main story arc, and details the stories of Adrianna, the other hybrids, Certiok, Trenok, Arbor and Rose; all characters who I felt deserved more time than the main story would allow them. You don't have to read these next six chapters, as I will summarize the important plot points when we return to the main story arc, but I hope that you do. Thank you.
Day One
ADRIANNA, SIXTEEN DAYS BEFORE THE BATTLE OF THE TUNDRA.
In the horror stories told to misbehaving Highland children, the beasts of the Great Forest would kidnap delinquent younglings, drag them to Castle Alkandra, and drop them before the Black Throne. If the story teller had a mind for detail, he would tell of how imposing the Black Throne was, how it towered over everything and took a hundred full steps just to ascend. At the precipice, the disfigured and repulsive Dark Queen would cackle manically, then swoop down to begin her terrible torture.
"It's just a wooden chair." I mused, looking down at the unassuming piece of ebony furniture.
"And Yavara's not a wart-covered hag." Faltia added. The formerly named, 'Captain Faltius Dafian' wasn't quite sycophantic toward me, but she retained her military respect despite my insistence that she not.
"Give her time." I muttered.
"She's ageless." Soraya noted. I remembered First-Scribe Soren Poneria as a balding frail man in his late thirties, and though she was now a buxom tan beauty that most would mark at nineteen, she still retained somewhat of her pinch-faced bookishness.
"It doesn't have to be from age." Eva said, "The way she gets around, she's bound to catch some kind of super-herpes." Ah, Private Eva Alisia; the irony of her saying that was palpable. How many times had I received a notice from the castle physician that Eva Alisia had once again contracted syphilis?
"Eva!" Alexa gasped. I didn't think the former Sergeant Alexa Jenania was actually as appalled as she let on, for the moment she made the exclamation, she watched Faltia to make sure her disapproval was shared.
"If she isn't already patient-zero." Brianna giggled, "That woman is a walking evidence bag." I vaguely remembered Private Brian Dedaclia being somewhat of a walking evidence dispenser. It made sense that he (now she) and Eva linked fingers.
Eva laughed with her partner. "She takes it in the ass so much that she pollinates a flower every time she farts."
"The pussy-willows love her." Kiera sniggered, that perpetual mischief in her eyes. There were many times the MPs conducted raids on the barracks in search of drug paraphernalia, and they always seemed to find it hurriedly stashed beneath whichever woman bunked next to Corporal Kiera Lestria.
"Arbor would probably think that was infidelity." Furia mused with a small smile. I had no recollection of who Private Furia Augustinia used to be besides her name and rank. I intuited by her interaction with the other hybrids that she'd been the company baby, doted upon and protected by the other women, too young to have yet emerged from her shell. Maybe that was what drew me to her.
"Only if one of the plants was her child." Eva chuckled.
"
All
the plants are her children; didn't you know that?" Brianna giggled, "Every fucking time I picked a dandelion on the way here, she'd give me the evil eye."
"She looks at everyone like that." I said, "She's only been in a body for a week; interpersonal interaction is a challenge for her."
"She interacted with the four of us
just fine.
" Eva grinned, motioning to Furia, Kiera and Alexa.
Faltia nudged me. "Hey Commander, is it true that Private Straltaira fucked Arbor so hard she became her slave?"
"It is." Arbor said from behind us, "Though I do not think it was the force of Elena's thrusts that compelled me into her servitude, but the angle with which thrusted them." She turned to me, "Governess, I have mustered the townsfolk, as you requested. They are waiting outside."
I cleared my throat, wondering how long Arbor had been there. The expressionless forest spirit inclined her head as though to study me from a different angle. "Governess?"
"Just 'Adrianna' will do fine, Arbor."
"I will address you by your title, as will be expected of every citizen here." Arbor cleared her throat back at me, as if practicing the mannerism, "Shall I have Certiok bring them in?"
I looked at the ebony chair, the wood smoothed from over a millennium of existence. How it had stayed intact beneath a pile of rubble for all these years was likely a mystery answered with 'magic,' and that made me warry, but it was the history of the thing that truly kept me static. This was the
Black Throne
for God's sake!
"It's just a wooden chair, Adrianna." Furia said softly, "You and I can switch if you want."
"No," I smiled, turning around, "I got it."
And I, Adrianna, formerly Thomas Adarian of the Highland Ranger Corps, sat on the Black Throne. I went still, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. The other hybrids all exchanged looks, then collectively shrugged, and sat in their own chairs. Since the inside of the castle hadn't even been started yet, the throne room was nothing but a vast, empty hallway. Scaffolding laced the sides of it, leading to window slits that weren't yet carved into archways by the masons. The cathedralic ceiling could hardly be seen in the darkness above, and the floor below was just packed earth.
"You ready?" Furia whispered beside me.
"You're gonna fucking crush it." Faltia said from my other side, giving me a pat on the shoulder.
"Why did we keep on our ranger uniforms?" Soraya lamented.
"To show the people that we have nothing to hide, right Commander?" Faltia nodded.
"Yeah..." I muttered, wishing desperately that I could go back in time and slap myself for making such a stupid call. How many Protaki and Terdini had I killed in this uniform? Scores? Hundreds? Good fuck, what was I thinking?! I chewed on my lip, then reached up, and unbuttoned my shirt.
"Adrianna?" Alexa whispered from across Faltia.
"We were rangers, yes, and it's important that we address that," I said, pausing halfway down my chest so that the swell of my breasts showed clearly from my opened shirt, "but we're also Alkandrans, and we need to show the beasts here that dark blood runs hot in our veins. Kiera, Alexa, Eva, Furia; I need an experienced woman's opinion." I pulled the bottom of my shirt from my pants, and rolled it between my breasts, exposing my bronze midriff. "Is this too slutty?"
"Is there such a thing?" Eva giggled, unbuttoning her shirt.
"There never was for
you.
" Kiera teased Eva.
"I think it's fine." Furia beamed at me.
