Chapter 19: Taran

As it turns out, marriages are not at all difficult to end. At least not if you're a Sanctuary Warlord. I stand at my wedding ceremony, wearing only a shirt, and smothering a yawn that's so wide I feel it right down to my toes. If Diogo didn't have such a tight hold on my arm I would probably collapse in a puddle at his feet and sleep through the ceremony.

After he kissed me, he left the bedroom, allowing me a few hours of sleep. Before leaving, he said, "The window has been bolted shut and the door locks from the outside now. You can rest easy knowing there won't be any escaping from this room."

"Thanks," I called after him sarcastically.

I'm not sure how long I slept for, but the sky was full dark when he pulled me from the bed, allowed me a few minutes in the washroom to freshen up and then escorted me back out into his gutted, concrete living room.

"You," I say distastefully when I realize the Judge is waiting for us. It's hard to feel at all friendly toward the man who, only a few hours ago, declared me a traitor and sentenced me to death. It doesn't seem unreasonable to hold a grudge.

He ignores me and says to Diogo, "Her marriage with Xavier Gunther, of the house Gunther, has been dissolved. I have prepared the paperwork for your marriage to Taran, Desert Wren, henceforth known as Taran Fuentes of the house Fuentes."

"Good." Satisfaction saturates that one word.

Spreading the papers out on the table, the Judge points to where Diogo needs to sign. I ignore them both, crossing my arms under my chest and glaring at the wall. There's no point in any kind of protest, women don't have choice in marriage. We're treated like walking uteruses. Or is it uteri? Either way, we're basically made to feel as though our single function is to act as baby-making machines.

The Judge straightens, gathering the paperwork. He turns disdainfully toward me and says, "Congratulations, Mrs. Fuentes."

"I don't recognize this marriage," I say coldly, pinning him with a hard stare. "The union of marriage is supposed to be consensual. This is as much a mockery as my trial was."

The Judge gasps, his eyes darting to Diogo. Then he steps toward me, but not close enough to touch. He lifts a finger toward my face and says, "You should be more grateful, girl. Commander Fuentes has saved your life. And now, he has given you his name and his family."

"Are you jealous, Judge?" I sneer, fisting my hands at my side to stop myself from launching at the obnoxious man. "Maybe you should've put your own name on those papers, married him yourself."

He draws back in shock, bringing his hand up to his chest while still clutching the papers. "Why you you!"

Apparently, suggesting the Judge may have a crush on the Warlord is close to blasphemy in his opinion. The small man draws himself up angrily and takes a step toward me, his fist raised. Who knows if he intended to actually hit me, or just wave it around because Diogo steps in, sliding his hand across my lower back and tucking me against his side. I shiver at the feel of his broad hand covering half my back. He could so easily crush me.

"You will watch how you speak to my wife, Judge." His voice is calm and cool, but the underlying steel is there.

"But!" the Judge splutters.

"You will not be given another opportunity to speak respectfully. I'll have your tongue removed if you continue."

The Judge freezes and then nods his head. He turns on his heel and leaves quickly. I stare curiously after him wondering if Diogo meant what he said. Would he really cut off a man's tongue just for insulting me? I glance up at Diogo and decide he would.

"You aren't very good with people, are you?" I comment, stepping away from him. I feel bereft as his hand falls away but try to ignore the feeling. I've been alone for a long time, only able to snatch brief moments of human contact here or there. Unable to forge meaningful romantic relationships.

He grunts and walks toward the kitchen, picking up a lantern as he walks by it. I trail after him, looking around with more curiosity than I had before. He has gas lamps and candles out, lighting the area, giving the concrete building an almost skeletal look. The bare area is wide, many of the walls having been knocked out. I wonder if he did it himself. Without fresh coats of paint available, the walls would've fallen into disrepair like everything else in the world around us. Without human intervention, infrastructure is left to rot and fall.

But his place is clean and tidy, especially the sections he lives in, the kitchen, main area, bedroom and washroom.

"You have a generator?" I ask him. "Why don't you use it to generate electricity up here."

"I have a small thermoelectric generator. I try not to use it for more than the basics."

"Like hot water," I point out sarcastically.

He flashes me a grin as he reaches into a cupboard and pulls down some bread and fruit. "Woman, I get paid in hot water. If I were to lose my hot showers I would go on strike, resign and leave this city for the nearest hot spring."

I snort and roll my eyes at him. "If the rebels knew it was that easy to get rid of you, we'd have taken out your generator years ago." I tilt my head thoughtfully. "In fact, once I get this information back to them, you're done, Diogo. We'll run you out of town."

He drops what he's holding and pounces, gripping my shoulders and pinning me in place. I gasp and bring my hands up to his chest. I try to shove him away but it's as useless as every other time I've tried to escape his hold. He gives me a shake, rattling my teeth.

"Have you been in contact with the rebels?" he demands, his voice flipping completely from easy-going to fierce interrogator.

Oh shit! I need to learn how to hold my tongue. I stare up at him mutely, refusing to give him any information.

"You are my wife, Taran. You owe your loyalty to me. Tell me now, when you escaped did you manage to make contact with the rebellion?"

"Loyalty?" I burst out hammering down on his chest with a fist. "You don't demand loyalty, Diogo, you earn it. You earn respect and trust and you're so far away from that we may as well be living on different planets. You won't get anything from me."