To Be Chosen By A God

Chapter 17

                He straighted as the prayers ceased and gave Chelsea a squeeze.  “How was it?”

                “It was a little weird without you there and sitting in your chair and it felt like everything I said was being weighed.

                “They were probably checking to see if what you said matched up with what we said and if you sounded rehearsed.  Why don’t you go ahead and get ready for bed.  It’s very unlikely that they will call for you again.”

                “But I didn’t bring any sleeping clothing with me.”  He closed his eyes and held out his hand.  After a few moments, one of her nightgowns appeared in his hand.  “Thank you.”  She took it from his outstretched hand and looked around.

                He pointed to a door.  “There’s a bathing chamber attached there for you.”  He gave her a peck on the cheek and she headed to the room.  She removed the jewelry and undid the buttons on the wrists, but realized she couldn’t reach the buttons on the back of the dress.

                She opened the door and called out to him.  “Micah?”

                “Is something wrong?”

                “I can’t get to the buttons on the back of the dress.  Would you help me?”

                “Of course.”  She turned around in the doorway and pulled her hair over her shoulder so he could get to them better.  She felt his hands on her back as he carefully unbuttoned about half of the buttons from the top.  “Do you want to get the rest or do you want me to?”

                She reached behind her to feel.  “Um….A little more and I’ll be able to get to the rest.”  He undid a few more and after checking that she could reach, thanked him and headed back into the bathing chamber.  After a few more minutes, she exited wearing the nightgown and holding the dress, boots, and jewelry in her hands.  He took the items from her and set them in the appropriate places; the dress in the armoire, the necklace and bracelets in a jewelry box, the belt in a drawer and the shoes next to the dresser.

                He pulled back the covers for her and after she crawled into bed, he laid them back over her.  He had her lay on her side and he laid down with her, taking the position of the big spoon as he waited for the other gods to call him back to the main chamber.  It wasn’t long before she fell asleep.  She never felt him leave the bed and she only woke up briefly when he took her back home. 

                The next morning, he waited for the morning prayers to end before getting up.  He sat up and Chelsea woke up.

                “Good morning, Micah.”  She stretched and yawned as she sat up.

                “Good morning.  I should tell you what was decided by the other gods.”  She looked up at him curiously.  “They decided that it was a malicious attack, which we already knew.  They also concluded that without my mother’s intervention, you would have died due to the amount of diseases that had been stacked in you.  It was designed so that the moment you were cured of one, the next one would take effect.  It was done in such a way to cause as much pain and suffering as possible.  We also, already knew this.  They took into account what you did to pull me out of my funk before we ever met and also how long I went without a companion.  Even though you are considered only my charge and not my companion, they took into account the fact that I had already begun courting you at the time of the attack, your age and your village’s rules about age and marriage, as well as how they saw you with me at the Summit.

                “Because of all of this, it was decided that his attack on you would be taken as an attack on a wife or husband and would be treated that way.  As a result, I was awarded his concubines and should I make a move on his territories in force, there would be no interference from any of the other gods or goddesses.  I’m sure the part you are more concerned with is the concubines.  I set up a room for them down the hall for the night and they will be staying here while they adjust to the Haven, but after that they will have to move on to one of the villages.  Unfortunately, I’m going to need your help in getting them acclimated to life here.  Will you help me?”  He stroked her cheek while giving her puppy dog eyes.

                “Of course, Micah.  Which room?  I’ll wake them up and have them help me with breakfast.”  She went to stand up and then stopped.  “What about the table?  It only seats four.”

                “The closet off the dining room has the extra leafs and chairs.  Here, I’ll take care of that for you.”  He closed his eyes and concentrated for a few moments, making a few gestures.  When he opened them, she knew everything would be all set downstairs.  “They are in the third room down from us on the left.  And don’t worry, they will be clothed……. If they aren’t, please make sure they put something on.”  He gave her a kiss and she waited for him to enter the bathing chamber before changing her clothing.

                Once dressed, she went to the room the former concubines were using and knocked at the door.  After a few moments it was opened hesitantly by one of the girls.

                “Good morning.”  Chelsea chirped.  “It’s time for breakfast so please get dressed and follow me down to the kitchen.”

                The door was opened further and the three girls were revealed.  They looked scared and Chelsea didn’t blame them.  They at least knew what to expect with Luther and now they were here.  One of the other girls finally spoke.  “What would Master like us to wear?”

                “Oh, he’s not your master.  He’s not that kind of person.  Just call him Micah like everyone else does.”

                “But we were given to him.”  The same one who had spoken replied.

                “You aren’t property.  Maybe that was your station with Luther, but Micah does not own anyone and he’s not going to start with you.  You were awarded to him as a punishment to Luther for attacking me.  That’s all.  Micah likely gave you clothing of some sort.  Pick something from those.”

                One of the girls opened the armoire in the room and found it to be filled with clothing.  She pulled an item off of a hanger and looked at it properly.  “He does not want to look at our bodies?”  She asked.

                “But his concubine is dressed like this.”  The first replied.

                “I’m not his concubine.  He doesn’t have any.  He chose me to be his wife during the choosing and we are still getting to know each other to decide if I want to choose him too.”  She tried to explain.

                “But who sees to his physical needs?”  The first and youngest of the three asked.

                “I think you won’t truly understand Micah until you’ve been around him a little bit.  Come and get dressed so we can go down and make breakfast.”

                By this time, Micah had already finished his shower and was walking down the hallway.  Seeing that Chelsea was still at the girls’ door, he walked up to Chelsea.  “Is there a problem?”  He peeked in the room to see the girls were looking at the dresses curiously.  Upon seeing him they immediately prostrated themselves.  “There is no bowing of any kind in my Haven.”  He told them firmly.  They each shakingly got to their feet.

                “I think it’s just a very different situation for them, Micah.  They don’t know how to please anyone other than Luther.”

                “I’ll start breakfast then.”  He pecked her cheek, gave the concubines a firm look and then Stepped down to the kitchen.  After that, the girls were quick to get dressed and follow Chelsea.  In the kitchen, they were surprised to see a god cooking.  Chelsea had them set the table and then sit down while she helped Micah finish making breakfast.  The way the two were with each other was something none of the girls had seen since being gifted to their god.  Once the food was all ready and plated, Micah and Chelsea sat down in their normal places.

                “What are your names?”  Chelsea asked them.

                “Concubine.”  One of the girls responded.

                “Wait.  Luther didn’t even call you by name?”  Micah asked.

                “What did your parents call you?”  Chelsea asked when Micah’s question was answered with shrugs.

                “I…..Don’t remember.”  One of them finally responded and the other two nodded agreement.

                “How long were you with Luther?”  Micah asked them.

                “I’m not sure.”  The same one replied.  “A new concubine came every couple years, I think.  And a concubine was retired at the same time.”

                “Retired?”  Chelsea asked.

                “Sent to the fields.”  She replied.  Micah and Chelsea shared a look of concern. 

                “Well, we need something to call you.”  Chelsea said to change the subject.  “Do you have any ideas, Micah?”  She laid her hand over his.

                “I can try something.  I don’t know how much success it will have though.  I’ve never had a reason to try it.  Will you allow me to try?”  He asked the former concubines.

                They looked at each other nervously.  “If that is what our Master wishes, we will do whatever he wants of us.”

                “I am not your Master, ladies.”  Finished with breakfast, he stood and Chelsea followed.  “If you change your minds, let me know.”  Micah and Chelsea walked a little away from the table and started heading towards the stairs.  “Chelsea, I think for today you should show them your normal day.  Have them help you and get to know me through you.  I think they have been treated poorly for too long and think that is normal and to be treated fairly is weird or wrong.  Do what you can.”  He kissed her and then headed up to his work room.

                Chelsea turned around and could see that the three women were watching her.  She took a moment to take them all in and look beyond their frightened features.  They were all skinny and looked malnourished.  They had been hesitant about eating breakfast but had all cleaned their plates.  She wondered if food had been sporadic where they came from or could be taken away at a moment’s notice.  All three looked to be different ages.  The oldest was the only one who had not spoken yet.  She also kept her hands up around her neck; sometimes holding or covering her neck and sometimes feeling the skin there.  Her hair was the darkest of the three, looking as black as a raven’s wing.  Her skin, like the other two was very pale.  Chelsea wondered at how long they had been kept indoors for their skin to be so light.  The second in age had dark brown hair and the third had light brown hair.  As Chelsea looked at them, she noticed that they were all very similar to each other in appearance.  They each wore their hair long, they were each very pale, they had the same mannerisms, and they all kept their eyes downcast.  This meant they had either been chosen because of those characteristics or had been something they learned over time.

                Chelsea headed back into the dining room and they looked at her apprehensively.  “Micah wanted me to show you my normal day and maybe have you help me where you can.  The first thing I usually do after breakfast is laundry.  So, the first thing I do is start with the water.”  She showed them the large pots she used for heating water and the buckets she used to fill them.  They helped her to fill and haul the water inside and fill the pots and basin.  She showed them how the stove and oven worked and what not to touch.  She also had them each carry a couple of buckets upstairs to fill the bathing chamber basins.  She filled the one in the chamber she shared with Micah and then they filled the one that the girls would be using.  She showed them how to operate the shower and bath and let them know that while they are getting used to the Haven, it would be their responsibility to keep the basin filled for bathing, just as it was her responsibility to keep the one she and Micah used filled.  She directed them to grab any used clothing and she grabbed the laundry from her room along with the sheets and they brought everything down to the laundry basin.  By now, the water was hot enough for laundry so they set the clothing outside, filled buckets with the hot water and filled the laundry tub.  Chelsea checked the temperature and tempered it with cold water so they wouldn’t hurt themselves.  She then showed them how to do laundry.  The youngest was the most apt at this, probably because she had done it at home the most recently.

                Chelsea tried to encourage them to talk to her about anything, but they were all fairly closemouthed.  Once the laundry was hanging up to dry and the laundry tub had been drained, she started on making lunch.  She showed the girls how to chop fruit and vegetables and prepare a meal, as well as how to make some of the staples she kept in the kitchen such as bread.  Soon enough it was time to take lunch up to Micah.  She explained what he liked with his lunch and why she was bringing up the extra items.  The girls followed her up to the attic and she explained that this was the only room in the house that was off limits without Micah with them and it was even this way for her.  She called out to Micah that she was there and he opened the door for her like always.

                After setting the tray on his side table she turned around to see the former concubines looking around with awe.  Micah wrapped Chelsea in a hug.  “How are they doing?”

                “Good.  I don’t think they’ve ever had this kind of freedom so I think that for them it’s a little frightening.  I let them know this room is off limits to them without you with them.”  He nodded and kissed her temple.  The girls watched this exchange with some confusion because of how nice he was being to her and how easily they spoke to each other.  It didn’t look rehearsed to any of them.

                “Oh!  I have a few things for you.  Draven didn’t get a chance to talk with you but you remember the peacock from your dream?”  She nodded.  “I asked him to make a viewing crystal for you. And he also brought you some of their feathers.  Here are the feathers and the crystal.”  He placed a bundle of the long feathers in her hand and then the viewing crystal.  He held it at arm’s length and activated it.  She got to see them walking around and then a male spread out the fan of tail feathers and shake them.

                “It’s amazing.  Do they fly with such a big tail?”

                “Yes.  I’ve never seen them in flight and he doesn’t show it in the viewing crystal, but they do fly.  He even offered to bring us a few to keep here, but I declined for us.”

                “Good idea.  I have no idea how to take care of large birds like that.”

                He laughed.  “Me either.  I’ll put these on your dresser to decide what you want to do with them later.  Ok?”  She smiled and nodded before grabbing the empty water jug and heading back downstairs with the girls in tow.  Once back in the kitchen, she prepared plates of food for the four of them for lunch and discussed what they would be doing afterwards.  They made soap and bath oils for the girls, she also made more laundry and dish soap and they helped her clean up the kitchen after making dinner.  She set it in a stasis dome and showed them how to make them.  They brought up the laundry that was now dry and they also took their own showers.  By the time they were back in the kitchen, I was time to eat.

                They ate quietly and after dinner, Chelsea made a suggestion.  “I think our guests should take the time before bed to explore the manor.  I didn’t really get a chance to show them everything.”

                “I think that’s a great idea.  Ladies, feel free to explore the manor until it’s time to go to bed.  Chelsea, shall we?”  He held out his hand to her and she smiled as she took it.  He made a gesture and the dirty dishes were cleaned and put away.

                “Oh!  Thanks, Micah.”  She smiled.

                “You’ve been busy today.”  They strolled to the sitting room while the former concubines nervously began to look around the manor always expecting to find something horrible.  Once inside their sitting room he said, “I want to lay with you and hold you on the dream couch.  How does that sound?”

                “Sounds good to me.  How about a fire?”  Unknown to them, the oldest of the former concubines had peeked in and was watching them and how they would react to each other when they thought no one was watching.

                “Sure.”  He went to make a gesture but she stopped him.  He looked at her curiously.

                “Let me, Micah.  You’ve been using yourself too much lately and this is something I can do if you would just lower the temperature a little bit.”

                He kissed her temple.  “I love that you worry about me.  Let me know if you have difficulties in getting the wood to light.”  She nodded and set the wood and rather than trying to use the flint to light the kindling, she grabbed one of the oil lamps, splashed a little oil on the wood, lit a splinter of wood from the lamp and then tossed it onto the pile, causing it to light immediately.

                “No problem.”  He chuckled.  He sat on their dream couch and leaned back.  He held out his arms and she came over to him, positioned herself and laid on top of him and let him position her so that they would both be comfortable.  Once she was positioned, he wrapped his arms around her and stroked her head and back as she snuggled in. 

                Micah looked over and saw the woman peeking into the room.  “Hello.  Feel free to come in.  This is just our room where we spend time with each other.”  She started and hurried away from the doorway.  “They’re really skittish.”

                “They keep referring to you as Master.  I think I corrected them at least five times today.  I wish they would let you see if you can help them remember their names.”

                “They have been violated enough in their short lives.  They don’t need more from me.”

                “I know.  And I would feel just as bad if we just gave them new names.  I feel like we would be no better than Luther in that regard.”

                “I agree.”  Her body against his was making him harden, so he adjusted himself, making her giggle.  It wasn’t long before she began dozing on his chest.  He smiled as he continued to languidly stoke her back.  He felt he was being watched and looked over to the doorway and saw the three women peeking inside.  He gestured to them to come in.  They entered, clearly afraid.

                “How are you three doing with the changes?”  He asked them. 

                They looked at each other and the youngest was the one to speak up.  “You didn’t ask us in here to relieve you?”  She gestured to his groin.

                “Relieve….  You mean…..  No!”  They flinched.  So he continued in a gentler tone.  “That is what Luther required of you?  Any time he became hard you had to please him?”  They nodded slowly.  Chelsea began to stir.  He looked down at her and rubbed the back of her head.  “It’s ok, Chelsea.  It’s ok to go back to sleep, my love.”  She nuzzled his chest and he smiled with pleasure as he wrapped his arms around her.

                “We don’t understand, Master.”  The youngest continued.

                “Please call me Micah.  What Chelsea told you about me is correct.  I don’t own anyone.”

                “What about her?”  She asked, gesturing to Chelsea.

                “She has a choice.  She’s my choice, but if she found she didn’t love me, she does not have to marry me.  I once chose someone that didn’t love me and would never love me.  I couldn’t send her back home, so I brought the man she did love here where their descendants have all been very helpful in keeping my Haven running smoothly.  But no, Chelsea is not my property.  Once she is old enough to marry, I will propose to her and offer her The Choice.  But that’s why I give as much time as I can to let her get to know me for me.

                “I need for you to get to know me too.  To not be afraid of me, to not think I’m going to suddenly do something horrible to you.  You’ve had a chance to look through the whole manor.  Did you find anything to worry you?”  They shook their heads.  “Of course, as a god, I could make you see anything I wanted to.”  He saw them tense up.  “I haven’t, but you haven’t had a chance to be around me enough to know it for certain.  Learn as much as you can from Chelsea.  She had a rough start when she first arrived.  I frightened her and had to heal her and explain myself.  It was a rough couple days, but we got it figured out in the end.

                “It’s getting late and the evening prayers will be coming in soon.  I’m going to take Chelsea up to bed before they start.  You may want to also get to sleep.  It’s been a long day for you too.”  He adjusted Chelsea so he could get up and lift her into his arms.  Once he was standing, he Stepped into the bedroom.

                Once he was gone, the former concubines spoke with each other.  “What do you think?’  The youngest asked the other two.

                “I think Master…”

                “Micah” Interrupted the oldest.  “Our new master wishes to be called Micah.”

                “Micah.  I think Micah is very different from our last master.  We looked everywhere and he didn’t have any of the things Master Luther had.”

                “I saw them when I don’t think they knew I was there.  The girl, Chelsea at least didn’t know I was there.”  The oldest said.

                “What were they like?”  The middle one asked.

                “The same as we’ve seen so far.”

                “I think I want to ask him to see if he can find my name.”  The youngest said.  “I don’t want to be a concubine if I don’t have to be one anymore.  I want to have a name.”

                “We have no names.  There isn’t a point to looking for one.”  The oldest replied.

                “You’re wrong.  I had a name once, I just can’t remember it.”  She replied as they walked up to the room they were sharing.  They were glad he had not split them up into separate rooms despite the room being a little crowded with the three of them sharing it.

                In their bedroom, Micah laid Chelsea down and used his power to change her clothing.  He then disrobed just before the prayers hit full force.  He waited them out, pulled on a pair of sleeping pants and then crawled into bed next to his beloved.  She woke up as he was pulling the blankets over the both of them, saw that she was in a nightgown, and snuggled up to Micah, falling back asleep.