Marital Law Read online

  When the sister with the spear against her throat raised her hand and dropped it to the earth in the customary submission motion, the crowd changed its tone and started chanting my mother’s name. Evidently, they had no loyalty.

  As Marcella Munford made her way over to my mother, I could see from the expression on her face that she wasn't happy with the outcome. “Well, well, it seems you've somehow managed to cheat your way to victory!”

  “Cheat? Is that how you see it?” Mother asked shocked.

  “Oh, no! Not just me. Everyone here saw it. Isn’t that right, my people?” Marcella asked waving her hand all around the arena.

  Initially, there was silence, but when the monitors started spreading out, the crowd chorused their agreement. Before long, they were yelling, “cheater,” at my mother. It was then that I knew I'd have to kill Marcella Munford. She would never allow me to defeat her and walk away.

  “Cheaters get locked away in the dungeon! Get her out of my sight!” Marcella ordered her monitors.

  In the distance, I saw my father shaking his head. He was spent, but he didn't look surprised.

  All of a sudden, balls of fire started hitting the earth all around the arena. Chaos erupted. Shortly thereafter, a group of about ten people, all dressed in black, suddenly appeared and started fighting with the monitors.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my father running towards Mother. As he neared, the two monitors guarding Marcella Munford moved forward to meet him. When Wayne Rashellus’ hand disappeared behind his back and reappeared with a sword, I was shocked. It quickly turned to awe and pride as my father easily dispatched the two guards.

  With all monitors down, the hooded people and my mother and father hopped onto a handful of horses waiting near the arena gates and rode off unabated. I'm pretty sure I recognized a few of the hooded people, as some of the women that had fled Providence for life in the forest. This gave me a little assurance that everyone in the forest hadn’t been eradicated.

  I was a little sad that my parents hadn't freed me and taken me with them, but it was probably for the best. My little dance with Marcella Munford had just begun.

  ****

  My fatigue was beginning to get the best of me. My eyes refused to cooperate, sleep inevitable.

  Awakening back inside my cell, I wasn't sure who was hovering over me. He had a nice tone to his words, but I couldn't understand any of them. The man's stay was brief, but before this individual departed he was kind enough to give me drink. The water was bitter, hurting my throat as it went down. Still, it felt good in the end. I probably could've drunk down the entire river supplying my old homeland of Providence South.

  Morning came and I felt better. The fog had lifted and my strength had returned. When I heard the monitors making their way towards me, I plopped back down onto the floor and pretended to still be out of it. They came in and we repeated the motions of yesterday's operation of getting to the arena.

  As I half stood, half leaned, on the spear they had given me, I could see the knowing smirk on Marcella Munford's face. She wore all black, had some sort of armor slung over her shoulders, a mask over her face, and even carried a shield. She obviously didn't want to leave the arena with even a scratch.

  I thought it hilarious that Marcella would go through so much trouble for little ole' me, but I didn't break out in fits of laughter. I held my composure, kept up the façade of my weakness.

  “It seems my opponent is so scared she can't even stand upright,” mocked the supreme leader of our little world. “Maybe we should give her the opportunity to turn tail and run. What do you say, my people?”

  The crowd was mere puppets on MOM’s string. They would've agreed to anything she asked, maybe even their own demise.

  “What say you, little girl? Have you come to your senses? Would you like to coward your way out of this?”

  “I, I will stay and fight,” I stuttered.

  “You-you will? Are-are you sure? Because you don't-don’t sound it. And you certainly don't look ready for battle,” she mocked.

  Slowly, I advanced. I pretended to stumble mid-way but caught myself before tumbling to the ground. “Enough words.”

  “Hah! It seems my opponent is ready for battle,” chided Marcella.

  As she made her way closer to me, I squeezed my spear tightly in my right hand. Taking a page from the Darcy sisters' book, Marcella Munford raised her spear into the air and swung downward, aimed at my head. She actually surprised me with her speed and strength. But I had no problem blocking her attack, and I think that's what surprised her the most.

  After another round of swings, Marcella took a step backwards and said, “Well, well, it seems my opponent has finally come alive.” I could see her sideways glance off to the side at Lucius. Her look told him he'd screwed up, and I believed it would be his last.

  “What about your asthma, little girl? Are you sure you want to get your body all riled up? You know what will happen. I’m sure your old friend Kaylee can tell everyone what happened recently,” Marcella taunted.

  I looked on as she scooped up two handfuls of dirt and threw them in my direction. Her attempt to bring on an attack was actually amusing. I breathed in a deep lungful, and then I went on the offensive, swinging my spear for Marcella Munford's head, in rapid succession. She managed to repel my attack, but I'd at least been able to slice her left cheek with one of my blows.

  The crowd went into a deft quiet. I'm sure some of them were even afraid to breathe. Their great ruler, whom they probably thought immortal, bled just like everyone else. As this continued to sink in, some of them started to cheer Marcella on, urging her to strike me with another blow.

  Marcella Munford glanced out at the masses, her confusion and surprise evident.

  I think I saw the first hint of fear in MOM’s eyes, and when I did, I pounced. By the time the dust settled, she was lying on the ground and I was standing over her with my foot on her chest. Once again, the crowd hushed, and then they turned. “Kill her!” they chanted over and over again. They had come for my blood, but they were content for anyone to stand in for me as well.

  Raising my spear a few inches above Marcella's throat, I fully intended to ram it home. But of course, something inside of me wouldn't allow me to take her life. I dropped my spear and turned to walk away. Several monitors moved forward and blocked my path, but the booing crowd gave them second thoughts. Eventually, they thought it wise to allow me to exit, peacefully.

  With my back turned, I failed to see what Marcella was doing, but her yelling forced me to turn and stop. The monitors were bringing a man forward, and he had a cloth sack over his head.

  When they deposited this masked man in front of Marcella, she immediately ripped it off and upon singling out Kaylee, said, “Kaylee Dunning, do you remember this young man? It seems they misdiagnosed his illness. It wasn't cancer after all. He's been out at the compound for the sick and aging, healing, getting stronger. I might be persuaded to allow him back inside Providence, if you were willing to kill Sidnie for me.”

  Ryan's hands were bound in front of him, his legs strapped together as well. He looked confused, bewildered.

  We were all in a short state of shock. We'd grieved the loss of Ryan, and all of sudden he was no longer dead. Kaylee advanced slowly, tentatively. She glanced from Ryan to me, and then I saw something change inside of her.

  Locking eyes with Caleb, I think he was the most surprised. And I’m pretty sure I saw fear and worry on his face too.

  I knew right away what was coming: another battle, a fight to the death. Kaylee had lost her mind. She’d gone boy crazy, and I wondered how many would be enough.

  “Is this how the supreme ruler of the world handles loss? Since you couldn't defeat me, you resort to blackmail? I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” I almost spat the words, I was so angry.

  Picking up Marcella's spear, Kaylee said, “I will do it.”

  My heart sank. Not that I was afraid of Kay
lee; to the contrary. I just didn't want to kill her. She could have Caleb, even Ryan if she wanted. I just wanted to get away from them all, to disappear inside the forest and never return. If there even was a forest left to go back to.

  Chapter 32

  “Please, Kaylee, I beg you not to do this,” I pleaded, but Kaylee's jaw was set, her mind determined.

  “Pick up your spear, Sidnie!” Kaylee demanded.

  “No, I will not! You will just have to kill me. But before you do, Kaylee, I'd love to know what you plan to do with two men.”

  Over her shoulder, Kaylee said to Marcella Munford, “If I do this, then I get to keep both of them: Ryan and Caleb.”

  “I was willing to give Wayne Rashellus to the Darcy sisters. Giving a woman two men makes more sense to me anyhow. As you wish. People of Providence, let it be so. On this 13th day in September, Munford Law has added a sentence to allow a woman to have two men,” MOM said raising her hands, like she was leading an orchestra.

  The people appeared confused. They knew what Marcella was doing was wrong, but they were too afraid to go against her. Slowly, they began clapping and yelling, “Let it be so,” and I looked on as Kaylee fully bought into the madness and came charging after me.

  Diving to the ground, I retrieved my spear and met Kaylee's just as it came for my head. I started to go on the offensive, but Kaylee whispered, “Get Ryan safely away from the monitors, and then kill them! I want Marcella! She will pay for what she has done to me, to us all!”

  The smile that came across my face was too much to contain. I said, “Gladly!” and then I rolled to my side and bounded back onto my feet. I was exactly where I wanted to be, closer to the monitors and Ryan.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Kaylee closing the distance between her and Marcella. With a quick slice of my spear, I undid Ryan's bindings, and whacked him in the gut with the wooden end. With him safely on the ground, I easily dispatched the two monitors and then I handed my spear to Marcella. “Take it! It's time you answer for your sins!” and then I pointed at Kaylee, and said, “She's waiting!”

  The look on Marcella's face went from shock to the rawest form of fear. She'd just been bested in battle by a girl who was supposed to have asthma, and she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against Kaylee.

  Marcella yelled for the monitors to help her, but they seemed to have vacated the premises. When she turned to flee, Kaylee swept her legs out from under her with her spear. “Get up and fight!” Kaylee demanded.

  Clutching her side, Marcella said, “I-I think I broke a rib when you tripped me.” Turning to the crowd, she pleaded, “Don't just stand there! Help your queen! Seize this traitor for treason against the Capitol!”

  Not a soul moved and no one spoke.

  Grabbing Marcella by the hair, Kaylee pulled her onto her feet. It was then that the evil wench struck Kaylee while her guard was left unprotected. The thud of the wooden spear hit Kaylee right in the middle of her forehead, leaving her flailing about in a dazed state.

  Marcella pounced, striking and stabbing with all her might. Kaylee managed to fend her off, but I wasn't sure for how long.

  Just as I started to move in to help, Kaylee met my eyes and yelled, “No! I've got this!”

  And just like that, Kaylee cleared her head, and proceeded to pound MOM until her spear went flying off in the distance. Throwing our ruler to the ground, Kaylee then stood poised over her, ready to plunge the tip of her spear into her heart. The crowd chanted, “Do it, do it!” over and over again.

  I could see how conflicted Kaylee was, having felt the same way myself.

  “You don't have it in you!” Marcella yelled, gaining confidence in Kaylee’s hesitation.

  “For over a year, you allowed me to believe he was dead. How could you be so cold, so evil?” Kaylee said, exasperated.

  “Because I knew it would come in handy later on down the road for you to get with Caleb. Everyone could see you had the eye for the boy. All I had to do was send a few love letters to you from Caleb and to him from you and sit back and wait until you issued Sidnie the challenge. It was my way of getting both her and her parents out of my way. You defeat her, and I defeat Sonia Rashellus.”

  “What? You-you sent Ryan away so you could set me up with Caleb? He’s been gone over a year!” Kaylee’s voice rose a degree with each word.

  “What can I say, I’m a planner. Without my plans, where would the world be today?” Marcella said, obviously still seeing no harm in the things she’d done.

  “A planner? You really don’t see the pain and hurt you’ve caused me, caused us all, do you?” Kaylee said.

  “I have more to consider than one little girl. I have the fate of all these people in my hands,” Marcella said, waving her hand left to right at the crowd.

  “You don’t give a damn about these people!” Kaylee said vehemently. “All you care about is Marcella Munford!”

  “That’s not true,” Marcella pleaded for the crowd. “My every move was to keep my people safe. Haven’t I proven myself by stepping into the arena here today? What other ruler would willingly subject their self to such humiliation? Please help me, my people.”

  “Save it, Marcella. Everyone knows what you really care about: you.” I said, and then I turned and headed out of the arena in the direction opposite the crowd.

  Dropping the spear, Kaylee went over and helped Ryan up off the ground, and then the two of them headed over to where her group of friends, and Caleb, stood anxiously waiting.

  Going in a different direction, I made it ten feet before I heard the familiar whir of a flying spear and heard the gasps from the crowd. Spinning with lightning quickness, I snatched the spear out of the air, spun it, and sent it flying from whence it came. I heard the thud as it hit home, in the center of Marcella Munford's chest.

  Secretly, I had been hoping Marcella would force my hand, because I knew allowing her to live would’ve only brought us more pain and heartache.

  The quiet was quickly replaced with cheers of joy, and chants of: “Sidnie, Sidnie, Sidnie!”

  Sounds of Lucius's loud voice, yelling for the monitors to seize me, filled my ears, but no one seemed to pay him heed.

  No longer caring, I turned and left the arena. I was heading back to the forest, to be with my new family.

  The sound of approaching footsteps gave me pause. I could tell from the way they moved that the individual wasn't a threat, but I kept my guard up nonetheless. Turning, I was surprised to see that the girl now standing in front of me was my sweet Adeline, and she had tears in her eyes.

  “I-I'm so sorry, Sidnie. I-I'm ashamed of what I've done to you.”

  Reaching out my arms, I said, “Honestly, I no longer care about the past, Adeline. It's time for all of us to make a new future.”

  As she threw herself around me, I wept because I'd missed her so much, and we’d both seen more than girls our age ever should. We just stood there in a tight embrace and wept.

  ****

  To my pleasant surprise, the monitors had walked right into a trap after they’d gathered up the children from the Manumissionists’ camp. Jeremiah and his men were waiting for them, and after a few hours of battle, managed to disarm all of the monitors. The children were all safe, albeit very frightened by the whole ordeal.

  By the time I made it to the forest, every single dweller had gathered, awaiting the results of the battle. I looked at them in surprised awe. They had come out of hiding because they believed in me. They'd taken a huge risk in being here. If Marcella had won the battle, she would’ve captured and more than likely killed all of them.

  My mother and father separated themselves from the group and walked towards Adeline and me. I couldn’t remember ever being this happy. My family was back together again.

  “Well done, Sidnie. I knew you could do it,” said my father.

  “Me? What about you? Where did you learn to wield a sword like that?” I asked, still feeling pretty proud of the man.

&nb
sp; “Oh, that was nothing, my love. There's so much I've wanted to tell you,” replied my father, as he embraced Adeline and me.

  Figuring it out, I pulled away and looked over at my mother, “How long?”

  Understanding right off, she said, “Your father and I have been with Jeremiah for almost ten years now—ever since I got wind of what Lucius was doing to them. No one deserves to be turned into those creatures. Marcella had to pay, and Lucius will soon get his!”

  This was quite the revelation for me. For over half of my life, my parents had been with what I thought was the enemy but had never told me. I wasn’t angry with them, because I knew their reasoning: Marcella would’ve locked them up in the dungeons or killed them if she’d found out their loyalties.

  “It was the reason I told you stories of time before the war, and had you doing a little scoping out of the Capitol. I wanted you girls to know there was something better out there, something worth fighting for, and I wanted you to be ready for this day,” said my mother, as she gently rubbed her hand down my cheek.

  “Where do we go from here?” I asked.

  Seeing my mother go into protection mode, I turned and followed her eyes. A large horde was making their way over to us, possibly everyone who lived around Providence. We waited, ready for their attack, ready to fight for what we believed in, once again.

  To my surprise, Kaylee was leading the crew, her face set. I braced for the worst and gently slid Adeline in behind me.

  Pulling up about fifteen feet from us, Kaylee said, “We have come to make peace with the dwellers, to invite them back to Providence with us. We would like to live as a united people once again.”

  Since Jeremiah had come up alongside us, along with Hannah, I looked to them for our next move.

  Stepping forward, Jeremiah said, “I too think it’s time we brought our people back together. But on one condition.”

  “And what is that?” Kaylee asked.

  “That we disband the monitors and burn Munford Law,” Jeremiah replied.

  “We all agree, which brings us to the second reason we came here,” said Kaylee, eyeing my mother suspiciously.