Key to Destiny

  They proceeded immediately to sex, and it was wonderful. “Henceforth,” he announced, “I will require any other woman who requires a fourth to tryst briefly by day, so I can spend all night with you."

  And so it was. They had three daughters at yearly intervals, and then it was time for her fourth. She still loved Deal, and did not want to suffer the embrace of any other man, but it was required.

  Deal came to her rescue again. “I have a friend in another zone you do not know. He is your age, reliable, and I trust him absolutely. I would like to have his child in my family."

  “I will get you his child,” she agreed, relieved.

  Deal made arrangements, and his friend visited Triumph City. Deal brought him to their apartment, introduced them, and departed on a business trip of his own.

  The eldest girl, three years old, was curious. “Daddy must travel,” Aspect explained. “This man will take his place until he returns.” The girl nodded, satisfied.

  So the man joined her in bed that week, and had sex with her every night. They did not pretend to love each other, but actually the sex was good; they seemed compatible.

  When Deal returned, the men shook hands and the other departed. It had been enough; Aspect was pregnant, and in due course birthed a fourth daughter. Ironically, this was the one who most favored Aspect, and Deal had no trouble loving her the same as the others. Meanwhile the deed was done, the fourth had been gotten, and they had no further children. Aspect wore the wire, as it was called, that prevented conception, and they had sex with abandon.

  Meanwhile King Diamond resigned as king, and was replaced by King Cheer, a jovial man. Aspect was surprised, because King Diamond had seemed quite competent. But perhaps it was wearing being king, and six years was enough.

  It turned out to be an improvement for Deal and Aspect, because Cheer was a more social man, and encouraged parties and celebrations. Deal became a secondary advisor for affairs of state, and Aspect became a supervising hostess for entertainments of state. Both were good at their positions, and were well regarded at court. As Aspect got to know the king better, she was impressed; his smiling countenance masked a very sharp and realistic mind. She had the impression that there were things going on that he did not speak of, but that he was on the right side of whatever issues there might be. The government of the planet slowly improved during his reign. She liked his wife too; she was similar in nature, smiling, but serious beneath.

  But in five years King Cheer also resigned, surprisingly, and joined Diamond in comfortable retirement. There must have been a reason, but neither he nor his wife ever spoke of it.

  The next king was Enterprise, a decade younger but still mature. He took hold with a will, and things changed rapidly, but he was not foolish. Deal became one of his leading advisors, and the man listened and acted sensibly. It looked good—until, after just two years, he too resigned. What was going on? As before, neither he nor his wife would speak of it; it was time to retire, they agreed. As retirees they had a comfortable existence and no need to take any subsequent position.

  There was a veiled selection process, and suddenly a new king was presented—and it was Deal! Her husband! He was almost as surprised as she. But he knew the business, and set out to do the best job he could. The first thing he did was appoint his friend Chief of Staff. Thus the father of their fourth was now an important member of the royal household.

  Aspect paid him no direct attention. What was past was past; they had no personal relationship and certainly no romantic one. On the occasions that they interacted, they treated each other with appropriate formality. No one other than Deal knew about their past.

  Now the Lady Aspect, as queen, was high profile. Everyone knew her, and many came to her with pleas intended for the king. She considered them carefully and passed along those she deemed worthy of his attention. She was concerned for their children, and did her best to keep them in the background, lest they be spoiled by attention. But they were used to attention, and conscious of the gravity of their father's position, so behaved reasonably well. As they came of age, all were in high demand for marriage, and all four married early and well. All girls had to marry by eighteen, but could do so at fifteen with parental approval. Some had clear understandings with their young men before that age.

  There was another, more private aspect to the kingship that she had known about but not fully appreciated before. The king was a very public figure, and was attended by others in every minor respect. There were servants to dress him, a girl to brush his teeth for him, and three girls to bathe him, the Mistresses of the Royal Bath. Mistress was an appropriate term, as they normally performed their office nude, and if the king was intrigued by their shapely young bodies, they cooperated gladly, not only performing sex with him in the bath, but washing off his genitals afterwards. King Deal did not indulge in this manner, remaining true to his wife, but they were more than eager to oblige. One night one of them sneaked into his room and bed just before he retired, hoping to seduce him there.

  As it happened, Aspect had already retired, and was lying in the bed in the dark. The girl, finding her there, was appalled, thinking she would be executed. But Aspect found it funny, and realized that this was a rare opportunity to have a small adventure. “Stay,” she said. “Don my nightdress, and if you can fool him into thinking you are me, welcome to his attention."

  The girl did so, and Aspect quietly left the room. Then she did something she had never done since marriage: she Peeked. She used a special crevice in the wall to watch the bed. The chamber was dark, but not completely so, and her eyes were acclimatized.

  Soon Deal came, got in, and was instantly embraced by the eager girl, who flung off the covers in her enthusiasm. There followed a vigorous clasping and engagement, obviously mutually satisfactory. And Aspect, to her surprise and chagrin, discovered that she was turned on by the scene. There was something about seeing that lush young body kissed, stroked, and penetrated that excited her in a way that regular sex did not. She loved her husband, but sex had become dull. She normally did it to oblige him, pretending more pleasure than she felt.

  Only when the culmination was complete did Deal take note. “Who are you?” he demanded.

  “The bath girl,” she answered meekly.

  “Return to your station."

  She departed, still wearing the nightdress, which had been sadly abused by the action.

  Then Deal spoke directly to Aspect. “Did you see enough?"

  She entered the room. “I thought it would be a good joke. You really didn't know the difference?"

  “Naturally not. I thought there could be only one body as fine as yours."

  She almost blushed. She was twenty-seven and had birthed three babies; her body could not compete with that of a sixteen year old girl selected for her beauty. He was teasing her.

  “Nor did I know you were watching through the crevice,” he continued, smiling.

  So the joke had been on her. “Oh, Deal!” Then she fell upon him, kissing him as avidly as the girl had, as eager for sex as the girl had been. And soon enough they achieved it.

  But in the morning, having pondered the matter, she gave him the word: “It is time for you to take a formal mistress. I will not have bath girls perpetually displacing me in bed."

  He smiled. “I will seek one. But no bath girl will do. I want one that is to at least to some extent an echo of you."

  She could not argue with that. And within a year he found one: a young woman of the Invisible Chroma named Symbol who was educated, intelligent, and extremely well formed, though she had to don tight nonChroma clothing to show it.

  “What do you see in her?” Aspect asked teasingly.

  “When I embrace her, I picture you. She does not interfere with that vision."

  Literally true. Though Aspect had demanded it, it took her a while to adjust to the notion that Deal now had a regular mistress who was, it became apparent (as it were) a better sexual partner than Aspect hersel
f. When Deal traveled, as he often did, Symbol traveled with him, for Aspect had four children to care for, ages six to nine. Even when he was home, he often went to the invisible mistress instead of Aspect. Symbol had a room in the royal suite, so was always available.

  Yet there were compensations. When Aspect was tired and simply wanted to sleep, she had but to glance at Symbol's veil, and the woman took the hint and drew Deal away, returning him an hour later with no further need for sex. If Aspect preferred, she would hold the king for the full night. No other woman ever got close to him; the mistress saw to that. Symbol also became a reliable caregiver for the children. On occasion she even took the children out for some incidental entertainment so that Aspect could have private sex with her husband. Symbol became a companion for Aspect, for she was an excellent conversationalist, and never imposed in any way. Aspect knew this was because the woman knew that the wife could abolish the mistress with or without cause at any moment; it was part of her profession to cater to the wife as well as the man. But she was so good at it that it was easy to like her, and Aspect did.

  “Truth,” Aspect said one day as Symbol was helping her dress for an occasion. She did not need to do this, as this was not her job and there were handmaidens for the purpose, but seemed to like being helpful.

  “Always,” the young woman agreed. That meant that she would answer any question without evasion or distortion, regardless of the consequence. But Aspect would have to answer with similar candor in her turn. Truth was a two-edged game.

  “What is your real nature and desire?"

  “I am cynical, perceiving and acting to achieve my best situation. The king has much to offer, and I mean never to give him reason to replace me."

  That was an honest answer. “Do you love him?"

  “Yes, in my fashion."

  Qualified, yet surely true. “What do you think of me?"

  “I would prefer to evade that answer."

  “Why?"

  “Because you might not believe it."

  “Speak.” That was a command.

  “You are the most elegant and competent woman of this court, and the king loves you."

  This could not be empty flattery, because she was bound to speak truth. “That is all?"

  “Negation."

  “Speak."

  “And I want to be your friend."

  Aspect had been prepared to dislike Symbol, but found herself disarmed. There was something about her, just as there was about Deal. This answer surprised her, for it meant that the woman was not merely catering, she truly desired friendship, given and received.

  Rather than respond, as she was not certain how she felt, Aspect ended her questioning. “Your turn."

  “Needless. I have no need to know what you do not wish me to know."

  Which returned the onus to her. Aspect made a decision. “I will be your friend."

  “Appreciation.” Her veiled (literally) smile was genuine.

  Thereafter they were friends as well as business associates. Aspect came to truly appreciate Symbol's qualities, and to value her presence. In time Symbol was given her own apartment, but she spent much time with Aspect, and they remained close.

  There were problems with the kingship. Deal was doing a good job, but discovered nebulous resistance to his policies. He labored to pin it down, but it evaded him. Then the council impeached him on spurious grounds. He fought it and won, keeping the crown.

  Then, suddenly, he was dead. It was labeled an accident, but Aspect knew better. The anonymous enemy had done it, eliminating the genuine reformer. But she had no proof, really no evidence. This lent a sharper edge to her grief. She was woefully unprepared for this.

  She was doomed. The last daughter had married and moved away the year before, and Aspect was now alone. She would have to vacate her suite to make way for the new queen, and within a month she would have to remarry.

  Symbol was in a similar situation. The new king would have his own mistress. She tried to console Aspect, but her grief was similar. So she turned it aside. “I will look for an apartment in the city, for this month, for the two of us, if you wish.” That would economize on the cost, in their reduced circumstances. Aspect had gemstones to trade, but did not wish to use them up any faster than necessary.

  “Thank you.” What little comfort to be had was there: Aspect was not alone in her mourning or her situation. “I will pack our things for removal."

  The following day the new king was selected. Aspect thought things could hardly be worse, but they were: he was a barbarian youth. Evidently the secret powers that existed had decided that civilized kings were too difficult to control, so they had arranged for an uncivilized one. He would be far easier to handle.

  Aspect smiled reflectively. How little any of them had known!

  The new king was Havoc from Village Trifle far to the north. News came to her of his barbarian blunders. He belched, he farted, he spoke with embarrassing bluntness. Somehow he had picked up a commoner woman who stayed by his side; it seemed he had made her an oath of friendship. Now she was handling things, buttressed by the power of her oath-friend. What was the planet coming to?

  Yet they had done one thing so different and remarkable that all were astonished: they had reappointed all of King Deal's personnel. It seemed that the barbarian knew he was ignorant, so depended on the judgment of his predecessor. The bath girls were already agog, for Havoc was a remarkably handsome and dynamic man just eighteen. But the more sober folk like Majordomo and Chief were also impressed, and found sudden loyalty to the new king.

  King Havoc came to see her. Surprised, she paused in her preparations. He was now the king, and she had to call him Sire despite being his mother's age. He questioned her briefly, then did what he had done with the others: he asked her to stay, and to be his household advisor. Thus at a single stroke he relieved her of the inconvenience of moving, of her loss of status, and of the need to remarry. In that amazing moment, she began to love him. Like a son.

  All he asked in return was that she allow his oath friend Ennui to share her residence. This was simplicity itself, as there was plenty of room for both her and Symbol since the children moved out.

  Then Havoc got barbarian blunt: “Was King Deal murdered?"

  “Sire!” she protested, for this was a forbidden thought despite her own suspicion.

  He saw through her implied denial immediately. The man was barbarian, ignorant but not stupid. “Do you know anything?"

  She confessed that she believed that her husband's sudden demise was not natural.

  If that was true, he said bluntly, he wanted to know it, if only, as he put it, to save his own hide from a similar fate.

  Then somehow the dialogue was about King Deal's mistress Symbol, and she had to explain about that. The ways of a king were not the ways of a barbarian villager. Havoc asked if Symbol could have done it, and Aspect quickly exonerated her; Symbol had loved Deal as ardently at Aspect had.

  Then Havoc dropped lithely to the floor in an amazing display of muscle and coordination, and went to sleep in a similarly amazing display of naiveté.

  Startled anew, Aspect looked at Ennui. “He is a barbarian,” Ennui said. “He has his little ways, some of which are crude, and some endearing."

  “Endearing?"

  “He keeps his word. He cares about people. He is loyal to his own. He recognizes his areas of ignorance. And he listens when you speak."

  Those were sterling recommendations, and she had already seen evidence of them. But Aspect suspected that civilization and the power of the office would soon abate such naïve qualities. Ennui argued that Havoc was ignorant, but neither weak nor stupid; he would remain a good man. But Ennui was of common stock; she would not have had occasion to see or experience the corrupting influence of power.

  It bothered Aspect to see the man lying like an animal on the hard floor, so she fetched a blanket and pillow and tucked them around and under him. She had not had a son, but he continued to fee
l like one.

  Ennui helped her move her things back where they belonged, and she helped the commoner woman move in to her rooms. All the while Havoc slept. To her surprise, he didn't snore; he was quite quiet. Perhaps that came of being a hunter in the outlying wilds, learning not to give away one's location. He certainly trusted the two of them, and she was determined to see that that trust was warranted. Perhaps later he would change his mind about letting her remain here, but even so, it had been a kind gesture.

  Ennui was tired too, and soon she washed and slept. She refused to go to her room, concerned that Havoc might wake and need her, so she lay down beside him on the floor. That was touching; she seemed to take their oath of friendship as seriously as he did. But also comforting, because Ennui was no innocent girl; she was Aspect's age, and had raised her four children and lost her husband too. They had things in common. Aspect had come to know her somewhat as they moved the belongings, and recognized in her a certain core of commitment and common sense that were worthwhile.

  Aspect could not sleep; too much had changed too suddenly to allow her to relax. The grief of her loss loomed like a monster at the window, ready to consume her the moment she eased her defense. Thus she was the one who was awake when Havoc woke. She saw him get up and look around, searching for something. She had a notion what.

  “Sire,” she murmured, so that he would know she was at hand.

  “I need—"

  She indicated the bathroom door. He entered, then ran his hands ineffectively over his clothing. Evidently the staff had dressed him, and he didn't know how to get the necessary anatomy clear. “Sire,” she said.

  “Yes, Lady Aspect."

  “If you find your clothing unfamiliar, perhaps I can help you."

  She explained the workings of the self-adhesive straps and guided his hand to manipulate them. Then she left him alone to perform his functions in private.

  It took him some time, surely because of his struggle with the clothing. When he emerged she had to suppress a smile; he had reassembled himself correctly but clumsily, so that he looked like an oversized boy. She took him back into the bathroom, dropped his pantaloons, adjusted his underwear, and put the pantaloons back neatly. In the process she caught glimpses of his supremely healthy private anatomy, but of course pretended blindness. She explained that she had often assisted her husband when he required it.