Michal delivered me to my parent's apartment by six, and as he promised, didn't hurt my pride by carting me through Newhome in a wheelchair. He dredged up a two-seat tandem bicycle from somewhere – I didn’t ask – and he rode while I pretended to. He even fetched a clean set of clothes from my place. I honestly don't know what I did to earn a friend like him.
Walking up the three flights of steps to my parents' flat turned out to be the most exhausting leg of the journey.
"You're late," my father scolded me when he opened the door and let me in. He gave no indication of noticing my arm was in a sling. In typical form, his mind was fixated on one thing – marrying me off to Sienna King.
The King's had already arrived and were seated as they were two nights ago. My mother and older sister were standing by the kitchen doorway, waiting for me to arrive so they could serve the appetizer. Mother's eyes widened in genuine concern when she saw me. Despite having my army in a sling, I was also obviously very pale. In deference to the formal setting, she did not speak, but I knew that once the King's left, she would fuss over me and bombard me with questions.
As Father returned to his seat, I greeted the King family formally. Then I lowered my aching body in the chair on my father’s right, directly opposite Younger Sister. She was holding her hands to her mouth in shock at my appearance. I tried to flash her an encouraging smile, but I don't think I was very convincing.
"Liam's been telling us about the Skel attacks on our foraging teams this morning," Aiden King said when I turned to face him. "Sorry to hear you got caught up in that, Son. How are you feeling?"
"A bit worse for the wear, Sir," I replied. Actually, now that the painkillers had worn off I just wanted to lie down and die. Well, not literally. I glanced at Sienna, thinking she must be concerned that I'd been injured. However, she examined me with little more than casual interest. That horrible sinking feeling returned to my gut. I was to spend the rest of my life with this girl?
A knock at the door interrupted my train of thought. I watched as Father rose and went to see who it was.
"What are you doing here?" my father snapped quite rudely at the mystery visitor.
"I came with the councillor from Hamamachi as his translator," replied a familiar voice. My spirits rose when I realised it was Nanako, but my initial excitement was followed by confusion. What on earth was she doing here?
"No," I heard my father say as he tried again, "What are you doing at my home?"
"Oh, I'm looking for Ethan. Is he here?" Nanako asked, trying to see into the flat past my father's broad frame.
We’d parted company last night on a very negative note, and I spent the rest of last night, and all of today, down in the dumps because of it. So this was an opportunity I wasn't gonna waste. I rose from my chair and stepped to the left so she could see me.
Her eyes widened in alarm when she saw the sling, and then, to my amazement, she slipped lithely past my father and rushed over to me. "What happened, Ethan? Are you alright?"
"We got jumped by Skel while foraging today," I replied.
She laid her petite, bronzed hands lightly upon my bandaged arm. "And you were hurt?"
I was aware that both families were staring at us in a mixture of confusion and disdain – all but Lieutenant Liam wondered how I happened to know such a strange and no doubt unmarried young woman. And me? I didn't care one iota. I shut them out and gave her my whole attention. I pointed to my wound, "I, ah, got shot by a crossbow."
"You got shot?” she exclaimed, her eyes brimming with tears. “So why aren't you in the hospital?"
"They let me go," I said, which was kind of what happened.
"But aren't you in pain?"
"Well, just a tad." Pride stopping me from admitting the truth.
"Oh Ethan, this is no good, you could have been killed! Promise me you'll find a safer job."
I was surprised by the depth of concern she showed. She really cared for me.
"I'll think about it," I replied as I glanced at Lieutenant King. The fact was, with all the foraging trucks gone and the Skel besieging the town, there would be no foraging for some time.
Nanako gestured to my chair. "Here, you'd better sit down, you're so pale."
"Let me introduce you first. Everyone, this is Nanako. She's the translator who came from Hamamachi on Monday," I said, after which I introduced each member of the King and Jones families to her. She bowed politely to each in turn.
When I got to Liam, she said, "I am honoured to meet you again, Sergeant King."
"It’s lieutenant now, actually," Liam replied, clearly uncomfortable with this situation. "And, thank you."
My father had not moved from the door, which he was still holding open, clearly hoping Nanako would leave.
I, however, wanted her to stay. "Does anyone mind if Nanako joins us for dinner tonight? She is an esteemed visitor to our town, after all."
King Senior and my father begrudgingly muttered their approval, resentful that I had forced the situation. I purposefully asked if she could join us because if they refused, they would have lost face.
I ushered Nanako to the seat beside Younger Sister so she would be opposite me. As soon as she sat down, Sienna and her mother grimaced as though she was something the cat had dragged in from the gutter. My opinion of Sienna slid down a dozen more notches.
I returned to my seat as Father closed the door and sat beside me. He kicked my shin under the table and glared at me. Then he nodded to my mother and sister, who disappeared into the kitchen. They returned a moment later with bowls of tomato soup.
"This is scrumptious, Mrs. Jones," Nanako said to my mother after she tasted it. "What ingredients did you use?"
Everyone gaped at Nanako in disbelief. She, a female, had spoken at the meal table without receiving permission to do so from one of the men. My mother looked to my father, unsure of what to do. Although clearly displeased at Nanako's lack of manners, he nodded his permission.
"It is an English recipe," my mother answered quietly, "It has tomatoes, butter, chicken stock, tarragon, basil, sour cream, salt and pepper."
"I recognised the basil, but tarragon? What a fantastic idea, it really adds to the taste," Nanako replied enthusiastically.
Mother smiled bashfully.
Nanako noticed Younger Sister stirring her soup and taking the occasional sip. "You're Meredith, aren't you?"
Younger Sister's eyes widened in alarm, and she looked to father for permission to reply.
"Go on," I encouraged her, cutting in before father had a chance to respond.
"Yes," she replied shyly.
"You're very pretty." Nanako smiled warmly.
Younger Sister looked embarrassed, but at the same time, I could tell that she was moved by the compliment.
Nanako studied her with knowledgeable eyes, and I guessed she could see Younger Sister was not well. She had tried to cover the sores at the corners of her mouth with makeup, but they were still visible.
When the soup was finished, Mother and Eldest Sister brought out heated dinner plates bedecked with roast chicken, potatoes, pumpkin, and beans.
The tomato soup was the first thing I had eaten all day, so I tucked into the roast dinner with gusto, grinning unabashedly at Nanako while I ate.
Glaring with disgust at my undignified display of affection for Nanako, Sienna King touched her father's arm deferentially, and he nodded, giving her permission to speak.
"Nanako, is that how all the
girls
in Hamamachi dress?" she asked with contempt.
Nanako glanced down at her attire. She was wearing the same clothes she had worn on Monday. The faded black and blue zebra stripped jacket, black top with blue and pink lace skirt, torn pink leggings and black boots. And as usual, the black choker with bell and two gold rings. "This was the fashion three years ago in Hamamachi. It comes into vogue from time to time in remembrance of our Japanese heritage.
"Are you trying to say that outfits like that are traditional Japanese fashion?" Sienna asked sceptically.
"More recent Japanese tradition, but yes. It's from Akihabara in Tokyo in the late twentieth century, where fashion was inspired by Japanese comics and motion-picture animations," Nanako explained.
"Is that right? And if you don't mind me asking, how come your parents allow a child like you to act as translator for Hamamachi's emissary? Shouldn't you be at home with your mother?"
My respect for Nanako increased even more when she refused to respond in similar fashion to Sienna's attack. "Oh no, I travel a lot, actually. You know, to other Victorian towns. I also serve one month a year in our Militia. I'll be twenty-one at the end of the month, by the way."
Sienna's eyes just about popped out of her head. She had believed Nanako to be her junior, not her senior by two years.
"What is this Militia you mention?" Liam asked.
"It's our security force," Nanako replied between bites, "You know, like your Custodians."
King looked at her doubtfully. "And you serve in that?"
"Yes."
"In what capacity?" he demanded. I got the impression this had suddenly become an interrogation.
"My platoon patrols the outer lying areas of the town to provide security against raiders or Skel who try to steal our supplies or abduct our people."
"But you're a girl," he protested rather too strongly.
"So what?" she shot back at him with such feeling that everyone present flinched. "All Hamamachi citizens aged seventeen to fifty-five, whether male or female, serve in the Militia one month each year."
“So you don't have any full time security forces?" Liam asked, surprised.
"Apart from the Rangers, only the senior Militia officers serve full time."
"Rangers?"
"They're an elite military unit that specializes in countering Skel incursions and retrieval of kidnapped citizens, stolen supplies and livestock – stuff like that."
"Interesting," Liam murmured, nodding thoughtfully. No more questions came so it seemed the impromptu 'interrogation' was over.
"Mrs. Jones," Nanako said to my mother as she waited on us by the kitchen door, "The roast chicken is just amazing. I love the way you've brought out the skin's flavour with herbs and spices. And I love these roast veggies too."
"Thank you," my mother replied, glancing at my father, hoping she had done the right thing by replying.
"Oh, by the way Ethan, did you enjoy the meal I cooked for our dinner at your place last night?" Nanako asked me innocently.
While I gagged on a mouthful of roast potato and sprayed it all over my plate, everyone else gaped in shock. In fact, you could have heard a pin drop as all four King's, not believing what they just heard, looked to me to hear my response.
My face was burning hot. I could not believe Nanako had just gone and blurted that out in front of everyone!
"Ah, yes, it was delightful, thank you." I finally managed.
This response was met with stunned silence too.
My father was the one to break the uncomfortable silence, speaking just loud enough for all to hear. "So when you rang yesterday, Son, and said 'something very important's come up,' this ‘something very important’ was having dinner with her?"
My eyes darted frantically between my father, Nanako, and Aiden King. I wanted to avoid my father's wrath, and did not want to insult the Kings. However, I also refused to insult Nanako's generous hospitality by playing down how much having dinner with her meant to me. "Yes, Father, that's correct."
Sienna and her mother gasped in shocked outrage, their hands flying to their mouths.
Aiden King pushed back his chair and rose slowly to his feet, his voice trembling with anger. "Is this how you raised your son, William, to completely disregard courtesy, respect and honour? To be so flippant of his responsibilities?"
My father stood, his mouth working silently like a fish out of water as he glared daggers at me. "I'm sorry, Aiden, I don't know what's come over him, he's never behaved in such a manner before." He practically whimpered.
"Well, I have never been so offended in my entire life!" Mr. King growled as he motioned his family to their feet. "Come Daughter, Wife, Elder Son. We are leaving."
Leaving their half-eaten meals behind, the King family strode with exaggerated self-importance towards the door.
I stood as well, knowing I should say something to salvage the situation, but I had no idea what that might be. In fact, I found I had no desire to do so and said nothing.
"Son, apologize at once!" Father ordered me.
I sent a fleeting look at Sienna's haughty posture as she headed for the door, and then at Nanako's caring, kind face, and I knew I could not. The thought of marrying Sienna had scared the daylights out of me, and so this situation, although it brought dishonour to my family and I, was an absolute windfall for me. I shook my head.
My father took a menacing step towards me, but froze when Aiden King yanked open the front door and turned to face him. "And in case you hadn't worked it out, William, the marriage is off."