“Then we shall do that.” He finished lacing up his boots and stood. “I have left some others in charge often as I have gone to take care of business. And sometimes, I just leave to explore or to find some peace.”
“Does your home not give you peace?” I studied the dress, working out the best way to put it on.
Kane made his way over to my side and held up the dress for me to slip into. “It is difficult to find peace anywhere where the people know they rely on you… or blame you. This is why I choose not to have my face plastered all over this world. That way, I can handle things in other cities without everyone following me. Or, on occasion, find a place to relax. The latter being rare.”
“Does it help?”
“It has helped me be less cruel than my father.” He bowed his head. “It has made me less cruel then I have been in the past.”
After adjusting the sleeves so they sat well on my shoulders, I moved my hair to allow him to fasten the buttons and ties on the back of the gown. “Are you not still cruel? What changed you?”
His large fingers were surprisingly nimble with the fasteners. "Well, I mean, to the outside world, I am probably considered a bad man. I have done my fair share of bad. Possibly a great deal more than my share. Yet, I saved this planet. So, I hope that cancels out some of my debts."
“And now? What would you consider yourself now?” I looked back at him, seeing that he skipped a buttonhole.
“Right now?” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. “Lucky.”
I laughed and pushed on his chest. “Answer the question.”
"I could be good for you. But yes. I do consider myself bad still. Changing my ways does not erase centuries of otherwise," he stated, flatly.
My voice was very casual as I replied, “It’s a good thing I’m neither good nor bad. Maybe I’m perfect for you.”
A corner of his mouth turned up. "Perhaps."
“Perhaps.” I grinned. “Show me your city, please.”
He held his hand out to me. "Yes, my lover. Shall we?"
I hid that my pelvis was still a little sore as I stood there, my outfit still not quite pulled together. It had become obvious to me that I needed help. And by help, I needed Sarah, who knew how to assist someone when getting dressed. Not Kane, who clearly only knew how to undress a woman. “Okay. Sarah should come in and you go out. I’ll meet you in the foyer once my outfit is complete.”
With a tug of the rope near the bed, he went to the door. "Fine, fine. Just don't do the servant. I would hate to have to kill them for putting hands on you." He walks out with a wink and sent Sarah in right away.
I shouted as he left, “Does that go for you, too?”
He peeked back in as Sarah passed through the room, looking around her to wink at me. “Yes.”
I laughed and leaned in toward Sarah as the woman began to straighten out my outfit. “Is he like this with all women? Falls hard and fast and lavishes riches and affection on them like this?”
Sarah just smiled at me and shook her head no.
“No?” I blinked. “Not even some of the time?”
Again, Sarah shook her head no. She motioned to the door and made a grumpy face, exaggerating as she imitated someone stomping in a circle, angrily. Coming back around, she then pointed at me, then the door again and motioned to her own face as she began to smile.
Slowly, I nodded, pretty sure what she was getting at. “I think I understand. But you know you can speak to me.” I lifted my arms so Sarah could make adjustments to the ties. “Are you saying girls get brought here and usually are mad when they leave? But seem to be happy to stay?”
Sarah stifled a giggle as she brought my arms down and moved to the front of the gown, tugging at the hem. She looked over the gown before looking up and me. The attentive woman shook her head no and opened her mouth to reveal that she had no tongue. She sighed and pointed to the door again, then to me. Her hand moved down her arm gently, her eyes peering into mine as if she was hoping that I would understand.
“Did he do that?” My eyes went wide, skipping over the original part of the conversation. I couldn’t think of a reason he would torture a person like that and then keep them around other than to be sadistic. The very thought lumped in my throat.
Sarah pointed in Kane’s direction and shook her head no.
“Oh good.” I was relieved, letting out a breath. “Do you not know sign language?”
Confusion knitted her brows together.
“Sign language. Its words done with mostly your hands in motions and fingers. Like...” I signed the words for ‘You seem like a lovely woman.’ And then translates it. “Would you want to learn?”
With my gift of absorbing information from books, I had made it a bit of a hobby several years prior to learn as many languages as possible. I didn’t often have a use for any of them, and speaking spoken languages was sometimes hit or miss since I hadn’t spoken most of them at all, so my inflections and accents were completely lacking. But sign language, I didn’t have to worry about that, and I had come across plenty of times where
