The kitchen was a big room. Normally, the Astral Elves ran it with their cold, one-track-minded efficiency, but it was empty now. There were three ovens for cooking which made Taylor’s eyes light up (for a reason Them didn’t understand, she climbed in the half-circle hole in the bottom of one), along with multiple ladles and stirring spoons hanging from hooks on the ceiling. There were cutting boards set out on several wooden tables--spaced a healthy distance from each other to make it easy for cooks in the kitchen to move between them--and there were cupboards hanging high on the walls--at eye-level for the tall Astral Elves.
On the stony floor was a healthy pile of dishes and a basin of smelly, soap-filled water next to it. Them was slack-jawed.
I’ll get no sleep… I’ll spend my whole night with these dishes.
Terran’s face twitched with fury when he looked upon the endless pile of dishes.
He turned to the waif and his wisp friend. “I swear I will make you pay for this. When you’re not expecting it, I swear I… What are you looking at?”
Them was staring at Taylor’s backside as she shoved herself deeper into the charcoal-ridden aperture at the bottom of the oven.
“I’m enjoying the view!” Them exclaimed.
Terran made a face. “I guess I should have expected that you would have no respect for your own friend’s dignity.”
“Come on, as if you don’t enjoy staring at your dwarven friend’s backside!” Them replied, nudging Terran with an elbow. The waif then called to Taylor, “Come on, Taylor, we have to get started! Get your head out of the oven!”
Taylor backed her way out with a smile on her face. “I didn’t get to look at the oven much before! I’m glad to give it a more thorough examination now!”
Them raised an eyebrow.
There was something different about her suddenly. She looked more self-conscious, more curious about the world around her.
“Eory?” Them guessed.
Eory leaned his head to the side. “Yes…?”
“Where did Taylor go?” Them asked—trying to hide his disappointment.
Eory shrugged. “She got bored. I hardly think she wants to spend her night washing dishes.”
Eory tried to wipe some of the charcoal off his face, to no avail. Indeed, he ended up smudging it. He approached Them with a nervous smile, shaking his hand. “Sorry I was so moody when we met and when Pollyanna was cutting my hair the other day.”
His attitude was friendlier; he was eager to please. He was not like Taylor. He wanted desperately to be liked where Taylor couldn’t care less about being liked.
She wanted to be
revered
. And she had the confidence of someone who
demanded
to be revered.
Even the way Eory tucked his hair behind his paper-thin ear—a consistent habit that belonged to Taylor as well—was something done out of convenience and nervousness whereas Taylor doing it always had a sense of purpose and confidence; an action of flirtatiousness to tempt those around her. She was sure of herself where Eory was not, and Them found it unappealing.
“It’s good to see you again,” Them replied with a forced smile.
Pete’s large, black eyes compressed into thin lines.
Don’t find him very attractive, do you?
Them didn’t reply but he did sneak in a very brief glare at his friend. He said to Eory. “Are you sure
you
want to be stuck washing dishes all night?”
Eory looked down at his feet—apparently feeling uncomfortable meeting Them’s gaze.
His teeth sunk into his arm. “Well, it’s better than having to train with the other recruits…”
Terran was confused. He interjected. “I don’t understand. I thought her name was Taylor, not Eory.”
Eory looked up at the elf apologetically. He bowed his regret and murmured, “I’m sorry Taylor insulted your dwarf friend.”
-Terran’s confusion only increased at the fairy’s heartfelt apology. His mouth moved, but no words came out. Them turned to the elf and got ready to explain Eory’s fractured identity, but Eory took mercy on him and told the man instead. “Not very many people know this about fairies, but… Unless our genders are solidified early on, it remains very easy for us to change sexes…” Eory explained. “I was a girl at first, but my parents decided to make me a boy instead, and neither identity ever really took… So now I’m stuck in between.”
Terran crossed his arms. His face was a mix of confusion, anger, and… amusement.
Them was shocked to see Terran smile a little. “If this is true… You remind me a little of my brother. He is similarly malformed… Many who are elf are. But… I don’t think you are truly telling the truth. I think you’re making up a lie to try and avoid me rightfully beating you up for insulting Eliita.”
Terran stepped closer to Eory threateningly.
Them thought for a moment that he had never seen such a hateful looking creature in his life, although he was sure he must have at some point, considering how much of a scoundrel he could be.
Eory fell to his knee, turning a cheek. With a shaky voice he said, “If you feel you must hurt me, so be it. I feel awful for what I said.”
“So you admit that you are, indeed, Taylor? Why should you tell me such a convoluted lie about it?” Terran demanded.
Eory closed his eyes. “Because… She shares my body. In a way, she
is
me, and in a way… She isn’t. She shares her thoughts with me, but she also has some she keeps from me.”
Them chimed in and stood in front of Eory protectively, “It’s true. He and Taylor behave completely differently. Surely you must realize this even from your brief meetings with them.”
A shadow was smeared across Terran’s face as he looked poised to strike the waif with an open palm. Them saw the elf’s fists unclench. He heard a sigh escape from his lips.
“We’d better get started,” Terran changed the subject with a gruff voice as he looked upon the dozens of dishes caked with various foods. The elf sat down on the kitchen floor, grabbed three plates, and dunked them into the soapy water.
Eory breathed heavy breaths after his encounter with the elf. To soothe himself, he sunk his teeth into his arm. Them joined the elf on the floor and shook his head at Eory digging into his own flesh.
I have got to stop her from doing that… I mean, him…
Them thought to himself as he grabbed a nearby scrubber and wiped the gunk off a dish. Them patted the empty spot next to him. “Come sit with us, Eory.”
Eory kept his eyes down, not moving for a second. Eventually, he shakily sat down next to Them who gave him a brief smile, but otherwise didn’t know what to say.
__
“Ugh, Nature Incarnate, what is in this soap?” Terran wondered with his nose turned up. “I suppose I should have known it would stink. Everything outside of Alanheim stinks!”
Them quietly scrubbed away at a cup. Occasionally, he would glance at Eory with an even frown.
What’s wrong?
Pete asked Them.
Them forced a smile. He whispered. “I don’t know… I guess I just miss Taylor.”
Thankfully, Eory didn’t hear him. He was transfixed by the plate he was cleaning. While Them glanced at Eory, Eory glanced at Terran. There was a question on his face that he was too nervous to ask.
Them smiled a little. He nudged Eory. “If you have a question, just ask him. I’ll protect you if he tries to hurt you.”
Pete squeezed his friend’s shoulder. He was always impressed by Them’s kindness. Eory found his courage. He gulped and cleared his throat. “You said you had a brother who was like me?”
“Well,” Terran snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly call him my brother… Your… Affliction is all in your head, correct? I mean… your sex changes around how you and other people think of you, correct?”
Eory nodded as a plate slipped from his fingers and splashed into the basin of soapy water. Terran got sprayed by the splash. Suds slowly slid down his cheeks. He did not look amused.
Eory froze in fear with his jaw slack.
Terran turned his head to the side and sniffed out a laugh. “You’re clumsy like him, too...”
The elf couldn’t help but grin as he stared forward wistfully. “You see, my brother is neither completely male nor female. He is one of the
Andillian
. His affliction is entirely physical; he was born with the parts of men and women. We only call him a man because it’s easier to call him that. In reality, he’s a sick perversion of nature.” Terran scrubbed the dish he was holding so hard that he broke it in half.
Eory was so absorbed in what Terran was saying that he had stopped scrubbing his utensil. He cocked his head to the side. “What’s his name?”
Terran lowered his gaze. He hung one of his wrists off his upright knee. “Francis.”
“Do you miss him?” Eory asked the elf as he turned his attention back to the fork he was cleaning.
His answer was immediate. “No. It’s shameful having even one of the
Andillian
in your family. I’m glad I don’t have to be around him or anyone in Alanheim anymore.”
Terran abruptly climbed to his feet with both halves of the broken plate in hand. Them glanced Terran’s way and saw the elf leaning against one of the tables with glassy eyes. After a deep breath, Terran threw both shards of the broken plate into a waste bin and then returned to his spot next to the soapy water and dishes.
Silence resumed between the three for a time as they stayed focused on their task.
“So, why are you all in here?” Terran asked as he dried a plate with a well-worn rag. “I’m especially curious about you, waif.”
Eory squeezed his eyes shut painfully. “I… I’m sorry I can’t… I don’t want to talk about it.”
Them put a comforting hand on Eory’s shoulder. He told the elf his own reasons for being at the fortress to spare Eory. “I’m in here because I tampered with magic where I shouldn’t have while I was living with the Gamayuns in Maaris. There was a particular kind of magical contraption that the Gamayuns didn’t want me tinkering with, but I messed with it anyway. It was more than enough to warrant them sending me here. How did
you
end up here?” Them gave Eory an out, and the fairy was extremely grateful for it. He wiped a tear from his, smiling his thanks.
Minutes of silence passed as Terran seemingly fell deep into thought.
There was nothing but the sound of scratching scrubbers on dishes and the occasional sound of splashing water to fill the void.
Eventually, Terran began talking. He made no eye-contact with anyone else in the room; his words poured from his mouth. “I ended up here because of Francis and Eliita. That…
Mistake
of nature never knew his place, and I always stood up for him.
Andillian
—they are only allowed three jobs in Alanheim: Prostitution, slavery, or… statues to be gawked at--in which they are paraded around in a garden—naked—to display how ill-at-ease with nature they truly are.”
Terran chewed his thumb absent-mindedly. “I wanted anything for him but that, and it got me deeply into trouble… Regardless, the queen found out that I was courting Eliita which is a grievous offense in Alanheim--we are not allowed to court foreigners, especially if they are a different race. She took the jewel from her crown and summoned the Astral Elves to take me away to the Crater.”
Them chimed in, “How did you meet her? Elves don’t generally let foreigners in, do they?”
“No, but we like to stay on good terms with other kingdoms. Sometimes, the queen liked to invite the dwarven king to eat with her. Eliita was part of his entourage.” Terran explained. “She was to be the dwarven prince’s bride. But not while I was around. They found out about us, of course.”
Them chuckled a little at that. “Was it worth it?”
Terran nodded. “Of course it was. Any moment spent with Ellita is worth more than any free moment spent living in Alanheim under the queen’s rule. She doesn’t view her subjects as people. She views them as toys to be played with.”
After a comfortable silence resumed for a time, Them asked Eory, “So, are you and Taylor getting along better now? You seem at ease with trading places with her.”
Eory paused, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. “I suppose we’re at peace. She recognizes that my plans are the best thing for us as of now and switches places with me when she gets bored. She got a little upset from earlier, too. To be honest, I do wish she’d go away, though.”
“Why?” Them queried. “I thought she was having fun with me…”
Eory shook his head. “It’s not your fault. The other recruits don’t like her.”
Terran snorted. “No kidding.”
Them glanced at Eory and then back to the particularly sticky substance he was trying to scrub off a dish. “Can you… Ask her if she wants to meet on the dream plains tonight?”
Eory scratched his head. “I can try.”
“Dream plains?” Terran interjected. “What’s that?”
Them snorted. “Magic that is difficult to explain and not very helpful in the long run. I won’t waste your time by trying.”
Suddenly the door was opened—interrupting any further conversation. Maruka entered the room. “Come here, Taylor.”
Eory lifted his head. “I’m not done with the dishes, though…”
“It doesn’t matter. I have more important work for you.” Maruka stated.
Eory’s face was pinched and confused for a moment, but then the wrinkles from it smoothed and a smile came to his face like he had remembered something. He stood up from where he had sat and joined Maruka at the door. The two left together.
Terran was watching with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “Mmm-hm.”
“What?” Them asked.
“They’re sleeping together, clearly. Why else would Maruka barge in here and let him off the hook?” Terran suggested. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t make Eory fight at all tomorrow.”
Them was crestfallen and disgusted.
What a whore. Why should I want her now?
He realized how unfair that statement was when he had slept with so many women in his lifetime, but somehow, he thought it was fair.