Any Port in a Storm: Chapter 27

Ash's Story

I tug my wrists apart but the twine holds firm and I am immediately reminded of my captive status.  While she had been as careful as she could be with me it still wasn't comfortable to be bound for this long.

I go to move, as quietly as I could, away from Huali's side when I suddenly feel an iron grip snap onto my arm.  I look down at Huali who now had her eyes wide open and alert, though her waking mind was still taking in what was happening.

I glance to my wrist then back up to her face.  “That isn't necessary.”

She lets go and rubs her eyes.  “Hmm.”  Sitting up she stretches her long arms.  I wait impatiently, arms outstretched, and eventually Huali unties my wrists and ankles.

I get up and dress myself quickly.  

“I'm going to bathe.”  I say with a tense voice.  “Or do I need your Father's permission to even do that?”

“I will take you there.”

I let out a hissing breath.  “If you must.”

The good feelings with this woman from the day before were gone at the moment.  That grab of my arm had completely soured my already dim mood.  I was pissed at Cormac for being a cruel madman.  I was pissed at Huali for keeping me like a prisoner.  But most of all I was pissed at myself.  I enjoyed waking up next to Huali...I enjoyed it far more than I should have for a married woman.  I liked the feel and the smell and the sight of her as I woke at her side.  And I was having thoughts about her and that incredible body of hers that would not leave me be.  Thoughts I was ashamed of, thoughts that made me furious at my own weakness.

“You made me feel very good last night.”  Huali says.  “Your body is...”

“Desirable?  Yeah, you've said.  Glad I could help.”  I snap sarcastically.

“You are angry.”  Huali states as she stands and also gets dressed.

“I don't appreciate being a prisoner.”  I fume.  “How would you feel?”

“Angry.”  She agrees.  “Do you wish to fight or wrestle?  It is good to get your energy out.”

“No I don't want to fight or wrestle!”  I shake my head.  “You people, honestly.”

“Do you wish to make yourself feel good?  I would very much enjoy watching...”

“No!”  I take a deep breath and settle my emotions.  “No Huali, I just want to clean myself.  Then I am to be put to work.  Not only am I a prisoner, I am forced to do labor.  You've made me a slave for your family.”

She looks at me long and hard.  “You are loved Ashley but I do not care for this talk.  Do something or don't, but don't pity yourself.  You are our guest but Father does not know if you are to be trusted.  You are to work because that is how you eat here.  We carry Marama because he is our brother and he is weak and blind, but you are not family and you are healthy.  Tony is not family.  You must carry your own weight.  And if you were a slave...”  She grips her fist.  “...if you were a slave I would take you here and now.  I would breed you every day until you carried my child.”

That statement humbled me in a hurry!  I am reminded of my situation here and that despite Hauli's sexual naivete she was no cuddly puppy.  Huali was a warrior.

She straightens up to her full height.  “You are my guest.  You say I am your friend.  Let us make the best of this and things will only get better.  Trust will come as will freedom.  Submit to our ways and show your value and things will get easier.”  Her voice then softens.  “You are not alone here Ashley.  I will help you if you let me.”

I nod my understanding.  What could I say?  I was at these people's mercy and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

She then gives me one of her breathtaking smiles.  “Besides...you have already done so much for me.  I am in your debt.  Do not fear, you will not go hungry.  I will see to your needs.  I will offer you gifts.”

That damned attractive smile of hers was so disarming.  I let the anger and fear drain from me as they would do me no good.  I give her a begrudging grin.  “Where I come from gifts are supposed to be surprises.  You don't generally announce them.”

“You prefer this?”

I shrug.  “It is kind of fun that way.”

She nods.  “Understood.”  She approaches and puts her heavy arm around my shoulder.  “Come.”

I do not pull away...I quite enjoyed the feeling of being in Huali's arm.  I allow her to lead me from the hut and toward the path to the bathing pool.  We are halfway there when I notice she hadn't brought a weapon with her this time.  Not that she needed a weapon to handle me, but it felt like that was some sort of progress.

Together we share a deeply invigorating bath and swim in the pool.  As we lounge on the rocks afterward, allowing the morning air to dry our naked bodies, I stare off into the blue sky.

“Huali?”

“Hm?”

I pause.  “How...how do you know you even want children?  You always talk about breeding but...how do you know you'd even like children?  There are none here.”

Huali chuckles.  “We are put here on this Earth to breed.  What is more important?  Do you not feel the need inside of you to bear children?”

I shake my head.  “I never said that.  I happen to agree with you but...it is a major decision.”

She finds this hilarious.  “Ha ha ha ha!  Decision!?  What decision?  Without children we have no future.  No purpose.  We would have no legacy. No one to mourn us or carry on our bloodline.  A fate I felt I was doomed to experience until...you found us.  Why would anyone willingly decide to have no future?  Do they wish to be forgotten?  You talk so funny Ashley Butler.”

I couldn't argue with a single point she made.  God how I wished Tony thought like this.  I was honestly getting a bit hot and bothered just hearing it.

Huali stretches out and puts her hands behind her head.  “If I was from your world I would have many children by now.  They would greet me as I came home from battle and I would know I fought for the right reasons as I looked in their faces.”

“You would be a warrior?  A soldier?”

“Yes.”  She says directly.  “My haka would be known by all of the great families on all the islands of the world.  I would be feared and I would be respected, as would my family.  I would bring honor to my wife and children.  They would be safe because I would protect them.  My children would grow to be strong in spirit and body and they would in turn bring me honor when I am too old to fight.”

“That...is a lovely dream Huali.”  It really was.  To me there is nothing in the world, absolutely NOTHING, sexier than a man showing their paternal instincts.  It was pretty damn sexy on a woman too.  The fact she was an impressive physical specimen and a badass didn't hurt either.  I tried to deny it...but she was actually starting to make me wet!

“Father and Mother says we should fear the world beyond our island.  But what is a warrior with no enemy to fight?  Who will see my haka?  How am I to find honor here?”  She sighs.

YES!  This is exactly the sort of talk I wanted to hear from her.  I encourage her dream.  “You would be a great warrior Huali.  I know you would.  Your wife would be a very lucky woman.  She would see the honor I can see you and she would be so proud.”

“I should not speak like this.”  She says.  I go to say something but she cuts me off.  “Breakfast will be ready.  We should eat well for the day ahead.”

“Sure Huali.”  I say softly.  We dress again then head back for breakfast with most of the Kane family.

I sit and eat the warm gritty banana based gruel I had been given in silence. I try my best not to draw attention to myself even though that was impossible given my status as a curiosity among these folks.  Leinani gave me long piercing looks, as if she could see right into my soul if she looked at me hard enough, while Miru was all smiles and kind words.  The head of the family seemed to be barely tolerating my presence and I do what I can to keep Huali's large frame between us.

My eyes continually drift over to Marama's closed up hut and I wonder how Tony is doing.  I worry for him and also feel pangs of guilt for what I'd already done with Huali.  Makea, who was now out of her quarantine, also seemed concerned for them.  She kept getting up, pacing, sitting down again, and shifting around, barely touching her breakfast as she looked up at the hut again and again.

Cormac lets out an annoyed grunt and finally says.  “If I let you check them will you settle down?”

Kea nods.

“Go ahead then.”  He shakes his head at his daughter's concern.  “These two newcomers will be nothing but trouble.”

Kea hurries around to the front door of her brother's hut and we hear her knock.  “Marama?  Tony Butler?”  She calls.

Silence.

As one all of us look up at one another with concern.

Kea knocks again but still there is no answer and the tension rises all around.

More knocking, more calling, more deafening silence.  A paralyzing fear grips my heart.

“Oh my god!”  I gasp.  “Did they...?”  I didn't have the nerve to finish that sentence.  If Tony died of his fever...ohhhh God!  I don't know if I could bear it!

Everyone but Leinani was on their feet in a flash and getting ready to head over there when we hear one of the shutters slam shut.  Makea runs back to us with wide eyed terror in her green eyes.

“Gone!”  She exclaims.  “Marama is gone!  Tony is gone!”