Fighting Destiny

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It was long past curfew and Cora could hear the voice from one of the loudspeakers that were on every street corner informing people that anyone caught outside without a permit would be taken to one of many detention centres that filled the city. Despite this, the young woman didn’t budge from her perch by the river front. The smell of the toxic water below burned her nose, but even that wouldn't keep her from staring longingly at the twinkling lights on the opposite side. That was her home, the place she had loved and belonged in until she was sixteen and torn from everyone and everything she loved to start her life here as little more than cattle. No, scratch that, cattle had more freedom. This city was ran by the men. It held war and perfect order in higher regard than absolutely anything else. There was no art, no real music. Nothing beautiful or thought provoking. It was everything her true home hadn’t been. The city she   currently stared at was a matriarchy. It didn’t consider men second rate citizens, it simply meant equality came much easier. While they did indeed have their own army and soldiers, they also devoted time to creating beautiful architecture and maintining lush parks for the citizens to take long walks in whenever they chose. That was why it hurt so much that all girls born in a year that ended in an odd number were sent across the water once they reached sixteen. They were raised in paradise, then turned out into a hell of men’s making. It was an agreement both cities had with each other, that the girls would be exchanged in order to keep the gene pool fresh, and to avoid conflict that neither side would win without great loss.

Cora snorted at the order as she wrote it down. “How imaginative.” She remarked, remembering all the different kinds of coffee they served in cafes back home.

Green eyes grabbed hold of Charline’s chin tightly and forced her to look up at him. “Perhaps he doesn’t like looking upon feeble minded women who don’t know their place.”

Jack's head shot up when he heard the curt words of the waitress. He watched her walking away, scowling. She was lucky he wasn't in the mood to start a fight.

"Perhaps your king is blind and stupid." Charline shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't look away though she knew she should. Her mother had warned her about men on the other side of the river.

Cora was always in that sort of mood. The young woman return shortly with Jack’s coffee, though she also brought him a complimentary donut. Apparently she had been forced to it after someone over heard her being rude.

Oddly, green eyes suddenly began to laugh. “Perhaps. I ‘now many who say so behind his back.”

When Jack saw her returning, the edges of his lips twitched. He wanted to smile. This was too perfect. Instead he kept his head down and shook it. "Don't want that. I have gluten allergy. Should have asked first." He growled.

Charline nodded, not at all surprised by this fact. She was however surprised that the man laughed at her.

Cora simply shrugged and took a slow bite out of it herself. “Still allergic if I stick it up your ass?” She snorted when she was done.

Now he had finally silenced her, green eyes returned to the doorway. “If you don’t want to find yourself in the detention centre, I suggest you do as the king asks.”

"Cora!" The cook roared from the kitchen. "You'd better watch yourself! I am this close to kicking your ass to the street!" 

Charline snorted at this and sat on the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap. "So you were just a messanger then. For the king? Whatever for. Doesn't he have women of his own? Can't he catch the eye of one by himself?"

“He didn’t want it!” Cora insisted, thinking that was the reason she was suddenly in trouble.

“Red hair... they never send those ones across the river.” Green eyes commented, seemingly ignoring Charline’s question.

"I demand a free meal. This woman insulted me." Jack said suddenly, his gray eyes twinkling. "I could tell the king about this place, Michael. You haven't cleaned that bathroom in a month."
The cook snarled at Cora and came stomping out of the kitchen. "You better treat that man right. He's got the king's ear. He could kill us." 

"Really?" Charline asked, frowning at this. She wondered if she should bother to tell him that it may be because there were so few with red hair born.

The look in Cora’s strange amethyst eyes was more than enough to betray just how much she didn’t want to have to do this. “Eating the food here may kill him first.” Cora muttered as she stomped off, coming back a moment later with a fresh pot of coffee.

Green eyes was already aware of that fact, something he had warned their Queen about many times. Read hair or not, if their birth year fit the agreement, the girl was to be sent. “Which begs the question...” Who dared incite war... all to give you to their king?”

Jack watched Cora's motions as she moved around the diner. She was miserable. He couldn't wondering if there was a place where she was happy. He wondered if he could make her happy...

"Actually...I was never supposed to be here. My mother hid me when it was selection time. I should never have crossed the river..." Charline whispered. "But I was late getting home from the bakery and an old man pretended to be injured..." Her nose was suddenly red and her eyes watered. But she shook her head and straightened up. "Not that it matters now."

Cora didn’t think to guard her movements, only her interactions with people. After all, who would be watching her of all people closely enough to pick up on her body language? Jack had been given his free meal, though Cora said little as she dropped it in front of him. She truly did believe he was just like all the others after he had gotten her close to being fired. Hell... there was a chance she would still be fired once her shift ended.

Green eyes was laughing again. “You fell for an old trick like that?” He asked. “Wow, they really do raise airheads over there!”

Jack picked at the food, ignoring the calls on his com. He assumed it was the king ready to punish him for what he had discovered his right hand had been doing. 
It was more than an hour later that he finally noticed the food had long since gone cold and resembled the skeletal fave of their king.

Before Charline could stop herself, she'd grabbed an ornate vase off the beside table and thrown it at her new master. It missed his head by mere inches. "You know nothing about me and you never will! You or your bull headed king!" She shouted, this time a rouge tear slid down her dirt covered face. "Go away!"

“So that’s your thing? You demand free food like an asshole, then don’t even eat it?” Cora asked thinly when she came to clear Jack’s table.

“I could say the same to you.” Green eyes pointed out with a chuckle, barely even glancing at the vase.

Jack's head shot up and he gave her a sheepish look. "Sorry." He said softly. "Long night. You understand." Gently he pushed the plate in her direction. "Are you hungry for something real? Let's get out of here."


Charline got up and turned her back on him, her pert nose pointed in air. She vowed to make her escape the first chance she could.

Cora stared at Jack like he truly was crazy. “After you nearly getting me fired?”

Green eyes chuckled again, then locked the door behind him. “Good luck!” He shouted, as though knowing what she was thinking.

Jack shrugged and got up from the table, believing he'd gotten his answer. "To be fair, you started it." He said, his tone a sultry purr. He dropped several large bills on the table in front of Cora. "That was the worst coffee I have ever had."

Charline laid back on the bed and before she knew what was happening, she'd fallen asleep. The rich scent of a summer rain storm enveloped her and she felt safe for the first time in days.

“And you’re the worst customer I’ve ever had.” Cora shot back, inwardly groaning when that purr in his voice made Jack sound all the more irresistible.

The king had known Charline would be unable to resist slumber. The room was filled was vases of lavender and even her bedsheets were infused with the plants essence.

Jack gave her a dramatic bow. "I am glad I was able to provide.” He turned to leave, sighing softly. After a  painfully long few moments he handed her a card with his name and a phone number. "Call as soon you get fired. I will have something better for you." Not that he believed for a second that she would contact him. Ever.

It was late in the day when Charline opened her eyes again. She didn't feel the heavy cloak anymore. This worried her more than it should have.

Cora was so surprised by the action, she said little else as Jack left. The young woman was left standing there, holding the card he had just given her as she stared down at it. No one was kind to her. Ever.

The cloak was indeed gone, as were all her other items of clothing. Charline had been undressed and tucked under the silken sheets of the bed she had fallen upon.

Jack returned to the throne room, only to find it empty. He was confused. The king rarely left this room during the day. This worried him. Could the red have transfixed him as the others claimed?

Charline shoved her fingers through her wild hair and looked around her. "Hello?" She called out. "Is anyone there?"

Cora had assumed right all along. She was indeed fired once her shift ended for the way she had treated one of the kings guard. Despite this, she was doing everything to resist calling Jack.

“Oh, so you do wake up.” A female voice remarked from where she was bringing a pile of fresh linen into the room, though she locked the door behind her as she entered.

Jack sat at the guards table and shuffled the cards he found there. Meanwhile he kept an eye on his phone. She would be calling, of that he was certain.

Charline dove back under the sheets, her face as red as her hair. "Uhm...can you tell me where my clothes are?" She asked, daring to take a peek at the other woman.

“You son of a bitch!” Cora shouted as soon as Jack answered his phone. “You got me fired on purpose!”

“Those old rags? They’re in the incinerator.” The woman replied rather sharply.

"Why would I do that?" Jack asked innocently. "I came into that diner for coffee and you started harassing me. I'd hardly say that was my fault. Now, I'm sending coordinates to your phone. I think is a job you will like Cora. Trust me."

"That was my mother's dress." Charline said. "It was not rags. I was getting married in it." She laid back on the bed and covered her eyes. "I literally have nothing you people can take from me!"

“Trust you?” Cora echoed with a scoff. “You’re a man, why would I ever trust you?” She added, even as her phone buzzed as it received the details Jack had just mentioned.

“Married? Awfully presumptuous of you.” The other woman sneered. You were a whore in the auction house. You really think that’s where men go for wives?”

"Good point." Jack said gently. "Just come. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. Then if you want to leave, I'll take you wherever you want to go."

"I was stolen from my home. I was never supposed to be there! And I am most certainly not a whore!" Charline added.

I jack finally had Cora’s interest. She was on the street after getting out of the diner, and her gaze drifted across the river. Do whatever he wanted... and she could go home, her real home. “Anywhere?” She asked, just for clarification.

The woman simply smiled thinly. “Perhaps you protest a little too hard, princess.” She mused. “Get dressed, you are expected at breakfast.”

"Anywhere." Jack confirmed. "Now are you coming or not?"

Charline shook her head a little too hard. "A slave doesn't get breakfast." She said firmly. " Not going anywhere."

Cora’s reply was to hang up on Jack. He wouldn’t have to wait long however, as a little while later she turned up at the conordinates he had sent. 

The woman shrugged her shoulders. “Make the king mad, and he may just sell you on to the next highest bidder.”

Jack was waiting for Cora at the entrance of the king's gates. "Took you long enough." He said with a smile. 

"For what his man paid I doubt seriously anyone could afford a higher price." Charline said, her voice still firm. But her rumbling stomach betrayed her. Sighing she got up and put on the dress the woman held out.