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Chapter 2

The sun was further down the horizon by the time Meriah woke again. There were no other dreams to haunt her sleep and when she woke, she felt as refreshed as ever. Her bed was in the far corner of the cabin right under one of the many windows and she reached up to pull aside the curtains and check the time.

It was later than she had planned, but the meeting with the Master and Jacques had taken more time than she'd anticipated so she wasn't overly worried. She'd be able to make up the lost time easily.

She let the curtain go as she started a list of the things that she needed to get done before the moon rose in a few hours. It wasn't a long list by any means, for she had learned many years ago to leave herself plenty of time on her hunting nights to be able to rest and get into position before her prey began to show itself.

She smiled at her own lazy tendency to lay in bed for far too long in the mornings, even when the mornings were late afternoons. The bed was comfortable and familiar and she didn't want to leave its warm embrace. But there was something else in the back of her mind that she thought may have been contributing to the laziness. She still remembered having another mind in hers and the feeling was disconcerting to say the least. When she looked inside her motivation, she realized that some of it was that she didn't want to risk running in Jacques again.

"He's the Master's manservant, downy-fur," she chided herself with a shake of her head. She imagined that would be what Lyria would have said to her when she was being as silly as she was today. She could still hear the old gamekeeper's voice in her head, teasing, but with that little edge of truth.

"All right, I'll stop being lazy," she said to the empty cottage.

She threw her feet out of bed and headed out the door. Her cottage was far enough away from the bustle of the rest of the estate that she never worried about being seen outside in her bathing stream without her clothing. Not that it would have bothered her in the slightest anyway. Her natural state was what it was, and she was never concerned about what another thought of her. The Master was the only one who's opinion mattered.

The morning routine was well set, and she was clean and dressed in her simple garb in only a short time. Leather trousers, made by her own hand and a brightly-dyed fabric shirt was all she needed for the first part of her day. She wasn't going to be hunting until later, so she didn't need the bags and the dull colored clothes that she wore to hide from her prey.

There was a tray just outside her door when she opened it again, covered with the plastic that the Master and the other Humans preferred. She could see the steam still rising from the food beneath the coverings and she took it inside with her. From her small pantry, she added a small serving of some of her leftover salted meat and a peach that she'd found on one of the trees two days earlier. With her additions, it made the meal much better than it would have been. Servant's rations were never the best, but the Master always saw that all of his servants were fed properly, even if it wasn't the tastiest food available. She'd heard tales from some of the others who hadn't grown up beneath this dome about how some humans kept their servants hungry enough that they could barely work. It didn't make any sense to her, though. She couldn't understand why a human would starve the ones that ran the estate. It seemed to her that a partnership between the Humans and the Mrr'tani would be much more useful than some of the stories that she'd heard.

But it wasn't her place to figure out diplomacy between the Humans and the Mrr'tani, even if such a thing existed. Her world existed under the dome, and her life wasn't going to take care of itself. She scooped up the dishes and ran them under the water from the well outside before she put them neatly in place for the house servant to take back to the kitchen. Before she covered the tray, though, she slipped in a small, leaf-wrapped package of the last of her salted meat. The servant who picked her tray up would have a little extra today since she was going to have more than enough to preserve with the S'cree from last night and the one that she was planning on taking tonight. Little Rebecca should be coming to take her tray today unless she was sick, and Meriah would have heard something if she was. Rebecca was just nearing the maturing stage and she'd be happy for the extra meat.

Tray covered, Meriah took a look over her cottage and closed the door behind her. The walk to the main house would take her a little more than fifteen minutes, so she had time to collect the watering can, fill it from the well, and give a splash of water to the brilliant patch of violet and maroon flowers she had growing outside her door. She smiled at the beautiful colors and the way that they made the front of her cottage inviting to anyone walking by. She knew she could be gruff at times about her duties, but she always tried to be inviting for the others to come and visit if they liked. There was never a day that she didn't have a guest for tea unless the others knew that she was hunting, then they left her to sleep.

Around the back of the cottage were her pens. She had young of almost every species beneath the dome, at least the ones that the Master enjoyed hunting, and the ones that kept the predators fed. Lyria always had a thing for eggs when Meriah was growing, and Meriah had inherited the taste, so in the center of the pens was a large chicken coop. Meriah had just enough time to collect the day's offerings and stow them in the cold box with the S'cree carcass, pulling out half a dozen and throwing them in a soft sling bag around her shoulder before she headed up the path towards the main house.

Something she always enjoyed about her hunting days was that she could start later in the day when the sun was low in the sky, giving her a perfect view of the estate when she crested the first hill. There wasn't too much in the way of hills beneath the dome, but the one that separated her cottage from the main house was one of the tallest in the estate. The Master had once said that hills that were too large would disrupt something in the dome and they wouldn't be able to live here, so when they first came, they leveled the ground to what they needed. Still, from the top of her hill, she could see far across the estate, to where the edge of the dome faded from view. She couldn't imagine the power that was needed to build something so massive. It proved that the humans were certainly a very powerful species. The Mrr'tani would never have dreamed up something so audacious as what she now lived under.

The land stretched out before her as she walked, and she could see the fields off to the east and the large stone building that housed almost sixty Mrr'tani looked small enough to be a toy. To the east was the forest that stretched out from her cottage. She could see the carefully maintained hunting grounds where the Master and his guests stood with their rifles waiting for her to flush their prey from the trees. It was the middle of the warm season now, so it would be many weeks before she was again called upon for that duty. She always had trouble waiting for those days, though. She enjoyed the thrill the Master got from his sport.

And to the north, the view was dominated by the main house. It was a sprawling mansion that looked much like the castles she saw in the Master's history books when he allowed her to read them. Grey stone walls rose up out of the earth, too perfectly aligned to be natural. The faces of the walls were smooth without purchase to climb even a few feet off the ground. Where the castles in the history books had imposing stone with few windows, though, the main house seemed almost dominated by the glass reflecting the afternoon sun. Each side had windows that stretched up three stories with high arches and she could see the white curtains on either side even from this far away.

The Mistress took great pride in her home and the way that it was presented, and she ensured that it was always open to the sun. During the summer months, the windows were usually open as well, letting the air flow through the entirety. Meriah smiled as she watched the slender figure of the Mistress walking across the second floor to one of the smaller windows. She leaned out as she opened it and Meriah could see that she was conversing with someone on the ground below. She couldn't hear what was being said, but she didn't need to. The Mistress was obviously happy about something, and the way her body almost draped out the window told Meriah that today would be a good day for her to ask for the small things that she needed for her cottage. The Mistress could be kind when she was in a good mood, but she could also be petty when she was angered, even with someone who wasn't the target of her anger. Meriah had learned to avoid her when she could tell she was angry, going instead to the other Mrr'tani when she needed things badly enough that it couldn't wait.

"Ho, Meriah!" a voice called from behind and to her left.

Her ears swiveled on her head and her face followed shortly after, scenting the air as was her habit. A large Mrr'tani male walked around a short rock wall covered in ivy. He carried a sling bag very similar to Meriah's and his clothing was almost the same as hers, save that his trousers were made of the usual canvas material that most of the other Mrr'tani favored. He was much larger than her, both in height and in breadth.

"Ho, James," Meriah called back.

James was one of the heavy laborers on the estate. He was the one that the Master called when he needed muscle. James would say that he had most of the muscle under the dome, but very little of the brains, but Meriah disagreed. He wasn't traditionally intelligent, and he couldn't read, no matter how many times anyone had tried to get him to learn, but he knew things about the estate and about the comings and the goings. Meriah thought of him as world wise, and also as a good friend.

"Another hunt today? I heard you got a S'cree last night. That's some good shooting, girl."

"No better than usual, James," Meriah said with a dismissive wave. There was no denying that she was the best shot with a bow or a rifle among any that lived under the dome, the Master included. She didn't like to draw attention to that, though.

"Still got the feathers?" James asked, an eager tone in his voice.

"Yes," Meriah said with a laugh. "I didn't forget you, James. I'll have more tonight, otherwise I'd have brought them with me for you. I need quills, though."

She never asked what James did with the feathers, since she never saw him wearing any. She was curious of course, but she would never intrude on his privacy. The thing that made her world work best was knowing who needed what and making sure that if she could get what others needed, then they would have a share in it. Besides, James kept her in quills for her journals and the little writing that she had to do for her duties, and once he'd presented her with a down quilt for her small bed.

"I think I can spare a few for you. Who are you writing to, anyway?"

It was a fair question, since she was one of the few Mrr'tani who couldn't remember a life outside the dome.

"Lyria," Meriah answered, turning her eyes to the road in front of her. She fought the urge to lower her eyes as she spoke.

"I'm sure she enjoys reading your letters," James said softly. He reached out a hand and put it on Meriah's shoulder and gave her a small squeeze.

Meriah could feel the power in that grip, but along with the strength came a friendliness that bordered on love. The large male was far past her in age, and there would never be romance between them, but she felt safe when she was around him, and he made her feel appreciated. James was also one of her most frequent visitors for tea since he chose to live in a very small lean-to on the far side of the fields from the laborer's dormitory. He said it was because he snored and the others couldn't sleep, but Meriah suspected he had other motives for it.

"Going to see the Mistress?" James asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. I need some things for my kitchen, and I'm low on salt. I need more to preserve the meat from my hunts."

"Good day for it. Don't know why, but she's in a better mood than I've ever seen her."

Meriah raised an eyebrow and twitched her tail in obvious curiosity.

"Well, it's just tales, you understand, but some of the boys think it's because of that new manservant the Master brought in."

Meriah frowned and shook her head. "What do you know about him, James?"

"Ragged old bristle-fur, that one. Got two notches, did you know? Damn close to the camps. May be that the Master thinks he can get him all nice and shiny again."

"Hmm," Meriah muttered. "I saw him with the Master early this morning. They visited my cottage."

"Don't say," James said with an interested smile. "What for? You don't usually meet the new manservants, do you?"

"No," Meriah answered, "I mean, yes I meet them eventually, when I have to meet with the Master, but he's never brought one to the cottage before."

"That's pretty strange, then," James agreed.

"James, what would you say to tea and dinner later tonight? I've got extra rations for the hunt, and I can share some of my meat. I think the Master even slipped a bottle of mead into the cold box when I wasn't looking."

"Mead, you say? Well, then I'm all yours, my dear. My shift is up at sunset, how about I visit then?"

"That would do just fine."

"In that case, I'll look forward to it. Even more than I usually do dinners with you."

Meriah smiled shyly and gave the big Mrr'tani a swat on the arm.

"Take care of yourself, James. I'll see you tonight."

"And you, Meriah."

James turned and headed back towards a small copse of trees on the other side of the small wall and Meriah could see the beginnings of a hunting blind being built into the trees. She knew just with a glance that it meant she would be having many hunts the coming season and that she was going to need to find another breeding pair of elk. She frowned with the thought. Keeping elk in her pens was always a risky proposition. The ones from the forest, when she could catch them, didn't really enjoy being caught, nor did they make it easy for her to keep them in the pens. Usually, though, the female would settle down when she had her young. They weren't the rarest creatures on the estate, but the Master and his guests had a distinct taste for hunting them. It suited Meriah because when she was helping with the hunts, the Master always allowed her a share of the meat and the hide in return for her butchering the animal for them, so it was well worth her while.

She watched James a little while longer as he lumbered away and then she smiled and went on her own way, careful of the sling of eggs over her shoulder. As she came closer to the main house, she could tell that James was right about the Mistress' mood. She could hear her singing almost before she arrived at the outer wall, her high voice carrying on the wind, almost like a bird singing. Meriah tried not to wince at the sound. The Mistress always thought she could sing better than she could, though no one had the heart or the courage to tell her that she really didn't. The sound of the off-key singing stopped just as Meriah reached the back door to the kitchen and she rolled her eyes in amusement at the momentary break.

When she opened the heavy door, a blast of warm, fragrant air hit her full on. The enticing scent of cooking meat, fresh baked bread, and all the other wonderful scents of a working kitchen swirled around her, making her stomach growl as she stepped across the threshold. She pulled the door shut behind her, making a thump loud enough that the large Mrr'tani female at the oven stood up quickly and turned around to face her. She held a large cast-iron pan in her hand, almost in a combative stance.

"Peace, Rose," Meriah called out, "it is only me."

"Meriah, you sneaky kit. You about scared the fur off me," Rose chided, setting the pan down on the counter. "Make some noise next time, why don't you?"

"I do try, Rose," Meriah said, her tone making it clear that she didn't really try all that hard. It was a running joke between the two of them, since Meriah had known the cook for as long as she'd known the Master. Rose was also one of the few on the estate that had been born there.

"I know, love," Rose said with a grin. "It's all that hunting. You have the gift of sure and silent feet, that's for sure."

Meriah stiffened slightly and her ears pricked forward at the mention of her having the gift and for a moment, she wondered if she had spoken with the Master or Jacques about her, but then she realized that it wasn't what she meant and she relaxed.

"What's for dinner tonight, Rose?" Meriah asked, changing the subject as she walked further into the kitchen.

"For the Master or for you?"

"Either one."

Meriah set the sling of eggs on the counter as she talked and she across at Rose.

"Well, if that's what I think it is, then you might be having a little bit of the roast that's there in the oven."

Rose walked across the room as Meriah pulled up one of the many stools available in the kitchen. Some of the work in the morning was intensive and the cook's helpers used them to rest while they kneaded the dough for the bread and made the pastries for the day. Now, though, it was late afternoon, and all the activity had died down to just Rose making her usual dinner for the Master. Since he wasn't entertaining guests currently, there was no need for extra help or for anything fancy.

"Half dozen eggs, fresh from my coop."

"So that'll be roast and vegetables for you for dinner, then. I'll have Rebecca bring it to you at Zenith."

"That'll be fine, Rose," Meriah said. She always took her dinners close to the moon's zenith when she was on the hunt. It ended up being towards the middle of her day that way.

"You didn't come all the way down here just for eggs. You'd have send them with Rebecca if that was the case."

Meriah shook her head. "No. I need some spices and some salt."

Rose just smiled and started pulling some things from the cabinets. She didn't even bother to ask permission or send her to speak with the Master or the Mistress. They'd been doing this dance for many, many years, and both of them knew the esteem the Master held them in. Both were perfectly reasonable in their use of their resources and there was never a problem. She slid some small corked jars into Meriah's sling.

"You know where the salt is, kit. Go and fetch it. I'm too old to be carrying it around."

Meriah shook her head and chuckled. She knew exactly where the salt was and she headed through a heavy wooden door on the far side of the kitchen. It was a route she'd taken many times before, and she hardly had to turn on the light to get down and find what she was looking for. At the bottom of the stairs, she found the bags of salt and she bent to pick one up. Something familiar hit her in the back of her mind the moment her fingers closed on the bag, and she stood bolt upright. There was again another mind in the back of hers. This time, though, it had a different feeling than what she felt from Jacques. This time it felt more feminine, and much more subtle. But what it lacked in volume, it made up for in clarity.

There was a sharp feeling of anxiety, mixed with a tinge of pleasure and a very little taste of fear that died down almost immediately. She stood there for what seemed like ages, sampling and tasting the feelings in the back of her mind, trying to figure out who she was sensing this time, and why.

"Meriah," called a very familiar voice, "come up, please."

The Mistress was one who expected to be obeyed immediately and without delay, so Meriah heaved the bag of salt onto her shoulders and hurried up the stairs. When she came out of the cellar, she saw Rose back at the oven, not even turning to look at her. That must have been what she felt, the Mistress telling her to get back to work. The anxiety was calmed again, though, even if it was overshadowed by Meriah's own thundering heart. She'd never seen the Mistress in the kitchen before. With the Master bringing Jacques by her cottage and the Mistress acting strangely, she felt her body responding almost to a threat. She had to consciously talk herself down in her mind to get herself to relax.

She gave a quick glance at Rose and then she looked back at the Mistress and she bowed just as deeply as she did for the Master. The Mistress didn't touch her as the Master did, though, and she didn't allow her to straighten right away. Meriah could feel the weight of the salt on her shoulder as she held her bow, though she dared not straighten.

"Be at ease, Meriah," the Mistress said at last.

"Of course, My Lady," Meriah answered. She straightened and set the bag of salt on the counter next to her and waited patiently.

The Mistress was very beautiful for a human, slender and just barely taller than Meriah with pale skin and blue eyes that reminded Meriah of the ice over the forest lake in the winter. She was dressed as she always was in the summer, in a sun dress of light, gauzy material that flowed around her as she moved, and her long golden hair spilled over her shoulders and down her back and chest.

The Mistress looked Meriah over as well, keeping silent while she did.

"You've come for supplies, then?"

"Yes, My Lady. I am hunting this week and I need salt for the meat."

"Your hunts are going well?"

Meriah nodded. "Yes, My Lady."

She hated the way that the Mistress asked question after question without even seeming to acknowledge the answer to the previous one. Though she was friendly enough, she had a way of putting Meriah on edge. What was worse was that Meriah knew that she didn't even realize she was doing it. But she wouldn't dare say anything to correct her. That simply wasn't done.

"Very well, then. Carry on, Meriah. I'm sure Rose doesn't need you lollygagging around here distracting her from dinner."

"No My Lady," Meriah said as she picked the bag of salt back up and threw it on her shoulder.

"Oh, and Rebecca will be delivering something this evening, Meriah. A birthday gift from the Master and me."

"You are too kind, My Lady. It is enough that you care for me and the Mrr'tani under the dome."

"That's very polite, Meriah, but not to worry, I'm sure you'll find the gift agreeable. Now, on your way. I'm sure you have a lot to do before the sun goes down."

"Yes, My Lady," Meriah agreed. She gave the Mistress a small smile and collected her bag then headed out the door, still feeling Rose in her mind.

When the door was closed and she was on her way away from the house, she focused a little more on the feeling that was fading, and she realized that it was in a very subtly different part of her mind than she felt it when Jacques was near. It almost felt like Jacques and Rose were like the plugs that powered everything in the main house and they ended up plugging into different sockets in her mind. It was another mystery to figure out.

She didn't have time, though, to figure it out right now. She still had to get back to her cottage and start the preservation of her prey from the previous evening. Then she had to get everything ready for the hunt tonight. She might come away empty handed, which was why she allowed herself an entire week to take three S'cree, but she always had to be prepared nonetheless.

And besides, she thought as she headed down the road, I'll have plenty to trade when I get done.