The Priest Read Free

guard threatened while showing him the whip.
    He knew the guards were under orders not to
physically abuse the sementals, but he also knew accidents had
happened in the past. He lowered his head and retrieved the cup.
The guard closed the door behind her with an insult Mauricio didn’t
understand; she had a thick northern accent. He had already given
his quota and had no energy to produce more, and yet he had no
choice.
    Guards had subtle ways to punish sementals
when they didn’t comply with orders. The privilege of better meals
and extra water were strategically paraded about to provoke the
other slaves’ anger, achieving their desired result: a good beating
executed by the men.
    Mauricio put the cup on the tray and waited.
Again. The tray hadn’t disappeared behind the window as it normally
would, although the guard had already returned.
    “Follow me,” the usual order came at
him.
    Mauricio was surprised when the guard didn’t
return him to his cell. Instead, he was locked in another room.
    “Prepare yourself in case we need more.” The
guard gave him a cold look and left him alone in the new room.
    Mauricio sat on the floor thinking about the
inane order. Prepare myself, again? How? He would have
laughed, but a strong headache was looming. He simply bent his legs
and rested his face on his lap, hoping that the pain he was feeling
on his left temple would disappear.
    “Is the table ready?” A woman’s voice echoed
in his room. “Are the instruments sterilized already?” the same
voice asked, after another woman had affirmed the first question.
They kept talking about other things, but their voices were lower
now, almost an indistinct buzz.
    Mauricio looked around the room to see where
their voices were coming from. After a few seconds, he found a
ventilation grid and listened intently.
    “The Priestess is upset,” the first woman
said loudly enough to be heard.
    “I can’t blame her," the second woman
replied with a snort.
    “I understand she is President Layan’s
daughter, but enough is enough. Why didn't the Priestess put the
little brat in her place?”
    “It’s not that she had a choice.”
    “She’s the Holy Priestess. Of course she has
a choice!”
    “In this case, she didn’t.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Haven’t you heard of…?”
    “Haven’t I heard of what?”
    “There are some rumors… no?”
    “No, what are you talking about?”
    “There are some allegations about her
celibacy—”
    “Allegations about her Holiness’ celibacy?
What heresy is that? How can you say such things?”
    “Well, I wasn’t the one divulging such
rumors! It was the brat who menaced to talk. I just heard of
them.”
    “I don’t believe it, not even for a second.”
The second woman sounded rather nervous. “And, you should be more
careful with what you say around here.” She paused for a long
while, and then she added, “Anyway, not even the President’s
daughter should be able to ask for a baby as if it was a new toy.
It’s immoral that she wants to have a daughter without having
married a nice woman first. If you ask me, she should be sent home
with her tushy properly dusted.”
    “The Priestess thinks otherwise, obviously,”
the other woman answered dryly. “Anyway, everything is ready here.
Call for the brat.”
    A few minutes passed without even the
slightest sound. Then Mauricio heard loud steps walking past his
room and into the other.
    “Mistress, if you would, lie on this bed,
please.” The first woman had changed the tone of her voice
considerably. Now she was all sweetness.
    “Thank you, Ancilla Bettany,” a third voice
said. It sounded gentle and young.
    “The Priestess will be here shortly. Now,
I'm going to inject you with the sedative. You'll be asleep in a
few minutes. Do you have any questions?” the second woman asked in
the same sweet tone as the first.
    “No, you were very exhaustive when you
explained the process to me. I am ready to conceive with the help
of