Chapter Text
In Queensland, men spent their days in the nursery, kitchen and laundry and their nights with their sister-wives. Sisters swarmed around their valued brothers. Males had little chance to see one another and even less to speak with one another. Men and boys, dressed in their finest, attended occasional parties and balls but their protecting wives, mothers, and sisters were always close at hand.
Curiously, the temple offered some respite. At the entrance, the red-robed Sisters of Hera directed men and boys to the balcony upstairs. Women and girls watched their menfolk depart uncertainly and filed into the main sanctuary. The stern sisters would protect the males and keep them from serious mischief. However, before, during, and after services the men and boys found some opportunity to gossip.
Liam Lewis sat between Noah Powell and Oliver Brown. They were his friends, as much as one boy might befriend another. Noah had just performed his Rite. William Pritchard, nee Wilson, a young husband, sat to Noah’s left and Elijah sat beside him. William was grateful that one of his sister wives had relieved him in the nursery. He owed her now and wondered how she might require him to pay his debt. James Bennett, an older man, sat to Oliver’s right and Benjamin Turner, an older man – forty at least, next to him. His daughters were grown and his nursery duties minimal. Owen Lewis, Liam’s father sat several rows back.
Liam studied the women gathered in the sanctuary below. The pews were full. Too many Temple absences might attract the unwanted attention of the red-robed Sisters of Hera. His Mother Eldest had told him that a family had expressed interest in him – the Rowlands’. After all, he was fifteen and three-quarters and sixteen was the marriageable age for boys in Queensland. He had no idea how he would tell which of the many well-dressed, well-groomed women below were the Rowlands sisters. He saw one woman turn around to inspect the gathered boys and men, then another. Might either be a Rowlands?
The Sisters of Hera kept careful watch. The men and boys sat eyes front. Any whisper risked the bite of a Sister’s flail. Any more serious transgression earned a public whipping in the Temple courtyard. The red-robed Sisters of Hera watched to see which men or boys were disrespectful or even less attentive.
Liam remembered when they had stripped Sebastian Jernigan naked and hanged him by his ankles from the whipping pole. Usually, the boy or man was secured by his wrists. This was something special. An eager crowd gathered to watch his censure. The crowd buzzed with excitement. The Sisters took turns wielding the lash. The crowd counted the strokes and cheered. His male paraphernalia jumped and jiggled with each stroke. Sebastian writhed. Liam looked away and closed his eyes. He could not close his ears to Sebastian’s screams. He heard his Sister Eldest Rayne whispering that the way a boy moved under the lash was a preview of how he would move under her in bed.
Liam’s sister, Ava watched and smirked. “That boy will be a real back-dancer.”
Liam shuddered and looked away. He was just terrified. What exactly had Sebastian done? “Man still bears the responsibility for his cruel tyranny and the Lady challenges her daughters to keep him under strict control.” Liam repeated what he had been taught. However, he had no fondness for the whip. His indulgent mothers and sisters had largely spared him. On the way home, he asked his sister Charlotte, just what had poor Sebastian done the merit such a punishment.
“No idea,” Charlotte confessed with a grin. “Some say a boy should be beaten regularly like a rug. If you don’t know his failings, he certainly does.”
“Just watch and learn,” Rayne, his Sister Eldest warned.
Liam wondered what evil notions roiled behind her gentle eyes and kind smile. Later he learned that Sebastian had earned quite an exceptional Brother’ Price after his graphic performance.
Liam sat tall and watched the white robed Priestess and her white robed assistants preside at the altar. Suddenly, Oliver Brown, sitting beside him, jabbed him with his elbow. Liam turned. Oliver pointed to the floor.
Liam looked down and saw a note. Lucas Richards had slipped it back, beneath his seat. As unobtrusively as possible, Liam retrieved the folded paper. He felt the intrusive eyes of the Sisters who monitored the men’s balcony and took a deep breath
“Give it to your father. Tell no one.” Oliver whispered tersely.
Anxiously and unobtrusively as possible, Liam located the red-robed Sisters of Hera, Sister Luella, Sister Amelia, Sister Scarlet, and Sister Superior Stella. Carefully, he unfolded it. The page was covered in some sort of squiggles. Liam knew something of reading, but the squiggles made absolutely no sense to him.