The Twelve Tables Ch. 11

"Leave the tray the kitchen staff can deal with that," he said.

"The signs say not to, and I don't want to be seen as lazy on my first day so I'd rather not if that is okay. The receptacle is just over there it will only take me a moment," she hurried over and deposited her trash and the tray before he could answer. She then returned to his side noting his dissatisfied expression.

"Follow me," Nero said in a clipped tone and walked through a left-hand side door to a corridor and entered a surprisingly large and spacious office. "Close the door," he said over his shoulder once he was sure she had followed him within. "Kneel here," he pointed at a spot in the middle of the room and retrieved a file from his desk turning to perch on the edge of it facing her and waited until she was settled on the floor.

"While you seem to be able to pick up the protocols for using our titles of respect, it would seem that you haven't quite grasped your place within this facility yet," he addressed her with a cold hard voice. "My earlier casual tone may have led you to believe that you could negotiate what I asked of you under the guise of politeness but make no mistake if I ask you to do something I expect you to do it without hesitation."

"I'm sorry Marshall," Peri immediately apologised. "I was just..."

"Without hesitation do you understand?" Nero cut her off.

"Yes, Marshall," Peri responded and dropped her head.

"While you are here at this facility you are a servant. You do as you are instructed by any of the Battaglia. You do not decline, negotiate or prevaricate. You do not explain yourself unless asked to do so. That is your role here, to follow orders and prove your worth as a member of one of the twelve families. The consequences for not following orders can be as severe as failing your trial and being asked to leave not only this facility but the family that has sent you to us." He pressed the gravity of her situation onto her.

Peri looked up as he spoke taking in the seriousness of not only his words but his voice and body language.

"You have been given only a short time with us, so it is imperative you don't make the mistake of thinking you are here as a guest who has choices. You are here under trail conditions to prove your worth and value to us. Do you understand the gravity of your situation?" Nero asked.

"Yes Marshall," Peri answered wanting desperately to explain that she had no idea what she was doing or what was expected of her in reality. All she knew was based on books and little snippets she had gleaned from talking with the family.

"Good. I would hate to have to punish you on the day of our first meeting. Now that we understand each other, I will be your case worker and doctor while you are here. I will test and judge your mental and physical abilities over the next few days, and we will work on areas of deficit from there," he spoke absently flicking through the file he held in his hand. "I see that Doctor Peter Lee has done a superb job in running all the medical tests required over the last six months. That will save us a great deal of time."

"Tell me of your academic history," Nero ordered and picked up a notebook.

Peri spoke about everything from the first school she attended as a five-year-old right through to graduating university and the minimal research training she had received at the publishing company she worked at that time. She didn't embellish at all claiming to be an average student who won no prestigious awards. She did not speak of being bullied, or what an introvert she had become during her high school years she just kept to the facts.

"So reading between the lines, you were a decent student who studied hard to achieve. You were not popular at school, but neither were you an outcast. Possibly bullied somewhere in there though I have the feeling it is not something you associate with school. You enjoyed University and grabbed any opportunity given to you with both hands. I would even go so far as to suggest you remain friends with at least one of your lecturers. Does that sound about right?" he asked knowingly.

"Yes Marshall," Peri didn't hide the surprise from her voice that he had pegged her so accurately. She wondered what exactly was in that file that sat on his desk.

"We shall begin then," he stood and walked toward her holding out his hand and helping her to her feet. "We will begin testing your verbal comprehension, processing speeds, working memory and visual perception."

Peri followed him to the table realising he was about to administer an IQ test. She said nothing in return taking the seat he offered and waited for further instruction. He took his time slowly gauging each of her answers and watching her critically.

"You may go to your cell and rest before dinner," he said abruptly as she finished the second subtest. Packing up the items she had been working on, he added, "We will continue this tomorrow."

"Thank you, Marshall," Peri stood and walked toward the door. She walked into the corridor beyond and through a door on the opposite side leading to the dining hall. This place was not so hard to navigate she decided and walked toward the stairs leading down to the lower level and her cell. She was pleased to find her small bag and a few of the books she had requested had arrived.

She went about unpacking her meagre belongings and storing the phone in the drawer with her journal, so she was not tempted to use it outside of the set times. She placed the two photos she had brought with her on the top of the dresser and smiled back at the faces of Andie and Josh. These were the two people she knew loved her best in the world, and she could do anything they asked of her here knowing they waited for her.

She sat on the small bed leafing through one of the books that detailed some of the histories of the Battaglia scanning the text lightly for any mention of the twelve tables when she heard noise in the corridors outside. Realising it must be dinner time she closed the book and left her cell.

She noted the various coloured toga's that walked along the main corridor past the one her cell was located in. Two men in the black and white Battaglia uniform walked with three women who wore the orange toga assigned to family members. She remembered the incident at lunch and watched the women telling herself it was just a figment of her imagination, but when Nik turned to look directly at her, Peri stopped in her tracks.

Josh had told her that Nik was in a rehabilitation facility, but she hadn't connected the dots until right at that very moment. She wasn't sure what to do. Should she tell the Marshalls of her falling out with Nik? Not that it was falling out with Nik exactly, it had been Sabrina who had done Nik's dirty work. Even though she was sure that Nik was behind Sabrina's actions she had no real proof, it would sound like she was paranoid if she did make a fuss. By the time she had gathered herself together and made her way to the dining hall, she had convinced herself that it was better to say nothing about the unease she felt at seeing Nik here. She decided it was best if she just avoided the woman as best she could.

Once again she sat by herself at the white table. She ate quickly so she could dispose of her tray before Marco came to get her. She kept her schedule tucked into the belt of her toga, and as she sat quietly at the end of the meal time, she looked it over again. It took her through to breakfast the following morning, and she assumed she would get another schedule then.

"In the future, you will make you way down to the Stanhope room when it is on your schedule," Marco instructed her as she rose from the table. "As it is your first day here I understand the necessity of collecting you but it will not happen again." He turned and walked away expecting her to follow. He walked back through the dining room in the direction of the library. The middle door on the left side she knew led to a library at the end of the walkway.

Ignoring the door to the library, Marco walked into a cleverly concealed passageway to a room that seemed to run the whole length of the rear of the stone building. It was made of rich polished wooden beams that held toughened glass panels that made up the walls and the ceiling. Unlike the conservatory at the Donati home it held few plants but rather was filled with a rich, eclectic variety of antiques grouped together at various intervals. Lounging areas sat beside dining tables which then sat beside couches as every sort of chair and table that Peri could ever think of seemed to have been jumbled together here. Despite the strange variety of shape and mass of the furniture, it all seemed like it belonged here in this room.

"Within this room I will do you the courtesy of calling you Miss Wells, and you will address me as Marshall Marco," he said inviting her to sit with an arm gesture. Taking her cue from him, Peri took a seat and sat demurely crossing her legs at the ankles and tucking them under her chair.

"Now Miss Wells, tell me about your mother," he said his tone softening slightly but still unusually formal.

"Andie?" Peri was surprised by the question.

"You call your mother by her name?" Marcos asked disapprovingly.

"My mother has never been the traditional mother type. Though she has started to become inclined to act more like it recently," she laughed softly thinking about how their relationship had changed since becoming involved with Josh and his Uncle Charles.

"Explain," Marcos prompted her.

"My parents didn't divorce until I was about fourteen. Before that, they seemed to fight and have make-up sex in equal measure. I kept myself out of the way mostly, learned to cook at an early age and did most of the household chores. They both worked so as long as I had good grades and didn't invite friends over they seemed happy to ignore my existence for the most part," she began speaking honestly about how she was raised. These people would never meet Andie, so it was no big deal if they knew the truth.

"After the divorce?" he prompted.

"Andie changed overnight, suddenly she wanted my company but more as a friend or a sister, someone to shop with and go out to dinner or piano bars with. I don't have particularly fond memories of that time," Peri sighed remembering those horrible teenage years. Marco tilted his head inquisitively and motioned that she should continue.

"She seemed determined to make me in her image, which is that tall sexy Jessica Rabbit type when I am short, and my figure is not what society deems beautiful, and she tried to fight nature itself. She would put me on fad diets, and try to dress me in clothes not suited to my figure or my personality. When I got to University, she wanted me to become part of the social scene so she could tag along and date the good-looking young guys there rather than people her own age." Peri let the bitterness she felt creep into her voice.

"This behaviour changed recently?" Marco prompted once again interested now in how the girl sitting opposite him had become the poised, well-spoken young women she presented as.

"I met Josh," she smiled. "The first man I dated who could resist Andie's particular brand of seduction. Then she met a man who seemed to change her outlook on life. She started staying home in the evenings and took an interest in what I was doing and wanted. It's been nice not having to worry constantly about where she is or who she is with. I still worry about her but on a different level," she shrugged trying to explain how she still felt that she needed to be the responsible one of the two of them.

"You obviously had good role models, a grandmother or an Aunt perhaps?" Marco asked.

"No there is no one else, just my mother and I," Peri smiled. "It's taken some adjustment to get used to how involved in each other's lives Josh's family is. There are twelve of them, and I've only met eleven, so far. I met some of them over the holidays for the first time; then there is the extended family. I never knew someone could have so many relatives."

"Most of the families who belong to the Twelve are large," Marco allowed himself a small smile. "Family is important to us."

"I have come to understand that," she returned his smile. "That is a large part of the reason I am here."

"You appear to have some etiquette, if not from your mother's influence then where?" Marco continued doggedly poking at her early life and what factors created the woman sitting before him.

"I may not have been one of the popular girls at school, but I did have friends and join clubs with them," Peri tried to remember the good times she had at school. "I guess my home economics teacher was old fashioned and believed every girl should be able to cook and sew and keep a perfect home so that she could host fabulous dinner parties or high tea. We had a high tea club in our senior year where we would host school dignitaries or parents once a month after school. It was like playing ladies when we were all just kids trying to work out what we wanted to do after graduation."

"I see," Marco nodded. "It didn't continue through college?"

"We went our separate ways, but a few of us get together now and then and go to high tea at a nice hotel or restaurant," Peri answered. "Usually for a birthday or special event."

"No major influences on your persona aside of your mother and the home economics teacher?" Marco asked seeking to find how a girl with such neglectful parents and obvious self-esteem issues came to be here in this unusual situation.

"I had some lovely lecturers at University. One introduced me to some of her friends who worked for some of the state galleries or as independent contractors. I was able to visit Melbourne a few times to be able to see one particular restorer at work. It's a difficult field to succeed in, reputation is everything," Peri said remembering the woman fondly. "We still correspond, and she lets me know when art exhibitions that might interest me are coming to the galleries she is connected to. Quite often they don't make their way up to the northern states."

"That is most fortunate for you then," Marco said studying her carefully as she spoke. "I too was fortunate enough to find friendships from those who are experts in my field of study at college."

"May I ask what you studied?" Peri said politely putting the spotlight back on the man who was asking the questions.

"I have a doctorate in Sociology but I enjoy the historical aspects of what creates the societies we live in. Some would see my study as more along the comparative lines of Anthropology," he offered and was pleased that she didn't seem confused by what he had said.

"I had an interesting conversation comparing patriarchal societies with matriarchal societies which have made me rethink some of my views on the topic. Perhaps if we have time you could share your understanding on some of the idea's that were shared with me," Peri tried to engage the man on an intellectual level.

"I believe we may be able to do that," Marco was surprised by her response. "It will be my role within your trial to help you to understand the expectations of women within our society. Not society at large as you have always known it but our society within the tables of twelve. Your home economics teacher had it unexpectedly right, and I am glad you had that influence in your life even at such a removed angle."

Peri said nothing listening carefully to what would be involved in her trial and what this man expected from her.

"There are certain expectations a man has of any woman deemed worthy to become his wife. You are obviously intelligent, but Nero will judge the depth of that during your sessions with him. Unlike your teacher's beliefs the women who lead our families with their husbands do not have to be home-makers in the traditional sense of the word. There are servants available to cook and clean and tend to the daily domestic chores. It is preferable if they have those abilities of course and a woman's value rises considerably with those attributes but they are not necessary for a potential wife." He paused to gauge her understanding.

"My teacher would be pleased to know that her beliefs were valued by some of the societies elite," Peri said quietly feeling like she should say something.

"We have an expectation that our wives will be loyal, beautiful and have integrity," Marco explained. "They must be intelligent, have perfect etiquette and have a passion that matches their husbands." He cleared his throat. "You obvious have some of these traits, but you will hone them here with us. You will become the perfect lady whether hosting a dinner party, chairing an arts council, or enjoying the pleasures of the marital bed. Should you fail to embrace the opportunities we give you here you will fail and be sent away to live your life far distant from any of the twelve families."

"I understand the reasons why I am here and the seriousness of this trial," Peri said seriously not needing to be reminded that her future with Josh rested on her time here.

"This first meeting is informal to allow me to judge your aptitude to the life we would expect you to lead. You may talk freely and relax within the bounds of honour and respect that we expect from all who enter this facility," Marco sat back into the large high backed armchair he sat in. Peri couldn't imagine this stiff and formal man ever relaxing completely and remained as she was, sitting demurely in a simple high-backed table chair.

"Tel me of this conversation you had comparing societies," Marcos said breaking the small silence. He was pleasantly surprised by this young woman and listened carefully as she began to speak.

*****

Josh felt strangely vindicated by his brother's reaction to the news that Peri had been taken to the Battaglia. He had reacted badly getting drunk with Carlo and raging at the interference in his life by the Twelve, but as he watched Dante pace and curse, he considered his reaction as being justified.

"So he just sprang it on you at the last moment?" Dante asked incredulously. "She didn't have time to talk to you or make an informed decision?" He was asking questions he knew the answers to but still needed to ask them again. "She went, she heard what he said, and she just went? Didn't she ask questions? You told her she didn't have to go right?"

In the face of Dante's inquisition, he relayed once again the last words they spoke to each other.

"This will not be an easy task," he had said to her. "I understand what it entails, and I won't stop you if you want to change your mind now."

"Tell me you love me," she had said softly looking up into his worried face.

"Always and forever," he had kissed her lightly.

"Then this is what has to be," she had swallowed loudly and reached up to cup his cheek gently, "I love you more than that even." She had let go of his hand then and left with Papa.

"This is not the way it should be," Dante resumed pacing and cursing to the strange looks of his brothers.

"D. the rooms not soundproof," Ben said with a sense of unease. None of them liked what had happened, but he seemed to be taking the news personally. "This isn't helping anyone." He motioned toward Josh meaningfully."

"I'll fly down and see Papa tomorrow," Dante said reining back his anger. "I'll go and see Nik while I am there and look for Peri."

"Not even Nik will believe you are there to see her," Lio chuckled. "You can't go especially given your feelings about the matter. Send the Valentine brothers down, they can talk their way in and out of any situation and get to the heart of the matter."

"They're in the middle of this deal thing for Josh, Lio, and I can go down for a few days and if we have no luck they can go down. It will show them that we all love her not just Josh," Dante suggested making Ben raise an eyebrow and look at him. "I mean what were the alternatives? Papa didn't say just that this was the best choice. Maybe it wasn't."