The Bargain

Stay away from her

In the official presidency office sat her father and Spencer Sherrod, her father-in-law. Roslyn was nowhere in sight, and for that Racheal was very grateful.

Spencer Sherrod stood up as soon as the couple walked into the huge, lavishly designed office with flags standing before one side of the walls.

He walked up to them, and the young couple bowed in greeting.

"Welcome to the family." He said, giving Racheal a hug.

"Thank you Mr President." She said.

"No. You can call me Spencer, or father-in-law. You just married Steffan after all." Spencer Sherrod said with a wide smile.

Racheal looked at him warily, despite his sunny countenance, she instinctively felt he could not be trusted. This was a man that could be ruthless when he needed to be.

Besides, she could not forget the attacks he launched on her country during the war.

One could argue that it was a war and that her country fought back. But still, it took a certain kind of person to be willing to go to war in that manner.

If her father was dangerous, this man was just as dangerous or even more dangerous.

"Have a seat." Her father said calmly to her and Steffan as her father-in-law returned to his seat. She took the opportunity to closely observe Steffan.

He looked like his own man, despite being the president's son. A dutiful son, but someone who could not be bossed around. He had a strong air of independence around him.

"How old are you my dear?" Spencer asked

"Twenty-three" She responded. She wondered which of them requested that the bride be chaste. The president, his wife whom she had only seen but not yet had the opportunity to speak with, or Seffan?

"Nice. You and Steffan would get along just fine, as you are around the same age. He is twenty-seven." He responded.

Racheal wondered in what world twenty-three and twenty-seven were close in age, but as usual, she said nothing.

She was finally beginning to come out of shock, as a new realization dawned on her. She was in bigger trouble.

She just got married to an enemy country, more accurately, sold out to them. She was now technically their property, their bargaining chip to keep her motherland in check.

"We are here to finalize a few important details." Spencer Sherrod said. His face had suddenly taken on a serious expression and Racheal realised she had been correct. This was not a man to be taken lightly.

"You are not our hostage, but you will be closely monitored at all times. Under no circumstance will you have any communication with your family in private. If you need to speak to them, you will do so in the presence of two or more of our intelligence security, and vice versa."

Racheal nodded. She was not expecting any less.

"And finally, when you have children, you will never bring them here, not even for a visit."

"That was not included in our initial agreement." Her father spoke up for the first time. He was evidently angry.

"It is now. Further requirements will be disclosed as time goes on." Spencer Sherrod said with a tone of finality.

Racheal did not realise she was trembling till Steffan placed his hand over hers in reassurance.

"As you can see, we will take good care of your daughter." Her father-in-law said looking from the couple to Roni Rana, the smile returning to his face.

On their way to the private Jet hanger, her father walking beside her, whispered "You must never fall in love with him."

She turned to look at him in surprise. He squeezed her arm, painfully digging his fingers in. "Promise me".

"I promise." She said hastily.

"Good. There are some duties that may be required of you, loving him will pose a complication to those plans." He said.

On the flight home Racheal thought of those words. She should have known. There was no way her father was going to give up so easily. This was all part of a grand scheme of his, and she was just a pun.

She needed no seer to tell her that when things got serious, her family would not care a hoot about her safety. That is why she was offered in marriage instead of her step-sisters.

On the evening they arrived in the country, her new home, a VIP party was thrown in celebration. All the important politicians were there, ministers, senators, marshalls, the vice president and their wives. A few even brought their heirs.

They all greeted her with civility and commented on how extraordinarily beautiful she was. She smiled back and gave appropriate responses.

She finally took her seat beside Steffan, a little away from the head of the table where the president and his wife sat.

"Nice to finally meet you sister-in-law." A young woman said, taking the seat beside her. Racheal looked at her in surprise. "Don't tell me Steffan has not mentioned me yet?"

"That is my sister Skylar." Steffan said a little apologetically.

"We have not had time to talk much." Racheal said, looking back at Skylar. "Nice to meet you."

"My God, you are beautiful. Steffan is so lucky." Skylar said. Racheal blushed and said thank you.

Steffan said nothing but she noticed him smiling a little as he started eating his meal.

The table became a little noisy, everyone was having some small talk with their neighbour. In a few minutes Skylar shared with Racheal more information about the Sherrod family than she may have learned in one year.

Racheal listened in silence but gave Skylar encouraging nods and little attentive sounds. She was growing to really like her sister-in-law.

"Who is that woman in the white dress?" Racheal asked with a discreet gesture when Steffan stood up to speak with some men, perhaps about business.

Skylar had said Steffan was the president of a tech company, the biggest in the country. "She has been staring at me since we got here."

Skylar looked up and her face twisted in irritated anger. "That's Thalia, Steffan's ex. They were even engaged." Skylar responded glaring at Thalia from across the table. "Stay away from her, she is a witch."

Later, Racheal went to the restroom when the guests loosened up and became even more noisy. There was plenty of music, and wine.

As she stepped out, she bumped into Thalia at the door. Remembering Skylar's advice, she walked on quickly without a pause.

When she got back to the hall, the look on the guests' faces had changed, everybody was standing and there were harsh whisperings.

"We apologize for this, ladies and gentlemen. We will resume the search immediately." A guard was saying.

Racheal took a place beside Skylar and asked what happened. "The vice president's gold cufflink is missing. It is a treasured heirloom." Skylar said.

The situation struck Racheal as very strange. This was a gathering of the upperclass, the very top. Why would anyone steal?

She was not paying much attention when a guard took her purse from her with an apologetic bow. Then she heard the collective gasp, and looked up.

The guard had found the gold cufflink, in her purse.