“All the princes are ugly and nasty.” Silently I agreed with her. I knew their first priority would be to break this fine spirit. I think even the Lady would not forgive what I did next.
3651
“Oh, you mean the ones you know? Why would anyone want to marry them? I bet your parents look at them and secretly laugh at their parents for daring to hope their angel would marry such toads. When this war is over, a new prince will appear. He comes from the land of Lady Melina. He is tall, handsome, kind hearted and he will love Thina, not just the crown you place on his head. He will be a very good king and teach all our people how to love again.”
“Really?” She pulled her head away from me to look at my face. “How do you know?”
“That is a secret, I shouldn’t tell you.” She went on and on, ‘please, please’ etc and I pretended to give in reluctantly. “You know how I like to sit by myself and think? That is what everyone thinks I do, but the truth is I close my eyes and daydream. Sometimes when I do so, instead of a daydream I have a vision.
In just one such vision I saw you as a young woman. Your father told you it was time for you to marry and you must choose a prince. You answered him. ‘Father, I will marry the prince who can tell me which quality is missing from our land and is sorely needed by all.’
Your father, the king, he posted a proclamation and all sorts of princes rode in to meet your challenge. Some said ‘mercy’, some said ‘wealth’ and many said other foolish things. Some even said, if you can believe it, ‘love’, but they only said it out of cunning, not because they believed it.
One day your father was told that a ship had arrived in port with a prince on board. From a hiding place you saw him and you were disappointed. He was slightly shorter than you, slight of build, no warrior prince this one. You saw his hands were soft, so you knew he has never held a sword. I do not know whether he sensed you, but his eyes seemed to look at you directly and they were just like yours; brown with royal flecks of green. You felt yourself sinking into them and your heart raced like a stallion gone wild in the night.
The king asked him whether he had come for your hand and he replied, ‘If the answer to her question is empathy, then I will ask for her hand.’ Your father was shaken, for you had told him the answer and this stranger prince had given the correct answer. He wanted to know what he meant by the way he had phrased his reply though and asked him what he meant. ‘If empathy is the answer, then she has a heart worth loving and I will love her, even should she be as ugly as these ladies.’ Your father roared with laughter at the discomfort of the young daughters of the nobles of your court and called out, ‘Bring my ugly daughter so that she may answer him.’ You entered and both of you saw that magical quality in the other and said the word together. ‘Empathy’. Your hearts blossomed and you fell in love with each other. He will be your king.”
“What does empathy mean?”
“It is the ability to feel what the other person is feeling and make that pain yours. For instance, when you want to play, but you sense your guards are tired and you do not play anymore and sit down so that they can rest, it means you feel how they feel and care enough to try to take their pain away. Something like that, I’ve simplified it because you are after all only nearly seven years old.”
“You said I will marry a tall man and then you said he is shorter than me!”
Children are just like priests, they pick on every point. “So I did. Thina, his heart will make you feel as if he is tall and the most handsome man in the world because that is how he is inside himself. That is what matters.”
“But can’t he also be tall?”
“Okay. I’ll solve that problem for you. When you grow up, you see to it that I am appointed head torturer. When the prince arrives you hand him over to me and I’ll stretch him out on the rack. It may hurt him, but then he will be taller than you.”
She stared into my eyes. “You are teasing?”
I grinned. “A little.”
Sternly she asked, “You would tease your princess!?”
“Of course not. But if I should happen to be sitting with a small friend called Thina, I guess I would.”
She went off on a different tack. “Sam, am I pretty?”
3652
“At the moment I would say your are the prettiest girl I’ve ever met. When you grow up,” I shrugged, “I don’t think you will be.” I hesitated a few seconds. “Thina, I think you will not be pretty because you will be stunning, a beauty such as our courts have not seen for generations.”
Her eyes had not wavered from mine and she must have seen the feelings in me. She hugged me again and whispered, “Oh Sam, you love me!” Faces half turned in shock and I knew I would hear more about this from them later. As for myself, I was shocked that she had seen what I had not admitted to myself yet.
I touched her lovely hair and throwing caution to the winds I stroked it. “With all my heart, Thina.”
As I expected, Captain Erin called me in to a hearing, demanded my words be repeated and I was ordered to consider myself under arrest, to face court martial upon our return.
“What you did today is treason and you know you face the death sentence. You are ordered to stay away from the princess. You will not serve guard duty and must keep your distance from her.”
I stood stiffly, at attention, out of respect for him, but I had to go and open my mouth.
“What if the princess seeks me out? What do I do?”
“The guards will keep her away from you. If she does manage to approach you, I order you not to speak of anything other than generalities, none of that nonsense you filled her head with today. If you do not obey, I will not wait for our return and as the officer responsible for her safety will execute you here.”
“You should add to the charges that I touched the princess. I placed her on my lap and stroked her hair.”
“Have you gone mad?”
“Yes sir. Lady Melina was right, we see a child who misses her parents and way of life, who knows there are people plotting to kill her, who is not allowed the comfort of arms to hold her when fear and loneliness overcome her and we call it treason and madness if she is touched. I do not fear the charges Captain, as much as I fear what our way of life nearly turned me into.”
I am now ostracised. Given latrine duty and kept as far from our princess as possible. She has not noticed, as the others do their best to keep her fully occupied. The five seem to know what has happened, but they are careful not to interfere or express approval or disapproval. I do not mind, I am used to living within my mind and now I am beginning to re-discover aspects of myself I had left behind with my childhood.
The next day we had a second arrest. Golden, as he told me afterwards, went to the princess and told her I had spoken the truth and he too stroked her hair. I did not expect this of him, if I’d thought another would join me he would have been low on my list. I feel as if my eyes are being opened so that I see a little deeper into the hearts surrounding me.
On our fifth day at the oasis the exploration patrol reported seeing an oasis in the distance. They estimated it to be a long day’s walk. That night was very quiet, everyone seemed to have thoughts they needed to regurgitate. Golden and I sat on our own, also without speaking. For once I was not thinking, my eyes playing from one side to the other, watching, trying to hold on to images, to find beauty wherever it waited to be discovered. I had a premonition an occasion was soon to present itself for me to offer my life for our princess. Even for one of my comrades would be a fitting end.
“The Lady said some of us may die. We have nothing to return to Sam.”
It broke my heart to think of Golden dying. “No, you must not die. Golden, promise me one thing. When this is over, go back to the land of the Lady. Find Daniel and tell him of my story to the princess. Ask him to send a prince to her.”
“You believe your story!”
“No. If you do though, it may come true for her. Golden, she deserves some love and happiness.”
3653
He looked sad. “That is my task as one of her sacred forty two? And yours? You think to die for her?”
“Our Captain is a good man, but his training blinds him. My task is to try and open his eyes.”
“Only our deaths will free him to think…”
“Our deaths may close his mind.”
We heard a soft footstep and turned to see Alki walking away. He must have been listening, but it did not matter. I knew he would not report our words to anyone.
Our walk next day was long enough to be an inconvenience, the sun burning faces raw, but it was not as arduous as we’d feared it would be. When departing I had loaded myself with as much of the water as I could, easing the load for the others so that they will be effective protectors of our princess and five hosts. The Captain has decided they are also our responsibility and have to be closely guarded.
The same tents waited for us, the small tent within the communal one as we’d left it. A few of the men looked at the pots and pans they had toted with disgust. I could almost read their minds. They had had to bear the banging of them against their flesh without reason, Lady Melina had carried everything we left behind, for us.
The Captain ordered his men to stay at the oasis the next day, he wanted them to build up their strength again. By midday Golden and I were finished with our duties, so I asked whether he would like to join me for a walk. He thought I was insane to go out in the early afternoon sun and declined.
I walked in the direction opposite to where we’d come from. For the first half an hour I was very observant, hoping to see some sign of life. Not even an insect! This felt wrong to me. Life is so pervasive, surely it would have found a niche for itself? Only then did I realise that both oasis had not had any insects either. I’m not fond of them, especially cockroaches, so I decided I had no complaint with the Lady on that score.
As sand gave way to rock it was easier to walk and soon my steps were taken automatically without my noticing where I was going. After about eighty minutes I realised I was walking uphill. As far as I could see the hill stretched out in either direction for as far as the eye could see. Curious again, hoping for a view at the top I continued. Every now and then I would turn over a rock, expecting to surprise an insect, but it was just as sterile as the desert sand.
I arrived at the top, but the land ahead was flat. I almost gave up, but saw a rock sticking out and decided to climb that and get whatever view it offered while I got my breath back and drank some water.
The rock was close to the edge of a cliff. I looked down and saw our next oasis. I was surprised. I had not expected it to be so close. This was not much more than half a day’s walk. What was needed now was a safe passage down the cliff. I took a couple of steps closer and saw the cliff was not vertical. Steep, but it could be mastered easily. I grinned up at the sky. “So my Lady, what trick hides here?” She did not deign to answer me with words.
The ground crumbled under my feet. Wildly, with arms gyrating I strove to do too many things at the same time; I tried to keep my balance, throw myself backwards onto firm rock and watch as my world tilted crazily.
I managed to cling to the lip of rock as I sank and even as it crumbled I frantically kicked and pawed my way up. Panting and trembling, I lay on the rock and turning over looked down. Now my eyes saw what the Lady had prepared for us. The way down is steep enough to cause harm or even death if anyone falls, but that is not the big problem. The entire descent is on loose shale and rocks that are waiting for the faintest excuse to roll over us. This way is certain death. One person alone might manage it, but there is no way forty odd people can climb down without dislodging any rocks.
I decided I will walk to the left for a while in case I spy an easier path down, but reached for my flask as my lips were salty with my sweat and my tongue dry. The flask was gone. I looked over the edge in hopes of finding it close by, but could not see it at all.
3654
I panicked for a moment and then logic stepped in. I had two choices. I could try to walk back or else I could use whatever little shade the rock offered and wait for a search party. I did not feel up to the walk back, but the alternative offered two alternatives and neither of them appealed to me. If the Captain sends a search party, I will be even deeper in disgrace. If he decides this is the easy way out, saving him from having to file a report about me, I will die out here and when they find me in a week, they will condemn me for having given up.
My family would have said logic had nothing to do with it, that it was my stubbornness and pride. Whatever it was, I began my long walk home. At least the first part of it was downhill.
The heat was beating down on me, and the shimmering of mirages led my mind off and on into hallucinations for short intervals, sometimes blending reality with fantasy. Two hours later, close to staggering by now, but lucid for the moment, I felt I should have had the oasis within view. An hour later I accepted I was lost. I must have walked out at an angle. I’d used the rise of the land behind me as a guide, but a small deviation would take me past the oasis without seeing it.
By now there was a fine tremor in my legs so I sat down for a rest. Looking back I could still see the rise in the land, but it was faint. I realised the sun would soon be going down. I saw no other choices, I had to walk back to the rock and try to retrace my original route in the dark. I got to my feet with a groan. My muscles had stiffened and the next twenty minutes were torture. My mind wandered a little and it was only when I stumbled that I realised I was walking uphill again. By now it was dark, but the sky was afire with stars.
At the top I looked for my rock, but dark rocks in the night are not easily visible. I was about to walk to one side in search for it when I got an idea. I lay down so that the stars stretched down to a lower horizon. I saw the rock cutting a swatch of darkness to my right. Within twenty minutes I stood by it.
My body tried to convince me it made more sense for me to lie down and sleep during the coolness of the dark so that I could walk with strength during the day. Logic told me that was the certain way to death. I would not last another two or three hours in the sun. ‘Then just have a rest for a couple of hours’ my body said, but I know what a traitorous thing a body can be. It would keep me asleep until dawn.
I pictured the rock as I had first seen it and worked out from that the direction I had to take. I gave strict orders to my mind that it must not wander off again and began my walk home. I was found after midnight, no more than a hundred metres away from camp, walking around in circles, hallucinating. I was betrayed by both my mind and body.
The ramblings of my mind as the men tended to my body convinced the Captain they should not leave before dawn as they’d planned. I was woken up an hour post dawn. After being allowed to drink I wanted to get up to urinate as I would normally every morning, but I realised I did not need to.
The Captain faced me directly with Domarque and Jan to either side of him with the other men standing a few steps behind them. I explained as best as I could and warned them of the treacherous cliff.
“That way lies certain death for many, we must find an alternate route.”
It was decided they would see for themselves before deciding. Golden helped me to my palm where I sat with a skin-full of water for drinking. He sat with his arms around his knees facing me.
“Why didn’t you tell me where you were going, you frightened me. I thought the princess is already reduced to one supporter if you die, and I’m not good enough to handle it by myself.”
“Your name can’t be Golden. You must have been a sunshine baby, warming all hearts when you smiled at them and some old crone said you were the golden boy and so the name stuck to you. What is your real name?”
“Golden. What were you trying to prove Sam?”
“I have nothing to prove. I went walking, lost myself in my thoughts and went further that I’d intended. I have a theory about those cliffs, can I tell you?”
“When have you ever asked before? Are they allowed to listen?”
“Alki? Yes, they all can.”
“Me too?”
3655
“Melios, you stayed behind? Join us.”
“So, what is this hot theory of yours?”
“Lady Melina, she said we should not allow ourselves to get distracted and led astray. That cliff and the closeness of the oasis, it is a distraction.”
“Oh come on! You’ve just spent the morning warning us of the dangers. How can it be a distraction!”
“There are no women and no alcohol for us. None of us are gamblers - have you ever heard of so many soldiers and no gamblers? Ever wondered why? Anyway, what crossed my mind is that the cliff is not impossible for us, especially if the five agree to take our princess with them. The cliff is meant to be a challenge. Without thinking we will fall for it, at least the Lady expects us to.
The first oasis was a couple of hours walk from the beach. The second a day away. The third, fourth, fifth? One last little teaser. Say we get down the cliff and then the five say, this has been fun, but got to go now? How do we return to the sea? How do we climb that cliff with the princess?”
Melios swore under his breath. “What are you suggesting Sam?”
“I suggest we walk back to the first oasis. The Lady did not stipulate we have to keep on going to a new one. She said each one we go to will be provisioned for a week. She can just as easily provision these two again and again until it is time for us to leave.”
“Nicko, what do you think?” Marios asked.
“Not for us to decide.” Alki said. “This is your adventure and your single opportunity to grow as people. Make your own decisions.”
The princess saw everyone gathered around me and walked over. Soon as her guards saw me they tried to draw her away, but she stood still only long enough to listen to what they had to say and then we heard her say ‘No’ and her little legs flashing she ran to me. Her arms went around my neck.
When she kissed my cheek I felt like crying. She pulled back with an angry expression.
“Why did you go without me? I also want to see.”
I was about to tease, but saw she was serious. “Because you cannot always be Thina to me, sometimes you have to be my princess. It would not make sense for a soldier to take his princess into danger. Just as well, I was so stupid I got lost.”
“I know! That is why you should have taken me with. I would have watched for you.”
For some reason I looked at Alki and caught him looking at her with so much love it was close to adoration. I felt my stomach turn upside down and I shivered. It was so obvious now! My face must have betrayed me as they all asked what is wrong.
I stood up and taking the princess by the hand stood before Alki.
“Here is your daughter Melina, we want our princess back.”
His shock was genuine. “Whatever gave you that idea!”
“I saw the way you were looking at her. You are her father! The love I saw, it was that of a father.”
The princess had pulled her hand free of mine and stood staring at us, her face sorely puzzled.
“Sam, I am Thina!”
“You are?” I knew the Lady would not lie. I asked Alki anyway, “She is?”
He laughed. “Yes she is Sam. You are right, I do love her, but not as a father, more like a grandfather. I think Wilfred loves her more like a father.”
I felt my head spinning. Too many mistakes, too much going on for me to understand. Alki must have understood.
3656
“Sam, you jump to conclusions too easily.”
I knelt and bowed my head to Princess Thina. “My apologies my lady, I thought you were too grown up to really be a child and when I saw this man loved you, I thought the Lady Melina had stolen you, making herself look like you to fool us.”
“You really did? You really thought I was too clever?” I nodded and she beamed, looking around at everyone proudly, my mistake forgiven by her. However, I now had another charge for the Captain to lay against me.
Canlyn, Emelo, Bert, Dirk, Solly, Harvey, Gino and Hope stepped forward together and knelt to our princess.
“We too thought so our princess. We also thought you are too nice, beautiful and kind to really be a princess. We apologise.”
Very seriously she replied. “No. Sam told me I am pretty, only when I grow up I will be beautiful.”
Solly murmured, “He should have his eyes examined.” which she heard but pretended not to, even though it made her eyes glow.
Golden laughed, delighted. “Samuel, you will be charged with further treason. The Captain will say that every time he is not present you foment treason.”
Princess Thina heard and her face paled, stark fear in her eyes. Alki asked, “You are rebelling Sam?”
“No. It is just a private joke. You should know Golden by now, he does not take anything seriously.” I saw her fear lessen, but she looked at me trustingly, mutely begging me to confirm it is only a joke. I nearly did and then realised she will soon become conscious of the truth.
“I’m sorry princess, I tried to lie to protect you. I have been charged with treason. That is why your guards tried to keep you away from me. It would be better for you that you stay away from me.”
She cried out and ran into the arms of Rose where she sobbed. She did not return to her little tent again, thereafter sleeping with Rose or Marian. If she looked at me, I saw the pain of betrayal and withdrew into myself even further.
On his return the Captain spoke to all of us.
“Samuel was right, it is a treacherous slope and lives are likely to be lost. We have to do it though. If we stay here we will all die of hunger and thirst.” I hardly bothered to listen, but someone mentioned my theory about returning to the first oasis.
“Samuel, do you seriously think that is an alternative?”
“If we return and I am wrong, even more of us will die. If the five will take Princess Thina with them I’d say we risk going to the next oasis.”
“She is our responsibility! You would entrust our princess to them!”
“The Lady Melina is daughter of Alki and Marian. She is bound to provide them safe passage. In our oath to the king we undertook to do everything possible to keep her safe. To risk her on the climb with us would be breaking our oath.”
“As is to be expected of a traitor, you now twist the words of our oath to achieve your ends.”
“And those ends are, Captain?”
“The kings men will find that out from you.” The one thing that terrifies even the most stalwart soldier is the threat of the kings’ torturers and all the men paled. I kept my eyes on him.
“They will not have the opportunity Captain. I will not arrive home alive to embarrass our company.”
“Are you insinuating I would…”
3657
“No Captain. The test only begins now, it will become severe and lives will have to be given to protect our princess. I intend seeing to it that mine is offered first.”
He was silent a moment and then turning away from me spoke to those close to him. I’d always felt a real friendship for Jan and Domarque and sadly saw how they kept their faces averted from me. Perhaps my best friend had been the Captain, but the change in him I could understand.
The Captain did ask the five to take our princess to the next oasis, but they said they would be travelling with us down the same slope, so he decided she will be safer with us. He decided half of us will climb down on the sixth day and the other half on the seventh. None of us will enter the oasis until the end of the seventh day.
The Captain decided the princess should come with the second party, hoping those that go first will dislodge any rocks that are dangerous. He is not about to leave me behind with her, so I had to climb with him. Jan and Domarque stayed behind to protect her. The five decided the three of them would join us, Rose and Alki staying behind to be with Princess Thina.
We arrived by the rock just after the sun cleared the horizon. A few clouds shone red and the shadows in the land below us had a stark beauty that transfixed many of us. We had taken down most of the tents and stripped them of any ropes. They were knotted into one and tied around the dark rock, the only solid and immovable object in this dangerous terrain. The rope hung just over a third of the way down which served us well since the slope grew gentle thereafter.
With fists shaken in the air or other gestures symbolising their disdain for the danger, men silently slid over the edge. Silence had been imposed until the last man is down. We watched as small rocks and pebbles slithered and tumbled, smashing into men who cried out, but then continued their descent. The Captain should have either been first or last, but when only the two of us were left he gestured for me to stand behind him. I made to protest and he whispered with anger, “I will not have it said I killed you.”
As I looked over the edge I saw the men climbing down slowly and carefully. Jod I saw crouched by a teetering slab, his back to it, his arms bracing him, hoping to prevent it from crashing down on the others. He quickly gestured for the Captain to pass him by. Once there was space I took hold of the rope and swung my legs over carefully. My sweaty hands slid on the rope and I understood then why some of the men had taken off their shirts and wound them around their hands. Lying against the steep slope, I carefully took off my shirt, looked down, saw I could descend about my own body length and as slowly as I could I did, sensitive to every pebble that wanted to roll under my movements. I could not stop them all, but I could still hear small stones and pebbles being dislodged by the others and knew it was impossible to prevent such small hurts to those below me.
As I came level with Jod he lifted his arm from the surface to wave me on and the slab wobbled. Desperately he tried to push it back, but he’d lost control. It was fairly flat, longer than wide and as it toppled, the tip came down beyond Jod, dug into the slope and then flipping over, slid down. I saw it was aiming for the Captain and the men below him. Without thinking I launched myself at the rock, hoping the impetus of my impact would send it in another direction and miss the men.
I found my upper body and arms were on the rock while my legs hung over. I tried kicking as often as I could to steer the rock away from everyone and then my knees smashed into a passing ledge and my legs went dead. Head first I slid down the slope, distant rocks flashing by me. Before I knew I was close to them, I crashed into one of them and my rock threw me up into the air. I crashed into the ground and rolled, an army of rocks and boulders dislodged by me following in their urgent quest for vengeance. I hit or was hit on my head and lost consciousness, my last thought was pleasure that I had sent the rock away from those below me.
I did not expect to waken at all. I could not feel any pain as I lay there and for an instant thought I was a child, a little girl. I must have tried to move and pain lanced through me, forcing me to cry out. Hands held me still and I recalled where I was. I rationalised my confusion, interpreting it as my concern for our little princess.
“Samuel, you must not move. You may have broken ribs and be damaged inside your body. Lay quietly until we can make a stretcher to carry you to the oasis.”
3658
I tried to open my eyes, but the lids were glued together. I felt a wet cloth wash over my eyes. When they stopped I opened them. It was Captain Erin who had so tenderly been administering to me. For a moment I saw concern and grief and then he hardened his face.
“You damn well live!”
“Yes Captain.” I managed with a small effort at a smile.
“You are a crazy bastard! What made you think you could use a rock as a sled?”
“Too lazy to climb down sir.”
“Is that an official statement?”
“Yes sir.”
He leant over and whispered in my ear, “We all owe our lives to you.”
The pain in my legs mostly was building up to the point where I could not bear it anymore, but I managed to whisper back, “Not a good idea Captain, stick to my statement.” I passed out again and did not have to endure being moved and carried. When I woke up I could smell the oasis.
The next time my world was not too hazy with pain, but I saw Domarque and knew the second group was down.
“The princess?”
“She is down safely. That Alki has amazing strength. He strapped her to his chest and climbing down his body protected hers from the rocks that bounced over them. We checked him on arrival and he did not have any cuts.”
I looked up at him in misery. “I told her I have been charged with treason. She loathes me now.”
His eyes are his most beautiful aspect, always gentle and understanding. They were filled with sorrow as he softly said, “Oh Samuel,” and he left my side.
After a couple of hours of bearable pain it grew worse and I spent the night moaning and crying out. I doubt anyone had much sleep that night. When I awoke, it was to find Captain Erin with four other men at his side. He held out a tent peg wrapped in cloth.
“Sam, we cannot save your legs, we have to amputate. We do not have any painkillers, not even alcohol. Bite on this.” I saw one of the others holding one of the small shaving blades. I have never felt such fear before. It helped clear my mind and I turned my face away from the peg. “No. First call Alki, I must speak to him.”
When he entered and saw me, he asked what is going on. They explained, thinking I could not hear them.
“His knees are shattered, we have to amputate.”
“No!”
“Take a look. Alki, it might be a mercy. He is too badly injured to live and this might bring peace to him earlier.” They raised the cloth for him to see my legs.
“Alone. I want to speak to you alone.”
“Leave me with him. Go.” They must have done so, for he bent over me.
“Aghh Sammy mou, what have you done to yourself.”
“Please, I don’t have the strength to speak much and I may faint from the pain again and then they will cut off my legs. Alki, please do this for me and for them. Do not let them cut off my legs. I beg you, ask the Lady, your daughter, to take me from here and leave me in the desert far from them. If I am a burden the risk to all of them and Princess Thina will cost lives. Let me die cleanly as a soldier should.” I managed to grip his hand. “Tell her my test is over. The word is empathy. I know it.”
3659
“Sammy mou, you always knew it. Close your eyes and let go. I promise the pain will be over when you wake up. You will not lose your legs.”
I looked into his eyes and I knew he was truly a god, his Aspect that of Father. As I thought that, his eyes filled and I slipped peacefully into darkness.
In that confused moment of waking I thought I had overslept, for I sensed it was midday or later. I opened my eyes to find my friends standing over me, their faces filled with awe.
“I’m healed? I can feel it!”
“Healed!! You don’t even bear a scar!” Shida said. Lance laughed nervously.
I did not bother to look. I’d seen it in his eyes as I fell asleep. “Where is he?”
“The five are gone. Soon as he left you, they all departed.”
In shock and grief I could only cry out “No!”
I was shaking with my distress and Golden put his hand on me. “What is wrong? They might return, don’t get upset.”
With my eyes filling I explained. “They were the promise of Lady Melina. She promised nothing would harm our princess. I have betrayed her and our oath by asking for Alki. He healed me instead of her. If any harm comes to her they will no longer be here to save her. Oh god!! I am the traitor I stood accused of being.”
I could not be consoled and life, my knees that worked, my body that was whole, all of it was a curse to me. I did not dare to kill myself as my self loathing demanded, for I owed it to my princess that I be around to protect her. I dared not harm her doubly and yet I could not bear to face her.
Whether the Captain feared I would approach her when told of my grief or whether it was the declaration of treason by the others that he only heard of now, he came to me with a face cold and hard.
“You may have been healed by foreign gods and be in their favour, but you are still under arrest for treason. You will keep away from the princess.”
I had no argument with what he said, but the words bubbled up unbidden. “Erin, is she a human being to you? Do you see a child or only an oath?”
“Our oath is to protect her, whether child or not. You disobey me and I will execute you now.”
“I will not disobey. Erin, someday you will discover that you were the traitor, not I. You only see a princess, an oath, you cannot see the child, the sweet soul that suffers and cries for love. When you do, you will curse what your narrow mind made of you.”
He flung his arm at me, just avoiding hitting me at the last moment. “Stay away from her!”
I sat that night at the edge of the oasis, solitude my only wish so that my nightmare thoughts could play with me without interruptions. As the dawn broke I heard footsteps behind me, but felt no curiosity about their owner.
“I came to ask of you and they told me of your grief. Sammy mou, when will you grow out of thinking up ideas and using them to jump to conclusions?”
Soon as I heard his voice I froze. I swirled around to face him now. “You did not leave, I was wrong?”
“Wrong in every way Sammy. We were not Melina’s promise, you did not use up any such promise and we did not abandon any of you. I needed time alone with my daughter, to speak to her.”
Weakly I grinned, tears pouring down my cheeks. “Family business?”
“You could say so. What are you crying for now?”
“She is still safe. I have not betrayed my oath.”
3660
“You and your damned oath! I never imagined it would turn out to be such a stupid idea!”
“Imagined? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” He made a sound that was very close to a growl. I wondered if he was part bear from ancient times. “Forget it!” He walked away in anger. That kept me sitting where I was for a few more hours trying to unravel his words in a way that would make sense. I gave up when I realised there has to be certain key information I do not have.
When troubles come, they travel like wolves, in packs. As many adults do with regard to children, the guards of Princess Thina underestimated her ability to understand them. One made a comment about the ten of us and the other made a joke about us calling ourselves the sacred 42, saying that in our craziness we cannot even count anymore.
Princess Thina has grown up under very strict rules. Though I do not doubt she broke those she could, as any healthy child would, the main or important ones her instincts taught her she should obey. Breaking rules in a stratified and fossilised society can become a shortcut to an early grave, even if your parents are king and queen - or should I say, especially if they are. She broke an important rule when she sneaked away from her guards while they thought she slept. She must have heard that I kept myself apart, so she searched for me in what she thought were likely spots. Luckily she found me before anyone else found her.
She did not look sneaky. She walked to me with her head held high in that obnoxious way children of royalty are apt to adopt. Her voice was cold and haughty.
“Your treason, you did not explain it.”
I had been through too much to be in the mood for her attitude. “Should I call you your majesty?”
She paled. “They would kill both of us if you did.”
“Nonsense, my head is already forfeit, why should you fear punishment for what I say or do?”
“Sam, they would! Have you not heard of prince Irrod? At nine years old he was caught plotting to take over as king and he was imprisoned for life.”
“You are making that up to frighten me. You know the furthest thought from my mind is to cause you any harm.”
She grinned. “I did not make it up. My nanny did.”
“Nice nannies you princesses have. Thina, here as friend?”
“If you tell me the truth. What was your treason? Why have so many joined you?”
“If you are half as bright as I think you are, you’ve guessed it by now.”
“Of course I have, but I want you to tell me. I did wonder why so many suddenly said I was beautiful and wanted to touch me. People don’t like touching me.”
I ticked off on my fingers to the count of three. “You are female; you are female and, you are female. Whatever your age, it seems you remain female. You know instinctively how to stab a man in his heart. You know very well that you are sweet to touch, but the law says we are not allowed to touch you.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. I wonder why?”
I could tell she was playing a game so I sighed, as if exasperated. “Touching is only a part of it. It is not allowed for a commoner to try to influence the way you think.”
She looked excited. “It is treason to do so?”
“Yes. The reasons are obvious.”
“I don’t care why, I just wanted to know it is true. When I return I can accuse my nanny of trying to influence the way I think. That will get rid of her.”
“You are starting to show your claws Thina. I hadn’t realised you had any.”
“Of course I have! That is why I have a nanny, to learn how to protect myself.”
“What a life. It sounds to me like children of commoners have a better childhood, even if without palaces and servants.”
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)11th December, 2019
- posted: 11th December, 2019
If you wish to read from an earlier book, from Book 01 to Book 05, use this link button to open the LC Book Index:
