Most of all, Ianthe was a lover of horses. Having watched Jana drill her brother at his riding skills, she was determined to ride seriously. “Certainly,” said her mother; “you were never interested before!”
“Mother!” exclaimed Ianthe, indignantly. “I’ve always asked, and you’ve always said no!”
“Stop imagining things, child,” said the Queen. “Dress properly, and by all means learn to ride.”
Most women rode side-saddle, but Jana said it was useless to ride that way. For riding astraddle, the usual women’s dress was a short chiton worn over short trews. Once the garment was ready, Ianthe’s lessons began.
As with knives, she was a natural. She had a natural affinity for horses, was naturally kind to them, and they seemed to return her love. Unfortunately she decided that she could ride any horse at all, which was close enough to the truth to be dangerous. But Jana managed to persuade her that it was better to learn a variety of gaits and maintain control over a horse that to race at a headlong gallop. “A gallop is most likely to end in a broken leg for the horse.”
“And then what happens?”
“The horse must be put down, of course.”
Ianthe gasped. That very evening evening, word came that a horse had stepped in a hole at full gallop, broken its leg, and been put down. Ianthe refused her supper.
Vinegar
Events in the Palace were few in the Summer, and Jana soon learned that it was hopeless to look for anything unusual, as she had been instructed by her King. But one evening, she happened to notice a furtive movement in the kitchen. Leaving her knife throwing, she crept towards the kitchen, only to see someone speed across the courtyard and disappear.
“What? What is it?” asked Sophie coming in from another entrance.
“Someone was just here … and ran off … look carefully; is anything odd, moved … anything?”
Sophie gasped and pointed to the bottle of vinegar. It was still rocking slightly.
“Oh, good eyes, Sophie,” said Jana.
Ianthe had seen most of what had taken place, and had raced off to find the Queen. Now she dragged her into the kitchen.
“What’s the matter?” demanded the Queen, seeing them standing around a bottle of vinegar.
Sophie, wide-eyed gave a hurried summary of the facts, her words tripping over themselves in her anxiety, and finished with a quick curtsy.
“Hector,” snapped the Queen, as one of the male servants arrived, “bring old Menelaus here, at once.”
When Menelaus arrived half an hour later, he announced after careful tests, that the vinegar contained a hard-to-detect slow poison.
“I deeply regret mistrusting you,” said the Queen to Jana, privately, in her own courtyard. “It angered me that my son …”
“Yes … I understand,” said Jana, her head bowed.
The Queen nodded, her eyes lowered. “But in all other respects, I have wronged you, and you have repaid us with loyalty and kindness. You make me humble.”
Jana covered her face, and wept with happiness. The Queen sat silently for a time, rose, patted Jana on the back, and silently left.
The fact that they were vulnerable through the kitchen worried them. The palace guard was doubled, and Jana walked round and round the Palace, wondering how to make the rambling structure more secure. It was not her specialty; all she knew was combat. She and the two children puzzled over it for hours, but came up with nothing.
The old cook kept asking for leave to visit her family, but the Queen dared not let her go for fear that she would be killed, in order that she might be replaced by an agent of the Queen’s enemies.
Finally, it was time for Prince Stefan to return to school, that is, to the commune of scholars at the border of the Horse Plains, at which he spent the greater part of the year. Word was sent to the Horse People, as they had agreed with their King, asking for an escort for the Prince.
“Take Jana,” said the Queen.
The boy glared at his mother.
“Why?”
“Because I trust her to keep you safe.”
“No!”
“May I ask why?”
“Because … as you well know, if we went together … you know what will happen!”
The Queen took a deep breath.
“Child … only be considerate. That’s all I ask!” He was stunned to see tears in his mother’s eyes, not being privy to how the relationship between the women in his life had evolved over the summer months. “I care for the girl!”
He nodded. With a heavy sigh, he departed.
“Come back safe!” Ianthe said, holding Jana tight.
“I will!” laughed Jana, and sprang on her horse. Accompanied by a company of 40 guards, they raced to the border. The King’s Own waited for them there, and the northerners turned and returned home, leaving the Prince under the protection of the Horse People, and Jana.
The nights were sweet for Stefan. His first night on the road, he came to his bodyguard, who did not turn away from him, as she had done for so many months in Heliopolis. Almost sick with love, he hesitantly touched her, and she tenderly put her arms around him, and he listened to her soft breathing, soothing him. But as the days went on, he felt a sad disappointment, even though she was nothing but sweet towards him.
On Jana’s part, she was discovering that it was his defenselessness that had attracted her to him. As he grew stronger and more manly, as her admiration grew, she was less attracted to him emotionally.
The King’s Own was tactful. Jana had earned their respect, for whatever reason, and though the young pair were embarrassed and defensive about their relationship, they were never made fun of, for which they were both grateful. But Jana watched her body’s ecstasy from outside of it, and felt sorrow for the love she no longer felt.
Back in Heliopolis, all was confusion. The Queen had finally relented and sent the old cook home for a brief vacation, and the first thing they knew, a report came back that the woman had died of ‘old age’. “Jana will curse me,” muttered the Queen to Ianthe, bitterly, having already cursed herself silently.
“What could you do?” responded the girl, silently comforting her mother.
Of course, not least of their worries was that they had no cook. Sophie and Nina tried their best to take up the slack, but the fare was bleak. They resolved to get another cook, after one particularly unsuccessful meal. A woman was hired. Sophie, though always polite, confided to the Princess that she didn’t care for the new cook.
One day she crept into the Princess’s room and warned her, “Don’t you touch your food tonight, Lady Ianthe! I don’t know what’s wrong, but she’s acting very strange tonight! She’s done something bad, I’m sure!”
When dinner was served, the cook was brought in, and invited to eat the meal. She protested strongly, but was made to eat it. In minutes she was dead.
Ianthe, Sophie, Nina and the Queen sat together, the little girl Nina sobbing in fear. She had been shocked to see the cook die before her very eyes. “If only Jana would come back,” moaned Ianthe, in a small, hopeless voice.
As it happened, Jana did arrive later that very night. Going first to the women’s barracks --just a few rooms for the handful of women guards-- Jana found a message asking her to come to the Palace no matter how late she got in. To her consternation, on being admitted to the living quarters of the royal family, she was met with a long story of murder and conspiracy. The Queen and her daughter were distracted.
“If only I had known; I would have brought back the King’s Own with me. At least they are loyal!”
“I don’t even trust the Royal Guard after the vinegar incident. They’ve let someone into the grounds,” said the Queen bitterly.
“No, you majesty! The way the Palace is built, it can be gotten into no matter how carefully the guard covers the gates!” Jana explained the liabilities of the Palace. The Palace had been built for beauty and comfort, not defense.
“The roof!” Ianthe cried. “Mother, put sentries on the roof!”
“What are you talking about?” the Queen exclaimed, in puzzlement. It was a long time before Ianthe’s idea was properly understood. The roof was flat, and provided opportunity for surveillance once the occupants had retired for the night.
“For tonight,” said Jana, firmly, “I will keep watch. Get some sleep, all of you!” Ianthe, however, insisted on watching with Jana, while the Queen was sent to bed, and pallets laid out in the Queen’s room for Sophie and little Nina. Unfortunately, Jana had been riding all day, and was very tired.
“Come with me now,” insisted Ianthe, wild-eyed, collecting all her knives. “Bring your bow! Quickly!”
The two of them made a thorough search of the entire Palace. Jana was doubtful about the project but she had not taken Ianthe’s detailed knowledge of the building into account. Every nook and cranny was examined by Ianthe, while Jana stood watch.
Eventually, Jana found herself being led up a flight of steps that seemed to lead up to the sky. But presently it became clear; the tops of the highest walls of the house were actually broad walkways, from which vantage point every inch of the house and grounds could be observed. “I’ll take first watch,” said Ianthe, with determination, Jana’s return having given her courage. In moments, Jana was asleep on the flat roof, wrapped up snugly in a blanket.
It was two in the morning. Ianthe, on a hunch, lay flat on the walkway, only the tip of her nose visible over the edge. As she watched, a shadow detached itself from the corner of the courtyard wall, and crept towards the house.
“Wake up!” hissed Ianthe, tugging at Jana’s arm.
“What … what …”
“Quiet! Look down in the courtyard!”
Jana was disoriented, rubbing her eyes. She was so exhausted, she simply could not wake herself up. Ianthe dared not let the shadow reach the house. She threw her knife at it, knowing she had no hope of hitting it; she had never learned to throw a knife straight down.
There was a gasp, and the shadow ran to the wall. There was a twang, a strangled cry, and suddenly the Royal Guard was giving chase outside the walls.
“You got him! You got him!” squealed Ianthe in excitement, but Jana could not keep her eyes open long; she lay down on her back again, and was fast asleep once more. Ianthe lay down next to her, and pulled a blanket over them both.
The morning light revealed blood spatters down the road outside the Palace, but the trail disappeared a quarter mile away. Later in the day, a naked body was found in the bushes by the roadside, with a knife-wound in its foot, and an arrow in its arm, and its throat cut. There was no means of identifying the body, but one thing was clear: a sentry on the roof was very effective.
For a day or two, nothing happened. A week went by, and then a month. Ianthe’s birthday was celebrated quietly in the Palace, with only Penelope in attendance.
It irked Ianthe to be in Penelope’s company. In her mind, she was too old for Penelope’s childish games. It annoyed her when Penelope whispered to her how she admired Jana, the beautiful warrior-girl. Penelope’s admiration was a childish fancy, while Ianthe’s regard for Jana was, in her mind, something far deeper, more spiritual. Jana had only the slightest inkling of all this; when she wasn’t teaching Ianthe weapons and martial arts, she was exercising with the troops, or worrying about the Queen’s safety.
Jana came up to the stables one day to give Ianthe a riding lesson, when she saw the girl galloping like the wind on the back of a great black stallion she had been firmly forbidden to ride. The next half hour was pure nightmare.
Some of the men attempted to chase the horse, only to make matters worse; the brute ran faster to evade them. Ianthe’s gleeful cries turned to whimpers, and then the stallion tired of rushing around the meadow, jumped the fence effortlessly, and galloped away with the princess on its back. Jana followed on her own big bay mare, Honey.
The adventure ended not with a bang, but a whimper. Several miles from the city, Jana came upon Ianthe and the stallion. She was off his back, but his leg was trapped in a hole, and he was in a panic, and Ianthe was wailing in fear.
“Oh, he’s going to break his leg, he’s going to die!” she sobbed, seeing her friend and protector with relief.
With some difficulty, Jana calmed the girl down first. “If you calm down, he will, too. Will you be calm, my dearest?”
“Yes!” she whimpered, and her breathing slowed, and she gazed on Jana’s face with a glimmer of hope. Jana could do anything! Jana could perform a miracle, and save the horse.
It took five long minutes to calm the horse, and to angle his leg just right in order to lift it out. Ianthe clung to Jana, covering her face with kisses.
The two of them led the big black stallion back some twelve miles on foot. Filled with gratitude, Ianthe talked to the big horse all the way home, telling it all her faults, and cursing herself. There was plenty of time to re-assess her life. In her own sight, Ianthe had never sunk so low, to have endangered the life of such a beautiful animal.
The Queen gave Ianthe a long, grave look. “I think you have learned your lesson.”
“Yes, mother.”
“It is cruel to hurt a horse, because it trusts you.”
“I know!”
“All right.”
“That’s all? No punishment?”
“How can I, my child, when you’re so hurt?”
“Oh mother!” wept Ianthe.
The painful incident brought Jana and Ianthe far closer together than before. Though Jana was considered Ianthe’s personal guard and companion, in her heart Ianthe resolved that she would be Jana’s faithful friend for life, loving her above all others. There was no one better, on whom to bestow her love.
[Next: Episode 8]
K
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Jana, Episode 6
Ianthe watched from the shadows behind a high window overlooking the courtyard. At first her eyes were round with amazement at how much Stefan knew, considering he had never held a sword before he left the castle last August. Could Jana have taught him starting from nothing? She tried to imagine herself doing it.
After a while, she became bored with it, but watched anyway, for any tell-tale signs of seduction, or mushy behavior, soulful looks, and such. Would the girl make eyes at her brother? But they were padded to the eyeballs; it was as unromantic as it was possible to imagine. Now the action became faster and wilder. Ianthe could see that it was indeed a dance. Faster, faster, faster they moved, thrust and parry, feint and lunge, attack and retreat, moves for which she had no words. Then they collapsed on the ground, and panted. The foreign girl was making Stefan drink water all the time. Then it was quarter staves. Their tunics were soaked in perspiration. They pulled off their tunics, and sparred away in padding and loincloths only.
Half an hour of archery practice. There was a fine collection of bows, in the northern style, and lots of arrows. After his accuracy got sufficiently good, she focused on his speed. Quiver at the hip. He had to pull the arrow, draw and release, in one smooth motion, over and over. Finally he threw the bow down, and sat on the steps.
“What did you tell her?”
Jana came to sit across from him. She covered her cheeks in shame.
“I told her... I took responsibility...”
“Oh dear gods!” Stefan was aghast; Jana had as good as confessed that they had slept together.
“... For my part of it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m a girl, you’re a boy, and we...”
“You told her that?” he asked, exasperated.
“Think! You asked the King to bring me here! What will anyone think? They’re not stupid, you know! I only admitted that all the --lust --was not on your side!”
Stefan groaned. “Now she’ll think you’re some greedy adventuress, after what she can get out of us!”
Jana laughed, without humor.
“Blunt swords,” she said. “Get up!”
The Queen joined Ianthe at the window.
“What are they up to?”
“Bashing each other’s brains out,” said Ianthe, thoughtfully. “They break for water, every now and then. Sometimes they sit and talk between bouts.”
“Any touching, any -- you know, making eyes at each other?”
“Not so far. Serious talking, though.”
“No doubt saying how cruel I am.”
“Well, were you?”
“Child, the girl seduced him!”
Ianthe looked at her mother, wide-eyed. Stefan had more or less confessed something like that. She turned back to watch the sparring. “What good could she expect to have gotten out of it?”
“Who knows? People get foolish notions!”
They watched the fierce battle together for a while.
“Why are they fighting naked?” demanded the Queen.
“Mother, just look! Sweating like that, what could they wear?”
Life at the Palace
Gradually, Jana’s life settled down into a routine. Breakfast was always in the Royal kitchen, with Sophie and little Nina. Lunch was with the Prince, and more recently, also with the Princess. Then there was riding in the afternoons, after which Jana was free. She practiced her knife-throwing in the courtyard, or the exercises for her unarmed combat. These two arts were the province of women, and Jana never thought to teach them to the Prince.
Supper was in the barracks, and then it was bed with Andromache. Andromache and her friends drew Jana into their circle, so that she had people to talk to, when she was lonely. At the palace, Cook, little Nina and Sophie were always warm and friendly, but they were never at leisure to simply visit. There was always work to be done; cooking, sewing, mending, tidying, and generally looking after the Queen and her children, and running messages between the administrative side of the palace and the Queen.
Jana never asked for a bed of her own; she became accustomed to Andromache, a warm affectionate girl, and in time Andromache’s wild thrashing about at night ceased as she learned to sleep quietly with her arms around Jana. Jana was considered a part of the Palace Guard, and invited for all their functions and entertainments, and Jana began to feel at home in the City.
One day while Jana was practicing her knife-throwing in the courtyard by herself, she happened to look up, and saw Ianthe watching from a window. She beckoned the girl down to the courtyard. Soon she joined Jana with a grin, her merry blue eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Would you like to learn knife-throwing?” Jana asked, “You never know when it might come in handy!”
“I would like that, thanks!”
“Come, let’s start close to the target. Bend your legs, like this, and ... straight in. Now you try.”
Ianthe bent her legs, and to her surprise, her first throw shot the knife straight into the target, all the way in. By supper time, Ianthe could hit the target from ten paces away, a skill that usually took considerably longer to acquire.
“What is that other thing you do,” she asked, “like a dance, kicking and so forth?”
And so Jana found herself teaching both brother and sister.
A few weeks after Jana’s arrival, the Queen and Ianthe met to discuss matters.
“Stefan is crazy about her,” Ianthe said.
“Yes,” growled the Queen.
“They’re never alone together except in the practice court.” The Queen nodded with a sigh. “He keeps trying to get her to come up to his room, but she won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Trust me, I know!”
“You’re far too precocious!”
“I’m only trying to help you, my Lady.”
“Go on.”
“She’s an excellent teacher. She’s taught me knife-throwing!”
“Oh my child!” the Queen exclaimed, horrified.
“It’s perfectly safe,” laughed Ianthe, “I’ve never hit Jana once! And Stefan watches us all the time.” The Queen regarded her daughter skeptically. “I saw him, that’s how I know!”
“Go on.”
“She has hardly any clothes. She has three tunics, the black one, the green-edged brown uniform, and a grey one borrowed from someone.” The Queen said nothing. “Each night she washes her tunics, and wears them the next day.”
“Ianthe, be careful. This is a dangerous girl, not what she appears to be. We have no idea whom she is working for; it could be anybody!”
“Well, whoever it is, they should give her better clothes!”
Jana was surprised when she was sent for after supper one night. She was measured by the Royal Seamstress, and shortly afterwards she received several tunics, shifts and dresses. Jana liked the simple dress of Queen Ione’s people. The women wore simple, loose, sleeveless tunics of various lengths, sometimes slit on the sides, for ease of movement, and often with a belt or sash at the waist. For formal occasions, as among the horse-people, the women wore in addition shawls or veils. The men wore belted tunics, sometimes with a shawl thrown over the shoulder. For hard labor, men and women alike wore loincloths or breechclouts, sometimes with a singlet, as Jana and Stefan had done.
An unanticipated by-product of Ianthe’s constant spying on Jana was that she was coming to realize not only Jana’s good nature and character, but to appreciate her beauty. It was impossible to watch her hour after hour without noticing her grace and balance, the perfection of her musculature. She was a beautiful animal, and Ianthe came to admire her without realizing it. No one could compare, man or woman, to the muscular perfection of Jana’s legs, the smooth strength of her arms, and not even her loose tunic could disguise the depth of her chest. On the other hand, most of what Ianthe saw from her window was the top of Jana’s head, the streaky blonde hair pulled back and tied with leather. Ianthe began to notice, with amused wonder, how she looked forward to seeing that sleek head again whenever Jana went out to the fields for a long run.
On a market day, one time, it was arranged that the Queen, Stefan and Ianthe would go out to the city with Jana, Sophie and Little Nina, to sacrifice at the temples, and show Jana a little of the culture of the City. Jana was made to wear more feminine garb, and leave her sword behind. Ianthe assured her mother that Jana needed no weapons to be an effective guard for them.
Though Markets in most cities were similar in many ways, there were also startling differences, in the ways wares were laid out, the variety of available merchandise, the process of buying, not to mention the interaction between customers. Jana found that it was far more fascinating than she could have imagined, even if many of the things she saw on the way were quite familiar. The delight that the other four found in every little thing doubled and tripled Jana’s own pleasure; Nina went into raptures about such things as polished pebbles. Jana spent all her money on gifts for Sophie and Nina, while Ianthe bought her little ornaments and a small piece of jewelry she could wear on a chain, or pin to a tunic. Much as Stefan might have liked to buy Jana a gift, it was not permitted.
The people paused in their haggling to stare at the Queen, as could have been expected, but the party’s little visit did not disrupt business unduly. The Queen did not buy anything, only looked at the merchandise with polite interest. It was an effort for Ianthe to make shopkeepers accept her money, since they were eager to give the pretty child whatever she desired as a gift. On the other hand, it was considered auspicious to have the Princess or the Prince make a purchase, according to local superstition, which made for an interesting experience altogether.
As they walked from one group of shops to the next, Jana placed herself between the Queen and the street, and the watchful eyes of the foreign girl were remarked by many in quiet whispers. The Queen herself could not help feeling particularly safe with Jana near. Jana laid her hands on the Queen only once, when she tripped on a bit of uneven pavement, and found herself steadied immediately by a pair of large, warm hands. She turned and thanked Jana, with a smile, and Jana withdrew her hands politely.
They returned to the Palace by way of the duck pond, and of course the children had to feed the fish and the ducks, and the Queen waited at the guard post nearby with the Prince and Sophie, while Jana took Ianthe and Nina to obtain the little bowl of food to feed them, and to watch that Nina did not fall in as she did the feeding. The girl of the Horse People was happy that day, and the Queen marveled at how her joy lit her face. Her rather plain face was transformed by pleasure and happiness, in contrast to the look of gloom she seemed to normally wear.
Ianthe’s warmth towards Jana was quickly serving to distract the latter from her misery, and despite all her suspicions, the Queen began to distrust Jana a lot less. Once it was verified that Jana did not communicate with anyone on her runs in the fields, it was obvious that she was not in touch with anyone outside the palace grounds. Jana, it appeared, was not a spy.
The Pool
Now there was an enclosed pool adjoining the palace near the sea, where at high tide the Royal Family could bathe and swim in privacy. Stefan was allowed to go there, but the Queen would not let Ianthe go. Young Lady Penelope, Ianthe’s closest friend, having remembered the pool, pestered her to have a bathing picnic there. “The Lady Jana could watch us, we would be perfectly safe!”
This was a good idea. Ianthe took it to the Queen, who decided to allow it. A picnic was prepared, and the girls conducted Jana to the pool.
It was a lovely building, with high walls for privacy, a section for washing in fresh water, and a large pool for swimming and bathing, and benches on which a picnic could be eaten. The girls carefully undressed, with Jana’s help, all the way down to the skin, to Jana’s discomfiture. She did not know how to act with two quite nude ladies of the high nobility. Penelope, a beautiful green-eyed blonde child with an innocent, almost angelic disposition sometimes turned into a wild thing in Ianthe’s company. Once they were in the water, Penelope’s silly side came to the fore. She spent as much time prancing around the pool as in the water, dancing and showing off her pretty body, flaunting herself to an imaginary audience.
Penelope had always been admiring of Jana, and after a particularly silly episode, Penelope saw Jana look mildly disapproving. To her amazement, she noticed that Jana was in a bathing cloth. Ianthe had seen it, and realized that it was a cultural issue, that Jana’s people must surely have different standards of modesty. They thought nothing of sparring with blunt swords almost naked, but nude bathing was possibly not ever indulged in --which was absolutely correct, as it happened. Penelope, though, was affronted. No one should bathe with clothes on! It was mortifying to be capering around naked, when Lady Jana --as she called the humble Horse Officer -- was skulking wrapped in a cloth. “Off, off, off it comes!” called Penelope, pointing accusingly at the bathing-cloth, and Ianthe decided to side with her friend. Faced with two determined girls who wanted to get her naked, Jana gave in with good grace.
For a long while Ianthe stared at Jana’s naked body in awe. The parts of Jana that were usually visible were as nothing compared to what they saw now, as Jana went to lay her cloth on the bench. Now her chest, her abdomen, all of her was revealed, and how harmonious was the whole!
“You are beautiful,” Ianthe whispered, and Penelope stopped her antics, and looked.
“Yes, you are,” agreed Penelope, in a hushed voice, “like a very goddess.”
“So are you both,” said Jana with natural humility, and sincerity.
The two girls eyed each other, truly seeing each other for the first time.
“It’s getting chilly,” said Jana.
“It’s time to dry up,” agreed Ianthe, a little red in the face.
“Picnic time!” sang Penelope, who could not be subdued for long.
“Oh, my Lady,” said Penelope to the Queen later, “we had the most wonderful time!”
“And what did you do?” asked the Queen.
“Well, we swam,” said Penelope, leaving the Queen to imagine what other mischief she had gotten up to.
For Ianthe, though, that afternoon was a turning-point. She recognized the admiration for Jana that had lain hidden in her heart. She loved beauty in all its forms, and as she had declared so frankly, Jana was a beauty in her eyes. When Jana fought, or practiced her unarmed combat, or knife-throwing, or fencing, it was pure poetry in motion.
K
After a while, she became bored with it, but watched anyway, for any tell-tale signs of seduction, or mushy behavior, soulful looks, and such. Would the girl make eyes at her brother? But they were padded to the eyeballs; it was as unromantic as it was possible to imagine. Now the action became faster and wilder. Ianthe could see that it was indeed a dance. Faster, faster, faster they moved, thrust and parry, feint and lunge, attack and retreat, moves for which she had no words. Then they collapsed on the ground, and panted. The foreign girl was making Stefan drink water all the time. Then it was quarter staves. Their tunics were soaked in perspiration. They pulled off their tunics, and sparred away in padding and loincloths only.
Half an hour of archery practice. There was a fine collection of bows, in the northern style, and lots of arrows. After his accuracy got sufficiently good, she focused on his speed. Quiver at the hip. He had to pull the arrow, draw and release, in one smooth motion, over and over. Finally he threw the bow down, and sat on the steps.
“What did you tell her?”
Jana came to sit across from him. She covered her cheeks in shame.
“I told her... I took responsibility...”
“Oh dear gods!” Stefan was aghast; Jana had as good as confessed that they had slept together.
“... For my part of it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m a girl, you’re a boy, and we...”
“You told her that?” he asked, exasperated.
“Think! You asked the King to bring me here! What will anyone think? They’re not stupid, you know! I only admitted that all the --lust --was not on your side!”
Stefan groaned. “Now she’ll think you’re some greedy adventuress, after what she can get out of us!”
Jana laughed, without humor.
“Blunt swords,” she said. “Get up!”
The Queen joined Ianthe at the window.
“What are they up to?”
“Bashing each other’s brains out,” said Ianthe, thoughtfully. “They break for water, every now and then. Sometimes they sit and talk between bouts.”
“Any touching, any -- you know, making eyes at each other?”
“Not so far. Serious talking, though.”
“No doubt saying how cruel I am.”
“Well, were you?”
“Child, the girl seduced him!”
Ianthe looked at her mother, wide-eyed. Stefan had more or less confessed something like that. She turned back to watch the sparring. “What good could she expect to have gotten out of it?”
“Who knows? People get foolish notions!”
They watched the fierce battle together for a while.
“Why are they fighting naked?” demanded the Queen.
“Mother, just look! Sweating like that, what could they wear?”
Life at the Palace
Gradually, Jana’s life settled down into a routine. Breakfast was always in the Royal kitchen, with Sophie and little Nina. Lunch was with the Prince, and more recently, also with the Princess. Then there was riding in the afternoons, after which Jana was free. She practiced her knife-throwing in the courtyard, or the exercises for her unarmed combat. These two arts were the province of women, and Jana never thought to teach them to the Prince.
Supper was in the barracks, and then it was bed with Andromache. Andromache and her friends drew Jana into their circle, so that she had people to talk to, when she was lonely. At the palace, Cook, little Nina and Sophie were always warm and friendly, but they were never at leisure to simply visit. There was always work to be done; cooking, sewing, mending, tidying, and generally looking after the Queen and her children, and running messages between the administrative side of the palace and the Queen.
Jana never asked for a bed of her own; she became accustomed to Andromache, a warm affectionate girl, and in time Andromache’s wild thrashing about at night ceased as she learned to sleep quietly with her arms around Jana. Jana was considered a part of the Palace Guard, and invited for all their functions and entertainments, and Jana began to feel at home in the City.
One day while Jana was practicing her knife-throwing in the courtyard by herself, she happened to look up, and saw Ianthe watching from a window. She beckoned the girl down to the courtyard. Soon she joined Jana with a grin, her merry blue eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Would you like to learn knife-throwing?” Jana asked, “You never know when it might come in handy!”
“I would like that, thanks!”
“Come, let’s start close to the target. Bend your legs, like this, and ... straight in. Now you try.”
Ianthe bent her legs, and to her surprise, her first throw shot the knife straight into the target, all the way in. By supper time, Ianthe could hit the target from ten paces away, a skill that usually took considerably longer to acquire.
“What is that other thing you do,” she asked, “like a dance, kicking and so forth?”
And so Jana found herself teaching both brother and sister.
A few weeks after Jana’s arrival, the Queen and Ianthe met to discuss matters.
“Stefan is crazy about her,” Ianthe said.
“Yes,” growled the Queen.
“They’re never alone together except in the practice court.” The Queen nodded with a sigh. “He keeps trying to get her to come up to his room, but she won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Trust me, I know!”
“You’re far too precocious!”
“I’m only trying to help you, my Lady.”
“Go on.”
“She’s an excellent teacher. She’s taught me knife-throwing!”
“Oh my child!” the Queen exclaimed, horrified.
“It’s perfectly safe,” laughed Ianthe, “I’ve never hit Jana once! And Stefan watches us all the time.” The Queen regarded her daughter skeptically. “I saw him, that’s how I know!”
“Go on.”
“She has hardly any clothes. She has three tunics, the black one, the green-edged brown uniform, and a grey one borrowed from someone.” The Queen said nothing. “Each night she washes her tunics, and wears them the next day.”
“Ianthe, be careful. This is a dangerous girl, not what she appears to be. We have no idea whom she is working for; it could be anybody!”
“Well, whoever it is, they should give her better clothes!”
Jana was surprised when she was sent for after supper one night. She was measured by the Royal Seamstress, and shortly afterwards she received several tunics, shifts and dresses. Jana liked the simple dress of Queen Ione’s people. The women wore simple, loose, sleeveless tunics of various lengths, sometimes slit on the sides, for ease of movement, and often with a belt or sash at the waist. For formal occasions, as among the horse-people, the women wore in addition shawls or veils. The men wore belted tunics, sometimes with a shawl thrown over the shoulder. For hard labor, men and women alike wore loincloths or breechclouts, sometimes with a singlet, as Jana and Stefan had done.
An unanticipated by-product of Ianthe’s constant spying on Jana was that she was coming to realize not only Jana’s good nature and character, but to appreciate her beauty. It was impossible to watch her hour after hour without noticing her grace and balance, the perfection of her musculature. She was a beautiful animal, and Ianthe came to admire her without realizing it. No one could compare, man or woman, to the muscular perfection of Jana’s legs, the smooth strength of her arms, and not even her loose tunic could disguise the depth of her chest. On the other hand, most of what Ianthe saw from her window was the top of Jana’s head, the streaky blonde hair pulled back and tied with leather. Ianthe began to notice, with amused wonder, how she looked forward to seeing that sleek head again whenever Jana went out to the fields for a long run.
On a market day, one time, it was arranged that the Queen, Stefan and Ianthe would go out to the city with Jana, Sophie and Little Nina, to sacrifice at the temples, and show Jana a little of the culture of the City. Jana was made to wear more feminine garb, and leave her sword behind. Ianthe assured her mother that Jana needed no weapons to be an effective guard for them.
Though Markets in most cities were similar in many ways, there were also startling differences, in the ways wares were laid out, the variety of available merchandise, the process of buying, not to mention the interaction between customers. Jana found that it was far more fascinating than she could have imagined, even if many of the things she saw on the way were quite familiar. The delight that the other four found in every little thing doubled and tripled Jana’s own pleasure; Nina went into raptures about such things as polished pebbles. Jana spent all her money on gifts for Sophie and Nina, while Ianthe bought her little ornaments and a small piece of jewelry she could wear on a chain, or pin to a tunic. Much as Stefan might have liked to buy Jana a gift, it was not permitted.
The people paused in their haggling to stare at the Queen, as could have been expected, but the party’s little visit did not disrupt business unduly. The Queen did not buy anything, only looked at the merchandise with polite interest. It was an effort for Ianthe to make shopkeepers accept her money, since they were eager to give the pretty child whatever she desired as a gift. On the other hand, it was considered auspicious to have the Princess or the Prince make a purchase, according to local superstition, which made for an interesting experience altogether.
As they walked from one group of shops to the next, Jana placed herself between the Queen and the street, and the watchful eyes of the foreign girl were remarked by many in quiet whispers. The Queen herself could not help feeling particularly safe with Jana near. Jana laid her hands on the Queen only once, when she tripped on a bit of uneven pavement, and found herself steadied immediately by a pair of large, warm hands. She turned and thanked Jana, with a smile, and Jana withdrew her hands politely.
They returned to the Palace by way of the duck pond, and of course the children had to feed the fish and the ducks, and the Queen waited at the guard post nearby with the Prince and Sophie, while Jana took Ianthe and Nina to obtain the little bowl of food to feed them, and to watch that Nina did not fall in as she did the feeding. The girl of the Horse People was happy that day, and the Queen marveled at how her joy lit her face. Her rather plain face was transformed by pleasure and happiness, in contrast to the look of gloom she seemed to normally wear.
Ianthe’s warmth towards Jana was quickly serving to distract the latter from her misery, and despite all her suspicions, the Queen began to distrust Jana a lot less. Once it was verified that Jana did not communicate with anyone on her runs in the fields, it was obvious that she was not in touch with anyone outside the palace grounds. Jana, it appeared, was not a spy.
The Pool
Now there was an enclosed pool adjoining the palace near the sea, where at high tide the Royal Family could bathe and swim in privacy. Stefan was allowed to go there, but the Queen would not let Ianthe go. Young Lady Penelope, Ianthe’s closest friend, having remembered the pool, pestered her to have a bathing picnic there. “The Lady Jana could watch us, we would be perfectly safe!”
This was a good idea. Ianthe took it to the Queen, who decided to allow it. A picnic was prepared, and the girls conducted Jana to the pool.
It was a lovely building, with high walls for privacy, a section for washing in fresh water, and a large pool for swimming and bathing, and benches on which a picnic could be eaten. The girls carefully undressed, with Jana’s help, all the way down to the skin, to Jana’s discomfiture. She did not know how to act with two quite nude ladies of the high nobility. Penelope, a beautiful green-eyed blonde child with an innocent, almost angelic disposition sometimes turned into a wild thing in Ianthe’s company. Once they were in the water, Penelope’s silly side came to the fore. She spent as much time prancing around the pool as in the water, dancing and showing off her pretty body, flaunting herself to an imaginary audience.
Penelope had always been admiring of Jana, and after a particularly silly episode, Penelope saw Jana look mildly disapproving. To her amazement, she noticed that Jana was in a bathing cloth. Ianthe had seen it, and realized that it was a cultural issue, that Jana’s people must surely have different standards of modesty. They thought nothing of sparring with blunt swords almost naked, but nude bathing was possibly not ever indulged in --which was absolutely correct, as it happened. Penelope, though, was affronted. No one should bathe with clothes on! It was mortifying to be capering around naked, when Lady Jana --as she called the humble Horse Officer -- was skulking wrapped in a cloth. “Off, off, off it comes!” called Penelope, pointing accusingly at the bathing-cloth, and Ianthe decided to side with her friend. Faced with two determined girls who wanted to get her naked, Jana gave in with good grace.
For a long while Ianthe stared at Jana’s naked body in awe. The parts of Jana that were usually visible were as nothing compared to what they saw now, as Jana went to lay her cloth on the bench. Now her chest, her abdomen, all of her was revealed, and how harmonious was the whole!
“You are beautiful,” Ianthe whispered, and Penelope stopped her antics, and looked.
“Yes, you are,” agreed Penelope, in a hushed voice, “like a very goddess.”
“So are you both,” said Jana with natural humility, and sincerity.
The two girls eyed each other, truly seeing each other for the first time.
“It’s getting chilly,” said Jana.
“It’s time to dry up,” agreed Ianthe, a little red in the face.
“Picnic time!” sang Penelope, who could not be subdued for long.
“Oh, my Lady,” said Penelope to the Queen later, “we had the most wonderful time!”
“And what did you do?” asked the Queen.
“Well, we swam,” said Penelope, leaving the Queen to imagine what other mischief she had gotten up to.
For Ianthe, though, that afternoon was a turning-point. She recognized the admiration for Jana that had lain hidden in her heart. She loved beauty in all its forms, and as she had declared so frankly, Jana was a beauty in her eyes. When Jana fought, or practiced her unarmed combat, or knife-throwing, or fencing, it was pure poetry in motion.
K
Monday, January 4, 2010
Jana, Episode 5
[Earlier episodes are here: 1, 2, 3, 4]
Jana woke up in a strange bed, next to Andromache. As she stirred, the girl of the city opened her pretty brown eyes. “Oh, good morning, Jana!” she greeted her new friend, sitting up and stretching. She was as tall as Jana, but her skin was more delicate, and still bore the marks of the crushed bedclothes on which she had slept.
“You thrashed about all night,” Jana told her, as the girl got to her feet, easy in her nakedness, all suppleness and grace. Accustomed as Jana was to have her legs and arms bare, nudity was still strange to her. She had never seen a naked woman before.
Andromache laughed. “I always do that; I’m sorry! My bedclothes are always on the floor when I wake!” She had a pretty laugh. She was more woman than warrior, Jana thought, feeling drawn to her. Providentially, there was a separate bath for the few women guards, and they all bathed naked, making Jana blush. Among the horse-people, one bathed at wells or in rivers, with a bathing-cloth; never like this! But the girls said nothing to embarrass Jana. They scrubbed each other and wiped each other dry as if it was the most ordinary thing. Jana had to endure Andromache wiping her, and had to return the favor. At least they were not men, she thought to herself.
“What a pity it is, that you must go! We had such fun together!”
Jana hung her head, wrapping a towel about herself. “But I must stay,” she said. “The King said that I must serve here.”
“Oh, wonderful!” said Andromache, clearly delighted. She gave Jana a quick hug, and stepped back to smile. “Don’t be sad; see, already you have friends! We will make you comfortable here! And the prince is a decent little fellow; they are good people.”
“I know,” said Jana, thinking that he was not such a little fellow as all that. But the prospect of having Stefan panting after her every day made her want to return home.
Jana came to the dining room, and stood gloomily watching her troop eat breakfast.
“Why don’t you eat, soldier?” asked the Captain, making room for her. He was fond of her, and as unhappy to leave her behind as she was to stay. But orders were orders.
Jana kept standing. “I have been asked to come to the palace for breakfast, my lord Captain,” she said, unable to stop the tears filling her eyes.
“You knew all along that you’d have to stay,” said the Captain, gently.
“I was hoping, by some miracle ...” a big tear rolled down Jana’s cheek.
The captain’s face became red. He glared about him, and the men who were watching suddenly became interested in their breakfasts.
He got to his feet. “Kindly follow me, soldier!” he said, and marched to the door and outside. Jana swallowed, and obeyed.
“Attention!”
Jana snapped to attention.
“You will report to the Palace now. At seven-thirty, the troop will be at the Palace grounds, ready to present arms to the Queen. When the Queen has reviewed the troop, I will place you on detached duty. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Captain!” Anger and hurt warred with an irrational desire to laugh inside Jana.
The Captain smiled. “At ease soldier!”
Jana giggled. Already, she missed the Captain, and he hadn’t even left yet.
“People are people, Jana,” he said kindly. “These folk will like you, just as the troopers did. When your work is done, the Horse People will always be there, and the King’s Own!” He punched her on the shoulder, and went inside.
Andromache ran around the back to meet her. “What’s up?” she asked, looking worried.
Jana managed a smile for her. “I have to go the Palace, I told you!” She heaved a long sigh of misery. “I should get my things ...”
“Oh, just go! I will keep your things safe with me, Jana!”
Jana nodded, and turned towards the Palace. It was good to have Andromache as a friend here.
Knowing her way only to the front steps, Jana went there. To her surprise, the Prince was waiting at the doors, with the Princess peeking out from behind him.
“Welcome!” he cried, happily, stepping aside to let her in, and Jana bowed to the bright-eyed Princess, who seemed interested to see Jana in full daylight. They conducted her to the Palace kitchen.
The Kitchen was actually one of two, Jana later found out. This was the bigger kitchen, a large room, actually a courtyard, open to the sky, with covered stoves, ovens and fireplaces along the sides, which were roofed over, and a large marble table in the center, with stone benches around it. It was as large as Ole and Eva’s house and yard taken together. Jana was made to sit at the table, and a plate of warm bread was brought to her, and another of cold meats, and a bowl of fruit. A smiling girl of about seven brought her a mug of milk.
“When you’re done, the Queen would like to meet you, Jana! One of the girls will show you in! Enjoy your meal!” With those words, the Prince departed to join the family.
There were two girls, the younger one was about seven, and the older one could have been anything from twelve to eighteen. They both warmed Jana with friendly grins, and an elderly woman watched with a smile from the vicinity of the oven. They were all dressed, like Jana, in dark colored tunics, the little one’s tunic so long that it flopped over her belt a good six inches.
Jana dug into the food, discovering she was hungry.
“What’s your name?” Jana asked the little one, between bites.
“Nina, Lady!” she answered, with a quick little curtsey and a smile.
“I’m not a lady,” Jana said, washing down a mouthful with a sip of milk, “I’m a soldier. You can call me Jana.”
“I’m Sophie,” said the older girl, and Jana nodded politely, her mouth full.
“This is good,” said Jana appreciatively, pointing at the food, and swallowing an extra-large mouthful. The girls giggled merrily.
Suddenly, Jana remembered about the presenting of arms at seven-thirty.
“Where is the Queen?” she asked in alarm.
“Inside,” said Sophie, wide-eyed.
“Tell them,” said Jana, anxiously, “that the Horse People will be at the Palace steps at seven-thirty to present arms to the Queen!”
Sophie scooted off, and Jana concentrated on trying to eat as fast as she could.
She heard footsteps behind her. It was the Queen herself; Jana saw the resemblance between her and the children, except that instead of being slightly built, she was a large woman, tall and regal. She was dressed in a white chiton of the finest linen, with a heavy blue border, and her hair was braided and pinned up on her head, and she was beautiful. Jana chewed her mouthful, and got to her feet, swallowing with difficulty. She knelt and bowed quickly.
“Please sit, girl,” said the Queen. “You must be Jana.” The blue eyes studied her coolly.
“Yes, your majesty!” said Jana, sitting nervously.
“Take your time and eat. I’ll keep them busy until you get there! I take it you’re supposed to be there to see them off?”
“I will be placed on detached assignment, my lady, -- I mean, your majesty!” Jana heard a quickly smothered giggle from behind her.
“As is proper. Eat slowly.”
And the Queen went inside. Jana tried to eat slowly, thinking that thieves would have a wonderful time breaking into this palace, with its open courtyards.
Despite the Queen’s instructions, Jana finished her breakfast in fifteen minutes, finishing up the last of the milk, and let out a cheerful belch, startling herself, and thoroughly amusing little Nina. Jana had dressed in the uniform of the King’s Own, without the arms and the armor. Jana marched to the door of the Queen’s private dining-room, preceded by Sophie, and stood at attention while Sophie knocked. She could see Sophie’s intelligent eyes taking in everything about her. It was the young princess who opened the door, and shortly they all emerged; the Queen, the Prince and the Princess. “Come,” said the Queen to Jana, “we must greet your people with the proper respect. Follow us, and come forward after I finish speaking to them.”
“Yes, my lady. I mean ...”
“That will be fine!”
“Yes, my lady.” They all headed out to the steps.
Suspicious as she had been of the infamous Jana, the Queen thought that she looked hardly the calculating vixen she had expected. It was even more surprising that the unprepossessing girl could have wrought such positive changes in her son. She decided that it must be homesickness that kept the girl so off-balance. Now it remained to review the contingent of Horse People, and thank them.
Arrayed in the courtyard were the forty troops that had escorted her son home from the horse lands. They had kept him safe, taught him a number of new things, and had stolen his heart! She sighed.
There was a fearful noise, and she realized it was the call to present arms in the language of the horse people. As one, the swords were drawn and held in salute. The horses were perfectly still. The Captain dismounted, handing his reins to his second, and marched smartly up the steps.
“Your Majesty!” He knelt quickly, and rose at once, standing smartly at attention.
“Welcome, er, ...”
“Captain, your Majesty!”
“Welcome, Captain.”
“I bring you greetings from his Majesty, King Ahaz of the tribes and lands of the Horse People!”
“What were your orders, Captain?”
“We were to conduct your son safely home, and if it suited your majesty, to station with you Trooper Jana, who had begun His Highness’s training in arms!”
The Queen regarded the Captain’s handsome face.
“Is she a spy, Captain?”
After a moment’s confusion, the Captain grinned.
“I was not informed, your majesty! To the best of my knowledge, the King stands behind your throne. No doubt detailed diplomatic messages will be arriving presently!”
“No doubt,” agreed the Queen, with a dry smile. “Captain, I would like to state my thanks to your troops directly. Will you translate?”
The Captain gestured graciously towards his men, and informed her that no translation was needed; she would be understood perfectly. The Queen declared in a voice that carried to every rider, and not any further, that the Horse People had been more than kind to her and her son, and that she was deeply indebted to them all.
The troops shouted their appreciation with one voice, with big smiles. The Queen acknowledged them with a smile and a gracious inclination of her head.
Standing at the top of the Palace steps, Jana realized for the first time the enormous size of the City laid out before her; with terrace upon terrace of great buildings, all the way down to the sea. Her countrymen would shortly be leaving. She felt thoroughly homesick, and a huge lump rose in her throat. The Captain saluted to the Queen, and marched halfway down the steps to an extra wide step a little below where the Queen stood.
“Trooper Jana, step forward!” Jana went down the steps, and marched to the Captain. “You are hereby promoted to Horse Officer, first class,” he said, and stepped forward to place a ribbon in her hand. Jana was taken totally by surprise. “Secondly, at the order of the King, you are herewith placed on detached duty under the orders of her Majesty Queen Ione!” He handed her a scroll tied and sealed, and stepped back. They both saluted, after which the Captain ran down the steps, bowed to the Queen, mounted his horse, and the troop left, in beautiful order. Jana was proud and homesick all at once. She watched, as they rode away along the south road through the city, until they were out of sight. Then Jana turned towards the palace, her heart heavy inside her.
Ianthe watched Stefan, as Stefan watched Jana, who watched her troop depart, with sad eyes. Her eyes were dry as she turned towards them. How grim she looks, Ianthe thought. Can she long for the plains, when she can be here, in fair Heliopolis?
“Come Jana, I want to talk to you.” The Queen’s voice had an edge to it, and Ianthe felt pity for the big warrior.
They were in a small audience-chamber. The Queen was seated in a small throne-like chair, and Ianthe sat on a low stool. “Why were you given to teach the boy arms?”
“He said he was afraid to be taught by a man, my Lady.”
“Yet he seems confident enough with the men!”
“He even drilled with the Captain, my Lady.”
“What has he learned?”
Jana recited a list of the Prince’s accomplishments. The Queen appeared impressed. Now it was time for the more difficult questions.
“Why were you sent here, Jana? We have instructors here; there are even women here, who could teach the Prince. Why?”
Jana hung her head. “When our patrol fought off the cats that had attacked his party, we took the prince into custody. At that time ... at that time ... he became attached to me, my Lady.” The Queen made a strong effort to shield herself against those sad grey eyes. “When we reached the palace, the Prince persuaded the King to ... to send me home with him.”
“What wiles did you use to charm him, girl?”
Jana slowly looked up, her face proud.
“I did not know he was a prince, your majesty. I saw a frightened boy, and had pity on him!” There was a brief silence, and Jana hung her head. “I was ready to leave with the troop, your majesty, but ... their Highnesses, your children intervened, my lady!”
“Children?” Jana nodded. She did not feel in the least like a proud soldier, but rather like a thief caught with the goods.
“Look at me!” Jana raised her head, to meet the eyes of the Queen. “My daughter asked you to stay?”
“Yes.” She drew a long breath, almost a sigh. “Perhaps, ... perhaps in loyalty to the young Prince, my lady.”
“But the King ordered you to my court.”
Would it never end?
“Yes, your majesty.”
“And what did he say?”
Jana close her eyes and hung her head. This was awful. Must she betray the King, too?
“Speak, girl! Do you bring evil here?”
“He told me to keep my eyes open!”
“Did he indeed?” the Queen breathed. “What does he want with us? Is he not satisfied with his lands? Will he make slaves of us, then?”
With hysteria threatening, Jana was as calm as ice.
“No, your majesty. He was very clear. He has no designs on your throne.”
“What were his words? Think carefully!”
“He said: “I need Ione to be strong!” Begging your pardon, your Majesty. Those were his words.”
The Queen slowly exhaled, and with her breath slowly departed most of her anger and fear.
“You may stay -- for a while, Horse Officer Jana.” Jana rose to her feet. “Sit! I have not dismissed you yet!” Jana slowly sat back down. “As I said, you may stay for a while.”
“I will leave as soon as is convenient.”
The Queen glared at her. “You are entirely too clever, young woman! You must first learn to be civil!”
“Your majesty,” said Jana softly, “it is not my words that hurt you, it is myself! I would put it all --behind me, but ...”
“But yes, your King rubs your face in your folly. My face, too!”
“The King thinks he is being helpful!” Jana exclaimed.
The Queen was taken aback. The girl was hard to understand. She was a lying opportunist, but she was loyal to her King. The Queen felt utterly at a loss.
There was only one thing to do; she would have to watch the girl carefully, study her behavior, see what she was up to. “All right. Your duties are to continue the Prince’s training, until he leaves again for his schooling in the fall. You may go.” The Queen swept out of the room. Jana was left behind, feeling wretched.
Stefan accosted his mother. “What happened?” he demanded.
“I’ve just been finding out what a wonderful old time you’ve had out there,” said the Queen, furious. “Go. She’s here to teach you to fight; don’t waste time!”
“Mother, why...”
“Go! Go now! She’s waiting!”
Stefan fled.
Ianthe was watching from a second floor window when her mother joined her.
“She’s crying! What did you say to her?”
“Never mind. Listen. I don’t understand anything she says. I don’t trust her; I want you to watch her all the time. See what she does, with Stefan, as well as in her spare time! I want to know every little detail!”
“Why?” Ianthe was astounded. Her mother had never been this way.
“She might be a spy, but for whom, and on whom?”
“A spy!” exclaimed Ianthe. The Queen nodded. “We should tell Nemo at once!”
“No. This is too subtle for Nemo. You and I must handle it.”
And so Ianthe settled down patiently to watch Jana and her brother.
“Where is there a training yard here?”
“You’ve been crying!”
“I asked you a question! Practice swords, padding, targets...”
“Come on; it hasn’t been used since father died.” He led the way to a courtyard. A room adjoining it held all the equipment they needed.
“She isn’t always like this, Jana! Believe me!”
She supervised his padding up, and put on her own. It was different, but just as effective as what they had used before. When they were ready, they began with the blunt swords.
[Next installment: Episode 6]
Jana woke up in a strange bed, next to Andromache. As she stirred, the girl of the city opened her pretty brown eyes. “Oh, good morning, Jana!” she greeted her new friend, sitting up and stretching. She was as tall as Jana, but her skin was more delicate, and still bore the marks of the crushed bedclothes on which she had slept.
“You thrashed about all night,” Jana told her, as the girl got to her feet, easy in her nakedness, all suppleness and grace. Accustomed as Jana was to have her legs and arms bare, nudity was still strange to her. She had never seen a naked woman before.
Andromache laughed. “I always do that; I’m sorry! My bedclothes are always on the floor when I wake!” She had a pretty laugh. She was more woman than warrior, Jana thought, feeling drawn to her. Providentially, there was a separate bath for the few women guards, and they all bathed naked, making Jana blush. Among the horse-people, one bathed at wells or in rivers, with a bathing-cloth; never like this! But the girls said nothing to embarrass Jana. They scrubbed each other and wiped each other dry as if it was the most ordinary thing. Jana had to endure Andromache wiping her, and had to return the favor. At least they were not men, she thought to herself.
“What a pity it is, that you must go! We had such fun together!”
Jana hung her head, wrapping a towel about herself. “But I must stay,” she said. “The King said that I must serve here.”
“Oh, wonderful!” said Andromache, clearly delighted. She gave Jana a quick hug, and stepped back to smile. “Don’t be sad; see, already you have friends! We will make you comfortable here! And the prince is a decent little fellow; they are good people.”
“I know,” said Jana, thinking that he was not such a little fellow as all that. But the prospect of having Stefan panting after her every day made her want to return home.
Jana came to the dining room, and stood gloomily watching her troop eat breakfast.
“Why don’t you eat, soldier?” asked the Captain, making room for her. He was fond of her, and as unhappy to leave her behind as she was to stay. But orders were orders.
Jana kept standing. “I have been asked to come to the palace for breakfast, my lord Captain,” she said, unable to stop the tears filling her eyes.
“You knew all along that you’d have to stay,” said the Captain, gently.
“I was hoping, by some miracle ...” a big tear rolled down Jana’s cheek.
The captain’s face became red. He glared about him, and the men who were watching suddenly became interested in their breakfasts.
He got to his feet. “Kindly follow me, soldier!” he said, and marched to the door and outside. Jana swallowed, and obeyed.
“Attention!”
Jana snapped to attention.
“You will report to the Palace now. At seven-thirty, the troop will be at the Palace grounds, ready to present arms to the Queen. When the Queen has reviewed the troop, I will place you on detached duty. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Captain!” Anger and hurt warred with an irrational desire to laugh inside Jana.
The Captain smiled. “At ease soldier!”
Jana giggled. Already, she missed the Captain, and he hadn’t even left yet.
“People are people, Jana,” he said kindly. “These folk will like you, just as the troopers did. When your work is done, the Horse People will always be there, and the King’s Own!” He punched her on the shoulder, and went inside.
Andromache ran around the back to meet her. “What’s up?” she asked, looking worried.
Jana managed a smile for her. “I have to go the Palace, I told you!” She heaved a long sigh of misery. “I should get my things ...”
“Oh, just go! I will keep your things safe with me, Jana!”
Jana nodded, and turned towards the Palace. It was good to have Andromache as a friend here.
Knowing her way only to the front steps, Jana went there. To her surprise, the Prince was waiting at the doors, with the Princess peeking out from behind him.
“Welcome!” he cried, happily, stepping aside to let her in, and Jana bowed to the bright-eyed Princess, who seemed interested to see Jana in full daylight. They conducted her to the Palace kitchen.
The Kitchen was actually one of two, Jana later found out. This was the bigger kitchen, a large room, actually a courtyard, open to the sky, with covered stoves, ovens and fireplaces along the sides, which were roofed over, and a large marble table in the center, with stone benches around it. It was as large as Ole and Eva’s house and yard taken together. Jana was made to sit at the table, and a plate of warm bread was brought to her, and another of cold meats, and a bowl of fruit. A smiling girl of about seven brought her a mug of milk.
“When you’re done, the Queen would like to meet you, Jana! One of the girls will show you in! Enjoy your meal!” With those words, the Prince departed to join the family.
There were two girls, the younger one was about seven, and the older one could have been anything from twelve to eighteen. They both warmed Jana with friendly grins, and an elderly woman watched with a smile from the vicinity of the oven. They were all dressed, like Jana, in dark colored tunics, the little one’s tunic so long that it flopped over her belt a good six inches.
Jana dug into the food, discovering she was hungry.
“What’s your name?” Jana asked the little one, between bites.
“Nina, Lady!” she answered, with a quick little curtsey and a smile.
“I’m not a lady,” Jana said, washing down a mouthful with a sip of milk, “I’m a soldier. You can call me Jana.”
“I’m Sophie,” said the older girl, and Jana nodded politely, her mouth full.
“This is good,” said Jana appreciatively, pointing at the food, and swallowing an extra-large mouthful. The girls giggled merrily.
Suddenly, Jana remembered about the presenting of arms at seven-thirty.
“Where is the Queen?” she asked in alarm.
“Inside,” said Sophie, wide-eyed.
“Tell them,” said Jana, anxiously, “that the Horse People will be at the Palace steps at seven-thirty to present arms to the Queen!”
Sophie scooted off, and Jana concentrated on trying to eat as fast as she could.
She heard footsteps behind her. It was the Queen herself; Jana saw the resemblance between her and the children, except that instead of being slightly built, she was a large woman, tall and regal. She was dressed in a white chiton of the finest linen, with a heavy blue border, and her hair was braided and pinned up on her head, and she was beautiful. Jana chewed her mouthful, and got to her feet, swallowing with difficulty. She knelt and bowed quickly.
“Please sit, girl,” said the Queen. “You must be Jana.” The blue eyes studied her coolly.
“Yes, your majesty!” said Jana, sitting nervously.
“Take your time and eat. I’ll keep them busy until you get there! I take it you’re supposed to be there to see them off?”
“I will be placed on detached assignment, my lady, -- I mean, your majesty!” Jana heard a quickly smothered giggle from behind her.
“As is proper. Eat slowly.”
And the Queen went inside. Jana tried to eat slowly, thinking that thieves would have a wonderful time breaking into this palace, with its open courtyards.
Despite the Queen’s instructions, Jana finished her breakfast in fifteen minutes, finishing up the last of the milk, and let out a cheerful belch, startling herself, and thoroughly amusing little Nina. Jana had dressed in the uniform of the King’s Own, without the arms and the armor. Jana marched to the door of the Queen’s private dining-room, preceded by Sophie, and stood at attention while Sophie knocked. She could see Sophie’s intelligent eyes taking in everything about her. It was the young princess who opened the door, and shortly they all emerged; the Queen, the Prince and the Princess. “Come,” said the Queen to Jana, “we must greet your people with the proper respect. Follow us, and come forward after I finish speaking to them.”
“Yes, my lady. I mean ...”
“That will be fine!”
“Yes, my lady.” They all headed out to the steps.
Suspicious as she had been of the infamous Jana, the Queen thought that she looked hardly the calculating vixen she had expected. It was even more surprising that the unprepossessing girl could have wrought such positive changes in her son. She decided that it must be homesickness that kept the girl so off-balance. Now it remained to review the contingent of Horse People, and thank them.
Arrayed in the courtyard were the forty troops that had escorted her son home from the horse lands. They had kept him safe, taught him a number of new things, and had stolen his heart! She sighed.
There was a fearful noise, and she realized it was the call to present arms in the language of the horse people. As one, the swords were drawn and held in salute. The horses were perfectly still. The Captain dismounted, handing his reins to his second, and marched smartly up the steps.
“Your Majesty!” He knelt quickly, and rose at once, standing smartly at attention.
“Welcome, er, ...”
“Captain, your Majesty!”
“Welcome, Captain.”
“I bring you greetings from his Majesty, King Ahaz of the tribes and lands of the Horse People!”
“What were your orders, Captain?”
“We were to conduct your son safely home, and if it suited your majesty, to station with you Trooper Jana, who had begun His Highness’s training in arms!”
The Queen regarded the Captain’s handsome face.
“Is she a spy, Captain?”
After a moment’s confusion, the Captain grinned.
“I was not informed, your majesty! To the best of my knowledge, the King stands behind your throne. No doubt detailed diplomatic messages will be arriving presently!”
“No doubt,” agreed the Queen, with a dry smile. “Captain, I would like to state my thanks to your troops directly. Will you translate?”
The Captain gestured graciously towards his men, and informed her that no translation was needed; she would be understood perfectly. The Queen declared in a voice that carried to every rider, and not any further, that the Horse People had been more than kind to her and her son, and that she was deeply indebted to them all.
The troops shouted their appreciation with one voice, with big smiles. The Queen acknowledged them with a smile and a gracious inclination of her head.
Standing at the top of the Palace steps, Jana realized for the first time the enormous size of the City laid out before her; with terrace upon terrace of great buildings, all the way down to the sea. Her countrymen would shortly be leaving. She felt thoroughly homesick, and a huge lump rose in her throat. The Captain saluted to the Queen, and marched halfway down the steps to an extra wide step a little below where the Queen stood.
“Trooper Jana, step forward!” Jana went down the steps, and marched to the Captain. “You are hereby promoted to Horse Officer, first class,” he said, and stepped forward to place a ribbon in her hand. Jana was taken totally by surprise. “Secondly, at the order of the King, you are herewith placed on detached duty under the orders of her Majesty Queen Ione!” He handed her a scroll tied and sealed, and stepped back. They both saluted, after which the Captain ran down the steps, bowed to the Queen, mounted his horse, and the troop left, in beautiful order. Jana was proud and homesick all at once. She watched, as they rode away along the south road through the city, until they were out of sight. Then Jana turned towards the palace, her heart heavy inside her.
Ianthe watched Stefan, as Stefan watched Jana, who watched her troop depart, with sad eyes. Her eyes were dry as she turned towards them. How grim she looks, Ianthe thought. Can she long for the plains, when she can be here, in fair Heliopolis?
“Come Jana, I want to talk to you.” The Queen’s voice had an edge to it, and Ianthe felt pity for the big warrior.
They were in a small audience-chamber. The Queen was seated in a small throne-like chair, and Ianthe sat on a low stool. “Why were you given to teach the boy arms?”
“He said he was afraid to be taught by a man, my Lady.”
“Yet he seems confident enough with the men!”
“He even drilled with the Captain, my Lady.”
“What has he learned?”
Jana recited a list of the Prince’s accomplishments. The Queen appeared impressed. Now it was time for the more difficult questions.
“Why were you sent here, Jana? We have instructors here; there are even women here, who could teach the Prince. Why?”
Jana hung her head. “When our patrol fought off the cats that had attacked his party, we took the prince into custody. At that time ... at that time ... he became attached to me, my Lady.” The Queen made a strong effort to shield herself against those sad grey eyes. “When we reached the palace, the Prince persuaded the King to ... to send me home with him.”
“What wiles did you use to charm him, girl?”
Jana slowly looked up, her face proud.
“I did not know he was a prince, your majesty. I saw a frightened boy, and had pity on him!” There was a brief silence, and Jana hung her head. “I was ready to leave with the troop, your majesty, but ... their Highnesses, your children intervened, my lady!”
“Children?” Jana nodded. She did not feel in the least like a proud soldier, but rather like a thief caught with the goods.
“Look at me!” Jana raised her head, to meet the eyes of the Queen. “My daughter asked you to stay?”
“Yes.” She drew a long breath, almost a sigh. “Perhaps, ... perhaps in loyalty to the young Prince, my lady.”
“But the King ordered you to my court.”
Would it never end?
“Yes, your majesty.”
“And what did he say?”
Jana close her eyes and hung her head. This was awful. Must she betray the King, too?
“Speak, girl! Do you bring evil here?”
“He told me to keep my eyes open!”
“Did he indeed?” the Queen breathed. “What does he want with us? Is he not satisfied with his lands? Will he make slaves of us, then?”
With hysteria threatening, Jana was as calm as ice.
“No, your majesty. He was very clear. He has no designs on your throne.”
“What were his words? Think carefully!”
“He said: “I need Ione to be strong!” Begging your pardon, your Majesty. Those were his words.”
The Queen slowly exhaled, and with her breath slowly departed most of her anger and fear.
“You may stay -- for a while, Horse Officer Jana.” Jana rose to her feet. “Sit! I have not dismissed you yet!” Jana slowly sat back down. “As I said, you may stay for a while.”
“I will leave as soon as is convenient.”
The Queen glared at her. “You are entirely too clever, young woman! You must first learn to be civil!”
“Your majesty,” said Jana softly, “it is not my words that hurt you, it is myself! I would put it all --behind me, but ...”
“But yes, your King rubs your face in your folly. My face, too!”
“The King thinks he is being helpful!” Jana exclaimed.
The Queen was taken aback. The girl was hard to understand. She was a lying opportunist, but she was loyal to her King. The Queen felt utterly at a loss.
There was only one thing to do; she would have to watch the girl carefully, study her behavior, see what she was up to. “All right. Your duties are to continue the Prince’s training, until he leaves again for his schooling in the fall. You may go.” The Queen swept out of the room. Jana was left behind, feeling wretched.
Stefan accosted his mother. “What happened?” he demanded.
“I’ve just been finding out what a wonderful old time you’ve had out there,” said the Queen, furious. “Go. She’s here to teach you to fight; don’t waste time!”
“Mother, why...”
“Go! Go now! She’s waiting!”
Stefan fled.
Ianthe was watching from a second floor window when her mother joined her.
“She’s crying! What did you say to her?”
“Never mind. Listen. I don’t understand anything she says. I don’t trust her; I want you to watch her all the time. See what she does, with Stefan, as well as in her spare time! I want to know every little detail!”
“Why?” Ianthe was astounded. Her mother had never been this way.
“She might be a spy, but for whom, and on whom?”
“A spy!” exclaimed Ianthe. The Queen nodded. “We should tell Nemo at once!”
“No. This is too subtle for Nemo. You and I must handle it.”
And so Ianthe settled down patiently to watch Jana and her brother.
“Where is there a training yard here?”
“You’ve been crying!”
“I asked you a question! Practice swords, padding, targets...”
“Come on; it hasn’t been used since father died.” He led the way to a courtyard. A room adjoining it held all the equipment they needed.
“She isn’t always like this, Jana! Believe me!”
She supervised his padding up, and put on her own. It was different, but just as effective as what they had used before. When they were ready, they began with the blunt swords.
[Next installment: Episode 6]
Friday, January 1, 2010
Jana, Episode 4
[Episodes 1, 2, 3]
Heliopolis
It was dark when they arrived, but Her Majesty Queen Ione was awake, and waiting for her son at the steps of the palace. Word had come earlier with the news that her son was safe, and an estimate of their expected time of arrival, which had turned out to be exactly as predicted. Jana looked about curiously at the home city of prince Stefan, but all that could be seen in the darkness was hundreds of lamp flames in hundreds of windows. Up on the palace steps, in the dim light of a lamp, the Queen greeted her son. Jana strained for a clear sight of the lady, but it was too dark to see. She could hear her voice, musical like the boy’s.
“Come with us, trooper Jana,” the Captain said gently, “let’s go find a place to stay for tonight!”
The royal family of Heliopolis, in fact, consisted of only three: Queen Ione, Prince Stefan, and Stefan’s younger sister, Princess Ianthe. The Queen was in tears, while Ianthe was all smiles to see her beloved brother back safe.
While the Queen had imagined all kinds of terrible things happening to her son, Ianthe had felt, as do the very young, that everything would be all right with him, and so it had proved to be.
“By the gods, mother, how tall he is!”
“You certainly have grown, son! Let’s go inside; I want to look at you in the light!”
“Oh mother, I’ve had such adventures! But wait, I must take care of my horse! He is a gift from the King of the Horse-People!”
Stefan turned, and found that all his travel-companions had gone, disappeared into the gloom. Even his horse had been conducted away, probably by the palace stable hands. With an impatient cry, Stefan made to go after his horse, but his sister hung on to his arm and held him back.
Reluctantly, Stefan went inside. It was a shock to see that only a minimal number of lamps were lit. The great hall was dark. “There is a shortage of oil,” his mother said, anticipating his question. “Since your father died, it has been one problem after another. This attack on Nikos is only the latest. But enough; what happened to you?”
The Royal Suite consisted of some seven rooms currently open. The private dining room of the Queen was well-lit, and the three of them looked at each other.
“How handsome you’ve grown, all tall and brown!”
“And your arms are so big! What happened?”
“Oh mother, sister, such things have happened to me! It was Jana who made me realize what a baby I was. But let me start at the beginning! We, Pericles, the three guards and I...”
“Who’s Jana?” demanded his sister.
“Eat first,” insisted his mother.
“Oh, I can’t eat! I shot a man today!” said he.
“What?” exclaimed the Queen.
With many confusing twists, Stefan related his story. Though he was careful to censor some of the more private facts about his relationship to Jana, he made no attempt to hide that the lady warrior Jana was the joy of his heart. She had taught him all the battle arts: sword, staff, bow, and horse, and changed him utterly.
He was appalled at the silence with which his tale was received.
“Why are you both upset?”
“Do they allow girls of the Royalty to serve among the regulars? It is a new thing!” said the Queen, carefully. Ianthe’s eyes brightened with hope. It distressed her that this girl, for whom Stefan evidently cared so much, should be a commoner.
“No, she’s only a warrior, mother. But a wonderful, wonderful girl! Ianthe, you would love her! She was born to the amazons of the East, and rescued by the horse-people when she was little.”
“Oh no, you’ve fallen in love with an Amazon! How dreadful!”
Stefan was so distressed that the women desisted from their attack.
“If only you could meet her! She’s no common girl, sister! Look at me! This is all her work! You should see how proudly she carries herself!”
“But she’s miles and miles away, son,” the Queen said wearily. “Come, eat.”
“Miles away!” he laughed. “No, I brought her along! She’s here!” The Queen was speechless for a while.
Despite Stefan’s eagerness, the Queen insisted that the poor warrior girl should be left in peace for the night. “I’m sure you were a handful for the girl long enough. You are impossible when you get a bee in your bonnet, my son.”
“That is a fact,” said the irrepressible Ianthe, prepared for an outburst in response, but Stefan only laughed. “You really have changed!” she exclaimed.
While he had been gone, his little sister, too, had grown. Almost as tall as her mother, Ianthe had rather plain features --her soft, wavy brown hair and her big, merry blue eyes were her loveliest features. But her too-wide mouth was sensuous, her forehead indicated intelligence, her chin showed determination. He supposed that her ears indicated extraordinarily good hearing, for they were a little too large for her head, and her nose indicated a keen sense of smell, being equally large. But, all in all, he thought her beautiful.
Knowing that the siblings would stay awake all night talking, the Queen retired.
“Tell me “All about Jana,” said Ianthe.
“Come with me, I’m going to check on my horse,” said Stefan, heading out.
Ianthe sprang to her feet. She was lightly dressed in a sleeveless ankle-length chiton caught at the waist; it was too warm for anything more elaborate. As they walked she braided her thick hair, as she had always done since she was little. She always wore a ribbon wound round her wrist, and now she tied off her braid with it. Her tiny feet twinkled in the dark as she hurried to keep abreast of him. She held onto his arm to slow him down.
Stefan, once he had fallen in love --as he thought -- with Jana, had worried that his close friendship with his sister might be hurt. But here they were, as if the intervening eight months had never been! Ianthe could speak to him with a look and a touch. He put his arm around her and gently squeezed. He heard a soft chuckle in response. He loved his sister fiercely; he would gladly have died for her.
The stables were dark, but hearing his knocks, the servants came out.
“Please may I have a light, Chiron?”
“The horse has been settled in, my lord!”
“I just want to see him, Chiron, that’s all. Thank you! He was rubbed down?”
“Yes. A fine fellow, my lord. He must be gelded, or he’ll be useless in a fight, my lord!”
“Ahh, there you are!”
“Oh, he’s so handsome! What’s his name?”
“Fleet foot! Yes, you know your name, don’t you?” Stefan held out an apple, and the horse picked it out of his hand. They fussed over the animal a little while longer, and then left the stables.
“Now where are you going?”
“To find Jana.”
“Slow down!” cried Ianthe, alarmed at the length of his strides. “Stefan, she may be asleep!”
“Not so soon!” smiled her brother.
A few inquiries at the guard post told them that the visiting horse-people were camped on the exercise field, but had promised to be gone by morning.
“Why so soon?”
“Why, exercises begin at nine, your highness! We offered them the barracks, but they declined!”
“Where are they now?”
“In the dining room, your highness. We gave them supper.”
“Good,” said Ianthe.
Sure enough, the horse-people were sitting in the dining-room, and the Captain was telling a fantastic story. But as soon as he saw Stefan step through the doorway, he interrupted the story.
“Ah! Here’s the biggest storyteller of all!” he cried.
“No, no, please continue!” said Stefan, smiling. He scanned the faces, looking for one in particular, but not seeing her.
Jana had been relieved to find that she was not the only female warrior there. A girl who introduced herself as Andromache had greeted her warmly, and kept her company through the dinner. Though nearly 20, the city girl was easy to get to know. They were seated together in the shadows at the back, commenting on the story, when Stefan had appeared.
“It’s the prince,” Andromache murmured. “So late, what does he want?”
Oh no, thought Jana. She had begun to hope that on the morrow, she might slip away with the horse-people. She was so flustered, she hardly followed the brief exchange between the prince and the Captain.
“He’s looking for me,” whispered Jana, and with a sigh, slipped out the back.
The prince had just given up trying to spot her, and stepped away from the door, when Jana came around the building, in the dark. Standing a little away from the door, she called softly.
“My lord? Are you looking for me?”
Not having heard Jana walk up, Ianthe was caught by surprise. “Oh goodness,” gasped Ianthe.
“Jana, where are you?” asked the prince quietly. Inside, the Captain’s story continued, covering up this conversation.
Ianthe heard the soft, husky voice, and the vague outline of a figure dressed in a brief, mid-thigh-length chiton. The sandals were heavy, military issue, the big, muscular legs bare, except for soft blonde down, nearly invisible.
“Jana, this is my sister Ianthe, whom I brought for you to meet! Ianthe, this is Jana, whom I told you about!”
Coming closer, Jana knelt on one knee, and as Ianthe offered her hand, took it in her own ever so gently, and touched her lips to it. As she knelt, her face came into the light, and Ianthe saw a large oval face, with streaky blonde hair pulled back, light grey eyes, and a crease of worry on her forehead. Then the girl rose, and her face was again in shadow.
“I was hoping you would remain with us,” Stefan said, after a pause.
Ianthe held her breath. How could Stefan be so taken with such an ox of a girl?
“If you insist, my lord,” she murmured.
“Won’t you come to the palace?” he asked gently.
Ianthe wondered at how he had matured. At times Stefan sounded just like their father.
“Allow me to be with the others just for tonight, my lord!”
“Certainly, Jana; we... we will wait for you.”
The girl let out a long, heavy breath, and Ianthe could almost see her sag. She was appalled; it was almost as if Stefan didn’t trust her.
“Oh, let her be, Stefan,” she cried. “Trooper Jana, you will be welcome at the palace for breakfast! Please go and join your friends!”
“Thank you, your highness,” said Jana, sounding grateful. “With your leave, my lord!” She backed away, and disappeared into the darkness.
“Stefan! Come here, I want to talk to you!” hissed Ianthe, hauling him away. It was only when they were inside the Palace gates that she turned to him. “Why were you so mean to the girl?”
“I was so sure that she wanted to go off with them! I lost my head,” said Stefan looking miserable.
“But you can’t keep her by force! Imagine how she would feel!”
“Yes, yes; you did the right thing.”
“But think; I was just as forceful as you, only more tactful. Oh Stefan, I’m going to ask their commander to keep them until Jana’s sure she doesn't want to stay!”
Feeling miserable, Stefan agreed. Oh Jana; if only she wouldn’t feel so unhappy about the whole thing! But Ianthe had saved the situation. Ianthe was indeed turning into a woman, with all the sweet magic of women.
Ianthe, annoyed with her brother, went straight to bed, and after a minute or so of turning matters over in her mind, fell fast asleep. Sleep came quickly, at thirteen. But it was a sleepless night for her brother, as well as for the warrior girl whom he had come to desire.
[Next installment: Episode 5]
K
Heliopolis
It was dark when they arrived, but Her Majesty Queen Ione was awake, and waiting for her son at the steps of the palace. Word had come earlier with the news that her son was safe, and an estimate of their expected time of arrival, which had turned out to be exactly as predicted. Jana looked about curiously at the home city of prince Stefan, but all that could be seen in the darkness was hundreds of lamp flames in hundreds of windows. Up on the palace steps, in the dim light of a lamp, the Queen greeted her son. Jana strained for a clear sight of the lady, but it was too dark to see. She could hear her voice, musical like the boy’s.
“Come with us, trooper Jana,” the Captain said gently, “let’s go find a place to stay for tonight!”
The royal family of Heliopolis, in fact, consisted of only three: Queen Ione, Prince Stefan, and Stefan’s younger sister, Princess Ianthe. The Queen was in tears, while Ianthe was all smiles to see her beloved brother back safe.
While the Queen had imagined all kinds of terrible things happening to her son, Ianthe had felt, as do the very young, that everything would be all right with him, and so it had proved to be.
“By the gods, mother, how tall he is!”
“You certainly have grown, son! Let’s go inside; I want to look at you in the light!”
“Oh mother, I’ve had such adventures! But wait, I must take care of my horse! He is a gift from the King of the Horse-People!”
Stefan turned, and found that all his travel-companions had gone, disappeared into the gloom. Even his horse had been conducted away, probably by the palace stable hands. With an impatient cry, Stefan made to go after his horse, but his sister hung on to his arm and held him back.
Reluctantly, Stefan went inside. It was a shock to see that only a minimal number of lamps were lit. The great hall was dark. “There is a shortage of oil,” his mother said, anticipating his question. “Since your father died, it has been one problem after another. This attack on Nikos is only the latest. But enough; what happened to you?”
The Royal Suite consisted of some seven rooms currently open. The private dining room of the Queen was well-lit, and the three of them looked at each other.
“How handsome you’ve grown, all tall and brown!”
“And your arms are so big! What happened?”
“Oh mother, sister, such things have happened to me! It was Jana who made me realize what a baby I was. But let me start at the beginning! We, Pericles, the three guards and I...”
“Who’s Jana?” demanded his sister.
“Eat first,” insisted his mother.
“Oh, I can’t eat! I shot a man today!” said he.
“What?” exclaimed the Queen.
With many confusing twists, Stefan related his story. Though he was careful to censor some of the more private facts about his relationship to Jana, he made no attempt to hide that the lady warrior Jana was the joy of his heart. She had taught him all the battle arts: sword, staff, bow, and horse, and changed him utterly.
He was appalled at the silence with which his tale was received.
“Why are you both upset?”
“Do they allow girls of the Royalty to serve among the regulars? It is a new thing!” said the Queen, carefully. Ianthe’s eyes brightened with hope. It distressed her that this girl, for whom Stefan evidently cared so much, should be a commoner.
“No, she’s only a warrior, mother. But a wonderful, wonderful girl! Ianthe, you would love her! She was born to the amazons of the East, and rescued by the horse-people when she was little.”
“Oh no, you’ve fallen in love with an Amazon! How dreadful!”
Stefan was so distressed that the women desisted from their attack.
“If only you could meet her! She’s no common girl, sister! Look at me! This is all her work! You should see how proudly she carries herself!”
“But she’s miles and miles away, son,” the Queen said wearily. “Come, eat.”
“Miles away!” he laughed. “No, I brought her along! She’s here!” The Queen was speechless for a while.
Despite Stefan’s eagerness, the Queen insisted that the poor warrior girl should be left in peace for the night. “I’m sure you were a handful for the girl long enough. You are impossible when you get a bee in your bonnet, my son.”
“That is a fact,” said the irrepressible Ianthe, prepared for an outburst in response, but Stefan only laughed. “You really have changed!” she exclaimed.
While he had been gone, his little sister, too, had grown. Almost as tall as her mother, Ianthe had rather plain features --her soft, wavy brown hair and her big, merry blue eyes were her loveliest features. But her too-wide mouth was sensuous, her forehead indicated intelligence, her chin showed determination. He supposed that her ears indicated extraordinarily good hearing, for they were a little too large for her head, and her nose indicated a keen sense of smell, being equally large. But, all in all, he thought her beautiful.
Knowing that the siblings would stay awake all night talking, the Queen retired.
“Tell me “All about Jana,” said Ianthe.
“Come with me, I’m going to check on my horse,” said Stefan, heading out.
Ianthe sprang to her feet. She was lightly dressed in a sleeveless ankle-length chiton caught at the waist; it was too warm for anything more elaborate. As they walked she braided her thick hair, as she had always done since she was little. She always wore a ribbon wound round her wrist, and now she tied off her braid with it. Her tiny feet twinkled in the dark as she hurried to keep abreast of him. She held onto his arm to slow him down.
Stefan, once he had fallen in love --as he thought -- with Jana, had worried that his close friendship with his sister might be hurt. But here they were, as if the intervening eight months had never been! Ianthe could speak to him with a look and a touch. He put his arm around her and gently squeezed. He heard a soft chuckle in response. He loved his sister fiercely; he would gladly have died for her.
The stables were dark, but hearing his knocks, the servants came out.
“Please may I have a light, Chiron?”
“The horse has been settled in, my lord!”
“I just want to see him, Chiron, that’s all. Thank you! He was rubbed down?”
“Yes. A fine fellow, my lord. He must be gelded, or he’ll be useless in a fight, my lord!”
“Ahh, there you are!”
“Oh, he’s so handsome! What’s his name?”
“Fleet foot! Yes, you know your name, don’t you?” Stefan held out an apple, and the horse picked it out of his hand. They fussed over the animal a little while longer, and then left the stables.
“Now where are you going?”
“To find Jana.”
“Slow down!” cried Ianthe, alarmed at the length of his strides. “Stefan, she may be asleep!”
“Not so soon!” smiled her brother.
A few inquiries at the guard post told them that the visiting horse-people were camped on the exercise field, but had promised to be gone by morning.
“Why so soon?”
“Why, exercises begin at nine, your highness! We offered them the barracks, but they declined!”
“Where are they now?”
“In the dining room, your highness. We gave them supper.”
“Good,” said Ianthe.
Sure enough, the horse-people were sitting in the dining-room, and the Captain was telling a fantastic story. But as soon as he saw Stefan step through the doorway, he interrupted the story.
“Ah! Here’s the biggest storyteller of all!” he cried.
“No, no, please continue!” said Stefan, smiling. He scanned the faces, looking for one in particular, but not seeing her.
Jana had been relieved to find that she was not the only female warrior there. A girl who introduced herself as Andromache had greeted her warmly, and kept her company through the dinner. Though nearly 20, the city girl was easy to get to know. They were seated together in the shadows at the back, commenting on the story, when Stefan had appeared.
“It’s the prince,” Andromache murmured. “So late, what does he want?”
Oh no, thought Jana. She had begun to hope that on the morrow, she might slip away with the horse-people. She was so flustered, she hardly followed the brief exchange between the prince and the Captain.
“He’s looking for me,” whispered Jana, and with a sigh, slipped out the back.
The prince had just given up trying to spot her, and stepped away from the door, when Jana came around the building, in the dark. Standing a little away from the door, she called softly.
“My lord? Are you looking for me?”
Not having heard Jana walk up, Ianthe was caught by surprise. “Oh goodness,” gasped Ianthe.
“Jana, where are you?” asked the prince quietly. Inside, the Captain’s story continued, covering up this conversation.
Ianthe heard the soft, husky voice, and the vague outline of a figure dressed in a brief, mid-thigh-length chiton. The sandals were heavy, military issue, the big, muscular legs bare, except for soft blonde down, nearly invisible.
“Jana, this is my sister Ianthe, whom I brought for you to meet! Ianthe, this is Jana, whom I told you about!”
Coming closer, Jana knelt on one knee, and as Ianthe offered her hand, took it in her own ever so gently, and touched her lips to it. As she knelt, her face came into the light, and Ianthe saw a large oval face, with streaky blonde hair pulled back, light grey eyes, and a crease of worry on her forehead. Then the girl rose, and her face was again in shadow.
“I was hoping you would remain with us,” Stefan said, after a pause.
Ianthe held her breath. How could Stefan be so taken with such an ox of a girl?
“If you insist, my lord,” she murmured.
“Won’t you come to the palace?” he asked gently.
Ianthe wondered at how he had matured. At times Stefan sounded just like their father.
“Allow me to be with the others just for tonight, my lord!”
“Certainly, Jana; we... we will wait for you.”
The girl let out a long, heavy breath, and Ianthe could almost see her sag. She was appalled; it was almost as if Stefan didn’t trust her.
“Oh, let her be, Stefan,” she cried. “Trooper Jana, you will be welcome at the palace for breakfast! Please go and join your friends!”
“Thank you, your highness,” said Jana, sounding grateful. “With your leave, my lord!” She backed away, and disappeared into the darkness.
“Stefan! Come here, I want to talk to you!” hissed Ianthe, hauling him away. It was only when they were inside the Palace gates that she turned to him. “Why were you so mean to the girl?”
“I was so sure that she wanted to go off with them! I lost my head,” said Stefan looking miserable.
“But you can’t keep her by force! Imagine how she would feel!”
“Yes, yes; you did the right thing.”
“But think; I was just as forceful as you, only more tactful. Oh Stefan, I’m going to ask their commander to keep them until Jana’s sure she doesn't want to stay!”
Feeling miserable, Stefan agreed. Oh Jana; if only she wouldn’t feel so unhappy about the whole thing! But Ianthe had saved the situation. Ianthe was indeed turning into a woman, with all the sweet magic of women.
Ianthe, annoyed with her brother, went straight to bed, and after a minute or so of turning matters over in her mind, fell fast asleep. Sleep came quickly, at thirteen. But it was a sleepless night for her brother, as well as for the warrior girl whom he had come to desire.
[Next installment: Episode 5]
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