Jana, Episode 14

Jana washed, dressed, took down her tent, and joined her riders for breakfast.  Ianthe arrived, escorted by the beautiful Chief’s daughter.  As Ianthe came to give Jana a chaste little embrace, the other girl flirted with the men, stealing morsels from their plates.  Ianthe was given a plate, they ate fast, and got ready to leave.  As they rode out, Leila ran out to them, and pressed a little bundle into Jana’s hand, her eyes shining with love.  Jana felt as if she had been kissed by those eyes.

They were soon off at a gallop, Ianthe easily keeping up with them.
“Who was that?” Ianthe asked, as they walked their horses at noon.
“I’m sure you can guess,” Jana smiled.
“Oh.”  Ianthe’s eyes searched her face so long that her horse nudged her hand impatiently.  She rubbed his side, absently.
“Jana… it was unbelievable… there were such feelings…”
“I know!”
“It isn’t simple, is it?”  Ianthe blushed and dropped her eyes, then looked back out of the corner of her eyes, a unique, sensuous gesture.
“A lot to learn, in so short a time,” Jana agreed, uncomfortably.  It was disconcerting to have known two women so intimately.

They rode hard, and arrived late at the city of the Horse People.  Having looked after the horses, Jana had been instructed to come to the palace however late she came.  It was expected, of course, that Jana would be brought in a cart or wagon, and not in charge of the King’s Own.
“What’s this!  You are well, and smiling … and who is this?”
Jana saluted and bowed.  “I present her highness, Princess Ianthe of Heliopolis, my lord King!  Your Highness!”
Dressed once again in her riding habit, Ianthe curtsied and raised her hands, palms upward, to the King.
“What a wonderful surprise!  Come, let us sit, and you must tell us everything!  Bring food, and water and wine!”

The King first cross-examined Jana about her condition.
“It was deep shame, my lord King…so many years in your service, and I am not yet blooded!  As a warrior, I am a failure.  I kept my lady alive, but the Queen is dead… it was my foolishness that caused it!  Stupidity!  I should have simply ridden for help, and kept them all safe in the palace.”
“Think carefully, Jana.  If you had to do it again, what would you do this time?”
Jana’s eyes turned inwards in thought, and the King was amused to see the princess do exactly the same.  They looked up at the same time.
“Jana, you first.”
“Perhaps what the  Captain did; to send a small force into the Western Province, to investigate.  But we felt it would be aggression!”
“And your highness?”
“I thought Jana’s suggestion of staying safe in the palace, and sending for help and advice was a good one, your majesty!”
The King smiled, pleased at her tact and honesty.  “Both good suggestions,” he said, nodding.  “Direct action, with caution.  You could have done both.  The Queen lost her temper, and paid the price.  Your mother had a great heart, Ianthe.  She despised that man, and it was a good way to die.  It is good to have a hero, though sometimes the sacrifice is too great for us to bear.”

Jana sat quietly, feeling out of her depth.  For a year she had treated with the Queen, almost as an equal.  But now, she wondered whether she had deceived herself into thinking herself wiser than she really was.  She was the princess’s secret lover, a lowly horse officer, not fit to sit with the King.
“Your brother was mightily enamored of our Jana, here,” the King said, apropos of nothing.  Ianthe blushed furiously.  “Has he grown out of it, or does he intend to capitalize on the lack of parental restraint?”
Jana looked on the King with deep reproach.  He laughed heartily and long.
“It was a mistake to send me, your majesty,” said Jana.  “It would have been better for all if I had remained, and the prince had forgotten his…ill-advised fancy for me!”  The King stopped laughing, seeing that Jana was close to tears.  “It was one mistake after another!”  Her mouth trembled, and for a while it appeared that Jana would burst into tears.  Then she calmed herself.  “If I had know who he was… I would have been careful.”
Ianthe listened patiently and wide-eyed to Jana’s bitter tirade, and only then raised her eyes to the King.  He now nodded for her to speak.
“On the contrary, Sire.  She saved all our lives at least once!  Ask her to deny it if she can!  All of us from poisoning.  From a prowler.  From wild cats.  From a runaway horse!”  Ianthe fought her emotions.  “She saved us, without killing anyone, without battle, but with courage and patience.  And she kept me from being murdered!”  She swallowed hard.  “Our debt to you is great indeed, Sire, for sending her to us!”
“What was the agreement, Jana?”
“What agreement, my lord?”
“You were put on detached duty, were you not?”
“Oh.  Under the personal command of the Queen herself.”
“We can consider that her death releases you.  It wasn’t limited in duration, was it?  It was until she discharged you.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“So you were put in command of the King’s Own, troop which was sent out with Captain Vila.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Then I confirm your appointment to the King’s Own, with rank of First Horse Officer.  Serve with pride, officer Jana!”
Jana got to her feet, bowed and saluted.
“Ianthe, come…”  Ianthe looked stunned.  “What’s the matter?”
“Sire… I …”
“Let Jana go, dear; we can talk afterwards.  Jana, have her things brought inside, please.  Give my regards to your good parents!”  Jana bowed and marched out, her face inscrutable.

“Come, Ianthe.  Oh, you remind me so much of your mother!  Why, child?  Why are you trembling?”
Ianthe could bear it no longer.  All her woes rose up and pounded on her at once.  She simply dissolved into tears, and the King held her while she cried herself out, and murmured soft words of comfort.  If he had an inkling of one of her problems, he wisely said nothing at that time.  He conducted her to the room she had been assigned, and showed her the bath that was attached, ready with water being heated for her bath.  He persuaded her to bathe, and seek him out when she was done.

Ianthe finally made herself smile to the maid who bathed her and helped her change.  In every way, the Horse People were as warm and as kindly as her own.  She sat and thought for a while, pecking at the plate of food that had been brought for her.  Presently she decided to go looking for the King.

She found the King looking for snacks in the kitchen.  She laughed at the guilty look he gave her.  They sat down companiably at a table, with a bowl of dried fruit.
“Your mother is dead, your brother is in love with a girl of the Horse People…and you have no one to talk to, except this Jana.  Is that most of it?”
“Yes, Sire.”
“What happens to this Duke?”
“The dungeons, I think,” said she.
“Good.  Who will run the duchy?”
“There is a son, Sire.”
“Do you like him?”  She shook her head.  The King shook his head in sympathy.  “Chances are, he was trying to put this fellow on the throne, you know.  There will be trouble as long as he’s alive.  Get rid of him.”  Ianthe’s eyes opened wide.  The King calmly ate a fig.
“My best friend Penelope is a grand niece, Sire.”
“How old is she?”
“My age, Sire, fourteen.”
The King’s eyes popped.  “My goodness!  I thought you were sixteen!”  Ianthe shook her head.  “Then it has to be Nicholas,” said the King, looking defeated.  He sincerely wanted the girl on the throne.
“Stefan, Sire.”
“What did I say?”
“Nicholas.”
“I’m sorry: Stefan.  I must think…”
They ate a good deal of fruit while they thought in silence.