The Lost Tales
Page 32
Three beinors passed filled with intensively language study that exhausted both Christopher and Anyu. Finally used to reading and writing the odd characters used in the language, Anyu struggled with the idea of contractions which she found especially hard to separate from possessive pronouns and plural. Why would these creatures prefer to say “there’s” when it sounded exactly the same as “theirs?” Or why say “it’s” when it sounded like “its?”
On the fourth beinor of language study, Anyu found herself rebelling and balking at her lessons as she never dared do back home. Here, there was little for her to do except abide by Christopher’s wishes – a far cry from the many diversions and entertainments of palace life Anyu always took for granted. There was not even a garden to walk through – not unless she wanted to wander on her own across the college campus, alone and vulnerable to whatever violence the natives could imagine.
Pouting, Anyu snarled at Christopher as he worked her through her lessons, each burst of frustration, fatigue, and anger from Anyu punching painfully into his mind and shortening his patience. Finally, exasperated himself, he threw his ballpoint pen and college-ruled notebook onto the dining table, “You want to get out of here for a few xiao-shirs?”
“PLEASE!” begged Anyu.
“Very well; grab your sword. I know where we can practice safely,” offered Christopher.
On Beinan Anyu dreaded her fencing lessons, but here, now, after beinors focusing on learning this complex, irregular, alien language, she finally welcomed the chance to practice duel. Grabbing her protective gear, she belted on her sword – King Kendric’s sword, the same one he held when Lord Yelu slew him.
Christopher stopped her, speaking Beinarian and offering her an oddly shaped red canvas bag, “Unless you want to look like you were born and raised on another planet, I suggest carrying your sword and gauntlets in this bag; fencing is a sport here and must be treated as such in public.”
“As you wish,” she answered in English to Christopher’s pleasure, gliding her sword belt, sheath, and schlager into the bag. Pulling off her gauntlets, she felt the bilast in the air burn her skin. Pulling out a small bottle of prepared skin protectorate, she nursed the burn with the cream before zipping up the bag and following Christopher.
Across campus, Christopher led the way to through complex corridors separating different sections of the athletic building from one another, each designated for different kinds of activities including swimming, racquetball, indoor tennis, badminton, and dance. Finally Christopher opened the door to a room used for fencing and martial arts, wooden swords and other equipment covering its walls. Unzipping his fencing bag, he pulled out the first Beinarian clothing Anyu ever saw him wear: a white konyn wool shirt and a black leather doublet laced with red silk cording. Delicate lace ruffs 1.2 cun 寸 wide decorated the sleeve edges of his shirt, its red and silver metallic threads outlining a repeating pattern of tiny Gurun heraldic charges. Anyu’s widened upon seeing the ruffs; according to sumptuary laws, only the child, nephew, or niece of a Gurun king or queen was permitted to wear such ornaments.
Christopher noticed Anyu’s staring at him as he changed from his native shirt to his Beinarian shirt, lacing up the neckline and straightening the sleeve ruffs, “What’s wrong, Anyu? Decided not to spar?”
“You wear the mark of one in line for the Gurun throne!” she observed.
Christopher glanced at his sleeves casually, “Oh this old shirt?”
“Who are you?” demanded Anyu.
“A threat to Lord Yelu, nothing more.”
“The only person I’ve ever seen wear the ruffs is my own older brother, Prince Caranden, heir to my mother’s throne!”
“Are you asking me if I am a threat to your future reign as queen?”
“W-what?”
“You will be queen, Anyu. Surely you know that. Young as you are, I cannot believe you expect your brother to still live; he would be the first casualty of this war as the natural and only legal heir to your mother.”
“Then why do you say I will be queen? The law remains.”
“I didn’t say you would rule the Gurun dynasty, did I? I simply said you will be queen.”
“That makes no sense!”
“Right now it does not. The future rarely does until it becomes the present. I’ve had a long time to master my abilities, Anyu, more than you possibly can know. I am brother to the high priestess of Beinan.”
“You are making no sense! Lord Narvan is High Priestess Aina’s brother. I know him; he represents house Miyoo on the Great Council!”
“All will make sense in time, Anyu, if you are patient enough and survive long enough.” Drawing his schlager sword from its sheath, Christopher promenaded to the center of the room formally. Taking the hint, Anyu put on her gauntlets, drew her schlager, and then elegantly and confidently joined him. Saluting one another, they circled in ritualized steps in accord with ancient Beinarian martial arts forms resembling a cross between ba gua gongfu and wudang gongfu. Anyu circled patiently, then slashed and lunged with her sword. Christopher parried, redirecting the momentum of Anyu’s lung back at her. Un-phased, Anyu used the skirt of her dress to her advantage in concealing her next move, effectively landing a clean blow on Christopher’s gauntleted right hand which he put behind his back in recognition of the hit. Undaunted by the princess’ success, Christopher attacked fiercely. Anyu counter-parried with a swift slash to Christopher’s back. Acknowledging the unconventional hit, Christopher playfully fell down dramatically, “Well done! Well played. Shall we go again?”
Anyu offered him a hand up, “Absolutely!”
All day long they sparred, each working muscles weakened by inactivity. Finally, as the sun began to set once more, both collapsed in happy fatigue, finally sheathing their swords. Walking back to the bench upon which he’d placed his fencing bag and native shirt, Christopher unlaced his doublet, pealing it off his body along with his Beinarian shirt, his chest muscles pleasingly tight from the prolonged workout. Sweat poured down his skin, drawing Anyu’s eye instinctively. Against her will she felt a flash of attraction, her mind suddenly remembering Christopher’s touch in the diner when he feigned more sinister intentions by kissing her breast in front of Daryl. At the time, the touch offended her. Now it seemed more pleasant in ways she did not understand. Christopher picked up a towel from a wall shelf, noticing Anyu’s gaze upon him, “Something wrong?”
Anyu blushed, “Ah – no, of course not.”
Christopher picked up his native shirt, putting his hand gently on Anyu’s shoulder, “You know it is okay for you to feel something when you look at me. I am half-naked and you are a young woman coming into your own now. Or were you not taught about such things?”
“Enough to know that a daughter of a queen is a temptation to those who would use her.”
“But what about you as a person? Do you see all men as a threat to your integrity and honor the way Princess Anlei used to?”
“You have me at a disadvantage on that one, Your Highness or whatever you go by.”
“For a time, yes, I was heir to the throne. I gave that up long ago, after which time marched ahead without me while I slept a very long long time.”
“The contradictions I see – you are not of my generation?”
“Indeed I am not. Not long after my sister ascended the throne as high priestess I took a star craft beyond our system. I was not far from home when an alien star craft, the Nimamur, captured my vessel and put me into deep suspended animation, bringing me to D425E25 Tertius and teaching me much before releasing me at last.”
“I’m sorry I was so –“
“It’s okay, Anyu. I understand,” gliding his left hand into her sweat-soaked hair, he drew her close, kissing her tentatively. “When I kissed you before, it was to protect you. This kiss I mean. You and I have a long history together, even if you do not remember it – but I remember.”
“I do not love you, Christopher.
”
“Nor should you – until or unless you either remember our past or find something in our present that warms your heart to me.”
“This feeling I feel sometimes –“
Christopher released her to pull his shirt over his head, covering his body at last, “Embrace it if you dare. I promise no harm will come to you, no matter what you decide to do. I am no Corann nor knight of Ten-Ar as he was – but I know things the Beinarians you’ve married across your last few lives have not known. Knowledge is power. Knowledge rooted in self-confidence without needing validation from others is an even greater power I hope you will discover.”
Anyu nodded, packing her sword and other gear. When both were ready, they strode out of the gymnasium and into the campus beyond.