by Robin Roseau
"It is all quite safe," said Nurain.
"I know," I said. "This is only my second voyage. My first was not a happy experience."
There was just a slight pause before she said softly, "And now you're going back?"
"It's complicated, isn't it?" I said. "I don't know if I believed any of it, but then my hair grew over a foot in about one minute, and it came in like this." I fingered it.
"Did it really?"
"And then the Goddess was there," I said. "I knew her immediately. Something like that changes everything."
"I can only imagine."
I turned to face her. She was watching me now, not the harbor or the activity below.
"I'm a simple woman, in spite of events," I said. "A girl of The Hippa."
"The Hippa?"
"Garneer." I sighed. "I don't know if I'll ever grow accustomed to the name everyone else uses. The princess is my only suitor." It might have seemed an odd statement to blurt, but I was sure she would know why I said it.
Her eyes dropped, and I thought she blushed, but perhaps not.
"It is possible my priestesses will have interest in you, and the maids will barely require any encouragement at all." Then I didn't wait. I turned my back on her but asked over my shoulder. "Will you tell me what everyone is doing?"
"Of course," she said, her voice rough for a moment, then turning professional. "As you can see, a portion of the crew is settling the last of our fresh cargo."
"Yes, and your guests' baggage."
"Yes," she agreed. "Fore and aft-" and she gestured in each direction. "There are dockworkers prepared to release our hawsers from the mooring cleats. And there are sailors who will pull in the hawsers and properly coil and store them."
I nodded my understanding. Then she pointed up. "There are more sailors waiting to raise the sails. We'll use the topgallants to exit the harbor and then pile on the remaining sails for our voyage north."
"Topgallants?"
"The topmost sails," she explained. "And of course, on a ship like this, maintenance is always necessary." She pointed out the jobs some of the sailors were performing.
"What about your marines? What are they doing?"
"They serve double duty," she explained. "They are both marines and general crew. We put most of the ship's hands to work helping us set sail. Then they'll be part of the general rotation. The ship never sleeps, so to speak, while we're at sea."
"I suppose it doesn't," I agreed.
* * * *
Two hours later, it was Féla who led me to my cabin, pausing outside the cabin door, partially blocking the handle while lowering her eyes between us.
"What's wrong?" I asked her in Altearan.
"You deserve a better cabin than this. You are the high priestess, and you should not let anyone relegate you to the least available berth."
"Is there a bed?"
"Well, yes," she replied.
"Is it clean?"
"Of course, Lady Yallameenara."
"Are you upset because you and Naddí have a small cabin?"
"That isn't the point."
"Féla, this is my second sea voyage. I didn't care for the first. This one is in winter, so I do not know if I will care for this one, either. But I'm not going to let the size of my cabin decide for me. I intend to be in here to sleep, and that is all. If I can sleep here, that is all that matters."
"There's no window and no heat."
I thought about that and shrugged. "Has it been aired out?"
"Yes. But it's cold in here."
"Do I have ample blankets?"
"Why didn't you demand the best cabin?"
"The best cabin belongs to the princess. Can we agree on that?"
"No. You are the high priestess. She is only a princess."
I laughed. "Well, we can agree to disagree," I said.
"Then second best cabin. Why did you let that woman have it?"
"Because she cares about such things, and I don't. And I was telling her something."
"What were you telling her?"
"I was telling her she should pick more important battles. I was also telling her I wasn't going to let her petty battles define my schedule." I gestured. "This is mine, then? And where are the others?"
As I said earlier, it was cozy. Féla pointed. "Naddí and I are across the hall. Terélmarestra and Larien are there, next to you. The princess is forward and left. The ambassador is forward and right. The ambassador's retinue holds the remaining rooms."
"And the honor guard?"
"With the marines, I believe."
I nodded. "So everyone has a berth? And my things are here?"
"No. Only barely enough for the voyage. We were forced to stow the rest. There wasn't room." And that was when she opened the door, and we squeezed in.
She was right. It was small. It was long and narrow. Well, long was a relative term. Along the left was the bed, the head against the far wall, the foot near the door Along the right was a dresser and a chair. Four people couldn't have fit into the room unless they were very friendly. I stepped all the way in and looked around slowly.
"Is yours bigger?"
"No," she replied. She pointed. "There's a bed that folds down." I followed her gesture, and I could see the bottom of a bunk bed, folded against the wall and secured in place by several hooks. "Lady Yallameenara-"
"First off, we agreed in private you would call me Yalla. I really would prefer it, Féla."
"You should not have let that woman have her way. Now she thinks she's more important than you are."
I smiled. "She didn't get an invitation to watch our departure from the aft quarterdeck." I had to use Framaran for that phrase, as I didn't know the Altearan words. "Nor has she met the captain, unless she did so before our arrival." Then I grinned. "And I already turned down an unstated offer of an assignation."
She laughed. "With Commander Raleet?"
"With the lovely Lieutenant Commander of the ship's marines. Perhaps you and Naddí will find her intriguing, if she isn't already pursuing Larien and Terél."
Féla's smile didn't fade, but she said, "You know, we can catch our own."
"I know you can, but she seemed lovely and sweet but was embarrassed when I told her I wasn't free for her attention."
"So you offered up Naddí and me?"
"Are you upset?"
"Did you?"
I relayed the conversation in greater detail. When I was done, she nodded just once. "That's all right. We'd rather you didn't do that again."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I just-"
"Yalla," she said, stepping closer and setting a hand on my arm. "There is intrigue."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, I'm not singling anyone out," she amended quickly. "In the Heart of the Goddess, there was no intrigue. In the palace, there is intrigue. On this ship, near that woman, there is intrigue. In Lopéna, there is certainly intrigue. We cannot afford distraction."
I considered her words, and the promises they had made to Juleena. "I'm sure you won't need to be bodyguards, Féla."
"Frankly, we aren't sure you’re right," Féla replied. "And on this, we will ask you to accept our judgment." She grinned. "We're the spies, after all."
"Or, it seems, counter-spies."
"Who better?" she asked.
"All right. I'm sorry."
She squeezed my hand. "For the future."
"I won't do it again." She nodded at that, and I looked around the room again. And I noticed Féla's hand was still on my arm. I covered her hand with my own, drawing her attention to what she was doing. She didn't try to pull away.
"Is Naddí busy?"
"Do you want me to fetch her?"
"Let me see if I can."
At that, Féla cocked her head questioningly. In response, I closed my eyes and felt for the subtle link between me and my maids. I could feel them both, and Larien and Terél too. I tried concentrating only on the link to Naddí and then whispered, "Please come to me."
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Ten seconds later, I heard two doors open, and a moment later, Naddí, Larien, and Terél all stood in the doorway. "Did you call for us, Yalla?" Larien asked.
Féla looked back and forth between those in the doorway and me. "How did you do that?"
"I don't think I'm very good at it yet," I said. "I was only asking for Naddí. But you know what? It's cozy, but could we all fit on the bed for a few minutes? And close the door."
It was indeed cozy, but I soon found myself seated with my back against the wall, Féla and Naddí to one side, Terél and Larien to the other. I took hands, and then the two on the outside reached around, draping an arm over Terél and Féla to set a hand on my shoulder. We sat like that for a minute.
"Is something wrong, High Priestess?" Terél finally asked.
"We're friends," I said. "The five of us."
"We are," Larien said. "After everything that has happened."
"Close friends," Naddí added.
"And the four of you?" I asked. "How does it sit between you?"
"We've grown close," Terél said.
"In the palace," Féla said, "The ladies remain aloof. We're good enough to bring to a bed, but we're not good enough to share a meal."
"That was how Juleena wanted me to treat Mellara, and for the most part, I did."
"We have seen you with Mellara," Féla said. "That is not at all how you treat her."
"It's not my style, I guess." I paused a moment. "I want to ask you how you feel about this voyage? Happy?"
The four leaned forward and took turns looking back and forth at each other. It was Terél that spoke. "We're worried about you."
"That's why we're all sitting here, isn't it?" Naddí asked.
"You're asking how we feel," Larien said, "because you don't know how to ask for what you want without feeling guilty."
"You carry weight we don't carry, High Priestess," Terél said. "We are here to support you. That is our main purpose, and we'd really like you to let us do it."
I sat quietly, not saying anything, and feeling a complex mix of emotions. I was excited about the trip in a way, but nervous. I had agreed to travel by sea, but the minute I saw the ship, I'd realized that may have been a mistake, emotionally speaking. I wasn't at all happy to be aboard a ship, and dealing with stupid politics earlier hadn't helped.
"I should have insisted we travel by horse," I whispered. "I let everyone else overrule me."
They didn't say anything, but then Féla shifted a little, and then Naddí lay down on the bed, her head in my lap, her legs thrown over Féla's. She turned her head and looked up into my face, then took one of my hands. A moment later, Terél took the other.
"I'm supposed to be the strong one."
"You can't be, not all the time," Larien said. "Please let us help."
I didn't say anything right away, and so Terél asked, "Why did you invite Naddí but not us?"
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do," she countered. "Had you thought it through?"
I thought before responding. "No."
"You felt you could ask them to help, but not Larien and me?"
"Juleena..." I trailed off.
"Ah. You are afraid of her jealousy." I didn't answer, but I was. "In the past, before you came to us, you would have gone to her."
"Now you won't let me. I don't know why Ralalta made that rule. She didn't seem to care if I slept with Larien or-"
"Perhaps you shouldn't mention my past competition," Larien said. When I glanced over, she was smiling.
"Right," I agreed.
"Well, I admit, I'm as perplexed as you are," Larien said, Terél nodding.
"Really?" Naddí asked. "It's obvious." And Féla nodded with her.
"Can you explain so I'll understand?"
"It's obvious," Féla agreed, "but in a way, it's complicated at the same time. Part of it is old-fashioned. But I think she's giving you time."
"Time?"
"To settle down," Naddí said. "To make sure this is what you want. And probably to make sure it's what the princess wants."
"She remembers the old Yalla, the girl of The Hippa," Féla explained. "You are still that girl, but you're a lot more than that now, too."
"And you haven't fully grown into who you are, either," Naddí added. "You won't for a while."
"The Goddess blessed us," I pointed out.
"The Goddess could see your love," Larien said. Then she laughed. "Juleena hated me, you know. Now she really hates me. But oh, the looks she gave me when I arrived in court that first day." She paused. "It took me about a minute and a half to figure out why. She wanted you for herself. Why was she letting others court you if she wanted you?"
"She told me I needed experience."
"That's why you were careful at first," she said. “In the letters before I arrived.” She smiled.
"Don't gloat," I said. "I wasn't ready to promise marriage."
"Face it. You were wrapped around my little finger."
"Only because you used your magic."
"No, no. You were infatuated the moment you saw me."
"We're getting sidetracked," Féla pointed out. "Yalla, friends don't keep score."
"What do you mean?"
"Right now, you need us. Another time, someone is going to need you. Maybe it will never be us, but there were people who helped us in the past, and people who will help us again in the future. Friends don't keep score over things like that. Or maybe you don't want to really be friends."
"Do not try to manipulate me," I said, but she only grinned at me. I paused a moment then said very softly, "Thank you."
"Tell us what you need," Terél said. "As best you can."
"This," I guess," I said. "And distraction."
"You'll let us pamper you," Naddí said. "All of us."
"But you're also keeping us close," Féla added. "From now until we arrive at the Heart of the Goddess."
"Intrigue."
"Yes," she said. "Intrigue. I can smell it. And I don't like it."
"Promise," Naddí added. "People are going to try to separate us."
"If Juleena wants you, she can share," Ferél said. "We can fit one more on this bed, or she can invite all of us to her quarters. Her bed is bigger."
"People are going to try to get you alone," Naddí said. "You mustn't let them."
"All right."
"Good."
* * * *
We didn't talk for a while after that. It was perhaps twenty minutes later before there was a knock at my door. "Yalla?"
Juleena paused only a moment before opening the door and poking her head in. I don't think she was happy by what she saw, but it was Larien who defused the situation, at least partly. "Ah, Princess. We can make room for one more."
Juleena stepped entirely into the small cabin and then closed the door to lean against it. "This looks cozy," she said. I couldn't read her tone. Then she studied me. "Yalla, what's wrong?"
Before I could answer, Naddí said, "Princess Juleena, we were talking about you. We think you should join us. We think Yalla would like that very much."
"The captain has invited us to her table," Juleena said.
Naddí tightened her hold on my hand, and I looked down at her and nodded. Then I spoke in the language of the Goddess, "I think we should tell her what we discussed."
Larien and Terél exchanged a look, and then Larien spoke in what I was sure was Altearan, but the words were said quickly, slurred, and with a deeply unfamiliar accent. I didn't understand a thing she said. And then I realized Juleena wouldn't, either.
But Terél, Naddí, and Féla all did. The four exchanged looks and a nod. And then Naddí said one word.
"Intrigue."
Juleena's eyes sharpened at that. "Excuse me."
"My. Um. My spies," I said, and that earned a snort from Naddí, "have made a request."
"Your spies?"
"They have kindly asked me to allow no separation."
Juleena studied all of
us carefully. "Is this why you're upset?" she finally asked.
"It's only my second voyage, Juleena, and I am reminded far too much of the first. And I don't like ships. I can't swim."
"Don't fall overboard," Juleena said.
I looked away. Larien quietly translated Juleena's words to Terél, and then Terél said, "Translate for me, Naddí. Princess Juleena, right now, that isn't funny."
Juleena's lips tightened at the translation, but then she nodded and crossed the room to kneel in front of the bed, setting her hands on my legs. "You're right, Terél," she said in her slow Alteara. "Yalla, I am sorry." Then she looked at Naddí. "Intrigue?" That was in Framaran.
Naddí didn't say a word. She simply nodded. But Féla said, in very poor, deeply accented Framaran, "We protect Yalla. You not us fight."
At that, Juleena nodded. "The five of you look quite cramped in here. You can take my room."
"Princess Juleena," Larien said. "You and I may never be friends." Juleena turned a cold gaze towards her. "But we have something in common. We both want what is best for Yalla. Can we agree on that?"
Juleena considered her carefully but then nodded. "Yes, we can agree on that."
"She needs us." Then she repeated it, but with a gesture to herself, Larien, and the two maids. "And she needs us," she said a third time, and this time, her gesture included Juleena. "Do you think, for Yalla, you and I can be cordial? Do you think, for Yalla, you could share her with us? Could you share this with us?" She made another gesture to how we were all seated, tightly pressed together.
Juleena cocked her head. Her tone lightened. "I'm not sure there's enough room for me to wedge in there." She squeezed my knees and rose, and I felt sorrow. "My room is larger, and there is a window." She shook her head. "You shouldn't have let that woman have the room that should have been yours, Yalla."
"That is what we thought," Naddí said.
Juleena nodded. "Intrigue." She made a rude noise. "Do you have details?"
"No, and it may not have followed us aboard this ship," Naddí said. "But we do not trust that woman. And I did not like how the captain looked at Lady Yallameenara."
"I'm sure it was stress over the housing arrangement," I said.
"I will express regrets to the captain and indicate you are out of sorts from the voyage," offered Juleena.
