The Gift

by Bryan M. Litfin

  “Oh, it’s so hot today! Anastasia, do you want something cool to drink?” Vanita fanned herself with her hand.

  “Yes, thanks. That would be great.”

  Vanita spun from where she was sitting with two other girls on the rim of a marble fountain. They had all taken off their shoes and were dipping their bare feet in the water. Vanita padded over to a nearby table, leaving dainty wet footprints on the flagstones. She picked up a bell and rang it, but the servant did not appear, so she rang it again more insistently. Finally a middle-aged woman with red-rimmed eyes arrived.

  “You rang, m’lady?”

  “Matilde, cold drinks for all four of us, and hurry up. We’re sweltering here!”

  “Right away, m’lady.” Matilde disappeared through a door.

  “She’s so slow lately,” one of the girls observed.

  “She’s been like this ever since the accident,” Vanita said, returning to her seat.

  Ana joined the others on the edge of the fountain. “Accident?”

  “She lost her husband when he became a Defective,” Vanita explained.

  “I’m not sure I know that word.”

  “You know—Defective.” Vanita contorted her face into a weird grimace with her eyes crossed and her tongue lolling out. She held her hands like claws in front of her face. “People who have something wrong with them.”

  “I still don’t understand.”

  A dark-haired girl with tan skin chimed in. “We’re an advanced society here in Ulmbartia. We don’t like flawed people in our midst. That’s what the shamans are for: they remove the Defectives and take them to a better place.”

  Ana was repulsed. “What happened to Matilde’s husband?”

  “He was a woodcutter, I think. Lost a foot. You can’t have stump-legged people hobbling around in public, you know. The shamans took him away.” The dark-haired girl tossed her hair and wiggled her toes in the fountain.

  “Where did he go?”

  Vanita smiled sweetly and held up her hands. “No one knows. But don’t worry about him. His life here was ruined anyway, so he’s better off somewhere else. The shamans have a beautiful palace in a distant valley. They take care of the Defectives so they can live with others of their kind.”

  “Their kind?”

  “Yes,” Vanita insisted, as if speaking to a child, “their kind. Other Defectives, like I just said.” She made the same gruesome face as before.

  “So who has to go live in the shamans’ palace? Anyone who’s injured? What counts as ‘defective’ around here?”

  Vanita sighed. “The lame, the blind, the maimed, the half-witted, the disfigured. Anyone you wouldn’t want in a civilized society.”

  “And deformed babies,” the dark-haired girl added. “I once saw one with a sixth toe on its foot. It was disgusting.”

  “Babies?” Ana demanded.

  Vanita shrugged. “That’s life.”

  Matilde returned with the cold drinks. Ana couldn’t meet the servant’s eyes as she took a cup of apple cider from the tray.

  As Vanita was served, Matilde handed her an envelope of embossed linen. “The courier just arrived, m’lady,” she said.

  “Look, girls! A message!” Vanita opened the envelope and scanned it for a few seconds. Her eyes lit up, and a smile spread across her face. “You’ll never believe it! This is like the old days, when partying was classy and sophisticated!”

  The other two girls begged to hear the news, and Ana was more than a little intrigued too. Vanita waved the letter in the air.

  “Count Federco Borromo is throwing a two-day party at his lakeside chateau. Imagine the ambience an old place like that will have! Lots of mystery and danger and romance. All the richest men will be there. You should see this guest list! It reads like a register of Ulmbartian high society.”

  “I can hardly bear to ask,” the dark-haired girl said, covering her eyes with her hand, “but am I on the list?”

  “Hmm. Let’s see.” Vanita mischievously scanned the letter longer than seemed necessary, then finally looked up at her two aristocratic friends. “Yes, you two made the cut.” Both girls squealed and clapped their hands. “However,” Vanita continued, “Anastasia’s name isn’t here.”

  Ana dropped her eyes to the ground. Though she was an unknown foreigner with no reason to expect an invitation to such an elegant event, she had gotten caught up in the excitement and now felt deflated.

  Vanita winked at Ana and held up a slip of paper. “Your name isn’t on the list because you’re not a highborn Ulmbartian. But Count Federco has written you a personal note. Listen to this: ‘Dear Anastasia of Chiveis: As a gesture of courtesy to a visitor in our midst, please accept my warmest invitation to join Lady Vanita Labella at the party at my chateau four days hence. Considering that the location is remote and the route is formidable, provision will be made for your bodyguard to accompany you during the journey. I look forward to meeting you in person. All finest wishes, Count Federco Borromo.’”

  Though Ana wasn’t sure what to say, Vanita was ecstatic. She scrambled to her feet and stood on the edge of the fountain. “Can you believe it? This party is going to be a dream! You’ll love it, Anastasia, I promise you. It’ll be the perfect prelude to the Harvest Ball!” Vanita began unbuttoning the front of her high-priced gown.

  “What are you doing?” the dark-haired girl asked.

  Vanita grinned expansively. “It’s hot. I’m going to celebrate this happy news with a swim.” She dropped her gown to her ankles and stepped out of it. The red satin chemise she wore underneath glistened in the sunlight. Vanita spread her arms and threw back her head, letting her blonde hair dangle behind her.

  “Life is good, girls.” She closed her eyes and toppled backward into the fountain with a tremendous splash.

  CHAPTER

  4

  Ana sat with Teo on a shaded bench in the gardens outside the schoolhouse. Since it was still summer, the demands of education had not yet called the estate’s children away from their swimming holes and ball games. Ana knew Teo wasn’t busy, so it was her fault she had hardly seen him in the nine days since they had moved to Vanita’s fabulous home. She felt glad to see him again.

  “Teo, guess what?” Before he could start to guess, Ana answered her query. “I’ve been invited to a fancy party of Ulmbartian aristocrats!”

  He smiled. “It seems partying is what they do best. When is it?”

  “Three days from now. It’s an overnight party at a chateau on the big lake up north.”

  Teo’s expression changed to a look of concern. “Wait a second,” he said, holding up his hand. “That lake is in the mountains where the Rovers are. Is the party near the southern tip of the lake? That’s the only safe part.”

  Ana tsked. “Don’t be such a worrier! I think the party is happening up the shore a ways. Vanita says it’s remote, but that’s part of the fun. I’m sure it’s perfectly safe.”

  “No, it’s not perfectly safe. I’ve seen the maps, and I’ve discussed the frontiers with Lieutenant Celso. The lake you’re talking about is called Greater Lake. It’s actually more of an inland sea that extends deep into the mountains. The southern part is fairly civilized, but it becomes wild the farther north you go. The pass that Lieutenant Celso’s expedition used to enter the wilderness isn’t far from there. If he can go over it to leave Ulmbartia, the Rovers can also use it to come in. The passes aren’t secured yet.”

  “So what are you saying? Do you think I shouldn’t go?”

  “That’s right, I think you shouldn’t go. There’s no need to put yourself at risk. Danger seems to find you easily enough already.”

  “But, Teo, it would mean so much to me.”

  He shrugged with his palms up. “Why? I don’t get it.”

  Ana put her hand on his arm. “I know you don’t get it, but let me explain. You’re a man; I’m a woman.” The obvious statement made Teo chuckle. Ana smiled in return as she continued, “You and I are very different, Teo
. Back in Chiveis you were an independent soldier with nothing to tie you down. You lived in the wilderness for months at a time and loved it. But think about me. I had security, a home, a family—” Emotion caught in her throat, and her words faltered.

  Teo slipped his arm around Ana’s shoulder. “Okay, I do understand that. But are you sure the Ulmbartian aristocrats are the best substitute for what you used to have?”

  “No,” she said, staring at her feet, “but right now that’s all I have.”

  “Ana, you have something far better.”

  She glanced up at Teo. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she said, “You’re right. Deu is my strength. But maybe Deu will use my new friends to provide a community I can become a part of.”

  “I want that for you. I really do. I just don’t like you taking unnecessary risks to achieve it.”

  Ana lifted her head from Teo’s shoulder and looked him in the face, smiling. “There might be some danger,” she acknowledged, “but I won’t be alone. My ‘bodyguard’ is allowed to come along.”

  “Oh, I’m allowed to stand in their presence, am I?”

  Ana felt a little embarrassed. “Actually, no. Not at the party. Just to get me there.”

  Teo rolled his eyes and flicked his hand dismissively.

  A melodious voice called from behind the manicured hedges. “Yoo-hoo! Are you two decent? If not, grab a cover-up! I’m sorry to interrupt your little tryst, but I need to talk to you.”

  Vanita appeared on the gravel pathway in the garden. “Oh . . . you really are decent,” she said with apparent surprise. “That’s too bad. I’ve been lusting for Teofil since I first saw him.” She threw him a saucy wink, then turned her attention to Ana. “A bunch of us are traveling to the party in a caravan. We’ll have our servants with us, and we’ll take things easy, so that means we need to leave tomorrow. I assume you’ll be going with us. There’s a lot to do to get ready.” Vanita put her hands on her hips and looked at Teo again. “So, you big stallion, give her what she needs, then send her straight to me!”

  Ana shifted uncomfortably on the bench, taken aback by Vanita’s salacious assumptions. She was beginning to understand Ulmbartian culture well enough to know what Teo represented in Vanita’s mind: an extremely handsome but low-status man with whom Ana could sate her desires until a man of proper rank came along. Vanita had stated in no uncertain terms that Ana’s future in Ulmbartia depended on contracting the right marriage to a well-placed aristocrat. All of Vanita’s assumptions were untrue, but Ana hadn’t figured out how to explain that to her. She took a deep breath. “Actually, Vanita, I was thinking I’d leave the day after next. Teofil can escort me on horseback. I’m quite used to that.”

  “Really? How come you don’t want to come with us?”

  The question made Ana uneasy. She didn’t want to insult her hostess, yet she didn’t like the idea of traveling with Teo in a band of the young Ulmbartian elite. She had a feeling that if Teo were put in proximity to the local aristocrats, the social dynamic would become awkward. Torn between the man sitting next to her on the bench and the challenges of the new world she was trying to navigate, Ana offered the first excuse that popped into her head. “Teofil is uncomfortable in that setting,” she said apologetically.

  Teo made a sound of protest, but Ana ignored it.

  “Suit yourself then,” Vanita replied. “But you’re going to miss out on some fun along the way. I guess I’ll see you at the count’s chateau.” She turned and headed back to the palace.

  “What was that about?” Teo demanded after Vanita left. “I’m not uncomfortable among that crowd. I don’t respect them enough for them to have that effect on me!”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” Ana pleaded. “I just didn’t know what else to say.”

  “So you pinned the blame on me?”

  “Well, it’s sort of true, isn’t it? You don’t exactly fit in with those aristocrats!”

  Teo’s face fell, and Ana immediately regretted her words. I’ve hurt him, she thought. She tried to salvage the situation. “What I mean is . . . your place here in Ulmbartia is uncertain—”

  Teo stopped her with an upraised palm. “Enough. My place in life might be uncertain to you, but it’s not to me. And it didn’t used to be to you either.”

  He got up and left.

  Ana didn’t talk to him all the next day. Early on the morning of their scheduled departure for the chateau, she saw him standing in the palace courtyard with two fine palfreys, the kind whose ambling gait would quickly eat up the leagues. The horses were saddled and ready to go. Ana bit her lip, wondering if the journey would begin with another confrontation or just simmer with tense but submerged feelings.

  The first thing Ana did when she entered the courtyard was apologize. Teo nodded and put his hand on her shoulder. “Listen, I know it’s hard for you to make your way in this new kingdom,” he said warmly. “I’ll give you a lot of space to figure things out, okay? And I’ll be here for you whenever you need me.” Ana felt a burden lift from her shoulders at Teo’s sweet words.

  They left Vanita’s estate, traveling easily on the well-marked road. The last portion of their journey hugged the southern tip of Greater Lake, a turquoise sea dotted with quaint fishing communities and the ruins of old villas.

  The sun had already slipped behind the rugged foothills on their left when Teo and Ana arrived at a lakeside village. Some of the buildings along the waterfront had been reclaimed from the Ancients, their architecture a telltale mix of old-world grandeur and Ulmbartian ingenuity. The air was pleasantly warm, and the lake breezes carried the fragrance of honeysuckle. During spring the region would be awash with flowers, but even now, late in the eighth month, Ana could see why Vanita had called the lake district “the most beautiful part of Ulmbartia.” A gorgeous place like this would be an inevitable resort area, in present times or in ancient.

  “Look at those strange trees,” Teo said.

  Ana regarded the pole-like trees with bushy fronds on top. “Vanita told me about those,” she said. “They’re called palms.”

  They halted at an upscale inn. Teo entered, then quickly returned. “There aren’t any rooms for the night because of all the travelers headed to the party. The barkeep says the only place with vacancies is a little island used by the fishermen.” He pointed across the water to a pair of islands a short distance offshore. “We can leave our horses here at the stable and catch a ferry at the pier. How about if we have a drink and rest for a bit, then head out to the island for the night?”

  “Anything is fine by me as long as I don’t have to ride anymore,” Ana said. “My hip is pretty sore.”

  The interior of the inn was pleasantly cool, with dark cherrywood paneling and a flagstone floor. From the many bottles behind the bar, Ana knew this was an establishment where any wine she might order would be a good one. The tables were occupied by travelers of various social positions, from immaculately dressed courtiers to simple peasants. Apparently the fruit of the vine was a universal pleasure for rich and poor alike.

  Teo and Ana ordered at the bar, then found a table for two in the corner. As Ana had expected, her straw-colored spumante was exquisite. Teo, on the other hand, had ordered an ale, to the bartender’s obvious displeasure.

  They chatted for a while and sipped their drinks, then Teo excused himself. As Ana sat alone at the table, three men in expensive clothes approached.

  “A woman as beautiful as you should never have an empty glass when courteous men are nearby,” said a good-looking young man with even teeth and a light beard. He winked at Ana and held up a bottle of the exact wine she was drinking. “May I?” Without waiting for an answer, he refilled Ana’s glass.

  “We couldn’t help but notice you’re traveling alone,” said another man. “We thought perhaps you’d like to join us. No doubt you’re headed to Count Federco’s chateau.”

  “Thank you. That’s very kind of you,” Ana replied. “But I’m not alone.”

  The
men exchanged confused glances. “We saw no others with you,” one said.

  “I’m traveling with the man who was seated at the table.”

  “Oh, him!” The three young aristocrats chuckled among themselves. “We meant a man of your own station, not your groom. We thought you might want some genteel company along the way.”

  “Again I thank you, but my escort is all the company I need.”

  “The roads aren’t safe as you go north,” said the man with the beard who had spoken first. “We insist you travel with us.” Ana sensed an aggressive undertone in his voice.

  Teo walked up to the table. “Is there a problem here, friends?”

  “We’re making arrangements. Your opinions aren’t needed.”

  Teo laughed and shook his head. “How about if you three move along and leave us alone?”

  The bearded man turned and faced Teo with an angry glint in his eye. “How dare you speak to me like that!”

  “I’ve done a lot of daring things in my life. Speaking to you isn’t one of them.”

  The other two men closed around their leader. “You’re going to be sorry you said that,” one of them snarled.

  “Where I’m from, a man has to back up his threats with action.” Teo’s tone was firm.

  The leader drew a dagger from his belt and held it in front of him. “Maybe this will back up my words,” he said. The other two men drew their blades as well.

  Teo glanced down at the dagger, then grinned broadly as he met the leader’s eyes. “Not if you’re going to hold it like a little boy.”

  Teo’s hand flashed out so quickly, Ana scarcely saw it move. It was as if she had blinked, then Teo was holding his opponent’s knife. The leader’s eyes were wide, and his mouth gaped in his close-cropped beard.

  “Now it’s two knives to one,” Teo said, holding up the blade. His other hand shot out and disarmed a second man with the same wrist-twisting motion. Once again, the move was incredibly fast.

  “Well, what do you know?” Teo asked good-naturedly. “Now I have twofine knives. It sort of changes the odds, doesn’t it?”