The Gift

by Bryan M. Litfin

  The three men were unsure of themselves. “Give me back my dagger,” the leader said. “It’s a family heirloom.”

  Teo nodded with a knowing smile. “I didn’t think it got much everyday use.”

  He spun the daggers in his hands, the blades whirling and causing the men to step back. Abruptly Teo flipped them up and caught them by the sharp tips above his head. In a single motion, he hurled them toward the leader. The man shrieked as the two daggers whizzed past his head and implanted themselves in a wine cask across the room.

  Teo reached into his pocket and tossed the man a coin. “Buy yourselves a stout ale, gentlemen.” He looked down at Ana. “Are you ready?”

  “Definitely.”

  Ana couldn’t help but smile as she slipped her arm into Teo’s and let him escort her outside.

  For a few pennies, the boatman rowed Teo and Ana to the islands. The nearer one was covered in shrubbery and uninhabited. Though in the time of the Ancients it had housed a magnificent palace and botanical garden, the island had long since been scavenged for valuables; then nature took its course.

  The second island, however, contained a thriving hamlet of fishermen. After Teo and Ana were dropped at the quay, they entered a maze of quaint cobblestone alleys with hidden nooks and secret restaurants. Cozy plazas gave periodic glimpses of the dark blue evening sky. Every window seemed to be lit with an oil lamp, and strings of candle lanterns in bright colors were strung from building to building.

  Ana wore a delighted smile on her face. “This island is so charming!”

  “What do you think of spending the night at this place?” Teo gestured toward an inn with a clean and well-kept appearance tucked into a corner of the island. The patio faced the lake, whose waters caught the sheen of the newly risen moon. A pergola supported by carved stone pillars overflowed with climbing roses. The inn’s proprietor had placed a single red blossom on each candlelit table.

  “I couldn’t imagine a better place,” Ana said. “Let’s check into our rooms first. I’ll meet you at the restaurant in a few minutes.”

  Teo carried Ana’s bag to her bedchamber, then located his own room. He found it to be exactly what he had expected: a simple yet comfortable space with a mirror, a bowl and ewer, and a bed overlaid by a thick duvet. He freshened up and straightened his clothes, then went down to the restaurant to wait.

  Drumming his fingers on the table, Teo scanned the menu. The fare centered on the popular Ulmbartian specialty called pasta, which was served with creamy sauces and various kinds of fish. I guess that’s what I should expect at a place called Fisherman’s Isle. I wonder—

  Teo’s jaw dropped as Ana entered the restaurant.

  She had put on makeup and changed into the same red dress in which she had appeared before the king. Her honey-blonde hair was done up around her head in an elegant style. Sparkling gemstones adorned her ears, and her neckline was trimmed with garnets. She had paused to smell one of the rose blossoms on the pergola, so she was turned away from Teo at an angle. The low scoop at the back of her dress revealed her pale skin and lovely female form. It occurred to Teo that perhaps he should look away, but it was impossible. He could only stare at her, transfixed by her beauty. Ana turned toward him, smiling as she caught his eye. He gulped. She was dazzling.

  “I thought I should change into a gown for our nice dinner,” she said as she approached the table. Teo stood up and held her chair. The action surprised Ana. “Why thank you, Captain,” she said sweetly as she took her seat. “Isn’t this a gorgeous place?”

  He didn’t answer right away. Instead he just sat across from her, gazing at her face. Could any woman be more beautiful? Ana’s eyes were a stunning blue-green, surrounded by long eyelashes and delicate eyebrows in perfect little arches. Her cheekbones were impossibly high, and her skin was so smooth Teo had to fight the urge to trace his finger along her cheek. His eyes moved to her mouth. Those full, pink lips with just a hint of gloss made Teo’s heartbeat accelerate. Ana’s upper lip was dimpled, giving her mouth a heart-shaped appearance. She had a dainty chin . . . a creamy, caramel-colored throat . . . rounded, feminine shoulders.

  Teo forced himself to arrest his gaze.

  “What is it?” Ana asked. “What’s the matter?”

  Teo shook himself back to reality. “What?”

  “You had a funny look on your face.”

  “Oh. Just hungry, I guess.”

  Ana motioned toward her surroundings. “I was just saying what a gorgeous place this is.”

  Teo leaned toward Ana, resting his elbows on the table. “You know how Vanita’s house has that grand painting in the entry hall?”

  “The one with the wild horses at sunset? I love that painting.”

  “Have you ever noticed the frame?”

  “Sure. It’s gilded and ornate. Such a magnificent painting deserves a frame like that.”

  Teo smiled and nodded. “Exactly.” He gestured around the restaurant. “That’s what this amazing place is tonight—merely a frame for a woman of exquisite beauty.”

  Ana inhaled sharply, and color rose to her cheeks. “That was nice, Teo,” she said, unable to suppress the smile that played at the corners of her lips. She fiddled with her menu, then looked up at Teo from underneath her eyelashes. Their eyes met. Blushing some more, she glanced away with a little laugh.

  The waiter arrived with a plate of sliced meat and artichoke hearts, then took their orders. Teo and Ana relaxed in the nearly empty restaurant as they talked in the soft glow of the candle. The wine was plentiful, and each course of the meal was a delight. As the moon rose higher in the sky, the stars came out one by one over the lake. The conversation turned to spiritual matters, and Teo told Ana about his theological discussions with Sol. Such topics had to be closely guarded, Teo warned, because of the evil shamans. Despite that grim reminder, Ana was pleased to hear that Sol was a believer in Deu and had his own copy of the Sacred Writing.

  “So he has the entire Old Testament?” she asked with excitement. “All this time we’ve been missing the last few books. Maybe that’s where we can learn about, um . . . what was that name carved on the cross?”

  “It was Iesus Christus, but Sol told me that name isn’t mentioned in the Old Testament. He thinks it’s the name of a predicted savior—either the Promised King or the Suffering Servant.”

  “I would think the savior sent by Deu would rule as a king, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yes, that’s my theory too. The Suffering Servant was his helper in some way.”

  Ana pounded her fist lightly on the table. “The key to all this is the New Testament. That must be where the predictions are fulfilled. Teo, you have to find the rest of the Sacred Writing.”

  “Why me? Why not both of us?”

  Ana hesitated for a moment, biting her lip. Teo sensed she was experiencing profound uncertainty about what she wished to say. Finally she gathered her courage and spoke. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I’m not sure how you’ll react.”

  “Go ahead. I won’t judge you.”

  Ana nodded gratefully and took a deep breath. “When we were on the pass and I was sick, I did something you don’t know about. You’ll think it strange when I tell you, but I want you to know why I did it.” Teo offered encouragement, so she continued. “I switched the corks in the bottles so you would get the good medicine.”

  The news struck Teo like a physical blow. He shook his head, trying to understand what he was hearing. She intentionally took the bad medicine? That explains why she didn’t get better! But it also means . . .

  “Why would you do that?” Teo asked. “You almost died!”

  “It’s simple. I knew I wouldn’t be able to discover the story of Deu without you. That’s the kind of mystery only you can solve. Maybe I can be at your side when it happens, but I’m not an explorer. I can’t go investigating old libraries and ancient ruins. I don’t know what to look for, and even if I did, I can’t read old languages. That’
s your world, Teo. You’re the only one who can uncover the truth about Deu and his savior. And also . . . you’re the only one who could find the way back to Chiveis.”

  “But the medicine . . . even though you were dying, you secretly gave the good bottle to me. In essence, you gave—” Teo was reduced to stunned silence as the enormity of Ana’s self-sacrifice crystallized in his mind.

  Her blue-green eyes grew deadly serious. “Swear something to me, Teo. Swear right now that you’ll find the New Testament and learn the message of Deu. Swear that nothing will deter you until you’ve found it—nothing at all! And then swear you will return to Chiveis with the message of salvation.”

  She reached out for him. Teo grasped her hand in his, deeply moved by what Ana had done, and what it meant, and what she was now asking.

  “I swear these things to you, Ana,” he said. “I will do them as you have asked. May Deu be the witness of my oath.”

  “Thank you, Teo. I can’t tell you what that means to me.”

  Ana relaxed, and Teo released her hand. It took a few seconds for the intensity of the moment to pass.

  The waiter’s arrival broke the spell. With the second course now finished, he brought a dessert of sweet chestnut parfait and glasses of amaretto. At last, when Teo felt he could eat no more, he suggested a stroll around the island. Ana was happy to oblige.

  Under the multicolored glow of twinkling lamps, Teo and Ana browsed the few shops that were still open. Ulmbartians typically ate dinner very late, so they were just now putting away their wares and heading out for a meal. Ana stopped at a jewelry shop and bent close to the case. “Teo, come here!” She beckoned him with her hand while staring at the jewelry. “Look at this!”

  He joined her. The case was filled with necklaces and bracelets of various styles. Teo’s eyes fell on the pendant Ana was inspecting: a gold cross with a man nailed upon it. The man’s side was wounded, and on his head he wore a crown of thorns. An inscription on the cross read Passio Iesu Christi.

  “The cross is Deu’s symbol,” Ana said, “but I didn’t know it was a place of death.”

  “And look, it mentions Iesus Christus. That must be him on the cross.”

  “What do you suppose passio means?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ll ask Sol when we get home.” Teo caught the attention of the store’s owner, an attractive, middle-aged woman. “How much for this piece?” he asked.

  The woman glanced at the cross pendant on the gold chain. “It’s an antique. It was dug out of the ground somewhere around here. The art dealers have no idea what it is, but anything made by the Ancients is costly.” She held up one hand, her fingers spread. “Five scudi.”

  Teo reached into his pocket. “I’ll take it.” He handed over the money.

  “Teo, that’s way too much,” Ana whispered. “You can’t afford it.”

  “On this night, I can.”

  Teo laid the pendant in Ana’s palm. She stared at it, caressing it with her finger. “The man’s face is so sad. But his eyes are full of love.”

  Ana looked up at Teo. “Put it on me.” She spun around so he could fasten it behind her neck, then turned to face him again. “Thank you, Teofil,” she said with a tremor in her voice.

  “You’re welcome. I wanted you to have it as a symbol.”

  “Of what?”

  “Tonight you made me swear to seek the meaning of this mystery. I admire how you’re so committed to proclaiming Deu’s message in Chiveis. You had that desire even before we left home. Your refusal to deny him is why you’re standing here now. Only Deu knows how long we’ll wander in exile. But if he allows it, we’ll discover the whole truth and take the message back to our people.”

  Ana nodded with her eyes closed. “Yes. Come to our people, O mighty Deu.”

  Teo reached out and touched the pendant with his finger. “Let this gift be a reminder of Deu’s presence, and let it symbolize our goal of discovering his teachings.”

  “So be it,” Ana agreed.

  The hour had grown late, so Teo and Ana circled the island and made their way back to the inn. They paused at the water’s edge to enjoy the breeze for a few moments before going inside. An alley cat howled in the distance, while at their feet the water lapped against the cobblestone pavement.

  Ana inhaled deeply. “This island is magical,” she said. “Everything about it is romantic and charming. It’s the kind of place every girl wants to go with the man in her life.”

  Teo glanced over at Ana. Her eyes were fixed on some distant point across the lake. “Do you wish you had a man in your life?” he asked.

  She nodded. “More than ever before.”

  Teo didn’t answer right away. He stood in the moonlight, turning Ana’s statement over in his mind. No doubt it was prompted by her trauma at being yanked from her homeland. Women seek security, Teo thought. She’s feeling the need for that right now. So what does she want from me?

  The answer struck him with clarity: My presence.

  Okay. But does that mean romance?

  Teo started to speak, then held back, recalling Ana’s comment that he wouldn’t fit in with the aristocrats. Although he didn’t think Ana wanted to marry some rich prince, he wasn’t sure she wanted to make her way in Ulmbartia on the bottom of the social ladder either. That wouldn’t be much of a life for her. It certainly wouldn’t provide any security. Teo tried to think of the best way to care for Ana. You said you’d give her space to figure things out, he reasoned. Don’t take advantage of her just because you shared a night of rosebushes and candlelight!

  He let his voice take on a casual, joking tone. “Right now the man in your life is worn out from a day’s riding.” He stretched and yawned. “What do you say we turn in for the night?”

  Ana nodded, then turned and walked inside. When Teo followed a few moments later, she had already retired to her room.

  Vanita Labella had been right about one thing: Count Federco’s lakeside chateau was remote. As Ana rode up to it with Teo beside her, she had the feeling of being in the wilderness again.

  After departing Fisherman’s Isle in the morning Teo and Ana had ridden hard so as not to arrive too late. Now it was only midafternoon, leaving plenty of time for Ana to get changed before the evening feast. The elegant meal was a precursor to the main event: the vintage gala on the island the next day.

  Ana could see the island a short distance offshore jutting out of the lake. Unlike Fisherman’s Isle, this one was just a tiny rock with nothing on it but the abandoned fortress. It looked as if the ruined castle rose straight out of the water. Spooky and atmospheric, Ana thought. The perfect place for a mysterious soirée.

  A page greeted Teo and Ana at the chateau’s grand entrance. He asked for their names and checked his list. “I’ll gladly show you to Lady Vanita’s rooms,” he said to Ana, then looked at Teo and pointed over his shoulder. “The stables are that way.”

  Teo bowed to Ana and gave her a salute. “I believe this is where your bodyguard takes his leave, m’lady.”

  Ana smiled uncertainly. “Alright. So, uh . . . thanks for getting me here. I guess I’ll see you around.”

  She was led to the opulent staterooms of the chateau’s living quarters. The page knocked on a door, and Vanita answered. “Anastasia! I’m glad you made it! Come in.”

  Vanita threw her arms around Ana in an effusive hug, then led her into a room full of pretty young women. “We’re all trying on our gowns for the feast tonight. This is going to be like the old days when Ulmbartians threw parties that rivaled those of the Likurians! Let’s see if we can find you something special, okay? I’m thinking you need a low-cut number to catch a few eyes. You certainly have the body to pull it off!” Vanita winked at Ana in a conspiratorial way.

  As the girls chatted, the topic shifted from hairstyles to that other inevitable subject: men. Vanita suggested the names of a few courtiers Ana should get to know. The idea repelled her.

  “What would be so wrong with a teacher?”
Ana asked. “Like Teofil, for instance?”

  Vanita gave her a blank look. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Why not?”

  “First of all, a teacher has no money. He has to earn wages of all things! And even worse, nobody of our station would ever speak to you again. All this”—Vanita waved her hand around the room—“would just disappear. Poof!”

  Ana wouldn’t have minded doing without the luxuries, but the thought of starting over with a new social group was daunting. Though the aristocratic girls could be vain and superficial at times, they provided a sense of belonging that Ana cherished. Vanita came to her side, putting an arm around her shoulder.

  “I really like you, Anastasia,” she said. “I don’t want you to disappear into some commoner’s hovel. Teofil isn’t husband material. He’s for physical enjoyment only.”

  Ana had finally had enough of that sort of talk. “Listen, Vanita, we’re not involved like that. We don’t sleep together. In fact, I’ve never even been with—” She stopped, not wanting to say too much, though she feared she already had.

  Vanita stared at Ana, then a slow smile crept across her face. She leaned close. “So . . . you’re one of those proper girls, are you? Well, don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” Ana didn’t consider it a “secret” to be ashamed of, but she wasn’t sure what to say next, so Vanita continued. “That’s all the more reason not to waste your time with Teofil. He’s of no use to you whatsoever.”

  “He’s my friend,” Ana protested. “We have a—a bond.”

  “A bond? What makes you think he has a bond with you? In my experience men aren’t bonded until you’ve gotten a ring from them—and even then it’s iffy.”

  “Teo isn’t like that. He has—” Ana sought the right word. “He has strong feelings for me.”

  “Has he ever said so?”

  Ana thought it over. One time, back in Chiveis, Teo had made a pass at her, but she had found it inappropriate. Pushing him away, he had toppled into a fountain. Ana shook that unpleasant memory out of her head and recalled a different instance—the time they stood together on a balcony, holding hands in the moonlight. She believed something profound had passed between them then, forged by their shared adversity in the wilderness when Teo rescued her from her abductors.