“Now, my dears, keep those knives by you on your world tour – and be good friends to one another. The spirits of my sister and I will go with you.”
Katrin hugged her impulsively and Princess Dorlane laughed out loud.
“That’s the other lesson here – life goes on and it can be good, if you seek the goodness. Now, Varnia, show me how you do this delicate work. I am going to try it on some of my own dresses!”
***
Kaymar wove through the crowd on the deck of the Carmathia, a wine glass in each hand. He moved with a grace that was almost reptilian. It was fascinating but strangely repellent to the people who watched his progress. He looked at none of them, but Menders, waiting by the deck railing, could tell Kaymar was amused.
“Don’t frighten our traveling companions,” he said wryly as Kaymar reached him and handed him one of the glasses.
“I’ll give them something to talk about,” Kaymar smiled. “And here come our charges, just on schedule.”
Katrin and Borsen ran toward the opposite rail. They were followed by Varnia and then Hemmett.
Menders made eye contact with a young man across the deck, who moved unobtrusively nearer to the young people, but stayed out of their line of vision. They were intent on the spectacle of the ship being made ready to leave and the people waiting on the dock below.
***
Katrin rushed to the rail of the steamship.
“Look at all the people!” she exclaimed. Borsen laughed and handed her a paper streamer that could be tossed down to observers on the dock.
“Pick a likely young man, hold the end of the ribbon and throw that down to him,” he directed.
“Oh, who?” Katrin laughed, scanning faces.
“I’ve found mine,” Borsen grinned, holding tight to his streamer.
“Here Varnia,” Hemmett said, offering a streamer to the young woman. “You were stampeding here so fast, you forgot to pick one up.”
“Who would I throw it to?” she asked sharply.
“Anyone you want,” Hemmett laughed. “Don’t give me a glare. Ah, I see just the sweetheart I’ll bestow mine upon.”
He whistled shrilly, until a curly haired young woman looked up in his direction. He blew her a seductive kiss and held up his paper streamer for her to see.
She laughed and held out her hands.
Borsen tried his best to jostle Hemmett as he tossed the streamer to his temporary sweetheart, but it was like a puppy trying to upset a warhorse. Hemmett stood a foot and a half taller than his diminutive friend and was honed to physical perfection by years of military training. He laughed a hearty ‘haw-haw’ and threw the streamer directly into the hands of the lady below.
Varnia was looking around, forgetting to guard her expression. She was fascinated by the sounds, colors, the throngs of people on the deck and on the shore. The scent of seawater mingled with smoke from the ship’s funnels. The ship vibrated slightly from the thrum of its engines. Overwhelmed, she looked at the crowd, her paper streamer clutched in her hand.
Borsen waggled his eyebrows at someone below and flung his streamer down. It was caught by a handsome young gentleman who Katrin realized had been looking up at Borsen the entire time they’d leaned on the railing.
“He likes you,” she grinned. “Are you sorry it’s too late to do anything more than throw a paper ribbon to him?”
“Safest way to flirt is when they’re too far away to do anything,” Borsen laughed. “What about you?”
Katrin scanned the mob below. She tossed her streamer indiscriminately.
It was caught by a red haired man with a distinctly unlikeable face. He began looked up the length of the streamer to its source. His expression was so repulsive and sneering that Katrin drew back, moving into Hemmett’s shadow.
“Ugh,” she said.
“Did you catch a pigfish, Willow?” Hemmett laughed. He pressed another streamer into her hand and pulled her around to stand on his other side. “Toss it out again, but aim this time. No point in slinging it out any old how.”
Katrin shook off the feeling of repulsion she’d formed about that man. He hadn’t even seen her. The streamer could have been from anyone. She wasn’t going to let that brief jarring contact spoil a thing.
She wasn’t even Princess Katrin Morghenna of Mordania, second Heiress to the Ruby Throne any longer. They all had new identities and she was Emila de Cosini, daughter of the wealthy Surelian merchant, Erco de Cosini. She was not going to have to worry about being a princess for three years!
She stepped back up to the rail and tossed out her streamer, letting the breeze decide where it would land despite Hemmett’s advice.
It was caught by a handsome sailor, who saluted smartly and held the end of the bright red streamer aloft with a grin. Katrin scanned the crowd quickly, but saw no sign of the red haired man with the evil face. Good!
Varnia leaned on the railing beside Katrin and gently let her ribbon pay out, down, down, into the hands of a ragged little street boy hanging around the dock to see the ship set out. He giggled with delight and capered a bit, looking up with a sweet smile, excited to be chosen. He waved and Varnia waved back.
Suddenly Katrin’s sailor pointed vigorously at his own left ear. Before Katrin could ask Hemmett what that meant, the horns and whistles of the ship blew in a deafening cacophony.
Katrin and Varnia both jumped, while Borsen and Hemmett laughed at them. Both young men had traveled by ship to Surelia before and enjoyed their superior knowledge very much. Hemmett’s loud laughter blended with the music of the band on the shore as the huge fans thrashed the water to foam and the boat moved away from the dock.
The four streamers stretched out and quivered until, one by one, they broke and drifted down into the water.
“I’ve left Mordania!” Katrin cried excitedly.
***
Eiren had come on deck for their embarkation and was as excited as Katrin. She had traveled between The Shadows and Erdahn, as well as to other towns within Mordania, but this was her first international voyage. She was overjoyed to see how happy Katrin was, how Varnia was smiling openly and the antics of Borsen and Hemmett as they teased the girls good-naturedly.
“Wonderful to see them all so happy,” she smiled, leaning against Menders’ side. He wrapped his arm around her waist.
“Indeed it is,” he replied. “Glad I didn’t insist on using our own boat?”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “For all the reasons we’ve discussed and more. Seeing Borsen able to enjoy being on a ship and not hanging over the back railing, being horribly sick, is well worth the extra surveillance.”
Originally, Menders had planned to move their party from Mordania to Surelia on The Shadows’ steam launch, which was regularly used to cross The Gulf of Mordania between The Shadows and Erdahn. It was a great improvement over taking the train, which often involved serious delays due to weather. But when Menders had proposed the plan of taking the launch to Surelia, Ifor, who usually piloted the vessel, shook his head.
“The Gulf and The Sea of Surelia are two different things,” Ifor had said deliberately, in his low, heavy voice that sounded like two slabs of lead being knocked together. “You’re in very deep water there. You can have massive waves come up quickly, there are squalls. Borsen wouldn’t be the only person who was seasick, that’s a surety.”
Menders had bowed to Ifor’s expertise. Ifor was from Southern Mordania fisherfolk and knew the ocean well. His own father had been lost in a squall on The Sea of Surelia, which led to him being sent to the Mordanian Military Academy at twelve, where he had become a successful spy with a genius for codes and languages.
So they were testing the safety of having Katrin travel on a public vessel. Menders’ Men were positioned all over the Carmathia, all watching the four young people. Ifor was nearby, holding the leads of the four massive boarhounds accompanying the family. The dogs were pets, but their faithfulness and ferocity made them effective guard animals as we
ll. Kaymar was watching and occasionally patrolling. The young people were too intent on their new experience to notice. It was a delight to see Katrin so happy and fascinated by everything around her.
“How is our other young lady doing?” Menders asked Eiren, snagging a glass of wine for her from a passing wine steward.
“Quite well, I think,” she answered, sipping it and then looking at him in amazement. “My dear! What is this?” she asked. “It’s wonderful!”
“The Surelians call it Dreams of Angels,” Menders smiled. “To be taken in very small quantities.”
“Yes, it’s powerful,” Eiren agreed. “Varnia is warming up a bit, but she’s still a very closed book in many ways. She’ll definitely need our support.”
“That’s why she’s here,” Menders replied. “I see she gravitates toward Hemmett – is there something there?”
Eiren shook her head decidedly. “No and never will be. They aren’t attracted in that way. It’s that big heart of his, seeing someone who needs protection and friendship, but who pushes it away. The perfect knight.”
Menders smiled, but had to admit she was right. Hemmett had a tenderness toward anything in need of care, be it a baby bird or a hostile and defensive young woman.
“Is she interested in attending the university with Katrin and Borsen?” he asked.
“Nothing definite yet. She was a diligent but average student,” Eiren replied, referring to the years when Varnia attended her school after hours of chores on her father’s farm. “She may not find going to university as alluring as Katrin does.”
“We’ll let her set her own course.” Menders took Eiren’s arm and guided her over to the railing, where they joined the younger set in watching Mordania grow smaller in the distance.
Lemhos, Surelia
9
Freedom in a Sunburnt Land
D
ear Petra,
We’re just finishing our first week of university classes and since it’s so hot here I can barely move in the afternoons, this is a perfect opportunity to write to you. Other than the heat, things are wonderful!
Hemmett, Borsen and I go to the University on weekdays. Borsen and I are taking art studio and art history and all three of us are taking a Surelian military history class because Hemmett was interested. He’s acting as my bodyguard and has to sit through the rest of our courses, so we felt it was only fair to do something he was interested in. Actually, the military class is quite fascinating. I wish I could say the same for art history, which is a crashing bore. Borsen and I wanted to drop it but Menders is making us finish. He says life involves a lot of situations where you have to tolerate things, that we can learn something from the class even if the professor isn’t as fun and interesting as the art studio professor is.
Art studio, on the other hand, is hilarious. The professor moved Borsen and me into a small group of students who have advanced art skills. He’s a very dramatic Surelian, given to fits of temperament. When the class began he didn’t like Hemmett just sitting in the back of the room, being a bodyguard. So he insisted that Hemmett join in. Now Hemmett draws like a grundar and has no interest in trying to be artistic. He declined but the professor threw a tantrum. Hemmett had a terrible time trying not to laugh while this little, bald Surelian in a smock shouted and stamped his tiny feet in their Surelian road-slappers.
So after the professor fussed enough, Hemmett went to an easel that was turned slightly away from the class. He picked up a brush and started painting away. Professor was very happy, beaming, rushing around the room and criticizing everyone. Told me I make so much mud of my paints that he expects to see toads hopping out of it. Told Borsen that his sketch looked like he’d used the wrong end of the pencil (if you’re good he criticizes you mercilessly, if you’re not, he’s very kind.) Then he went to Hemmett, who was looking very artistic, brandishing his brush with great dignity.
Well, I’ve heard about someone throwing a Surelian Fit and now I’ve seen it. The professor yelled and stamped and called Hemmett names. He took away the palette and hit him with a paintbrush, with Hemmett haw-hawing all the while. Turns out he had painted a bunch of stick figures holding hands, a sun with a smile on it and stick flowers with little faces on them, like a three year old would.
So the professor rumpussed for a while but then started to laugh and pinned the “painting” up on the wall. Hemmett is now banished to the back of the room and not forced to produce art.
Best thing of all about going to the University is that we take lunch in little cafés or restaurants nearby, or bring a picnic and eat it in one of the public parks! You may shrug this off but for me it’s wonderful.
You see, Menders has been very careful and he’s found that no-one knows we’re away from The Shadows. He talked to me right before we registered for classes. He said things were safe enough for me to go to school with only Hemmett and Borsen – no Kaymar, no Menders’ Men shadowing us! We can go to museums and shopping too!
I still can’t go out completely on my own, as Varnia can, but it’s been so much fun. We even had beer to go with our sandwiches the other day! Don’t tell on us now.
The villa is beautiful, long and rambling with many balconies and a large green vineyard, gardens and those stunning umbrella trees all around. The five men who live here all the time are very nice. They were assassins at the same time Menders was, but they all had terrible experiences and their minds gave way. They need a very stable environment and predictable routine.
There is a housekeeper here, Madame Spinta, who is perfect for providing routine because she’s one of those people who is utterly inflexible. She’s a paragon: the house is perfect, the grounds are perfect, the meals are perfect. The only problem is that she hates Borsen because he’s Thrun. He takes it in stride. Since Menders doesn’t want to upset the residents here, he doesn’t come down on her as he would if she were at The Shadows and treating Borsen badly.
You asked how Varnia is doing in your last letter – she decided against going to the University this term. She was going to, but then Menders realized she was upset about it and told her that she could see Surelia in her own way, that she wasn’t required to attend. Since then she’s been a lot more relaxed, and spends a lot of time going on walks alone. I asked her what she does and she said she just observes the people and how they live. She also likes to go to museums and galleries by herself. She doesn’t lose her temper much but I can see she’s ready to take a swing at Madame Spinta for being rude to Borsen.
You must let me know the moment Vil asks you to marry him! I know you wouldn’t have said anything if you weren’t sure of it, so now it’s a matter of when. I’m sure you know what’s best, it’s just that you haven’t known him that long. He’s so funny and nice, I’m sure you’ll be happy. How funny to think that we’re getting old enough to be married!
It’s really getting hot now and my head is starting to pound. Eiren is out looking for some cooler clothing for us and finding out what Surelian women do for underwear. We’re sweating right through our corsets every day and they make things that much worse – that and our long hair. The women here wear theirs long, but up in all sorts of elaborate styles. I pin mine up but it makes the headaches even worse.
Time for a cold bath and a lie down with a wet cloth on my head. Write to me soon!
Love,
Katrin
Dear Vil,
I saw that Katrin had a letter going out to Petra and wanted to let you know your old mate and commanding officer has not snapped his cap, letting Katrin go to University with no-one but Borsen and me to watch over her.
Menders hit upon the idea and I think it’s a good one. Katrin has always hated being watched and shadowed. When she was a little girl she used to try to run away from her guards all the time.
Once when Kaymar was sick with melancholia but still guarding her, she ran from him and was caught by Menders. There was a great to-do, because Menders was so mad at her taking advantage of Kaymar’
s illness that he was about to spank her. Kaymar came running after her and ended up spanking Menders, so to speak. They had a bloody great fistfight in the road, Katrin ran away to the house in terror and Menders ended up with a black eye so bad he had to lie around for almost a week. Kaymar looked like someone who got caught in a gristmill.
So Menders cooked up a way to have it seem that Katrin is going around with just Borsen and myself or with me alone as her official bodyguard – but all the while we’re being shadowed by Kaymar or another one of the Men. She’s all giddy at the idea of eating at cafés and going to class that she doesn’t even notice them. So far, so good.
It’s ghastly hot here! We’re all back from the University for the day. Time for a cold wash and a nap. I admire the Surelian custom of a good sleep during the hottest time of the day. Poor Katrin just wilts with the heat and I’m starting to think she’s never going to get used to it. So off to splash at my washstand.
Let me know when you ask Petra the big question and here’s a hint – she’s already figured it all out, so don’t sit around too long.
Your best mate,
Hem
***
Varnia settled on her favorite bench on the deeply shaded patio and looked out at the rows of grape vines covering the hillside that sloped down from the villa. She had a book in hand that had been left for her by Menders.
When they’d first come to the villa, she’d found herself at loose ends for the first time in her life. She’d known relentless work from the time she could carry things. By the time she was ten, with her mother dead, she was doing all the woman’s work on her father’s farm. She’d gone from there to The Shadows at eighteen and had soon become the housekeeping supervisor. Her days had always been flooded with physical activity and work.
Love and Sacrifice: Book Two of the Prophecy Series Page 10
