Chapter 29
City of Taz
With the conclusion of the second buzkashi match, the promised lunch finally materialized. The five Fernlanders and physician Rabar sat inside Bataar's yurt on cushions. They ate meat-filled dumplings, yogurt and goat cheese. They were offered a choice of fermented mare's milk or tea to drink.
Prince Avor was still very excited about their buzkashi match. His blue team had scored two goals to the red team's one. Bataar praised Avor's role in protecting him from the red team when he carried the goat carcass into the circle.
"I would like to introduce buzkashi to Fernland," Avor said. "Perhaps Fernland could take part in the next Nomadic Games."
Bataar seemed amused by the idea. He shrugged, as if to say, 'who knows'. "Next day my father—Great Khan come. Games begin."
"I thought they began today." Electra showed her surprise.
"No. Today for fun. Next day—big buzkashi." Bataar drew an imaginary circle with his hands to show how big the games would be. "Best horses from Barburee. Very big. Then arrows." He drew the string of an imaginary bow with his hands to mimic an archer for the Fernlanders.
Electra stole a glance at Rabar. He would know what Bataar was talking about. Rabar's face gave away nothing, as usual. She thought this might be a good time to give Bataar their presents.
"King Geoffrey and Queen Delphinia have sent gifts along for you and your family." She pointed to the stack of boxes that had been deposited outside the door of the yurt.
"Next day. Give Great Khan." Bataar seemed quite uninterested in the gifts.
Electra persisted. "We have some especially for your wife, Odval."
Bataar looked at Electra. "For Odval? She like see you. Go her yurt this night. Give gift."
Electra took a drink of tea to steady her nerves. The last time she had seen Bataar's wife had been in Fernland. Odval had come to meet Electra, supposing Electra would become Bataar's second wife, thus cementing an alliance between Fernland and Barburee. As was customary Odval had brought a present for Electra—a sister-wife present. The little crystal doves she gave to Electra were later found by Serafina to have been coated with poison—a deadly potion that would have killed Electra over time.
"Odval wants to see me?" Electra coughed and drank more tea. She could not think of an excuse that sounded plausible. "May I bring Hilgard with me? I will need a translator."
"Yes. Bring." Bataar seemed not to care who she brought. She decided she would bring Rabar as well. Her heart beat slowed at the thought of having two protectors at her side.
Avor was impatient for Electra to finish talking to Bataar. He stared at her with pursed lips, waiting for her to finish. Finally, he saw his opportunity. "You say the Great Khan will be here tomorrow?"
"Great Khan. Barburee army. All come." Bataar smiled joyfully at Avor.
"And after the buzkashi matches will come the archery contests??"
Bataar pointed his finger at Avor and smiled. Evidently, 'archery' was the word he was looking for.
"Good. First buzkashi. Next day after come archery."
Avor beamed. "I've been practicing shooting arrows from horseback. I would like to participate in the archery contest. But I will need to borrow a horse. I was persuaded not to bring mine aboard ship."
"Will give horse. Bow?"
"No, I have a bow and arrows." Avor looked eager enough to bring his bow and arrows out at once. "What about tomorrow's buzkashi? Will you participate?"
"Yes," Bataar said slowly. "My team. Many try my team. Only..." He held up all ten fingers..." my team." He waved them out with the back of his hand.
Avor understood. All the places on Bataar's team were filled. He was disappointed but he understood. Many had tried to make the team. It was an honor to be chosen.
Electra understood something as well. If today's matches had been just for fun she could not imagine the ferocity that would accompany tomorrow's matches. Bataar had very likely just saved Avor's life by declining to give him a place on the team.
That evening Electra, Hilgard and Rabar got directions to Odval's tent and carried the boxes containing her gifts along with them to the yurt. Standing outside, Hilgard called her name, there being no place solid enough on the canvas walls to carry the sound of knocking.
Odval pulled the curtain covering the door aside and gestured the three inside.
She bowed in formal greeting and spoke to them in Barburee.
"She welcomes us to her home," Hilgard translated. "She apologizes that her husband Bataar is busy with planning the games and cannot be here."
Odval brought out cups of tea and pointed to cushions where they could sit.
Electra pushed the presents forward and nodded at Hilgard who told Odval the presents were to her from King Geoffrey and Queen Delphinia.
Odval ooohed and ahhhed over the bolts of cloth and gold bracelets. She laughed when she opened the little packets of cookies that she had apparently shown a fondness for when she visited the castle at Fernland. She asked after the health of Fernland's king and queen and said how sorry she was that she and Electra had not become sister wives after all.
Electra narrowed her eyes at this obvious lie, but left it unchallenged. She had only dared to drink the tea because it came from the same pot that Odval drank from.
Now Odval leaned in and spoke directly to Electra as though she did not believe that Electra could not understand the Barburee language.
"She says you are a powerful woman—a magic woman. one who brings life or maybe one who keeps life in the face of death. Something like that, I think," Hilgard translated.
"Tell her I have no magic," Electra insisted.
Odval gave a knowing smile, as if protesting was useless. She looked around as if unseen people might be listening, then whispered something to Electra.
"What?" Electra looked at Hilgard but he shook his head. He had been unable to make out what she had said.
Electra looked at Rabar. He gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"Just one minute." Electra held up one finger as Hilgard translated to Odval. Electra gestured for Hilgard and Rabar to join her at the doorway of the yurt.
"What did she say?" Electra whispered to Rabar.
"She wants you to make her a charm so that she will have a baby." Rabar whispered back.
The three went back to their cushions.
"Tell her I am not a magic woman. I can not make magic charms."
That was not actually true. She had learned to make charms for just this purpose from Serafina. But she secretly doubted that the charms had any real power other than making the purchaser ready to ascribe any subsequent pregnancy to the magic of the fertility charm.
Hilgard shrugged. "She says why will you not give her this gift she wants so much. She knows you must hate her if you will not do this."
Odval's eyes welled up with tears.
Electra realized she had been holding her breath and let it out with a sigh.
"Tell her I will make her a charm but I can not say for sure it will work. Tell her sometimes there are physical reasons why one cannot conceive. She is very young. Perhaps..."
Electra stopped, realizing it was pointless to go on. Odval had already heard the part that told her she would have her magic charm. She smiled through her tears and bowed repeatedly to Electra in thanks.
Princess Electra Book 3 Gypsy Music Page 29
