“You think there are many of those running around?”
“No, but I know one who may grow into it.” She patted him on the cheek. “But brother-sister incest is frowned upon.”
She turned and walked away, leaving him speechless. He didn’t have time to think overly about the conversation because Honor McCoort immediately engaged him.
“A lovely event, My Lord.”
“I’m very happy that you approve.”
“I wanted to talk to you about something I know is near and dear to your heart—libraries.”
“You may be stretching that a bit, but I do agree that books are good things, generally. It was my father who was the bibliophile of the family, as Auntie is fond of pointing out.”
“In any case, as you may know, I was attempting to get a city library program established. I had two buildings picked out—one in Zaeritown and the other south of the railroad station, but the whole proposal was voted down. I had to abstain since my husband would probably be the bookseller with whom we did business.”
“And that one vote was enough to lose,” he nodded. “Perhaps you are too scrupulous, Mrs. McCoort.”
“Are you suggesting I’m too honest, My Lord?”
“Maybe, but I’m not telling you to change,” he laughed. “It’s your great advantage in many ways. So what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to create the library system yourself. It can be part of the Colonial Government rather than the city.”
“You want me to buy two buildings and two or three thousand books out of my own pocket?”
“Well, it will be more along the lines of 16,000 books. In addition you will need to hire librarians and other staff. It would probably be best to set it up as a foundation.”
“You know what I like about you, Mrs. McCoort?”
“That I don’t tell stories about when you were a tiny boy and I changed your nappies?”
“Well, that is a plus,” he said. “I was going to say, you never ask for small favors. Here is what we’ll do. We’ll create a limited not-for-profit corporation that we can later donate to the dominion if we choose. We’ll have four libraries to start—the two you’ve chosen and one on the west side near the high-rise apartments, and then one out in one of the towns, probably Villa Cochon. You and I will be board members, as will Auntie of course, and mother.”
“Perhaps your grandfather?”
“Yes. Good idea,” he agreed. “I trust you’ll be in charge?”
“No, I’m way too busy already,” she said. “What about your sister.”
“Not possible, I’m afraid.”
“How about Kieran Baxter?” wondered Mrs. McCoort.
“I have no objections, if he’s… all together. He’s not here tonight, is he?”
“He’s fine, and no. But I’ll approach him later this week.” She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “The poor people and the new arrivals especially will thank you.”
“Well, I should certainly hope so. This is probably hundreds of thousands of marks.”
“Which you’ll never miss,” she smiled.
He grunted in agreement. Taking her hand, he guided her back to the table and she took a seat next to her husband. He was still standing there wondering whether he should see if the lizzie queen wanted for anything, when there was a small pop and the Drache Girl appeared right in the middle of the room. She was wearing, or almost wearing, a black dress that was cut much like the togas worn by the ancient coastal cultures. It was loosely draped across her front, continuing to cover her breasts only through the use of magic or perhaps some kind of glue. Between her breasts, it fell to her naval exposing the magical star tattoo that circled it. There were no sides at all above the waist. Below her waist, the dress went all the way to the floor, but there was a slit cut up one side that reached to her mid-thigh. When she moved, observers could see an image of a dragon that practically covered her left leg, its tail near her foot and its head just high enough not to be visible. She reached over and picked up a wine glass from in front of Fitzroy Norich, taking a long drink.
She took two rather unsteady steps to stand just in front of Queen Szakhandu. She waved her hand and her following sentences were magically translated to spit-n-gag, even though she still spoke Brech.
“I’m sorry he’s dead you know, your king. He was nice to me.”
Augie hurried around the table until he reached her side, conscious of the fact that no one else in the dining establishment was moving.
“Senta, how lovely you could be here,” he said, taking her shoulder. “I don’t think I got your R.S.V.P.”
“Risvips are for regular people. Not I. Or not me. Or all of the above.” She spoke very close to his face and Augie could tell that this was far from her first glass of wine this evening. “Oh, Augie… Augie… Augie… I’m wearing my tiara!”
She was indeed wearing the tiara he had given her for her position as Grande Sorceress of Birmisia. The sorceress then spotted Terra in her seat next to the queen.
“Why Lady Terra. How did you suddenly become so beautiful? Your hair is so… what’s that word they always use for hair? Lustrous! How did you do that? I’m jealous.”
“Probably something to do with all the lizzie healing magic,” said Terra, holding her hair parted in such a way to reveal the worst of the three scars from the dinosaur attack she had suffered while hunting with Hsrandtuss.
“Looks like someone tried to lobotomize you,” said Senta, pulling back her own hair to reveal a scar laterally across her head just behind her hairline. “Mine didn’t take either.”
“Come,” Augie told Senta. “Let’s get you some food. You don’t want to make yourself sick by not eating.”
“I’m fine,” she said. “Do you want to see a trick? Did you know I could juggle?”
She grabbed a handful of silver from the nearby table, steadied herself and looked at him. “One, two, three!” She threw the silverware up into the air. It came crashing to the ground and skittered across the floor in every direction.
“Senta! There you are!” It was Hero Markham. Augie gave her a grateful look. “Come over here with me.” She put her shoulder under the sorceress’s and guided her to her table, which was in the corner. Hero’s husband jumped up to give her his seat.
“I’ll get her something to eat,” he said, hurrying away.
“What’s going on, Senta?” asked Hero.
“I’m lonely. Everyone has gone away.”
“Well, Zoey will be back.”
“Not for three months or longer. She has to go visit that thing. Now I don’t have anyone.”
“Well, Senta, I hate to point this out, really, but… you lost Mr. Baxter through no fault of you own.”
“And she took him,” said Senta, her eyes narrowing. She took another large drink of wine.
“Yes, but she didn’t steel Sen. You gave her away. How could you do that?”
“It’s all part of the plan. She’s my gateway right into Baxter’s house. Now he can’t get away from me.”
“Well, I hope that works out for you,” said Hero, “but I don’t think it will.”
“Here, I brought you a pudding,” said Benny, returning.
“Thanks Benny, you cutie.” She looked over at Hero. “I never slept with him.”
“I know. Eat something please.”
Senta looked down at the pudding and leaned forward as if she was going to take a sniff of it, but her face kept falling until she collapsed right onto the desert. She let out a pudding-obstructed snore. Suddenly across the room, eight pieces of silverware rose from the floor and began flying through the air in a complex dance.
* * * * *
The steam carriage came to a stop in front of the largest house of the twenty-four in the village of Villa Cochon. Saba hopped down from behind the wheel and hurried around to help Loana down. DeeDee climbed out of the back seat. Just as her feet were hitting the ground, the front door of the house burst open and Eamo
n Shrubb came charging out, followed by his pretty redhead wife, their three teenaged sons and eight-year-old daughter.
“So this is how the country cat lives,” said Saba, as his old friend pumped his hand.
“We’re so glad you’re here,” boomed Eamon. “Dot has tea already.”
“We’re a bit early, aren’t we?” asked Saba, consulting his pocket watch.
“It’s been ready since yesterday,” Eamon whispered.
Dot and Loana were stuck in a fierce embrace.
“I’m so happy. I can’t even smell the pigs!” exclaimed Loana.
“Pigs are far away,” replied Dot, her voice giving away the fact that she had been deaf since birth.
“You can smell them for about half an hour when the wind changes in the afternoon,” Eamon whispered to Saba.
“Let’s go inside,” said fourteen-year-old Alasdair Shrubb. “It’s too hot out here.”
“We have one of the magical air exchangers,” said his older brother Saba, proudly.
The group began making their way toward the house. Though all three boys seemed to want to walk next to DeeDee, the coveted spot went to Marnie Shrubb. Once inside, they all took seats around the parlor, which indeed was magically cooled to the temperature of an early spring morning.
“Well, I never did think that Police Chief Colbshallow would take a vacation,” said Eamon.
“Loana’s been wanting to get out of town for some time now,” said Saba. “She’s just finally convinced me.”
“Well, that’s fine. There’s a lot to do out here—fishing, hunting. There’s a nice safe swimming hole on the river.”
“I can’t wait to go fishing,” said DeeDee.
“Takes after her old man, I see,” said Eamon.
“Oh, in more ways than one,” said Loana. “So what do the ladies do when you men are hunting and fishing?”
“You are going to relax and not worry,” said Dot. “We’ll go on long walks and pick flowers, read books, and drink cold drinks.”
A large smile broke across Loana’s face. “I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard you speak at once.”
Dot blushed. Loana took her hand. “It sounds lovely.”
“And of course this is a working vacation,” said Eamon, looking at Saba. “You’ll be getting up with me in the morning to slop the pigs.”
“Um, that wasn’t what I was quite expecting…”
“Oh, sure,” said Eamon. “Be good for you.”
“Marnie, DeeDee, help me with tea,” said Dot, getting to her feet. “You stay Loana.”
“No, no,” said Mrs. Colbshallow following the others. “I’ll not be waited on like a porcelain doll.”
“How long are you staying,” Eamon asked Saba.
“A fortnight, if we’re not too much of a bother.”
“Never a bother.”
“This may be the chance the Loana and I need to reconnect.”
“If you’ve got your head screwed on right at last.”
“I think maybe I have,” replied Saba.
* * * * *
Thousands of miles away in Brech City, it was nearing time for dinner. Esther arrived at Iolana’s bedroom to find her going over the last bit of the evening post.
“More news from Willa?” wondered Esther.
“Yes, indeed. A great deal of news, and not all of it good. King Hsrandtuss has been assassinated.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know how you admired him.”
“He did a great deal for your people,” said Iolana. “I hope his loss doesn’t set things back for them.”
“I hope not too,” said Esther, “but as for my people, I’ve decided who my people are—they are the Staffs. You are my people”
Iolana jumped up and gave the lizzie a big hug, kissing her on her snout.
“Does that mean you’re all done with that Ssaharranah nonsense?”
“Not entirely,” said Esther. “I like the sound of it. I think I’ll keep it as my second name.”
“Esther Ssaharranah Staff, well I suppose it does have a certain ring to it.”
“What other news?” asked the lizzie.
“Terra is back from Yessonarah. I gather she was a witness to the horrible events. I have a letter from her too, but she doesn’t talk about any of it. In fact, she’s very terse.”
“Terra? Terse?”
“I mean even for her. She always was a concise little thing.” Iolana paused as if judging how to say what would come next. “And Tiber Stephenson is marrying Didrika Goose.”
“Oh my. Are you devastated?”
Iolana laughed.
“No, I never really considered marrying Tiber. It was flattering to have his interest. I think he’ll make a very good husband. He’s brave, honorable, and I suspect he’ll be true to her. He’s also smart, silly, foolish, sentimental… No, I never really considered marrying him, but one could do worse.”
“But he’s not Ascan Tice, is he?” said Esther in a barely audible voice.
“Don’t go ruining my evening,” said Iolana. “In any case, all possible suitors have been eliminated, and I can devote my life to knowledge.”
“There might still be more suitors. What about young Prince Clitus.”
“He’s just a boy,” said Iolana. “In any case, he seems far more interested in you than me.”
“That would be a shock for the people of Brechalon,” hissed Esther mirthfully. “A lizzie queen.”
“Too much of a shock,” agreed Iolana. “Now let’s go down. Our company should arrive shortly.”
“Happy to,” said Esther. “Now that we have a better class of company.”
* * * * *
Four months had passed since the reception for Queen Szakhandu. She returned home with assurances that Yessonarah’s treaties with Birmisia Colony were still in effect. Senta’s behavior became just one more colorful story to be told about her.
Half the colony was looking forward to Kafira Mass and the entire colony celebrated young Lord Dechantagne’s seventeenth birthday with almost as much reverence. The upcoming election for mayor was also on everyone’s mind, though as yet, only Police Chief Colbshallow had officially thrown his hat into the ring.
Terra Dechantagne had left shortly after her brother’s birthday and just before her own, taking the train to Mallontah and then a dirigible to Greater Brechalon. This coincided with the last of the rogue wizards arrested by the police leaving. The Enchantress known as Tendra, had spent ninety days in jail and then been exiled from the colony for destruction of public property and mayhem. There were some hints from the capital that a similar but perhaps more serious charge might be levied against a certain Birmisian Sorceress, but Lord Dechantagne let it be known that such an idea would not be considered. “You might not expect your whole house to burn down,” he said, “but if you play with fire, you should expect something to get singed.”
A very hot summer had turned into a pleasant fall, now winter was only a fortnight away and it felt as if Port Dechantagne was experiencing one last pleasant day before the coming snows. Four women sat on a park bench in Radley Staff Park, watching their children run around and around the four-ton body of the coral dragon, who was snoozing on the grass. Bryony Baxter felt as though she was going to split open at any minute, but in reality she looked thinner than Hero Markham, who was sitting next to her, already having delivered a lovely baby girl. Her sister Honor McCoort leaned over and poked the baby’s chubby lower lip.
“Bryony is a lovely name, but I still don’t think it fits. It’s just so… Brech.”
“We are Brech now,” said Hero. “We have been for years.”
“I never expected you to name your daughter after me,” said Bryony. “It’s such a great honor… no pun intended.”
“There’s no reason you can’t have two daughters named Senta,” said the final member of the group.
“There are too many Sentas already,” said Honor. “We already have three with us right now. Isn’t
that enough.”
“If you say so,” said Senta. “By the way, I wanted to thank you again, Bryony Byenthal.”
“It’s Bryony Baxter,” said Bryony.
“Whatever. I wanted to thank you for inviting me today. It was very nice.”
“Well, it’s Sen’s birthday. Her mother should be here.”
“Yes, well, thank you. I also wanted you to know that I have covered your home with an impenetrable web of magical protection. That was my own idea too. No one made me do it.”
“Thank you.”
“So you see, I have only your best interest at heart.”
“So I see.”
“Perhaps when little Baxter is born, I can come over and babysit him,” suggested Senta.
“Not a chance in hell,” said Bryony.
The End.
About the Author
Wesley Allison is the author of more than twenty-five science fiction and fantasy books, including the popular His Robot Girlfriend. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Master of Science degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He has taught English and American History for the past 23 years in southern Nevada where he lives with his lovely wife Victoria, his two grown children Rebecca and John.
For more information about the author and upcoming books:
Visit the City of Amathar Blog at http://wesleyallison.com
Visit the Author Wesley Allison page on Facebook.
Books by Wesley Allison
Look for them wherever fine ebooks are sold. Paper editions are available at the City of Amathar Blog and by special order from your favorite bookseller.
Princess of Amathar
Transported to the artificial world of Ecos, Earth man Alexander Ashton struggles to understand the society of his new friends the Amatharians. As he does so, he finds himself falling in love with their princess and being thrust into a millennium-long war with their mortal foes the reptilian Zoasians. Princess of Amathar is a sword-swinging novel of high adventure.
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