“I saw her on the bridge, man. The woman was epic. She had white hair, just like Queen Aazuria, except she was so fast and strong she couldn’t be human. The Sapphire was some supernatural thing! She was shot about a hundred times and it didn’t even bother her!”
“I always knew that someday we would be saved from that awful bridge. Praise Sedna! The time has finally come. Did you see the way she avenged Bain Tangaroa? We have been given a champion; a righteous murderess!”
“But it won’t last. I’ve heard that the royals are having talks with the Americans to resume work on the bridge. They’re afraid of the Clan of Zalcan attacking.”
“Let them come! I don’t care anymore. I would rather fight and die in one big war than waste every single day of my life. It’s not like there haven’t been wars before. Queen Aazuria was never afraid to lead us into battle! King Kyrosed was never afraid! It’s that whimpering wench who is ruining everything.”
“Do you really think the country would be better off without her?”
“Hell, yeah! Down with the harlot. She should have kept her pretty little mouth shut.”
“Wanna know a secret? My uncle tried to kill her.”
“No way!”
“Yeah, man. He snuck into Upper Adlivun and tried to kill the queen, but the guards stopped him and threw him into the dungeons. It’s too bad. I wish I could do it myself.”
“Maybe we should get together and attempt it,” one of the men suggested.
“Hey, why not? I know the perfect—” the men were cut off when Aazuria grasped the edge of the table on which all their drinks were sitting and tossed it over, smashing the table into their faces.
She heard the screams of the women even through the water, and reached down to pull a sword from beneath her skirts. She rested it against her stomach as she used sign language to chastise the men. “How dare you say such things about your queen? This is treason!”
One of the men laughed, obviously not threatened by Aazuria’s theatrics. “If that pathetic excuse of a woman is a queen, then I’m a dancing pineapple.”
Aazuria smiled to herself. Well, perhaps a bar fight is what I need right now, she thought with satisfaction. She needed an outlet for the deep sorrow she felt at needing to surrender Varia, and carving large gashes into the faces of the men who had disrespected her sister sounded like it would be sufficiently entertaining sport for the time being. It would be something to help her get through the misery of the next few minutes. Once this was over, she would have to find a larger channel for her endless expanses of fury.
Chapter 16: Miss Jane Doe
Visola clutched her head as she awoke in the hot springs, feeling very hung over. She had passed out in a healing pod after an unusually intense training session with Queen Amabie. Pulling herself out of the naturally heated water, she sluggishly dragged her body up onto land. She frowned when she saw that her friend was already dressed.
“How long was I out?” Visola asked with a groan.
“Twelve hours,” the Japanese queen responded. “I am an old lady. What is your excuse?”
“Shit,” Visola swore, toweling herself off and tugging her clothes on. “Vachlan and I usually go out on Saturday morning to catch a matinee.”
“Manatee?” Queen Amabie asked, confused by the unfamiliar English word. “How can you derive sport from pursuing such a slow creature? Besides, don’t you have large farms where you breed that mammal?”
Visola smiled. “No, a matinee… it’s a noontime viewing of a theater show.”
“How domesticated you have become, General Ramaris,” the Ningyo leader said mournfully.
“Stop!” Visola said with a chuckle, throwing an article of clothing at her friend’s head.
Amabie caught the bra easily. “Only sixty years ago, we spent most of our afternoons sipping tea and discussing all the various ways you wanted to mortally maim and brutalize the Destroyer of Kingdoms. Now, you spend your afternoons cuddling with him in the expensive seats.”
“Sometimes we get a private box in the balcony,” Visola said, grinning. “He’s very passionate about the theatre; plays excite him.”
“Ah, how the mighty have dwindled!”
“Queen Amabie!” Visola protested. “First of all, we never ‘sipped tea.’ We used to guzzle down sake. Second of all, we still do the same thing! We just fantasize about maiming and brutalizing other deserving individuals.”
“Married life suits you,” the Japanese queen admitted. “I enjoy seeing you so happy. Although I may have lost my kingdom, I did not lose you; and a friend like you is worth all the kingdoms in Japan. I have enjoyed these past few years.”
“So have I,” Visola said softly, giving her friend a grateful smile. She crouched down to tie the laces on her combat boots. “Although I am quite sure that you and I would enjoy ourselves better if we had the chance to swing our arms a little.”
“Indeed. It’s too bad that your husband has placed all those restrictions on you, forcing you to retreat from battle. You could have led a brilliant campaign, my friend.” Queen Amabie sighed. “I was dearly hoping that I could participate in one final glorious war before I was too old for the field.”
“Perhaps you still will,” Visola said gently. “I wouldn’t be too worried about Vachlan completely controlling me with his ridiculous deals. I can just override them by making new bargains and making him promise me favors. We’ll get our war, Queen Amabie.”
“I hope so,” the older woman answered.
Visola winked. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and put on a pretty dress. I might even wear a hat; possibly one with a feather.”
“Waters preserve me!” Queen Amabie murmured.
“I’m scared, Auntie Sionna,” Varia whispered as she walked beside the tall woman through the halls. “I don’t want to live in the palace.”
“Sorry, darling. It’s not my decision. Your mother and your great-grandfather Vachlan, the royal advisor, both decided it was best for you. I am just following their instructions.”
“But I don’t know anyone. I won’t know what to say, and how to talk to them.”
“That’s why Vachlan made up a story for you. You won’t have to say a word; just act the role of being a shy girl who doesn’t speak.” Sionna gazed down at the child sympathetically. “I’m sorry you have to go through this, but I promise it will work out and you will feel comfortable here after a few days.”
Varia nodded. “What if I accidentally say something?”
Pausing, Sionna smiled at Varia. “It will be a little exercise for you, okay? There used to be a religious sect of undersea vestals who never spoke a word in their entire lives. For hundreds of years, they devoted themselves to reading and observing the world around them in solitude. They were some of the most brilliant and wise women who ever lived. Elandria often said that everything used to seem clearer to her when she did not speak. It can sometimes be enriching to restrain yourself from doing something you take for granted.”
“Yes, Aunt Sio. I will try to learn as much as I can from the experience,” Varia vowed.
Sionna’s eyebrows creased in wonder at Varia’s polite and obedient manner. For a child of her age, she was unusually mature and intelligent. This pleased Sionna. When she had learned of the conditions of Varia’s upbringing, her immediate thought was that the girl would have serious difficulty functioning in society. She imagined that Varia would be traumatized and damaged by her captivity, and find small daily tasks challenging; but this was as far from the truth as she could have been. Aazuria had raised her daughter well in spite of the circumstances, and Varia was better-adjusted than some of the children who had been brought up with the world at their fingertips in Adlivun. She does have Ramaris blood in her after all, Sionna thought proudly.
A loud noise startled the doctor as a door slammed open. She placed a hand protectively on Varia’s back, drawing the child closer against her. She squinted when she saw her sister emerge from the room, cl
ad in a white summer dress and hat.
“Sio!” Visola shouted. “Have you seen Vachlan? His phone is turned off and I’ve been looking everywhere!”
“What the hell are you wearing?” Sionna asked with wide eyes.
Visola grinned and twirled. “Do you like it? I want to surprise him by looking like a normal woman.”
Varia peered curiously at Visola’s garments, impressed by the white lace sleeves and the flamboyant hat on the woman’s head. There was a single white feather embellishing the cap.
“What are you seeing today?” Sionna asked.
“‘Coriolanus,’” Visola answered cheerfully. “Vachlan is really getting over his jealousy of anything by Shakespeare. In fact, he got all nostalgic over ‘Julius Caesar’ last week. He said it reminded him of the good old days when he’d watch a play with his mother at the Globe Theatre and then head down the street to catch a public execution. He loved a good hanging.”
“Viso,” Sionna said quietly. “Did you notice that there’s a kid standing right here?”
“Sure! Hey there, kiddo,” Visola said with a wide smile as she waved at Varia. “Would you like to know more about Elizabethan hangings?”
“Good grief, Visola!” Sionna said, clamping her hands over Varia’s ears. “She’s only eight years old.”
“Oh, sorry,” Visola said with a gentle shrug. “When we were eight, we went to see hangings all the time. The world has changed a bit too much for my liking. Anyway, sis—have you seen my husband? The boat is waiting to take us to the new theatre in Diomede City, and I don’t want to be late.”
Sionna swallowed nervously, placing her hands on Varia’s shoulders. “I think he said that he had some urgent business to take care of. He left in a hurry.”
“Without telling me!” Visola yelled. “That buffoon. And I got all dressed up for this. Fine! I’m going without him and I’m taking Glais! Glais!”
“Yes, Miss Visola?” said the boy, rushing out of a nearby room.
“Get dressed,” she told him. “We’re going to the theatre.”
“In the city?” he asked happily. “Great!” He paused when he saw Varia and his face lit up. He nearly said her name, but the girl pressed a finger to her lips quickly. She gave him a little wave, and while Visola and Sionna talked, the boy discreetly waved back.
She noticed the tiny scar on his palm from where Aazuria made their oath. She glanced down at her own palm and saw her own tiny scar. Varia smiled, realizing that she was not completely alone in the palace. She was thankful that Glais was careful not to speak to her. She felt a little bit of strength from even his presence. When Visola and Glais left the corridor, Sionna sighed thankfully.
“Your sister is beautiful,” Varia said in wonder.
“Too much so for her own good,” Sionna responded. “She’s your great-grandma.”
“Wow,” Varia whispered.
“Yeah. And she still acts like a teenager when it comes to Vachlan,” Sionna said, shaking her head. “Well, sweetie, we’d better get on with it. Are you ready to meet your father?”
Varia shook her head fearfully. “I don’t have any choice, do I?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Sionna answered. She squeezed the child’s shoulder again and spoke softly. “Hang in there, little princess. Just try to keep it together. This is the hardest part, and then it gets easier.”
Varia nodded, allowing Sionna to guide her through the frozen halls. She had wished to meet Trevain for so many years, and now that it was happening, it seemed unreal. The first time she heard his name spoken, she had been five years old and trying to escape Lake Vostok with her mother. Aazuria had only called out for her husband in desperation when she had believed Varia was close to death. Since then, she had tried to imagine what the man was like, and she had been excited at the prospect of seeing him. Their disappointment upon returning to Adlivun had quenched most of Varia’s thirst with a cocktail of bitterness. When Sionna grasped the doorknob, Varia reached out reflexively to put her hand on the woman’s arm.
“Please wait,” Varia commanded in a stern whisper.
Sionna’s body surprised her by dutifully following the directive. She watched as Varia pushed her shoulders back, taking several slow, deep breaths. The child resembled an actress preparing to play a role more than a girl who was about to meet her father and her aunt for the first time. She lifted her head proudly, and stretched her spine fully erect. Sionna swallowed, being able to see Aazuria so perfectly in the child’s manner that she worried if it would not be far too obvious to the king and queen.
In the next instant, however, Varia exhaled and slouched her shoulders forward, curling her chin downward and allowing her white hair to fall into her eyes. She seemed to disassemble her body in an instant, transforming herself into an invisible peasant. She nodded at Sionna, indicating that she was ready for the meeting. Sionna smiled in puzzlement and fascination with the young girl’s comportment. She reached out to open the door, and stepped forward briskly.
Sionna understood the importance of the moment as Varia clung close behind her, somewhat hiding from view. Trevain and Elandria were sitting at the frozen round table with piles of paperwork before them. They both looked frustrated and exhausted.
“Just the person I needed to see right now,” Elandria said, glancing up. We’re looking into expanding the hospital on the Diomede Islands and wanted your input on whether…” Her attention was distracted by the pair of small eyes staring out from behind Sionna’s hip. “Oh, hello there,” Elandria said softly. The two stared at each other silently and curiously.
Trevain laughed. “She’s a little you, Elandria!”
A smile broke out across Elandria’s face. “What a lovely girl, Sio. Is this the child Vachlan sent to us?” She was already lifting herself from her chair and removing her glasses. She moved over to Varia and knelt before her kindly. “What is your name, darling?”
Varia did not respond, but clung closer to Sionna’s side as she studied her mother’s younger sister. She had been determined to hate Elandria for betraying Aazuria and taking both her throne and her husband, but now that she stood inches before the woman, looking directly into her sweet face, she knew that it would be impossible. She went from expecting that she would need to fight the urge to scratch the queen’s eyes out to actually needing to fight the urge to throw her arms around her aunt’s neck. She remembered all the kind things that her mother had said about the woman; about her beautiful singing voice and quiet wisdom.
“She has not spoken a word to anyone,” Sionna said in a rather convincing tone. She delivered her words with the calm unaffectedness of a medical professional. “When Vachlan brought her to me, I immediately put her in the hands of psychologists and speech therapists, but no one could get her to open up. Finally, they suggested that we place her in the care of a good family for the time being.”
Elandria extended her hand to Varia, in greeting. Reluctantly, Varia accepted the gentle grasp. “I didn’t speak for hundreds of years,” Elandria told the girl confidentially. “I understand that it feels safer that way. None of us will ever pressure you to do anything you do not feel comfortable doing around here. If you choose to speak, by voice or hand, we will treasure your words and listen carefully. Please feel at ease among us, for we mean you no harm.”
Varia felt a feeling of unexpectedly sublime serenity wash over her at Elandria’s words. If she had been the nameless, reticent peasant she was pretending to be, she was sure that Elandria would have been able to reach her and heal the broken parts of her soul. She hated to lie to such a sweet lady, but she knew that it was necessary.
“She has the pure sea-dweller traits,” Trevain remarked. “That’s very rare. Do you know who her parents are? Is she from an aristocratic family?”
“We have no idea,” Sionna said softly. She had to fight down her own bile at the blatant, hideous lie. “It’s possible that she was orphaned during the recent wars, or during a workplace accident on the bri
dge. There were so many disappearances…”
Trevain sighed deeply. “It’s okay, Sio. We don’t need to figure that out right now.” He pushed his papers aside and lifted himself from the table carefully, before moving over to the women. Having been out of the water for some time, his limp was rather pronounced.
Her eyes darting from his ankles to his hairline, Varia studied the man curiously. Listening to his kind voice had renewed her interest and hunger to know him. She was no longer afraid. She could already feel some kind of magnetic kinship pulling her toward him, and causing her lips to part slightly. She yearned to say something to him, but she knew she could not in order for the plan to work.
“So you are a nameless little Jane Doe, are you?” Trevain asked her with a smile. “Is that what we should call you, then? Jane?”
“Oh, heavens, Trevain! Let us give her a prettier name than that,” Elandria chastised. She gently squeezed Varia’s hand and gave her a conspiratorial look that said she was on her side. “She is such a beautiful child. Look, she has one blue eye and one green eye! How enchanting.”
“Well, I know you sea-dwellers like to name your children after stars in the night sky, or gods and goddesses of the sea,” Trevain said thoughtfully, “but I hate to choose a name for her without knowing what she would prefer.” He looked at Varia thoughtfully. “Can you give us a sign and tell us what you would like to be called, Miss Jane Doe?”
Varia looked at the man intently, feeling her excitement stir at the fact that she was actually standing a few steps away from her father and speaking to him. She wished she could respond and tell him everything. Glancing at Elandria, she released the woman’s hand and took a step boldly toward Trevain. She strained her neck to gaze up at him, trying to make eye contact with the tall man.
He smiled and dropped to one knee so they could communicate better. “So what will it be, kid? Stars, goddesses, famous actresses, athletes, articles of clothing, types of food, or sports cars?”
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