Veiled Dreams

by Gill James

  ‘Come on then. Let’s see you in them.’ Mona held up the trousers. Christina stepped into them. Mona then slipped the top over Christina‘s head.

  Mona smiled. ‘Perfect,’ she purred. ‘Fit for a princess. Look!’ She led her to the mirror. The silk felt soft and soothing next to her skin. Christina felt as if she was floating.

  ‘Now, for the veil.’ Mona draped a large piece of silk, and then another of chiffon over Christina’s head, and then across her face, so that nearly all of her hair was covered and only her eyes peeped out. Christina wasn’t so sure about the veil, because it made her feel hot and it was difficult to breathe with both her mouth and nose covered. But what she saw in the mirror amazed her. There was the girl she had seen at Pandora’s Potions – the one who had encouraged her to take the pot.

  Again, there was that strange smell of peaches and Christina suddenly felt dizzy and light-headed. The mirror waved like before and then she saw herself, still in her school clothes, trying out all the testers.

  ‘Well. What do you think?’ Mona’s eyes shone.

  Christina could see that she was pleased with what she had created. If only she could feel as pleased about it. It was all so weird. She went to reply, but her voice came out muffled and she started to chew the silk. Mona laughed, and started to unwind the cloth from Christina’s head.

  ‘You only have to wear the veil in the presence of men who are not relations. And you will get used to it. Now, look again.’

  Christina looked again. That was it! That was what she had wanted to do, with all those little bits and pieces of make-up, with all those pots and potions, scarves, combs and slides she had been so anxious to spend her money on. There was beauty she could not have imagined, and it was her. Oh what would Jan think? Then it was all too much. First the gentle tears came, then bigger ones, and then violent sobs.

  Mona took her in her arms.

  ‘My child, my child! Do not fret. It will work out. But yes, sob out your grief.’ She stroked Christina’s hair.

  There was a noise from the street, the sound of heavy boots and men’s rough voices. Christina‘s grief was replaced with the fear she had felt earlier.

  ‘Quick, the veil!’ Mona wound the drapes around Christina’s head again.

  The door to the shop burst open. Three tall men, clothed in red silks and gold turbans, marched in.

  ‘We come in the name of the king! Mona the tailorette, we believe that the thief of the Queen’s Chalice is in your house.’

  Christina went dizzy again. She looked through the mirror, and saw herself once more in Pandora’s Potions. She pushed the strange jar towards the mirror, and saw its plastic version appear amongst the moisturisers. Her hands came back through the mirror and she was still holding the solid chalice.

  ‘Ma’am the penalty for theft from the royal family is the loss of a hand!’

  The tallest of the men raised his heavy sword.

  Chapter Seven

  Princess

  Another of the men grabbed Christina’s wrist. The sword was coming down rapidly. Christina shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

  I hope I faint before I feel it! she thought. But she stayed conscious, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead, her heart racing wildly, her breathing shallow. She felt the cold edge of the metal on her wrist, the skin beginning to rip.

  ‘Stop!’ shouted Mona. She rushed forward and pulled the sword away. ‘Have you forgotten the law of Royal Trial? Can’t you see that you are dealing with a royal princess?’

  The man with the sword hesitated. He looked at the other two.

  ‘It is true, sir,’ said the smallest of the three men. ‘All members of foreign royal families must have a fair trial before they are punished.’

  ‘Well, she certainly looks like a princess,’ said the one who had grabbed her wrist. ‘I think we should take care, sir.’

  The man with the sword frowned.

  ‘Mm. Perhaps. We shall take her to the Magis Counsel. They shall decide.’

  ‘Should we take the old lady?’

  ‘Why? She is not royalty. We could deal with her now. She has harboured a thief!’ He leant forward towards Mona, swinging his sword.

  ‘No,’ shouted Christina. ‘She – she – I’ve just hired her to be my servant!’

  ‘Careful, Leckeri, we don’t know which kingdom they are from. If we should cause our king to have new enemies…There are enough problems with the South Borders.’

  ‘Hm. Yes. Very well. Take them both to the Magis Counsel cells.’

  Mona jumped forward.

  ‘How do you propose to get us there? You cannot expect my Lady to walk through the dirty town streets. She will need a carriage!’

  ‘Hmm,’ said Leckeri. He looked dubious at first, his eyes shifting towards his companions, as if seeking their approval. Mona’s stared at him sternly. ‘Samett,’ he said, ‘you stay here and guard the two ladies. Bolomfus, come with me to find a carriage.’

  Bolomfus and Leckeri left the shop. Mona caught Christina’s eye and indicated that she should sit down. She positioned herself at her sewing table.

  ‘That’s right, ladies,’ said Samett ‘Make yourselves comfortable. It won’t be too pleasant in the Magis Counsel cell. Oh, and you’d better eat and drink now, because there won’t be anything before the trial tomorrow morning. And get me something while you’re at it!’

  Mona caught Christina’s eye again. She was trying to tell her something, but Christina couldn’t make out what. Mona busied herself filling plates with cheese, fruit and a sweet bread. She poured some of the brown drink for the guard and some sparkling water for her and Christina. Christina saw her sprinkle a powder into the guard’s drink.

  The three ate and drank in silence. Within a few minutes, the guard was sound asleep.

  ‘He’ll come to no harm. It was just a herbal sleeping powder. And he’ll be wide awake again by the time the others return with the carriage. But I needed to talk with you without the guards hearing. It is really important that you say nothing in front of the guards, nor in the cell, nor even at your trial. Let me be your voice and ears. I shall be your lawyer. It is written that that she who dares to take the Queen’s Chalice will rule in the Kingdom of Ixeria, along with her twin. But the king is rather afraid to lose his power and has turned his back on the Book of the Law. It is also part of our Law that a member of any royal household, accused of any crime, has the right to silence and is innocent until proved guilty. And I think the king will go along with that one. For he is afraid of war and will not want your people to become his enemy.’

  ‘But it can’t be me! I have no twin! And I’m not really royal. You’re just very clever, and made me look that way!’

  ‘Ah, but there are many forms of royalty. How can you be sure you have no twin? Do you remember your birth? And who was the girl in the mirror?’

  ‘You mean you saw her too?’

  ‘Yes, in the strange shop in the mirror. Destiny brought you here. You cannot deny your destiny!’ Mona’s voice was hard. She was frowning.

  ‘And I didn’t steal the Queen’s Chalice. I just shoplifted a strange pot from Pandora’s Potions – because the girl in the mirror wanted me to.’

  ‘But who is she? I tell you, you are the One. I saw it as I sewed your golden thread into your royal dress!’

  There was something about the way Mona spoke that made Christina realise that this was serious business. She went hot all over and then a shiver went down her back. Lights seemed to flash in front of her and she felt the narrow room closing in on her again.

  Mona sprang up and took a handful of berries from a bowl on the table, and placed one of them under Christina’s tongue.

  ‘Not now child. Not now.’ She pushed the rest of them into the wide pockets of Christina’s trousers. Then she opened the door of the small sideboard and took further supplies, which she stuffed onto the lid of the chalice.

  ‘Always eat a berry of the Pollogum tree whenever you feel
a fit coming on. It will prevent the attack taking effect. Eating one every day will keep you less prone to seizures. There are enough here for several weeks. And don’t worry!’

  The berry worked. The room widened and Christina found herself still wide awake inside the tailorette’s little shop. She just had a hint of a headache and that was lifting rapidly.

  ‘Ah, but shh!’

  A carriage had stopped outside the door. Samett moved. Leckeri and Bolomfus appeared in the doorway.

  ‘Ladies,’ smirked Leckeri, ‘your carriage awaits.’

  Mona and Christina were bundled roughly into the carriage. It was not the most comfortable of vehicles. It certainly had been splendid in its time, but now the covers of the seats were dowdy. Springs came out of the cushions. Paint peeled off the outside. It was dark now but was still warm, and the sky was clear and full of stars. The carriage creaked along the quiet streets. Christina looked for more of the people from this strange town, but there was no one on the streets.

  ‘Nightfall is curfew.’

  Christina turned to look at Mona. But Mona was staring ahead.

  ‘Don’t look at me child, or our secret will be out. Yes, I can speak to you with my thoughts. And the people of Ixeria cannot hear them, only those from other worlds.’

  So Mona was no more from Ixiera than she was.

  ‘That is right, my child. I was summoned here also, but I have not yet fulfilled my destiny…perhaps it will be soon…But remember, do not say a word. We can talk like this.’

  ‘So why didn’t we talk like this earlier?’

  ‘The guard would have found it odd if we had sat for so long without talking.’

  On and on they travelled, the bumps in the road shaking and jostling them and making them most uncomfortable. Would the journey ever finish? At last the carriage drew to a halt. Christina peeped out of the window. They had stopped in front of a tall white building. They were out of the narrow streets now, and the gigantic white columns of the Magis Counsel Building were reflected in the newly washed square. Light poured out of the great golden doors, which stood half open.

  But it was not through these doors that Mona and Christina were led. Leckeri pulled them roughly out of the carriage and Bolomfus and Samett marched them down some steps at the side of the building. He led them into a damp, dark room. Dirty mattresses on the floor, straw stuck out through the rough cloth. There was no window, so it was warm and humid inside. But there was a rich, spicy smell which made it more bearable.

  The guard was a woman. She was tall and thin, and her face was very grim. Her clothes were grey. She did not smile, nor did her eyes ever meet those of Mona and Christina. Christina noticed that she wasn’t wearing a veil. Neither was Mona, for that matter. Oh, she wished she could take hers off.

  ‘Why do I have to wear a veil and you two don’t?’ she thought at Mona.

  ‘Ladies who are past the age of marrying do not have to wear the veil. Only those already married and suitable for marrying. Such attractive ones as you. But you may take it off now. There will be no more men here tonight.’ Mona explained

  Mona and Christina pretended to sleep straight away. In fact, Mona gave Christina by thought, several instructions of how she should conduct herself in front of the Counsel the next morning.

  ‘You must stand tall,’ she said. ‘Your eyes should always look down. You must not make a sound – not even a cough or a sneeze. You must walk, as if gliding, up to the bar.’

  ‘I don’t know if I can do that,’ she said.

  ‘Of course you can, said Mona. ‘And let me do all of the talking. I will tell of your rich family, and of the land of wonderful machines. Ixeria would be able to make use of the knowledge you could bring. And as for the Queen’s Chalice – well you are so rich that you thought it was someone’s rubbish. I will tell them that you are a tourist, a visitor, full of curiosity and anxious to make friends with the people of Ixeria. But beware, the Counsel Chamber will be full of those keen to see justice done. At the least, a hand chopped off. They will have already heard that a foreign princess is about to be tried.’

  At last Mona finished, and soon she was fast asleep, snoring gently. Christina couldn’t sleep. What on earth was happening? Where was she, in fact, and why? How was she going to get back home? Would she ever take her exams? What were these strange turns she kept having? Would the magic berries always work? What about when she got back to her real world – if she got back? And oh, oh, oh – would she ever see Jan again?

  Christina tossed and turned for what seemed like all night. But it couldn’t have been, because then came the horrid nightmares of being in that other room – the one that always got narrower, but this time there was no way out. Christina woke as Mona gently shook her.

  ‘Almost time to go, Royal One. Let me put on your veil, and smooth down your garments.’

  Christina’s back ached. She was thirsty and she felt dirty – distinctly unroyal. But she did as Mona said. Skilfully, Mona wound the green silk and chiffon around Christina’s head. Then she smoothed down the tunic and the trousers. Holding Christina at arm’s length, she looked at her from head to toe, then smiled and nodded. ‘Use some of the pomade. It will make you feel better.’

  Christina took the lid off the jar and rubbed some more of the ointment into her wrists. At once she felt cleaner and full of energy. The guard arrived and unlocked the door. Two soldiers stood ready for them. One pulled his sword from his blue sash and held it pointing upwards. The other took his from his green sash and pointed it towards the ground. The first one indicated that Mona and Christina should follow. The second dropped in behind them.

  And so they walked out of the dark cellar, up a narrow stairway, and into the Great Hall. They continued along a thick red carpet. On either side, the crowds of people craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the foreign princess. The four made their way slowly along the length of the hall. Christina tried her best to glide, and she looked down at the floor all the time, but she longed to look around and get a better view of the people of Ixeria.

  At last they arrived at the front of the hall. The soldiers led Christina on to the witness stand. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bolomfus, Leckeri and Samett. They looked pleased with themselves. In front of her, she could just see the bottom of the High Counsellor’s red robes.

  ‘What is the charge?’ his voice boomed out.

  ‘That on yester eve the prisoner did take the chalice and its magic pomade from her majesty, Queen Benelov of Ixeria.’

  ‘Very well. You are charged, your Royal Highness, with an offence against the State of Ixeria. What say you to that charge?’

  Christina said nothing.

  ‘I see you have taken your right to silence. Who is your spokesperson?’

  All at once the whole situation seemed ridiculous to Christina, being brought to trial for shoplifting a plastic jar from Pandora’s Potions – a jar that shouldn’t have been there in the first place. She couldn’t stop herself giggling. As she did, her eyes caught those of the Counsellor’s.

  ‘Wait a minute,’ he cried. ‘Take off your veil.’

  ‘Sir, this is unheard of. She is a young maid!’ protested Mona.

  ‘Remove her veil!’

  The soldiers grabbed at the chiffon and silk, tearing it with their rough hands. All the people in the hall gasped in surprise. The High Counsellor turned to Leckeri, Samett and Bolumfus.

  ‘Fools,’ he shouted. ‘Did you not recognise her? This is Princess Imigriana, daughter of Queen Benelov and King Tutoralph.’

  Chapter Eight

  To the Palace

  ‘Imigriana, Your Highness, where have you been all this time? The king and queen have been looking everywhere for you?’ The High Counsellor’s voice was stern.

  Christina remained silent.

  ‘Well speak, child!’ He was growing impatient.

  ‘Sir,’ said Mona. ‘I believe the young princess met with some accident and lost her memory. I saw
her outside my shop. She looked ill, and her clothes were very dirty.’

  ‘Did you not recognise the Queen’s Chalice?’

  ‘No, I did not. The vase only showed me that she was of noble birth. I am too poor to have visited the palace and seen the jewels.’

  ‘Nice one, Mona! Now they really will think I’m the princess.’

  ‘At least it stops them trying to cut off your hand. And anyway, you look like her apparently. Is she the twin?’

  The twin. It was that nonsense about the twin again.

  The room began to close around Christina.

  ‘The berry. Take a berry!’ Just in time, Christina slipped one of the berries into her mouth. The dizziness passed. But an old gentleman had noticed her go pale and sway slightly. He stood up.

  ‘Sir,’ he said, speaking to the High Counsellor. ‘Her Highness is obviously not herself. Let the doctors examine her. And then let us get her to her home and family. Surely that will bring back her memory?’

  ‘Yes, you are right. Send for the Counsel doctor. And bring Her Highness to a quieter place, away from the crowds.’

  Mona stepped forward.

  ‘Sir, may I be released now? Her Highness shall surely now be safe. I should like to return to my work.’

  ‘Of course, old lady.’ The Counsellor had lost some of his sternness and seemed almost kind. ‘And thank you for finding the royal princess. It is a great honour for our town.’

  Mona bowed, waved quickly to Christina, turned and made her way out of the hall.

  ‘It will be more difficult to talk like this when you are further away. And you will be safe now, at the palace. But if you really need some help, just concentrate very hard and you will find me.’

  ‘Thank you! Thank you!’

  Christina bit her lip as she saw the one who was nearest to being a friend going away from her.

  Now the Counsellor and the old gentleman led her gently into a room at the side of the bar. She was invited to sit down on a bed covered in drapes and soft cushions. A young girl in a pink costume very much like her green one, offered her fruit and water. The room was full of flowers, and two tall young men, bare to the waist, waved leaves from some giant plant to fan the warm air. A little fountain gurgled in the middle of the room.