by Gill James
The first drops of rain fell. Paul made his way back indoors. He went to pour himself another drink, and then realised there was not much fruit juice left.
Better leave some for Christina, he thought. She’s late, though. Then he remembered again. He should have made that school bus wait for her. She would be furious, would be more than furious. Jan would be out of luck now.
What a shame. Paul suspected that Jan was, if you gave him a chance, quite a decent sort of a bloke. And now he’d helped to blow his chances. Well there was nothing he could do now.
Paul made his way up to his room and was soon absorbed in his maths project. His desk was covered in papers. File after file was loaded on to his computer. He tinkered away at graphs and calculations.
‘Hi, how’s it going?’ his mum said suddenly.
Paul jumped. He hadn’t heard her come in nor come up the stairs. He hadn’t realised how late it was getting. Christina was still not home. He looked out of the window. Now the sky was black and it was raining really heavily.
‘Oh, quite well really. I’ve just got to print out these graphs and write an evaluation and it should be done.’
‘Do you know where Christina is?’
‘Er, no.’ Paul sensed that he should not own up about forgetting to make the bus wait. Mum would fuss.
‘Oh, well, probably enjoying her first day of freedom. I expect she’ll be back for dinner. Or let us know. She’ll probably be ringing any minute now and demanding a lift. I’ll just go and get changed.’
Paul sighed. What was it about parents? Usually she would go ballistic if one of them hadn’t left word of where they were – and the other one, the one who was there, would cop it for not knowing about the one who was missing. And they did always let their parents know what they were doing and if they changed arrangements. Christina had even done that when she was out with Jan. Jan made her! Mum was no doubt absolutely right and Christina was enjoying not being grounded anymore, and some time about now, knowing that Mum would be back from work, the phone would ring and Christina would be explaining her plans. Why couldn’t Mum always be so laid back?
On cue, the phone rang.
‘Can you answer it Paul?’ Mum shouted. ‘I’m half undressed.’
Paul sprinted down to the hallway.
‘Paul Grant,’ he said into the handset.
‘Is that the home of Christina Grant?’ The voice sounded rather official.
‘Yes,’ replied Paul. What had she done now? It sounded as if she was in some new sort of trouble.
‘Is there a parent or a guardian available?’
Mrs Grant was now standing behind Paul.
‘Who is it?’ she mouthed.
Paul handed her the phone.
‘Something to do with Christina.’
Paul watched the colour drain from his mother’s face as she listened to the speaker on the other end of the phone.
She mumbled several times, ‘Yes, I see. I understand.’ She twisted the cord nervously in her fingers, and flopped down on the chair next to the small telephone table. When she eventually put down the phone, she looked defeated.
‘There’s been an accident. Christina‘s in hospital.’ She didn’t move.
‘Shouldn’t we go there?’ asked Paul.
‘Yes, yes, of course. And we’d better let your dad know.’
‘He’ll probably be on his way home now. Call him on his mobile.’
‘Yes, yes. Now, where are my car keys?’
‘Should we get a taxi? It’ll be quicker, and we won’t have to worry about parking?’
Mrs Grant agreed, despite her panic. Paul phoned for the taxi. Within minutes, the doorbell rang. At the same time, the phone rang again. Mrs Grant wanted to ignore it, but Paul pointed out it might be the hospital again. He was nearest, so he answered, motioning to his mother that she should open the door for the taxi driver.
‘Hello, Paul,’ said the voice on the other end. ‘Jan de Vries here. Has Christina looked at my letter yet?’
Ah! Paul covered the mouthpiece. He shook his head.
‘It’s for me,’ he said. ‘You go on. I’ll be out in minute.’
‘Christina’s had an accident,’ he said. ‘We’re on the way to the hospital.’
‘I’ll be there.’ The receiver slammed down. Paul replaced his more carefully and hesitated a few seconds before he went to join his mother. Sparks were going to fly. Lots and lots of sparks. He dreaded that as much as finding out that something really terrible had happened to Christina.
He went out to the taxi.
Chapter Ten
Imigriana
‘And who are you?’
Christina climbed out of the bed and stood up.
Imigriana’s eyes opened wider. ‘Aagh!’
‘Yes.’ Christina went up to Imigriana. ‘We could be twins, couldn’t we?’
‘No doubt! But how…and why?’
‘Ah, well that’s a long story. Do you really want to hear it?’
‘I think I have to, don’t you?’
‘Well, yes. So…’
Christina told as best she could how she had somehow been snatched out of her own world and had found herself in Ixeria. She also told her about her encounter with Mona, But not about Mona’s strange way of communicating, nor about the prediction about the twins. Neither did she say about what had happened in Pandora’s Potions. That would come later if she found she could trust Imigriana. She finished by describing how she had been caught with the Queen’s Chalice.
‘You’ve got it? That’s what caused all the trouble in the first place.’
‘Trouble?’
‘Yes. Lydia told Her Majesty that I had it. She came rushing here, demanding things. I hadn’t taken it. And lovely Lydia just stood there smirking. She’s always been jealous of me. She was my mother’s maid since before I was born, and Her Majesty used to treat her like a daughter. Of course, I’ve pushed her out. I expect she was glad when I disappeared. I thought she’d taken it and hidden it.’
‘But where did you go?’
‘I went to check out my cousin, Leonis. He was always such good fun when we were little. And since I shall be marrying him in five years’ time…’
‘Marrying him?’
‘Oh yes! My parents have chosen him for me. They say it’s best to keep royalty in the family…’
‘Your parents have chosen him for you?’
‘Of course. Who else should find my husband?’
‘Well, don’t you find him yourself?’
‘Good Heavens, no. I know nothing about men! Goodness, I would make a mess of that.’ She paused. ‘You mean you choose your own man?’
‘Well yes…or even several.’
Imigriana’s eyes opened wide as Christina told her all about Greg and Jan.
‘And your parents don’t like them…and these relationships won’t lead to marriage?’
‘No, of course not! Well, they didn’t mind Greg. But Jan. You see, he rides a motorbike. And he has long hair. He wears leather trousers all the time and he’s older than me. And in my world, no one my age would ever think about marriage.’ Not even me to Jan! she thought.
Imigriana giggled. ‘Leonis has long hair, wears leather trousers, is older than me, rides the electric dragon, and my parents wouldn’t let me look at another man!’
‘The electric dragon?’
‘Oh, a type of machine. You sit on it as if it were a horse. It goes very fast – driven by an engine and it spits fire out – the fuel it is burning, I think. Not many people can ride them. But you could get from here to High Town in about two hours on one.’ Imigriana demonstrated how she would ride a dragon.
It looked so familiar to Christina. ‘It sounds just like a motorbike. Have you ever ridden one of these dragons?’
‘Well, how do you think I got back here so quickly? I sat behind Leonis on his dragon.’ Imigriana was grinning now.
‘Did his parents mind you being there?’
�
�No they were honoured. But I did persuade them that Their Majesties had sent me there. We did manage to undo the distant speaker so that they could not contact us.’
‘The distant speaker?’ It was getting more and more bizarre here.
‘Oh. I don’t know how it works, but you speak into a little shell, and people can hear you miles away.’
‘It sounds a bit like our telephone. So why did they send a messenger here to report that they had found me…er…you?’ It certainly was strange here, Christina couldn’t help thinking, yet really they had pretty much everything she had back at home, but it was all just a little bit different.
‘Well, probably because of what Leonis did. He broke the distant speaker in such a way that none of them will work for several days.’
‘And if you have such thing as electric dragons, why did I have to come all the way here by carriage?’
‘Oh, it wouldn’t do to have royalty travel by the new-fangled machines. Much too dangerous!’
‘But you and Leonis…’
‘Ah! Only you, I, and he, know that…’
Christina had the feeling that the two of them could be good friends as they began to tell each other about their worlds. Not only did they look alike, but they had so many similar ideas.
‘It’s so strange here,’ said Christina. ‘You have some of the things that we have and we have some things that you don’t.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, you have electricity but not cars.’
‘Cars? What are they?’
‘They’re like electric carriages. How come you have electric dragons but no electric carriages?’
Imigriana tossed her head to one side. ‘Why would we need those? Our scientists are developing a system where we can travel from one place to another instantly. That should be ready soon.’
‘Oh, like on Star Trek?’
‘Star Trek?’
‘A television programme.’
‘What’s television?’
Christina had to think for a moment. How could she explain that? ‘Hmm. A sort of distance seer. Like your distance speaker but with pictures.’
Imigriana jumped up and down. ‘Oh that would be so good. I wish I could come to your world.’
‘Do you have computers or the Internet?’ asked Christina.
‘What?’
Christina tried to explain about email and surfing the net. Imigriana’s face remained blank. Then suddenly it brightened.
‘We do have the distance writer and we can hire a magician to bring his tubes that show us what is happening miles away as if it is the room in front of us. You see, our worlds are very similar. Tell me, what is your favourite way of spending your time?’
That was easy. ‘I like to go shopping.’
‘Shopping?’ Imigriana frowned.
‘You know. Go to the mall and look round the big shops. Buy things.’
‘Buy things. Yes,’ cried Imigriana. ‘But the merchants come to us with their wares. Yes you are right. It’s good buying new things.’
‘I did see some little shops in the city,’ said Christina.
Imigriana shuddered. ‘You mean those dirty little workshops where the merchants make their goods. I wouldn’t ever want to go to one of those.’
That was disappointing. There would be no going to the mall, then. ‘What’s the worst thing about living here?’ asked Christina.
‘Lessons.’
‘You mean school?’
‘What’s school?’
‘A big building where you go with lots of other people your own age to have lessons?’
Imigriana pulled a face. ‘How vulgar. No, a tutor comes to the palace to give me lessons. Only rich people learn.’
‘That seems funny. You’d think poorer people would need to learn so that they could get a job.’
Imigriana frowned. ‘But they have jobs. They learn them from their parents. We future queens and other noble women have to learn how to rule the world. It’s natural.’
Christina didn’t get that at all. Perhaps she ought to move on to something else. ’So, what’s your favourite pastime?’
Imigriana’s eyes lit up. ‘Kissing Leonis, of course.’
‘So tell me then,’ said Christina. ‘Will he do then, Leonis?’
‘Oh yes, oh yes! He’s just as much fun as when we were younger. But he is tall and good-looking. And very strong! He knows a lot about business affairs.’
Imigriana looked towards the window.
‘My goodness, look! The sun is coming up! It will soon be breakfast time. I shall have to think what to tell Their Majesties.’
‘Oh, and what about me?’ asked Christina, suddenly panicking.
Imigriana bit her lip and frowned. Then her face brightened.
‘I know,’ she said. ‘My memory has come back. You are someone I met when I didn’t know who I was. You recognised me when I was at the Magis Counsel. And you came here to see if I had got back safely. When I realised how much you looked like me, I decided to hire you to be my companion. Would you like to be my companion?’
It sounded reasonable. In fact, it could be quite fun if she really did have to stay in this place.
‘Yes, we’ll do that then. Oh, but what about Leonis’s parents? Won’t they spill the beans?’
‘What? Why should they spill any beans? They don’t normally deal with the cooking. What do you mean?’
‘You know! Tell your parents where you really were?’
Imigriana was still looking puzzled.
‘Spill the beans. It’s just an expression we have. It means to sort of let the truth out…accidentally.’
‘I see,’ said Imigriana. ‘I think not! Leonis is away on business for seven weeks and his parents are holidaying by the Izaran Sea. And the whole point of a holiday there is that no one contacts you. They will stay a month, and by that time, Their Majesties will be used to you.’
A great gong sounded.
‘Oh no!’ Imigriana stamped her foot. ‘It’s a wretched prayer day.’ She turned to look at Christina who was frowning.
‘Oh well, at least you are dressed for the part! I’ll have to find my other prayer dress.’
Chapter Eleven
Prayers
‘I think you had better carry on being me,’ said Imigriana after they had finished getting ready. You’ll have to pretend that you still don’t remember. Or at least, only remember on and off. That’ll explain why you don’t know what to do in the prayers. Hide, though. There’s someone coming, and we don’t want them to see you yet!’
Imigriana pushed Christina behind a screen in the corner of the room. The door creaked open. Through a crack between the two panels, Christina saw a tall figure dressed in royal reds and blues.
‘Imigriana!’ Christina shivered. It was Mum’s voice. She moved so that she could see the speaker more clearly. But this lady didn’t look like Mum. Her hair was swirled up round her head into an elegant knot. She was far taller than Mum, and unlike her, she didn’t have a single grey hair on her head. A dozen or so heavy silver and gold bracelets dangled from her wrist. A huge silver comb glistened in her hair. Christina watched as Imigriana and her mother flung their arms around each other.
‘My goodness,’ she thought, ‘I haven’t let my mum do that for years.’
‘Mother, it’s good to be home. And I’m beginning to remember a few more things now. But I’ve forgotten the prayer ritual!’
‘The Prayers? Oh dear!’ The queen looked worried and Christina felt the panic start. This whole day was going to be important.
‘But it won’t matter,’ Imigriana continued. ‘Oh Mother, I’ve found a new companion. Christina. She looked after me when I was lost. And we could be twins. She can stay, can’t she?’
Queen Benelov stroked Imigriana’s hair and smiled.
‘I’m sure she can. Everyone will understand about the prayers. Will Christina know the Prayer Ritual?’
‘Of course.’
&n
bsp; ‘Then, you can follow what she does. Hurry now. The Silence begins in fifteen minutes. We can breakfast together. At least we can see Christina even if we can’t speak to her.’
Imigriana curtsied. Queen Benelov nodded her head slightly, swished round on her heels and marched smartly out of the room. Lydia’s lips were tight and she was frowning as she followed the queen out.
‘Thank goodness for the Silence! It will save a lot of questions. Now, help me get this dress on. And we must wear prayer veils. Now let me see – ah here we are. And a prayer book. …Yes, we won’t arrive a minute before the Silence begins. And it’s okay to move your veil in front of His Majesty so that you can eat, because the king is allowed to see anyone. But don’t worry if he keeps looking away from you – oh it’ll be me he looks away from – because it embarrasses him to look at young girls without their veils.’
Imigriana was rushing around from the wardrobe, to the chair and back again. Christina joined in the panic and ran around with her, but she didn’t know what she was looking for or what she was trying to do. Both girls giggled. But there was an ache and a fluttering in Christina’s stomach. Something strange was going to happen. And she didn’t know whether to be excited or scared.
‘We’ll wait for the Silence gong,’ said Imigriana, ‘and then we’ll go to the patio. We always have breakfast on the patio on Prayer Days.’ Imigriana suddenly grabbed Christina’s hands. ‘Oh, we’ll have such a great time – once this day is over.’
The gong boomed. Imigriana put her finger to her lips, smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She gestured to Christina to follow her. The two girls made their way through complicated twists and turns in the corridors, until they came to an archway, which led out to a bright patio. A crisp white cloth covered the table which was laden with inviting breads, fruit and cold meat. Christina felt too nervous to eat, though. Queen Benelov and King Tutoralph were already sitting at the table. The king motioned the two girls to sit down. Imigriana curtsied deeply. Christina wasn’t sure whether she should or not. Before she had time to think about it too much, the king came over to her, smiled, stroked her hair affectionately, and held out the chair for her to sit down. Imigriana emerged from her curtsy. Queen Benelov smiled at her, touched her arm gently and with her eyes indicated that Imigriana should sit down.
