Aeron stooped down from her great height and taking a deep breath blew out the candles. Whoever you are, looking for me -, let me find you first.
When she straightened, she met Harry’s eyes. He had a warm smile on his face. “Happy birthday, buddy.”
They hugged, long and hard. “Thank you, Harry.” They pulled away, their eyes holding.
“My turn now. Harry open the wine.”
***
Aspen stood back and pushed back the locks that had fallen over her forehead. She cocked her head to the side and with a critical eye studied the lines. Something was not right. She stepped closer and studied the canvas long and hard.
“Aha!” She nodded.
“You got it?” Aka asked from where she sat knitting on a LazyBoy.
Aspen spun around and stared at Aka. She’s completely forgotten about the woman’s presence. After dinner when she had come down to the gallery to paint, Aka had calmly walked in and settled herself in the large leather chair. Not in the least bothered by the woman’s presence, Aspen had gone about doing what she always did down here: painting. She had been so engrossed in her work that everything around her blurred and eventually disappeared.
“So, did you find it? You’ve been studying the painting for close to twenty minutes now.”
Aspen looked back at the painting. This was the first time she’s painted Aeron. She had started out painting Phage, but after a while, the painting had taken on a life of its own. Almost everything was the same and resembled Phage, except the eyes. Aeron’s was lighter or maybe it had fewer shadows. In her short life, Phage had seen more death and destruction than any of the modern dictators could ever claim. The information she had on Aeron proved that the young woman had lived a sheltered life - never exposed to the depravity of life.
“The eyes,” she said and moved closer to the painting, “The eye colour is wrong.” She heard movement behind her and felt Aka coming to stand next to her.
“What do you mean? I don’t see any difference from the other paintings.”
“You won’t, because this is not Phage.”
From the corner of her eye, Aspen saw Aka looking at her. She turned to meet the woman’s eyes. She held Aka’s gaze, watching as confusion slowly turned to understanding.
“This is Aeron?”
“Yes.” Aspen lifted her palette. “Aeron’s eyes are lighter.”
Aka squinted at the picture and stood back. “I haven’t seen her up close, so I can’t tell.” She turned to look at Aspen. “Did you have a close-up of her?”
Aspen bit down on her lower lip. “The picture.”
“Oh, yes, you’re right. I completely forgot about the picture,” Aka said quietly, but Aspen could tell that the woman wasn’t convinced. Aka seemed happy to leave it at that though and returned to her knitting.
***
Aeron smiled at a drunken Caroline trying to dance while at the same time fighting to keep her footing. Harry stepped in to assist, but in his natural clumsy way, worsened by the alcohol, tripped over his own feet and took Caroline down with him. Aeron burst out as the two lay on the floor, momentarily dazed.
“Harry, you idiot, you almost killed me,” Caroline slurred as she pushed him from her.
Harry held up his hands as she rolled away from Caroline. “You might not believe it, but I was trying to help.”
“Yeah right,” Caroline snapped and hoisted herself off the floor and onto the bed. When Harry didn’t follow suit, Aeron sat up straighter.
“You okay, Harry?”
“Yes,” Harry muttered. “I dropped my glasses.”
Aeron was by his side quickly, scanning the floor for the lost item. She saw the lenses of his glasses peeking out from under the bed and, knowing that Harry was useless without is second set of eyes, crawled lower to reach them. Just as she got hold of the glasses, her phone rang, startling them all. Caroline surged to her feet and was across the room to the phone in flash.
“Now who would call our esteemed colleague at…” Caroline made a show of looking at her watch, “midnight on a weekday?”
A thrill went through Aeron as she thought who could be calling. Before she straightened up, Caroline already had the headset in her hand.
“Hello,” the Brit said in a husky, seductive voice. “Hello? Anyone there? ...Hello?” She looked at the headset in her hand and back at Aeron. “There’s no one. Wait a minute, why are you two looking at me funny?”
Aeron glanced at Harry and found him blinking drunkenly at Caroline, before he turned to her. He took his glasses from her and put them on. Aeron could almost read his mind. Harry was thinking the same thing as her.
“Come one, you two, spit it out.” She replaced the headset and stared at them with her hands on her hips, swaying dangerously.
***
Aspen took a long sip from her wine, almost finishing the contents in one go. Who the hell was the woman answering Aeron’s phone at this late hour? Her grip tightened around the stem of the glass and she had to restrain her one hand with the other not to break the fragile stem. Aspen let out a heavy sigh. Not knowing who the other woman was and what she was doing at Aeron’s place gnawed at her already raw nerves. After finishing the painting and bidding Aka goodnight, she was toying with the idea of either starting a new painting or going for a swim. The idea to call Aeron struck suddenly and inexplicably. She did not even hesitate while she scrolled down her contact list to the number.
Now she wished she hadn’t. It was her mistake to assume that Aeron was not seeing someone. Even then, the jealousy made her itch with the need to break something. She looked down at the glass in her hand and brought it to her lips. Aka would have her hide if she broke anymore glasses. She gently placed the glass on the table and grabbing the carafe, made her way down the sandy path to the beach. She stood for a moment, letting the powerful battering of the waves into her stormy heart. Dark locks swept across her face as she let the presence fall away…
“What would you do if, one day, the army returns without me?”
Cold fear gripped Aspen’s heart as she rose onto her elbow and clasped her hand over Phage’s mouth. Her voice was shaky with emotion as she admonished the woman of her heart. “Do not say that. The walls have ears and so does the sky. Do not plant such a thought in anyone’s head.”
Phage’s eyes turned dark with guilt. “My apologies, beloved. It was never my intention to upset you” A large hand lifted and cradled her cheek. “I want to know if you will be taken care of if such a thing should happen.”
Aspen turned her head until her lips brushed the rough skin on Phage’s palm. “Only your presence will ensure my wellbeing. Thus, you should aspire to live a long, healthy life.”
“Anything my wife and queen desires,” Phage murmured. She rolled Aspen onto her back and straddled her much smaller frame. “But know this, my love. If it should happen that I leave this world before you, I trust you to search for me. We will begin a new era together and the world will be in awe as they witness our love.”
Aspen turned her face away. She didn’t want to talk about this nor did she want to think about it. Warm tears coursed down her cheeks. Not even the touch of Phage’s lips nuzzling her neck could disperse the morbid thoughts. The image of her virile beautiful warrior, still and cold, was too much to bear. A soft sob tore from her lips and Phage reared back to look down into her face. Aspen grabbed the blonde head and pressed it against her chest.
“Do not stop. Never. Promise to never stop loving me.”
Aspen shuddered at the memory and quickly lifted the carafe to her lips, taking a healthy draught. She revelled as the potent brew splashed down her throat to settle in her stomach. The image of Phage lying cold and pale on a scaffold in the square flashed before her eyes. Another, longer drink of wine couldn’t vanquish the image and with a soft sob, Aspen opened her fist and let the carafe fall. It hit the sand with a soft plop, but Aspen was too busy tearing at her clothes to care. Naked, she crashed into th
e oncoming waves. She swam until her body shook from exhaustion and the images were just a dim memory once again.
CHAPTER 14
Aeron sighed deeply as she closed the door behind her friends. She glanced at her alarm clock; it read quarter to one. She hoped it wasn’t too late to do what she planned. Her hand shook slightly as she walked over to the phone and pressed the recall button. There was a short silence before she heard the ringing tone. All the fuzziness brought on by the alcohol fled her mind as she waited breathlessly for the phone to be answered. After the fifth ring she closed her eyes and hung up. With stooped shoulders she walked over to her closet and pulled out her pyjamas. She couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed at Caroline for having answered the call. But then they were all drunk and she couldn’t blame the Brit. She actually dared not. Harry had been gallant enough to let Caroline in on the possible identity of the late night caller and Aeron could see the hurt in Caroline’s eyes. The Brit had been a little subdued after that. After tonight she wondered about her friendship with Caroline. They have spoken about their friendship a few days before. She would hate to lose Caroline as a friend but if it came to that, then so be it.
She debated on whether she should take a shower. After a few hours of deliberation, she brushed her teeth, threw on her pyjamas and crawled into bed. In a scant five hours she needed to be up again. A shower would do her much good then.
***
The island was spectacular.
To think she had misgivings about coming on the trip. When Sadik parked in front at her apartment building at exactly 6:45 am, Aeron doubted that she would enjoy the trip. Not only was she still groggy from a lack of sleep, but she was also nursing a terrible hangover. The moment the handsome executive let her into the car, Aeron was beset by the smell of fresh roses. With a charming grin, Sadik had held out the bouquet.
“Happy birthday, Aeron. The Sultana wanted you to have these.”
Charmed by the gesture, Aeron smiled widely. She had only received flowers a handful of times in her life, and having the richest and most powerful woman in the world send her roses on her birthday was flattering. From that moment on, Aeron had pushed aside her exhaustion and hangover and decided that she was going to enjoy the weekend no matter what.
As part of her birthday present, so to speak, Sadik had ordered the pilot, after landing at Mytelini, the capitol of Lesbos, to take the scenic route via helicopter. Soon after Sadik had invited her to the island, Aeron has done a little research. The island was renowned for its olive oil production and it was understandable seeing the millions and millions of olive trees covering the hills. Sadik provided a running commentary on the island as they made the two-hour flight to the most secluded part the Gulf of Gera. Densely vegetated and secluded, it was the perfect hideaway for a recluse multi-billionaire.
It was only when the helicopter cleared a pine tree-covered hill and she saw the enormous palatial estate, that it struck Aeron that she was on the verge of meeting the richest and most elusive woman in the world. The estate was hidden within the pine forest with a white sandy beach as the only other entrance. To the right of the estate, Aeron could make out a horse stable. It has been quite some time since she’d ridden. When she took the position in Turkey, she had to stable her horse with a friend who ran a horse-riding programme for children in nearby orphanages. That way, at least, Vander would get some regular exercise and attention.
“The Sultana, as you know, is very private and for that purpose she bought a large portion of the land adjacent to the Gulf,” Sadik offered as he also looked down at the majestic house. “There are numerous hidden entrances to the lands, but the Sultana prefers to keep the beach entrance as the primary one for visitors.”
Aeron looked at Sadik. “It is probably none of my business, Sadik, but why does the Sultana prefer to live here, away from the world?” Except for the Sultana being named the richest person on earth, there was nothing much on the woman. No scandals. No outings. Not even photographs.
Sadik smiled, but never took his eyes off the sight outside his window. “She has seen enough of the world; she likes to say when asked that question.” Sadik turned to look at her. “She is an avid fan of archaeology and I can tell you will get along very well.”
Aeron nodded and returned her attention to the remarkable sight outside the window. It would be interesting to know how the woman came upon the Galatian artefacts illustrating the rule of Queen Aspen. Only a few pieces of Queen Aspen were found in an excavation in the late nineteenth century. Had it not been for Deiotarus who, almost a century after Aspen’s rule, crowned himself the King of Galatia, every reference to Aspen would’ve been destroyed. His fascination with the young Queen stemmed from her military prowess and the stratagems with which she had kept the Romans from invading her small kingdom. Deiotarus’ other interest in Queen Aspen came from the rumours that the young Queen had been a stunning beauty. The few tablets and scrolls didn’t have any likeness of the Queen, but in his personal diary, Deiotarus couldn’t stop raving about all the testimonies he’d gathered that confirmed the Queen’s looks. Did the Sultana have any evidence to that claim? It would be amazing, if she did.
Aeron had a feeling that this the weekend would be quite an eye-opener for her… and she couldn’t wait.
***
Sadik entered the kitchen and quickly side-stepped when one of the kitchen staff stormed past him with a steaming container. He scanned the large room, searching for his mother. He found her deep in conversation with the chef and made his way over to her. He snatched a peeled prawn from a nearby tray and savoured the fresh taste of the crustacean. He caught the eye of the chef and smiled innocently.
“Sadik? Pillaging my stock again?” The chef grinned as he stepped around his mother to give Sadik a bear hug. “I heard that you were here two weeks ago, but you didn’t stop by to greet. Am I not important anymore now that I’ve finished teaching your wife how to prepare your favourite dishes?”
Sadik slapped the burly man on his back. “The trip was unplanned, my friend. I had to drop off documents at the last minute and was gone the next morning.”
Anastascio was a childhood friend and one of the many youngsters who benefitted from the numerous scholarships that the Sultana’s bestowed. She had sent him to the best culinary schools in the world. After which he has spent twenty years as head chef in some five-star restaurants in New York and France. He returned to Lesbos seven years ago with his lover and their adopted twin boys.
“It’s good to see you again. Will you be staying the weekend? Tomas is throwing a birthday party for the twins. Can you believe that they are ten already?” He slapped his forehead. “Where did the time go?”
“You’re right, the boys are growing up fast. When do you plan to have the party?” Sadik was eager to see the boys again. Maybe he should convince Yegane and the kids to fly over for the party. With Aeron here, Aspen was sure to be at a nervous wreck and the children always seemed to have a calming effect on the Sultana.
“Tomorrow afternoon on the beach. I have checked with the Sultana’s assistant and she was fine with it.”
Sadik had to hide the smile. He probably shouldn’t have made fun at his friend’s expense, but except for his mother, himself, and a few distant relatives who worked as staff in the house, no-one else knew that Aspen was the Sultana. Over the years, to hide her unchanging features, Aspen dropped the wigs and makeup to introduce herself as a distant cousin and an aid to the Sultana. Sadik was still working in the New York office when he returned to find Aspen had reinvented herself. It baffled him at the time that people were gullible enough to simply believe what they were told.
But they did.
And it worked.
It was therefore amusing to find out that Anastacio had spoken to Aspen directly and received her personal blessing to use her private beach. Instead, he nodded slowly.
“I will try and see if I can get Yegane to fly down with the kids. I’ll let you know.”
<
br /> “Great. Talk to you again,” the chef said as he smiled at Aka and walked away. Almost immediately his raised voice sounded as he dressed down one of his interns.
Looking at his mother, Sadik shrugged. Aka pulled him into a warm embrace and they held onto each other for a moment longer.
“Is she here?” Aka asked when they broke away.
“Yes. I told her she could rest a bit before lunch since we were up so early.”
Aka grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward the freezers where it was not so noisy. Glancing around to make sure she was not overheard, she shook her head. “Something’s wrong with Aspen? Last night I saw her walking on the beach, drinking straight from the carafe.”
Sadik smiled. “It’s just nerves, Mother. I would be a wreck too if I was to meet my lost soulmate after three millennia.” When Aka still looked unconvinced, he took her hands in his and squeezed them. “Aspen will be fine.”
“I sincerely hope so. I would hate for her to get hurt.”
Sadik bit his lower lip. “It’s part of being in love, Mother. The risk of getting hurt is much higher in love than on a soccer pitch.” He flinched when his mother slapped his arm causing him to grin. “I know it’s an odd analogy but it’s true. So what’s all this liveliness about?”
Aka looked at the kitchen from over his shoulder. “Aspen asked that we prepare a nice birthday dinner for Doctor Whittaker.”
He grinned widely. “I must admit, she moves fast.”
He threw an imploring glance upwards. Now, if only the universe would play along.
CHAPTER 15
Aeron’s eyes were wide as she stood in the centre of the opulent room. It was incredible! And huge! She turned around as she took in the room. It was stylish and serene. The left side of the room was dominated by a bank of windows overlooking the sea. The walls were painted in a soft beige which complemented the shades of brown and cream punctuating the area.
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