Fortunately unaware of his consternation, she was providing her misgivings about the trip in calm detail. “I don’t know how Maralika plans to have me killed. Many things can happen on a journey, safely out of sight of the city. Maybe the horse she insists I ride will throw me and save her henchmen the trouble of committing a crime.” The princess rubbed her arms as if suddenly chilled. “I think she’s been hoping for such a fate, ever since she gave me the cursed animal.”
Mike took her hand to prevent her from worrying at the knotted fringe of a pillow between them. “We'll settle the easiest problem first and switch horses, all right? I’ll have Saium show me the stables. We’ll pick a nice calm mare or gelding for you.”
“Already, you chip away at my biggest worries.” Impulsively, she hugged him.
Patting her back in his best imitation of an avuncular acquaintance, Mike discreetly pulled away, disturbed by how his body responded to the softness of her curves, the enticing perfume. This was no time to start thinking of Shalira as a potential bedmate. If any woman ever had to be strictly off-limits, it was her. Unfortunately. He cleared his throat. “It's all settled, then. Johnny and I’ll dance at your wedding in the highlands before we continue on our way to accomplish our own mission.”
“I ask no more.”
She might not ask, Mike thought, as he made his way through the mazelike corridors to his own suite and the waiting Sgt. Danver, but he had a suspicion something more would end up being required of him by events on this ad hoc excursion he'd just agreed to. What had the mission briefers said? Nothing was ever simple and straightforward on Mahjundar. Expect the unexpected. Yeah, but who could have foreseen this set of complications? Princesses are the stuff of kids’ fairy tales, not an assignment for a first-tier operator like me.
As the door closed behind Mike, Shalira laid her head on the back of the couch, toying with the pillow fringe again. Thank Pavmiraia he agreed to accompany me tomorrow. I know my father left him virtually no choice, but Mike doesn’t seem to be the kind of man who’d be diverted from his mission without a fight. Probably a good idea she’d decided to add a personal appeal this morning. Or at least that’s what she’d told Saium, hoping he couldn’t hear her heart beating faster at the idea of more private time with the outworlder. I wonder what he looks like? His voice was deep, his accent charming, with a little lilt she enjoyed. Especially when he says my name. He’s taller than I am, taller than most men at Court—I could tell yesterday when he was leading me through the streets. Strong, no nonsense. He gave his word to protect me on this journey. Hopefully, his escort, plus the other precautions I’ve already taken, will be enough to foil whatever Maralika is planning. Swallowing hard, she reviewed the few arrangements she’d put in place for this journey into the unknown. Bone weary after the emotional meeting with Major Varone on top of her encounter with her father in the middle of the night, Shalira allowed herself to drift off into a nap. Saium, faithful as always, would be guarding the door.
CHAPTER THREE
Sighing in contentment, Mike surveyed the road to the east, where not even a wisp of the city could be seen any longer. His horse shifted footing on the ridge. Good to be on horseback again, after too many years away from my home planet. I can’t wait to finish this assignment and get back there. Stake my claim, start my own ranch. Far below, a couple of miles away on the great road, Mike saw the dust cloud from their caravan. A wave of dissatisfaction passed through him like acid, ruining his peaceful mood. Maybe I should have fought harder against being drafted into this large group, which is not going in a straight line to my mission’s location. But when Shalira added her appeal to the emperor's order—
I’m a fool for allowing myself to be persuaded, even by a blind princess with beautiful eyes. I know better than to delay the job Johnny and I are on. Mike unfastened his canteen and took a deep drink of the lukewarm water. All the tech on this closed planet was old-fashioned, even the canteens. But until they split off on their own, he and Johnny didn't want to bring out too much of their customized gear for fear of arousing Mahjundan suspicions of contraband. Closed planets ruled by despots were invariably paranoid about imported technology reaching the citizens.
Mike shook his head to clear the cobwebs, anchor himself in the present moment, here on the trail. I'd better get back to the column before dark. He checked the trio of fat game bird carcasses tethered by the feet to the rear of the saddle. Hunting for the dinner stewpot had been his excuse to take the black stallion for a long run over the broken country, tire the high spirited animal out, settle him down. Better not leave Johnny, Saium and Rojar to keep tabs on Vreely's thugs for too long without reinforcements.
As Mike descended the last rise toward the caravan, Johnny split off from the column and galloped to meet him.
“I see you had good hunting,” his cousin said, as soon as they were close enough to exchange words. “Vreely is spitting solar flares about where you went and when you’d be back. I learned some fine new Mahjundan swear words when he expressed his opinion of you riding Shalira’s horse.”
Mike patted the black stallion on the neck. “We got along fine once he understood who was boss. Vreely bothering the princess at all?”
“No. She told him she gave you the horse as a further reward for saving her life in the plaza. He shut up then. Actually, he's pretty much ignoring her. He's setting a hell of a pace though. My butt is sore and all my muscles are tied up in knots.” Johnny stood in the stirrups for a moment, causing his chestnut horse to flick its ears and sidle across the path a few steps.
“I know what you mean.” Mike laughed as they turned their mounts and headed back to the road together. “Last time we rode something without wheels or antigrav was on spring roundup in the high pastures, remember? When we were on leave?” Too late, he remembered the occasion he was recalling was prior to the most disastrous mission they’d ever run, so he changed the subject. “What's Vreely's rush?”
“Dunno. He has a specific campsite he wants to reach tonight. Princess Shalira is holding up all right, so I didn't see any point in complaining. After all, we're supposed to be in a hurry ourselves.” Chewing on a toothpick, Johnny glanced sideways at Mike. “You’re not getting ideas about this girl, are you?”
Mike knew it would be futile to put his cousin off. They’d known each other for too long. “I find her attractive. And I admire her guts.”
Tossing the toothpick into the weeds, Johnny raised one eyebrow. “But?”
“But I haven’t forgotten we’re escorting her to her wedding, okay?”
“Just checking. I’ve never known you to let personal interests sidetrack an op before. Pretty odd behavior.” His cousin looked Mike over from head to toe, as if the answers to the puzzle were written on his uniform. Shaking one finger at Mike, Johnny said, “You can bullshit Command all day long about the emperor giving you no choice, but you and I know damn well we could have taken off on our own assignment the moment we got out of the city. Vreely sure as hell wouldn’t have tried to stop us. He hates our presence on this trip.”
Mopping his forehead, Mike protested. “Hey, I feel a bit responsible for her, after the way she and I met after the bombing. Nothing more, I promise. I’ve no intention of getting involved with a local bride-to-be.” Laughing, Mike spurred his horse into a trot for the last few yards to rejoin the column, which had unaccountably halted.
As he rode closer, Mike could hear raised voices. Vreely and Shalira.
“I insist we stop,” Shalira was saying as Mike nosed his horse into the group surrounding the princess.
“Your Highness, our task is to get you to the temple, the tombs and your bridegroom, in that order, as rapidly as possible. Not spend days on the road, halting at every tiny shrine or roadside attraction that captures your attention.” Vreely’s tone wasn’t respectful or deferential in the least. He gave Saium a glare that should have set him on fire. “I’d appreciate it if your man here would stop mentioning these opportunities.”
“But he tells me this is the glade of Pavmiraia, representing my last opportunity to pay my respects at a shrine dedicated to her alone. I can’t just ride by.” Shalira wasn’t giving an inch.
Taking a swift glance at the small area of greenery and ruins under discussion, Mike didn’t see any reason not to let the lady have a few minutes to worship, if doing so meant that much to her. “Look,” he said, “The horses could use a break. If visiting this shrine is so important to Her Highness, why not take advantage of the pond and the shade for a few minutes?” He touched her arm. “You weren’t planning on a long stop here, were you?”
“No, I suppose not. I only want to offer a quick prayer,” she said. “Will you escort me?”
“I’d be honored,” he said, ignoring Johnny’s smothered curse.
A few moments later he was walking beside her, guiding toward the tumbledown ruin set in the midst of seriously overgrown trees, next to a small pond and a gurgling stream. The rest of the column had remained behind, on the fringe of the oasis, per Shalira’s request.
He felt a cool breeze, the first one of the day.
Shalira stumbled over an exposed tree root and he cursed himself for inattention even as he kept her upright. “I’m sorry, I’m not a very good guide. You’d probably have been better off with Saium.”
“I wanted you to see this,” she said. “No apologies needed.”
“Why? Why did you want me to come here in particular?”
“I think you don’t really want to be on our planet, nor riding along with me in a slow caravan. I’ve heard you didn’t like the crowded capital or the palace,” she said. “I was hoping this place might give you a different idea of Mahjundar, to take with you, when you leave.” Her lips curved in a mischievous smile. “And I liked the idea of a few moments alone, out of the saddle. Do you object?”
“Not at all. I apologize if I’ve been taking my impatient mood out on you. Nothing personal, Your Highness.” He helped her climb a few crumbling stairs and they stepped into a pavilion, open to the sky. Lush grass grew up between the cracked flagstones and flowering vines wound around the pillars. “It’s quite beautiful. Would you like me to step aside while you worship?”
“Very kind of you. I need to be standing in the exact center, please.”
He led her to the round mosaic in the middle of the platform, colors still bright. As they stepped onto the slightly upraised pattern, there was a sudden trill of musical notes and a brightly colored creature fluttered around his head. Automatically he recoiled, free hand going to his gun.
No doubt feeling him tense, Shalira crowded closer. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Are we likely to be in any danger from a bird-butterfly kind of thing?” Focusing on the tiny, brilliantly-hued creature as it fluttered around him, Mike felt a little silly. But there were deadly predators on other worlds that seemed just as harmless at first glance and it wasn’t his nature to take chances.
“I’m sorry, a what?” Her forehead wrinkled as she puzzled over the term he’d used in Basic.
“I don’t know what to call it in your language. They weren’t mentioned in our briefing. Some kind of flying warbler?” The creature set down on his shoulder for an instant, fuzzy antennae vibrating, and then launched itself into the air with another trill of bell-like notes that seemed too loud to be coming from such a tiny being.
“A myrdima of Pavmiraia! Do you really see such a marvel?” She turned her head left to right. “I thought I heard music.”
“It’s flown off now, to the trees. It was pink and purple and red, with furry white antenna. About the size of your fist.”
“We’d be blessed indeed, to be serenaded by Pavmiraia’s songbird. None has been seen in this area of Mahjundar for centuries. They withdraw, as the old gods withdraw, because the people’s faith wanes.” She shook her hand free of his, not rudely. Arms outstretched, she twirled, dancing, humming under her breath. She made graceful hand movements in time to her tune as she swirled. Pausing for a moment, she said, “I feel so free here, momentary though the sensation may be. I haven’t felt so unencumbered since I was ten and my world fell apart.”
Not knowing what to say to her personal revelation, but feeling pleased she was happy, Mike leaned on the nearest pillar, scanning the ground for snakes or any other menace. He hoped Vreely would let Shalira enjoy her brief excursion for a bit longer. The man had been impatience personified since they’d left the capital city.
“Uh oh, look out, the whatever-you-called-it is back, with a friend,” he said. “Stand still and maybe it’ll land on your hand.”
She closed her eyes and extended one hand, giggling a moment later as the little creature settled on her outstretched fingertips. “That tickles.”
“They have tiny, fuzzy feet,” he told her. “Gave me goosebumps.”
A green-and-blue companion followed suit, touching down on her other hand. Shalira began to sing in a lovely, high soprano and after a moment the myrdima joined in with their crystalline three notes. Mike thought he’d never heard anything so beautiful, on any world. As Shalira continued to sing, in a language he didn’t understand, more of the tiny warblers arrived, in a rainbow of colors, each adding its own three notes to the performance. They placed themselves on the princess’s hair like jeweled ornaments, and more hovered around her in a cloud. Entranced, Mike thought there must be several hundred in all. A few even floated over to where he stood, although none landed on him. The colors ornamenting the wings shone in the sunshine, particularly vibrant against the drab, dusty landscape.
If they’re waiting for me to sing, they’ve got nothing but disappointment coming. He bit his lip, not wanting to make a sound that might interfere with Shalira’s serenade. He wished there was a way to record the scene, or to somehow share it with the princess, who would never know what a beautiful picture she and the magical creatures made. He locked the vision away in his own memory, as one of the most special moments of his life, an unexpected grace note in the midst of a tense and frustrating mission.
The song ended on a high note and then the myrdima stopped contributing their music a moment later. The entire flock took wing and spiraled around Shalira like a technicolor whirlwind, rising straight up into the brilliant blue sky before streaking south in a fast moving vee formation.
She lowered her arms, hugging herself. “Are they gone?”
“Yes.” He pushed himself away from the pillar and walked over to her. “I wish you could have seen how incredibly beautiful they were, like living jewels. You with them—stunning. I’m sorry, I know that’s probably not the right thing to say but I’m nothing but a simple soldier. Not good with the fancy words.”
“No, it’s all right.” She held out a hand and he took it. “I’m glad the goddess gifted us both today. I’m glad we alone shared the moment.”
“We’d uh, we’d better be getting back,” he said, drawing a shaky breath. “Which seems so anticlimactic after an experience like that.”
“We won’t speak of it to them. Please don’t mention it.” Her face was set in lines of concern, brow furrowed. “The moment, the blessing was mine, ours, not to be shared, not even with Saium. Much though I love him, he doesn’t worship Pavmiraia.”
“Neither do I,” he felt compelled to point out.
“But you intervened with Vreely to provide me this opportunity, so you surely deserved to be in the moment with me.” As they walked from the platform, Shalira gave him a mischievous smile. “Have I succeeded in my goal of providing you a different view of Mahjundar?”
“That was amazing, Your Highness. Yes, I’ll never think of the planet in quite the same way again.” Or you.
Hours later and many miles further in the journey, Vreely called a halt as dusk was gathering. Mike had to admit it was an excellent location, on a slight hill, with a stream and some large trees for shelter. It was the most easily defensible spot he'd seen all afternoon. Vreely established camp in an exemplary fashi
on, posting guards, organizing things in a way any officer would appreciate. He might be an assassin and worse, but he knows his business when it comes to military matters. The man had all the personality of an ice slug, which was neither here nor there.
Mike tethered his horse close by Shalira's, Johnny and Rojar positioning themselves nearby. As they were rubbing their horses down, Saium came with a dinner invitation from the princess.
“Glad to join you,” Mike told him. “I had good luck hunting this afternoon, so I can add fresh protein to the menu. Johnny, give him a hand with roasting these birds, would you?” He unhooked the skein of plump quail-like birds and passed it along to his cousin. “I bagged them, you can clean them.”
Taking his cousin’s agreement for granted, Mike wasted no further time in joining Shalira. Sitting on a small camp chair in front of the tent, face tilted to catch the evening breeze, the princess had her almond-shaped eyes closed. Humming a tune under her breath, she was a picture of contentment.
Mike’s heart beat a little faster as he walked toward her. Despite what he’d told Johnny, he wished he’d met Shalira under different circumstances. She affected him the way no other woman ever had, not on his home planet, not on any world. The more they talked on this unexpected journey, got to know each other, the more he enjoyed her intelligence and her humor. I hope this forest chief is going to appreciate what he’s getting in his bride. He cleared his throat and trod deliberately on a stick, breaking it with a crack as he walked closer, so as not to startle her. “Good evening, Your Highness.”
Turning in his direction eagerly, she gave him a wide smile, dimples appearing in her cheeks. “Did we ride fast enough for you today?”
Mission To Mahjundar (A Sectors SF Romance) Page 5
