Heroine of Zenina

by Giselle Marks

  Calzina could not win the Seven event by winning the swim, but if she managed to win it and Marina came second and Zadina third, she would take the green florette to Marina’s ruby. All this was academic because both Zadina and Calzina expected Marina to win the race, and do so well. There was one more surprise however. Although Marina swam the distance easily beating both Calzina and Zadina in a very fast time only just within the record, Edolza for most of the race stayed right behind making it to the finish only a metre behind Marina. Admittedly she then collapsed from nervous exhaustion, but soon revived. The other competitors had never really been involved in the main contest and were only fighting it out amongst themselves.

  Marina and the others went to collect their florettes. Marina looking earnestly seaward in case Neman chose to appear but the ceremony went through without incident. The Herald announced that there would be a half hour delay in starting the evening’s events of Riding “Slalom” and Athletics Climb. Then a solitary swimmer appeared from the sea. Marina started, fearing it would be Neman again.

  It was however only one of his retinue, naming himself in their minds as Count Nadan he apologized for Neman’s absence and presented to Marina a clam shell about the size of a large man’s hand. The edges of the shell had been inlaid with gold and a golden hinge replaced the natural one. A golden clasp held it delicately together. Marina opened the catch and exclaimed at the contents. A beautifully carved cameo made from a shell of vivid green and white depicting the dolphin and sea-horse emblem of Neman’s dynasty. It was edged in heavy gold and surrounded with huge pink and black pearls and beneath the almost heart shaped cameo was suspended a black baroque pearl shaped like a huge dark tear drop. The whole pendant was attached to a chain of gold woven between strings of pink and black pearls.

  Marina stared at the gift. It was very desirable; any woman would long to possess such a jewel, even Marina. It was exquisite yet she could not accept it. It was impossible not to understand the significance of such a gift.

  “Count Nadan, please thank Crown Prince Neman for this truly magnificent royal gift but I can’t accept it, please return it to him with my good wishes and tell him I can’t accept it.”

  Count Nadan replied in the minds of only those close to him. The sea people had no vocal chords and used only telepathic communication.

  “Princess, please do not ask me to return the gift. Neman told me to deliver the pendant to the lady who won the Seven Event and to ask her to wear it for the closing ceremony as a symbol of the concord between the sea-people of Zenina and the land-dwellers. Should you refuse the gift he’ll be grossly offended and as messenger I expect my death.”

  “My daughter Princess Marina is honoured to accept the gift. Tell your Prince so,” said Queen Kerina speaking aloud.

  “Thank you, your majesty.” Count Nadan bowed to the queen and dived into the water and swam away beneath the surface.

  “I refuse to do it, Mother. How could you accept it? How can you pimp me to that aging fish?” Marina did not say the words aloud and blocked their reception elsewhere. Her mother replied in the same way.

  “You have no choice Marina. We have to keep the treaty. You will accept and wear Neman’s gift. And whatever else it entails. It is an order, Marina.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be able to obey you, your majesty, what you ask of me disgusts me. It’s unreasonable to ask it of me.”

  “Your refusal to do your duty is unreasonable. Swear that you will obey and do everything necessary to keep the Zeninan Empire intact.”

  “What must I swear,” Marina replied with resignation.

  “Repeat after me, I, Marina,”

  “I, Marina...”

  “By my God’s grace, Princess of Zenina do solemnly swear…”

  “By God’s grace, Princess of Zenina do solemnly swear...”

  “That I shall do all in my power to uphold and keep the Zeninan Empire intact and peaceful, that I shall fill any role the Zeninan people require of me and my actions will always be in the interests of the peoples of the Zeninan Empire.”

  Marina repeated the words dwelling on the import of them; knowing that there was no chink or loop-hole in her oaths to release her. She draped the pendant around her neck and went home, the blond Zigan following at her heels. Marina did not return to watch the riding Slalom event which Zadina had held; or to watch the final event of the day the Climb.

  Bromarsh watched Jarminza win the Riding Slalom and Klivina took the green. Zadina was forced into third. Then he saw the climb which was half a kilometre straight up an artificial rock face. The climb was timed. Querella the ecologist held the title and beat her record by two seconds. He was not very interested in the event but Klivina invited him to a dinner party at her house. Vlama raised an eyebrow and said she would come and chaperone him, so he agreed.

  Princess Marina exercised Baraneev for a few hours then drove him to his hotel. She popped into the department and wrote a letter officially offering Fenzela the job of deputy, and a memo stating Fenzela would be taking up the position to all the section-heads in her department. She looked through the papers that had piled up over the last two days. Some Kurgian war-ships had been sighted. Marina ordered a contingent of Zeninan battle-ships to challenge them and escort them from Zeninan space.

  A further report on the explosives had come through. The engineers who had examined the Kurgian machine had produced a thorough technical report which Marina could not face reading now. Marina placed the letter to Fenzela on her desk and looked in at the deputy’s office and flat which had been unused for six years.

  Marina called cleaners, ordering them both thoroughly cleaned and left the keys with the letter in Fenzela’s office. Fenzela had been in the precognitive department for a brief chat with the Section Head, met Marina in the corridor.

  “Ma’am, thank you for offering me the position as deputy, I accept.”

  “I’ve left a letter offering you the position on your desk with the keys to the office and apartment. Have them redecorated to your taste at the department’s expense. Date the memos I’ve written and have them distributed. These orders are in case I’m injured or unable to work for some period.”

  Marina handed over a sealed packet which they put into the safe in the deputy’s office, arranging the safe lock so it would only open to Fenzela and herself.

  “Have you finished with Heneran Bromarsh, ma’am?” Fenzela enquired.

  “We are no longer lovers but remain friends, if you’re interested, speak to him,” Marina replied.

  “I’ll do that,” Fenzela said and Marina wished her luck.

  Marina drove to Father O’Flaherty’s house and played a game of chess with him, then took Riyal home to bed with her. When Riyal fell asleep she was still not sleepy. She got out of bed and showered, then sought Charles’s quarters in the dark. He had been asleep but snapped awake at her entry. He pushed back the furs and invited her to his bed. She climbed in but apologized. “I don’t need sex; I can’t sleep and came for company.”

  “You haven’t beaten me for over three weeks. You need to relieve your aggression, that’s why you can’t sleep; that and your guilty conscience.”

  “Well at least you’re not a complete sycophant. I don’t want to hurt you. I’d only feel worse afterwards, but you’re right about my guilty conscience. You know the oath my mother forced me to swear today?”

  “Yes I stayed with your thoughts.”

  “I can’t keep the oath and remain uncrowned. There’s no get out clause. I know there’ll come a time when I must accept the burden of the Zeninan Empire, but I still seek to shirk that duty. Neman wants me and mother insists I co-operate but no matter what I’ve sworn, I’m still not willing. I think I need the flogging, not you. I’ve most of tomorrow free to regenerate but I should practice for the Gymnastics.”

  “I’d prefer it to be my back; I hate seeing you suffer.”

  “I’m suffering more from guilt than I will from being whipped. Com
e along.”

  They returned to the house where a small room had been mind and sound-proofed. Charles selected a whip that would hurt, but do little deep damage. It distributed an electric charge through the nerves under the skin and Marina would never use it on a slave. She considered it unnecessarily cruel. Her own capacity to cope with pain was more advanced than most. She wanted to blot out her thoughts with raw feeling and that whip would achieve that.

  Marina did not make a sound while Charles whipped her but something disturbed Riyal and he woke. He looked for Marina and unerringly found the closed door of the room Charles and Marina occupied. She felt Riyal’s thoughts as he opened the door.

  “Come in,” she said in his mind.

  Charles welcomed him, but then turned back and continued to beat Marina. Riyal shocked at Marina drenched in her own blood, watched fascinated. At last Marina said one word. “Enough,” and turned to Charles and Riyal.

  Riyal asked “Why have you been whipped?”

  “It’s the penalty for a guilty conscience Riyal. I can’t sleep. I feel more content now.”

  “What can you have done so bad to deserve that?”

  “It’s what I’ve not done and seek to avoid doing that troubles me, Riyal. I’m so used to doing my duty I’m almost incapable of independent thought. I’m no longer a person, merely a tool of the Zeninan Empire. Zenina sucks the life out of me, it decides all my actions. Even my body is not my own, the Empire pimps me where it pleases.”

  “I want neither the power nor the servitude the Empire demands of me. I rebel but I know I’ll be forced to comply. My rebellion may cost Zeninan lives and so it blackmails me to conform. I care for my subjects but my own feelings are unimportant. I could seek release in drugs or oblivion in alcohol. I could pick a fight with someone and temporarily unleash my anger, but in truth I’ve only myself to blame.”

  “I was born to be queen and seek to deny it; just as you seek to deny your Kurgian blood, Riyal. Ga’Riyal, Ga’Mishrin’s son, royal bastard. We’re not so very different in that, are we?”

  “It isn’t true, I’m not his son.”

  “Ga’Mikkal believes he’s his son, he is not. Who his father was, I know not, but he had no Kurgian royal blood. Bastard he is, for all the title Prince. You are Mishrin’s son and though your grandmother only bears the title Duchess, there is ancient royal Zeninan blood and royal Zigan blood in her. You have more royal blood in your pedigree than I, even if yours is on the wrong side of the blanket. My illustrious ancestor was only an upstart usurper after all. Yet my destiny is to rule and yours only to serve. It is not natural justice, is it?”

  “You speak with such assurance as if you’ve seen what will be for all of us. Do you see the future?”

  “Often and seek to change it, but this I know. There is much to do and you must help me.”

  Riyal seemed caught up in the mystery of the moment; he kissed Marina’s hand and tasted her blood. He knelt at her feet.

  “You are my queen, now and forever. I will serve you with my body, my soul, my heart and if need be with my life. I swear fealty to my queen, Queen Marina the Great who stands before me. I’m honoured to serve her in any way I can.”

  Marina stood every bit the queen, wet with her own blood and received his oath.

  “Not your heart, Riyal that is not yours to give. The rest Zenina accepts but your heart will fly where it will. Return to Father O’Flaherty’s house now and sleep.”

  Riyal rose, went back upstairs to dress and returned to his room in Father O'Flaherty's house. Charles who had stood back and witnessed Riyal's oath now stepped forward.

  “Thank you, Charles. I feel better now.”

  “With your back in agony? Yes, your majesty you probably feel better. We need no ceremonies between us. I swore my loyalty to you the day you bought me. My loyalty and love have never changed. I've no royal ancestors, but to me you'll always be my queen.”

  “I value your love and loyalty, Charles. It is good I have a few real friends, but because of my rebellion, all of you will suffer. The time has passed when I could take the crown my mother offered. Now I must let fate run its course. When the time comes that the Zeninan people need me, I must fight for them. I have no long-term need of a slave, I never had. I’ll need Generals, advisers and friends. There comes a time soon we must part. You must obey me, though your heart breaks...”

  “Whatever you ask, I will do.”

  “I'm tired now. I think I’ll sleep for a few hours. Stay with me.”

  Marina did sleep but the dreams crowded in. Her future spun before her but for once she did not wake in terror. Within her dreams there was some comfort in resignation, and some pleasure in the knowledge that she would do what must be done and find the strength within her.

  Chapter Forty-Four - The Fourth Day

  The fourth day dawned and Marina went through the day like one in a trance. She watched Suzela win the sprint and Chilka take her own four kilometres title. Queen Kerina excused herself and returned to the palace. Princess Marina took over from her mother to hand out the florettes, ruby to Chilka, green to Calzina, blue to Ketla and silver to Edolza. The twenty kilometres run began and Lamaza took Adelza's title. Jarminza managed to come fourth and two Rubies took second and third places.

  Marina went to warm up for the jump and climb; leaving Plavina to give out the florettes for the Pole-vault, which Serengia won. Marina won the Jump and climb and her sister wound another ruby florette into her hair, but Marina was barely aware of the world around her. She ate lunch, resuming her seat to watch the Four event. Calzina won with Letinza a close second. Chilka came third and Zada fourth. Marina gave out the florettes congratulating Calzina, joking with Letinza and Chilka, formally correct with Zada to whom she said “Very good effort.”

  Calzina held her long jump title with Querella coming second. Plavina gave out the florettes. Orina was allowed to watch the Games with Sebie and he kept her entertained, finding her more fun than he expected. Marina took Orina home for dinner. She cooked it herself and they ate alone together. Orina chattering blithely of all she had seen and praising Marina for her successes. Marina accepted her chatter, making the correct responses in Orina's mind but she was far away from the simple meal. Orina realised it, so they finished the meal in silence.

  Coming back to the present, Marina remembered Orina for a few minutes.

  “Would you like Bona, Chilka’s daughter to join you this evening to watch the riding and target shooting event?”

  “Yes please,” Orina replied.

  Marina promptly called her and delivered the two girls to the stadium.

  After the contestants completed the course, the third and fourth positions were clearly decided. Letinza and Plavina were leading, but were evenly matched and the judges could not pick between them. A shorter course was set up with only three targets and the two rode once more. This time Letinza beat Plavina by seconds only as her Archery was as precise as ever. Marina gave out the florettes, kissing her friend and her sister to rousing cheers from the audience. The day over she prepared to go home, but not without Baraneev pestering to accompany her. In the end she agreed to see him for lunch the next day but not now, she was busy.

  Bromarsh missed the morning’s events, having spent the morning in Klivina's bed. Klivina was not working or competing that day and allowed her party to continue into the early morning. Vlama left quite early but Klivina had promised to personally look after Colonel Bromarsh. When he arrived at the stadium for the afternoon's events, Vlama and Stenlina were in their seats. Klivina insisted on escorting him to his seat but then she went home again and back to bed. Although then her own slave Cucat entertained her in Bromarsh's stead.

  Fenzela who had watched for his arrival was swift in approaching him. He was a little surprised at the directness of her invitation but accepted with alacrity. He had considered making a pass at her himself, but had never been without female “company” long enough to force him to make an effort. He
told her he looked forward to supper at her flat and safe conduct home at some unspecified hour.

  Marina went straight to her Gymnasium and through each of the competition routines several times. Charles slid in, watching without interrupting. She was dissatisfied with both her floor exercises and her vaulting. She concentrated on them altering her routines a little to make them less stale.

  Finally she decided she could do no more that night. She did not want to sleep so she went back to the office and went through the technical report on the Kurgian machine. She finished it just before dawn, but it had had the desired effect and she slept peacefully alone for a few hours in the room off her office.

  Chapter Forty-Five - Day Five

  Marina overslept and was shaken awake by Fenzela who insisted she come and watch her wrestle. Fenzela said since Marina had suggested she enter, the least she could do was support. Marina agreed, washed quickly and dressed in army uniform. She allowed Fenzela to drive her to the stadium. The Games were late starting because neither Kerina nor Plavina had arrived but Marina's arrival was enough for Jazina and she announced the light-weight wrestling event.

  Ketla held the title, but Fenzela beat her in her second bout. The contest was arranged so after two defeats you dropped out. After five bouts, Fenzela was the only competitor undefeated and therefore took the ruby florette. Four competitors remained who had been only beaten once. Ketla was among them. They battled for the other florettes and Ketla got the green.

  There were fewer entrants for the heavy-weight wrestling event. Genza eventually took Dalzina's title, two Greens and a Silver the other florettes. Marina doled them out unemotionally, missing the first fencing bouts by slipping into the reception-room and making a small impression on the buffet.