Heroine of Zenina

by Giselle Marks

  He accepted Baraneev’s statements as fact and although he insisted on a private interview with him, did not try to change his mind. All he told him was should he wish to go home he would help him if he could. But once he reached colour change, he could do nothing to help. Baraneev said he understood and thanked him.

  “Would you please tell Katanya for me of my decision after the Sexual Gymnastics ends? I want to make a clean break with her and can’t face the tirade she’ll unleash,” Baraneev requested.

  The Ambassador promised and they shook hands.

  “Your royal highness, is it true the Kurgian Ambassador, Ga’Zenzal has been recalled to Kochab?”

  “I believe that’s correct.”

  “So only I and Jodanil Rollanon will be attending the closing ceremony tonight, ma’am?”

  “The Markaban Ambassador won’t be attending Ambassador. There are rumours of an assassination attempt for tonight and he’s decided to go on a fishing trip instead. I wouldn’t be going myself if I could get out of it. You might find it convenient to be temporarily ill or something. Your absence will not be held against you or Ziga.”

  “I can’t not attend with young Baraneev here expected to do great things. I thank you for the warning but I’ll risk it. I dislike being forced to compromise by the threat of terrorism, ma’am. You wouldn’t know why Ga’Zenzal was recalled, would you ma’am?”

  “Officially or unofficially, Padavaneev?”

  “Oh, off the record, your royal highness.”

  “It is over Prince Ga’Mikkal. He’s been asked to return to Kochab and he won’t go. Ga’Zenzal has been recalled to get a peel rung over him, we hope he survives. I don’t expect we’ll see him again. Officially he’s recalled for consultations with King Ga’Mishrin. He left yesterday on a cargo ship. He refused our offer of a faster Zeninan ship. He said he wanted to savour his last days.”

  “Poor Ga’Zenzal.”

  “Yes, indeed. Well I’ll see you tonight, Padavaneev.”

  “It will be my pleasure, ma’am.”

  Baraneev slept through lunch at the palace and accompanied Plavina to the Games for the afternoon. He felt tired but happy. Marina woke feeling surprisingly refreshed and cheerful. Charles warmed up her muscles with an energetic massage and she limbered up with some warm up exercises. So when her turn came in the first gymnastics event, the rope; she was rarely better and the other competitors need not have bothered to come. Her vaulting which had troubled her in practice was flawless and she won that too.

  Suzela managed a good performance and came second. The third event, the rings was also a walk-over and Marina swung from the four rings with such poetic grace she was awarded perfect marks by two of the judges. The last event of the morning was the floor exercises. She tumbled and somersaulted exquisitely using the floor to its very boundary. She leapt, twirled and rolled through her routine with the gaiety and freshness of a young girl.

  The experts argued amongst themselves whether Marina was better today than her great performance six years ago. Other pundits said she was as beautiful when at fourteen she had stolen all their hearts.

  “There’s a bit more of her now,” one remarked, “but all in the right places.”

  Few of the audience argued her performance was one iota less brilliant than she had been 26 years before. The only argument was over which was the better performance.

  Baraneev slept through all this but marvelled at her victory on the triple bars. He cheered her as she re-won Kapalina’s title on the force trampoline. Even Kapalina after seeing the recording months later said the ruby florette would have been Marina’s even if she had been there to compete. Kazimira came second on the force trampoline and made a good showing in the other events getting a shower of lesser rosettes.

  The last pure gymnastics event was the column; where the gymnast performed on top of an eight foot high column. There was an indented band half way up which was used for mounting the column. Part of the event involved the ingenuity of devising new methods of climbing the column. Marina’s method was perfect in its simplicity.

  She stepped out towards the column and turned to face the crowd, stretched upwards and flipped backwards into a handstand. She flipped backwards over again and again at great speed until she reached the column. Her back to the column she flipped thrice more, once to the floor at the base of the column, then to the band and finally to the top and straight into her routine. It was her last performance of the day and certainly not her least.

  The routine came to an end too soon for her audience. She dismounted with a quadruple somersault landing in a handstand straight into a forward roll and upright with a flourish and bow to the judges. Nerova had taken two greens to Marina’s rubies and achieved a third green florette in the column event.

  Marina left the Royal Enclosure and wended her way through the aisles to where Bromarsh was seated. She sat down in his lap. Bromarsh reacted to her body as she had not dressed since winning her last gymnastics event. That was normal as she had one more florette to collect, the overall gymnastics. That was already hers but would not be presented until after the Zeninan dance and Sexual Gymnastics events were completed as technically they could count towards it.

  Chapter Fifty-Four - The Players Assemble

  She whispered quietly to Bromarsh.

  “I want you to go with Riyal and Charles to the farm and stay out of sight until Kerina’s funeral has taken place. Not yet, watch the dance and sexual gymnastics first. Charles will come for you afterwards.”

  Then she called Letinza and together they checked the force shield surrounding the Royal Enclosure. Marina had ordered an additional force shield added to the first and Fenzela had supervised its installation. This one was powered separately from the other. There was no reason why innocent spectators should die as well. It seemed futile to limit the damage done and yet not attempt to stop it. If they stopped it this time, it would be the next day or the day after that. They could buy time but Kerina’s death would happen and surely it was better to control the evil if the evil must be.

  Marina still wore her own personal force shield and had kept her internal force shield in place. She knew she would not escape undamaged but Marina wanted to live even if she must be queen. She returned watching with vacant eyes Kazimira dance for the crowd’s pleasure. She had learned her lessons well and if her style was reminiscent of a young Marina then the crowd was not displeased. Her win was popular. Nerova a close second was first to congratulate her. They received their florettes with happiness brimming from their eyes. They at least were unknowing of the outrage that would soon curtail their joy. Supper was served and eaten though Marina did not taste it.

  Kabaneev arrived during supper and took Marina aside. The others went to watch the beginning of the Sexual Gymnastics. He gave Marina a small thermos flask. She took a glass and drank down the thick navy blue coloured liquid it contained, refilling the glass to consume the entire contents and washing it down with a glass of chilled water. Marina and Kabaneev joined the Royal party upstairs. Once more Marina rebelled against fate. She touched the leather strap on her wrist covering her personal force shield. She had a spare, the other was made up as a golden bangle with the mermaid and lioness picked out in tiny emeralds.

  She collected it from where she had left her clothes. Carrying the bangle she walked to her mother. The queen was surrounded by chatter but the sound was hollow. As if they spoke aloud to hide the deathly hush. Marina bowed to her mother, “A boon mother?” she asked.

  “Anything you ask is yours Marina,” Kerina replied.

  “I had this trinket made for you; it would please me if you’d wear it tonight.”

  “Is that all you want of me? You could ask for my crown and I’d gladly give it!”

  Princess Marina handed over her present.

  “Please wear it as a token of my loyalty and my love.”

  Marina bowed once more as Kerina put on the bangle and thanked her. Kabaneev had stayed beside K
erina until just before supper when he had transported back to the palace to collect the thermos Marina requested. He was now at her elbow once more. Kerina took him to a private room and kissed him goodbye. “Go,” she said “You’re not supposed to be here.”

  “I want to stay, we’ll die together.”

  “Your time is not yet Kabaneev, you know it. I know it. I order you to return to the palace as your queen.”

  “And if I refuse?”

  “Then I will order my guards to put you in chains and take you to the dungeons until it is too late. Go with dignity. Please do not shame me.”

  He kissed her deeply once more, crushing her to him; then left without looking back. They both knew there were no dungeons below the Golden Palace and they would never see each other again.

  Chapter Fifty-Five - Routine Rehearsal

  Charles and Nerova had had several discussions during the day and she tried to get him to memorise the routine she had choreographed with Falesh. He could remember the moves but considered the whole thing puerile. What might look good with Falesh who was of slighter build and very slim would not look right with the classically muscular form of Charles.

  “It is bad enough to be expected to perform like a monkey on a pole without being made to look a sissy as well” said Charles.

  “Well” said Nerova, “You’ve promised to help, but all you’ve done so far, is tell me what you won’t do. We’ll both be in trouble if the Zigan pair win! If you know so much what do you suggest?”

  “We’re on last aren’t we?”

  Nerova confirmed that it was so.

  “So we’ve got time to rehearse a new routine.”

  “Don’t you want to watch the others?”

  “What for, I don’t need to be worked up. The way I see it is we can’t go for delicacy or mirror imaging or any of that arty stuff. We haven’t enough rehearsal time and we’re too ill matched. Falesh and you were very similar in size, whereas I dwarf you. I think we should make them laugh first and then do what we do best naturally and let them criticize as they will.”

  “Comic routines have gone down well before but no one’s tried it for a long time. It’s a big risk.”

  “By the time the judges see us they’ll be absolutely jaded. They’ll have seen all the acrobatic positions possible and the most tortuous methods of getting to them. We need to make them sit up and preferably get very wet.”

  When Charles and Nerova were finally called to perform they had agreed on what they would do. They had even rehearsed some of the moves although Charles had not undressed. The contest allowed each couple to have a few minutes to warm up but from the point they joined together in copulation at no time must their bodies separate. Most of the couples would be given fifteen minutes at most to impress the judges or not. The vast majority of the couples would then be thanked for their participation and wished better luck next time. The successful couples at most eight, might then be called back to perform their whole routine if there were any doubt in the judges’ minds as to what order to place them in.

  The florette winners of the previous Games were automatically given places in this group and so were not required to do the fifteen minute stint. They would have the option of the last four positions. Nerova had come second to Kapalina in the previous Games so was guaranteed last place. Suzela had taken fourth place and would therefore have the turn before her. The other florette holder had died in the meantime from a surfeit of sharpened steel through her heart. Kapalina who had won would obviously not be appearing as she was in Ziga.

  The event was organised on a specially constructed stage. The floor was padded slightly and sprung with muffled springs. The back edge of the floor was slightly higher than that nearest to the seating. The gradient was moderate but it allowed a better view to the audience. The back cloth was one immense mirror and both side walls to the stage together with the sloped ceiling were also pieces of unbroken mirror. The whole of the performance was recorded from all angles and simultaneously relayed throughout Zenina. The seats within the hall were much sought after. Their retail cost was high but their resale value was phenomenal. You could live well for a year on what it cost by selling one ticket.

  Vlama, as a judge in an earlier event, had two free tickets, one of which Stenlina had bought off her at the original price. Marina provided one of hers for Bromash. The entrance to the stage was from the side and the competitors were not visible to the audience until they reached the stage. Most couples treated the walk to centre stage as just that and having done their routine got off. A few realised the walk gave them time to create an effect and would dance or tumble on. Some of the more muscular men would carry their partners elegantly posed on their shoulders. One girl slung the lad across her back and hefted him to centre stage.

  The judges soon disposed of the majority of couples. The Kurgian couple and the other Zigan pair left the competition along with 30 Zeninan pairs. Left in were Baraneev and Katanya and two other Zeninan couples. They performed their full routines for the judges’ marks. Suzela with her partner Kopie and Nerova with Charles had not yet appeared. Baraneev and Katanya went first. They were very acrobatic and their routine was beautifully designed and performed. Those in the audience, who had been at the party, detected some lethargy in his movements. He was still good but the slight lack of enthusiasm showed.

  The marks the judges gave them were very good; the next two Zeninan pairs for all the originality of their routines could not better them. Suzela and Kopie executed their routine; they were very classical in style and picked up points on technical merit. They managed to beat the two preceding couples, but were just a few marks lower than the Zigans. No one quite knew quite what to expect from Charles and Nerova and before they came on stage their odds were lengthening. Marina placed a rather large sum of money at twelve to one on Charles winning.

  Nerova walked backward on to the stage, her calf length plait bound about Charles wrists. One hand was pulling on his arm and the other pulling on the plait. She slowly dragged the silver body of Charles face down. The little girl exerting herself prettily to move the rippling muscles of the giant carried off the mime with a perfect straight face. A titter went around the audience. She crouched to untie her hair from his hands and his fingers snaked up between her legs. She squealed as if in surprise and the audience bellowed with laughter. Nerova had not been expecting the move but continued with the moves they had arranged. Moving behind his body she bent and tried to turn the body on its front. She lifted him a little once, twice, three times but each time his body fell back, the audience were chuckling again.

  Nerova pushed once more and Charles rolled onto his side facing the audience, tipped slightly over towards them and rolled twice over in the opposite direction finally landing flat on his back up stage. The audience’s laughter turned to gasps because as he was displayed to their view he was fully erect but holding it pointing up at an exact 90 degree angle.

  The burlesque continued, they made a neat set of moves where Charles tried to lower himself onto her and she rolled out from under. The audience was aching from laughter. If Nerova had not been such a skilled gymnast or so delicate and perfectly formed and if Charles were not so handsome and fit, it would have been merely slapstick. But both of their bodies were being shown off to advantage and the audience were now waiting with anticipation.

  Nerova who had rehearsed all evening with Charles was now very warm, although he had not appeared to be doing it deliberately by going through all the attitudes without actually undressing; he had done a very thorough job of turning her on. They had never actually bedded each other, but Charles knew women very well. He had every intention of making each of the judges wish she was in Nerova’s position. Nerova had not even seen Charles erect, she had accepted he would do what he said he would, although slightly surprised he was so confident of being able to switch on an erection without encouragement even in competition circumstances.

  Quite a few men were put off by the lig
hts and staring faces. Nerova had not realised Charles had been enjoying teasing her whilst they rehearsed. She was annoyed with herself for desiring him so much, she could hardly wait for him to start, let alone the audience. Blasé about men’s bodies, still she was drawn to the sight of him erect. He was very well put together and very, very well endowed. As they went through their motions he brushed her stomach several times and she was sticky in expectation.

  She gasped as he entered her only just having the mental control to still perform the movements required of her but she was close to coming already. Charles was not going to let her hold back, his movements inside her gave her no choice. She stuck to the routine but her body just threw itself into the enjoyment of his body. The audience could not help but feel the pleasure of their controlled abandon.

  There was a lot of leg crossing in the judges’ box. Charles took his time, changing rhythm slowing her down and speeding her up, but he was playing with her not her controlling him. It was not the usual way of winning the sexual gymnastics but they made all the difficult positions without slipping. Nerova would not have let him withdraw whatever, she was too high. There were no blocks on their thoughts; their mutual lust was felt by all around.

  There was no doubt about their winning: the judges would have been lynched if they had lost. They provided the fillip to the end of the evening and the audience looked forward to their own beds where they could work out their own frustrations. Their marks were definitely higher than they deserved. Technically in Gymnastics terms they were not that exact but sexually they were unbeaten. Even Marina’s retiring score was beaten, much to her chagrin.

  Nerova went up to receive her ruby florette. Charles still erect stood beside her. He lifted her onto the top side of his member and sat her balanced there. The audience guffawed again. Baraneev and Katanya collected their green florette. Katanya had already been offered several lucrative contracts by vid producers from her own planet since their performance, all of them hard core.