“Then I suggest we eat at my home, no formality and I’ll cook so you can be assured everything will be wholesome.”
“I couldn’t possibly put you to that trouble and I would never have considered you would attempt to poison us.”
“It’s no trouble and even I cannot be totally certain my servants could not be bribed. Now will you come or not?”
“I accept and thank you for the invitation, Marina.”
Marina went away pondering seriously on what she had learnt. Poor Ga’Mazadeh forced to leave his young bereaved children in order to pander to his vile King’s perverted desires. She informed Fenzela of the Prince’s mission and arranged for the ship’s occupants to be kept under surveillance for the duration of their visit.
Marina would take extra care to avoid being taken prisoner.
Princess Marina returned to the Palace to consult with Queen Plavina, but did not inform her of the true purpose of Prince Ga’Mazadeh’s mission. Plavina agreed to an audience with the Prince the next morning. Plavina had after a very tentative beginning, grown a little to fill the role of queen.
Everyone said that she looked the part and some said she was doing pretty well in dealing with the official duties of queen. She had confounded most of her critics, who without exception admitted that so far she was a better queen that they had expected. A few added the rider that it was early days and only time would tell if she would be a good queen.Nothing controversial had sowed discord between the sisters. Marina had been her most tactful in tendering advice and Plavina had taken it.
Plavina’s behaviour met with wide approval whilst she followed Marina’s counsel, but Plavina was never fully informed of her sister’s actions or the information she had at her command. If Plavina had been more energetic, she might have made more effort to study security reports put at her disposal and read more than the summary, but it was all too boring to Plavina. She was content to leave it all to Marina.
Marina tried to interest Plavina in such matters and tutor her to bring her up to date. Plavina had so little background knowledge Marina found it necessary to vet everything she told her or Plavina came to alarming conclusions based on the little information she had assimilated. Marina became increasingly frustrated by how little Plavina understood or knew about the Empire she ruled, or the universe of which it was a part. Worse Plavina had no interest in learning, treating Marina’s most entertaining explanations as a tedious chore.
Marina did not show her irritation but it was obvious to all close to the throne that Plavina took little part in decision making. For the time being learning how to look and behave like a queen took sufficient of Plavina’s energies to keep her too fatigued to worry about her power being usurped. Everyone treated her with due deference and she was euphoric at being cheered as she went about her official duties. The novelty had not yet worn off.
Marina had taken Ga’Mikkal home with her. A week before the arrival of Ga’Mazadeh’s ship Marina insisted it was time for Charles to go for his holiday in Ziga. Charles had protested at leaving so soon but she was implacable. Marina had begun to see the inevitable end of Plavina’s reign. She wanted Charles out of the way. He would arrive in Ziga a month before his youngest brother’s wedding and stay a month afterwards. Charles complained Marina had not paid up on her promise and she apologized, but for now there was not enough time to keep the terms. When Plavina’s reign was consolidated, then she might be able to take a day off work. She spent the night before he left with him and accompanied him to the battleship before kissing him goodbye. Charles hid the sorrow he felt accepting the Captain’s invitation to lunch with her after they had cleared Zenina’s force rings.
Marina shed no tears and drove home alone. That night Mikkal slept with her but she chained his hands behind him before she slept. He resented her lack of trust but his desire for her increased as he learnt how to please her. He respected her as he had never respected a woman before. He was no longer besotted like a school boy wanting to consummate his lust with her, but her sensuality and ingenuity kept his ardour aflame.
With Charles gone he was happier than he had ever been. He was in love with Marina once more, but this time it was not just a lustful crush. He loved her as deeply as a self-centred man could, and he created a new fantasy world to shield himself from the knowledge that his love was one sided and would never be returned.
Marina had given him a slave disc with her arms but had not tattooed him. Another slave might have demanded her mark of ownership, but Mikkal thought it a sign of respect he remained unmarked. He was not aware a slave on approval, remained unmarked until his new owner agreed he was worth his price. He was allocated a room in the old slave quarters and Marina packed up the contents of Charles’s quarters. His rolls of money she paid into a bank account in Ziga City under his real name. She left an I.O.U. in its place and signed it.
The packing cases she moved secretly at night to a carefully selected destination and personally buried them deeply before removing the turf of the surrounding area, ordering the field ploughed and planted with a crop that would grow seven feet high in the ten months before it was harvested. Even Marina would have difficulty finding where they were buried.
At the Department Marina began a systematic study of the files, without Fenzela’s knowledge she buried anything that might be dangerous to her or her friends deep within the computer’s memory. To anyone who tried to access that information it would appear she had wiped the records. The key to the files lay within Marina’s brain and she destroyed the copies of her own mind tapes so they could not be used to reactivate the information.
Marina decided Prince Ga’Mazadeh should not discover Mikkal’s presence in her household. So she transferred him temporarily to the slave quarters at the Golden Palace before the two princes arrived.
Prince Ga’Mazadeh and his son Prince Ga’Mazal were ushered through the house to Marina’s rooms, where she had her own kitchen. Marina bustled through to her private dining-room welcoming her guests, kissing Ga’Mazadeh on his cheeks and extending her hands to the boy who kissed her fingers.
Marina had dressed in a simple peridot tunic of fine natural silk. It had long loose sleeves and reached just above her ankles. She wore a silver sash as belt and her hair was piled loosely on top of her head. It was far plainer that Ga’Mazal expected a princess to dress but she looked pretty and he treated her respectfully as his father instructed. Marina had asked Orina to make up the numbers and whilst the dinner Marina had cooked was served by her servants she made polite conversation with Ga’Mazal.
The meal was well cooked and beautifully arranged, but the plain menu was more to the children’s taste than to Ga’Mazadeh’s. He would have chosen more gourmet fare for himself with complicated mixtures of flavours and ingredients. But as he complimented her on her cooking, he was surprised to find he meant it. The flavours of the food had been delightful.
The light wines Marina had chosen complimented it exactly without intoxicating him.
“You have drunk little of the wine,” Ga’Mazadeh commented.
“It is merely habit. Alcohol has more effect within a smaller female frame and no amount of wishing alters that. Orina, why don’t you take Prince Ga’Mazal away to play?”
Both children thought it a good idea.
Father and guardian sat down in her sitting room talking awkwardly of Zeninan and Kurgian affairs. Neither gave much away in what they said but Marina was listening to Ga’Mazadeh’s mind not his tongue. Marina poured brandy for them both, sipping hers slowly. Marina made the Prince relax and was her most vivacious. He forgot everything but that he was enjoying her company. Then Marina rose, walking over to where the Prince was seated. She took the glass from his hand and placed it on a small table close by. Marina sat gently in his lap and kissed him passionately. Once more she rose and re-seated herself across the room from him.
“Please accept my apologies, your royal highness for my presumption. I’m sorry for offending you
.”
“Please forgive me, Marina. I didn’t expect you to want to bed me; I was surprised that’s all. I didn’t mean to reject you.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, Ga’Mazadeh. The fault was entirely mine. I wouldn’t have attempted to seduce you whilst you were married, but I should have realised it would take you longer to get over the death of your wife. I should have allowed you a decent interval to mourn. It was boorish of me to be so insensitive.”
“You’re being very gracious about it. I’m sorry I didn’t respond. You are so very beautiful. Please will you give me another chance?”
“Prince, I have slept with men I did not desire for Zenina. You may not believe I find you attractive but I do. I like you too much to bed you when your heart is elsewhere. I don’t demand a man to love me, but I won’t take a man to bed who doesn’t want to be there. Don’t feel guilty about it or force yourself to go through the motions when you’re not ready. It is a salutary reminder to me, to know I’m not quite irresistible to all men in the universe. Let us part as friends.”
“I know you could seduce me whether I wished or not, even though I haven’t needed a woman since my Princess died. You’re right I would’ve felt bad about it. I don’t deserve to be treated so kindly by you. If we have another opportunity, you’d make me very happy if you would ask me again.”
“Very well, you have two months more to mourn. The next time we meet from two months hence I will remind you of what you said just now. If you turn me down again, I might rape you out of sheer frustration.Your son sleeps in Orina’s bed I’ll carry him out to the hover-car and drive you both back to your ship.”
The thought of his son’s moral welfare came as a shock to him. He had thought of Orina as just a little girl not as his innocent son’s corrupter.
“You need not fear. Your son has not been touched. Orina and her nurse put him to bed after he fell asleep playing with her. Space travel is very tiring for growing children. They need additional mineral and vitamin supplements if they’re to travel for any period of time or they tend to become lethargic.”
Marina fetched the boy and drove them both back to the ship but she took two of her guards with her and returned with them.
Chapter Twenty-seven - Hills of Desire
Prince Ga’Mazadeh ordered the ship to fly from Zeninan space. How could he kidnap Marina and hand her over to his lecher of a king? She had treated him kindly when he intended ill of her. The perfume of her body seeped into his pores and his body began to reawaken. His dreams now dwelt on Marina and the taste of her lips and the sensation of her flimsily silk clad body in his arms. In his dreams he did not sit like a stone statue to receive her embrace. He kissed her back carrying her off but not to Ga’Mishrin’s arms, waking from his sleep each day to find his body aroused in fact as well as fancy.
His scout-ship rejoined his fleet and headed for Alpha once more. Marina still haunted his dreams and he finally sought relief in the arms of a paid whore, choosing a blind girl who would not be repulsed by his face. He used her body gently and paid her twice what she asked, but it did not lessen his longings. Each night Marina came to him in dreams bringing imaginary relief to his body and soul. Then he woke and groaned as his body throbbed in torment. He would have to beg her to have him, to forgive him. Prince Ga’Mazadeh would not sleep peacefully until he burned out the fire in his loins inside her.
Now Charles was safe, Marina arranged Colonel Bromarsh and Tippy’s departure. Nerova, who had trained as a pilot before joining the palace staff was provided with a crew to transport Colonel Bromarsh and Tippy back to Fansun space-port in Markaba in the smaller of the two new yachts.
***
On a Zeninan Battleship heading for Ziga, a Silver man lay in bed and thought of Marina, to the annoyance of the curvaceous Silver rating who was seeking to reignite his interest. Charles apologized for his lapse in concentration and, hard once more, made love yet again. This time he stored his thoughts of Marina deep inside him where they would not offend the young lady, she would not appreciate that his arousal related to his thoughts of Marina and not the delights of her mouth and tongue with which she had been attempting to re-stimulate his interest.
He missed Marina, he was worried for her but he dwelt on her words and during his lonely journey between women, he read learned treatises on war, on strategy, on the psychology of mass control. He studied the campaigns of famous Generals and tried to see himself in that light.
He did not understand what Marina had meant. No Zeninan army unit would follow a Zeninan man into battle, not even if Marina told them to. Why should he learn to be a General when there was no chance of a command for him to lead? The whole idea was ludicrous. He had no training for it. Why should Army officers who had trained for decades, even listen to him, a slave?
***
It was over three weeks after Plavina’s Coronation when Marina took up her aunt’s invitation and knocked upon the main door of the Temple. Marina was admitted by a curious obsequious servant and taken straight to Zadina who was seated in the Temple itself. Zadina dismissed the acolytes who had been present in the Temple.
“Come to gloat, have you niece? Or do you want something?”
“I came at your invitation, Zadina. You used to be more welcoming. Are you getting sufficient supplies now? Your people are adequately fed?”
“Your people are efficient as always, Marina. How is Mikkal?”
“He’s bearing up well.”
“So we’ve made polite conversation. Now what do you want from me?”
“I want to lay an old ghost. You have rooms here, don’t you? It’s not very pleasant in here, is it?”
“What do you want, Marina?”
“This way, isn’t it?” said Marina leading the way to Zadina’s apartments.
“Why didn’t you kill me, Zadina? I fought like a complete beginner. I left enough openings for a one-armed cripple to beat me. Why did you aim for my arm when you could have reached my throat?”
“I fought just as badly, you could’ve beaten me many times, Marina.”
“Why insist on a challenge, when you intended to lose?”
“It was expected of me. I miss Kerina, strange isn’t it?”
“I miss her too; Zadina and I find it hard to forgive you. Is this where you sleep, ‘Dina? Lock the door.”
Zadina locked the door and watched as Marina undressed and let her hair down.
“The people would be appalled if they find out.”
“Are you intending to blackmail me, Zadina?”
“Hardly, how will you explain spending the afternoon, here?”
“Why explain? Let them think I came to gloat or whatever they want.”
“You don’t expect me to agree? 25 years ago you ordered me to never touch you again. I decided then never to ask again.”
“Are you turning me down, Zadina? Will you resist me if I shimmer?”
“You’re taking a big risk, Marina. What if I kill you?”
“Dalzina will be queen. You can’t challenge or be queen until your hair grows and you’d be tried for my murder. I came openly, if I don’t leave the way I came in within eight hours. Fenzela will be here with a warrant for your arrest, signed by me.”
Whilst Marina had spoken laconically, Zadina had stripped off the jewels and garlands of flowers she’d had on. Then she untied the pink skirt she wore and let it fall to the floor. Marina lay sprawled on the bed, her loose hair flowing around her. She smiled as Zadina walked across the room towards her and took her in her arms.
When Marina said her farewells to Zadina, she did not get up from the bed where she lay on her stomach. Livid blue weals had cut deep into the skin of her back and the flesh of her buttocks and thighs.
“Will you come again, Marina?”
“Not for a very long time, Zadina. Should I heal your back before I go?”
“And leave me nothing to remember you by, you heartless wretch?”
Chapter Twenty-eight - C
orroding Indolence
Scant weeks past, Plavina grew bored of the perpetual round of official appearances and speeches. She rebelled against Marina’s advice. If Marina said wear blue and a coronet, Plavina wore red and the Imperial crown. If advised to dress formally, Plavina appeared clad to go riding. Marina was irked by her sister’s petty disobedience, but smiled, hiding it.
Marina was more careful in advising Plavina, making no strong recommendations, hoping Plavina would tire of playing the fool. Plavina partied, beguiling the time away, Marina ordered the land. All decisions fell upon her shoulders, Marina ploughed through reams of paperwork, organising the minutiae of the Empire, planet and even the palace. Gradually she delegated the minor decisions to those she trusted and got the work-load under control.
Marina had not expected the daily running of the Golden Palace would become her problem; surely Plavina could run a house, even a very big house? All she had to do was tell the servants how she wanted it run. Plavina had other ideas. She told Marina, her little administrator, if anything displeased her. Nor was she consistent in her likes and dislikes, whilst Marina slaved to run the planet to secure her sister’s reign, she also had to listen to Plavina’s complaints how the servants had not done things properly and the moans of the staff about the unreasonableness of the queen.
Marina thought it would be easier to be queen than do all the work and listen to Plavina’s moans. The more work Marina took on, the less Plavina did. Now Plavina did not always bother even to turn up to anything that might bore her. Although she agreed her timetable with Lahoda and Marina, when the time came for her to attend some function, often she failed to appear. At the last minute, Marina would drop everything and deputise. She did not remonstrate with Plavina. Marina feared losing her temper, but once she asked Plavina if she found the duties of queen too onerous, leaving before Plavina could answer.
Champion of Zenina Page 10