Adelza never bumped into anything and Belabeza could not understand how she arranged flowers without seeing them or how Adelza selected clothes that matched or blended without making mental contact with her and using her eyes.
Belabeza quizzed Adelza about it. Adelza replied that she knew and made no further explanation. Adelza did not want to discuss it. When Belabeza sought mind link with Adelza when she was doing some of these things she would block the contact. Eventually Belabeza went to Vellina to discuss it with her, but Vellina did not seem surprised.
“Compensatory abilities, I thought that was why she was avoiding being examined. The symbiotes found repairing her optic nerves difficult so gave her new abilities. She prefers the new abilities to her sight; she manages without it, probably even better. I expect Adelza could fly again perfectly safely, but it is not important enough for her to want to do it so far. When she has learned to control her new senses fully she will share it with you, but now it’s special and private. I’m sure she doesn’t mean to shut you out but she needs to be left to sort it out herself for the time being. If you don’t pester her she’ll come round.”
Fenzela still held her post at the Department of Internal Security by the skin of her teeth. Zadina had let her remain in position but made few demands on her. It was as if tacitly they both acknowledged that Fenzela belonged to Marina, but neither of them wanted to discuss the matter.
Chapter Sixty-one - Join the Company of Lions
Captain Ga’Gazbaba’s ship waited in formation with Prince Ga’Mazadeh’s fleet a week away from Kochab. His ship joined theirs once more and transferred with Prince Ga’Mazal to his flag ship. An escort of soldiers were sent to fetch Marina to the flag ship and Prince Ga’Mazadeh waited for her arrival eagerly. Marina was ready when they came for her, having nothing to pack. She checked her floor sweeping plait was neat and went with them to the transfer craft.
The prince was astonished to greet Marina, as naked as she had been born. Marina was not embarrassed by her nudity. Prince Ga’Mazal was however most bemused.
He politely made his bow to Princess Marina as instructed, then turned to his father and asked.
“Daddy, why has the princess got no clothes on?”
His father was at a loss for an answer and all Marina did was laugh whilst unravelling her plait.
“I was captured after I’d been swimming Prince Ga’Mazal and no one thought to bring my clothes with them.“ Marina informed him with a straight face.
“Didn’t my father’s soldiers give you some clothes the whole time you’ve been on board ship?” asked Ga’Mazal finding the idea very strange.
“No one offered me any, but I didn’t need clothes. No doubt the omission can soon be corrected,” she replied.
“I don’t know what Captain Ga’Gazbaba can have been thinking of to leave you naked whilst on board his ship. I’ll have him reprimanded for such disrespectful behaviour. The temptation to the men must have been overwhelming. The Princess could have been assaulted and subjected to gross indignities,” said Ga’Mazadeh appalled.
“I don’t think we should discuss this in front of your son. A reprimand would be inappropriate for Captain Ga’Gazbaba. I recommend you relieve him of his command at once. The only time I saw him he had to be sedated. I advise you to put Lieutenant Ga’Jumtaqur in his place until you can judge the situation yourself.”
Whilst this conversation took place Marina draped her loose hair around herself covering her body.
Prince Ga’Mazadeh showed her to her suite himself. At least that was immaculate. A wardrobe of lavish and costly clothes had been provided, some of which Ga’Mazadeh had purchased for Marina in Alpha himself. There was a bathroom with water. Marina thanked Ga’Mazadeh and asked him if she could talk to him in half an hour’s time. She would bath and dress.
When Ga’Mazadeh presented himself, he had dawdled outside her door until the time had passed; he had one thing on his mind. He presumed Marina would be thinking of the same thing. Marina had donned the plainest dress available and had simply rebound her hair.
“I regret to inform you the children you left with your mother have been murdered. Prince Ga’Mushrang has unfortunately discovered they were not your children and is trying to discover their whereabouts,” Marina informed him.
“How do you know this?”
“I do, they were killed over a week ago. Ga’Mushrang’s men discovered where you hid your own children. So far they live, but I can’t say for how long. I called the man who looks after your son and daughter. He seems a sensible man and has followed my advice. So far he has stayed ahead of the searchers.”
“The farmer wouldn’t listen to me and he and his family are dead. I tried to get Hannara to help, but she’s been bought. I don’t know who by. I got the boys to leave the farm in time and persuaded a Zeninan I know only by repute to protect your sons. So far she has had to kill two of the pursuers. I can’t think of a safe house to send them to. Is there anyone you can trust in the whole of Kochab who is incorruptible?”
“Where are the boys now?”
“I’m not sure exactly until I contact her, within a 200 kilometre radius of the farm.”
“There’s an old tutor of mine, called Ga’Wanz, he lives just outside the town of Korentor which is south of Xagalui. He’d look after the boys and could be trusted not to be bribed. He lives in a tower which is practically impregnable. There’s no place to land a hover-craft at the top and the entrance is two stories off the ground. He’s become a bit eccentric and behaves like a hermit.”
“I’ll try and send the boys to him. I may look blank for a few minutes whilst I call them.”
Marina linked into the ship’s computer and memorised the map of the surrounding countryside. Then she called Kelzina. It was night again in Kochab and Kelzina had put the boys to bed for the night. The hotel bedrooms were away from the reception in a one storey block and Kelzina had taken a double room booking in with only one child in view. She had fetched the second after installing the first boy in the room. At no time were they all seen together as two boys and a woman travelling together. The boys were asleep but Kelzina remained on guard.
Marina told Kelzina about Ga’Wanz and she agreed to go to him. She needed some rest and could not keep running. It was 250 kilometres away, but she thought they would make it. The boys had at least had some food and sleep. Kelzina would set off straight away and carry the younger boy for a while, but the older boy would have to walk. They walked along the main road and were lucky; they got a lift in a lorry in the right direction. The lorry was empty but for some empty sacks and the boys slept in the back the whole way.
The man was friendly and chatty but Kelzina told him little, she gave as her destination a 100 kilometres further to the east of her true heading. When he suggested she obliged him for his trouble, she made him pay for the privilege. They haggled over her price which she pitched exactly correct so he suspected nothing more than she was a widow who must earn her own and the boys keep.
The transaction was quickly fulfilled; she woke the boys heading them in the direction she told the lorry driver they were taking. When she was sure he was out of sight, they doubled back and continued on the correct heading.They had 18 kilometres to go, most of it cross country. They did not risk another lift, staying in the woods that ran along side of the road.
Further down the road they had taken with the lorry driver was a road block and the lorry driver was talking to a man dressed as a Kurgian policeman but Kelzina recognised him as one of the men with the dog she had miss-directed several days back. They were still looking.
***
Marina saw none of this while she explained to Prince Ga’Mazadeh why he should have Captain Ga’Gazbaba removed immediately and treated in a mental hospital; for the sake of his health and those around him. She explained the nature of his mania and how those around him had been dealing with it. The reason for their not reporting it, she ascribed to misplaced loyalty not to
their fear of a worse Captain.
She was unconcerned whether the crew of a Kurgian battleship were happy, but any space-ship being controlled by a man as irrational as Ga’Gazbaba filled her with terror. She said nothing about how she had been treated on the ship nor did she praise Ga’Jumtaqur. To do so would either make Ga’Mazadeh jealous or doubt his loyalty. She put the idea in his mind but Prince Ga’Mazadeh had to decide for himself.
She did not rail against her capture or complain. “I have only myself to blame, myself and King Ga’Mishrin. He’ll get a piece of my mind fairly soon.” Despite the worrying news about his children and the sad news of the deaths of the innocents he had put in their place. Ga’Mazadeh’s mind had not shifted far from his original objective.
Certain of Marina’s acquiescence he reached out and pulled her to him crushing her to him, kissing her impetuously. Marina’s thoughts were still on other things, particularly food. She was dreaming of a nice thick steak of qumursk, or failing that anything resembling real food.
She kissed him back but her stomach would not allow her to work up the proper enthusiasm. It was a great disappointment to her after fantasizing of bedding Ga’Mazadeh whilst his soldiers and sailors did their best to satisfy her, she herself should not be ready to please him. “He should hear how I passed the last few days from me, rather than from some foul-mouthed wag.” So she disentangled herself from his arms and told him she was hungry.
Prince Ga’Mazadeh did not want to understand what she was saying. He had dreamed of her so long that he did not want to wait another minute, let alone a meal’s duration. He had considered himself restrained to not tear her clothes back off and have her there right away, but even a Zeninan woman might want some show of affection first. However his thoughts were of his own needs, Prince Ga’Mazadeh was a civilised man and he controlled the fire within him and forced a smile. He called a member of the crew and ordered a meal should be served for the Princess.
As they waited Marina tried to find words to tactfully tell him of her time on Ga’Gazbaba’s ship. No words came she could bring herself to utter. So they stood a few feet apart looking at each other awkwardly. Both of them were grateful for the knock on the door and the entrance of the flag ship’s Chief Medical Officer.
“I apologize for disturbing you, Sir,” he said “but I regret to inform you we have a definite case of space leprosy on board. There are another four I suspect also have the contagion. I recommend they be put on board a transfer ship and are dumped immediately, before the contagion spreads through the fleet.”
“That is the correct procedure, thank you for informing me, Major.”
“Why abandon them? I can cure space leprosy.”
“I thought there was no cure.”
“Only my blood, I’ll come with you now, doctor. You will have to arrange the inoculation of the entire crew. Do they only have the second stage symptoms?”
“Yes the men came to me quite early.”
“Do you have any idea where the disease started? We came in contact with an outbreak of a mutant strain earlier which we dealt with but we couldn’t find the origin.”
The doctor and Marina walked towards the quarantine rooms of the medical section as they talked. Prince Ga’Mazadeh bemusedly followed and was present when she picked up a scalpel and bowl and let out a pint of her blood. It shone blue and brilliant in the bowl and she handed it to the doctor. She perfunctorily checked on the five cases and agreed with the doctor’s diagnosis. Then she instructed the doctor’s staff on the quantity necessary for inoculation.
“Without accidents, that should be enough to treat the whole crew. Have the patients’ bedding and clothing incinerated. Ga’Mazadeh, the ship should be thoroughly disinfected and fumigated when it reaches Kochab. If cases show up in the rest of the fleet, they’ll have to wait until tomorrow, because I’ll not donate more blood until I’ve eaten.”
“The general standard of hygiene of your ships and men leave a lot to be desired,” she remarked to Ga’Mazadeh as he escorted her back to her quarters.
The meal was waiting to be served when they reached the rooms. Both sat and ate in silence. The food was somewhat overcooked, but after what Marina had been eating in recent days it tasted like ambrosia.At last she folded her napkin and looked at the prince. She cleared her throat and told him what had been on her mind.
“You remarked about my treatment on Ga’Gazbaba’s ship when I came on board and I realised you will not approve of what I’m about to tell you. Bluntly, I had every normal single man on board ship.”
“I do not apologize. I am normally more fastidious, but no sexual suppressants were available. If I allowed my body to shimmer, there’d have been a riot. My actions were determined by self-preservation. I understand it might be an embarrassment to you. I won’t be offended under the circumstances if you no longer wish to bed me. The matter will be probably brought to King Ga’Mishrin’s notice. I prefer you to hear it from me. Ga’Mishrin will find out if you bed me. It will be difficult for you to keep secret as your face will be healed as a result of the contact.”
Ga’Mazadeh was silent for a while then met her eyes.
“Thank you for telling me. You are right it hurts to hear. I wish it had been otherwise but it does not change that I want you. I knew you were not a virgin. I admired you for your courage not for your chastity. I burn for you. I’d risk Ga’Mishrin’s wrath twenty times over to have you. I regret being involved in your seizure and don’t wish to give you to King Ga’Mishrin. It was an order I was reluctant to undertake but I won’t be persuaded to release you.”
“Well at least there are no pretences. Will you make sure we are not interrupted?”
Ga’Mazadeh gave the order he was not to be disturbed and Marina moved over to the sleeping room and undressed. Ga’Mazadeh stood in the doorway and watched as she prepared for him, her movements precise and unhurried. Somehow she lay down in the bed and he managed to walk calmly and undress without haste. He kissed the tip of her nose before joining her between the sheets. She leant towards him and kissed him gently back. He held her to him and wondered how he would bear to let her go. She lay upon his chest, listening to the beat of his heart and the whisper of his breath in her hair. He kissed her gently, careful not to bruise her. Then she eased herself off him and lay down for him to make love to her. He was tender in his loving, assiduously considerate. The huge bear of a man cradled Marina as if she were delicately spun from glass. All the skills and sensuality of a trained Zeninan woman were put aside as she simply let him love her. She needed no artifice or expertise to enflame him. She did not need to move her little finger, she had him body and soul. For all his brave words, he could not resist her.
If she asked him to return her now, he her humble knight would have done her bidding. She knew it, yet said no word and in her arms he found relief from his mourning. He found but brief respite from his desire, for though they lay entwined for many hours, he never wanted to drag himself from her side.
The days and nights passed too quickly for both of them, when he rose to go about his duties he was blind to the glances that passed between his crew. His son missing his father’s company dared to knock on the third morning upon Princess Marina’s door.
His father answered, dressed only in a sheet. He was angered at the intrusion into his idyll and would have rebuked his son, but Marina dressed in pale blue silk invited him to join them for breakfast. All the time Prince Ga’Mazal stared at his father’s face. He had never thought without the scars he would look so splendid.
He knew he should feel jealous of the princess spending so much time with his father, but he hadn’t seen him so happy since the death of his mother. The boy had too much love for his father to spoil it. How many children would behave so well under the circumstances? Marina remembered her own brattish behaviour when Zadina had forgotten her birthday. “I was older than Mazal too, yet his manners are those of a prince. No his manners are those of a king.”
&
nbsp; “My craven action of consuming treacle has brought me into Ga’Mishrin’s clutches; then it is my duty to make up for my sin. The days without decent food, bathing and a queue of substandard Kurgian lovers isn’t sufficient penance. I mustn’t let the opportunity to sort out the mess in Kochab pass as a means of restitution. I owe that to Zenina and its people. They’ve the right to expect me to punish myself as harshly, as they would one of their number who has neglected her duty.”
“Ga’Mazadeh is not perhaps the best king the Kurgians could have, but he is the best available. His son more than justifies promoting his accession, Mazal will make an excellent king.”
So Marina gave up thought of escape and ease. She set her mind to consider how to rid Kochab of Ga’Mishrin and Ga’Mushrang. She made time to talk with Ga’Mazal to ensure the son as well as the father was a little in love with her.
Marina gave humbly of herself to Ga’Mazadeh. With him, she did not dismiss it as a diplomatic manoeuvre. She would miss him when they parted, a tiny fragment of her heart would stay with him forever. “Why could I not fall in love with some nice quiet man and have babies and live happily ever after?” She laughed at her own childishness. Pointless to say life was not fair when Nature herself was heartless. It was time, Marina told herself, to grow up and get on with doing the job she had been born for.
Glossary of Names of People, Places and terms
AdelzaMajor, Senior Flying Instructor of Zeninan Space Academy
AedonSmall town in Zenina
AlangaRuby nurse to Carina’s children
AlphaPlanet close to star of that name – free port
AmzaZeninan in exile, grandmother to Xanbela
Antanasee Verdang
Champion of Zenina Page 25