Feathers in the Wind: The Cygnets

by Camille Anthony

  He had lived in Turkey over two years, all the while turning a blind eye to the immoral, inhuman practices of the Topkopi palace's grand seraglio, soothing his conscious with the excuse that he was powerless to change things.

  Jared groaned. His silence had made him an accomplice—by unspoken consent—to all the crimes perpetrated in this place, but no more! He could not continue to sanction those behaviors by continuing to live here, not and be able to live with himself. Whatever it took, he resolved to get himself and Merri out of Turkey and if possible, her relative and friend, also. He glanced down at Seuliman, who had never ceased to make his tearful apologies for errors he didn't even realize he had made.

  "Oh, get up!” Jared commanded harshly. His features twisted with sharp-edged sarcasm. “I find it offensive that you still cringe about me ... as if I have ever struck you in all the two-plus years we have been together."

  Seuliman got up, hanging his head shamefully. “I humbly beg your indulgence for that, effendi,” he whispered, voice still quivering from his recent panic. “I know in my heart you will not harm me—at least, I hope it—but my head has been hit too many times to forget the twenty-plus years I have lived and served here before you came."

  Jared's hand came down softly on Seuliman's shoulder, conveying forgiveness and sympathetic understanding. “I am sorry, also. I should have remembered that, myself,” he admitted ruefully. “I was just ... too sickened ... by your comments to recall what palace-life can be like—” He paused, taking a steadying breath, raking his hands through his night-dark hair, ignoring the errant curl that bounced down onto his brow. “Look, Lady Merridyth must be on pins and needles by now. While I go meet her, you make sure the tea is ready, and then leave. I believe we shall be fine, tonight."

  "Yes, effendi, as you wish."

  "Oh! And when you come back in the morning, do not enter the sleeping-room if the curtains are still drawn!"

  Jared was a “morning” man, frequently awakening with his manhood stiff and aching. Usually, he took the situation in hand and dealt with it swiftly. Tomorrow's dawn would find Merri with him, and he anticipated a more pleasurable interlude than usual. He wouldn't have Merri put to the blush by having an early morning session of heated lovemaking interrupted by an over-zealous servant.

  A knowing smile curled the corners of Seuliman's lips. “Definitely not, my Emir!"

  An answering smile curved Jared's own firm lips as he preceded his servant into the outer salon. He went no further than the arched doorway where his steps slowed, then stopped. My god, she is magnificent!

  His eyes burned with his efforts to hold back tears as his hungry gaze roved over the woman standing straight and proud between two burly eunuchs. She was beautiful, her unusual height no deterrent—in his eyes at least—to her graceful, womanly appearance. She was wearing some sort of see-through, pale purple and silver outfit designed to veil her womanly charms. To Jared, it seemed the barely-there clothes emphasized what they sought to conceal so well he fought the temptation to snatch her away from even the lurid gazes of the servants! Her full breasts played hide-and-seek with that cunning, bolero jacket, and he felt his temperature rise remembering the heft of their buoyant weight in his hands; the sensuous give of the soft tissue pressing solidly against his chest.

  Jared walked up to Merridyth, blindly gesturing the eunuchs away, eyes locked on the large, smoky pupils of the woman who had captured both his body and his heart. “Merri—with an ‘i'—” he said softly, his words pulsing with happiness, his gruff voice breaking on her name. “I am glad you are here. At last."

  Merridyth gazed back at him in silence, her dove gray eyes bright and glittering. Her chest heaved rhythmically with agitated breaths, her cheeks warmly flushed. There was a fine sheen of moisture on her forehead, her skin was pale, and her lips plump and red where she had chewed them in nervousness. She gave the Prince a jerky nod, unsure of what to say.

  "Would you like some tea?” Jared offered solicitously, conscious of his duties as host and suddenly not at all sure of where or how to begin this seduction, though they both knew why they were here ... and what this tryst was leading to. He could almost taste her nervousness, and he wondered what he could do or say to put her at her ease.

  The laughter she loosed in response to his innocent question held a slightly hysterical note. “I have been drowned in tea this evening,” she said starkly. “Tea is the last thing I want."

  "A small pastry, then? Or can I interest you in—?” The discreet rustle of his eunuch's robes caused Jared to break off impatiently. “Yes, Seuliman, what is it?"

  "All is in readiness, just as you have commanded, my Prince.” The servant bowed low.

  "Thank you!” Jared nodded curtly, acknowledging the servant's announcement. He made no attempt to hide his impatience. “You may retire, now."

  Merridyth watched them both with wide, unfocused eyes. She thought she recognized the servant as the one who had earlier delivered her summons to the Mistress of Girls. Yes, it was he.

  "Susan hates you, eunuch,” she blurted out abruptly, one outstretched finger pointing towards the retreating slave.

  "Me, my Lady?” Seuliman turned, his face showing his dismay. “B-but why?” he stammered out, sure he had never crossed this Susan's path. How could he have offended her?

  "You are arrogant and uppity,” Merri sang out, gleefully ticking points off her slim fingers. “You slide when you walk and you hold your lips like this—” she pursed her own full lips into a tight rosebud—"and you gossip like a woman!” she concluded, proud to have faithfully repeated all of Susan's stated reasons for her dislike of the “hairless” non-man.

  "Merridyth?” Jared was surprised at her callousness. He had not thought her a woman capable of taunting a hapless servant. She had been so compassionate at his trial...! Her behavior towards him, her tender treatment of his mother had been the only bright spot during that society circus ... His prior experience with her had led him to believe her a gentle, caring person who would rather cut off a limb before causing someone intentional hurt, yet he had no way of reconciling her present actions to that assessment. “That was uncalled for."

  She ignored Jared's mild reprimand to inform him of her other friend's opinion concerning his own sexual prowess. “Laihla thinks you are ... potent in the bed-sheets ... or was that impotent?” she shrugged. “At any rate, she wishes it were she sharing this night with you instead of me."

  Jared opened his mouth to make a sharp retort, but closed it, nonplused. Her conversation and actions were totally unlike those he had observed in the past, and he became suspicious as he bent an examining gaze on her. He was not so poor a judge of character that he could have been so mistaken in Merridyth. Either she had fooled him at the trial and later in the pool, or there was something terribly wrong now...

  The flush on her cheeks, her erratic breathing, her glittering eyes should have tipped him off before, would have done so had he not been so busy salivating over the contrary woman. She was drugged!

  "How many cups of ‘tea’ have you had?” he asked, grabbing her arms, hauling her up close to him. He was sick-at-heart knowing she had needed to cloud her mind before being able to get near him. “How much of the drug was necessary to stomach being with me?"

  "Drug? What are you talking about?” Merri snapped, thoroughly confused, her right hand prying at his fingers’ tight hold.

  "I am talking about the opium you have ingested to dull your senses,” Jared answered, giving her a shake, his anger tightening his lips and narrowing his eyes. “And stop that damned useless twisting,” he snarled “since you have no hope of breaking my hold, as you should recall from our encounter in the pool room.” He wanted to prick her, hurt her as her actions had hurt him.

  "You must be insane!” Merridyth gasped, throwing even more effort into getting away from the maddened Prince.

  "How can you deny using some drug when your pupils are dilated and your behavior bizarre? Look at you.
..!” Jared accused eyes hard and flinty. “You can hardly stand on your own two feet. I see why they sent two eunuchs to accompany you—"

  Anger such as she had never known suffused Merridyth, and she froze, abandoning her fruitless attempts at gaining freedom. Her mouth tightening, chin lifting in determination, she lowered her head and sunk her teeth into the muscular hand squeezing her right arm.

  Jared howled with surprise, as well as pain, and reflexively loosed his hold on her. She swung her free hand, fetching him a ringing blow to the side of his head, and immediately let out a pained yelp of her own.

  "Do not ever accuse me of so vile an act again!” she warned, shaking her aching hand, “For if you do, you can look for more of the same!” Righteous anger and triumph rode her face for a split second, turning her eyes incandescent. Then nausea squirmed across her features.

  "You do not look well,” Jared noted, ruefully rubbing his sore jaw. His lady could certainly pack a whollop! “Obviously, violence does not sit well with you.” His voice was smug in the extreme.

  "I feel sick,” Merri moaned. “Your foul accusations have made me ill!"

  Jared stepped nearer to her, his anger forgotten in his worry over her health. He moved into firing range just as Merridyth lost her battle to control her upset stomach and vomited all over his feet.

  Chapter Forty-three

  I received a letter last month, and was shocked to discover it was from Mistress Janelle Tyson-Henke, the cousin from the Americas who had contacted your father just before his death. I know you have always worried about not being able to find her afterwards. I, too, have wondered what might have happened to that poor, hapless lady. Her letter says she has been in service to a country gentleman's family, as governess to his two children for three years—she makes no mention of the two years after she first contacted us, and the thought of what she might have had to endure makes me shudder! She writes she is just now getting in contact because she wished us to know she was well, and harbored no ill-will at our reluctance to acknowledge her as kin. You can imagine how badly that made me feel—

  We both know Randolph had every intention of coming to her aid, and had made the appointment to meet with her, when he suffered that unexpected heart-seizure. Doubtless, she never knew why he had not shown up. I quickly sent a reply, inviting her to visit with us, so I could explain in more detail what had really occurred five years ago, and, if she were able to forgive our seeming neglect, to tender her an offer of a home with us. Her return letter refused the invitation. Jason showed marvelous insight when he suggested she might not have the wherewithal to undertake such a journey—she is located near the coast, a full six day's travel at least—he volunteered to travel to her location, taking our belated explanations, and the money Randolph had intended to settle upon her. It was his thought she might be more inclined to trust our good intentions if she were not so monetarily dependent upon us. He left last week, and I have heard nothing as of yet. I will inform you of what transpires when he returns—Mum

  Grand Seraglio, Sultan's quarters

  The morning after the night before...

  Susan checked on Seana, who was sitting in the corner of the small room, silently rocking back and forth, her eyes glazed and empty. Her slim fingers picked restlessly at a loose thread in her blouse, returning again and again to the small diversion. Her hair was combed and she was clean ... for the moment. She had been fed early, so Susan could devote the rest of the morning to Merri. So far, Seana had been good. In fact, Susan mused, it was almost unbelievable that she'd not had to chase her down or hunt her up these last few hours. She felt guilty at ignoring the confused woman, who had come to look to her as her main care-giver, yet she needed to devote the majority of her care to Merridyth. Her soul would writhe in tormented shame for the rest of her days if her cousin did not recover.

  Though she had just left her side minutes ago, Susan went to check Merri's condition once more, her ever hopeful heart convinced she would see some improvement ... this time. She paused on her way, passing her hand across Seana's hair in an unthinking caress. In her anxiousness to get back to Merri, her preoccupied mind never registered the response of a slight, tentative touch against her fingers.

  There was no change. Merridyth lay in the grip of a death-like sleep, eyes closed, oblivious to her surroundings. Forcing back an upsurge of tears—there had been enough of those to last a lifetime—Susan bent over to plump the pillow behind her cousin's head, her mind wandering back to the terrible events of the evening before when the Prince had caused a furor by broaching the sanctity of the women's harem to return an unconscious Merridyth back to the harem. Voice fraught with fright and rage brought on by his inability to help or shield his woman, he'd bellowed for a physician, demanding one see to Merridyth at once.

  Overdosed. Unexpected reaction. Coma!

  Reeling under the shock of the doctor's diagnosis, Susan finally understood the depths of despair that had driven Seana to her near-fatal act. Her heart had stumbled within her, only to resume at an accelerated pace in her chest, knocking forcefully against her ribs. She had done this! In her arrogance, she had decided she knew what was best for Merri, and it had led to this—her closest relative and friend lying in a deadly swoon, hanging to life with an ever-weakening will.

  If Seana, and now Merri, had not needed her so desperately, Susan would have taken her own life that night. As it was, it had fallen to her to care for her cousin, who required around the clock monitoring. Seana was in no condition to help, and Laihla had collapsed into hysteria, frightened by the very real possibility that the Emir would seek to punish her for her collusion in Merri's break down. She also feared Susan would blame her for suggesting the drug in the first place.

  Susan shook her head at Laihla's fears, absent-mindedly smoothing the bedclothes, heedless of the steady tears that came against her will. As if she had the right to attach blame to anyone when she was foul with it!

  According to the doctor, the gravest danger was the possibility that Merri's respirations would drop to a dangerously low number, which would necessitate more aggressive treatment. Should that occur, he had informed Susan strictly, he was to be notified at once. Other than keep a diligent watch, there was nothing she could do for her injured companion.

  After the doctor had been and gone, the Emir had conducted a fearsome inquiry into just how Merri had come to be in possession of such drugs. Susan and Laihla, tearfully confessing their part in Merri's condition, had felt no lessening of guilt upon hearing the Mistress’ of the Girls added admission of culpability.

  Disgusted, the Prince had been scathing in his denouncements. His burning golden gaze, his incredible aura of inimical threat reminded more than one trembling woman of his lordly father, the Sultan. The three women had shuddered in terror while the Prince told them exactly what each could expect if Merridyth did not recover. They had breathed a collective sigh of relief when he had finally departed to speak with the Sultan, leaving behind his demands for hourly reports—and eunuchs stationed at the door of Merri's chambers, whose sole duties were to run messages between Susan and himself.

  A noise brought Susan out of her reverie, and she glanced up, surprised to see four towering eunuchs, dressed in the striped purple and red trousers that denoted their positions as personal guards to the Sultan, standing in her doorway. They wore nothing else, except a grim expression, and Susan felt a trickle of dread slide down her back. “What is it? What do you want here?” she asked, moving to block Merri's bed. Had the Sultan sent these eunuchs to kill her helpless cousin?

  No answer was forthcoming. The four giants split formation, two moving towards Susan, the other two intent upon the corner where Seana still sat, rocking gently and crooning non-intelligible sounds to herself. Susan was grasped firmly, hauled up and away without a single syllable in explanation.

  She fought, but to no avail, and was obliged to watch helplessly as the other two guards latched onto an unsuspecting Seana, who emitted a
surprised squeak, eyes wide with terror, then slumped over in an unresponsive puddle of clothes and flesh. As she was carted ignominiously from the room, Susan frantically swept the common chambers, searching for a sympathetic face in the crowd of women gathered along the walls, far out of the path of the imperial guards. Just before she was jerked out the double doors, she spotted Laihla's tear-stained face in the rear of the crowd, caught the word Laihla was mouthing over and over: Submit!

  Submit to what? Susan wondered wildly, continuing to buck in the eunuch's grasps.

  Selim was like an injured lion, stalking the ornate, overly decorated staterooms of his suite, snarling and snapping at any hapless person unlucky enough to be in his presence. Upon learning of the events that had occurred in his son's apartments—and before—the Sultan had fallen into one of his deadly rages.

  Though Selim was not strict in keeping all of his own bargains, he insisted that others keep theirs with him. Learning that Merridyth had planned on backing out, that she'd had to be drugged and forced to carry out her part of their deal, and furthermore, that she had insulted both his son and himself, infuriated him. Only the fact of her accidental over-dose, and her lapse into an unconscious state—from which the court physician had not yet been able to rouse her—had stopped him from ordering Merridyth's immediate beheading. His final revenge upon her would have to wait, but he still burned within at the thought of her duplicity.

  She would regret her deceit, he promised himself. He had already made plans to remove the other girl—the crazy one. He had promised Simsiyah Gül the kirmizi kiz would go should their agreement be reneged upon, and go she would!

  He had also sent for the cousin. Though he had always planned on bringing her to his bed, he would gain added pleasure knowing the dark cousin assumed Susan's call to his couch was part of her punishment. Selim smiled. Agonizing over her two friend's situations was to be only the beginning of her payments—