by John Evans
"Yes, Your Highness, I know what it is."
"You do?" asked Princess Sophia, a little surprised by Genese's statement.
"Is it to enflame his passion again, Your Highness?" asked Genese. "It could break the slender bond you two have forged."
"Some bonds get stronger in heat," replied Princess Sophia. "My husband is correct. Sex is a participation activity. How long do you think that bond will last because of my lack of response to his caresses? How long before he tires of having to reposition me because he has to move a little? How long before he feels he's taking advantage of me because of my lack of mobility? Before he's bored by the lack of variety?"
"I don't know, Your Highness," said Genese.
"You two could switch bodies, just for the night," said Lorilei blandly as she took the spoon out of her tea. "It's not too difficult a spell."
"No," said Princess Sophia flatly before anyone could speak. "I would not subject anyone to my body's limitations for even a minute. Then, there would also be the desire to make the arrangement permanent. That option will never be discussed or brought up again."
"Yes, Your Highness," said Lorilei nonplused.
"This argument may be moot," stated Karina. "I need to talk to that priest of Shades. Coster, did you say?"
"Costas," corrected Princess Sophia. "He should be arriving soon, if he's not here already. Come, let us go downstairs and let Genese dress in peace. Genese, please, think over my request."
Karina and Lorilei followed Princess Sophia out the door and down the hallway. Princess Sophia's enchanted chair floated easily down the stairs. As they turned onto another hallway, Princess Sophia stopped and turned her chair around to face Karina.
"Will you let her stay, if she agrees?" asked Sophia with pleading eyes.
"I can not force her to stay anymore than I can force her to go with me," said Karina. "Only the Gods know how many times I've tried to send her home."
"Oh, please, dearies," griped Lorilei, rolling her eyes. "This is beginning to get tedious. Karina, you worry about Costas and what we may need for the journey. I'll talk to Prince Antonio and Genese."
"Uh, I don't think that is a good idea," said Karina. Princess Sophia's expression clearly showed she thought the same way.
"You two will be too namby-pamby about it," said Lorilei. "That will mess it up even more, dearies. I will be, let's say, more brutally frank about the whole situation. Genese has already changed what it had been. Now is the time to move on to what it should become."
"And that is?" asked Princess Sophia warily.
"A royal consort or mistress, if you prefer," said Lorilei blandly. "One selected by you with the Prince's approval. One who has no power or authority. Of course, the position would have to be temporary, no more than a year before you send her packing with some suitable gift. If she doesn't leave, then she can be buried in the royal graveyard."
"That's barbaric!" exclaimed Princess Sophia. "What sort of woman would put herself in that sort of position?"
Lorilei laughed viciously. "I could name hundreds, dearie. You mean you don't know any woman who wouldn't have a liaison with your husband, even a temporary one?" Her face lost its smile and took on a serious expression. "Genese would be perfect, probably on a permanent basis. She's intelligent, subtle, and devoted to those she gives her trust to. It would be your responsibility to keep her safe and out of the court politics and intrigues. You'll also have to decide what to do when she becomes pregnant."
Princess Sophia was silent for a long time. She finally sighed, turned her chair around, and started back down the hallway.
"You're quite right," she said to Lorilei. "I would have sugar-coated it too much. I accept your offer, Lady Lorilei, to mediate this matter for us. I want Genese, but I want her to stay of her own free will. It took some honesty for me to see the situation clearly."
"I'd be delighted to talk to both of them, if we return," said Lorilei.
"If?" asked Princess Sophia. "Karina, where exactly is Costas taking the three of you?"
Karina grimaced that Princess Sophia had caught Lorilei's slip of the tongue. She looked over at Lorilei, who also grimaced and shrugged her shoulders apologetically. Before Karina could answer, though, Genese walked around a corner and joined them.
"Sophia, do you mind if we find Costas before I answer you?" asked Karina. "He will answer your question for me."
"Of course," said Princess Sophia, miffed at being put off.
They went down the hallway and entered into a large room. An oval table with a dozen chairs spaced around it dominated the center of the room. Prince Antonio and Costas were both sitting at the table and rose to their feet at the ladies' entrance.
"Good morning, ladies," greeted Prince Antonio. "I hope you slept well?"
"Very well, Your Highness," said Lorilei with a smile.
"Well, I'm sure you have things to discuss with Costas," said Prince Antonio. "If you will excuse Princess Sophia and myself."
"Your Highness, I would prefer if the two of you would remain,' said Karina. "I want you to hear what Costas has to say."
"Are you sure, milady?" asked Costas, losing some of his jovial spirit. "What about the other two ladies?"
"They know where we are going, so that is not a problem," replied Karina.
Costas's face went blank in shock. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he found his voice. "Milady, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. The invitation was for you alone. You are afforded a certain amount of protection by being invited. Your friends have no such protection and would be vulnerable to anything they meet."
"Where are you going?" asked Princess Sophia with trepidation in her voice. Karina looked over at her and saw that she had already guessed the answer, despite asking the question. Prince Antonio stretched out his hand and touched his wife's cheek to calm her.
"I have heard the legend that there was an entrance to your deity's realm somewhere on this island," said Prince Antonio. "I thought it was just a myth."
"No, it is not a myth, Your Highness," said Costas. "You will not be able to find it, though. Even I will not be able to locate it again after I have escorted Baroness Karina there."
"So, you are saying you will not take me with Karina on this trip?" asked Lorilei ominously.
"You may accompany us, if you wish," said Costas flatly. "Only Baroness Karina stands a chance of returning. Corthurus won't let you in while you are alive and he'll definitely keep you in after he has killed you."
"Enough!" exclaimed Karina, slapping a hand on the table. "Shades told me that death is a solitary experience. I am going to have to face this alone. No one will come with me and, if they follow me, I'll stake them out over an anthill until I return. Am I clear on this?"
Genese and Lorilei did not like Karina's ultimatum, but both nodded their heads to agree with her wishes. Lorilei's frown changed into a smile and she began to chuckle.
"Ah, just as well, dearies," she said. "I'd get sidetracked speaking to some ancient spirit. How long will you be gone?"
"The trudge up the mountain will take the better part of a day," said Costas, his joviality returning. "That is if my master provided me with the right directions."
"Is it safe to joke about Shades that way?" asked Lorilei with a chuckle.
"Lady Lorilei, the one thing I am certain of is that I am not going to get out of this life alive," replied Costas in mock seriousness.
"When should we leave?" asked Karina.
"We can leave immediately," said Costas. "I brought provisions with me and will wait up to two weeks for your return."
"I'll change into my armor and then we can go," said Karina.
"Armor, Karina?" asked Princess Sophia as if she had not heard Karina correctly.
"Just wait and see, Your Highness," said Lorilei before Karina could answer. Genese started to stand up. "Sit down, Genese. The four of us need to talk. Costas, go out and play with some dusty old bones or whatever it is that
you do."
"I prefer eyeballs for auguries myself,' said Costas. "However, I get your drift and will wait for Baroness Karina at the main entrance to the keep."
Karina went up to her room to change into her armor. Remarg remained a small charm around her wrist, so she slung her mace, Skeletonbane, from a hook on her belt. Karina thought that considering where she was going a mace ensorcelled against the dead may not be a bad thing. She toyed with the idea of wearing her helmet, but decided not to shock Sophia and Antonio too much.
She headed back down to the conference room. The door was still closed and she could not hear any sounds coming from within. Karina knocked and opened the door.
Lorilei and Princess Sophia were sitting side by side at the table. The Princess' eyes opened wide in astonishment as Karina entered the room. To Princess Sophia, the armor and weapons totally transformed Karina's persona. Gone was the huge breasted noble woman and, in her place, now stood an exotically seductive messenger of death.
Karina looked around and spied Genese standing in a far corner with her back to everyone. Prince Antonio was standing in the opposite corner.
"What?" asked Karina of Lorilei, indicating the other two. "Did they throw a tantrum so you had to make them stand in a corner?"
"Hardly that," replied Prince Antonio, walking towards Karina. "Lady Lorilei's assessment was a little hard to digest all at one time. Nice outfit."
"Thank you, Your Highness," said Karina. She walked over to Genese. "What do you think, Genese?"
"Is this what you wish for me to do?" asked Genese, not turning around.
"I credit you with being more than a little intelligent," said Karina. "What I wish for you is to be free and happy, and away from any danger I'll drag you into. I asked you what you thought."
"I don't know!" cried Genese. "Lady Lorilei's proposal is the best solution for their problem, but, oh, I don't know! Why can't things just go on as they are?"
Princess Sophia's chair glided over to her. "Genese, my husband and I have been living half-lives since my accident. That all changed last night, thanks to you. I do not want to go back to existing the other way."
"Neither do I," said Prince Antonio. "We are just offering you the position. Lady Lorilei was right in her assessment. There will be others who would covet the position for what they may be able to get out of it. I think you did what you did last night because you care and not for what you could get out of it. You can accept it or reject it as you will. If you wish to wait for Baroness Karina's return, so be it."
"In the meantime, I could use a cup of hot tea," said Lorilei to Genese.
Genese smiled, and curtsied. "At once, milady." She then left the room to do Lorilei's bidding.
"If you have any plans for tonight, cancel them," said Lorilei to Prince Antonio and Princess Sophia. "You two are going to have an intimate dinner for three with no interruptions."
"I need to go myself," said Karina.
"I'll accompany you, if you don't mind," said Prince Antonio.
Princess Sophia bade Karina good-bye. Karina and Prince Antonio walked out of the room and down the hallway in silence. As they approached the entrance to the keep, Karina spotted Costas standing outside. He was holding the reins to a pack-laden donkey. Prince Antonio stopped before they reached him and turned to face Karina.
"I don't know what the future holds for you, but I do want to thank you for what you have done for Sophia and myself."
"It was more Genese's doing than anything I did," replied Karina.
"How do you feel about her staying here?"
"I can't say I won't miss her if she decides to stay," said Karina. "She's been invaluable, but she has attached herself to being my maid ever since I saved her family from poverty and abuse. While I'm gone, introduce her around the court. Let her see the people she will have to deal with, both the good and the bad. I trust Genese. If she says no to your offer, it will be for a very good reason."
"One like her obligation to you?" asked Prince Antonio.
"There is no obligation," replied Karina. "When I return, I'll sit down and explain it to her."
"Our thanks again. You have a long way to go, good luck."
Chapter 9: Karina Pays The Ferryman
The road was easy-going for the first several miles. They passed a couple of farming villages and a number of farms. The road divided and Costas turned towards the upward slope of the volcano. The going became steadily rougher as the road petered out and the two of them trudged upward over volcanic rock and scrub vegetation. The sun was past its zenith when Costas came to a stop.
Karina looked around as she flexed and stretched her muscles. They had stopped on a ledge which had a panoramic view, and she could see half the island. The sun glinted off the ocean with dark mounds of other islands dotting the surface.
"Gateway," intoned Costas in a formal tone.
Karina jumped back as two bronze columns supporting a huge marble arch literally rose from under the ground in front of her. The arch rose to twenty feet high and the columns were set eight feet apart. What was most frightening was the space between the columns. The entire archway was a solid gray sheet, which roiled and billowed. Karina walked around the columns and saw that it was the same in the back.
"Welcome to the Gateway to Shades," said Costas with some levity. "Actually, it leads to the River Tethyx. You'll have to hire Kharon or one of his minions to ferry you to the bronze gates of Pluton."
"Pluton? What in the name of Shades, uh, I mean, what is Pluton?" asked Karina.
Costas smiled. "Just another name for the realm of Shades. The road from the gate goes straight to the ferryman who will take you to the palace where my Lord will meet you. I will wait here two weeks for you to return."
"And if I don't return?" asked Karina.
"I have every confidence in your ability," replied Costas with a smile. "Just don't get sidetracked or I'm going to get hungry here."
Karina shot him a look of scorn, but Costas had already turned around to unpack the donkey. With some trepidation, Karina stepped up close to the gray expanse between the columns. Inhaling deeply and gritting her teeth, she took a step forward.
A pressure seemed to exert itself all over her body as Karina passed through the gateway. Everything went gray for less than a second before she found herself on the other side. A brownish-gray sky with no clouds hung over her as Karina looked around. She found herself on top of a small hill with stunted vegetation growing from the dull brown earth. The air was still, heavy, and smelled dusty with a hint of decay. Karina saw a wide, black river flowing about a mile away from where she was standing.
The whole atmosphere of the place was oppressive. Karina could feel her will beginning to slip away. She shook herself to get rid of the feeling. Summoning up her courage and with a steely glint in her eyes, Karina set off towards the river.
As she got closer, Karina could see a lot of activity at the river's edge. Humans, elves, dwarves, and numerous other beings mysteriously appeared at the bank. A tall man in a purple hooded cloak was directing them all. Most of the people got into ferries that were poling up and down the river. Some were turned away to lament their fate at the river's edge before they disappeared again.
Karina stopped when she had her first good look at one of the ferrymen. They were almost as tall as Karina's five-foot, eleven-inch height and they were dressed in solid gray with hoods pulled up over their heads. What had stopped Karina were their gray, gaunt, almost skeletal faces. White luminous eyes gleamed from under their hoods. All activity stopped as all the ferry men turned to stare at Karina.
"We've been waiting for you, Karina," came a deep voice from the man dressed in the purple cloak. His back was still to Karina and, even though, he stood only six feet tall, he seemed to tower over her.
"You've been waiting for me?" asked Karina.
The man snapped his long fingers in the air and all activity resumed. Karina was relieved to see that his fingers were flesh-col
ored. Her relief was short-lived as the man turned to face her.
His face was human-looking, albeit a bit thin. Long, shoulder-length white hair could be seen under his hood and he had a full white beard. What terrified Karina were his flaming eyes. Flames actually flickered out of his eye sockets, rising up almost to his eyebrows.
"I'm Kharon," said the being. "Shades has asked me to ferry you to his realm."
"Shall we go then?"
Kharon smiled, but unlike Costas, it was anything, but friendly. "Ah, but first we must settle the fee."
"Fee?" asked Karina suspiciously. "What fee? The God Shades ordered you to take me to his realm."
"No, he asked me, and he did not pay my fee for ferrying you. That is your obligation."
"What is the fee? How much?"
Karina felt as if the heat from Kharon's fiery orbs had pierced her to the core as he stared at her.
"I haven't seen a living woman here in centuries," he said in his deep voice. "The fee is not in monetary terms."
"I see," said Karina. "If I'm the first living woman here in centuries, what do you call these other females?"
"If you look closely, you will see that they are, but shades of their former lives," replied Kharon. "They lack fire and emotion."
Karina looked and saw that the beings around them were translucent phantoms of the people they had been. They paid no attention to Karina or Kharon, but were intent on being ferried to their final destination. Karina glanced up and down at Kharon, appraising him.
"Kind of a public place for a tryst," she said finally. "I have no desire to roll around in the dirt; I'll pay your fee, but someplace more comfortable than this.'
Kharon laughed with evil amusement. "You do have fire! I have someplace more comfortable, but also more dangerous. How about a pay-as-you-go plan?"
"Where?" asked Karina.
Kharon turned to face the river. He held up his hand, palm up and fingers outstretched. From out of a grey mist in the middle of the river floated a large black ferry. Cushions and furs covered the benches and floorboards. The ferry floated silently towards them until it crunched up onto the bank.