by L. M. Roth
With much bowing down on yet another brilliant carpet strewn on the floor, the guard approached the throne while they waited at a respectful distance.
“Most revered Ashkani, ruler of all Koohyaram, we have honored guests who desire an audience with your Imperial person.”
The figure on the throne nodded for them to come forward. Even Fanchon kept silent at the sight of the astonishing figure before them. Surrounded by attendants who cooled the royal personage with fans of the feathers of the flamboyant birds they met in the courtyard was a tall man clad in silken robes with a headdress of gold filigree adorned with emeralds and sapphires.
Marcus had never seen such black glossy hair, nor such black eyes, framed with silken lashes and heavy brows. His regal nose was at a variance with his full, sensual lips, which curved into an unpleasant smile at the sight of Fanchon. This time, Fanchon noticed and blushed. She averted her eyes and bowed her head, moving slightly behind Dag, whose eyes flashed at the Ashkani.
“Welcome, welcome,” the Ashkani intoned in a rich voice as smooth as his silken garments. “Please, my honored guests, be seated. Be at ease.”
He pointed in the direction of the floor at several brightly colored cushions. They were evidently meant to sit on them, Marcus thought. Accustomed to lounging on couches, the idea of sitting on cushions so close to the floor was not a pleasant one. How did one sit down and rise without losing one’s dignity, he mused.
The others had similar thoughts it seemed, for they each looked at the other, then hesitantly lowered themselves to the floor. Once seated in this position, the Ashkani was placed high above them indeed. And that, reflected Marcus with a wry twist of his lips, was very likely the reason for the peculiar arrangement.
The Ashkani leaned toward them with a gleam in his eye. Marcus had once seen that look in the eyes of a dog his father owned, just before it leapt on his mother’s favorite kitten and killed it. Marcus decided he did not like that look…
“I am told that you have traveled a long distance. Tell me,” his smile turned oily, “what brings you to the fair city of Koohyaram?”
“We are actually only passing through your fair city, most excellent lord. We have been on a long journey and Koohyaram is on the way. We only hope to rest here a few days before continuing on.”
Marcus hoped that would satisfy him, but doubted that was the case. The Ashkani’s next words confirmed it.
“My welcome guests, where are you going? Perhaps I may be able to assist you in your destination. For we have a saying in Koohyaram, ‘A host’s duty does not end when the guest leaves his roof, but he must help him on his way.’ Please let me know how I may be of assistance.”
“That is very kind of you, most excellent lord, but our journey is one of a personal nature. We are traveling for pleasure and adventure. All we desire is a few days respite.”
The Ashkani furrowed his brow.
“Pleasure? Adventure? In the Desert of Dubar? Adventure you most certainly had, but I am puzzled how such an arid wasteland could bring pleasure to the weary traveler.”
“Oh, most excellent lord, oft times the two do not meet in the same place. It is possible to meet with adventure but not have pleasure in it. The desert was simply part of our path. That is all.”
The Ashkani bowed his head as if bested in a battle of wits. Marcus knew he would find another way to probe them for information.
The Ashkani seemed to decide to let the matter go for the present. He clapped his hands for an attendant.
“Come and bring choice food and drink for our honored guests. They will need refreshment after their toil in the desert.”
The attendant bowed and hurried away, returning in a short time with another attendant. They carried large golden trays. One held several glasses of a golden beverage that upon sipping turned out to be a drink made from honey and some fruit of a tangy nature that Marcus had never tasted. The Ashkani informed him it was called passion fruit, and was highly prized in Koohyaram. The other tray bore a profusion of sweet dates, rich figs, salted almonds, hearty cheese, and a peculiar flat bread, the like of which Marcus had never seen before. In addition were sweetbreads of a most delicate texture.
They had not had anything cold to drink for several days, their water supply having turned warm in the desert heat, and all imbibed thirstily before turning to gorge on the tray of food.
The Ashkani smiled and watched his guests. As they eagerly partook of the fare set before them he spoke to them of Koohyaram. Long ago, he said, before living memory, where the city now stood was an arid desert. Then travelers came from the East, fleeing a tyranny in their own land, and settled in the desert.
Through scouting expeditions they located water which they piped to the city through their ingenious engineering skills, learned in the land where they were now exiles. They planted crops and flourished, then discovered the gold that made them a wealthy kingdom.
Gold was what made their city great; gold was what elevated them over all other peoples; gold was what they treasured above all else. Now all lands came to trade with the people who were once slaves, and they lorded their wealth over their former masters, who came to buy and sell and bowed low before them.
The Ashkani seemed to gloat in the telling of how his people became rich, and most of all how they prevailed over the tyrants who once ruled them. He rubbed his fingers together, and ran his tongue over his lips as though salivating. It added to Marcus’ impression of him as an unpleasant man, one it would do well to watch carefully.
When all had had their fill, the Ashkani clapped his hands for another attendant.
“Our honored guests no doubt desire to rest. Please take the young men to the guest chambers. And send for Yasamana.”
This order produced another attendant, this one, however, was a woman. How old or young she was it was impossible to tell, for her face was covered by a veil of pale green gauze which matched the silk of her garments. Only her dark eyes were visible above her veil.
She was clad in a peculiar fashion, wearing a tunic of pale green silk that fell to her knees. Her legs were encased in a kind of trouser that matched her tunic and veil. She lowered her eyes at the startled gaze of the young men, and stood before Fanchon expectantly, who stared back at her as though she were an apparition.
“It is our custom for the women to be quartered separately from the men,” the Ashkani explained. “Yasamana will take the young lady to the women’s chambers.”
He looked at Fanchon with a commanding air. She opened her mouth to speak, but intercepting a slight head shake from Felix, closed it promptly. Without any further protest she followed the girl and left the room.
Marcus suddenly realized how weary he was. The thought of rest was enticing to his battered body, exhausted by their trek through the desert.
After a parting bow to the Ashkani, the young men followed the attendant out of the room and down a long corridor, at the end of which was a staircase of the golden sandstone, lined with a carpet, this one was predominantly red. They descended the staircase and came to another bead curtain that opened into another hall, lined with many doors.
Behind the doors were the sleeping chambers. There were a great many of them, and each was given his own room, an arrangement that Marcus appreciated as he didn’t relish the prospect of hearing Dag snore.
The large bed piled with cushions invited Marcus into the room. He hastily discarded his sandals and garments and dived into the heap of cushions. He stretched and sank further down.
As he drifted off to sleep he reminded himself that he had to find a way to get back to the jewel merchants and inquire about the Pearl. Which he intended to do at the earliest opportunity, but meanwhile the bed was so soft and his body so weary…
Sleep claimed him and he thought no more of the Pearl for quite some time.
Chapter XXIII
The Merchant
The milky orb spun before him, dazzling in the perfection of its purity. Had he ever beh
eld such a thing of perfect beauty?
Marcus watched as the merchant strung a pearl and set it spinning. It caught the early morning light which illumined its natural radiance. He caught his breath in sheer delight.
How he would love to surprise Tullia with such a gift! But the only money he had was that which the Empress had given him for the needs of the journey and the letter of credit for the purchase of the great Pearl for herself.
The merchant laughed at the admiration of Marcus. He was clearly amused at the young foreigner and his interest in his wares. Patiently he answered Marcus’ questions.
“Pearls? Why, they are the most valuable of all the jewels in Koohyaram. Ah, yes, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, they sparkle and shine with a brilliance to challenge the sun. But pearls are far more costly.”
“Why are they more costly than jewels that shine?” Marcus wanted to know.
“It is because of how they are obtained, my young foreign friend. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires, they can be obtained through hard work, yes, by physical labor. One must enter the caves, the dark places of the earth, and chip away at the rock until it yields its treasure. But pearls! Ah, that is an entirely different proposition altogether!
“He who pursues a pearl does so at his own peril. For he must dive into the depths of the sea to wrest the pearl from the oyster, who is loath to give it up. But the battle lies not in the obtaining, but in the search. For there are many dangers that lurk in the deep for the seeker of treasure.”
“What are these dangers that you speak of?” Marcus inquired, so fascinated by the merchant’s talk that he temporarily forgot the urgency of his task.
“One of the dangers is the Corroca that lie in wait for those who venture to dive in the waters. It is a fierce and mighty monster, at home on land or in the sea. It is twenty feet long when full grown, and slinks on four short legs that keep it close to the ground where it can be overlooked. It can move with a speed amazing to behold, and is often upon one before it is sighted.
“It has a long, wide snout with many, many teeth that give it the appearance of an evil smile. I have been told by those who have seen it that the smile is the most terrifying aspect of its appearance. It looks at one as if delighting in the triumph of evil.
“And when it takes a man in its teeth, it does not let go without a fight to the death. There have been those who have escaped its clutches and lived to tell of it, but only because they had another companion with them who beat the creature off. They did not escape unscathed, however: it is common to lose a leg or an arm to the Corroca if one does not lose one’s life.
“If one can make the dive without being sighted by the Corroca, there are still dangers to be faced. Some pearl waters are home to the Cherak, a creature even more fearsome than the Corroca. It is in the appearance of a fish, but can reach a length of thirty feet, possibly more in the ocean depths. Its tremendous jaws can open wide enough to swallow a man whole. And it has; I heard of one incident from a diver who saw his partner taken by the beast. He himself swam for the surface with all the speed he could muster.
“Then there are the sea snakes, very venomous. One bite from their fangs can bring death in mere minutes. And there are other strange creatures floating in the deep waters, beautiful to behold but deadly to encounter, for which no name is given. One is a kind of mist, so lovely and graceful, with brilliant colors; it lures the diver closer to examine its beauty. But its kiss produces death.
“But the most common danger awaits those who dive too deep and too long. There is a mysterious ailment for such adventurers. Often those who dive the deepest and longest are prone to experience intense pain as they rise to the surface. Their bodies double over, and they lose feeling in their limbs. Then they gasp for air and can find none, even if they reach the surface.
“Far too many divers for pearls have succumbed to this ailment. Those who survive it are frequently crippled by the pain. The divers who last the longest are those who dive with partners for protection from the beasts, and who ascend slowly back to the world of men. Yet even so, a diver cannot be of use for more than five years or so because of the toll it takes on the body.
“And that, my young foreign friend, is why pearls are the costliest of jewels. For no other gem requires that a man lose or at the very least risk his life to obtain it.”
Marcus stood in deep silence at the recital. He supposed he had never thought before of what a man risked to obtain what was after all a mere luxury and not a vital necessity. And the Pearl that the Empress Aurora desired; what must it have cost in human lives if it were more valuable than any other?
He turned back to the merchant.
“You must have heard many tales of pearls of great value.
Do you know any that you could entertain me with?” he inquired as he assumed an innocent smile.
“Ah, yes, there are many valuable pearls in the world, some more precious than others. There is the Pearl of Indus, a great gem. It is nine inches in circumference and is said to rival the moon in its luminous beauty. It is a perfect orb. The Emperor of Indus gave it as a wedding gift to his bride.
“There is the Shell of the Southern Sea, so named because it is made of a more translucent type of pearl than the oyster. It resembles a sea shell in its shape, which is that of a fan, and is six inches wide. But the beauty of it is its color: the pale pink of a sunrise at sea. That pearl is possessed by the Monarch of the Marina Isles. He fancied it as a bauble for his collection of rare and precious things.
“There is the mysterious Black Pearl of the Indigo Lagoon. This is a rare black pearl which was discovered by accident when a casual dive for oysters in an inland lagoon yielded an amazing find. It is not as large as other pearls of great fame, being only about three inches in circumference. But it is said to bring a curse to all who possess it, and indeed there is some cause to believe in such a tale.
“Many of its owners have been brought to grief in most peculiar ways. The diver who discovered it gave it to the master who hired him but as he dove back into the lagoon to hunt for more oysters, a Corroca lying in wait on the shore attacked and killed him before anyone spied the danger. The owner of the pearl gave it to his wife, who died the very night he gave it to her. The master feared the pearl after the death of his wife and diver, so he sold it in the marketplace to the highest bidder.
“But the next owner suffered financial loss when his crops failed. He sold the pearl for monetary gain. The buyer who acquired it from him was stricken with madness the day after the sale, and died by his own hand. His son was the new owner, and he lost two of his children in one day when they were afflicted with a sudden fever. He is desperately trying to find a buyer, but no one wants the pearl due to its history of evil.”
The merchant ended his discourse. Marcus pondered on how to approach the topic of the Pearl of Great Price. It appeared that the merchant was not aware of it. He decided to try a direct approach.
“Have you ever in your travels heard of another Pearl? One so precious that it would cost a man everything he has, yet is available to any who desire it?”
The merchant frowned. He looked quizzically at Marcus, as if a new idea had just struck him. Then he shook his head.
“No, no, I have never heard of such a pearl. For how can any possess it if it costs everything one has? A pearl of that value would be priceless, and not all could afford it.”
“Yes, yes, that is the very mystery that has puzzled me. Surely a gem so costly could only be purchased by the very richest,” Marcus hastened to reply.
He wanted to throw the merchant off the scent and decided another tack to obtain more information.
“Tell me, learned merchant, where do the majority of pearls come from?”
The merchant still eyed Marcus doubtfully, then a smile of dubious sincerity which did not reach his eyes crossed his face.
“Pearls may come from many places. But the greatest and most valuable have been found off the Isles of Solone. There the oyste
rs grow in abundance and reach great size.”
“The Isles of Solone? I have heard of it. It is part of our Valeriun Empire, although under its dominion. Long ago it was a center of great learning, where men desired knowledge above all else. But now it is a mere outpost, one of the provinces.”
“Province or not, my young foreign friend, that is where the vast majority of great pearls are found.”
Marcus decided he would learn no more from the merchant. It was time to terminate the interview and return to the palace.
He had left early this morning on the pretext of needing exercise and said a walk would be most beneficial. To allay suspicion he had requested that Felix remain behind with the others when he suggested joining him.
Now he turned to go.
“Wait, my young foreign friend,” the merchant implored. “Do you see any of my wares that you care to purchase?”
The eyes that looked at Marcus from under his brows reminded him of an asp about to strike. A chill came upon Marcus, warning him of danger.
“No, that is, I do not have enough money to pay a fair price for your excellent wares. But I thank your for your time.”
“You are most welcome, my young foreign friend. And for the information I have given to you.”
And the merchant smiled slyly into Marcus’ fear-filled eyes.
Chapter XXIV
A Fortunate Escape
“Marcus!”
Felix leapt out from behind the door of his chamber, directly opposite from that of Marcus. He shot like a deer fleeing the hunter’s bow from his room to Marcus’ and swiftly closed the door.
“Where have you been?” he whispered.
“Why are you whispering?” Marcus asked him.
“Shh! We are in peril. While you were gone I fell into conversation with one of the attendants. Well, not much of a conversation, because they don’t speak much except to say, ‘most honored guest’, every other sentence or so. But I discovered something. Do you remember how they separated Fanchon from us last night? And that the Ashkani said the women are quartered separately from the men? Well, there is a reason why. Our gracious host likes to keep the women away from the men so he can have his way with them!”