“I won’t say anything to Menders then,” Katrin said. “If it isn’t possible, it isn’t possible.”
Kaymar looked pensive for a moment, then looked directly into her eyes.
“Katrin, you’re old enough to know this now and Menders has given me permission to tell you. There have been plots against your life in the past,” he said softly. “Now, don’t get too concerned about it, because there is no particular threat at the moment. However, when you were small, things had to be extremely secure because there was always something afoot. Menders and I have seen to it that those threats have been eliminated, but we still have to be vigilant.”
Katrin nodded and began to speak, but Kaymar held up a finger and continued speaking.
“We know about plots beforehand because Menders’ Men is part of an enormous information network. What we can’t predict is the lone madman. When you were just a little girl, a man jumped out of the bushes at The Shadows and attacked me with a knife. I ended up killing him.”
Katrin stared at him. She’d never known about this!
“We never did find out what his story was,” Kaymar continued. “It was as if he came out of nowhere and had no connections to anything. We don’t know if he was after you, or me, or was simply mad.”
“Why would he have been after you?” Katrin asked, crunching on a cracker provided with the chicken dish.
“He was wearing an Ephraemite pendant,” Kaymar answered. “The Ephraemites don’t like such as I, Katrin. Menders didn’t think it possible, but I have always wondered if that man might have known about me.”
“How terrible! Wait – is he Mr. Enigma?” She felt as if the air had gone cold for a moment, remembering that oddly marked gravestone in the estate graveyard, next to someone named Madame Holz. She’d always wondered…
“He is indeed,” Kaymar answered. “That kind of thing is what we can’t predict or prevent, other than to keep you guarded. I know that you would rather never be Queen, and in some ways that is the way we all feel. But my dear, you could be Mordania’s best hope. Sane, kind, intelligent – such a Queen hasn’t existed in living memory. Precious as you are to all of us, you are even more precious to this country. You must do what you can to preserve your life – and that means accepting restrictions.”
“I’ve thought of that. Being Queen and changing things,” Katrin said softly.
“Don’t think on it much. Just be a young woman and finish growing up - and know that Menders does all he can to make your life as happy as possible.”
Katrin nodded. “I’m surprised he let you tell me this,” she replied, sitting back, her hunger finally appeased.
“I asked him if I could,” Kaymar smiled. “Sometimes people who aren’t as close as parents are the best ones to talk about serious subjects. Menders has had to be so involved in your life that he can’t be detached enough to talk to you about things that upset him deeply. Same situation with Borsen. My conversation with him would have been very difficult for Menders. For me it was easy.”
Katrin nodded. Borsen had told her about Kaymar warning him there were men who would try to seduce him at a young age because he was so pretty and looked younger than he was. That was enough to disturb anyone and since Menders loved Borsen so much, it would have been a very difficult conversation to have.
Kaymar suggested they go back to the hotel along the beach road, where there were some games and a carousel. To her delight and immense amusement, he declared himself absolutely in the mood for a carousel ride. The two of them scrambled aboard the brightly painted horses, laughing themselves silly as they bobbed round and round, Katrin remembering how he’d stood next to her on the carousel at the fair so long ago.
Then he won several prizes for her, stuffed toys and cheap trinkets, and she barely restrained him from winning a bird in a cage, saying it would be nearly impossible to take it home on the train. They finished off the afternoon with enormous ice cream cones, walking along the boardwalk to the hotel, waving to Hemmett and Borsen, who were on the verandah trying to look dashing. Franz and Ifor were coming along from the opposite direction, carrying a large string of fish.
“Ah, we’ll be cooking out on the beach tonight then,” Kaymar said. He turned toward her and smiled.
“I wanted to thank you, my dear, for a lovely afternoon,” he said. “With your permission, I would like to escort you from time to time in addition to Hemmett and Borsen, and yes, Menders has given me leave to ask you. It isn’t the same as going places all by yourself, but it would be a bit of variety.” He winked at her.
Katrin was delighted. “You may certainly escort me and let people think I’m your bride,” she replied, giving him a graceful curtsey.
Franz and Ifor had reached them.
“Evening, Katrin,” Ifor grinned. “Have a nice afternoon being squired by the dandy? Ready to scale some fish, Kip?”
“Not on your life, get away from me with those slimy things,” Kaymar snapped, keeping a distance between the fish and his perfect suit. He despised fish in all forms, particularly if they were still wet and flapping.
“I’ll help you, just let me get changed,” Katrin said, laughing at Kaymar’s expression. Now he either had to help with the fish or appear a complete ninny.
“Anyone who does not assist shall not eat,” Franz proclaimed. He held up a rock grouper as long as his arm. Kaymar made a rude gesture and offered Katrin his arm to escort her to the hotel. She left him at the verandah. Hemmett and Borsen had been joined by Menders, who dispatched the boys to help with the fish scaling and gutting.
“And how was your afternoon?” Menders asked as Katrin kissed his cheek and leaned on the railing beside him.
“Wonderful. I’ve given Kaymar permission to be my escort. I am quite a woman of the world,” she said airily. Menders laughed.
“It’ll be good for you to have a change and good for Kaymar too,” he said. “I always knew he would be a good friend for you once you grew into him. As you get older you’ll want to go out more. This way, should you want to go to the village or just for a drive, you can go with him. I’m arranging for a little gig for you so you can drive out whenever you like.”
Katrin threw her arms around his neck and hugged for all she was worth.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“It’s high time you were able to get about almost on your own,” he whispered back. “I wish it could be more, Little Princess, but it’s something.”
He made it sound as if it were nothing much, but to Katrin the thought of extra freedom was everything!
(46)
Future Plans and Unexpected Separations
Shots rang across the quiet heathland around The Giants. Menders had brought the children here for special picnics over the years but at the moment the area was being used for the firearms training of the Princess.
More shots rang out.
“Katrin, you do see the target I’m talking about, don’t you?” Menders jibed good-naturedly. Dara, Katrin’s boarhound, whined and stretched wearily, tired of the noise.
“I think one of those shots came close enough to scare it a little,” Borsen teased from his vantage point behind them, seated in the palm of a giant upturned stone hand, his sketchbook on his knees.
“I’m still learning, if you don’t mind!” Katrin retorted, carefully reloading the gun with bullets Menders handed her. The wooden target stood thirty feet away, absolutely free of bullet holes.
Menders had watched her reaction closely when he presented her with the pistol several days ago. He thought she might be afraid or repulsed. To his relief she had been curious.
“I gave the other to Eiren many years ago,” he’d explained. The two pistols were a set, each beautifully finished with carved ivory grips set with small jewels. “I thought it was time you had the other one for yourself, now that you and Kaymar will be roaming farther afield.”
“Isn’t Kaymar armed when he goes with me?” she’d asked.
“H
e is, but it can’t hurt for you to have your own firearm.”
“It’s beautiful,” Katrin had said, admiring the weapon. “Almost not like a gun at all, more like jewelry.”
“It is pretty and it’s light enough to put in a purse or apron pocket. But you must never forget that it is deadly.”
Katrin had closed the cylinder and replaced the gun in its velvet lined box. “I still take my knife with me when I go out.”
“Knives are for close range fighting. This gives you a long range deterrent.”
With a simple nod of her head, Katrin had accepted the gift and the ensuing responsibility. Getting her to accept the gun was easy, Menders mused now. Teaching her to shoot with accuracy was turning out to be another matter.
“Katrin, you can’t just will the bullets onto the target. You have to aim at it.”
“I thought I was.”
Borsen chuckled. Not to be outdone, he’d sent away for his own pistol from the Mordanian Armaments Company. Kaymar joked that Borsen had chosen some little sparkly thing that looked like it should light cigarettes, not fire bullets.
“I fired that pistol Hemmett carries once,” Katrin said, raising her gun to the target once more.
“That great big Breugan he lugs around? Too much gun for you,” Menders replied.
“It was too loud, that much I remember.” Katrin fired, missing the target again.
“Don’t aim with your hand, Katrin, aim with your arm.” Menders said. “The gun and your hand should be pointed like an extension of your arm. And don’t squint. Both eyes open, look down the length of the barrel.”
“Oh? All right then.”
Katrin fired and a sliver of wood flew from the edge of the target.
“Better!” Menders said. “But you’re fighting the weapon. Let it kick a little. Then draw down and re-aim at the target.”
Katrin fired five more times. Holes appeared in the target.
“Getting there,” Menders remarked with relief, glad to see some progress. He turned and watched Borsen pause in his drawing to study the details of the huge stone hand he was seated on.
Menders picked up his own sketchpad, making a rapid drawing of Borsen while the young man’s attention was diverted. He had sketched Katrin cradled in the same stone hand when she was three as well as a long and lanky Hemmett at the age of nine. Now he felt as if he’d completed a set, with the third child of his “brood” caught on paper while cupped in the same colossal palm.
Katrin blazed away as Menders sketched, until Borsen called out, “Are you quite finished making us all deaf yet? I could use some lunch.”
“I think that’s enough for now,” Katrin replied, unloading the gun and taking up an oilcloth to clean it.
“You’re doing well,” Menders said, appraising the target. Like most things, once she put her mind to it, Katrin learned quickly.
“Shooting at targets is one thing, Menders,” she answered. “But I don’t know that I could shoot someone, to kill them I mean.”
“Chances are you won’t have to,” Menders assured her as he closed his sketchbook. “But I like to think that should you be threatened, you will have the means to defend yourself. Not just against people. There are wild animals around, don’t forget.”
“Animals are one thing, but to shoot another person…” Katrin put the gun carefully away in its case. Her voice was tense.
“Princess, I understand your reservations. Taking another human being’s life is any civilized society’s greatest taboo. It’s not unknown for trained soldiers to flinch on the field and find they can’t fire on another person.” Menders took her hand, seeing her very real distress.
“I wonder how Hemmett copes with it? He mentioned it one time, in a letter, called it a moral dilemma.” Katrin looked thoughtful.
“Write to him about it. You’re both old enough to discuss such concepts. I think you should.”
Borsen climbed down from his stone throne.
“Let me see what you have there young man,” Menders said, reaching for Borsen’s sketch pad. He turned the cover back and admired the drawing, glowing with pride. It was Katrin, caught perfectly in her long lightweight skirt, matching waistcoat and frilled blouse, striking an heroic pose as she aimed at the target. From the end of her pistol there protruded a small flag, with the word ‘BANG!’ on it. He showed it to her, saying,
“A perfect likeness. I’d like to have this for my office wall, if I may?”
“No uncle,” Borsen responded, sitting down to unwrap sandwiches. “This is for Katrin’s personal collection. I’ll do another for your wall.” He took back the pad, signed the sketch, then presented it to Katrin with great ceremony. “Here you are, your Royal Highness.”
“Why thank you, sir!” Katrin took the sketch and admired it. Back at the Shadows, she put it away with her personal belongings.
***
After lunch, Menders relaxed and listened as Katrin chattered on about a party she had gone to days before and how Kaymar had partnered her for almost every dance except for courtesy dances with the host and his sons. She was still reluctant to dance with men she didn’t know. That suited Menders. He would much rather she was reticent with the opposite sex than too forward.
Borsen set aside his sketchpad and leaned against Menders’ side.
“I have a question for you two,” Menders said very casually. “I’ve already written to Hemmett about it. The letter should reach him today. Once Hemmett is finished with his school year, I’ve been considering taking the three of you abroad for an extended time - probably about two years.”
Katrin sat upright and stared at him, her mouth open in an ‘O’. Borsen looked up under Menders’ dark glasses, trying to see his eyes. Menders laughed aloud.
“You think you have to ask?” Katrin gasped.
“Well, I don’t know, perhaps now that you’re a social butterfly here…” Menders teased. She put her hand over his mouth. He took it away gently and hugged her when she put her arms around his neck.
“You could attend a university in Surelia and perhaps Artreya, though that would depend on what is going on between Mordania and Artreya at the time,” Menders explained. “We would look in on a few other places too. It would give you a chance to do some art study if you wished, or to attend lectures in philosophy or any other subject that takes your fancy. Borsen could take art study on as well, or spend some time learning about tailoring styles in those countries. Hemmett will get experience being your guard and he’s welcome to attend any classes he’d like. And of course school isn’t all you’ll do. There are so many things to see that we’ll be hard pressed to take it all in.”
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!” Katrin crowed with delight, almost giddy with excitement. “I want to see the all places I’ve read about, not just hear about them from other people!” She jumped up and spun around. “I want to go right now!” Dara leapt up to join the fun, shedding hair and barking.
“I think she favors the idea. What about you, manling?” Menders asked Borsen. The boy nodded mutely, wringing his hands a bit, as was his wont when overwrought. Menders knew that at this moment he couldn’t remember a word of Mordanian, always a struggle for him when he was emotional.
“It takes time to put something like this together, and of course we have to wait until Hemmett graduates,” Menders explained, putting an arm around Borsen. “But you can be in on the planning. It’s a definite thing, barring disaster – so please avoid disasters, my children.”
“Who comes with us?” Katrin asked, dropping to her knees and fending off a barrage of licking from Dara. Menders flung a stick and the huge dog dashed away after it.
“Kaymar and Ifor, of course - Kaymar as your official escort, Ifor as security,” Menders explained. “We’ll have some of the other Men as well as Doctor Franz. It will be incognito, like our trip to Leptham was.”
“Borsen, are you all right?” Katrin asked, looking at him worriedly.
“I’m completely overwhelmed,
that’s all,” he managed haltingly. “I’ve traveled a lot, but not exactly to the sort of places you’re talking about. And this time I’ll be able to see things!”
“Now then,” Menders said, taking out his watch, “if my watch is correct, we have just enough time to get out to the road and catch a ride with a certain schoolmistress.” He rose and helped Katrin to her feet, while Borsen scrambled the food basket and blanket together. At Menders’ whistle Dara came romping across the field with a very chewed stick the size of a small log in her mouth.
***
Dearest Bumpy
By now you know that Menders is going to take us abroad for two years! I simply cannot wait! Surelia, Samorsa, even Artreya! I want to see the famous golden dome of the Palace there, and walk along the harbor Promenade under the lanterns at night. They say the streets are paved with gold there – I’m sure that’s not right but still, it’s fun to think about! I have already begun to plan and dream, and plan some more! I was so excited the first night after I heard, I stayed up all night. The next day I embarrassed myself by falling asleep into the gravy at dinner.
On a more serious note, I now have a pistol to take with me whenever I’m not in the house. Menders taught me to shoot. He says I’m competent with it and not a danger to myself. That’s almost a compliment. But it made me think of what you called the ‘moral dilemma’ of being a soldier and having to deal with the taking of life as a duty. If attacked, I do believe I would defend myself, but Bumpy… I just don’t know that I could kill someone by shooting them at a distance.
How do you feel about it? Do you think you could kill someone like that? I know that with all the security that surrounds me it is very unlikely I’d ever have the need but I look at my pistol in its case, or in my hand, and I wonder.
But enough talk of such things, I have to plan for our great trip! I must pack! Yes I know still more than a year away yet, but a girl likes to be prepared!
Weaving Man: Book One of The Prophecy Series Page 61