2565 A.D.!
A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN
By Jerome B. Bigge
Book Two
Chapter Fifty
"It was a good thing that it wasn't war time," Jon admitted with a grim smile there in our room as he told me how the Squala had been "taken" by two Dularnian warships under the command of their new Sealady, the lovely Maris Marn. Nearly everyone had been ashore there in Sana. The two "North" class heavy schooners had come racing up from Arsana. The North Wind under the command of Miles. The North Star, a new ship, under the command of that lovely Queen soon to be. I had to smile at the look on his face. Maris had "won" this one, although it really didn't matter much.
"She's capable and competent," I smiled back. That she was!
"And beautiful," Jon smiled back, teasing me just a little!
"Was she `good in bed'?" I teased him back, kissing him, na- ked but for clips and strap at the moment. A fine black silken evening gown on the bed waiting for me. I knew she had once been his. That he had been intimate with her. She was a beautiful woman. Tall, golden, and quite striking in her own way. She did also remind me somewhat of Darlanis, but more capable, competent in her own way. Queen Tulis Jord of Dularn had made a good deci- sion in picking the lovely Maris Marn of Sana as her "successor".
"Not as `good' as you," he smiled back, holding me in his strong masculine arms. I was glad of that. I hate "sharing a bed" with another woman, even if she is only a treasured memory of the past. I could live with the memory of his late wife, Alexis, who had been something of a cross between Sanda Talen and myself in her own personality from what he has told me. As for Maris Marn, I hoped our stay here in Dularn wouldn't be too long.
"She's nicely assed," Darl Jord observed with a smile to me, regarding his lovely wife to be as she mingled among the guests. The clinging evening gown that Maris wore did reveal she was so. The sight reminded me of Sanda Talen, who is built much the same.
"She is a beautiful woman," I answered, really not at the moment that much interested in what Maris happened to look like in her figure-revealing evening gown of a beautiful bluish silk.
"And her sister is not bad looking either," he observed with a leering smile on his pig-like face as he watched Gayle now mov- ing through the crowd to stop and talk with her older sister.
"Don't lay a hand on her or I'll take it off with my sword," I warned him, my voice hard, my eyes icy cold as they glowed into his. Darl Jord's eyes, like those of a predatory animal, burned into mine as he nodded, understanding. I knew the sort of a man he was. And what he had done to his own sister thirty years ago!
"She's not a virgin like ----," he muttered under his breath in reply, my eyes burning into his. Betrayed by his own unthink- ing words. He had raped Darlanis! Not that I had ever doubted.
"I often wonder what would have ------." I mused to Maris as we stood side by side there later on at the gigantic cut glass punch bowl. Darlanis had a similar one in her own palace there at Sarn, I recalled, smiling to myself. Sometimes it seems like a "small world". That things really haven't "changed" all that much since I left the 20th Century. Only "technology" changes.
"I would not have become what Gayle has," Maris said to me in level tones. I wondered why she was so "hostile" towards me.
"You don't think very much of your sister?" I ventured back. This was the sort of a retort of course for which there would be no possible answer that she could make. A "Catch-22" situation.
"I think very highly of my sister as my sister," Maris an- swered with a "knowing" smile, aware of the "trap" I had set. She was highly intelligent. Not a "dumb blonde" by any means. She was also a very beautiful woman. Beauty and Brains can be a "dangerous" combination in any time, and in any place. This wom- an could be a very serious threat to "established order". Dularn would be far more "dangerous" with her as its Queen. I could see why Jon had been "fascinated" by this woman. Why he married me.
"But you would not have followed in her footsteps," I smiled back. I enjoy conversations of this type. Janet Rogers and I used to do this all the time. Pick a topic and challenge each other on it. Maris was the first woman I'd ever met here in the 26th Century who could stand up to me in such a "game" as this.
"A `mother-daughter' relationship would have been impossi- ble," Maris smiled back. "I am not as `impressible' as Gayle."
"Perhaps you don't know your sister as well as you think," I ventured back, enjoying myself thoroughly in this game of "verbal swordsmanship". Maris' beautiful azure eyes glowing into mine.
"No doubt she sees things in you that I don't," Maris smiled back. Jon now joining us, putting his arm around me, smiling at the lovely Queen soon to be, who nodded in reply. I don't think she was too comfortable either at having Jon there at my side. I knew he didn't have a very high opinion of her. She no doubt knew that. I sensed her own discomfort. It also pleased me too.
"What I've never been able to figure out, Maris," Jon said to her, "Is how you and little Mara managed to get together all the supplies necessary for your flight to Dularn without anyone being the wiser." His words making me wonder too how it had been done! I supposed I had never really thought that much about it!
"I'm afraid that will have to remain my secret," she smiled.
"You had a lover," I smiled back, developing a logical line of thought. Maris was a beautiful woman. Highly intelligent. Not like many slave girls. Darl Jord had mentioned something in passing that now fitted together. I remembered seeing Sanda Ta- len in an evening gown one time. Having noticed the jut of her buttocks underneath the silk. Maris had much the same build too.
"You were Carl Talen's `mistress'," I said, giving her a smile. The shocked surprise on her face told me everything I had wanted to know. Everything fitted together now. All those lit- tle pieces to this puzzle that I had never been able to resolve.
"Of all the slave girls there on the estate you were the only one that a man like him might develop any sort of a `rela- tionship' with. You were of high caste, and no doubt were able to provide him with a quality of companionship that even his own wife couldn't match," I smiled, seeing the entire answer to all my questions standing right there before me. "And when I came on the scene and threatened to sell you, he helped you escape." I saw the look in her eyes. She did not, of course, know that he was dead. Perhaps it was just as well, I thought, thinking of Sanda. He had loved her, but she was no "competition" for Maris.
"You won't ----," she said softly, reaching out, touching me, her azure eyes pleading. I wasn't surprised now why Sanda had been so "hostile" towards this woman. While no doubt Sanda had not known the entire "truth" of the matter, she had no doubt suspected enough to make life miserable for this lovely blonde!
"Carl Talen died in the battle against the pirates," Jon said in level tones. Maris nodded, understanding. Her eyes, I saw, were moist with emotion. "His widow is now the Prime Minis- ter of Trelandar and pregnant with their third child." I re- called vividly the time that Lady Tirana's "tamed" dire wolves had threatened Sanda when she had come bursting in. What Carl's unthinking reaction had been when Sanda had been "threatened". It is possible for a man to "love" more than one woman. I hoped that Sanda would understand and not hold this against his memory. He had loved her. He had also loved a very beautiful slave girl.
"I feel sorry for her," Jon said to me as I laid in his arms wet and sweaty. He had used me well. My "performance" had been excellent. It had been "too long" since we had "touched". Our "need" had been strong. Sometimes with me "once" is not enough.
"She's lucky Sanda didn't learn the truth," I smiled back.
"She doesn't love Darl Jord," Jon observed back in reply.
"She will be Queen of Dularn when Tulis dies," I answered.
"And like Darlanis she will be a `driven' woman," he said.
"Dangerous, easily provoked," I answered, thinking. Unlike Darlanis, Maris was a very competent and capable military leader.
"You should have kept her properly chained," Jon said to me. "Kept the key to her shackles." I suppose I should have done so. On the other hand then I would have never purchased Gayle to re- place her. Perhaps it was best the way that things turned out!
I watched Black Lady coming in for a landing. Darlanis is a good pilot. A bit "inexperienced" perhaps, but yet a good pilot. It was early in the afternoon of the day after we had first come to Arsana. Darlanis bringing the plane down to a smooth landing there in the bay. Taxiing up to the palace dock like a veteran!
"At least she does something good," Jon smiled. He doesn't think too much of Darlanis. There are reasons for his feelings.
"She is `good' at a lot of things," I smiled, raising to her defense. I like Darlanis. A lot. I admire her bravery, the fact that she is a "good" person. Not an "old bitch" like I am.
"We did it!" Darlanis said, throwing her arms around me. Queen Tulis standing there, looking on. Regarding me. Darlanis. I had spoken to the High Priestess who had treated her. I knew now that there was no hope. The brain tumor was located where no surgery or telekinetic power could do any good. There were drugs that could be used for the pain. None to save her life. I won- dered what it would be like. To be in her "boots". To know you were dying. That nothing could be done for you. That at the end you would become insane. Have to be tied down like a rabid dog! *****************************************************************
"It is very beautiful up there," Queen Tulis said to me. I knew that Darlanis wished to stay here in Arsana until the "end". Darlanis had been taking her up every day now. They were close.
"I'll leave the airplane," I said. They could share their last few weeks together before the end came. Darlanis would as- sist her then in her suicide. Such is part of the "Codes" that make up civilization here in the 26th Century. It is part of the heritage that Janet Rogers gave us. Part of what I believed in. That one should have the "choice" of dying with "dignity" instead of in a hospital bed drugged and strapped down like some animal.
"Maris is a beautiful Princess," Tulis said to me. The wed- ding had been the day before. I did not think much of it. Darl Jord had little actual love for his wife, and his wife little for him. They were "united" by "politics", nothing more. No doubt Tulis was aware of that. Unfortunately Darlanis was far too un- popular with the Dularnian people to ever be a Queen of Dularn.
"Who thinks too much of the glories of war," I answered.
"She is of the Warrioresses," Tulis pointed out in reply.
"A second war between Dularn and the Empire will be far worst than the first one was," I answered in level tones, staring out over the bay. I would command the forces of the Empire under Darlanis. Maris those of Dularn. We were unfortunately both able and competent military commanders. I did not look forward to it. To the horror, the killing, the thousands that would die.
"But just as "winless" as this last one was," Tulis smiled.