"You've proven to be a true friend," provocatively featured Lara Warsan said to me in a low voice as we stood on the quarterdeck of the three masted former pirate schooner, her sensual eyes holding mine, the Sun hot overhead in the nearly cloudless sky striking red glints in her hair. Her green silken halter and short clinging red skirt leaving little doubt that she was one of the most desirable and provocative women who had ever lived. Sharon called her "Daisy" after another who had lived six centuries ago, although I thought she reminded me more of Carol, Bob's lovely wife, who had been much like Lara in many respects. Carol had been the sort of a woman many men dream about having. And like Carol, Lara was dominant without being obvious about it.
"You mean because I `suggested' to Darlanis that Jers be appointed to commander of this ship?" I replied, matching her smile with my own as we stood and watched the preparations for the voyage to come. I had understood why the young Prince no longer wished to serve on Sarnian Lady as its first officer. His mother had lost most of the use of her right hand thanks to Darlanis' fantastic swordsmanship in the duel that had occurred only a few weeks before. I had also suggested to Lara that it might be best if she too sailed with the man she loved. There had been a number of threats made against Lara's life, both by others, and some no doubt by Tara herself. Many people having been highly offended to learn that "Lara of Trelandar" had indeed married Jers Bisan, the son of a former King of Sarn. The survival of An'na or "Anna", the daughter of the last King now being known only to me.
"You are different than Darlanis," Lara said to me in a low voice as we watched the hustle and bustle of getting ready for sea. "You accept me as an equal, not as a --," Lara added, pausing as she thought of the term to use. I took her hand in mine as those sensuous features looked up into my own. Words were not necessary for understanding just then. We both understood. Lara was the sort of a woman who had made her "living" as best she was able to, doing the only thing that she really knew "how" to do...
Assisting as they could were the Seahawk's five new "ship's girls", their gleaming collars telling of their status. One, a ripe bodied blonde, reminded me of another, their short and rather revealing shifts well displaying their feminine bodies for all to see. Lara was their overseer. Little missed those gray-blue eyes. She was strict with them, but also fair and understanding.
Sharon, blonde and regal as the Imperial Princess, was in a deep conversation with a young midshipman by the foremast, the young man obviously in awe of having such an "august" person aboard. Sharon was no longer the girl she had been even a month before. In a way I felt a sense of loss. A loss of something precious that I had once enjoyed for too brief a period of time!
I waved to Darlanis as the two warships and the five merchantmen we were escorting got under way, the two galleys under oar power, and the fat merchantmen under tow. Jers showing his seamanship by tacking the Seahawk out of the harbor, the schooner being far more "handy" than any lateen rigged vessel. Lara now standing there at his side, the look on her lovely face one that told much of the love she felt for him. The five slave girls at the rail, two of them sobbing openly at the thought of those they left behind. An Imperial golden haired Princess going to them and in low tones, consoling them in their misfortune. The sight filling my heart with joy that only a mother can understand. I was very proud of Sharon just then. She was truly a "Princess"!
I stood and looked out over the foaming wake of the Seahawk as Jers took his position ahead of the others, the swift former Dularnian raiding schooner well suited to the task of look-out. The other ships falling behind as we took our position to windward. The naval tactics reminding me much of those of the 18th Century when ships such as this often were used for such tasks. All we needed was a row of six pounders along each rail and any captain of that era would have felt right at home aboard the Seahawk! There was a newer ship, the Squala, somewhere about too! A bigger, heavier ship, a hundred and thirty feet long, ten more than the Seahawk. The new "pride" of the Dularnian Navy, I knew! A much "effective" vessel than the slow and heavy trireme Janis.
"Lorraine," Sharon said in a soft voice as she touched my hand where it rested on the rail. Her azure eyes so much like those of Darlanis looking into mine as she said, "What is it between us now?" Her surprising words puzzling me greatly, for I hadn't the faintest idea of what she was talking about just then!
"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled by her words, concerned as only one who "loves" could be. Sharon meaning more to me than life itself. She was even more 'precious' to me now than before.
"You've been `different' ever since you went to that temple of Lys and talked to the First Priestess," Sharon answered, her eyes looking up into mine. "You don't act `right' any more." I had been spending considerable time reading "THE BOOK OF LYS". I wondered if she was referring to that as I was not a "religious" person in the ordinary sense of the word. I wished I could tell her about what had happened on Mars, but I feared to tell her of the "warning" I had been given by no other than SHE Herself!
"I've had a lot on my mind," I answered, recalling what Tais had warned me about, forcing a smile to my lips. My arms then slipping around her to hold her close as I kissed her forehead. I wondered if we really had "free will" or were the slaves of what was to be. Could I, by my own actions, alter the future? I feared for what the future might hold, recalling SHE's "warning"!
"We've always `shared' before, Lorraine," Sharon spoke, stepping back. Her little chin high, her bearing regal as befitted the Crown Princess of the Empire of California. I thought her truly a Princess. A fit "daughter" for one such as Darlanis. "This is to be kept between us, and not for Darlanis' ears," I said, making my decision. Telling her everything. I thought it right that she know. I didn't feel that she would believe it.
"It's like something out of the Bible," Sharon breathed. I knew she had at one time read the entire Bible as well as the Koran and the Jewish Sacred Books. I had thought that she should know such things. See what others had believed, still believed.
"There is a `life beyond death'," I answered. "You remember what I told you happened when I hypnotized Janet Rogers?" Sharon nodding, the story having been like something out of "THE SEARCH FOR BRIDEY MURPHY", which I am now convinced was the truth, despite claims to the contrary by those who did not "understand".
"And there is a GOD?" Sharon ventured. I nodded, remembering SHE. That had been one of HER names. Raspa had called HER "SHE-IT-ALL", which I think is closer to the Reality of SHE than anything else I can think of. "And the Priestesses of Lys?" my lovely daughter added, looking into my eyes. I thought of Tais.
"Have their own role to play as do we perhaps," I answered.
"We could kill Tara before she becomes the `Antichrist'," Sharon ventured, having shared the same thoughts that I had with Tais. Knowing the future, could we prevent it from happening? Tais had not said that Tara was "involved", but I suspected such! In any case Tara was certainly as "EVIL" a person as could exist!
"I suspect that something would stop us if we tried," I answered her. Wondering again if we truly had "free will" or not. I think in a way that we do, but that is something I will leave for the reader to decide for himself or herself. I remember once asking a priest a long time ago if "GOD" made souls just to be dammed as the Catholic Church said. If "GOD" knew everything as I had been told, then it was logical that "GOD" also knew whether or not such souls were made just to be dammed. However, according to what SHE told me, there is no actual permanent damnation! Evil persons just have to go through more incarnations until they finally reach through their own efforts that final stage of moral perfection where they can "merge" with SHE and become "one" with HER. Apparently the young Asian SHE spoke to one time understood that much at least of what SHE was trying to tell him for us all!
"I do like Queen Darlanis more than anyone else here in the 26th Century, but you are still the mother who held me when I was little and soothed away my fears," Sharon said to me, her eyes glowing up into mine. I felt my heart sing with joy at her words as her hands clasped mine and much was then shared without words.
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