Mission To Mahjundar (42 page)
Read Mission To Mahjundar Online
Authors: Veronica Scott
Still, it
was
the most romantic aspect of this particular ceremony. Andi suppressed a somewhat wistful mental picture of an unknown man wrapping her in one of the traditional, simple shawls.
She took another deep breath of the flowers’ perfume.
What is with me today, all this nostalgia for the dreams I had as a kid? Romance, a husband, children… Traveling around the Sectors doing business for Loxton is the wrong career if I want to settle down. I already made that decision, no looking back, no regrets. Maybe after I make Sector vice president, I’ll decide on a different course.
No telling how old she’d be by then.
After adjusting the shawl to her satisfaction, Lysanda leaned toward the groom for a brief kiss before the couple turned to face the applauding audience. Scooping the bored flower girl into her arms, Andi juggled her own flowers, plus the toddler and her tiny basket. Arm in arm with the prominent Shenti man she’d been rushed into the puce dress to accompany, Andi walked down the aisle behind the happy couple, in time to the music.
As soon as the ceremonial party had left the pavilion, Andi searched for a maid or family member to take charge of the toddler. Another of the bride’s attendants, a haughty girl from the capital, brought her the Tonkilns’ youngest son, Sadu, who’d been a restless member of the wedding party too. “Here, you may as well tend them both, outworlder,” the other girl said. “How do boys get so messy?” She turned on her elegant heel and walked away before Andi could protest.
“Hungry,” Sadu proclaimed loudly, tugging at her skirt with one grubby hand.
Lady Tonkiln hurried by. “Oh, good, you have the children, Andi. Thank you.”
“But I should be getting out of this dress, getting ready for the evening’s reception—”
“You know the nurse left suddenly for her village this morning. I’ve no idea why, and she needn’t bother coming back, begging to be rehired.” Lady Tonkiln reached to untangle an errant flower from the girl’s curls. “Do take the children to the house for me, won’t you? The maids can watch them. No one will care if you’re late to the dance as long as you’re in time for the presentation of the gifts.”
And with that barbed insult, her hostess was off to greet more guests before Andi could protest. Shaking her head, she stared after the older woman.
Typical. The “overbearing Obati” clan indeed!
Giving Sadu an awkward pat on the shoulder, she tugged him in the direction of the waiting Naranti servants. “All right, Sadu, walk with me and we’ll find Cook. I know I saw her earlier —she can take you both back to the house, get you a snack before you and your cousin here take your naps.”
After handing Sadu and the flower girl over to the family’s genial cook, Andi decided to walk back to the Tonkiln mansion, rather than take the shuttle. She’d had enough of the family and their guests for right now.
I need some time by myself.
Taking off the too-tight sandals, Andi breathed a sigh of relief and strolled into the forest that surrounded the ceremonial glade. The path was clearly marked, and the hard-packed dirt felt soothing to her abused feet.
When she reached the halfway point, out of sight of both the glade and the house, Andi took a detour to the east to a meadow she’d discovered a few days ago. Heedless of the borrowed dress, which she knew would never be worn again by anyone, Andi hiked the skirt up enough so that she could sit comfortably on the moss under a big malagoy tree and relax for a few moments. Leaning her head against the rough trunk, she closed her eyes and listened to the soothing hum of the pollen-gathering insects and birdsongs overhead.
Just have to get through this one last reception tonight, and then I can return to the capital. I can do that.
Close to drowsing off in this peaceful spot, Andi suddenly became aware that the meadow had grown quiet. Opening her eyes with a flash of alarm, she found herself staring at a myth come to life.
An entire family of majestic urabu stood in the center of the lush meadow. To Andi’s knowledge, no one had seen a living urabu on Zulaire in hundreds of years.
Behind the proud alpha male were three females, a younger buck showing nubs for horns, and a baby.
As if they came just to find me.
Andi chuckled at the idea as the buck swung his head in her direction, nodding once. Standing guard, he watched the perimeter of the small meadow as his brood spread out to nibble the dense stand of grass and flowers. From time to time the buck lowered his head to snatch a few mouthfuls of fodder, before going back on the alert. A vivid green, his eyes were fringed by thick, black lashes.
She wasn’t sorry to claim this incredible experience all for herself.
Trotting forward a few paces, the fawn stopped to check on its mother’s whereabouts, then wobbled straight to Andi on spindly legs. Amazed, she held out her hand for it to sniff before stroking the little urabu’s muzzle and playing with the soft, tufted ears. The fawn’s golden-brown pelt was warm velvet under her fingers.
The buck made an impatient huffing sound. Startled, jerking her hand back, Andi watched as the fawn took three awkward jumps, to press against the biggest doe’s flank. Leaving the clearing, the herd bounded off to the northeast in a flowing line, buck first, fawn struggling valiantly to keep up at the end of the procession.
A wave of longing engulfed Andi as they left her.
I wish they’d stayed longer
. Taking a few tentative steps away from the tree, she peered hopefully into the jungle, but the urabu family had gone on their way without a trace.
With a breathless little laugh, she pinched her forearm. “No, I’m awake all right.” She studied the imprint of the hooves in the rich soil. Crushed, fragrant grass was already springing back to hide the evidence. “When I think how many times I was told the urabu didn’t really exist, or had been hunted to extinction—”
Well, this experience certainly redeemed my day.
Frowning at a grass stain as she dusted stray twigs and leaves from her skirt, she shook her head.
I’m not telling the
Tonkilns about this magical encounter or they’ll be out here hunting the poor things.
My secret, my gift from Zulaire’s god.
Thinking of her imperious hosts reminded Andi to check the time. Whistling at how late in the afternoon it had become, she set out in a slow jog, skirt hiked above her knees. At the forest’s edge, she stopped, planning to put her sandals on again. One of the gardener’s legion of young helpers hailed her. Running along the center of the path, he made big summoning gestures. “Miss, miss, you’re wanted at the house!”
“Why all the fuss? Were they afraid I’d gotten lost?” Andi said.
Coming to a halt in front of her, the boy tugged at her sleeve, trying to draw her along the path. “Men have come from the capital for you. Outworld soldiers.”
“Soldiers?” Andi was startled, her heart beating faster. “What do I have to do with the military? There must be a mistake.”
“We must
go
. The leader of these soldiers, he demands to speak to you.” Lowering his voice, her companion intoned with relish, “At ONCE!” The skinny boy chortled at his imitation of the outworlder’s less-than-exact accent. “He said it’s important, a matter of utmost urgency.”
Maybe something had happened at the office? Or to her boss? But why send the military out here with the message? The capital was hundreds of miles away, yes, but there were excellent comlinks between here and there. Breaking into a run, she covered the ground faster than the gardener’s assistant’s stubbier limbs could carry him.
Leaving the winded lad well behind, Andi sprinted the last few yards of the path, onto the main house’s driveway. Skidding to a stop to catch her breath, she craned for a better look at a pair of military vehicles parked off to the side, between her and the mansion. One was a squat, two-passenger groundcar with an ominous-looking blast cannon mounted on the rear. Behind that was a much larger armored personnel carrier, also bristling with weapons, lights and scanners. Both vehicles were the gray, green and black camouflage design favored by Sectors troops on this planet.
Offworld troops seemed jarringly out of place in this idyllic playground of the Obati elite.
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