Mission To Mahjundar (7 page)

Tossing the toothpick into the weeds, Johnny raised one eyebrow. “But?”

“But I haven’t forgotten we’re escorting her to her wedding, okay?”

“Just checking. I’ve never known you to let personal interests sidetrack an op before. Pretty odd behavior.” His cousin looked Mike over from head to toe, as if the answers to the puzzle were written on his uniform. Shaking one finger at Mike, Johnny said, “You can bullshit Command all day long about the emperor giving you no choice, but you and I know damn well we could have taken off on our own assignment the moment we got out of the city. Vreely sure as hell wouldn’t have tried to stop us. He
hates
our presence on this trip.”

Mopping his forehead, Mike protested. “Hey, I feel a bit responsible for her, after the way she and I met after the bombing. Nothing more, I promise. I’ve no intention of getting involved with a local bride-to-be.” Laughing, Mike spurred his horse into a trot for the last few yards to rejoin the column, which had unaccountably halted.

As he rode closer, Mike could hear raised voices.
Vreely and Shalira.

“I insist we stop,” Shalira was saying as Mike nosed his horse into the group surrounding the princess.

“Your Highness, our task is to get you to the temple, the tombs and your bridegroom, in that order, as rapidly as possible. Not spend days on the road, halting at every tiny shrine or roadside attraction that captures your attention.” Vreely’s tone wasn’t respectful or deferential in the least. He gave Saium a glare that should have set him on fire. “I’d appreciate it if your man here would stop mentioning these opportunities.”

“But he tells me this is the glade of Pavmiraia, representing my last opportunity to pay my respects at a shrine dedicated to her alone. I can’t just ride by.” Shalira wasn’t giving an inch.

Taking a swift glance at the small area of greenery and ruins under discussion, Mike didn’t see any reason not to let the lady have a few minutes to worship, if doing so meant that much to her. “Look,” he said, “The horses could use a break. If visiting this shrine is so important to Her Highness, why not take advantage of the pond and the shade for a few minutes?” He touched her arm. “You weren’t planning on a long stop here, were you?”

“No, I suppose not. I only want to offer a quick prayer,” she said. “Will you escort me?”

“I’d be honored,” he said, ignoring Johnny’s smothered curse.

A few moments later he was walking beside her, guiding toward the tumbledown ruin set in the midst of seriously overgrown trees, next to a small pond and a gurgling stream. The rest of the column had remained behind, on the fringe of the oasis, per Shalira’s request.

He felt a cool breeze, the first one of the day.

Shalira stumbled over an exposed tree root and he cursed himself for inattention even as he kept her upright. “I’m sorry, I’m not a very good guide. You’d probably have been better off with Saium.”

“I wanted you to see this,” she said. “No apologies needed.”

“Why? Why did you want me to come here in particular?”

“I think you don’t really want to be on our planet, nor riding along with me in a slow caravan. I’ve heard you didn’t like the crowded capital or the palace,” she said. “I was hoping this place might give you a different idea of Mahjundar, to take with you, when you leave.” Her lips curved in a mischievous smile. “And I liked the idea of a few moments alone, out of the saddle. Do you object?”

“Not at all. I apologize if I’ve been taking my impatient mood out on you. Nothing personal, Your Highness.” He helped her climb a few crumbling stairs and they stepped into a pavilion, open to the sky. Lush grass grew up between the cracked flagstones and flowering vines wound around the pillars. “It’s quite beautiful. Would you like me to step aside while you worship?”

“Very kind of you. I need to be standing in the exact center, please.”

He led her to the round mosaic in the middle of the platform, colors still bright. As they stepped onto the slightly upraised pattern, there was a sudden trill of musical notes and a brightly colored creature fluttered around his head. Automatically he recoiled, free hand going to his gun.

No doubt feeling him tense, Shalira crowded closer. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Are we likely to be in any danger from a bird-butterfly kind of thing?” Focusing on the tiny, brilliantly-hued creature as it fluttered around him, Mike felt a little silly. But there were deadly predators on other worlds that seemed just as harmless at first glance and it wasn’t his nature to take chances.

“I’m sorry, a what?” Her forehead wrinkled as she puzzled over the term he’d used in Basic.

“I don’t know what to call it in your language. They weren’t mentioned in our briefing. Some kind of flying warbler?” The creature set down on his shoulder for an instant, fuzzy antennae vibrating, and then launched itself into the air with another trill of bell-like notes that seemed too loud to be coming from such a tiny being.

“A myrdima of Pavmiraia! Do you really see such a marvel?” She turned her head left to right. “I thought I heard music.”

“It’s flown off now, to the trees. It was pink and purple and red, with furry white antenna. About the size of your fist.”

“We’d be blessed indeed, to be serenaded by Pavmiraia’s songbird. None has been seen in this area of Mahjundar for centuries. They withdraw, as the old gods withdraw, because the people’s faith wanes.” She shook her hand free of his, not rudely. Arms outstretched, she twirled, dancing, humming under her breath. She made graceful hand movements in time to her tune as she swirled. Pausing for a moment, she said, “I feel so free here, momentary though the sensation may be. I haven’t felt so unencumbered since I was ten and my world fell apart.”

Not knowing what to say to her personal revelation, but feeling pleased she was happy, Mike leaned on the nearest pillar, scanning the ground for snakes or any other menace. He hoped Vreely would let Shalira enjoy her brief excursion for a bit longer. The man had been impatience personified since they’d left the capital city.

“Uh oh, look out, the whatever-you-called-it is back, with a friend,” he said. “Stand still and maybe it’ll land on your hand.”

She closed her eyes and extended one hand, giggling a moment later as the little creature settled on her outstretched fingertips. “That tickles.”

“They have tiny, fuzzy feet,” he told her. “Gave me goosebumps.”

A green-and-blue companion followed suit, touching down on her other hand. Shalira began to sing in a lovely, high soprano and after a moment the myrdima joined in with their crystalline three notes. Mike thought he’d never heard anything so beautiful, on any world. As Shalira continued to sing, in a language he didn’t understand, more of the tiny warblers arrived, in a rainbow of colors, each adding its own three notes to the performance. They placed themselves on the princess’s hair like jeweled ornaments, and more hovered around her in a cloud. Entranced, Mike thought there must be several hundred in all. A few even floated over to where he stood, although none landed on him. The colors ornamenting the wings shone in the sunshine, particularly vibrant against the drab, dusty landscape.

If they’re waiting for me to sing, they’ve got nothing but disappointment coming
. He bit his lip, not wanting to make a sound that might interfere with Shalira’s serenade. He wished there was a way to record the scene, or to somehow share it with the princess, who would never know what a beautiful picture she and the magical creatures made. He locked the vision away in his own memory, as one of the most special moments of his life, an unexpected grace note in the midst of a tense and frustrating mission.

The song ended on a high note and then the myrdima stopped contributing their music a moment later. The entire flock took wing and spiraled around Shalira like a technicolor whirlwind, rising straight up into the brilliant blue sky before streaking south in a fast moving vee formation.

She lowered her arms, hugging herself. “Are they gone?”

“Yes.” He pushed himself away from the pillar and walked over to her. “I wish you could have seen how incredibly beautiful they were, like living jewels. You with them—stunning. I’m sorry, I know that’s probably not the right thing to say but I’m nothing but a simple soldier. Not good with the fancy words.”

“No, it’s all right.” She held out a hand and he took it. “I’m glad the goddess gifted us both today. I’m glad we alone shared the moment.”

“We’d uh, we’d better be getting back,” he said, drawing a shaky breath. “Which seems so anticlimactic after an experience like that.”

“We won’t speak of it to them. Please don’t mention it.” Her face was set in lines of concern, brow furrowed. “The moment, the blessing was mine, ours, not to be shared, not even with Saium. Much though I love him, he doesn’t worship Pavmiraia.”

“Neither do I,” he felt compelled to point out.

“But you intervened with Vreely to provide me this opportunity, so you surely deserved to be in the moment with me.” As they walked from the platform, Shalira gave him a mischievous smile. “Have I succeeded in my goal of providing you a different view of Mahjundar?”

“That was amazing, Your Highness. Yes, I’ll never think of the planet in quite the same way again.”
Or you
.

Hours later and many miles further in the journey, Vreely called a halt as dusk was gathering. Mike had to admit it was an excellent location, on a slight hill, with a stream and some large trees for shelter. It was the most easily defensible spot he'd seen all afternoon. Vreely established camp in an exemplary fashion, posting guards, organizing things in a way any officer would appreciate.
He might be an assassin and worse, but he knows his business when it comes to military matters.
The man had all the personality of an ice slug, which was neither here nor there.

Mike tethered his horse close by Shalira's, Johnny and Rojar positioning themselves nearby. As they were rubbing their horses down, Saium came with a dinner invitation from the princess.

“Glad to join you,” Mike told him. “I had good luck hunting this afternoon, so I can add fresh protein to the menu. Johnny, give him a hand with roasting these birds, would you?” He unhooked the skein of plump quail-like birds and passed it along to his cousin. “I bagged them, you can clean them.”

Taking his cousin’s agreement for granted, Mike wasted no further time in joining Shalira. Sitting on a small camp chair in front of the tent, face tilted to catch the evening breeze, the princess had her almond-shaped eyes closed. Humming a tune under her breath, she was a picture of contentment.

Mike’s heart beat a little faster as he walked toward her. Despite what he’d told Johnny, he wished he’d met Shalira under different circumstances. She affected him the way no other woman ever had, not on his home planet, not on any world. The more they talked on this unexpected journey, got to know each other, the more he enjoyed her intelligence and her humor.
I hope this forest chief is going to appreciate what he’s getting in his bride.
He cleared his throat and trod deliberately on a stick, breaking it with a crack as he walked closer, so as not to startle her. “Good evening, Your Highness.”

Turning in his direction eagerly, she gave him a wide smile, dimples appearing in her cheeks. “Did we ride fast enough for you today?”

“No complaints.” Mike sat on a big exposed root next to her chair. “Are you holding up all right?”

“I’ll be glad when we get into the forested steppes, since it should be much cooler there.” Lifting her hands to her hair, she released a cloud of soft curls from the chignon holding them in place all day. She combed her fingers through the tresses a few times to remove tangles. Mike found himself consumed with a desire to run his own hands through her silky hair. Rolling his shoulders, he berated himself for his weakening self-control.
What is it with me and this woman?

“Not much traffic on this road, is there?” he asked, trying to divert the trend his thoughts were taking. Picking up a small twig, he drew idle patterns in the dust.

“It's not a main route to anything but the Valley of Tombs.” She frowned, tilting her head. “If I weren’t so happy to escape the confines of the city, this journey would be boring. I wish I could see the countryside we’re riding through. Saium was describing the landmarks for a while, but he ran out of different ways to talk about hills and dust!” Her delighted laugh was musical.

“You aren't missing much,” Mike agreed. “Nothing more of interest to stop for today after the glade of Pavmiraia. The countryside is bare, brown and hot.”

“Not like your home world?” Fingers flying, she plaited her hair into a thick braid.

“Not at all. My planet, Azrigone, is lush, with excellent pastures and meadows. We raise Terran beef and sheep and sell to the luxury markets in the surrounding three Sectors. The Varone family brand is well known for its high quality.” Mike snapped the twig in two and threw the pieces away.
I sound like a commercial.

“Did I hear the sergeant say you two grew up together?” Done with the braid, she tied a lavender ribbon around the end and flipped it over her shoulder.

“Yes, we did. We’re part of a large extended family on our home world.”

“I don’t think he likes me very much.” She ran her hands slowly over the low table at her side, apparently searching for a cup. “He hasn’t said more than two things to me all day. Does he blame me so much for delaying your mission?”