Savage Desire (Savage Lagonda 1) (42 page)

Tajarez felt no joy at the thought of returning home. He dreaded having to face his father's wrath, but most of all, he dreaded facing Mara.

Mara worked long hours with Sagas, trying to unravel the mystery of the hieroglyphics. Hamez spent much of his time with her, and he seemed to be caught up in Sagas's excitement. The story was slow to unfold. So far they had learned that the Egyptians had been joined by an Indian tribe called Lagonda. They were highly advanced and seemed different from the other tribes the Egyptians had encountered, and they began to intermarry.

Hamez noticed Mara rubbing the small of her back as though it were bothering her. He worried over her health as faithfully as any mother would have. He tried to see that she had every comfort and did not get too fatigued.

Mara did not mention Tajarez, and Hamez did not bring up the subject of his son, fearing it would upset her. He was angry with his son, who had ignored his command to return home. Mara was about five months along now and seemed to be burdened by her condition. Hamez had been told by Sasha that Mara suffered from tremendous backaches, but she had tried to hide it from him when she was with him.

"Enough for today, my daughter. I want you to rest. I will have Sasha serve you the evening meal in your room. We must take care of this grandchild of mine."

Mara smiled at him affectionately. She truly loved this man who was strong enough to be gentle. He had showered her with kindness. "I will do as you say, my father. I am rather tired."

Hamez watched her climb the stairs. She seemed to stop often to catch her breath. "What is wrong with that son of mine, Sagas? How can he desert Mara when she needs him?"

"Do not be too hard on him. He is a very troubled man."

"I should think so. When he returns I hope Mara will be slow to forgive him."

Sagas looked inward and frowned. "Who can say. He may have to endure much to win the Golden One again. It is in the hands of the Great Father. But I see a great sadness moving over the land." He looked at Hamez, and there was sorrow in the old man's eyes. "Much sadness, my king."

That night Mara awoke with a sharp pain in her abdomen. She bit her lip, trying not to cry out. Struggling to her feet, she made her way to the door to seek help. Her heart was pounding loudly, for she feared she was losing her baby. Opening the door, she held on to it for support. "Palomas," she cried. "Palomas, help me."

The door to the room across from hers opened and Palomas appeared.

"Help me," she repeated, just as a black cloud descended and she lost consciousness.

FOR THREE DAYS OUR MEN WANDERED AMONG
THE SURROUNDING HILLS, ALWAYS SEARCHING
VAINLY FOR SOME ROUTE BY WHICH THEY
COULD GO DOWN TO THE RIVER. OWING TO THE ENORMOUS DEPTH OF THIS GREAT VALLEY, THE
RIVER ITSELF APPEARED TO BE NO MORE THAN
SOME SIX FEET IN WIDTH, YET THE INDIANS
DECLARED IT TO BE ACTUALLY WELL OVER A
MILE.

—
Garcia-Lopez de Cardenas

26

Tajarez and Jeffery were surprised to find the huge anteroom fully lit at such a late hour. Tajarez saw his father and Sagas sitting across the room. They both looked up at him, but neither had any greeting for him. His father was grim-faced, and Sagas looked his age—his shoulders were stooped, and his usual bright eyes seemed dull.

"I am home," Tajarez said, lowering his weary body onto a white doeskin cushion.

"Yes, my son has decided to grace us with his presence at long last, Sagas."

"I do not wish to be scolded like a child, my father, I have ridden a great distance today, and I am weary."

Hamez rose to his feet. "Did you hear that, Sagas? My son is weary. He has had a hard day."

Tajarez heard the sarcasm in his father's voice. He had expected to be met by his father's anger, but he hoped it would not be tonight. He wanted to rush up the stairs to Mara. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her it no longer mattered to him if his baby had white skin like hers or dark skin like his. He only wanted to be with her and his baby, never to be parted from them again.

Tajarez rose to his feet. "I will talk to you in the morning, Father. I want to see Mara now."

"Sit down, Tajarez," his father ordered in a booming voice. "You cannot see Mara. Tonight, as you have been on your long, laborious journey, Mara lay in her bed in pain and agony, fighting for her life and that of your baby."

Tajarez's face lost its color, as he jumped to his feet. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that Mara may die, and your baby as well," Hamez said a little more gently.

"I must go to her," Tajarez said, as he rushed up the steps with Jeffery in close pursuit.

Palomas stepped in front of the door, blocking Tajarez's entrance. "You cannot enter. The medicine man and the midwife are with her now."

Tajarez shoved Palomas roughly aside and wrenched open the door. The medicine man was bent over Mara's still form. "Leave this room," he ordered. "I am fighting to save your baby."

Ignoring the medicine man, Tajarez went down on his knees and took Mara's limp hand in his. She looked so pale, with dark circles under her eyes. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed to be very faint.

Tajarez felt fear as he had never known it before. He could see the gentle swell of Mara's stomach where his child lay. "Mara, beloved, can you hear me? I love you. I love you. Please do not leave me."

"You are in my way. If I am to help her, you must leave," the medicine man said.

Tajarez felt Jeffery's hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing you can do for her, Tajarez. Come, we will wait in the hallway. We must do as the medicine man says."

"I will not leave her," Tajarez said angrily. "I will never leave her again."

"We are in the way here," Jeffery told him. "You want them to be able to do all within their power to save her, do you not?" It was this argument that finally made Tajarez consent to leave. He kissed Mara's lips that felt so cold against his, and placed his hand over her stomach.

"Save them both," he told the medicine man. "Save them for me."

Jeffery led the grief-stricken Tajarez into the hallway. His eyes were wild. "This is my fault; this is my punishment," he cried. "She is going to die and take with her my baby."

"Calm yourself, Tajarez," Jeffery said, feeling fear himself at the thought of losing his little sister. "You will not help her by acting the wild man." Jeffery put a comforting arm around Tajarez's shoulder and felt the shudder that went through his brother-in-law.

Tajarez leaned his head against the wall, and Jeffery and Palomas watched helplessly as Tajarez cried out his agony. His shoulders shook from the emotion he tried to hold inside of him. Palomas and Jeffery looked at each other. There was no way they could comfort Tajarez. Jeffery felt tears in his own eyes, and even Palomas was fighting hard to control the fear and dread he was feeling.

They walked away to give Tajarez privacy in his grief.

"Great Father, let them live," he prayed. "She is so little and helpless, and she is so good. I know that you gave her into my keeping and I did not take the proper care of her, but if anyone is to be punished, let it be me. Do not let her pay for my mistakes." He slowly dropped down to his knees and bowed his head as he had seen Mara do at the graveside of her mother and father. "Great Father, I have been cruel and selfish. If this is your way to let me know how much the baby means to me, then I will accept that, but do not let my baby die before he has known how much his father loves him. I do not care what color his skin is, I only care that he should live."

The hallway became silent as Tajarez finished his prayer. He did not move for a long time. When the medicine man came from Mara's room, he found Tajarez still on his knees.

"My prince, I have done all that is humanly possible. She has lost a great deal of blood and is very weak."

Tajarez rose to his feet slowly. "What about the baby?"

"She has not lost it yet. I do not know. There are so many things that I do not know. I will stay with her tonight. You should try and get some rest."

"No, I will stay with her also," Tajarez said.

The medicine man nodded. "I have to tell your father how she is. I will be back shortly."

Tajarez entered Mara's room quietly and sat down at her bedside. He took her tiny hand in his and held it to his lips. She lay so still, so quiet. The midwife slipped quietly from the room to allow him time to be alone with Mara. She had seen many cases where a woman had lost so much blood, and they did not often recover.

"Hamez," Jeffery said, "tell me about this medicine man. I am familiar with the usual Indian medicine man who burns incense and waves a rattle on a stick to ward off the evil spirits. I do not think such a man can help my sister."

"I can see your concern," Hamez said, not unkindly. "I am also familiar with the kind of medicine man you are speaking of, but I can^ promise you that Tabo is a very capable man. He and his father before him were well trained in medicine. I do not know how far back the knowledge goes, but you can rest assured that he will do all within his vast knowledge to help Mara."

Jeffery felt reassured when he met Tabo, who seemed to know a great deal about medicine. And even though he was concerned that the medicine man might not be able to save Mara, Jeffery knew she was in good hands. He went in search of his wife. It had been a long time since he had seen his little Sasha, and he knew she would be alone in her room, crying for Mara and the baby.

Sasha had cried until she was spent. It was a dark day for her. She wished that Jeffery would come home so she could share her grief with him. He was so warm and understanding, and the most gentle man she had ever known.

She felt comforting arms go around her as Jeffery held her slight body in his arms. Neither of them spoke, but they cried out their fear in each other's arms.

Finally, Jeffery dried her tears. "I do not think I could get through this night if I did not have you, Sasha. I love you so much, and have missed you more than I can say."

"I have missed you, Jeffery." She began to cry again. He laid her down across the bed and lay down beside her.

"Let us pray that my sister will be all right. I do not think Tajarez would be able to stand it if Mara and the baby were to . . . did not make it."

"Do not say it, Jeffery. I cannot think of a world without Mara. She is so kind and good. Hold me, Jeffery. Hold me very tight. I am so frightened."

Tajarez felt his whole world had come crashing down around him. He watched Mara's beautiful face, waiting for her to awaken. She lay so still. The hand that he held in his was so limp. The medicine man was sleeping on a cushion across the room.

Tajarez placed his free hand on Mara's stomach. Hold on, my baby. You must hold on.

He felt love for his unborn child stir in his heart. His eyes opened in surprise as he felt a slight movement beneath his hand. At first it was no more than a small flutter. He thought he might have imagined it, but then it became stronger. Tears came to his eyes. He had felt his child stir within Mara's body.

"Tabo, awake. I have felt the baby move," Tajarez called across the room. "The baby is alive."

Tabo rose and went to Mara's side and placed his hand over her stomach. He frowned at first, then smiled. "Yes, the child lives."

'That is a good sign, is it not, Tabo?"

"It means that the child is alive, and from the way it kicks, I would say it is very strong. We have a fighter here. Your baby fights to live."

"Mara—what about her?" Tajarez said, afraid to hope, but needing something to hold on to.

"It is still too soon to tell. I would not want to give you false hope. She is still very weak from the loss of blood."

"What caused this to happen, Tabo?"

"I cannot say for sure. Many things could have brought it on. She was fine when I examined her a few days ago.-She could have fallen, but Palomas did not think so. She could have been under a great deal of stress." The medicine man smiled. "I do not think that is the case. She has not been a bride long enough to be under stress."

A spasm of pain passed over Tajarez's face. "How soon before we see some sign that she is getting better?"

Tabo raised his hands in a helpless gesture. "It is not in my hands. Tomorrow maybe, the day after, perhaps. I cannot say."

"Is there anything that can be done that you have not tried?"

Again the medicine man made a helpless gesture. "The only thing that could help her would be if we could replace the blood she has lost. My knowledge does not extend to that realm. Maybe some day . . ." his voice trailed off.

Tajarez laid his head to Mara's breast. "Her heartbeat is so faint. If there were only something more we could do."

"We can wait and pray, my prince. That is all anyone could do."

Tajarez sat beside Mara's bedside all night, never once closing his eyes. It was as though he thought he could hold death at bay by watching over her. Not once did her eyelids flicker, nor did she move. Hamez came into the room several times, as did Jeffery and Sasha.

The night seemed to be endless. Tajarez felt as if time had somehow forgotten its duty and was standing still.

The first fingers of dawn touched the eastern sky in a glorious burst of color as delicate snowflakes drifted slowly down to earth, and Mara's eyelids flickered, and opened.

She looked about the room, as though trying to remember where she was. Then, remembering, she opened her eyes in horror. Had she lost her baby? She wanted to ask someone. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out.

"Mara, you are awake!" She heard the familiar voice of her husband, and tried to turn her head to see him, but she was too weak.

"Lie still, Mara. You are very weak." She recognized the medicine man's voice.

"My . . . my baby?" she said weakly.

"Mara, the baby is fine. You have not lost it, but you must rest and conserve all of your strength."

"Please . . . my baby . . . t . . . tell me the truth." Her voice was so soft it was hardly audible.

Tajarez took her hand and placed it on her stomach. He saw relief in her eyes as a teardrop rolled down her face. He pushed her hair from her forehead. "Sleep now, Mara. I will stay beside you. You are going to be all right."

Mara closed her eyes. Tajarez was home, or had she imagined it?

If she had been able to look at her husband, she would have seen tears in his eyes, tears that fell from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks, tears of sorrow and grief as well as tears of joy. Mara was going to live.

Hamez looked at his son. The old prophecy came to his mind.
One man will weep.
Tajarez was that man. It was unheard of for a warrior to weep, yet his son had, and Hamez could find no shame in him. He saw that his son loved deeply, more deeply than even he had realized.

"Come, my son. It is time you got some sleep. I have been told you have not closed your eyes."

"I do not want to leave. I will just lie down on the cushions. I want to be here in case Mara awakens again."

Word spread throughout the Seven Cities that the Golden One was ill and might lose the baby, or even her life. A crowd of people gathered on the steps, waiting silently in the snow for some word. Hamez had Palomas go among them every so often to keep them informed on Mara's condition.

That evening, as the sun set, they were still waiting for word of the Golden One. Palomas was able to tell them just after dark that Mara had awakened and had taken some nourishment. Sasha had fed her some broth, and she seemed to be a little stronger.