Chapter 17
Tashama stared at the strange symbols, then smiled. “Possibly, but I cannot read what it says.”
The prince turned to Carissian, who nodded. “She sees unrecognizable symbols she cannot seem to decipher.”
“But we all use the same language. If she is Tashama…”
“She has been living in Texas these past ten years, Your Highness. Our written language was consolidated after she left the region.”
“I see.” The prince smiled at her. “Seems you couldn’t have followed these instructions, nor could you have left a message for this band of thieves after all.”
“Now why would I do that, sire?” She laid her hands in her lap.
The prince shook his head. “We’ll leave a decoy in her place tonight, and when the thieves come to steal her away, our guards can catch them in the act.
As for the lady, she would be safer in my chambers. There she’ll remain for the night.”
“Devil won’t like it, Your Highness,” she said.
“She already is pretty incensed that I promised to teach you to swim. She didn’t like the idea that I would have to have you stripped,” she added, then paused her speech.
Both he and his sorcerer hung on her words, and she continued, “…to the waist so I could float you on my hands until you got used to the feeling of floating in the water.”
“You said this to the lady?”.
“Why? Did I do the wrong thing?”
Carissian shook his head. “She’s still dangerous.”
“Devil?” Her brows arched with the question.
“Daveal,” the prince corrected her. “Why can you not pronounce her name right?”
“Devil,” Tashama said. “It just slips out that way.”
“Does it mean something to you?”
“Devil? Doesn’t it to you?”
“Not a thing—just an annoying mispronunciation of her name is all.”
“Well, that’s something.” Tashama smiled.
“I thought you said I was her savior,” the prince said to Carissian.
“Devil?” Tashama asked.
The men ignored her as Carissian shook his head. “She is wily, sire. She’s attempting a rift between Lady Daveal and you.”
“Nonsense,” Tashama said. “Why the rift already existed well before I ever arrived. Is that not so, my prince? If this was not so, he would have married the lady already by now.”
“He couldn’t have until after the coronation,” Carissian said.
“But he would have made a firm…,” Tashama said, then glanced down at the lower half of the prince’s tunic, “commitment by now.”
The prince studied Tashama, then noticed the sorcerer watching him, as if trying to decide if what she had alleged was truly the case. “She is wily. You’re right about that, Carissian. What should we do with her?”
“I’ve thought of tying her to a rock in the Prathaen Sea. There, she could do no more harm.”
“So who is the decoy to be?” Tashama looked out the window. “Who has blond hair like me?” Carissian shook his head. “Seems, there’s no one who would look right for the job.”
“If we use the lady herself, would we be able to ensure the thieves are unable to abscond with her?” the prince asked Carissian.
“Chain her to the bed, sire, as well as have our guards posted. That should do the trick, do you not think?”
“You mean I will not get to sleep on your pillows tonight?” She stretched her arms above her head.
“You will get to please me in a different way tonight.” The prince waved for Carissian to come with him.
The prince and his sorcerer left the room, and Listra hurried back in. “I don’t know why he dismisses me like he does.” She sat on her chair. “He knows you should have a chaperone at all times, and besides that, you’ll tell me what he said anyway, will you not?”
“I’m to be used as bait for the thieves tonight.”
“You—yourself?” Listra shook her head. “What if they are successful?”
“I’ll be chained to my bed.” Tashama stood up on her toes, then rested her feet gently on her soles.
“Are you all right?” Listra jumped up from her seat.
“Yes, they feel like they are asleep still and prickle with the touch, but I want to stroll in the gardens. Would you mind terribly?”
“I would love to take a walk with you, as long as you feel you’re able.”
“Yes, I’ve been lying around way too much.” And I must find a way to leave this place at once. I have not forgotten my quest, dear Karthland. I will lead my people to victory.
The ladies walked through the exit, and Tashama took the path she’d seen the prince take before. Listra said, “You do not know anything more about my…future?”
“No, I’m sorry, Listra. Maybe later I’ll see something further. I didn’t want to upset you.”
They neared a pool of water winding through islands of ferns. Lantana-like flowers hung on vines that dripped into the still waters, making Tashama smile. “Is it very deep?”
“Yes, my lady. Above our heads.”
“Much?”
“I’m not certain. Only you cannot walk along the bottom and keep your head afloat.”
“I want to swim.”
“In your golden gowns?”
“I swam in the others earlier today.”
Tashama studied Listra. The princess wanted to see her swim more than anything else in the world, but feared the repercussions. “I don’t think it’s such a good idea.”
The pool meandered out of sight behind palm-tree-like plants, and Tashama studied them. Where does the pool end? Possibly it’s a means of escape. She sat down at the edge of the pool, then slipped her feet in. “Just a little swim? Maybe I could even teach you how to swim also.”
“Oh, no, my lady. Mortals cannot swim.”
“Sure, they can.” She dove into the pool, splashing water onto the peach tile.
Listra cried out. “Oh, please, my lady. Come out of there at once. The water is too deep. You’ll drown for certain.”
Tashama paddled the water with her hands and feet.
“The water is just right. Do you see how I keep myself afloat? There is nothing so mysterious about swimming. Follow me as I take a little swim.” Tashama dove beneath the surface of the water.
As she resurfaced, Listra ran to keep up with her along the pool edge.
When the foliage blocked Listra’s path, she darted around the planted island. Tashama smiled. I do not want to get you into trouble, dear Listra, but this is the freest I’ve felt since my last swim. After swimming several yards, the prince’s voice caught her ear, and she stopped to listen.
“What would the thieves have intended to have done with her?” the prince asked.
“Ransomed her to Loran? I don’t know for certain,” Carissian said.
“And there’s still no word from Loran?”
“None. I would have thought…”
“Shhh,” the prince said. “I heard splashing from the pool.”
“Princess!” Listra said in as loud a whisper as she could manage. “The prince and Carissian are nearby. They heard you.”
“Get in,” Tashama pleaded. “Get in and I’ll show you how to float, but do hurry.”
“I’m afraid,” Listra said.
“Come, you can do it, and I will not let you drown.”
Listra slipped into the pool and held onto the edge as Tashama took her hand and pulled her gently away. “Lean back and relax.”
Listra flailed her arms about.
“Relax,” Tashama repeated, and as Listra grew quiet, Tashama rested her hands beneath her back. “Do you see the sailing ship up there?” Tashama nodded in the direction of a cottony-white cloud that drifted overhead.
“Yes, yes, and a man’s face and big nose jutting out from it over there.”
“Yes.” Tashama looked in the direction of the footsteps. She smiled as the prince and Carissian approached. “I’m teaching Listra to swim, Your Highness. You may be next if you do not chain me to my bed tonight.”
“Whosoever said you could do such a thing?” The prince placed his hands on his hips.
“Why, I didn’t think there would be anything wrong in teaching the lady to swim, Your Highness.
I’m sorry.” Tashama helped Listra back to the side of the pool, and as Carissian and the prince pulled the lady from the water, Tashama swam beneath the water and headed in the direction she hadn’t explored yet.
The three took chase after her as the prince hollered for the guards. “The woman is a menace,” the prince said to Carissian. “And what were you thinking, Listra?” He couldn’t believe she was swimming in the garden pools.
“She wished to swim, and I said I didn’t think…”
“With Tashama, you must say no, with no room for her to wheedle her way through to getting what she wishes.” He sighed heavily. She was a handful. Could he ever tame her free spirit?
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He glanced down at her wet gowns. “Go get dry gowns on before the whole of Banff sees you fairly naked.”
“Yes, sire.” Listra ran back to the guest chambers.
“The pool splits into three different directions from here, sire. One leads to the pond where the fish are kept, one heads toward the west end of the gardens ending abruptly where the waterfall dumps into it from 50 feet above, and the other…”
“At my chambers.”
“Yes, sire.”
“Which way?” The prince studied the blue waters.
Tashama surfaced for air and smiled at the tropical surroundings where no one could spy her from the path. She caught her breath. The blue fabric of the thief boy hiding in the leaves of a palm caught her attention. He stared at her with his mouth agape, and she hastened to his side.
“Warn the others, they lie in wait for you tonight. They found your note to me.” Guards shouted orders nearby. Tashama waved her hand at the boy. “Leave here, quickly.”
“You’re swimming,” the boy said.
“Yes, yes, but do hurry and leave.”
He nodded, then slipped away from the edge of the pool and disappeared into the lush foliage.
Tashama dove under the water and swam. Hearing shouts as she resurfaced, she found the pool had neared the path for the viewer’s pleasure.
She smiled at the guard who motioned to the others, then she dove under and continued on her way.