Path of the Magi (Tales of Tiberius) (13 page)

“Do you think Paris cared?  They were together for nine years.  I doubt if Paris had other loves that lasted nine weeks.  You think too nobly.  If Paris had wanted a wife he would have picked Juno.  He got what he wanted.  A legendary beauty.  He got all the beauty that he could see.  Sad.  Nine years into the war, Venus still had to bring Helen to him with all her arts.  It’s clear he never possessed her soul.  The first year or two when the first blush of love is upon you, love can be blind.  But after a time lovers should know to look into one another’s souls.  I doubt if Paris ever saw Helen’s soul, much less possessed it.  How easily she went back to Menelaus after the war.”

“I would have picked Athena.  Wisdom is more precious than gold or a romantic whim.  I wouldn’t like to give up on romance altogether though,”  Tiberius said. 

“Odysseus had the better wife, did he not?  And he was the favorite of Athena.  Gold and good company are needed, but I think you are right to put wisdom first.”

The music started and Salina’s eyes flashed with joy, but she stayed seated.  Tiberius rose and held a hand to her.  “Would you like to dance?” he asked. 

Salina practically leapt out of her chair.  “I thought you would never ask,” she said. 

They moved out onto the dance floor.  The candlelight mixed with the light from the rising moon to bathe the room in magical light that even Dallen could never hope to match.  The band was excellent and set an easy pace for them, a fact which Ti appreciated as some of these dances were complicated and he hadn’t had that many lessons.  The band warmed up the crowd with a simple branle, an easy dance which got the company moving about in a circle.  Afterwards, he found himself dancing up and down the dance lanes to a reel.  Salina was a wonderful dancer.  She’d obviously had more lessons than he had, but she let him lead and laughed off his mistakes.  She seemed happy just to be with him. 

He didn’t quite know what to make of her.  It was long enough since Marybeth had left him that he no longer felt the pain of her absence, but he wasn’t sure he was ready for a new romance.  Some crazy elf lady wasn’t exactly what he would have ordered either.  But Salina was beautiful and charming, and, if not what he expected, was certainly interesting.

The band shifted to a waltz and now they were close together. 

“You are not what I expected,” she said, echoing his thoughts as he circled around her. 

“What did you expect?” he asked.

“I thought you would be more scholarly.  Like Dallen or Singh.  They are great men but not great dancers.  And they don’t have such broad shoulders.”

“My brother kept me in shape as a boy.  He’s a little more physical and worldly than I am.  If it had been up to me, I could have spent all day in the print shop reading the wonderful books we printed in my father’s shop,” he said.  “But Marcus would usually take time to drag me out to something physical.  Staves, archery, wrestling, ballgames, and so on.  It kept me in shape.” 

“The All-Father prepares you,” she said.  “He moves while we sleep.  We need a champion.”

She gripped his arm earnestly.  “There is more than just a dragon you know.  Goblins are growing bold, the dwarf king is old, and there are other more terrible enemies.  An ancient sleeper, a mad professor, a jade prince, an aristocrat.  They are coming to face you.  They are coming for us all.  They torture my dreams at night sometimes.  The worst was when I saw your namesake, one of the other two Tiberiuses born the same time as you.  He could not protect us.”

“Your people have great champions,”  Tiberius said.

“We are not defenseless, no.  Yet there is something about the Sons of Adam.  You seem to be the best and the worst of all the awakened souls.  The wars for us are so terribly costly.”  Salina seemed to shudder in his arms. 

“Whatever dangers you see ahead of you, Salina, God won’t let you face them alone.  He will help you.”

“He already has,” Salina said.  “I knew that the minute I saw you.”  

              The dances ended for the main course.

Later on in the evening, Salina led him out for a walk in the castle garden.

“This is more to my taste,” she said.  “I can only stand castle walls for so long.”

Ti wasn’t sure he believed that.  But he was willing to follow her into the garden all the same.  Salina’s eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight.  The scent of her perfume mixed with the fragrance of the garden’s roses. 

They came across a secluded bench. 

“Let me sit a moment,” she said.  “Your wine is too strong for me.  Don’t you drink?” 

“Sometimes,” he said.  “I took a glass of wine now and then, but I’m giving it up.  Singh says alcohol and magic are a bad combination.”

“Are you mad that I kissed you?”

“No.”

“Good,” she said.  Tiberius was only slightly surprised when she kissed him again.                  

  “Do you ever kiss back?” she asked.

He only had to look in her eyes for an instant before he did.  An indescribable warmth seemed to flow though his whole body as their lips pressed together.  He felt her body press against him as if gripped by some mad passion.  A moment later he had to steady her when they parted.  She seemed to melt from relief being at last in his arms. 

“Are you all right?” he had to ask.  Marybeth had never been quite like this.  Was this normal for elves? 

She steadied herself against his arm and nodded.  “I’m well.  We....”  She looked up to him again, a dangerous thing to do by moonlight.  “We just need more practice.”

He kissed her again, gently this time.  When he was sure she was all right, he gave her longer kisses.  

He stopped only to look into her eyes.  It was crazy being out here, kissing some older woman he barely knew.  But he’d been sensible and careful with Marybeth and that had got him nowhere in the end.  Every instinct he had said that Salina was a great lady, if a little crazy over him.  Why didn’t he just marry her?  How could he think clearly looking at someone so beautiful?  Maybe her beauty had driven him mad?

“Stop that,” she said.

“What did I do?” he blinked.

“You’re starting to think about the future.  Our future.”  She gave him a pat on the arm.  “Well, you are sensible.  You find something valuable and you want to keep it.  You are intelligent and noble.  That’s part of why I like you.  But I’m not an ordinary woman.  We must steal our moments together for now.  Tomorrow we both have duties to perform.”

“I don’t understand,” he asked.

“So?  Can’t I be a little mysterious?” 

“You aren’t married, are you?” he asked.  It was a sudden horrible thought.

“No.  I’m a widow.  My heart is free.”

“But what then?”

“My heart is free, but my life is not.  I have duties.  You have work to do.  I want to cheer you up but not distract you.”

Reluctantly she rose from the bench and held out her hand to him. 

“Come, let’s walk for a bit.”  She held onto his arm, leading him further thought he garden.  “You haven’t learned to shut me out of your thoughts yet.  La, I know you better than you know yourself.  You worry if you should be kissing some strange girl when we have no plans for the future.  You cannot break my heart, sir.  No one can break what has already been broken beyond repair.  I am on holiday and simply want for a playmate.  We shall not go so far as will anger the Great Father.  I shall see to that,” she added haughtily.

“I don’t think I’ll rely on you for that,” he said.

“La! You get to know me,” she laughed.  “I shall never tell you no, but I shall tell you not yet to the point of madness.”

Tiberius stopped suddenly.  A horrible thought just gripped him.  “I shouldn’t let you get close to me,” he said.  “That dragon threatened to kill anyone that I care about.  I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

She answered by bringing him around for another kiss.  When they parted she looked straight into his eyes.  “I do not take orders from rogue dragons.  You see why I am needed, though.  You need playthings that do not crumple at danger.”  They were closer to the main hall of the castle now, and music suddenly filled the air.  Salina’s face lit up as she heard the band play.  “La!  I like this song.  Come, show me more of your dancing!”  

They danced and talked together until the band became tired. 

The next couple of days Salina made it her job to fill him with culture.  She was only in town a short while, she explained, and she didn’t trust Dallen with all his education.  She took him on her own tour of the local museums and they saw a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s
The Mikado
that was in town.  Later they saw some student productions of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth
and
Troilus and Cressida.
  Over dinner they had an interesting conversation with an elf’s perspective on
A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. 

They went to bed relatively early, intending to visit the natural history museum with Singh, Dallen, Ian, and Tanyia the next day.  Their plans were interrupted.  Early the next morning, Tiberius was awakened by a sudden, furious pounding at the door.  A voice he recognized was calling to him, but he heard Ian first.

“Really Ti, it’s a bit much,” Ian said yawning.  “It's two-thirty.  Can’t she come round later on in the morning?”

“Wake up, Ian, something’s wrong,” Ti barked at him in response.  Then he flew out of bed and opened the door.

Salina was there with a light robe thrown over a gossamer nightgown.  She looked half out of her mind with terror.  The instant the door was open she threw herself into his arms.  She was distraught and sobbing hysterically.  His Alfaran still wasn’t that great, but he was pretty sure she shouted, “Thank God you are here!” or words to that effect.  He tried to comfort her but she was beyond comfort.  At least she switched to English as he asked what was wrong.

“I’ve seen him, my friend,” she said though her sobs.  “The man in the golden mask.  I watched him burn that child, yet he only sleeps.  Oh, God, it was horrible.  I was there with him in his chambers.” 

“What’s she on about?”  Ian asked.

“I think she’s had a vision,” Tiberius said.  Salina confirmed this with a slight nod, but it was hard to be sure through her tears.  “Ian, get Dallen.” 

Ian nodded and started off.  He moved to close the door, but Ti shouted, “For God’s sake, leave the door open.” 

Ian stopped.  “Why?”

“We can’t be alone in a hotel room with the door closed,” Tiberius said.

Ian gave a quick nod and went to fetch Dallen.  Salina suddenly gave a hysterical laugh.   

“You think of my reputation when the world crashes around us.  God, what does it matter if we are all dead!”  she laughed. 

Tiberius was worried.  Maybe it was overly prudish of him to mention the door to Ian at a time like this, but his mother had drilled manners into him.  A gentleman wasn’t alone with a lady in a hotel room, certainly not a half dressed one.  The way Salina was laughing wasn’t right though.  He didn’t know how to help her.  It was all he could do to put his arms around her and try to comfort her.   

An instant later Dallen walked into the room, wearing his glasses and nightgown, but holding his staff.  She was still sobbing hysterically, but she had calmed down slightly being held in Ti’s arms. 

“Another vision, Salina?” Dallen said quietly. 

She gave a slight nod.  “This was a bad one.  I watched her torture; they laughed as the fire burned the flesh from her body.”  She gripped Ti’s arm suddenly.  “You must study hard!  He is more dangerous than any dragon!” 

Dallen’s voice had a calming effect.  “Now, there’s no need to worry; he’s coming along quite well.  Ian, just get the brandy from my chest, will you?  You’ll need to add a bit of water, the Alfara are a bit sensitive to alcohol.  Thank you, lad.” 

She started to pull herself together after a moment.  Ian returned with the brandy and Dallen gave her a sip. 

“What must you think of me, sobbing like a schoolgirl,” she said at last. 

“It isn’t easy having visions,” Dallen said sympathetically.  “Can you tell us anything we should know?”

Salina put her fists to her temples in frustration.  “I feel that I should know his name, but I cannot think of it.  It is not urgent.  He sleeps for now.  We will know his name in time.”  She turned suddenly to Tiberius.  “You will avenge her, I know.  You must!  God does not love such creatures.”

“Try to calm yourself.  Anything you need to tell us you will in time,”  Dallen said, urging her to take another drink. 

She was regaining her calm.  “I’m sorry that I am no help.  I am disturbing your studies,” she said, facing Tiberius.

“I think we can all do with a change of pace now and then,” Dallen said.  “Tiberius is doing just fine.  Quite ahead of schedule, actually; there is no need to worry on his account.”

“But what you all must think of me, to run out dressed like this.”  She looked down at her outfit.  She’d thrown on a robe over her diaphanous nightgown, but it was not on quite straight and wasn’t as modest as a lady would have preferred.  Suddenly she looked at Tiberius and smiled.  “La, but I forget I mingle with Sons of Adam.  You think of country matters so easily.”      

“You should try and get some sleep,” Tiberius said, blushing slightly. 

“We’ll try the comedy theater after the museum tomorrow I think,” Dallen added.  “I hear there is an excellent new farce.  I think you could do with a laugh.”

“You are all good friends,” she said.  She rose unsteadily.  “Give me your arm, Dallen, and walk me to my bed.  Forgive me, Ti.  Your thoughts give me better things to think about, but I shall not trust you so near my bed tonight."  She gave him a quick kiss and then took Dallen’s arm. 

“Lucky we are in the same hotel, la?” he heard her voice trailing off.

“Yes, I thought that was a fortunate coincidence,” Dallen said with a wink.  “But then there is really only one hotel of real quality in Novilium.  I’m not surprised you chose this one.”

Ian shut the door.  “You think the future is really that bad, Ti?”

He sat back on his bed.  “She sees dangers.  I think those dangers are real.  That’s why what we’re doing is important.”

Ian threw himself on his bed, fluffing the pillow. 

“Ah well, forced to go to a museum and the theater tomorrow.  Must be really hard for you taking a beautiful woman around into the bargain.  The sacrifices we make for our country.” 

Ti would have thrown a pillow at him, but he was tired and had better uses for one just then.   

The next day Salina didn’t talk about her visions.  She seemed a bit shaken, but the air, the company, and the displays of the museum were a tonic to her.  By the end of the day she was laughing again, especially after viewing the farce. 

She spent another week with them, helping them explore the city.  Those days went by all too quickly.  Tiberius would have been content to have her around forever, but one thing she would not speak of was her own future.  Salina had only been able to get away for a few days from her unspecified business at home.  Then before too long he was seeing her off at the docks. 

“Must you really go so soon?” he asked.

Sadly she nodded.  “We must part for now.  But it will not be forever.  Write to me.”

“I don’t even know your address.” 

“Dallen will see your letters find me.  My letters will find you, never fear.  You can practice your Alfaran.”

“What makes you think I know any Alfaran?” he smiled. 

“La!  Don’t lie to me.  Dallen knows his business.  How many languages do you speak now?  Four?”

“Six.  English, Greek, Latin, Esperanto, Spanish, and maybe a bit of Alfaran.”

She kissed him farewell.  “Never lose heart my friend.  Let this time remind you there will always be unexpected joys ahead of you as well as terrors.”

Later, retiring to his room, he ran into Ian in the hall.

“It looked like you were having a good time,”  Ian said. 

“Yes.  She’s kind of a strange woman, though,”  Tiberius said.

“They’re all strange.  Men too.  When you meet a sane person, let me know.”