Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) (33 page)

Mara jumped to her feet and covered her face with her hands. She was sobbing, and Sasha stood up to put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, Sasha, what have I done? Had I known, I would never have allowed Tajarez to make love to me!" She pushed Sasha away from her. "Promise me you will say nothing of this to anyone. Oh Sasha, I have condemned him to death, if anyone finds out." She grabbed Sasha's hands and pleaded with her, tears streaming down her face. "I must get away!"

Sasha felt tears in her eyes at what Mara was suffering so needlessly. "I would never betray you or the king," she promised her.

"Sasha, do you hate me, do you feel I have betrayed your queen?"

"No, Mara, I do not feel that way at all." Sasha now thought that keeping Mara's identity from her had been a mistake from the start, and she decided to tell Tajarez that he must tell Mara the truth. "Mara, I think you should tell Tajarez how you feel."

"No, I must not ever see him again," Mara started pacing the floor. She had to find a way to escape.

"Sasha, you must help me get away, there must be some way to leave this place."

"I would do almost anything you asked of me, Mara, but I will not help you in this."

"I must go," Mara said, rushing toward the door. "Tell no one what I have said to you, Sasha."

Sasha watched with heartbreak written on her face as Mara left. She was usually a soft-spoken, kind person, indeed, few had ever heard Sasha raise her voice in anger, but she was now determined to tell Tajarez just how she felt about the way Mara was being made to suffer. She had no fear that Mara would be able to make good her threat to leave the city. Too many people were watching her. But Mara would try, and she would be devastated when she did not succeed.

Mara fled down the stairs and out into the garden. She knew she would never be able to make her escape through the front entrance of the palace. If she were to get away unseen, it could only be through the garden.

26

A heart that is broken does not easily mend.

How can I leave him? I cried to the wind.

Mara looked about the garden, thankful that no one seemed to be about. Her eyes scanned the high wall and she knew she would never be able to scale the stone structure. Walking the length of the high garden wall, she searched for a gate.

The wind whipped her gown and she could see heavy clouds in the distance. It had grown colder and she thought it would snow again before the day was out.

Mara could not seem to think straight. All that mattered to her now was making her escape. She told herself that Andrew would be well cared for, Tajarez had said he loved him and would not her son be better off here with his own kind than with her in the white world? Mara tried not to think about the night before. Her loving Tajarez had come at a high price if it was going to cost him his life. She was almost frantic now, searching for some means of escape.

Finally, in an obscure corner of the garden, Mara found the gate she had been searching for. It was made of heavy wooden logs and looked as solid as the wall that supported it. She was unaware that tears were streaming down her face as she pushed against the unyielding gate with all her strength.

Mara heard someone calling out her name and turned her head in the direction of the palace. Fearing that whoever it was would discover her at the gate, she rushed toward the big pond. The gate and her escape would have to wait until she could get rid of whomever it was who had called out to her.

When she reached the pond, she sat down on one of the marble benches. Her shoulders slumped and sobs shook her body. Mara surrendered herself to total misery. A familiar shadow detached itself from the background and knelt down beside her. Feeling someone's presence, Mara raised her head and looked at Palomas. His face was full of sadness and compassion.

"Do not weep, Mara. When it seems the night is at its darkest a star will light the sky."

"Everything seems so hopeless, Palomas. The days and nights both are void of any light for me."

"I feel grief that you are sad, Mara."

She wiped her eyes on the back of her hands and tried to smile. "I do not know you very well. Why should you be sad for me?"

"I know you, Mara."

She sighed heavily. "Everyone seems to know me but me."

Palomas reached for her hand, but then thought better of it. "Mara, there are many who know you and wish for your complete recovery."

"Palomas, sit beside me and tell me about your queen," she said, wanting to change the subject. "Tell me she has a flaw, a fault, or that she is at least human."

Palomas sat beside her on the bench and smiled. "My queen has a temper, and she can become very obstinate when she does not get her way."

"Are you saying she is selfish?" Mara asked hopefully.

"No. She is the most unselfish person I know." Palomas was unaware that his eyes had become soft as he spoke of his queen. "She is very beautiful. When she enters a room all other women seem to pale to nothingness. She is soft-spoken and cares a great deal about others."

"I believe you love her, Palomas."

"Everyone loves her, Mara."

"Yes, but you feel more deeply about her than others. I can sense it."

Palomas studied his fingertips. "I love her, yes, but not in the way you might think. My happiness is in watching over her and seeing that she is safe. When she smiles, which she often does, my heart is gladdened. When she is sad, which she has often been lately, it tears at my heart. I love her not as a woman, but as something rare and lovely."

"Do not tell me any more," Mara said in a whisper. "I fear your queen is becoming an obsession of mine. I am often reminded of her beauty and kindness." Mara looked over her head and saw the dark clouds had all but blocked out the light of the sun. "If it is your duty to protect the queen, why are you not with her now?"

Palomas stood up. "I await the day she returns, Mara. I have missed her."

"Palomas, will you do me a favor?" "I am yours to command," he said softly. "Will you help me leave this valley?" He sat down beside her once more, frowning, "Why would you wish to leave?" "I think you can guess, Palomas." "Because you love the king." Mara did not bother to deny the truth. If Palomas knew of her love for Tajarez, how many others had guessed? How long would it be before they learned that she and Tajarez had been lovers? "Please help me, Palomas. I have no one to turn to."

"Mara, I cannot help you in this, in fact, should you try to leave, I would prevent you from going." "But why? I do not understand." "The king would never allow you to leave." "I do not belong to your king; the queen belongs to Tajarez. I tried not to love him, Palomas. I could not seem to stop myself. If you love your queen as you say, help me make my bid for freedom."

Palomas's face darkened and he looked past Mara to the high garden walls. Mara had suffered enough, he thought. He intended to tell Tajarez, to beg him if need be, to tell Mara the truth.

"I cannot help you in this, Mara. Perhaps tomorrow you will feel differently."

Mara stood up and walked slowly toward the palace, aware that Palomas followed. No one would help her, therefore she must help herself.

When Mara entered her bedroom she found Falon waiting for her. "Your brother Jeffery has been searching for you, Mara." Falon told her.

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"He said that he would see you tonight. He seemed to think you were upset about something. He questioned me about your state of mind, but I told him nothing."

"Was there anything to tell?" Mara said, watching Falon closely.

"I know you have been very distressed about Andrew being taken from you, but I did not say this to your brother."

Mara relaxed. Perhaps Falon did not know that Tajarez had spent the night with her. She would have to be very clever today so that the girl did not suspect that she would make an attempt to escape tonight.

"Do you know if Tajarez is in the palace today?"

"Jeffery said he has ridden to one of the lesser Cities to bring Tabo back here."

Mara felt relief. Perhaps Tajarez would not return tonight. The only thing she would have to worry about would be Jeffery and Palomas. It was strange how calm she felt now that she had made the decision to leave tonight. She ate everything on the tray Falon brought her and then dismissed the girl, telling her she would not need her anymore that day.

After Falon had withdrawn, Mara searched through her belongings until she found the doeskin gown and moccasins. She was glad she had not discarded them. When she had dressed herself, she braided her hair and looked at her image in the mirror. No one would be fooled by her appearance. Searching among her belongings, Mara found a fawn-colored doeskin cape that was lined with mink and had a wide hood that would disguise her golden hair.

After she was ready she paced the floor, waiting for the shadows in the room to warn her that night had fallen. Mara knew she was not being rational, but it did not matter. For now all that mattered was getting away from Tajarez. She did not have any food, no weapon, and no horse. She did not have a clue as to where she would go once she was outside this valley. All she knew was that she must escape, that was the driving force in her life. Everything else was secondary. Mara knew that if she allowed herself to think about Andrew she would weaken. She must think only of the danger to Andrew's father should she not make her escape. She wondered for a moment how Tajarez would explain Andrew to his queen, when she returned. He would not be able to tell her Andrew was his son. Had not Tajarez told her the queen knew that he loved her last night? She could not remember.

Mara rose from the bed where she had been sitting. The room was now dark. Night had fallen. Pulling her fur cape about her, she opened the door and peered out. No one seemed to be about, so she stepped into the hallway. Cautiously she made her way to the garden. She was halfway across the anteroom when she heard voices. Flattening herself quickly against the wall, she hid in the shadows, just as Jeffery and Sasha passed in front of her.

"There is no longer any reason for you to be concerned, Sasha. By tomorrow the whole City will know that the queen has returned." Jeffery said.

Mara did not hear Sasha's reply. They had already begun to climb the stairs and their voices did not reach her ears.

Mara stifled a sob behind her hand. So the queen had returned. It had now become imperative that she escape tonight. Tears blinded her eyes as she raced across the room and out into the garden. When she reached the garden she ran to the corner where she had discovered the gate earlier in the day. She tugged on it and pushed against it, but the gate did not yield. Mara became frantic, whimpering sounds issuing from her throat as she pushed against her only escape route. With renewed effort she braced her shoulder against the gate and pushed with all her strength. She was finally rewarded by the sound of splintering wood, which apparently had been rotten, or she would have never have been able to push it open.

Pulling her cape securely about her, she stepped through the gate and into what appeared to be a deserted roadway. The night was dark and cold and snow was beginning to fall. Mara stood still for tense moments, undecided. She could hear the sound of many horses and knew that the royal stables Tajarez had told her about must be nearby. Moving in the direction of the sound keeping well into the shadows, she saw with relief that she had been correct in her assumption. The stable was darkened and there seemed to be no one about, but she knew she must still not take any chances. She inched along the wall, and it seemed to take her an eternity to reach the stable.

She opened the gate to the first stall she came to. Feeling around in the dark she found the leather rein and slipped it over the head of the horse. She could hear one of the horses rearing and kicking against its stall, and she saw it was Tajarez's black stallion. Tajarez was in the palace. He had returned!

Mara led her horse quickly out of the stall and swung herself onto its back. She urged the horse forward, and the animal readily obeyed her command and broke into a gallop.

The back roadway soon led to a main thoroughfare, and Mara was forced to check her horse's speed. There were many people milling about, and she saw the stalls and shops where the people displayed their crafts and wares.

Fearing to be discovered at any moment. Mara urged her mount on to a faster pace. She had chosen her time well, for the shopkeepers were busy closing for the day and did not seem to notice her as she passed by them.

She fastened her eyes on the tallest mountain peak, remembering that that was where she had entered the valley. She rode straight toward it. When she reached the outskirts of the City, she had no trouble finding the road that led to the mountains. She had passed no one. The cold weather seemed to be working in her favor. No one would want to be abroad on a night like this. Any sane person would be at home with her family, she thought bitterly.

The roadway began to slant upward as she drew closer to the tall mountain. Just ahead of her was the tunnel that meant her freedom.

Mara had no thought any more for her safety, or about what she would do once she was through the tunnel to the outside. She would not think about the fact that she had brought neither food nor water with her. It was bitterly cold and she had no shelter from the night winds, but that did not trouble her. All thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind. Her only aim in life was to escape this valley.

Mara was well within view of the cave now. She could see the light from the torches piercing the darkened night. Dismounting, she led her horse behind a clump of bushes and peered up the mountainside, knowing that somewhere in the dark recesses of that mountain was a sentry who might stand between her and freedom. Deciding her only hope was to ride boldly up to the entrance of the cave, she remounted and urged her horse forward. She wondered momentarily if there was some kind of password that she would need to get through the mountain?

When she had almost reached the cave a voice came to her from somewhere up above.

"Where do you go?"

"I go to meet my husband," she said, voicing the first thought that entered her mind.

"Is he with the advanced hunting party?" The man called down.

"Yes, I ride forward to welcome him."

"Proceed," the man said.

Mara did not hesitate to impel her horse forward, entering the cave at a fast gallop. Leaving the valley had been almost too easy. Evidently they did not concern themselves with the people who left the valley, only the ones who entered.

The sound of the horse's flying hooves made a deafening echo as it reverberated against the walls of the cave. Mara was now concerned with reaching the other side of the entrance before the hunting party the guard had spoken of returned. It would be devastating for her to have come this far only to be discovered and taken back to the City.

She reached the end of the cave, and she had to slow the horse as they climbed down the steep embankment. Once they reached level ground Mara kicked her mount in the flanks and the horse raced onward.