Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) (35 page)

28

A warm wind is blowing, my love smiles at me.

He loves me, he loves me. At last I am free.

Tajarez laid Mara down on her bed and pulled the covers over her. Falon entered the room and Tajarez placed his finger to his lips telling her to be silent, and nodded for her to accompany him into the hallway. With one more glance at his sleeping wife he left the room and found Falon waiting for him.

"Watch over your queen tonight, or what's left of the night. Allow her to sleep as long as possible. She has had a very bad time."

"It will be as you say, my king."

"How is my son Andrew?"

"I am told he thrives on the milk from the woman Vista found to feed him. My king, I am happy that you found the queen and that she is unharmed."

"I know you are, Falon," he said smiling at her kindly.

Falon could see how tired he looked. The past year had not been kind to her king, and she hoped he and the queen would soon find each other again. She watched sadly as he walked away from her. It was not always easy being king, she thought.

Mara awoke and looked about her in confusion. Sitting up slowly, she saw that she was back in her room at the palace. By the position of the light in the room she could see that it was late afternoon.

Falon, who had been quietly waiting for her to awaken, smiled brightly. "Would you like a bath before you dine, Mara?"

Mara swung her legs over the side of the bed. Every muscle in her body seemed to ache.

"Yes, a bath would be nice, Falon."

As Mara relaxed in the warm bath she tried to put the events of the night before out of her mind. By all rights she should be dead at this very moment. Stepping out of the bath she dressed in a warm gray woolen gown.

Falon noticed she was strangely silent as she toyed with the food on her plate. "Mara, my king would like to see you after you have eaten," Falon told her.

That announcement finished off what little appetite Mara had had. She found she could not eat another bite of food. She might have known Tajarez would not let last night pass unnoticed. Pushing the tray aside, she stood up, thinking she might as well face Tajarez and get it over with. Her only hope was that his queen would not be present when he reprimanded her.

"Where am I to see Tajarez, Falon?"

"I will take you there," the girl told her, giving her an encouraging smile.

Falon left Mara outside the door of the room where she had confronted Tajarez the day she had been so angry with him for taking Andrew from her. She wished she had half of the courage she had demonstrated that day. Squaring her shoulders, she tapped lightly on the door.

The door was immediately opened and Tajarez stood towering over her. She could not read anything in his blank expression. Looking past him, she was glad to see that the room was empty but for him.

Tajarez did not speak but inclined his head and motioned for her to be seated. Mara sat down on the edge of the white doeskin cushion and folded her hands demurely in her lap.

Tajarez sat down beside her and picked up one of her hands. "Did you rest well, Mara?"

Mara jerked her hand free of his, fearing someone would enter and find him holding her hand. "I awoke only a short time ago."

"I have been awake for a long time waiting for you," he said pushing a golden curl from her face.

"Do not touch me," she said scooting away from him.

He arched a dark brow at her, but said nothing.

"Are you still angry with me?"

"I should be. But I am too grateful that you were unharmed." He reached out and captured her hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Tajarez stop this, suppose someone were to come in!"

He noted the urgency in her voice and wondered at the cause of it. "No one will enter, but if they did, why should you care?"

"I do not want you to forfeit your life because of me!"

"Mara, what are you talking about?"

She leaned closer to whisper in his ear as if fearing to be overheard. "I would not like for anyone to find out about us. Sasha told me that if you were to ... to lie with anyone but the queen, you would be put to death."

Tajarez smiled. He now knew why she had acted so strangely. "Sasha was correct, Mara," he said, his smile deepening.

"I do not find any amusement in that, Tajarez. I would not like you to die because of me. Too many people know about us already. Why can you not see the danger to yourself?"

"Would you care so much, Mara?"

"You know I do. How can you even ask after the other night?"

He pulled her into his arms once more and laughed at her puny attempt to free herself. "That night was wonderful, as tonight will be."

"Tajarez, are you mad? Do you not care what could happen to you?"

"Yes, my beloved, I am raving mad. I love you, and if I must die for it, then so be it," he said, unable to resist the temptation to tease her.

Her green eyes sparkled dangerously. "If you do not release me this moment I will ... hit you!" she said furiously.

"That is what I like to see, my old Mara who was full of fire, and daring anyone, including myself, to cross her."

Mara relaxed against him, knowing that struggle was futile. "I came here expecting to find you angry with me," she said trying to distract him.

"I should be, but I could never be angry with you for very long. Mara, why did you run away from me last night?" He captured her face and forced her to look at him. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them found he was watching her closely.

"I left because I love you, and I could not bear to think of your being with another woman. And when Sasha told me it was
forbidden
for you to be with another woman, I knew I had to get away."

"Mara, I had a talk with Tabo today. We discussed you."

"That must have been dull."

"I told him I was weary of this farce. He agreed with me that it was time for you to be told who you are."

"I know who I am. I am Mara Golden."

"The name Mara is correct, but you are no longer a Golden."

"I am not sure I am following you, Tajarez," she said, a worried frown on her face. "You are not making sense."

"Am I not?"

"Not to me."

"Come with me," he said standing up and leading her out of the room across the anteroom and toward the stairs.

Mara pulled back when she saw he was leading her to the forbidden stairs that led to his own quarters. "I will not go with you to see the queen!" she told him, twisting away from him.

Reaching out for her, Tajarez lifted her into his arms and ascended the stairs.

"Put me down, what if someone should see!"

"If they do, they will think I take you to my bed," he said laughing down at her.

When they reached the nursery he set her down and opened the door, waiting for her to precede him inside.

Vista was just putting Andrew down for a nap and she looked up startled at the sight of the queen.

"Wait in the hallway, Vista," Tajarez commanded.

Vista lowered her head in a quick bow and left hurriedly.

Mara walked over to Andrew and smoothed his dark hair from his face. He was sleeping and she felt an ache inside wanting to hold him. Tajarez came up beside her and peered down at his son.

"I am sorry, Mara, for taking Andrew away from you, but after today perhaps you can find it within you to forgive me."

She looked up at him. "You did it to force me to stay with you, did you not?"

"I am not sure. Perhaps that was part of it, but inside I think I wanted to punish you for not loving me."

"I do love you."

Tajarez grabbed her and crushed her to him. "Mara, Mara, I want so much for you to remember, but since you cannot, I am going to help you."

Raising her head she kissed his smooth cheek. "How can you help me, Tajarez?"

"Come. I want you to meet my twins," he said, steering her across the room and opening a door that led to still another room.

"No, Tajarez, do not do this to me. I am not yet ready to see the children of your queen," she cried, trying to loosen his grip on her hand.

Tajarez pulled her forward, and Mara looked about the room. There were thick gray rugs on the floor with bright patterns of animals woven in many different colors. There were shelves stacked with toys and two small beds with blue coverlets each embossed with a gold cobra head.

"Why are you doing this to me? Are you so cruel that you do not see what I am feeling?" she cried out. The tiny prince and princess had been playing on floor and Mara closed her eyes, not wanting to see the children Tajarez had fathered by another woman.

"Hamez you will find, is very advanced for his age. Both he and his sister speak very well. Even at their early age they have a teacher who instructs them daily in speech."

"Tajarez, have pity," she said turning her back, wondering why he was insisting on her seeing the twins.

"Tamera is coy and flirtatious," he continued. "She has stolen everyone's heart, as her mother has."

Mara turned around to face him. If this was some cruel game he was playing, she would not let him see how much it was hurting her. She took a deep breath as she saw the tiny girl stand up and toddle toward her father, holding her arms up to him. Mara looked past the girl to the tiny prince royal, who was still sitting on the floor stacking wooden blocks.

"Your children are lovely," she said without really looking at them closely. "Now that I have seen them, can I go?"

"But, Mara, you have not truly seen them," Tajarez persisted reaching down and scooping up his daughter. "Would you like to hold Tamera, Mara?"

"No," she said in a whisper, backing away from him.

"You will notice that Tamera's hair is dark like mine, although her skin is much lighter in color. Look at her eyes, Mara, her eyes are very like her mother's."

Mara shook her head from side to side. "No, I want to leave," she said in a strangled voice.

Before she could run from the room as she wanted to, Tajarez handed his daughter to her and she had no choice but to take the child in her arms. The tiny girl raised her head and Mara could see her sweet face through a blur of tears. Her gaze focused on the child's eyes, and Mara gasped.

Green eyes! Eyes as green as her own looked back at her curiously. Mara's heart was pumping frantically, and she tried to make some sense out of what she was feeling.

"I am confused," she said, hardly above a whisper.

"As I said, her eyes are very like her mother's," Tajarez whispered close to her ear.

"But I did not know that her mother was white. No one told me."

Tajarez scooped up the prince royal and held him out for Mara's inspection. "Hamez also has your eyes, Mara. Is it not a startling combination with his dark skin?"

Mara swallowed convulsively as hot tears scalded her eyes. "I do not understand any of this, Tajarez, unless . . . your queen was barren, and I provided the children for you." She looked into his face pleadingly. "Is that what happened, Tajarez?"

"My queen is not barren, Mara, but very fruitful, providing me with three children to prove it. The last of which is the Prince Andrew."

"Oh dear God!" she cried. "It cannot be. I am your wife! I am your queen! No, it is not possible!"

"I see you need more proof. You always were hard to convince." Crossing the room, he opened the door. "Vista, come to me," he called.

Vista appeared immediately, looking uneasy because she did not know what was going on.

"Vista, who is this woman? Tajarez asked in a commanding voice.

"I was told to say, if I were asked, that her name is Mara, my king," Vista said, misunderstanding his question.

"I do not mean her name, Vista. I give you leave to speak her true identity. Tell Mara who she is," he ordered.

Mara was startled when Vista dropped to her knees and looked up at her with tears running down her face. "You are my queen, and I have been sorely grieved that you do not remember how much you are loved. I am your humble servant, and stand ready to serve you in all ways."

Mara felt as if her' body was drained of all its strength. She felt the room spinning around her and aware that she was falling forward. Her last conscious thought was for the safety of the child she was holding. She felt Tajarez take Tamera from her, and she slumped forward in his arms, into blackness.

29

In joyful confusion I reach for his hand.

He is my true love, this dark, brooding man.

Mara awoke in a state of total confusion. Looking about her, she saw that she was in a strange room. It was a huge bedroom. The marble floor was covered with white fur rugs, and there was a big golden insignia hanging on the wall, with a cobra whose eyes were set with two huge emeralds. She needed no one to tell her that she was in the bedroom of the king.

Hearing people talking in hushed tones, Mara turned her head and saw Tajarez and Tabo standing near the door. Tabo glanced up and saw that Mara was awake. He walked over to her and smiled.

"How are you feeling, my queen?" he asked.

"I do not know. I am very confused."

"I was afraid something like this might happen," he said bending over her and examining her eyes. He then felt her pulse rate and turned to Tajarez, who had a worried frown on his face.

"She appears to be fine, but just in case you should need me, I will sleep in the palace tonight."

Tajarez nodded as he looked down at Mara.

"I would suggest, my king, that you give her something light to eat, such as broth."

Again Tajarez nodded, and he watched as the medicine man departed. He then turned to Mara, who seemed to think she should say something.

"This is a very grand bedroom. It is yours, is it not?" she said, voicing the first thing that popped into her head.

Tajarez sat down beside her and took her hand in his, raising it to his lips. He kissed it softly. "This is the room you and I have shared since the day my father made us husband and wife."

Mara bit her trembling lip. "Tajarez am I truly your wife, and the queen? Am I the woman that I have heard so many kind words spoken about?"

"You and she are one and the same, beloved. Are you pleased that you are my wife?" he asked shifting his position so he was lying down beside her.

"I think so. I am in such a state of confusion. Do you realize I almost grew to hate the woman who was your queen, and all the time she was I, or I was she."

He pulled her into his arms and rested his face against hers. "Were you perhaps jealous."

Mara looked up at him. "Extremely so. I cannot yet think of the queen as myself."

"Try not to think about it. I want you to rest. It has been a great shock to you finding out who you are." He traced the outline of her lovely face and gave her a smile that melted her heart.

"You were so adorable earlier, when you were concerned that I would come to harm for loving you. I could not resist teasing you. Am I forgiven?"

"Yes," she whispered, willing to forgive him anything. He whom she loved above her own life was her husband. Now she could understand why he had said he loved her, but he also loved his queen.

Mara sat up suddenly. "Tajarez, Hamez and Tamera are my babies. You said so, did you not?"

"Yes, they are of your body, just as Andrew is."

She covered her face, trying to hide her tears, "Andrew is not ... he would not be branded a . . . he has a legal father!"

"Yes, he has a father who loves him very much."

She turned tear-bright eyes to him. "Tajarez, I want to see all three of my babies. I want to hold them in my arms and tell them how much I love them," she said excitedly.

"I want you to rest for now," Tajarez said standing up. "Perhaps later in the day I will have the children brought to you."

"I am not really tired."

"Close your eyes and rest. I must leave you for a time."

"Why?" she asked, not wanting him to leave her.

"It seems Palomas and Sasha are making noises, demanding that I tell you your true identity," he said, bending over and kissing her on the forehead.

When he was gone Mara closed her eyes trying to rest, but her head ached, and she had so many things to think about. It was as if the sky had opened up and she had been handed her fondest wish. She was the wife of the tall, dark Indian she loved so desperately, and he loved her! How was it possible that she was the woman of whom everyone had spoken as being so unselfish and beautiful? She searched the dark recesses of her mind trying to remember the past, but it would not yield its secrets to her.

Mara could not suppress a giggle as she remembered the unkind things she had said to her brother when he would not defend her from her own husband. Oh poor Jeffery, what a trial she must have been for him.

Mara opened her eyes. She had not thought she would be able to sleep with so many things to think about, but apparently she had been wrong. Sitting up and stretching her arms over her head she found she felt very refreshed.

Suddenly the door opened and Tajarez entered the room carrying Hamez, while Sasha carried Tamera, and Vista held Andrew.

Tajarez plumped Hamez on the bed beside Mara. "Hamez, this is your mother," he said to his son.

Hamez fixed his mother with a green gaze and crawled over to her, climbing onto her lap.

Mara gasped as she looked into his eyes. Yes, he did have her eyes! An avalanche of feeling washed over her as she held Hamez's slight body in her arms. She cuddled him closely, not aware that she was crying.

"My son, my beautiful little boy," she said, planting many kisses on his tiny cheek.

Hamez patted her cheek lovingly, "Mother, pretty mother," he said in a clear voice.

Sasha and Vista were crying at the sight of the tears in their queen's eyes.

"My queen," Vista spoke up. "I have not allowed the children to forget their mother. I have spoken to them of you every day."

"Thank you, Vista," Mara said kindly.

Hamez picked up a lock of his mother's golden hair and stared at it in wonder. "Pretty," he said, so seriously that Mara laughed and hugged him tightly.

"He always did have a fascination with your hair, Mara, as his father does," Tajarez said as he scooped his son up, and motioned for Sasha to hand Tamera to her mother.

Tamera went readily into Mara's outstretched arms and nestled close to her. "I love you," the tiny girl said, kissing Mara on the cheek.

"Oh, she is so lovely," Mara said, smoothing the dark, silky hair from Tamera's angelic little face. Mara held the tiny girl, loving her with all of her heart.

"You are going to be a heartbreaker when you grow up," Mara said, kissing her smooth cheek.

She looked up at Vista. "Are they healthy, Vista?"

"Yes, they have never known a sick day, my queen."

Tajarez placed Hamez on the floor and took Andrew from Vista and then sat down on the bed beside Mara. "Everyone says Andrew looks like me," he said with pride, holding the newest member of his family against his cheek. "Andrew and I have been getting acquainted lately."

Mara watched as Tajarez kissed Andrew on his chubby little cheek, and her heart swelled with love. Tajarez seemed such a loving, caring, father. Looking over Tajarez's head Mara caught Sasha's eye.

"Sasha, I am glad that I am the queen, and the woman you spoke of as your best friend. I only wish I could remember our friendship."

Sasha smiled sweetly. "I look forward to the day you will know who you really are."

Tajarez exchanged Andrew for his sister. Andrew had fallen asleep and was totally unaware that he was in his mother's arms.

"Hamez and Tamera are delighted to find that they have a baby brother," Tajarez said. 'Tamera wants to mother him, while Hamez wants him to get up and play with him. I told him it would be awhile before Andrew would be able to run and play as he does." The Princess Tamera had curled up in her father's arms, and he looked down at her adoringly.

"Oh no, my prince! You must not do that," Vista cried out in distress. All eyes went to the prince royal who had climbed up on a stool and had put his father's crown, with the double cobra, over his head. The crown was so large it had slipped past his head and rested on his shoulders.

"Father's," he said, with a gleam in his green eyes.

Tajarez laughed and rose from the bed. He picked Hamez up and removed the crown from his head. "You must be content with the crown of the single cobra for a time, my son. It is not yet time for you to replace your father."

There was a rap on the door and Sasha opened it, allowing her husband to enter.

"May I join this happy group?" he asked crossing the room to plant a kiss on his sister's cheek.

Mara hugged him tightly and when he stood up she gave him a bright smile and said in English, "I suppose you are expecting me to say I am sorry for all the cruel things I said to you?"

He gave her a lopsided grin. "You were very hard on me, Mara. I will not soon forget your analysis of my character."

"But you will understand and forgive?" she said uncertainly.

His good humor was apparent when he threw his head back and laughed deeply. "Oh, my sister, you have a sharp tongue, and you did wound me sorely. But not without provocation, I might add. I took a good look at myself as I must have appeared in your eyes."

"Did I make you squirm?" she said with an impish smile.

"Extremely so."

"I truly am sorry, Jeffery."

"Do not let it trouble your lovely head. I knew if you would remember who you were you would forgive me all."

"It is now time to leave," Tajarez said in the voice of authority. "Mara needs her rest."

There were sounds of protest from Hamez and his sister, but Tajarez stood firm and ushered everyone out of the room. After they had gone it seemed strangely quiet.

"Andrew seems to be thriving with the wet nurse, but I do miss feeding him," Mara said.

Tajarez sat down beside her and took her hand. "You have been through so much lately, I want you to rest and regain your strength. You are much too thin."

"I feel fine. If it were not for these headaches, I would be well," she corrected him.

"Tabo told me about your headaches. He seems to think they will pass when you have recovered your memory."

"Yes, he has told me this also."

"Mara, what do you think of Hamez and Tamera?"

"They are so wonderful. I wish I could remember about the past. I am missing the best part of my life."

"I think you should not try to make it happen. Just go with each day as it comes. I will see that your life is filled with beautiful memories starting now," he said, giving her the special smile that Mara was learning he reserved for her alone.

"Tell me about the past. I want to learn how we met and how I came to the hidden valley."

"I will tell you later tonight, but for now Falon is waiting with something for you to eat."

"I am not hungry."

"Nevertheless, you will eat," he said, walking to the door and returning with a tray. He sat down beside her and removed the white napkin from the tray. Lifting the golden goblet to her lips, he urged her to drink. The broth was not very good, and Mara wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Tajarez raised an inquiring eyebrow and took a sip from the golden goblet. "I see what you mean, it is not very good—however," he said, lifting the tasteless brew to her lips once more, "you must drink it all. Tomorrow you can have something more substantial to eat."

Mara was moved by his loving care of her. So she obeyed him and drained the goblet. Thinking back she could see that he had been very patient with her. Today she had seen a very human side of him. Not the arrogant king, but a man who was sensitive and caring.

Tajarez, seeing that she had finished the broth, picked up the corncake and spread it with honey and offered it to her.

"Your reward for being a good girl," he said smiling.

Mara took the corncake and bit into it, finding it more to her liking, and soon had eaten it all. "Have you eaten?" she wanted to know.

"Yes I ate with Jeffery, while you were asleep." His eyes went to her lips. "You have honey on your mouth," he whispered. When Mara would have wiped her mouth with the napkin, Tajarez stayed her hand.

"Allow me," he said in a deep voice.

Mara was shaken to the very depth of her body as his tongue traced the outline of her mouth. Tajarez did not stop when the honey had been removed, but covered her lips in a kiss that was so sweet it brought tears to her eyes. She was disappointed when he broke off the kiss.

"I have something to attend to. I will be back later," he said, standing up and taking the tray.

Mara was deeply frustrated as she watched him disappear out the door. Her body was awakened at his touch, and she tried to dismiss her strong craving for him.

Mara found she felt much better after having eaten. Her headache was gone and she felt rested. She removed her gray gown, and dressed only in her undergarments, slipped under the covers. In spite of all the sleep she had gotten earlier, Mara felt herself getting drowsy and soon drifted off to sleep again.