Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) (4 page)

"You think I should go?"

"I gave David my word before I took you away from his home that after the birth of a son you would be able to visit him."

"Will you and the children go with me?"

"I cannot go, Mara. I am needed here, and I cannot allow you to take the children."

"Then I will not go. I do not want to be parted from you."

His arms tightened about her protectively. "I cannot bear the thought of you not being beside me, but I gave my word and my word cannot be broken."

"Even if I do not want to go?''

"Even then, Mara. To let you go will be to tear my heart from my body."

Understanding the kind of man he was, she knew how much it meant to him to honor his word, and she as his wife must not make it more difficult for him.

"1 wish you would allow the children to go with me. It will be very painful leaving them behind,"

"It will be hard enough for me to let you go. I could not bear it if the children were gone, too. When I made the promise to David I was the prince royal, and had my father not been killed I would have been able to journey with you to your brother's home. But as I have the responsibility of my people to consider, I cannot leave just now."

"When will I leave?" Mara asked, becoming resigned to the thought that she must go.

"It should be as soon as possible. I would like you to return before winter sets in."

"Oh, Tajarez, I want you to be proud of me, and I want to be the kind of queen who is strong and does what is expected of her, but I fear I will not be able to leave when the time comes."

His hands moved over her body as if trying to burn the feel of her into his mind. He swallowed a lump in his throat, wishing they did not have to be parted. "You will tell David that I will not allow you to visit him again. I cannot bear to think of you being gone from me."

"Tajarez, what if little Hamez and Tamera forget about me? I will not be here when they begin to walk. I will miss so much. And how will I sleep at night without you beside me?"

"As for the babies, you must not concern yourself on their account. I shall spend every free moment with them, and I will speak to them of their mother each day."

She buried her face against his wide chest, hoping she would not cry. Closing her eyes, she let his nearness fill her heart. She loved him so deeply and wanted nothing more than to remain beside him. "Will Jeffery go with me?"

"No. He does not want to leave Sasha while she is expecting the child, but I am sending fifty of my best warriors to look after you. I have not forgotten how the Kiowa chief tried to take you from me. There will be no danger this time. My warriors will care for you."

"Will Palomas go with me?"

"Of course, as well as your serving women, Falon and Minet."

"When will I go?"

He was quiet for a moment. "In two days* time. I will ride with you for the first week, but then I must return."

He kissed her lips softly, and when he made love to her he was so gentle it brought tears to her eyes. How would she ever be able to leave him when the time came, she wondered.

3

I need you, I want you. Do not send me away.

I am begging, I beseech you, allow me to stay.

Mara kissed Hamez and Tamera and handed them back to Vista with tears in her eyes. "Watch over them carefully, Vista," she said turning away quickly and rushing from the nursery before she broke down completely in front of her children. She found her brother Jeffery waiting for her in the hallway and went into his outstretched arms.

"It is almost April, honey, you should be back by the end of August. Time will pass quickly," he told her, knowing what she was feeling.

"Jeffery, look after Tajarez for me. He will…he is going to be lonely. Try to see that he does not miss me too much," she told him, leaning her head against his shoulder to hide the tears that blinded her.

Jeffery tilted her chin up and gave her a reassuring smile. "I will, Mara, there is no need for you to worry about Tajarez, just take care of yourself."

Knowing that Tajarez was waiting for her, Mara smiled bravely. "I hope I shall be home before Sasha has your baby. I do so want to be with her when the time comes."

"I am afraid that will not be possible, but hopefully you will be in St. Louis in time to witness the birth of David and Linda's baby."

Mara's eyes sparkled. "We Goldens seem to be populating the world lately, do we not?"

Kissing her brother on the cheek she rushed quickly down the stairs and through the huge anteroom where she found Sagas waiting for her. He reached for her hand and placed something in it. Mara saw it was a heavy golden chain with a disk in the shape of a pyramid. The face of the pyramid was engraved with tiny hieroglyphics.

"What is this, Sagas?" she asked as she read the markings out loud. "It says: 'I will seek where I belong.' What does it mean?"

The old man looked deeply into her eyes. "Put it on, Mara, and do not take if off for any reason. It will help you find your way home."

"I do not understand."

A veil seem to cover his eyes, turning the black circles to smoky gray. "Heed my words and never take it off," he warned as he turned his back on her and hurried away, leaving Mara to wonder about his words. She slipped the gold chain over her head and felt it nestle between her breasts. It felt warm against her skin, almost as if it were alive. Knowing by this time Tajarez would be wondering what was keeping her, she forgot about the chain and walked out into the bright sunlight.

Mara's heart was warmed as she noticed the people of the Lagonda tribe were lined up along both sides of the roadway to see her off. Smiling proudly, she raised her hand to them and received a rousing tribute. How she had grown to love the people of this hidden valley. This was her home and where she belonged.

She felt rather then heard someone beside her and did not need to look up to know Palomas, the ever faithful watchdog, was standing near by. He would be with her on the journey, and for that she was grateful. Mara was dressed in white doeskin. The fringe at the neck and hemline of her dress were beaded with gold. White doeskin moccasins fit snugly about the calves of her legs. Dressed as she was, she had a freedom of movement she had never enjoyed in the conventional clothing she had worn before coming to the Seven Cities as Tajarez's bride. She had long ago abandoned her sidesaddle and now rode astride as any Lagonda maiden would.

The crowd became strangely silent as she descended the wide stone steps that led up to the palace. With one last final wave to her people she joined Tajarez, who was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. She dared not look at her husband as Palomas helped her mount her horse. Mara did not look back as she rode away with Tajarez at her side, Palomas and the guard following closely behind. She was leaving everything that was dear to her, and she almost resented the fact that Tajarez had given his word to David to allow her to visit him.

As they rode across the bridge that spanned the river, Mara looked at Tajarez. He had not spoken to her nor did he look in her direction, and she knew he was also wishing that he had not given his word to David. She knew he would be very lonely without her and would suffer until she was with him once more, Mara made herself a promise that she would not add to his unhappiness by crying, if she could help it. He would try to hide his feelings, but she knew him so well, he would never be able to fool her. The face he presented to his people was not the real Tajarez. In many ways he was very vulnerable, at least where she was concerned, and she knew she must be strong for both of them.             

It was warm and cozy inside the big white tent as Mara lay in Tajarez's arms.  She thought how different it was from the journey when she had first come to the Seven Cities. On that journey she had not been allowed to be with Tajarez. Even though they had been married in a ceremony at her home in St. Louis, the marriage was not recognized by the laws of the Lagonda tribe. Mara, as the intended bride of Tajarez, the prince royal, had to be pure and untouched until she reached the Seven Cities, where Tajarez's father had joined them as man and wife. It had been a long journey for both Tajarez and Mara.

The mink robe felt soft against Mara's bare skin. She turned to face Tajarez, who had not spoken a word to her all day.

He picked up the golden disk that hung about her neck. "What is this?"

"I am not sure. Sagas gave it to me and told me not to remove it."

"It has writing on it. What does it say?"

"It says 'I will seek where I belong.' "

Tajarez frowned. "What does it mean? What did Sagas say?"

"He said very little. I do not know why he gave it to me."

"I asked him if it would be safe for you to make this journey, and he said all rests with the Great Father. If I thought for one moment that you would be in danger, I would not allow you to go."

"I cannot see what harm could come to me with the army of warriors you have surrounded me with, but I would much rather return home with you."

"Mara, do not ask it of me. I am half out of my mind dreading the day we must part. Do not ask me to break my word to your brother."

"I could go another time."

"No, it would be just as hard later. I will fulfill my obligation to your brother, and then I will have kept my word."

That night they made love frantically, as if trying to fill each other with the love they felt. Long after Mara had fallen asleep, Tajarez held her in his arms and whispered words of love in her ear. Fear nagged at the back of his mind. He fought against the urge to take her back home with him, but honor ran deep in his veins, and once he had given his word he felt bound by it.

On their last day together Mara was teary-eyed. When they stopped that evening to make camp, Tajarez took her hand and led her to the top of a small hill. He did not look at her as he spoke.

"Mara, will you think of me?"

"I will think of little else."

"The hand of the warm season is upon the land. The season of growing is not too distant, then there will be the harvest season, before the time that wild geese fly you will be home."

Mara laid her head against his shoulder. "Did you ever wish that time could stand still?"

He turned her to face him. "For now I wish time could fly on golden wings, and you would soon be back with me."

The breeze stirred his long ebony hair and Mara saw the sadness in his dark eyes. "Oh pray, my love, that time does indeed fly on golden wings," she whispered.

"Time has had very little meaning to me in the past, but now each day you are away will seem as one of your years, beloved." He bent his head and kissed the tears from her face, then he took her hand and led her down the hill and into their tent.

Neither of them wanted to sleep. It was the last night they would have together in a very long time.

Mara was determined that she would not cry again, knowing how Tajarez felt about tears. To him tears were a form of weakness. She remembered the one time she had seen him cry. It had been when his cousin Anias had abducted her and Tajarez, bound by a leather strap, was forced to watch what he thought to be her death at his cousin's hands. He had despised himself that day for his weakness, and Mara knew that he had not forgotten that she had witnessed his shame. To her it had been final proof that he loved her, but to him it had been a sign of weakness and shame.

Mara must have fallen asleep, for she felt Tajarez's hand on her shoulder as he shook her gently awake.

"Beloved, it is almost sunrise," he whispered.

She threw her arms around him knowing they were approaching the time of parting.

"Mara, do not forget to leave St. Louis no later than the end of July in order to be home before the first snowfall."

"I will not forget."

"Mara, you will let no other man touch you," he said in an agonized voice. "I know you will see many of the men who have admired you."

She cupped his face between his hands. "You know Palomas would never allow any man to touch me. What about you? Will you smile at all the pretty maidens while I am away?"

His dark eyes looked deeply into her green ones. "I will look at no one," he whispered. "You have my word as king."

"You have my word as queen, that I shall be too busy thinking of you to look at anyone else." The tears she had willed not to fall washed freely down her face. "Oh, my dearest love, my heart is breaking at our parting," she sobbed.

Tajarez grabbed her and crushed her tightly in his arms as he smothered her face with kisses. They remained in each other's arms until the sun made its appearance for the day; then they both arose and dressed.

Mara went into his arms, knowing it would be the last embrace they could share, for the king could not make a public showing of his feelings.

“I will miss you each moment, Tajarez.''

He traced the outline of her face with his finger, then he lowered his head and kissed her passionately. They stood locked in each, other's arms for a long time, but at last Tajarez raised his head.

“It is time for you to leave, beloved. Oh, I almost forgot."

He led her over to a chest and raised the lid. Mara saw it was filled with ^old. "This is so you will be able to purchase whatever you need."

She laughed up at him. "Oh, Tajarez, what could I possibly need with all that gold? Besides I already have everything a woman could want."

"You will purchase a large quantity of the tea and coffee that you like to drink."

Mara knew it would do no good to tell him that with such a large amount of gold she could buy several coffee and tea plantations.

"Come, it grows late," he told her.

They walked out into the morning sunlight, and as soon as they had vacated the tent it was dismantled and loaded onto the back of a packhorse.

Tajarez raised his hand and the warriors gathered around to hear what their king had to say. "I charge each and every one of you with the queen's safety. When you reach her brother's home you will set up camp in the woods, awaiting the time for her to return home. I do not want her left alone. When she is in her home, Minet and Falon, as her servants, will attend her. You, Palomas will not leave her except when she sleeps at night."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Palomas led Mara's horse forward and Tajarez lifted her onto its back. His hand lingered about her waist and she knew by the look he gave her that he was reminding her she was the queen. She touched his face softly and he stepped back a pace.

"Until I see your face again, beloved," he whispered so only she could hear his words.

Mara urged her horse forward as the warriors closed ranks around her, each knowing he was charged with her safety, and each willing to stand in the way of anything that would harm her.

Looking over her shoulder Mara saw Tajarez raise his hand to her. She was too far away to see the expression on his face. Was his heart breaking as hers was, she wondered? She resisted the urge to turn her horse around and ride back to plead with him to allow her to return home with him. When she rode up the hillside he was still standing where she had left him, with the view of the tall mountains that hid the Seven Cities rising majestically behind him.

Mara had a feeling of deep foreboding as she rode down a deep gully and could no longer see her husband.

Palomas, who was riding beside her, spoke. "It seems to be a warm day, Mara," he said, and she silently blessed him, knowing that he, who never talked much, was making small talk so she could think of something else besides Tajarez.

"Yes, it is a lovely day." Tajarez would be proud of her she thought, if he knew the tears that were in her heart did not reach her eyes.

"Look to the left of us, my queen," Falon said. "I see the king."

Mara looked toward the hills and saw Tajarez sitting on his horse. How alone he looked, Mara thought. She nudged her horse on to a faster pace, knowing she must not weaken. Tajarez would expect her to act as his queen.

They rode hard all day and Mara could feel every mile that separated her from the man she loved.

That evening Mara sat on the fur robe while Minet brushed her golden hair. Minet and Falon had been trained by Sasha, and Mara found them to be very sweet and even-tempered. They both watched her now, apprehensively, knowing she was sad at being parted from the king and her children.