Break the Gilded Cage Ch. 03

He led the horse across the ten feet, painfully aware of the openness. He didn't dare hurry for then the hooves would sound for sure, but he made it to the boat all the same.

He gently coaxed Wilhelm onto the boat and began untying the rope. A moment later she came hurrying soundlessly down the pier and climbed in as well.

For the next few moments there were muffled instructions back and forth. He was surprised to see that she had some knack of sailing. She wasn't the best, but she certainly made it easier to launch this little boat.

Finally they pushed off, him at the rudder, her securing the sail. She glanced back only once – one long look – and then fell to working.

They sailed on in silence for a little while, until the lights of the city had begun to fade in the distance with no sign of pursuit. She sighed deeply. Sitting back, she began to undo the turban wrapped around her head, watching him.

He felt her gaze, but made no response other than moving the ropes for the sails. Thankfully there was a breeze tonight. Finally he spoke.

"Why do you stare at me so, Rajkumari?"

She shook her head. "I apologize, Alexander sahaab. I am simply wondering at the man who would put himself at risk for a complete stranger."

"Well, I am not a complete stranger. I know your Uncle, and have known him for many years."

Her eyes darkened. "Uncle James, is it?" All the while they had been talking, she had slowly been unwrapping the turban, layer upon layer. Finally it came undone, and as her hair spilled down over her shoulders, he admired the long tresses. Her hair was black as night, and set off her eyes like a cat's.

"Alexander sahaab?"

He came back to himself to see her looking at him with that coolly amused gaze. She had picked up a bucket, evidently to get herself some seawater, and was wiping her face with a cloth, dipping it into the bucket. She had stopped, with one side of her face cleared, to query him.

He shook himself. She was waiting for an answer. "Yes, Uncle James. But listen, Rajkumari, why do you address me so formally? Alexander sahaab is much too formal for your humble subject."

She put down the bucket with almost a petulant air, but it was gone so quickly he wasn't sure if he had actually seen it. "You need not refer to yourself as my subject, my Lord. You are my husband by our laws, which also makes you a prince."

He looked taken aback. "I hadn't that of that."

She smiled gently, showing even white teeth in the darkness. "What would you wish me to call you?"

"Well...my name is Julian."

She picked up the bucket and continued washing her face. Half-bowing, she said, "I could not call you by your name without your permission, my Lord. If you wish, I will do so now. I may be a princess, but you are now my husband, at least according to the laws of our people."

He looked away at that, and spoke. "I do wish it, but I think we need to talk about that, Rajkumari."

He heard her set down the bucket and suddenly her warm hand was on his arm. She had removed her gloves, apparently. He turned to look down at her – and was suddenly struck dumb.

He remembered her mother very well. Her mother had been classically beautiful. Even as a young teen she had turned heads with her fair skin and high cheekbones.

Looking at her was like looking at a duplicate of her mother, barring a few differences. The general structure of the face was the same, but the skin was a light caramel rather than porcelain, and the eyelashes were black like the hair, rather than blond.

She was stunningly beautiful, and she had a slightly wild, independent look in her eyes that perhaps her mother hadn't had. This one would be difficult to tame, indeed, if ever anyone were to make the attempt. She hid it well under the veneer of the princess, however.

"Julian?" It was the first time he had heard his name uttered and seen that face at the same time, and his mouth went dry. Her face was not very far from his, and for a wild moment he wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He shook his head.

"I'm so sorry. I don't mean to stare, it's just – "

"What is it, my Lord?"

"Well, you look so much like your mother did, at your age." He stopped then, for her eyes had grown large and soft. "You knew my mother?"

He nodded. "Like I said, I was friends with your uncle – and your grandfather." His eyes misted over with memory.

"Would you...would you tell me about her?"

He smiled, and gently placed his hand over hers. "Yes. Anytime you wish. But first, perhaps we should discuss this other thing."

She sighed, and nodded. "Of course you're right, Julian. What do you wish to know?"

He hesitate. "Well – perhaps you can tell me anything you think I need to know."

Nodding, she sat back again. "Well, as you know, you were officially married by a mullah in my father's court. I know a little of politics, and I know how far my father's realm extends, and I know it is only our main continent and a few small islands. So that is how far our marriage legally extends."

She glanced up at him, then looked away. "Perhaps you wish to annul the marriage, and I can't blame you. But I beg for you to at least reconsider. If we remain married, the marriage means nothing anywhere but in the Arab countries. If we have it annulled, however, my father can reclaim me as I am only eighteen. As long as I am your wife, he may save face by telling the world his only daughter is married to a foreigner and therefore stays at his house, as is proper."

She looked up at him miserably. He knew she expected him to ask for the marriage to be annulled right away, and then she would have to go into hiding.

He considered it. It didn't do him any harm to remain married. There was no woman in his life right now, and even had there been, his duty to this innocent young girl would have come first. A thought occurred to him. "You said your father could reclaim you because you are eighteen. What does that mean?"

"In my culture, I am considered my father's property until I am twenty-one. After that, I would normally be my husband's, but if he chooses not to have me or something happens to me I would be on my own. He is required to give me my bride price, and that is all."

"How long before you turn twenty-one?" He thought he saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes, but she turned away before he had a chance to look deeply.

"I will be twenty-one in two years and three months, Julian. I am eighteen and nine months now. Oh, I know it is a long time to ask for, my Lord, but I promise I will not be any trouble! You do not even need to stay with me, my Lord. Merely do not break up the marriage."

He was surprised at this impassioned plea. He hesitated only a moment longer, and then nodded firmly. "Very well, Rajkumari. We will remain married until your twenty-first birthday, then."

She clasped his hand in both of her small ones, and he was astonished to see tears in her eyes. "Thank you, my Lord. You do a great thing for me." He patted her hand, reassuringly.

"You needn't thank my, Rajkumari."

Her head lowered, she spoke softly. "If you are to remain my husband, you should not call me princess. Please call me by my name."

"Alania?" He spoke the name gently, and she nodded.

"It is a beautiful name, but it does not sound Arabic."

She nodded. "It is not. My mother chose it. Since I was born a girl, my father did not care what I should be named. I am truly his only daughter amongst all the sons." A fleeting bitter smile crossed her face, making her look much older. "I suppose other fathers would have been pleased to have something different, but he attributed it to my mother's blood."

She looked back at him. The bitter look was gone, replaced by her normal neutral face. He was only just beginning to realize it was a mask. He wondered what lay underneath.

"What do you remember about my mother, Julian?"

He leaned back, considering, one hand on the rope to the main sail. "Well, let me think. Now remember, I only knew her for a few years."

She smiled sadly. "That is longer than I knew her. She died in childbirth, and I have been considered bad luck ever since. Sometimes...sometimes I wonder if she ever resented me."

He shook his head in surprise and negation. "I can say for sure that she never would have resented you. Your mother was the kindest woman I'd ever known. You know, she had five elder brothers and took care of all of them. Your grandmother had also died young. Even with these responsibilities she always had time for injured animals, birds, anything.

"Your mother was stunningly beautiful, probably the most beautiful woman I had ever met. She had blonde hair, and skin like porcelain – but you have her eyes, almost exactly." He smiled down at her. "It is odd to see your mother's eyes framed by black lashes."

She was watching him intently, hanging onto every word. "Were you good friends with her?"

He nodded. "Her brothers and her father always came first, of course, but she always had a tender word and a smile for me. I was a few years older and already adventuring, so whenever I visited she sent me off with plenty of home-cooked food, cookies, anything she had in the pantry.

"When she was married, I missed her."

Alania's eyes had misted over a little, and she suddenly shook herself. "I am sorry, my Lord. Here I am asking you to relate my mother's entire history in a moment when we still have plenty of time to go and you are exhausted.

"If you would like to rest, my Lord..."

"You are not wearing me out, Alania. I like talking about Marienne. And as for the other, we should both get some rest, but you should rest first. Then, if you wish, you can change your clothes while I rest. We will arrive at your Uncle James' city shortly after dawn."

"Very well, my Lord, but wake me when you are tired. Will you be coming to see my Uncle?"

He nodded. "Very briefly, however, for another duty calls me."

She nodded, but didn't ask. Instead she removed a bedroll from Wilhelm's bags, and stretched it out as best as she could. She pulled a blanket around her, and said, "Good night, Julian sahaab. Please wake me when it is time."

"Good night to you, my lady."

She was sound asleep in a matter of minutes, and he watched her face for a few minutes. Her sleep did not seem entirely restful. Her eyes twitched under the lids, and the heavy lashes fluttered. He saw her hand tighten under the blanket. Curious, he lifted it gently – to see her fingers curled tightly around the hilt of a sheathed blade. He let it drop, and sat back.

The moon rose as he watched. He stayed awake until his eyelids were droopy, and the moon began to set again. He judged it to be about 4 in the morning, and if he waked her now, she would only have three or so hours to keep guard.

"Alania," he called softly. Her eyes opened immediately, and flicked up to his face. They held there, like a wary animal's before she relaxed and smiled. He wondered what kind of life she had led up to this point to be so jittery in her sleep. Not mentioning it, he spoke.

"I'm sorry, I simply can't stay awake any longer. I'm exhausted," he said. She yawned, sitting up. "I will take watch now, Julian. Thank you for watching over me. Sleep well."

He nodded, and stretched out on his own pile of blankets. "Wake me when we come within sight of shore, Alania."

She smiled. "Whether I wanted to or not, I would have to, since I do not think I can dock the ship on my own."

He laughed sleepily in response. "Well, then, by all means, please waken me." He was asleep in less than five minutes.

He awoke to a hand on his shoulder. He was gently being shaken. "My Lord?"

He roused himself, and sat up. "How close are we to shore?" In answer, she pointed off the bow. He looked to see her Uncle's glittering city, warm and welcoming in the morning light. They were just rounding the bay.

"Well! That is good to see! How long did I sleep, my Lady?" Turning to her, he noticed she had changed out of the dark clothes. She was now wearing a white dress, with wide straps at the shoulders. The dress reached her knees, but the bottom was fluted, and it hugged her curves in a most distracting manner. The neckline was not overly low, but not modest by any means.

Aware of his scrutiny, she looked away. He thought he detected a hint of pink in her cheeks, but she only answered, "About three hours, my Lord. I awoke you upon entering the bay."

He became busy then, directing the entry into the bay. He told her what to do, and she obeyed quickly. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and it made her look her age, i.e., very young. She smiled often at him but she was mostly quiet. Finally they docked, and he paid the overnight stay for the boat. "It's yours, I suppose, my Lady, so you can sell it or do as you deem fit."

She nodded. "Will you show me where my Uncle lives, or should I make it there myself?"

"No, I will show you there. Unfortunately I will not stay long, as I have urgent business that calls me to another city, to Esperanza." In truth, while he did have someone waiting for him, it wasn't in the least urgent. He wanted her to have some time alone with her Uncle, to get to know him, since she would be living with him now. He supposed they would probably move to another city, far away from the caliph's influence.

He smiled down at her. "This way, my Lady," he said, leading the horse. They walked through the streets, toward the more affluent part of town. She had wrapped a silk-lined cloak around her shoulders. She looked like any typical young noblewoman shopping with her man-at-arms.

They entered Richmond Square, where her Uncle lived. "There," he said. "That's your Uncle's house."

She looked, silently. Her Uncle's house was the largest in Richmond Square. He wasn't the most affluent businessman in the city, but probably amongst the top ten. It towered over the rooftops.

"That is going to be my new home?" He nodded.

They continued on, in complete silence now. Julian was getting a vibe from her. Whether good or bad he wasn't sure, but there was definitely something a little tense about her.

They came up to the gate and he rang the bell. Immediately the gate warden hopped out of his shack and approached them.

"Lord Alexander. Welcome back. Please, enter – his Lordship is waiting most anxiously." He glanced curiously at Alania, but didn't comment.

Her cloak was wrapped tightly around her, and she had pulled the hood over her head. Her large eyes watched everything from inside.

They walked up to the door, and rang the bell there. After a few minutes, the door opened, and Samuel opened the door. He was a good butler, for he showed no surprise at either Julian's prompt return or the presence of the young lady beside him, but just let them in.

"My Lord, you are always welcome here. Please, come in, and I will inform the master that you are here. My Lady, this way please."

"It's good to see you again, Samuel."

They entered, and stood in the hallway. "My Lord, you may come in further."

Julian spoke. "That won't be necessary. I'll be on my way as soon as I turn the lady over."

"Very well, sir." Samuel bowed, then went off to fetch his master.

Julian turned to Alania. "Well, we may as well bid our farewells here, my Lady. I think you will be in good hands."

For a moment, he thought he saw a mute look of appeal in her eyes, but immediately her gaze was steady as she curtsied. "I thank you again, my Lord Alexander, for escorting me here. You risked your life for mine, and I will not forget that so easily."

It was a pretty enough speech, but oddly stilted and formal, and he couldn't help but notice that she had reverted to calling him "my Lord Alexander". Before he could think of a comment to make, he heard James coming down the stairs.

"Julian! My friend! I did not expect you back so quickly. And – is it?" For he had spied the hooded figure standing next to him,

Slowly Alania removed the hood, displaying her upturned face. James gasped, then hurried down the stairs. "My sweet niece!" So saying, he enveloped her in a hug. Julian noted that her arms remained at her sides.

James turned to him. "My friend, I can't possibly thank you enough. Please, come in."

Julian shook his head. "I'm sorry, old friend, but I cannot stay. Urgent business calls me away. I was glad I could help you, though."

James looked surprised, but grateful. "Come again soon. When will we see you again?" Julian considered. "Well, my business should be done in just a few days. I could stop by briefly on my way past."

James nodded. "Please do. Niece and I will be looking forward to it. Are you sure you must leave?"

Julian nodded again. "And I think on that note I will be on my way." He clasped hands with James. "Goodbye, my friend. And Alania – fare thee well."

She had not said one thing during the preceding conversation, and now she turned that beautiful gaze on him. He thought he detected a hint of sorrow, but he wasn't sure.

"Fare thee well, my Lord Alexander. May the gods keep you."

He smiled at her, nodded to James, and went out. The last thing he saw was James putting his arm around his niece and gently leading her upstairs.