Helliconia Summer - Brian W. Aldiss [283]
When the queen decently could, she left JandolAnganol and Taynth Indredd talking, and crossed to the fountain to speak with the girl. The latter was staring moodily into the water.
‘Are you looking for fish?’
‘No, thank you. We have much bigger fish than that at home in Oldorando,’ She indicated their size in a childlike way, using her hands.
‘I see. I’ve just been talking to your father, the prince.’
The girl looked up at her interrogator for the first time, with an expression of contempt. Her face astonished MyrdemInggala, so strange was it, with huge eyes fringed by abnormally long lashes, and a nose like the beak of a little parakeet. By the beholder, thought the queen, this is a half-Madi child! What a funny little thing! I must be nice to it.
It was saying, ‘Zygankes! Taynth my father! He’s not my father. Whatever made you think that? He’s only a distant cousin by marriage. I wouldn’t have him for a father – he’s too fat.’ As if to strike a pleasanter note, the girl said, ‘In truth, this is the first time I have been allowed to travel away from Oldorando without my father. My women are with me, of course, but it’s terribly boring here, isn’t it? Do you have to live here?’
She squinted as she peered up at the queen. A characteristic in her face made her look at once pretty and stupid.
‘You know what? You look quite attractive, for an old person.’
Keeping a serious face, the queen said, ‘I have a nice cool reservoir, sheltered from view. Would you like a swim? Is that permitted?’
The girl considered. ‘I can do what I like, of course, but I don’t think a swim would be ladylike just now. I am a princess, after all. That always has to be considered.’
‘Really? Do you mind telling me your name?’
‘Zygankes, it is primitive in Borlien! I thought everyone knew my name. I am the Princess Simoda Tal, and my father is the King of Oldorando. I suppose you’ve heard of Oldorando?’
The queen laughed. Feeling sorry for the child, she said, ‘Well, if you’ve come all the way from Oldorando I think you deserve a swim.’
‘I’ll swim when I please, thank you,’ said the young lady.
And when the young lady pleased was next morning at dawn. She found her way to the queen’s quarters and woke her. MyrdemInggala was more amused than vexed. She roused Tatro and they went down with Simoda Tal to the reservoir, accompanied only by their maids, who bore towels, and a phagor guard. The child dismissed the phagors, saying that they disgusted her.
A chill light lay across the scene, but the water was more than tepid. Once, in JandolAnganol’s father’s time, carts of snow and ice had been brought from the mountains to cool the reservoirs, but considerations of manpower and the stirrings of Mordriat tribes had terminated such luxuries.
Although no windows but her own faced over the reservoir, the queen always swam in a filmy garment which covered her pale body. Simoda Tal had no such reservations. She threw off her garments to reveal a stocky little body prinked with dark hairs, which stood out like pine trees on snowy hillsides.
‘Oh, I love you, you’re beautiful!’ she exclaimed to the queen, rushing up as soon as she was naked and embracing the older woman. MyrdemInggala was unable to respond freely. She felt something inappropriate in the embrace. Tatro screamed.
The young girl swam and surface-dived close to the queen, repeatedly opening her legs as she performed in the water, as if eager to assure MyrdemInggala that she was fully adult where it was most important to be.
At the same time, SartoriIrvrash was being wakened from his couch by an officer of the court. The guards had reported that the Sibornalese ambassador, Io Pasharatid, had left on hoxneyback, alone, an hour before Freyr-dawn.
‘His wife, Dienu?’
‘She is still in her quarters, sir. She is reported to be upset.’
‘Upset? What does that mean? The woman’s intelligent. I can’t say