"Yes, I was a dancer. But I've danced as a goat-well, that's to say, as Shakkarn. Do you know the senguela- the dance about Shakkarn and Lespa?"
He did not, and listened attentively as she described it and went on to speak of Fordil's extraordinary skill as an accompanist.
"But if you danced in the Palace of the Barons at Bekla, you must be a very good dancer?"
"Well, I don't know. It was just that there was this party,
see, and I happened to be there. I was surprised how much they seemed to like it. But then if you're attending on the king, you must be a very good officer."
"Well, not really. It's just that I happen to speak Beklan, you see-"
They both burst out laughing again, thoroughly pleased with themselves and each other. He was an extraordinarily fine-looking young man, possessing both style and charm, and merely to have him seated beside her, hanging on her every word and never taking his eyes off her, was making her feel better and forget the strain and eerie bewilderment of the afternoon. She might not have known how to handle that-who would? she thought-but she knew how to handle this all right. Ah, if only they had been in Bekla!
"I suppose there'll be dancing or juggling and that after supper, will there?" she asked. "Is that why the king wanted it early-to leave time?"
"Nothing so pleasant, I'm afraid," answered Zen-Kurel. "No, the truth is-" dropping his voice and glancing sideways for a moment at Karnat, who was talking to his other neighbor-"the king's called a captains' meeting to be held after supper. I can't imagine what about. I thought we'd finished for today, but with him you never know. He may do anything at all, and he quite often does. Once, for instance, when we were down on the Belishban frontier-"
He was good enough to eat, she thought. He was even better than Elvair-ka-Virrion. His warmth and gallantry, his high spirits, his good manners-Suddenly she knew that if she could possibly help it she wasn't going to waste an opportunity like this.
"I dare say you'll be-er-very busy, then, all the evening?" she said, looking down at the grape she was peeling and slowly laying the strips of skin one by one along the edge of her plate.
"Well, as to that I can't say," he answered ingenuously. "A captains' meeting, you see-that could mean anything-"
Maia, still looking at her plate, let her knee touch his for no more than a moment. "Why?" he went on. "Is there anything I can dp to help you?"
"Well, the thing is, I very much need a new knife-a dagger, really-something with a blade and a point-and I was just wondering whether you could possibly get hold
of one for me. Only I lost mine crossing the Valderra, see-it was a good one, too-and these Subans don't seem to have anything that suits me at all."
"I'll bring you four or five to choose from," he said, "and sheaths to go with them. Shall I bring them round to your lodging? I don't know where it is, but if you can give me some idea-"
"Oh, that would be kind of you! I'd be so grateful. Only perhaps we'd better keep it a secret, do you think?-it's only-well, the Subans-they can be so touchy, you know."
"I won't give them the chance."
"I'll tell you where to come, then. You go-"
But at this moment they were interrupted, as Bayub-Otal broke off his conversation with the Suban lady on his right and once more turned to Maia at the same moment as the king. Soon Zen-Kurel was smoothly putting into Beklan the king's account of how he had once crossed the Telthearna into the wild land of the far north, where for the only time in his life he had seen the great blue eagles; that was in the Shardra-Main, the Bear Hills. Had Maia ever seen these eagles? Never, she replied, and to please him asked what they were like. Looking into Zen-Kurel's eyes as she listened to his smiling description, she felt she could have melted acres of the snowy wastes which they frequented.
Soon after, with supper ended, Karnat apologized to the ladies for the tedious necessity of holding a meeting of captains, both Terekenalt and Suban: however, he assured them smilingly, he would not be long about it-there were just a few trifles that needed discussion, nothing more.
Left among the ladies who had befriended her that morning Maia, after a decent interval of conversation, had no difficulty in pleading sleepiness and fatigue, and eagerly slipped away to her little house on the knoll. A lamp was burning, placed in a bronze basin as a precaution against fire, and three or four more had been left near-by, ready for lighting. She lit the lot, wishing as she did so that she had some pretty night-robe or dressing-gown, like the one she had put on-and then taken off-for Randronoth of Lapan on the night when he had stayed with Sencho. Well, there was no help for it. She would have to remain in the dress she had worn at dinner, and when Zen-Kurel came, pretend that some preoccupation or other had made her forget about changing. If he delayed too long, it wouldn't
seem very convincing. Never mind, she thought. He liked her: she liked him; and anyway, for all she knew Katrians cared little or nothing for such niceties.
She lay down on the bed to wait. A long time seemed to pass. It grew dark and the half-moon, already risen during the day, stood bright in the sky and shone in through the window. Moths fluttered and dropped about the lamps. She became impatient, then angry, then mortified and at last bitterly disappointed, lonely and depressed. So he hadn't taken her seriously after all! Yet it hadn't seemed like that during supper. No doubt he'd already got a girl somewhere in Melvda. It was only too likely-a young fellow like that. Or else the king had sent him off on some errand or other. But he might at least have let her know-sent a soldier or something. Well, she might as well go to bed. damn and double-damn Suba, baste the frogs, baste the blasted marshes! Black Kantza-Merada come and rip up Karnat and all his-
At this moment there were footsteps outside, a quiet knock at the door, and Zen-Kurel's voice called "Maia?"
He had brought a number of daggers for her to choose from, but after a short time they found themselves entirely agreed upon the one to suit her. It answered well in the hand and fitted its sheath perfectly.
She lay in serene joy, her head on Zen-Kurel's shoulder, one arm across his waist, her hair tumbled over his chest. The relief, the ease, the beautiful, smooth tranquility of her body, was like a transformation. She no longer felt the same girl. Everything-the marshes, the mud, the grimy soldiers, Bayub-Otal, Lenkrit-was changed and become acceptable in a warm haze of delicious, sleepy amazement and satisfaction. She felt equal, now, to all of them-equal to anything. O Shakkarn, he was marvelous! She'd never imagined anyone could be so marvelous. Tharrin, Sednil- how far off, how contemptible! There was no comparison. Whatever could she have been thinking of? She pushed the thought of them impatiently away, like a mistress rebuking some loutish servant-"Don't bring those things in here!" There were no words, no thoughts even, to express her joy. It lay all about her, hanging like crystal over the bed, filling the shadows of the room, pouring from her own body. She herself was the source of joy, a still center,
a fountain for the world. This, she now knew, was the man she loved and would never cease to love.
"Are you crying?" he asked suddenly. "My shoulder's wet!"
"I'm so happy!"
"It really meant so much to you?"
"Not did-does. It does-it always will! If only you knew how much!"
"You needed it, then."
"Oh, Zenka, it's much, much more than that-really it is. Do believe me! Yes, I did need, it but-oh, I don't want to go saying a lot of stuff as you mayn't Want to hear. I dare say you meet a lot of girls-"
He put one hand on her shoulder, gently pushed her over onto her back and silenced her by placing his other hand over her mouth.
"No; no, not like you, Maia. Can't you tell? You ought to be able to. You're far and away the most beautiful girl I've ever known in my life. When you came up to the landing-stage this morning, you looked like a goddess, do you know that? Everyone said so-even the king. Those yellow lilies-to tell you the truth, I've been able to think of nothing else but you all day. I'm utterly in love with you. I love you-sincerely."