***
The camp’s fires were burning low. Their eerie glows pierced the dark night and mixed with the cacophony of jungle sounds. Javin shivered at the surreal feeling. The princess’ personal guard, or Vouloo as she called them, gathered around their fires doing assorted chores, the work of the camp. Each time one passed by they would give Javin a strange look, smile then move on. Their pelts glowed with the dancing flicker of reflected flames and their faces were illuminated as they looked his way then fell in shadows when they turned back. Javin shook his head.
"You must forgive them their curiosity," Siri' Bhu said stirring the coals of their fire. "They have never seen a Mulda' fi before. Neither have I. But I suppose the time is ripe for one, if there ever was."
Mouhra' Lah glanced her way with a sharp look.
Siri was the Keeper, as she had explained her title. She kept the history of the city, of the royal family, and chronicled their lives. It was a calling she'd trained for all her life.
Javin couldn't really tell her age. She seemed a bit older than Mouhra' Lah, who was across the fire sitting regally on a rock. From the looks the princess gave him, he knew she still wasn't sure he should be running around loose.
"Tell me," Javin said looking across the flames at the princess. "You said something about not wanting to relax your guard. Are you in some sort of trouble?"
Mouhra' Lah took a deep breath. Siri' Bhu looked at her out of the corner of her eye.
"Javin, there must be many things you do not know if you've just come to our world. One of those is the way things are right now, though indeed, my own people don't know about it either. But they will."
Seeing the princess' obvious tension, Javin remained silent. The whole camp had gone still. Slowly the princess looked around, noting the silence.
"If you are one of the Mulda’ fi, perhaps you should know. And I shall tell you." The women in the camp slowly went back about their business. Javin could tell they were quietly attuned to whatever was being said.
"Perhaps it would be best if I told him," Siri said.
Mouhra nodded. "I think you’re right. You are the Keeper after all. And it may help to hear it from other's lips rather than relive it in my heart."
Whatever it was, Javin could see it pained her. Her composure was extremely thin, and his asking had pushed the pain even nearer the surface.
"The princess is heir to the throne of Putra’ Fi Soro, the capital city of the Land we call Mouhran' Lih. Her name denotes her as the royal heir, actually now, the rightful queen if the truth were to be told."
Mouhra' Lah pursed her lips, slight lines formed at the corner of her eyes beginning to glisten with moisture.
"The last queen, the princess' mother, recently was murdered. We believe it was poison, though no one could prove it. And her uncle just so happens to return from a secret venture he still will not discuss, not many days after her death.
“He had been summoned for the state funeral. No one knew where he was or how to reach him.
“Claiming he'd been called away on urgent matters of state at the queen's behest, he said, his errand must be kept a secret concerning threats to the kingdom and sovereignty of the people. He said that what he learned there, and then the queen's death, confirmed that the throne was in jeopardy.
“Proclaiming a state of emergency, he immediately usurped the power of the princess, asking to be named regent until Mouhra' Lah's safety could be sufficiently guaranteed, and she then ascend the throne."
Mouhra' Lah snorted. "The only thing Tranthra' Joh wants guaranteed is the kingdom for himself! Always one for power, he found a way to seize where he could not ascend rightfully!”
Javin stared at her.
“My uncle was on no errand for my mother and I know it! We, my mother and I, talked of his leaving shortly after he left. She was just as curious as I where he’d gone.” The princess folded her arms indignantly.
“I brought that up to my Uncle. All he would do is smile in that condescending way of his, and assure me it was for the benefit of the kingdom.” She paused and anger glinted in her eyes. “More like the benefit of his grasping power!”
“Not long from his returning,” Siri’ Bhu began again when she saw the princess had once again grown silent – but kept watching her closely. “Tranthra’ Joh called the princess to him and proposed marriage.” Javin looked at the princess. Her eyes were flashing with anger, face flushed. “Of course the princess told him no.”
“In no uncertain terms!” the princess snapped.
“Yes,” Said Siri’ Bhu, again watching the princess closely, hesitating before she continued. “However, he continued to press his suit, saying it would be best for the kingdom, that he would be a strong king and protector for the hardships to come.
"Tranthra’ Joh boasted of having had a vision of where the kingdom must go, what it must do to become stronger, and that he could rally the people and forge the greatest nation in history.”
“The big blowhard,” the princess jumped in again. “I told him that the nation didn’t need his vision, that it didn’t need his leadership, and that I, Mouhra’ Lah was strong enough for my people. Further, I told him, that if he were really as strong as he said, then he should exert some of that strength to find the murderer of his sister, my mother, but that I intended to find out myself with or without his help.”
The little party was silent for a time. Javin could tell the princess was fuming again. Siri’ Bhu kept looking back and forth between them, but eyeing Javin in a strange way he didn’t think he liked.
“Tranthra’ Joh mentioned hardships to come?” Javin said after a time. “Is your kingdom in trouble?”
“It wasn’t,” the princess answered, this time in a lower tone. “That is, until my mother was killed and my Uncle started pressing for power. When I refused him, he hinted that I’d best reconsider or something untoward could happen while I was still waiting to become queen. It was clear that he meant it as a threat, but not in such a way that I could have him arrested.”
“What’s the hold up in your becoming queen?”
“It is forbidden for a queen to rule who is not, or has not been married.”
“Then why don’t you find some man and get married?” Javin pressed. “Then you could assume power and force your uncle off to the side?”
There was a sharp intake of breath from Siri’ Bhu. Javin glanced her way then back to the princess, whose eyes were flashing in anger. After a moment she calmed herself and her features relaxed.
“You are indeed a stranger in our country or you would realize it is not so simply done. I for one” the princess continued, her voice rising slightly, “would not hold for just marrying anybody who comes along simply so I could be queen.”
There was silence for a time again.
“Look,” Javin said, “I don’t want to upset you, it just seemed to me to be a simple solution to your problem. A queen can do many things, or at least she ought to be able to do things she wants.” Javin picked up a stick and began poking the coals of the fire. Siri’ Bhu continued to look back and forth between the princess and Javin. Several times she acted like she wanted to speak, but stopped. Finally the princess spoke again.
“There is someone, or at least was someone,” the princess began softly. “A prince of a neighboring mountain province – a powerful man, yet gentle. We met on several occasions, and aside from the benefits of a political alliance for our cities found we shared similar dreams and visions for our people. We continued to correspond and both agreed we should be married.
“I discussed it with my mother and she was heartened by the idea and immediately announced our betrothal.
“The City of the Winds had celebrations such as you’d never seen, and my betrothed and I were happy. A date was set, arrangements made then tragedy struck.
“Within a month of the time we were to be married, mothe
r took ill with a strange disease the finest physicians couldn’t cure. The prince immediately set out with a party to come to me and offer what support he could. He never arrived. There were rumors he was attacked by a renegade band – people from another city trying to stop our cities’ alliance; though it’s been long since any of the cities have fought amongst themselves.
“An exhaustive search was mounted. No sign was ever found. Mother continued to grow worse. My heart pained me and I was torn between going out to find the prince or staying with my mother. If my mother should die I couldn’t be away from the city.”
The fire crackled. Javin noted the far away look in Mouhra’ Lah’s eyes. The sounds of the night seemed to close in and silence reigned throughout their camp.
The Vouloo surrounding their several different campfires were silent, acting like they weren’t listening, yet no one spoke.
The princess continued.
“Finally, after a night of pain and fever, my mother passed on to her rest.” Mouhra’ Lah gave a slight sigh. “The State funeral was planned and my people went into morning. Mother was a much beloved queen.
“And then my uncle came back from wherever it was that he had gone; all tears and mock sorrow at the queen’s passing.” Again Javin saw the anger flame back into her eyes. “He immediately addressed the Quorum, a group of close advisors my mother held to confide in and advise her in all State matters. They agreed that my uncle be set up as Conservator until such time as I married and could take over the reins of government.”
The princess’ voice started out almost as a low growl as she continued, “I was the only one who found it ironic when my uncle returns just shortly after my mother’s death, and the prince gone missing, and who just so happens to begin pressing for my hand in marriage when he knows there is no one else who could come forth.”
Siri’ Bhu moved over from her place and sat next to the princess, her arm consolingly around her. The princess didn’t seem to notice. She looked directly back into Javin’s eyes, making him nervous. For some reason she was speaking directly to him, confiding in him as if he had power to help.
Strangely he found he wanted to help. Not because of her beauty, not because she was in distress, but because he felt an innate rightness about her cause.
Something within swelled up and pushed forward, at once scaring him while at the same time emboldening him, making him proud, knowing that whoever he was, or had been, deep within he had a strong sense of rightness; a person who beyond anything else desired the right to succeed.
“I knew my prince was not dead,” the princess interrupted Javin’s introspection. “My prince could not have died, I can feel it here,” the princess held her hand over her breast. “Our bond was such, even though it can’t be described, we would know if the other had perished.”
Javin was skeptical though he couldn’t discount it completely. Maybe she really would have felt it. Maybe she just doesn’t want to admit it.
“My uncle’s importunities increased and I realized the only way I could save my country and myself from his greedy aspirations was to leave – to find the prince myself. So that is what I did.”
At this point Siri’ Bhu jumped into the conversation, her eyes alight with the fervor of loyalty.
“The princess would be alone had I not noticed her preparations. I quickly gathered her personal guard and we made our own preparations to follow. We had to be quick for the princess knew at any time her uncle might take hold and not let her go. No doubt he suspected her designs.
“On the guise of going to the market place with just a couple of her most trusted guards, the princess went out of the castle, wandered through the street for a time to make sure she wasn’t followed, then donned a dark cloak, pulling the hood up over her head she went out the front gate of the city and up the road. After she was out of sight of the city, she went into the wilderness, heading in the direction where the prince would have been traveling to reach Putra’ Fi Sorro.
“She hadn’t gotten far when her Vouloo and I made ourselves known.
“We’d been waiting without the gate just outside the cleared space from the city and followed her for a time to make sure she hadn’t been followed.” Siri’ Bhu stroked the hair away from the princess’ face much as a mother would. The princess, deep in her own thoughts, gazed at the glowing embers of the dying fire.
“At first she was angry,” Siri continued, “then hugged us all for our loyalty. She needed to know she wasn’t alone – that she was loved. And most importantly that she was supported by all of her people.
“To most of us within the court it was easy to see what her uncle was up to. And we, like the princess, desired no part of it,” Siri’ Bhu’s fervor raised the pitch of her voice. “The sooner we got out of there the better, to my mind!” Suddenly she stopped, as if realizing her outspokenness might be out of place in front of the princess. Instead the princess reached over and squeezed her hand.
“The Keeper’s fervor in a good cause is much to be admired, don’t you think?” The princess once again looked directly at him. He could almost see the working of her mind behind the glistening brown eyes that reflected intelligence along with the glow of the coals. It seemed as if in her silent pondering while Siri’ Bhu had been speaking she’d drawn several conclusions, made an assessment, and reached a decision . . . all about Javin.
He could feel it.
“We have been away from the palace ten days now,” the princess continued, her eyes sparkling, her body erect with resolve, assuming a soft but commanding tone. “Surely my uncle has sent out search parties, but our goal is still the same: To find my prince, then go back and take my rightful place as queen.”
She paused briefly and Javin felt her eyes piercing deep as if trying to plumb his soul.
“Mulda’ fi,” she said, and the word slapped Javin a stinging blow across the face as if it had been physical. Siri’ Bhu’s eyes widened. The guards around the other fires craned their necks, turning with an almost inaudible gasp of surprise.
“Mulda’ fi,” the princess said again, “for that is what I believe you are. I humbly ask your aid. If the legends are true and you’ve been sent to our world, here is a good place to begin. Begin for my people; my city . . . And maybe other cities. I don’t doubt that Tranthra’ Joh has designs beyond Putra’ Fi Sorro. The prince is missing.”
To Javin the implication was plain.
Silence reigned in the camp. All eyes turned toward him. The fire popped, throwing a coal off into the dirt. Javin stared at it for a time, stunned. Then the feeling of rightness returned, the swelling in his breast, of not being able to stand aside while those whom he could help stood in need. He clenched his jaw as the feeling surged. Then he felt a warming in his breast, a heat where the crystal must invariably sit next to his heart. It was hot, encouraging.
“I will help you,” Javin started in a low, rumbling voice. “I will help you in whatever you need, for as long as you need it. That is my pledge to you. I don’t know how a single man, such as I, unarmed and unaware of his past and his very surroundings, can help, but that I will do with my very life!”
There was a power in his words that seemed to make the air crackle with energy. His breast burned within until he felt like he might be consumed.
Siri’ Bhu hugged the princess, tears unabashedly streaming down her face.
Javin didn’t know whether to be terrified at what he was saying and feeling or just let it flow through, for he truly did feel the depth of what he said, meaning every word.
Silence languished for a time. The feeling in the air sparked low to a burning ember setting in Javin’s heart, and by the look on everyone’s faces, theirs as well.
Finally Javin took a deep breath, a wry smile crossing his face, echoing the strange humor he found himself having even in the most dire situations. “Not to put a damper on our little party here,
” he said, his smile growing larger, “but since you’ve given me the title, Princess, maybe we should begin by having you teach me just what a Mulda’ fi is and what I’m supposed to do.”
There were muffled laughs around the fires and the guards turned back, murmurs of low conversations back and forth. The princess giggled softly and clasped her hands together with deep relief evident in her face.
“For tonight it is enough you have accepted. It’s late and I’m tired, as I’m sure everyone else is.” She glanced around the camp, winking at those who caught her eye. “Tomorrow Siri’ Bhu will undertake your instruction as we travel.” She looked at Siri’ Bhu who in turn smiled at Javin.
“You know, if I may say this even to a Mulda’ fi. For a pale, bare-skinned animal, you are strangely handsome -- in an exotic sort of way.”
Laughter erupted all through the camp. Javin smiled, enjoying their much-needed humor.
“Thanks . . . I think,” Javin panned, “and maybe tonight I won’t sleep so deeply and find myself at the point of a spear again.” Again muffled chuckles sounded as everyone started dousing the flames and retiring to their bedrolls.
For a time Javin lay close to the still warm coals of the patted fire. Occasionally he heard the murmuring voices of one or another of the Vouloo as they spoke quietly before sleep took them.
So now I’m a Mulda’ fi, Javin thought. Somewhere deep in the back of his conscious mind Javin knew this was new, that he wasn’t as he’d been before he’d come here . . . wherever here was.