Chapter 3

‘If I had had the slightest idea of what was troubling the child,’ he confided, ‘I should have yielded to her wishes. As it stands now our celebration of her birthday has been of no advantage to her. Indeed, it has done her harm. Everyone will think she is queer, if not definitely out of her mind.’

The almost incredible thing that happened was reserved for the banquet in the evening, attended only by the royal household, the Councillors and their wives, and a few distinguished guests from Petra, where Zendi was becoming favourably known.

Nothing unusual had marked the happy events of the day. There had been exciting contests of strength and skill; acrobatic performances, wrestling, fencing, foot races. Magicians had done baffling tricks. Minstrels had sung. There were horseraces that would have done credit to the famed elliptical track in Rome’s mighty Colosseum. And there were equestrian exhibitions staged by various groups of reckless young Arabs, some of the contestants hardly more than children. As was to be expected, there were a few bad spills, some broken bones and ruined horses. The final event was a breath-taking hurdle race ridden by youths in their middle teens. The hurdles were high and the race was dangerous. Of the twelve horses that started, three finished.

Obliged by the circumstances to sit with the dignitaries in the royal stand, Fara turned to her mother as the perspiring young victor rode up to salute the King, and whispered, ‘Who is that boy?’

Before Arnon could reply, Kitra, seated immediately behind them, leaned forward to say, with a proud but nervous little laugh, ‘Why—don’t you remember him, Fara? That’s Voldi! You used to play together.’

Fara turned to her with a smile and a nod of remembrance.

‘He is a wonderful rider,’ she murmured, in the husky-timbred tone that her voice had acquired.

Queen Rennah, overhearing, said, ‘We will ask him to come up, Fara, and renew acquaintance.’

Fara bit her lip and flushed a little. Meeting Arnon’s eyes, she frowned and shook her head almost imperceptibly. Arnon smiled, pursed her lips, and nodded, as if to say, ‘We mustn’t object to that: it’s quite the thing to do.’

Presently Voldi, dismounting, came up into the royal enclosure, bowed deeply to the King and Queen, and made his way toward his mother. They gave him a seat beside Fara. She searched his brown, freckled face with wide, sober eyes. Then her full lips parted in a smile of candid admiration. He coloured a little through the tan, under this frank inspection, and slowly met her smile with the bewildered expression of one who has just come upon a valuable discovery.

Rennah, keenly observant, turned her head toward Kitra and whispered, ‘Isn’t that sweet?’ Kitra nodded and smiled briefly, but there was a trace of anxiety in her eyes. Rennah caught it, and thought she understood.