Miss Understanding

Astra knew that her freedom had just gone from little to none within the blink of an eye. Astra, the Princess Ithamarastra to her people, had little practical knowledge of men having been brought up in an almost wholly female environment. She understood diplomacy and the game of war very well, however. She and her sisters had been raised learning war skills in such lessons as chess and they had spent hours each day perfecting their strategy. She was angry but knew better than to show it, she was in a weak position and she was frustrated that this idiot from the hinter northlands had maneuvered himself into a better field. She would love nothing more than to slit his scrawny throat, but her knife had been taken from her earlier.

Governor Gilder tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for a reply. It was Fred who broke in: "Sir Governor, slavery is such a harsh word, our servitude in Allaria is not so cruel as you would think. I ask that you release this woman to me, and I make oath before you now that I shall not keep her as servant nor wench, but will walk with her as an equal by my side."

Both Ithamarastra and the Governor showed surprise by these words. Astra desired to speak out, but if she were to not arouse the ire of this Hespan nor alert him of her lineage as a daughter of Themyscira, she had to play the part of Allarian servant. The Governor, however, spoke up: "You misunderstand our laws, Allarian. She is no longer your servant regardless of what you say or do." He looked at Fred and asked the question that had been on his mind but not yet on his lips: "What is your name, man of Suffex?"

Fred looked at the Governor, this wasn't going as he had hoped. He needed to think on his feet, it was not as easy as some of the chanticleers from his homeland had made it out to be in their songs. "My name is Sir Rickard, but that is not... not so important. Please, I am... am glad that you have freed... my servantmaid--"

"But?" queried the Governor with a smile.

"But I am more to him than a servant," answered Ithamarastra.

"We love each other," responded Fred. Ithamarastra groaned within herself.

The Governor mulled this over. "You say lots of things, not all true. How about this, you - Sir Rickard - can go home, today, on a ship of your choosing from my fine bay, in fact, I'll send you off with a gift of ninety-nine bottles of a fine wine, grown in my vineyards and fermented in my vaults. But this golden Allarian maiden will not return with you."

Fred was not sure what to do, he felt obligated to help this Aqualarian woman for he was the reason she was in this trouble [14612]. Without thinking it fully through he said to the Governor: "I know she must look beautiful from the outside but I assure you, this woman is merely a polished up monster. You should have seen her when I found her in the squalors, she was a beast." Ithamarastra nearly choked on these words.

The Governor was stunned. "You're not a very good liar, Sir Rickard! One moment you love her, the next she is a monster!" He knew that the man was hiding something, and he knew that the Allarian did not want to leave this woman, what he didn't know was why. He didn't even know her name as of yet. Was it as simple as a prude having his way with a wench? Hardly, this woman was no wench! Perhaps this woman was the wife or mistress of another Allarian noble, THAT would be cause for worry!

Fred continued: "I am sorry, Sir Governor. I am... nervous... we came here to avoid... to avoid news of... our... her... my..."

The Governor turned to Ithamarastra. "Tell me maiden, what is your name?"

She answered: "Croix." She had heard this name before, from the northern ambassadors, and it carried a fine sound in her opinion. She knew that the imbecile Allarian was digging a pit that would only end in their destruction, she had to take things into her own hands. "Sir Governor, you can see that we are... embarrassed at our presence here. We never meant any harm, in fact we were openly walking on your beach."

"True," said the Governor.

"Sir Rickard indeed has traveled, and along his journey he... found me. We are not lovers, any fool could see through that, but he owes me a debt."

"And what debt would that be?" asked the Governor.

"One too intimate to reveal, no disrespect intended, Sir Governor," answered Ithamarastra.

"Too many secrets here!" said the Governor with a smile. "I like you, like you both. A man from Suffex and his mysterious companion. We shall eat, perhaps tell a few tales, and then sleep. Tomorrow we shall see what the day will bring!"

1. At the meal Lord Fred (Sir Rickard) and Princess Ithamarastra (Croix) eat sumptuously with the Governor and eight other well-dressed, well-manored persons...
2. Much later that night...
3. Meanwhile, in the harbour of Corona...

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