Estra Jasini's flower garden (2)
Walking back to the castle
They forded the river by stepping stones across the bottom, stones that would not have been visible even in low water had not the drought been on so long. Princess Janomi could not remember a time when she could not cross that way. Estra Jasini could, but just barely. There was scarcely enough water left in the river now to float a boat, even the toy ones Tharton and Prince Jornath floated in it sometimes. She could remember, when she didn’t put it off to childish exaggerations, a time when the old stone wharves at the edge of town were crowded with ships, and more ships went continuously up and down the river. Now the wharves stood foolishly alone, for even at the highest river stage water never even reached the base of the stone piles.
Princess Janomi would come often to stare up at the barnacles and mussels and seaweeds which still clung, dried and dark, to the sides of the stones. She never really understood how they could have gotten there, for though she knew that the river had stood far higher than she could remember it, she could not believe it.
Past the river, they walked through the ruins of the beth. All who remained in the chantle and did not travel south to join High Prince Alleat or journey across the sea to visit forgotten relatives lived now in the castle. Or if they chose to remain on their land, in little huts so well hidden, that even if one knew exactly where they were, one could not see them.
It always made Jasini shudder to see burnt remains of all the buildings. The princess raced on ahead, not seeming to be affected by the gloomy sight of the charred buildings falling in on themselves. Of course, she had never seen them any other way. But Estra Jasini could just remember when the streets were filled with people, children laughing and playing, marketplace, where the Merchant Train set up booths, and the merchant-bards sang the old and new stories while they auctioned off their wares.
Now the center square was empty. The old fountain still stood, but no water remained in it. The merchant-bards no longer came, for the Merchant Train now wove its ways sole across the land of Telan, and came no more into the land of Telia.
While Estra Jasini walked slowly behind, remembering earlier days, Princess Janomi raced ahead. Twice she turned back to urge Jasini to hurry up, but she eventually gave up and ran on by herself. “All she thinks about are those old buildings,” the princess muttered to herself. “Nothing but a bunch of old, broken-down buildings.” She ran on to the gate of the castle. “Ah, your highness,” one of the guards greeted her. “I see you’ve been with the Estra in her garden.”
“Did you leave any flowers in the garden?” asked the other.
“Plenty,” the princess said.
“Where is Estra Jasini now?” the first asked. “They didn’t let you go out on your own, did they?”
“Of course not,” Princess Janomi snapped. “They never let me do anything on my own. She’s coming behind me. She stopped to look at those stupid buildings again.”
She should not have let you come on alone. These are dangerous times.”
“The times are always dangerous. And she didn’t *let* me. I’m a Princess. I can do whatever I want.”
“So you are, my little highness. But you still must obey the rules like the rest of us. Come in, the queen has been worried about you.”
Princess Janomi wrinkled her nose. “She shouldn’t worry. I’m a princess after all. She doesn’t worry about Aunt Letara.”
“Princess Letara is far older than you,” said the second guard. “You ought to hurry.”
“I’m going, I’m going,” she said. “Emperor with you.”
“And also with you, your highness,” said the guards, standing to attention.
She passed through the gates into the inner courtyard.
“Ah, there you are, Janomi,” the queen said, rising from her seat by the empty fountain. “I was beginning to be worried about you.” Although her words were calm, there was about her eyes something which suggested the near panic which she had felt when the princess did not return on time, and it was this that Princess Janomi reacted to.
“I’m all right,” she said angrily. “All I did was go out to the garden. I’ve done that lots of times. Don’t get mad at Estra Jasini or me.”
“I’m not, dear,” her mother answered. She smiled. “Shall we get ready for dinner, love? And take off all those flowers. They’re getting tried, and they’ll stain your clothes.”
“Not till Tharton sees them,” she said rebelliously. “I want him to see how beautiful I am.”
The queen sighed. “As you wish, my love. I would prefer that you wouldn’t see so much of him—”
“Because he’s a nobody, and if times we different, we’d never see each other at all,” Princess Janomi continued in a sing-song voice. “But I like him. He’s the only friend I got who isn’t family.”
“I know. When we go south, then you can see many proper people your own age.”
“Are we ever going to go south?” Princess Janomi asked, curiously. “You’ve been talking about it all my life.”
“If I ever can talk your father into it.” The queen smiled. “I married a stubborn man, dear.”
“Where’s Tharton? I want him to see me before dinner.”
“I believe he is over by the stables. Be careful, don’t get dirty. Well, any dirtier than you are. Make sure you go straight there, and then come right back, so you can change for dinner.”
“Yes, mother.” Princess Janomi sighed, and went obediently up to her mother to be kissed on the forehead.