Chapter 25

As Anjatta had predicted, the presence of the Junata’s Lance, guarding their ship, prevented other patrol ships from bothering them during the rest of the way to Sanjaba. In the evening of the fourth day of their voyage from Katerra, they gathered in the captain’s cabin.

“Tomorrow, about midday, we’ll reach the port of Sanjaba,” Kuwasi announced. “The port lies within a bay and the passage is guarded by two large towers with a giant ballista on top of each tower. They’ll see us coming from afar and will be ready to welcome us long before we moor at the piers.”

“Yes, they’ll send someone to welcome us,” Anjatta agreed. “I can’t be certain what my mother told my uncle, the King, about you but I know soldiers will be waiting to escort us to the palace. My uncle will want to see us.”

“An escort to the palace?” Evanis asked. “Is that a nice way to say they’ll arrest and drag us before the King?”

“It wasn’t my uncle, the King, but my mother who gave the order to arrest Jabbit and Sybelien,” Anjatta replied. “The King will decide for himself if we are a danger to him and Ibanee. He’s a traditionalist and a traditional Ibanee doesn’t view young women as dangerous. Jabbit is a man at least but too young to be taken seriously. I’m certain my mother will have a hard time convincing him of the opposite. In my uncle’s eyes, Kuwasi will be the only one of us who is dangerous but the King wouldn’t waste time to arrest him. Kuwasi will be killed as soon as someone recognizes him.”

“Kuwasi can disguise as a patch-man and hide among them,” Anseyla suggested.

“Kuwasi may hide and I can become invisible,” Sybelien remarked. “What about the rest of you? Ibanee is an island; we all are trapped when we land, no matter if someone arrests us or not,” she said and then looked at Jabbit. “We are here because you wanted to see the ocean, boss. What do you want us to do now?”

Every eye turned to Jabbit for his response.

“The King will want to see us and decide if we are dangerous to him,” he reflected. “I want to see the King and wait for his decision. I heard Anjatta’s mother wants Sybelien’s death and me at least arrested. I want to see and talk to her as well. I also want to see Ibanee. I know it’s an island but we won’t be stranded - I am an island, too.”

Evanis snorted. “See? That happens because all of you worship him as a god; it goes to his head.”

Rhaseris cast a piercing look at the warrioress. “Jabbit said we won’t be trapped and I believe him. You may not call him a god nor think you’re worshipping him but let’s be honest, Evanis; you’re on this ship, will land on Ibanee, will accompany Jabbit when we meet the King and when we leave again, you’ll still be clinging to his side. He is your god as well as ours.”

Evanis rolled her eyes and was about to respond but Anseyla was faster and covered her sister’s mouth with her hand.

“Give it a rest, Eva,” she cut her off. “We get it; you’ll forever be an infidel and rebel, and Rhaseris is a devoted priestess. It doesn’t change anything and I’m tired of listening to this squabble.” She turned to Jabbit. “So that means we won’t try to hide or flee, right?”

He just nodded in response.

“Then we should dress for the occasion!” Anseyla excitedly exclaimed. “We are a royal delegation on a state visit and have to look the part.” She paused her enthusiasm to cast a pointed look at Jabbit and Sybelien. “You two, as well! Most especially you two.”

Anjatta smiled at Anseyla. “She is right,” the Ibanee princess approved. “I invited the future Empress of the Alorian Empire and her imperial entourage to a state visit.” Looking straight at Sybelien she continued. “I know you aren’t used to it and don’t want it but that’s who you are - a princess and future empress. So don’t look at me like the lamb I’ve just sent off to the butcher.”

Evanis pulled her sister’s hand from her mouth and grinned. “Evanis Danjala, Commander of the Imperial Guard. I like how that sounds.”

“And I’m an imperial lady-in-waiting,” Anseyla primly stated.

“The lady-in-waiting will be waiting for a-damn-long-time,” Sybelien grumbled.

Anjatta smiled. “Anseyla understands and soon you will as well, Sybelien,” the oracle predicted. “If you look like the Alorian Empress, you’ll be treated like an empress - and no one arrests an empress. Your appearance will be your shield.”

“And Jabbit will have to appear like a god?” Evanis asked with a frown.

“Why do you ask?” Anjatta countered. “Are you afraid for him?”

Evanis answered with a prolonged sigh and shook her head.

After breakfast the next morning all the young women were once again gathering in the captain’s cabin and playing dress-up. Dresses, robes, and gowns made of a multitude of different cloths and in every color of the rainbow littered the room. Two of the three princesses present were professionals in dressing. The third urgently needed help, at least in Anseyla’s opinion - which, of course, Sybelien just as urgently refused to accept.

The youngest Danjala shook her head in frustration. “You’re a princess about to visit a royal court, you can’t wear trousers!” She exclaimed, exasperated. “Besides, I don’t have any trousers your butt would fit in. It’s almost as big as Eva’s now!”

“Hey!” Evanis cried out.

“Well, then Eva can borrow me some clothes,” Sybelien concluded. “I prefer to dress like a warrior than to look like a damn doll!”

“The pewter-blue silk dress with the gold stitchery and the autumn motifs would look good on you,” Rhaseris suggested, helpfully. “I tried it but my hips are a bit too narrow and it would complement your fair skin much better than my darker complexion.”

“I tried a silk dress before and I hated it!” Sybelien groused. “It feels like I’m naked and...” her words faded before she finished her sentence.

“Your nipples were showing,” Anseyla finished for Sybelien, rolling her eyes. “Big deal. My gown is almost see-through and I’ll put a touch of rouge on my nipples to emphasize them. There is nothing wrong with it.”

“Yeah, but you’re a...” Sybelien faded out again.

Anseyla grinned at her girlfriend. “Yes, I am but you love me anyway,” she said and stuck out her tongue. “By the way, I don’t believe you’ll feel much comfier dressing like Eva. Her skirts are pretty short and she doesn’t wear any smallclothes beneath.”

Sybelien groaned. It was a sound of abject misery. “Where is the boss?” She asked. “Doesn’t he need to be dressed by you as well?”

“He was up early and I met him in the freight hold,” Anseyla answered, merely smiling. “That was fun and he didn’t make half as much a fuss about it as you do!”

“I’m certain it was fun,” Rhaseris laughed. “I wondered why you’re so happy this morning.”

Anseyla grinned even wider. “Yeah, that was fun too.”

“Hand me the dress Rhaseris mentioned,” Sybelien grumbled.

About two hours to noon, the Island of Ibanee emerged at the southern horizon. Four hours later and they could make out the bay of Sanjaba. It was a natural haven. Two rocky spits of land almost fully enclosed the bay, the open passage between them only two-hundred yards wide. The two giant towers guarding the harbor had been built upon the outmost points of the headlands. As The Sullen Mermaid, side by side with the Junata’s Lance, crossed the bay’s calm waters towards the port of Sanjaba it became apparent they were awaited. A great many onlookers beleaguered the piers and a company of the Ibanee royal guard was waiting as well. Anjatta was smiling when their ship finally moored; the commanding officer of the guard was her brother Agon. He wasn’t the only member of the royal family awaiting them, though; Crown Prince Khalib stood by his side.

Anjatta var Dosha was the first to disembark the Sullen Mermaid.

“Welcome home, little sister,” her brother welcomed her with a smile. “Look around you and you’ll notice how eagerly your return was awaited.”

“Flatterer,” she returned the greeting. “I’m quite certain my return isn’t the reason for this show of anticipation.” She still fiercely embraced her brother before she turned to her cousin, who was intently watching as more people walked down the ship’s gangplank and set foot on Ibanee. “Are my charms so insignificant compared to those of my guests that you don’t even want to welcome me, Khalib?”

“Until today you chided me whenever I spent attention on your charms,” her cousin dryly replied. “At long last, I know what I’ve to do to receive yours. Your mother told us an alleged daughter of Callandrea Rossano’Shenta might accompany you but given her description of the girl it seems she isn’t among your guests.”

“Maybe you should ask the Captain of the Junata’s Lance for my guest Sybelien Rossano’Shenta,” Anjatta replied. “After all, mother ordered him to arrest her.”

Agon loudly groaned. “I knew she was up to no good when she wanted to talk to the Captain in privacy,” he reflected. “I’m sorry, Anja. I’ll apologize to her in the name of our family.”

“You should apologize to the families of the soldiers who died in the attempt to arrest her,” his sister darkly replied.

“What?” Agon and Khalib cried out in unison.

“No one under my protection gets arrested,” Evanis intruded into the discussion. “Neither on a ship nor on land.”

“May I handle the introductions?” Anjatta asked with a slightly pained expression. “Evanis Danjala, Commander of the re-formed Imperial Alorian Guard, meet my brother Agon and my cousin Khalib, Crown Prince of Ibanee.”

Agon whistled through his teeth. “I met your sister Anseyla and mistook her for you. Now that I made your acquaintance, I’m certain I’ll never repeat this mistake,” he said and bowed before Evanis.

Khalib frowned, looking at the warrioress. “Commander of the Imperial Alorian Guard?” He pondered. “Dharos of Tunapor is the Alorian Emperor - at least for the moment. Whom do you serve?”

“My sister only serves her own evil whims but you have to love her anyway,” Anseyla commented, merrily joining the welcome party. “Otherwise you risk becoming a victim of those whims.”

“Anseyla Danjala,” Anjatta continued her introductions. “Lady-in-waiting of the Imperial court and ambassador of the Crown Heiress.”

Khalib’s eyes widened as he watched the Lady-In-Waiting’s appearance. Agon reacted more circumspect and avoided staring at her breasts, only marginally concealed by her translucent dress.

“And here she is,” Anjatta exclaimed as Sybelien approached. “Daughter of Callandrea, heiress of the crown, and future Empress of the Alorian Empire – Princess Sybelien Rossano’Shenta.”