Princess of Zenina Read online

  She laughed agreement and Charles and Suzela disappeared upstairs. Bromarsh was left with Lahoda and sitting close together, it seemed natural for him to drape his arm around her shoulders. As she leaned closer to him, his arm slipped to her waist and she snuggled up.

  “They’ve deserted us,” she said as she looked up at Bromarsh.

  “That’s how it looked to me,” he said as he leaned over and kissed her. “Is this all right with you?” he said as he reached across her and lifted her into his lap.

  “Why not, it looks like Charles has set us up!”

  They too drifted upstairs. Bromarsh failing to understand the arrangements Lahoda entered into with the landlady, they were too swift. They were upstairs and she was unlocking a door before he knew the matter had been discussed. Their interlude was pleasant, only spoiled by Charles and Suzela’s entry before they had quite finished.

  “Hurry up,” said Suzela, “Or we’ll miss the start.”

  Their hasty showering and dressing to the accompanying heckling from the other two, added an element of farce to the episode. Bromarsh found he felt not at all guilty or embarrassed, so he accepted the heckling with good grace.

  Lahoda’s basic good nature had been amused by Charles’s adroit handling of them. She had seen no reason to turn Bromarsh down. She had intended to pick up some raw space-sailor to pass an hour or so away. However their brief coupling had been far better than she had expected and she would enjoy repeating the exercise, when they could guarantee they would not be interrupted.

  At the court they separated. Lahoda was seated on the other side with some friends. Members of the pelozia ground’s security staff were busily protesting to a queue of people that the match was sold out. Those without pre-purchased tickets would not be admitted. Charles, Bromarsh and Suzela were waved through, squeezing their way through the crowd to Marina’s curve. The seating was built in tiers on either side of the court. The softly upholstered seating was set in scalloped curves along the tiers. These curves would seat four or five sprawled or up to nine huddled up. Most of the curves were occupied and closely packed. Marina owned her own curve, but there was no Royal Box as such. Her curve was right at the front behind the substitutes’ bench.

  Cucat waved to them, two tiers behind them, he was with a beautiful Gold who wore a rose coloured skirt. Lahoda seated herself cross-legged in a crowded curve, four tiers up opposite them. She blew them both a kiss. The crowd was expectant but quiet. A few foreign voices spoke seeking explanation from Zeninan friends, but most of the audience were silent. Hush fell over the crowd as the two teams of sixteen players trooped out.

  Bowing to the crowd each side, they advanced to the centre of the court. Eight members of each team turned and walked to the substitutes’ benches. It started as a hum, a whisper “Marina, Marina!” The chant rose to a shout as the audience yelled their partisanship. Marina acknowledged her fans with a brief salute and smile, but a small gesture from her silenced them.

  The two teams were naked apart from their basket woven hooks, and the leather straps which attached them to their bodies. Bromarsh had not realised that all Zeninan sports were performed naked. They limbered up, stretching and bending. The team members were many colours, Gold, Silver, Blue, Green and Ruby were all included. Some of Marina’s team Bromarsh recognised. Chilka, Adelza and Jarminza had taken the field with her. Letinza and Belabeza were in the eight on Marina’s bench. Two of the Lizards were also recognised by Bromarsh. One was the Blue customs official Ketla who had had taken such pleasure in examining his genitalia and digestive system, besides his luggage. The other was the lady Charles had maligned him to, who Charles had warned might be rough with him.

  The Fireflies had hooks painted silver and those of the Lizards were dark violet.

  “That Gold woman is Dalzina, she is leader of the Lizards, the slighter woman she is talking to is Kapalina, her younger sister,” Charles pointed out to him. Dalzina was a good looking woman with an hour glass figure and superb globes of breasts. She was taller than Marina by an inch or two and quite a bit heavier. Her hips and thighs were voluptuous but her shoulders and back carried more obvious muscle. Her mouth turned down in a sullen way, which whilst sensual was a trifle overdone thought Bromarsh.

  Kapalina, the younger sister, was lighter and wiry. Her breasts were small and upturned; her legs appeared a little too long for her body like those of a new born colt. She too had the downturned mouth, but hers was a more subtle pout and the eyes looking down with their velvet lashes were perfectly formed.

  Bromarsh, disloyally looking at her, thought her the most exquisite woman he had ever seen. He watched as she stretched and bent with a stirring in his blood. Then as if aware of his interest, she turned and looked at him. He shuddered at the coldness of those beautiful eyes and imagined cruelty in her soul. These were Marina’s enemies! He was no longer sure it was a game. He heard the call to battle as the bell went to start the game.

  The ball whistled back and forth between the players. Goals were quickly scored and the teams seemed evenly matched. Apart from a little jostling and shoving it was pretty tame. Bromarsh, having never seen the game played before, wondered what would happen if the ball connected with flesh. At that velocity it would do vicious damage. He did not have long to see its results. The ball rebounded off the force shield and powered into a Silver member of Dalzina’s team.

  The game stopped briefly as Dalzina bent over her fallen team mate. She stood up and shook her head. Another Silver joined the team from the bench and two Rubies came onto the field and carried the unmoving Silver off. The hush over the crowd deepened. Not a cough was heard as the game restarted. The score was twenty to eighteen, Fireflies leading. The game livened up from then on, Marina, Dalzina, Kapalina and Chilka each scored goals. Then Dalzina fired a ball straight at Chilka who had been marking Kapalina closely.

  The ball took her in her right shoulder breaking the leather straps of her hook and piling into the bone. She staggered off the field holding her arm to her as it dangled useless. Blue blood spurted from the wound. Bromarsh had not thought of the substance in those little vials he had been inoculated with as blood. Bromarsh was no longer enjoying the match. He worried about Chilka; would she be all right? For the first time he was concerned about Marina, what if she were injured or killed? He looked about him. Would he get off this planet without her aid?

  All the handsome young men I’ve met, they didn’t escape from this planet; they seem happy enough - glowing with energy as they watch this gory spectacle. The beautiful women surrounding me are enjoying the match. Their eyes sparkle as they fondle the men accompanying them. There are nearly as many men here as women, most of them seem close to full arousal. In the upper tier opposite us, one couple is openly copulating.

  The whisperings had started to build up again, the game restarted. A tall slender Gold took Chilka’s place. “She’s Carina” whispered Charles. Bromarsh glanced down at Charles’s groin, but he showed no swelling. Suzela seemed disappointed and went to join some friends in a curve three tiers to their left. Dalzina had scored two goals in a row and the score was level. Dalzina had the ball again and Marina moved into tackle. Dalzina lashed out with her left hand raking Marina with her long sharpened fingernails, pushing her out of the way, but Marina’s hook swept around her ankles and she crashed to the sawdust. The ball fell with her and Adelza swung it up and scored.

  Blue blood streaked from scratches across Marina’s breasts. Blood rushed from Dalzina’s nose. Both played on. The flow of blood ceased and the scratches and bruising healed as they watched. Marina scored a goal and Kapalina scored one in reply. Around the audience more couples were pleasing themselves without embarrassment. Bromarsh phrased a question to Charles in his mind about why Suzela had left. Charles replied in the same way.

  “I refused to have her here. Marina might not mind my straying, but she doesn’t need to see it when she’s in danger,” Charles answered.

  Kapalina scored
again, having tripped Jarminza to gain the ball. The score was level again 24 all. Marina had the ball and scored. Carina intercepted the ball between Ketla and Kapalina. She lofted the ball towards the goal holes and scored. After the ball left her hand, Dalzina hurled herself at her broadside. Carina crumpled like a rag doll. Marina ran and knelt beside her. A hiss went round the audience. Marina stood up and Carina was carried off, her head hanging from her body at an awkward angle. Letinza came on in her place.

  Several goals were scored by each side without serious damage. The players were dripping with sweat, because apart from injuries there had been no breaks, no time out or half time. Kapalina fired the ball straight at Marina, but she flung herself to the ground and it whistled over her head. Letinza picked up the ball and scored, bringing the score to 40 to 39, the Fireflies led by only one goal.

  Dalzina had the ball and passed it to Ketla. Ketla scored. Adelza picked up the ball, but was shoved by a Lizard team Blue. She dropped the ball, but Letinza lofted it and scored. Then Marina scored, but Kapalina attempted to block her. The trip came too late as the ball had already left her hook. Marina’s left hand appeared to have taken most of the impact of her fall. It was bleeding and appeared out of shape. She played on. The bleeding stopped, but the hand was clearly giving her pain.

  Dalzina saw her opportunity and hefted the ball skywards; it rebounded on the force-shield heading fast towards Marina. Adelza pushed her out the way and took the full force of the ball on the top of her skull. Adelza fell, pole-axed. Marina knelt by her friend and examined her. She too was removed by Ruby stretcher-bearers and the game played on.

  Belabeza ran sobbing from the field. Charles rose and pushed Bromarsh towards Cucat. “Stay with Klivina,” he begged racing after Belabeza. Bromarsh did as he was told and joined Cucat and Klivina who moved over to make room for him. She sat sprawled between the two men intent on the play. More goals were scored, but Bromarsh had lost count and could not understand the Zeninan score boards. Bromarsh worried whether Charles had got to Belabeza in time.

  Cucat filled him in, “Dalzina’s team are now ahead. The score is 54 to 50.”

  Marina had the ball, passed it to a Ruby who promptly scored. Ketla pushed Letinza and caught the ball, but Marina swung back her hook catching Ketla in the midriff knocking her to the sawdust. Ketla struggled to sit up, but fell back. Dalzina examined her friend and she was stretchered off. A lizard team Ruby took her place.

  Dalzina lofted the ball, but Marina jumped, intercepting it before she scored. Marina passed to Jarminza and sprinted down the court, Jarminza passed to Letinza who passed it onwards to a Green. Marina was now in position to receive the ball, she took it and tossed it through a ring. Dalzina had tried to mark her, but was left behind, clearly out of breath.

  Klivina’s arm was resting in Bromarsh’s lap. She was running her fingertips up and down his thigh and he was trying not to be aroused. Her hand wandered to his groin, he pushed it away. Her fingers halted on his thigh as Kapalina scored again. The ball rattled back and forth with several interceptions and much pushing and shoving. A Green on Dalzina’s side had fallen in the scuffles, but rose apparently unhurt.

  Letinza scored once more. A buzz started up around the crowd. Dalzina was tiring, but Marina still looked fresh. Marina passed the ball right down the court. Kapalina moved up to mark her. Letinza received the ball from Adelza’s replacement. She passed to a Green girl who shot for goal and missed. Letinza caught the ball as it fell, whipping it back up the field and towards the goal. It dropped and was again picked up by a silver hook that whipped it along the court and another silver hook blasted it into goal.

  Kapalina had the ball and passed it to Ketla’s replacement, “she is Zenla, Jelen’s old mistress,” Cucat explained. Closely marked she passed it back to Kapalina who passed to Dalzina. Letinza intercepted the ball as Dalzina attempted another pass to Zenla. Flicking the ball down the court, a purple hook picked it up and shot at goal. It fell short, but was caught by a silver hook and moved back down the court towards the other set of rings.

  Klivina’s hand was moving again, sliding up under the material of his shirt and into the loose waistband of his trousers to his groin. He was already part way aroused, though his eyes were still on the passage of the ball. He was barely aware of her hand squeezing him, as Marina avoided a tackle from Zenla and scored a goal from just past the centre line. The crowd whistled at this feat. The score was now 55 to 54, Fireflies were leading once more. Bromarsh was fully erect and Klivina drew him across her body, his mind was objecting, but his body was enjoying the sensations. Klivina was kissing him, but she did not take her eyes off the game as she unbuttoned his shirt, her skin glowing, pulsing rhythmically. His eyes were locked to her glow as she shimmered, while stripping him of his clothes.

  Dalzina passed the ball on to Zenla who was tumbled to the ground by Letinza. Adelza’s replacement scooped the ball up and ran with it, but Kapalina was in her way. She turned back to pass it but she was hemmed in. She danced back and forth between them, seeking an opening. Then she saw Letinza was free and swung back passing the ball to her at full force. Kapalina saw the ball’s movement and tried to intercept but she stumbled and the ball caught her in the stomach. She fell clutching at the wound that appeared, blood and guts spilling over her hands onto the sand.

  Klivina had thrown off her rosy skirt pushing Bromarsh back against the seats, she was astride him, but he could do nothing to prevent her. He thought bemusedly if Charles had thought it safe to leave him with Klivina, how would the other women behave? He thought of the boasters in the sergeants’ mess who discussed rape as if it was a normal activity like eating or fishing. They would say something like “She just laid back and enjoyed it” or “Silly Cow! Why did not she just give in and get it over with?” He felt stupid, he was not hurt but he could do nothing to stop her. He could not even get a word of protest out. It was undignified and embarrassing; she had helped herself to use his body in public, without even asking permission. He felt a fool.

  Kapalina had been carried off screaming in agony and a Green skinned replacement had come on. Marina had tossed the ball up, run and re-caught it whilst seeking a free girl to pass to. Dalzina blocked her path but Marina tossed the ball again and ran straight at her knocking her over, running over her prone form. She picked up the ball again and scored. The ball was passed down the court as Marina sprinted back up the court. She scored another goal from the quarter line.

  Dalzina had got awkwardly to her feet, her collar bone was obviously smashed. As Marina ran past her back up the pitch she hit out with the fist of her left hand. The fist connected with Marina’s right ear. Marina stopped, shook her head and swung with her hooked arm, her elbow hit hard just below Dalzina’s solar plexus. Dalzina doubled up, fell and did not rise. Klivina had finished with Bromarsh. She had dismounted and wiped herself with a soft towel which seemed to have been provided for that purpose by the organisers. She put her skirt back on and handed Bromarsh a clean towel. He wiped himself clean, flinging his clothes back on.

  A bell rang for the end of the match. Dalzina had just struggled to sit up. Apart from the smashed collar bone, nothing else was broken just badly bruised. Another team member helped her to her feet, but she staggered, still dizzy. Her brief period of unconsciousness, not quite cleared. The score was 58 to 55. The Fireflies kept the title. Around the crowd, the cry went up anew, “Marina! Marina! Marina!”

  Marina did not feel like celebrating. Carina and Adelza were dead. It had not been worth it, and Belabeza, what of her? She had seen her flight and Charles’ pursuit, but short of abandoning the match there was nothing she could do.

  “In other circumstances it might even be amusing; the inexhaustible stud, hot in pursuit of a committed lesbian. But it was not funny. If Charles hasn’t reached her in time, there’d be another death.”

  Charles called in to reassure her, “I’ve taken Belabeza to Vellina. I was in time; but she’d cut deeply into he
r stomach with her sword. I hit her on the jaw and wrapped her tightly in a sheet before she fell on her sword to finish herself off. She is heavily sedated, restrained but healing.”

  Marina waved to her fans but did not smile. Klivina walked down to the side of the court with Cucat and Bromarsh in her wake to congratulate the victors on their win. Marina retrieved Bromarsh with a terse thank you and they walked from the court to Marina’s hover-car. The crowd parted for them to pass through.

  “Think you can drive this?” she asked.

  “Where to?” he said.

  “Just up, I’ll direct you,” she said flicking a few switches with her right hand.

  Chapter Twenty-Six – Hospital

  The hover-car rose and Marina pointed him to the hospital where they had left Tippy. Night had fallen. The lights of Hemithea shone silver, blue and pink. The stars above like a distant reflection of the lights were just coming out. Marina, stared into space, she shimmered and glowed a little, deep in concentration. Then she opened the fingers of her injured hand, she laced them into those of her right hand. Stretching her arms forward she arched her hands to their fullest stretch. The fingers clicked nastily as the bones grated back into place. She parted her hands and she clenched the injured hand into a fist whilst rubbing it with her other hand. Then satisfied she let it lie in her lap whilst she directed Bromarsh where to land.

  The trees around the hospital were hung with delicate lanterns which gave the building an ethereal look in their pastel light. In the entrance hall stood Charles with Chilka leaning on his arm, her arm strapped across her body. She looked pale and tired. Her hair was disordered, loose from its plait and her face showed the tracks of tears. A Green nurse showed Charles and Chilka into a waiting room and Marina asked Bromarsh to join them, whilst she went in search of Vellina.

  Vellina was sitting in a high seat which ran on tracks around the side of an operating table. The table could be raised or lowered and enclosed the body of Adelza. A few wisps of cold gas blew around her and Vellina wore a mask to help her breathing. Marina donned a surgical mask and entered. She shivered. Although she had discarded her hook at the court side, she had not stopped to dress. She turned up her internal heating and looked down at Adelza’s body.