Enchantress Mine Part 5

"Look! To the right are the satellite cities of Pera and Galata. They are also walled, and see the chain! In times of danger it stretches from Pera across this waterway which is called the Golden Horn to a watchtower of Constantinople. When the chain is in place, no one can breach the defenses of the Golden Horn, or Constantinople."

"We are turning toward the city sh.o.r.e, father," Mairin said.

"Yes, my daughter, we will land at the Phosphorion Harbor. I expect there will be someone there to meet us for we are not unexpected. We are to be housed, I believe, on the grounds of the Imperial Palace."

"We will not be received by the emperor too quickly," fretted Eada. "We have not the garments! I would not shame our nation!"

Aldwine smiled. It was over two months since they had left England, but his wife had already recovered from her exhaustion. "There will be time for clothing to be made for you and Mairin, my love," he promised. "A delegation such as ours is of little import on its arrival. The emperor will greet us officially for manners' sake in due time."

Their vessel slipped safely into its dockage within the Phosphorion Harbor. As the thegn had predicted there was a troop of imperial Varangian Guards as well as a representative of the emperor to meet them. To Aldwine's delight the official was his old friend Timon Theocrates. The two men greeted each other warmly.

"The emperor has appointed me to the delegation that is to negotiate with your people," Timon Theocrates said with a smile as Aldwine introduced him to the other members of his party.

"My friend, Timon Theocrates, Wulfhere of London, Wilfrid of York, Aethelbert of Gloucester, Richard of Winchester, and Alfred of London."

"Welcome, my friends," said the Byzantine. "Welcome to Constantinople! I know that your stay here will be a happy and successful one."

He escorted the English from their vessel to the quayside where horses had been provided for the men. A comfortable padded cart drawn by two black-and-white ponies had been brought for the women. They made their way through the Eugenius Gate into the city proper, and directly to the palace.

By tradition Byzantium's Imperial Guard was made up of Vikings from Scandinavia and, more recently, Anglo-Saxons from England. To her surprise Mairin felt a quiver race through her when an incredibly handsome young man with shoulder-length golden-yellow hair and sky-blue eyes lifted her into the cart. What was worse, she thought, was that their eyes met, hers widening in surprise, his br.i.m.m.i.n.g with amus.e.m.e.nt at her innocent reaction. Mairin shakily pushed his hands away from her waist where they had lingered a bit too long for propriety's sake, and the Viking chuckled wickedly. She blushed.

Eada, who had not missed any of this silent interchange, said quietly, but with firm authority, "What is your name, guardsman?"

Instantly the young soldier snapped to attention and answered, "Eric Longsword, my lady."

"Thank you for helping my daughter, Eric Longsword," said Eada with a smile of dismissal. As the young man bowed politely Mairin, who was behind her mother, stuck her tongue out at him.

As Eada turned away Eric Longsword winked at Mairin. Once more she blushed to the roots of her hair. Why, she silently asked herself, had she encouraged that dreadful man? Why, a tiny voice asked deep within her, does it matter? She had never felt so uncomfortable with a man before. But if she were honest with herself no man had ever paid her the least attention. At home she was Aldwine Athelsbeorn's little daughter, but here . . . here no one knew her. Was it possible? Was it just possible that the guardsman had seen in her a woman? After all she would be celebrating her thirteenth birthday in less than two weeks' time! She could barely wait to arrive at their quarters so she might look into a mirror and see this great change that had been wrought in her during their travels!

Eada smiled to herself as she read her daughter's thoughts. Having never before felt such an attraction for a member of the opposite s.e.x Mairin was most likely embarra.s.sed and confused by her reaction. Eada realized that her daughter was growing up. It would soon be time to consider finding a husband for her.

They made their way through the city, which had no distinctly fas.h.i.+onable residential quarters. A middle-cla.s.s merchant's house was just as likely to be flanked by that of a tenement on one side, and the magnificent villa of a wealthy man on the other. The streets were filled with peddlers who went from door to door crying their wares in singsong fas.h.i.+on, offering fresh bread, flowers, fruit, vegetables, songbirds in cages, and newly caught fish. All gave way before the imperial procession.

Their host, Timon Theocrates, rode at the side of the women's cart, offering them a brief history of his city. There had always been a settlement upon this spot, he told them, but many would credit the ancient Greeks with the official founding of Byzantium. Most buildings from that era, as well as those of the great Roman Empire, were long gone. They had been destroyed, the merchant explained, in the great fire of the year 532. It had burnt for five days following a series of riots.

The emperor at that time, Justinian, had razed half the original city to the ground in the wake of the destruction. He then rebuilt Constantinople, for all the magnificent buildings of the great Constantine from whom the city took its current name had been destroyed, including the revered Hagia Sophia. Justinian rebuilt it all, making Constantinople a city of unbelievable beauty and incredible magnificence. Those emperors who had followed after him had continued this building program. As time went by the Imperial Palace was enlarged, other palaces and churches built, public parks and gardens laid out, the great squares embellished with statuary.

Nara, who always had an opinion on everything, was wide-eyed and silent in awe. Eada couldn't help but gasp with wonder as their procession pa.s.sed beneath the Milion Arch and into the Augustaeum, which was the main public square of the city. To their left rose the great church of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia. Directly ahead of them was the gracious Senate building. Swinging to the right, they moved around the palace wall to its main entrance, which was called the Chalke, the Brazen Entrance, for its door and roof were all gilded bronze.

The men dismounted, and the women were helped from their cart. Feeling very dwarfed by the fabulous building they followed Timon Theocrates into the vestibule of the Imperial Palace. "Look up," he instructed them and doing so they saw that the ceilings were covered with beautiful mosaics designed as pictures which showed Justinian's great general, Belisarius, returning in triumph to Constantinople after his great victories. They lowered their eyes to see that the walls and the floors of the Chalke were of fine marble in wondrous colors-emerald green, pure bright white, and deep, rich reds. There were some white blocks that were broken with wavy lines of sapphire blue.

The young Saxon soldiers were visibly awed, but it was Eada who spoke for them all when she said, "This place cannot be real. Surely we have all died, and this is G.o.d's house." She spoke slowly, in Latin, a universal tongue readily understood here in Byzantium. It had been a long time since she had used another language than her own, but all during their journey her husband and daughter had insisted she practice, else she be excluded from their new life.

Timon Theocrates, a small and plump man, beamed with pleasure at her words. He was extremely proud of his city. "I shall tell the emperor of your gracious words, lady," he said as he led them through the Chalke out into an enormous park.

Before them sprawled the vast and rambling palace grounds, which consisted of far more than royal residences. There were churches, fountains, gardens, and terraces. There was a private stadium, an indoor riding school, lily ponds, swimming pools, and storerooms. There were stables, kennels, guardrooms, servants' quarters, dungeons, and a zoo. Their Saxon troop left them to follow the Byzantine guardsmen who had escorted them from the harbor. Aldwine, his family, and the English delegation followed Timon Theocrates, who was once again speaking.

"The delegation will have s.p.a.cious and comfortable apartments in a wing of the New Palace," he said. "You, my friend, and your family are to have a small house of your own set in the gardens which overlook the sea. We will go there first for your lady will want to see her new home, and immediately begin to make changes even as my good wife would do." He beamed at Eada. "Women," he said indulgently, "are ever predictable!"

They stopped before a small marble building, and Timon said, "Ah, here we are, my friends. This is to be your new home, the Garden Palace."

Before they could enter the building servants hurried out to lead them into the little palace. The richness of the decoration within amazed them. The entry hall was a square room in which columns of red onyx alternated with those of verd antique. The floor was mosaic tiles in which the central design was a golden sunburst. The rays of the sun spread outward beneath their feet against a deep blue tile sky.

"I am Zeno, the majordomo," said a pleasant-looking man stepping forward to greet them. "In the emperor's name I welcome you to the Garden Palace." He spoke in pure and unhurried Latin, and even Eada, much to her relief, was easily able to understand him.

"This is the English lord, Aldwine of Aelfleah," said Timon to Zeno. "His wife, the lady Eada, and their daughter, the lady Mairin." Then the Byzantine turned to his friend, saying, "I must leave you now to settle the rest of your delegation in the New Palace. Zeno will answer all your questions, and see to all your needs."

"When will we be able to greet the emperor in King Edward's name?" asked Aldwine.

"That information has not been imparted to me as yet," replied Timon. "I believe it has been planned that you recover from your long journey before seeing his majesty. Rest for a few days. I am certain that word will come then. No meetings between our delegations have yet been scheduled. I shall return tomorrow, and we will talk of old times." He bowed politely to Eada and Mairin. Then with a wave of his plump hand he was gone, with the rest of the English hurrying to keep up with them.

"This entire palace is yours while you are the emperor's guests in Constantinople," Zeno informed them. "Would you like to be shown to your apartments so you may first refresh yourselves? Afterwards I will personally conduct you on a tour of the building so you may be familiar and comfortable in your new surroundings." Without waiting for an answer he led them up a broad marble staircase to the second floor of the building. "Every residential building," Zeno continued as they followed him, "located upon the grounds of the Sacred Imperial Palace, is called a palace. As you can see from the size of this building it is really no more than a comfortable villa.

"I see you have brought but two servants with you. I will arrange to have you a.s.signed our own people as well. Ahh, here we are." He flung open a pair of double doors. "Your apartment, my lord and my lady. The young mistress has a suite of rooms just down the hall. If you will step in, I shall show her the way."

"Take Nara with you, mother," said Mairin knowing her mother would be more comfortable having one of their own servants with her.

"Dagda must stay with me," said the thegn in their own tongue. "It would cause undue gossip for him to remain with you, my daughter."

"Your father is correct," seconded the Irishman.

"I understand," said Mairin. "It is all right, father. I speak fluent Greek, and unlike mother will have little difficulty getting along. Dagda can accompany me when I am outside the palace."

Zeno's view of the English was based upon the rough-and-tumble young Anglo-Saxon warriors who served in the emperor's guard. He was rather delighted to discover that well-bred English citizens were actually quite civilized. He was even more pleased to learn that Mairin could speak Greek for it was now the official language of Byzantium, replacing Latin eight years earlier when the Byzantine church had broken with that of Rome.

Now that Mairin was speaking to him in his country's language Zeno became almost voluble. Opening one side of a carved double door he ushered her into an airy, high-ceilinged room. "This, young mistress, is to be your suite." He walked across the room, opening yet another carved door. "Your bedchamber," he said.

One wall of the main chamber was practically solid windows. Walking over to them Mairin exclaimed, "What magnificent gardens, and the view of the sea is incredible, Zeno! Oh, I shall be happy in this wonderful city!"

The majordomo beamed with pride. "You belong in Constantinople, young mistress. It is a city of beautiful women, and you are surely the most lovely female I have ever seen. Forgive my boldness, but never have I seen hair or skin quite like yours."

"Such coloring is common in my land," said Mairin with more poise than she was feeling. No one, even a servant, had ever called her beautiful before. More than ever she longed to find a mirror, and see what changes her travels had wrought.

"You will want to refresh yourself after your long journey," said Zeno. "I will see that iced wine and cakes are brought to you, young mistress, and I shall personally choose the maidens who will serve you. A rare jewel should have an equally fine setting." He bowed himself from the room.

Delighted that he was gone at last, Mairin explored her new surroundings. The main room of her suite had a wonderful floor of pale gold marble. The walls were wide alternating strips of the same gold, and cream-colored marble. The ceiling was gilded. The furniture, tables, stools, and reclining couches were plated with gold, and inlaid with ivory. The lamps and other lighting fixtures were fas.h.i.+oned of silver, and some were inlaid with semiprecious stones. On the floor next to her bedchamber door stood a magnificent vase carved from lilac-colored jade and filled with peac.o.c.k feathers.

Curious, Mairin walked into the bedchamber and gasped with delight. Upon the marble walls were wonderful paintings in bright colors showing musicians and dancers in procession about the walls of the room. Each panel of the painting was framed in gilded wood decorated with coral, lapis lazuli, and pearls, and separated from the next panel by strips of gold marble. The floors were cream-colored marble broken with undulating lines of jade green.

There was a bed upon one wall that was fas.h.i.+oned of wood that had first been carved and then overlaid with gold leaf. It was hung with draperies of pale green silk to match the covering upon the mattress. By the bed was a small table inlaid in ivory, and upon it stood a silver lamp that burned scented oil. As in the main room of the suite there was a wall of windows that overlooked the imperial gardens with the sea beyond.

She opened another door and saw a small hallway at the end of which was another door. Curious, she walked slowly down the short pa.s.sage to discover a tiled room with a pool behind the door. It was not a large pool, and she wondered about its use. With a shrug Mairin returned to the bedchamber to discover something that she had somehow managed to miss before. A mirror, and what a mirror! It was not a mere polished round of metal, but real gla.s.s, and large enough that she might see her entire self in it!

Fascinated, she studied her image for a long minute. Then with a sigh she turned away. There was no change at all that she could see in herself. She turned to find her mother entering the room.

"What is it, child? You look so disappointed," Eada said.

"I thought surely there would be some change in me, mother," Mairin replied.

"You change each day, my dearest. You are growing up."

"No. I look just the same as I did when we left England. Yet Zeno, the majordomo, said I was beautiful. Am I beautiful, mother?"

Eada hesitated a moment, but then deciding honesty was the best course she answered, "Yes, my daughter, you are very beautiful."

"But I look the way I always have!" despaired Mairin.

"You have always been beautiful, Mairin," laughed Eada. "I remember thinking that the first time I saw you. You are simply used to yourself, and you are not a prideful child. Some of the differences you feel, however, come from the inside and are not necessarily visible; like the confusion you felt today when that young soldier aided you. He looked at you as a young man looks at a lovely girl. Since no one has ever viewed you in that light before, he made you feel very aware of yourself, and of him also." She smiled. "It is a normal state, my daughter, and I fear it will get worse before it gets better."

Mairin made a face at herself in the wonderful gla.s.s mirror. "Oh, mother," she said, "I don't know if I want to grow up! It feels so strange to be me, and yet not to be me!"

Eada laughed again. "I felt the same way when I was your age," she admitted, "but alas, my dearest, there is no stopping time. It moves onward no matter how we feel about it." She put an arm about the girl, and gave her a loving squeeze. "Zeno has arranged to bring several skilled seamstresses here into the palace this afternoon, and what do you think I found awaiting us in our apartment? Bolts and bolts of the most beautiful fabrics! They are a gift from the wife of Timon Theocrates. Imagine! What generosity! She has never laid eyes upon us, and yet she has shown us great kindness. I do not know how we can repay her, but fas.h.i.+onable gowns we shall have when we meet the emperor! Come, and pick what you would have."

The next few days were busy ones for Mairin and her mother. Although Anglo-Saxon England was noted for the fabrics its women wove, they could not compare their own cloth with what had been sent them. There were brocades in clear jewel colors of ruby, emerald, sapphire, amethyst, and topaz. There were delicate silks that had been woven with gold and silver threads so that in one light the fabric appeared a solid color. In another light it was a s.h.i.+mmering waterfall of metallic glory. There were silks as sheer as an early-morning mist in ethereal hues of blossom pink, sea green, pale peach, dawn gold, and aquamarine.

If Mairin appreciated the pure beauty of the fabrics they had been gifted with, her mother recognized the skill and imagination that had gone into their making. Neither had ever owned such stunning garments as were created for them by the imperial seamstresses. Even the simple, practical Eada was not loath to admit her pleasure in such fine feathers. Her initial fears of meeting the fabled Emperor of Byzantium faded as her new clothing gave her equally new confidence. A confidence seen by and highly approved by the entire English delegation.

"I did not approve of a woman and child coming upon this mission," admitted Wulfhere of London, "but seeing you so splendidly gowned, Eada of Aelfleah, I think it is a good thing that you are with us. You lend an elegance to us, and in this magnificent city I cannot think that a bad thing."

"It is good for the Byzantines to see one of our women, and a child of our people," seconded Aethelbert of Gloucester. "It makes us seem more human to them. Besides," and his blue eyes twinkled merrily, "little Mairin's beauty has them quite in awe, and that cannot be a bad thing either."

His companions nodded for Aethelbert of Gloucester spoke a truth. The city of Constantinople was famed for the beauty of its women. There were blonds with skin like white roses, and brunettes who were tawny and golden. There were blue eyes, dark eyes, eyes of green or hazel. Nowhere in the city, however, was there anyone with hair the fiery red-gold of Mairin's tresses, a color which sharply contrasted with the creaminess of her skin.

Such hair and skin were usually complemented with light eyes, but Mairin's eyes were purple, sometimes amethyst in hue, and at other times a deep violet, depending upon her mood. Added to the perfection of her features her beauty seemed unreal for Mairin was one of those rare creatures who appeared lovelier with each viewing. She was a child teetering upon the brink of womanhood, yet in this great city her unusual beauty was being extolled to such an extent that word of it had even penetrated the emperor's court.

Constantine X was a member of the Ducas family, and had been elected to his imperial throne in 1059. His predecessor, Isaac I of the Comnenus family, had been an excellent emperor who had sadly reigned only two years. His death was a misfortune for Byzantium because the two emperors before him, Michael VI and Constantine IX, had been weak men. Neither had distinguished himself to any great extent although in the last year of Constantine IX's reign the Byzantine church had broken with that of Rome.

Constantine X was a charming if ineffectual man but if his government was lackl.u.s.ter and undistinguished, the arts and those a.s.sociated with them flourished greatly under his reign. He loved beauty and upon hearing of Mairin's, he scheduled his audience with King Edward's trade delegation far in advance of when he had actually planned to receive them. He was enormously curious to view the English child, and was quite frank in making that admission to his favorite cousin, Basil.

"I wonder if she can be your equal, my princely cousin," he teased. Basil Ducas was called the most beautiful man in Byzantium.

"Then I should have to marry her so we might create a race of beautiful and perfect children, sire," came the prince's quick reply. Basil Ducas might be handsome, but he was also highly intelligent.

The emperor smiled. "What will Bellisarius say should you take a wife? Surely he will resent a rival for your affections. He is very possessive of you, Basil."

The prince frowned, but even in annoyance his features remained attractive. "In my thirty years, Constans, I have had both beautiful men and beautiful women as lovers. Bellisarius knows that someday I will marry. I must have heirs, cousin. However, you are correct in one of your observations. Bellisarius is possessive of me. Too much so, I think. Still I would not distress him for he is the greatest actor of our age, and he amuses me more than most. When we finally part he will cost me far less than my last paramour. Do you remember Helena Monomachus, and how she attempted to pa.s.s off her blackamoor's b.a.s.t.a.r.d as mine? She almost cost me a fortune until she sp.a.w.ned her baby with its dark skin, wide flat nose, and kinky hair. In the entire history of our family, Constans, there has never been a nose like that!"

The emperor smiled at his cousin's words, and then he said, "Do you think that the little English girl can be as fair as they say, Basil? I have never heard so much chatter about a child not yet a woman. They say she cannot go out in the city any longer for crowds follow her. They attempt to touch her hair for they cannot believe it real. Some have even said it is not hair, but a flame that surrounds her head." The emperor's pale blue eyes were quite curious.

The prince laughed heartily. "Poor child," he said sympathetically. "Next the unwashed ma.s.ses will attribute miracles and disasters to her tresses. Well, we shall see for ourselves this afternoon, won't we?"

Mairin was in a frenzy of excitement. She had never seen an emperor before. She had never even seen her own king, but she was absolutely certain that the saintly Edward of England would pale in comparison to the splendor of Byzantium's ruler. Mairin stared at her full-length image in the pier gla.s.s.

She was wearing a tunic dress made of lilac-colored brocade worked with both gold and silver threads. The tunic dress was wide-sleeved over a close-sleeved undertunic of gold cloth. Both garments had high, round necks, but where the undertunic was floor-length, the tunic dress ended just below the kneeline. She didn't know why, but she felt she looked quite distinctly older in her new garments.

If only her mother hadn't insisted that she wear her hair unbound so that it fell about her shoulders in a cloud of vibrant color. It was so babyis.h.!.+ She sighed deeply. After all, she was to be thirteen years old tomorrow! At thirteen years of age girls married, but Mairin knew very well that her father had not yet made any matches for her. Whenever she attempted to broach the subject, he would smile tenderly at her and say, "It is too soon, my angel. I will not give you to just anyone. For you, my Mairin, it will be a very special man." What made a man special? she wondered.

"Look between your eyebrows, child," said Eada coming up behind her daughter. "There is a distinct frown groove there. Whatever can you be thinking of that has caused you such distress?"

"Must I wear my hair loose, mother?"

Eada swallowed back her smile. "Yes," she said firmly. "You are a maiden, my daughter. Among our people it is the custom for a maiden to wear her hair loose, or in braids. I thought you would prefer wearing it loose today. I have brought you this to make your coiffure a tiny bit more elegant." She placed a filmy gold silk veil atop Mairin's head which she then set firmly by means of a dainty gold-and-freshwater-pearl circlet.

Mairin's eyes widened with delight. "Ohh, mother! It is beautiful!" She flung her arms about Eada. "Thank you! Thank you!" She preened before the mirror. "I look older, don't I, mother? I mean I don't look like a child, do I?"

"You look every inch the young lady you are, my daughter," said Eada.

The young girl looked away from her own mirror image to gaze at that of her mother. Then she said feelingly, "You are so beautiful in your Byzantine garments, mother. Forgive me for I have been so concerned with myself I did not stop to look at you."

Her gaze swept admiringly over the beautiful gra.s.s green silk dress embroidered with gold threads, pearls, darker green peridots, and golden beryls worn over a silvery-green undertunic. Eada's dark red hair had been fas.h.i.+oned into an architecture of ornate braids brought up over the outside of her gold wire cauls, and fastened with a jeweled band about her forehead.

Eada smiled at her daughter with newly found confidence. "Yes," she said with great understatement, "I am pleased with how the women aided me in my dressing. Nara is learning a great deal from them. When we return to England I intend to give her to you as your serving woman, but we chatter too much, child! Your father and his delegation await us. They will no doubt have grown impatient by now. We must hurry!"

King Edward's trade delegation was to be received in the Great Hall of the Imperial Palace. To the surprise of the Anglo-Saxons the emperor had sent them each a beautiful silk robe of deep blue and yellow silk that they were instructed to wear. The entire group was escorted across the palace grounds by royal eunuchs who explained that the women would wait at the back of the audience chamber until called upon. The emperor was most anxious, confided the head eunuch to Eada, to see the child with the hair of fire. Here the eunuch reached out almost shyly to quickly touch a lock of Mairin's lovely hair. Eada hid another smile.

Not having been repulsed, the eunuch now chatted with the foreign woman. "The emperor will be seated upon the Throne of Solomon today, and never, my lady, have you seen such an object. Do not be afraid of anything that happens for you will be quite safe," he finished mysteriously. Eada and Mairin both wondered what he could possibly mean.

The Great Hall of the Imperial Palace was the most magnificent place any of them had ever seen. The walls of the room were pure white marble. Each section of marble was separated from floor to ceiling by a wide band of pure gold. The pillars in the hall were dark red marble broken by undulating ripples of golden color and the vast s.p.a.ce was lit by a huge gold candelabrum which hung from great copper chains that had been silvered. The marble floors of the room had been strewn with fragrant roses, pungent laurel and ivy, sweet rosemary, and other herbs. As the delegation walked forward trampling the greenery beneath their feet, the perfume from the crushed essences swirled into the air filling the room with its exotic bouquet.

At the eunuch's signal Eada and Mairin had stopped. From their vantage point they had an excellent view of everything. Before them at the end of the hall they could see the Emperor Constantine X already seated upon his throne. He wore a long, tight-sleeved tunic of white silk over which was a royal purple silk cape opening on the right side. It was decorated with embroidered squares of golden cloth both front and back. Heavily jeweled scarlet satin shoes were upon his feet. The imperial crown he wore was a hemispherical and close-fitting cap bejeweled with precious gems and large pearls, some of which hung down in the back to the nape of his neck.

About him stood the Imperial Guards, most of whom were from the n.o.ble families of Byzantium. The rest were sons of the wealthy who were considered loyal. Around the hall were posted the Varangian Guards.

To her delight Mairin saw that Eric Longsword was near enough that she might attract his attention with her beautiful clothing, and then snub him as he stood dumbfounded with admiration. But Eric Longsword refused to take his blue eyes from some spot directly ahead of him, much to Mairin's annoyance. She turned her gaze back to the delegation, and was amazed to see that the carved and jeweled golden lions that made up the armrests of the emperor's throne were moving!

"Mother!" she whispered, and clutched at Eada.

To the eunuch's delight both women were now wide-eyed. The lions on the emperor's throne were not only moving, they were opening their mouths and roaring most realistically! Atop the throne were birds made of silver and colorful enamels with bejeweled eyes. They, too, were a part of the throne's decoration. As the birds began to flutter their wings, to trill and to sing, the emperor and his throne began to rise upward until they hovered close to the decorated ceiling. From some hidden place within the room a choir began to sing extolling the many virtues of G.o.d's chosen empire of Byzantium.

The eunuch was almost beside himself with glee at the look upon their faces. "It is not wonderful?" he chortled to them. "Is not Byzantium the most wonderful place upon G.o.d's earth?"

Stunned, they watched as the emperor and his throne now descended to the floor again. The delegation was led forward by the band of eunuchs, and the Anglo-Saxons made the prescribed bow of three prostrations to the Emperor Constantine X. They could not hear what was said from their place in the rear of the hall, but King Edward's trade delegation was obviously well received. Then suddenly their eunuch escort received some unseen signal, and Eada and Mairin were led forward.

Constantine X found himself as surprised as his guests usually were, for the reputation that had preceded the English child had not exaggerated her beauty even the tiniest bit. If anything she was lovelier. He could not remember ever having seen such purity of features in any person. His gaze flicked swiftly from the child's father to her mother. They were handsome people, but it astounded him that they had created the exquisite creature that now stood before him.

Leaning back he murmured to his cousin, "Well, Basil, what think you? She is more than your equal though I would not have believed it possible."

"Nor would I," came back the soft reply. "She is pure perfection, Constans."

"Sire," said the eunuch in charge of their presentation, "may I present to you the lady Eada of Aelfleah and her daughter, the lady Mairin."

Mother and daughter bowed thrice to Byzantium's ruler, who said, "We welcome you to Constantinople, my lady. Your beautiful child's reputation is, to our amazement, truth."

"True beauty, sire, does not show. It is goodness of heart and true Christian charity," replied Eada quietly. "I would wish that for my daughter, and I hope she will be remembered, if she is remembered at all, for those qualities rather than the beauty of her face."

Aldwine was surprised by the length of his wife's speech, but pleased by the wisdom she spoke.

The priests standing below the throne nodded their heads and murmured their a.s.sent at Eada's words. The church was an enormous power in Byzantium. Their goodwill was paramount to the success of the English negotiations. Eada's speech had pleased them, and they would now look with favor upon the diplomatic efforts for new trade between the two countries.