Bound to the Barbarian

‘Answer my question, if you please, Commander.’

At this moment, she certainly had the tone of a princess. Lofty. Calm. A gold thread winked in the light. This must be the Princess. Most likely she was irritated that he had caught her unprepared when he had first knocked. It didn’t escape him that she had ignored his question. He would be brief.

‘His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Nikephoros has commanded me to escort Princess Theodora back to the Great Palace at Constantinople.’

There was a pause, and again the doe’s eyes flickered. Her head turned to one side and Ashfirth caught a faint mutter of voices. If Doe Eyes was the Princess, and Ashfirth strongly suspected that she was, someone behind the gate was certainly advising her.

The brown eyes met his. ‘Is Duke Nikolaos with you?’

Ashfirth shook his head. ‘Duke Nikolaos will join you once you have reached Constantinople. The Emperor wishes you to reacquaint yourself with …’ Ashfirth paused to search for the right words, the diplomatic words. Peter, the Rascian princeling who had been her fiancé, was in the eyes of many Greeks a barbarian. The Imperial Court had been astonished when word had reached them that the Princess had allowed herself to become enamoured of him. ‘The Emperor wishes you to reacquaint yourself with life at the Palace.’

When Peter of Rascia had been killed in a petty border skirmish at the edge of his territory, the Emperor had been swift to arrange a second betrothal. Byzantine Princesses were valuable commodities, and as a member of a powerful family, this young woman would have been brought up on the idea. Her person could be traded according to the political needs of the time.

Ten years ago Emperor Michael had found it politically expedient to betroth her to the vassal ruler of Rascia. Had the Prince lived, the contract would have been honoured, but his death altered everything.

Today, it was less important to placate a minor kingdom at the far reaches of the Empire. A different Emperor occupied the throne, one who needed to look closer to home for support. The military aristocracy was crying out for change and Emperor Nikephoros needed every ally he could lay his hands on.

In offering the Duke of Larissa this well-born Princess for his bride, the Emperor hoped to placate him. Marriage with the Princess would, he hoped, ensure the Duke’s loyalty should the conflict among his generals come to a head.

The brown eyes stared into his. What is she thinking? Ashfirth was fully conscious that Princess Theodora would likely peg him for a barbarian in much the same way that the Imperial Court had thought her Rascian prince a barbarian. Ash was an Anglo-Saxon, a dispossessed Anglo-Saxon in charge of the Varangian Guard. The Court only tolerated him because of his loyalty to the Emperor and his skills as a leader and warrior. The citizens of Constantinople never forgot that the men of the Varangian Guard were mercenaries, barbarian mercenaries.

The woman behind the grille had her head tilted slightly to one side. She was obviously listening to her advisor, but those brown eyes were fixed on him. While the low muttering continued, Ashfirth was able to watch her quite openly. Something was telling him that this woman, princess or otherwise, had her secrets. He had not given up on trying to read her, but when the long eyelashes swept down, he had learned nothing.

‘Constantinople is a long sea journey away,’ she said, in that cool, carefully modulated voice. ‘You cannot expect a princess to be ready at the snap of your fingers. Be so good as to return on the morrow …’

Ashfirth felt a frown forming, he held it back. ‘Tomorrow? The Princess must have received the Emperor’s summons, she must know how…eager he is for her return to Court.’

He paused, gritting his teeth. The Princess had to have known someone was coming to escort her back to the capital! Ash had been informed that several letters had been sent. Not that a reply had ever been received. The Emperor had given her the benefit of the doubt; he had assumed her replies had been lost en route. Ashfirth was not so sure. Had she replied? Surely the Princess would not do the Emperor the discourtesy of simply ignoring his letters?

However, those doe’s eyes were looking steadily back at him, giving nothing away. And she was right, blast her. The journey was likely to take some time and there was no sense starting off on the wrong foot by naming her a liar. Especially if this was the Princess.

Keep it simple. Non-confrontational.

‘Our ship leaves this afternoon,’ he said.

Doe Eyes tipped her head to one side and listened to her counsellor.

‘Two hours,’ she said. ‘Come back in two hours.’

‘The Princess will be ready to leave?’

‘Yes.’

Nodding curtly, Ashfirth turned away. A light click informed him that the shutter had closed.

Two hours?

Make that four. The woman has not been born who can keep proper time. And this one is a princess who not only leaves the Emperor’s letters unanswered, but attempts to evade his summons to Court.

Catching Brand’s eyes on him, Ashfirth spread his hands. ‘Two hours, Captain. Tell half the men they have two hours before reporting back for duty. Something tells me that Princess Theodora won’t be too punctual.’

‘Two hours? Right, Commander.’

The Princess reached in front of Katerina to slide back the shutter and the tall, dark commander was cut off from sight.

‘Oh!’ Katerina said.

‘What?’

‘He has a limp.’

Princess Theodora looked blankly at her. ‘Who?’

‘Commander Ashfirth.’ The Princess’s dark eyes searched hers and Katerina felt her cheeks warm. ‘Yes, he’s limping. I didn’t notice at first, it is only a slight limp, but …’

When her mistress lifted an eyebrow at her, Katerina trailed to a halt—the Princess wasn’t remotely interested in Commander Ashfirth. Worse, she was looking at Katerina as though she had never seen her before, a slow smile dawning.

Inside the convent, the baby began to cry. The Princess smothered a small groan.

Katerina’s stomach clenched with foreboding. Hastily, she snatched at the pins of the violet veil and made to hand it back.

The Princess brushed it aside, and Katerina caught the glitter of tears.

‘Despoina, what is it?’

‘Katerina, I am sorry …’ Princess Theodora’s voice broke. She gave a weak smile ‘But I fear I am going to have to ask for your help after all.’

Katerina swallowed. ‘Are you?’

The Princess nodded. ‘Yes. I would not do so if I did not have to, you do understand?’

‘Despoina?’

The baby had stopped crying, but nevertheless the Princess took Katerina’s arm and set off in the direction of the convent guest house. ‘I do not wish to marry Duke Nikolaos, and you say you wish to return the favour I once did you.’

The Princess pushed through the guest-house door, her eyes going straight to the tiny child in Lady Sophia’s arms.

‘I have her, despoina, she is all right,’ Lady Sophia said, bending back over the infant. ‘Aren’t you, my dove?’

‘What do you want me to do, my lady?’ Katerina looked at the Princess, at the baby Lady Sophia was cooing over, and then back at the Princess. She was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy.

‘It is simple. I should like you, Katerina,’ Princess Theodora said, ‘to pretend to be me.’

Chapter Two

‘I must pretend to be you?’ Katerina’s jaw dropped. ‘My lady, you are not serious!’

‘I regret to say that I am.’ Princess Theodora glanced pointedly at the infant in Lady Sophia’s lap. The Princess’s tone intensified, the words tumbling out. ‘My time with my daughter is likely to be short. You must forgive me, Katerina, but I am desperate to be with her as long as I may.’

Hurrying to one of the travelling chests, the Princess pushed back the lid and leaned it against the wall. She reached inside and sent a stream of silks and satins flying towards her pallet: first came her favourite pink gown, the one with the silver embroidery at the neck and hem; next came the blue one made from finest English wool; then the brown silk, which shimmered with silver threads when she walked; the cream one with green acanthus leaves embroidered at the hem; the delicate green with pearl-encrusted cuffs.

Several veils floated through the air and settled on the gowns: the deep purple one that was reserved for important ceremonies because only members of the Imperial family were entitled to wear purple; the cream; the grey; the yellow …

‘Despoina?’

The Princess whirled and grabbed Katerina’s hand. ‘Here, these will suit you. What a blessing we are similar in height and build. Do you like them?’

Do you like them?

Katerina’s insides turned to water. The Princess means this! The Princess really means this!

Princess Theodora’s eyes were bright and intense, her jaw was set. She looked so determined, she seemed not to have noticed that Katerina had reservations, that sheer terror was a breath away. That, or she was choosing to ignore it. The Princess wanted more time with her baby daughter, which was perfectly natural. Princess Theodora was not the first princess to anticipate her wedding night; she was not the first princess to bear a child before she was married. Unfortunately, it seemed likely that little Martina would be taken from her the moment she set foot in Constantinople.

In preparation for her forthcoming marriage, all evidence of Princess Theodora’s transgression would be swept away.

Heart full, helpless in the face of the Princess’s pain, Katerina watched her mistress turn to another of the iron-bound chests and dip into that. A pair of kid shoes landed on the bed; some short riding boots; sandals; purple slippers …

Katerina’s heart sank when she saw the purple slippers. ‘Despoina?’

‘Mmm?’

Katerina extracted the purple veil and matching slippers from the rapidly growing pile and held them out. ‘I can never wear these. You know it is forbidden. Ordinary people just cannot wear purple! I was not born in the Great Palace. I am not remotely related to the Emperor. What would happen to a slave who did such a thing?’

‘I gave you your freedom some time ago, Katerina.’

‘That does not alter the fact that I am just a poor girl from one of the islands. Surely any offence would be compounded if someone like me committed it? I could be beheaded—’

‘Nonsense!’ Princess Theodora drew herself up, her eyes looked haughty even while her mouth was trembling. ‘I will see that no harm comes to you. I cannot force you, you are a free woman now. But if you do consent to take my place, Katerina, I will write a letter exonerating you from all blame. It will be made quite clear that you are acting under orders, my orders.’

A shadow fell over them, Lady Anna was standing in the doorway.

‘Not now, Anna.’ The Princess waved her away.

Lady Anna ducked back outside and the light strengthened.

Princess Theodora drew in a breath and took the purple slippers and veil. Pointedly, she replaced them on the pile. ‘Katerina, you said you wished to repay me for releasing you from servitude. Here is your chance.’

‘Yes, but…but…to impersonate you! Despoina, I could never carry it off!’

‘Of course you could.’ The Princess turned Katerina’s hands palm up. ‘When I bought you, your hands were work-worn, your nails broken. See how they have healed, you have the hands of a lady now.’

‘But—’

‘Think. You have learned our ways. I taught you to read. You can even write—’

Katerina let out a short laugh. ‘Only my name!’

‘That is enough to convince, particularly since most ladies cannot even read.’ The Princess glanced at her sleeping daughter. ‘Besides, if you agree to help me, I can offer you real freedom.’

‘Real freedom?’

‘I will give you a grant of land in…where did you say you came from?’

‘Crete.’ There was a lump in Katerina’s throat. She swallowed hard. She was not certain she wanted to set eyes on Crete again and had opened her mouth to say as much, but the Princess was unstoppable …

‘Crete it is then. I shall give you a grant of land in Crete. And gold. And since your time with us has turned you into a lady in all but name, I will also find you a noble husband, if you so wish. Katerina, I know it is no light thing that I ask of you.’ She gave a great sigh. ‘But perhaps you have changed your mind about wishing to help me.’

‘No…but …’

The Princess fell to her knees.

Katerina blinked. Lady Sophia stared. Princess Theodora, niece to the Emperor, was on her knees before her body-servant.

‘Katerina, I beg you, I implore you! Take my place, let Commander Ash…what was his name?’

‘Ashfirth Saxon.’

‘Let him escort you to Constantinople. Give me a month, pretend to be me for a month or two, that is all that I ask. I will try to wean her…and…and another couple of months will give me more time to get used to the thought of losing her. Please, Katerina?’

‘Despoina, do you really think matters will be easier two months from now? I am afraid you are merely delaying the inevitable.’

‘I need more time with her! Please, Katerina, if you had a child, you would understand. Go with the Commander. Please.’

For a moment Katerina could feel the penetrating blue eyes of Commander Ashfirth boring into her. ‘But…but he is a barbarian!’

The Princess’s expression softened. ‘Not all barbarians are cast in the same mould as Vukan, Katerina.’

‘Yes, I understand that. But the Commander will soon realise that I am no princess. My speech…it…it is not that of a lady.’

Her mistress shook her head. ‘It may not have been when you joined us, but it is now. Besides, he mistook you at the gate.’

‘It is one thing to mistake someone who is speaking through a grille and quite another to embark on a journey with them and not discover their true nature. The Commander will find me out and…and …’

‘He is a foreigner, as you have pointed out. A barbarian’s ear will not be finely tuned to the nuances of our language. He will not find you out.’ Rising, Princess Theodora shook out her skirts. ‘You have a quick mind. If you think about it, you will realise that you already know how to be me.’ Her eyes grew warm. ‘You have been my servant for…how long?’

‘Two years, my lady.’

‘That is quite long enough for you to have learned my mannerisms. As I said, we are similar in looks and colouring.’

‘But…but—he said you are summoned to the Great Palace in Constantinople, I have never set foot there! If by some miracle I were to reach it undiscovered, it would become obvious at once that the Palace is unknown to me.’

Princess Theodora frowned. ‘Ye…es, I see, that is a good point.’ Her brow cleared. ‘I know! You shall take several of my ladies with you. No one will think twice about the Princess travelling with her ladies-in-waiting, indeed, it will be expected. I shall make certain that Lady Anna is among them—she knows the Palace better than anyone. On the journey, she can describe it to you. She knows whom you will be likely to meet, she knows palace protocols, and—’

Palace protocols. Katerina was beginning to feel more than a little queasy. She wanted to help the Princess, but this …!

She shook her head. ‘My lady, it won’t do. What if I were summoned to meet the Emperor? He would know at once that I am an impostor.’

Her mistress gave a sad smile. ‘My real uncle, if you remember, was supplanted and put in a monastery. This Emperor has never met me.’

‘But didn’t he marry Emperor Michael’s wife? Surely she will realise—’

The Princess made a dismissive gesture. ‘Katerina, it is ten years since I was last at the palace, I was a child. No one will know that you are not me, I promise you.’ She smiled and clasped her hands together. ‘I would not ask you to do this if I thought there was any danger for you. I am sure Commander Ashfirth will treat you courteously, everything will be fine. A few weeks, Katerina, that is all I ask, a few weeks. Martina will be stronger then. And think, you will have riches and a grant of land.’

‘If I survive. Surely it must be dangerous?’

‘As I said, you shall carry letters, which will exonerate you if this turns out badly. I have grown fond of you, you must know I would not have you suffer.’ She looked towards the doorway, and raised her voice. ‘Anna, are you out there?’

The doorway darkened. ‘Despoina?’

‘See if there is a scribe to be found in the convent. If not, find me ink and parchment.’

‘Yes, my lady.’

Princess Theodora looked intently at her. ‘Don’t worry, Katerina. You shall take your orders with you. And we have a good two hours to transform you into a princess.’

Two hours. Katerina stared at the purple slippers and then at baby Martina. Her palms felt sticky. It was all very well for the Princess to assume that her letters would be taken as gospel, but in Katerina’s experience men who were deceived did not take kindly to those who deceived them. A pair of penetrating blue eyes flashed into her mind. And the first person she would have to convince was none other than the Commander of the Varangian Guard. Saint Titus, help me.

‘Katerina, I am relying on you. A few weeks, once you have reached the Palace. That is all that I ask, just a few weeks.’

While he waited for the two hours to pass, Ashfirth walked with Brand to the top of the hill. His leg had had enough of riding, instinct was telling him that it needed this different form of exercise or it would stiffen up, perhaps permanently. They had spent too long at sea.

They stopped just short of the summit. A little way below them lay the convent with its crumbling walls and vegetable garden. Next to it, a small orchard was bursting into life, there were green shoots everywhere. The wind ruffled Ashfirth’s hair; it had broken up the clouds and was pushing them across the sky—white sails scudding across blue. A gust caught the fruit trees and the branches waved.

Past the convent and orchard, the hillside sloped more steeply, it was thickly covered in bushes and scrub as it ran down to the sea. The sea was choppy, the waves flecked with foam. In the deeper waters, a striped red-and-white sail was slowly progressing from west to east in the same direction their ship would follow.

‘Brand, is that a Greek vessel?’

‘Can’t say at this distance, sir. It might be, but it could just as easily be Norman.’

‘That is my fear.’ Ashfirth heaved a sigh. There seemed to be rather too much Norman activity in these waters—the Emperor’s rule here was definitely under threat. He must make a report to that effect when they returned. ‘We will have to be circumspect.’

The port—and their own ships—lay at the end of a promontory that was bordered on one side by sea and on the other by salt marshes.

‘Do you think the Princess will make difficulties, sir?’

Those soft brown eyes came into Ashfirth’s mind and he shook his head. ‘She will know she cannot run for ever. By the time the month turns, Princess Theodora will be safely where she belongs, in the women’s quarters of the Great Palace.’

Brand gave him a straight look. ‘Before we left, people were muttering—taxes, rising prices. Are you expecting trouble when we get back, Commander?’

Ashfirth hesitated. His loyalty was to the Emperor, but he did not believe in keeping his men in the dark. And Brand spoke no less than the truth—when they left Constantinople, several disturbing rumours had been doing the rounds.

‘Rising prices are the least of it,’ he said. ‘There are those in the army talking of acclaiming a rival emperor.’

‘General Alexios Komnenos?’

‘The same.’ In Ashfirth’s private opinion, General Alexios would make a far better emperor than Nikephoros, who had grown old overnight and who seemed to have given up on government. The Empire needed a firm hand, particularly—Ash scowled at the red-and-white sails across the water—with so many Normans nibbling away at the boundaries.

‘General Alexios is not the only pretender to the throne, ‘ Brand said.

‘Apparently not. One way or another, a storm is looming.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Brand considered. ‘Rioting?’

Ashfirth grimaced. ‘It is possible.’ The price of wheat in the city had risen to such an extent that many were unable to afford it. Time was when the Emperor had handed out bread free to those who had need of it, but that had been years ago. The current Emperor, shut up in his palace, was blind to the needs of his citizens and his unpopularity was growing by the day. ‘Whatever happens our duty is clear. We are not there to control the populace, we serve the Emperor.’

And pray that he heeds the contents of my report. Ash wanted no repetition of the shocking incident that had taken place a couple of years ago, when a band of infuriated Varangians had actually attacked the Emperor they were meant to be protecting. It had happened before Ash’s promotion, and he was determined there would be no repetition, not while he was Commander. But he was aware there were rumblings of discontent even within the Guard.

‘Yes, Commander. We obey the Emperor, our loyalty is only to him.’

Ash nodded, but in truth he longed to serve a man who commanded more respect. It was something of a surprise that Emperor Nikephoros had clung to power for so long. Particularly when there were others in the army who were far more able. Ash had to admit that General Alexios headed the list.

Alexios Komnenos came from the military aristocracy. At twenty-four, the General had already done ten years’ service in the army. His record was impeccable, he had never lost a battle. What an Emperor General Alexios might make!

Abruptly, Ashfirth shook his head to clear it of such a disloyal thought. The Commander of the Varangian Guard must serve the Emperor he was sworn to. And Ashfirth had taken an oath to protect Emperor Nikephoros.

Hell, trouble is coming and I am sworn to a man who does not command my respect. A man who has yet to heed my advice. Ashfirth gazed bleakly at the cross on the dome of the church. He had sworn a holy oath and he would not break it. Come what may, he was the Emperor’s man.

‘Brand, the sooner we get Princess Theodora to the Great Palace, the better.’

A couple of hours later, Ashfirth and Brand were sitting on a low wall opposite the convent gate, a loaf and a wineskin between them.

Eyeing the position of the sun, Ash tossed his bread aside. For this meeting with the Princess he had thought it polite to remove the trappings of a warrior and don the clothes of a courtier. He had put aside his mailcoat and leather gambeson and was wearing a blue linen tunic. His cross-gartered chausses were tucked into his riding boots.

The gate creaked and slowly opened. Ash exchanged startled glances with his captain.

Surely this could not be the Princess already? Heavens! A woman who is only a few minutes late? And she…aprincess…how extraordinary.

He strode over, brushing crumbs from his tunic.

She was standing in the midst of her ladies-in-waiting. Doe Eyes. Lord, so many ladies, a grand woman. She is not going to like being commanded.

She was not tall, the top of her head barely reached his shoulder. Close to, her brown eyes were flecked with green lights. Ashfirth blinked. Something had changed. Her eyes were starkly outlined with some sort of black paint or cosmetic, he was confident they had not been before. The eyeliner made those beautiful eyes more noticeable. Oddly, the cosmetics had the effect of changing his perception of her. Before, he had received a fleeting impression of softness and vulnerability. It was not there now.