CHAPTER IV

THE HAZARDS OF BEING LAR

Two days later Trajan took the Express on a direct flight
from Mount Argento back to Frairimont. His first intention
was to book a commercial spaceliner to Calitre and seek an
interview with the young outworlders whom his former
Lieutenant, now proudly Captain Royan, had so graciously
adopted and settled in his hometown and who could provide
valuable information about the nature and customs of their
Sphere. On further reflection, he shelved the plan. He had
handed the scrolls over to the Stewardship for further study
and he would wait for their observations before meeting
those youngsters.

The Express landed at the Spaceodrome around midday. Trajan
wove through the throngs of travellers in the main concourse
and headed for the gateway where the charter aeros were
parked. It was not his plan to return to Ermizgarth for the
night. He had already reserved a suite at the Travellers'
Autominium and played with a vague notion of crossing
southwest to visit Trevarthen Hall the following day.

It was when he was on the point of stepping on the exit
flybeam that thoughtwaves of panic breezed through his mind
like the breath of a warm Sunder season air. He froze and
did not hesitate in striking out his command: 'Come this
way, to the charter flybeam!'

Trajan turned and she flew up against him. She quickly fell
back, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment and her large
luminous eyes wide with apprehension, but she regained her
composure with a remarkable presence of mind.

"My Lar Ermiz?" she enquired aloud and wheeled round to face
two individuals who were quickly advancing upon them. They
abruptly halted in their tracks as if they were flung
against an invisible wall and the tallest of them echoed her
question in perplexity gazing at Trajan's uniform and the
triangles of rank on the one right lapel: "My Lar Ermiz?"

Trajan raised his eyebrows. "Cestors, I am Lar Ermiz, what
can I do for you."

He glanced sideways at the girl who had stepped backwards
even closer to his side so that his hand almost touched
hers. She was terribly frightened but she had also admirable
pluck and Trajan steadied her elbow with his hand.

"If you don't believe me," he stated further, "A voice print
can easily verify me."

Huigo Moritz involuntarily recoiled. "No, my Lar," he said
in a jerky voice, "I don't think that will be necessary but
I didn't know that Eirini had the good fortune of knowing
you."

"I feel fortunate by her knowing me," Trajan said with a
smile, "She will be my guest tonight."

Huigo's troubled eyes sought her out. "I would prefer that
you come back with me to Casteltheyne. You know, your
father--."

"What about my father," Eirini interrupted fiercely and
accused in a bitter voice: "Why were you following me? Why
won't you allow me to do as I please? Am I to be dragged
back to Casteltheyne in disgrace? You hunted me like an
animal!"

"Eirini!" Huigo exclaimed in a miserable voice. "Forgive me,
but I had no choice."

Trajan quietly cut in: "There is nothing wrong with her
father, is there?"

Huigo shook his head. "No, not really but he is worried
about you, Eirini."

Trajan tightened his grip around the girl's elbow and said:
"Tell her father not to worry. I will bring her back myself
if you would care to tell me who I have the honour of
speaking to."

"Forgive me," Huigo said, fluttered. "I am Lar Huigo Moritz
of the Protectorate of Castelmoer. And this is Ronen Wakren,
my comnager."

Wakren who had hovered in the background let himself heard
for the first time: "Perhaps we should invite his Larship
for the dinner gathering we have planned for tomorrow
evening."

"Dinner gathering?"

"Surely it has not slipped your mind, my Lar."

"No, no," Huigo said and he sounded a bit weary, "I have not
forgotten. It sounds like an excellent idea. It would be a
pleasure to have you as my guest, my Lar, as a way of making
up for starting our acquaintanceship in this rather
unconventional manner. Will you come?"

"I will," Trajan said with a gleam in his eye, "I am looking
forward to it. It is a pleasure meeting you, my Lar."

"My Lar." Huigo bowed and briskly walked away, followed by
Wakren.

"Thank you," Eirini breathed when they were at last securely
installed in their aero, which glided smoothly along the
flytrajectory to the Travellers' Autominium. The next moment
she asked with some shyness: "You already know who I am?"

"I have somehow figured it out but I am asking myself the
same question. Do you know me?"

"I was looking for you," she explained candidly. "I dropped
by the House of Ermiz and your Sergeant directed me to the
Autominium and the staff there in turn directed me here, and
when you instructed me so boldly to join you, I did just
that. How did you do that?"

"I shouldn't have done that," Trajan replied uncomfortably,
"but I didn't know I was so receptive to your, shall we say,
anxiety?" And he smiled lightly as he looked at her,
dwelling with pleasure on her face and her eyes. "And I sort
of expected you."

She blushed. "Did ... did Eugene tell you about me?"

"Yes, he did but let's no more talk of this. You have
travelled a long way and need a good rest and so do I. There
is a vacant adjoining suite in the Autominium. You can move
in there but if you wish to make other arrangements you are
free to do so."

"No, it will be all right," Eirini swiftly said. "I am sure
it suits me just fine." 'It will be perfect' she thought and
settling back in her seat she suddenly felt a quietening of
the nerves, serenity, a certain sense of security and, most
of all, of contentment. She had never felt so contented, and
happy, for a long, long time.

* * *

Eirini took a glance at herself in the mirror, at the black
hip-hugging skirt and beaded ankle boots. A comb of golden
leaves accentuated her hair and the light-green frilly
blouse her eyes. She blushed unashamedly. She had surpassed
herself. She had never known before that she would be able
to look like this but of course she had taken great pains to
enhance and improve her appearance, to look good, or more to
the point to look better. She could hardly believe she had
the audacity of spending Insta-Funds on a whim,
extravagantly, paying a visit to the hairstylist and buying
new clothes. No plain words could expound this sudden want
for beauty.

She remembered the moment when she stood on the borders of
the lawns encircling the white mansion on the plateau. With
its peculiar triangular flat roof and flaring wing sections
the mansion had the appearance of an ocean liner about to
cast off and sail the ocean. No, she reflected, a spaceship
poised to soar to the stars. In the distance she could hear
the waves breaking on the narrow beach below with
mesmerizing regularity.

"How breathtaking!" she breathed, still unable to make up
her mind whether to enter the grounds or not. A youth
wearing the uniform of a commander and a girl wearing a
dark-pink long velvet dress had approached her from the
garden and enquired if they could assist her in some way.
When she made clear the purpose of her visit the young
commander said: "How unfortunate, my Lar is away and will
not return for some days."

The news came like a blow and she felt the tears of bitter
disappointment pricking in her eyes.

"Arth," the girl said, "in fact he could be arriving any day
now in Frairimont."

"How stupid of me," the young commander said, "I have
forgotten, Maea. He did send a communication that he would
be cutting short his stay at the resort. I can direct you to
the Travellers' Autominium where the Captain usually takes
his lodgings but you can stay and wait for him here. By the
way, I am Sergeant Terglyn."

But Eirini politely declined and opted to leave for
Frairimont. It was as clear as day that the young couple
before her, clasping each other's hands while they spoke
with her, had eyes for only each other. She had no wish of
further intruding upon their intimacy and after the Sergeant
had given her directions she resolutely turned her back on
the House of Ermiz.

'How beautiful it is to be so in love," was her last wishful
thought which she bestowed on Ermizgarth.

She had not seen Trajan since their first encounter but he
had left a message that he would be occupied at the central
headquarters of the Command during the entire day. They
would meet each other again in his suite shortly before
their departure for Casteltheyne and the long awaited moment
had finally arrived.

The door to his suite was left open and she quietly slipped
inside. Trajan had changed his dark-blue uniform to the more
formal brown and white dinner suit with the ultramarine silk
cravat, and he stood by the mantelpiece pensively fingering
Huigo Moritz's invitation card that was delivered in the
morning. She watched him without making a sound, taking in
every detail.

She recalled the first moment of their meeting, his standing
by the flybeam rails, so utterly different from her
expectations, picturing in her mind the stereotyped version
of the high nobility, Huigo Moritz's severity and Eugene
Trevarthen's flighty charm. She perceived Trajan was more a
commander than a Lar, a spatial warrior as people would
sometimes call it, and she was just a common Phycel girl.
She could not understand why this thought made her suddenly
feel depressed.

Trajan detected her presence in the room and he looked at
her. She flushed even deeper when his eyes widened with
unfeigned admiration.

"You look--so lovely, Eirini."

She was suddenly struck with shyness and the words tumbled
awkwardly from her lips: "I ... I am so grateful. I feel so
indebted for everything you have done for me, my Lar."

He approached her swiftly and put his hand lightly on her
shoulder. He spoke in a grave and persuasive voice: "I am
Trajan to you and you owe me nothing. You have great courage
and you owe it to yourself, nobody else. You are here
because you have the determination to be here and I admire
you for that."

Her face glowed with a warm smile and Trajan smiled back at
her offering her his arm. "Let's go to the ball. We will
take the party by storm."

At the front gate she made the discovery that Trajan had
returned the charter aero and exchanged the aero's squatness
for the elegance of an Affra. She recognized the young
sergeant who stood smilingly beside it and who had also
changed his uniform with civilian clothing.

"Can I have a quick word with you, Arth," Trajan said and
drew his Sergeant aside. They spoke to each other in hushed
tones for a few moments during which time she was observing
that the Affra was no ordinary vehicle. It was equipped with
a microcom and displayed a variety of coloured keys and
markings on the controls, the kind of detecting and
counteractive devices she understood the Command's patrol
ships, the Posphri, had on board. She wondered whether this
areolimousine had weapons hidden somewhere in its fuselage.

"Please take care, Captain," were Terglyn's parting words as
Trajan took his seat behind the controls.

Trajan nodded and reassured his Sergeant with a lighthearted
wink. Like a sleek black alba the Affra glided out of the
main gate onto the pulses of the flytrajectory leading the
way out of Frairimont and over the Greater Odur Sea.

Castelmoer lay northeast of Frairimont at the southwestern
foot of Ermizgarth. The Affra hardly made a sound as it
whizzed higher to the ultraspeed level of the trajectory
network, almost brushing the bloated bellies of snow clouds.
Frairimont was left far behind in a mountainous nimbus of
flicker on the dark horizon. Beneath their feet the Greater
Odur Sea spread like a continent of blue-black glass.

At such great speed Eirini expected they would soon lock in
with the county trajectory of Castelmoer and the white
gravel path of Casteltheyne would shimmer into sight soon
enough. She wondered in what light this Captain of the
Command was contemplating her. He found her attractive, he
openly said as much. She appreciated his frank compliment
that was not uttered in mere flattery.

"Casteltheyne may not be what you expect," she began,
"although it is a very grand place with some nastiness
attached to it."

He warmed her with his smile, which was particularly
expressed in the changing colours of his eyes.

"I know what happened a few days ago."

She thought that of course he knew. Before coming to
Castelmoer he would have diligently done his homework about
all facts, inhabitants and the family governing the
protectorate they were speeding to.

Without averting his attention from the control panels
Trajan said: "We haven't had a chance of really talking to
each other. Maybe you should brief me now what made you come
looking for me. By the way, I am glad you did."

Eirini smiled in turn. He sounded boyish, almost bashful, in
his eagerness to please her. She had never been closely
associated before with a commander. Few of that breed of
Iucarians spent their days on hard ground and most of the
time they were unseen a great distance away up in space,
like a clique apart, dealing with such cumbersome matters of
interplanetary defence and security, which the common public
preferred not to discuss. Judging from the way he treated
his Sergeant, and herself, she thought that for a Lar he
lacked the necessary conceit as she told him the
circumstances, which had spurred her to run off from
Casteltheyne in the night.

She ended her tale with the statement: "Eugene stressed upon
me to call on you if I needed help, but ironically it is not
me who needs rescuing, it is Eugene."

Trajan seemed preoccupied for a time. He had a peculiar, a
most lovable, way of biting on his lip while he pondered.

At length Trajan said, "I don't want to frighten you, Eirini
but I should warn you that we may be going straight into a
dangerous situation. And I think it has something to do with
Eugene."

"I know but I am no longer afraid." Her hand impulsively
closed around his fingers resting on the controls but she
drew it back instantaneously. Trajan turned in his seat and
took her hand. He no longer appeared politely diffident but
suddenly showed purpose.

"It's all right, Eirini. Let there be no barriers between
us. We may need each other."

Trajan thought of Eugene as he gazed into the girl's
dark-green eyes and considered his kindred's behaviour to be
somewhat callous. He felt a sudden temptation to reassure
the girl he would be with her if she needed him, press her
against him so that he could feel the beating of her heart.

Eirini swallowed hard as she saw the desire shaping in his
eyes. She had an urge to nestle up to him, so close she
could feel his breath on her face. To extract comfort from
his strength she told herself but she wanted more than that.
She forced herself to look away and stared down at the
lights of Castelmoer winking at her toes. She felt sweet
agony; her own desire was burning like fire. What was
happening to her?

"Are you going to stay in Castelmoer?" Eirini hoped her
question sounded non-committal.

"Yes, I have already booked a place for me and my Sergeant
in Larkae. I will join him there tonight."

"You could stay in Casteltheyne." The words popped out
before she knew it; she could have bitten off her tongue.

Trajan gave her an oblique glance. "I daresay that will
depend on our host. If he makes such an offer I will of
course gladly accept it."

Eirini feared if he kept looking at her like that, with his
eyes now cool grey, then warm purple, she would do something
frightfully silly. She crossed her arms, bridled unwelcome
temptations and stared ahead. No more words were exchanged
between them until Trajan said: "We have arrived."

* * *

Lar Huigo stood on the top of the marble stairs when the
Affra glided up the pathway. For a moment Eirini had the
notion her cousin did not recognize her but he was only
pleasurably stunned by the change she had wrought upon
herself. After the initial moment of surprise Huigo's usual
austerity as master of the house had returned although the
speculations he was harbouring made his eyes unusually
bright.

Trajan had meanwhile caught sight of the other important
guest and said: "What a surprise seeing you here, Dama
Anjelie."

If the Dama was surprised, she would not allow herself to
show one iota of it. Eirini instinctively felt that Dama
Anjelie would have preferred to ignore her but she stood
poised with her hand on the curve of Trajan's arm and he had
a compelling look in his steel-grey eyes.

"There you are, my dear," Dama Anjelie announced in a loud
voice and brushed a cold hand over Eirini's cheek, "we were
SO worried about you. What made you run away like that? That
was very bad. And you, my Lar, it is marvellous meeting you
again. You certainly look well, much, much better than the
last time I saw you."

"Please," Huigo implored, an unusual ruddiness tinting his
cheeks and proffered his arm to Eirini, "let me."

Trajan stepped aside and he followed the group into the
guesthall where Dama Anjelie, after having dispensed with
the protocol of doing the honours to one equal to her rank,
had already blended into the customary mixture of Huigo's
dinner guests.

The first courtesy Eirini felt proper to perform, after she
had voluntarily returned to the confines of Casteltheyne,
was to introduce Trajan to her father, and Trajan soon
losing interest in the trite urbanity of the noble crowd,
passed the most part of the evening at the old Cestor's
side.

Cestor Vrillenar was bubbling over with excitement and
gratitude. "I really don't know how to thank you, my Lar.
Taking such good care of my little girl. She looks so
magnificent, doesn't she, really splendid. Oh, just to be
able to see how beautiful she really is, and so happy. I
have been suffering from chronic ill-health lately but this
occasion really makes me feel good."

It was Trajan's private opinion that although Cestor
Vrillenar certainly looked frail and a bit out of place in
his new dinner suit, there was nothing seriously wrong with
him. From his grandfather he knew what chronic suffering
really meant. Cestor Vrillenar's ailments, assumed or
genuine, stemmed mostly from a certain indulgence in the
weaknesses of his physique and despite numerous prognoses of
the early demise of his bodily functions, his elderliness
possessed a certain air of tenacity that would probably
enable him to outlive most of his generation.

Dinner was conducted with the customary pomp and reticence
during which little informative news was exchanged or
discussed. Trajan was careful not to draw too much attention
on himself and other than the habitual guarded curiosity for
family and estate, nothing more pertinent was asked of him.

Castelmoer was the most modern of all protectorates where
almost everything was automated or computerized. The menu of
the table was first programmed before caterers of flesh and
blood did it to perfection. If Huigo had his way he would
have done away altogether with the flesh and blood and leave
the culinary sciences over entirely to the nutrition
modulars which were more efficient and less fussy. As Lar
Protector however he was obliged also to entertain the
pre-modern taste of the older nobility who abhorred
computerized food, and these patriarchs and matriarchs could
nearly always tell the difference whether the meat was
sautéd with the right finger pinch of spice or the
fibre-glass nozzle's programmed spray of sauce.

After having a glass of wine in the guestroom Cestor
Vrillenar muttered that he was feeling a bit fatigued and
Trajan bent towards him. "Shall I send for Eirini?"

"Don't, I don't want to spoil her fun. I can find my way to
my room."

He took Trajan's hand and his grip was unexpectedly strong.
He spoke with sincerity and Trajan believed every word he
said. "I thank you once again, Lar Ermiz. I thank you from
the depth of my heart. I have never seen such radiance in my
daughter's eyes and there is no doubt in my mind who has put
that shine on her face. I will not easily forget it, not me,
weak, mumbling most of the time, who has never been able to
reward his own child well enough for her enduring loyalty. I
sometimes wonder whether I have been a good father."

Trajan did not reply and watched the Cestor recede into the
long hallway.

"His health has never been very good," came Huigo's voice
behind his shoulder. "One wonders how much time he still
has."

Trajan had his reservations about Cestor Vrillenar's
imminent departure into eternity and he said: "He seems
physically sound enough. The aged have many surprises in
store."

"But one is never really sure. So many things can go wrong.
That was the main reason that when Eirini ran--left us so
suddenly I was anxious to bring her back."

Trajan turned round and faced his host. "You chased her
right into the Spaceodrome. How did you know she was going
there?"

Huigo did not flinch. "I did not chase her, my Lar. She left
a note to her father where she would be. You probably don't
know it but my family has good ties with the Dowager of
Ayrie and since your aunt is temporarily residing at the
House of Ermiz it was quite easy for me to find out the
rest. Take it or leave it, Captain or rather my Lar, in
saying the words I said and doing the things I did, I had
only Eirini's welfare in mind. From the first moment I saw
her, her patient selflessness and her caring, I wanted her
to share the comforts of life with my family, on an equal
footing, with no conditions attached. Why is that so
difficult to accept?"

"Have you ever thought that she has desires of a different
kind, that your lavishing her with such luxury and abundance
is something she cannot handle, does not want?"

"And yet," Huigo said with open bitterness, "she has
accepted you and all that goes with you without so much as a
murmur."

Trajan looked deep in the other's eyes and Huigo withstood
that probe into the layers of his mind with commendable
fortitude. "My Lar," Trajan said, looking away, "that's
where you are wrong. What you now see in Eirini she has done
by herself. I have had no hand in it. I would put you in a
far better light if you could just recognize the strength
the girl has and give her credit for it instead of soiling
her character with undue speculations."

"My Lar Ermiz," Huigo said in a grim voice, "you are equally
misjudging me. I know the quality of courage and
self-confidence she has but so far she has not permitted me
to unlock it. You have succeeded where I have failed. I
offer you my praise and at the same time I wonder what kind
of hold you have managed to exercise. I will resist you, my
Lar, if it were less than honourable."

"I have brought Eirini back, with her honour intact and her
affections untampered with. And I hope you will keep her
that way, for your own sake, now that she will once more be
spending her time under your roof."

The lines on Huigo's face deepened. "Then you will forgive
me if I have judged you wrongly. And speaking of spending
the night, I have a suite at your disposal and if you were
to accept my extended invitation to stay overnight, it would
be my pleasure. Please do accept."

Trajan hesitated only as long as he thought it plausible.
"You are very kind and I will accept. My Sergeant is waiting
in Larkae at the moment and if you would excuse me I'll
communicate with him in the garden."

Huigo bowed stiffly. "I will instruct my chamberlain to do
the necessary arrangements."

As Trajan left the guestroom he felt a little chagrined for
not being able to more accurately categorize the nature of
Huigo Moritz's unconcealed distrust and dislike for him.
There were numerous reasons for not liking one's fellow
being, a difference of opinion, a flaw in character, a
contest for affection between rivals. Thinking of Eirini
quickened the pace of his heart. On an impulse he
contemplated going back to Larkae after all, taking the girl
with him, an act of rashness that would surely sour his
relations with Lar Moritz to a point of open hostility. And
he had come to Casteltheyne for a specific reason.

On a vacant patio facing the garden Trajan loosened his
cravat and stuck his fingers under the collar. Terglyn had
already arrived in Larkae and Trajan instructed him to
remain in the Travellers' House until further instructions.
He walked into the garden as he fumbled with his collar and
made himself presentable again under feeble starlight.
Islands of snow-clouds still hung low over the Purple Downs
but a flow of warm air had drifted from the South towards
the Northern Cap.

As Trajan walked his way deeper into the park, fragments of
his dream came surging back into his mind. He could almost
pinpoint the tainted tree amongst the dense woods of
perigreens but what was pulling him forward with uncanny
force was lying still farther behind.

Starglory no longer pulsed on the inside of his palm but in
the centre of his heart. Trajan halted before a steel gate
in a brick wall. Something had happened here, long ago, a
terrible conflagration behind that wall, in that shed of
which he could only see the roof, a bulging shape spiralling
in ovals into the sky.

Trajan was captivated by the structure of the roof and what
it implied. He was troubled and puzzled at the same time. He
was still trying to figure out the disturbing implications
when the rustle of branches behind his back announced the
arrival of others.

Slowly turning round he looked into the face of Lar Moritz.
Eirini stood behind her cousin.

Huigo was the first who spoke in a cool voice that did not
give away his true emotion: "My Lar, are you here as my
guest or as a commander? As my guest I would expect you to
behave with courtesy but I can do nothing more. As a
commander, I could in earlier days order you to submit to my
rule but that has been changed now. Commanders can now do
whatever they like, I presume, so either way I wind up as
the loser."

Trajan thought that the Tres-Tiorem had promulgated the
change in planetary policy with unusual expediency and
understood one aspect of the resentment which Lar Huigo was
showing.

"My Lar," he quietly countered, "I am also a Lar Protector
like you and as such I stand by my honour not to interfere
in the affairs of your protectorate. I see I am
inconveniencing you with my presence. If you would rather
that I leave--."

"The night is late, Huigo," Eirini butted in and gazed up at
her cousin with a prim face. "You have invited my Lar to
stay. Are you going to turn him out of the gates because he
has taken an unauthorized stroll in your park?"

Huigo's tall, broad-shouldered figure stood darkly framed
against the glimmer of the castle's lights that filtered
through the woods. His head was inclined in a way they could
not see his face. Finally he said in a weary voice: "Forgive
me, I have spoken in haste. No disrespect is intended. It is
very rare for my guests to go for a stroll in the park on
such a cold night and know their way so well in darkness.
But of course I keep forgetting that you have completed the
training which most of us find too strenuous. We ought from
now on pay more attention to the habits and peculiarities of
commanders.

"My Lar Ermiz, my invitation still stands. Please avail
yourself of the hospitality of my house. I give you my word
that for the duration of your stay, and you can stay as long
as you like, there will be no more arguments or
misunderstanding between us. Good health and a pleasant
night."

Eirini looked at Trajan as Huigo retreated from the scene.
Trajan had his head half turned with his intense gaze
skewing in the direction of the gate.

"Don't do it," she told him and her fingers closed around
his arm. "The gate is always locked and you will be
overstepping the boundaries of etiquette. Tonight, when
everyone is asleep it will be a much better time."

Trajan gave her a smile as he took her hand and somewhat
shyly she smiled back. She did not draw back her hand this
time.