Authors: L. M. Roth
“Stephanos!”
she breathed, her heart suddenly stopped its beating and her breath strangled
in her throat. “It can not be!”
She sat down
abruptly as the realization smote her. Stephanos merely laughed again and
raised her to her feet, keeping her hands in his.
“Yes, Kyrene,
it is! It is I, at last!”
She openly
stared at him. How long has it been, she wondered. She had been sixteen, and he
was twenty. Twenty-five years. How incredible! She used to dream of this day,
yet when it came, she had not known him.
She recovered
herself with an effort and returned his laugh.
“Oh, it is
wonderful to see you again, Kyrene!” Stephanos sighed with a note of yearning
in his voice.
“And it is
good to see you, Stephanos,” she agreed. “But you must tell me all that has
happened. For it is many years since we have met.”
“Yes, it is;
too
many years. All the fault of my father!” and a bitter chuckle escaped the lips
of Stephanos as the corners of his mouth turned downward.
“But, I am
free now; free to come to you,” he said softly and drew nearer to Kyrene as he
held her hand in his.
Her heart beat
faster, and she felt a sudden shyness fluster her as his nearness affected her
as it used to so long ago. She withdrew her hand from his to hide her sense of
agitation, and stepped back a pace. But Stephanos was not deterred.
“It is
alright, Kyrene. Isadora passed away three months ago, and I am free. And now
that my time of mourning is complete, I hastened to come to you; for I have
never stopped longing in my heart for you, my love.”
She had the
sensation that the world around her collapsed as the ground gave way beneath
her feet. Her body slumped forward from its usual erect posture and she
laughed, laughed until she wiped the tears from her eyes. Alarmed, Stephanos
put an arm around her, but she gently pushed it away.
“Please, I am
alright, Stephanos,” she assured him. “I am simply stunned at your coming, for
I thought you had forgotten me long ago. And I am sorry to hear of Isadora’s
passing. I know how fond of her your father was.”
A shadow
darkened Stephanos’ face, and the bitter twist of his lips was evidenced once
more.
“Yes, he was
fond of her indeed. So fond that he would not permit me to marry where my heart
lay. And I have lived in bitterness with his choice ever since!”
Kyrene was
touched and oddly pleased. She extended a hand to him, and he took it and
raised it to his lips.
For a moment
they stood hand in hand facing one other, each examining the countenance of the
other to determine what changes the years had wrought. Their clasped hands
tightened involuntarily, and Kyrene realized that whatever had been between
them in the past was not yet over…
At last
Stephanos spoke quietly.
“Kyrene, will
you give me permission to call on you, to court you as I once did? Believe me
when I tell you that it was not my wish for our betrothal to be broken off.
That was the will of my father, not mine. Will you give me leave?”
Kyrene’s eyes
clung to him, and she was too dazzled to speak. For had he not been her first
love, the one she thought she would love all the days of her life?
Slowly she
nodded her head, and a smile of pure joy illuminated her face.
“Yes,
Stephanos! Yes, I give you leave.”
It was true,
as he had said, that it was his father who separated them. Georgios Zenobios
was not about to permit his only son to unite with the daughter of a merchant,
respected though he might be for his military service of the past. No, for
Georgios had greater plans in mind for his son, namely, Isadora, the daughter
of an old friend of his who was high in the local council. Stephanos had
implored, rebelled, and ultimately threatened, but to no avail. Reluctantly, he
obeyed his father.
Kyrene heard
the news through her mother, Eunike. Her father had received a missive from
Georgios, who firmly stated that the betrothal his son had unwisely made with
his daughter was null and void, he having been promised to the daughter of an
old friend. There would be no marriage, and no more meetings between his son
and the daughter of Philokrates Nicandros.
For Kyrene,
the loss was devastating. She and Stephanos had met by accident in the
marketplace one day, she with a group of her friends, and his eye and heart had
immediately been taken. He pursued her passionately, sending messages to her
through friends, urging her to meet him in secret with only a friend in
attendance. So taken was she with him that she agreed to this arrangement. They
met on the shore and took long walks, exchanging confidences and their dreams
for the future, with only her friend Agathe following at a discreet distance
for the sake of propriety.
Then he had
proposed, and it seemed that all of her desires would be granted, and there was
no happier girl in the Isles of Solone than Kyrene. Until her mother shared the
news that shattered her world. She who had been elated to the heights of
happiness now sank into the valley of despair.
She was under
no delusion. She had been rejected not because of a prior betrothal, but
because her father was a mere merchant, a status not good enough in the eyes of
Georgios, who had grand ambitions for his only son. This did not embitter
Kyrene toward her father, but it left a sour taste of hopes dashed, and the
knowledge that not all dreams came true after all.
If it had not
been for Dominio, she did not know how she would have endured the despair that
had threatened to engulf her in the following months. For she had grieved
deeply over the loss of her love, and feared to lose her heart again lest she
be rejected once more. But in those months when she wept in pain at night and
suffered in silence by day, she had opened her heart to Dominio and vowed to
serve Him. The ache in her heart had been filled with His warm presence, and
she clung to Him to help her through the agony of those days.
She told
herself that she could never love again, and it was years before any other man
took her eye. And when it did, it was of no avail, as he had loved another…
Now
as they strolled hand in hand along the shore, the past seemed to recede along
with the ebbing tide. For a fortnight Stephanos had called on her, and in the
evenings after school was dismissed they spent long hours together, walking by
the sea even as they did in the days of their youth.
At
first, Kyrene had been so overjoyed to be reunited with Stephanos that she had
allowed her emotions to carry her along. But as they spent more time together
she gradually became aware that all was not as it was in the past. In their
youth they had been one in all matters. Now, however, she realized that while
she was an Alexandrian, Stephanos clung to the old gods and the old ways.
She
knew that this would be a barrier to their union, and it was possible that
Stephanos might open his heart to Dominio and pledge to serve Him. But until
that might happen…
The
sun was setting with a blaze of orange glory that bathed the landscape in a
surreal glow. Kyrene for some reason she could not fathom, recalled the sunsets
she had seen with her friends on their journeys many years ago; those quests
made at the command of the Empress Aurora, and her travels in order to mentor
her friends. How long ago that all seemed now…
Stephanos
appeared to notice her distraction, so sensitive was he to her every mood, and
turned to her questioningly.
“What
is it, Kyrene? Has something displeased you?”
Kyrene
came back to the present and to the man beside her.
“No,
nothing at all. I just had a flash of memory, as one does at times. But I am
not displeased.”
“I
am relieved indeed then, for I have a question I wish to ask you,” he said in a
voice of utter tenderness. “Kyrene, we are too old to waste time, and surely
you must know my heart by now. It is you I love, and no other. Will you do me
the honor of becoming my wife, as you should have done so long ago?”
Kyrene
looked at Stephanos; odd that she did not feel any elation, nor did she feel
flustered as she had upon their first encounter. The man who was her first love,
whom she thought she would never forget, was asking her to marry him, yet she
was surprised to feel nothing, nothing at all. Why was that, she wondered.
Stephanos
noted her blank stare and furrowed his brow.
“Kyrene?”
Another
face rose in a vision before her eyes; another set of brown eyes that belonged
to a young man who teased and flirted and shared a love of adventure with her.
Together they had served Dominio and been swept away by the River Zoe to
faraway lands and relished every new experience that crossed their path. But,
alas, he was no more…
And
suddenly she knew where her heart truly lay.
She
struggled to speak, and slowly fumbled for words that would ease the pain she
must inflict on the man who now walked beside her.
“I
am sorry, Stephanos. But it is too late. It is far too late.”
The girl
before her was untidy in appearance, her forelock, as usual, tumbling down on
her brow in a fashion not acceptable in the world of the fashionable. She was
growing too plump, and she did not dress with the elegance of her beautiful
mother. Yet Kyrene found her adorable, and already felt a warm affection
flooding her heart.
The daughter
of her old friends Marcus and Tullia Maximus had arrived for mentoring, and her
presence brought memories of youthful adventures shared, and birthed a longing
to have those days renewed. How she fretted at her enforced settlement, it not
being acceptable for a single woman to travel alone. But Kyrene sometimes
fretted at the shrunken horizons of her life, and yearned to explore new lands
and meet unusual people again.
The sight of
Marcus reminded her vividly of the days when they traveled at the mercy of the
River Zoe, who took them on a course that she had plotted, and trusted to the
power of Dominio to see them safely on their journey.
“Kyrene!”
Marcus
momentarily forgot his customary dignity and bounded into her tiny house to
envelop her in a brotherly hug. Marcus had no sister of his own, and Kyrene had
always held that place in his heart. He picked her up and swung her around
before returning her to her feet. No sooner had he put her down than Tullia
wrapped her arms around her and held her close in sisterly tenderness and
murmured a greeting in her ear.
“Welcome,
welcome!” Kyrene laughed as she received their affection. “Oh, how good it is
to see you once more! Is there any family like those who belong to Dominio?”
The three of
them laughed in agreement, and so caught up did they become in their attempts
to recite their history since last they met that Felicia stood in the doorway,
forgotten by all present.
At last she
cleared her throat.
“Does anyone
remember me, the purpose of this visit, the package that is being safely
entrusted to Aunt Kyrene?” she said at last.
Kyrene laughed
ruefully and embraced the girl before subjecting her to a close scrutiny.
“Well, young
lady,” she said in mock seriousness as she examined Felicia carefully. “I
understand you wish to attend my school. Can you give a good account of
yourself and your abilities? For I do not accept many pupils, it being best to
pour myself into a few than to sprinkle myself over many.”
Felicia
frowned at her words: was Aunt Kyrene going to be as difficult as her parents?
“I can
prophesy, and I have dreams that come to pass,” she said rather defensively,
her lower lip protruding in the manner that was the despair of her mother. “I
wish to develop my gift; that is why I asked to come to you. If you do not
approve, I will leave right now.”
And Felicia
crossed her arms over her chest in a most unladylike way. Tullia immediately
reached out and uncrossed her arms and pulled them down to her daughter’s
sides. Felicia huffed and slouched her shoulders as her body slumped forward.
Kyrene chose
to ignore this bit of byplay, and to answer the defiant girl.
“If you wish
to attend my school, you must abide by my rules. And you may find them even
stricter than your parents. It is only fair to give you warning, Felicia! I am
not an easy mistress; my pupils can tell you that.”
Felicia flung
her offending forelock off of her forehead, and rushed forward to take Kyrene’s
hand.
“I do not care
how hard you are to serve! I only wish to use my gift and to learn how to use
it to glorify Dominio. And you are the only one who can help me.”
Kyrene studied
her eyes in the manner so well remembered by Marcus, as though she could bore
into one’s very soul. Felicia did not flinch, but gave her look for look,
returning Kyrene’s gaze with a penetrating one of her own.
At last Kyrene
gave her a slow smile that brought a warm light into her wide hazel eyes. She
nodded her head in the same leisurely way before she spoke.
“Yes, the mark
is there; I see it. You are a true prophet. And I think you will last and stay
the course. For I warn you it is not an easy one. To be a true prophet, you
must walk closely with Dominio. It will be necessary to spend much of your time
with Him and away from the pleasures of the world. If you are to hear His
voice, you must turn from all other distractions that would hinder your ability
to hear.”
She paused a
moment, and once more looked intently into Felicia’s eyes.
“Can you do
this? Can you accept this charge?”
Felicia hung
onto Kyrene’s eyes with her own, never blinking them, and nodded her head
emphatically.
“Yes,” she
whispered as if over-awed. “I can, and I will.”
“Good!” Kyrene
clapped her hands together. “We shall spend some time with your parents, and
begin classes tomorrow morning.”
Felicia soon
came to realize that Kyrene was in deadly earnest when she said her course
would not be an easy one. Classes began early in the morning, and they
consisted of hours of prayer and the memorization of the teachings of
Alexandros. For a prophet must hide the Word in their heart, as well as have the
ability to speak it, Kyrene told them. And Dominio must have first place in
their heart, with no idols that would lure them away.
Felicia
enjoyed the long walks the pupils took, as they drew close to Dominio through
the glory of His creation, examining it to discern His voice even in that. For
one could hear His voice in the waves of the sea, the song of the birds, the
softness of the breeze, Kyrene stated. He gave them all of nature to enjoy, yet
it also spoke of His glory and His order. For did not the sun rise and set with
regularity, and the seasons revolve in an endless cycle? Did not this very fact
prove the greatness of His power, and His faithful nature that one could depend
on as one could no one else?
The
surrounding countryside was as different from Felicia’s homeland as any
landscape she could possibly imagine. She who was accustomed to manicured
lawns, fragrant gardens and stately villas soon came to love the rocky hills,
the scrubby grass, the surrounding islands, and everywhere, the encircling sea.
Upon rising in the morning she took deep appreciative breaths of the salty air,
and waited for the gentle caress of the breeze upon her cheek the moment she
ventured out of doors. It seemed that the wind blew constantly here, yet so
softly that it felt like the touch of a lover, and not threatening with any
sign of force. In the murmur and sigh of the waves she heard a song of longing,
one that echoed in her own heart, as she yearned for so much more of life than
that which her mother wished to subject her to.
Felicia
quickly made friends with her classmates, who looked upon her almost as an
exotic species of bird that had flown in among them from lands unknown. They
were the daughters of humble merchants or fishermen for the most part, and the
patrician girl with the fine clothes and refined speech amused and intrigued
them, as they besieged her with requests for stories of her homeland and family
in Valerium.
One girl in
particular became her close confidante. Xanthe was the daughter of a cousin of
Kyrene’s, and already she exhibited what Felicia was coming to regard as a
family trait: the ability to see deeply into the soul of another and read its
secrets and longings. Her round face was framed in a tangle of black curls that
had the appearance of unfamiliarity with a comb, being always in a state of
disarray. Xanthe shrugged such a fact off, as she had little regard for outward
appearances, and manifested the characteristics of a tomboy. As she had three
older brothers and no sisters this was perhaps understandable. But Felicia knew
that her close friendship with such a girl would have been deplored by Tullia,
who emphasized to her daughter the need for ladylike refinement.
“Let us race
to that olive tree just yonder!” Xanthe challenged her friend.
Felicia
hesitated only a moment, then gathered up her robe and ran as fast as her legs
could carry her to the designated tree. She arrived laughing and out of breath
just behind Xanthe who reached the finish line effortlessly, having had far
more practice in running than Felicia, who had always had that activity
forbidden as being only permissible for boys.
Xanthe’s large
brown eyes sparkled with mischief as she exulted in her triumph. She looked at
her friend with a wicked glint that both taunted Felicia at her loss, and
applauded her for her daring.
“What
would
your mother say if she could see you now, I wonder?” Xanthe giggled.
“I know quite
well what she would say,” laughed Felicia. “She would draw herself up quite
stiffly and say, ‘Young ladies do not run; they never walk faster than the pace
of a turtle that is venturing to explore the world outside of its shell.’ That
is what she would say!”
The girls
laughed in glee, then sobered.
“I truly am
glad to be here,” Felicia sighed. “I have wanted to come for so long, and to be
here is like a dream come true!”
“But my cousin
is not easy, you know,” Xanthe reminded her. “And indeed, I have heard it said
that she is more exacting with her young lady pupils than the most erudite of
tutors with their students. You will learn much from her, but the cost will be
heavy, I assure you.”
“Yes,” Felicia
said slowly, as they pondered the setting sun together, now sinking slowly
below the horizon in a haloed glow of crimson fringed with gold, “I see that
already, yet it is my heart’s desire to be here rather than in Lycenium as my
mother wished, where I would have been trained to be an ornament for some rich
man’s home. Such a fate would only suffocate me under the weight of trivial
duties in the successful running of a stately home. It would never satisfy me.
I do hope that I can receive the training and be used for Dominio’s service to
spread His Kingdom!”
Felicia sighed
and Xanthe smiled in understanding. Yes, she said, there truly was no
satisfaction greater than the freedom to serve Him and to see His rule spread.
The two girls exchanged a glance of deep contentment; then linked their arms as
they turned into the tiny house as the last rays of the sun kissed its stone
walls.