The Falcon and the Flower (24 page)

John leaned across Isabella to question their host, Nottingham.
“Don’t you have any of those dancing girls who walk on their hands and show off their legs?” he asked restlessly.

Nottingham shot an embarrassed look at the queen and apologized for the lack.

Next came the trick where Orion turned objects to stone. Isabella had been anticipating this for days, ever since she heard he could perform such feats of magic. He asked his audience to give him objects they carried on their person and he would turn them to solid stone before their eyes. Dozens of hands held out a variety of objects. One by one he selected a ring, a knife, a goblet, even a shoe as he intoned an incantation: “By all the might of Moon and Sun, cast the spell and it is done!” He then handed back a stone ring, a stone knife, a stone goblet, and a stone shoe.

The audience was spellbound. Jasmine’s eyes were filled with wonder as the spoon she had given Orion was handed back to her turned to stone. “Isn’t it amazing?” she said to the table at large.

Estelle sniffed loudly. “There is a limestone cave just a few miles off, this side of Sheffield. People leave objects inside the cave and the walls and ceiling drip, drip constantly with limestone, which coats all the objects. Orion, or O’Ryan as I call him, simply took the spoon you gave him and switched it for one he retrieved from the cave!”

The Countess of Warwick laughed richly. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. You’ll notice he only picks very common objects that are certain to be handed to him. Demand he turn something unique into stone and he’ll be stumped. The King’s crown,” Estelle suggested in a loud, carrying voice.

Orion cast her a look of malice while pretending not to have heard the suggestion. Now the audience was in stitches as others took up the
cry, “My wife’s mother,” and from the back of the hall, “My husband’s tool!”

As he heard the tone of the group degenerate, which it always did sooner or later when the ale and wine flowed, Orion held up his hands to quiet them. When he had their attention he said, “If you wish me to turn your stone objects back, simply bring them to me and I will give the counterspell.”

Estelle mocked, “By the power of Land and Sea, as I will, so will it be!”

The Countess of Devon said, “Estelle, stop before I pee myself!”

Isabella, childlike, had thoroughly enjoyed herself. She stood now and the diners quieted to catch what she said. “Jasmine of Salisbury is going to read my tarot cards now, which will fascinate all the ladies. I give my permission for the gentlemen to play dice or other games more suited to their tastes.”

Many of the men in the hall rose and stretched and refilled their goblets preparatory to an hour’s gambling— all the men with the exception of King John and the Earl of Chester.

John jumped down from the dais and took Jasmine by the hand. He led her to Chester, lifted her in his arms, and handed her up to Ranulf’s waiting arms. “Priceless!” John said with a wink.

Ranulf grimaced. “Not to the wealthiest man in England,” he said with meaning.

De Burgh ground his teeth in mute rage as they handled his betrothed. Jasmine had exchanged one provocative gown for another simply to inflame his temper—at least he hoped her defiant action had been done with him in mind. His dark brows drew together in a frown as he recalled the man who had scaled walls for her before dawn. He glared down the hall. At least one thing was certain, it hadn’t been Chester. Though the earl was undoubtedly
strong, his arms and legs were overlong and lanky; he could never be described as lithe as a panther in a million years. Falcon’s ears picked up snatches of conversation from his own knights, from nobles who had traveled to get here, and from Ralph Murdach, the Sheriff of Nottingham, who was weary from listening to complaints. All the talk, it seemed, was centered on an outlaw in these parts who had taken over the forests. Men were flocking to him by the hundreds, according to rumor, and even though there was a price on his head, none would turn him in to the king’s bailiff. Falcon heard Murdach excusing his inadequacies as sheriff for the tenth time at least. “My men are outnumbered. I intend to petition the king for more men to rid the forests of this scourge.”

De Burgh curled his lip in contempt. A few peasants, freemen, and farmers were making a laughingstock of Nottingham. What the hell would the man do against enemies like the Scots and Welsh, fiendish plunderers, wild and fierce and cruel as mountain cats who came ravaging and burning? Falcon dismissed the talk of Sherwood’s outlaws with disgust. He shook his head when his knights offered to hazard the dice with him and made his way down to the dais where Jasmine was displaying the beautiful but absurd occult cards she had painted for Isabella.

Estelle rose from the table anticipating difficulties for Jasmine if the queen’s layout should be a bad one. De Burgh slipped into her vacated seat between the two widows and shot Chester a warning look cold and hard enough to freeze a man’s soul, but now that Isabella was monopolizing Jasmine, the king and Chester left the dais. Nottingham followed like a trained hound. De Burgh realized with a shock that the ladies were very excited over the fascinating, mysterious tarot cards they had heard so much about. Why were women so ridiculous? he mused. What made them so gullible? They were ready, willing,
even avid to be deceived. He proved to himself within five minutes that it was so. By dividing his attentions equally between the widows, he ascertained that each was willing to provide him with bedsport this night. Now all he had to do was decide which one he wanted.

Isabella, drawing as much attention to herself as possible, shuffled the large tarot cards, made her wish, then choose to lay out ten cards. As each was revealed, Jasmine became more dismayed. Though unbelievably accurate, the cards were anything but flattering to the queen. Isabella would probably have Jasmine executed if she read their true meaning before the assembled women.

Then her panic receded. She was playing a role. She had already rehearsed her attitudes and her lines if the cards were lethal. She glanced down from the dais and saw de Burgh. His gaze was detached and impersonal as if he found nothing to distinguish her from others. She saw the females flanking him and hated them on sight!

Jasmine gave the cards her undivided attention and began her interpretation. To de Burgh’s ears her voice was like silvery chimes, clear, pure, elfin. He glanced at the other women and knew he wanted neither. He wanted Jasmine, exactly as she was. Damn her to hell, the maddening little witch was too exactly the way he would have her.

“The queen of pentacles is your first card and therefore represents you, your majesty,” said Jasmine. The card meant a woman who was selfish, exhibitionistic, avaricious, bedecked in jewels, who cared more for luxury than love. The throne she sat upon was covered by symbolic figures of Cupid, ripe fruit, goat heads, and a rabbit, which of course represented sensuality.

“This card simply means a woman who will have every luxury in life,” said Jasmine, which was true enough.

“What does the rabbit mean?” asked Isabella.

“All the symbols indicate that you will be fruitful and bear many beautiful princes and princesses.”

Isabella looked pleased, then pointed to another card, the king of swords, and said, “There is John!”

Indeed it was John personified. A short, very dark man who inflicted verbal and physical abuse on children and women. A mean man, a bully and a tyrant who abused his position of power.

“Yes, your majesty. The king of swords represents a very dark man in highest office. A military man, as you see by the unsheathed sword.”

“What are all the dark clouds gathered about his head?” asked Isabella.

“Just decoration,” Jasmine lied.

“Why isn’t his card beside the one that represents me? Who is coming between us?” Isabella demanded.

Jasmine was dismayed that it was the high priestess, which she had painted in her own image. The queen could clearly see that Jasmine stood between her and her husband. Jasmine did not like the implication at all. Not only was she between them, but the queen’s hand had laid her card below the queen and king, and this clearly meant that they intended to step on her.

“What is the meaning of that card?” Isabella demanded.

“Subconscious knowledge, intuition, inspiration, occult wisdom, hidden mysteries, inner resources, the power of the subconscious mind to effect change and healing in one’s own life, the ability to get to one’s own inner center and function as a creative, life-affirming human being,” Jasmine interpreted truthfully.

Isabella, consumed by thoughts of herself, thought the card referred to her, and she looked even happier. Next to the card representing John, the queen had placed the Devil. Jasmine thought perhaps she could get away with describing the card and its symbolism without directly
connecting it to the King. Of course everyone in the room would think it most apt.

“This horned Devil with batlike wings sits on a throne. Chained before him are a naked man and woman. This card represents evil. Hedonism is not freedom to do whatever one wants, but slavery to one’s desires. This card means self-indulgence, sensuality without sense, animallike conduct. It means someone practicing malevolent magic, satanic or Devil worship.”

“Whatever does that card have to do with me?” demanded Isabella, her eyes sparkling dangerously.

Jasmine soothed, “The card is simply a warning to eliminate undesirable elements and not be chained by materialistic values.” All the women in the room exchanged meaningful glances. They knew the card had hit home about the royal couple.

“The three of cups reversed, and the three of swords next to the Lovers is a most unusual layout,” said Jasmine. “The three of cups represents a bride, a happy fulfilling card denoting joy in anticipation of marriage, but reversed and next to the three of swords it means a broken betrothal, interference of a third party who imposes himself between the lovers to break up a romance.” Uppermost in Jasmine’s mind was the fact that Isabella had been betrothed to Hugh of Lusignan and that King John had broken her betrothal and stolen her from Hugh.

Isabella, however, was thinking along very different lines. She knew Jasmine was betrothed to Falcon de Burgh and the cards were foretelling that she would be the third party who would break up their romance. What great fun. Such a diversion! And the girl had predicted it herself!

“Next to the lovers is the moon.” Then Jasmine hesitated.

“Oh, I know … that must mean honeymoon,” offered Isabella, showing her cleverness.

Jasmine grasped at the straw thrown to her. “Yes, how wise you are,” she lied.

The moon had a crab, a dog, and a wolf baying beneath it. It warned Jasmine that she had secret enemies who would conceal something vital from her. There would be underhanded deals made and she would be surrounded by deception. Jasmine bit her tongue as she almost blurted that moon meant Lunatic, from the Latin word
Luna.
Now Jasmine realized this reading touched her as well as the queen. Jasmine found this woman and her court distasteful. The very air was filled with mists of dread and lurking undeniable evil. Perhaps she could influence Isabella to change things for the better. She recalled tales told her of the old queen’s court, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. She recalled the very things that had awakened her desire to become a lady of the court.

The next two cards were disastrous: the ace of swords and the tower. The ace was a death card, which warned to expect the worst. It meant interference in one’s plans, being blocked and thwarted, fearful anticipation, sadness and woe. Coupled with the moon it meant underhanded activity, using deception and trickery. Jasmine took a deep breath and plunged in. “The ace of swords is a very powerful card. It shows that the person can influence a great many people, as did King John’s mother when she was queen. Her court of love became renowned. It was always filled with color, laughter, and music. Open lust was distasteful. Men did not approach a lady of the court in brutal fashion. Men were encouraged to treat women as ladies. They used flattery, wit, and elegance. It encouraged young men to sigh over other men’s wives, and it was fine for the ladies to smile kindly upon them, but it was most innocent and harmless. The court encouraged musicians, poets, and the arts. The court had an ambience of romance and the hall rang with the tales of great love affairs, such as Tristram and Isolde, and Lancelot
and Guinevere. Pages, knights, and minstrels fought for the honor to serve the ladies at table.” When Jasmine glanced at the queen, she realized her words had had the wrong effect. Isabella did not like to be compared with Eleanor of Aquitaine and come up lacking. The queen looked down at the last horrific card the tower and swept it from the table. “I tire of this game,” she said petulantly.

Jasmine looked from the dais to where de Burgh had been sitting but the table was empty. The queen, her mind already busy with a wicked plot, said cruelly, “Young widows are formidable competition with their knowledge of what men like best. Two bitches fighting over one bone.” Isabella laughed at her own crudity. “Who knows, perhaps the bone is big enough to satisfy both.”

Jasmine was seething inside. Whenever she had to spend time close to Isabella her nerve endings screamed their protest, and then to add insult to injury, the man who was supposed to be betrothed to her had offered her a public insult. Well, if he thought he could ride roughshod over her, he was sadly mistaken. She’d go to his tent this minute and catch him in the act. She’d make a scene that would disrupt the entire camp and castle. She had warned him once that he’d rue her. Well, tonight was the night! She’d sully his name and tell him flatly that by his venal, carnal indulgences he had broken their betrothal. She’d shatter his composure into a thousand pieces. Tonight would finish it!

Fearless as a tigress, she reached up to snatch a torch from its wall bracket as she left the castle and stalked through the bailey toward the meadow where the scarlet silk pavillion stood. As she neared the tent she could see the shadows of the couple inside. “Don’t do this thing,” whispered her better self; but her worse self threw all caution to the wind and plunged in.