登陆注册
15423600000002

第2章

TARA IN A TANTRUM

TARA of Helium rose from the pile of silks and soft furs upon which she had been reclining, stretched her lithe body languidly, and crossed toward the center of the room, where, above a large table, a bronze disc depended from the low ceiling.Her carriage was that of health and physical perfection--the effortless harmony of faultless coordination.A scarf of silken gossamer crossing over one shoulder was wrapped about her body; her black hair was piled high upon her head.With a wooden stick she tapped upon the bronze disc, lightly, and presently the summons was answered by a slave girl, who entered, smiling, to be greeted similarly by her mistress.

"Are my father's guests arriving?" asked the princess.

"Yes, Tara of Helium, they come," replied the slave."I have seen Kantos Kan, Overlord of the Navy, and Prince Soran of Ptarth, and Djor Kantos, son of Kantos Kan," she shot a roguish glance at her mistress as she mentioned Djor Kantos' name, "and--oh, there were others, many have come.""The bath, then, Uthia," said her mistress."And why, Uthia," she added, "do you look thus and smile when you mention the name of Djor Kantos?"The slave girl laughed gaily."It is so plain to all that heworships you," she replied.

"It is not plain to me," said Tara of Helium."He is the friend of my brother, Carthoris, and so he is here much; but not to see me.It is his friendship for Carthoris that brings him thus often to the palace of my father.""But Carthoris is hunting in the north with Talu, Jeddak of Okar," Uthia reminded her.

"My bath, Uthia!" cried Tara of Helium."That tongue of yours will bring you to some misadventure yet.""The bath is ready, Tara of Helium," the girl responded, her eyes still twinkling with merriment, for she well knew that in the heart of her mistress was no anger that could displace the love of the princess for her slave.Preceding the daughter of The Warlord she opened the door of an adjoining room where lay the bath--a gleaming pool of scented water in a marble basin.Golden stanchions supported a chain of gold encircling it and leading down into the water on either side of marble steps.A glass dome let in the sun-light, which flooded the interior, glancing from the polished white of the marble walls and the procession of bathers and fishes, which, in conventional design, were inlaid with gold in a broad band that circled the room.

Tara of Helium removed the scarf from about her and handed it to the slave.Slowly she descended the steps to the water, the temperature of which she tested with a symmetrical foot, undeformed by tight shoes and high heels--a lovely foot, as God intended that feet should be and seldom are.Finding the water to her liking, the girl swam leisurely to and fro about the pool.

With the silken ease of the seal she swam, now at the surface, now below, her smooth muscles rolling softly beneath her clear skin--a wordless song of health and happiness and grace.

Presently she emerged and gave herself into the hands of the slave girl, who rubbed the body of her mistress with a sweet smelling semi-liquid substance contained in a golden urn, until the glowing skin was covered with a foamy lather, then a quick plunge into the pool, a drying with soft towels, and the bath was over.Typical of the life of the princess was the simple elegance of her bath--no retinue of useless slaves, no pomp, no idle waste of precious moments.In another half hour her hair was dried and built into the strange, but becoming, coiffure of her station;her leathern trappings, encrusted with gold and jewels, had been adjusted to her figure and she was ready to mingle with the guests that had been bidden to the midday function at the palace of The Warlord.

As she left her apartments to make her way to the gardens where the guests were congregating, two warriors, the insignia of the House of the Prince of Helium upon their harness, followed a few paces behind her, grim reminders that the assassin's blade may never be ignored upon Barsoom, where, in a measure, it counterbalances the great natural span of human life, which is estimated at not less than a thousand years.

As they neared the entrance to the garden another woman, similarly guarded, approached them from another quarter of the great palace.As she neared them Tara of Helium turned toward her with a smile and a happy greeting, while her guards knelt with bowed heads in willing and voluntary adoration of the beloved of Helium.Thus always, solely at the command of their own hearts, did the warriors of Helium greet Dejah Thoris, whose deathless beauty had more than once brought them to bloody warfare with other nations of Barsoom.So great was the love of the people of Helium for the mate of John Carter it amounted practically to worship, as though she were indeed the goddess that she looked.

The mother and daughter exhanged the gentle, Barsoomian, "kaor"of greeting and kissed.Then together they entered the gardens where the guests were.A huge warrior drew his short-sword and struck his metal shield with the flat of it, the brazen sound ringing out above the laughter and the speech.

"The Princess comes!" he cried."Dejah Thoris! The Princess comes! Tara of Helium!" Thus always is royalty announced.The guests arose; the two women inclined their heads; the guards fell back upon either side of the entrance-way; a number of nobles advanced to pay their respects; the laughing and the talking were resumed and Dejah Thoris and her daughter moved simply and naturally among their guests, no suggestion of differing rank apparent in the bearing of any who were there, though there was more than a single Jeddak and many common warriors whose only title lay in brave deeds, or noble patriotism.Thus it is upon Mars where men are judged upon their own merits rather than upon those of their grandsires, even though pride of lineage be great.

同类推荐
  • 松亭行纪

    松亭行纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 禅苑蒙求拾遗

    禅苑蒙求拾遗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 逢遇篇

    逢遇篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Criticism and Fiction

    Criticism and Fiction

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 勇毅

    勇毅

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 送黄秀才姑孰辟命

    送黄秀才姑孰辟命

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 萌蠢配腹黑:过来一起么么哒

    萌蠢配腹黑:过来一起么么哒

    萌蠢小呆货和腹黑霸道男婚后生活:某日。某萌蠢呆货:“我可以在你办公室里睡觉吗?”腹黑男微微一瞥呆货:“不行…”某呆货蹭到他身上一阵狂亲:“那我怎么样才能去你办公室呢?”腹黑男面上一喜,鱼儿上钩了!不动声色:“嗯…每天和我么么哒”小呆货嘴角一歪,“可是…嘴巴会很肿诶…”腹黑男脸色一黑,吼:“那你去不去?”“去去去!”小呆货被坑……【此文一对一,男女主角身心干净,此文主要是婚后生活】
  • 复仇摄影师

    复仇摄影师

    我永远也忘不了爷爷去世那天他们对我家做的事!直到爷爷去世我才知道他的真实身份,我要复仇却无能为力,做一名摄影师隐藏身份却暗藏杀机......
  • 无聊新世界

    无聊新世界

    无聊人士写的无聊的小说,多关照了
  • 总经理如何激励考核部属

    总经理如何激励考核部属

    总经理带队伍的主要方式无非有两种:一种是激励,一种是考核。本书对这两种方式都进行了详细阐述,着重介绍了总经理激励员工的具体方法,以及企业如何成功导入KPI。方法简单易行,注重实际操作性,辅以生动的案例分析,实用而有趣。
  • 配角升职手册

    配角升职手册

    何辜于天?我罪伊何?心之忧矣,云如之何?――苍天啊,我究竟犯了何罪,你要如此折磨于我。我死的离奇不说,每个世界还总有人想对我……望着后面一团黑影,糟糕,不说话,赶紧逃……
  • 古今灭

    古今灭

    无始无灭,天地轮回,寻父母,却寻到修行真道。
  • 山有木兮木有枝:龙萋萋追夫

    山有木兮木有枝:龙萋萋追夫

    一出生便被父母定下了娃娃亲,幸好定亲的对象是我从小到大的梦中情人,但是为什么这桩娃娃亲的另一方不但对此毫不知情,还把他的心早已遗落在别人的身上呢……
  • 核能:威力惊人的能量

    核能:威力惊人的能量

    本书对世界核能发展的历史进行了详细的介绍,描述了核能发展既漫长又曲折的道路,展示了核能作为清洁能源、充足能源、环保能源的广阔前景。
  • 痞妻上位:变态景少求不撩!

    痞妻上位:变态景少求不撩!

    (1v1双处,主打宠宠宠,偶尔虐渣,经常欢脱,偶尔正剧~)她的理想是把这圈子折腾个天翻地覆。他的理想是把这个女人折腾的几天下不了床。这是一部野山鸡蜕变史,也是一部腹黑三少撩妻史。*喻子一其人,贪财又土气,善耍小聪明,除了长得好看,几乎一无是处,家里三代从农的村里一只野山鸡。可偏偏,这么一只野山鸡,却被京城娱乐世家“声名远扬”的景三少给看上眼了。众人皆惊,大呼:这果然是个看脸的世界!景三少何许人也?京城最纨绔世家少爷,一个完美诠释了“二世祖”这一名词的人!更令人啧啧感叹的,是他那双残腿。——当然,那是三年前的事了。三年后,她以才气美貌,惊艳全场。而他以隐忍强大,轰动全城!谁说她是美貌草包?谁说他是残疾废物?看他们不把那些人的脸,统统打肿!*初见,她便因为一场乌龙,将他扑倒,却在最后一刻,仓皇逃走!她却没有想到,她就这样强势闯入了景三少的心里,从此搅乱一池春水。他向全京城发出通缉令,只为将那个女人,重新缚回他身边!*再见,她光芒万丈,粉丝千万,圈内最不正经女神(经病)是也。而他,韬光养晦夺得大权,执掌了京城娱乐圈半壁江山,跌破众人眼!景三少把某女推到墙角:“怎么,这次还想做到一半就跑?”某女讪讪笑着:“景三少,您腿还没好全吧……我正有此意!”随后,景三少捂着膝盖,脸色黑沉地咬牙蹲在地上,望着某女绝尘而去的身影。*最后,喻小姐还是载倒在了景三少的西装裤下。在日日撩与被撩中,她似乎已经开始沦陷。从此,抱上黄金大腿,伴随着随处可见的打脸声,喻子一踏上了向着影后不断成长之路。虽然,这个影后画风好像有点不对?某景·忠犬·三少一脸骄傲:“这是我媳妇儿,她就算不正经也特好看!”*景三少和喻子一谈恋爱了。众:不过一个小网红罢了,等分。粉丝:屁!我们女神可不是什么普普通通的网红!你见过那么有才有貌还那么不正经的网红?(骄傲脸)景三少和喻子一结婚了。众:不过一个小明星,等离。粉丝:滚滚滚!我女神可是史上最不正经影后,影后是什么意思,你们难道不知道?(傲娇脸)被忽略多时的景三少眯起双眼,恶劣地笑道:媳妇儿,解释一下,为什么他们把我忽略了?某女瑟瑟发抖:大佬的世界我也不懂,求放过!再来一次怕是真的下不了床了!(主娱乐圈欢脱甜宠文,简介无能,请移步正文么么扎~本文无原型~)