"What?" Jessie's voice cracked in disbelief. "What do you mean?"
"Ishtar was an evil, manipulative woman." Marcus' voice remained light. It was as if he enjoyed telling a shocking story. Jessie was numb.
"I don't know what you mean." Jessie raised her brow. Surely Neela would have mentioned whether or not Ishtar had had some kind of break down? Wouldn't she? Or is this what she was trying to stay so vague about?
"It must have been devastating for her to have such a devastatingly beautiful child. Even Haresh, the Sultan, fussed over her attention." Marcus faced Jessie and leaned in as he whispered.
"Her parent's house sits near a cliff with a magnificent view. One evening, just as the sun had started to set, a servant saw Ishtar flat on her stomach with her hand out stretched over the edge of the cliff. As the servant approached she realized Alleyah had fallen off the cliff and was barely holding on to a branch. After much commotion, another servant was able to reach the three year old and bring her up to the safety of her grandmother's arms."
"It doesn't sound to me like her mother tried to kill her." Jessie repliedas she searched his face closely with her deep green eyes. She found only his cool manner and soft smile. "She was trying to reach her. Why do you think she was trying to kill her?"
"That story was the servant's version. Alleyah's recant of the episode is very different." Marcus looked around and continued when he was certain they were alone. "Alleyah recalls her mother pushing her. By fate, her small fingers caught the limb, which saved her life. Her mother knelt down on the ground and whispered as she placed her hand inches away, 'Let go Alleyah, these hands want to be free of you.'
Alleyah was tolerable as a future wife to a Sultan, but when Hadji disappeared, Alleyah was merely a thorn in her mother's side. A thorn with no purpose."
Jessie sat in silence. She had absolutely nothing to say to that. Marcus sighed and returned his serene face to the night sky.
"Some beautiful women inspire men to build monuments and speak words of love that outlast them in forms of poetry and song." Marcus whispered. "Some inspire men to kill and die for them."
"Is she that, to you? Alleyah?" Jessie asked boldly. "Does she mean that much to you?"
"I have done much more then graze death for Leyah." Marcus spokewith a cold tone but realized his odd behavior and challenged her. "Would you not face that for Jonny or Hadji?"
'Yes,' Jessie thought to herself. In fact, she had risked her life several times. 'But they're my friends. What is Alleyah to you?'
"Don't think so hard about everything Jessie." Marcus replied gently. "I am a man allowed to keep my secrets."
'He knows I'm trying. I'm not going to get anywhere this way.' Jessie closed down her mind and smiled
A light 'clink' as something dropped, making them both jump. She and Marcus combed the patio with half lit candles. Jessie paused when her left hand moved over a small cold metal object. The small piece was so thin it slid right under the leg of her chair without her moving it.
'He didn't!' Jessie cautiously slid the familiar object into her hand and silently cursed to herself.
"I don't think I'm missing anything." Marcus replied rather confusedas he checked his pockets. " I don't know what the noise could have been."
"I'm fine too." Jessie lied as she carefully concealed the metal piece in her hand until she could get to her purse without the Count noticing.
"It has been an interesting evening." Marcus admitted with a smile. "You're an absolute delight. I appreciate you spending your evening with me."
"I've enjoyed myself." Jessie replied with a smile as Marcus' grayeyes seemed silver in the flicker of the candle's touch.
As Marcus slid his arm around her waist and brushed her bare skin of her back, Jessie forgot about the earlier episode when she had fainted and even forgot she had mentioned Claire to Marcus as well. Claire was something she couldn't even talk to Jonny about and he was there when it happened.
Marcus lips gently brushed her cheek and a hot flash spread through out her entire body. Jessie closed her eyes and held the moment briefly before opening them. Marcus stood with a pleased
expression and a noticeable glint in his eyes.
"Are you ready to return?" he whispered.
"Yes," Jessie squeezed her purse and slid the metal bug into her bag as she led them out of the restaurant. 'Jonny Quest! You are really going to get an ear full when I get back!'
End of Part Two
"Ishtar was an evil, manipulative woman." Marcus' voice remained light. It was as if he enjoyed telling a shocking story. Jessie was numb.
"I don't know what you mean." Jessie raised her brow. Surely Neela would have mentioned whether or not Ishtar had had some kind of break down? Wouldn't she? Or is this what she was trying to stay so vague about?
"It must have been devastating for her to have such a devastatingly beautiful child. Even Haresh, the Sultan, fussed over her attention." Marcus faced Jessie and leaned in as he whispered.
"Her parent's house sits near a cliff with a magnificent view. One evening, just as the sun had started to set, a servant saw Ishtar flat on her stomach with her hand out stretched over the edge of the cliff. As the servant approached she realized Alleyah had fallen off the cliff and was barely holding on to a branch. After much commotion, another servant was able to reach the three year old and bring her up to the safety of her grandmother's arms."
"It doesn't sound to me like her mother tried to kill her." Jessie repliedas she searched his face closely with her deep green eyes. She found only his cool manner and soft smile. "She was trying to reach her. Why do you think she was trying to kill her?"
"That story was the servant's version. Alleyah's recant of the episode is very different." Marcus looked around and continued when he was certain they were alone. "Alleyah recalls her mother pushing her. By fate, her small fingers caught the limb, which saved her life. Her mother knelt down on the ground and whispered as she placed her hand inches away, 'Let go Alleyah, these hands want to be free of you.'
Alleyah was tolerable as a future wife to a Sultan, but when Hadji disappeared, Alleyah was merely a thorn in her mother's side. A thorn with no purpose."
Jessie sat in silence. She had absolutely nothing to say to that. Marcus sighed and returned his serene face to the night sky.
"Some beautiful women inspire men to build monuments and speak words of love that outlast them in forms of poetry and song." Marcus whispered. "Some inspire men to kill and die for them."
"Is she that, to you? Alleyah?" Jessie asked boldly. "Does she mean that much to you?"
"I have done much more then graze death for Leyah." Marcus spokewith a cold tone but realized his odd behavior and challenged her. "Would you not face that for Jonny or Hadji?"
'Yes,' Jessie thought to herself. In fact, she had risked her life several times. 'But they're my friends. What is Alleyah to you?'
"Don't think so hard about everything Jessie." Marcus replied gently. "I am a man allowed to keep my secrets."
'He knows I'm trying. I'm not going to get anywhere this way.' Jessie closed down her mind and smiled
A light 'clink' as something dropped, making them both jump. She and Marcus combed the patio with half lit candles. Jessie paused when her left hand moved over a small cold metal object. The small piece was so thin it slid right under the leg of her chair without her moving it.
'He didn't!' Jessie cautiously slid the familiar object into her hand and silently cursed to herself.
"I don't think I'm missing anything." Marcus replied rather confusedas he checked his pockets. " I don't know what the noise could have been."
"I'm fine too." Jessie lied as she carefully concealed the metal piece in her hand until she could get to her purse without the Count noticing.
"It has been an interesting evening." Marcus admitted with a smile. "You're an absolute delight. I appreciate you spending your evening with me."
"I've enjoyed myself." Jessie replied with a smile as Marcus' grayeyes seemed silver in the flicker of the candle's touch.
As Marcus slid his arm around her waist and brushed her bare skin of her back, Jessie forgot about the earlier episode when she had fainted and even forgot she had mentioned Claire to Marcus as well. Claire was something she couldn't even talk to Jonny about and he was there when it happened.
Marcus lips gently brushed her cheek and a hot flash spread through out her entire body. Jessie closed her eyes and held the moment briefly before opening them. Marcus stood with a pleased
expression and a noticeable glint in his eyes.
"Are you ready to return?" he whispered.
"Yes," Jessie squeezed her purse and slid the metal bug into her bag as she led them out of the restaurant. 'Jonny Quest! You are really going to get an ear full when I get back!'
End of Part Two