The Shining Falcon

«Dead? No, praise Heaven! But he's so ill, we don't know if he will recover. Eh, wait! Where are you going?» Maria had hurried blindly off, mind tumbling with wild thoughts. She had to get into the royal palace. She had to get to Finist's side before it was too late. But how could she manage it? They would never let a mere peasant in there. And if she dropped all disguise, Ljuba would kill her.

As she wove her way through the crowds, a familiar name caught her ear.

«Pity about it. Boyar Semyon's a good man.» Finist had spoken of a Semyon. He'd told her how the old man was ever loyal, a good friend and a true support. Could this be the same boyar? Maria edged warily forward.

Not warily enough. The merchant who'd been speaking to his fellow stopped to glare at her, and she hurried meekly away.

Yes, but now that she was attuned to Semyon's name, she seemed to be hearing it everywhere, in various snatches of nervous gossip:

«Pity the boyar went and resigned from court.»

«Especially now.»

And: «It was the lady made boyar Semyon resign.»

«Hush! Never know if Her Sorcerousness might be listening!»

And: «She made boyar Semyon leave, you know. It's only truth. The Lady Ljuba never did like him.»

«Well, at least she let him stay here in Kirtesk.»

«Shh! He's here, right behind you! See him?» Slowly, casually, Maria turned. Akh, but Semyon looked so weary, so worn. So old. Not surprising, under the circumstances, she thought wryly.

But this might be her only chance. Without stopping to think, Maria hurried to the boyar's side. Startled servants quickly moved to block her path and protect their master, and Maria hastily called, «Please, boyar! I must speak with you!»

He can't think me a threat, an innocuous peasant girl!

Sure enough, Semyon was waving his servants aside. «What is it, child?» he asked courteously. «How may I help you?»

Maria hesitated. She hardly wanted to discuss this where everyone could overhear. «It's about—about the prince's health," she said warily, and saw Semyon tense. «Please, boyar, I must speak with you alone, just for a few moments!»

«My lord?» The servants weren't too happy about it. But their master gave a short, humorless laugh.

«What, after all I've survived so for, do you really think one little peasant lass could possibly hurt me?» He paused, glancing about with well-trained caution. «Come, girl,, this innkeeper knows me. We shall have at least the illusion of privacy.»

«I can't tell you my true name," Maria began. «No, it's not a trick, I swear. It's only— You see, there's — " She stopped, took a deep steadying breath, and started anew. «It has something to do with a fragile spell of disguise. You know about such things? Akh, of course you would! You remember when Finist was hidden as Finn!» Semyon's eyes widened. «How would you know — "

«Because I was there! Boyar, I'm the one of whom he's spoken, the—ah—the daughter of that exiled boyar from Stargorod. Please, before you interrupt, let me tell you why I'm here.»

«I wouldn't dream of interrupting!» Semyon said.

«… and so," Maria concluded, voice quavering, «Finist was gone.»

«And you came all the way from Stargorod to find him," Semyon said carefully, «all by yourself.»

«I didn't have a choice. There wasn't anyone to go with me.»

She stopped to catch her breath, fighting back sudden tears. «Oh, don't you see? How could I not come? He—

In a dream‑message, he cried out to me to seek him, to— to save him. How could I not come to Kirtesk?» Maria hesitated, studying Semyon's face. «You—you do believe me?»

«I do.» His voice was grim. «But‑my dear, do you know what you're doing? The, ah, lady will not be gentle with someone who tries to stand in her way.»

Maria stared at him. «And would you willingly abandon Finist?» she asked.

Semyon winced. «No, I would not.»

He fell silent for so long that Maria felt her spirits sink.

«But… for all and all, you're not going to help me, are you?»

The boyar gave her a startled look. «Of course I am!» he said. «Now," he added thoughtfully, «I have only to figure out a way to get you safely into the palace.»

Ljuba glanced at herself in the mirror, then looked quickly away. Face wan, drawn, eyes haunted and dark‑circled— God, she looked like an old woman!

But how could she look any other way? Every time she dared relax her guard and sleep, the forest and all its demons taunted her. Sick for want of rest, she was finding it more and more difficult to keep the boyars in check-why, this very morning she'd overheard them murmuring something about her and madness in the same breath! And Finist—