Gods and Guardians

Chapter 22: Gayna

The throne room was similar in size and grandeur to Zainox'. Only the furniture on the throne platform was different. The seats were arranged to center on the King's unlike the throne in Zainox with lion statues on both sides. Sairus' was a long couch with ornate back, crescent in shape. The center rose like a high sea above the king's head.

Sairus and the queen sat at this conspicuous spot. His Majesty leaned closely in her direction, to spark some elderly gossip. Nimrod and Damian sat to the king's right. Zola and the two escorts sat left of the queen.

Trumpets sounded announcing the beginning of a new session. Then a deep voice reverberated across the hall. 'Behold the Transcendentals!'

There was heightened excitement. The Transcendentals were one of the most favored groups in Zoan. They came in doing prolific acrobats. Four drummers followed matching in rank. The dancers danced in rhythm, a foot in front of the other, occasionally reaching out to something which seemed to elude their grasps. It was a symmetrical triangle formation with the tip in the rear, men on one side, ladies on the other. The ladies wore bangles with tiny bells on their ankles. Their feet were bare. Hips and thighs were bare. Strings reflecting silver lights hung all around, from their waists, stopping midway between the waist and knees. A second set hung from the breast cloths stopping around the navel. The strings moved in practiced, choreographed flutters.

The men wore trousers that flared down from the knees. Lines of gold ran in parallels down the length of the trousers. Feet were barely visible. They were bare-chested, smeared in gold from neck down.

'The Transcendentals are the best group this tenery. They won the performance contest in the last spring festival,' Sairus said to Nimrod. 'Well... some argue that their dressing rather than their dancing did the trick. What do you think?'

Nimrod was uneasy with the question. 'Your Majesty. Um... well. I've not seen enough dancing to conclude, Your Majesty.'

'Well, I'm one of those that believe they won for their dancing,' the queen said. Sairus jerked a shoulder, pushing her a little. 'You are not a man. It is easy to say.'

Nimrod wore a somewhat shy smile. Then his attention turned to Damian whose attention was held captive by the dancers. He put a hand below Damian's chin and closed his mouth.

Damian turned with a flushed guiltily.

'Idiot,' Nimrod said.

The somersaults stopped and the performers disappeared behind the rest of the group. The dancers shook energetically and twisted causing the strings to shimmer brilliantly. Forward and backward they went, sideways left and right. They spun, eliciting cheers from everyone in the court. Then the left and right sides mixed and condensed into couples. They now danced, hand in hand. They went down, did the splits, with their legs in front and behind. They spun to their feet. Then there was a pause between movements, ordered by the drums. The sound of plucked strings came from behind, in a slow and sensual tempo. A peaceful melody reigned until the drums joined one after the other in gentle rising intensity. Bodies swayed in lithe graceful motions. Systematically, a heightened erotic fascination seemed to characterize the couple's advance and withdraw.

Despite their triangle formation, all couples were visible directly from the throne platform. Flutes blended in with the drums and strings. The air charged infinitely. Men slid behind partners, wrapping a right hand around the ladies. But the latter spun slowly, mechanically away from the men. Contradicting this apparent refusal, they held out their hands. The men took the hands gladly with a display of passion for courtship. The tempo slowed down once again as couples closed in. The men demonstrated longing, while the ladies, contemplation.