Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 35: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION attraction. You can guess what .that is?’’ “That he is suggested. *“How well you have learned to know me,” she agreed. *“Yes, he is King.” Then she tucked her arm beneath mine. “But he is not my husband yet, and we have another ten minutes before we must reappear... .”’ I continued at this delicious, perilous game, caring little what trouble it might bring me. The Court smiled behind its hand, and her father laughed tolerantly and said also: “‘She is not married yet.” The date of the marriage ceremony approached. Once or twice Nara had said: “‘] am not married yet.” Now she said it again. ““We shall soon have to say good- bye, my dear Niklas—how sad that you are not the King instead of your brother. Soon we shall see each other only at a most respectable distance —but I am not married yet.” I looked down at her face. She looked mischievous and inviting, and her eyes were dark. “IT shall be married such a long time—all the days of my life,’’ she added. I knew that this was going to be the death of ‘me, King?” I 34 although for her it was noth- ing more than an escapade. Yet I asked the question I[ was expected to ask, and she an- swered in the way I knew she would. We made discreet arrange- ments—the Argolans were very expert at such things— ~ and did not meet too often or walk together before the night arranged. I thought the plan we made was perfect. After dark, James took me up in a ’copter and out over a lake adjoining the palace. For a moment as he passed over it, he dipped and hov- ered. Then he returned, and Shut the door of my suite, and went through the motions of bringing in my supper. There was a small floating island in the lake, with a cabin on it.... | Before sunrise I was picked up again by James, whisked up and back to my suite. As I have said, it seemed to me that the plan we made was perfect; that the escapade could never be known. For three days it did, indeed, remain a secret, then some- how the story leaked out. It started as a whisper, perhaps in the kitchens, then up to the palace, then out into the town itself, first in whispers, then connicloooks.comn)