By next morning, with efficient dispatch, a baby elephant procured by Ardhanara had been brought before Amastrie’s tent.
“This baby’s name is Airanjana! What a truly lovely name,” Amastrie shouted excitedly.
“I suppose so.”
Amastrie gently stroked Airanjana around the temple.
“Animals know, you see, whether the person riding them is afraid or not. They tell by the shaking of the body or legs, or the smell of sweat. That’s why, when a person who dislikes animals rides, the animal runs wild, starts racing, tries to throw them off, or suddenly breaks out into strange behavior. But I am alright. Unlike my sister or Apama, I am by nature an animal lover. Whether a donkey, a horse, or an ox, I am accustomed to riding them, and if a person who is accustomed and not afraid at all rides, the animal quietly lets them mount easily. Look, see. It seems Aira likes me.”
“Hah.”
It was exactly the reaction I had expected.
For the time being, I attempted persuasion.
“Princess, it is impossible for you. It will only end in falling from the elephant and breaking your neck-bone. Not only falling, you might be trampled to death by the elephant’s feet.”
“It is alright. A very lovely and gentle baby. Look, she does not dislike it at all when I stroke her like this. She lets me touch her as I please.”
“Could it be you have already tried riding?”
“No, not yet. But look, Aira takes an apple from my hand with her nose, throws it whole into her mouth, and goes chomp-chomp. She is lovely.”
“That is so.”
“Today, I am thinking of riding Aira to look around throughout the town.”
“Please give up that idea. In such a noisy town-interior, no one knows what might happen. This animal Aira, at some moment, might suddenly be surprised by a person or a dog or something, and break out into wild running.”
“It is alright. Look, see. Over there, children are also riding elephants, are they not? Since Indian children can ride elephants, Persian children should be able to ride too.”
“You are the daughter of a royal house, you see. You are different from the children of commoners. Please refrain from acting recklessly. If by some chance something were to happen, I, who have been commanded as your education-guardian, would bear that blame.”
“Responsibility, responsibility. Adults are cramped, aren’t they. Both you and Apama.”
“That is how the world is.”
“Then Master Eumenes. How about you also co-riding?”
“Co-riding? With you?”
“Yes. If you hold me firmly by the back, it will be rarely indeed that I fall.”
“I, holding you? I cannot possibly do such an awesomely respectful thing.”
“Master. Could it be you are feeling shy? I do not mind. I do not care, you see.”
“No. Even if you do not mind, I mind.”
In the end, that afternoon, I found myself co-riding Airanjana with Amastrie to sightsee throughout the city. I scramble up first, take her hand, and pull her up. Everyone is looking at the two of us and laughing. What a spectacle I have become. For some reason, I feel an exceptionally strong gaze on my back. Turning around, it is Hephaestion. He is smirking.
“I see. So your real favorite was not Apama, but Amastrie.”
“Please stop such strange speculation. Princess, look, over there is a man who wishes to ride with you. Shall we switch?”
Amastrie stared at my face, became silent, and her shoulders began to tremble.
“Do you dislike co-riding Airanjana with me that much?”
Ah. It had started again. I cannot see her face from the back, but she is surely weeping. Amastrie is always like this when she gets angry. A troublesome child. I decided not to argue any further.
Airanjana is wearing a veil woven with varied, colorful precious gems on her head. It is an adornment permitted only for elephants ridden by royalty in India.
Amastrie is wearing a cool-looking gown woven with a greenish, ecru silk thread.
There, as for my own attire, it is my usual rugged, single-minded leather tunic—sweat-soaked, tanned deerhide.
“Does it not smell of beast, Princess?”
“Not particularly. You mean your clothing? I do not mind at all.”
Everyone gapes up at Airanjana carrying us, and yields the way to the left and right.
“Look, see. It is perfectly fine, is it not? Since it is a rare opportunity, shall we make her do something like a gallop?”
Saying that, Amastrie raises her whip and goes smack-smack on Aira’s rump.
“Go, run! The Airanjana! Show us your true self.”
Aira widened her stride a little, let out a lovely roar, and while only a baby elephant, went thud-thud making the earth thunder as she began to walk briskly, strutting down the great thoroughfare of the world. It sways considerably. Both vertically and horizontally.
“Dangerous, Princess.”
“What are you doing? Do not pinch my stomach. It is ticklish, is it not.”
“You yourself said it, to hold you firmly from behind.”
“I did not say it was alright to stroke or pinch my stomach.”
“I am not doing such a thing. Ah, please let Miss Apama walk.”
Praiseworthily, Apama, while going huff-puff, out of breath, is following briskly behind us.
“Apama is fine. Because she likes running.”
“It does not possibly look that way, though? She looks considerable fatigued.”
“Haha. It is fun,” Amastrie has completely mended her humor. “Oh, those people, just what on earth are they doing? Master, do you know? They seem to be carrying a strange god statue and singing and making a racket in loud voices. Some kind of festival, perhaps. A queer festival.”
Amidst the smoke of incense hanging in the air, matching ecstatic music, Amastrie’s eyes are glittering at the dance where men and women are moving and writhing, intertwining, gathered in a circle.
“It is poison to the eyes for the Princess. You must not look.”
“I wish to try drinking that, too. It looks like grape juice, but.”
“That is alcohol. You must not drink it yet.”
“Yes. Alcohol is something one drinks after becoming an adult, Princess Amastrie.”
“Apama. Do not meddle unnecessary mouth as a mere maidservant. You are not my education-guardian.”
Such a malicious little girl.
“That is so. Miss Apama, I wonder if you will drink. I, too, wish to try drinking what is called Gandhara wine, just as a test, to see what kind of taste it has.”
“What now. Only adults, is it not unfair.”
Apama, at Amastrie’s outburst, answers timorously.
“Though it is a rare opportunity, Master, I am not very strong with alcohol, so I shall refrain.”
“Is that so. I suppose you cannot possibly get drunk in front of the Princess, can you.”