We ported back to Rainbow, but outside. Lanapah and other healers bathed Tom, Nathanhai, Fa and Mea, Fae and Meae, and Bedelia was there bathing Jos Keil, and Elsie bathed Nespa. Stacy bathed Het. Ella bathed Farley, but his healer carried him back and she went with him. She’s shy, anyway, but I felt bad.
My family walked to us with all Stacy’s kids in tow, and they chattered happily with Rilley and her two. Suma was with ‘em. And, another girl that could be Suma’s twin.
She ran to me and gave a graceful bow. “Hi, Yea Becky! I’m Suma’s sister Eleanor, and your parents said I can live with them! I was born because Rilley needed a friend her age. I’ll be your sister, too!” She had long, brown hair and brown eyes. Suma smiled, but she’s very laid back. This girl had an energetic smile, and Rilley giggled and hugged her.
“Yeah, my babies just love her! She’ll help me with ‘em. She loves Barbies, too! And, music! We learned to play a duet on my piano, and she’s teaching me voice lessons! Osanor is teaching us both Elshar songs and dances, and Zheien songs and dances, and German songs and dances. Did you know Areon came from Germany, so they know a lot of ‘em, too? Osanor studied with an Areonian family before we came, and so did his parents! They’re all great tutors! I didn’t know what I was missing, on Earth.” She got a frightened look in her brown eyes.
Osanor held her hand, and she looked happy again. He looked worried. “Oh, I’m okay, Os! I-I mean, Osanor.”
“You may call me Os, Rilley. We are friends.” He kept looking away, with dark eyes.
She stepped closer to him. Her face got very red. “Do Zheien have—girlfriends? I mean—proper girlfriends?”
Daddy moved closer. “Honey, you’re only 13. Just be friends, okay?”
“People at school had boyfriends, and they didn’t do anything, they just hung out together.” She shook all over and her healer moved closer.
“I think you shouldn’t think about Earth, Rilley. That’s why you gave yourself a shortname, isn’t it? To avoid thoughts that upset you?”
Eleanor took her other hand. “It’s okay to have feelings for Osanor. Do you have feelings for Rilley?”
He looked down. “Fa tells me is too soon, but I love her. She should nae be alone, to raise her sae!”
“That’s all right. Just follow the Protocols. Don’t hold her hand too tight, and talk about things that aren’t serious. Earthans have to do that, too. The two of you have me to chaperon, and both sets of your parents. Do you feel sick?”
He nodded. His parents got the dark eyes.
“Let Tilla look at you. Let her see. Don’t hide.”
“But, all of us must! If we show weakness, Elshars will come!”
I rubbed the back of his head. “Are you afraid of any Elshars here?”
“Pah! Artisan! Last time I visited, you apprenticed to Oparnen! You will trade for me like your spineless father. Or, I will—”
His black eyes were open past wide, and he dripped sweat! “I will keep Oparnen as my tutor!”
I gasped.
He looked up. “Yea Becky, I am well.” He didn’t look well. White, and going gray! Sweat-powder made a yellow cloud on his toes!
“My son, you are nae, after Oparnen harmed you! You need a healer who can help you!”
“I saw Oparnen die!” And, he tried not to smile.
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I hugged him and he clung to me.
A male Ishah healer ran to us. “I can help him.”
“His poor father, too!”
His father shook all over, and another healer carried him after this one, who carried Osanor in the yellow building.
Rilley sobbed. “Not him, too! Are they going to punish them?”
I hugged her. “They didn’t do anything wrong, they got hurt by evil Elshars! You want to marry him, right?”
Everybody gasped!
Daddy got upset. “You can’t be serious! Rilley had that forced—”
“Zheien don’t do that.” I showed him what I showed Micansen. Oh, my face burned! Tom turned orange in his face, then paled. But he agreed with me. Osanor’ll die trying to keep his bellsongs in.
I didn’t mean for that last comment to get to Rilley, but she gasped! “I want to get married! Now that I know I don’t have to do that ever again, yes! Can I go tell him?”
I touched her mind, very gently. Did your healers have to fix you, from what that brute did?
Her face turned very red. She nodded.
They are having to do that kind of healing for them, too. They’ll sleep after it. Believe me, they’ll come get you the minute they wake up.
Osanor’s poor mother got upset and they carried her in there. Her, too? Oh, I got mad! I’m so glad Oparnen’s dead--
An Elshar dropped like a rock! Two healers ran to him. One gasped, and waved. “Perhaps Pirad can help him.”
“Did you see his damage, Brother? Even Pirad can na help him!”
But, I saw him with Oparnen. Did I do that?
Tom put his arms around me. Gasped. “Becky, be calm, my love!”
I tried not to shake. “I’m okay—”
“You are cold!” He took me into the mud and bathed me. I giggled. He’s so overprotective! I just let my mind think about Tom, Tom, and only Tom.
He ported us to our room and we enjoyed bellsongs for a while. I worried about it being too much exertion, but I think it helped both of us.
Afterwards, we shared memories of the festival that someone was enjoying now. His Diplomatic Link is something else! Diplomats can just dive in and find something pleasant, or help someone out of a jam with something he knows, or a skill. Meet people that he can’t find again, to share a memory or just support each other.
But, he knows he has to resist. He’s still tired. We went out, and Lanapah ran to us. “Feel you well, Tom?” His brother carried Konomai to us.
Tom laughed. “Let us enjoy the festival, please, Lan?” He led me out of the front arch.
“If you let me see you and don’t hide.” A wave got a white, padded bench and we sat on it with him. After he saw Tom from front to back, he smiled. “Eae, but na for long.”
Tom giggled. Poor Rilley was still upset, but Tom held her hand and got serious. “Sa, nae this fear for Osanor, or his parents. With healing, they will all be more well, and you can help him more than any.”
Daddy and Mama sat with Fa, and they didn’t look happy.
“Daddy’ll kill him! Or me!”
“They know it’s different for Zheien. Not many Zheien boys know that someone’s right for them, isn’t that right, Tom?”
His eyes went dark. “Most of us nae marry, nae at all. When we are young, we prepare for our work, and this takes much time and energy. Eae, all from perhaps, 12, wish for a maiden and speak with them. But for our colony, we must make sacrifices. All who plan to attend Sigan Mas at 14 wish nae to leave a maiden to worry. So we think seriously of marriage at 20, most of us.
“Osanor’s family are artisans, and many declare Decision at earlier ages. Because of this, once they know their work is secure, many fathers advise bae and sae nae to be near one another much. Most bear friendship well, but nae think of marriage before at least 16. Is nae common in Zheiea, for those below 20 to marry, but at times a couple and their parents go to their king for advice. I nae knew of one to choose his wife at 13! But they need one another. Osanor is wise beyond his years. He learned to trade well at 12, and apprenticed to Oparnen. But Oparnen ruined many of our Elshar traders who showed such talent early. I sent healers to all! I noticed that many of the Elshars he trained married before 16, which is also unusual for them.”
They all came back to us and waved up benches. Daddy sighed. “I just worry about you, Rilley. But, yes, I’m convinced that you do need to marry Osanor so he won’t die! On Earth, we wouldn’t have a situation like this. Can you handle being married?”
Rilley smiled. “Os is not like—him.” She shuddered. “When he touches my hand or hugs me, it’s gentle, like I’m glass and he might break me! He’s like all the Disney princes! I’m not scared of him. I mean, look at Tom! He doesn’t look at you like—boys at school.” She looked down. “I couldn’t stand to be looked at that way!”