“How long does he know her?” A dignified Elshar stood there. Lots of pins on his sash, but none of the gaudy ones I saw on most Elshars. We walked past him. The sunny yellow ship opened to dark red sky with few stars. Other people got on riding animals, but they stopped to watch. Past him, I saw Bedelia with that other fella, Jos Keil, and Elsie.
“My people, you know my bae. Please, we must continue here!”
Most people raised their twin fingers and swayed.
We left the ship and the sky was deep red. It kind of unnerved me, not to see many stars as in Atlanta, but five moons, one that traced a path through the other four.
Tom reached for my hand and Galar held our hands together. “Becky, what is your fullname?”
“Becky Kimberly Edwards.”
“And, your occupation?”
I flinched. “Student.” I’d changed majors from Computer Science to Art, and Daddy said I’d never get a job.
“Becky Kimberly Edwards, Student Of Earth, I, Antomias, First Prince Of Esta Faho, I love you with all the love in me! I invite you to hold the hands of Esta Faho in the strength of our family as my wife. In this Petition Of Marriage Without Courtship, by the Ancient Protocols of Zhea~ and Esta Faho, and also Rahn Estar, Becky, will you agree?” I felt his mind flinch, as if his petition wasn’t pretty enough, or correct enough, but I tried to tell him with my emotion. His deep voice thrilled me! I loved that mindpicture, the two of us holding 400 people’s hands. Even if one of ‘em’s that rude Elshar.
“Yes, I, Becky Kimberly Edwards, Student Of Earth, love you, Antomias, First Prince Of Esta Faho!” I wanted to say something poetic, but I just felt like sleeping!
Fa kept our hands together. “I wish to declare my children’s Wedding Festival of Nine Days! Please, my people, enjoy it!” His voice broke as he lifted Tom.
Pas carried me at a run towards the sky blue building that is our palace. People’s emotion rumbled on me like a personal earthquake! They’re unhappy! I wanted to cry, but I felt too sick. Wanted to look around me at the bright flowers in yellow sand, but—
“Becky! Congratulations!” Elsie sounded out of breath.
“Maiden, let me carry—”
“You aren’t coming to that other building? But they said everybody had to go there!”
“C’mon, Elsie. I guess royalty has different rules. Keiley has to go this way.” Who’s he? Oh, the fella who came with Tom to get me. They’re getting married now? Tom can see it, with his telepathy. But he stopped. My head hurts.
There were a gazillion halls in this building! They ran a long way then there was a tapestry with Tom and I, smiling, in front of it. Large doors had animal heads holding giant rings as tall as I am, in a beautiful sky blue building.
They put us in the same leiwege and the moment Tom’s arms were around me, everyone left!
And, I got sick. Things didn’t get messy, but Tom cried and Pas came back in. Sang. I fell asleep.
“Nae, I shall nae betray my kingdom! O!” Tom sat up. I held his hand. “Becky, sleep longer—”
“Dear bae! Are dreams terrible?”
“Becky, feel you unwell?” Pas had his hands on my head.
“Help Tom!” I sobbed. “Did anything get on him?”
“Ne, progs prevent—”
“But, I don’t have tubes—”
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“Dear wife! Pas, nae!” He wept. His yellow skin turned gray!
“And you will ne! Antomias, there is ne need for tubes. Even on Elshar Mashai, ne needs to practice such barbarism, for we have energy for progs! Only in emergencies we shall ne see here. Becky, if you feel unwell, you must tell me.” He stroked my hair. Thank goodness! Tubes are uncomfortable. Tom worked tangles out. I’d been too sick to brush my hair for a week and I dreaded—but now I can run hygiene and the computer’ll get all the tangles out without hurting me. If Tom doesn’t do it. It felt good where he touched me, where his mind touched me. He tied lots of ribbons in my hair. His twin-fingered hands are soft, too. Today I felt up to him showing me what he did. Such delicate knots! His flat, rectangular fingers could bend at the corners to gently push the ends through the intricate knots, and each held a tiny bit of hair. I felt pretty. I’d never felt pretty.
“Our people are unhappy with me. I must go speak—” As he finished the last knot, he slid over towards the edge of the bed.
Fa and Galarsmen held him down! “Listen, Bae, I spoke with our Council this morning, and King Challet spoke of couples who see these futures. You are Elders now. Micansen dropped all of his objections. Nae has any complaint for you. Rest. Both of you need much rest.”
“Rest! I have to learn how to be a princess.” I sighed. I didn’t even know which fork to use, or--
“Becky, I will nae require such rules of you! I love you as you are—”
“I don’t want to embarrass you, Tom!” His blue eyes wavered between dark and light, and his yellow skin paled. Probably said the wrong thing!
“You will nae! Fa, how did Micansen take it?” He looked at his father, the king. I stroked his blond curls. Such soft hair, much softer than mine. He’s handsome. But, my hands are clumsy and my arm shakes. Still feel awful, but not like I have a temp.
“He fears we think him corrupt! His fahie went to—judgment yesterday—and he is most sorrowful. He is in Pirad’s Chamber making himself more Zheien. I tried to dissuade him—”
“Micansen thinks to make himself a different species? O, Fa, I must—”
“Is too late! In an hour, he wakes Zheien, and I fear for him! He worries so! But Galarpah thinks he has less pains in his largejoints.
“His concern is for how tightly we must control our emotions that we see less perils, and his council upsets him much. There are yet Mashai traders who persecute our artisans, and his council insists they remember their Mashai heritage. They are nae Mashai, nae of them! But, we speak of this later. Galarpah shall see him quickly, when he wakes. I wish him to remind Micansen of his Tular heritage. His fathers escaped to Lidara, and there are changes there that worry him. They discovered new knowledge of the Tular, and many of our people share that heritage. They are nae like Mashai at all!”
“Nae, Fa?” Tom shook all over.
“I think they are more pleasant. Soon, one comes from there to advise Micansen, and I wish to be there. I think Oparnen will be disappointed. The lady to come is Falernen, and she is from Burial Chambers there, on Lidara. A distant mother from Elshar.”
“Elshar? Is she an Elder, then?”
“Eae, I think so. I hope she nae comes to replace him.” He paled. “But, you must care for your Becky, and rest. Wish me to stay with you, or leave?”
Tom stroked my face. “Feel you better, dear wife? If you need more sleep—wish you for Fa to stay?”
I held both their hands. “Please, stay until you have to leave! You don’t think this lady wants to take over, do you?”
Both of them laughed! “Nae. Elders nae come to conquer. Usually they shared their wisdom, before the War.” Fa smiled, and his eyes turned a hint lighter than medium, serious blue.
By this time I was too awake to go back to sleep. I tried some cereal and it didn’t agree with me. Pas gave me a green vine to suck on. Salisch, an Elshar nausea medicine. It helped. He hummed so my body absorbed that, then had me try several different things, just a taste. I tried cheese grits, then plain grits. That set better with me.
Light from above us made rainbows in the sky blue walls. Beautiful. My yellow roses sat on my bedside table, a pitiful yard sale find with a broken corner in a very drab light brown.
Tom helped me sit up more. “Wish you a Weddingtable? I wished so to make one for you, Love. I can fab a temporary one until I can learn how. Fa, can you teach me?”
He laughed. “O, how I wish my ba Ahan lived! He was very well with carving. I think Tatarmen might know—or Denar, he helped me with mine. I was in the middle of mine when I went to Aegelis and had injury.” He sighed. “Half looks as if a child carved it. I am unwell to teach.”
Tom’s eyes went dark and he rubbed Fa’s left hand. “Have you pains, Fa?”
“Dear bae, my hands are well, but I had poisoning on Aegelis when I asked for men, and on Fazteaer, a Kajarian used his telepathy on me! An Elshar felled him, but I had regen. I thought he was complete, but I can nae carve well now. Galarsmen tells me I am well for our work, but nae for—my namesign is nae as well. But, I am grateful I can yet draw him.” He sighed, and it rumbled on me.