“O, nae weep! I am well. Becky needed time, but she feels well today.” I nodded.
“And, my head is full of when to bow, how low to bow, and what trades we need here in Alb!” I giggled.
“Dear wife, I know these things, and you may borrow of me when you have need.” He put an arm around me.
He pulled at my blond curls. Ella’s weren’t as curly, and lighter. My light blue eyes would make people think I’m happy all the time. Ella’s are more of a serious kind of blue. “Yeah, you’re a walking encyclopedia! Oh, there’s Bedelia!”
Bedelia saw us, tried to walk fast, and kind of fell forward in slow motion! But Jos Keil leapt from ten feet behind her, landed over her head in front, and gently pushed her shoulders back. “Be, Love, be careful! Did you harm yourself?”
“I-I’m so clumsy!”
He held her. “You nae ever traveled to a world with our gravity. Nae this guilt. You are nae clumsy, my love, nae at all!” He kissed her forehead.
“But, I lived in Rainbow for years! I should be able to do this!” One hand swatted to emphasize her statement, and he had to catch her again! “Oh, I’ll never get this!”
I felt the same way!
Elsie laughed. “You an’ me both, Sister!”
I rushed over with little hops. “Don’t worry. I’ve been doing some exercises I learned in Rainbow. Remember how Molly used to get around?”
“Hey, that’s just like I do! Keep up the good work, Becky, 1st Princess Of Esta Faho!” Is that Molly? Oh, Milly, her clone for Elshar Zheiea. She runs Rainbow Elshar Zheiea. What’s she doing here? Her red ringlets bounced as she ran over to steady Elsie.
Who shook her head. “If’in I didn’t have Nes, I’d be in trouble!”
“See this prog, ladies? Run it, and you won’t fall, even if your husband’s not on the alert like Jos Keil, here. Good catch, my man!”
“Hey, he’s my man!” Bedelia laughed. Her red hair was more of a rust color. Molly’s was bright red.
She giggled. “Just a figure of speech, you know. My man is sitting with the unwell back in Rainbow. I thought I’d check in with all my Earthans and see how you’re holding up. It’s been a wild week! But, I think most everyone’s better. Poor Galarsmen! Pas’ll make him rest up before he lets him start healing again.”
Tom put a hand on her arm. She had on a beautiful cobalt blue dress with her white robes and Tessite symbols over it. All 16 of ‘em. That shows her willingness to improve everything. In Rainbow she didn’t care for bowing and all!
“Prince Antomias, what can I do for you?” Her green eyes opened wide. Like a Zheien’s.
“I worry for our Master Healer! Will he heal? He is my healer, Molly.” I looked at Tom. He knows she’s Milly, right?
“Don’t worry. Pas knows what to do for him, and he thinks he’ll recover completely. I wanted to talk to you before our Council meeting. And, Ella, I want you to come with us. May we meet in your office?”
“Certainly, Queen Molly. This way.” We all walked towards the sky blue building that was the palace. Tom got her name wrong again? I worried.
I looked back. “See you later, Elsie, Bedelia! Have extra fun at the festival for me!”
They seemed a little disappointed that they weren’t coming. Why does Milly want to see us before the meeting? All Kings’ and official offices in Zheien palaces or in the Trade Office—that’s the green building or the blue one—the Diplomats’ House, all of ‘em are lined with merite. Telepathy can’t pass.
The day turned a bit rainy, but not wet, just misty. Not cold. No thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail, blizzards, earthquakes, tornadoes, or nuclear power plant accidents. None of the dangers Earth had. I still felt like one was pending. From how tense Ella was, maybe she feels it, too!
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We had to pass through a line of dancers, but Tom steered me through without a pause.
“Wow! That was fun!” I giggled and hugged Tom as we walked. “Oh, I should be more formal—”
“Dear wife, we have nae such rules! I am happy to see you enjoying yourself, and our people also.”
My face still burned.
“Here comes Ben! Oh!”
Binneas landed with his arm under Milly’s! “Did I startle you, Milly? I am very sorry!”
She laughed and leaned on him. “I’m still getting used to the Zheien way of doing things! I was looking behind me, ‘cause that’s where I would land. If I tried to land exactly there, healers’d be busy for days! That was so cool!”
His face turned oranger than his skin already is. I giggled. Zheien are so agile!
“Farley, my friend, are you well? Your color is light!” Binneas rubbed his blond curls. Binneas’ are rounder and yellower.
“I am well—”
“How long had you moisture on you? Molly—”
“Let’s go in.” She walked on Farley’s other side. Frowned. But we were right outside the palace and two ladies pulled the doors open for us.
“Farsen, Osen, are you well, today?” Farley addressed them.
They nodded and smiled, big. Osen pushed on Farsen’s shoulder when she wavered.
Tom looked worried. “I bring Olarpenan to both of you. Please, rest in your chamber, maidens.”
“I rest. Come, Far, make you rest.”
“I rested all day!”
“Olar make us rest even more.” She sighed. They took a different hall and went in the first room.
“O, I hope I nae offended them!”
Farley sighed and it rumbled on me. “I think the kingdom is weary of rest! How I long to show my dear wife our house! And sleep in our chamber!”
“I feel badly we nae came to you, Farley! Nathan was unwell and his healer kept him in his chamber. Galar felt we should stay in mine, for Becky’s comfort, our first days.” And, he was sleeping every time Tom looked over at him, and Ella had the worried face!
I gasped. “Tom, I’m Earthan, and it doesn’t make me sick. I’m not—well--fragile like Zheien women are. Pas wasn’t happy we didn’t come.”
“O, healers worry. My office is here, Friends.” We took a different hall of a bit darker blue and it was right there.
Milly held his arm. “I worry, too, Pal! You are sweating. Ben, get Farley.” She hefted Tom, twice her size, and shuffled in. Nodded for a bed.
Binneas carried Farley and put him in his leiwege like a healer.
“Milly, I can nae conduct business from bed!” Tom stood up. His blue eyes were black.
She bowed. “I apologize, my liege, but I am very concerned that you nae went to Rainbow or Galarsmen’s Chambers when King Challet asked you to stay there!”
“But, Molly, our council has worries! Nae of us could—”
“Did you know Challet was in Rainbow with us, and he is still there? If he’s not working, none of you should be!”
And, she bowed low, like a Zheien! “Antomias, 1st Prince Of Esta Faho, and Becky, 1st Princess Of Esta Faho, I am Milly, Governor Of Rainbow Esta Faho. I’m here to see about you.”
“Queen Molly, I am well to manage our kingdom—” Again? She just introduced herself again and he still got her name wrong? I got really worried!
Milly nodded to her husband and he put Tom in his leiwege by theirs, anyway.
She got up there. Sighed. “King Challet is very worried about you and your council. You have the Diplomatic Link, and I do, too. Do you hear him?
Tom, why do I nae hear Nito in my link?
Liege, he sleeps, for his prog ran. He asked me to meet with our council--
I nae wish this. Tom, we are well. Ryee, Ryonne~’s well clone, came to us to trade for us today, at Ryonne~’s insistence! He has been here daily, on his respite, all this week despite my insistence that our trade bal rises. So many friends came to trade for me, we are very well, and all worlds of Alb are well! I fear for them, but all of Alb fears for us, and Rahn Estar even more than K’hasa Zha! I spoke with all my kings, every one. Except Nito! Milly tells me you have moisture on you and call her Molly. Are you well, Tom?
He gasped. I caught that, the last 3 times or more. Perhaps I am nae. His face turned a striking orange.
I am far weary, but I listen as Milly speaks. Please, do as she says! I nae wish to lose you, either of you. Farley, nae think to travel soon. I have an army of diplomats from Fhiah and MarKu who are well and ported to all our worlds. All five of you ignored my pleas and Galarsmen is unwell. I wish Pas to act as your master healer until you can have an Ishah you deem well. Pirad offered to send you a clone of Via, if Pas feels Galarsmen is well to accept his help. All is nae well in all of your worlds, and I nae know why.