THE TANGO OF LIFE

As Miss Ravenwood ran back to the bar, Cornflower joined Kinubal as Jack got up and went for his guitar, back in the courtyard. He returned, grabbed a chair and began tuning it as Rhys had the males clear away tables. Then he arranged the chairs so they faced toward the open circle. “Jon,” Rhys said as we all sat down, “if you’ve never seen this danced before, you’re in for a treat.”

Miss Ravenwood returned with several castanets and a wooden box. “Drog, any chance you can play percussion? It resonates sound pretty well.”

“Drog couldn’t carry a tune if he cradled it in a sling,” Goro said with a chuckle. “Give me the box. Before I worked for Mr. Goldspear, I-”

“Played in the orchestra for the original ‘Olympic Revels’ under Madame Vestris,” my other two friends said in unison.

Baroda added, “When are you going to get tired of telling that story?”

“The minute it stops annoying you.” Goro took the wooden box from Miss Ravenwood and sat on the floor beside Jack’s chair, the two conferring for a few moments while Miss Ravenwood gave Rainbow and Cornflower the castanets. Then she sat beside Rhys with her arm around him.

Kinubal and Cornflower moved to the center of the open area and stood back to back, castanets in their hands, a few of us whispering comments to each other while Jack set his guitar on his lap pointing upward at an angle.

He struck the opening chord. Rainbow and Cornflower raised their arms above their heads, arms almost, but not yet, intertwined, as the cantina grew silent. Jack smiled, and began to play. Soft at first then growing stronger, his fingers caressed the strings as the two began moving with the music, castanets clicking in time as their bodies arched then slid away, turning to face each other as if none of the rest of us existed. Goro, who had been nodding along with the music as his hands beat a silent tattoo above the box, began to tap it with a light touch, his strokes growing stronger as Jack nodded back at him in encouragement.

As the dance continued, the music and the movements began to change. Kinubal became demure, sensual, her gaze dropping as if suddenly shy, while Cornflower became flamboyant in her gestures, the castanets snapping faster as the tempo increased. Kinubal pulled away, met Cornflower’s eyes and looked at the tiled floor again, Cornflower moving like she was showing off, trying to get her lover’s attention as Jack changed the rhythm.

It became softer, more romantic, Goro responding by lightening up on the beat, but then changed again, Jack increasing the intensity as Kinubal met Cornflower’s eyes and began responding to her movements with flamboyant ones of her own, as Goro’s warty hands flew over the scarred wooden box. The two dancers came together as their arms entwined, their faces together like eternally faithful swans. The music crescendoed.

Then the guitar stopped. The two dancers froze in place as Goro gave a final beat and took his hands away, all of us bursting into applause while Goro beat his on the box. Kinubal gave Cornflower a lingering kiss before the two fell away, laughing. “Extraordinary,” my grandfather said as the other two half-blood Eldarions flitted over to retrieve the castanets.

“Why do you say that?” Kinubal asked as Miss Ravenwood jumped up to get her a glass filled with water. “The old ones of the People think we should not let the culture of the outer lands infect us with their ways, but I say let’s take the best of what they’ve got to offer us and leave the rest.”

“I believe that is wise,” my grandfather said to her as she gulped the water and set down the glass. “However, I was thinking of something else entirely. You see, in the rest of the world, Eldarions, full blooded Eldarions, never take delight in their half-blooded cousins. At sixteen, the mixed-race girls are given a grand party to celebrate their coming of age. Then they are cast out.”

Kinubal stared at him in horror as I tried to think of myself put in the same position at sixteen and failed. “Sir, that may be their custom, but it is still not right.”

“No, it is not. However, there are certain cultural traditions the different races practice that we cannot control. Nor do we have the right to do so.”

Mr. Stephens cleared his throat. “If I may offer an opposing viewpoint, humans are the dominant race. Surely that should give us the right to end practices we find abhorrent.”

“That would make you no better than the Koncava industrialists,” Catherwood replied, “who recently introduced a bill into Parliament that would require half-blood Eldarion girls to become part of their so called ‘Entertainment Establishments’. It was introduced as a public health measure to prevent their becoming addicted to gin and drugs like Whitesnake.”

“Merciful heavens. I hope it did not pass.”

“It never made it out of the Commons and even if it had, the House of Lords would have stopped it cold, as it is still an Eldarion enclave. However, it emphasizes my point that-”

“Are you saying you agree with this?” Kinubal’s eyes were narrowing as her mouth set into hard lines. “If your family had a half-blood daughter, you would let them throw her out at sixteen like a piece of garbage?”

“She would never just be thrown out,” Catherwood shot back. “I would make sure she was provided a good life in human society.” Kinubal’s expression became incredulous and Catherwood made an exasperated sound. “Look, just because half-bloods have an honored place here and not elsewhere, does not mean the rest of our society is flawed. Eldarion females have daughters with human males as a way for us to survive as a race and nothing else.” He made an impatient gesture towards Cornflower with his hand. “I am not saying they are bad people, or defective, only that they are not members of our race.”

“Because they are the symbols of your shame,” Je’kyll said. All the other tables stopped talking among themselves and listened as he made a steeple with his fingers. “Half human hybrids are neither fish nor fowl, evolutionary dead-ends who are bred for a purpose and not for love.”

Kinubal stamped her foot. “We do not mate with humans just for a purpose, we-”

Ran-Li smacked the palm of her hand on the table and we jumped. “All children bred for purpose. Otherwise, no children.” She pointed her finger at Kinubal. “You go Beach Town, take all half-bloods.” Her finger moved towards Dame Kerry. “Not her.”

Dame Kerry sneered. “I wouldn’t go if you paid me gold.”

Rune chuckled. “You would if they paid you enough-” The last ended in a grunt from an elbow to his ribs.

“Madame shaman, if we have offended you,” my grandfather said, “then let me apologize. Truly, there is no need-”

Ran-Li held up her hand to stop him. “Beach Town place where all accepted. They go, drink posh, dance, come back tomorrow with headaches.”

“Sounds good to me,” Baroda said.

Goro gave me a grin. “I’m in. Can we bring Jon as well?”

“No. Black Lion stay with Old Lion.”

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“Guess that’s settled then,” Drog said. “Boss, is it okay with you?”

My grandfather seemed on the verge of saying no, but then made an exasperated sound. “Yes, go and have fun. However,” his finger pointing in turn at each of them, “In the morning, I expect you here at breakfast and not occupying a Mexican jail cell. Are we clear?”

“Don’t worry about them none,” Jack said as all the half-bloods rose to their feet, Kinubal evidently explaining what was happening to the females who were gathering around her as Jack nodded in Drog’s direction. “I’ll keep them out of trouble. Besides, I reckon it’s a good way for us to get to know one another a mite better.”

Ran-Li motioned with her hand. “You go.” They started to leave, but then Cornflower turned around and called out a question in their language. “Nothing wrong,” Ran-Li replied. “Become carnal with Old Lion without distraction is all.”

My grandfather reared back in his chair. “I beg your pardon?”

“You deaf? Hear stories daughter tell, want knowledge for self.” She gave him a randy grin. “Not have human in years.”

“Ran-Li,” my grandfather said, seeming to choose his words with care, “I am truly flattered by the offer. However, I am an old human, and I fear my juices have all dried up.”

Ran-Li smacked the table with her hand again. “Easy to fix.” Her wrinkled face took on a sly expression. “Or is Old Lion afraid?”

Grandfather stiffened in his seat. “Madame, I have never quailed in the face of a challenge.”

Ran-Li got to her feet and pulled him up as well. “Then you come now.”

“I’d pay gold to see this-” Dame Kerry grimacing as Rune elbowed her in the ribs.

Jack caught my eye and I nodded to show I understood not to talk about the old man. He nodded back and let Cornflower take his arm, the girl speaking to him in Spanish as the group began moving toward the front of the hotel. Je’kyll glanced at him, then at me with his eyebrows raised, but said nothing as he followed the others out.

Ran-Li, meanwhile, pulled my grandfather towards the cantina as Miss Ravenwood grabbed a glass bottle off the bar and several shot glasses. “Since it looks like it’s just going to be the six of us, I’m bringing out the good stuff.” She looked at Rune. “This is sipping mescal from Oaxaca, not the rotgut stuff you chug down.” Miss Ravenwood set a glass down in front of me, following my puzzled expression as Ran-Li and my grandfather vanished into the kitchen. “There’s a back stairwell leading up to the rooms.”

She poured clear liquid into the glass and moved on to Dame Kerry. I was eyeing it askance, and Mr. Stephens leaned forward. “You might as well indulge. After all, Shabaka is clearly demonstrating the philosophy of, ‘Do as I say, not as I do’.”

I could hear disapproval in his voice and so did Catherwood, who chuckled. “John, if I did not know you better, I would think you were jealous.”

Mr. Stephens gave him a derisive snort. “Heaven forbid I should have anything to do carnally with a female like that.”

“Catherwood,” I said as an old question came to mind, “do Eldarions ever get jealous?”

“To be honest,” the Eldarion said, “I do not believe that any of us, half-bloods included, understand what jealousy is.”

“If you look at it from an evolutionary standpoint,” Mr. Stephens said, “it makes sense.” I gave him a puzzled look and Mr. Stephens spent some time giving me a detailed explanation on what Charles Darwin had just theorized in his book, published the previous year, about how living creatures evolved.

“So humans,” he continued, “as well as the other races, being short-lived compared to the Eldarion, need to keep their bloodlines strong, and thus jealousy has an evolutionary advantage. Eldarions, however, can live for several hundred years, and have a reproductive system that acts much like drawing cards from a deck to get the Ace of Hearts.”

I nodded in understanding. “Meaning the more cards you draw, the better your odds.”

“Exactly. Therefore, jealousy has no evolutionary advantage.”

As he went on speaking, I tried the mescal, coughing at the strength of the alcohol. “It tastes smoky.”

“You should try the posh they make here with liquefied Aethyr as its base,” Miss Ravenwood replied, grabbing the seat beside me, “especially if the Eldarion distilling it mixed in a spell. Which they usually do.”

“What kind of spell?” I asked.

Catherwood grinned. “Usually a spell to wipe away inhibitions. The shaman use it when they are working with people to help them with their problems, or as part of their rituals.” He motioned at Mr. Stephens. “John here, actually got up and danced with abandon.”

Having observed the always buttoned down Mr. Stephens, I almost laughed aloud as his face reddened. “I was conducting research,” he said.

“Ja, you betcha,” Rune said, he and Dame Kerry moving closer to us. “What did you learn from it?”

“To never drink posh again.” All of us laughed, Mr. Stephens giving us a rueful smile as he took another sip. “In truth, it did give me an insight into their culture and religious practices. They are strange in their ways and beliefs, and yet, at heart they are human and Eldarion, with the same problems and concerns that we all have.”

“Including concern for our children,” Catherwood said, the smile gone from his face. “I still want to see my daughter.”

“I’ll see what I can do tomorrow morning,” Miss Ravenwood said. She reached out a hand to cover his. “In the meantime, perhaps I could offer you a distraction?” Catherwood’s smile returned and she reached out her other hand towards Mr. Stephens. “You could join us as well.”

The flush returned to his face. “Madame, I-”

“You know I’ve been in love with you ever since you lectured in New York.”

“John, we are away from civilization again,” Catherwood chimed in. “It will be just like old times.”

I decided I had heard enough for one evening. “If everyone will excuse me, it has been a long day. I think I shall retire.”

Miss Ravenwood winked. “Not a problem. I’ll get one of the porters to show you to your room.”

“I’m afraid I’ve given the staff the evening off,” Rhys said in an apologetic voice as he stepped out of the shadows near the entrance to the cantina. “So I’m it.” He gestured towards the stairs with his hand. “Jonathan, if you will follow me?”

“We’ll see you in the morning,” Dame Kerry said as Rune and the other adults waved.

Rhys waited until I had moved past him, then led me up the stairs to the second floor. “I originally planned to put you next to your grandfather. However, I have since moved you down the hall to a room overlooking the ocean.”

“I appreciate that,” I told him as we reached the second floor landing, crafted with more blue tiles, and various prints of Campeche City hanging on the wallpapered walls. “But, why?”

He motioned towards the first door we were passing by. From within, I could hear a rhythmic banging sound like something thumping against a wall, and a moment later a female voice making sounds increasing in intensity. I hurried past the wooden door as Rhys chuckled. “I thought you might like to view the ocean undisturbed.”

I was already disturbed at the thought of my grandfather being carnal with anyone, but especially with that old Eldarion. We reached the end of the hall and as he unlocked the last door, I asked, “Rhys, should he be doing that at his age? I mean, what if his heart bursts?”

“I venture he shall die a happy man.” I rolled my eyes as he went on. “Let me hazard a guess: you are upset because everyone seems to be finding joy tonight, except for you.”

I was upset over a lot more than that, and yet… “Life is not fair.”

“I daresay you are correct. But consider this: you have a life unique compared to anyone else on Earth, and a vast potential to do good things, not create monsters but give people their lives back.”

“What do you mean?”

Rhys folded his arms as he leaned against the wall. “Before your ship arrived, Ran-Li explained to us what was done to you by your ancient ancestors. However, what if instead of horribly altering humans, Eldarion scientists could develop potions that let those maimed by war regrow their limbs?”

Startled, I stared at Rhys with a growing sense of wonder, mixed with hope. “Do you think it is possible?”

He made an open gesture with his hands. “If what Ran-Li said was true, that Eldarion sorcerers can use your blood to make monsters, I don’t see why Eldarion scientists cannot create a mixture that makes miracles.”

I pondered the idea for a moment. “I will not willingly make monsters for anyone. Yet, if Professor Alar or someone else could use my blood in a way that was beneficial and would not hurt those receiving it, I might go along.”

Rhys smiled as he clapped me on the shoulder. “What you need is to begin making decisions for yourself and not always look to others for guidance. Sleep well, for tomorrow will bring new counsel. You can bet on it.”

I held out my hand and he shook it. “I will… and thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he said, and headed back down the hall as I opened the door and went inside.

Because of the advances in shielding Terramagica energy that Jonathan’s corporation made possible, along with the draconian (by 19th Century standards) laws requiring all automatons and devices to meet a minimum leakage requirement before their products can be sold, we forget just how close to extinction the Eldarion race had come.

Fortunately, because of these advances, their numbers are slowly increasing. Unfortunately, their cultural traditions regarding the creation and abandonment of half-blood females have not. Yet all is not lost. A movement has begun in the Union of the American States to provide safe homes and education for these cast-off children, sponsored in part by the Goldspear Corporation, and many wealthy Eldarions have responded by sending their clan’s half-blood daughters to these places. Perhaps, in time, their cultural practices will change and these homes will no longer be needed.

I, for one, am not holding my breath…