Read Online Local Custom by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Steve Miller, Sharon Lee
Tags: Science-Fiction
Ads: Link
much less signed. If the lady hoped for an a'thodelm and nets instead a country cousin, still her clan gains ties with Korval, to her honor. I note that she is young, and while Nexon is all very well, it is hardly High House."
"Which matters to Korval not at all," Kareen said, with a touch of acid. "I recall that your own father was—solidly—Low House."
"But a pilot to marvel at," Daav returned, very gently. "So our mother praised him."
Kareen, who was no pilot at all, took a deep breath, visibly seeking calm.
"This does not address," she said after a moment, "how best to deal with the scandal."
Daav straightened slowly in his chair. He met his sister's eyes sternly.
"There will be no scandal," he said, and the mode was Ranking Person to Lesser. "Understand me, Kareen."
"I do not—"
"If I hear one whisper," Daav interrupted, eyes boring into hers, "one syllable, of scandal regarding this, I shall know who to speak with. Do I make myself plain?"
It was to her credit that she did not lower her eyes, though the pulse-beat in her throat was rather rapid. "You make yourself plain," she said after a moment.
"Good," he said with exquisite gentleness. "Is there something else to which you desire to direct your delm's attention?"
She touched her tongue to her lips. "Thank you, I—believe there is not."
"Then I bid you good-day," he said, and inclined his head.
There was a fraction of hesitation before she rose and bowed an entirely unexceptional farewell.
"Good-day."
Mr. pel'Kana met her at the edge of the hallway and guided her away.
Daav waited until he no longer heard her footsteps, then he got up and went across the room to the wine rack. Kareen's glass, full, except for the single sip she had taken, he left on the elbow table by her chair. Mr. pel'Kana would come back presently and take it away.
He poured himself a glass of misravot and had a sip, walking to the window and looking out into the center garden. Flowers and shrubs rioted against the backdrop of Jelaza Kazone's massive trunk, threaded with thin stone walkways. Daav closed his eyes against the familiar, beloved scene.
Alone of all the orders he had from his mother, who had been delm before him, the mandate to preserve Kareen's life stood, senseless. It was doubtless some failing of his own vision, that he could not see what use she was to the delm she continually worked to thwart. The best that could be said of her was that she was an assiduous guard of the clan's melant'i, but such vigilance paled beside a long history of despite. Daav sighed.
Perhaps, as he grew older and more accustomed to his duties, he would acquire the vaunted Delm's Vision and see what it was his mother had found worth preserving in Kareen.
In the meanwhile, her latest bit of spite was put to rest, at least. Now if only Er Thom would finish with his mysterious errand, return home and mold himself to duty!
Not such an arduous duty, Daav thought, who had lately reviewed Syntebra el'Kemin's file. True, the lady was very young, and her second class pilot's license nothing out-of-the-way. But she would by all accounts make an agreeable enough contract-wife, and like to quickly produce an infant pilot.
Once the new yos'Galan was born, and accepted, and named, then Syntebra el'Kemin was free to return to her clan, richer by the mating-fee and bonus, with her melant'i enhanced by having married one of Korval.
Er Thom would likewise be free, to seek out Dutiful Passage and pick up his rounds as Korval's master trader.
And Daav would have a new niece or nephew to wonder over and nurture and guide—and a contract-wife to find for himself.
Chapter Eight
Love is best given to kin and joy taken in duty well done.
—Vilander's Proverbs, Seventh Edition
THE SOUND OF WATER, splashing and running, brought him from dream to drowse, where he recalled that he lay on Anne's spring-shot sofa, covered over with the blanket from her own bed.
She had
"Which matters to Korval not at all," Kareen said, with a touch of acid. "I recall that your own father was—solidly—Low House."
"But a pilot to marvel at," Daav returned, very gently. "So our mother praised him."
Kareen, who was no pilot at all, took a deep breath, visibly seeking calm.
"This does not address," she said after a moment, "how best to deal with the scandal."
Daav straightened slowly in his chair. He met his sister's eyes sternly.
"There will be no scandal," he said, and the mode was Ranking Person to Lesser. "Understand me, Kareen."
"I do not—"
"If I hear one whisper," Daav interrupted, eyes boring into hers, "one syllable, of scandal regarding this, I shall know who to speak with. Do I make myself plain?"
It was to her credit that she did not lower her eyes, though the pulse-beat in her throat was rather rapid. "You make yourself plain," she said after a moment.
"Good," he said with exquisite gentleness. "Is there something else to which you desire to direct your delm's attention?"
She touched her tongue to her lips. "Thank you, I—believe there is not."
"Then I bid you good-day," he said, and inclined his head.
There was a fraction of hesitation before she rose and bowed an entirely unexceptional farewell.
"Good-day."
Mr. pel'Kana met her at the edge of the hallway and guided her away.
Daav waited until he no longer heard her footsteps, then he got up and went across the room to the wine rack. Kareen's glass, full, except for the single sip she had taken, he left on the elbow table by her chair. Mr. pel'Kana would come back presently and take it away.
He poured himself a glass of misravot and had a sip, walking to the window and looking out into the center garden. Flowers and shrubs rioted against the backdrop of Jelaza Kazone's massive trunk, threaded with thin stone walkways. Daav closed his eyes against the familiar, beloved scene.
Alone of all the orders he had from his mother, who had been delm before him, the mandate to preserve Kareen's life stood, senseless. It was doubtless some failing of his own vision, that he could not see what use she was to the delm she continually worked to thwart. The best that could be said of her was that she was an assiduous guard of the clan's melant'i, but such vigilance paled beside a long history of despite. Daav sighed.
Perhaps, as he grew older and more accustomed to his duties, he would acquire the vaunted Delm's Vision and see what it was his mother had found worth preserving in Kareen.
In the meanwhile, her latest bit of spite was put to rest, at least. Now if only Er Thom would finish with his mysterious errand, return home and mold himself to duty!
Not such an arduous duty, Daav thought, who had lately reviewed Syntebra el'Kemin's file. True, the lady was very young, and her second class pilot's license nothing out-of-the-way. But she would by all accounts make an agreeable enough contract-wife, and like to quickly produce an infant pilot.
Once the new yos'Galan was born, and accepted, and named, then Syntebra el'Kemin was free to return to her clan, richer by the mating-fee and bonus, with her melant'i enhanced by having married one of Korval.
Er Thom would likewise be free, to seek out Dutiful Passage and pick up his rounds as Korval's master trader.
And Daav would have a new niece or nephew to wonder over and nurture and guide—and a contract-wife to find for himself.
Chapter Eight
Love is best given to kin and joy taken in duty well done.
—Vilander's Proverbs, Seventh Edition
THE SOUND OF WATER, splashing and running, brought him from dream to drowse, where he recalled that he lay on Anne's spring-shot sofa, covered over with the blanket from her own bed.
She had
Similar Books
