by Robin Roseau
“Is this something we can resolve?”
“Of course, but you might need to share the bar with them in some fashion.”
No one spoke for a minute, then Tranquility said, “Here’s what I want. I want people to walk in and know it’s our club. I want to serve bar and dance. I don’t care how much money we make, as long as we can pay our staff and our bills. It’s not about the money to me, although I’d like if we made something out of it.”
“You know,” Serenity said. “What Tranquility said, but I want to be clear. I want to have design authority. And game design authority.”
“We’d be the club owners,” I said. “So we’d have that.”
“I agree with Serenity and Tranquility,” Pippa said.
“I guess I do, too,” Margotain said. “And I want people to come.”
“Oh. Yeah. That, too,” Tranquility said.
“I want them to be upset that we’re not open every night,” she added. “And when star people visit Talmon, I want them to come, too, and see it as fun and sophisticated, not some poor copy of what they do on Tarriton.”
“We should do it in a Talmonese style,” I said. “We can borrow ideas, and we aren’t obligated to duplicate everything. But if someone comes from Tarriton, she should feel at home.”
“With a Talmon flavor,” Serenity said. “And most of us don’t know how to decorate for that, or so I might guess.”
“We agreed I’m a partner, right?” Margotain said. “So I can make suggestions just like everyone else.”
“Right,” Tranquility said.
“Then I think we should invite Beacon Hill Vendart into these discussions as a potential partner for a club here, and ask her what she thinks.”
We all turned to Luradinine, who smiled. “Do you have to vote on that?”
“I think we did when we all looked at you,” Margotain said. “I can’t tell where Tranquility is looking.”
“I think these conversations are tentative,” Tranquility said. “So if things don’t go well, we can back off. I’d love to hear what Beacon Hill Vendart thinks.”
“All right,” Luradinine said. “First, I strongly, strongly want a club here.”
“Noted,” Serenity said. “And we have an open mind about it. Don’t we, Tranquility?”
“Yes. Open mind.”
“I am going to throw out a possible plan. If you don’t like it, we can come up with other plans. I think you should start here. If Sudden wants to build a club in Sudden, they can start, too. I think you should make this club look very much like it belongs on Talmon, and not copy anything from Tarriton except the basic style.”
“But-”
“Please let her finish,” I said. “If we don’t like it, we can talk about it.”
Luradinine nodded. “I think it is not the Talmon way to have all these rooms. I do not like a separate room for learning. That is not the Talmon way at all. People new to this style should be able to walk into the main room and have ten people offering to teach her. That is the Talmon way.”
There was a pause and then Tranquility said, “You know, I can’t argue with that.”
“I also think you could transition to the more risqué style after a certain time, rather than putting it in a different room. So then for dancing you have the basic style and two couples style. Is there any reason those must be different rooms?”
“No,” Pippa said. “Although I would prefer some separation with the people doing larger groups, and for the games. The games are an important part of the fun.”
“But it wouldn’t need to be a separate room,” Tranquility said. “It could simply be convention, or a half wall between two sections of a single room.”
“It could,” Pippa agreed.
“Here is something I do not completely understand. You wish to associate with an existing inn, but you want to be separate at the same time. I believe it is better if you are not separate. I believe you should put the restaurant at the center, and have dancing all around.”
“Then we’re back to running a restaurant,” Tranquility said.
“No, the people who already run the inn would continue to run the inn. You would run a dance club around the inn.”
“Pride,” said Tranquility.
“Will you explain that.”
“I have, I think. Pippa’s right about the name, but part of me wants to call it Tranquility. If it’s an expansion of an existing in, it’s still The Yellow Mare, or whatever the inn is already called, just bigger. I want this to be entirely new, and I want it to be known as ours. Is that stupid or selfish?”
“No, Tranquility. Then how about this. Do not take this literally, but imagine an existing inn. Tear out the wall on one side. Build your club there. The restaurant could be one meter higher, so that people eating could look into the club.”
“I like that,” Serenity said. “People could buy tokens like they do for the bathhouse, if they want to dance that night.”
“Something they wear but won’t forget and take home,” Pippa added.
“They would return it,” I said.
“Oh. Right. Talmon.”
“Talmon,” I agreed. “But something they can wear and dance in. It can’t hang on their neck.”
“An anklet,” Serenity said. “We could have different sizes and people could wear on an ankle, a wrist, or as a necklace. It would be their choice.”
“I like that,” Tranquility agreed. “But we need two spaces, one for dancing and one for the games. Second floor?”
“Do we want people to be able to watch the game?” I asked.
“Yes,” said Kalorain. “That is the Talmon way.”
“Then we put it downstairs,” I said.
“And the other dancing upstairs?” Luradinine asked. She frowned.
“No.” I held my hand in the air, palm up. “Restaurant.” I used my other hand beside the first, but a little lower. “Main dance space.” Then I took my first hand and put it underneath the second. “Gaming space.”
“In the cellar?” Luradinine asked. Her frown grew.
“We can’t dig a cellar that big,” Kalorain added.
“You can’t,” I said. “I can. And you know what else I can do? I can make the floor glass.”
“It would break!”
“No, it wouldn’t,” Pippa said. “But not all glass. Can we dance on it? I really like a wood floor for dancing.”
“Oh, you’re right,” I said. “That part was a bad idea.”
“What if it’s the restaurant floor that is glass?” Tranquility asked. “And maybe that one-meter section of wall. Luradinine, when you said tear down the wall of the restaurant, you didn’t mean literally? You meant build an entire new restaurant.”
“Yes, I think I did. This glass floor wouldn’t break?”
“No,” I said. “It’s not actually glass. But it’s clear, like glass, and very, very strong.”
“I wouldn’t want the dancers to look up any skirts,” Pippa said. “But we can make it frosted from below. And if the area underneath both the restaurant and club is available, that’s a lot of storage room.”
“For props for the games,” Tranquility said.
“Or chairs for special events.”
The ideas flowed for a while. Then Pippa said, “I’d like to hear what our experts think. Margotain, Kalorain, and Luradinine, what do you think?”
“I thought we wanted this to look like a building of Talmon,” Margotain said.
“It will,” Tranquility said.
“There are no buildings like this anywhere on Talmon,” she said. “Maybe that’s okay, but it’s not what we said at the beginning.”
I sighed. “She might be right.”
“She might be,” Luradinine said. “But perhaps it should be a fusion of styles. Maddalyn, if you dig this large cellar and make this glass floor, does this affect the remaining style?”
“It wouldn’t have to,” I replied. I thought for a moment. “I would dig the s
pace.” I made scooping motions with my hands, then squared off a space. “There would be a floor and walls of our materials, and the floor we have discussed.” I made more gestures. “We have the cellar floor. But on top of that, we can lay a wood floor, and we can build walls inside the walls I build, hiding them. It would look entirely Talmon. And we can do something similar so the ceiling looks like Talmon windows, if we want. I’m not sure. We can hide the portions that provide basic support, though. And then here, above it, you would have a flat space to build from. I could build the entire building, or you could build it on top here. It would be almost no difference than how you build now. So everything above the floor I make will be Talmon, if that is what we decide.”
“From the outside, it would look entirely Talmonese,” Pippa said. “And from the inside, it would look like both Talmonese and star people.”
“Which it is,” Luradinine said. “And so this is appropriate. Anyone who comes will understand that. Kalorain?”
“I think I like it. I think it would be fun to come to eat and watch the dancers.”
“If we do this,” I said. “I think we should provide a modern kitchen.”
“But a big, stone fireplace,” Luradinine said.
“Yes, although we can provide heating.”
“Modern facilities,” Pippa said. “Water, sanitation.”
“Refrigeration for the kitchen,” Serenity said.
We paused, and then Margotain said, “A fusion.” She nodded.
And together we said, “A fusion.”
“I want one here,” Luradinine said. “I want to begin immediately. Are we in agreement?”
We looked around, and then Tranquility said, “I vote yes.”
“I vote yes,” Serenity said.
One by one, we voted, and it was unanimous.
Luradinine nodded. “I will provide a location and negotiate with one of the inns. I wish authority to reach these agreements.”
We agreed.
* * * *
We had a lovely stay at Beacon Hill. Our language students applied themselves to their lessons. Pippa effectively remained glued to Luradinine’s side, and her improvement from day to day was clear. Margotain kept Serenity with her in a similar fashion and consistently seemed ecstatic about it.
But Margotain was always happy, so this was more of the same, I decided.
In the meantime, the twins began forming complete sentences in English.
Luradinine arranged for her and Pippa to spend a day at one of the Beacon Hill schools. Pippa came back subdued, so I wondered what had happened, but she didn’t want to talk about it, so we left her alone.
And then a week had passed. Over breakfast, Luradinine declared, “Our test will begin with the noon meal and run through the afternoon. Both Serenity and Pippa will be tested together.”
Pippa didn’t look happy, but she bowed her head and said, “Yes, Vendart.”
“I have duties this morning. You will assist me. We will meet back here for lunch.”
I worked. Kalorain and Mordain worked with the twins. I didn’t see what happened with Serenity and Margotain, but when we gathered, they looked confident but nervous at the same time.
Pippa looked only nervous, so I threw my arm over her shoulder and pulled her aside. “Will you mind if you lose?”
“I’m not a stupid woman,” she said. “But I know Serenity will do better.”
“That bugs you.”
“Yes.”
“Your accent is better than mine,” I said. “Should I feel bad about it?”
She stilled. “It is?”
I raised my voice. “When speaking Talmonese, who here has the worst accent?” All the Talmonese pointed to me, and Luradinine said, “Sorry, Maddalyn, but you do.” I nodded. “When speaking English, possibly discounting the twins, who has the worst accent.”
“You do,” Serenity said.
I looked at Pippa, and she offered a smile. I shrugged. And she said, “I’ll be fine. I’ve done as well as I could, and no one should expect more.”
“No,” I said. “No one should expect more. I’m glad you’re here.”
“I am, too.”
I let her go, and Luradinine asked, “So, we are ready?”
“We’re ready,” Pippa said.
“The testing will be simple. Margotain and I will exchange partners. And then we will explore the city together. I will assign tasks for Serenity, and Margotain will assign tasks for Pippa. Serenity, your first task is to take us somewhere for lunch. You will discover whether people have particular preferences, but you will be our voice. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Vendart.”
“Good. Lead us.”
Serenity nodded. “I would like the lovely restaurant beside the harbor. Does anyone prefer somewhere else?”
“No,” Luradinine said without consulting anyone else. I was amused.
We were a large group, but of course there was room. Serenity led introductions, and we moved about, greeting our new friends. Finally we were seated. Serenity asked for preferences and then orchestrated the entire meal. She spoke slowly and carefully, and a few times she had to remind the server to speak more carefully for her, but she thanked him at the end and did a fine job.
“Over our meal,” Luradinine said, “our two students will take turns choosing the topic and leading the conversation. Pippa, you are first.”
“When I was a little girl,” Pippa said. “I loved a teacher. She had big, brown eyes.” She pointed to her own. “And was beautiful and kind. I decided I wanted to be a teacher.” She turned to Serenity. “How decide doctor be?” She used the English word for “doctor”, and her grammar was imperfect, but she was easily understood.
That set the style of the conversation. The two talked briefly about themselves then asked someone else at the table about it. We learned a little bit about everyone at the table. Serenity was more accomplished, but Pippa held her own, and I thought her questions were more insightful.
We finished the meal. Serenity paid the bill. And then we stepped outside. “Pippa, it is your turn,” Margotain said. “Luradinine has spent a week teaching you. I would like you to choose, buy, and present her with a small gift in thanks.”
It was a trick task, and she’d spoken in too complicated a fashion. Pippa asked her to say it again slowly, and then she nodded. “I understand. I know just the gift.”
Pippa led us to a shop that sold small furnishings for the home, and she seemed to know exactly what she wanted. We greeted the shopkeeper, and then she led us to a display along one wall. There were small dioramas. She selected one after just a moment, examined it carefully, and then asked the shopkeeper about it.
I don’t know if she understood everything the woman said. She wasn’t accustomed to speaking to someone who wasn’t a native to Talmon. Then Pippa asked about the price and engaged in light negotiation, about as much as I would have done, which means she almost certainly paid more than she should have.
Then Pippa asked for a small box. The woman saw to that, and a minute later, we stepped from the shop. Pippa turned to me. “Will you help? Hold, please.” I held out my hands like a shelf. Pippa set the box onto my hands, opened it, and removed the gift. “Luradinine. You brought me here two days ago. I saw this. I thought maybe I buy for me.” She gestured. “This is Beacon Hill.”
“Yes,” Luradinine said.
“In the evening,” Pippa added. “Stars.” She gestured to the backdrop, and there were stars, indeed.
“They are very beautiful,” Luradinine declared.
“Yes. Tarriton star is blue-white.” Pippa pointed. “This star is blue-white. No one know, but maybe Tarriton star.”
“Oh, Pippa,” Luradinine said.
“Frantzland star red.” She pointed. “This star red. Maybe Frantzland star.” She gestured again. “This all of us. Talmon. Beacon Hill. Tarriton. Frantzland. I want you to have this. Thank you for helping me.” Then she hugged Luradinine before presenting t
he diorama to her.
As gifts go, as far as I was concerned, she nailed it, and I thought perhaps Luradinine did as well. Without the explanation, it was not the best gift, but with the explanation, she couldn’t have done better.
But it had been a trick task at the same time. It was not the Talmon way to expect gifts in this fashion. Oh, the giving of gifts was quite common, but to offer a gift in thanks was to place a price on the service given, and that was not at all the Talmon way. The proper thanks is just that: thanks, maybe with a small show of physical affection befitting the relationship.
Never a gift.
But I judged Pippa ahead on this, and I wasn’t happy with Margotain. I took an opportunity to step to her side and then whispered into her ear, “Tricking her like that isn’t like you.”
“It is a test, Maddalyn. Is it supposed to be easy? We are testing both language and culture. Should I tell her she isn’t every bit as good as Serenity by coddling her?” The she gestured with her chin. “And look at them. Look at them, Maddalyn.”
I turned to look, but I had no idea what Margotain was talking about.
* * * *
Luradinine decided Serenity needed another pair of boots. Margotain decided I needed another pair of boots, but told Pippa to help me choose a pair. Serenity led us to the market and purchased afternoon treats for us. Pippa led us to the bakery for the same. Serenity led us to the green, where we enjoyed our treats while she and Luradinine role played a patient encounter. That was the first time Serenity really floundered, as she was trying to explain concepts that even Luradinine wasn’t ready to understand.
“Serenity,” I said finally, “What if she were a child who was in for early rejuvenation due to an accident?”
“Then I would talk to her parents.”
“She’s scared, but she thinks you’re pretty and wants to know what is going to happen.”
She did better, but still not well. At the end, Luradinine said to Margotain, “This you must work on with her.” Then she switched to English. “Serenity, your patients aren’t going to understand any of this. They will want to know you will make them young. And they will want to know what other changes you can do. They will not understand more than that. If the word for a disease does not exist in Talmonese, don't even try. Say only they have a disease of the bones or the head or the heart, and how serious it is, but that you will fix it. That is all you can do.”