by Robin Roseau
There were more questions, and more questions. There was debate and more debate.
But finally, there was the vote. And ten minutes after the vote was tallied, not only was Talmon a member of The Empire, and all of us imperial citizens, but Cecilia was our first governor.
She wouldn't be leaving.
Sartine and I exchanged glances, and I wasn't sure which of us was more pleased.
* * * *
I had hoped to work on Cecilia, a little at a time. I missed her. In my head, I worked out lengthy conversations, begging for true forgiveness, begging her for friendship.
Offering my body.
But again, I was too slow, for Sartine won her back before I could even begin my campaign, and I was heartbroken.
But then....
* * * *
"Mallory," said Father. "How very good to see you. How are things in Indartha?"
"Cold," she replied. "Very cold. In fact, it is so cold that Erica and I hope the invitation to your ball remains open, as we would enjoy an excuse to remain further south for a week or two."
Father laughed. "Of course it remains open. There is always room for you." Then he cocked his head. "But you knew that."
"Perhaps I did," she replied.
"Well, maybe you will join us for lunch, and at some point you will tell us the real reason for your visit."
That was Father; he tended to be direct, not always, but it was his natural way.
"Actually," Mallory said, "I am meeting Erica, Madge, and Jim shortly. I only wished to point out that somehow, the Governor's invitation to the ball did not arrive with the others you sent."
Father stumbled for a moment, but I spoke up. "That was my fault," I said. "It was such a silly mistake. I wanted to deliver it in person, and so we sent the others, but it wasn't until after the messenger was gone that I realized the Governor wasn't a short horse ride away."
"Of course," said Mallory.
There hadn't been any such invitation, of course. Cecilia hadn't accepted a single invitation since returning to Talmon with her shocking hair and greatly shorter stature, and so once she was living in Indartha, we had stopped inviting her. Everyone knew that. And if Cecilia hadn't been welcome, then Mallory would have put us in a difficult position.
But of course she was welcome, and Mallory had found a good way to avoid offense we hadn't invited her.
"It might take me a few minutes to find it," I said. "Perhaps I could ride out to the embassy this afternoon with it."
"That would be lovely," Mallory said. "I'd stay and chat, but I don't want to leave Erica alone too long. You know what a flirt she can be if I don't keep an eye on her."
We laughed. The two were deeply devoted to each other, and there was no such danger. But she headed for the door. Then she stopped and turned.
"Thank you for seeing me," she said. "And Chaladine, when you find the invitation, I'm sure you'll find it's addressed to both the governor and her vendart."
"Of course," I said.
* * * *
The ball was a formal affair. About half of the embassy staff arrived wearing formal wear of Talmonese design. But when I finally saw Cecilia, she was wearing a gorgeous red gown that could not possibly have been produced on my home planet. She was on Sartine's arm, just having greeted mother, and the two of them looked very good together.
Mother complimented Cecilia, and I overheard her express appreciation for the gown.
"Ah, but you have seen it before," Cecilia said, a twinkle in her eye. "Here, let me show you." She stood there for a moment, and then the dress began to move about on her body, shimmering. Before our very eyes, it changed shape and color, and after a moment, it resembled the green gown she had worn to a ball here, years and years ago, the night she had met Sartine.
We all stared.
"Magic," Mother said, awe in her voice.
"Technology," Cecilia said.
"Now, put it back," Sartine ordered. "I want you in red tonight."
"Yes, My Vendart," Cecilia said, and a moment later, the red gown was back.
"That's better," Sartine said. "But I want this part lower. Fix it." She tugged on the neckline over Cecilia's chest, and I caught a flash of grin.
"Vendart..." Cecilia whined.
"You heard me."
"Yes, Vendart," Cecilia said, lowering her eyes. The gown adjusted deeper, exposing a marginal amount more of Cecilia's petite chest.
"More," Sartine said.
Cecilia sighed, but then she changed some of the material to lace.
I couldn't believe what her dress could do. From Mother's expression, neither could she. But Sartine took it all in stride.
"Good," she said finally with a smile. "This is much better. You look lovely, my galatzi wife."
Cecilia smiled up at her, and then she turned sideways, taking her wife's arm and laying her head on a waiting shoulder.
That was when I finally understood just how in love Cecilia was with her vendart. Inwardly, I felt spears of jealousy, but I smoothed my features. But I wondered if I would ever find someone as beautiful and exciting as Cecilia.
Mother looked around, locating me. "Ah, my eldest. Perfect. Please show our guests deeper into the party."
"Of course, Mother," I said, stepping forward. I came to a stop two steps from the governor and her vendart. "Greetings, Governor, Indartha Vendart."
"Tonight," Cecilia said, "We are Cecilia and Sartine, if you please."
"Of course," I said. "Greetings, Cecilia. Sartine. If you'll come this way..."
"Actually, no," Cecilia said. "Your mother greeted me with a hug. Now it is your turn." She smiled while she said it, but my jaw dropped. But then mother nudged me forward, and I closed the distance, drawn into the woman's arms.
She held me tightly. It was not a long hug, but there was warmth, and I received a kiss on the cheek as we parted.
"Much better," Cecilia said. "I've missed your hugs, Chaladine. Now we're ready to go. Valtine, I do hope you will invite me to dance later. I would like to dance with all my friends, so please make sure Margotain knows to find me, as well."
"Of course, Cecilia," Mother said. "Perhaps you would join me for a Ramarti."
Cecilia laughed. "Sartine has been attempting to teach me, but I am hopeless. But my Samarti is not entirely a disappointment."
Throughout all this, Cecilia didn't release my arm, and we found ourselves walking three abreast with Cecilia in the middle. I glanced over, and I realized at some point, she had adjusted her gown again. Half of the lace she had created was gone, covering her chest a little more fully.
"Put it back," Sartine said. "Or else."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, My Love," Cecilia said sweetly.
"Are you sure this is a game you wish to play with me, my galatzi wife?"
Cecilia sighed, and a moment later, the lace reappeared. "Please, Sartine. This is enough."
"If you change it again," Sartine said, "I will adjust it myself."
"Yes, My Vendart," Cecilia said. Sartine's smile widened.
Cecilia looked over at me. "As I said, tonight I am Cecilia, not the Governor. If I were the Governor, I could wear the dress any way I wanted."
"You... you follow the traditions."
"Of course I do," she said. "My wife dotes on me. It is a perfect tradition."
From beyond her, Sartine chuckled. "You say that now."
"I say it now that I've trained you to treat me the way I want you to treat me," Cecilia said. We arrived in the ballroom, and I aimed us towards Father, but she drew us to a stop, turning to me. "I must give my first dances to my vendart," she said, "but surely you heard what I told your mother. I do hope you ask me to dance."
I didn't understand what was going on, but I nodded. "Of course. And will I have a dance with you as well, Sartine?"
"I would like that," the woman said. "Now, introduce us to your father, but if you see my little sister, please make sure she knows we are here."
"She has talked of nothing else," I said. "I am surprised she hasn't leapt upon us already."
* * * *
Father took the first dance with Cecilia, and I found myself dancing with Sartine. It felt odd; she was so much shorter than I was, but she chose to lead.
She was a good dancer, and I relaxed in her arms. We danced without words for the first half of the song, and then Sartine asked, "Have you figured out what is going on?"
"We're dancing. You're a good dancer. Thank you."
"That's not what I meant. I meant Cecilia."
"Oh. No."
"When you are one hundred years old, you don't necessarily make all your decisions at the same rate someone our age might take," Sartine said. "Patience flows both ways. Whereas you or I find a week or a month can be a long time, Cecilia is perfectly happy to let a year or even a decade go past."
"I guess I understand that, but I don't understand."
"She has forgiven me, but it wasn't complete forgiveness until I offered myself as her galatzi prisoner."
"But-"
"She declined, and instead she offered herself to me. You can imagine my surprise."
I didn't say anything.
"It was only a matter of time before she properly forgave you and Baardorid," Sartine said.
I gasped, almost a sob. Sartine steered us towards a corner, then turned me so my back was to everyone else. We danced in the corner for a minute.
"Tell me when you're recovered," she whispered to me.
The song ended before I recovered. We separated, and I wiped a tear away, but I offered a smile. Sartine returned it, then took my hand.
"Do you understand?" I nodded to her. "She is not perhaps ready to return to the type of friendship you once shared. She can still be fragile, and you must treat her gently. But if you do, it does not need to be like it has been."
"Really?"
"Yes. But understand she does not think in terms of days and weeks. To her, 'tomorrow' can sometimes mean 'next year, or perhaps ten years from now'. Do not rush her. Accept what she offers."
I nodded. "Thank you, Sartine."
"We're here for a few days, then we return to Indartha. But we'll be back next month. We're going to Centos Four."
"To meet her family?"
"We are going to take rejuvenation together," Sartine said.
"But-" I was confused. "You are both so young. Why do you need rejuvenation?"
"We don't," Sartine replied. "But Cecilia wishes me to experience what it means. She said that on Centos Four, people take their first rejuvenation before they are twenty-five. And so we will roll back a few years, but I will also take a change."
"A change? Will you have white hair, too?"
She smiled. "No. We have talked about many things, but she wants me to make no decisions without discussing them with her mother. It was her mother that changed Cecilia this last time, and so I must thank her."
"What will Cecilia change?"
"I haven't decided that, either. I do not believe I am ready for her to change, but she told me she wants me to change something, even something very small that no one else will ever see." She smiled. "I have something in mind, but I haven't asked her about it yet."
"Oh?"
"It is... private. I'm sorry."
I blushed. "Oh."
Sartine grinned again. "She said they can do almost anything. She said some people change themselves to look more like wild animals, with cats being popular. They can't make them into actual cats, but they can do adjustments to look more like a cat. They can have more hair, or less, or even none at all. She said some people grow a tail."
"A tail?" I asked with shock.
"The doctors advise against it. We are not accustomed to deal with a tail, and it can hurt to sit on it. But if someone insists and is willing to pay for it, they can grow a tail. Perhaps I will insist Cecilia take a tail. It might be interesting to see if she says 'Yes, My Vendart' or perhaps responds in a somewhat more heated fashion."
I cocked my head. Sartine smiled again.
"Perhaps I will wait another rejuvenation or two before I test those limits."
I didn't respond to that. Instead I said, "I am surprised to see your relationship. Is this only an act, that she obeys you?"
"No. When she is the Governor, she is completely the Governor, and no one doubts her. But when she is my galatzi wife, she slides into that role equally well. She has embraced her position."
"You both look very happy together."
"We are," she replied. "It is hard for you to see."
I looked away but then said, "I couldn't treat her the way you do."
"No. You would have accepted the opposite role." Then Sartine pulled me back into her arms. "We have talked through half a song, but let us dance to the second half. Then I shall hand you to my wife. I know she wants to dance with you, now, and a few more times. Please be sure to ask her. And you must lead."
"She wouldn't have been happy with me," I said, halfway around the room later.
"She would have been," Sartine said. "But I think when she comes home, she likes to know she can relax. She lets me see to our needs at home, and it makes her a stronger governor. If she had accepted your offer, she wouldn't have remained on Talmon as our Governor."
"This is better."
"The world is a big place, Chaladine," Sartine said. "There is someone waiting for you."
"As exciting as her?"
"Yes. I promise."
"How can you promise that?"
"I promise," she said. "But you may have to work to find her. You may not find her waiting in Sudden. But our world has grown greater than we can imagine."
It was only a minute or so later that the song ended, and we found ourselves standing beside Father and Cecilia. I was sure it was no accident. "Baardorid," Sartine said, "do you believe you would like to trade partners with your daughter?"
"I believe I would like that a great deal," Father replied. And so I found Cecilia in my arms, and I watched as Sartine went to my father, taking the position of follower. After that, I didn't worry about them.
"What did you and Sartine discuss so ardently?"
"You," I said immediately.
She laughed. "I turn heads everywhere I go. Was it the dress?" She laughed again.
"You seem very happy, Cecilia."
"I am, thank you," she said. "Sartine takes such good care of me."
"She said you're going to Centos Four for rejuvenation."
"Yes," Cecilia replied. "She is nervous."
"It didn't show. I think she intends you to wear a tail."
Cecilia laughed. "I do not believe you should expect me to carry an extra appendage upon my return."
"Would you do it? If she ordered you to?"
She didn't reply right away. We continued to dance. "I don't know," she said finally. "Well, I do. No. I do not believe the Governor of Talmon should wear a tail. I do not believe that is a good image to portray."
I laughed. "I suppose not."
"But without that? I don't know. I don't think she would push it, after how upset she would see it make me. It would strain our relationship for her to push it. I would consider it a test, and I do not tend to respond well to things like that."
"It took you longer to say 'no' than I thought it might."
"Well, 'no' is the immediate reaction, but Sartine is very good at convincing me to do things I don't want to do."
"Like wearing your dress this way?"
"Oh, this isn't so bad. She only pushes a little, and I know she likes to look at me. I also know she likes knowing I'll do what she says. But yes, wearing the gown the way she wanted is an example."
"It's an amazing gown," I said. "I'd love one of my own. Are they expensive?"
"Oh honey, you can't imagine," she said. "It's expensive by my tastes. There are people whose entire wardrobe is made like this. I have this one outfit, and I carefully choose when to wear it."
"So I sh
ouldn't expect one for a solstice gift."
She laughed again. "I'm afraid this is a little beyond my normal gift giving budget. To put it into perspective, my daughter doesn't have one."
"You have a daughter?"
"I'm a hundred years old, Chaladine. I have grandchildren, and they have children."
The song ended, and I was ready to return her to Sartine, but she clutched me. "Please, may I have another?"
"Of course," I said. New music started, and again we were dancing.
We didn't talk for the first half of the song. Finally I said, "I've missed you, Cecilia."
"I'm sorry," she said. "You and Baardorid didn't deserve as much of my anger as you took. The only thing you were truly guilty of was believing I understood more than I did."
"That day we talked, I thought you were being coy. When you looked around to see if someone was watching us, you said, 'No one is watching you'. I thought you were being coy, looking to see if you could spot the people watching you."
"There were people watching me?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, Cecilia. I honestly thought you knew."
She was still for a while, but then she squeezed my hand. "I know this is perhaps an empty gesture. Indartha is a long way away, and it's cold besides. But you are welcome in our home. I won't pop down for every event held here, but if I am invited in the future, I will come to some of them."
"Are we friends again?"
"I certainly hope so," she said.
"I'm glad."
The song ended, and we held each other for a moment longer. The she kissed my cheek. "Please, give me to someone. Your sister or Sartine's sister, if either is free."
"Of course."
* * * *
We danced a few more times that night; Cecilia and Sartine stayed as late as anyone, and Cecilia spent most of the time on the dance floor. She danced with me, Father, Mother, the other members of my family, Sartine, some of the members of her delegation, and anyone else who invited her.
It was the best night I'd had in years.
Offer
I received Father's approval before I did it. It was two weeks after the ball, and in the afternoon, I rode out to the embassy.