Galatzi World (Galatzi Trade Book 2)

by Robin Roseau

  They looked around. "Where is the ball?" Christianna asked.

  "At my father's manor home. It is in town near the water." I pointed. "It is a few kilometers. We do not use Imperial transportation inside the city. And so I have arranged a carriage for you, Christianna." There were two carriages.

  "We're not all going to fit on two carriages."

  "No. I cancelled the others."

  "Chaladine, why did you cancel the carriages?"

  "I didn't cancel all of them, Governor. I wouldn't make you walk, after all. We have carriages for you and your vendart, your parents, and your immediate children and their spouses. Sartine, I hope you do not mind driving one. I have arranged a driver for the other."

  "What about the rest of us?" It was Ashlyn again.

  "Ah, Ashlyn. Well, there are things you need to know about Talmon. We take our hospitality very seriously, very seriously indeed. As you have informed me you are vegan, and you neither eat animal products nor wear them, then I presume you do not sit on them, either. Nor would you ride in a carriage pulled by a horse. And so, we will walk. It is not far. But I could not possibly expect you to walk alone, so we will all walk with you."

  Cecilia turned away. It seems she was amused whoever was being teased, as long as it wasn't her. I wondered what I'd do to get her. I'd think of something.

  "So, Governor, let's get you aboard and see you off."

  The family protested, but Christianna hushed them, speaking in one of the languages I didn't understand. I interpreted her orders as, 'you all made your bed; now you may lie in it."

  Cecilia actually helped out, and so did Sartine, ushering everyone aboard, and only a moment later, before I could have a mutiny on my hands, the carriages were gone.

  "There." I looked around. "The men should be okay in their footwear, and I see some of you are wearing proper boots, but a few of you wouldn't make four kilometers in your footwear. Maddalyn? Did you bring the shoes?"

  "I did," she replied, her accent thick. She and I almost always spoke Talmonese, so it was odd to hear English from her. She stepped forward, carrying a heavy bag. It was filled with the ugliest shoes she could find on short notice, good, sturdy, serviceable, and terribly ugly. She began passing out the shoes, moving between people.

  "This is Talmon," I said. "We are one size fits all. Just pull the laces tight."

  All the women eyed me carefully. A few glanced at my own feet, and I heard some muttering, but I ignored it.

  "Oh no, Maddalyn," I said. "She can't have those. They're made of leather. She'll have to walk in whatever she's wearing. It's only a few kilometers. I'm sure she'll be fine. I really am sorry. If I had known one of you was vegan, I could have made other arrangements. But by the time I saw to the special meal and obtained a variety of whiskeys for Bailey to sample tonight, and I was quite out of time. I barely had time to think about shoes. Well, if everyone is ready."

  Really it wasn't that bad a walk, and the grumbling was much less than I thought it would be. Each and every one of them was in fabulous shape. But Ashlyn's feet were going to hurt long, long before we arrived. Finally I noticed she was carrying her shoes, walking barefoot along the cobbles.

  Well, I used to do that as a child; it wouldn't kill her.

  I gave a tour as we walked, explaining what they could see and talking about some of the history of Talmon. Then, as we approached the manor, I talked a little about our laws.

  "But here, we are almost at the manor, but I imagine you are curious about the punishments we enact."

  Just outside the courtyard that led to the manor was the village green. And in one corner was the pillory and stocks that father occasionally used. I led everyone to them, gesturing. "This is what we use for relatively minor offenses." I listed some examples. "But it is best if I show you. Maddalyn, you don't mind, do you?" She stepped forward, and I led her to the pillory. She was sweet about it. Normally they were locked closed, but I'd made arrangements, and so they were unlocked with only a pin through the hasp. I lifted it up, and Maddalyn stepped into place. I closed and latched it.

  "From around her neck, we would hang a sign with her offenses and the duration of her punishment. Depending upon what she has done, the villagers may choose to torment her as she stands here, helpless. Or if they feel the punishment she is receiving is sufficient, they may leave her alone or even show some kindness."

  "How would they torment her?" one of the kids asked, bless him. I smiled.

  "Rotten fruit is common. Some might choose to strike her as they pass by. Others might only yell at her. Some might cut her hair."

  I could tell they were shocked by this. I shrugged. "I imagine this is very strange to you. We are a peaceful people, and this gets used infrequently. I believe the last time was when someone lied to one of father's officials while the woman was engaged in her official duties."

  Then I helped Maddalyn from the pillory and thanked her before leading the way into the manor.

  * * * *

  There was a reception. We were late, of course, but not that late, and Father had been warned. Mother greeted everyone, welcoming them to her home. Mother and Father had both been learning English, but they weren't comfortable yet, and so we had borrowed Mordain to translate for mother and Blaine for father.

  We returned mothers greetings, and then I led everyone in deeper.

  Delilah found me, and I let her take my arm. I apologized to her for the walk. "I wasn't sure what else to do. I couldn't let her walk alone."

  She didn't say anything.

  But over the next ten minutes, I let her warm me up. We smiled at each other -- a lot -- and she smelled so good. But Cecilia said she could control it. I didn't understand.

  I lured her closer to Cecilia and Sartine, then told her, "You understand, Sartine's title is Vendart. As Cecilia's niece, you should refer to Sartine by her title, not her name."

  "Of course," she said. She asked me to pronounce it slowly, then she tried it a few times, and I pronounced her good.

  "But is not your father also Vendart?"

  "He is, of Sudden. But you only call one person Vendart or it gets too confusing. You should call him Baardorid. Do you see?"

  "Of course," she said again. "I would like to ask you something."

  "Certainly."

  "Why did you put me in a bungalow with my grandmother?"

  "I thought perhaps if you were with your grandmother, you would be less likely to bring any other girl's home for the evening."

  Her expression froze.

  "But I have a bungalow to myself."

  Her smile returned. "And are you inviting me to your bungalow?"

  "That is not the Talmon way," I said. "You have taken the lead, and so you must continue to lead. You should invite yourself. But there is a little ritual to follow. If I allow you to my bungalow without the ritual, then it means I am... What is the word? When I let just anyone have me."

  "Cheap? Easy?"

  "Yes, both of those. But if you follow the ritual, then it means you are serious, and it does not demean my reputation."

  "I wouldn't want to demean your reputation," she said. "What is the ritual?"

  "It is simple. You must ensure we sit together. To prove I am not easy, I won't offer to sit with you, and so you must find a way to dislodge whoever is to my right. And then, once we are seated, you must take my wine glass from me, before anyone can fill it, and only allow me to drink from yours."

  "This is an unusual custom."

  "It is not our most unusual custom," I said. "Perhaps we shall get the governor to explain a few others over dinner. We have a few that are quite fascinating."

  At that point, before she could ask anything else, I brought her to the conversation containing Cecilia, Sartine, and Cecilia's parents. But I whispered into Delilah's ear. "Make sure you call her Vendart a few times. Otherwise she'll be offended."

  We only stayed a few minutes, but in that time, she called Sartine Vendart three times. I thought that was
enough, but I'd get a few more out of her at dinner. Then I would spring my trap.

  So I excused myself. "I have a few more details to attend before we sit for dinner."

  Delilah offered to help, but I told her that would be quite improper. "We must separate now. But remember, you must dislodge the person to my right, not my left. If you take the place to my left, it sends an entirely different message. You wouldn't want that."

  "No, of course not," she said.

  Oh, she was easy.

  I slipped away. Mother had disappeared, but I found her in the kitchen, seeing to the final details. She turned to me and immediately asked, "Do you know what you're doing? Is the Governor going to be angry?"

  "The Governor told me to go ahead," I said. "I thought I was just going to have to take it." I told her the entire story, and her lips grew tight in the telling.

  "It's okay, Mother," I said. "Will Father go along?"

  "Yes. I'll pull him aside and tell him a little more, but not the entire story. He would be angry. And what of Sartine?"

  "I don't think she found it as funny as Cecilia did," I said. "She'll be on my side and will go with whatever I do."

  "All right. We have everything ready."

  And so it was only a few minutes later that people began to file into the dining room. As soon as I saw Ashlyn, I called to her. "Ashlyn, you must sit here. I am so sorry."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Here," I said. "In this chair. All the other chairs use leather for the seats, but I retrieved one that is safe for you." I pulled it out.

  It was a simple wooden chair, and I knew from personal experience, it was deeply uncomfortable. Father used it in his office when someone was coming that he didn't want to get too comfortable. It was also shorter than the other chairs, so when Ashlyn sat in it, she would be like a young child trying to sit at the adult's table.

  "But-"

  "It's quite all right. It's not as comfortable as the other chairs, but I cannot ask you to sit on the skin of an animal. I will have better arrangements by next week, perhaps sooner."

  She was trapped, unless she wished to confess her lie. But she took the seat, and I pushed her in myself before moving to my own place.

  Then I called to the teenage boy who had asked about vending machines. "You must sit here," I said.

  The boy headed in my direction, and when Delilah tried to cut him off, Maddalyn timed it perfectly, getting in her way at just the right moment. The boy made it to the seat ahead of Delilah, and then I took my seat. Delilah stared at me, the boy oblivious, but I gestured with my eyes.

  Delilah was not one to be outdone.

  "Harry, take another seat, please. I would like to finish a conversation I started with Chaladine earlier."

  "She told me to sit here."

  They went back and forth a few times, and the kid was even more stubborn than I expected. I kept encouraging Delilah with my eyes, and finally she practically pulled him to the chair. "Go sit with Emily," she said, pushing him away before taking the seat and smiling at me.

  "Well done," I whispered to her. "Now, steal my wine glass, but make sure everyone sees you."

  She picked up the glass then looked over her shoulder. Maddalyn was hovering about, and Delilah said, "You. Here. Chaladine isn't going to need her glass. She can drink from mine." She handed the glass to Maddalyn, who actually curtsied when she took it. I thought that was a nice touch.

  Delilah had everyone's attention with that move, but when I didn't complain, they let it go.

  After that, she kept her own wine glass filled, and she didn't even let me touch the glass, but held it for me whenever I asked for it. And under the table, she was rubbing her leg against mine.

  It was exceedingly distracting, but I was determined.

  The first course was a soup. It was safe, although probably not entirely vegan. I didn't care. But I needed to get the story of galatzi trades out there before the main course, as that was when my trap would snap. And I needed Delilah to call Sartine Vendart a couple of more times. That took a little trickery, but I got two Vendarts out of her; that would be enough.

  With that handled, I gathered everyone's attention and said, "Cecilia, I was discussing unusual local customs with Delilah earlier. I was explaining one of our courting rituals, which she thought was quite odd, but I believe you are quite familiar with our most unusual ritual."

  "I'll say," Cecilia said. And then she launched into a discussion of galatzi trades, and I didn't have to do a thing. She explained everything, and she did it quite well. There were a few questions, but there were several around the table who spoke sufficient English to answer, and so the story came from multiple directions.

  And just in time. The main course came out, but it was Margotain who served Ashley, looking like a little girl, and squirming around besides, in her shortened chair. "Ashley," Margotain said. "We understand you can't eat most of our foods, but we prepared something special for you." She set down a plate in front of the woman, and she used perfect manners when she did so.

  From across the table, it looked terribly, absolutely terrible. I thought perhaps it was cooked seaweed with some canned vegetables. Okay, it didn't look terrible, not exactly; it looked like Mother had tried to do something artistic. But I bet it was terrible.

  Ashley stared at the food.

  Then Mother explained the other platters, the real meal, and she had outdone herself. It was all quite amazing, which wasn't at all surprising. They'd brought in some of the galatzi prizes to help serve, and so they rotated around the table, holding the platters so people could help themselves.

  And they all bypassed Ashlyn.

  "There is plenty of everything," Mother assured us. "So if there are things you particularly enjoy, there is more."

  Ashlyn stared at her plate and was about to open her mouth. I was sure she was about to confess to lying.

  "Father," I said. "I showed everyone the pillory earlier."

  "Why did you do that?"

  "Someone was asking about our laws, I think." No one had, but it sounded good. "And what are laws without enforcement?"

  "Of course," he said.

  "I believe the last person to experience the pillory, discounting Maddalyn who helped model it this evening, was that woman who lied to Rordano."

  "Was it?" Father asked. "I don't quite remember."

  "Lying is a crime?" Shawn asked.

  "Not normally," I said. "But lying to the Vendart can be, if you lie while he is performing his official duties. Isn't that correct, Sartine."

  "Absolutely," she replied.

  "And if Rordano was acting for Father, then it is no different than lying to Father directly," I added. "The punishment would be the same as lying to me while I was performing any of my official duties."

  I noticed Ashlyn reaching for the bread.

  "Ashlyn, the bread contains eggs and milk."

  "So?"

  "They're animal products. You did say you were vegan."

  She stared at the bread for a moment, then at the food on her plate, then at me.

  I smiled at her then turned back to the head of the table. "Father, how long does someone normally experience the pillory?"

  "It depends on the nature of the crime."

  "And for lying to the Vendart, or an agent of the Vendart?"

  "It would depend upon the nature of the lie," he said. "If it was a minor lie, perhaps only an hour or two. If she seemed especially contrite, I might accept an apology, if no harm was done."

  "I lied," said Ashlyn. "I'm sorry. We were teasing you."

  "What did you lie about?" Mother asked.

  "I'm not vegan. Please, may I have a real meal. I'm terribly hungry. It's been a long day, and my body is all confused from the travel."

  Everyone stared at her. And then Father said, "Who did you lie to?"

  "Chaladine," she said. "We were just teasing her. I was just teasing." She looked at Cecilia. "I am a citizen of the Empire. They can't really put
me in that thing out there, can they?"

  "You are on Talmon," Cecilia said. "You are subject to Talmonese law. Their laws are not difficult to understand, and the punishments, while unusual, are not sufficiently severe as to require Imperial intervention. So yes, if the Vendart decides you will be pilloried, you will be pilloried."

  "Please," she said, looking to Father and then me. "There wasn't any harm done. It was just a little teasing." She looked up to Father. "I'm very sorry. I didn't realize the severity. It was just a little fib."

  "Was it?" I asked. "You watched me walk away, knowing I had to make special arrangements. Mother had to scramble to prepare a meal you could eat. I had to find a chair for you. These took time. I had to rearrange travel arrangements so you wouldn't be forced to sit upon leather or ride in a carriage pulled by an animal. Most of your family had to walk four kilometers for your little teasing."

  "I'm sorry," she said. "I won't do it again. Please forgive me. You won't really put me in that thing, will you?"

  I studied her then turned to Father. "Vendart?"

  "If you had stopped your lie before all these other events took place, we could accept an apology. But you put a great many people through a great deal of work. I do not believe an apology is sufficient."

  "Please," she said. "She said we'd just tease you a little bit. We were going to tease Sartine, but then she said we should tease you instead."

  "She?" I asked. I stood up. "All right. I will accept your apology if you tell me who told you to lie to me."

  "I didn't tell her to lie!" Delilah said. "It was just a little teasing. I wanted to see what you would do."

  I sat back down slowly, as if I were stunned. "You, Deliliah? You organized that?"

  "I'm sorry."

  "I-" I looked down. "May I have a little wine?"

  "Of course." She held her glass for me, and I sipped a little, then nodded.