by Robin Roseau
Madge laughed when she read the note. “They are returning to Beacon Hill and are inviting you to go with them.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You understand they will travel via horseback. Are you ready for a two-day ride by horse?”
My face fell immediately, and I slumped. “No.”
“They probably didn’t think of that,” she said. “But you would like to go?”
“But I can’t.”
“You are a smart woman, Maddalyn. Are you going to let something like a horse ride get in the way?”
“I can’t learn to ride that well so quickly.”
“No, but you can think creatively. How else could you get to Beacon Hill?”
“If I had a jumper, I could fly.”
“Yes,” she said. “Or you could ask for a ride, but in this case, you should consider something else. Chaladine said she is going for a visit to Beacon Hill. She is not staying.”
“They are married.”
“No, Maddalyn. They are temporary lovers.”
“They’re so in love!”
“I know,” she said. “It’s a happy and sad story at the same time.”
“Why don’t they get married?”
“That is Chaladine’s story to tell you,” Madge said. “Regardless, she is going to Beacon Hill, remaining for two weeks, and then returning. And I see a solution.”
“Two weeks is too long for me to impose. It is their time together.”
“You know, I might not normally agree with you. This is Talmon after all. But I think I agree this time. I think you should borrow the jumper. Let’s see if it’s available.” She used her implant and negotiated with Mallory, finally smiling.
“Perfect,” she said. “Well maybe perfect. You could fly out and spend the last three nights with them, and then you could bring Chaladine back with you. She won’t have to travel two days alone.”
“That couldn’t be safe, anyway.”
“This is Talmon. I’m sure it’s perfectly safe. But she is going to be heartsick.”
“Oh. Yes. Please, how do I respond to her?”
“Well, I don’t think anyone has shown her how to use her tablet for accepting video calls. That is something you may want to do. But we’ll be old fashioned and write a note.”
And so that was exactly what we did, using paper Madge kept.
Visiting
I let the jumper fly on automatics. I was lucky. I, of course, had never been to Beacon Hill, but I was shown a map, and I could have found it, perhaps stopping once or twice to see if I had the right location. It wasn’t as if the locals could say, “It is exactly one hundred and three kilometers north from Sudden,” after all. Instead, they talked about the distance in terms of days ridden, and other villages traveled. And so, I could have found it.
But the jumper already knew where it was, and so my task was easier. I told it where I wanted to go. It mapped a direct route, but I decided to override that. Instead, I took two circles of Sudden first, then flew out over the ocean. From there, the craft turned north, following the coast, a kilometer away. It was absolutely beautiful, with water below and to the right, and the cliffs, beaches, and forest to my left. It was entirely beautiful.
It was Mallory who told me where I should land, using a section of beach. I was worried there would be people on the beach, and that landing would be dangerous, but she told me to circle the village and judge for myself.
I passed several villages or small towns along the coast, some of them only small collections of homes, and then I saw what must be Beacon Hill ahead. I realized why it carried such a name, as the town was at the base of a hill, and at the top of the hill stood what I realized was a lighthouse, a beacon.
I passed the lighthouse and then override the controls, circling twice. Looking down, I saw some of the people looking up at me, some of them waving. I turned further north to see the beach, and yes, here and there were people and a few boats pulled up onto the sand. But then I saw people descending from the village. I thought the situation would grow worse, and I wasn’t at all sure where I should land instead. But instead of making the situation worse, I saw the new arrivals escorting the people on the beach into a knot nearest the village, and I was left with pristine sand and only a few small boats, pulled well away from the water.
I flew north, circled in, and then allowed the speed to bleed as I approached the beach, flaring at the end, coming not quite to a stop, then following slowly along the sand towards the waiting people.
They parted for me, and I saw Luradinine herself gesturing me to come forward. The people parted further, and I saw a shelter, right at the end of the beach nearest the town, an open shelter, one large enough for the jumper.
They had a home waiting for the jumper.
I drove very, very carefully, following Luradinine’s gestures, right into the small hangar. I let the craft settle to the hard sand, and after a moment, it was utterly quiet. I completed the shutdown procedures before opening the hatch.
And that was when I heard the applause.
I climbed from the craft. Luradinine and Chaladine were closest, arm in arm, watching me, everyone staying well clear of the jumper. Most of the people continued to applaud.
“Is hot, Maddalyn?” Chaladine asked, pointing to the jumper.
I thought perhaps Chaladine knew about jumpers, but she also knew about orbital shuttles, which came down still very, very hot from reentry. I set my hand on the jumper. “No.”
A that, she and Luradinine stepped forward. It was Luradinine who swept me into a massive hug before giving me to Chaladine, who hugged me every bit as tightly.
“You know jumper not hot,” I said. I had to use English for “jumper”, but that was better than using German.
“Luradinine, too,” she agreed as she kissed my cheek. “Others afraid.” She kissed my other cheek. “So happy!”
“Me, too,” I said. “Thank you invite.”
“Thank you for coming.” Then she pushed me away and looked me over. “Good Talmon girl.”
I smiled. I loved when she called me that. “Ja,” I said. A little German climbing into my words, I was so excited. “Das ist richtig. Sorry. I good Talmon girl.”
“No Deutsche,” Chaladine said, using Talmon for one word and German for the other.
“Keine Deutsche,” I agreed, then covered my mouth.
“Maddalyn bad Talmon girl,” Chaladine said firmly. “Do I have to spank you?”
“No understand.”
And then I did understand as she actually leaned past me and swatted my bottom. “Spank,” she said.
“No!” I said, spinning to her and waving a finger. “Maddalyn good Talmon girl.”
Chaladine grinned. “Is she? We’ll see. Where are your clothes.”
“I wear.”
“Yes,” she said. “Where are your other clothes? Tomorrow clothes?”
I showed her the storage compartment. She collected my suitcase, pulling it to the edge of the storage compartment then looking to see how to open it. Finally she turned to me. “How do I open this?”
“Chaladine no open.”
“Maddalyn bad Talmon girl.”
“No,” I said. “Chaladine no open. I open.”
“No,” she said. “Show me. I open.”
“Can not,” I said. But I turned it. “Touch here. Touch here.” I tapped the two points. Chaladine touched them, but of course, nothing happened. “See? Chaladine no open.”
“Chaladine say. Maddalyn do.”
I laughed. “Yes, Chaladine. What say?”
“Open this,” she said, tapping the suitcase.
So I did, releasing the latch and said, “Ta da.”
“Ta da? What does that mean?”
“Just…” I made a gesture, one hand lifted up, the other open and gesturing to the suitcase. “Ta da!” I said cheerily. “Is open.”
“It’s still closed.”
“Up,” I said. “Here.” I showed her, and together we opene
d the suitcase. Inside were my things.
Chaladine riffled through my things for a moment. There was my one other change of Talmon clothing and the dance shoes. She found those and smiled. But she also found that some of the clothes were certainly not made on Talmon. She turned to me. “Maddalyn bad Talmon girl.” She began removing everything that wasn’t of Talmon origin, tossing it deeper into the compartment. When she was done, the only things left from off planet were my tablet, rarely used, and a portable charger, and a few other things she let me keep when I set my hands on hers before she could toss them into the other pile.
But she had found my other Talmon boots, and these she stroked. Then she carefully smoothed the remaining clothes, closed the suitcase, and smiled at me. “Now Maddalyn good Talmon girl. How do I carry this?”
“I show,” I said. I pressed the latches closed and tapped. The handle extended, and together we lifted it out. I closed the hatch and then said, “No clothes tomorrow tomorrow.”
“Good,” she said. “Shopping!”
“Shopping!” I echoed with a smile. “Mallory say: jumper safe here.”
“The jumper is safe,” Chaladine said. She spoke a sentence or two that I didn’t understand, but then gestured to the people. “They may touch? Curious. Gentle. No hurt.”
Those words I knew. “Ja.”
“Maddalyn.”
I hung my head. “No spank,” I said.
She laughed. “Keine Deutsche!”
“You learn Deutsche,” I said. “I learn Talmonese.”
She laughed then asked, “They may touch?”
“Yes,” I said. “Careful.”
“They will be careful.” She spoke to Luradinine, who spoke to her people. And, a few at a time, they moved forward. I heard my name said, and a few came to me. The others turned to the jumper, clustering around. Some ran their fingers along the sides. Mallory had told me to expect this but assured me no one would do anything bad.
Two of the younger women stepped beside Luradinine, and once she had my attention, she said, “Maddalyn. This is my daughter, Darratine.”
I stepped forward a half step and offered my hand. “I am pleased to meet you, Darratine.” It was, of course, my most memorized and practiced phrase.
The woman looked at my hand, and that was when Chaladine stepped to my side again. “Maddalyn, you very bad Talmon girl.”
“I not!”
“That,” she said, gesturing to my hand. “Imperial hello.”
“It is? What Talmon hello?”
She spoke too quickly, and then Darratine stepped forward. “Maddalyn, friend of my mother,” she said. And then she gave me a hug and a kiss upon each cheek. She stepped back, smiling.
I turned to Chaladine. I hadn’t seen greetings like that. “Chaladine tease. Not see before.”
“You haven’t seen me tease before?”
“Now tease me. Not see Talmon hello kiss.”
“Luradinine and I just kissed you.”
“We friends.”
“And now you and I are friends,” Darratine said. She smiled. “Maddalyn, this is my Galatzi wife, Farratain.”
“No kiss,” Chaladine whispered to me.
I nodded. “Hello, Farratain.”
“Hello, Maddalyn,” she said.
“Farratain is from Sudden,” Chaladine said. “She is a new Galatzi wife. One month.”
“Congratulations!” I said. “Are happy?”
“Very happy,” she said, reaching for her wife’s hand. The two gazed at each other, and I could see their love was young but rich. And then I saw Luradinine looking at the two, and I thought this was a house of much love.
* * * *
We stayed by the jumper for perhaps another quarter hour. I met more of the villagers, Melina storing names for me. And then a young boy stepped forward and took my suitcase. I realized this was Wenolopid, Luradinine’s only son. I thought the bag would be too much for him, but he insisted I let him carry it.
Chaladine smiled and took my hand, and so I let the boy carry it. I saw later his sister gave him a hand. “Chaladine.”
“This is Talmon, Maddalyn,” she said. Then she laughed. “It’s not so heavy now that I removed the horrible Imperial clothes.” I joined her laughter and decided not to worry about it.
We made our way to Luradinine’s home, a magnificent home at the heart of Beacon Hill. I received a tour, and along the way I was shown two possible rooms. One was rather isolated, and the other was across the hall from the room shared by Luradinine and Chaladine. Then Luradinine asked me which room I preferred.
At that, Chaladine stepped to my side. “One is quieter. The other is closer.”
I knew I preferred being close, but I wasn’t an idiot. “You pick.”
She paused, and then she said, “Days are for Luradinine, Chaladine, and Maddalyn together. Understand?”
“And nights are for love,” I said. “Be happy, Chaladine.”
“This is hard,” she said. “And important. This is Talmon.”
“Yes. Maddalyn good Talmon girl.”
She smiled. “Yes. Maddalyn smart Talmon girl.” That felt nice to hear. “But Maddalyn still learning.”
“Learning much.”
“Yes. Learning words. Learning ways.”
“Yes.”
“Close room Talmon way. Quiet room Imperial way. But. Talmon way friend happy.”
She was beginning to speak like me, but it was actually easier for me that way. “You choose.”
“Close room, Maddalyn hear love.” She tapped one of my ears, making sure I understood. “Maddalyn is a smart Talmon girl, but Chaladine is also a smart Talmon girl.”
“Chaladine very smart,” I agreed.
“I have watched you, Maddalyn. Talmon ways sometimes make you uncomfortable.”
“No understand.”
“Touch,” she said. She reached out and touch my arm. “Maddalyn sometimes.” Then she made her entire body stiff and put on a face.
“No.”
“Yes,” she said. “Touch is the Talmon way. But touch is not the Imperial way.”
“No,” I said. “Touch is people way. Not Frantzland way. But I am Talmon girl now.”
“Maddalyn,” she said. “You are learning. You are partly Talmon but will always be a little Frantzland, too.”
She was probably right about that. “You pick,” I said.
“You will hear us,” she said. “On Talmon, love is love. Love is joy. Hearing love is joy. But not Frantzland way, is it?”
“No,” I said. But I smiled. “Maddalyn good Talmon girl. You no spank.”
She laughed. “I’m not going to spank you for this, Maddalyn.”
“Close room is Talmon way. This my room now?”
And so it was settled. We brought my suitcase in. Luradinine sent Wenolopid on his way, but then the five of us, as Darratine and Farratain remained, clustered around my suitcase. Together we took everything out and put it away. It was Farratain who pulled my tablet from the bag, but I watched how she handled it, and I knew she would be careful.
“Well,” Luradinine said. “Whatever shall we do?”
* * * *
We spent the next three days together, from morning through the dinner meal, with a change on the final day. Some of the time, Darratine and Farratain joined us. We toured Beacon Hill. We took a sail out on the water. We shopped. They gave me a riding lesson, which was frightening and exciting at the same time. Farratain seemed especially pleased to be better than “The woman from the stars.” I couldn’t blame her at all.
I bought several more outfits in a variety of styles. For my second night, we had dancing, and the girls had fun taking turns teaching me their styles. For that, we all wore dresses, and I felt more elegant than I’d ever felt.
Everyone was so sweet to me: Chaladine, Luradinine, Darratine, Farratain, Wenolopid, and everyone from the village that I met. They were all so sweet and kind.
I realized something. I was falling in l
ove with Talmon and its people. Aunt Anna had been entirely correct when she said I would love the people.
But I began to see the sadness in Chaladine as the time to grow depart grew closer. I found a moment to ask her, “Why not stay, Chaladine? Is because Vendart’s Daughter?”
“No. Talmon needs me.” She frowned, and I knew she was looking for words I would understand. I set my hand on her arm. She smiled for a moment then covered my hand with hers. “Learning Talmon ways.”
“Yes,” I said. “Try tell, Chaladine.”
“Talmon needs me,” she said. “Not here.”
“Sudden?” I asked.
“You bring big changes,” she said. “Talmon needs me. Cecilia needs me.”
And so I understood, or thought I did. As Marge had said to me, Chaladine was the woman I would see if I needed something. And so maybe it wasn’t that she was the vendart’s daughter, but it was nearly that, or so I thought. I was wrong, but only half wrong.
“I understand,” I said. “Tut mir leid, Chaladine.”
She smiled. “Naughty Talmon girl. Spank.”
I laughed and turned to her, thrusting out my bottom. She gave me three playful swats, and then Luradinine said a word and shook a finger at both of us. Chaladine laughed, then bounced over and kissed her lover.
* * * *
Our final day arrived. Chaladine and Luradinine were very tender with each other, and they whispered often. I offered to leave them this day together, but they separated, grabbed my arms, and told me I had more shopping to do.
For dinner, though, they left me with Darratine and Farratain. Chaladine and Luradinine were gone barely minutes when Darratine said, “Maddalyn, does this mean now I am the one to spank you if you speak your star words?”
I laughed and shook a finger but then said, “There is word.”
“A word, you say?”
“Minx,” I said. “Means girl who offer spank star person.”
She and Farratain both laugh. “There is no word.”
“Also mean woman who invite spank.”
“Oh, does it?”
“Mean woman who very play.”
“Your Talmon needs more work.”
“I know,” I admitted. “Understand?”
“Maybe,” she said. “Does it mean this?” And then she began to gaze intently. Once she was sure she had my complete attention, she began stalking towards me. I didn’t move as she drew closer, actually holding me by my arms. She brought our lips closer, then just when I was sure she really intended to kiss me, she danced away, laughing.