by Robin Roseau
“I am sure I spoke with the utmost clarity,” he replied.
“Did you?” she asked. “What say you, Beacon Hill Vendart?”
“I think I was so caught up in the discussion that I lost track of whether we all spoke with clarity.”
“Did you just offer to join my husband’s punishment, Beacon Hill Vendart?” Valtine asked.
I snorted at that. I wasn’t the only one.
Luradinine stood. “Do you accuse me of speaking imprecisely, Valtine?”
“You were not the only participant in the conversation,” Valtine said. “You were nearly as involved as my husband. Do you care to comment, Maddalyn? After all, it was your mother-in-law who identified two of your mistakes earlier.”
“As I recall,” Luradinine said before I could respond, “You were an active participant.”
“And yet,” Valtine replied, “I was especially careful with my diction, as I knew something like this would happen, and I was waiting for it. Can you say the same?”
There was a pause, and then Luradinine said, “No, I cannot.”
“Well,” said Valtine. “Kalorain, perhaps you would care to comment. Were you aware that your Galatzi wife was having difficulty following the conversation?”
“I could see the signs she wasn’t paying attention. That happens when she is tired or when she doesn’t understand and has given up.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I was not about to interrupt the two vendarti,” Kalorain replied.
“At one point, you offered an insightful comment,” Valtine said. “You spoke especially slowly and carefully. Was that an example you hoped the rest would follow?”
“Yes.”
“Who would you judge guilty of becoming lax, Kalorain?”
“Nearly everyone has become lax,” Kalorain replied. “I would not wish to order them.”
“I’m sure my husband does not mind leading the list,” Valtine said.
“You are having far too much fun with this, woman!” Baardorid said. “I’ll say the poem.”
“Then come here, husband,” she said. “This is the chair Maddalyn held earlier. It will do.” But before he could even circle the table, she turned back to me. “Maddalyn, my husband is a strong, powerful man.”
“He would appear so.”
“You are a star woman. Perhaps you have super human star woman strength.”
“Not particularly, no. I might be slightly stronger than other women of my stature, but only slightly so.”
“And so it is safe to say holding this chair would be far easier for Baardorid than it was for you.”
“I also imagine he’ll have less trouble than I did. Yes, I would agree, Valtine.”
“Then we shall even things.” And she pulled the chair out from the table, turned it sideways to face Baardorid, and then sat down in it. “Whenever you are ready, husband.”
Even I laughed.
“Daft woman!” Baardorid said, but he was grinning. “Who has the poem?”
“Use mine,” Valtine said, handing a piece of note paper to me.
“Oh, no,” I said. I thrust the paper to Kalorain. She took it, laughing, and stood up.
Baardorid impressed me. He clasped the chair by the seat and lifted it, although not quite with straight arms. Still, I could see him straining. Valtine smiled as Kalorain lifted the poem.
Baardorid read it through. Kalorain nodded, and then he set his wife down.
“I am fairly certain I cannot do that,” Luradinine said.
Valtine stood and moved into her husband’s arms. He held her easily, and I thought perhaps that had been about more than reading the poem. Luradinine stepped into place and lifted the chair, then read the poem. It was, of course, easy for her, and so she set the chair down again. “Sudden Vendart’s Wife, thank you for the lesson. Maddalyn, I am sorry. You are doing so well, I had actually forgotten to be more careful.”
“Perhaps we can retire to the sitting room,” Valtine said. “I wish to hear Maddalyn speak more. I wish to hear about her home.”
“This is my home, Valtine,” I said. “I am happy to talk about Talmon, but I find it unlikely I will say anything you do not know.”
“I meant Frantzland,” she replied. “But you know? I bet if you spoke, you would say things I didn’t know, because I would see my home through your eyes.”
“I am happy to speak about Talmon, but I would rather not speak of Frantzland.”
“Why is that?”
“Because it would be near impossible to avoid using illegal words. It may be there are Talmonese words to describe these things, but I find when speaking of my old home, I do so in the language of that home.”
“Well,” she said. “I would like to see my home through your eyes, and perhaps if you speak of Frantzland, we will offer a brief period of amnesty.”
They caught me again, an hour later, and this was simply a pure mistake on my part. I was tired from a big day, and I caught the mistake myself. I didn’t even wait but stood, collected a chair, and held it out. “Which poem.”
“This one,” Valtine said. She went through it once for me while I held the chair, and she made a mistake. Even I heard it.
To this day, I am unsure whether it was intentional. But her husband chortled, drowning me out if I made any mistakes. I set the chair down, and Valtine picked it up, to the amusement of everyone in the room. But she kissed my cheek when she was done and whispered, “We are proud of you, Maddalyn, and so happy you are here.”
Five minutes later I leaned to Kalorain. “For our picnic at the rejuvenation center, should it just be five of us, or should we invite more widely?”
“Far more widely, but you are the Galatzi wife.” And then she waited for a lull and said, “Tomorrow we wish to travel south.”
“To the Imperial resort?” Baardorid asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Maddalyn has offered a tour, and we will make a picnic. My wife asks if we should invite others. Darratine, do you intend to invite your Galatzi wife’s family?”
“Oh, I think I do,” she said. “It is short notice, but perhaps some will come.”
“Baardorid, Valtine, do you believe members of your household would care to join us?”
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I would love to go,” Valtine said. “What is our plan for travel?”
“I reserved the ground vehicle,” I said. “But perhaps we should simply ride.”
“It is twenty kilometers,” she said. “That is two hours each way, perhaps longer.”
“Oh, I am sorry,” I said. “I will arrange transportation but may not have the full details until the morning.”
“Kalorain,” Valtine said. “I do not believe you planned a large group and are unprepared for a picnic for twenty.”
“This is my event, Valtine,” Kalorain said. “I will make arrangements, but I require a count.”
Valtine looked around the room. “Darratine, would you hazard a guess regarding Farratain’s family?”
“No more than four, and perhaps none at all.”
“Kalorain, plan for twenty. Would you accept help in the morning?”
“Yes,” Kalorain said. “I will head to the market an hour after first light.” She turned to me. “Will you be free to join me?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll have arrangements by then.”
“I will join you, if I am welcome,” Luradinine said.
“As well I,” Valtine said. “However shall we dress?”
I squeezed Kalorain’s hand. She turned to me, and I said, “I do not know what we will do to travel, so we should be prepared, but do you ever dress for a picnic? We can change clothing once we arrive, if travel arrangements are awkward.”
“Oh, we could make this quite grand,” Valtine said. “At the very least, we must all wear hats. Oh, I love an excuse to wear a hat. If anyone is not prepared, I will provide several extras, and you may borrow.”
“Father will
look quite smashing in one of your hats, Mother,” Margotain said.
“Hush, you,” her father said. “I have the perfect hat in mind. I am unsure your brother does.”
“I do so,” he said. “But Mother, may my Galatzi wife borrow a hat?”
“I would be delighted if she did,” Valtine declared. “Maddalyn, do you have a hat?”
“I do not,” I said.
“I have one I would love to see her wear,” Luradinine said. “If you please, Sudden Vendart?”
“Of course, unless Kalorain disapproves.”
“I’d love to see Maddalyn in a hat,” Kalorain said. “And I have one that has been waiting for me.”
“Most excellent,” Valtine said. “Most excellent indeed.”
I let them discuss activities while I sent a message to everyone from the embassy. “My plans tomorrow have grown. An outing for five with the ground car has grown to twenty. We’re attending a picnic at the rejuvenation center. Can anyone offer transportation suggestions?”
It was five minutes before Cecilia herself asked, “Are we invited?”
“Of course,” I messaged back.
“Sartine and I will travel in the morning. Chaladine is unavailable. We’ll bring my ground vehicle. Sartine knows how to drive it.”
“Perfect,” I sent back. Then I waited for a chance to say, “Cecilia Grace and Sartine will join us. Transportation is resolved.” I paused but thought this was important. “I am sorry, but Chaladine will not join us.”
“The governor is coming?” Luradinine said. “Oh, how excellent.”
“We will have two ground vehicles and the governor’s jumper,” I said. “I will not direct who travels in which vehicle. I do not know if Governor Grace will make assignments or if there is another plan.”
“I will be riding in a ground vehicle,” Valtine said. “Regardless of what the governor may attempt to declare.”
* * * *
“Are you okay?” Kalorain asked me an hour later. We were alone in our bedroom. As I considered my answer, she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning back to look into my eyes.
“I’m fine.”
“I am so proud to be your wife, Maddalyn.”
“I think you should show me,” I said with a grin.
“Do you?”
“Yes.” I glanced over my shoulder at the bed. A moment later, Kalorain began pushing me backwards. I didn’t fight, and when my legs encountered the bed, I let her push me backwards onto it, laughing.
She climbed up. I scrambled backwards until I was lying amidst the pillows, looking up at my wife. “I love you so much.”
Kalorain threw a leg over me, sitting on my hips, then captured my hands and pressed them to the pillows beside my bed. She leaned down, looking into my eyes. “Listen to me, and listen to me very carefully, my Galatzi wife.”
“I’m listening,” I whispered.
“I am so proud of you. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
“Good. Maddalyn, I cannot override the Vendart’s Wife, not in her home.”
“I know.”
“But in our home, I will be stricter with you, but there will be no punishment for poor diction. That will change only if I deem it necessary.”
“It won’t be necessary, Kalorain.”
“I didn’t think so.” Then she lowered herself to me. We kissed, and then things warmed up.
* * * *
Cecilia messaged me when she and Sartine had landed. “We’ll be at the embassy until you arrive.”
“We’re all trying on hats, and then we’ll be on our way,” I replied.
“Excellent.”
All of us looked fabulous. We were to spend the day outside, but we wore dresses, jewelry, and hats, so many different hats, none alike. Valtine laughed with the joy of it, moving around and adjusting hats for everyone.
It felt so elegant.
Valtine arranged for extra transportation as necessary. We used my cabriolet, and two carriages of her family. One more hired carriage was enough. I found myself with Kalorain and Luradinine, with the Beacon Hill Vendart driving, nudging me over to take the center seat from me.
“You don’t trust my Galatzi wife’s ability to manage her own carriage?” Kalorain asked.
“Of course I trust her,” Luradinine replied. “But it’s not like I can drive the star vehicle.”
“And you’re not capable of just relaxing.”
“No, daughter, I am not.”
Kalorain grinned at me. I simply shrugged.
Valtine and Luradinine grew a little competitive at that, but Valtine won through the simple method of sending Larimarn to stand in front of our carriage while she took the lead. Once Valtine was moving, Larimarn scurried over to catch her ride. Luradinine shook a finger at the former Beacon Hill resident, but there was little she could do.
“Ragamuffin,” she complained. “I’m sure glad I foisted that one off on Sudden.”
Kalorain laughed. “Along with me, Mother?”
“That’s right,” Luradinine said. But she leaned over and kissed her daughter’s head. “Regrets daughter?”
“Not one,” my wife replied. “Thank you for sending me to Sudden.”
* * * *
We drove out to the embassy. I sent Cecilia a warning when we were a few minutes away, and so she and Sartine were already waiting for us when we arrived. They were both dressed quite stylishly, including their own hats, and they blended well with the rest of us.
“We’ll exchange proper introductions at the airfield,” Cecilia said. She, Sartine, Mallory, and Erica climbed into Cecilia’s ground vehicle and then led the way, four carriages following along after.
Luradinine managed to sneak in front of Valtine, which caused Valtine to issue threats while she followed us. Luradinine grinned.
At the airfield, Cecilia pulled her vehicle into line with the others, but Erica and Mallory hopped out, directing the rest of us to turn our vehicles around, facing the road back to the embassy. “We’ll see to these while you’re gone,” Erica declared.
“Most excellent,” Valtine replied.
All of us climbed from our vehicles. We had quite the crew. From the vendart’s household Baardorid and Valtine were there, Rordano and Larimarn, and Margotain. Sartine’s younger sister, Mordain, was along, with her husband, Balotorid. My household came as five, and of course, Cecilia and Sartine were there. Finally, Farratain’s parents with her older sister, Yendasine, had come, for a total of seventeen.
We had ample food, of course, and it turned out we had ample transportation, but I was concerned about the drivers, unless Mallory or Erica was were coming. And so we climbed from the carriages and approached the governor.
Valtine provided introductions. Cecilia moved around, offering greetings and hugs to everyone. She reached me and pulled me into a hug, kissing my cheek and then asking me, “How are you, Maddalyn?”
“Very happy,” I said. “Kalorain is wonderful.”
“Chaladine was quite pleased to make this work,” she replied. Then she released me but offered a smile before moving on.
She finished her circle and then said, “Well. We have four vehicles. Shall we see who is to drive them? I will drive my jumper. Maddalyn, you will command the other. Are you familiar with this model?”
“Yes, Governor.”
“I don’t want her switching it to German,” Mallory said. “Are you sure you can handle it, Maddalyn?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Sartine will drive one ground vehicle.” Then she began counting, mentally mapping people to vehicles. She frowned. “Pesky regulations,” she said in English. I grinned but said nothing. If we were willing to let people ride illegally, we could travel this way, but regulations required everyone seated with a seat belt. Cecilia’s jumper was small, as was Mallory’s, and they took four each. The Embassy ground vehicle could take five, but Cecilia’s could only take four.
We had enough vehic
les, but not enough drivers.
Cecilia looked at our options. I leaned to Kalorain and said, “You need to invite Erica and Mallory.” They weren’t dressed for the day, but I wasn’t going to let that get in the way.
She nodded then said, “Erica. Mallory. Are you joining us?”
“We wish we could,” Mallory said, “But we actually have other commitments.”
“Maddalyn,” Cecilia said, “Did you have a plan for this?”
“I could make two trips,” I said.
“We’ll hold that in reserve. Have you taught your wife to drive?”
“No, Governor Grace. Should I have?”
“We’ll talk about it when you resume your duties for me,” she replied. She looked around and then settled her eyes on Mordain, Sartine’s younger sister, traded to Sudden in exchange for Cecilia several years ago. “Mordain.”
“Cecilia?” The girl began bouncing. “Really?”
“We’ll see,” Cecilia said. “If I am not impressed with a mature attitude, I am sure Luradinine could learn. Come with me.” With all of us looking, Cecilia led Mordain to her jumper. The two climbed in.
Luradinine moved to my side, and then Valtine and Baardorid were there as well. “Is this a poor idea, Maddalyn?”
I looked around. “I trust Governor Grace,” I said.
“We wish your opinion,” Baardorid. “I will remind you that I am your vendart.”
“It’s actually not that hard,” I said. “Although I do not understand her choice of students.”
“I am surprised as well,” Sartine said, stepping up behind me. “My sister was looking forward to a jumper ride, as short as it might be.”
“She giggles,” Valtine said. “It is quite distressing.”
“Mordain has asked for flying lessons. I believe Cecilia is testing the waters, as she might say in English.”
I wasn’t sure that was how the idiom really worked, but I didn’t correct her. It wasn’t my native language, after all.
“As long as it’s going to be a minute,” Erica said. “Could we get help moving the carriages back to the embassy?”
“Rordano and Larimarn,” Baardorid said. “One more.”
“Yes, Vendart,” Rordano said.
“I can help,” said Yendasine, Farratain’s sister. And so the five of them each picked a carriage.