by Robin Roseau
Then they arrived, and I found myself in a fresh hug. “This place is amazing!” Pippa said. “I didn’t know everyone would speak English.”
“They don’t,” I said. “Some of the shopkeepers may know a few words. But everyone living in the Vendart’s house has been learning, here, Indartha, and Beacon Hill. A few other places, too, but it’s sporadic.”
“Where do I get some clothes like this?” Tranquility asked. “Maddalyn, you look fantastic.”
“Thanks,” I said. I turned a circle. “You like?”
“I love it. I brought money. Cash.” She made a face. “Who uses cash?”
I laughed. “I have something for each of you. Come.” I grabbed Mother’s arm and pulled her to one of the picnic tables, my friends following along. I didn’t have my purse, but I spotted Hazelvarn, who was hovering about, so I gestured her over. She had my purse. I took it from her and dug though it, pulling out four pouches. I handed three out but kept Pippa’s and spread the contents on the table.
“This is local currency,” I said. “They call their money dollars. This is one hundred dollars for each of you. We can exchange imperial credits at the embassy, but this should get you through today.”
I showed them the coins and then found one with Valtine’s image. I showed it to them. “Look familiar?”
“That’s Valtine!” Pippa said. “Isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I said. “It is. Each Vendart prints money according to an agreed schedule, and the coins from one dollar up include the image of someone from the Vendart’s family. If you look, some of you probably have some with Sartine. I don’t think there are any with Cecilia; those would be small coins from Indartha, and most of what I passed out is from Sudden or Beacon Hill. You’ll find Mordain on some; she is Sartine’s little sister. But she’s lived here for several years, so new money won’t have her.”
“She’s not considered part of Sartine’s family?”
“It’s complicated,” I said. “It gets to marriage customs. They have a few customs, some of which are interesting. Mordain was part of a trade. She was traded to Sudden.”
I smiled. “Sartine has threatened to put me on some coins, but so far, I’ve escaped. Kalorain has suggested Luradinine has also made a similar threat, but that’s even more complicated. I think I’m safe.”
“I think it would be great to be on money,” Serenity said.
“I can make that happen,” I said.
“You can not!”
“Oh, I can,” I said. I grinned. “I’m not sure when the next batch of coins is made. I don’t even know if each village does it on the same schedule. But I could probably get you on the next batch somewhere.”
“Does it involve marrying into the vendart’s family?” Serenity asked.
“Um. Maybe.”
They laughed. Then Serenity nudged my arm and gestured to Hazelvarn. “That one is cute.”
“Hazelvarn,” I said in Talmonese. “Come meet my mother and friends.” I had to do the introduction in three languages but said, “Hazelvarn is learning English, but she has just begun. She’s been working for me for just a couple of months.” I switched back to Talmonese. “Serenity says you’re cute and wants to know how to get her face on money.”
“Not by marrying me,” she replied. “But I could introduce her to my cousin.” She made a face.
“A rousing endorsement, I see,” I said. “I’m going to ask you something, but if you’re not interested, find a long way to decline. It won’t take long before they learn the words for yes and no.”
“Anything you say, boss,” she replied.
“Excellent. You need more practice with English. Serenity needs a local guide. If you agree, I don’t promise she won’t try to seduce you. She almost certainly will invite you to dance later. I’d intended to assign Margotain, but do you want the job, maybe beside Margotain?”
“Anything you say, boss,” she echoed.
“Was that a real answer or are you being a smart ass.”
“She can try to seduce me. I’m good at saying ‘no’ if I’m not interested.” She eyed Pippa. “We’ll see how easy I make it.”
I laughed and switched languages. “Pippa, Hazelvarn is going to be one of your personal guides, although given that her English is worse than mine when we first met, I also have someone else assigned for you.”
“Oh,” Pippa said. “Just like that? What power you hold, Maddalyn.”
“I know. Power corrupts.”
She eyed Hazelvarn. “Do you dance?”
I laughed. “I told you,” I said in Talmonese.
“I learn,” Hazelvarn replied.
Pippa looked at me. “That one’s my pouch, right?”
“Yep.” I scooped the coins up and tossed it to her. She caught it and turned to Hazelvarn. “Perhaps you can show me around, and I need to learn about these coins.”
Hazelvarn looked at me. “She wants you to show her around,” I explained. “Teach her the money, and show her how to buy something.” There were street vendors all over the green. “Work on your English, but teach her some Talmonese, too.”
“Sure thing, boss.” We watched the two of them wandering off. I overheard Hazelvarn working with her feeble English, but I knew she’d be better in a few short weeks, if I kept her doing this.
“Where’s mine?” Tranquility asked.
“Yours is married,” I said.
“Find me a cute single one.”
“Cute, single, female, speaks English, and likes girls is not a combination I have in long supply,” I replied. “But I can introduce you to Sartine’s younger brother, if you like.”
“I’ll take cute, single, female, and prefers girls. We’ll learn to communicate.”
“And yet, you’re going to take cute, married, female, and prefers boys. If you want another style, you can find your own. You have an entire planet to work from.” I gestured, and Mordain stepped over. “This is Mordain. She is Sartine’s little sister but now lives in Sudden. Mordain, Tranquility wants to learn how to buy something.”
“I’m happy to help,” she said.
“Married,” Tranquility muttered.
“To a very nice man,” I said. “Sorry.”
Mordain and Tranquility wandered off, and then Pippa said. “But you saved the cute one for me.”
“That depends,” I said. “Do you care if she speaks English?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Perhaps I can do amazingly stunning, female, and absolutely loves girls.”
“Oh, that sounds good.” And that was when Kalorain stepped up and slipped an arm around me. “Oh, hell.”
“You were talking about me,” Kalorain said. “Do I disappoint you?”
“All three of them expected me to find their first romantic entanglements,” I said. “I told them they’re on their own.”
“It would take me three minutes to find someone for her,” Kalorain said.
“You’re not serious,” I said at the same time Pippa said, “That sounds perfect.”
I laughed. “Pippa, do you know what she’d do?”
“She knows someone?”
“I imagine she’d climb up on one of the tables and announce loudly you like girls, and does anyone want to be your guide.”
“She would not!”
“Sure I would,” Kalorain said. She smiled sweetly. “What’s wrong with that?”
Pippa looked back and forth between us. “I can’t even tell if you’re serious.”
“I don’t know,” Kalorain said. “You seemed disappointed to be assigned to me. I might be willing to get rid of you.”
“Now I really can’t tell if she’s teasing, Maddalyn.”
I shrugged. “Is my wife more than you can handle?”
Pippa laughed. “No.” Then she stepped over and slipped an arm in Kalorain’s. “Everyone else is learning to spend money.”
“I like you,” Kalorain said. “I am going to introduce you to my mother. You should ca
ll her ‘Vendart’.” She flashed me a grin as the two walked away.
Mother stepped to my side. “Your friends seem…”
“Like they’re on vacation,” I said. “They’re very good people. Mother, I’m sorry very few speak German.”
“Don’t worry about that. Do you think we could find a little bite to eat?”
* * * *
We wandered the green. Everywhere were carts selling a wide variety of things, including little treats. I took Mother to one associated with one of the bakeries. That would seem quite normal to her. We bought her a warm, savory roll, which she ate in pieces and declared it amazing. We watched some of the entertainers.
But a large part of our time was spent by people stepping up. I provided no end of introductions. “You are so important? I didn’t realize.”
“No. This is Talmon.” I gestured, and we watched as Tranquility received an introduction. “You’re all new. You’re all meeting people.”
“I can’t possibly remember everyone. How are you doing it?”
“My implant reminds me when I don’t remember,” I said. “It has a mode that if I curl my fingers just so, it puts people’s names over their heads. So if I don’t remember, I curl my fingers. The implant uses facial recognition. I read the name. If I don’t remember where we met someone, I make a slightly different gesture, and the implant gives me more information.”
I laughed. “Berdine did me a favor, in a way.”
“That woman never did a favor for anyone.”
“If she hadn’t done what she did, I would never have left Frantzland. I wouldn’t have an implant. I wouldn’t have come here. I wouldn’t have realized how beautiful a place like this was. I wouldn’t have met Kalorain. I wouldn’t have been able to bring you here.”
Eventually the real food arrived, a late lunch. We sat in clusters of tables, those most important to me nearby. Mother tried a little bit of everything, although she ate cautiously. I couldn’t tell how she felt about any of it, as she wasn’t commenting, but she was trying. Time would tell.
Eventually Cecilia stood. She gave a speech welcoming our guests and hoping they enjoyed this lovely planet with its wonderful people. Baardorid welcomed everyone to Sudden. Luradinine expressed pleasure in meeting new friends. And Sartine offered an official invitation to Indartha. “You have time to experience winter, as spring has not yet arrived in our mountains.”
Then I stood. I hadn’t planned to speak, but Cecilia urged me. And so I stood and looked around. I gestured. I spoke in German and left the translation to Cecilia and Madge. “This is Talmon. Right here, today, represents what I try to say when I describe Talmon. Mother, my friends, I hope you can grow to appreciate why I now call this place my home.”
Then I leaned over to Mother. “You should say something.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Say thank you for the warm welcome, if nothing else.”
She nodded then slowly stood. I was ready to translate, but Mother looked at Cecilia. “Governor, will you translate my words?”
“I would be honored,” she said.
Mother looked around then back at Cecilia. “There are only four here who do not speak Talmonese.” Cecilia nodded, and so that was the language she would translate into. “I wish to thank all of you.” She paused. “It is obvious to thank you for this welcome, but that is not what I mean.” She turned to look at me. “My daughter has never been this happy. I know some of this is joy for today. We have been apart for over five years. And her friends are also here. But this joy is far deeper.” She looked around, putting a special gaze on Kalorain and a few others. “Thank you for taking care of my daughter.”
And then, to grand applause, she sat back down. I leaned over and hugged her from behind, kissing her cheek.
“And of our other visitors?” Valtine called out. “What say you?”
The three exchanged looks, and then Tranquility stood. “We’re happy to ride on the welcome you give Maddalyn’s mother.”
That generated laughter. Valtine stood up and said, “Oh, we’d have put on a show for you. You’re the one who works at a rejuvenation center, after all.”
Tranquility laughed. “I do,” she said. “I am looking forward to learning about your planet and having a grand adventure. I won’t say I wish to see everything you have to offer, as I am sure some of it would involve farm animals.”
That was fresh laughter.
Then she looked around and abruptly sat back down again, which renewed the laughter.
* * * *
Once the meal was over, Valtine stepped closer before we could disperse. “I am sure Maddalyn has told you, but I wish to offer a proper invitation. You are all invited to a light dinner and dancing later.”
“Dancing?” Tranquility said. “I could do with some dancing.”
“I am glad, as Maddalyn tells me you wish to teach us a new style.”
“Are they still dancing that way?” I asked.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Talitha said she would have come with us, but there is a major competition next month, and she didn’t want to miss it.”
“What are your plans for the remainder of the afternoon?” Valtine asked. “Will you stay and enjoy the fair?”
“I’m not sure,” I said. “I thought I’d show our guests where they’re staying in Sudden. I don’t know if they need a break.”
“Shopping,” Tranquility said. “I was serious when I said I wanted to go shopping.”
“We should ask,” I said. “Valtine, is tonight formal?”
“Well, I’m not sure,” she said. “You tell me.”
I switched to German. “Mother, did you bring a gown or two?”
“They aren’t fancy,” she said.
“Can you dance in one of them?”
“I could dance a step or two,” she replied.
“Formal it is,” I said in English. “Valtine, this is a rather evocative style.”
“Oh, I like it already.”
* * * *
The house would be cozy if Valtine hadn’t opened her home for Luradinine and Darratine. But we got everyone settled and then collected in the living room. Pippa looked around and said, “This isn’t what I was expecting.”
“Running water and electricity is a surprise? I told you it wouldn’t be primitive. No, we don’t have many of the things you might expect at home, but the homes are nice.”
“We have always had indoor water,” Kalorain said. “But it was a hand pump.”
“So my expectations weren’t that far off?” Pippa asked. “This is a new house?”
“No. This is a very old house, but it has been updated.”
I translated for Mother, who said, “This is a very lovely home. It is nicer than our home on Frantzland.”
“It is a downgrade for Kalorain,” I said. “You’ll see. So, we must discuss plans. Tranquility wants to go shopping.”
“Is it nearby?”
“Everything is nearby,” I said.
“Then I could go shopping.”
I switched back to English. “Tranquility, were you serious about shopping?”
“She’s always serious about shopping,” Serenity said. Then she looked Kalorain and me over. “I don’t want to go to the tourist shops.”
“What is a tourist shop?” Kalorain asked.
“That is where they sell all the junk for the tourists.”
“Why would tourists want to buy this junk?”
“That’s why I don’t want to go to those shops.” She said. I smirked. “It’s not funny, Maddalyn.”
“Do you notice my wife has no idea what you’re talking about? I wonder why that might be.”
“I imagine it’s because she’s never been a tourist.”
“That might be true, but it’s because they don’t have shops like that, but if they did, do you think Kalorain would take you?”
Pippa eyed Kalorain. Kalorain regarded her with a puzzled look. And I looked back and forth between
them.
I switched to Talmonese. “She thinks you’re jealous.”
“Why would I be jealous?” Kalorain asked.
“Because she and I were, um…”
“Lovers? You told me. That was years ago, and you are my Galatzi wife. You adore me so much you kneel at my feet every time we come home.”
I laughed. “True,” I said.
“That is rude, Maddalyn,” Mother said. “What did you tell her?”
“Your mother wants to know what we said, doesn’t she?”
“Her tone is that obvious?”
“Yes. I imagine she said you were rude. You were. Tell all of them what we discussed, and then we will discuss whether they have enough money.”
“Yes, Kalorain,” I said, not arguing. “Mother, Pippa thinks Kalorain is jealous. She’s not.” Then in English, “Pippa, Kalorain says she has no reason to be jealous and suggests we should decide if you have enough money. You cannot use your imperial credits here. You must exchange them at the embassy. We can exchange them back when you leave.”
Tranquility nudged Serenity. “I told you it would be a good show.”
“I had to talk you into coming,” Serenity shot back.
“That’s not how I remember it. I like Kalorain. She wears the pants in this family.”
“They’re both wearing pants, and don’t think I didn’t see how many backsides you were checking out.”
“There’s nothing wrong with looking,” Tranquility replied. She grinned. “Kalorain isn’t jealous. Pippa can stop worrying. How much money do we need?”
“It depends on what you decide to buy. I’ll bring extra cash and we can worry about it tomorrow.”
“Perfect,” she said.
* * * *
The six of us left together. The fair was still going, so we stepped into the green and roamed through the carts. Mother stayed by my side, but she looked everywhere. It didn’t look like anyone was going to buy anything, but then Pippa saw something and lured us all to a cart. “What are those?”
The vendor was a girl of perhaps sixteen years old. She was quite lovely, with long, dark hair and wearing a long, bright, wool dress. In her hair was some sort of accessory. I didn’t know the name, not in any of three languages. It sat above her left ear, holding her hair back on that side. I didn’t know what the material was, either, but it was iridescent, showing a variety of colors.
