1
(Vasanaday)
mid-Brezanari (late winter)
851 TCE – Loxos, Gaskarii
Fighting the winter winds high above Loxos, a blue-headed tern screamed and dove for a fish. Missing this time, it flapped back up into the sky to watch for another opportunity as fishing vessels returned to shore. Below, it saw the young woman come out onto her balcony, belly full of child. The tern screamed again before diving into the deep.
Jenna Orivesk stood on her balcony, semi-consciously rubbing a knee that pushed from inside her swollen abdomen. She felt many things as she stood there; her unborn baby, the nervous anticipation of the new Gaskarii abári, the apprehensive excitement that their three-times-lucky election time was bringing the people of Loxos. All the emotions flying were exhausting. She pulled her A’mara cloak of sea green and sand plaid around her to ward out the winter chill.
Strong arms came around her as her husband rested his head on her shoulder. “What are you thinking about?” Tle-sun asked.
“Everything,” Jenna replied simply. “I’m thinking about the elections… about us getting our own abári… Tirry… our baby…”
Tle-sun gave her a kiss. “Well, I can give you an update on the abári part. Yewan’s ship has docked. He will be with us shortly. How is the chowder coming?”
“I will check on it in a few minutes,” Jenna replied. “I couldn’t think of a better welcome.”
“I agree. Have you invited Tirry yet?”
“I will in a minute. I’m slightly afraid she’ll chicken out.”
“Give her a massage,” Tle-sun said simply. “You know she won’t refuse that!”
“You’re very right, my husband. I will do that at once, then attend to the chowder.”
“I will give it a quick stir for you,” he offered.
“Thank you, my love,” Jenna replied before putting Tirry’s code into her PCS link. Her life-long friend answered. “Tirry! Massage time, get over here!”
Tirry laughed. “I’ll be there in a few. You don’t need to tell me twice!”
Jenna added a few more ingredients to the chowder. She made the table look nice, but didn’t set it yet. She didn’t want her friend to know what was brewing prematurely.
Street lighting was inadequate in the poorer districts of Loxos. Of all the improvements Wolfkin Starna had ensured when he took over the run-down building near the river, lighting was not one of them. He did not want to draw premature attention to himself or Ydia Tuskcat. The fact that the city databases were notoriously vulnerable to attack made it easy for him to infiltrate the system and ensure the building belonged to him. The funds that had come in through the Neví project had helped him remodel the inside of the building.
On the outside, he did minor improvements, always making sure it wasn’t too obvious to any passing inspector – nor to any busybody who wanted run-down buildings torn down. He looked like an inattentive landlord, but not negligent. The inside, however, was a different story.
Wolf wore his typical dark brown hooded cloak as he put the connection on the big screen hoping to impress the younger woman in the room.
“Pay attention, Ydia,” Wolf Starna said to her. “See how to handle Belmara.”
The young woman nodded from a comfortable chair just out of view of the camera.
“Good evening, Belmara!” Wolf said silkily.
“Wolf, the Curator wishes to know if everything is ready for the elections,” the curt woman in midnight blue said on the PCS screen. “You did receive her shipment?”
“We have, Mestari. The trivial operation has already been carried out. Even Saraca herself could never guess how the elections could still be lost,” Wolf Starna replied.
“Beware overconfidence, Wolf. You are aware they are sending more A’mara, including a new abári. They intend to be there long term,” the woman informed.
“It does not matter who they send, Mestari. We will still control the elections… one way or another,” the young man replied.
“Be mindful that you do not get lazy from arrogance, Initiate,” the woman reminded, emphasizing Wolf’s low rank. “The Curator is watching this election very closely.”
“I appreciate his attention. Good night!” Wolf said as he closed the connection.
“How do we still control the election?” Ydia asked.
“The free rent month for our residents helps a lot,” Wolf answered. “I am grateful that Belmara gave me the opportunity to oversee our properties in Gaskarii. The Curator will see that I am as worthy as any. And me training you will only help to strengthen my position until the day you and I are able to defeat Belmara and Fashi in the duels.”
“You are so clever,” Ydia said, snuggling up to Wolf who kissed her possessively.
“Mmmm. And with our members volunteering at each of the polling stations, set up for when things go wrong, we will have this election – and it will look completely normal,” Wolf explained. “That makes me feel like celebrating.” He resumed kissing his lover.
Jenna felt her friend’s leya imprint at her door. Tle-sun answered it for her. He greeted Tirry Jelham with a warm hug.
“You’re gettin’ big. You sure you’re not having twins?” Tirry asked, giving Jenna a hug and patting her baby bump. The baby kicked in response.
“Seems to be just one, but maybe he will arrive early. I’m still about a month away!”
“You be stayin’ in there a bit longer, now, you hear!” Tirry said to the bump. “No hospitals tonight, please!” She walked into the treatment room. Jenna followed, closing the door behind her. She locked it out of habit, but her husband could overcome that lock – even most A’mara children could do that. Still, the man knew that the treatment door had better stay locked if he didn’t want an embarrassing shock, like what happened once previously. That story only came up if Jenna needed to remind him of the importance – or if she wanted to see him blush. He was quite cute when embarrassed. Truthfully, that didn’t happen often.
Tirry had already made herself comfortable without her shirt on, so that Jenna could massage her friend. An expert masseuse, she put a relaxation oil on her hands and started massaging.
“I see your treatment room is filling up with baby things,” Tirry said as she relaxed.
“Yes, I’m not really sure where else it’s going to go just yet,” Jenna said.
“You can always have him in your room with you. That’s the way it was done when my mother was little.”
“There just seems to be so little room. This apartment was the perfect size for me, just me. Now, being married and a new one here soon, it’s feeling small,” Jenna said.
“So much has changed in the past few months,” Tirry said. “I remember lying here just like this when I told you your future husband was going to be here.”
“That was like a lifetime ago. Before… everything.”
“True,” Tirry said with a sigh. “All those people we lost.”
“Guess what?” Jenna asked her friend more cheerfully.
“What?” Tirry asked.
“Our new abári has just arrived,” Jenna replied.
“Your what?”
“The single and available A’mara you wanted to meet,” she said.
“When do I get to meet him?” she asked impatiently.
“Maybe he’s coming for supper…”
“No!” Tirry exclaimed. “I would have dressed more nicely if you’d told me. I guess that explains the smell of chowder permeating the entire floor!”
The doorbell sounded.
“I think he’s here,” Jenna said.
Tirry got up quickly and put her shirt back on. “So much for my massage!” she said.
“You’re not nervous!” Jenna exclaimed incredulously.
“Perhaps a tiny bit,” Tirry admitted.
“I’m sure he’s very nice,” Jenna laughed as she unlocked and opened the treatment room door.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Lori Svensen
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