Varna Ch. 06

Seirye had incredibly long brown hair, which reached all the way to her hips. She was extremely slender, long-legged and flat-chested. While not as pretty as Larka's, I would have described her face as striking. She reminded me of someone I knew, and I smiled as I realized it - she reminded me of Glasha.

She spoke to me of the boat traffic on the Varna river, and the power of the current. She also asked me what I thought of Portoa, and its leading families. Seirye was intelligent, and thoughtful; I would have enjoyed a longer conversation with her, without the interruptions of Larka and Anava.

Unfortunately, three of my brothers chose that moment to arrive. Toran had finally managed to extricate himself from Adjan Moksha, while Merik and Nathal had finally noticed that some of the loveliest women present were on this side of the room.

- "Make room for some real men, little brother." said Merik, far too loudly.

- "I apologize for my brother - I do hope he hasn't been bothering you." said Nathal.

- "Oh no!" said Larka. She seemed unsure of whether to rise to my defence, or to prepare to impress the newcomers.

- "Another time, then, ladies." I said.

Larka was flustered. She didn't seem to know where to look. Seirye smiled, and nodded her head in my direction.

I crossed the room. Aludar was still talking to Bathene, although Talanassa Albo had joined them. Adjan Moksha was conversing quietly with Arez Beksha. They were both from the east; I imagined that their families knew each other.

I went to see the Gerdar ladies. I was alone, and there were five of them, with no other distraction. They couldn't pretend not to hear me, so I treated it like a Portoan gathering, and addressed all five at once.

Meghra Aspar's brothers were friends of Nathal's. That alone would have ruled her out, for me. She was reasonably attractive, but only reasonably appealing.

Benaz Corig's father was a great friend of my uncle, Tir Esin. He was a powerful figure in the northwest, and along the coast. She was very pretty, but self-centred and dull.

Leili Kilfa's clan lived close by Elmina. Her father was linked to Tir Storum, which was too bad, because I found her very pretty as well, and rather pleasant.

Kamisa Ostro should not have been there. The poor girl was like a caterpillar in a garden full of butterflies. My heart went out to her, for a moment - but she seemed oblivious, preening and posing as if she could land a princely husband simply by being present.

The last of the girls seemed to be making an effort to be the last. She had a way of stepping aside, or turning sideways so that someone else was more immediately in my line of sight. And then I discovered that she was not looking at me directly; she was also avoiding letting me look at her directly.

She was a half-elf, and her ears were quite extraordinary. They were pointed, of course. But this young lady's ears were very long - unusually long - and they stood almost horizontally on either side of her head.

By process of elimination, I'd finally worked out who she was.

- "You're Saska Tanle." I said.

She inclined her head slightly - and then blushed, knowing how that simple movement exposed her incredible ears.

"I visited your mother's house a few years ago." I said. "She was very hospitable."

- "She has spoken of you, Lord."

Saska Tanle was not unattractive. She had grey-blue eyes, freckles across her cheeks and nose... and those incredible ears, which were impossible to ignore.

Where Kamisa Ostro was ugly and too foolish to know it, Saska Tanle was obviously intelligent and quite lovely - except for her ears, which clearly made her feel exposed to ridicule. No matter how long she wore her hair, she couldn't possibly have concealed them.

This time my heart truly did go out to her. But I guessed that Saska didn't want pity, or commiseration.

At that point, Gedere spoke again, inviting us to eat and drink, in honour of the successful harvest.

I escorted the five Gerdar girls to the trestle tables, and busied myself providing plates and napkins for them. There were a few servants bustling about, including Seyamka. I caught her eye, and winked at her. I had a curious thought: if I had to get married, Seyamka would have been a better choice than most of the women present.

There was more polite conversation (or impolite, in Merik's case). Talanassa Albo caught my eye, and smiled. I was puzzled by that. Merik monopolized the Portoan women - especially Larka.

Aludar found time to come by. He put his arm around my shoulders.

- "Thank you for being kind to Bathene."

- "It's no hardship." I said. "She's very likeable."

The ordeal went on for some time, but eventually, it finally ended.

I made my way back to my own chamber, where Glasha was sitting on our bed, waiting for me. She saw my face. I suspect that she'd been about to ask 'How was it?'. Instead, she said "Oh, dear."

She stood up, and wrapped her arms around me.

- "Bad?"

- "Worse than a Portoan levee." I said.

Glasha sat down again. "Tell me. Start at the beginning."

- "I'm exhausted." I complained. "Can't I tell you tomorrow?"

- "No. Tell me now - while it's still fresh in your mind. This is our future we're talking about, Tauma."

I told her everything I could remember: what I'd seen and heard, what I'd said, my impressions, and the little details that stuck with me, like Talanassa Albo's eyes, Seirye's incredibly long hair - and her poise - and Saska Tanle's ears.

- "But you know that I don't trust first impressions."

- "Was that how you felt the first time you met me?" she asked.

- "No." I admitted. Glasha smiled. She knew very well that I'd been drawn to her from the very first moment I saw her. "But that was... exceptional."

- "I'm not so sure." she said. Many people seem to make up their minds very quickly - they decide if they like a person within the very first few moments of meeting them. So tell me - which ones did you like best?"

- "I don't know. Sometimes, I think we might be better served by flipping a coin."

Glasha shook her head. "Be serious, Tauma. From what you've told me, it sounds like you have five possible candidates. Or perhaps four."

- "Four?" I could only imagine three. Well, two, really. Or three.

- "Leili Kilfa - if only she wasn't a Kilfa. They're too closely connected to Tir Storum."

- "Yes. Unfortunately."

- "Larka of Portoa."

I had to laugh.

"What?" said Glasha. "You said that she was the most beautiful of them all, and that she was sweet as well..."

- "True. But she's also impressionable, and I suspect more than a little foolish. Merik was buzzing around her like a bee on a flower."

- "Oh. She would attract attention, wouldn't she? And you think that she might be... susceptible."

- "I don't know. But - tell me your other guesses - I'm curious."

- "They're hardly guesses, Tauma. Talanassa Albo, Seirye of Portoa, and Saska Tanle."

I shouldn't have underestimated Glasha. She knew me well, but she also listened to me. She was an expert at picking up the slightest nuances, the merest hints of emphasis in my speech.

"I agree." she said. "You should concentrate on those three, and I'll try to have a word with them as well."

- "Glasha, Talanassa Albo isn't a real option. You know who her father is."

- "But you liked her. And her father may have learned a lesson at Tanarive. Perhaps he now sees you as a worthwhile son-in-law."

- "I doubt it."

- "Well, we have time to find out. There's a lunch tomorrow, followed by a walk through the gardens - such as they are. And then the bonfire tomorrow night. We can learn quite a bit in all of that time. Now, I think you should rest."

Glasha let me hold her close, but she wouldn't let me make love to her.

"Save that energy for tomorrow. Besides, you should be thinking of other women."

- "You know that sounds very strange." I said.

- "Yes. But it's true. Now be quiet - I need to sleep, even if you don't."

I found it very difficult to get to sleep. I tried to imagine myself with several different women, including even Larka. Meanwhile, the most beautiful and wonderful of them all was lying next to me, already breathing evenly.

*****