The viizaar glanced pointedly at Acorna’s gown. “I do see what you mean. Very well then, but return to us quickly. The line is getting longer.”
Following the viizaar’s hand, which waved at a line that stretched out beyond the pavilion and across the dance floor, Acorna saw that the viizaar was not overstating her case.
“Just a little snack then,” Acorna said placatingly. But the viizaar didn’t acknowledge her remark.
The pavilion was arranged more beautifully than one of Hafiz’s gardens, she saw as she followed Thariinye through the crowd, which was partaking only lightly of the gorgeous flowers and leafy greenery sprouting and blooming from floor to ceiling on cleverly designed terraced platforms, with little walkways between levels like paths up a hillside. A fountain in the center of the structure splashed and sparkled and watered some particularly succulent-looking reeds and grasses. Thariinye need not have worried about Acorna’s tastes. She loved everything. Her native food at least was very much to her liking.
After sampling a few of the plants on the lower level, however, and gathering a few to munch on while greeting the long line, she said to Thariinye, “I suppose we’d better return now, then.”
“No hurry,” he said casually. “Its just a formality anyway. The viizaar realizes that you and I are meant to be lifemates and the others are only here to make the process appear to be fair.”
Acorna looked up at him, blinked several times, and said the first thing that came to mind, the sort of thing Delszaki Li used to say when faced with something preposterous. “Really? How very interesting.” Suddenly, returning to the line seemed very attractive indeed.
“The other guests … ? ” she said, with a lifted eyebrow, and a wave back to the reception line. “We wouldn’t want them to think us inconsiderate.”
“Yes, of course-oh, wait! Is that rampion? I wonder -where they got that! I don’t think it was native to the old planet. Want to try something really wonderful?”
“Perhaps later,” she said, moving toward the line. “Suit yourself,” he said. “You go on ahead. Everyone knows me already. It’s you they want to meet.”
Acorna was amused and annoyed at the same time. How quickly the young male’s priorities could change! She slipped back into the receiving line, between the viizaar, who was reluctantly deep in conversation with the oldest Linyaari Acorna had seen so far. The woman’s face was actually lined and her neck and jowls sagged slightly. Acorna found that sign of mortality oddly comforting among so many smooth and flawless faces. The aide-a white and silver veteran of space like herself, the viizaar, and Grandam-acknowledged her return her with relief.
“Grandam Naadiina has been holding up the line while you
were gone. The rest of the people are starving,” the aide whispered. The male before her was as young or younger than she was, she could see, as his skin was golden and his hair a pale cream. “Now then, Khornya, this is the scion of Clan Rortuffle,” he said, from memory, not from reading a list. “Hiirye, meet Khornya.”
Acorna tried her best to be gracious to Hiirye and gave him a big smile. He stepped back, flustered, and did not accept her hand. Instead, he pulled the aide aside and whispered urgently to him, then retreated. Several other males dropped from the line as well, following him.
Acorna wished again she could read minds better. “What was the matter with him?” she asked the aide, but the aide had turned to the viizaar and begun a frantic whispered consultation with her. Meanwhile, the Grandam Naadiina turned back to till the place in line vacated by young Hiirye. Acorna saw the youth, rather than continuing on to eat, had been going down ihe line, talking excitedly to other people. Each person he spoke to abruptly left the party.
“Really, child,” Grandam said. “These affairs Liriili insists upon foisting on us are tiresome, but did you really need to become so hostile?”
“Hostile?” Acorna asked.
“You bared your teeth at that boy in an extremely aggressive fashion. I’m sure he mistook you for one of those …” Grandam looked around to make sure no one else was eavesdropping, then put her lips close to Acorna’s ear and said, “Khieevi. You scared the living daylights out of the lad.”