May I offer you juice, or water? He was the easy, courteous host after that curious exchange. While the coelura supply my needs, the fare is primitive. He gestured with his uninjured arm for her to seat herself on the long couch.
On the horns of her private dilemma, Caissa hesitated. To offer hospitality signified her hosts good intentions: for her to accept bound her as well. If her suspicion about Baythans ambition was correct, she might be in danger of violating that mutual trust.
Not the sort of fare to which you are accustomed … and his gaze turned mocking as his garb altered color.
Its not that, truly. Suddenly Caissa wanted this mans good opinion more than she wished to violate the ethics of hospitality. I often eat from the land when I hunt. To cover her confusion, she reached to a thigh pocket and withdrew the emergency rations. I have these to contribute to our meal. Perhaps a change to your diet. She held the package tactfully towards his left hand.
Once more he laughed in his spontaneous and infectious manner and took her offering.
I have lived alone too long, my lady. He moved towards the shelves, taking down the fruit bowl and placing it on the center of the couch. Make yourself comfortable. That protective coverall is no longer necessary and it must be hot.
Caissa was finding it so and, as the man unwrapped the rations and soaked the dehydrated portions in a small bowl she took off the coverall and seated herself on the couch.
Having expected stone, she found the surface comfortably yielding. Curious, she touched the fabric covering. It was remarkably soft yet firm, and she found herself stroking it as if it were the pelt of some creature domesticated for tactility.
Is this also coelura spun? she asked.
She sensed his sudden wariness and then noticed that his eyes were on her throat and the body-heir tattoo.
Ah, I had expected as much, he said, unaccountably relaxing. Your bearing is unmistakable.
Offended, she started to rise but he gave her a broad mischievous grin and thrust a plate at her.
Youre not what I would have expected for one of your status. Here, these are bark peelings which the coelura collect for me. Exceedingly nutritious for one who has had a trying day. His eyes were kind and his manner so conciliatory she could not remain resentful.
He positioned the rest of their meal beside the fruit and gestured elegantly with his left hand for her to be seated again.
My name is Murell my lady
Mine is Caissa.
They smiled at each other for the belatedness of that formality as they sat down.
And yes, my lady Caissa, this is coelura spun and the shelter is coelura fabricated. They sometimes use extraneous materials in their constructions. There was a time, and his face lost its mobility, when men and women paid enormous fortunes to Demeathorn for coelura spins. One sufficed for the lifetime of even the most devotedly fashionable.
Caissa bent her head as if to select food but she could not look at Murell thinking as she was of the studied elegance of her mothers extensive, ever-changing wardrobe
Each coelura, Murell went on, unaware of her internal conflict, has only so much thread in its life span. They are willing creatures, eager to please those they like. Unfortunately, they are pliant and amiable to almost anyone… .
They dont like prinas… .
Prinas are natural predators, indigenous to this planet. Murell spoke in a wry tone and Caissa, dressed for hunting, knew all too well that man was the most insatiable predator of the galaxy.
Coelura must reserve some thread with which to construct its mating net, a net which was considered by the connoisseur to be more valuable than ordinary thread.
Caissa saw the color of his gown turning granitic and as cold as the tone of his voice. She dared not look at him, suppressing her own roiling anxieties, inexplicably convinced that he, or his coelura spun gown, would sense her increasing fear. A fear that had more to do with the continued protection of coelura from her sires plans than betraying their presence to anyone.