Page 64 of Kensho
Takil waited.
Amryi stared at him. Silent.
“Tomorrow I will bring gasha berries and kaile. Rownt favor the taste.” He turned again toward the exit.
“Come at three so we can experiment before the bar opens,” Amryi called.
The skin around Takil’s eyes tightened. “I shall.” He would have to rearrange some trades, but that was a price he would pay.
“And I’m only doing this to steal some trade secrets. I want to know how to attract rich clients.” Amryi yelled as Takil opened the exit door.
Takil turned and bowed. “I would expect no less from a well-respected server of ka-status.” Forming a smile that felt unnatural to a Rownt mouth, Takil prayed to long-dead gods that he could earn this one. Failing that, he hoped that someone of high status would notice that Amryi needed someone. No palteia should go into his last years alone. Takil would label himself ye-dalit if he allowed this one to.
“Fucking turtles, strange to the end.” Amryi picked up the chair he had knocked over. But he didn’t turn his back on Takil, which gave him some hope. Now Takil had to trade for gasha berries, and given how far they were from Prarownt, that would be a dear trade indeed. Maybe the Grandmothers had some. He was still young enough that they allowed him to steal a little from their plates. He was not above abusing that privilege. Not in these circumstances.
A Rownt would trade away pride for a chance to be a chilta. Nothing was worth more.
Endings
Liam knew he shouldn’thave been there, but this was his son. Their son. He leaned back into Ondry’s arms and imagined his chilta’s amusement. He felt his son’s aggravation every time Takil looked toward them.
But Liam wanted to be here for this. Amryi was putting the last of his boxes into the back of a vehicle.
Nothing could take Takil’s status now. He was a ye-youngling who had claimed a ka-ranked palteia. It meant that no Rownt of any status would ever name either’s rank again. They could not insult Amryi by calling either ye, even if the man would neither understand nor care about titles. But they would not give Takil a status that would make it impossible for any of his ye-inspired errors to be forgotten.
Amryi stopped outside the club, his hand resting on the brick next to the door. His shoulders heaved, and Takil wrapped his arms around Amryi. Another Rownt might’ve hesitated to share such intimate touch in public, especially a Rownt as young as Takil. However, Takil was an unusual Rownt. Liam was so proud of him that he felt the ache in his chest.
“You raised a good eggling,” Ondry rumbled.
“We did,” Liam agreed. He had to avoid the sight of other egglings because Rownt heavy with eggs found every reason to be near them. Someday soon, Liam might consider egg-shaped objects with favor, but right now, he was enjoying having all Ondry’s attention to himself.
While that was selfish, a hundred years of guiding an eggling as stubborn as Takil took a toll on a man.
Amryi straightened, and Takil stepped back. Amryi had an almost Rownt-attitude about most topics, and Liam hoped that would serve both of them well on the ship. After a quick tug on his shirt hem, he turned his back on the club he and his brother had run and headed for the truck.
Takil hurried after him.
Liam stood across the street watching his son and his son’s palteia drive away. He was so damn proud of that boy. Ondry’s arms tightened around Liam’s stomach, and Liam rubbed them. In hundreds of years, Earth had changed, political realities had changed, alliances had changed, but Ondry never changed.
Ondry bent forward to speak in Liam’s ear. “I would like to go back to the nest and tie you to the edge so I can tease you until you forget your name.”
Liam shivered. Thank the non-existent gods and any God that might exist that Ondry never changed. “Yes, please,” Liam said. That sounded like a perfect ending, and maybe even a perfect beginning to a new phase for them as well as for Takil.
