Gallel's Heir

Chapter 10: The Silver Star

Marriage serves as a purely political institution, to link one family with another, essentially to produce an heir.... Bonding, on the other hand, is an intricately personal connection between a man and a woman, controlled solely by their hearts.... While a marriage is a grand thing, officiated by priests and observed by everyone, a bonding is personal: A man and woman declare their love, usually in writing, with only their closest loved ones as witnesses.

-From Island Hopping: Climates and Cultures of the World. Chapter Twelve, "Relationship Customs of the East Coast," by Broak dem Delwort Alsolum of Fal Silam, 2515 AE. For further detail, see Appendix A

Canúden and Dylin remained outside long after the garden grew dark and chill, and when they went in, they still gazed at what they could see of the stars from her balcony's cushioned bench under a blanket. It was when Ma and the girls came in from playing that the two retired within, holding hands.

"What is it?" said Ma, setting her crochet basket on the sofa. The girls fell silent.

Canúden grinned, his face heated. He'd been talking for hours with Dylin, planning and laughing with her, but now words wouldn't come to his lips. Dylin's throat gurgled.

"Ah, I can see it by your faces." In two steps Ma embraced him. "When's your bonding?"

"Yelsday," he managed. "How did you know?"

"I figured you would, years ago, when you first mentioned her. Though, then, I couldn't figure out how you could possibly bond a san. I've been wondering when you'd ask her."

The girls hugged each other, hugged Dylin, and hung onto Canúden. Lianna bowed her head and took a step away from him. He put his hand on her head. "What's wrong?"

"I'm... I'm sorry I kicked you."

"That was weeks ago!"

Lianna shrugged. "I'm sorry anyway. You're really nice, and I'm glad that Mama's got you now."

He hugged her. That she let him, and hugged him back, showed she accepted him as a bondfather.

"It's all right, just don't kick me again."

A fire blazed in the hearth. The girls played with their dolls, Ma knitted, and Dylin sat next to him on the sofa, where he settled to sketch a star for the bonding. He wouldn't think about Tutang, or his title, or Dylin being with the Kel, not now, not when there were more important things, happier things.

His happiness came at a price that he'd pay in Tutang's presence.

Hopefully, Tutang would leave her alone. And Canúden didn't have to call himself a kel. He wouldn't sign his name any different.

"I trust your artist's instincts," said Dylin. "You'll make it beautiful."

A six pointed star emerged, palm sized, four undulating horizontal rays and two vertical straight, with a circle in the center. As he sketched, Ma retired to the rooms Dylin allotted to her and Canúden down the corridor, and the girls fell asleep on Dylin's bed. She watched him until he was done. The clock struck an hour after midnight. "I won't sleep tonight," she said. "I'm too happy."

Canúden kissed her, one long touch, then stood. "Sometimes life is happier than the most pleasant dreams," he said. "Goodnight, I won't sleep either."

He returned to his dark room. After pacing for half an hour through moon beams, he lay on his bed and stared at the flame in the lamp on the nightstand.

He'd managed to impress Tutang; that itself hopefully would make the beast leave Dylin alone. Maybe Canúden did have some special potential. How else would a den with no experience impress the High Councilor?