Patreon or PayPal Me keeps this site and its author alive. Thank you. |
Stories from the Verse
In Verse Proportion
Chapter 78: Kondor 198
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Brown 220
Kondor and Leah did not return to the practice room after that. It wasn’t that they hadn’t enjoyed themselves; it was the raised eyebrows and knowing looks they got at breakfast. Kondor didn’t really like to be thought of as a hormonal teenager or an unbridled newlywed couple. Of course, they were a newlywed couple, and Leah was, technically, still a teen, but he preferred to be perceived as someone mature and responsible. After all, despite his twenty-year-old physique he was--well, not nearly so old as Lauren, but probably in his mid forties counting by years. They could keep their private matters private easily enough, although he didn’t rule out another tumble in the baths.
It was perhaps three days later that Leah’s brother the Amir Mohammed joined them at dinner.
“Thrice honored hero of the realms,” he said.
“I told you to call me ‘Joe’,” he replied, “and that was before we were family.”
“Yes, indeed. Joe.”
This apparently threw him off his stride, and he took a moment to recompose himself before continuing. “I will be returning home in three days. You are, of course, welcome to come with us, or to remain here, or to return to what I understand are your rooms at the palace of the Amir of the Southern River Bend. I wished to inform you of our plans in case you wished to travel with us.”
Kondor looked at Leah, and realized that Mohammed also did so, but that made some sense.
“We’ll have to discuss it. I’ll try to let you know at least the day before.”
The Amir nodded. “Very good, then. How are you enjoying married life?”
“Oh, let’s say it has its perks.”
Leah punched him in the arm.
“Ow,” he said, unnecessarily.
“I imagine so. I suppose I shall have to find myself a bride while there are still a few not taken.”
“I think,” Leah said, and then abruptly silenced herself.
“What do you think?” Kondor prompted.
“Oh, it’s not my place to say.”
Mohammed smiled. “No, but that has never stopped you before.” She blushed.
“Seriously,” Kondor said, “you know the Amiras better than most of us. If there’s one you think would be a good bride for your brother, you should at least point him in the right direction.”
“Well, it wouldn’t really be fair,” she said. “After all, Haddasah is a sweet girl, and Sarai has a very pretty face. And one can’t ignore the fact that, for better or worse, Scheherazade comes with her own Amirate, but I think Keturah is really the most fun, the kind of girl that you could like for a long time. And I think that’s pretty important.”
Mohammed stared for a moment, apparently thinking, then said, “All right, I shall try to arrange to meet Amira Keturah, and see whether this is a good match.
“Let me know about whether you are coming with us,” he said as he rose.
“Will do,” Kondor replied, and returned his attention to his dinner.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with twenty other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #443: Versers Acclimate. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
