she says, “I should like to set eyes on the sheKa.”
“If they look anything like the males, they are very beautiful,” Malora says. “Just look at them all. How graceful and long of leg they are.”
As they approach the shores of the Caldera, where a flock of flamingos wade in the shallows, they ride past a row of the Ka. They lie belly-down on colorful striped mats, their backs dark and oily, the soles of their long feet as pale as fish drying in the sun. One of them turns over and all the others flip over, as if following the leader.
A hiccup of surprise escapes Zephele. “They are frog people! Why did no one tell me that the Ka were so utterly
homely
?”
Honus flicks the reins and brings his horse up beside Zephele, saying in an urgent undertone, “My dear, understand that you will be seeing all manner of exotic-looking hibe while in Kahiro. Many thoughts, impressions, and opinions may rise in your mind. But it is of paramount importance that you not give voice to every observation that enters your head. The Ka are most sensitive about the amphibiousness of their facial features.”
“They ought to be,” Zephele says flatly. “They look like great big croaking frogs.”
Malora regards Zephele thoughtfully and wonders howthis can be the same maiden who said about the bush pig: “I think it’s cruel to say that some animals are ugly.” How is it any less cruel to say that some hibes are homely?
“They may look like frogs to you,” Neal says to Zephele, “but you must no more tell them that than you would point out to a centaur, for instance, that she has a horse’s ass.”
Malora’s laughter is cut short by a wounded glare from Zephele. Returning her gaze to the row of heKa, Malora says, “
I
think they’re beautiful! I can see how they might make superior warriors.”
Considering this, Zephele says, “They say that the sheKa have the bodies of goddesses.”
“Who told you that?” Orion asks sharply.
“A maiden at the stitchery, whose brother came here and visited a House of Romance,” Zephele says.
“What is a House of Romance?” Malora asks.
No one responds as she looks around for an answer, nor do they meet her gaze.
“Can someone please answer my question?” she repeats.
“You’ll learn … soon enough,” Honus says grimly.
“Yes, but for once,” Neal says, grinning, “not even Honus is willing to lecture.”
“I can explain,” Zephele says cheerfully. “A House of Romance is a delightful place where poetry is recited, plays are performed, and soft music and perfume fill the air.”
“Well,” Honus says, clearing his throat awkwardly, “that’s certainly
some
part of it.”
Zephele breezes on. “Another of my stitchery friends told me that she heard that in some of the houses the sheKa have actually had their faces altered to make them look more likethe People. Because of their bodily similarity to the People, they say that males of all hibes desire the sheKa more than the females of their own ilk. I should like very much to see the sheKa. Will I be allowed to stay up late and see them? They come out at night like the stars.”
Honus and Orion exchange a helpless look.
Malora suggests, “Why don’t we visit a House of Romance and see for ourselves?”
“Oh, brilliant!” Zephele declares.
“Never!” says Orion.
“Why not?” Malora and Zephele both say.
“Because,” Honus says carefully, “it would be neither seemly nor safe.”
Neal shakes his head, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. “I can see this is going to be a very
interesting
trip.”
C HAPTER 8
The Kingdom of the Ka
The block stone city walls of Kahiro rise up many times higher than the wall that surrounds Mount Kheiron. It is by far the largest and most imposing structure Malora has ever set eyes on. She cranes her neck, one hand holding the horns in place. High up, along the crenelated parapet, Ka guards with long spears march, looking no bigger from where she is standing
“If they look anything like the males, they are very beautiful,” Malora says. “Just look at them all. How graceful and long of leg they are.”
As they approach the shores of the Caldera, where a flock of flamingos wade in the shallows, they ride past a row of the Ka. They lie belly-down on colorful striped mats, their backs dark and oily, the soles of their long feet as pale as fish drying in the sun. One of them turns over and all the others flip over, as if following the leader.
A hiccup of surprise escapes Zephele. “They are frog people! Why did no one tell me that the Ka were so utterly
homely
?”
Honus flicks the reins and brings his horse up beside Zephele, saying in an urgent undertone, “My dear, understand that you will be seeing all manner of exotic-looking hibe while in Kahiro. Many thoughts, impressions, and opinions may rise in your mind. But it is of paramount importance that you not give voice to every observation that enters your head. The Ka are most sensitive about the amphibiousness of their facial features.”
“They ought to be,” Zephele says flatly. “They look like great big croaking frogs.”
Malora regards Zephele thoughtfully and wonders howthis can be the same maiden who said about the bush pig: “I think it’s cruel to say that some animals are ugly.” How is it any less cruel to say that some hibes are homely?
“They may look like frogs to you,” Neal says to Zephele, “but you must no more tell them that than you would point out to a centaur, for instance, that she has a horse’s ass.”
Malora’s laughter is cut short by a wounded glare from Zephele. Returning her gaze to the row of heKa, Malora says, “
I
think they’re beautiful! I can see how they might make superior warriors.”
Considering this, Zephele says, “They say that the sheKa have the bodies of goddesses.”
“Who told you that?” Orion asks sharply.
“A maiden at the stitchery, whose brother came here and visited a House of Romance,” Zephele says.
“What is a House of Romance?” Malora asks.
No one responds as she looks around for an answer, nor do they meet her gaze.
“Can someone please answer my question?” she repeats.
“You’ll learn … soon enough,” Honus says grimly.
“Yes, but for once,” Neal says, grinning, “not even Honus is willing to lecture.”
“I can explain,” Zephele says cheerfully. “A House of Romance is a delightful place where poetry is recited, plays are performed, and soft music and perfume fill the air.”
“Well,” Honus says, clearing his throat awkwardly, “that’s certainly
some
part of it.”
Zephele breezes on. “Another of my stitchery friends told me that she heard that in some of the houses the sheKa have actually had their faces altered to make them look more likethe People. Because of their bodily similarity to the People, they say that males of all hibes desire the sheKa more than the females of their own ilk. I should like very much to see the sheKa. Will I be allowed to stay up late and see them? They come out at night like the stars.”
Honus and Orion exchange a helpless look.
Malora suggests, “Why don’t we visit a House of Romance and see for ourselves?”
“Oh, brilliant!” Zephele declares.
“Never!” says Orion.
“Why not?” Malora and Zephele both say.
“Because,” Honus says carefully, “it would be neither seemly nor safe.”
Neal shakes his head, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. “I can see this is going to be a very
interesting
trip.”
C HAPTER 8
The Kingdom of the Ka
The block stone city walls of Kahiro rise up many times higher than the wall that surrounds Mount Kheiron. It is by far the largest and most imposing structure Malora has ever set eyes on. She cranes her neck, one hand holding the horns in place. High up, along the crenelated parapet, Ka guards with long spears march, looking no bigger from where she is standing
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