kind of a world she had
entered.
Gainor tossed her hair contemptuously. “Do not be ridiculous,
Deasa. Only Outsiders permit those kinds of fashions.”
Rina glanced at Adesina with an alarmed look in her eyes. “Not
that we would think such things about you, Adrie. We are pleased to see that
you have a proper sense of decorum.”
Deasa decided it was time for a change of subject. “Where in the
north do you come from, Adrie?”
Adesina shrugged casually. “Our tribe was nomadic, so we traveled
quite a bit. Have you always lived in the High City?” she asked, shifting the
focus away from herself.
Gainor snorted in disgust. “Goodness, yes! The same old city for
sixteen years. My parents would have a stroke at the very idea of leaving the
city walls!”
Adesina smiled softly as Gainor continued to chatter. She had no
problem carrying the conversation by herself, but she was occasionally aided by
Deasa. Rina said very little and Adesina said even less. When questioned, the
young Shimat found that a simple vague comment would turn the conversation back
over to Gainor. For this reason, Adesina could tell that Gainor would be a
valuable companion in the coming months.
Near the close of an hour, there was a quiet knock at the door and
Jelana entered the room. Gainor hastily sat up and smoothed the skirt of her
dress.
“All right, girls, that is enough visiting. Adrie still needs to
finish unpacking, and she could also use some rest after her long journey.”
The girls seemed reluctant to go, but they all stood and
straightened their clothing primly. Rina looked at Adesina with a hopeful
expression on her face. “Will you be attending school?”
Gainor gave her a condescending glare. “Of course she will be
attending school! It is the city requirement, Rina.”
Rina flushed in embarrassment. “Oh.”
Inexplicably, Adesina felt the urge to comfort this painfully shy
girl. “I have never attended a formal school before. Will you show me around
tomorrow?”
Rina smiled gratefully as Gainor launched into raptures over the
idea.
“Oh, yes! What fun it will be! You will love our school. We
have the best teachers in the city, and everyone is so friendly. We will be
quite the center of attention, you know. We have not had a new student in ages !”
Deasa smiled in genuine pleasure. “We will meet you on the street
tomorrow morning and we can walk together. We are all neighbors, you know.”
Adesina nodded and waved as the girls walked out of the room.
Instead of getting back to her unpacking, she stood at the window to eavesdrop
on what they were saying as they walked away.
Deasa was the first to speak. “Well, she seems very nice.”
Gainor broke over her with an enthusiastic objection. “ Nice ?
Why, she is absolutely adorable! And so pretty as well! She will make a
nice addition to our group. How shocking to be friends with an Outsider! Everyone
will be talking about us, and quite jealous that they were not friends with her
first!”
Adesina could see them making their way down the path and into the
street. Their voices were starting to fade.
Deasa sighed. “You know, Gainor, sometimes I think that you view
your friends as nothing more than fashion accessories.”
Gainor’s indignant response was lost as they walked down the
street. Ravi chuckled in amusement over her first encounter with girls her own
age, but said nothing. Adesina ignored him and thoughtfully turned back to her
belongings to finish putting them away. She was surprised to see that her room
looked like it belonged to someone. It had a strangely human quality to it.
Some of the decorations she had added herself were merely props. A
small statue of a northern deity stood on the desk. An elaborate braid of
material was attached to the doorframe, supposedly lending protection from evil
spirits. A bunch of feathers hung over her bed to protect her dreams. A thin,
silver chain filled with charms and talismans dangled from her
entered.
Gainor tossed her hair contemptuously. “Do not be ridiculous,
Deasa. Only Outsiders permit those kinds of fashions.”
Rina glanced at Adesina with an alarmed look in her eyes. “Not
that we would think such things about you, Adrie. We are pleased to see that
you have a proper sense of decorum.”
Deasa decided it was time for a change of subject. “Where in the
north do you come from, Adrie?”
Adesina shrugged casually. “Our tribe was nomadic, so we traveled
quite a bit. Have you always lived in the High City?” she asked, shifting the
focus away from herself.
Gainor snorted in disgust. “Goodness, yes! The same old city for
sixteen years. My parents would have a stroke at the very idea of leaving the
city walls!”
Adesina smiled softly as Gainor continued to chatter. She had no
problem carrying the conversation by herself, but she was occasionally aided by
Deasa. Rina said very little and Adesina said even less. When questioned, the
young Shimat found that a simple vague comment would turn the conversation back
over to Gainor. For this reason, Adesina could tell that Gainor would be a
valuable companion in the coming months.
Near the close of an hour, there was a quiet knock at the door and
Jelana entered the room. Gainor hastily sat up and smoothed the skirt of her
dress.
“All right, girls, that is enough visiting. Adrie still needs to
finish unpacking, and she could also use some rest after her long journey.”
The girls seemed reluctant to go, but they all stood and
straightened their clothing primly. Rina looked at Adesina with a hopeful
expression on her face. “Will you be attending school?”
Gainor gave her a condescending glare. “Of course she will be
attending school! It is the city requirement, Rina.”
Rina flushed in embarrassment. “Oh.”
Inexplicably, Adesina felt the urge to comfort this painfully shy
girl. “I have never attended a formal school before. Will you show me around
tomorrow?”
Rina smiled gratefully as Gainor launched into raptures over the
idea.
“Oh, yes! What fun it will be! You will love our school. We
have the best teachers in the city, and everyone is so friendly. We will be
quite the center of attention, you know. We have not had a new student in ages !”
Deasa smiled in genuine pleasure. “We will meet you on the street
tomorrow morning and we can walk together. We are all neighbors, you know.”
Adesina nodded and waved as the girls walked out of the room.
Instead of getting back to her unpacking, she stood at the window to eavesdrop
on what they were saying as they walked away.
Deasa was the first to speak. “Well, she seems very nice.”
Gainor broke over her with an enthusiastic objection. “ Nice ?
Why, she is absolutely adorable! And so pretty as well! She will make a
nice addition to our group. How shocking to be friends with an Outsider! Everyone
will be talking about us, and quite jealous that they were not friends with her
first!”
Adesina could see them making their way down the path and into the
street. Their voices were starting to fade.
Deasa sighed. “You know, Gainor, sometimes I think that you view
your friends as nothing more than fashion accessories.”
Gainor’s indignant response was lost as they walked down the
street. Ravi chuckled in amusement over her first encounter with girls her own
age, but said nothing. Adesina ignored him and thoughtfully turned back to her
belongings to finish putting them away. She was surprised to see that her room
looked like it belonged to someone. It had a strangely human quality to it.
Some of the decorations she had added herself were merely props. A
small statue of a northern deity stood on the desk. An elaborate braid of
material was attached to the doorframe, supposedly lending protection from evil
spirits. A bunch of feathers hung over her bed to protect her dreams. A thin,
silver chain filled with charms and talismans dangled from her
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