a group of Amein’s sisters. One snagged her, her oldest, Nacien, who eyed Rasten before glancing at Amein. “You’ve brought us a fine one, dear sister. I’m sure he’ll be delightful to all of us!”
“I’m not of a mind to share...at least for a while!”
“Oh, poo...Elvin always share...and you are Elvin!” Nacien insisted. Seeing Amein’s expression, and her suddenly wet eyes, gave the older woman pause. “Amein...what has happened...something is wrong?” Nacien gently asked, surprised and well concerned.
“I don’t know! Please, leave it be. I need to speak with the Elder about it!” Amein whispered harshly, not wanting to announce it to everyone.
“Very well...talk to me later, when you can!” Nacien replied quietly. When Rasten and Amein had moved well away, Nacien gestured for the others to come close.
“Something has bewitched our dear little sister, and she is jealous! Can you imagine that?” she said coyly.
“She takes great risks, unlike you, Nacien, and may have suffered some evil because of it. You have no place to be snide, dear sister!” Lucarien suggested. This offended Nacien, mostly due to its truth.
“Perhaps. Yet I find it quite interesting that for once, the Perfect One may be less than perfect...don’t you?”
“I would suggest that your jealousy is worse than Amein’s dear daughter!” the stern voice of Princess Haiveria suggested, having slipped close, unobserved. Nacien looked amazingly guilty, which delighted her siblings immensely.
“I would deny your accusation, but have no wish to lie, mother! I seem cursed by my envy of her strength and success! I wish so much to be like her, yet have no will to endure what she has to be as she is. You think me a fool?”
“I find it sad that you understand your own heart so poorly! Not every Elvin female is able to rise to her level, doing the things she does. The thing that you overlook is that in those things you are suited for, you are among the best! Your only foolishness is in thinking that you being a companion, a mother, a giver and teacher of new life, is somehow less worthy than waging war and being skilled at weapons! Amein would give her soul to see peace and an end to the ceaseless war that has plagued us! That her sense of duty has carried her this far, her devotion to Sayarin’s dream, not of conquest and rule, but for there to be peace and friendship with our enemies is something worthy of admiring! Any fool may bring death and destruction...even the barbarians, who have none of our skills or sorcery!” Haiveria insisted. Nacien stood, head hung, well chastised. Being sensitive to their mother’s opinions, the others were delighted to not have received such comments, and had no intention of risking such by gloating or saying anything snide.
“Mother? What might you advise us, if Amein is in fact unwilling to share Rasten...is somehow...jealous?” Lucarien asked, having trouble even saying such an odd and outrageous thing. Jealous and Elvin were never used together unless the word not was included.
“We will help her, first by being patient; none of you are in danger of being neglected, I’m certain! Secondly, we will attempt to keep our offspring, the ones who are overly eager, from overwhelming Rasten. He will also need time to get used to our ways. He is already much overwhelmed by Amein, and doesn’t need the rest of you to deal with...or myself either!” Haiveria declared, and winked at her daughters.
“No matter how inclined you might be?” Nacien asked, well aware of her mother’s reputation for being overwhelming sexually.
“Especially because of that!” the older Elvin female declared, and chuckled, offering Nacien a hug.
13
When Amein led Rasten into the Elder’s study, they beheld him standing, gazing out a large window, which looked out over the city. Hearing them enter, he turned enough to glance at them, and gestured for them to join him. Stepping close, Amein
“I’m not of a mind to share...at least for a while!”
“Oh, poo...Elvin always share...and you are Elvin!” Nacien insisted. Seeing Amein’s expression, and her suddenly wet eyes, gave the older woman pause. “Amein...what has happened...something is wrong?” Nacien gently asked, surprised and well concerned.
“I don’t know! Please, leave it be. I need to speak with the Elder about it!” Amein whispered harshly, not wanting to announce it to everyone.
“Very well...talk to me later, when you can!” Nacien replied quietly. When Rasten and Amein had moved well away, Nacien gestured for the others to come close.
“Something has bewitched our dear little sister, and she is jealous! Can you imagine that?” she said coyly.
“She takes great risks, unlike you, Nacien, and may have suffered some evil because of it. You have no place to be snide, dear sister!” Lucarien suggested. This offended Nacien, mostly due to its truth.
“Perhaps. Yet I find it quite interesting that for once, the Perfect One may be less than perfect...don’t you?”
“I would suggest that your jealousy is worse than Amein’s dear daughter!” the stern voice of Princess Haiveria suggested, having slipped close, unobserved. Nacien looked amazingly guilty, which delighted her siblings immensely.
“I would deny your accusation, but have no wish to lie, mother! I seem cursed by my envy of her strength and success! I wish so much to be like her, yet have no will to endure what she has to be as she is. You think me a fool?”
“I find it sad that you understand your own heart so poorly! Not every Elvin female is able to rise to her level, doing the things she does. The thing that you overlook is that in those things you are suited for, you are among the best! Your only foolishness is in thinking that you being a companion, a mother, a giver and teacher of new life, is somehow less worthy than waging war and being skilled at weapons! Amein would give her soul to see peace and an end to the ceaseless war that has plagued us! That her sense of duty has carried her this far, her devotion to Sayarin’s dream, not of conquest and rule, but for there to be peace and friendship with our enemies is something worthy of admiring! Any fool may bring death and destruction...even the barbarians, who have none of our skills or sorcery!” Haiveria insisted. Nacien stood, head hung, well chastised. Being sensitive to their mother’s opinions, the others were delighted to not have received such comments, and had no intention of risking such by gloating or saying anything snide.
“Mother? What might you advise us, if Amein is in fact unwilling to share Rasten...is somehow...jealous?” Lucarien asked, having trouble even saying such an odd and outrageous thing. Jealous and Elvin were never used together unless the word not was included.
“We will help her, first by being patient; none of you are in danger of being neglected, I’m certain! Secondly, we will attempt to keep our offspring, the ones who are overly eager, from overwhelming Rasten. He will also need time to get used to our ways. He is already much overwhelmed by Amein, and doesn’t need the rest of you to deal with...or myself either!” Haiveria declared, and winked at her daughters.
“No matter how inclined you might be?” Nacien asked, well aware of her mother’s reputation for being overwhelming sexually.
“Especially because of that!” the older Elvin female declared, and chuckled, offering Nacien a hug.
13
When Amein led Rasten into the Elder’s study, they beheld him standing, gazing out a large window, which looked out over the city. Hearing them enter, he turned enough to glance at them, and gestured for them to join him. Stepping close, Amein
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