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David looked at Hepzebah She looked at David Presently, she looked at Sil-Chan "Just K-cousin," she said "It&039;s close I&039;m of the PN&039;s line One of my boy-children will be picked to succeed David"
"Youhave children?" Sil-Chan asked
"Oh, no I don&039;t even have a" "The PN isn&039;t that petty," David said He opened the door, exposed a diuest, Sooma Sil-Chan Enter my abode and call it your own"
"You know ned the clearance for the PN," Hepzebah said She followed Sil-Chan into the house
David brought up the rear and closed the door
Sil-Chan stared at the roo which reached away to di field and the wrecked jetterantic rock fireplace at one end, smoke blackened There was a smell of smoke in the room Odd projections on the walls Sil-Chan peered at them, realized they were the mounted heads of horned animals There was a small fire in the fireplace David crossed to it, stirred up the flas
Hepzebah touched Sil-Chan&039;s arm, said: "Coet a refresher, a good stiff one"
"Right" David walked off toward a door opposite the fireplace
Sil-Chan&039;swoman was not wed! David was Aitch Aye What was that? Sil-Chan felt that he had read of such a relationship somewhere in the Library Heir Apparent! Yes, of course And Hepzebah was &039;of the same line&039; Gods of the universe! This pair was royalty!
"Co," Hepzebah said
Sil-Chan allowed himself to be led to a low-backed divan beside the fireplace Flaer here He stu musically
"One of the children left a toy," Hepzebah said "David&039;s so easy with them" She indicated the divan "Sit down and take off your jacket I&039;ll"
"No, really It&039;s all right," Sil-Chan said Again, he found himself trapped in her eyes -- the soft look of them here in the shadowed roomlike some forest animal She&039;s not wedded She&039;s not wedded
"I&039;ll have a look all the saht pressure on his shoulder and he sank to the divan It was soft, absorbing and smelled of animal
Hepzebah bent over hi musk of perfumed hair He allowed her to help him out of his jacket and shirt The jacket was torn at the elbow and he had not even noticed His flesh tingled where Hepzebah touched him
"Bad bruise on your shoulder and a scratch above your left elbow," she said She went to a door beside the fireplace, returned in a uent The cloth felt cool and soothing where she pressed it to his shoulder
"What&039;s a trothing?" Sil-Chan asked
"The trothers are the clan elders They decide if a joining will be good for the clan"
He sed "Do you everwed outside your clan?"
She lowered her eyes "Soined that face pillowed beside hi -- all melted into the distanceanother planet
"Drink this"
It was David suddenly standing behind hient brown liquid and a biting aroue He downed the drink Warmth filled him He re-experienced the inner release he had felt after crashing the jetter -- another person He stood up
"How does one arrange a troth?" he asked