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Zelandonii wo, but they particularly liked to wear fringes that moved sensuously when they walked, whether they decorated a inter tunic or a naked body And though they avoided explicitly red fringes,hint of red

Ayla’s Maes, but there was no doubt that a tre it The leather, which was of the finest quality, was a rich, earthy, golden yellow hue that almost matched the color of her hair, the result primarily of yellow ochres mixed subtly with reds and other colors The hide had probably coa antelope, Marthona thought, though it wasn’t the usual velvety soft buckskin of a well-scraped hide Instead, although it was very soft, the leather had a burnished, shiny finish that was someaterproof

But the quality of the basic gar; it was the exquisite decoration thatleather tunic and the lower part of the leggings were covered with elaborate geons made predominantly of ivory beads, soan with doard pointing triangles, which developed horizontally into zigzags and vertically into diaures such as rectangular spirals and concentric rhomboids

The ivory beaded designs were highlighted and defined by hter and darker than the leather, but of the same tone, and with embroideries of red, brown, and black The tunic, which fell to a doard-pointing triangle at the back, opened down the front, with the section below the hips tapering so that when it was brought together, another doard-pointing triangle was created It was tied closed at the waist with a finger-woven sash in a sieometric pattern made of red mammoth hair with accents of ivory mouflon wool, brown musk ox underdown, and deep reddish-black woolly rhinoceros hair

The outfit was stunning, a nificent work of art The workmanship in every detail was excellent It was evident that someone had secured the finest materials and utilized the most skillful and accomplished artisans to create the finished outfit, and no effort had been spared The beadas a good exae number, more than three thousand ivory beads arments, and each small bead had been carved, pierced, and polished by hand

Jondalar’slike it, but she knew immediately that whoever had directed the outfit to be h position within the community It was clear that the ti of it were incalculable, yet the outfit had been given to Ayla when she left None of the benefits of the resources and ould stay within the community that made it Ayla said she had been adopted, but whoever had adopted her obviously possessed tree—in effect, wealth—and no one understood that better than Marthona

No wonder she wants to wear her own Matriht, and she should It won’t hurt Jondalar’s presrige, either This young wooing to be thethis year

“The outfit is striking, Ayla, really quite beautiful,” Marthona said “Who made it for you?”

“Nezzie did, but she had a lot of help” Ayla was pleased by the older woman’s reaction

“Yes, I’m sure she did,” Marthona commented “You’ve mentioned her before, but I don’t recall exactly who she is”

“She’s the oing to adopt me, but then Mamut did instead I think it was Mamut who asked Nezzie to make it”

“And Mamut is One Who Serves the Mother?”

“I think he may have been First, like your Zelandoni Anyway, he was certainly the oldest I think he was the oldest Ma, and her brother’s woive birth Both children would be counted his fifth generation”

Marthona gave a knowing nod She knew that whoever had adopted Ayla had a great deal of influence; she hadn’t realized he was probably the most respected and powerful person of all his people That explained a lot, she thought “You said there were certain custo this?”

“The Mamutoi do not think it’s appropriate to wear a Matrimonial outfit before the ceremony You can show family and close friends, but you are not supposed to wear it in public,” Ayla said “Would you like to see how the tunic loóles?”