Page 40 of I Married A Lizardman

“We could make a more modern design,” Luped said enthusiastically. “Instead of you trying to adapt to the existing building, we could create one specifically designed for your needs.”

“And with the Bosengis saying they want to fly here once or twice a week to buy your fresh berries—and anything else you might add in the future—we could build you a permanent store near the landing pad,” Olix said with a grin. “It could have vertical cooling units so that you could slide the trays in like shelves instead of stacking them.”

“That way, on the days you want to rest, you could only fill the units with the berries you want to sell, and one of the elders could handle the store for you,” Yamir added.

I felt overwhelmed. This was what I had wished FOR THEM! To grow large enough quantities and varieties of produce that they would set up a permanent market that people would fly here to buy either raw produce, or processed ones like jams, pickled vegetables, and flour, to name a few.

It broke my heart that they still considered farming an ‘off-worlder’ activity, but not something a true Andturian would ever ‘lower’ himself to do. At the same time, it deeply moved me to see how the whole clan had rallied to do something like this for me.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” I replied, tears pricking my eyes. “I’m incredibly touched that you would consider going to so much trouble for me. No one has ever done something like this for me. That is beyond generous. I’m speechless.”

“It is no trouble at all,” Luped said with a dismissive gesture. “We’re all pretty excited!”

“You are a valued member of our clan,” Olix said affectionately. “Andturians always do for each other when needed. The only thing you need to say is yes, my Susan.”

“We have already done some sketches of what the shop could look like, unless you have a different idea that we would be happy to build instead,” Yamir said, showing me on a datapad a breathtaking concept made of wood and stone.

The detailed sketch even hinted at the bas-relief sculpting that would be done in both the wood and stone to beautify the building. Inside, a large, ornate counter divided the front and back of the store. The front had a series of low benches serving as a waiting area, whereas the back had a generous number of vertical cooling units and shelves for whatever other products I might decide to sell later.

“This is absolutely perfect,” I whispered, my voice trembling from emotion.

“Then it is decided!” Olix said with a toothy grin. “You will describe to Luped your dream shed—or rather greenhouse—and we will build it, too.”

And just like that, the non-Crafters among the clan ended up devoting the greater part of the next couple of weeks building my new and improved workspaces.

With the insane proceeds I had made from the first market, I bought myself my dream all-in-one tilling-seeding-weeding-and-transplanting machine. It arrived five days later, the same day that I picked my first harvest of portobello mushrooms. They were as big, if not an even bigger success than the oyster mushrooms. Had they not seen me prepare them with the same spices as the warbull, they wouldn’t have believed they weren’t actually eating some sort of steak.

However, even that didn’t convince the other clans to start producing some of their own. It created this really awkward situation where our neighbors wanted to trade for my mushrooms. But clans didn’t normally trade on that scale with an individual. Since every clan acted almost as a single organism, with everyone pooling their resources, in our case, it could have been trading mushrooms for ore with the Inosh Mountain Clan, or for polished stones from the White River Clan, etc. However, my vegetables were considered my personal property as I had ‘individually crafted them’ like any jewel or weapon a Crafter created was his or hers to reap the benefits of.

I eventually worked it out with them crafting fancy containers, baskets, wrapping cloths and papers for my jams, berries, and the other goods I started adding to the roster based on demand. To my shock, when I suggested that a long-term trade that would definitely help me would be compost, instead of getting brutally shut down for trying to con them into dirt digging chores, I got an enthusiastic response from all the clans.

Living close to nature, the Andturians were very environmentally conscientious, despite their limited understanding of responsible farming of the land. The Andturians naturally composted all of their organic wastes which they eventually disposed of in their fields. Between their compost and all the manure from their mraka herd, my needs for natural fertilizers were met.

The month following that first market was magical. Olix and I spent a great deal of time together, getting to know each other. As much as the mraka had initially traumatized me, I was growing more and more comfortable riding one on my own with that crazy saddle Kayog had given us. For now, Olix was only making me ride around open fields, while showing me the nearby landmarks and the general beauty of his world.

I was falling in love with Xecania, the Andturians, and their easy way of life. That play day, we’d ridden our beasts to a particular field that took my breath away. Lush, yellowish green grass spread as far as the eye could see beneath the bluest of skies where the three moons of my new homeworld hung low. A flock of birds was performing acrobatics above us in a mesmerizing dance. We dismounted and sat directly on the grass for a while to rest from riding the mrakas.

Olix talked about his youth, and how much time he’d spent here.

“Zoltar and I often came to this specific field to hunt moshins. They are furry little creatures that greatly resemble your rabbits but with flat tails and short, round ears,” Olix explained in light of my confused expression. “Ever since we could walk, my cousin and I knew we would be Hunters, just like Luped knew she would be a Builder. It is like a calling in our blood.”

Sitting between his legs, my back resting on his chest, I was slowly tracing the pattern of the scales on his tail, which he had recurved over my lap. Olix had taken to doing that often whenever he held or hugged me, embracing me with his tail as well in a way that felt wonderfully possessive. It was like he wished he had an extra pair of arms to keep me close and make sure I never went away.

I tilted my head to look up at him. “Do you still hunt here?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yes, but rarely. We usually leave this field for the young to practice their hunting skills. It is a safe area, and it teaches them to coordinate their strategy, work on their speed, and learn to adapt to the escape pattern of their prey,” Olix said, excitement seeping into his voice. “We will bring the young here next week for play day, but not to actually catch anything. We will use a holographic simulation Luped has been working on. While moshins reproduce quickly, we do not want to put a strain on their population by hunting them too aggressively.”

“That’s really cool,” I said, once more struck by the extent of my husband’s passion for hunting. He would never feel such a passion for what I did. “So, all the children get to pick their profession?”

“Yes, although their calling usually manifests itself early on,” Olix explained. “By the time they are three or four, we usually know what they will want to do.”

“But…” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully, as I looked back at his tail to hide my expression. “Has a child ever been forced to go on a different path than the one that called to them?”

“No,” he replied without hesitation. His embrace tightened around me, and he gently brushed his cheek against my hair before plopping a kiss on top of my head. “You are thinking about Nosha.”

My head jerked back towards him, studying his features. To my relief, there was no anger or accusation there. I nodded, bracing for what he would say.

“Her parents are distressed by her fascination with your farming activities,” Olix confessed, matter-of-factly. “We all assumed she would be a Gatherer, like her grandfather Pawis. But since your arrival, she’s become obsessed with growing things.”

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