Page 80 of Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal
“But you’re not ….” Isla blinked, then blushed.
“It’s all right to speak plainly, Isla. I know as well as you do that I have little to offer the In-between. My children would have been like me—raised in the human community, never rising above a middling rank.” Kimiko really had put a lot of thought into the consequences of her choice. “The reaver community loses nothing of worth, but Eloquence gains something he never expected. To him, I’m unique, rare, and irreplaceable.”
Isla’s eyes sparkled. “Like a limited edition chocolate bar?”
“Thatis the finest compliment I’ve ever been paid!” Kimiko’s laughter faltered, and she hid her face against Isla’s knee. “This is all very flattering, but it’s also intimidating. How can I show the Starmarks that I’m properly treasuring their son? Eloquence deserves more than I know how to give.”
“Courtship can do that.” Isla’s hand smoothed over her hair. “I know traditions within all the major clans and most of the minor ones, but there are so many variations and nuances, depending on the message you want to convey.”
She lifted her face. “Another form of non-verbal statement?”
“Exactly!”
Kimiko frowned. “I thought you said you only knew about foxes?”
“I know themostabout foxes.” The girl showed a dimple. “Sensei thought it best that I cover courting traditions before I hit puberty, since hormones make it difficult to stay objective about the intricacies of Amaranthine bonding. There are usually sexual overtones.”
She was almost afraid to ask. “Hisoka Twineshaft taught you about Amaranthine mating behavior?”
“Don’t look so shocked. He set my reading course, then handed me over to Mare Withershanks for a while. She explained everything, answered my questions, and took me along on her rounds. During that one summer, I attended seven births and two matings.”
“M-matings?”
Isla’s eyebrows arched. “Some clans fight for the right to claim a desirable female, so they bring in a healer to tend injuries. And some clans require someone in an official capacity to witness the mating.”
Kimiko quailed. “Please, tell me that dogs like privacy.”
“Yes. Dogs are both possessive and protective. The Starmarks will undoubtedly band together to ensure the sanctity of your den.” Isla cheerfully added, “In the oldest traditions—which are naturally wolvish in nature—the bonded pair does not rejoin the pack until the coupling has met with success. But that was before the Waning.”
“Let’s not rush things,” Kimiko mumbled. “As much as I’d like to leave Eloquence with a child, I’m not ready to think about kids.”
Isla opened her mouth, and it snapped shut. “What do you mean,leave him?”
She said, “I’m human. Lifespan differences.”
“Oooh, Kimi. I forget that not everyone knows. I can’t believe nobody told you! That’s so unfair, but typical of Sensei.” The girl’s babble cut off, and she drew herself up. “He’s probably testing your motives.”
Kimiko was getting worried. “A test?”
“One you’ve passed.” The girl touched her cheek. “You really are doing this for Quen’s sake.”
That was obvious. “Isla, just tell me.”
“Although it’s not widely known, Sensei documented several cases which prove that a properly-tended bond between an Amaranthine and a human benefits both participants.”
The girl slipped into full diplomat mode. Instead of talking to Kimiko as a friend, Isla subtly removed herself from the flow of information, which she delivered in a completely neutral tone. She sounded like a textbook.
“While ranking, intent, focus, and duration are variables that affect the degree of success, the results are similar in every case. The Amaranthine borrows the reaver’s power, and their partner gains an Amaranthine’s years.”
Kimiko blinked. “You mean like … like a tree-child?”
“Yes, just like in tree lore! Except you don’t have to be born with a golden seed in your hand. Instead of a tree-sibling, you’ll have Quen to prolong your life.” Isla seemed puzzled. “But how did you know? Tales of the imps are hard to come by.”
“Probably because most of them are archived here.” Kimiko laughed and gestured to the surrounding books. “I grew up hearing stories about moon maidens, river guardians, and the four winds. But the stories about Amaranthine trees have always been my favorite.”
Isla’s second hug was even fiercer than the first. “I’m not leaving this shrine until I’ve read every one of them!”
“I’d love that.” Kimiko held the girl close. “Grandpa would have been thrilled. If only … if onlyhehad been the one with a tree’s years.”
