Second Contact (Okal Rel Saga #1)

Chapter 7.2 - You Have Promised Nothing that You Have Not Honored

At Eva's, Di Mon was announced to an empty room, but he wasn't displeased. He had planned to be early.

Den Eva's was dressed up for the occasion. Greenery stood in pots between statues on loan from Di Mon's own collection; bowls of flower petals lightened the air with subtle perfume; and the Patron's Floor had been cleared of everything except one glass-topped table with a ringside view of the dance floor where Eva and Von would perform.

The thought of Von made Di Mon scowl, but he had to admit Von was good. It would take something spectacular to distract the Demish from their long-standing quarrel.

Eva came to join them dressed in a dancer's sheath of green and brown. My colors, Di Mon realized, and wondered why her choice made him feel uncomfortable.

"You are early, Di Mon," she greeted her illustrious patron, speaking up five levels of grammar. She gestured toward the glass table where they were to be seated. "We settled on Silver Demish chamber music. I decided that was safer than offending D'Ander with an inferior performance of a Golden score."

Di Mon nodded, approving her decision. Golden Demish music, like all of their fine arts, was formidable.

Eva remained standing as Di Mon and Tessitatt seated themselves at the table.

"I've had Thrisian wine poured," she explained, gesturing to the glass horns seated in ornate silver bases. "A politically neutral choice, since it's Vrellish in origin but acceptable nearly everywhere."

"You've done an excellent job," Di Mon assured her.

Eva deflected the compliment. "Your herald was extremely helpful."

"Where is Von?" Tessitatt asked, looking around. "I hoped he might do his Demish adaptation of Mekan'stan's Quarrel. He did it for the Princess-Liege of H'Us' last party and even the Vrellish, who only came to be offended, tried to book him afterwards! Don't tell me Von's engaged elsewhere?"

"No." Eva's settled her hand on her throat in a nervous gesture. "I am afraid," she said, "Von's disappeared."

"Disappeared!" exclaimed Tessitatt, and frowned. "Please, tell me it wasn't Kertatt's doing."

"Oh, no," Eva said quickly, lowering her hand from her neck. "It's probably one of his regulars. There are one or two Demish ladies who can get a bit possessive." She laughed.

"Are you worried?" Di Mon asked.

Eva never dissembled to him, not when he asked her point-blank. He was not sure why, since he had witnessed her doing it expertly with Demish clients.

She let the truth escape her like a burden she was glad to be rid of. "Yes, I'm worried," she admitted. "But it isn't the first problem I've had with him." She mustered a professional smile. "He took it into his head, once, to hide a pregnant novice who was always getting into trouble. He was gone for a day that time, and came back too battered to work for a week after."

"I will have Sarilous look into what's become of him," Di Mon offered.

Eva shook her head. "Having a gorarelpul inquiring might be very bad for business, especially if it should turn out to be a Demish lady who is detaining Von."

"Detaining?" Di Mon asked acidly. It sounded to him more like a simple case of kidnapping. But the Demish were idiotically set on believing sexual exploitation could only work in one direction. "Very well," he said, loath to injure Eva's interests, "but I will, at least, assure myself that neither Red nor Green Hearths are responsible." By which he meant Vretla or Kertatt.

He could see this was what Eva had wanted. "Thank you," she said, and went on to explain Von's understudy would be performing Mekan'stan's Quarrel with her.

"Will you want anything before your guests arrive?" Eva concluded.

"Just the wine," Di Mon assured her.

Eva backed up a few steps before turning to walk away.

"Poor woman," Tessitatt clucked, speaking in English instead of Gelack. "I'll bet she's worried! It would be a blow to lose her protégé so near to her retirement."

Eva flinched noticeably, recovered, and bent down as if to adjust her dancing shoes.

Di Mon was intrigued by her reaction. Did she understand English? Von was reputed to know the dead language, now used only by Green Hearth's ruling family, but Di Mon had never taken the claim seriously. Courtesans like Von pretended all manner of nonsense to entertain their Demish clients.

"Why should Eva retire?" Di Mon asked his niece in English, while he watched the den mother's back for further proof of comprehension.

"She is getting old." Tessitatt paused. "Haven't you noticed?"

Di Mon had not, particularly, but he said, "Of course."

Eva straightened and resumed her walk toward one of the Den's spokes, radiating outward from the Patron's Floor.

"Most retirees end up doing laundry and scrubbing floors," Tessitatt continued. "That must be difficult to contemplate after running a place like this one."

Eva's steps faltered.

Di Mon hesitated for a moment, then called to her. "Eva!"

Eva turned around. He watched her face repair itself as she crossed to within a few paces of him.

"Yes, Di Mon?" She exercised her right to his use-name with a thick and emotional hesitance. It embarrassed him to see her vulnerable. It was the competent administrator he admired; her dancer's confidence; her skill at the keys of a piano.

"Tessitatt tells you may soon retire," he explained, as if he had not noticed she had understood the conversation.

"I see," she said, and paused. "Do you think I should?"

"As an active courtesan, possibly. But my gorarelpul, Sarilous, is seventy and she is still competent. It does not seem obvious therefore, that aging should reduce a commoner's status. You could manage the den for Von. You show no sign of failing faculties in any —"

"Please," she said a little sharply, and smiled again. "I understand you well enough. Be content you have promised nothing that you have not honored."

He was sure he had offended her somehow. It struck him there was a great deal he didn't understand about being a commoner.

"Eva —" he began.

The entrance door boomed open, behind him, and Di Mon spun around.