Gallel's Heir

Chapter 12: Conflagration

 To learn to love and to find joy, despite all that befalls us, is the reason the Creators have placed us in this sphere.
---Anath shen Sorre Albandor of Yambisey

It took another two hours to finish the twists. Ophia’s hair looked like an intricate, six­-pointed starburst lace of black silk, rising a hand above her forehead.  “It’s beautiful,'' said Ophia. “But how do the Sans stand this every few days?”

Lianna shrugged. “I guess they don’t have any other hobbies. Well, Amber took up painting because she was jealous of Mama and Canúden, but that’s not really a hobby if you’re only doing it ‘cause you’re jealous. She’s not any good anyway, but she shows all the other Sans what she’s working on, and they all pretend to be impressed. I mean I could draw as well as her before Canúden even started teaching me.”

“I can imagine," said Ophia. "Well, we’ve got another hour. Your dress looks like it’ll be a little tight on me.”

“I told them to make it bigger," said Lianna,  "for when I grew. It will fit all right.”

Ophia knew it was Lianna’s sorrow that her breasts hadn’t developed enough that she even needed a corset; without one, Ophia’s breasts were painful so that she wore one even under her nightgown. “I’m older than you, too.”

“I want boys to like me,” said Lianna.

“They’d like you if you could get out more. Besides, young men in Gallel watch you constantly.”

“They just like me because I’m the heir.”

Ophia flourished her fingers. “You’ll find a very nice boy, I’m sure. By the time you bond, I’m sure you’ll be very curvy, even though curves don’t make boys love  you. Not the kind of boys you’d like. You’re already pretty.”

“You’re not gonna bond any time soon, and you’re already so pretty. I’ll probably never bond. And since I'm the heir, of course I'll have to marry. At least Mama wouldn't choose someone horrible for me. What if I have to wait ‘til I’m thirty­-one, like your cousin Chandra! That’s so old! She’s so pretty, too.”

“Nonsense. I mean, I don’t think you’ll have to wait that long, especially, as you said, your mama wold choose someone nice for you, someone you can't help but bond."

Lianna nodded, but her emotions sofftened on that point with a little flutter of her heart. Mind still tense, though; obvious even without Ophia's mind sense, by how she tugged Ophia's hair.“What do you think Turbia wants, now that the war’s over?” said Lianna. Her face paled.

“I don’t know.”

“Tamil came today, I saw the procession coming as I snuck away. It was so scary.”

“You’ll be all right,” said Ophia. She hated to feel Lianna scared and sent waves of calming wari by instict as an expression of love.

"Thanks," said Lianna with a twitch of her lips.

Ophia unwrapped the dress from its protective cloth and held it in front of her into the mirror. Long and close­fitting above the diaphragm, the dress seemed that of a woman, and would show off her curves when she put it on. It was sapphire silk with gauzy lace gathered under her breasts, a full skirt, and long sleeves that flared at the tips.

“I should be able to fit into this dress if you tighten my corset a bit. Oh, I’d hate to dress like this every day!”

“See why Mama refuses to?” said Lianna. “She says it’s too hard to heal when she can’t even breathe.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

“Put it on. The bodice is supposed to be tight.”

“I hope I don’t cough.”