really bite you. Her milk teeth are tiny things, nothing that could harm you.”
“Right, yes,” the shopkeeper said. “An Aaroun that little has no jaw strength yet.”
A strange look crossed Fazhmind’s face. He lowered his hand to his side and curled his fingers to conceal them in his fist.
The Kaa averted his gaze. He felt a tremor of humor all the way to his tail, and he struggled not to laugh aloud.
“Well.” Fazhmind tried to regain his dignity, even as Lady Lenith spread her fan across her mouth and the captain of the guard coughed loudly.
Outside the doorway of the shop, several onlookers tittered in the crooks of their elbows.
“The dangerous instincts are there, sire,” Fazhmind said. “The creature will grow real teeth soon enough, and then—”
“Defending the sri-Kaa a good sign of bonding already,” the shopkeeper said. “Aarouns never turn on their own kind. She’ll make a good pet. Loyal to the sri-Kaa always. Protect the sri-Kaa always.”
“Within the safety of the palace, what need has the sri-Kaa of protection other than that provided by the Palace Guards?” Fazhmind asked.
Israi’s eyes widened. “Father, she has defended me. She will be loyal to me. I know it.”
“Nonsense,” Fazhmind said with a sniff. “Such animals can never be trusted. Never. It is most unwise. I strongly urge the Imperial Father to deny—”
The Kaa beckoned, and Fazhmind shuffled closer. Turning his back to Israi, the Kaa asked quietly, “How are pets usually obtained for the imperial chunen? Suitable pets, quiet and well-trained?”
“Ah.” Fazhmind rubbed his hands together and puffed out his air sacs, clearly pleased at being consulted. “Something such as a coovie, perhaps?”
“Yes—”
“I don’t want a coovie!” Israi pushed herself between them and glared up at them both. “They’re stupid and boring. I want this one!”
Fazhmind’s mouth curled in disapproval at the sri-Kaa’s manners, but he replied to the Kaa, “A request is sent forth via the office of the chamberlain, sire. I believe that individual then contacts a merchant who holds an official appointment of pet supplier to the imperial family.”
“Ah,” the Kaa said, nodding. “Of course.”
Israi stamped her foot. “No! I want this one!”
The Kaa bent down and stroked her brow ridge. “Dearest, this creature is pretty but—”
“She’s beautiful. Like me!” Israi said.
Again, laughter circled the shop. The Kaa sighed. Already his favorite daughter was growing vain. Yet how could she be otherwise, when what she said was true?
Fazhmind flicked his fan. “Sire, I shall be most pleased to speak to the chamberlain about a different—”
“No!” Israi shouted. “I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!”
Before the Kaa could silence her, she kicked Fazhmind in the leg and ran for the open doorway of the shop. Swiftly the guards moved to block her path. She screamed at them, and the Kaa knew from the expression of growing dread on Lady Lenith’s face that a full-blown tantrum was imminent.
“Israi!” he said sharply. “Come here.”
She fell silent, much to his relief, and obeyed him. But her face was twisted into a scowl. Her sides heaved, and her rill stayed an ominous dark color.
“This is not behavior for public display,” the Kaa told her.
Israi glared at the floor and said nothing.
“You will apologize to Lord Fazhmind.”
Israi’s green eyes flashed defiance.
He held up his finger before she could speak. “Come here that we may speak privately.”
She hesitated, kicking the toe of her sandal on the floor before she complied.
The Kaa gestured, and Lady Lenith and Fazhmind withdrew to the opposite end of the small shop. With growing exasperation, the Kaa leaned down and picked up his daughter, Aaroun and all, so that he could speak softly into her ear dimple without being overheard.
“Daughter,” he said, “you belong to the imperial house. You are the sri-Kaa.”
She nodded.
“Right, yes,” the shopkeeper said. “An Aaroun that little has no jaw strength yet.”
A strange look crossed Fazhmind’s face. He lowered his hand to his side and curled his fingers to conceal them in his fist.
The Kaa averted his gaze. He felt a tremor of humor all the way to his tail, and he struggled not to laugh aloud.
“Well.” Fazhmind tried to regain his dignity, even as Lady Lenith spread her fan across her mouth and the captain of the guard coughed loudly.
Outside the doorway of the shop, several onlookers tittered in the crooks of their elbows.
“The dangerous instincts are there, sire,” Fazhmind said. “The creature will grow real teeth soon enough, and then—”
“Defending the sri-Kaa a good sign of bonding already,” the shopkeeper said. “Aarouns never turn on their own kind. She’ll make a good pet. Loyal to the sri-Kaa always. Protect the sri-Kaa always.”
“Within the safety of the palace, what need has the sri-Kaa of protection other than that provided by the Palace Guards?” Fazhmind asked.
Israi’s eyes widened. “Father, she has defended me. She will be loyal to me. I know it.”
“Nonsense,” Fazhmind said with a sniff. “Such animals can never be trusted. Never. It is most unwise. I strongly urge the Imperial Father to deny—”
The Kaa beckoned, and Fazhmind shuffled closer. Turning his back to Israi, the Kaa asked quietly, “How are pets usually obtained for the imperial chunen? Suitable pets, quiet and well-trained?”
“Ah.” Fazhmind rubbed his hands together and puffed out his air sacs, clearly pleased at being consulted. “Something such as a coovie, perhaps?”
“Yes—”
“I don’t want a coovie!” Israi pushed herself between them and glared up at them both. “They’re stupid and boring. I want this one!”
Fazhmind’s mouth curled in disapproval at the sri-Kaa’s manners, but he replied to the Kaa, “A request is sent forth via the office of the chamberlain, sire. I believe that individual then contacts a merchant who holds an official appointment of pet supplier to the imperial family.”
“Ah,” the Kaa said, nodding. “Of course.”
Israi stamped her foot. “No! I want this one!”
The Kaa bent down and stroked her brow ridge. “Dearest, this creature is pretty but—”
“She’s beautiful. Like me!” Israi said.
Again, laughter circled the shop. The Kaa sighed. Already his favorite daughter was growing vain. Yet how could she be otherwise, when what she said was true?
Fazhmind flicked his fan. “Sire, I shall be most pleased to speak to the chamberlain about a different—”
“No!” Israi shouted. “I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!”
Before the Kaa could silence her, she kicked Fazhmind in the leg and ran for the open doorway of the shop. Swiftly the guards moved to block her path. She screamed at them, and the Kaa knew from the expression of growing dread on Lady Lenith’s face that a full-blown tantrum was imminent.
“Israi!” he said sharply. “Come here.”
She fell silent, much to his relief, and obeyed him. But her face was twisted into a scowl. Her sides heaved, and her rill stayed an ominous dark color.
“This is not behavior for public display,” the Kaa told her.
Israi glared at the floor and said nothing.
“You will apologize to Lord Fazhmind.”
Israi’s green eyes flashed defiance.
He held up his finger before she could speak. “Come here that we may speak privately.”
She hesitated, kicking the toe of her sandal on the floor before she complied.
The Kaa gestured, and Lady Lenith and Fazhmind withdrew to the opposite end of the small shop. With growing exasperation, the Kaa leaned down and picked up his daughter, Aaroun and all, so that he could speak softly into her ear dimple without being overheard.
“Daughter,” he said, “you belong to the imperial house. You are the sri-Kaa.”
She nodded.
Similar Books
