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So, what are you reading?
“You are worried about finding a suitable place for your shows on Ven.”
Yes.
“You sent a video clip of the ballet dance to Flidar. May I see it too?”
Of course.
She removes her hand from my forehead, and I sit up. Taking my communicator out, I open a video clip of Sleeping Beauty, the scene where Princess Aurora skips merrily around the stage, gloriously happy at celebrating her eighteenth birthday. Rivlor watches it intently. On stage, Aurora is presented to four marriage suitors, each one of them holding out a rose.
“This is a very famous scene in the ballet Sleeping Beauty,” I whisper. “It’s called the Rose Adagio. The princess must choose one of these four men to be her husband. The dance sequence ends with her having to maintain her balance while each of the men spins her around. It’s one of the most challenging roles for a ballerina.”
I’ve put the screen on projection mode, so the dancers are displayed before us in 3D. Rivlor looks on, spellbound, as Aurora is spun around by each suitor, her bent leg up high behind her, then lifts her arms in the air to balance. She wobbles ever so slightly, and Rivlor gasps. Then she bravely maintains her balance while another suitor steps forward and holds out his hand. Finally, the fourth suitor spins her around, and this time, Aurora balances for a moment longer, waiting for the concluding beat of the music, before stretching her leg out ecstatically, and bringing it down to the clamorous applause of the audience.
I stop the video and smile at Rivlor, who is still wearing an awed expression on her face. “Your dancers will be performing this in your shows?” she asks.
“Yes. Not the whole ballet, but this Rose Adagio sequence.”
“I would very much like to see it.”
“You will. And you can watch the dancers while they rehearse it too. But we need somewhere to stage our shows.”
She nods. “I understand now the kind of space you need. I think I may have a solution for you. First, let me contact my aunt Flidar with my idea.”
“If you can help us with this, Rivlor, I’ll be eternally grateful.”
“Remember, I am set to make a profit from your venture too. I have a vested interest.”
I smile. “How could I forget?” I sit on the edge of the bed and begin putting my shoes back on.
“Wyatt, I do not believe that your pod is a conducive space for you to do your work. Whenever you need to, come here and use this chamber. I do not mind.”
“Are you sure?”
“I would not have suggested it otherwise. I will program it so you can unlock the door with your handprint.”
“Thanks, Rivlor, for everything. I appreciate it.”
“It is my pleasure, Wyatt.”
Chapter 32
Kirimor
Like all sicors, Melistor is tall and powerfully built. He is not quite handsome, but his eyes glow with a keen intelligence and a gentle kindness. We are sitting across from each other in his brightly lit living room, sipping on a cool glass of nari. His home comprises a handful of buildings located on the outskirts of the city on a large tract of fertile land that cedes into the forest. From the window, I can see the clean lines of the temple building across from us. On the other side, a herd of drens are munching placidly on grass in a large, enclosed field.
On arriving here, I was struck by the palpable sense of peace and tranquillity. I know this is not accidental. As a powerful sicor, he has ensured that all around him is peaceful harmony—another sign that he is destined for the top job. He greeted me cordially and a lovely young drasha served us with refreshments. Now that we have finished exchanging pleasantries, I come to the reason for my visit. “Melistor, have you ever thought of becoming sicortar?”
He studies my face intently as he replies, “It would be natural for me to have considered the prospect, seeing as I am one of a few sicors with the requisite skills. However, I have not thought it imminent, or am I mistaken?”
“I would like to explore with you the possibility of taking over my duties as sicortar as soon as it is possible.”
“I see. Is there a reason for the urgency?”
“I have met someone I wish to mate, but that is not a possibility while I am tied to my drashas.”
“The Human female?”
