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“She learned tosign early?”
She said at notime should I be unable to talk to family or communicate with theworld, so they all learned. Come to think of it, my father will bepissed that he missed the wedding.
“Oh, Ithought... Well, if you are king, I thought he had passed on.”
He turned herhead and pecked a kiss on her forehead. He grinned and thenmurmured against her temple, “He’s working with volcanoes on theother side of the world.”
“Oh. Can’t youportal him tomorrow?”
He chuckledagainst her skin. “He has already missed it. This is thereception.”
“Oh, shoot. Ididn’t get anything for Sariah.”
“It’s fine. Shewon’t notice.”
“Why won’t shenotice?”
He chuckled andmurmured, “Because she has to dance.”
“What?”
“She will danceas she joins her new family and to celebrate the island that givesus shelter.”
She looked athim with narrowed eyes, and he tapped her nose and winked.
He lifted hishead and nodded. Music started up, and two of the young wives stoodand hauled Sariah to the open space to dance. She brought curls oflight to the dance and images of the original inhabitants, and thefolk watching were suitably impressed.
Ivetha watchedthe grace of the three women as they danced and told the story withlight and movement. When the song was over, Ivetha cheered. Sariahgrinned and nodded then returned to Akio.
Ivetha blinkedas Tuurin and Helthiot stood in front of her. “Oh, shit.”
Arata silentlylaughed so hard he fell over, spilling her into his aunt’s arms.Tuurin hoisted her to her feet and grinned. “Your turn.”
Ivetha shouted,“What?”
The groundshook at the panic in her voice.
Helthiot stoodin front of her. Calm, Ivetha. This can be worked out... afterthe dance.
Fine, but Ican’t do tricks like Sariah.
Just dance. Itwill be fine.
The musicstarted, and the older women flanked her. She drew in a deep breathand started to tell the story. She kept her eyes down or to thesky, never looking at Arata.
When the songwas over, she was covered in sweat, and there was no cheer. Theywere staring. No applause. No joy. She flicked a look around andtook flight.
A portal openedahead of her, and she flew into it, grunting as she thudded into ahard surface.
“Ow!”
There was awave of chuckling through the air around her. Arata looked at herwith concern. She was firmly on his lap, and he signed, Youokay? Dancing gorgeous.
No one reacted.I did it wrong. They clapped for Sariah.
We don’t clap.We respect that you told the story. She was performing, not tellingthe story. Akio told her the difference. Both were appreciated, butone touched the soul, and the other entertained. Guess which oneyou did?
“So, I justthrew a tantrum.”
