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.Cynthia was rather disturbed to be meeting in the large grotto rather than in Trident Holder’s private quarters.The grotto was used for public forums, usually with ambassadors from other mer cities or the other sentient denizens of the depths.Cynthia had met few of these, but only in passing.One race — the undine, even less-humanoid than the mer — dwelt in the deeper reaches of Odea’s domain and often sent emissaries to meet with the trident holder.Cynthia didn’t care for the undine; with their huge bulging eyes, frilly faces and fins, and broad toothy mouths, they looked like toadfish.Their splayed, eight-fingered hands made their signing hard to follow, and she always felt like they were sizing her up for dinner.Others were even less friendly, their animosity toward air breathers clear, and there were some that even the mer did not associate with.This morning, fortunately, there were only mer in the cavernous grotto, though the large number of them surprised her.Trident Holder Broadtail hovered in the center of the room, above the ornately decorated dais of coral that denoted his station.Around him swam perhaps a hundred mer, only a few of whom she recognized.Tailwalker and Quickfin swam over to greet her, trailed by the mer priestess Kelpie, whom Cynthia knew well, a large mer warrior she knew as Spineback — easily recognized by his namesake, an unusually long, spiny dorsal fin — and another female she did not know.Near Broadtail swam mer she recognized from the recent confrontation in Tailwalker’s grotto; Eelback, Redtail and the female, Slickfin, swam in close formation, flanked by the large male Sharkbite, who eyed her with open contempt.*Greetings, Betrothed!* Tailwalker signed as the foursome approached, clasping Cynthia’s hands formally.*You know Spineback, of course.This is his mate, Sunglimmer; they are newly wed, and are already planning their first brood!*She returned his greeting and congratulated Sunglimmer and Spineback, unconsciously patting her own stomach.She envied the mer in that regard: their pregnancies were short and not incapacitating in the slightest.They gave birth to broods of ten to twenty small finlings, which were reared to weanling age — about three weeks — in the mouths of the mother and father.Once weaned, the finlings stayed in the home grotto for another few months, until large enough to venture out under the careful watch of their parents.If she had been on that same schedule, she would have been free of this burdensome bulge months ago.*We knew you would come early, and we sought to show you our support.Unfortunately,* Tailwalker cast a glance at Eelback’s group, *others have guessed of your arrival, and have come also.**I do not think Eelback being here will be a bad thing,* Kelpie put in, signing in broad strokes that were easy to read from across the room.Eavesdropping was a simple matter with sign language; Kelpie was trying to diffuse the tension, both with her words and her manner.*I agree, Kelpie,* Cynthia signed, nodding toward the group.*Let us go and I will converse with the Trident Holder, and anyone else who cares to join the discussion.*They swam toward Broadtail, and Cynthia greeted him formally, showing all the deference she knew was expected.He greeted her with a genuine smile.She liked Broadtail very much; the two of them saw things similarly.Both knew that the mer and the landwalkers had much to lose if their relationship devolved to open warfare.She felt that they were both in similar positions, precariously situated between power and responsibility.*Much has happened in your absence, Seamage Flaxal’s Heir,* he signed, nodding to the amassed mer.*The arrival of a warship on the very tide of your departure did not float well among our people.**It did not float well with me, either, Trident Holder Broadtail.Fortunately, it was simply an emissary from the emperor of the landwalkers.* The mer knew nothing of the various empires of men, dwarves or elves, so Cynthia was forced to generalize.*Upon my return, I learned that the emissary was interested in me, not the mer.**That is a relief,* Broadtail signed, but before he could continue his response, Eelback cut in.*Why would an emissary come in a warship to visit you, Seamage? Does the emperor of the landwalkers fear you so much?**Keep your manners civil, Eelback,* Broadtail warned [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]