[mark12_30]

Gamba wearily looked out from under the three children who had just soundly defeated him in a tickling match as Phura returned from the rendezvous with Levanto. He was too tired and out of breath to ask, almost, but Phura spared him the need.

Phura and Gamba reviewed the details of what the elders and Levanto had discussed.

Phura admired Levanto. "He must have quite a ways to swim, all the way up the river, and then back, and all the way to the ship. He must be strong. And brave. And you were right, in your dream. At the very end, I asked Levanto how they would take all of us away. There is a fleet of elven ships coming. In two weeks."

Gamba laid his head back down as the children, discerning the serious turn, clambered off of him and sat close nearby. Gamba smiled, and then wept, and then smiled again. "The elvish fleet. Elvish ships." And then more sorrow. "Two weeks."

"They'll come. They'll be here. Nitir and Azraph. I-- I mean Azra." Phura blushed suddenly, but in the dark Gamba missed that.

"What did you call her?"

"Sorry."

"What? No, I heard you. You said Azraph. Why did you say that?"

Silence.

"All right, what are you hiding? Who is Azraph?"

"Not-- No. Azra. Her name is Azra."

"Tell me..."

"All right, but you can't tell anyone, " Phura reluctantly agreed.

Gamba rolled up and sat closer, and then turned to the children. "Kesha, take Roka and Asta and go bring dinner. For the five of us. Go on."

They marched off, feeling important.

Phura dropped his voice way down. "You asked me how they tell the aunts from the neices. Well, when an adult Nitir marries, they add her husband's first initial to the end of her name, preceeded by the first vowel in it. So... say, Nitir and Asta; Nitiras. Or Nitir and Kesha: Nitirek. If you say it fast enough, only the people in the family really hear it."

Gamba nodded, and then pondered. "So... Azra. Azraph. Ph-- " His eyes flew open. "You?"

"Shh!!" Phura nervously looked around. "Her sister Nitir Calls her that to tease her. She laughs at her. She calls her that all the time."

Gamba waited, wide-eyed.

"But Nitir's parents don't stop her from saying it, and they smile too. And her brother says she likes it!"

Gamba had to cover his mouth with his hand. They both know that Phura had twelve years before he came of age.

"Don't tell anybody, " Phura pleaded earnestly. "Not even Loremaster."

Well! At last, thought Gamba, I finally know what's been on his mind all this time. No wonder he was nervous and cranky. I don't think Loremaster really had any idea what was actually upsetting him.

[ September 19, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]