3. Moon and Chime: In the Time of Indigo Cloud's Return to the Reaches

Moon had one of those questions. It was something that seemed obvious to him, but knowing how tricky Raksuran customs, particularly Aeriat customs, could be,

he decided to ask Chime about it. "When I give Jade something, is there anything I should know?"

They were sitting in the mentors' library, and Chime was leaning over a book, carefully copying it onto fresh paper. The copy was intended to be part of a trade

to another court, part of the quest to restore the court's diminished collection. Chime had explained it was a collection of different symbols for the wind, and there were at least a hundred of them. Moon found it beautiful and mostly incomprehensible, like many of the Raksuran books. Most of his attention on the delicate work, Chime said, "What do you mean, give Jade something?"

"A gift," Moon said. He picked up one of the extra pens. The tip was grasseater hair, so fine it was almost invisible.

Chime turned to look at him, frowning.  "What?"

"When I give Jade a gift," Moon repeated.   It wasn't a complicated concept, compared to a hundred different ways to write "wind," so he didn't know what the

problem was. "Is there anything special I need to do?"

Chime put his pen down and stared at Moon longer than the question seemed to warrant. He said finally, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

Moon couldn't believe it. Surely giving someone you slept with, even if she was a sister queen of the court, a gift couldn't be that tricky. Knowing how odd Aeriat customs could be, it was still hard to imagine. "I get all this jewelry--"

Chime nodded. "Which you try very hard not to seem indifferent to."

Moon couldn't help it, he liked the practical presents better. Beautifully woven blankets, knives carved out of predator teeth, clothing, the gifts the kids made him, were all things he could appreciate. Jewelry was only important when you needed to trade it for something, and that was unlikely to happen here. He thought his

first consort's bracelet, and the broken necklace that had belonged to his father, were all the jewelry he needed. "What am I supposed to give Jade in return? Don't say a clutch," he added, as Chime drew breath to respond.

Chime let that breath out, then regrouped and explained patiently, "You don't have to give her anything. The Arbora do that."

Moon was getting annoyed. And having that impulse where when he was told he couldn't do something it became that much more important to do it. "What if I want to do it?"

Chime seemed baffled and worried.  "...Don't?"

"So there's a rule against it?"

"No, not exactly--"

"But you think I shouldn't. Why?"

Chime waved a hand in exasperation.  "It's not--  Aeriat aren't good at things like that, particularly royal Aeriat.  Your taste is terrible. You'd pick something totally inappropriate--"

Moon managed not to hiss. He said, deliberately, "Jade had a silver belt, with round pieces of opal and amethyst. When Selis helped us and we took her away from the Cordans, Jade gave it to her with the rest of the jewelry she was wearing so Selis could go to live in Kish. I really liked that belt and I think Jade liked it too. I think she might want another one like it."

Chime blinked a couple of times.  "Oh. Oh, well, that's...not a terrible idea."  After another moment of thought, he reluctantly admitted, "It's a pretty good idea, actually. I'm surprised someone else didn't think of it."

Moon eyed him.  "If you tell the Arbora and they pretend it's their idea--"

Chime stared at the shelves, absently tapping his brush.  "No, of course not. 

I just wish we -- they -- had thought of it first. There was a necklace in that set too, wasn't there?"

Chime really did look disturbed that the Arbora hadn't thought of it. Moon had no idea why it would even be an issue. This was one of those times where Moon wasn't sure if the Arbora were actually stranger than the Aeriat, but just hid it better most of the time. He pointed out, "You were all distracted by the Fell destroying the colony. That was a bigger thing at the time than Jade having to give away some jewelry."

"There was that," Chime conceded.  He tore a piece of paper off the roll meant

for the new book and started to make notes on it. "I remember that belt. It was one of Blithe's last pieces. She taught Gold how to work silver. I don't think Gold would want to recreate it exactly, but if she changed the design of the chain..." He looked over at saw Moon's expression.  He sighed. "You were right, you don't have to gloat."

"I might," Moon said. It was nice to be right about something Raksura-related, once in a while.