A Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume 4 by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Author:Sharon Lee & Steve Miller [Lee, Sharon & Miller, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781481484046
Amazon: 1481484044
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2019-06-04T04:00:00+00:00

Degrees of Separation

Degrees of Separation happened because, once we’d written Block Party at Tony Daniel’s request, we looked at each other and said, “Well, fine, but, really who are these people?” We’d known someone had to have done what they did, but once the story box opened, we discovered that bakers can be choosers.

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ONE

Liad

In the port city of Solcintra, on a certain day in the third relumma of the year called Phantione, a boy was delivered to the delm of Clan Serat, who did not want him.

Serat had a son; Serat had a nadelm, twelve years and more the infant’s elder. Furthermore, Serat maintained a regular household, and had no need of a second in the delm’s line. Most especially not the child of a sister who had failed both Line and Clan.

Still, to refuse the boy—Don Eyr, as he had been named, exactly the name of the previous delm of Serat—would be to invite scandal, and Serat did not indulge in scandal. He was, therefore, given a place in the empty nursery, and thereafter forgotten by the delm, his uncle, and unregarded by his cousin, who was away at school.

He was not forgotten by the household staff, nor by the clan’s qe’andra. These persons were after all paid to tend the interests and the business of the individuals who together were Clan Serat. The delm having issued no instruction other than, “Take it away, and see it trained,” in the case of his sister’s child, Don Eyr received all the benefits and education which naturally accrued to a son of Serat.

Save the affection of kin.

The boy himself did not notice his lacks, for he was well-regarded, even loved, by staff.

His nurse was inclined to be gentle with an isolated child, and collaborated with the House’s qe’andra in the matter of his education. He had a quick intelligence, did Don Eyr, an artist’s eye, and a susceptible heart. Very like his mother, said Mr. dea’Bon, the qe’andra, who had served the House since the days of the current delm’s father. She ought never have been sent to mind the outworld business; her talents had better been used at home, administering the clan. Well, well. Delm’s Wisdom, of course; doubtless he had his reasons, for the best good of the clan.

The boy Don Eyr early showed an interest in baking, and the pastry cook took him into her kitchen to show him the way of cookies, and tea tarts. When he mastered those, she taught him filled pastries, and cheese rolls.

The day he came to the notice of his cousin, the nadelm, he was removing a loaf from the oven in the back bakery, under the supervision of the kitchen cat, and Mrs. ban’Teli, the pastry cook. He had a wing of flour on one cheek, his hair was neatly, though unfashionably, cut, his hands quiet and certain. He wore a white apron adorned with various splashes, over white pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled, showing forearms already well-muscled.

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