"Janet Kagan - The Nutcracker Coup" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kagan Janet)

“Why, today is Tememb Nap Chorr.”
She grinned at the faces around her. “By Rejoicer reckoning, the day changes when the sun
sets-it’s been Christmas Day for an hour at least now. But stand back and let the kids find their presents
first.”
 There was a great clamor and rustle of wrapping paper and whoops of delight as the kids dived
into the pile of presents.
As Marianne watched with rising joy, Tatep touched her arm. “More guests,” he said, and
Marianne turned.
It was Chornian, his mate Chaylam, and their four children. Marianne’s jaw dropped at the sight
of them. She had invited the six with no hope of a response and here they were. “And all dressed up for
Christmas!” she said aloud, though she knew Christmas was not the occasion. “You’re as glittery as the
Christmas tree itself,” she told Chornian, her eyes gleaming with the reflection of it.
Ruff and tail, each and every one of Chornian’s short-clipped quills was tipped by a brilliant red
bead. “Glass?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Chornian. “Killim made them for us.”
“You look magnificent! Oh-how wonderful!” Chaylam’s clipped quills had been dipped in gold;
when she shifted shyly, her ruff and tail rippled with light. “You sparkle like sun on the water,” Marianne
told her. The children’s ruffs and tails had been tipped in gold and candy pink and vivid yellow and- the
last but certainly not the least-in beads every color of the rainbow.
“A kid after my own heart,” said Marianne. “I think that would have been my choice too.” She
gave a closer look. “No two alike, am I right? Come-join the party. I was afraid I’d have to drop your
presents by your house tomorrow. Now I get to watch you open them, to see if I chose correctly.”
She escorted the four children to the tree and, thanking her lucky stars she’d had Tatep write
their names on their packages, she left them to hunt for their presents. Those for their parents, she
brought back with her.
“It was difficult,” Chornian said to Marianne. “It was difficult to walk through the streets with
pride but-we did. And the children walked the proudest. They give us courage.”
Chaylam said, “If only on their behalf.”
“Yes,” agreed Chornian. “Tomorrow I shall walk in the sunlight. I shall go to the bazaar. My
clipped quills will glitter, and I will not be ashamed that I have spoken the truth about Halemtat.”
That was all the Christmas gift Marianne needed, she thought to herself, and handed the wrapped
package to Chornian. Tatep gave him a running commentary on the habits and rituals of the human
Awakening as he opened the package. Chornian’s eyes shaded and Tatep’s running commentary
ceased abruptly as they peered together into the box.
“Did I get it right?” said Marianne, suddenly afraid she’d committed some awful faux pas. She’d
scoured the bazaar for welspeth shoots and, finding none, she’d pulled enough strings with the ethnology
team to get some imported.
Tatep was the one who spoke. “You got it right,” he said. “Chornian thanks you.” Chornian
spoke rapid-fire Rejoicer for a long time; Marianne couldn’t follow the half of it. When he’d finished,
Tatep said simply, “He regrets that he has no present to give you.”
“It’s not necessary. Seeing those kids all in spangles brightened up the party-that’s present
enough for me!”
“Nevertheless,” said Tatep, speaking slowly so she wouldn’t miss a word. “Chornian and I
make you this present.”
Marianne knew the present Tatep drew from his pouch was from Tatep alone, but she was
happy enough to play along with the fiction if it made him happy. She hadn’t expected a present from
Tatep and she could scarcely wait to see what it was he felt appropriate to the occasion.
Still, she gave it the proper treatment-shaking it, very gently, beside her ear. If there was
anything to hear, it was drowned out by the robust singing of carols from the other side of the room. “I
can’t begin to guess, Tatep,” she told him happily.