Married to Krampus - Marina Simcoe Page 0,31
muttered under my breath. “Or a bright ‘lucky’ dress.”
A group of men approached the Colonel, diverting his attention from us.
“Speaking of dresses.” Lievoa glanced down my body. “You like this one?”
“This?” I smoothed my hand down the soft, luxurious fabric. “I love it.”
“Really?” She beamed at me another delighted smile. “Oh, it makes me so happy. It came from my dress shop.”
“It did?”
“Surely, you didn’t think that Grevar assembled the entire wardrobe for you all on his own. As soon as your sizes had been confirmed, he called me in panic, begging for help.”
I slid my hand down my skirt again. Panicking and begging definitely didn’t appear like the Colonel’s style. However, something inside me warmed at the thought that he hadn’t been completely indifferent about my arrival.
“The wardrobe is exquisite. The dresses, the shoes... I should have known he’d had some help.”
“Of course he did.” She threw a sympathetic look at the Colonel, who was talking to the group of men and could no longer hear us. “The poor guy has been wearing nothing but army uniforms most of his life. He had no idea where to even begin as far as women’s clothing was concerned. Luckily, I have great taste. Most of the dresses I sell in my shop I design myself.”
“You do? Is this one your design, as well?”
“Yes!”
I touched, the embroidery of my bodice with a new appreciation.
“This is amazing, Lievoa. You’re very talented.”
“Thank you.” She smiled wide at me. “There aren’t that many women in Voran who can truly appreciate a well-made garment.”
“Well, there aren’t that many women in Voran. Period.” I laughed. “You are the first one I’ve met.”
“Oh no! We need to rectify that. Come.” She tugged me by my hand. “I’ll introduce you to the women here that I know.”
The Colonel looked up from his conversation, casting us a concerned glance, as Lievoa dragged me away.
“I’ll be right back,” I assured him, before following the clinking of the silver bells that adorned the horns of his cousin.
“Have you met the twins yet?” Lievoa asked me on the way.
“You mean the Colonel’s children?”
She nodded, creating a series of melodious thrills from her bells.
“No, I haven’t met them. They aren’t home. He keeps them at school, twenty-four-seven.”
It was hard to keep resentment out of my voice. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Colonel viewed his children as nothing more than a status symbol, the way he viewed a wife.
“Single men are not allowed to raise their children at home,” Lievoa threw casually over her shoulder.
“Are you saying he couldn’t, even if he wanted to?” That was news to me.
“Nope. By law, all children have to remain in the institution selected for them with the help of genetic aptitude tests, until the age of nine. You didn’t know that?”
“No. This wasn’t in the information booklet provided.”
“Weird.” She shrugged. “What was in that booklet, then?”
“Well, the geographical maps of Neron and the country of Voran. The size of the population and forms of government. Your main industries. Natural resources...”
“All useful stuff, it seems,” she scoffed, with sarcasm. “Doesn’t Grevar have something better in his home entertainment library?”
Maybe he did, but we hadn’t talked about it yet because we hadn’t talked much, at all.
While on my own, I’d found a channel with daily news briefings in Omni’s data system, a channel that streamed weather updates, and the one with various financial market information. Mostly, I’d just searched for pictures of Voranians going about their everyday life. I liked looking at them, it entertained and educated me, and also made me feel less alone.
Lievoa gave me a long look.
“Grevar really should update and expand his entertainment library. He may not have much leisure time to enjoy it, but it doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t. Watching shows is a great way to learn about our life here, in Voran, too.”
She turned to keep going, taking me through the crowd across the room.
“You were talking about the twins...” I reminded, eager to hear more about them. “And the way the children are brought up in Voran.”
“Well, with a rare exception, most Voranians grow up in a child-rearing facility,” she continued, slowing down in her progress through the room a bit. “Fathers work to support their families. So, it was decided generations ago that for the benefit of our society, a universal system was needed to rear all children. After the age of nine, the children can transition to a day school and live at home. Few fathers can make