Part 6 (1/2)
He brightened. ”Yeah.”
”But keep the locket closed, after this,” Breanna said. ”We don't want that horn falling into someone's soup.”
Both children went into t.i.tillations of mirth. They loved the idea of such an accident.
”I hope we don't regret this deal.” Breanna said. ”But that locket is the kind of thing children can really have fun with. It doesn't seem to weigh any more than it does empty.”
”It doesn't,” Monica agreed. ” 'Cause it's magic. I told you.” She dashed off with Ted, intent on finding more choice items to collect.
The adults resumed their walk. Edsel and Justin were waiting nearby, having their own dialogue.
”Look, maybe it's not my business-” Breanna said, pausing artfully.
”Go ahead and ask,” Pia said.
”I heard from Edsel that you two are married But when you-”
”I said we are a.s.sociates,” Pia agreed. ”Because our marriage is rocky, and we want to get the feel of separation, in case we want to divorce.”
”Divorce! I haven't heard that word since-since I left Mundania. It doesn't happen in Xanth ”
”Oh? What do couples do when they don't get along?”
”But they do get along. I think there's magic. When I marry Justin. it will be for ever and ever until we fade out.”
”How can you be sure of that? I understand he's somewhat older than you. Maybe his interests are different.”
”He's about eighty three years older than me,” Breanna agreed. ”He's from another time, and he knows all about trees and everything else I never heard of. And he's diffident to the point of aggravation. But I love him. That's all that counts.”
”That's not all that counts ” Then, recalling that this sounded argumentative, she added ”In Mundania.”
”Maybe that's the problem-in Mundania. If you lived in Xanth you'd never break up.”
”Even when the love is gone?”
”It doesn't go. It doesn't matter how different you are, once you love, you stay that way. If you're married.”
”I find this hard to believe. No offense.”
”Well, you're Mundane. No offense.”
Pia laughed. Breanna's att.i.tude was refres.h.i.+ng. She wasn't looking for a quarrel, but she simply didn't take any guff from anyone. ”I am Mundane.” she agreed ”And I don't think Edsel and I are going to make it. We made a deal: we visit Xanth. and if that doesn't change our minds, then we divorce. But I want to feel what it would be like to be single, so we won't be acting married while we're here. I want us just to be a.s.sociates, and we can date others if we want.”
Breanna shook her head. ”That's weird. I can't imagine wanting to be with anyone but Justin. My only problem is I can't make it with him already.”
”You can't-?”
”Technically I'm under the Age of Consent, so I'm not supposed to know what's in the Adult Conspiracy. But I came from Mundania, and I already knew that stuff before I came to Xanth. So I don't think it should apply.”
”You're sixteen,” Pia said. ”That's old enough.”
”That's what I figure. But Justin is of the old school.”
Pia considered. ”You love him-and he loves you?”
”He does. You can love at any age, or love someone any age. You just can't do much about it, in Xanth. if you're the wrong age.”
”I appreciate your frustration. But you know, I was fifteen when I got together with Edsel, and we did plenty about it then. But now-the wonder is gone. I think we went too fast, too young.”
”You mean you're siding with the Conspiracy?”
”I wouldn't go as far as to say that. But it does occur to me there might be some reason for it, in some cases.”
The girl pondered a moment. ”When you were fifteen-if you had honored the Conspiracy-would you be happy with him now?”
”Good question. I suspect things would me much the same, a.s.suming we were married.”
”So what would you have gained, honoring the Conspiracy?”
In was Pia's turn to ponder. ”Nothing,” she concluded. ”And lost a lot of early fun.”
”So what do you figure I should do?”
”Take him.”
”I can't. All he does is kiss.”
”Face to face?”
”What else?”
”To use archaic terms you're necking. You need to get into petting.”
”Petting?”
”Necking is above the neck Petting is below.”
”I know that! But I can't get into it, because-”
”I'll bet the Adult Conspiracy offers a bit of leeway in the in-between age. Why don't you try it and see?”
”But what exactly-if he won't-”
Pia realized that for all her professed knowledge, the girl had been stifled in Xanth, and lacked actual experience She had the concept with out the practical mechanics ”Don't ask him, silly. Just do it.”
”Do it?”
”Get him alone. Maybe tonight. Take off your s.h.i.+rt. Hold his hand.”
”Hold his hand?”