eyes seemed alive with interest now, more than amusement. "Ion tells me—told me; he's dead now—"
Kata had known that must be true, but she still felt a pang of sorrow. He'd been a kindly man, and she hadn't minded satisfying his lusts. She'd have had to do the same for any master, after all, few of whom would have bothered to make sure she enjoyed herself also.
"—truly sorry, I was very fond of the old reprobate. But live for the moment, as the philosopher Yerra says, even if the Hedonist school isn't respected much these days—odd, really, since everyone practices his teachings at the same time they sneer at it—so let's follow the principle. As I was saying, Ion told me you're a Reedbottom."
Kata's brain was scrambling to catch up with the torrent of words pouring over it.
"—opportunity finally arrives to actually talk with one. So, girl, tell me: how exactly does Young Word reconcile this all-powerful Assan of yours with"—the cultured hand attached to the cultured voice pointed a long accusing finger out the window at the city hurtling past the coach—"all this shit."
Whump! Another unseen obstacle sent the coach flying. The girls shrieked; the cultured hand kept Kata steady again. The
Kata had known that must be true, but she still felt a pang of sorrow. He'd been a kindly man, and she hadn't minded satisfying his lusts. She'd have had to do the same for any master, after all, few of whom would have bothered to make sure she enjoyed herself also.
"—truly sorry, I was very fond of the old reprobate. But live for the moment, as the philosopher Yerra says, even if the Hedonist school isn't respected much these days—odd, really, since everyone practices his teachings at the same time they sneer at it—so let's follow the principle. As I was saying, Ion told me you're a Reedbottom."
Kata's brain was scrambling to catch up with the torrent of words pouring over it.
"—opportunity finally arrives to actually talk with one. So, girl, tell me: how exactly does Young Word reconcile this all-powerful Assan of yours with"—the cultured hand attached to the cultured voice pointed a long accusing finger out the window at the city hurtling past the coach—"all this shit."
Whump! Another unseen obstacle sent the coach flying. The girls shrieked; the cultured hand kept Kata steady again. The