Chapter 40
Havali
The pup’s name was Viktor. In ancient Domtri, that word defined the understanding that came about between two different groups, usually forged from adversity, animosity, or uncertainty. A bond that was made stronger for having a tumultuous beginning.
Havali stared in wonder as, with a grin, Peony taught Tuvo how to hold him like a human newborn while Atem hovered, uneasy about the idea of so many people being around his mate and newborn pup.
But Peony was human, and she loved having her family around and, to her, there was no question about the others learning to hold her son.
While Tuvo and Havali both knew, instinctively, how to hold their own young – wrapped around their necks to allow for free movement – holding a human infant was slightly different.
Peony explained that, once they got bigger, humans could hang off of someone’s back, but before that, they were sat on their carrier’s hip, and before that, they were held in the crook of the arm.
A position that a domini newborn would find uncomfortable and insecure and would make them cry.
But Viktor, being half human, seemed to have no issue being cradled in such a way. He adjusted between the two positions without issue.
And his skin adjusted even better. Tuvo, wearing camocloth as was his norm, was the same soft green color, like that of the sky on Turv, that Peony had decorated her nest and den with.
Viktor smoothly, perfectly, transitioned from the red of Peony’s shirt and pale beige of her skin to the green of Tuvo’s entire body.
His colors had been changing like that since birth with seemingly no adverse effects.
He could even take on the patterns of Peony’s clothing.
Something an adult domini with supreme camouflaging ability would find difficult to do, if they could do it at all.
“Mind his head,” Peony instructed with seemingly infinite patience, smothering giggles. Havali had to admit, the sight of Tuvo’s two, massive palms acting as a bed for the pup was amusing, if only because he looked so completely uneasy doing it.
“Why can I not just put him around my neck?” He said, shifting his weight between his feet – though, somehow, he kept his hands completely immobile as he did so.
“Because it makes me nervous,” Peony smiled.
Havali grinned, stepping forward and, with a look to ask permission, took the pup from a grateful Tuvo. Immediately, he lifted the pup to his neck and grinned as Viktor put his arms and tail around him, holding tight. This time, it was Peony who looked uneasy.
“I used to hold the pup I helped sire like this,” he said casually by way of soothing her.
“It is natural for our kind. It helped our ancient ancestors keep their hands free for climbing. I could hang upside down from the ceiling and Viktor would not be moved. You should attempt it. You will see how securely he clings.”
“She’s tried,” Atem said as Peony pouted. “He clings too tight. Her human neck is not made for it, and he begins to choke her or cut off blood and make her dizzy. We are fortunate that he enjoys being held as a human as well.”
Peony reached up and pulled at Viktor’s tail. It reversed his reflexive hold, the pressure making him go limp and allowing her to pull him back into the cradle of her arms.
No sight was prettier, he decided, than a lovely human holding her pup. And, surely, Scarlet would be the most beautiful of such visions.
He lifted his eyes to where she was chatting with Alanna. Both of them discussing the day’s schedule – the entire reason they had come to Atem and Peony’s nestroom this morning.
It was voting day.
Atem could not leave his nest. His mate had just given birth, his pup needed him, and to try to remove him would be cruel. However, the domini couldn’t not send their representative. All member species must present their representative or face penalty.
Which was why Havali was here. Atem was telling Havali about his decisions and the reason he had decided to vote that way.
Havali was going to act as his proxy. The Coalition did not care how the representative was picked, only that they were there.
Which meant, for the day, Havali would be the formal representative – even though, to the domini, it was only a temporary appointment.
By Coalition law, he could make any vote he liked.
But his Dominani was the one who earned this potion and Havali was proud to serve as his proxy.
He would vote the way Atem decided, regardless of his feelings on the matter, and he would present Atem’s arguments for why he had done so if asked – though it was unlikely he would be interrogated for the majority of the votes.
That was the entire reason he had come here – Scarlet, Alanna, and Tuvo on his heels.
The four of them were the delegation today since Atem and Peony wouldn’t leave the nest. But then Peony had seen Tuvo staring at Viktor, and she had offered to let him hold the pup.
Tuvo looked panicked, but he hadn’t resisted as she set him in his hands.
Peony was practically shining as she smiled down at her son.
He had never seen her so contented. A look that was reflected, though maybe not as brightly, on Scarlet and Alanna’s faces as they cooed over the infant.
He did not know why they were so offended by the idea of being mates and mothers when, clearly, they were so happy by the reality of it.
Scarlet had even begun to speak to him that way in bed, though she had not yet restarted her fertility cycle.
Atem was continuing his explanations, sending him his notes, but Tuvo’s gaze remained, as it had been since they got here, fixed on Viktor and Peony.
Peony couldn’t help but notice and she cocked her head at him curiously. “What is it?”
“Why did you let me hold your pup?” He asked, the question surprising Havali.
It seemed random, and that couldn’t possibly be the reason he brooded, not if he had been like this since stepping into the room.
And even before, Havali realized, thinking of the walk here that had been filled only with Scarlet and Alanna’s chatter.
Peony grinned, rocking slightly to soothe Viktor who was making soft sounds. “Because you’re family. I want you two to bond.”
“A domini female would never allow another who was not her mate to hold her pup.”
“But I’m a human, and human females like having their families be close and comfortable with each other. You already take such good care of Temnavi, Tuvo. I know you’re going to be just as good an uncle to Viktor, too.”
Tuvo couldn’t have looked more surprised and humbled if she had said that he had earned a new honorific for some deed done for her. Something solidified in his expression-
-and then Tuvo lowered his head to her. Bowing at the waist. Bent in subjugation. It was such a surprising sight the entire room went still.
“I must beg your forgiveness, Adassani,” he said stiffly, eyes to the ground.
“For the ignorance of my comments. For my dismissal of your efforts. For underestimating you, most of all. I dishonored myself by speaking without thought and not seeing the great bravery you possess for the labor that would come to you.”
Peony stared, shocked before a choked sound left her throat. “Oh, for the love of- Tuvo, you great idiot, lift your head!”
He did not and she whimpered in distress.
“Tuvo, stop. Really, it’s all right. You didn’t know.”
“I should have. I was given plenty of signs and hints that you faced something I did not see. But, like a fool, I underestimated you and diminished your concerns. Allow me to make amends for this.”
Peony opened her mouth, but then stopped. She closed it again quickly, a thoughtful look crossing her face.
“You want to make it up to me?”
“I do.”
“You’ll do anything?”
“Anything within my power.”
“Then, I want you to talk to Hattie.”
“What?” Tuvo jerked upright, horror written across his face. “I can’t…”
Peony fixed him with a firm glare. “You will. You’ve been avoiding her since we arrived on Turv.
And it really hurt her feelings. I know you don’t feel the same way for her as she did for you, but that’s no reason to be cruel.
Apologize to her. Clear the air. Face it like a man…
male. I won’t consider you having made it up to me until you do. ”
Tuvo looked absolutely terrified, but he couldn’t reject her demand. He had given her permission to ask for amends and now could not complain about the form they came in. But his jaw clenched as dread crossed his features.
“You should get going,” Atem said, looking to Havali. “It is nearly starting time.”
Havali grunted in agreement as Tuvo stepped back. He looked like he had swallowed something sour, but Peony was giving him an encouraging smile.
“We’ll be watching on the holo,” Peony said as the others gathered around Havali. “Good luck out there.”
“It’s going to be okay,” Alanna said in that supremely calm way of hers.
“See any good omens?” Scarlet asked, grinning at her around Havali.
“As a matter of fact, I haven’t. But no matter what happens, it is going to be okay.”
“Yeah, it’s just the fate of the world on the line here.”
“Earth will continue without us. We shouldn’t be nervous that nothing will change.
We should be nervous that everything will.
If this goes our way, there will be a lot of work to do.
But either way, we’ll continue on. And we can always try again next year.
It’s not written in any rule in the Coalition that a species can’t bring up the same topic twice. ”
“She is right,” Atem agreed.
“We will all be fine,” Havali assured them. “And we won’t give up. If we lose today, it just means we have a year to gain more allies and build better arguments.”
“Right,” Scarlet smiled at him. “We know where Earth is, and finding it was supposed to be the hardest part. We did our best. It’s up to fate now.”
“Domini do not believe in fate,” Havali corrected. “It is up to us. If we fail, it is on our own merit. There is no shame in defeat, only in surrender. That is what the Omoni Otorsi teaches. We lose today, but we do not give up our fight.”
“Exactly!” Scarlet beamed at him.
Atem and Peony wished them well as the group turned to leave. Havali kept Scarlet’s hand clenched firmly in his. Enjoying the warmth of her trust and affection. She did it so easily. Without hesitation or thought. She accepted all the darkest parts of him with eagerness and joy.
Havali had delayed long enough. She was ready.
After the vote, he would challenge Atem and claim her properly.