Henge gets a little testy and reminds the visitors that “good manners don’t cost nuthin’.” In her appearances in my books, she is unfailingly polite but a ferocious defender of her family. I was curious to see if she would “act up” just for herself. And she answered me.

The story looks to broaden a bit this weekend, what with their fam together. I’ll have to sit on Aurie to make sure she does not hijack the story. Something which will be interesting is all four of them are demis; over dinner, they can cover more material in fifteen minutes than humans could in hours. That, also, will be very tricky for me to write. But, that’s why I do this: to let them push me.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

A voice of a boy not familiar to her.  Newcomers were not unknown in the town, just rare.  Henge saw the lad who looked about ten – and dressed just like her – was walking next to a bearded man in jeans and flannel with the sleeves cut off, who must have been over six foot four.  Perfectly loyal to her husband, she should still appreciate physical prowess when she saw it.  If he had not called me weird, I’d see if the boy wants to marry Aurie.  So much for that.

She stopped to look at them both.  With several others hearing what the kid said, that part of the market fell silent.  “Is there a problem, young man?” she asked the boy.

“You’re hair is funny.  And you glow,” he accused.  With no reaction from the father, Henge assumed they had no idea who and what she was.

“That’s true, on both parts,” she agreed, still not quite smiling.  “May I ask your name?”

“He’s Mike Junior,” the bear of a man said, getting into the conversation.  He put his hand out to her.  “I’m senior.”

She shifted her bags to take his hand.  No surname?  That’s a bit rude.

“I am Henge Hartmann.  I live here in the city.  Like you, I am out shopping for my family.”

He dropped her hand and stepped back.  “Hartmann!  Are you…?”

“She’s my sister-in-law.” Having made her point, she looked back to junior.  “May I shake your hand, young sir?”

Now very unsure of himself, the boy raised his hand…

“Ow!” he cried, jerking it back.  “That hurt!”

“We are more human than human, Mike Senior,” she said with a smile that sent a frisson of fear down his spine.  “We are an open, welcoming, community.  To those who deserve it.  I hope you and your boy have a good day.  I must go home, now.”

There was scattered and suppressed laughter from some of the stalls right around them.  It was not so much for who her sister-in-law was, but who Henge was, and how much she was adored by the locals, which prompted it.

That was a bit rude of me, she thought, balancing on the rail as she walked the rail back south to her home.  I shall have to tell my husband and make a tiny note to the empress about this.  We cannot have dissent in our home.  What to make for dinner?  Maybe Rakott Krumpli?  Gary and Roland should be home by 1800…

She reached out with her mind.

And Aurie sent home about the same time.  She laughed at the image in her mind, sent by Faustina, of the look on Aurelia’s face when she heard what the legionary recruits on the parade ground were singing about her aunt’s privates.  It’s a different world you want, Little One.  Better learn fast.