Page 57 of Alora: The Portal (Alora 2)

“Homeschool?”

Please, God, keep him in a reasonable state of mind while I make my plea.

*****

Raelene loved traveling on horseback, especially with Forest, the mare she’d secretly named after her late husband’s clan. Her gifting with horses allowed her to sense the mare’s emotions and anticipate her movements. The seven-day journey to Glaenshire provided the perfect chance to savor the ride, while contemplating all the information concerning soulmates she hoped to glean from studying the scrolls at the Craedenza.

She loved the opportunity to be alone with her thoughts. Only I’m not alone with my thoughts. Bardamen hasn’t stopped talking for a breath since we left Laegenshire. No wonder he’s not yet married, though he has almost thirty years.

“… Don’t you agree?”

“I’m sorry, Bardamen. What are you asking?”

“I asked if you agreed there aren’t any suitable mates for me in and around Laegenshire.”

“Yes, I would have to agree.” There probably isn’t a girl anywhere in all of Tenavae who could put up with your incessant talking.

“This issue is the exact one I attempted to explain to Father, but he refuses to listen.”

He probably learned to lock your voice from his mind years ago. How else could he survive?

“So you’ll agree to help me search for a girl as we travel to Glaenshire?”

“Wait, I never agreed to be your intermediary.”

“An intermediary isn’t required. It’s not as if I’m unable to speak to a girl.”

Certainly not.

“I simply wished for a second pair of eyes to aid in locating a girl with acceptable qualities.”

“And how would you describe this girl? The one with ‘acceptable qualities’?”

“Were you not listening for the last four fingers? I’ve been explaining what I feel are the minimum qualifications for a potential mate. She needs to be tall, like you, and beautiful.”

“I understand why you want an attractive girl, but why must she be tall? You’re not exceptionally tall yourself.” Bardamen was slightly taller than his father, who matched Raelene’s height. And while his father was thin and lanky, Bardamen was broad and muscular.

“But of course, I’d like my offspring to be tall. I feel added height gives advantage in many gifts.”

I hope he didn’t see me roll my eyes.

“And she should be from another clan. Not from Stone Clan.”

“Why is that? What’s wrong with Stone Clan girls?”

“I thought you, of all people, would understand, Raelene. You married a man from Forest Clan and hid it for many years. Like you, I desire to have extremely gifted children and, as you’ve argued, intermarriage produces gifted offspring. Alora is a perfect example. And unlike most of the ignorant people in Stone Clan, I bear no prejudice against the other clans. Now, what was the next one on the list? Tall. Beautiful. A different clan.” He counted on his fingers. “Ah yes… extremely gifted, but not overly proud.”

“Can you clarify?”

“I’ve already explained. I don’t like women who believe they know more than I do.”

“But what if that were true? What if she had knowledge you didn’t possess?”

“I seriously doubt that would ever happen. Even if she knew some trifling tidbit of which I was unaware, she wouldn’t need to boast of it.”

“Perhaps you should look for a stupid girl. You’d be assured she would never compete with you in wisdom.”

Bardamen’s lips pursed as if he’d bitten into a green fize. “I wouldn’t enjoy being married to an idiot, and she might not produce intelligent children. My offspring must be intelligent.”