No Turning Back

  Chapter 6

  When Twanne entered Sylenn's apartment the next morning, she did not immediately realize that her charge was sitting in one of the armchairs next to the big windows.

  "Ai! Oh, you startled me, Miss Jenfsen! Goodness, give me a tick to get my wits back! Here's breakfast, then; I brought it up for you. Most like to take breakfast in their quarters, when they're here at all, so I thought you might like the same. Is that alright with you, Miss Jenfsen?"

  Sylenn nodded. "I'd rather you called me Sylenn," she said quietly. "I'm not really a Jenfsen anymore."

  Twanne shook her head ruefully. "I appreciate the gesture, Miss Jenfsen, but Mom reminded me last night that I shouldn't be so familiar. For my sake, please let me call you Miss Jenfsen for a while; at least until Mom thinks I've learned my lesson!"

  Twanne gave such a mischievous wink that Sylenn couldn't help a tiny smile.

  "Ah! I knew you had a smile in you somewhere! It's not all gone yet, now is it? You tuck into breakfast now, while I freshen things up. Did you sleep well?" she called over her shoulder as she sailed into the bedroom.

  "Yes," Sylenn called back, picking up the warm cup of juava and holding it reverently.

  "That's what I like to hear! But you tell me right off if you didn't, alright? No hiding things just to be polite around here, no, ma'am! You'll likely spend the day learning all about being a Descendant, so you'll want to dress comfortable. Do you have a preference of clothing, or shall I just lay out a nice dress for you?"

  Sylenn tore her attention away from her steaming beverage. "I-- um-- could I wear trousers?" she asked timidly.

  "Trousers?" Twanne popped her head around the door-frame to look at Sylenn. "Miss Jenfsen, I meant it when I said you just ask me for anything at all. If you want to wear trousers, then you will wear trousers! We don't hold to what people out there consider fashionable and 'polite'. Why, once we had a Descendant, I don't know, three hundred years ago, from some mud-hut island on the other side of the world, and you couldn't get him to wear a stitch of clothing at any time! If we let him run around naked as he pleased (and we did!), then you can wear trousers." With a firm nod, she ducked back into the room.

  Sylenn thought about it as she picked up a sticky baked thing from the tray and sniffed it. As she finished the last bite, Twanne sailed back into the sitting room with an armful of linens, which she piled by the door.

  "I've set out a nice set for you, Miss Jenfsen; I think you'll find them quite comfortable. We took your measure yesterday, so all the clothes and shoes should fit fairly well. They so much as think about rubbing you wrong, you let me know, alright? Alright. Now, what sort of food would you like stocked in the pantry here? Mostly finger foods and quick to eat, or something more hearty and meal-like? There's a cold-box here, so you can keep fresh things like milk and cream and vegetables. Have you ever used an electrical hotplate before? No? Well, it's no great thing, and this isn't much different; you'll learn it in a tick. Just you wait until you see the other things they left; that'll spin your head!

  "This Temple was built by the Ancients, and most of the things in here are their science, not ours. We've had a time of it, sorting it out and renovating it to suit us better. I've seen stenos of how it was way back when, and let me tell you, those Ancients didn't know a thing about decorating! Ghastly! Why, they wanted the bathing chamber in the middle of the apartment, lavatory and all! Can you imagine! Well, we knocked out as many walls as we could and rearranged things somewhat, but you'll find odd corners here and there, and that's why.

  "All done there, Miss Jenfsen? Here, let me pour you another cup to take in while you get dressed. If you like, when you're ready, I'll take you around and show you all of the Temple proper; what do you say? Show you some of the places the others (whom I won't name but are such stuffies!) wouldn't think about going. So, you hop in and get changed, and I'll make a list of staples for your pantry."