Ignoring me, Diana starts for the bench just as Echo and some other young Gardnerian women round the corner and look over to see what all the men are staring at. They spot me, then gasp in horror when they catch sight of Diana. They hide their eyes and quickly hurry away.
I open my mouth as if to call out something in my defense, embarrassed over being caught near a buck-naked Lupine.
I catch up with Diana, who’s now standing near the bench stretching, her hands high above her head, bending this way and that as she stares contentedly at the moon.
Just then, my brother Rafe comes around the bend, his bow and quiver and hunting bag thrown over his shoulder. He does a complete double take when he sees Diana, his eyes going wide, then narrowing as he looks around, taking in the entire situation, his brow furrowing in concern. As he walks quickly over to us, I feel my face growing even hotter, not knowing which way to look.
“Hello, Elloren,” he says, greeting me, his expression devoid of the usual grin.
“Hi, Rafe,” I say weakly, at a complete loss.
He turns to Diana, who’s regarding him with some curiosity.
I motion to Rafe weakly. “Diana, this is my brother, Rafe.”
“You must be the Lupine girl,” he states matter-of-factly, like there isn’t a stark-naked female in front of him. This really is completely surreal, and the most wildly mortifying thing that has ever happened to me.
Diana inhales deeply, closing her eyes for a moment. She opens them and looks at Rafe intently. “You smell nice. Like the forest.”
“Yes, well... I spent the last few days as a hunting guide around the Verpacian range.” Rafe motions toward the mountains behind him.
“Did you see the lake tonight? The one to the east, about an hour’s run in?” Diana enthuses.
I listen, completely dumbfounded as they launch into a conversation about the beauty of the forest, the abundance and health of the game, the best hunting areas. My brother is speaking to her as if he’s completely oblivious to her lack of attire, keeping his gaze militantly focused on her eyes.
Rafe glances over at our audience.
Diana follows his gaze, a look of annoyance crossing her features. “Why are they still staring at me?”
“I don’t think you realize it,” says Rafe politely, “but it’s really not acceptable to go without clothing here.”
“Oh, I’m just about to put them on,” she says unhurriedly. “I’m just cooling off from my run.”
“I understand that,” he says. “I’ve read about your people, so I’m familiar with some of your ways, but it is really important, Diana, that you put on some clothing. Now.”
Diana narrows her eyes at him and seems, at last, to infer that there could be something serious at stake here, as ridiculous as it seems to her. “All right,” she says warily, still looking closely at Rafe.
I quickly wrap my cloak around her, hearing some murmurs of disappointment from a few of the men. At my urging, Diana gives in and goes back into the forest to throw on her clothes before emerging once more, only fully clothed this time. The young men shoot her dark looks, then quickly disperse.
“I’m thirsty,” Diana announces imperiously.
“Well, then,” says Rafe, “why don’t we all go over to the dining hall and get something to drink?”
*
“It is not our custom to be unclothed,” Rafe explains as I bring over a tray with hot tea and dried fruit from the kitchens.
“Yes, yes, I know, but it’s ridiculous,” Diana counters. “How do you bathe? You don’t smell bad, so you must bathe. My ridiculous roommates are very crazed about no one walking in on them in the washroom, but I assume there is bathing going on.”
Rafe smirks at this. “Yes, we bathe, but it’s unacceptable for us to be unclothed around other people.”
“Even little children? Even babies? Do they always need to be clothed?”
“Yes. Everyone needs to be clothed. Especially older children and adults. And they can’t ever be unclothed around people of the opposite sex.”
“Ever?” Diana screws her face up in wry disbelief. “How do you mate? There are quite a lot of you, so you must mate at some point.”
Rafe lets out a surprised laugh, spitting out some of his tea as he does so. Diana smiles at him smugly.
“I would assume...there is, in fact...the removal of clothing,” Rafe concedes, his eyes swimming with amusement as he stumbles over his response. “But in all seriousness, Diana, I know it seems ludicrous to you, but there are...religious beliefs that condemn it.”
“What?”
“Nudity.”
“Religious beliefs?”
“Yes,” he tells her. “There are people who would assume that because you’re comfortable being naked, that you have no morals...and that you would...mate with any man.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Diana says, waving her hand in the air. “We mate for life.”
“I know. But here, there are men who would mate with you who have no desire for a life bond. They wouldn’t even have to like you.”
Diana pauses and stares at Rafe for a long moment, her mouth agape. “That is very shocking. This is extremely immoral.” Diana purses her lips in disapproval, glowering at my brother. “You are a strange people.” Someone across the room catches Diana’s eye, and she holds up a hand to get his attention. “Jarod,” she calls to her brother.
Jarod sees her, smiles and approaches our table.
“What we heard about their people is true,” Diana says to him, with no lead-in. She motions to us with a wave of her hand. “These people will mate with people they don’t even like.” She’s clearly appalled.
Rafe holds up both hands at Diana, as if warding off this accusation. “I meant that some Gardnerians and Kelts are like this, not all,” he vehemently clarifies.
Jarod’s face takes on a shocked expression as he sits on a chair next to Diana, straddling it backward. “Really?” he asks his sister in a low voice, ashamed on our behalf. “I thought that was just a nasty rumor.”
“As did I,” Diana agrees. “I thought Father was exaggerating.” She turns to me censoriously. “Have you mated in this way, Elloren?”
I nearly spit out all the tea in my mouth. “Me? No! I’ve never...” My voice gets smaller and tighter with each word.
“And you.” Diana jabs a finger at Rafe. “Have you mated in this way? With someone you don’t even care for?”
“No!” Rafe says defensively, his hands flying up again. “Like my sister, I haven’t...” He trails off.
Diana relaxes her accusatory posture, sits back in her chair and sighs deeply. “I have not yet taken a mate, either, although I am greatly looking forward to it.” She smiles happily at the prospect, then points to Jarod with her thumb. “My brother has also not yet taken someone to mate.”
Jarod grins brightly at us. “I, too, greatly look forward to it.”
“You must be looking forward to taking a mate, Elloren,” said Diana, her tone conversational. “You’re almost of age.” She and her brother smile at me expectantly, and I begin to wonder how hot my face can get before it causes some type of physical problem. I desperately want to crawl under the table and disappear.
“Listen,” says Rafe, leaning forward toward Diana, grasping his mug with both hands. “I happen to agree with you that it is morally wrong to...be with someone you don’t care for. I just want to clarify that.”
“You know,” I say to Jarod and Diana, “I’ve heard quite a few rumors about Lupines, as well.”
They both lean forward with interest.
“Really?” asks Diana. “What type of rumors?”
I instantly regret saying it. There’s no way out now. I take a deep breath and spit it out. “I heard you sometimes mate...as wolves.”
Neither one of them so much as bats an eyelash.
“That’s true,” Diana brags. “My parents conceived my brother and me as wolves.” She smiles thinking about it. “That’s why I’m such a good hunter!”
“It’s true,” agrees Jarod. “She’s one of the best hunters in the pack.” Diana’s smile brightens at her brother’s praise.