My wife must understand that my absences were forced on me and not of my own free will. The idea that she would fail to grasp my ludicrous story of a world with one sun and one moon and only apims for people appeared to do her a most injurious injustice. Was she not Delia? Of course she would understand, and in understanding, gain strength to repel with the contempt they deserved all those moist-mouthed, hypocritical well-wishers, the suitors infected by the poison of Quergey the Murgey. She looked up at me and her chin lifted. She looked marvelous.
“Yes, my heart. There are stories. I beg you — do not un-sheath your Krozair longsword against those little people. They do not merit that worth of attention.”
“You are with me, Delia.” I spoke most soberly. “That is all I want.”
“And all th
