Out of the Darkness

“Then I thank you, too, sir,” Talsu said. “If I had my own shop, I would be proud to make you your suit for nothing. As things are . . .” He glanced over toward Valamo.

“I did not come in here for that,” Fernao said. “I can afford to pay you, and to pay your boss.”

Talsu’s boss took advantage of the pause to ask, “What is going on? I see the two of you know each other, but I cannot follow the language you use.”

He spoke in classical Kaunian. Fernao started to reply in the same language-- he used it more fluently than Valamo, much more fluently than Talsu--but then switched to Kuusaman, in which he was also very quick and smooth. How many languages does he know? Talsu wondered. He wished Fernao hadn’t switched to Kuusaman; it gave him no chance to follow what was going on.

Valamo went back to classical Kaunian: “This is your friend, then?”

“I would like to think so, aye,” Talsu answered in the same tongue. “I would be honored to think so.”

“I would like to think so, too,” Fernao said. With Algarvic courtesy, he bowed. Talsu nodded in return. He’s not an Algarvian, he reminded himself. All the redheaded kingdoms have some of the same customs, and Lagoans helped free Jelgava. After seeing so much of Mezentio’s men in Skrunda, he needed the reminder.

“Good.” Valamo beamed. “Very good. A wedding suit, is it? That is very good, too. I am sure Talsu will do a splendid job. He is a clever fellow. As soon as he learns our tongue and saves up a stake, he will do very well in a shop of his own. A wedding suit.” His narrow eyes narrowed further. “Shall we speak of price now?”

“Take the price from my pay,” Talsu said. “I want to do this.”

“No, no, no.” Fernao shook his head. “I will go somewhere else before I let that happen. I want to bring you business, not to cost you money.”

“Seeing what I owe the lady you are marrying--” Talsu began.

“Hush,” Valamo said sharply. “He has said he will pay. Good enough--he will pay.” Sure enough, the tailor was all business. But just when that thought went through Talsu’s mind, Valamo went on, “I will offer some discount--say, one part in four.”

Now Fernao bowed to him. “That is very generous, sir.”

“We have several styles,” Valamo said. “While the gentleman is here, I will show him some of the possibilities.” He took a big book off a shelf and opened it on the counter. “Sir, if you would . . . Aye, and you, too, Talsu. You should get a notion of what you will be doing.”

With a sheepish smile, Talsu said, “I certainly should. I have to find out what a Kuusaman wedding suit looks like. I do not make--have not made--a Kuusaman wedding suit before now.”

To Fernao, Valamo added, “Understand, these are only for guidance. If what you see does not please you, or if you want to combine two styles you do see, we can do that, too.”

Fernao studied the illustrations. So did Talsu. To him, the clothes Kuusamans wore to get married were ridiculously gaudy, but nobody wanted his opinion. Fernao pointed to one and said, “This ought to suit me.”

“You are a man of taste,” Valamo said. “That is a very fine style for a man who is tall and slim, as you are.”

“Except for my eyes, I am never going to look like most Kuusamans,” Fernao said. “But this should do well enough.”

“Not all of us look like me,” Valamo said generously. “Most, aye, but not all. You have that Lagoan accent, and I do not suppose you will lose it, but how did you come to speak Kuusaman like a man from the south coast? Most foreigners try to talk like folk from Yliharma.”

Fernao laughed. “That is because of the company I keep. My fiancée is from Kajaani.”

“I see. I see.” Valamo laughed, too. “Aye, that makes sense.” To Talsu, he said, “You see, here is another foreigner who has learned our tongue. You can do it, too.”

“I hope so,” Talsu said. He asked Fernao, “How long did it take you to feel comfortable speaking Kuusaman every day?”

“Somewhere between one year and two,” Fernao answered. “At first, I would have to use classical Kaunian for words I did not know in Kuusaman. And I should warn you that you may not learn as fast as I did, for I am good with languages.”

“But he is also a younger man than you,” Valamo said. “He has time to learn.”

“I am no scholar,” Talsu said, “but I am doing my best.”

“What more can a man do?” the Kuusaman tailor responded. “Now, do your best to measure the gentleman.”

“One moment,” Fernao said. “First, a part in four off a price of ... ?”