"Andrew J. Offutt - Spaceways 01 - Of Alien Bondage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Offutt Andrew J)

dark coolth of the forest, from youth to woman. All infants were circumcised
on Aglaya. And there were no frigid women among their people. Gazing down at
him now, aroused, she remembered that time in the forest. She had enjoyed it.
And 16 they had promised, as they were Promised. She was a woman of Aglaya
and that had been the time of the mooncall, and Janja was worthy of Aglaya.
That afternoon in the forest she had clung to him with all the strength she
possessed-which was not inconsiderable. Pain was swiftly forgotten as they
loved beneath the trees. Everything of their environment was forgotten,
everything but themselves. There was no frigidity among their people, and
Janja was worthy of Aglaya. It was golden; it was rain-clear sky, it was white
and sunshiny and all the things she thought beautiful. She heard herself cry
out and only by hearing knew that she had. Then his eyes had bulged and he was
groaning, quaking, and she smiled in delight and in pride. She had become
older at that moment. She lay asmile with maternal delight while he shuddered
and groaned and weakened, as males must. But she had not thought of him as
only a male. She had held him to her then as she might have held a son.
Tenderly, solicitously she held him. They lay long in the grass, smiling and
sighing. Arms and legs were twined anar-thrously like weary serpents. They had
trailed back home. Now and again they stopped to kiss. The constant looks they
exchanged were bright with joy and love. Bypassing her parents, they went to
the Tribemother. She pretended horror at their news, for that was her duty.
(Although she had received many such visits and admissions in the past. Who
could resist the call of the moons?) Yes, Aglii would be disappointed. So
would the mother of Pan-kirasij, who had arranged with Janjaheriohir's mother
for then- lifemating. (The Tribemother always used all formal names.) But yes,
certainly now Janja was Tarkij's and Tarkij was Janja's. They were one. The
parents must be told. Eventually Aglii would be as pleased with them as with
any couple who loved in Her name on Her world and brought forth children to
cavort on Her bosom beneath Sunmother's smiling face, continuing the ancient
cycle. The call of the moons took precedence over agree- 17 ments made
between mothers. Did not the moons serve the Sunmother, and light the time of
Her rest? After that they had met, all of them. The Tribe-mother whose name
was unspoken: she was the Tribe-mother; and both of Pansij's parents, who were
on the cusp; and the mothers of Janja and of Tarkij. All had pretended shock
and some horror-while Janja knew that her parents had behaved identically,
some years ago, her mother aggressing. All agreed that they were one. The call
of the moons took precedence. Janja and Tarkij were Promised, and then
Dedicated. Yet they were punished as well. They must wait until after the next
period of hardrain. (They groaned, for that time had so recently ended and was
so far away, especially for yearning lovers.) And they must promise to
sacrifice their pleasure to Aglii, to dedicate to lonely Her their coupling,
until the final ceremonies. They had no choice. They had agreed. And so this
day, out on the savannah, Janja sprang up from Tarkij. Already he was
breathing more heavily. A strange male, Tarkjadar'rahj. He would be worthy of
Aglaya. Janja was sure he was worthy of her! He gazed at her, smiling. His
eyes openly admired the tender curves of her just-ripeness, the liquid ripple
of smooth muscle beneath taut skin. Her legs were the lithely hard, strong
limbs of a god-dancer-or an orange-maned nightprowler. She was young, and
aglow with laughing vitality and feminine allure. All over sunlight and gold
laid in a thin patina over pink. But there was about her too an aura of