This chapter was so full of awesome that I don't even know where to begin!
I’m not destroying priceless cultural artifacts. I’m saving us from needlessly preserving more of them.
That is so Talin. Practical and sarcastic. Love it.
He recognized that it was, in fact, a shoe, but the resemblance was awfully vague. If it were black and not orange, he might assume that it was some terrible implement of torment and cruelty.
That's funny, Bade, sometimes I feel the same way about some women's shoes I see.
Jumping back, Anosanim clutched at Bade’s arm for balance. He’d thought that he was about to bump into a mirror, but the color was wrong, it was red, it was Talin! “Nisutalin A Lini, you scared the shit out of me!”
I loved this. He saw his own reflection and verbally turned into Talin for a moment! Heehee.
“You are the same. You don’t dress the same, but dressing alike isn’t what makes me and Vade the same, either. You and Talin are both passionate, you’re both brilliant at art, you’re both brilliant at design, you’re both self-effacing in public but privately full of confidence and arrogance. You’re both stubborn. You’re both convinced that the other one of you is the most amazing person in the world. You both like drama and romance.”
“Talin?” Anosanim fanned himself quickly, his tone puzzled and almost challenging. “Talin detests drama and romance.”
“I don’t think so. I think that’s what he says, but I don’t think that’s how he acts.”
With a soft gasp, Anosanim sat back. His fan slowed down. “Oh, Bade. Dear, sweet Bade.” Anosanim laughed, his fan picking up speed again. “Gods above, I think that you have us figured out more than we do.”
Loving more of Bade integrating into the family. It's remarkable because he and Orinakin are away so often, but he still has them pretty much figured out.
If Talin hadn’t been taller and stronger, Rini would’ve kicked his butt. “Want to wrestle?”
“While Adanotu gives you advantages and lets you win? No, thanks.”
“That’s your excuse for losing? That Adanotu’s helping me? It could just be that you’re weak and clumsy and kind of pathetic.”
Talin glared at him.
Rini smirked.
“No fighting!” Orinakin’s voice called down the hall.
Rini scowled. “How does he always know?!”
*snicker* That was awesome.
“Tano.” What was this, what had happened? “Naritano Pitok. What are you doing? Why are you in here? You aren’t supposed to be cooking!” Gods have mercy, “Give me that cake!”
...He didn’t look sorry at all. His smile was cheerful, the light in his eyes undimmed. He was so handsome and so alive with happiness, Remin had to focus especially hard on the cake for a minute.
...
Which meant that Naritano would start having sex again. Regularly. Exuberantly. Which meant that Remin would walk into the kitchen someday to find Desin bending Naritano over the counter. That notion was so inexplicably unbearable that Remin had trouble forcing down his next bite of cake.
...
Irritated with himself, Remin tried to push the concern out of his mind. He caught people in the hallways all of the time. He saw his brothers with belas and servants and visitors all of the time. Naritano wouldn’t be any different. But Naritano was his friend. And this was a change, a development, something new to get used to. Just one more constant reminder of what Remin couldn’t have. Just one more reminder of how fucking incomplete his life was.
“Your Highness. Are you all right? Can I get you, let me, here,” and Naritano hastily poured him some water.
“Anoha Edanola,” Remin said automatically. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but you don’t look fine. You look as if you’re going to cry or overturn the table.”
...
“Anosukinom and the former pharaoh both have spoken to me of my future husband. He was here, in town, for Anosukinom and King Voe’s wedding.”
“The whole world was in town for that,” Naritano said. “I’d never seen a crowd like that in my life.” He looked at Remin closely. “They haven’t said who he is? Anything about him?”
“Anosukinom prefers being cryptic. It amuses him to tantalize people with just enough information to drive them wild."
All of that was fantastic. I loved how Remin was having such strong emotional reactions to Tano and still didn't connect them to his personal feelings. I love that Tano is so earnest in his love--even though he doesn't know that it's love yet--for Remin. I love that they're so perfect for each other.
It does make me wonder: wouldn't it be funny if, over the course of time, Tano couldn't cook without thinking of Remin or, eventualy after they marry, having lovesex with Remin? Kind of a total reversal of his current problem. That would be seriously hilarious.
But I think one of the best parts of the chapter was this:
“We contrived to set Tano in Remin’s life in the most obvious ways possible. How could he not notice that the gorgeous, sexy, hypersexual, devoutly religious chef who feeds him the most delicious treats he’s ever had every night, might make a decent companion?"
This is how Kudorin, Orinakin, Selorin, Desin, Anosanim, Talin, and Rini will tease Remin mercilessly for gods know how long after he and Tano get engaged. I can see it now, and so clearly, too. But I don't think it will hold a candle to how Remin will be completely amazed at how totally oblivious he was to the perfect man for so long.
I loved that this chapter had so much in it: about Talin and Anosanim as twins, about the Sibs and how they're so very typically brothers, about Remin and Tano, about Kudorin venting the gods' frustration at their beloved child focusing so much on the forest he doesn't realize he's leaning on the most perfect tree. Such a great installment of ITL.
