Zherosha Chronicles: The Cape
Amnika heard the front door slide open. She immediately knew who it was.
"Well, you're home at an odd time," she could hear her mother say.
"Technically, I'm fulfilling a duty," a male voice responded.
Amnika went down the lift to see what was going on. Her father stood in the doorway, holding a large security box with a fabric draped over his arm.
"Oh, good." He looked at Amnika. "I don't have to call for you."
He got down on one knee and set the case down, took the fabric off his arm, and unfurled a cape.
"Oh! Is that mine?" Amnika asked. "I can have a cape now?"
Zeth nodded and put it on his daughter.
"You are not supposed to force your emotions down, Amnika. You are supposed to acknowledge and work with them."
"But," she said, "they can be a distraction to others."
"Yes, and that's what the cape is for." Zeth fastened the cape. "When you have an emotion that is too strong, you wrap yourself in this cape. Then you share it with someone close to you without distracting anyone else."
He pulled the hood over her head to see if it fit properly. After, he checked the length. Finally, he put his forehead on hers as a sign of affection.
"I apologize for giving you the wrong impression during the story yesterday. There's nothing wrong with you." Zeth said.
"Natisiens are good at guessing the size, aren't they?" Glondikia said after a moment passed.
Zeth grabbed the box and stood up. He kissed his wife's forehead and drew her close. "Oh," he said, "You are still impressed by that?"
Glondikia rested her head on his shoulder and asked, "Are you able to take Amnika? Natia said she would take her if you can't. Remember, I have lessons to give later."
Amnika's mother taught a language that isn't native to their planet to potential researchers. After they discovered a distant world, they were able to learn their language. Unfortunately, it was too far for trade, so the city researched wormholes so they can make an artificial one.
The leader wanted the people to be ready to meet them. In the meantime, long-range beacon ships were sent out to collect data. Some of them were lost, but the ones that returned were full of useful data for the researchers to go over.
Amnika heard her parents talk in this language when they didn't want her to understand their conversation. Her mother tried to teach Amnika, but her father said that she should wait until her formal education.
Besides, he reasoned, she was already fluent in the Natisien dialect. He wanted her to be fluent in Zherosha Standard first.
"I'm doing inspections next," Zeth said, "I can take her now." He held his hand out, and Amnika took it.
"I may be back soon enough to make dinner," he said, "We'll have to stop at the market, first."
Amnika was excited. She loved going to the market.
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