51.
"You know?" North gasped. "Did she tell you?"
"Not a word was spoken," she said, "but a mother knows when her son takes one more step toward being a man."
North went to the communicator and gave to control the message. When he was done, he dialed out another number and an old priest appeared on the screen.
"Yes?" the man said.
North turned to his mother. "You'd better arrange this," he told her. "I don't know a damned thing about arranging wedding ceremonies. Women are supposed to do that."
"Yes," North's mother agreed. "It is one of the few things you men let us women do."
She went into the kitchen, grabbed the girl's hand, and hauled her in front of the communicator and made the arrangements.
As North entered the kitchen, The Old One looked at him and smiled. "You didn't have to marry her!" he said.
"No," North explained, "but I'm afraid I lied to her last night."
"How was that?" asked The Old Hashon.
"I told her I didn't love her, but when I woke up this morning, I said to myself, 'You damned ass! You have since the moment you laid eyes on her, you're just too dumb to admit it!'"
The Old Hashon did something North had never seen him do. He burst into laughter!
"Young lord," he said, "you are the grandest of men! In body you are a youth. In your soul, an ancient!"
North looked at The Old One and smiled.
"I like your legends," he admitted. "This business that a person lives more than one lifetime fascinates me!"
The Old Man stopped laughing and looked at North very seriously.
"Lord, why is it do you think that men ten times your age follow your orders without question? They know, young lord, that you are far older and wiser than this young body. They sense The Power within you, and they know that you rise to glory and that those with you will rise also. These men have wisdom. Now, lord, who will be coming to your wedding? We have things to arrange. It is not all the women's work!"
Four days later the ceremony was held. North had completely forgotten how many relatives he had. Though some of them at first objected to a Hashon in the family, once they met Mountain Glory and spoke with her, they all loved her.
It seemed only like hours later that North and his group were presenting their papers at a beaming station. This was the only part North hated. He wished they were traveling by ship instead of transport