Page 102 of Culture and Curiosities
Pausing for a moment, he gathered his thoughts as he watched the newcomers.
“Why are their faces so…so full of expressions?”
We really didn’t have the same vocabulary.
“They would call it beinganimated. The native people of Earth use fascial expressions to communicate more effectively. It is unfamiliar at first, but our people there became used to it living so closely with them.”
We didn’t have a similar word, so I did my best to give him the English word for animated and explain it. Wren sent approval through or bond but provided the actual definition if it was needed.
“It is integral to their communication, but they do understand we are not used to behaving in that way.”
“Is there someone who can translate that more effectively? There aren’t enough words that I recognize to follow it.” Hugh’s words were delivered politely and much more quietly, which had everyone else relaxing as well.
“I’ll help.” Wren straightened his shoulders and somehow made himself appear more like Pierce again. In his head, he was finding it exceedingly funny and almost like a game of acting. “The bond is giving me some information and Toman is doing a lot of mental translating automatically.”
Oh.
Yes.
“I wasn’t thinking about it but yes I realize it now.” The bond may have been influencing it but it also may have had something to do with the original language spell.
“Basically this is Professor Zorin and he’s confused about why we use so many fascial expressions when we talk and communicate.” Wren smiled as many of the people from Earth tilted their heads in their confused and processing expression. “He’s not being a dick but he’s confused. We need to remember that we know a lot more about them from Toman and Klynn than they do about us.”
Subtle signs indicated my people’s confusion but it was not the same.
“How completely did they integrate themselves into Earth society?”
The professor’s question was not unexpected considering the previous debates, but I didn’t know what side he’d originally fallen on. He had always been very quiet and thoughtful as different options were given.
“Completely.”
His lack of reaction was frustrating after being with the people of Earth for so long.
“I told you. You’re almost a local.”
My mate’s bouncy and mischievous tone said his goal was attention and distraction.
“I think correcting your behavior later is something I need to think about.”
Sending him an image of his own pink bottom had him fighting the urge to laugh. On Earth the other dragons and mages would’ve assumed we had been talking as mates, but here it would confuse everyone.
“That is interesting.”
It was only going to get more interesting…a thought which Wren agreed with completely.
“Oh yeah.”
“I have learned the native language of the people that live closest to the gate, but their world is very fractured and there are countless additional languages on their planet.”
As Wren slowly explained what was going on, I stayed primarily focused on my people.
“The spell works but it takes time for the words to be fully assimilated and it must be done with someone who has a complete knowledge of the local language. Our first choice for the spell did not work out as expected. Her knowledge was very limited due to living in isolation and I was not fully able to follow otherlocals until I bonded with my mate. At that point the spell or possibly the mate bond worked much better.”
As expected, that made everyone shocked and their eyes even widened, a sight that had Wren laughing in my head as he translated to the others.
“He told them we’re bonded.”
The people of Earth had much stronger visual reactions but my people stayed on what they considered a very important point.
