Name?
Phikasten and Coleng eat greedily. Each large Ceyin dragon eats three
large platters of meat, and drinks several large barrels of wine.
"Wonderful." Phikasten licks his lips, then runs his tongue
over his razor-sharp, pearly white teeth. With a contented sigh, the
Ceyin pushes away his third platter and gulps down the last drop of
wine left in his fourth barrel. His silvery, silky belly is fit to
bust. "That was the best meal I have ever eaten," he remarks
politely to the host, a tall lady with long gray hair and keen black
eyes. She nods at him and resumes talking with the woman beside her.
"Well, I have to agree with you there, Phikasten," says
Coleng, grinning. "For once," he adds, "you were
right."
Phikasten snarls playfully and glances at you. "So . . . ? What
was your name again?" Ceyin dragons tend to have memory loss, you
realize.
"I don't have a name," you says politely, yet your voice
strains a bit.
"Not have a name!" Coleng leans down to peer into your face.
"Hmm," he says. "I'll call you Galenwilyawen."
"That's too long a name," you pout. How can you ever
remember that? Galenwayenan? Gawilyaenwen? Goodness, you forgot
already!
"Well, instead of Galenwilyawen," asks the Ceyin,
"could we call you Galen?"
"That's good--and much easier to remember," you nod. Galen.
You like your new name already.
"Do you like the name, Phikasten?" Coleng asks his
companion. "Phikasten? Phikasten!" Coleng growls. Phikasten
looks up absently from picking at his teeth with a toothpick.
"Yes?" he says lazily, throwing the toothpick in the air. It
is large, large as a fork, and lands in the center of the table. Two
women scream and pull their chairs away.
"Do you like her--" he points to you, "--new
name?"
"What's her new name?" asks the Ceyin, glancing at you.
"Galen," sighs Coleng, at his wit's end. "Do you like
that name? Her full name is Galenwilyawen, but she decided that she
wanted it shortened, so I suggested that she be called Galen. Do you
like that?" His voice sounds thin and strained.
"Of course," shrugs Phikasten, picking up his toothpick from
the center of the banquet table. He begins to clean his teeth with
again.
Coleng sighs, "I give up."
