Carna came silently into the room, stood on the other side of the queen. For an instant Wananda closed her eyes, and some subtle sense of my own told me they were talking with each other in a way I could not hear. Wananda opened her eyes, turned to me, smiling whimsically.
"Carna suggests that she will give your love to me in return for a certain favor."
"Do you want my love, Wananda?" I asked softly.
She did not stop smiling secretly to some sound she heard and I did not.
"You see, earthman, our race has never developed the morals and inhibitions which your people find so necessary. We are polygamous, and not apt to be jealous. She offers to give you to me as a royal husband in return for the privilege of being your slave, your housekeeper, your body-servant as it were. What do you say?"
I was stunned. So openly to be bargained over; frankly to be invited to marriage, to two women at the same time! Weakly I countered:
"Your people would object to an alien consort!"
"The word is strange to me. Among us you would be a ruler if you married me. Among us all men have several wives. But women have but one husband."
"You are offering me the rule of the Schrees?"