"That's such bullshit Kagan!" Giselle yelled angrily.
"Pet the regents voted. I can't veto everything they decide, if I want them to go along with the major decisions I've insisted on."
"So that somehow makes this crap okay?" Giselle practically screamed.
Providence was standing wide eyed in the hall when the door flew open and Giselle stormed out, almost knocking her down. Kagan stood in the room scrubbing his hand over his face in frustration. Giselle took Providence's hand and tugged her down the hall.
"Come on."
"Is everything okay?" Providence asked.
Kagan had obviously given Giselle news she didn't like.
"No! Of all the misogynistic bullshit!" Giselle mumbled.
Giselle quickly led Providence down a set of stairs, through the large stone fortress then out into a garden. The garden had flowers, groomed hedges and trees. It was large, more like a park. Providence didn't have time to do more than glance at it all as Giselle pulled her into a separate wing connected to the large stone manor. Providence noted there were mainly Toufik in this area of the fortress, all working on various tasks.
"This is where I go when I want to get away. Not many of the Cadi come here."
The pregnant hairy female, Petal, greeted Giselle and Providence with a gesture. Providence attempted to mimic Giselle's hand gesture but the Toufik's eyes widened. Giselle suddenly giggled.
"You basically just said you wanted to eat Petal." Giselle grinned. "Here you place your thumb like this on your forefinger, now wiggle your other fingers like this."
Providence practiced the gesture as they sat among the circle of Toufik.
"You mind peeling tubers?" Giselle asked as she grabbed a root and started skinning it.
"Nope." Providence liked keeping busy.
"Sorry I need to cool off. My hormones are out of whack and Kagan just told me some shit that I need to share with you, so you're not surprised later. I figure this is the best place to talk."
Providence didn't like the sound of this. She squared her shoulders for bad news as she peeled the thing that looked like a sweet potato.
"I don't even know how to explain this." Giselle started, looking nervous. "Here on Cadi things are a bit old fashioned, paternalistic, if you hadn't noticed. Kagan is my mate and my protector. If he died Dagaa would take over the role as my protector. He is my Second and could petition to mate me if he wanted to. In fact it would be expected if he isn't already mated. Of course that would never happen since we're just friends. But he'd still be considered my protector."
Giselle rolled her eyes. It did seem like an archaic notion, but Providence didn't feel right judging Cadi society quite yet. She hadn't been on the planet long enough. She would just have to take Giselle's word for it.
"All females on this planet go from their parent's to their mate's home. They don't live on their own. When a woman mate's, a Second is chosen, like a back-up husband. Kagan is even a Second to a female whose mate died. Thankfully her family took her in since Kagan is mated to me. But Kagan is still honor bound to provide them with assistance. Women here, hold domestic roles rather than working outside the home. If they do work it tends to be in family businesses. Woman's lib certainly hasn't visited Cadi."
Providence appreciated the information on Cadi society and was sure this was leading somewhere, but she wished Giselle would get to the point faster.
"Okay so what does their custom mean for me?" Providence waved her hand encouraging Giselle to speed it up.
Giselle swallowed.
"Kagan already is someone's Second, otherwise according to tradition he could be your protector but..."
"Are you saying I'm going to be given to some random Cadi male?" Providence gasped.
Giselle swallowed then nodded. Providence's eyes widened.
"It's not like you have to mate him, at least I don't think so. I sort of blew up at Kagan before I got all the details. I'm so pissed. Our home is more than big enough for you to stay here, but Kagan insists. I am sorry Providence."
"It's okay.” Providence’s shoulders slumped. "I heard you giving Kagan hell. I guess this is better than being a slave or tortured by the Jurou Biljana."
Providence said it was okay, but she was silently freaking out. She'd been relieved when she landed on this random planet and found another human. The odds of such a thing happening were crazy. Now she was going to be given to some random alien and taken away to god knows where.
"Yeah, but it still sucks a big one. I'm seriously debating sending Kagan to sleep with Sabin. See how he likes blue ball for a while."
"I appreciate that but don't ruin your relationship on account of me." Providence frowned.