Free The Virgin of Zesh & the Tower of Zanid by L. Sprague de Camp

began to wonder what this rising rivalry portended. The idea that both men were falling in love with her, or at least in lust, had not occurred to her before. While such a thing was flattering, it might result in unpleasant complications, say, if they fell to fighting for her favor. Althea had never had two suitors come to blows over her. The prospect both excited and appalled her. What on earth should one do then?
    “What are you lazy people doing?” roared Diomedes-Halevi. “Get up! Everybody must take part. No idle spectators on Zesh!”
    “Go soak your head,” said Kirwan. “I’m comfortable here, and I’ll not be moving for any reformed banker on Krishna.”
    “Would you prefer to be the bull in the ring?” said Halevi dangerously. “Hey, Pyrrhos! Aias!” A pair of muscular youths hastened over and stood awaiting orders.
    “What’s he talking about?” said Kirwan.
    Althea explained, “I think he’s threatening to put you in a circle of the young men and let one of them chase you with a paddle while you try to break out.”
    “Oh, hell!” groaned Kirwan, getting up. “You’re as crazy over-organized as a Terran factory. Why can’t you let a body be?”
    Halevi said, “How about you two?”
    Bahr replied, “I am not a member of your organization, my friend. If you should lay hands on either of us, I should consider us to be assaulted and defend us accordingly.”
    Halevi grunted but apparently decided not to force the issue. “Come along, Orpheus,” he growled. “Which shall it be: square dances, piggy-back jousting, or wrestling? The races are over.”
    Althea missed Kirwan’s mumbled reply. A few minutes later, she saw him stripped and grunting in a tangle of limbs with another wrestler.
    “Althea,” said Bahr, “would you not like to go for a walk? We have been sitting here for a long, long time.”
    “All right,” said Althea.
    As soon as they were out of sight of the game field, Bahr cleared his throat several times, as if trying to start a balky outboard motor. At last he said, “If I may take the liberty, dear Althea, I am telling you that my feelings for you are warmer than those of a scientist for an assistant. In fact, I propose to you that as soon as some legal arrangements can be made, we enter into the matrimonial relationship.”
    “Why, thank you, Gottfried, but—”
    “It would have considerable advantages. I am a person of regular habits and sober, reliable character. Of course, I admit that to some I might not seem very colorful—a little dull and pedantic, perhaps—but this is simply because I am a diffident man, the schizoid-cerebrotonic type, and I put up this façade of cold competence to conceal the fact. You see, I am a good enough psychologist to recognize my own limitations. What do you think of the idea, my dear?”
    “I’m afraid not. I like you, but . . .”
    “Please do not think that I am merely trying to save the cost of an assistant. Your salary would continue in any case. I would not apply unfair pressure to you either, knowing that a marriage entered into under those circumstances would not have the optimum, probability of success.”
    “That’s decent of you, but . . . no.”
    “No or just maybe?”
    “Definitely no. I’m sorry.”
    Bahr sighed. “My analysis of your emotional tone did not give me much hope, but one must try. You are a very, very beautiful woman.”
    “Oh, it’s just that you’ve been away from Earth so long,” said Althea.
    “That is not true, but we will argue it some other time. Shall we return to the games?”
    They got back to find Kirwan nursing a black eye. He complained that his opponent had fouled him by poking him in the optic with his knee.
    “He claims I bit him,” said Kirwan, “but pay no attention to the rascal. He stepped on my face, so it was natural that some of me teeth should scratch his foot, accidental-like.”
    “Who won?” asked Althea.
    “What a silly question, a cuisle ! The great Brian