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.The beard first starts growingsometime around the age of fourteen, but isn't really thick and mature untilthe dwarf is about forty, when it's thick and lush like a lion's mane.Somedwarves braid their beards in braids as thick as your wrist, which no humancan do - humans just don't have enough beard-hair to actually do that.Thebarab is made from trimmed hairs and hairs that come loose to a gentlebrushing.Dwarves trim their beards to keep them at the length they desire.Smiths and others who work with hot things or spinning machinery often trimthem short and square, just a palm's width in length, and smiths andfoundry-workers wear a cap over them to protect them from the heat.Others whowork outside in the sun, like Mungim and his brothers or for those dwarves whowork their fields on the surface, trim the hair that grows below the jaw andacross the throat so their beard is cooler.For others, they keep them trimmedto a length that's comfortable for them in their daily jobs - but regardless,if they don't trim their beard and moustache, the hair easily grows longenough to trip over in about a year.Some clans shave their moustache, butmost don't - and none of them shave their beard, their religion prohibits it.Dwarves have a special oath they call a 'beard-oath' - it's a lifetime vowthey will die before they break.It is usually sworn while gripping the beard.A dwarf's beard is their pride, their honor, their-" I said, and wasinterrupted by Joy placing her fingertips over my lips again."And you're not a dwarf, but it's apparent you desperately miss your ownbeard," she said, and smiled."Yes."Joy reached to the box, lifting out the barab, and slipped the hooks overmy ears.She looked me over for a long moment."Alright.I understand what itmeans to you, Old Man.It's not sorcery, but it's magic nonetheless.The magicof the heart," she said, then leaned in to me, kissing me gently.Joy thenleaned back, smiling."Was your beard really like this, Old Man?"I looked down at it."Well, no.Mine was more like Frarim's.I kept ittrimmed shorter than this, too." I gazed at the beard as it lay between mybreasts and down to my belly, then sighed."Alright, I suppose it is a bitsilly, if you're not a dwarf.I just wanted to wear it when I worked, so Icould stroke it and think.I can't tell you the number of times I've beenworking on mathematics, leaned back to think and stroked my chin, and thenrealized I had no beard there to stroke.I used to sit and twirl my beard inmy fingers as I thought about things, smooth my moustache.Quite distractingevery time I realize it's not there.It's been over a century and a half, Joy,and I still haven't gotten used to that.I suppose it's part and parcel ofhaving a man's soul inside this body.Kyrie often said she could see the beardmy man's soul wears, it really is a part of me.""Alright, you can wear it, and I promise I won't laugh.But there are twoconditions, Old Man."Page 260 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Oh? What?""First, don't wear it all the time.It's a special, formal garment, yousaid.If Mungim found out you wore it every day, he might be disappointed, Ithink."I nodded, stroking the barab with my fingers."True, true.It's not a robeor a pair of shoes, after all, it's a highly formal, ritual garment.""Wear it for special occasions when you visit the dwarves, or when youknow you'll be doing quite a bit of sitting and thinking for your research.Like a 'thinking cap', perhaps.""Agreed.""The second condition is this," she said, reaching out to lift theear-hooks from me, then laying the barab back in it's box.Joy then closed thebox, and looked me over for a long moment in silence."Always remember, OldMan.I love who you are, inside.This," she said, poking my shoulder with athick finger,"is just a mask that Yorindar made you wear.That's not what Ilove.I love you."I smiled."What do you see when you look at me, Joy? Do you see this," Isaid, waving a hand at myself, "or something else?"Joy smiled."That's hard to explain, Old Man.I told you once before thatI know I have an idealized picture of you in my mind that likely has nothingto do with how you really once looked, even as Pelia and her women have anidealized view of you." Joy shook her head."Really, I mostly only see youreyes.I'm aware of the rest of you, and after all these years I've come toappreciate the beauty Yorindar gave that body, but.Mostly, I just see youreyes."I batted my eyes at her, grinning.Joy laughed, rising to her feet."Come, Old Man.Let's get to bed.""And after.?" I said, smiling at her."Mmmm.Yes, Old Man.Very much," Joy replied, and slipped off herdress.Page 261 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe Ocean - Twenty-Three.The next morning was lovely, bright, and warm, and the scent of themillions of byallar flowers opening to greet the day made it heavenly.Marilith and I sat outside Eddas' tower with Joy, sharing a cup of byallarwhile Eddas haggled with Mungim and Taliad
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