"Have there always been t'arvir and arvir?" Marran asked. She perched on the corner of the desk, preening and brushing her thick hair.

    Biralt ignored her, intent on the inventory report that Dothan had requested immediately.

    "I don't think it could be otherwise. For if there were no arviran of any kind, how would they come to pass?" she mused aloud. Sparks of static jumped from her brush so she set it aside. The virar scooted closer.

    "From one of two places. Evolution or divine creation." Biralt glanced at her and looked quickly away. She rarely wore clothing, and her nudity disturbed him. He gestured and she slipped off the surface to sit at his feet. Her new position bothered him even more.

    "Evolution," she intoned with a laugh. The oddest things struck her funny, the sound of a word, or maybe how he said them.

    "We may have descended from a non-sapient - unthinking or unaware - species, which developed civilization as sentience evolved. A beast which resembled us somewhat, I suppose."

    "I suppose," she mimicked. "But you don't, do you?"

    "No, I believe something other."

    "That vining one?" she asked. He couldn't tell if she misspoke unintentionally or as foolishness.

    "Divine creation. A vastly superior being, a divine creator, instigated our genesis."

    "Arvir as master, and t'arvir as servant?" she asked.

    "No. There's a distinction we've devised ourselves."

    Marran fell silent. Biralt felt her nearness, and she put her chin on his knee.

    '?'

    "What?"

    "Arvir created virar. Are they divine beings?"

    Her sacrilege, even in its ignorant innocence, offended him. "No! Nothing like." He willed her away. "I wish you'd clothe yourself. Rational beings tend to be modest."

    Marran left, smiling with her victory. Rational, indeed.