The Start of Time

by Marilyn Foxworthy

  The weapon maker held up my longer sword and said, “This is the stick with which this great ape was killed. I have examined it and the fur and I am convinced of it. This stick was used to strike a blow to the apes head, likely crushing the thing’s skull and killing it, but there was a second strike to the neck of the thing which would have separated the bones of the neck and killed it as well. I can see the marks of the bones as they damaged the skin on the opposite sides from the blows.”

  The woman said, “Tanner, do you agree?”

  The tanner said, “I do. It seems impossible, but more impossible that it happened any other way.”

  The woman said, “Aeyli, tell us this part of the story. You say that a great white ape appeared in the wilderness and roared the scream of its intent to kill you…and that your mate ran ‘toward’ the thing! What next?”

  Aeyli said, “At the roar, I knew that we were already as good as dead. I tried to run, thinking to stay ahead of the beast as long as possible and then as it overtook us, to let the thing take me so that my prince would escape alive if possible. He runs much faster than anyone I have ever seen. That is the extent of my love for him…and I love him even more than that. But, at the roar, without a word, he ran ‘toward’ the ape. When he reached it, as the Great White Ape grabbed for him and I imagined to have lost him in death, he ducked beneath its arms, rose behind it, and struck it on the head. The sound of the crack of it would be heard for a hundred yards or more. The ape fell headlong to the ground and didn’t move, but in the instant before it could be determined, my protector leapt across the body and brought the weapon down across the thing’s neck to be certain that it would never threaten his mate again!”

  The man said, “Weapon maker, he did this with a stick?”

  The weapon maker said, “He did. There is no doubt in my mind.”

  The man said, “It is a strange looking stick. What is special about it?”

  The weapon maker answered, “The stick has been cut with a very sharp knife. A special knife indeed. Probably one of the old imperial or even royal knives of a great house. It started as a piece of straight wood, but has been shaped to a very fine design that I have never seen before, but hope to learn the use of soon. It is an amazingly elegant thing. Simple in form and deceptive in efficiency.”

  The woman said to the man, “Not quite so simple a mating as you had imagined, my love?”

  He grumbled, “You could have warned me! You are as bad as she is!”

  He then said, “Who has chosen this woman? Come stand before us!”

  I stood up and moved to stand beside Aeyli and the man dismissed the tanner and the weapon maker who left the fur and the swords on the floor just in front of us.

  The councilman straightened in his chair and took a breath and removed the frown from his face and said to me, “Welcome to the village of Tranna. Forgive my grumbling, I don’t like surprises. You see what I’m faced with daily in my own home? But tell me, what’s your name? Let’s be friendly. We’ll use common names. I am Tronuck.”

  I said, “I am Mark Jensen.”

  A murmur again from the crowd. “Like the warlord, the shrine maiden has brought him from the shrine!”

  The woman held up her hand and said, “People, this is a newcomer to our village, we will make him welcome and not ask too many questions about origins tonight. Those things can wait. They don’t matter in how we will welcome him. This evening is a mating declaration, nothing more.”

  The man said, “Aeyli, Dorel, what is wrong with you?! Warn a poor old man for once! What other surprises have you concocted? Tell me that this is the last!”

  The woman patted his arm and said, “Oh my poor husband, I am sorry to say that several more surprises await. Be of good cheer! Think of it as a birthday surprise!”

  The man sneered at his wife and turned back to me. “Mark Jensen, this is quite the tale. Have you chosen Aeyli as your mate?”

  I said, “I have. You may call me Mark.”

  He said, “Mark, again welcome. Mark Jensen is a different name than we’re used to. It reminds us of the Warlord himself. Will you step closer and stand upon the fur you have brought?”

  I stepped forward.

  The councilman said, “And here’s another surprise that I think that I see. Weapon maker, come here. You say that the stick was made by a very special knife? Mark, will you allow this man to examine the knife that you carry at your belt?”

  I removed the knife with its sheath from my belt and handed it to the weapon maker. He took it from me and looked carefully at the hilt, then at the scabbard, then removed it from its covering and examined the blade.

  He turned and nodded at the councilman who said, “Well, tell me the surprise that I already know must be waiting for me.”

  The weapon maker said, “The knife is undoubtedly from the house of Helium, made by the house weapon makers and reserved for the royal family and the generals of the Warlord’s private navies. No blade like this was ever held by any person of lesser rank. I should not be touching it now.”

  He handed it back to me reverently and said, “It has been a great honor. It will be my pleasure to serve you in any way that I can.”

  I took the knife and nodding to the councilman returned it to my belt.

  He sighed heavily and said, “Yes, fine. Surprise after surprise and no time for explanations. Let us continue. Normally you would appear before the council prior to bonding to settle this, but in these cases, we may settle it after the fact. Tell us what you ask for the bride price.”

  I looked to Aeyli and she said, “He wants to know how much money they need to give you in exchange for you taking me off their hands.”

  Tronuck said, “Well, I wouldn’t put it quite that way, but yes, it is customary for us to set a price that we agree to so that you may start life with a mate. What do you ask? But, please be reasonable, we are a small village after all.”

  I thought about how I would answer and finally said, “Councilman, I have a very different proposal, but I hope that this will be a more pleasant surprise. As my price, I ask that you will allow me to buy your village a well or a new school or some improvement as you all see fit. May I approach?”

  He nodded in confusion and I took a medium sized gold coin knelt on one knee and held it out to him. “I can offer this for her. If you require more, say the word.”

  He took the coin from my hand and I backed down the steps to stand beside Aeyli again.

  The man showed the coin to the council and the rest of the room gasped.

  The woman, Dorel, jumped in and said, “Mark, your gift is very generous and we receive it as a sign of your love for my granddaughter. People, this man is no fool. He is a great warrior, has some connection to the great houses, and has a great love for our shrine maiden. We will not ask questions we don’t need answers to. But, a bride price is required of us. Let me propose this. As the bride price from our village, we give you the house of the shrine maidens for a starting residence. Senior councilman, ask him if he will accept that.”

  The man said, “Um, yes, we will offer the house of the shrine maidens. We will find a new place for the others. Do you accept our offer?”

  I said, “I do,” and I said nothing else about ‘the others’ that he mentioned.

  The man said, “Good. And your gift to the village is very generous and very much appreciated. We will put it to very good use and you will see the fruit of it. As far as your choice of my granddaughter as a mate though, I think that you will have to turn her over your knee and spank her often before she becomes respectful. Not that we would treat a grown woman that way, and I didn’t treat her that way as a child, but you will have your hands full if I know her at all.”

  I frowned and said, “Councilman, may I speak?”

  He nodded.

  I said, “Aeyli-ah-Mark, come before me.”

  Aeyli turned and stood in front of me and I motioned with my eyes and she smiled and knelt at my feet and looked up
into my eyes.

  I said to her, “All know that a woman would never remove her belt in the presence of any man but her mate.”

  Aeyli said, “That is true my prince. It would be an unthinkable shame.”

  I said, “Aeyli, my princess, if I asked you now, where you sit, to remove your belt, what would you do?”

  She answered, “I would unbuckle it and lay it at your feet.”

  I said, “But why? It’s a shame to that in the presence of other men.”

  She looked at me and smiled and said, “Of course, an unthinkable shame. But I see no other men but my prince here. If you ask me to do it, it will be no shame for me because you are the only man in the room.”

  The councilwoman said, “She means no insult to anyone so be silent. Her eyes behold her beloved. You see the wisdom here? Mark doesn’t question you when you say your foolishness like I would. You have said what you will and he has said what he will. Wars should be settled this way.”

  I raised Aeyli to her feet and she stood beside me.

  A voice from behind me yelled out, “Let them prove it!”

  Chapter 17 A challenge in the council hall

  I spun toward the voice and said, “Who asks for proof? Stand and let me see you!”

  A man hesitated and then stood up and looked a bit shaken to have been found out, but tried to put on a good face.

  I said, “Sir, it is my intention to be friends with every man and woman in Tranna. So, I will plan that you and I become close friends. Tell me your name.”

  He faltered but said, “I am Narhu.”

  I said, “Narhu, I am Mark. We will be friends. Narhu, it’s no shame for her if my mate does what I ask, even the thing that I suggested. But, if I, as her mate let my princess take off her belt, it would be a great shame for me. What kind of a man would allow such a thing? She says that she sees no other man in the room, but I see nothing but brave and honorable men. I see no woman but my mate. But strong men, I see a hundred or so at least. So friend Narhu, I know that you called out in jest, knowing that such a thing is laughable. But if I’m wrong, and you wish to test me to see if I am a coward unworthy of your village, step down here and I will let you test me. If that’s what you want, come down here my new friend. We will wrestle. I won’t kill you, since you are my first friend in the village of Tranna. If that’s not what you want, enjoy your seat and we will greet one another after the meeting as friends.”

  Narhu sat down and the crowd actually applauded and those nearby clapped him on the back at his decision to make peace with me.

  I turned back to face the council.

  The woman said, “Aeyli, your prince is a wise man, tell us another wise thing that you learned from him. The story that you told me.”

  Aeyli said, “When he killed the ape, he explained to me that it was the ape’s choice to die, not his choice to kill it. He would not have killed the ape, except that the thing insisted. It could have turned and gone in peace, but it chose instead to threaten the one he loved and therefore it had chosen to die. If a man forces his own death it is not the fault of the one forced to help him with his decision. You may let all men live; unless they ask you to help them end their lives by choice. I had thought to give my own life, to choose to die in order to save my mate when the ape attacked, and I thought that he had done the same as I watched in horror as he ran toward it. Afterward, he explained to me that the choice to die is not mine to make, because I am bound to him. In the same way, the choice to die is not his to make, because he is bound to me. We must both always choose life because we are bound to each other. But the ape had chosen to die by threatening to take us away from each other.”

  The woman said, “I have heard enough, let us vote.”

  The Tronuck said, “Vote on what? We don’t vote on mating.”

  She said, “I call for a vote of the council. Shall the gift of Mark Jensen to the Village of Tranna be used to renovate a great hall where he will spend what time he wishes, instructing both the men and women of the village in wisdom and the use of weapons? This is my proposal and I call for a vote. First I make this argument. If we do this thing, I predict that the result will be that in one year’s time, many men will have at least three wives; that our birthrate will be twice what it is today; and that the rate of males born will be twice what it is today. What say you?”

  Nine hands shot up: all of the women on the council. Before the men could react, Dorel said, “You see, the women know what this will do. Trust us, you will be happy at home with this decision.”

  Tronuck grunted and said, “Woman, come kneel before me!”

  She laughed and patted his arm and said, “Not today my prince. Perhaps soon, we will see. But now, we have more surprises for my poor husband. Rani and Belle, come stand on the fur!”

  The girls ran from their seats and stood to my left.

  The woman said, “Rani and Belle, the final shrine maidens, do I understand that you have found mates as well? Tell us the story. Do you speak for yourselves or does someone speak for you?”

  Aeyli said, “As first mate, I will speak. I declare for Torani-ah-Mark and Beyla-ah-Mark as mates of my prince, Mark Jensen-ah-Aeyli-ah-Torani-ah-Beyla. You see upon our ankles the ‘token of days’, and we stand on the fur as the ‘token of nights’. I have witnessed the coupling and the milk. Bonding took place outside the village gates.”

  The crowd gasped and Tronuck hung his head in consternation and shook it, knowing that his first mate and his granddaughter were running the show, not him as he would have in past days.

  Sensing that he was better off in a lead position than following, he sat tall and said, “Ah, this is a great thing! The village of Tranna is blessed in many ways today! We have a fine new friend who brings much wisdom and skill, and a gift that will be used to better the infrastructure of Tranna. Our three shrine maidens have a mate; a strong warrior who kills Great White Apes with a stick. We welcome Mark Jensen-ah-Aeyli-ah-Torani-ah-Beyla to Tranna! All say so!”

  The crowd cheered. Tronuck said quietly to Aeyli, “I take it that the service of the shrine maidens is ended?”

  She nodded and smiled.

  Tronuck addressed the crowd again, “Unless any still object to these things, Mark is gifted the house of the shrine maidens for a bride price; covering all three, by the way.” And he looked at Dorel and Aeyli for emphasis. He added, “I also declare that the service of the shrine maidens is finished and these who have served so long may take their rest at home. It is a great day in Tranna. I am happy as senior councilman to bring you such good news.”

  The crowd laughed, knowing that he knew as well as they did, that it wasn’t he who brought the news.

  He laughed as well. “My friends, I have served on the council many years. Perhaps my service should end like the shrine maidens and I will retire to rest at home. Mark is a man with three mates. Let another take my place and he will take their seat. What do you say?”

  Aeyli jumped in, “Wait! You can’t compel him to sit on the council for at least 120 days! Three mates requires three months before he can be made to sit on the council.”

  Tronuck said, “Aeyli, be quiet. I wouldn’t make him part of the council on the first day! But, councilmen, is she correct? Is there such a rule?”

  One of the other men said, “Tronuck, the shrine maiden pays more attention to rules and procedure than any of us. If she says it, it’s probably true. Everyone knows that if Aeyli ever found a prince with enough mates to be considered, that she would rule the council.”

  Another laughed and said, “And, we had hoped that the day would never come!”

  Another said, “But, we all knew in our hearts that it would be a loss to all of us if it did not. The granddaughter of Tronuck and Dorel was wasted as a shrine maiden and everyone knows it.”

  One of the councilwomen sitting beside Tronuck said, “Well, perhaps not wasted after all. Perhaps it was a time of seasoning. Look at what she has cooked in her kitchen. It seems to me a
tasty dish that she has made for herself and her sisters.”

  Tronuck laughed as hard as any and then held up his hand for quiet and said, “My friends, I have grumbled much tonight. But your laughter makes my heart lighter. If I had been warned, as I should have been, I would have come with joy, but now I leave with a warm heart. Let us call council to a close. Get to know our new friend in the market in the coming days and make him welcome. He is my son-in-law. If he lacks anything, charge it to me. And, Narhu, I hope you make friends quickly. As Mark says, you are a good man, and worth more to us alive than dead. But, as Aeyli has taught us, this is your choice. But I would miss you.”

  Everyone laughed and clapped Narhu on the back and I heard him yell out, “Oh, I would miss me as well. Narhu is the new first friend of Mark Jensen! I have a mate and, as he says, death is not my choice to make.” And again there was laughing.

  Dorel said, “I wasn’t going to say this, but now I will; ladies, my prince, Tronuck, is not to blame for his sour countenance. I think that the fault lays on me and Farloa and Aneese. He is sour because he has not had enough sweet milk lately! I vow to fix that. Um, and perhaps you other women might consider this as well.”

  There was more laughter and a woman shouted, “In one day we have more wisdom than in a hundred years! Dorel has a lesson and I will take it to breast!”

  The laughter grew and others shouted “We hear advice and will take it to breast!” “Our princes are sour, who can blame them.” “Put it on us!” “It is a long time since I had it on me!”

  Tronuck raised his hand again and said, “Let us close. Are all these women my granddaughters? Tonight they act the same. Close for tonight. And, what you do after this is up to you. We will invite Mark back on another night to tell us stories, and we will hear of his life and adventures. Goodnight!”

  The crowd started to disburse and Dorel said, “Hold back, I would have a private council. Mark, you and your princesses stay with us for a few minutes.”

  As the crowd filed out, the tanner came and greeted me and then he and his assistants gathered the great fur and carried it away to continue preparing it for use. The weapon maker also returned and congratulated me and spoke briefly of wanting to get to know me better and also how I trained with the wooden sword.