Homage and Honour

by Candy Rae

  These beasts were not the only threat. In the Great Eastern Sea prowled the real scourge of recent years. The pirate galleys ranged throughout the islands and were not averse to attacking the eastern seaboard of the Northern Continent as well, seeking victims with whom to feed the vibrant slave trade of the Kingdom of Murdoch. The people of Argyll and Vadath had learned to be wary of strange ships approaching land, especially at dawn and dusk.

  This was Jessica and grey-striped Mlei’s future. Her family had not been surprised when Mlei had arrived to claim her at last. Only death would part the two of them now.

  The duo were about to embark on their Vada Cadetship, four years of intensive training to prepare them for their chosen life.

  “Jiggery jig,” said Jessica aloud, “I’m so excited, aren’t you Mlei?”

  : I have to admit to a certain degree of this excitement to share : he answered : I have not felt like this since I was fourteen summers old and joined my Lindar for the first time :

  Mlei was older than Jessica by three summers. The Lind became adult at fourteen and were expected to join their rtath’s Lindar, rtath being the Lind name for pack. Although the North had not had to face the Larg of the South in battle for many seasons Mlei had already patrolled the mountains with his Lindar and had faced the gtran in combat. He had the scars to prove it.

  Indeed, some said that the Larg would never return, that they were no longer a threat. The pestilence which had hit them over a century before had decimated their numbers considerably.

  Great battles some said, were a thing of the past.

  The two of them passed through the township of Vada and approached the Stronghold walls. Jessica could see figures on the parapets; even in these peaceful times the Vada never diminished its guard. A figure was waving.

  : It is the man of Siya : Mlei sounded pleased and gratified : it will be good to rest :

  : Do you need to hunt? :

  : Not yet : Mlei answered : I rest first :

  Jessica wondered what the training would be like. Uncle James had described what she should expect but Jessica knew that reality might well be a lot different. Uncle James was old and very frail, he was over seventy and his memories of his cadet years were blunted. Indeed, he had told her mother that he was intending to remain at Vada only for so long as the time it took Jessica and Mlei to settle in. He and Siya would then formally retire from their duties and leave for her rtathlian, there to spend what remained of their lives. What was it her father had said?

  “Enter the training with an open mind and you won’t be disappointed. It won’t be a bed of dalina flowers. A Vada Cadetship is a preparation for a war we all hope will never come and above all remember that truth and honour are of paramount importance.

  Remember too that some of your ancestors were amongst the first twelve to pair. They were called the Children of the Wolves. As you know Jess, I never wanted to pair, though I did get the chance once. I always wanted to be a farmer. The Vada motto is ‘Truth, Duty, Courage and Honour’ and, when you become a cadet and for the rest of your life, you will follow these four tenets. Truth will be easy. You are mind-linked with Mlei and I do believe that the Lind are incapable of telling a direct lie, it is not in their psyche. Duty, well, that should be clear to you. Courage will come as will honour.”

  Jessica hoped that she could accomplish all four.

  The evening before she left her father had added another piece of wisdom, to trust Mlei’s judgement and a last piece of advice, to make friends and enjoy herself. Jessica intended to do just that.

  She and Mlei trotted through the gates and there was her uncle, Siya by his side, a welcoming smile lighting up his otherwise dour face, “welcome to the Vada, Cadets Jessica and Mlei,” he cried out in a voice hoarse with age.

  The next few bells were hectic ones, Jessica was issued her cadet uniform, Mlei his harness then Jessica and Mlei were escorted to the cadet barracks, their home for the next two years.

  They were put in the charge of an older cadet pair.

  “You are one of the first to arrive Jessica,” the girl said, “so you and Mlei get the pick of the cubicles. You’re lucky, some of the ones further down don’t have windows. As you can imagine, they’re not the most popular,” she grinned.

  Jessica chose her cubicle, one with a window and about halfway down the narrow corridor.

  “Am I really the first to arrive?” asked Jessica as she put her knapsack down on the narrow bed.

  “Not the absolute first of the first years, no,” the girl answered, “there are a couple of boys who arrived ahead of you but they’re in the boys’ corridor on the other side. I think they’re doing their stint in one of the chore sections at the moment.”

  “Chore sections?”

  “You’re in the Vada now,” Jen replied, “Cadets, however new and junior, do chores, or fatigues. You’ll be kept busy until classes begin, never fear.”

  “Gosh,” said Jessica. Uncle James had forgotten to tell her about that.

  “They’re not difficult,” continued Jen, “get used to it. You’ll never believe what some first years say when they are told. Some, you see, come from fairly well-to-do families in Argyll. It can be quite funny.”

  “Did you find it funny when you first came?”

  “I’m a Vada brat,” explained Jen, “you?”

  “Well, I was brought up on a farm so I know all about chores.”

  “From down the road a ways, aren’t you?”

  Jessica nodded.

  “Thought so. Your clothes give you away.”

  “Do I look like a country bumpkin?” queried Jessica with some humour.

  “We all look the same when we are in uniform,” comforted Jen, “now is there any way we can shorten that name of yours?”

  “I’m called Jess at home,” offered Jessica.

  “That’ll do,” said Jen.

  She then showed Jess the correct way to put her kit away.

  “Harness on that hook, outdoor gear on this one. The one on the right is for your sword when you get one. Ordinary uniforms top shelf, chore section uniforms the one underneath. Top drawer for your personal possessions, second for your underthings and the third for any non-uniform clothing. Shoes and boots on the floor under the pegs. It’ll soon feel like home and before I forget, inspection every morning after breakfast.”

  Jess’s head was reeling.

  “What about Mlei’s grooming?”

  “Standard issue. It’s in that box over there, now that’s it. See you keep it in order else the Cadet Ryzcka will have something to say.”

  Jen then led her new charge to the common room that separated the girls’ and boys’ wings; a large area full of battered tables and chairs. There was a noticeboard on the wall.

  “Your name will be on the duty list,” Jen continued, “you can check later and grab a mailbox and put your name on it. Look here it is, your Uncle James must have done it for you.”

  Jessica looked. There were already messages inside.

  “It’ll be chore and cadet sections, timetables and the like,” the efficient Jen informed her, “we knew you were coming today you see.”

  “Are you in charge of all the new girls?” asked Jessica.

  “No, four is the limit. Any more than that and we can’t look after you properly. Now we’ll go and get something to eat then I think bed is the order of the day. You look exhausted.”

  “I feel it,” agreed Jess, “what with the journey and all. I didn’t sleep too well last night either, too excited.”

  “I was going to introduce you to some of the other, older cadets, those who are back from long-leave that is, but that can wait until morning. Not everybody is back. Term doesn’t start for another ten days.”

  “I couldn’t wait,” confessed Jess.

  Jen laughed, “I can see that. Least you’ll have time to settle in. I’ve also heard that there’s a large group of newbies on their way in from the Garda HQ in Argyll. They’ll hardly have a
chance to settle before they’re up to their necks in hard work. If you thought farming was hard …” she left the rest unsaid.

  Jess laughed.

  “You can speak Lindish of course? That helps.”

  Jess nodded, “I’m fairly fluent. I’ve known Mlei for seven years now and he’s taught me a lot. I expect I’ll get on okay.”

  “Less classes to attend,” agreed Jen, “general education?”

  “Up to scratch I hope, though maths is incomprehensible most of the time. My brain doesn’t think that way.”

  “Mine too.”

  Jen laughed again, “the trials and tribulations of getting through that exam.”

  There was the sound of the click of paws on the hardwood flooring.

  “That’ll be your Mlei and my Trnslei. He’s been showing Mlei around. He’ll take him to the hunting area tomorrow.”

  Jess yawned, she simply couldn’t help it and Jen watched as her charge’s mouth got bigger and bigger, showing off two rows of very white teeth.

  “Tell you what, as I said, you’re tired, not up to meeting a raft of people tonight. I’ll go and coax cook into giving both of us some supper on a tray. Make yourself comfy, I won’t be long.”

  Jess managed to stay awake long enough to eat it then Jen led her back to her cubicle. Mlei was already asleep.

  * * * * *

  Jess was sitting reading in her cubicle some days later when she heard the commotion that heralded new arrivals. Mlei was out hunting. Ranolf, the Junior Cadet Ryzcka had suggested that Jess get ahead in the area of general studies education whilst she had the chance, so she was deep in the history syllabus when Jen’s head popped through the open door.

  “Thought I’d find you here and this,” she guided a smaller girl in to stand in front of her so Jess could see, “is Tana. She’s just this moment arrived and Ranolf said to put her in your charge for now. I’ve got cookhouse duty and cook’ll be none too pleased if I bug off. Take her to stores for her kit will you and generally show her what’s what?”

  “Course I will,” said Jess, laying aside her book and scrambling to her feet. She looked at the newcomer with frank and interested eyes.

  “I’ve put her and Tavei did you say?” continued Jen.

  Tana nodded shyly.

  “I’ve put them in the cubicle up from yours.”

  A voice called out Jen’s name.

  “Got to dash,” and Jen was away as if the very Larg were after her.

  Jess and Tana looked at each other. Then Tana bestowed a tentative smile on Jess. It lit up her narrow face and Jess knew in that moment that this was the twin sister she had never had.

  “Are you really fourteen?” she asked disbelievingly.

  “All my family are small,” answered Tana, “and good things come in small bundles, at least that’s what my mother always said.”

  “I think they might struggle to find uniforms your size,” laughed Jess.

  “I’ll manage,” declared Tana, “I’m good with a needle.”

  A hairy head peered over Tana’s shoulder and into Jess’s domain.

  “I am Tavei,” it said. Tavei looked round, an interested expression on his broad face. “I could do with a bath,” Tavei informed Jess. “I’ll tell Mlei,” said Jess, “he’ll come and show you where.”

  “That would be good,” he continued, “food too?”

  “That as well,” promised Jess, “unless you want to hunt?”

  “Hunt another day,” was his decided answer.

  “Did you not stop on the way?” asked an interested Jess, “I’ve been reading about the history of the Supply Stations.”

  “We’ve been days on the road,” Tana responded, “we camped mostly and stopped at two stations but the Lind did not hunt.”

  “Mlei enjoys a good hunt, the hunting area is in an area south-west of here where there’re no farmsteads.”

  “I don’t know much about the geography of Vadath,” confessed Tana.

  “You’ll know more than the girl in the cubicle on the other side of you, she comes from the Southern Continent of all places. Quite hop out of kin.”

  “I didn’t think anyone from the South ever paired. What’s she like?”

  “She doesn’t say much,” said Jess in a quiet voice. Sound carried in the barracks and she didn’t want the subject of their conversation to overhear what she was saying.

  “Reticent?” questioned Tana, in similarly muted tones.

  “Shy more than anything else I’d say.”

  “Must be difficult for her,” surmised Tana.

  “The only thing,” offered Jess, “that she knows anything about is needlework. She can’t read hardly at all, says girls in the South aren’t taught. She speaks funnily as well, slower than us. She’s in my chore section and her face when she was given some redroots to pare was a picture! Didn’t seem to know one end of a knife from the other. She’s getting better now though, least she doesn’t cut herself quite so much.”

  Tana laughed, “you?”

  “Farm bred, you?” she countered.

  “Father owns a tailor shop, we live in Farquharstown in Argyll; it’s a small village about thirty miles from Settlement. I was doing my military training term with the Garda when Tavei found me. Father is not overly happy about it but he’ll come round in time. Your parents?”

  “Delighted and pleased. Quite a few in our family have served with the Vada.”

  “I’m the first,” declared Tana, “and Father wouldn’t have let me attend the Academie if he had guessed what would happen, he’d have paid the fine first. I always wanted to join the Garda, I think he hoped if I did a term training I’d get it out of my system.”

  “Didn’t quite turn out how he expected did it?”

  Tana laughed again, shaking her head with merriment.

  “Are you hungry?

  “A bit,” admitted Tana.

  “Let’s go then. We can pick up a bite to eat on the way to stores.”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

  “We could ask our southern friend to come along,” ventured Jess, “you should meet her, she’s in your training squad.”

  ‘Our southern friend’ proved to be a slim dark girl with impeccable manners and a head of very short curly hair and who was, Tana reflected, inordinately clean and tidy in direct contrast to herself. To Tana’s surprise she was also wearing a long skirt. Tana learned later that in their off duty hours the cadets were permitted to wear casual clothes.

  Beth picked up her skirts in a dainty manner as she followed Jess and Tana.

  “I don’t feel comfortable yet in trews,” she confided by way of explanation, “where I come from no female is permitted to wear trousers, except perhaps for some slave women.”

  “You weren’t a slave then?” queried Tana.

  “No,” answered Beth but she did not elaborate.

  Tana did not press her; she had caught Jess’s eye and the slight warning frown.

  Obviously, reflected Tana, this Beth did not wish to talk about her antecedents.

  Beth was happy to help Tana and Jess carry the kit back to the barracks and offered to help Tana take in the way too large uniform before classes started the day after next rest day. The quartermaster had issued the smallest uniforms he had in stock but, as Beth said in her shy voice, there was enough material in both tunics and trews to fit round Tana almost twice over.

  During the hours that followed as the three sat sewing, Beth with enjoyment, Tana with resignation and Jess with inept disgust (Beth would allow Jess only to do the most basic tacking and pinning), the three girls began to make friends.

  By the time Tana’s uniform fitted, she and Jess had quite decided that Beth might be someone worth knowing as the real Beth began to show herself, not that she said much about her early life.

  * * * * *

  Hannah and Kolyei arrived two evenings later and were allocated the cubicle immediately opposite Jess, it was natural that the three girls already the
re should help them settle in, especially as classes were due to start the following morning.

  The quartet was complete.

  The three, Jess, Tana and Beth, had been putting the finishing touches to Tana’s uniform when the cubicle door swung open to reveal Jen’s face.

  “I know it’s late but I’ve got another one for you Jess,” she announced. “We’ve already been to stores to get her uniform. Could you please see to her?” Jen sounded rushed, “she’s in the cubicle opposite. I’d do it myself but I’ve got to deliver a babe-pair to the nursery domta.” Babe–pair was the irreverent term for those duos where one (or both) were under fourteen and not yet eligible to become fully-fledged cadets.

  “Lessons begin tomorrow,” Tana protested.

  “It won’t take long,” said Jen, “just make sure that she’s ready will you? There’s a lamb.”

  “Does her uniform fit?” asked a suspicious Tana, but Jen had disappeared. They could hear her feet running away.

  The three stared at the plump girl who stood before them, half in and half out of Jess’s cubicle. Her face, Tana noted, was plain and freckled and her hair, as Jess said later, had been yanked back from her face into a ponytail that emphasised her round visage. Her slow smile though, was an easy-going and pleasant one.

  “Sorry about this,” she said, “But Jen is taking the boy who paired same time as me somewhere else. She said he was too young to become a cadet right now. He was only thirteen a few tendays ago.”

  “She’ll be taking him to the nursery domta,” said Jess, scrambling to her feet. “Welcome to our midst by the way. I’m Jess and my Lind is called Mlei.”

  “Name’s Hannah,” the newcomer replied, still retaining that easy smile. She turned a frankly interested gaze in the direction of Beth and Tana.

  “This is Beth,” grinned the latter, “the dark-faced, long-legged creature over there is her Lind Xei. Tana’s my name and Tavei is my life-mate’s handle. Yours?”