by Ann Raina
From under the blanket Sajitar reached around Rayenne’s waist and rubbed his nose against her cheek.
“Guess I’m the lucky guy who returned from the supposed dead.”
“Don’t joke, please.”
“Hmm, you sound like you really missed me.” He looked around, then kissed Rayenne on her lips. The settlers were in amused agreement that a man should kiss and hug his woman for all to see. There were cheers and whistles and some clapped their hands. “Better now?”
“For a moment I thought the encounter with the Horlyns had changed you.”
“And now you’re glad I’m my old arrogant self.”
“Maybe.” He was so close she squinted. “I don’t mind you being nice.”
“I am nice.”
Nassaly arrived with one of the men’s outfits and a belt. Together, they helped Sajitar through the holes. When the belt was in place and a blanket around his shoulders, Sajitar took a deep breath.
“Is there a place I could sleep? I’m dead on my feet, no pun intended.”
“You can have my hut,” Thannis offered spontaneously. “I’ll move in with Grenkyl.” He laughed and shook his head when Rayenne thanked him. “It’s a good reason for making a new abode, isn’t it? Our family is growing.” He stood and stretched. “It’s bedtime anyway. You all move and get yourself to sleep. Leave him some air to breathe. Sajitar will tell us his story tomorrow.” He turned to Sajitar and helped him up. The young man swayed and would have fallen without the strong hands keeping him upright. “You will tell them, won’t you? After all, you would not have become a new settler if it weren’t for the saving of the Color-changers.” His look wandered to Rayenne. “That’s not often heard, even here.”
“I understand.” Sajitar stood on weak legs, eyes closed. “I was up in a tree and still feel kind of seasick just standing.”
“That’ll pass.” Thannis held him fast under his right armpit while Rayenne took the left. “No one fully understands the greatness of the Color-changers. We are all but students of their wisdom and generosity.”
“Don’t need a lecture about that right now,” Sajitar moaned. “Is it far?”
“The next hut, my friend.” Thannis guided him through the flap and gently lowered Sajitar on his pallet. “Go, Ray, and fetch your belongings. I’m sure you want to move in with him.”
Rayenne knew by his pained glance how much it cost Thannis to accept that his chances of sharing her bed were gone. She pitied him even though she had not been tempted to take his offer.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
“That I don’t doubt.”
When Rayenne returned, the older man was standing in front of his former hut, watching the tree-tops.
“It’s a beautiful night,” he said quietly. “Warm, pleasant, peaceful. If we could see them, there are stars far above us, telling of other planets, other worlds turning around the same sun.” He sighed and smiled at her, sadly. “But from tonight on you’ll be the star of Sajitar’s life again. He told me how much he missed you. I’m glad for both of you. Good night.”
“Good night, Thannis, and thank you.”
“Your coming to our village was a great fortune. I thank you for that.”
“I thank you for your hospitality.”
He opened his arms wide as if to embrace her, but instead bowed and left.
Rayenne slipped into the hut. She had expected Sajitar to sleep, but he looked at her wide-eyed.
“How come there’s a village here? And how did you manage to bring these people to your side? How did they get here, anyway? I thought the Horlyns would eat everyone getting too close to the heart of their woods.”
She sat beside the pallet and put down their belongings and sleeping bags. Around her, the shelves were full of little useful things, artifacts, plants in stones and pieces of wood with black drawings. The eerie light from a lantern danced across a small table with even more pieces of Thannis’ strange collection. She wondered where the man had come from. Without thinking about it, her hand knitted with Sajitar’s.
“All of them claim to have lived here since they can remember, even Thannis. He’s the one I think was brought here first. And if I’m not mistaken he knows all about his past, but doesn’t want to share. No one admits he was brought here. I think they don’t want to remember their old lives. They live totally undisturbed here. No stress, no other obligations but to feed their family and stay warm and dry.” She shrugged. “Some might say it’s back to nature. Some might say there’s no better way to live.”
“You like it here.”
Rayenne wanted to give him a smart reply when she saw him grinning, but stopped, frowning. The lantern intrigued her. Upon closer look, the outer hull was made of a Horlyn wing. Inside were some orange stones that glowed without any visible source. She put it down again and turned back to Sajitar.
“Yeah, it’s hard not to like these people. They took me in as if they had waited for me.”
“They expect us to stay.” Sajitar’s mockery made way for a more serious expression. “Did you tell them anything?”
“No.” Rayenne made sure no one listened in front of the hut. The place lay quiet and undisturbed. If anyone was afraid of predators the guards were well out of sight. “They don’t know of our journey. I said that we got lost in Emerald Green.” She shook her head, remembering. “Imagine, they don’t even know that there are other settlements. They think they are alone around here.”
“And in spite of that they took you in without questions?”
“Less than we would ask any stranger coming to a village. They want the village to grow. No matter how.”
Sajitar stretched and pulled the cover high over his chest. He reached out to her and she sat down again, taking his calloused hand in hers.
“They want us to make children, right?”
“The more the merrier.”
He laughed quietly and pulled her close, looking her in the eyes.
“Could you imagine staying in the wilderness with me at your side and three or four little Hajus or, pardon, Whiteclaws playing around us?”
“I’m so not answering that question.” She caressed his cheek. “Tell me how the Horlyns healed you.”
Sajitar closed his eyes.
“Do you really want to know?”
“I was so afraid they’d taken you away for good. It’s just…”
“I see.”
She watched him attempt a smile, but it was short-lived.
His voice was low and without emotion. “I don’t remember anything from the moment I fell unconscious to how I was carried away. When I woke up, I found out that I lay high up on a tree. I couldn’t move around. Not that I would have in the first days, but even if I wanted to, there was no way. Do you remember the stuff the Horlyn put on my chest? It got hard and totally inflexible.”
“So you couldn’t get up.”
He smiled sadly.
“No. One of the flying Horlyns fed me and kept me clean, but it made me wait until a few hours ago to loosen the stuff and carry me down. I shook like a leaf the whole time. It was so impossibly high! And I thought—well, I was afraid they’d take me someplace else for—” He broke off, exhaling.
Rayenne gave him time to recollect. She caressed his shoulders, gently touching his collar-bone and realizing that he would need time to gain weight before they could ride on.
“There were some examinations in between. I don’t know what they found out or what they wanted to know about me. I touched one of the heads and the beast stayed quite cool. The skin’s hard as stone, slick in some parts. I don’t think any bullet we have around here could penetrate it. Only the eyes look…moist. But even they are covered with a kind of transparent shell so that branches won’t hurt them. And I saw crevasses along their bodies. I don’t know of their functions, but it looks as if they produce more than just this sticky grease they used on me.” He opened his eyes. The raw pain made Rayenne gasp.
“Did the
y hurt you?”
“No, not by ripping my bones apart. But lying immobilized and helpless—that was hard to bear. I didn’t know what they had in mind and what would happen next. There was no guarantee they’d let me go again. Every time one of them came up, I wanted to run away screaming and could not. Even the images they sent me couldn’t make me trust them. I could’ve become some kind of guinea pig. That’s what I feared all of the time. That they’d heal me to keep me somewhere for reasons men don’t understand.”
“I’m so sorry this happened to you.” She stroked his hair, carefully nestling beside him. “Do you mind?”
“Having you close? No. I wouldn’t even mind you stripping off your clothes and cuddle with me.”
“You sure you’re in a condition to cuddle back?”
“Let me show you.”
Sajitar slept in her arms like a child. His dreams were vivid and Ray spent much time during the night soothing him so that sleep pulled him under once more. She understood perfectly how much fear Sajitar had suffered, even though the Horlyns had nourished him back to health. There were no words between men and this alien race to assure survival.
In the early hours of the new day, Rayenne dozed off, weary and exhausted from the events. When she woke, their blanket lay on the ground and only their mutual body heat kept them warm. It was an odd feeling to lie naked beside a man she had to consider a criminal. The brand was visible, as well as the scars he had collected. Gently she stroked over his lower chest down to the two rings and the letters, the sign of Sananda’s ownership he would never get rid of. Where the Horlyn needle had pierced his skin only a faint long scar remained. She wondered how the Horlyn had sewed it or if the sticky mass had pulled the skin together. What kinds of knowledge have the Horlyns collected that they can heal men? Or better—for how long have the Horlyns brought men and women to this hidden camp to study them? Are we all nothing but guinea pigs in a great experiment? She was frightened suddenly and pushed the thought away. Her dreams had been weird enough. She did not need more excitement.
Rayenne slowly disentangled herself from Sajitar’s arms. He grunted but did not wake as she pulled the cover over him, not without looking at his perfectly lean body first. Smiling about herself, she dressed and glimpsed around the flap. Morning life at the village had already begun. Boiling water steamed in a large pot and flat pieces of bread as well as sticks of dried meat waited for the people’s breakfast. The morning meal, she knew, was taken in groups. Whoever came first prepared the meal and men and women took their share and started working afterwards. Only for dinner did the whole village gather. She looked back, and when Sajitar did not stir, she went out.
Nassaly greeted her with a broad smile.
“Now, here she comes, the lucky woman who has her man back! Isn’t that a good feeling, my dear?”
“Yes, a very good feeling.”
“You look positively radiant. Hungry?”
“Very.” She took the offered bread and a handful of berries. Nassaly nodded and when she waited, Rayenne added, “It’s hard to describe, but only if you lose someone do you realize how much you needed him.”
“Ah, the wonders of love.” She pointed a finger at her. “But, please, don’t forget that there are more wooers around here, who all strive for your acceptance.”
“But I thought…”
“Sajitar is but one man. And who knows if you will have children with him? We, the women of this village, have long before agreed that all men are free to share your hut until a child is born.”
Rayenne had to swallow that piece of information and struggled for words.
Nassaly patted her arm.
“Don’t you worry, my dear, no one will come to you unbidden. As you see, we have children, and two more will be born soon.”
Rayenne nodded. She had seen the pregnant women, who were so proud and happy it was contagious. She had never before thought about becoming a mom, but living with the villagers slowly and irresistibly was changing her mind.
“Here, my dear, have some tea so that you don’t choke on the bread.”
She left Rayenne pondering over rituals, free love and how she could convince the men that one of her kind was very much enough for her.
* * * *
It was past noon when Sajitar clambered out of the pallet and stood dressed at the hut’s entrance, marveling at the village and the many people he had not expected to find in this remote part of the wood. For all of his life he had accepted for truth that men could walk the woods, find and cut trees and come out alive. Some went mad, yes, and some did not return, but most people did their jobs and got away unharmed. Seeing the settlers pass by with buckets to fetch water and others stringing up pieces of meat to dry, he felt overwhelmed and betrayed. If it is possible to live in the forest, why had no one tried to find a settlement before? Why had all men who had ventured too far risked losing their sanity?
Thirst and hunger brought him the few steps to the center stone, where he halted to steady himself. A woman smiled at him, handed him bread and tea and when he thanked her, blushed.
“I’m Mijan,” she said shyly. “And you are the blessed man, who got saved.”
“Saji,” he introduced himself. He sat down at the trunk as a backrest, hissing through his teeth when his sore muscle protested.
“Saji, a wonderful name.” She paused and watched him drink and eat, wringing her hands. “I so envy you.”
“Me?”
“Yes! You were with them! With the Color-changers! Wasn’t it great to be among them?”
Sajitar had many bitter and brisk answers handy, but none fit Mijan’s enchantment so he closed his mouth again. He took a deep breath to collect his good manners.
“I was very ill, so I did not get to know them. Not really.”
“They healed you, didn’t they? And they were good to you. I heard you would’ve died if the Color-changer had not taken you with him.”
“With her. It was a she.”
“You know to distinguish between them? Oh, how wonderful!” She sat down beside him, eyes wide and anticipating more news. “How do you know? Did they speak to you?”
“They don’t speak.” Sajitar emptied the goblet and she was eager to fetch him more tea. “Thank you.” He inched away when she sat down very close to him. “They don’t talk with you like we do.”
“Then how…”
“I can’t say. It just happens.” He looked up to see Rayenne approach, smiling.
Sajitar smirked.
“Mijan,” Rayenne said, “I was told that all of you expect me to tell about the…Color-changers. So you better wait for tonight, okay?”
“Oh.” Disappointed, she stood, patted her dress and took two steps just to turn once more. “So I have to wait, too?”
Rayenne raised her brows. “I think so.”
Her stare made the young woman grimace and walk away. Rayenne put her hands on her hips, curling her lips to a mocking smile. “You’ve got admirers already? And I thought you just got up. I’m impressed.”
“Kiss and make up.” He lifted his chin and gave his best I’m a poor guy, please, love me look. She laughed and knelt to kiss his lips.
“Hmm, you taste of berries.”
“Do you want to make this a show, Sajitar Haju?”
“Give the people what they want and they’ll leave you alone.”
Her eyebrows collided with her hair. “You think…”
“I know men. If we don’t make a show of this, the question remains whether that poor, haggard bastard is able to love this wonderful, unrivaled beauty adequately. And if they say no, you have the whole bunch of admirers back on your doorstep. Correct?”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to exploit the situation.”
“But you know better.” He pulled her to sit straddled across his legs. “I am the only guy who shares your bed. If anyone else announces interest, he’ll have to deal with me first.”
“There’s
no violence around here, Saji. If I say no, they’ll accept it. No bragging stance necessary.”
He shook his head. She gently pushed away the long strands of hair falling on his forehead.
“Wherever there’s a contest, men stay front line. Honorable retreat doesn’t exist.”
“No retreat. It’s not a war. They’ve lived here peacefully for many moon phases. We are the intruders.” Rayenne kissed his forehead, took a deep breath, and met his gaze with a pensive expression on her face. She cleared her throat. “We don’t have a right to rip their society apart. We’ll leave as soon as you’re able to.”
“Do you think they’ll let us go?”
“Yes, I have no doubt. They want us to stay, of course, but they’ll not block the way with hayforks just to make us a part of the village. That’s not their way.”
“Still, you like these people and wouldn’t mind staying.”
She sighed, turning up her eyes. “How come you look right into me? Ah, no, don’t say a word. I might be tempted, but I have a job to accomplish and I will get you to Belson Park. After that…well, who knows what happens?”
“A Whiteclaw in a rural society.” He smiled. “Tell me later if it worked. Oops, no, you can’t tell me. There’s no transmission line, no mail birds, no nothing to communicate.”
“Maybe I’ll drag you out of the court room to bring you back.” She suddenly blushed deeply.
Sajitar grinned even more widely. “Oh, dear, love is a many-splendored thing. The days without me must have been really, really bad.”
Rayenne pulled free from his grasp and stood. “You are arrogant, Saji.”
“Yep, that’s why people love me so much. And who might they be?” he asked, nodding toward two men approaching. “The local sweeping company?”
Thannis and Grenkyl brought a bucket with warm water and put it down before Sajitar.
“A good day to you, young man. It’s good to see you up on your feet.” Sajitar cocked his head and Thannis grinned. “More or less. We thought you might want to wash your hair and yourself and after that, we help you cut your hair and beard.”
