The Last Sundancer

by Quinney, Karah

  “I would fight for her.” A man stepped forward so that all could see him. He was tall and strong, an able warrior and he appeared to be evenly matched strength for strength with Kaichen. “She is not a woman that a man would overlook.”

  “Overlook.” Antuk’s booming voice caused all eyes to look his way as he suddenly laughed.

  “What nonsense does he spout?” Tamol glared at Kaichen as if he expected him to answer his question.

  “He speaks nonsense by using a word that means to look over and to fail to notice.” Antuk’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead as he shook his head back and forth. “Who claims this foolish young man?”

  “Pele is one of my sons.” Tamol appeared not to notice the insult that Antuk offered as he returned his attention to Kaichen and Pele. “ Would you fight to the death for such a woman?”

  Tamol stared hard at his son. The young man was like him in too many ways to number, Pele often displayed a show of bravery that led him into trouble. The sooner that he learned to stifle his unflagging bravado the better.

  Kaichen’s jaw was rigid with anger as the events around him spiraled out of control. The rock mass beneath their feet trembled and a momentary hush fell over the people. A large boulder crashed down the side of the spire causing wave after wave of shock to travel along their feet.

  “Do not anger the one that is blessed amongst all.” This was the second time that Antuk had spoken and Kaichen glared at his friend in silent warning.

  Antuk often found cause to proclaim that Kaichen was especially blessed, just as he insisted that Amara was truly a butterfly. It was nonsense and yet in this instance Kaichen held his tongue. The people eyed him fearfully and the men that held Kaichen released him as if they had been burned.

  Tamol’s eyes narrowed as Kaichen stood to his full height and glared at him. For a moment, he saw Shale’s accusing stare and he knew a moment of grief that traveled through his body with the force of a blow.

  Shale had asked only one thing of him and he had failed. Tamol shook his head and the image of Shale receded as he once again faced Kaichen, the son of his friend.

  Tamol had heard the whispered words of Denoa’s people and he knew that they still clung to the same belief that one man could save them. A man of power, a man especially blessed by the heavens. As he stared across the fire he considered the man that stood before him ready to battle, kill or maim to protect one small woman.

  “I am willing to die for the right to claim this woman. But I will not die by this man’s hand.” Pele’s words broke through the haze that surrounded Tamol’s thoughts.

  Kaichen’s posture was rigid as Antuk threw back his head and laughed. It was the worst possible thing to do when a warrior challenged another man.

  Antuk not only laughed, but he scoffed at the other man and shook his head sadly, all but ensuring that Pele’s anger would rise up into his nostrils and overtake common sense.

  Kaichen wanted to wrap his hands around Antuk’s throat and squeeze, he wanted to pummel his friend for his addled sense of humor and failure to protect Amara. However, even as his face clouded with anger he knew that if any harm befell them, he would blame only himself.

  “He is not who you think.” Antuk assured Pele and then he rested his hands upon his belly and said nothing more.

  Kaichen thought only of the harm that would befall his mother’s people if he killed Tamol’s son.

  Pele waited for his father’s signal and when the older man nodded he threw himself across the fire at Kaichen.

  Kaichen had a moment to brace himself as Pele’s full weight came toward him, he used Pele’s momentum to throw the other man to the ground. The fire sizzled as a waterskin was crushed beneath Kaichen’s foot, spewing water over the fire.

  Kaichen heard Antuk’s laughter which sounded genuine and oddly amused. He watched Pele as the man rolled and gained his feet. A knife appeared in the man’s hands and Kaichen turned to avoid the first swipe of a carefully honed blade.

  Pele was a skilled fighter and he moved with lethal grace, skirting the fire circle and edging closer. His weapon was clutched in such a way that he would be able to stab at Kaichen multiple times once he was close enough to inflict the most damage.

  When Pele lunged, Kaichen feinted to the right and to the left. He fell to his knees and rolled as Pele stabbed the air where Kaichen’s exposed chest had been. Kaichen smashed his closed fist into Pele’s back and he felt the hardened muscle and bone absorb most of the impact. Pele grunted but did not fall.

  He turned swiftly as Kaichen brought the fight closer to the fire circle. Light danced against the wall and their shadows rose up into the unreachably high ceiling of the cavern.

  Kaichen did not spare a glance for shadow or light. He kept his eyes away from the fire and upon his opponent.

  Antuk’s strident laughter echoed through the cave and it ignited a fire within Pele. A killing fire.

  Kaichen held on to his breath, letting it roll within him, just as he had been trained. His muscles were lose and relaxed, in part from the strain of the climb and from well-remembered training. His shoulders were low and his head titled down as he used his chin to protect his neck.

  Pele surged forward, confident that he would place a killing blow. Kaichen danced toward the fire, noting that his opponent was eager to kill. His feet kicked up sand and dust even as his arms and hands flashed forward and back. At the last moment, he rolled to the ground with Pele falling directly at him from above.

  Kaichen’s hand closed upon a rock that fit into the grasp of his palm. As he spun to the ground, he used his legs to propel him up toward his opponent. Pele stabbed downward with the knife confident that Kaichen had made a fatal error.

  The rock that Kaichen planted with crushing force into the side of Pele’s head never registered with the dazed warrior. One moment he was shouting in triumph as his knife slid toward Kaichen’s chest and the next he was spread out flat upon the ground as darkness closed around him.

  Shouts of outrage and cries of awe came from those gathered in the cavern. They were uncertain if Tamol would allow such a victory. Yet, Pele had been armed and attacked an unarmed man without the offer of a similar weapon. Kaichen had used the only weapon available to him.

  Tamol held his men back with a hard glance. He did not have to speak. He walked to stand over Pele. Farren was already by his son’s side and his grimace told Tamol that his son would live, though his head would pain him greatly. Tamol reached down to turn the young man over. Pele blinked in dazed confusion much to his band’s relief.

  His skull did not appear to be crushed though Tamol had expected to find an indentation in his son’s head. Kaichen had pulled back on the force of the blow even though he had the advantage of surprise. For the first time Tamol smiled.

  Kaichen stood before him, panting slightly but unharmed. Untouched by the knife of their most skilled fighter.

  “Azin trained you well. You have my thanks for sparing the life of my son.” Tamol motioned to his men and they immediately stepped back. He returned his attention to Kaichen. “You are all welcome amongst us for a time.”

  It was in that moment that Kaichen began to understand the man that had once befriended his father. Tamol understood brutality and the fight for dominance. He understood the crushing weight of responsibility and the dark haze of anger that overtook some men and he had tested Kaichen and found him worthy. He had also allowed his son to learn a lesson that could have cost him his life. Never underestimate an adversary.

  Antuk stood before Kaichen and smiled, satisfied that all had proceeded just as he expected. Kaichen tugged Amara over to his side and looked down at the senseless man at his feet.

  “Because you spared his life, he will know the burden of dishonor.” Tamol reminded Kaichen that Pele had been certain of his reward at the end of their battle and he had not feared death or the taking of a life.

  “Then let him live until he can understand the true meaning of honor.”
He watched as two men came and carried his fallen opponent away. The men looked too much like Pele to be anything other than his brothers. “How many children do you have?”

  Tamol’s face twitched as if he would smile once more, but he refrained. “I have six sons and three daughters, but do not fear, my daughters take after their mother.”

  Kaichen could not hide his grimace of distaste as Antuk laughed anew.

  Amara could not stop trembling. She had come to know the taste and touch of terror, fear, grief and despair. As Kaichen had fought the man who challenged him Amara beseeched the heavens for help.

  For a moment, she wanted to lift her hand to Antuk’s face and slap him as hard as she could. Anything to stop his laughter which only seemed to enrage Kaichen’s attacker.

  Kaichen sat at her side as he listened to the stories of hunting and battle as told by the men of Tamol and Farren’s band. Tamol’s band had welcomed those of Farren’s band as if they were long lost relatives and in a way they were.

  Some of the people that had joined with Farren were brothers and sisters of those that remained with Tamol. The relationships were rapidly explained until Amara’s head began to swirl and everything became confused. After the long winded introductions had been made they settled down to eat and speak as a group of men banded together.

  The man that Kaichen had felled remained senseless as a few of the women tended to his injury. Amara felt Kaichen grab hold of her hand and press it into the hollow of his side. His heartbeat was steady. She could feel the thrumming sound in the press of his body against her hand. When she took a deep breath, Kaichen’s heart tones filled her mind.

  She wondered if Kaichen could sense her inner turmoil when he clasped her hand against his side and let her feel the comfort and unerring support that he offered.

  “Is this man your husband?” Tamol spoke freely as silence built around the fire.

  Amara lifted her head in concern. She had tried to remain almost invisible, though it was difficult with all eyes upon her. The women of Farren and Tamol’s bands were especially interested in the clothing that she wore and the way that the animal skin had been stitched together. Her dress and garb was similar to their, yet there were noticeable differences.

  Kaichen did not move as he studied Tamol and Amara was tempted to hide behind Kaichen’s broad back, like a frightened child. But she realized that Kaichen faced these people with no regard for his own life.

  He had no way of knowing if Tamol and Farren would still value their old friendship with his father. Amara had not understood the depth of his willingness to see to the safety of his people, until now. He could have died. He could have been killed.

  Kaichen squeezed her hand almost imperceptivity. Almost. But Amara felt his fingers press against hers and she knew what she must say.

  “Yes, this man is my lifemate, my husband.” Amara raised her eyes momentarily to stare directly at Tamol and then she wished that she had not.

  “Good. I will remind my sons that you are already another man’s lifemate.” Tamol nodded but his voice carried over the fire, echoing in the cavern. His sons took notice of their father’s voice, along with all who listened in.

  “What is the instrument that you carry?” This question came from Farren, who spent more time observing the newcomers than participating in the conversation.

  Amara pressed her hands to her flute. Kaichen spoke before she could respond and she knew that he purposely drew the topic of conversation away from her.

  She sighed in relief as she pressed the wooden flute into the folds of her dress.

  Kaichen could feel Amara’s relief. He remembered how his young wife had whispered to him that to stop calling music from the flute would be the same as death to her. But she would not be forced to call the music forth and he would protect her with his life.

  Fighting for her safety had proven to Kaichen what nothing else could. He cared for Amara. She was the woman that had claimed his heart.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Antuk, how is it that you failed to protect Amara from Farren’s men?” Kaichen walked beside his friend as they settled their feet once more upon solid ground.

  “They told me to go with them or they would harm Amara and so I went with them.” Antuk’s answer was both simplistic and dismissive.

  Kaichen had to struggle to control his temper. His friend was not aware of the danger that he had been in and he could not have understood what could have happened to Amara. Kaichen did not doubt that Antuk had the ability to grasp complex ideas, but his friend was also as innocent as a child in many ways. He should have made his instructions more clear.

  Antuk, after all, had protected Amara from danger but he had gone about it in a way that could have ended badly. Kaichen controlled his anger and focused on the feeling of relief that swelled within him as he gazed at Amara.

  She sat with the other women and children as they ground grain into powder that would be used for cooking. Amara’s hands were familiar with the task and her dark head was bowed low over her own grinding slab.

  Antuk was busy pulling long blades of grass from the rocky crags around them. Kaichen knew that Antuk planned to weave a basket as he always did in his spare time. The blades of grass began to take shape even as he stared into the distance.

  Tamol called a halt to the day’s work and the women eased themselves from their cramped positions, eager to see to the wellbeing of their families.

  “Come, we will wash in the stream that waters our fields.” Tamol motioned for Kaichen to follow him. The other men of their band fell in line one by one. It appeared that Tamol would include Kaichen in a familiar ritual, one that was carried out on a daily basis.

  The stream that Tamol indicated was indeed small but the water was cool and clear. The men stripped of their clothing and stood in the stream, using cupped hands to splash water upon themselves. Kaichen and Antuk did the same unaware of the stares that were thrown their way.

  “Great Spirit! What happened to you?” Tamol’s question was addressed to Kaichen and he turned around to survey the men that peered at him. Nakedness did not embarrass him, but he had not considered the differences between himself and the other men.

  “Were you maimed?” This question came from Pele who pushed past his father to stare at Kaichen without shame. The man’s eyebrows almost touched his hairline as he awaited Kaichen’s answer.

  Kaichen covered his manhood with both hands as he scowled at the men and walked away. He grabbed his clothing in one hand, before turning back to the men.

  “It is the way of my father’s people to remove the foreskin of their sons.” Kaichen tried to ignore the exaggerated winces and gnashing of teeth displayed by Tamol’s men.

  “What form of torture is this?” Farren pushed past Pele to stare at Kaichen anew.

  “It is not torture.” Kaichen spoke through teeth that were clenched together. The men gaped at him in astonishment as he hurried to put on his clothing.

  “They cut off your manhood and you do not call this torture?” Pele was the first to break the silence and Kaichen stifled the urge to throttle the man. He could see at a glance that Pele did not suffer any ill effects from the blow to his head.

  “I will not speak of this again.” Kaichen turned his back to the men as the others cast him compassionate glances.

  “I would not speak of such horror either.” This came from Tamol though Kaichen heard laughter in the man’s voice. “Your mother has proven herself to be a cold woman.”

  The urge to defend his mother surprised him, yet Kaichen walked away without comment. The hoots of laughter that echoed amongst the rock walls did not surprise him.

  The sound of running footsteps caught Kaichen’s attention and he glanced back to find Antuk trailing behind him.

  “Kaichen, wait. Is it true that you cannot make children?” Antuk’s wide gaze was innocent as Kaichen stopped to stare at him. In the distance he saw Tamol and Farren’s men bent over with laughter.
Pele gyrated his hips in a crude imitation of the mating act and then covered his manhood with both hands when another man made a slashing motion with his knife. It was only then that Kaichen gave in to the mirth that bubbled up from inside.

  When they returned to the women and children, Farren urged Kaichen to find a place to take his rest. Tamol nodded once and disappeared into the recesses of the cavern. The levity of the day had managed to ease some of the tension between the men.

  As they walked away Amara struggled not to glance over her shoulder. She had not been certain that Farren and Tamol would let them leave without a confrontation of some sort.

  Kaichen could well understand her astonishment and their actions would have raised his suspicions if he had not seen the knowing gleam in Antuk’s fire brightened eyes.

  “Antuk, did you speak to Farren’s men?” Kaichen groaned as Antuk nodded his head quickly. He felt his knees grow weak as Antuk told him all that he had revealed to Farren and his men.

  There was no doubt in Kaichen’s mind that the two bands now knew enough to deny his request for help. They would not risk bringing the wrath of the raiders upon themselves, by helping those that had been marked for capture and devastation. The question was whether or not Tamol and Farren would defy the odds and aid the son of their fallen friend.

  “Cloud Bringing Woman.” Amara smiled to herself at Antuk’s fanciful name for her. She had found that her spirit grew calm whenever she pressed the wooden flute to her lips and released the music building inside of her.

  “Perhaps my soul grows restless inside this shell. I cannot bring the rainclouds to a dry land and I cannot call the rain.” For a moment, Amara understood the angst that Kaichen felt when his people looked at him with hope shining in their eyes.

  His people wished for the impossible and she knew that he did not want to openly disabuse them of their fervent beliefs.