by Mari Collier
“Thalia tis already in turmoil,” snapped Llewellyn.
“Lamar, call Medical for that one,” he jerked his head at the wounded Sister, “and to attend Troyner when we return to Donnick.”
“Lorenz, request a transport from O'Neal for the rest of these Sisters. Beatrice, ye contact Ayran and tell Jolene to expect seventeen new Abs. They had the audacity to fight two Macas without one of them issuing a Challenge.”
A shocked silence fell on the muttering group. Beatrice cleared her throat and began to explain the situation. “We dinna ken if Jolene will take the Sisters as Abs. She has nay revealed her position, and she may turn them loose.”
“The law protects us. Ye canna turn the Sisters into Abs. Tis our law.” This time the Sister doubled her fists as she spoke. “Ye are the ones who will be Abs.”
“Then we'll lock them up with the rest in the cells at Don.”
Lamar stepped forward. “My Maca, heed our counsel. Ye had the right to lock up those who were on Don and opposed ye. These, however,” and he swept his hand in the direction of the Sisters standing against the building, “are here at the direction of the current Maca of Troy.”
“Who tis a fraud.” Llewellyn gritted out.
Beatrice nodded, “Aye, but I fear that Troyner will nay get his rights back till the Counsel of the Realm restores them, and that would be at the next meeting, if then. All depends upon the votes ye can gather from the other Houses.”
“Papa, it'll take Red about fifteen minutes to gather his crew and get here.”
“Lamar, when will Medicine arrive?”
“Ah, I was listening to ye.” He hastily called the House of Medicine.
Lorenz went over to Laten and Dolo. He noticed Laten had his arm around her and she was nestled into his chest. “Are you two all right?”
Dolo raised her head and turned. She was sporting a nasty blackened and closed eye, plus a split lip.
“Looks like y'all could use a doctor, uh, medical too.”
“Laird, Dolo tis still Ab. They will nay treat her.”
Lorenz started to swear and changed his mind. “Follow me. We brought our possible bag along.” He led the two puzzled people into the craft, pulled out a black, leather bag by the handle from the overhead compartment, and set it on the front seat before opening it.
“Like the Boy Scouts, we're always prepared.” He grinned at them and dug into the bag to locate a tin.
He held it up and removed the lid. “This salve works wonders. It can even take away proud flesh.” The stunned looks on their faces almost stopped him. “Hell, this scar was four times as large and purple when Papa and Mama started using it on me.” He pointed to the scar running from the temple, down his cheek, and under the collar of his shirt. “It's nothing that will hurt y'all.” To demonstrate, he rubbed some on the split at the corner of his mouth.
“Laird, she tis Ab. They are forbidden Medical.”
“The hell! That's one custom that ends in Don. Now hold still.” He liberally applied the salve to Dolo's face. “Y'all might as well make her comfortable. I'll go help guard those out there. It looks like Brenda wants to take her group home.”
He looked back at the boys who were watching with wide, disbelieving eyes. “Men, you all sit tight. We still need to talk.” He stepped back out into the night.
Llewellyn approached guiding Troyner to the craft. “We need to help him inside.” Fury made his face red and his lips tight. “It seems Medical still considers him Ab since he canna be Maca till Council rules. He needs water, sustenance, and rest. He goes with us.”
Llewellyn settled Troyner into the seat behind the pilot and reached up and brought down a water blad. “Here, my friend, drink.” Then he brought down the traveler's wafers used as quick sustenance on flights. “These will have to do till we have ye to House.”
He eased the man back and turned to Lorenz. “We need to help the others till O'Neal arrives. We'll lock those Sisters in Don's cells. They are a bargaining tool.”
Llewellyn's eyes widened when he saw Dolo's bruised face. Dolo made a rapid bow and Laten spoke. “The Laird put on the medication. He would nay listen that she tis an Ab.”
“Good. Ye fought well, lassie.” He turned and followed Lorenz outside.
A slow smile spread across Laten's face. “The Maca has returned. Dolo, we have our chance.”
Troyner slumped in the seat, too weary to raise his head until Lorenz returned.
“The prisoners will lift off shortly,” Lorenz announced. Troyner reached out and grasped his wrist as he walked towards the back.
“I dinna why the Ab laddies are back there, but Martin will use Da to destroy the Houses.”
Lorenz looked at the man, an emaciated skeleton of someone whose frame said Troyner once might have rivaled Llewellyn in size. The eyes were hollow sockets and the bleached lashes framed light brown eyes in a taunt, drawn skin.
“Tis already whispered that Wee Da tis Maca of the Abs,” Dolo added.
Laten snorted. “The Abs have nay Maca.”
“Ye ken that the land Abs do,” Dolo retorted, her bronze skin flushing to a deeper color.
“Aye, one to each group; nay one over all.”
“But Wee Da tis from House.” Dolo refused to back down.
Lorenz was puzzled. “Why didn't the House just keep him?”
Laten inclined his head towards the recumbent Troyner. “The Ab born remain with their mither. House canna claim him without the mither's permission, and Troyner was condemned right after the Kenning Woman died. Once he tis House again, he will have the right to claim him.”
Lorenz shook his head and moved to the seats where the boys sat. “All right, Da's mother is dead. Are both your mothers gone too?”
Pi rose and bowed. “Ka's mither died the same day as the Kenning Woman, and my mither follows Martin's authority. I am being punished and excluded from the Abs till Martin decrees otherwise.”
Lorenz's eyebrows went up. “And just what did y'all do?”
“I refused to let Ur take my place as the next Martin in training.”
Lorenz fought down the urge to ask who Ur was. “Who is going to raise a rumpus when you all aren't there?”
His response was three puzzled looks.
“Who will try to find ye?”
Ka swallowed. “My elder Ki will look for me on Signing Day.”
Pi threw a hasty look at Da who was looking at the Laird. “My mither, the Handmaiden, will have all Abs looking for Wee Da. Nay will care about me.”
Lorenz looked at the well-muscled Da and decided the wee must be for his size; a fact that raised another question. “Just how old…” again blankness descended over their faces, “eld are ye.”
Pi bowed again. “I am twenty-five, Laird.” He would do anything to stay and work for this man. If lying about his age would allow this, lie he would.
Ka looked rapidly at Pi and then Wee Da. They had already decided that Ka would say he was eighteen to sign on as a working Ab and he stood and bowed before replying. “I am eighteen.”
Da realized the Laird was not disputing them, but had no chance to tell his lie.
“Laird, they all lie,” Laten interrupted.. “Pi tis but twenty, Ka tis seventeen, and Wee Da tis twelve.”
Pi closed his eyes waiting for the blow or the bellow that would throw them out, leaving them stranded on Troy.
No blow came; nor did a bellow hit his ears. He opened his eyes to see the man shaking his head and grey eyes staring at him, measuring him.
“Y'all have a reason for lying?”
“Aye, Laird, if we are too young, we canna sign for the work season. Tis our only chance.”
Lorenz looked at Laten who nodded his head in agreement.
Llewellyn appeared at the doorway.
“Any messages for O'Neal?”
“Yeah, tell him to have coffee ready when we get there in the morning.”
Lorenz looked back at the doleful faces of three boys and added.
“You all just sit down and stay quiet until we reach home. We'll arrange somewhere for you all to sleep.”
Chapter 11: The Sisterhood Regroups
Gloom presided in the Army Section of the Don Guardian Complex among those gathered to console Belinda after the Burning ceremony. Missing were Medicine, Rurhran, Ayran, Betron, Don, and Flight. Betta looked at Beauty stoking a sobbing Belinda. How could she bring Beauty back to reality?
Magda solved the problem by entering with her Director, Millay. Their purple robes added to the somber background of black Army attire. Magda carried her ceremonial spear with the carvings of centuries ago: healing herbs entwined around the staff. Betta doubted that she really kept it sharp enough to impale anyone.
“Why are ye gathered here to mourn? Ye have lost the goodwill of all Thalians. Ye compound your errors by mourning for a traitor.” Magda leaned on her spear and glared at them.
Babara stood, her fists clenching and unclenching. “How dare ye speak of our beloved as a traitor? She gave her life for our Sisterhood.”
Magda turned her back, the response of House to a mere Tri, and spoke to Betta. “Because my eldest was torn from me in the time of her greatest need for support, she has joined Troyner with their laddie. She fears to dwell in my House. If ye wish to restore the Sisterhood, ye must immediately change our rules to include those who prefer males as their counselors, and announce this new order at the next Guardian's meeting. Do ye so intend?”
Betta's shoulders slumped. “We have nay discussed such a change.”
Beauty stood. “The Sisterhood still reigns. Last night was but a temporary setback. Males are needed only for their seed and that can be replicated. Llewellyn canna possibly restore Don. Rurhran and Ayran are with us, and we control the Army.”
Magda looked at the small group. “If they are with ye, where are they? Shall I tell ye? Rurhran tis meeting with the Maca and Guardian of Don to discuss a Walk the Circle agreement for one of Rurhran's available lassies. This will forestall turning over the kine or the sheep. As for Ayran, Jolene kenned the lie that Bobinet had spread of LouElla's last days here. She waited all these years to speak and when she did it was against us. Jolene has returned to Ayran and tis plotting her own plots. She will bide her time till the next Guardians Council meeting. Gar kens what she tis plotting, but I tell ye now, she did nay speak of LouElla's and Jason's bedding till it would nay endanger her. She has nay made an enemy with her knowledge, but she has made friends and will use any quarreling to her advantage.”
Betta closed her eyes. She was too old for this dissention. She opened them to see Beauty pacing and then patting the hiccupping Belinda on the back while refuting Magda's statements.
“Rurhran would nay wed Rocella to the Maca. She tis a hundred years younger.”
Magda looked at her with scorn. “Ye are correct. The negotiations are for the blind-eyed Laird.”
“He canna be Laird. The Council has nay accepted him.” Beauty was raging. “Both are mutants and nay Thalians.”
Magda grasped her spear with both hands and leaned forward. “I'll grant that the one dubbed the Laird tis nay Thalian, but after last evening's performance, Llewellyn has shown he tis an archetypical Thalian male. He dumped her,” one hand loosened from the spear long enough for a thumb to jerk in Babara's direction, “with one blow. When they landed at Troy's Ag Station, Llewellyn directed the fight, and according to the accounts of the onlookers, he fought them three at a time. Who will challenge him? Beauty lost to him when they fought in the Arena that one time and he will nay doubt challenge her again for his bedding that she welshed on fulfilling.”
She turned her dark eyes on Beauty. “I dinna believe ye wish to fight him. He will win.”
Beauty flushed. “He has nay workers, nay the animals to feed any retinue he gathers, and nay the credits to rebuild Don. Tis a destroyed continent.”
“True on the animals,” conceded Magda. “The Justine League, however, has granted Don a portion of Thalia's credits. There tis the possibility that he will wed. Nay all of the Tris of Don are gone, nay are they all idlers. There are Tris ready to work.”
Magda turned back to Betta. “I have almost lost one lassie to your concept of Thalia. She will let me visit them, but she will nay risk their laddie in my House.” Magda's voice was filled with bitterness. She kenned that upon her passing into the Darkness, Lady Marta, her eldest daughter, would birth the next Medicine Maca. The risks were great. Medicine was populated by some of the most fanatical of the Sisterhood.
“My youngest lassie helped them leave. I have nay guarantee Melanie will remain. Do ye intend to change the rules?”
“Nay change!” Beauty's voice lashed out. “The Army tis ours and we will use it when the accursed Golden One returns to their planet. Those beings will go back to the places where they are from and we will overrun Don. We are the Sisterhood.” Beauty intoned the last sentence and the others took up the chant.
“So be it.” Magda shrugged and turned to leave. Her passage through the door was halted as Ravin and Rocella of Rurhran entered. They were clad in elaborate metallic worked golden tights, black mourning sashes, and covered by heavy, brocaded golden capes. Their wide brimmed golden hats sat jauntily on their dark hair.
Ravin stepped forward and removed her hat. “It seems ye need a bit of counseling, and then mayhap we can bargain.”
Betta rose. “We welcome your wise words, Guardian of Rurhran. Both ye and your Lass of Rurhran have too long been absent from our gatherings.” She and the two women formally greeted each other.
“We were told ye were negotiating with Don for a marriage.” Betta began.
“The so-called Laird tis an arrogant male, nay capable of kenning our ways. He refused to attend.” Rocella stepped forward and removed her hat. “He claims that he does nay “love” me or ken me, and Walking the Circle for political reasons tis nay civilized. It was a wasted morn.”
Betta nodded and thought Don had rejected their suit. Good.
Ravin glanced at them and advanced to Belinda. “We sorrow with ye at the loss of your Mither.” She embraced Belinda and laid her head on each shoulder of the sobbing woman. “Ye must, however, learn that crying nay brings her back, but revenge tis at hand.” Her speech raised eyebrows, and all waited for her to continue.
“Don canna prosper if we, the Sisterhood, isolate them. They have nay kine to fill the meat demand and nay the people to carve, process, and deliver it. Without the sheep, they have nay wool for a non-existent clothing industry. If ye back the House of Rurhran in retaining the kine and the sheep, Don will sink into abject poverty as the rest of our Houses thrive.”
Betta's eyes lit up. “Magnificent! That will keep Jolene from interfering and civil war from erupting. Do ye have else to say?”
“Aye, we and all Thalia need the assurance that laddies remain with their Houses.”
“Agreed. Beauty, how say ye?”
Beauty sat down beside Belinda and looked at Betta. “Mither, do ye truly agree with that policy?”
“Aye, ye need to permit them to keep their laddies, and their lassies that prefer laddies.”
Beauty's shoulders straightened. “I dinna agree with either assumption. We will have the next Council meeting in two days. The Houses will see the importance of the labor when nay Ab signs with Don. Martin will arrange it. He has cause to hate Don.”
Betta sighed. Don had Tris, reclaimed some made Abs, and would reclaim more. To what end she could nay discern as Don had nay kine to carve, nay agriculture but small gardens, and thousands of Tris were available for work that did nay exist. She did nay believe the Tris would work long for just food and promises. Don would capitulate if they could unite the other Houses against them.
“Beauty, listen to my counsel. The Sisterhood will rule if we can isolate Don. To do that, we must prove a mutant canna be trusted in Thalia. Ye must accept the fact that laddies are part of the Houses and they are needed; even loved and protected. Jolene will vote wit
h us if Medicine's and Rurhran's acceptance of males is adopted.
“Look at what has happened. Our wee ones are few. We have become like the Justines. We will lose Rurhran, Betron, Medicine, Ishner, and Ayran if ye dinna compromise. LouElla and Llewellyn canna rule Thalia without them. Thalia would be torn apart. This time there will be no Justines to stop the Kreppies.”
Beauty's face became as stone. “Tis a bitter thing, Mither, but I will concede. Make the ruling the first thing to be considered at Council. Llewellyn will think he has won.”
“Good. Now ye must excuse me as I have arranged a meeting with Jeremiah O'Neal, the Captain of the Golden One. We will be discussing trade.”
Ravin stepped forward. “After the vote on laddies, Don will wish the beasties. Ye must have the votes to stop them.”
Betta looked at her. “Then I suggest ye start talking to the Guardians now.” She softened her voice. “Who kens, perhaps these other beings will trade with us. Mayhap their world needs agricultural products.”
Chapter 12: House of Don
Lorenz woke as the twin moons were swinging low to meet the graying of dawn. It was the morning after rescuing Troyner and for a moment the huge, round bed confused him. Nothing on Earth that he'd ever slept on matched this in size, and years of enduring the narrow confines of a spaceship bed left him unprepared for Thalian comfort. He was in Don's Guardian's House. Yesterday's events filtered through his mind and scattered the confusion. Cattle; they were out there waiting to be found. The boys could wait until later. He rose in one smooth motion, grabbed his clothes, and started to dress. Then he remembered the Thalians had a penchant for bathing and anyone that didn't would be shunned. He headed for the shower. Within fifteen minutes he was downstairs and banging at the door of Laten's and Dolo's bedroom.
“Rise and shine. We've work to do. Meet me in the kitchen.”
Dolo looked at the grey outside the window and groaned. “When did House rise so early?”
