Witan Jewell

by Russ L. Howard

  Paloma on a note of seriousness said, “Then know this, what she sees, comes to pass. Do not let her youthfulness blind you to her sight and wisdom. We have all learned to hearken unto her seeings.” Paloma then looked straight at Taneshewa. It was now time for the Rite of Yays and Nays.

  Meny squeezed her hand beneath the table. As Paloma smiled at her, Paloma’s deep piercing eyes looked like they could see right through her. She appeared so majestic in her long, royal purple, silk robe and hair was the color of golden flax in the late summer sun.

  “Taneshewa, you are so young and of another culture. Wherein perhaps our ways are even considered to be amoral or reprehensible or perhaps, you merely find them strange. But they are proven ways of old to us. Five hundred years of custom have shown their validity and proven their value. Surrey loves you with all his heart, and you have indicated you love him likewise and wish to be married after our manner. Is this correct?”

  Taneshewa nodded, “It is, my lady.”

  “I would be remiss if I did not make clear that, he being rooted in our culture, cannot back down from what he is. Upon his back rests an entire family, and tribe. Many, many others throughout all Herewardom depend on his place and role in our society. He is as connected to his people as the heart is to the whole body, and one could not sever that connection without bringing death to that body. Otherwise he could join you in monogamy and you both could live very happy lives together, I am sure. But his roots are too deep for him to be transplanted. You can not move a tree of his size without killing it. Therefore, the burden rests upon you to be grafted into his tree. We must ask you the questions we do to be sure the graft will take, and we can all be part of this magnificent tree we call Sur Sceaf. Do you follow?”

  Taneshewa swallowed the nervous flutter in her throat. “I do and I am prepared to be grafted.”

  “Excellent!” Paloma said. “Then let us have another horn of merriment before we start our next round of questions.”

  The handmaids re-filled the mead horns. Taneshewa poured the smooth bubbly contents down her throat, which had gone dry, and felt its pleasant flavor coating her tongue. Bee juice, she thought.

  Mendaho drank deep, then set her horn down and said, “That’s so good. It tickles my innards.” Everyone laughed.

  Milkchild said, “It will tickle more than your innards if you drink very much more. I promise you.”

  Faechild offered Mendaho and Taneshewa some pastries, “Here, try this baklava. Milkchild made it, but isn’t about to share the recipe. Just feel it melt in your mouth and your tongue will beg for more.”

  “So sweet!” Mendaho said, “Like honey bread, only flakey.”

  After considerable merriment and refreshment, the lady Paloma struck her gavel three times and all went silent. “We welcome you to this very important meeting, Lady Taneshewa. It is called the Rite of Yays and Nays. And it is designed for your protection. It was instituted by the Great Lady Godgifu of Olden Times. In times past there were women who entered marriages through entrapment, coercion, or duress, or simply because parents wanted it to happen for the sake of an alliance or even for such crass reasons as hope for monetary gain.

  “Marriage is strictly the determination of two hearts to willingly join as one. Let me ask you a few questions to determine that you are here of your own free will and accord, and to determine that you understand the magnitude of your decision to marry Sur Sceaf. We wish to assure ourselves that you have in no way been coerced, trapped, or placed under duress to make your choice.”

  “Certainly,” Taneshewa said, “no one has coerced me. Nor could they ever. It is my choice alone that has brought me here. Mendaho can surely attest to my struggles before I came to abide under Surrey’s roof.”

  “I’d like to see anyone try to coerce her. She’s way too untamable for that.” Mendaho nodded.

  Paloma cleared her throat, “Are you ready?”

  “Yes!” Taneshewa admitted, “But I’m a little nervous.”

  “Do you have any doubts or any questions about your marriage to Sur Sceaf at this point?”

  “No, I’ve already hammered all of those out. I’m sure there will be questions arising and I feel free to ask them, but I am content that my major questions have all been satisfactorily answered.”

  “Is it your will,” Paloma asked, “to faithfully share him with his other wives, to uphold the established order and customs of this covey of wives, and to share in our burdens equally?”

  Taneshewa looked at Swan Hilde for a moment, then answered, “It is.”

  “Is it your will to pass through the Rite of the Veil in the Secret Place and to become a royal wife and a priestess, forever after the Order of Mawva, who established the first order of bride-coveys.”

  “It is.”

  “Do you promise to always hail, forever conceal, and never reveal any of the secrets of your sister-wives; and to help, aid, and assist them in any endeavour, if within the length of your bow shot? If so then say, I do so promise.”

  “I do so promise.”

  “Is it your will to beget as great a posterity as health, circumstances, mind, and mood will permit? And that according to your own nurturing capacity.”

  It took Taneshewa a moment to realize Paloma was talking about children. Heat moved into her cheeks, then she smiled. “It is my will and pleasure to do so.” The other women all smiled.

  Paloma looked at all present then said, “Lady Ahyyyokah Taneshewa of the Eastern Band of Sharaka, I shall say after careful deliberation and thorough examination, as well as your affirmative acceptance of our way, we have chosen and elected you with a five to one vote, to be the seventh sister in our covey of bride-sisters, to share our man in all his arts, parts, and being. And I must add my fervent belief that I feel comfortable with this decision.”

  The ladies all applauded and smiled with the exception of Swan Hilde, who seemed reserved. Ahy suspected she was the nay vote.

  Mendaho clapped and said to Taneshewa, “See, I told you so. No sweat at all!”

  Taneshewa felt first relief, then overwhelming joy mixed with some anxiety as to what was to come next. She said, “I shall dance the dance of joy, around the campfire tonight with my friends. Thank you, I hope I will be able to learn your ways and prove to be a true and devoted sister in the covey. I thank you, my ladies from the depths of my soul. Please, bear with me as I adjust to your culture.”

  Paloma stated, “Ahy, it has been a long grueling test. It started long before we even knew of you. For you see, we Herewardi believe that true love has its roots in the worlds before this world, and we come to this world to give it its crowning glory. Just as you were bound to Sur Sceaf before this world, so also, all of us possessed an eternal bond with one another to be sisters. After this life, it will extend into the galaxies, worlds without end. It is a great sisterhood we possess. You have conquered in the name of love. It is now our duty to nurse you into our way. Because you are now a betrothed bride of a Herewardi lord, you will be entitled to all the respect, honor, and privileges we enjoy.”

  Shining Moon shouted “Here, here!” Then everyone applauded, even Swan Hilde.

  Paloma continued, “Your eighty-eight day waiting period began when you petitioned for acceptance into this bride-covey. Eighty-eight days because it is two times the number of the Forty-Four Laws, which means Sur Sceaf will likely take you to wife on the next Fifth Sabbath in two weeks. He’s likely to remain on the coast for close to Walpurgis Night. We, as his wives, will take turns visiting with him, but back to the waiting period I mentioned. I hope you have availed yourself of getting to know us and deciding what your will is during the eighty-eight days allotted to you. I know they are coming to an end and there are probably still some issues you need to clear up with your bride-sisters. We established this waiting period as a safeguard to resolve any issues or possible remorse, which may arise and to ensure there has been no duress or entrapment so that a solid and firm decision may be made.”


  “Believe me, I would not allow myself to be coerced into such an important decision.”

  “Of course not, but should you have a change of heart at any time within this testing period, you need only come to me and say you wish to be released, and you shall be released with no malice or recriminations through a process we call behanding.”

  Paloma signaled a handmaid to bring some more of Govannon’s brew. “We, the wives, have undergone this same selection process, as has every Herewardi bride for five hundred years.” Paloma took a deep breath. “Now, your status as an elect lady, entitles you to the right to know who gave the dissenting vote so that you can make peace with your bride-sisters and set aside your differences before you marry.”

  “No, I did not know this, Miss Boss,” Taneshewa said. She was shocked by the bride-sisters’ sudden laughter.

  “I can tell you’re Sagwi’s friend.” Paloma said, “She’s the only one who calls me Miss Boss, but you know I could get used to that.”

  Faechild said, “Fat chance!”

  They laughed.

  Taneshewa quipped, “To be continued!”

  Another round of laughter followed.

  Paloma looked thoughtful, “Ahy, people vote for various reasons of their heart. Swan Hilde feels you will dominate all the time with Sur Sceaf and feels she will not be able to keep up with you physically and that your youthful body will always be more sexually attractive than our mature bodies. There’s probably a great deal of truth in this, but for my part, I truly believe my man is able to appreciate each of us for our strengths and ignore our shortcomings. Especially Surrey, who understands the unfolding of life.”

  Taneshewa turned to Swan Hilde and addressed her directly. “I can certainly understand those concerns.” Taneshewa said, “My mother taught me that youth and beauty are gifts from the gods that will soon fade away. We should learn to enjoy the fruit we become rather than dwelling only on our blossoms. To tell the truth, I’ve had the same feelings that I would be overshadowed by you great ladies in grace, wisdom, and knowledge.”

  Paloma smiled, “Well spoken.”

  The ladies said, “Here, here!” And Taneshewa saw some of the sternness leave Swan Hilde’s face.

  “Finally,” Paloma said, “though it did not come to this, a second dissenting vote nearly came from Lana, who otherwise has only ever sung your praises.”

  Taneshewa squeezed tightly on Mendaho’s hand.

  Paloma explained, “She feared a horrible rift might have come upon our family because her son...our son, Aelfy, was sick with love for you. Even had she voted against you, we other four sisters had the power to override her vote. Yet, she has asked to explain to you why she considered voting nay. Lana, you may now proceed.”

  Lana stood up from the table, attempted a nervous smile, and said, “My dear friend, Ahy, I have not wracked my soul, nor been torn in twain such as this has done to me since my mother refused to acknowledge me when I married Surrey. It was as if I were reliving that bitter past. When I told Paloma I planned to cast a nay vote she directed me to take Aelfy to King Sur Spear. Filled with kingly wisdom as always, the king subsequently has arranged for Aelfheah to go to the royal stables and run his horse stud in Powers. Thus, he has thereby effectively removed him from his father’s house as of tomorrow. I will miss him sorely, but it is a necessary step to protect the love between he and his father, and we as bride-sisters.”

  Paloma added, “It’s just one of the precautions we have to take when a man chooses a wife the same age as his sons. It’s really not all that unusual. Just four years ago Much the Wagoner took a young bride who soon ran off with his son. Both of them ended up in Shasta, divorced after three years, leaving behind them many rifts to heal. There is a lesson in all of this. If Lana had come to me first, we could have dealt with the situation in a timely manner. Please, all sisters trust me enough to come to me first. I should tell you that after this judgment was passed, Lana quickly took up her previous advocacy for Taneshewa and declared her love and friendship toward her.”

  Taneshewa looked over at a remorseful Lana. “I, too, bear some responsibility in that I should have told you, Lana. Aelfy was repeatedly pressing me with his flirtations. Perhaps the two of us could have resolved the problem sooner, had I been more forthcoming, but I didn’t, because I believed it would send out the flames of gossip throughout this community, and I didn’t want that.”

  “It was a tight rope for both of us to walk, Ahy. Let us promise that we will never let anything of this kind come between us again.”

  Lana got up, walked over to Taneshewa, who also stood, and they hugged each other.

  Paloma added, “I would encourage the two of you to discuss this matter further until you have cleansed and cleared the emotions the situation generated. It takes time to heal from such wounds and I don’t expect this one conversation will put an end to the matter.”

  Dina brought in more refreshment of bread, fruit, and mead. Everyone started picking over the food and chattering about various domestic activities.

  Paloma announced, “There is one final presentation.” Paloma rang a hand bell and soon Brekka appeared with a wooden tray in her hands. As she drew near, Taneshewa could see it was a necklace of beautiful stones. Brekka held it in front of her.

  Paloma said, “This necklace shall be yours, Taneshewa, on the day you exit the Rite of the Veil in the Secret Place. The first stone on the necklace represents me. It is a diamond. The second stone is a ruby, representing Lana, and so on down to you. Which as you see is blank in the seventh setting. That is because you must announce what stone it is you wish to be represented by. All of us bride-sisters have one. It is our bond with one another. What stone will you choose that I may have Govannon fashion it into all of our necklaces?”

  She was still admiring the gold and the exquisite workmanship of the necklace when she looked up and declared, “The turquoise. It shall be my stone.”

  “Very well, it shall be turquoise.” Paloma stated, “This concludes our meeting of Yays and Nays. Everyone at ease.”

  Finally, Paloma held up her mead horn. “It is said that Govannon’s brew can open the windows of Heaven. Let us toast the lady Ahyyyokah Taneshewa. May she flourish and prosper amongst us forever. Welcome to our covey, Taneshewa.”

  The bride-covey raised their drinking horns as did Mendaho.

  “Soon you will be part of our royal fleet of swan maidens. You will be initiated into a sister-priesthood of endless possibilities of which you shall be a priestess forever after the Order of Mawva. We shall love you as our dear sister and all of us shall spread our wings over you to protect you in sickness and in health, through trials, and prosperity for ever more.”

  Chapter 14 : Ur Ford by the Sea

  It was a chilly morning, the ninth day of the Skipping Moonth. Inside the guest chamber of Amschel’s and Turfrida’s Ur Ford home, Long Swan awoke to the cawing of crows outside his window and a knock at his door. He threw on his house coat and walked barefoot across the cold wood floor of his bedroom to see who summoned so early.

  Upon opening the door, his sister Turfrida, stood there in her house coat. “A rider just arrived from Witan Jewell with this attachment addressed to you.” She handed him a sealed leather pouch.

  “Thank you, Sis. It must be very important for them to have arrived this early.”

  “I’m sure it is. Surrey got a dispatch too. Ruth and I will get breakfast on and heat up the house for you all.” Her usual maternal attitude toward Long Swan showing, she asked, “Can I get you some hot sassafras tea to start your day, Bro?”

  “No thanks, I’m going to set to reading this dispatch right away. I’m wondering what the urgency is that it was brought with such haste.”

  “Well, in that case I’ll have some hot cakes with pecans and pumpkin seed made up for the two of you.” Turfrida smiled and quietly closed his door.

  Long Swan ached from having gone out to sea the day before with Sur Sceaf. His stomach still
had hints of queasiness, and he found his feet wishing they had never left the solid ground. He sat down on his bed, removed the royal seal of Sur Spear, and removed the leather cap off the dispatch.

  Inside he found a roll of parchment which he unrolled and held up to the light in the window.

  Long Swan,

  Fort Rock was recently attacked by a Pitter legion having originated in the Eugene zonga. The Desert Queen sorely vexed them with her fyrd under the able command of Lord Ilrundel. Once the Pitter legion engaged Queen Va-Eyra, they realized they had met more than a match and beat a hasty retreat back over the mountains to their zonga. Their legions were pursued by Ilrundel’s fyrds, who abused them of more than half their soldiers in the wood by the Obsidian Flats. Additional news from the High Desert is that the Wose is moving into the Stink Water Region. The Snake, White Knives, and Ochoco tribes are all reporting that the Pitters are pouring into their lands through the Stink Water Pass as thick as buffulo herds.

  Kanarus has sent us a rider reporting that the Herewardi settlement on the Virgin River was utterly destroyed by the Pitters and the Growlings in unison. Men, women, children, all brutally slain and not a house or barn left standing. Ndee warriors report there are many dark priests among the Pitters these days and most sport a scalp or two from what they claim to be Herewardi lords on their belts, indicating they had slain the lords in the pit. It appears, the Skull Worm has released his wrath and is swift initiating his campaign in the West with an unrelenting will to eliminate both Kanarus and Sur Sceaf.

  I received your message that the Caballo Blanco and Citriodoran Rogues from the Mexus and Kalifornia Lands respectively, want to form a naval confederacy. Bring them here that we may discuss the whale oil trade and that they may report the movements of the Pitters in the South Lands. I already have reports of large build ups of legions in the Copperopolis Region of the Kalifornias where the Skull Worm has set up his control center. They must have more recent news than that which I possess. When the Caballo Blanco and Citriodoran Rogues arrive, I am requesting you escort them to Witan Jewell, that I may examine such claims.