Not only did Ary find the story amusing he was pleased to see the affectionate gleam come into Long Swan’s eyes. “Where did the friendship part come into that?”
“Well, we learned our lesson. We did not tease Xelph anymore. In fact we started letting him join us at play. One day we were playing a game of tag in a newly constructed home, when I was about to jump out a window to avoid him catching me, he touched me, my foot caught on a window sill and I plunged to the ground. I managed to stagger to my feet with my left arm looking more like a serpent than an arm.”
“The medicine man set the bones and everyday while I recovered at home, Xelph would come over and tell me stories. He even gave me several hides painted with Sharaka tales, which his Uncle had written and collected. One was even the Tale of Hereward the Wake. I would read it in class until the Beet confiscated it, never to return it. So we formed a very close bond. As you know, we even became blood brothers in the ancient Sharaka tradition, and up to this day have been the very best of friends. It would greatly pain me if our friendship ended here at this place.”
Ary said, “Give it time, my friend. Aelfheah and I have had fights over girls more than once, but after a couple of weeks we made peace and went back to being the best of friends.”
Long Swan sighed before draining his krug. “I would be willing to do my part in preserving our friendship, but I fear it will take Xelph a very long time to forgive me, if ever.”
“I believe you are wrong about that. Xelph is not the type to hold on to grudges.”
“Have you ever heard of, Saxwulf?” Long Swan said.
“Isn’t he the heretoga of the Shasta Fyrd? I think we fought each other in a tournament once.”
“Yes, he and I were once best of friends. I idolized him and in fact would have given my life for him if called upon to do so.” His expression became grim. “It was he, my best friend and idol, who stole my fiancée, Faehunig and that even after a hand fasting at a harrow stone. If it hadn’t been for Sur Sceaf and Pyrsyrus, I would have killed him. That was ten years ago, and I still feel betrayed by him. I no longer hate him for what he did, but even if he apologized, I could never be his friend again.”
* * *
Ary sat in silence beside Black Khem. It had been three weeks since the fight between Xelph and Long Swan and the wolf pack of young bloods was still feeling the effects. Relations were still strained, some siding with Xelph and others choosing Long Swan’s point-of-view.
Ary used a willow stick to draw runes in the ashes along side the fire pit. Khem stared into the fire looking downcast and melancholy. Every now and then he would let out a heavy sigh. Ary was about to ask him what was wrong when Elf Beard and Crooked Jack returned from the village.
Elf Beard drew near and asked, “What ails you so, Khem? You look like a brooding hen with too big of an egg to pass.”
“It’s just that I cannot endure my friends hating each other. When the two of them are present, the air feels just like when a thunder cloud is about to let loose.”
Crooked Jack laughed. “Damn good way of putting it, but remember this, a thunder cloud eventually moves on and the sun comes back out again.”
“I don’t know, Jackie, some of the Hickoryan and Sharaka young bloods are saying it was a dishonorable thing that Long Swan did, taking the girl Xelph had chosen. Even when I told them about the Herewardi custom that all is always fair in love, and to the victor belongs the betrothal, they didn’t agree. I worry this rift could bust this crew wide open.” Khem let out another big sigh before adding, “Maybe what some of the Chartreuseans say about her being a witchy woman is true.”
Jackie exploded, “Nonsense, you’re too smart to believe that, Khem. Besides, like all fyrd members, Xelph has sworn an oath on a slain swan that he will not strike down anyone of the royal bloodline. Long Swan is of the bloodline, you can be assured, that Xelph will not break that oath.”
Khem didn’t look convinced. “All I know is that before that willowy woman worked her wiles, we were all the best of friends and had so many good times together.” Khem smiled. “Elfie, remember the time outside of Witan Jewell, in the place called Tom’s Folly, when you took Long Swan, Xelph, Ary, Sur Sceaf, and me on a hunt for a mountain lion that had been ravaging our flocks? Remember how we treed it?”
Elf Beard laughed. “Oh, yes! I’ll never forget the expression on your face that day. Eyes stuck out like hard-boiled eggs, mouth agape.”
“Remember how Ary and Sur Sceaf were on the other side of the tree from where I was standing and how it appeared to me that the panther had jumped on Ary, but it had actually taken off to another tree with the hounds in sizzling pursuit. We could not get Xelph and Long Swan to stop laughing.”
“Oh yeah! Oh hell yeah. Damned funny that was, one of the best times of my life, hunting with you boys.”
Khem ignored him. “And remember the time we all canoed down the Coke Hill River together with our terriers and stopped in at Bear Jim’s cabin while he was butchering a bear and we got funny drunk on Jim’s home brew. There was that funny dance Long Swan and Xelph did together on the table, had us all in stitches!” His sudden laughter turned to sadness as he shook his head. “How can two comrades that loved each other so much be such enemies and mad-heads, overnight? I can’t get my mind around it.”
Crooked Jack said in his gravelly voice, “You have no idea my friend, how powerful the force of a woman can be. Yes, she appears soft, but she is like water and, like water, she can work her way betwixt men the way water runs between rocks. When water freezes—pop, the two rocks are split apart. Many are the times I’ve seen blood spilt over just this thing. We should be glad there were just a few blows exchanged. To her, she has not done anything wrong, only followed the laws she is ordained by nature to obey, just like it’s the man’s nature to fight for her. And sometimes a friendship is split apart in the process.”
Khem dropped his jaw, “No, you can’t tell me that the softness of a woman brought about this conflict.”
Crooked Jack said, “Patience, Khem. There is another hand at play here too. It is that same softness in a woman that makes the home a peaceful abode, an island of calm in the storm of life. If there is more than one wife, that calmness is overwhelmingly peaceful and can provide no greater sanctuary for restoring one’s soul. Yes, indeed, young men, listen to me. Women have the power of chaos and the power of calmness all wrapped in a nice little bundle. Once these two rams have stopped butting heads, Long Swan is going to have himself a beautiful faery-mother for his sister-brides someday and Xelph is going to learn some social graces, so that the next woman he meets, he will be prepared to properly engage.”
Ary once again marveled at Crooked Jack’s wisdom and had to concede that wisdom could come in such a coarse package.
Khem looked up from the firepit with eyes like a whipped hound, “But how? Xelph is very picky, says most girls are just juicy gigglers and he needs more depth than that.”
Crooked Jack furrowed his brow. “This girl certainly did drip so; smart, talented, and lust-stirring. From what Old Grokk and I observed she had every young blood in camp licking his lips. She even did the impossible and did what no woman has been able to do for the last nine years, she put gold back into Long Swan’s spear.
Xelph is no fool, once he has gotten over his anger, he will learn from this experience. He assumed he didn’t have to do anything, but be available. I can tell you from a lifetime of warrior experience, there is no more fought over or sought after turf than the turf between a woman’s thighs. It is no wonder the elders consider it both the portal to heaven and the gates of hell. It depends on your approach, my friend. Xelph thought he had that girl’s love on the tip of his fingers until she set her sights on Long Swan and then she slipped right through his hands as swift as water.” He rubbed his beard in consternation as if he had had enough of this conversation. Finally, he sighed and said to Ary, “Let me have a look at that finger you split with your weird rock, seeing as X
elph ain’t doing no doctoring these days.”
Ary held out his hand as Crooked Jack peeled the bandage off his ring finger. “Well, there you have it. It’s healed into a pretty little heart. I’d say that was a man’s womb if ever there was one.”
“A Man’s Womb!” Ary said, “Do you jest, Old Friend?”
“Well, in the folk memory, that is a scar that the Elves deliver to a man to remind him of the pain women have to go through in birthing us. Remember the pain that bloody rock gave you and have respect for your wives in the future. Cause your pain ain’t nothing compared to what they go through for us.”
* * *
Arundel’s Journal:
We’ve been here in Arym Gael for six moonths. It is the first day of the Haelige Moonth which the Chartreuseans call the Moonth of Muin or the Vine, highest of beauty. In twenty one days, Turtle Duck’s ship is due to arrive and take the explorers back. They are anxious to see Godeselle again, especially those who are married. I spent the day in the red pfalz tent making ‘rope long swans,’ which Mother Lana calls a caduceus, to pass the time. I’ve been waiting for word from the Ele-Anorean ambassador for three moonths, but still no permission from the mountain queen granting us the right to enter her kingdom.
Ysys-Ka has taken to remind me almost daily that Queen Zschamillah is not one to rush matters and that she will appoint the day of our meeting as she judges the spirits, the flight of birds, the stars, until they augur it is safe for us to enter into her lands. To my surprise, just this morning, Ysys also told me in confidence that the queen has had word of the Long Swan-Xelph conflict and thinks it better to wait and see how that matter resolves itself before she invites us into her kingdom. I find myself more and more intrigued to meet this Queen Zschamillah and discover what powers she possesses that has set the villagers to so fear her.
After making discrete inquiries, I have discovered that the people are of two minds when discussing Queen Zschamillah. Both Ysys and Eyf speak about her profound wisdom, and any who speak against her cannot show any evil deed she has done. And when I’ve questioned them, they cannot give any evidence of her wrongdoing. They dismiss it by saying she is a witch, as if that were a legitimate enough argument. I surmise that is because she has powers they cannot understand or comprehend. I realize that amongst this isolated community, someone, like my sweet innocent sister, Brekka, with her divining powers, and darling Aryfae with her ability of reading the hearts of men, would be considered witches of sinister intent and my brothers, Russell and Ev-Rhett who can read each other’s thoughts would surely be banished as demons. Even my own gifts of seership could warrant my banishment, which is why I guard my tongue among these superstitious folk. Since my finger healed, I have not dreamed again of the beautiful woman that came to me on the night I found the stone pillow.
Ysys-Ka and Long Swan have spent their days together here, singing the songs of love, floating in each others words, drinking each others spirit, and languishing in one another’s arms beneath the willows along the river. At last Long Swan has broken free of his doldrums and appears eager to embrace life in all of its facets. My family shall greatly rejoice.
Xelph continues to lick his wounds and has returned to his first love, wyrt cunning and plants. He spends most of everyday with either the village sages discussing medicinal uses of herbs, or out collecting specimens of plants from the gardens and the wilds. For the most part, Long Swan and Xelph have made a pact of ignoring each other.
I have never known Ilkchild to stray from the tenants of Herewardi sexual mores, and particularly now that he has entered the sacred marriage vows, it seems that he is precariously walking dangerously close to violating the Herewardi tenant of no sexual contact between anyone accept those to whom you are legally and lawfully wedded. I don’t think he has crossed that line, but he tells me he is more tempted now that he has tasted how delicious marital union is than he ever was before. I have tried to fortify him by suggesting he back off from engaging with the lovely Chartreusean maidens, but he claims he is trolling for other wives to expand his kingdom with. I believe he is fooling himself. Ilkchild continues to relentlessly swim and socialize with the Chartreusean maidens, which has begun to earn him the ire of some of the Chartreusean young men and the suspicions of none too few Chartreusean parents. Old Grokk and Jackie Doo decided they would take Ilkchild aside and give him a stiff warning that he was wading into hot waters that could jeopardize our mission.
Yellow Horse is still too shy to approach any of the girls, but both Sunchild and Fairchild show active interest in courting Chartreusean women.
As for myself, I still ponder who will be my faery-queen. It’s become a burden for me to be patient, and I fear my fiancées grow weary of my delay, and the twin sisters have already made it known that they will not wait much longer. But the securing of a great wife is not a matter to be taken lightly.
* * *
Ysys and Long Swan spent as much time together as their duties would permit among the ancient willows on the banks of the Aber Gael River. The bucks were in rut and the colliding of rams’ heads could be heard in the nearby paddocks, as shepherds were flushing the ewes for the breeding season. Long Swan had never been happier. For the first time in four years he passed through the days without one thought about Faehunig. It was exhilarating to not be burdened with thoughts of vengeance or of her anymore. Now, every waking moment was of Ysys and he feasted on every episode of life they shared together. It was clear to him she felt the same way.
He sat on a fallen willow trunk with Ysys to share the picnic lunch she had brought. Each day she surprised him with a special Chartreusean dish, and today it was an exotic treat consisting of dates, figs, and pecans. “My dear, this is utterly delicious, we are not accustomed to such constant new dishes. When we get to Godeselle, I want you to share these dishes with the ladies of the city.”
“I want to please you. Your eyes seemed so sorrowful when you first arrived and I knew then, that you had a very deep heart. It pleases me to see you so cheerful now.”
Long Swan looked into her eyes which when first he had seen her, he mistook for blue, but upon closer examination, he learned they were violet. “Ysys, I fell in love once before. It ended in a total disaster, with my losing her to a man I called Friend. There were bitter arrows in my heart and I hated the man I had formerly admired. I kept the dark feelings in a deep jar within my heart. It was a darkness a lore master was not supposed to have and it often crept out like a hungry vampire that devoured the imaginations of my heart. But now I know, the love I felt for Faehunig pails in comparison for the love I am feeling for you. You have healed my heart. Where light shines, darkness flees.”
Ysys said, “It is even as I feel with you. Many people experience betrayal in love. We believe the promises only to find that they were built on the sands of lies.”
“I am a master of the law,” Long Swan declared, “but I do not know your laws. What I know is that I want to marry you, if you will have me.”
Her eyes brightened and her face softened into the most beautiful smile. “I knew the moment I danced before you. I could feel our heart roots mingling and growing together and in a twinkling, in a hall full of people, there was only you and I. I remember that Zschamillah said that when one discovers one’s true love, it is like having the veil ripped from your hearts and a strong current of attraction locks you to each other for all time thereafter.”
Long Swan could feel his heart pounding against his chest, “I intend to honor the customs of your people. So tell me what is it I must do to secure their favour?”
“First, you must ask my parents for permission. If they grant permission to ‘join,’ as we call it, then it must be presented to the people to see if any have objections to the bonding. In Chartreusean culture we wed a village and not just a person.”
“And if someone from the village objects?”
“We will still have the right to bond even should the majority of the village disagree, but
it is considered a bad time to plant and betokens a dark shadow of things to come. If the customs of joining are acceptable, then I will be required to go with the sages into a sacred grove on the hill by the sea, called Firghus-Mack-Roich. There, they will instruct me in the Joining Counsel for the bride, which I must repeat back to them, word by word. Likewise, you will be taken to the same place by the sisters, where they instruct you in the Joining Counsel for the Groom, till you can repeat it back word for word.”
“What kind of counsel? Is it a test or what?” Long Swan inquired.
“Basically, the Joining Counsel is the method of understanding the needs of your partner in order to complement them.” Her lavender eyes twinkled into a smile, “You don’t want to enter the Night of First Joining ignorant and fumbling now, do you?”
At the thought, Long Swan felt a thrill all the way to his toes. “Of course not,” he said with deep feeling.
“If the sages and sisters pronounce you and me ready, they will escort each of us to the great ceiba tree where the village will have already gathered to bear witness to our bonding. There you and I will stand together before the chief, who will proclaim us eternally bonded by saying, ‘Let no one cover you from this day forward and forever, but your mate.’ Then all the people of the village say, ‘Here, here.’”
Long Swan thought for a moment and then nodded. “Well, in our culture we go through the Rite of the Veil, which has the effect of making your offspring of royal blood. After that, we have a festivity with our family and invited guests with lots to eat and drink. Then the bride and groom go off alone for what we call a honeymoon, a moonth of romance and mead.”
“Ah! That’s very much like the Ele-Anoreans do. But, I regret to tell you, we must wait till the night of the new moon to join in the flesh.” Ysys paused long.
“What is it?” Long Swan said finally when she remained silent, “You’ve gone silent on me. I perceive something troubles you.”
The Bok of Syr Folk Page 22
