Author: David Nunes da Silva
Title: "... and run between the fires on a warm midsummer night."
Part: Part 2 of 6
Universe: Midsummer Fires
Summary:Set 2435 B.C.E. in the Eastern Alps.
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Keywords: mf mm cbt sm best viol 1st hist
Web Site: /~Davo/
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Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 09:10:04 -0400
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"... and run between the fires on a warm midsummer night."
by David Nunes da Silva
2435 B.C.E. The Julian Alps.
[ This posting is the second half of the first story of a trilogy. These links
go to web postings of each story; the web postings contain a few
illustrations, music I wrote for the songs, etc. Click on yellow notes for
the tunes. ]
Home Page ( http://www.angelfire.com/indie/dnds/index.htm )
I. "... and run between the fires on a warm midsummer night."
( http://www.angelfire.com/indie/dnds/Arkwan.htm )
II. Brothers of the Ox-Yoke.
( http://www.angelfire.com/indie/dnds/tektu.htm )
III. The Song of Kala Khoam.
( http://www.angelfire.com/indie/dnds/kalakhoam.htm )
[ subject line {ASS} REV Midsummer Fires 02 {Davo da Silva} {mf mm sm viol
nc hist} ]
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The first night of Arkwan's marriage was done by trickery.
They had contrived packs with some bags from Nute's cargo, and had walked
for many days, on rather short rations. Danha had been snarling at Nakien
all day. They came at last to a small village, and after the feast Nakien
went off with Tektu and two of the village women, and he told Arkwan to give
Danha a good whipping. "Who is he to say I should be whipped?" Danha asked.
"You travel with him, and eat his food," Arkwan answered. "You wanted to be
here. Go home, if you don't like it. Otherwise, pull up your tunic and
lie across this log." In the days since they had been walking with Nakien,
Danha's bottom had healed some from her mother's whipping.
Tektu came to watch his sister whipped. He had a man from the village with
him. Arkwan cut a thin switch, but whipped hard and fast, for a long time.
That hurt, he thought, but tomorrow her bottom will not be very sore.
"That is hardly a whipping," Tektu said. "Let me cut a real switch. You
can whip me, too. I want to prove I can bear it. I won't cry any more. I
am a man."
"You can show your friend," Arkwan said, and handed him the thin switch.
Then he went to lie down by their packs. He had to send away the naked
woman who was there. Although he wanted Danha to go home, he felt bound by
his promise, and as long as she stayed he would not couple with any other
woman. Besides, his penis was still sore.
"Wvaksa Penis," Danha whispered. "Kunera," he replied. She brushed his
penis very softly, but it sprang into a tight hardness, which hurt. But
the pain didn't quench his desire. He watched Tektu and the village man
whip each others' bottoms. They were laughing; the switch was indeed
rather thin. Danha pulled him over on his side, and holding his penis in
her hand, gently stroked the lips of her kunera with the tip of his penis.
She slipped it inside. He pushed further in, although it hurt. The end
came suddenly, unexpected, and he felt glorious as seed poured out of him.
It was like starting a pheasant that he hadn't seen, and shooting it as it
rose, a blur of brown and black, crawing into the sky.
The next morning Danha questioned Nakien about the law. "Did you put your
seed in her, Arkwan?" Nakien asked. "Did a villager see the whipping?"
Nakien ruled that it had been a marriage night. Two more, and they would be
married.
"But from now, you won't need to provoke me to have you whipped, Danha."
Nakien said. "I will place sticks as doorposts."
"Do you want us to marry?" Arkwan asked. "Do you want her to be the wife of
a slave? She should go home."
Nakien answered: "Nute loved a woman once. A love so strong it could compel
the Gods. She is dead. Nute thinks they will live again, on the green
Earth, and be together. He thinks their love can make that happen. Danha,
if you love Arkwan, win him if you can. I will not stop you. In any case,
I can't claim to have no ridgepole. When we stop each night, our camp
really is, in law, my house. If you marry Arkwan, you do not become a
slave, of course. But if you travel with me, married or not, I will rule.
There will be work, sometimes hard, if you wish to eat. And I will have
Arkwan whip you, hard and often, when you do not behave. And next time I
will choose the switch."
"Danha, you should go home," Arkwan said. "You might as well be a slave, as
marry one. If we married and had children, our children would be slave's
sons and slave's daughters. And I will not marry: I will not put my seed in
your body."
"Seed in her body does not make a marriage, Arkwan," Nakien said. "even
under a roof. It must be 'openly and known.' If only I and her own
brother know, that is not enough."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I thought you meant to put no more seed in her, Arkwan," Nakien said,
stepping over them as he came back from pissing. Days had passed, and the
moon had waned again.
"I do not want to, but every time she comes to me, I do," Arkwan answered.
"There is no one here. It does not make us married."
Nakien said: "Yes, but do you have to do it every time we stop to rest? We
will reach a village tonight, and sleep on the threshing floor. If you put
seed in her there, it will be 'openly and known.' Let me see your penis.
It has healed well; all this fucking has done you no harm. No one will
know that the tattoos were done since midsummer. Let me see your bottom.
Well, you can see the hand-print if it is pointed out. And it doesn't look
as if it will fade any more. It will do. I want you to wear your cloak
as we come into the village tonight. Bow and dagger. And your ivory
wrist-guard. You don't have to mention you are a slave. Danha, wear your
jewelry. If the headman wants to see the mark of the God, Arkwan, show it
to him, but don't bare your bottom to the whole village, the mark is hard to
see."
"I do not think my burn is the hand of the God we do not name, or of any
God," Arkwan said.
Nakien looked at Arkwan's face, and took his hand in his own. Nakien said:
"Danha, take Tektu and go gather some grass. We should make some more
rope."
"Tell me about the fires, Arkwan," Nakien said, once they were alone. "You
got a burn on your bottom. Did you fall, and sit down on a bed of coals?"
"I don't know how I got it. I don't remember sitting on coals."
"Did something hit you from behind, Arkwan, something that burned?"
"When I was in the fire, I climbed up a burning log. But it broke, and I
fell toward the fire. But I didn't fall in, somehow. I landed safe.
Something did hit me. I guess it was a burning log, that fell and hit my
bottom."
"Arkwan," Nakien said, "do you really think it was a log that fell?"
"It. It. Felt like. A hand."
"I thought maybe it did."
"Nakien, how can I have been a God? Men fell on their faces, they couldn't
look at me. And it was so strange. I was there and I wasn't there."
"That is the Hema, Arkwan, you must have taken gulps and gulps of it.
Don't you believe in the Gods, Arkwan?"
"I don't understand, Nakien."
'I saw the Gods in your village. Did one of them ever walk up to the high
pasture, sing with Lumpkha and Niri, and have an archery match with Sujasa?"
"Stop it, Nakien. That is like a story."
"Gods walk, but only in stories. Listen Arkwan! They do walk. On the
green Earth. I have seen it. At the dance, everyone saw it. You felt
it. And you will! Not! Lie! To me! You will tell me what happened.
Tell . . . everything."
The grass was good, and Tektu and Danha twisted coils and coils of cord, and
had laid out a rope walk. Danha used to spin every day; she missed it, and
the cord-making was a bit like spinning. As she twisted she saw in her eyes
the dark red cloak she would make for Arkwan, spinning every thread herself.
What a silly girl I am, Danha thought, to bring my jewels instead of my
spindle.
Nakien came out to find them. "Danha, Arkwan is ill. I. I upset him.
He is shivering. He flinches at the sound of my voice. See if you can
help him." Danha and Tektu ran back. Danha tried to take Arkwan in her
arms, but he turned from her, and clung, desperately, to Tektu. "Brother,"
Arkwan said, "we got our man's tattoos on the same day. You wanted to show
me you would not cry from a whipping. Go cut a good switch. Only, whip me
first. I don't think I will cry, either."
Tektu looked at Nakien, and his sister. Nakien dropped his eyes to the
ground. Danha looked angry, but didn't say anything. Tektu had to pull
Arkwan's arms off. He took his flint blade, and went to cut a switch.
This will be so good, he thought. When Tektu had been whipped by his
mother, his cries and screams could be heard all over the village. All the
children made fun of him. But Tektu really did think that he wouldn't cry
any more, now that he was a man. He had been as disobedient as he knew
how to be, to Nakien, hoping for a whipping, but no one had noticed. And
Arkwan had refused to whip him for his mistakes at knife practice and
archery. This is going to hurt terribly, he thought, and I'll just watch the
birds. I hope it hurts so I can't bear it, but I will bear it and not cry.
He felt a tingle in his penis, as if a woman was touching it, very
lightly, with her eyelashes. I hope he whips me till I bleed, Tektu
thought. I won't cry. Tektu licked his lips. In his ears, Tektu heard
Arkwan saying again "No warrior could have done better, Tektu." He felt
a pounding in his chest.
When Tektu came back with his thick, knobby switch, Arkwan undid his belt
and slumped forward onto the ground. Tektu pulled away the loose
loincloth, and brought down the switch across Arkwan's bottom. It was like
whipping a pile of cloth, as if he did not feel it. This was frightening.
Tektu laid the strokes from the shoulders to the thighs, and even on the
calves. After a while, Arkwan began to flinch a bit, as if the switch had
started to hurt, and at last he pushed himself up. He looked very tired,
but his eyes looked like Arkwan again. "I think I'll go to sleep," Arkwan
said. Danha held Arkwan in her arms, and fed him stew, and he did sleep,
in her arms, although the summer sun was still bright.
Tektu took the switch back to the woods. He tried a couple of strokes
across his own bottom, then tossed the switch high into a tree. "It's not
fair to expect it. He was ill," he said aloud. "But he did promise." His
eyes glistened with tears.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The next morning they let Arkwan sleep till he woke up. The sun had been up
for some time. Danha could see at once that he was well. She ran over to
Nakien and began to beat him with her fists. He covered his face with his
arms, then curled up on the ground. She beat and kicked him. It took
Arkwan a moment to get up; then he ran over and pulled her away. "Danha!
Danha, it is all right. I am well again. And he had to do it. I'm glad
he did. Now, I will get water. Why don't you see about a fire." Danha
let herself be distracted with flint and tinder: no one had remembered to
wrap up coals. "Tektu, shall we go for water?" Arkwan shouted.
It was a ways to the water, and it was only a trickle. The banks were
muddy. They took off their loincloths on the bank, and Arkwan slid down.
"Pass me my bow and quiver," Arkwan said. Tektu slid down as well. Arkwan
filled a cooking skin at a tiny pool, and poured it over Tektu, then poured
a skin over himself. Tektu held the water skins, and Arkwan scooped water
to fill them, and Tektu tied them off. They got muddy again climbing the
bank. Tektu thought: he is well now, I could remind him. But I hope he
remembers by himself. On the way back, Arkwan shot a partridge.
As they watched the partridge roast, Nakien looked only at the ground.
Arkwan sighed. This would be hard. "Nakien, I'm glad you made me tell the
whole story of the dance. I think I should tell Danha and Tektu." Nakien
looked up. His face was still glum, but his shoulders straightened.
Arkwan told the whole story, with all the details in order; a better telling
than he had given Nakien the day before. "And there is one more thing, that
I haven't told anyone. I, that is the God, that is, well, whoever it was,
we looked at all the women, and we, that is He, thought one was more
beautiful than the others. I just looked at her, or He did, and she knew
that she was chosen. She dropped her cloak, ripped her tunic as she took it
off, and ran over to me, er, Him. She screamed when he slid His penis in, I
mean my penis. But she clung to me when He tried to leave her."
When Nute had come to the weaver's village, and told the story, Tektu had
believed him. But he hadn't realized what it meant, that Arkwan was the
God. Well, he isn't now, but still, a God. A God had used that penis,
that one there, to enter all those women. The God we do not name. People
don't even like to talk about that God. All those women, last new moon, had
felt the burning God inside them. And it was that body, sitting there,
roasting a partridge. And I just wanted a whipping to prove I wouldn't cry,
Tektu thought. I was going to ask a God to whip my bottom. But he isn't a
God, not really. He calls me 'Brother.' We got our man's tattoos on the
same day.
It was midday, but they had not started. They ate the partridge. Arkwan
was still sore from the night before; Tektu had whipped him well, with a
thick switch. A whipping felt good, when he needed one, but he wished it
didn't have to hurt the next day. That was why he liked long whippings with
a thin switch. But that switch I used on Danha was just too thin, he
thought. Tektu and that village man had just laughed. One good thing,
he wouldn't have to show his bottom to the village headman, he was so
bruised, you couldn't see the mark of the God.
Nakien was lecturing Danha: "It is ridgepole and doorposts that make it a
house, Danha, not penis and womb. If a boy is born of a house, he must keep
the ridgepole up, and guard the door. That is the Law. That is why
ridgepoles are decorated with bulls' horns, and doorposts have carved
penises. That is why men sleep facing the door. A man's first duty is to
those under his ridgepole, not to his sister. They grew in the same womb,
seed of the same penis, but when she marries and has a child, she becomes
ruler of her husband's house. Her brother's house belongs to his wife."
"A womb is more important than a log of wood," Danha protested.
Nakien said: "Arkwan, whip your wife, I mean, whip Danha. Danha, if you
want to make law, become a bard. But don't say: 'a man should do this,'
when the Law says: 'he must do that.'"
Danha said: "You're having me whipped because you know I'm right. Whip me
hard, husband. This is Nakien's proof."
"I am not your husband," Arkwan said. "Tektu, where is the switch?"
"I do not have it," Tektu said, looking at the ground.
"Where did you put it? It will be easier to get it than to cut another."
But Tektu did not answer. Arkwan looked a bit for the switch, then cut a
new one. "Were you upset about whipping me, Tektu? Did you burn the
switch?" Tektu said nothing. "Your whipping was a gift." Arkwan said,
"And I can give you one. We have time."
Tektu didn't want to be whipped. It would hurt horribly and he would cry.
The confidence he felt earlier had vanished. But he was ashamed that
after asking for a whipping, he was now too afraid of the pain to go ahead
with it. He tried to say he didn't want a whipping, but the words stuck in
his throat. He was ashamed anyway, because he was sure Arkwan could tell
how frightened he was.
Arkwan asked: "Do you want to be whipped before your sister or after?"
Tektu was about to say "after," when he thought about watching his sister
whipped, knowing he was next. "Before!" he said. It was almost a sob.
As if in a dream, Tektu removed his loincloth and lay across a low stone.
Arkwan said: "Watch those ants. They are bringing home food. And that
snail - perhaps he will travel a handsbreadth. A whipping lasts a long time
- to the one who's being whipped."
After a few strokes, Tektu screamed. Then he shouted, "I don't want a
whipping!" Arkwan paid no attention. Tektu sobbed and blubbered. At
home, two men had to drag Tektu to his mother and hold him while she whipped
him. No one was holding him now. But somehow he didn't get up and run.
I cried, he thought, and begged him to stop like a baby. I'm no warrior. I
have nothing to prove, now. I may as well run away. But he didn't. He
lay there, looking blank, not screaming or crying any more, as Arkwan
whipped and whipped and whipped, up and down his body. The switch was
green and sappy and the tip stung like a bee. Then it was over.
Danha went to take her brother in her arms, but Arkwan stopped her. After
a bit, Tektu got up, arranged his loincloth, and tied his belt. Arkwan
handed him his flint dagger, quiver, and bow. As soon as the bow touched
his hand, Tektu scanned the trail behind and in front, keeping his eyes open
for brigands as well as game, as Arkwan had taught him.
Arkwan looked at Danha. She removed all her clothing, put her necklace
back on, and lay down across the stone. "This hurts my belly," she said.
Arkwan liked making bottoms hurt, even if he didn't like making people
unhappy. But he wanted to make Danha unhappy now. He wished he had some
way of making her even more unhappy, something that hurt even more than a
whipping. Well, he would whip hard, and it would be a long whipping. He
began whipping her bottom. Danha made a show of not minding, but that did
not last. She was soon whimpering, then screaming. "Stop!" she shouted.
Arkwan stopped.
Arkwan said: "You did well, Tektu. A warrior endures pain, not when he
chooses it, but when it comes. I saw my friend Sindjas, with an arrow in
his belly, rescue a companion. Others, uninjured, were too frightened to
shoot straight. If you are ever in a battle you will be one who can face
the fear, and bear the pain, and go on; I have seen that today."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
First, Nakien had to judge a complicated land case. Then, since it was the
dark of the moon, a priestess gelded and killed a ram for the Queen of the
Wombs. Then the village women danced and sang. So it was late when
Nakien sang parts of his new song, and the villagers were drunk. Nakien
had been given the honor cup, and if he was not yet "drunk as a bard" he was
at least "jolly as a judge." Another song about the Young God fucking
women at a dance, the villagers thought. They liked the parts about women
getting burned inside by a hot penis. One man took off his loincloth and
said his penis was red hot, and would any woman like to feel it inside?
"Only one moon ago, and it was this man here? That is nice. A good song.
Come back any time. We are always glad to see a bard."
"Wvaksa Penis," Danha whispered. The short summer night was almost over,
and they had at last gone to bed. They were on the threshing floor.
Danha licked Arkwan's ear. Arkwan got up, walked a ways through the
moonless starlight, and used his hand to bring his penis to hardness and to
bring out the seed. When he got back to the threshing floor, he shouted at
Danha: "That seed is not going in you. Kunera!"
"Don't you know where we are, bard?" Tektu asked. It was the next day,
after midday, and they were lost. The trail had gotten fainter and
fainter, then vanished. They had turned back, but had somehow missed the
trail.
"Whip this boy, Arkwan," Nakien said. "And your bottom will get it tonight.
Why couldn't you act more like a God? You weren't trying."
Danha's eyes were red with weeping. Arkwan hadn't slept. Tektu seemed
angry; he wouldn't look Arkwan in the face. All three of them had sore
bottoms. It was hot. They were lost. But most of all they couldn't take
any more of Nakien's tongue. Nakien had the only bottom that wasn't sore,
but he was in an even worse temper than the others.
"A whipping tonight will be good, Nakien," Arkwan answered. "Although I am
bruised already. When my tongue is twisted and my shoulders tight, and
everything I say is crooked, a whipping untangles me, like combing wool.
But you will have to show me how to act like a God."
Nakien shouted: "Kahnikos! You mean my tongue is twisted and my words are
crooked, and you think I should be whipped. It is too hot to punish you
now, but you will be sore for this. And you will do as I say."
Arkwan said: "Tektu, Nakien says you must be whipped. Cut a willow switch
the next time we come to a stream."
They were in a forest of oaks, mixed with ash and beech. The going was not
difficult, but they couldn't see far, and kept having to detour around
thickets; they went south by the sun, sometimes up and sometimes down.
Looking for a willow was just an excuse; Arkwan wanted Tektu to get a rest,
and a chance to cool down at a stream, before having to face another
whipping. Was Nakien thinking about nightfall? Bows are not much use in
deep forest. The wolves are on you before you see them.
The came to a meadow, through which ran an unmistakable trail. Nakien said,
"I know where we are, now." They cooled down in the marshy parts of the
meadow, and settled for midday sleep in the shade, although midday was long
past. Arkwan shot a doe, but she ran away, wounded, and with no dog she
couldn't be followed. They ate food from their packs, and lay down to
sleep.
But Tektu didn't sleep. "I am ready to be whipped now, Arkwan," he said,
looking at the ground. "There is no willow, but it will not be hard to find
a switch of some kind along the edge of the meadow."
Arkwan asked: "Nakien, do you want Tektu to whip me now as well? We are
going to look for a switch."
"Cut a switch," Nakien said. "But don't bother with Tektu's whipping.
Tektu can whip you. It is your words that are twisted, Arkwan, and not
mine."
Arkwan and Tektu went to look for a switch. Arkwan said: "I am glad it will
be your hand, Brother, using the switch. I know you will not like to do
it. As I try to bear the pain, I will remember how you bore it."
Tektu, looking at the ground, said: "Arkwan, Brother, when you told the
story of the dance, I saw what it meant. The God was you. The God
danced, on your legs. He entered women, but it was your penis. We have
Gods in our village, Gods of wood. I never saw the Gods' real faces in
them. But you can feel the Gods, in the wood. I could not look at our
wooden Gods. I could never have touched them. But those wooden Gods
were nothing compared to this. I have never felt the God so strongly.
Before you whipped me, I wanted to say, 'I am afraid of the pain, I can't do
it.' I wanted to run away. But because you thought I could face the fear
and bear the pain, I could. And I always will be able to, I think. But I
can't whip a God."
"I can't be a God, Tektu," Arkwan said. "I danced, and I entered many
women; my legs took me without me wanting it. Perhaps that was the God,
using my legs, my penis. But that is over. I did not feel the God. I am
just Arkwan now. I don't know how to be more like a God, even if I wanted
to be. I don't know what Nakien wants me to do."
Tektu lifted his eyes to look at Arkwan's face, and then quickly looked
away. He dropped to the ground and put his arms over his face. "Arkwan,"
he said. "Brother. When you told us the story of the dance, I could feel
that the God had been in you, because you wanted me to feel it. Last night,
when Nakien sang, the villagers did not feel the God, because you didn't
want them to. I ..."
Tektu didn't say any more. Arkwan said: "Tektu. Brother. We got our
man's tattoos together. I am Arkwan. I would like it if you could look
me in the face."
Tektu put his arms down, and slowly lifted his head. Some tears fell, but
he held Arkwan's eyes. It was Arkwan who looked away.
Arkwan cut a switch from a peelbark, and also a number of arrow shafts,
although he still had no straightener. They went back to Nakien.
"Here is the switch, Nakien. Tektu has helped me understand. Last night,
I did not help you as I should have with your song. I see that now. I
can do better. But I do not think I can be what you want. I can't go into
a village and make them think I am a God. I can't."
Nakien said: "Whip him, Tektu."
Arkwan undid his belt and lay down on the ground.
Tektu took the switch. "Not on the ground, Ark . . . Arkwan. Lie across
my pack."
Tektu fumbled and dropped the switch, but then he whipped hard, but only a
hand of strokes. Then he stopped. "That is enough," he said. Nakien did
not say anything, and then Arkwan and Tektu went hunting.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The heat broke at last, with a thunderstorm, and they stopped for the night
as the rain began to fall. The moon had waxed again; it was, as Hu used to
say, half. Danha snuggled close to Arkwan, under their cloaks, in each
other's arms, their bodies pressed together. The rain drummed on the tight
wool cloth, and trickles of water came in here and there. He kissed her,
and whispered, "Kunera."
"Do not call me that again," she said.
"I'm not calling you that, it's where I want to put my penis," Arkwan said.
Since the night on the village threshing floor, at the new moon, when he
had spilled his seed rather than have a second marriage night, he had
begged, tickled, and kissed her, but she had kept her knees together.
"Do you want to get married? she asked.
"No," he answered, then asked: "why do you want to marry a slave?"
"Should I go home?" she asked, "I wouldn't be happy there. I am only happy
here. I want to do more, work more. I am as good a shot as Tektu, I could
help with the hunting. I want to get wool, and a spindle. I will give a
bead of gold for them, next time we come to a village. Then I can spin for
you. "
"Then I want you to stay," Arkwan said. "But I want to have more than this
for my wife." They were now lying in a puddle.
"This is what I want from a husband," Danha said, giving his penis a hard
twisting pinch, "not a ridgepole or doorposts. But have you thought about
the baby?"
"What baby?" Arkwan asked.
"The one you are about to beget, Wvaksa Penis."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Tonight, we shall be warm, and have something to eat besides venison,"
Nakien said. It had been raining, on and off, for three days. Mud was
everywhere. They had all slipped and fallen so often that they were
covered with it. Arkwan had put his clothes in his pack, and used a bit of
rope as a belt for his dagger, but the others' clothes were mudcaked and
sodden. Only Nakien had any spare clothes.
They had spent the last two nights huddled together, all four of them, naked
under wet cloaks, and this morning they had neither dry tinder nor burning
coals to light a fire. There was no more food, and their bowstrings were
wet. So Arkwan would be glad to reach a village. But what was he going to
do when Nakien sang his song The Young God at the Dance?
The village was just where Nakien had said it would be, and they saw it long
before they reached it. It was perched on a hill. The houses were all
white, and wisps of smoke rose into the cloudy sky. As they climbed the
hill, the village dogs were loosed, and the travelers prepared to defend
themselves, back to back, using their bows as quarterstaffs. One dog
charged ahead of the others, his tail wagging, singing and barking in
ecstasy. It was Lumpkha.
"Lumpkha! Down! Don't shoot, Father, it's Lumpkha." A young man came
running down the path, slipped on the mud, and rolled and skidded past them
down the hill. Only one male on the green Earth fell down in just that
way. It was Hu. As he rolled past, they heard him shout, "Nakien!"
Arkwan ran after Hu, tripped over Lumpkha, and fell on his face. But he
reached Hu in time to help him out of the thorn bush that had stopped his
slide down the hillside. Hu had a bad gash over his eye, his loincloth was
torn, his cloak was in tatters, but no broken bones. He clutched Arkwan,
and sobbed. "Father, I heard you were alive, but I didn't believe it.
How did you survive? Grandfather's house was burned to the ground! It
was you who shot from the roof. It had to be. Wasn't it?"
"I survived in the pit in the stables," Arkwan said. I had time, before I
started shooting, to make it bigger. I used all the mead and beer. But
how did you escape? I thought you must have been taken as a slave."
Nakien, Danha, and Tektu had climbed down the hill, and were in time to hear
Hu's story. Hu used the speech of the southlands.
"After Grandfather was killed, Great-Uncle Bohina, who hadn't wanted to
offer battle in the first place, told us to scatter and hide. But as we
pulled back, the nomads swarmed after us. We ran between the houses with
them at our heels. Mother, Tanyata, and I, ran into Tanyata's mother's
house, and barred the door. Mother screamed in pain; she was having the
baby."
"But she can't have, it wasn't time," Arkwan said.
Hu said, "It was time. Nine moons."
"What is 'nine'?" Arkwan asked.
Hu didn't answer, but continued his story: "The nomads didn't try to break
down the door for a while. They broke into some other houses first. But
then they started on our door. We thought we might kill one or two, but
there was no chance of escape. Then you started to shoot. All the
nomads had to run. I said, "Now is the time to go. We might escape the
village and get into the woods. Mother will just have to come with us."
"But Tanyata said, 'No! We must each go out a different window.'"
"I said, 'But we can't leave Mother.'"
"'Don't you see, Hu,' Tanyata said, 'her chance is best if we don't stay
together?'"
"And she was right about that. When Mother used to run after Tanyata and
me, to give us a smacking, we always ran in different directions. So the
plan was, that Karipas and Mother would go out the door, and then run in
different directions. Mother was in pain, but she could run. Tanyata
and I would go out of windows in back. When I dropped out of my window, I
saw Tanyata shoot a nomad. I think she was trying to draw them away from
Mother, or maybe away from me. There were nomads everywhere. I got into
the sheep fold, and hid under the sheep. Then I whistled for Lumpkha and
Niri, and opened the sheepfold gate.
"You know, Father," Hu said, falling back into the speech of their own
village, "when you and Mother fucked on the grass, there was no way to get
close to you. Except one. We taught Lumpkha and Niri to drive the sheep
to where you were. I just hid behind the sheep. I was often close enough
to have touched you with a spear. Then I would tell Tanyata what you had
done, and show her. I liked that part. But if we told you, the trick
wouldn't work again, so we would tell you that we were in the trees, and
hadn't really seen anything, and you would give me a whipping. Afterwards
Tanyata would give me a kiss for every stroke I took for her. I liked that
part too. She didn't know how to count, but I did."
Hu continued his story in the southland tongue: "So I know how to hide
among sheep, and those sheep knew me. When the nomads charged grandfather's
house, I was with the sheep, moving toward the edge of the village. I made
it to Great-Uncle Bohina's olive tree, that never has any olives, and hid in
the upper branches until night. I heard the nomads. When they. . . they
. . . I escaped the village just before dawn, and hid in the woods.
Lumpkha found me. The nomads only stayed another night. Then I went back
to the village to look for food and clothing. There were piles of the dead.
The nomads had done nothing for their own dead, they lay where they fell.
They had been starving; they were skin and bones. I took the nomad's
clothing, and dragged their bodies out of the village, and tossed them into
the pit where we dug clay. The bodies of the villagers were horrible.
The nomads had . . . they had. . . When the King came, and his warriors,
they say I screamed and ran from them. They had to hunt me through the
woods with dogs. I don't remember it. I found Tanyata, she was, she was
. . . she had been . . . when they . . ."
"But how did you come here?" Arkwan asked.
"When I was . . ., when I could speak again, the King asked me what I wanted
to do. Of course I said I wanted to fight the nomads. But the first
time, when we ran down and killed a few stragglers, children, and old women,
I couldn't kill them. I guess I am not a warrior."
"You fought well, Hu, at our village," Arkwan said. "A hero could not have
done more."
"I couldn't go with the King, and not fight. Besides, I couldn't control
my horse. Ghoiokh, the black bard, was at the king-making. You remember
him. He found out that I knew The Song of of Kala Khoam, and took me as
his student. He left me here. Nakien, is Fiya all right? He's not . .
. dead?"
"Fiya is well, Hu," Nakien said. "He is sailing across the sea. He saw
your father, and asked about you. But Fiya will come here, before winter."
"Here?" Arkwan asked. "Why here?"
Hu said: "He will come here, Father, because this is the village of Sugga
the law-singer."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The villagers watched them as they walked through the village, but no one
greeted them. Sugga's house was large, but in need of new thatch, and new
plastering.
Hu took Sugga's left hand, and she put her right hand over his face, her
fingertips on his lips. "My father has come." he said.
"You are very excited, Ko," she said. "Has someone come?" Hu nodded.
"Is it a bard? A warrior? A peddler? Is it someone you know?" Hu
nodded. "Someone from your village?" A nod. "A relative?" A nod.
"With a penis?" A nod. "Your father?" Hu nodded, and smiled.
Sugga said, "Ko, that is wonderful. Let me touch him."
Hu said, "Say your name, Father, when she touches your lips. She will
guess the sound. If you nod, that will be her name for you. She calls me
'Ko.'"
Sugga put a hand on his lips, and the other hand on his throat. Arkwan said
"Arkwan." Sugga said "Itrill." Arkwan nodded.
"Be in health, Itrill father of Ko, and be welcome," she said.
Sugga sniffed him, and ran her hands over his face, and all over him. She
got her hands muddy, and rubbed her fingers together. She felt the bow and
the quiver over his shoulder, and felt the grass rope he was using as a
belt, and seemed surprised by the absence of a loincloth. She fingered his
balls and penis carefully, and sniffed his hands, and his knees. She even
knelt down and felt his feet. Then she noticed the dagger, and drew it from
its sheath. She felt it carefully, especially the guard and the pommel,
tried the edge, and licked the blade.
Sugga said, "Let someone offer Wvaksa Itrill a bath, and food, and wine."
"How can I tell her I am no Wvaksa, but a slave?" Arkwan asked.
Nakien took Sugga's hand next. Sugga put her hand on his lips, then
sniffed and ran her hand over his face. "Nakien!" she said. He nodded.
She playfully slapped his face. "Don't nod, Nakien. Did you think I might
not know my old lover? My best student?" She hugged him and kissed him.
"Nakien. Nakien. I did not expect you until winter. I wish I could
hear all your new songs, and all your stories of the village women.
Perhaps you can tell me one of the stories with your hands. And your lips.
And your penis."
Next Sugga touched Danha's lips as she spoke her name. "Kinnih, Tinnih,
Dinnih," Sugga guessed. Danha nodded, very slightly, at "Dinnih."
Sugga said: "Welcome, Dinnih. Health and safety." Sugga ran her fingers
over Danha's body. She said: "and may it be a fine son, and easily born."
When she felt Danha's fingers, she said: "We must sit and spin together,
Dinnih, I can tell you all the gossip." Sugga felt Danha's wet and muddy
clothing, and her hair. Danha wished she had worn her necklace and hair
pins. "Are you Nakien's student? Slave? Are you Wvaksa Itrill's wife?
Was that yes or no? Nod clearly. His lover?" Danha nodded her head
up and down several times.
"Tektu! Tek! Tu!" Tektu shouted, when Sugga touched his lips. Sugga said
"Nakien, can you tell me this young man's name? I can't tell what he is
saying."
"Tektu," Nakien said, when Sugga's fingers were on his lips. "Digwa,
Tegwa," Sugga guessed. Nakien nodded slightly on "Tegwa." Then he said
"Tektu," nodding as he said "Tek," but holding his head still for "tu".
"Tegdah, Tegtah," Sugga guessed. Nakien nodded.
"Health, Tegtah," Sugga said.
"Is Dinnih your mother, Ko?" Sugga asked, turning to where Hu stood and
putting her hand on his lips. Hu said: "No." "Has your father told you
that your mother is alive? That she is dead? So he doesn't know?" Hu
nodded. Then he took Sugga's hand off his lips. "Do you Father? Her
body was not in the village. And Grandmother's wasn't."
"I thought she had been killed," Arkwan said. "Sujasa, I mean. My mother
is dead."
Sugga said: "Ko, let go of my wrist. Tell me what it is. Is it bad news?
Good news? Still no news?" Hu nodded. Sugga gave Hu a hug. "Ko," she
said, "I want you to be friends with Nakien. Your questions about the law;
it will be so much easier to ask him than me. And you mustn't be jealous
if I let him enter my body, it is only for old time's sake. Your penis is
the one I want. Sing him 'The Law of Ploughed Fields.' But first get
your Father and his woman into a bath. And see about some food. Nakien,
you stay with me. Ko, bring him a cloak. Nakien, take those wet clothes
off. I'll warm your bottom for you."
"She can't hear what anyone says," Hu said, "but I don't suppose it makes
any difference. She never stops talking long enough for anyone else to say
anything." Tektu took off his sodden muddy loincloth, and slapped and
rubbed his bottom and penis. Danha took off her wet tunic, and Hu stripped
as well, and Arkwan took off the only thing he was wearing, a rope to hold
his dagger. He noticed that Hu, who had no tattoos on his chest, did not
have any on his penis either, even though he had been wearing a man's
loincloth. Hu led them outdoors to a little hut.
Hu said: "I will bring hot stones from my house, I mean, Sugga's house.
Meanwhile, you may want to go in; at least it is out of the rain."
Danha squatted next to Arkwan, and put her arm around his shoulders. "Tell
me about your wife," she said.
Arkwan said: "I thought she was dead. I thought I heard her die. I still
wonder if she can really be alive. And I thought Hu was a slave of the
nomads. I should be happy he is free, and happy that my wife may be alive.
But I feel as if I have an oak tree on my shoulders. I want to fight
the nomads. I thought I might rescue Hu that way. But Hu never needed
rescue. I am the slave, not him. And now, perhaps I could rescue Sujasa.
It's as if the tree was lifted, then dropped on me again."
"Do you still want to fight the nomads?" Tektu asked. "I will fight beside
you, Brother."
"Nakien talked of selling me to King Taslan," Arkwan said. "Then, slave or
not, I could fight. But I can't do anything, now, to make that happen.
Nakien wants to take me into villages, and make them feel that the God is in
me. If I could do that, perhaps he would let me fight. Or perhaps he
wouldn't."
Tektu said: "When you told me the story of the dance, just told it, there
was no doubt the God had been in you, had used your legs to walk and your
penis to enter women. Hearing the story, when you told it, made it not
just something in a story, and then I could feel the God in your penis. And
most of all in your eyes."
"Well, it wasn't like that at the village, when Nakien sang his song,"
Arkwan said. "He sang, and I was supposed to show I was a God."
Danha said: "You should tell the story of the dance to Hu, Arkwan. Tell it
the way you told Tektu and me."
Arkwan put his face on Danha's neck. "Kunera, I am so afraid that Hu won't
be able to look me in the eyes."
"In the eyes, Father? What are you talking about?" Hu said. "Here are
some stones. They are not really hot yet, but they will warm the place up.
Let me welcome you properly. Health, Danha, and welcome. If you are
Father's woman, I hope we will be friends. Health, Tektu, and welcome.
May I ask, why are you traveling with Nakien?"
"Tektu is my brother," Danha said.
Arkwan said: "And mine, and Fiya's; we all three got man's tattoos on the
same day, from Nakien's hand. And speaking of man's tattoos, I can't have
understood what Sugga said, about you not being jealous of Nakien."
Hu answered: "You understood, Father. Sugga does not know that I am still
a boy. When I first came, I tried to tell her. But I couldn't get her to
ask 'are you still a boy?' Every time I put her hand on my penis or my
chest, she just thought I wanted to fuck her. I thought she would ask
someday, as I have no beard and my penis doesn't have much, but she never
did. I want to get tattoos. But there is no one here who can do the
snakes. Now that you are here perhaps someone can copy yours."
"You should get tattoos on your penis. That is the custom here. Sugga
will have to know. You shouldn't go on fucking her, with your boy's
penis."
"Yes, Father. I have missed you so much. I should have gotten the
tattoos long ago, or found a way to tell Sugga. Will you whip me?"
Arkwan said: "Get the tattoos, Hu. That will hurt enough."
"I have my father again, to stop me doing wrong. I have my father to whip
me - to make amends to the Sky-Father. A sore penis is not going to stop me
from getting that whipping."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"It's not hot in here, what were you thinking, Ko." It was Sugga. She
felt along the wall until she encountered flesh: Tektu's hip. "Wvaksa
Itrill, come into the house. Nakien is trying to tell me a story.
Something about a dance."
"You should hear this too, Hu," Danha said.
"I was going to see about some food," Hu said.
"We are famished," Danha answered, "but it can wait."
"Wvaksa Itrill, Nakien has told me there was a dance. Were you there?"
Nod. "Was anyone else who is here, at this dance?" No nod. "Was it at
midsummer?" Nod. "This midsummer just past.?" Nod. "Was it at your
village?" No nod. "Was it at some village I might know of?" Nod. "Can
you show me where?" Arkwan put the handle of his dagger in Sugga's hand.
"Was it at the village of Kros bronze maker?" Nod. "Is this a story about
the law of midsummer? Is it about boys or girls who run between the fires?
Is it about a God coming to the dance?" Nod. "A God with a penis?" Nod.
"The Sky-Father?" Arkwan put his hand over Sugga's mouth. "The God we
do not name?" Nod.
"I love stories about the Young God at village dances," Sugga said. "At my
first dance, and of course I could still hear then, I danced naked, and a
man grabbed me and fucked me. I had never felt a stiff penis before, not
even with my hands. I was sure he was the Young God. I didn't think a
man could be like that, could make me feel like that. His penis was hot.
It was huge. I keep waiting for a penis as good as that one. But then
he spoke, and it was just a village boy, who had run between the fires, so
for that one night could do anything he wanted. I never felt that boy's
penis again. Perhaps he had a huge penis, or perhaps it seemed huge
because I thought he was the God. I still think about that penis. You
have a nice long one, Wvaksa Itrill, and it didn't swell when I fingered it.
'Slowly to rise is woman's delight; and lasteth well, all through the
night,' as I always say. But I don't want Ko to get too jealous."
How does Hu put up with this chattering? Arkwan wondered. She couldn't be
more different than Tanyata.
"But the Young God really came, just this past midsummer." Nod. "And you
were there, at the village of Kros." Nod. "I never felt or heard a real
God. Never in my life. Did you see the Young God's face in the carving of
some other God?" No nod. "Did he just come, without using a wooden God?"
No nod. Arkwan took Sugga's hand, and ran it down his face. She was
silent. Arkwan waited. He heard the bleating of sheep, and smelled the
stew cooking. "Was the God's face seen in the face of a man?" Sugga asked.
Arkwan nodded. "Was it your face, Wvaksa Itrill?" A nod. Sugga
grabbed his penis and held it, her hand shaking.
"Did you put this, this penis, did you, a, a, did you, a, enter women, at
the dance?" Sugga asked. She began to cough. Arkwan nodded but her hand
was not on his face. Arkwan took her hand, and placed it on his face, and
then nodded firmly.
"Did you grab them, rape them?" No nod. "Did they offer their bodies?"
A nod. "All of them?" A nod. "And you fucked them?" A nod. "Every
one of them, to the oldest crone, like in the stories?" A nod. "Hwahahh."
Sugga knelt down, and wrapped her arms around her head. She was sobbing.
Arkwan's penis was starting to swell. Sugga hugged his knee, and lifted
a hand till she found his penis. Her hand flinched from the touch. But
she grabbed it, and rubbed like a man rubbing his rod to bring out seed.
"Did the woman ..." Her voice cracked. In a strangled whisper the
law-singer croaked: "Did the women seem to get, to get, very great pleasure
from it?"
"Hand me a stick from the fire, Tektu," Arkwan said. He turned away
slightly, pulling his penis free. She let it go. He took Sugga's hand, and
held the glowing brand close to her palm. Sugga said: "Hot. The touch of
the God burned them. The penis burned them inside. Of course." Arkwan
put her hand on his face, and nodded. "Did they scream and try to run
away?" No nod. "Did they seem to get pleasure, even though it burned?"
Arkwan nodded.
"Your penis is not hot now, but I want to feel the God's penis inside me,"
Sugga said. "I have wanted this all my life. I have stayed alive so
long, waiting for the penis of the God. The burning penis of the God we do
not name."
"I don't mind, Father," Hu said.
"Hu!" Arkwan said.
"I do mind," Danha said.
Hu's face fell. Arkwan went to him, and took him in his arms. "Hu, I
should not shout at you. Not for any reason."
Hu said. "I am only a boy, and she is Sugga the law-singer. Even so, I
should have known you would not couple with my woman. I was wrong to
suggest you would. Punish me?"
"No, Hu, I don't think . . ."
"What is happening?" Sugga said. "No one is talking to me." Arkwan put
her hand on his face, and waited. "Will you fuck me, Wvaksa Itrill?" she
asked. "Will you let me have the penis I have wanted all my life?"
Arkwan kept his head very still.
Sugga took her hand from Arkwan's face, and folded her arms across her
chest. "Our guests will need food, Ko, and then perhaps there is room for
all of us in the bath."
Hu opened the oven, and pulled out a shoulder of pork, but then put it back.
He filled a bowl with stew from a cooking pot by the fire, and presented
it to his father as if it had been the honor cup, although it was just a
wooden bowl with a horn spoon, and some watery rabbit stew with very little
rabbit in it. He gave a bowl to Sugga, and then searched through a basket
and found some more spoons. Hu, Nakien, Danha, and Tektu ate out of the
pot; there wasn't a lot. Then Hu searched through baskets, and found a few
moldy figs, and some hard bread that the mice had been at; he passed these
around. Then he took the pork out of the oven, and cut a slice for his
father. He watched his father's face as he took a bite.
"This," Arkwan said, "is the best roast pork I have ever eaten." And he
quickly ate it all, and then looked at the joint.
"How do you make it taste like that?" he asked, as Hu cut slices for
everyone. He cut the pieces for Sugga into very small bits.
"Salt, honey, dill, and wine," Hu answered. "And the meat should not be
too fresh. But most of all the oven must be very hot." He gave his father
some more.
Hu went to an alcove, and came back with a large basket. Nakien cut some
more meat off the joint with his own dagger, but Tektu snatched it. Hu
took out a plump skin, and filled a horn drinking cup, and gave it to his
father.
"I had wine at Danha's village," Arkwan said. "I like it. But this wine is
a little different, this is, this is. . . This is the drink of the Gods!"
"I thought you might like it," Hu said.
Sugga took off her tunic, and they all splashed through the rain to the
bath. The fire by the bath house was blazing in spite of the rain, and Hu
passed in rocks that were glowing red. He ladled on a generous amount of
water, and soon the heat was scalding, the steam almost stifling. Sitting
in the heat and darkness, Arkwan began to feel pleasantly tired. He
remembered, for some reason, the sound of his mother's flute.
"Do you want to talk about the God at the dance?" Sugga asked. Nakien said
"Yes," and Arkwan supposed he had also nodded. Sugga said: "Do you want to
talk about the law of midsummer?" "No." Sugga said: "The top of my head?
Oh. A priest-hat. Priests?" "Yes." "The priests can't have liked it
that the God used Wvaksa Itrill's eyes, and his penis." "Yes." "Have the
priests caused a problem? Does Wvaksa Itrill need protection?." "No."
Sugga was quiet for a while. A draft from the door chilled Arkwan's neck.
Sugga said: "But you hope to make a problem for the priests, don't you,
Nakien?" "Yes." "Will you tell the story in many villages?" "Yes."
"Have you made a song?" "Yes." "And Wvaksa Itrill goes with you?"
"Yes."
"Move over, Nakien, I want to talk to Itrill," Sugga said. "You entered
every woman at the dance?" Arkwan nodded and said: "Yes." "Did you put
seed in them all?" "No." Sugga said: "Well I suppose some things even a
God can't do. Did you put seed in any of them?" "No." "Not even one?"
"N-No!" Sugga said: "Well, if you say so. In the song, the God we do
not name fathers a child, born that same night: the Kohiyossa. Wvaksa
Itrill, are you all right?"
Sugga had let go of his face, but she soon found it again. There was a
hiss; Hu was putting more water on the rocks. "Was it the word 'Kohiyossa'
that made you jump, Wvaksa?" "Yes." "Do you know the story of the
Kohiyossa?" "No."
Sugga began: "Long ago, the God we do not name came to a dance, a village
dance, at midsummer. He entered each and every woman, from the girl who
got her woman's tattoos that night, to the oldest, most wrinkled crone.
Perhaps as wrinkled as me. But there was one woman who surpassed in beauty
all the others. He coupled with her last, and in her alone did he put his
seed. She gave birth that night to a baby boy, born with a golden cap on
his head. Although this boy was the son of the God, he was human too, and
was destined to sicken and die, like all of us who are born of women. In
the tenth moon nine women gave birth to sons, fathered in rape by the nine
Smashers. The God's son had a golden cap, but the Smashers' sons were
born with black hair, black as soot. On the same day that the nine
black-haired boys were born, a tree fell, hit by the Storm God's arrow.
The Young God's golden son was under it. But his mother ran in and
snatched him from its path, and tossed him to safety, but was herself
crushed under the tree. She tossed the boy so hard, that he lay as if
dead. A human baby would have died from that landing. But a God's son is
not killed so easily. He lived. They say his mother wished that she might
die, if he could live. The Wvaksa of the Storm had sent the lightning - to
kill the Kohiyossa. But the mother's love was stronger than the God. She
died, the Kohiyossa lived. But the human part of him died that day, and he
recovered purged of human weakness; deathless as his father."
"The God's son, and the nine black-haired sons of the Smashers, grew up
together, and were great friends. He was kind, and honest, and loyal, and
generous; they were the most wicked disobedient boys that ever have been.
But whenever they were punished, he would refuse to deny that he had been
part of their mischief, and so all ten would be whipped together. When
they were men, they were in a great battle. They formed his bodyguard, and
bravely gave their lives for him, when other friends had run away. Others
say that the Kohiyossa's nine wicked friends will fight for him in the final
battle, that will mark the end of this age of the green Earth. No other
God will survive that battle, for no other God will have such a loyal
bodyguard. Only the nine wicked boys give hope that the next age will
begin in peace."
"Had you heard the word 'Kohiyossa' before today, Wvaksa Itrill?" "Yes."
"Did you hear it at the village of Kros?" "Yes."
"Did you hear it at the dance?" "No."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"There is no more heat in these stones. We may as well go back in the
house," Hu said. They went outside. The rain had become a fine drizzle,
and the moon was nearly full. The end of the rain had brought out the
owls; braving damp feathers for moonlight kills. The moonlight splattered on
the curtains of mist, drifting like owl-down on the naked bathers, cooling
their steam-heated skins. There was a large cooking skin in a basket by
the fire, and Hu filled a scoop from it and poured it down Sugga's back, and
then did the same for Arkwan.
"Why are you pouring soup on me, Hu?" Arkwan asked.
"It is not soup, Father, it is water."
"You cook the water that you use after a bath?"
"It is more pleasant than cold water, on a cool night," Hu said, as he
poured more water down Arkwan's front, and rubbed with his hand to remove
the last of the mud.
"It just seems funny to wash in soup." Arkwan said.
But Danha liked the warm water, and so did Nakien. Tektu thought it wasn't
a proper thing for a warrior. Hu gathered some coals from the outside fire
in a chipped pot, and in the house he used them to light a tallow lamp.
Then he rubbed the water off Sugga's body with a cloth, and rubbed her hair
with it. He handed the cloth to Arkwan, who rubbed his body as well,
although he didn't see the point of it. "This is very smooth wool," he
said. "It is linen, Father," Hu answered.
Hu put grass and wet green leaves in a pot, and added the coals, and closed
it up for the morning. "I think it is time for sleep," he said, and showed
them the sleeping place. There was a bear skin. When Arkwan lay down it
felt like floating on water, or like being held by his mother as a child.
"Hu, Why does it feel so, so, like drink in a bladder?"
"Don't you like it, Father?"
"I don't think so. What is it?"
"Wool. In bags. Under the bearskin."
"Let me try," Danha said, and cuddled up to Arkwan's chest, her head on his
arm, and a leg slid between his. Hu put bags of wool under their heads.
Hu handed Nakien a bundle of twigs, tied together. He spread a cloth over
Arkwan and Danha, blew out the lamp, and cuddled into his father's back.
Tektu lay against Danha's back.
"This is like a bath," Arkwan said. "I shall need more water soup poured
over me."
Sugga said: "Put this dagger in the fire, Nakien. Shove the handle up me
when it's glowing. Where's your bottom. Don't move around so - don't
you want to be warmed up?" There was a swish sound of twigs striking
the old bard's revered bottom. "Is it hot enough yet? Use your penis
first - then the hot dagger. Unless you want to boil your penis? That
hurts, but I can take it I suppose you think I am too old?. I want it
glowing red. Well I suppose this will have to do."
"Hu, slip between us, as you used to do between me and Mother," Arkwan
whispered.
"May I, Danha?" Hu asked.
Danha said: "Come over, Hu. Your father and I will not fuck tonight. We
are not married, and your father does not wish to marry me. To fuck here
would be 'openly and known,' Nakien says, and would be a marriage night, one
of three to make us married."
Hu climbed over his father, and slipped between them, facing Danha. He
kissed her. "Danha, I call Sujasa 'Mother', but my own mother is dead. I
am not Sujasa's son by blood, any more than I am Father's. I will think of
you as a mother, since you are my father's woman. I hope you do not mind
that I call Sujasa, 'Mother,' and you 'Danha.'"
Danha gave him a hug, and he turned over, and curled up tight, his knees
against his chest. Danha snuggled her breasts and thighs into his back and
bottom. Hu felt as if he were back in the little hut by the sheepfolds,
his parents' bodies pressing him between them, their arms crossed over him.
"Now I'll warm your bottom, Nakien," Sugga said.
"Tell me about the Kohiyossa, Father," Hu asked.
Arkwan said: "I will, Hu. Does Sugga whip you, too, every time you couple
together?"
"She only whips me when I don't know a line in a law song, and I don't mind
that. She makes me use a big dildo, bigger than any penis. She says
mine is too small, she only lets me stick it in for my pleasure, not hers.
Sometimes I whip her before we couple together. I don't like whipping her
much." Hu continued in the speech of their own village: "I didn't like it
when you whipped Tanyata, but that was only because I wanted to whip her
myself." Danha gave Hu's pap a pinch, and he continued in the southland
speech: "Danha, Tanyata, the girl I was going to marry, loved any sort of
shooting match or race, where she got whipped if she lost, and got to whip
if she won. It drove the boys to frenzy that she was the best, and they
challenged her over and over. But she would never play that way with me.
Only once, our last midsummer. We ran between the fires; she was the only
girl who ever did. She she said I could do anything I wanted, even whip
her. But even then, she wouldn't whip me. So I whipped her, and then I
put my tongue in her cunt, then she suckled on my penis like a teat. It
felt good, then we kissed. We played all night long. I put my penis in,
but I was too young then for my seed to come. But she said 'Next year Hu,
we will run between the fires again. You will be able to fuck me then. We
will get tattoos, and the next night we will get married.' But instead
she is dead. The nomads . . ."
Arkwan said: "Hu, the peddler Nute loved a woman once, but she died. Nute
thinks that because of their love, they will be reborn on the green Earth,
and be together again. So you and Tanyata may dance again, on some warm
midsummer night, in some age yet to come. For this age, we can do nothing
for Tanyata. But somehow, I don't know how, we will find a way to fight the
nomads, and that may help to rescue your mother. Somehow we will."
Hu said: "The message I got from King Taslan. . . You know about that?
Kahul was taken in a fight with the nomads, who sent back his head?"
Arkwan said: "I had heard that Kahul was dead and that Taslan was chosen
king."
Sugga's voice: "Shove it in hard, Nakien!"
Arkwan continued: "What did Taslan say? Did you hear that Taslan has paid
tribute to the High King!"
Sugga's voice: "Oiya! Oi. Ya! ah! aya! aya! Oi! Oi!"
Hu said: "So we are men of the High King now, and not of our own King. The
High King doesn't even know our speech. Poor Taslan. I was there when he
was made king; no one wanted anyone else as king. He married a woman named
Freygga, to have a Queen for the sacrifice, but he didn't much like her, and
when the time came his penis wouldn't stay hard! And the white stallion
they found was no better. Kapi wouldn't let him near her. And when
Taslan fucked the cow, his penis was stiff as you please, and poor Freygga
had to listen to all the jokes; people said, no wonder, the cow was better
looking. The message I got from Taslan was, that he had heard that you
were a slave of Kros bronze maker, and that he would send to Kros to see if
this was true. He sent no promise that he would buy you. I suppose the
tribute took everything he had. But if you are the slave of Kros, why are
you here?"
Arkwan said: "Kros sold me to Nute the peddler. Do you know him? Fiya is
with him now, they are sailing to islands across the sea."
Hu said, "I had heard of him. So you are his slave?"
Arkwan said: "Nute gave me to Nakien, to repay him for something. I am
Nakien's slave now."
"And what does Nakien mean to do with you?"
"That," Arkwan said, "is a long story."
"Father, the villagers here are proud of Sugga, and proud of the gathering
of teachers of the law. But pride doesn't feed their children. There is
not much good grazing here. I don't like asking them for food. I hope we
can go hunting tomorrow, if Nakien lets you. I'm such a bad shot, that when
Lumpkha finds game, and I miss, even Lumpkha gives me that look. You know,
the look you gave me when I did something wrong. But you are the best
hunter. And if we hunt tomorrow we can talk."
After a bit, Hu said: "I don't know how, Father, but you will be free.
Somehow we will do that."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
But it was Hu who made the first kill, a large hare.
"Is it a buck?" Nakien asked. "It must be, look at the size of it."
"A buck!" Hu shouted, when he had collected his kill. He carried the dead
hare as he would a lamb or a puppy.
"Tie your son to that tree, Arkwan. Take his cloak off, no point in
getting blood on it. Help him, Tektu."
Hu didn't understand, and for a moment he resisted in confusion, but Arkwan
and Tektu were firm, and he submitted. Arkwan used the rope Danha and
Tektu had made. Nakien cut the hare, as if for skinning, but then put the
hare's balls in Hu's hand. He put the bloody arrow in the other hand, and
smeared the hare's blood on Hu's lips. Then he put the body of the hare
under Hu's penis.
The old bard took a few things out of his pouch, including the needle. He
drove a stake in the ground, and tied a string to the tip of Hu's penis, and
pulled it tight and tied it to the stake. He smeared on charcoal paste,
and then used sticks as wedges under the hare's body, drawing the penis very
tight. Hu looked down at his penis, and said: "Nakien, Danha said that if
she had coupled with Father last night, it would have been one night out of
three to make a marriage. Surely it takes only one night."
Nakien pricked a row of tattoo, and released the wedges. He said: "But the
law is: "A bard may marry. . ."
Hu said: "I know that." Nakien put in the wedges. Hu quoted: "three days
shall they travel, and three rest." Nakien pricked another line of
tattoo. Hu said: "But that is by the side of the trail." Nakien released
the wedges, and smeared more charcoal. Hu said: "In a house, it would be
one night."
Nakien put in the wedges, and pricked another line of tattoo, and released
them. Nakien said: "But it is not Arkwan's house, not his ridgepole." He
rubbed more charcoal.
"One night in any house makes a marriage," Hu said, as Nakien stretched his
penis tight and pricked it.
Nakien rubbed charcoal and said: "If a bard coupling in a house was a
marriage, I would have more wives than you have needle pricks in your penis.
This law is about a bard's marriage. Think about a bard's life: he
comes to a village, he may well couple with a village woman, and then he
travels on, and she stays. They are not married. Marriage, among bards,
is when they travel together. But a bard's coupling with a village woman
may well be in a house."
Hu said: "Finish the pricking." And he didn't say any more until it was
over, just looked at his penis as Nakien completed the design. When he was
released, he said, gasping, "It does ... hurt." He put his hands on his
penis, and Arkwan had to pull them off. Then Hu went off by himself.
Nakien put away his equipment. After a while, Hu came back; his eyes were
red. "I still want that whipping, Father. But not today."
They flushed thicket after thicket. Lumpkha had not lost his skill, but
they had no luck, until at last a buck and a doe broke and ran toward Arkwan
and Tektu. Arkwan shot at both of them, but the buck was only scratched,
and pounded away through the woods. The doe dropped to the ground. "Your
kill, Tektu," Arkwan said. "No, yours," Tektu said, "there is my arrow, in
her haunch."
"Mine can't have killed her," Arkwan said. And when he came up to her she
was not dead, and he killed her with his dagger.
"You gave yourself so we could eat, Doe," Arkwan said. "You lay down, so I
could kill you. You could have run way; but you would have died of pain
and loss of blood, for the ravens to eat. I think we would kill little
game if they did not choose to be killed, Tektu. I have seen it again and
again, how they walk into my arrows, or show themselves when I did not know
they were there. Since this doe gave her life, she will walk again on the
green Earth. She may run through the woods again with the same buck, and
have more fawns to follow her. Look at her teats: this year's fawn must
have died. If she had a fawn to care for, she would have run, desperately,
with our arrows in her. We will not crack her bones for marrow; that will
help her to live again."
Arkwan carried the doe, and they headed back to the village. "We can
talk," Arkwan said. "We may scare away some game, but at least we will not
be hungry tonight. Keep looking, anyway."
"When did you hear the name 'Kohiyossa,' Father?" Hu asked, using the speech
of their own village.
Arkwan said: "When I was captured, we . . . but first I should tell you,
when I escaped from the village, your grandmother was with me. And a baby
boy we found in the village. Mother had been raped. Many times, I think.
She screamed horribly, for a long time. There were marks of torture on
her body."
Hu said: "I was in the olive tree. I could hear it. I could see it.
And when Tanyata ..."
Arkwan said: "When we left the village we went south. I was hoping to
find King Kahul."
Hu said, "Father, the baby. Where did you find him?"
"Behind our smoke-house."
Hu said: "He was your son, Father. My brother."
Arkwan said: "He can't have been, Hu. He was not new-born. He had hair,
and teeth. I should know, for when I tried to feed him, he bit my paps
until they were bloody. And I don't think your mother was on the point of
giving birth. I have seen women who were much larger."
"Father," Hu said, "she was feeling the pains - feeling them strong and
often. A day at most, Karipas said. And Karipas was midwife for her
husband's clan, and for her own clan before that. It is not unknown for a
baby to be born with hair and teeth."
"But he did not look new-born," Arkwan said, "I think he was some baby from
the village. I didn't shoot a nomad woman holding a baby. Not behind
the smoke-house. And anyway there were other women in the village with big
bellies."
"But the babies in the village were all girls. Epra's boy was the youngest
boy in the village, and he could talk. So the baby boy must have been
new-born, even if he didn't look it. He was the new-born son of a village
woman, and that woman was Mother - no one else was so close to giving birth.
She ran from Karipa's house toward our house, behind the smoke-house.
The running, or the fear, must have brought on the birth."
"I don't know, Hu, I suppose it is possible."
"Father," Hu asked, "where is that baby?"
"I think he may be with Tlossos bronze maker," Arkwan answered. He told Hu
the story of the great house-post. "Grandmother died to save the boy, Hu.
The post was already sliding when she went into the pit. She knew she
wouldn't have time to climb out, only to save the baby."
"That is the story of the Kohiyossa," Nakien said.
Tektu said, "Kohiyossa? Are all of you going to talk bar-bar-bar? What
are you saying about the Kohiyossa?"
Arkwan, in the speech of the southland, said: "We carried a baby from my
village to the village of Kros. Hu thinks it may have been my own son."
"And I think it may be the Kohiyossa," Nakien said.
"When my mother saved the baby, I heard the villagers say 'Kohiyossa'.
That was the first time I heard the word," Arkwan said.
"But there are many differences with the story of the Kohiyossa," Hu said.
"The rescue of the Kohiyossa was supposed to happen after the God came to
the dance, not before."
"That does not matter," Nakien said. "Arkwan," Nakien asked, "what color
was the baby's hair?"
"Red. Like Hu. Lighter."
Nakien said: "The golden cap. You were captured along with the Kohiyossa.
The villagers can't have been surprised when the God chose you, and used
your legs, your eyes, and your penis."
"But the story about the Kohiyossa was supposed to be something that
happened long ago," Hu said.
Nakien said: "The Kohiyossa will not grow old, and will not die, unless he
is killed. But the nine black-haired boys are as we are. If they will
die in the final battle, which is still to come, then they weren't born in
ancient times. Perhaps they will be born of the women the Smashers raped,
at the village of the bronze makers. So the end of our age has come. I
will not live to see the final battle, but you will, Hu, and you, Tektu,
before you are old."
Tektu said: "I think I have always known this, without knowing that I knew.
I will see the final battle, but not the end of it. Arkwan, Brother, I
need to get better at fast shooting. Can't you whip me? Some day, I will
defend the Kohiyossa, your son."
"But this boy is not the Kohiyossa," Arkwan said. "Not if he is my son.
My child was not born in a night; my wife carried him for many moons."
Nakien said: "True."
Hu said: "But he could have been born of a coupling at midsummer, Nakien.
He could even be your son."
Nakien said: "They say that in the frenzy of strong Desire, men do not know
what women they enter. My midsummer nights are as frenzied as any, but I
remember. I wanted Sujasa, but did not get her. And I do not know who
did."
Arkwan said: "I know one, besides myself. Taslan."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"But Taslan's son or mine, he is not the son of a God," Arkwan said.
"If your wife was naked, and it was midsummer, he is your son, Arkwan,"
Nakien said, "that is the Law."
"But it wasn't midsummer!" Hu shouted, very excited. "I did the watching
as you told me. I thought I got the night wrong. But since then Sugga
sang 'The Sky-Watchers.' Grios was wrong; I am sure of that now."
Nakien said: "You were right, Hu. But if the case came to me for judgment,
I would say it did not matter. Everyone thought it was midsummer."
Hu said, "Nakien, I would like to be your slave in my father's place. I am
no hunter, and no warrior, but I know a few law songs."
"I will not agree to this," Arkwan said.
"A slave's agreement is of no importance," Nakien said. "Hu, I will not
agree, not yet. Learn more from Sugga, and then, perhaps."
Arkwan said: "You must not do this, Hu."
"I will do it, Father. If you are free, you can fight for the King. I
want to go with Nakien in any case - student if not a slave. Servant, if
he will not teach me. I wanted to; I planned to go with Fiya. I hoped
Tanyata would join me later. But Fiya told me to stay. He said I would
be a fool to leave you. And I want to go with Nakien even more now. The
law in his hands is alive; it is life itself. I know enough of the law
songs now, to see that the law is more than just the words." Hu looked
straight into Nakien's face: "But I do not always agree with him. I do not
think a night is midsummer, just because people think it is. And in this
case, they didn't think it was midsummer. The King and Queen were late,
remember. They were late, because that wasn't midsummer night. They came
the night before, thinking to be in good time, and found us all dancing on
the wrong night. Taslan coupled with Mother, a married woman, on a night
he knew was not midsummer. The boy has a claim on him, a claim on the
King."
Nakien said: "If you ever become my slave, Hu, you will have to stop doing
that."
"What?"
"Being right."
Tektu said: "Hu, I know the God used your father's legs, and his eyes, and
his penis. I know because I can feel the hand of the God on him. It is
stronger on him, than on any carved wooden God. If feel it in his legs, in
his penis. But most of all, I feel it in his eyes. Don't you feel it?"
"No. Father's eyes have always been like that."
Tektu said: "I think this boy is the Kohiyossa. So I don't think he is
Taslan's son. I think he was born of seed from Arkwan's penis. I think the
God used Arkwan's penis, not Taslan's, that midsummer night."
Arkwan said: "I felt only the frenzy that night, the strong desire. There
was no one who saw the face of the God in my face. Not that night."
Nakien said, "But you didn't use Hema in your village, Arkwan; Gods are not
seen so easily. This boy could be the Kohiyossa, it makes sense. And that
night wasn't midsummer. The God used your penis to father the child, and
then used it again after a day and a year."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After supper, which was venison, Sugga took down a sheep-whip from a peg in
the wall, and said: "Ko, I want you to sing The Law of Ploughed Fields.
I'd like Nakien to hear this." She sat down and rested her back against a
basket.
Hu took his father by the hand, and led him to Sugga, and took the whip from
Sugga's hand and put it in his father's, and then let Sugga feel the hand
with the whip in it.
"Very well," Sugga said, "if you are tired of being whipped by a blind
woman. But Nakien shall count the lines."
Sugga put her hands on Hu's lips and throat, and he began:
"I sing the song of the sons of the Father;
who first used oxen to pull the plough,
Sky-born and bright were the minds of the brothers;
long have we followed laws they left us,
. . .
Sugga nodded in time with the song, and her lips moved. Only once did Hu
falter. Sugga supplied the line, and he continued on. "Nakien, I can't
tell everything, by feeling his throat. Did he make many mistakes?"
Nakien tapped Sugga's wrist. She asked: "One mistake, besides the one line
he missed?" Nakien nodded. He told Hu: "'ploughed with bull and mare,'
Hu, not 'with ox and mare'." Hu slapped himself on the mouth.
Hu put his father's hand, holding the whip, into Sugga's, and moved it up
and down a hand of times. "Very well, Ko," she said, "Wvaksa Itrill, will
you give your son a hand of strokes for making mistakes in the song?"
Nakien said: "Hu, no bard on the green Earth, except Sugga, can sing
'Ploughed Fields' without a mistake. I never have."
Hu removed his loincloth and lay on the floor, and Arkwan swung the whip.
The knots made little dots on the boy's - the man's - soft skin, and Arkwan
spread the strokes along his son's body, to avoid landing one stroke on top
of another. He counted aloud, and spoke the words "four strokes,".very
loudly, thinking of a brilliant son teaching his blockhead father, as they
watched in a high mountain pasture. When the whipping was over Hu replied
to Nakien's question. "I don't like to make mistakes and just ignore them,"
he said.
"Nakien, are you going to leave soon?" Sugga asked. Nakien nodded. "Does
Wvaksa Itrill intend to go with you?" A nod.
"Can't you tell her I'm a slave and not a Wvaksa?" Arkwan said.
"Ko, you must go with your father if you wish. My villagers can look after
me. Nakien, do you plan to sing your new song in each village? About the
Young God at midsummer?" Nakien nodded. "And Itrill will tell his
story, and say he was the one the God touched?" Nod. "Have you sung the
song already?" Nakien tapped Sugga's wrist once. "You sang it in one
village only, so far?" Nod. "Since you were young, Nakien, you've wanted
people to see the Gods as you see them. When Itrill told his story, did
they feel the hand of the God on him?" Nakien kept his head still. Sugga
said: "They didn't? I felt the God, with my hand on His penis, the God's
penis. Couldn't the villagers feel it? You will keep trying?" A nod.
Hu said: "So that is why you want Father as a slave. Father, would you go
with him, if you were free, and if you did not have the nomads to fight?"
"Hu, I don't know," Arkwan answered. "At the dance, men fell on their
bellies and put their faces to the ground. The women gave themselves
willingly, but I don't think they were really willing. Tektu, who I call
Brother, can't look me in the face. I was afraid you would not. I am
just Arkwan; I don't feel any different. I don't want people to see the
God when they look at me. But the God did touch me, did use my eyes, my
legs, my penis; I know that now. I am willing to tell the story."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I want your penis tonight, Ko," Sugga said. "The night with Nakien was
just for old memories. I told you not to be jealous."
Arkwan said: "You must tell her."
Hu said: "Nakien, lend me your pricking needle." Nakien took it from his
pack. Hu put Sugga's hand on his penis, then pricked her palm lightly,
making little rows. "Tattoos?" Nod. "Man's?" Nod. "Someone has them?"
Nod. "In your family?" Nod. "Your father?" No nod. "You?" Nod.
"You have them?" A nod. "Well, of course you do."
Sugga thought for a bit. "Ko, do you have tattoos on your chest, snakes,
as they do in the north?" No nod. "You have tattoos on your penis?" Nod.
"Did you get tattoos in your village?" No nod.
Hu put Sugga's hand on his penis again, and pricked her again. "You want
to tell me about getting your tattoos?" Nod. "Did a bard prick you?"
Nod. "White?" Nod. "Nakien?" Nod. "In winter? Spring? Summer?"
Nod. "Last summer? Before last summer? This summer?" Nod. "Ko,
what are you saying. You've been with me all summer. And Nakien just ...
Ko, has Nakien pricked you since he came?" Nod. "Today?" Nod. "And
before, you were a boy?" Nod.
Hu got the whip, and put it in his father's hand, and put his father's hand
in Sugga's, and moved them vigorously up and down. "Your father came, and
found you were still a boy, but you were coupling with a woman, a very old
woman." Hu nodded. "He whipped you?" No nod. "He made you get
tattoos?" Nod. "He is going to whip you?" Nod. Sugga said: "Nakien,
judge this case. I am too angry."
"Do you have grain, Hu?" Nakien asked. Hu found a jar of barley, and
Nakien put Sugga's hand into it. She said: "That is severe, Nakien, I
thought you would be more lenient," and she lifted her hand out, clutching a
little barley. Nakien put the barley into a little bag. He said: "Hu,
you will get one stroke for each grain. You must cut a switch, but Sugga
must judge it, so do not cut one too thin. And Hu, don't cut one too
thick, either. The law says nothing about that, but I will not allow it.
She has been kind; I judged a handful of barley, and she has taken out only
a little. It is not enough, really."
"I am ready," Hu said, "but it is not enough. Stokes with a stick are for
stiff shoulders after spear practice. Or for pleasure in the bath - I
should be punished, not tickled. Tattoos are the law of the Sky-Father!
You are like a doting father to Fiya, and even to me, but you are Nakien;
you should judge by the Law. We can bear it. At least I can bear it.
Shouldn't it be the sheep-whip? A blood sacrifice to the Sky-Father? What
is the Law?"
Nakien raised a hand. "My judgment was fair. It would have been enough,
if she had filled her hand. Do not scorn an old woman's kindness. She,
too, is a white bard, but she loves you. At first light tomorrow, you may
go for a switch. I know you want to be whipped by your father, but it must
be Sugga, unless she chooses your father to do it for her."
Sugga said: "Nakien, if Ko's penis is sore, I guess you get another night.
I'll warm your bottom. But I want to feel your teeth on my cunt."
"I can't stand that woman," Danha whispered, when she lay down with Hu.
"I'd rather get my woman's tattoos again that spend another day with her.
Her voice is worse than a tattooing needle. I couldn't spin calmly with
her constant dreadful talking, and then she would insist on feeling my
thread, and telling me how badly I was spinning."
Hu said: "I'm going to get my whipping from Father, and not from her. When
I lived with Father, and I did something wrong, he would give me a look. It
felt like a cold hand on my guts. He didn't whip me much, but his looks
were worse than any whipping. Since I escaped from our village, I've done a
lot of wrong things. I couldn't stop myself. I thought Father was dead."
Arkwan had come up behind Hu. "I think Nakien means to leave tomorrow," he
said. "Do you plan to go with us, Hu?"
"I don't think I can, if Nakien doesn't want me; and he told me to stay
here, and to learn more law from Sugga. I'll beg him, though. I wonder
what Nakien plans to do about the Kohiyossa."
"What about the Kohiyossa?" Danha asked.
Hu said: "Father brought my brother, a baby, to the village of Kros bronze
maker. My grandmother gave her life to rescue him. Tektu is sure he is
the Kohiyossa, and Nakien thinks he is."
"What is his name?" Danha asked.
Arkwan said: "I did not name him. I did not know he was my son."
Hu said, "He should have a name from his father, even if they have given him
another name among the bronze makers."
Arkwan said: "I burned the house of Annuas to the ground. But we may raise
the ridgepole again. Until then, the house of Annuas lives in Hu, and his
brother. I give my son the name: Annuas."
Danha said: "The Kohiyossa is a God, deathless. And he is your brother,
Hu. A baby boy growing up in the village of Kros bronze maker, and he is a
God. He will be in the final battle."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Danha woke up. It was night, but Hu was awake, and was lying on his back,
rigidly. "Hu, is something wrong?"
"It's my penis. It really hurts."
"I'll wake Nakien."
"I don't think we need to do that."
"Hu, I've known boys, I mean men, who have gotten tattoos. This isn't
right. I want to know what Nakien thinks."
Tektu woke when Danha stood up, and he jumped up, grabbing his bow and
putting an arrow to the string, as Arkwan had taught him. Sugga woke when
Danha waked Nakien. Only Arkwan slept on. "This happens sometimes with
tattoos," Nakien said, when they had lit a lamp and he had looked at Hu's
penis. He will be sick for a day, or more. He may see things, perhaps
Gods. We must stay by him."
Nakien led Sugga to Hu, and put his hand in hers. "Is he sick?" Sugga asked.
Nakien nodded. Sugga felt Hu's face, and ran her hands down his body.
Nakien stopped her before she touched his penis. "The tattoo has gone
wrong?" Nod. "Nakien, why did you have to tattoo him? I would never
have known he was a boy."
"Should we ask the priest to do a sacrifice?" Danha asked.
"We could," Nakien said. "To the Sky-Father. He made the law that men
should have tattoos."
"You can ask Kratik for a ram," Hu said. "He has been very kind. I wish
I could have given him something for all he has done for me."
Sugga held one of Hu's hands, and Tektu held the other, and they waited for
dawn. Then Nakien went to find Kratik.
"We should wake Father," Hu said. "You will have to wake him over and over
again, but I guess you know that."
Nakien came back. "Kratik has said they will sacrifice, not a ram, but a
bull."
Arkwan didn't go back to sleep again, once he understood that Hu was sick.
"Father," Hu said, "there will be a feast tonight, when the villagers eat
the bull they have given to the Sky-Father. I want you to tell the story
of the God we do not name."
"I will stay with you, Hu," Arkwan said.
"Tektu can stay with me. And Danha. No, I want Danha with you. Kratik's
daughter Kahela can stay with me. I want you to tell the story in this
village. You don't have to say that Annuas is the Kohiyossa. Just tell
them how Grandmother saved him. And tell the story of the dance. And
tell them Annuas is your son. He is your son, Father, I'm certain he is.
At least, I am certain he is Mother's."
Arkwan said: "Why do you want me to do this, Hu. Why here, tonight? When
you are sick?"
Hu said: "You are willing to tell the story, Father, but you are afraid.
Afraid of being looked at as the God. But if you are going to tell the
story, that is something you have to face. So face it; you taught me
that. And this village is a good place. They are very solid people,
very sensible. They know me; and Annuas is my brother, after all."
Arkwan said: "I will tell the story."
"There is more at stake now, Father. If Annuas is the Kohiyossa, and I
think he is, then the final battle is coming. The warriors of the
Kohiyossa must be gathered."
Tektu said: "The warriors of the Kohiyossa. I am the first."
"Kratik of the house of Yatt stands before the house of Sugga headwoman,"
Kratik called, standing politely outside the door. Hu said: "Be in health,
son of Yatt; honor this house."
"Be in health, son of Arkwan," Kratik said, even before putting his hand in
Sugga's. Kratik said: "We will sacrifice a bull for the health of your son,
Wvaksa Arkwan. You are welcome to participate in the sacrifice, and to eat
with us. But perhaps you will want to stay with Hu.
Hu said: "Kratik, will you ask Kahela if she will come to me? She will miss
the feast. But tell her I would like to have her, if she will come."
"She would be here already, if I had not forbidden it," Kratik said. "I
will let her come."
"I will participate in the sacrifice, Kratik son of Yatt," Arkwan said, "and
attend the feast."
When Kratik left, Hu asked: "Father, is the Kohiyossa safe where he is?"
"I think so, Hu. Tlossos bronze maker told me the Kohiyossa would be safe
until I came. But I don't know what Kros thinks. The priests may want
Annuas killed, just because some people think he is the Kohiyossa."
"So Tlossos thinks Annuas is the Kohiyossa, and will try to defend him?" Hu
asked.
"He and others," Arkwan said.
"So there are some here, who will defend the Kohiyossa, and there are others
in the village of Kros. It would be well if each knew of the others."
"I will go to the village of Kros," Tektu said.
Hu said: "It would be better not to travel alone. And you are no bard, and
no peddler. Can you even find the village of Kros? I hope, when Father
tells the story, there will be many from this village who will want to
defend the Kohiyossa. Perhaps someone who has traveled. But you must be
careful, and quiet. Find out if Annuas is safe, or if it would be better
to bring him to Father. Tell Tlossos that the Kohiyossa has other friends.
But don't let the priests know. Travel as a peddler."
Tektu said: "No one will take me for a peddler, and I have nothing to trade.
I will go to my own village. Mother will whip me bloody, but I have
friends who will let me have a load of cloth. I can go to Kros and trade
it for bronze."
Hu said: "I don't know what Rohish our priest will do, when he hears the
story. He wants to think that his rituals bring the Gods. I don't know
what he will do, if he thinks the end of this age has come. I don't want
him to know, not yet, that we are gathering the warriors of the Kohiyossa."
Tektu repeated: "The warriors of the Kohiyossa."
Kahela walked through the door without shouting a greeting, which caused
Arkwan and Tektu to grab their bows. With two arrows pointed at her feet,
she said "Health, Father of Hu. I am Kahela daughter of Kratik." Kahela
carried a pot of barley and lamb stew that smelled so enticing that Hu ate
quite a bit of it, even though he said he was not hungry.
"Where will you go next, Nakien?" Hu asked.
"Continue east." Nakien answered. "It has been hard with four people. We
used to leave each village with our packs heavy; maybe more for Fiya's
singing than for my judgments. But since I sent Fiya away with Nute, we
would have gone hungry without your father's bow. To the east the
villages are not so far apart."
Hu said: "Take Lumpkha with you. With Lumpkha and Father, you will always
have meat in the hills; perhaps not so much in the eastern plains. What do
you think of going north, and looking for the High King."
"I think it is time for you to rest, Hu," Nakien said.
"I will rest soon, and for a long time I think," Hu said. "If you just
want to tell people that Gods walk the green Earth, any village will do.
But have Father tell his story before the High King, or before King Taslan
if you find him first. Taslan will not take your slave, not unless he can
give something in return. Let Taslan and all his heroes know that the
Kohiyossa has been born."
Nakien did not answer. He said: "Let Danha lie on one side of him, and
Kahela on the other. Hu, you must rest now."
Sugga began to spin, and Arkwan brought wood and water, honed his dagger,
and did small repair to items in their packs. Nakien sat, leaning back
against a bag. Tektu went outside to practice shooting. Toward mid-day,
Hu said there was pain all over his body. Nakien looked grave, but would
not say what he feared. After a bit, a red rash appeared on Hu's ankles.
He fell into a troubled sleep, tossing and turning, and speaking unconnected
phrases. "Frenzy takes him," he said, and "fire burns him."
"He is reciting bits of The Law of Midsummer," Nakien said. He put
Sugga's hand on Hu's brow, so she could feel the heat of his fever.
"They will be waiting for you at the sanctuary, Wvaksa, the temple of the
Sky-Father at the top of the hill." Kahela said.
Arkwan stripped naked. He stood on the fire, and filled his hands with ash
and hot coals, and smeared them into his face, and all over his body. He
put on Hu's loincloth, stained with charcoal and blood. "Come along,
Tektu," he said, taking his dagger. At the hilltop, the bull's horns had
been decorated with garlands, and he was not in a good mood. The priest
said: "Health, Wvaksa Arkwan, and health for Wvaksa Hu also. I am Rohish
son of Kiron. This brave bull goes to the Sky-Father; his name is Inka.
His sire was Juba the beautiful."
Arkwan said "You didn't bring your dagger, Tektu. Always better to keep
your weapons to hand. Go around in front of him. Try not to get killed."
The bull looked at Tektu, and snorted. Rohish said, "Wait, Wvaksa, I
can summon more men," but Arkwan walked up along Inka's flank, and thrust
his dagger into the side of the bull's neck. Inka twisted so suddenly that
Arkwan was knocked over, and Inka lowered his head to skewer him, but
stumbled and fell dead before he could sink a horn into his killer. Arkwan
had to lift the bull's head in order to pull out his dagger. "Honor, son of
Juba," he said.
Hu had not changed when Arkwan and Tektu returned to Sugga's house, and they
sat by his side. "I think he is sleeping more quietly now," Nakien said,
"and the rash has not spread." At sunset Kratik came to say that the
villagers had gathered. Nakien told Arkwan to wear his good cloak and
belt, but Arkwan ignored him, and put on Hu's old torn cloak instead.
Arkwan was covered in Inka's blood from head to foot. "If Hu wakes up,"
Arkwan said to Tektu and Kahela, "send for me."
At the temple of the Sky-Father, Rohish led Sugga to a carved seat of wood.
The roasted beef was piled on the altar, in front of the wooden God.
Arkwan selected a section of neck-bone, and cast it into the fire. Rohish
filled an honor cup, put Sugga's hands around it, and then handed it to
Arkwan. Arkwan poured a generous libation, but then stood the cup on the
altar, untasted. And he took his portion of meat, but set that aside as
well. Rohish didn't quite know what to do about this, but decided to go
ahead with the ritual. The meat was passed out, and the villagers began to
eat.
Arkwan stood, with the honor cup in his hands. "I am Arkwan," he said.
"Hu is my adopted son. We lived in the north, in the lands of King Taslan.
This past winter, nomads from beyond the mountains attacked our village.
I escaped, thinking Hu either dead or taken as a slave. I had with me
my mother and my baby son, Annuas. We traveled south, hoping to reach our
king, but in the winter snow we lost our way, and we traveled beyond the
lands of our king, and came to a village in the lands of the High King.
The village of Kros, bronze maker. We were taken as slaves."
Arkwan continued: "On the day we were captured, at the village of Kros, they
were building a great house, and they had the trunk of an ancient tree, to
raise as the center post. Into the hole they tossed a slave child, my son
Annuas. And then they tipped the post and sent it sliding into the pit.
My mother jumped into the pit, and just before the post crushed her, she
threw him clear. He landed hard, but he lived."
The villagers were very quiet. The meat, half-eaten, was resting in their
laps. Arkwan continued: "I served Kros as a slave until summer. On
midsummer night I was at the dance; I helped to carry wood. I did not join
the dance, for I am only a slave. But then, although I did not want to
dance, my legs leaped up and danced. When I came to the passage between
the fires, my legs took me in, although the flames burned my skin. I
climbed a burning log, which broke beneath me. I would have fallen into the
heart of the fire, but a hand struck me from behind, and knocked me clear.
When I came out of the fire, men fell on their knees before me, and put
their faces to the ground. I continued to dance. My body moved as it
would, not as I wanted. Each woman I saw, tore off her clothes, and we
fucked. The touch of my body burned them, and my penis inside of them
burned, yet each clung to me, and I had to pull away."
"Some men of the village, who had been dancing, followed me as I danced
around the circle. Their bodies were covered with soot and ashes, and
their penises were swollen to a huge length and size. Women did not submit
to them willingly, but the men seized them, beat them, stripped them, and
raped them. Men who tried to defend the women were beaten also."
"When I woke in the morning, my legs were again mine, and I could walk where
I wanted to go. Men no longer put their faces to the ground before me.
Although I had passed through the fire, and my loincloth had been burnt off
my body, I had no burns, except a burn in the shape of a hand, across my
bottom, where I had been struck and knocked clear of the fire. A priest
accused me of rape, and I was brought before Kros for trial. The woman I
was said to have raped, would not accuse me. She said the the God we do
not name had used my body, and it had been the God's face, and not mine, she
had seen. But the priest asked for judgment of death."
The villagers started to whisper to each other. Arkwan waited for quiet,
and then continued: "The peddler Nute bought me from Kros. Kros made him
pay a great sum in bronze, more than the worth of any slave. Nute bought
me to save my life, and gave me, for friendship's sake, to Nakien. So I am
now the slave of Nakien, the white bard. I do not drunk of this honor cup,
since I am a slave." Arkwan sat down.
"Why should we believe you, slave?" Rohish asked.
"He is the father of Hu," Kratik answered, "and Nakien tells this tale as
well. Do you doubt Hu? Or Nakien, whom Sugga calls the wisest and most
honorable of bards? The greatest bard since Manzen? All men know that the
God we do not name dances at midsummer; why do you doubt that He danced this
past midsummer, at the village of Kros?"
"We have our Gods, in our temples," Rohish said. "If this slave starts to
dance, and to rape our women, shall we call him a God?"
Kratik walked to the carved God, and pointed to His eyes and ears. "Our
carved Sky-Father, here in His temple, is touched by the Sky-Father. The
Sky-Father sees with these wooden eyes, and hears our prayers with these
wooden ears. But what of the God we do not name? He has no carving of
wood. With what eyes does He look? With what ears hear? How does He
dance, as all know He does, unless He uses the body of a man?"
Tektu and Kahela walked up to the fire. From the slowness of their pace,
Arkwan knew what the news would be. "Hu is dead," Kahela said. Nakien
led Sugga back to her house.
Rohish said: "Honor to Hu," and made a libation. All the villagers who had
jugs of wine did the same, and passed the jugs so that everyone could pour.
Kratik said: "Sugga is our headwoman, but Hu was her eyes and her ears.
When we went to Sugga with disputes, Hu never judged us, but listened so
well to each side, that many times we made up our quarrels without a
judgment. I will help to heap the earth above his grave." There was a
general shout of: "And I."
"His death was peaceful, Arkwan," Kahela said, speaking loud so the village
could hear. "Just before he died he shouted 'Tanyata!' Tektu tells me
that was the name of the girl he wanted to marry. But before that Hu spoke
of the Kohiyossa. Is it true, Arkwan? Is the Kohiyossa born, from seed
of your penis, from when the Young God used your penis as his own?"
"Hu thought so," Arkwan answered. "I am a slave, and Annuas my son is a
slave's son. I do not claim that my son is a God."
"Some say the Kohiyossa was born long ago," Kratik said, "but others have
said that his birth was yet to be, that it would not come until our age of
the green Earth was ending. I feel that our age is coming to a close.
This rescued boy could be the Kohiyossa, the Rescued One. Where is Annuas
now, Arkwan?"
Arkwan said: "He was with Tlossos, a bronze maker at the village of Kros.
Tlossos also thinks that Annuas is the Kohiyossa, and he pledged his
safety."
"I will go to Tlossos," Tektu said. "Hu commanded me."
"I will go with him," Kahela said. "I will bring the Kohiyossa to you,
Arkwan, if He is in danger where He is."
Kratik said: "Kahela! You shall be whipped! You must not think of such a
thing. Bring me my whip. My bullhide whip."
A villager stood. "I will go with Kahela, and guard her. What does Nakien
say? Is this baby the Kohiyossa?"
Nakien stood, and spoke in the practiced, steady voice of the white bards:
"All who were at the dance at midsummer, saw the face of the God in Arkwan's
face. So there is no doubt that the God we do not name used the body of
Arkwan, the penis of Arkwan, at that dance. This baby Annuas was born of
seed of that penis. The tale, known to you all, says that the God would
come to a dance, and beget a son. The son would be rescued from a falling
log, by a woman who gave her life for His. All this has come to pass. I
judge that this boy, born with a cap of golden hair, is shown to be the
God's son."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
They laid Hu at a spot well away from the village, with his bow and quiver.
They lay him on a white cloak, which Nakien gave him, which he had from
Sugga when he became a bard, and which Sugga had been given by one of her
teachers. Other than the cloak, Hu was naked; they did not cover the
swollen and discolored penis, nor hide the red blotchy rash which covered
most of his body. Lumpkha lay down at Hu's feet. Nakien led Sugga into
the shallow grave, and she ran her hands over him. Sugga screamed, and
pulled out her hair, and scratched her face until the blood ran. Arkwan
wanted to give his bronze dagger, but Nakien would not allow it. Arkwan
put in Hu's hand the little bag of barley grains; token of the promise
which, in this age of the world, Arkwan had been unable to keep. Arkwan
called Lumpkha, and for a while it seemed that the dog would not come, but
then he slowly got up on his long legs, and came out of the grave. Then
they tossed in flowers, and each put a branch across the grave. But then
Rohish came hurrying up with an honor cup, and they lifted the branches
again to put the cup by Hu's side. Then Kahela came running up, with
Kratik chasing after her. She got into the grave and gave Hu a kiss, and
refused to come out again.
"Kahela, will you go with me to the Kohiyossa?" Tektu said. "Hu commanded
me to go, and I will need your help."
Kratik said: "Let me bring men, and we will drag her out."
Tektu stood aside, and Kratik turned to shout to the villagers, who were
gathered at a respectful distance, each with a basket of dirt. But then
Kratik turned again. "I can't stop her from going, if she will go," he
said. "Kahela, you may go with Tektu to the Kohiyossa, and I will help all
I can. Now will you get out of the grave?" Tektu helped Kahela out of
the grave, and they put back the branches. Then Kahela gave the sign for
the villagers to come.
They came one at a time. "Be well, Poradis," Kahela said to the first,
after he had emptied his basket, "I will go to the Kohiyossa. Will you
come?"
"Health and safety, Kahela," Poradis said. "My bow will guard you. And
the Kohiyossa."
"I will serve the Kohiyossa, if you need me," the next man said. Then a
pregnant woman asked Nakien: "How long will it be, until the final battle?"
"Some who will fight in it, not Gods but men, are now in the womb," Nakien
answered. "So the child in your womb will see it."
The woman said: "Perhaps no one, born of woman, and not a God, will live
beyond that battle. But we think our best hope is with the Kohiyossa."
"I will give one of my sheep to the Sky-Father, to ask his help," Rohish
said.
And so it went. Many men, and some women, offered to serve the Kohiyossa
in arms, and all offered good wishes, at least. Many who said nothing when
they emptied their first basket, offered their spears, when they returned
with their last. When the last basket had been up-turned, they all sat down
to a feast, which consisted largely of Inka, the sacrificed bull. Last
night, once they had heard that Hu had died, no one had eaten any more.
Nakien said: "When a sacrifice to the Sky-Father, to ask for healing, is
closely followed by the funeral, using the meat for the funeral feast is no
more than thrift, and should cause no offense."
When the villagers had returned to the village, Nakien told Arkwan, Tektu,
Danha, and Kahela to sit in front of the mound. "I will go north with
Arkwan to seek Taslan, or the High King," Nakien said. "Kahela, talk with
your father. Let him choose some older man to go with you and Tektu to the
village of Kros. And if Tlossos thinks the Kohiyossa is not safe where he
is, bring him here. Do not try to find us in the north! Taslan is
fighting the nomads; it is not a place of safety. Send us a message,
whatever happens. I know little of Tlossos, except that his daggers are
said to be better than those of Kros. But I think you should trust him.
But beware of priests, even those who seem friendly. And beware, too, of
Kros."
Arkwan said: "Tlossos may doubt that you come from me. Tell him that when
I left the village with Nute, he walked beside the cart, and told me that
the Kohiyossa would be safe. Tlossos has a slave, Pataka, who was my
friend. A red haired man, a nomad. Beware, also, of Kafassios son of Kros.
Be careful. Be secret. Let Kros think you wish a dagger he made, and
not one by Tlossos. Do not be seen to speak too much with Tlossos, until
you have seen how things lie. And fare well, Tektu son of Nohas, my
brother. Health and safety to you, and to you, Kahela, of the house of
Yatt."
For the first time, Kahela looked at the ground, and would not look at
Arkwan when she spoke to him. "Your heart's desire, Wak ... Arkwan," she
said, in a low choking voice.
Tektu took her arm. "You must look at Arkwan when you talk to him. He is
not a God, only a man. And he is not a Wvaksa. He is a slave. And
before that he was a shepherd boy."
Kahela lifted her eyes to Arkwan's. "Honor, father of Hu," she said. But
then she began to wail, and tear her hair, and Tektu held her arms so she
would not scratch her face.
"We should go now," Nakien said. "Gather our packs and go."
"And what of me?" Danha asked.
"Marry her!" Tektu shouted.
"Do you wish your sister to be the wife of a slave?" Arkwan asked.
"If she will have you, Brother. What do you want? Do you think she will
go home, now?"
"I want to do more for a wife, than make her the wife of a slave." Arkwan
said.
Tektu said: "She will be tired, and cold, and often hungry, following you,
Brother. There will be whippings, hard work, and danger. But this is what
she wants. You have a baby already. I tell you this, even if Danha will
not. You cannot provide a life of safety and comfort for her, nor for your
child. But she will not leave you to be the pampered wife of some weaver
or dyer at home. I would think her a fool if she did. Married or not,
she will follow you, and bear your child. Why do you think it will harm
her, to marry her?"
"I am content if I can go with them," Danha said. "I do not desire a
marriage."
Tektu said: "Our age is coming to an end. It will not be peaceful. There
will be no safety, no comfort, for anyone. Marry her, Brother. And
Brother, fare well. Sister, health, and your heart's desire - I know what
that is. And a healthy son, easily born. Nakien, fare well."
Arkwan and Nakien each waited politely for the other to speak; Arkwan turned
aside. Nakien said: "Tektu son of Nohas, Kahela daughter of Kratik, fare
well."
Arkwan and Tektu embraced and kissed, and then Tektu embraced and kissed his
sister. And then Nakien, Arkwan, and Danha walked away from the mound.
They did not get far. Arkwan came running back. "Tektu, Kahela," Arkwan
said, "when Fiya comes, tell him the story. And make sure you tell him
everything Hu said. He may seek us in the north, if he wishes."
"We will do all this, Arkwan. And we will leave word for him as well. And
I have no doubt that Fiya, our brother, will be one of the warriors of the
Kohiyossa." Arkwan ran to catch up with Danha and Nakien. Lumpkha ran
at his heels.
* * * * * * * * * *
[ End of first story of the Midsummer fires trilogy. ]
by David Nunes da Silva - August 2003
Some information on the archaeological background is included with the web
site postings.
_________________________________________________________________
Check out the coupons and bargains on MSN Offers! http://youroffers.msn.com
--
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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