Roger Parkinson - Summon Your Dragons

Adhara laughed.

“Of course they do! And our young women are always careful to let it be known when they go there. You spied on me once years ago, I made sure of it.”

“Shameless! Are you telling me you women are aware of this and allow it to go on?”

She touched his nose with her finger playfully.

“You're self-righteous, O King. These are things that are good for young people. Didn't you enjoy watching me?”

“Well, yes. Yes I did, of course I did.”

“I wouldn't have gone unless I knew you'd be there.”

“Yes, but I wasn't alone, Olcean was with me. He saw you too. Doesn't that bother you?”

“Well, I would rather you'd been alone, but I wasn't alone either. Mora was with me. I think it's rare for young people to go there by themselves. They need each other for courage.”

She was right, of course. Menish felt he had learned more about his people this afternoon than he had ever known before. Anthorian women were always so prim, reaching for their swords at the mere mention of Relanese polygamy or Vorthenki customs, that he would never have expected such behaviour of them. But, of course, Anthorian men were just the same when women were present. It was only when no women were there that they could relax and laugh at some of Althak’s Vorthenki jokes. He wondered what jokes the women told each other when no men were present.

The thought of Althak brought back his anger, but it had softened to something more like grief. He still disagreed with Adhara, there was nothing else he could have done or said to keep Althak and Azkun from leaving. It was done, over. He would not see Althak again, he would perish in his search for his Vorthenki island, and Menish himself would perish in the coming battle.

“We'll all need each other for courage soon,” he said grimly. “Come, let's go back. You've arrangements to make.”

Adhara’s arrangements were so extensive that she did not come to their rooms that night. She had warned Menish that this might happen so he was not surprised, but he was curious about what she was doing. She had not been to the evening meal in the hall, there were no other women there either.

Menish sought out Bolythak. With Hrangil, Grath and now Althak gone he needed more lieutenants. Bolythak was an obvious choice, Drinagish would have to take more responsibility. Neathy would also be useful, but she was in the women’s lodge.

“What's going on tonight? Where are all the women?” asked Bolythak.

“There was some noise from the women’s lodge a while ago. Voices raised, someone screaming I think,” said Drinagish. “Maybe they had a fight in there.”

Or maybe they were telling jokes they would not tell in front of men, thought Menish, but he knew better than that.

“We could get one of the small boys to go and see. Olcish is still allowed in the women’s lodge. Hey, Olcish! Over here!”

Olcish came at Bolythak’s command.

“Do you know what's going on in the women’s lodge? Why are they still there? It's dinner time.”

“I don’t know,” said Olcish. “I think it's something to do with the Vorthenki. They ordered all of us out.” He gestured to a group of forlorn looking little boys. Keashil was with them, trying to cheer them with a lively tune. But Menish could see her heart was not in it. She was grieving that Althak had gone.

“Poor little beggars,” said Bolythak. “They look upset. They never did that to me when I was their age.”

“If they haven't come to dinner,” said Menish, “they may not come out to get them for bed. We'd better move them to the men’s lodge. It'll be too cold for them out here in the early hours of the morning.

“Olcish, did they order your mother out as well?” The boy nodded.

“So much for hospitality,” said Drinagish.

Menish called to Yarol.

“There seems to be some disturbance in the women’s lodge. Keashil has been turned out. She can't sleep in the hall. Find her a chamber of her own, Hrangil’s will do.”

“Hrangil’s things are still in his chamber, Sire. I haven't yet been able to clear it.” Hrangil had many books such as the Mish-Tal, containing the secrets of the Sons of Gilish. He would not have wanted them tampered with.

“Leave them there, Yarol. Keashil already knows Hrangil’s secrets. But if she didn't she'd not learn them from his books. As for his other property, she'll respect it.”

So Menish went to his cold bed, remembering that Adhara had had to do the same while he was away. Or perhaps she slept in the women’s lodge? He had not thought of that before. He went to sleep wondering what those women were planning.

It was not until the noon meal next day that he saw Adhara again. There were no women to be seen in the place all morning, except for Keashil, and no sign of activity from the women’s lodge. People kept asking him what was happening, but he had no definite answers so he feigned ignorance, pointing out that he was not permitted in the women’s lodge to find out. Finally, at noon, they emerged from the lodge looking weary. Menish thought he saw traces of paint on Adhara’s face when she greeted him, but he did not mention it.

The women were hungry and, since no one had been expecting them, the kitchen staff, under Yarol’s supervision, hurriedly prepared more mein. It took time, however, and most of the women were irritable and vented their tempers on Yarol for keeping them waiting.

Menish and Adhara took their meal in their rooms. Adhara was plainly agitated, and just as irritable as the others. She looked as though she had been arguing all night and all morning. Menish waited patiently for her to tell him what had happened.

“This is muck!” she pushed the bowl of mein away and reached for the cup of ambroth.

“It's the same as always. You didn't complain yesterday.”

“They didn't burn it yesterday. It took them long enough to make it, then they burnt it!”

“Are you going to tell me what happened or just complain about the food?”

She glared at him for a moment, then her gaze softened.

“Yes, of course. I'll tell you what I can. We held a council of women, like the clan leaders council, but different. Many of the important women are here to listen to your news of Gashan so it was easy to organise it. For once I was able to address it.”

“What do you mean: ‘for once’?”

She hesitated.

“Only women who have given birth may speak in our councils.”

Her answer opened another window into this world of women for Menish. Women who had given birth wore their hair in braids, rather than loose as she did. He had always thought it an empty tradition, but suddenly it was a mark of status, a badge of importance. And Adhara could not speak in their councils? She who was regent while he was away? He had always assumed that she held a position of authority in Anthor, yet in this world of women she did not. Neither did he, of course. He was not even allowed to attend their councils.

“I see, go on.”

“I said we should hold the rite of Protection. It's an old rite, before the Relanese came it was used as a protection from them. Now it's used to protect herds from raiders. There were objections, of course.”

“Objections?”

“The rite of Protection can only be performed by the owner of the herds. It can't be done for her by anyone else. When it was done to defend Anthor it had to be done by the King.”

“And when the King is a man?”

“No one knows for sure. But we think in the old days it was done by a man or a woman. The Relanese changed that, but that's what I have been arguing all night. It may be still be done by a man… it may be done by you.”

There was something she was not telling him. But she was tired and he did not want to press her.