Leslie Moore - Griffin's Daughter

For the past week, Kami had been ill, especially upon rising in the morning. Jelena’s chest tightened with concern. “Maybe she should go see a doctor. Something very wrong could be with her,” she said. Aneko roared with laughter, as did several others. Jelena felt terribly confused, wondering if she had made some especially ridiculous mistake with her Siri-dar.

“ Oh, she’ll be needing the doctor all right, but she’s not sick, just pregnant,” Aneko explained patiently.

Jelena blushed, embarrassed at her own ignorance. “Does Captain Miri know he is to be a father?” she asked.

“ He’ll know soon enough,” Aneko replied. “I dare say he’ll be putting in for that wage increase sooner than he expected. I s’pose their wedding will be moved up as well. Ai, the lords are mounting up. Let’s go!”

Jelena climbed onto Willow and settled her bow across the saddle horn and a quiver of arrows at her knee. Aneko had suggested she carry the bow in case an opportunity for the commoners to shoot-unlikely, but still possible-presented itself.

She scanned the group of nobles and caught sight of Ashinji, astride the big black gelding he favored. Her breath caught in her throat. In the midst of talking to Lord Dai’s son Ibeji, he abruptly looked up, like a hound scenting a rabbit. Slowly, as if an unseen force pulled at him, he swiveled in his saddle until he sat facing in her direction, catching her in his gaze.

She felt dizzy, and that curious sensation she had experienced before-like thoughts and words not her own were trying to form in her mind-washed over her. A voice called her name; it sounded like Ashinji’s but his lips weren’t moving.

Lord Sen interposed himself between Ashinji and Ibeji, blocking her view and abruptly the sensation vanished. She exhaled loudly and rubbed her forehead.

“ Is your head hurting you?” Aneko asked.

“ No…No. I am well,” Jelena replied. “All excitement, my first hunt…” She smiled and indicated the hubbub with a wave of her hand.

“ Just remember to stay to the rear.” Aneko pointed her thumb back over her shoulder.

The cacophony in the yard increased twofold as the hunt mistress brought up the castle’s pack of hounds. They were impressive animals, with lean, muscular bodies and whip-slim tails. Their coats gleamed like black satin in the sunlight. Deep, throaty howls filled the air-a raw, primal sound, visceral and wild. Jelena could not help but feel a rush of excitement.

The gates of the castle swung open, and the hunt flowed through. The hunt mistress and her assistants rode at the fore, the pack flowing like black water around their horses’ feet. Next came the field of noble folk, followed by the mounted commoners. The group on foot brought up the rear.

Back in Amsara, Jelena had never been allowed to participate in any hunts, and even if she had wanted to, her lowly status as a kitchen drudge would have meant that she’d have had to follow on foot. The idea of slogging through mud and brambles for hours just to witness other people bringing down game had never really appealed to her.

This, however, was entirely different. She had a horse to ride, and social status far beyond anything she had ever imagined for herself. She had friends who respected her. She had, for the first time in her life, a real home.

All of which she now stood to lose if she refused Sadaiyo.

Don’t think about any of that now. Just enjoy the day.

The field set out at a brisk jog, heading for a patch of woodland just across the river from the castle. The hounds fanned out and entered the trees, snuffling and growling. The field hung back to allow the dogs to do their work. A well-seasoned pack, they knew their business. Occasionally, the hunt mistress would whistle a series of tones. Jelena wondered what they meant.

After a short time, the hounds emerged, tongues lolling. They had failed to flush any game. The hunt mistress whistled again, and the pack reformed, ready to move on.

The hunt moved as one, a multi-legged beast loping through the golden fields of midsummer. They rode east, toward Saihama village, where, Aneko had informed Jelena, many deer had been spotted recently.

It did not take the dogs long to find game once they had slipped back into the forest. A huge stag careened out of the trees, eyes as big as saucers, the hounds in hot pursuit. The nobles rode hard after it, Sadaiyo and Misune leading the charge. Jelena and the rest of the mounted commoners held back a few moments, then followed at a slightly slower pace. Out of the corner of her eye, Jelena could see the people on foot cutting across at a diagonal to the stag’s flight, as if they instinctively knew which way he would run. She bent low over Willow’s neck and galloped on, exhilarated.

The stag pounded across an open meadow, trying desperately to loop back toward the shelter of the trees. The dogs leapt and snapped relentlessly at his heels until he abruptly turned and rushed them, head down, in an attempt to sweep them aside with his antlers. The dogs fell back, barking furiously, but they continued to keep the stag encircled, holding him for the hunters.

It ended quickly. Misune had the honor of the killing shot-a single, perfectly placed arrow that pierced the stag’s lungs and heart. The beast fell to his knees, gouts of bloody froth dripping from nose and mouth. With a groan, he slumped to his side and lay still. The field let out a great cheer.

Jelena rode up just as Misune took her shot, enabling her to witness the kill at close range. She admired the newest Sakehera’s skill with the bow, but at the same time, she felt a twinge of sadness for the death of a noble creature. The stag had run well, and Misune had granted him a speedy, dignified end.

Jelena waited quietly, along with the rest of the common folk, while the nobles discussed where the hunt would ride next. Lord Sen suggested that they continue east to try the woods further on, and the rest agreed. Several servants were assigned to dress the carcass and carry it back to the castle.

The hunt resumed. The hounds soon caught a fresh scent and followed it into the trees. The hunt mistress cautiously went in after them, signaling to her assistants to hang back outside on the forest’s edge.

Jelena held her breath, afraid that even the softest of exhalations would break the concentration of dogs and hunters. Willow shifted beneath her with a creak of joint and muscle. The only other sound she could hear was the whisper of the wind in the treetops.

The blat-blat of the hunt mistress’s horn, along with the explosive barking of the hounds, alerted the waiting field that the game had been flushed.

“ Here they come!” someone shouted. Jelena saw a flash of brown and white just within the trees-a doe on the run. Instead of making a break for it out in the open, however, the terrified animal turned at the last moment and headed back into the forest. The hunt mistress’s horn sounded again, and her two assistants spurred their horses into the trees.

Jelena could see that the nobles really didn’t want to ride among the trees in pursuit. She surmised that they would much rather give chase out in the open where they could have clear lines of sight for shooting.

The barking of the hounds grew fainter as the quarry moved deeper into cover.

Sadaiyo cursed and shouted, “Come on! It’s getting away!” He spurred his horse forward and quickly disappeared from view. Like water through a breached dam, the field surged after the Heir, guiding their mounts as quickly as they could between the boles of the trees. Jelena started to follow, then realized that the common people were all hanging back. She turned to Aneko with a questioning look.

“ They’ll never catch that doe in those trees, not as long as they stay a-horse,” Aneko commented. “None of this lot…” she indicated the walkers with a flick of her hand, “…feel like getting trampled while the noble folk blunder about in there. Naw, we’ll just wait right here ‘til they get tired and come out.”