Or so I thought. Long reckid passed with no sign of our sisters without the second gate, yet was it easily seen, even through Mida’s tears, that the males to either side of the gate sat comfortably within their small dwellings. We lay belly down in the wringing grass, our hair and coverings soaked through, our bodies chilling quickly due to lack of motion, I, at least, more aware of the wounds I had received the fey previous than I had been to begin with. To wait further reckid would do little good, therefore did I send warriors toward those males who paced on all sides of the immense dwelling, and then myself led others toward the gate. Once these males were done and the balance of our sisters within the city, we would take ourselves a dwelling called palace.
The foolishness of males is great indeed. Those within the small dwellings wore their contrivances of leather and metal, yet their head coverings had been removed to provide them with greater comfort. Their comfort lasted little beyond our entrance, yet was the battle brisk enough to drive away the chill. He whom I faced was able to draw the sword he wore, yet for what reason he wore a weapon I am at a loss to explain. The male knew naught of the proper wielding of a blade, shown clearly by the manner in which he came at me. It took no more than two strokes to down him, one to block his thrust, one to cleave him from crown to chin, and then were the gate dwellings no longer tenanted by any save Midanna.
“These males are a sorry lot, Jalav,” said Tilim, who had accompanied me with others of her Happa. Large was this Tilim, nearly as large as I, with hair and eyes of a crisp brown. “Those by the large dwelling came arunning when we struck here, seeing naught of the Hirga who awaited them in the grass till the ability of seeing was beyond them. Should the balance of these city folk be the same, we shall find the need to battle one another to retain memory of sword skill.”
“It is said the best of them stand guard within the High Seat’s dwelling,” I replied, finding it unbelievable and yet totally believable that not a single male had cried out an alarm. To wish to run directly to battle is clearly understandable, yet to fail to give the alert to those whom one calls sister—or brother, as these were males—is an action fit for no other than a male. For what other reason does one post a guard than to give warning of strangers? Of what use is a guard, if not to shout a warning before taking joyously to battle? It had been clear to me for some time that males are beyond all reason, yet each time the matter was proven anew, I found it difficult believing that any could act so.
Quickly, then, was the gate opened to the balance of our warriors, yet even so their numbers disallowed as rapid an entry. As quickly as they entered did they ghost toward the dwelling of the High Seat, moving in and with the shadows of the darkness, disappearing from sight and sensing after no more than three paces. Our main force would attack from all entries to the dwelling, a second force remaining without, in the darkness, to see to any attackers attempting our rear. I felt more than impatient at the passage of time required to admit all of my warriors, yet did I stand with those who had taken the small dwellings with me and force myself to calm. A warrior in haste is a warrior soon slain, a war leader in haste a war leader without judgment.
Despite impatiences, time does indeed pass. With all of my warriors at last within, I saw the gate bar replaced before taking my small force toward the place of the High Seat. Memories of the past are oft-times dangerous to dwell upon when engaged in actions of the present, and yet how might I have forgotten my capture in that place, the leather and chain I had been bound with when marched through its halls, the hunger and pain I had been filled with, the filth I had been covered with. Those city folk about in the halls had stepped from the path of my warriors and myself, their noses wrinkled against the stench of the dungeons upon us, their faces clearly showing how superior they thought themselves to be to mere savages. I trotted gently and quietly through the rain-soaked grass to the pebbled way before the wide stone stairs, once again surrounded by those who were considered savages, yet this time with a sword in my hand. I would not dwell longer upon the past, would not allow the bitterness and hatred to take me; the present promised a great deal of sweetness, and I had come to take payment of the promise.
At the base of the wide stone steps did I halt to send the advance signal about the circle of warriors which had been formed, paused a moment for the signal to make its way toward those who could not see me, then began to mount the wetly glistening steps. The stone of the dwelling, I knew, was the smoothest of pinks, yet little of the color was to be seen in the flickering of the high torches upon the walls. Again I marveled that no alarm arose from the dwelling we approached so closely, that none had seen the lack of guardsmen in their accustomed places, and yet a question occurred which made the situation blindingly clear in the manner in which these males thought. Who was there about that city for the males to fear? Who would brave their walls and dare their wrath, that they must be constantly alert? Surely was it sublime wisdom that the Midanna had enemy clans to keep them ever alert, ever vigilant against attack, well versed in the doings of battle. Easily might it be seen that behind the walls of males lies stagnation, a state Midanna would not allow themselves to fall to.
The oversized entrance to the dwelling now stood before me, warm, beckoning candlelight spilling out into the dampness of the dark. Within was I able to see the blue of the silk hangings upon the walls, the blue of the floor cloth called carpet, the wood of small platforms and seats, the candleholders of silver, the trinkets, the small weaponry, the vastness. Easily and quietly did I enter within, a large number of warriors behind me, none shouting their battle cry nor rampaging about, for what reason is there to give undue warning to an enemy? There would indeed be screaming and shouting and battling aplenty before the darkness came to an end, yet then, at the very beginning, no one of my warriors, at whichever entrance, voiced an unnecessary cry.
“Jalav, in which direction shall we go?” whispered Tilim, afrown at the hall we stood in which swept away left, right and ahead. Large indeed was the dwelling, which contained many males behind many doors.
“We shall go in all directions,” said I, attempting in vain to place what little I had seen of the dwelling in its proper place. “This entire keep must be ours, therefore are you to search each corner of it, leaving no enemy behind you to cause mischief. I, myself, shall see to the level above this one.”
Agreement came from the war leaders about me, their faces showing eagerness to get on with the thing, their hands straying restlessly to the hilts of weapons, their eyes roving the emptiness about us with the eyes of their warriors, all seeking to get on with searching out those they might meet with blades. In each direction, left, right and ahead, did I dispatch them, and then, with eager warriors crowding my heels, did I turn to the stairs which led to the next level of the dwelling.
Well did I know, from my time in Ranistard, that the High Seat of that city kept his own private quarters upon the second level of his dwelling, away from those others who served him and bowed to him, guarded by the swords of males in leather and metal. Mida willing, the High Seat of Bellinard did the same, for it was my intention to capture the male rather than slay him, to give him the justice he gave to others rather than allow him the escape of death. The smooth stone of the steps cooled the bottoms of my feet after the warmth of the blue floor covering I had stood upon, yet the high, warm excitement within me was untouched by an equal cooling. Soon, soon would that place of males be mine as it was destined to be, soon would they learn the danger in taking captive a war leader of the Midanna.