“I remember.”
“I never told you something about that grove of trees. I'm not sure if I should tell you now.”
“But obviously you are going to tell me,” said Menish, annoyed at her obscurity.
“It's sacred to Kiveli. It's a… traditional place for women to take their husbands.”
“Really? I'd thought we discovered the place for ourselves.”
“I know. That's what many of the men of Meyathal believe.”
“You mean they all go there?”
She shrugged. “Many, not all. I've not waited in the bushes to see. I knew you'd be displeased, you thought it was only the two of us knew. But there is more.”
“Go on,” said Menish, mystified as to where this was leading.
“This will displease you more. We send our young women there before they marry to learn… about marriage.”
“What? You mean they spied on us?”
She nodded.
“It's an old custom.”
Menish was shocked and somewhat embarrassed. “You mean you've been sending girls down to that grove to spy on married couples taking their pleasure since Aton knows when?”
“Actually since Kiveli knows when, but what you say is true.”
“And you knew someone was watching us?”
She grinned wickedly. “Of course, it was arranged. The girl told me afterwards she was impressed.”
“Flame of Aton! Who was it?”
“You don't really want me to tell you. She doesn't live at Meyathal.”
“I'm relieved… and did you go there before we married?”
“Of course.”
“Why can’t women learn the way men do, a quiet talk with someone older and an attentive eye on the cattle?”
Adhara laughed.
“Perhaps we could. But we're not cows to be covered. You must remember we're on the receiving end of rutting, I know some women who've decided to forego marriage when they learn what's involved.”
It did not seem enough justification for Menish, but he thought of several women at Meyathal who were past the usual marriage age and who had not found husbands. It was not uncommon. Was this the reason?
“Why are you telling me this now? You've kept this secret from me for years.”
“This is just one of the secrets we women have. You men think you're the only ones with your secret initiations at the Chasm of Kelerish and your oracular fire towers. But we women still guard the old faith of Anthor. You dismiss it as women’s tales you were told as a child. I wanted you to know that there are tales we don't tell our sons that we do tell our daughters.”
“So you have secrets too? You know what I think of the Sons of Gilish.”
“Yes, but you know their secrets. You don't know ours.”
“What are you trying to tell me?”
She took a breath, as if she was preparing herself to face Menish’s rage. “Last night you said Kiveli should preserve us from Gashan. What if I tell you that I think she can?”
“No! Not another offer of gods! Aton failed last time. I've sent Azkun on his mad way and he took Althak. What will you do?” He reached for her and they clung together. “Don't desert me to run after gods I don't know. I can manage without Althak. I can't live without you.”
She pushed him away and looked him eye to eye.
“You think that because you've heard one secret you know them all. You do not know Kiveli, O King.”
“I know gods are useless!”
“I know Kiveli is not!”
“Does no one want to fight Gashan with swords?” He turned away from her and walked down the track. “All I get are offers of divine help!”
“Menish!”
She almost never called him by name in private. They had a dozen pet names they used. He stopped and turned back to her.
“What harm can it do to ask Kiveli’s help? We don't need to travel to some unknown island to do it.”
“Do it then, but don't tell me more of your secrets.”
“Do you think I would have told you anything if I didn't need to? This goes deeper than you think. We have… ceremonies, traditions. It wouldn't be possible without your cooperation.”
“What would I have to do?” he asked her suspiciously.
“You needn't worry. I'll need to talk with some of the other women. Of course you'll have to swear never to reveal what you see.”
“More secrets?”
“They're secrets any Anthorian woman knows. It's only from men that these things are kept.”
“How soon will you know what's involved?”
“Not until tomorrow.”
“You speak of ceremonies and meetings, it sounds so much like the Sons of Gilish. How can I have been unaware of this for so long? I knew you had your women’s tales, but this is so organised. It's not just a Kruzan pool and a few yaks’ tails at a fight, is it?”
“I doubt if we've ever been as formal as the Sons of Gilish, but we do have long traditions. It's said that we shared them once with the men, but the coming of the Relanese changed that.”
“Because women are not permitted in the Sons of Gilish?”
“I suppose so.”
“I'll take part in your ceremony. I don't believe that Kiveli will deliver us from Gashan, but it may give them hope. They'll need all the hope they can get when we meet Gashan in battle.” Menish stopped, remembering something. He continued in a less serious tone. “Since we're telling secrets perhaps I should tell you one.”
She frowned for a moment, as if what he said disturbed her, then she smiled and he continued. “There's a place further up the river where the women often bathe in the summer. Not far off is a place where young men sometimes hide to watch them.” Menish looked at his feet, rather ashamed of this secret.
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.