“You would not—consider the use of a whip in its stead?” I asked in a very small voice, feeling greatly diminished by what Chaldrin had said. Never had I known that such a thing as the love between us might be, and in its presence I felt absurdly small and undeserving. Many new things had recently been presented me, things which would require the passing of my continued confusion before they might be evaluated. “It had not occurred to me that there would come a time when I would look upon the whippings and lashings I had been given, as great kindness,” I muttered.
“A lashing as kindness,” said Chaldrin with much deep-throated chuckling, his arms releasing me at last. “No other wench I have ever known would see it so, but they were not Midanna. And no, girl, I would not consider the use of a whip in place of the punishment promised you. Had I learned naught else about you, still would I have learned of the ease with which you put away the lessons of a whip. Pain is turned into a determination for revenge by you, and I would not have you do the same with what lessons I attempt to teach. The gentler punishment will be sharper by cause of its gentleness, and the lesson will be learned. Take up your weapons, now, so that we may return to the camp of tents.”
“I must think upon all these strangenesses I have been presented with,” said I with something of a sigh, going to the weapons I had previously thrown from me. “It may perhaps prove true that one is in better state when in the capture of enemies, than when in the care of brothers. Also do I continue to believe that questions such as that would not have arisen had I been wise enough to keep from being enmeshed in the doings of males.”
“It was not meant that you be kept from the doings of men,” said he with further chuckling, watching as I replaced the weapons. “You must learn to deal with such things, and also to accept graciously what lessons are taught you. We who care for you will assist you in these things.”
“Mida protect me from the assistance of males,” said I, speaking very softly, yet did Chaldrin hear and allow his amusement to grow. We left the vicinity of the dwelling surrounded by his deep, gentle laughter, and no other thing than thought upon what lay before me kept me from a suspicion that I had in some manner enchained myself more thoroughly than had been done to me by any who called himself enemy.
The beginning brightness of the new fey was already returning color to all things about us when we reached the first of the tents. Somewhat disturbing was it to see Sigurri warriors all about, yet was their presence greatly necessary. Few more than two handfuls of Midanna remained untaken by the vapor of the gray-clad males, therefore were they in need of assistance in seeing to their sisters. All about the various colored tents did the two groups labor, tending those in matching clan colors. Two sets had been arranged in the midst of the tent areas, one of those who merely slept deeply—and one of those who had been sent upon the journey to Mida’s Realm. Some of those who had stood guard had been slain, and some of those who had not been taken by the vapors, and sight of those who had had their lives uselessly thrown away before they might be spent to better purpose, turned me more than grim. Slowly did I pace from tent area to tent area, looking upon those who were no more, seeing again the gray-clad ones in my mind’s eye, bitterly regretting that those gray-clad faith were no longer before my sword. Much pleasure would there have been in further buryings of my blade, yet did I refrain from visiting the area in which were held those of the craven horde who had not been able to flee the Sigurri, yet feared to face them. These had thrown themselves upon the mercy of the males, thinking to be carried back to the land of the Sigurri and perhaps consigned to the Caverns of the Doomed, yet had I already spoken with Aysayn and seen the matter settled otherwise. Those gray-clad ones who stood in capture would be gifted to the Midanna when they awoke, a gesture of friendship from warriors to warriors. Also would they be given the body of the very young Sarda, she who had been captured by the males and made to show them the place of visiting. Her body gave evidence of what she had been made to endure, of what had finally broken her and made her agree to the demands of the males. She had not survived the doing long, which was much of a blessing; also would no single invader survive to regret his doing, yet would their regret be keen the short while they lived.
Ilvin labored with those clans who had none awake to begin with till there were some few from each who had been roused, and then did she come to join me as I paced about; Chaldrin and Aysayn already moved silently in my wake, feeling my fury over those who had been slain and wisely saying naught. Mehrayn joined us as well when those Sigurri who had fought and labored through the darkness had been replaced with those who had slept, and with him was S’Heernoh, deep upset in the dark eyes which rested in an overly sober countenance. In soft words was I told by Mehrayn that S’Heernoh’s upset was caused by his belief that an earlier warning would have lessened the number of Midanna lives which had been lost, therefore did it become necessary that I take a moment to speak with the male. Quietly did I point out that an earlier warning would have done naught to alter matters, for those two who were able to direct the Sigurri legions in their entirety were unavailable, Mehrayn with the Midanna, Aysayn with myself. Also did I point out that no warning of any sort would surely have been an even greater disaster, therefore was the male foolish to berate himself over a doing which had seen more lives saved than lost. When I put my hand to his shoulder and asked if the male S’Heernoh meant to anger a war leader with further foolishness, the male smiled his faint, odd smile, met my gaze with the warmth he had so often shown, then shook his head. No words were spoken by him, yet did his manner lead me to believe that he had taken my own words to heart.
The light of the new fey was bright and high before the greater number of Midanna were awakened. Dotil and Wedin, having themselves fallen prey to the vapor, were late in joining my set, and with them walked Gidain and Rinain, the two Sigurri who had sought them out the darkness previous. Throughout the darkness and what new light had passed had the two male warriors remained with the Summa, and the manner in which they joined my set brought a frown to the face of Ennat the Keeper, who had awakened long enough before that she was then able to stand beside me.
“Those, I presume, are the Summa who rode with you,” said she, her frown continuing in evidence. “Those males who accompany them—do they follow the Summa? They continue to bear arms and to wear their own colors, and they fail to walk respectfully behind or to one side—yet is there some shadow of a look about them which suggests they follow warriors in some manner.”
“They neither follow nor demand to be followed,” I said, knowing my words would do little to soothe the Keeper. “The males, too, are warriors, and in some manner have they joined with the Summa which takes from none of them and gives to all. It is not a thing I am able to understand, Ennat, for these Sigurri are unlike any males I have ever come across. To take one in capture would be much like taking in a Midanna in capture, yet is there no hesitation within them over giving a warrior her due. Should Mida add to your wisdom and some fey bring you understanding of ones such as they, I would be greatly in your debt if the understanding were shared with me.”
“And with me,” said Renin of the Sonna as she joined us, the yellow of her clan covering less bright than it had been. “I awoke thinking it would be necessary to give my life in defiance of my captors, then found that those would-be captors had already been driven off, and by those who attended me. Gently and with respect was I tended, as though clan sisters saw to my well-being, and when I was once again able to stand without assistance, my weapons were returned to me.” Greatly disturbed did Renin seem, though she disallowed much outward evidence of it, and she shook her head as Ennat and I looked upon her. “With my weapons returned to me I was left to my own devices, save for a single one of those males. When the others had gone he approached me alone, then spoke of how pleasing he found my golden hair and green eyes. He, himself, was dark-haired and dark-eyed, and suggested that if I found him equally as pleasing, he would come to me when the unsteadiness from the vapors had entirely left me. In no manner did he ask to follow me, nor was I commanded to follow him; I had no true understanding of the exact proposal made, yet did he make no effort to halt me when I walked from him in confusion. These males are clearly free, Hosta; for what reason do they not begrudge our own freedom, as do other free males?”