by Sarah Thomie
“I remember you and First Son already did one for me that one time. What is it?”
He scowled at the rooftop, then laid back to look up to the sky. “A Test of Taking can be done whenever a male believes that another is not treating a female right. Usually, it is done when two males want the chance to court a female. But in your case, he called me out on how I was treating you, as a friend of yours.”
“Is there a version where two women fight to be with a male? Because I would fight off any female that tries to tumble in your bed without your explicit consent.”
He laughed. “No, there is nothing like that. Females tend to be more vicious than males are when it comes to wanting a male for themselves. Your gender tends to fight dirty.” He pulled me closer to him. “But I am glad to hear that you would fight for me. Especially after saying you would step aside if I wanted it. I can promise that my eyes have not nor will they ever stray from you. Do City Elves have anything like that?”
“Not really. We do not partner up like Wood Elves. We could pair up for a few years or just a night of companionship. Maybe you will decide that you want a delicate flower instead of a thorny one like me,” I teased.
“But the thorns are worth being in the beauty of that flower.” He kissed my temple.
I laughed. “Goddess Above, you are hopeless.”
“If you two are done being lovey-dovey, Howling Wolf and I need to get the warriors to get going,” First Son said from the tree. “Snow, you will oversee taking care of the village while we are gone. I have been trying to find Sparrow to tell her goodbye, but none of the gossip girls knows where she is. Since we cannot wait any longer, can you find her to make sure she is feeling well?”
Howling Wolf sat up, pulling me with him.
“I will find her,” I promised. “Just be careful and come back as soon as possible. Grandfather says that the snow will be coming in early this year. As fun as it would be to dig you out, I would prefer to stay where it is warm.”
“Do not stay too warm. Then I will not have a purpose when I come back.” Howling Wolf grinned as he stood up, then helped me up.
“I will find a purpose for you. Now get going.” I edged him toward the tree to climb down. I waved at them as they and their warriors left the village. I climbed off the roof and wandered to the kitchens. “Have you ladies seen Sparrow around?”
“We already told the First Son that we have not,” Xerinae said with a bitterness in her voice.
“He is gone, and I am missing the necessary parts to take his place.”
Xerinae looked at me. “She is sad.”
“She is worried that First Son does not love her,” I told her. “Do you have any advice on how to convince her otherwise?”
Xerinae stabbed the board she was cutting vegetables on with her knife. “Is he not treating her right?”
I put my hands up in front of me defensively. “Nothing like that. She just thinks that First Son is falling in love with the Matriarch of the City Elf settlement because she is a leader of her people, like he is.”
“Is he falling in love with the Matriarch?”
“Goddess Above, no,” I told her, wondering how this conversation turned so badly. “What is going on? You are not normally this snarly at me.”
“Besides that Sparrow came through here crying? Some of the warriors who pronounced their love for one of the women has decided that they would rather partner with a City Elf.”
“City Elves do not partner like Wood Elves do. Why would anyone throw away a lifetime together for a short time of pleasure?”
“You tell us.”
I was surrounded by the angry looks from the gossip girls. “I will see what I can find out. Get me a list of those who left and their partners, and how long they were together. Also, write down a brief explanation about partnerships for Wood Elves and what it means. Give it to Grandfather, and I will collect it from him. Just please tell Sparrow that she has nothing to worry about. First Son loves her with everything he is. His eyes are not going to stray just because something shiny and new is there.” With that, I escaped from the kitchen and said to myself, “No wonder Sparrow is worried.”
I found a couple of the warriors who I trusted, Lynx and Raven, and dragged to a nearby building, where I pushed them into chairs. “Tell me about how Wood Elves court each other. Then explain about what happens when one partner wants out of the partnership.”
They looked at each other and Raven finally asked, “Is something wrong?”
“You are damned right there is something wrong. Get to explaining.” I crossed my arms over my chest, waiting.
“As you have seen, we have different festivals where males and females can explore their different options. Courtships take years, sometimes decades, as both Elves try to decide if that person is the Elf they want to spend their life with. By normal Wood Elf standards, you and Howling Wolf moved quickly, but that is also because you both spent almost every waking moment together,” Raven started.
“What happens when they decide that they found the right person?” I asked.
Lynx answered, “Then those two people go in front of the Elder and Grandfather to announce their intentions to handfast for ten years. They live together, acting as they would if they were partners. Think of it as a final test to be absolutely sure about their partnership. After that, we have a celebration, where they tell the entire village about their partnership, where they become official.”
“What happens if someone wants out at any point?”
“Up until it is official, either can back out without consequences. After becoming official, they become ostracized by the Clan. Most times, they end up leaving to join another Clan during times of peace. We take our partnerships extremely seriously. That is why if there’s any hint of mistreatment, someone can call a Test of Taking. Usually, it snaps the male out of whatever problem they are causing.”
“What is the female equivalent to a Test of Taking?”
Raven shook his head. “There is none. Males can do it because women are naturally weaker than us when it comes to strength. Now, if a male feels like he is being mistreated, then we talk to the women who speak to the offending woman, and she fixes her behavior.”
“If someone does not change what they are doing?”
“Then we get the Elder and Grandfather involved. If they get involved, it never turns out well for the offender. But like we said earlier, usually a Test of Taking will make the male realize what he would be losing, so they change.”
“City Elves do not have their own traditions about love?” Lynx asked me.
I shook my head. “No, we do not. We never had that privilege of being with someone for too long. City Elves are bought and sold so quickly, that it is hard to make those kinds of connections. Instead, we might spend some nights with a companion, but it never goes passed that. The humans say that we cannot love at all. So, this is all new territory for me. Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me.” Knowing all of this made me angrier at the warriors who were leaving their partners.
“Is everything fine, Snow?” Raven asked.
“No, it is not.” I felt the Snow Cat take over involuntarily. “Everything is not well, Raven.” I left them there, stomping my way toward Grandfather’s building. Anyone who came close to me, stepped out of the way when they saw my eyes. Elves whispered and mumbled, but I ignored them. I went inside the building and paced back and forth, wanting to try to calm down. It did not help. Footsteps resounded near me, and I snarled at whoever was breaking my stride.
Grandfather hesitated, never giving him the full force of the Snow Cat’s rage. He set the tea on the table next to me. “The ladies gave me a letter that they said you were waiting for.” He set the paper next to the tea. “Mind telling me what has made you so angry, Silent Snow?”
I snatched the paper and opened it, growling louder with each name. I looked at the older Elf, trying to pull back from wanting to tear something apart. “Broken promi
ses and those who make them. Broken hearts and those who tore them apart.”
He stiffened.
“I am going to the City Elf settlement; Raven is in charge.”
“Stay safe, Silent Snow,” Grandfather said as I walked out the door.
I ran into the forest, trying to burn off the rage I felt. I did not see the forest or the animals that lived there. I was too focused on the betrayal and hurt of my gossip girls.
“How dare they break their commitment…”
City Elves never got the chance to love, so seeing these idiots throw it away for a short time of passion just made me angrier.
I ran into the City Elf settlement, just to see Lynx already there. He was talking with Howling Wolf and First Son, probably to warn them that I was on the warpath.
Howling Wolf ran over to me. “Snow, what is goin—"
“I need to see the warriors.” My voice was deadly calm.
“Not until you talk to me.” He put his hand on my shoulder.
I dropped my shoulder and moved out of the way. “If you will not get them, I will, Enforcer.” I used his title, knowing full well that it created a separation from personal lives and our duties. He did not look at me, as he left to grab the Wood Elves from our Clan. When he gathered them all, and I looked at them. Some were fearful because they had never been on that side of the Snow Cat, they shook, and their eyes widened. Others looked annoyed at being pulled away from whatever they were doing.
The Matriarch came up to me. “Snow?” She saw my eyes and changed her tactics. “What can I do for you, Enforcer?”
I handed her the list of names and explained.
She opened it, and her eyes widened as she read. “I did not know, Enforcer.” Her voice was quiet, but I heard the simmering anger under it. She pointed them out to me. “Those of you who I call out will stay, the rest of you will go back to work,” she told them. As she called out their names, the pattern emerged.
“What is—" First Son tried to ask, but both the glare from the Matriarch and I stopped his question.
“Matriarch, you explain to the City Elves about this. I will explain a few things to these Wood Elves.”
“Of course, Enforcer. I will be sure to tell the City Elves everything.” She went toward where the City Elves were watching.
I grabbed my daggers and threw them at the feet of the Elves who strayed from their partnerships. “I challenge all of you to a Test of Taking.”
Some took a step back, not sure what to do. Howling Wolf, First Son, and Lynx looked at me, then to the warriors who were standing there.
“Under what circumstances?” one of them asked.
“For hurting those under my protection. Each of you has decided to break your partnership by trying to stay here. You betrayed your partners like the wayward idiots you are. Under those circumstances, I challenge all of you. If you believe that you are worthy of the love that your partners have given you, without asking for anything but yours in return… If you believe you are worthy of being allowed to remain in the good graces of the women you hurt…” I looked at all of them. “Then you take this as your final warning. If you decide that you will break your partnership, then I will make sure that every person in the Clan and our allies know about your wandering eyes.”
The Matriarch returned. “This place is off limits to those who choose to break their vows.”
“Therefore, you will have nowhere to go, unless you think that you can defeat me in the Test of Taking.” My voice was a little louder than a growl.
None of the males moved; the Matriarch handed me back the names and letter. “My people have been told about you breaking your vows to someone you love and chose to spend your life with. None of them knew about you having a partner waiting for you at home. They have decided that if you try to bed them again, they will make sure that you will not survive the experience. We are not to be used again.”
“A City Elf thinking they can kill a Wood Elf warrior? I doubt that. I will kill any City Elf that tries to raise a blade to me. As for my bitch of a partner, I could not care less about her.” The same voice who asked about the circumstances came forward. He was a newcomer from another Clan, accepted along with his partner into the village.
“Enough, Viper,” Howling Wolf warned.
“If he thinks he can hurt me, he can try. But if he does try, I will kill him.” I glanced at the Matriarch, a sadistic smile on my face. “Should you tell him about the City Elf protector, or should I?”
“I think you will better get the point through than I could, Enforcer.” She returned my smile, and I saw Howling Wolf, First Son, and Lynx shudder from the looks we passed between us.
I retrieved my daggers from the ground and said, “City Elves have our myths and traditions, just like Wood Elves do. Except ours are grounded in blood.” I stood ready for the newcomer to attack me like he was itching to do.
The other City Elves made symbols of protection on their chests.
“Come and get me if you think you can. Hell, I will even grant you a boon if you win.”
“Fine.” Viper shrugged. “If I win, I get the Matriarch to use as I please.” He raised up his short sword, reminding me of the ones humans carried.
I became cold inside as they did when killing the humans and slavers.
“One of the myths told through the ages spoke of a powerful force. Darkness and evil were coming for the Goddess’s children,” the Matriarch explained to Howling Wolf, First Son, and Lynx.
Viper launched himself at me, hoping for a quick victory. He and I never sparred, so he had no idea how I fought.
I ducked under his wild strike, as I slashed up at his arm, nothing that would stop him from fighting.
The Matriarch’s sing-song voice gave the myth life. “Where do I begin? The Goddess sent Her children someone who could protect them.”
He slashed down, so I dodged to the side, adding a couple more cuts to his skin.
She continued, “That protector was raised through pain and death, bathing in the blood of its enemies. Those enemies paid for their sins with their lives. The protector was the reaper outside of their door; when they took everything, it got what it came for. Like the sound of all the stars, crashing in the dark, the Goddess said a prayer and buried its name. Up through the ashes, it rose like wildfire.”
He kept trying to slash and stab me, but I just kept dodging out of the way, slicing through his flesh. He was slowing down, but I was speeding up. I kept just lightly cutting him, just enough to draw a little bit of blood.
“You see, they got what they gave, when they took their last breath, as they were laid to rest. The Goddess gave this protector a name that we would wait to hear again, as it was the name of our salvation from slavery.”
I backed away from Viper, waiting for him to attack me one last time.
“What was the protector’s name?” Lynx asked. His voice sound distant.
There was a glint in the Matriarch’s eyes, as Viper attacked me again. He tried slashing from overhead, coming down on me. I moved up right into his face, and there was intense fear and terror in his eyes.
I answered Lynx, “It was named the Reckoning, and it used twin blades as its weapon.”
I stabbed into Viper’s stomach and slashed my daggers opposite ways, cutting through the spongy part of the ribs and down through the soft organs, hitting the artery in his thigh. I ripped my daggers out of him, crossing them in front of his throat. I waited until his throat touched the center of the crossed blades, pulling them apart, cutting his throat almost to his spine. I moved out of the way; his body fell to the ground.
“That protector is why all City Elves are taught how to use knives, even if we have to use proxy weapons, because the humans would not let us have real ones.” She smiled at me. “The first time I saw you with your daggers, it felt like the myth came to life. Then we talked about freeing the other City Elves… and I knew that even if you were not our sacred protector from the Goddess, I believ
ed that you became the Reckoning.”
I cleaned my daggers on Viper’s torn clothes. “I have no illusions of grandeur like that. Truthfully, I am sure that any other Elf could do what I do with enough practice.”
It was like the spell of the Matriarch’s voice broke with me talking.
Howling Wolf looked at Viper on the ground. “He said he came to our Clan to rebuild his life. What do we tell his partner?”
“I bet if you talk to his partner, you will find out the truth. This doesn’t feel like the first time he has acted like that,” the Matriarch told him. “As for what we tell his partner, we tell her the truth. He died in battle. She does not need to hear about his view of her.” She looked to the First Son. Since you are the leader of the warriors, that task falls on you. Do not be surprised if she looks more relieved than sad.”
She then looked to the males who had chosen to break their partnerships. “I suggest you all go home and beg for forgiveness from your partners. Get ready to work to earn their trust back. If I learn that any of you stray again, you will see that Snow is not the only City Elf who knows how to wield a knife. Now, go get your things and leave.” We waited until the straying males did as she commanded, the City Elf males escorting them.
Howling Wolf walked over to me, pointing at Viper’s body. “This is why there is no Test of Taking for women. I do not like that you killed a fellow Clan member, but I understand why you did. If the Matriarch is correct about his partner being relieved, then it becomes more justified.”
He looked to the Matriarch. “What would you have done if she lost?”
“Do you trust the Goddess? Because I do. And the Goddess gifted City Elves with wiles, viciousness, and dirty tricks, while She gave Wood Elves honor, family, and love. I am done being used by those who think they can control me. He would not have survived the night.”
“Goddess Above, I hope all City Elf females are not like you two,” First Son mumbled a prayer. “What started this whole thing?”
“Sparrow is worried that you are falling in love with the Matriarch.”