Keeper of the People (Book One)

by Karah Quinney

  The boy crouched in front of Jon’lan waiving his hand to and fro as if to test whether or not Jon’lan was sleeping. Jon’lan opened his eyes all the way and gazed directly into the boy’s face. Jon’lan had been able to tell that the boy was not from the island of Hetmos. Not only because of the strange garment that clung to the boy’s thin frame but also because of the smell.

  The boy smelled more of the forest than anything else. The boy seemed not to fear Jon’lan’s direct stare so he looked his fill, taking in the long unkempt hair and the dirt covered face, along with wide brown eyes that narrowed in distrust.

  Jon’lan made no move to stop the boy when he touched the medallion that hung at his throat. His sister Laloni had made the token for him, using fire and tools to shape the metal into a circle and then she carved the image of a hawk into the face and back.

  Long ago his sister told him that the medallion would one day protect him and he graciously accepted the gift with many words of appreciation. Laloni had only laughed sweetly, her eyes twinkling mischievously at some secret that she seemed unwilling to share.

  The boy looked at the man and for a moment he was startled and almost believed that the stranger could see him, so inquisitive was the man’s stare. The boy would not be fooled, he knew the man only watched the shadows and could not see him.

  The token that hung around the man’s neck on a leather thong drew his attention. He had never seen anything like it and surely he should receive some reward for spending most of the night in the rain while these strangers slept in his cave on his island.

  Sadly the boy remembered a time when he would not have taken anything belonging to another. Perhaps if he could trick the man into leaving his necklace behind, it would not be wrong to claim it as his own. Then the boy realized that an outcast did not live by the same rules as the People.

  He no longer had to worry about right and wrong. He was named Boy Alone and was forced to fend for himself if he hoped to live. Grasping the leather thong gently between his fingers the boy began to lift it from the man’s neck.

  Jon’lan was surprised at the youngster’s audacity but many children had been impressed with the medallion during his trading. It was not surprising that the boy wanted a closer look.

  Jon’lan would not sit idly by while the boy removed the trinket from him. He lifted his hand and gently held the boy’s arm stopping him from any further movement.

  It was as if Jon’lan’s touch was that of fire causing the boy to let out an ear piercing shriek which echoed through the cave so loudly that Jon’lan was forced to let go and cover his ears. Kii woke up with a shriek that was drowned out by the boy’s wails. Instinctively she threw herself on top of the little girl. Taikiuu leapt into a crouch as she prepared to defend both children from danger.

  Somewhere between watching the trader and promising herself to keep alert she had drifted off to sleep. Jon’lan grabbed the boy and hauled him close, covering his mouth to halt his terrible screams. The young one was surprisingly strong as he fought Jon’lan’s hold. But Jon’lan held fast silencing the screams that would alert anyone that searched for them.

  Taikiuu approached cautiously allowing her sight to adjust in the near darkness of the cave before trying to move forward. She could make out the shape of the trader and in his arms he held a flailing boy, surely not yet old enough to see his first season as a man.

  The boy seemed beyond fear; he was so frightened that the whites of his eyes were showing even in the darkness. Taikiuu could hear the trader grunting with effort as he held the boy locked in his arms with a leg thrown around him.

  As she hurried closer she could see that Jon’lan had his hand halfway into the boy’s mouth to silence his screams. Taikiuu hoped that the boy hadn’t bitten Jon’lan in his struggles, as a healer she knew that this type of bite was often worse than that from an animal.

  Taikiuu had never seen anyone this terrified before and she could not imagine what would cause such fear. She was startled and frozen in place, unable to imagine how she could help. Finally as the boy continued to thrash she realized that Jon’lan was murmuring softly, trying to calm the boy.

  His words were so soft that she could barely make them out. Perhaps he spoke in his own tongue and not that of the Hetmos people. Finally the boy seemed to come back to his senses as he quieted, chest heaving with the effort to draw breath through his nose.

  Jon’lan urged him to remain silent as he held him fast, his voice gentle and calm. The boy looked around and upon seeing Taikiuu his eyes widened even more. First Woman!

  Chapter Seven

  Jon’lan wasn’t sure what to do for the boy. It seemed as if his words had soothed the youth but he couldn’t be sure. Upon seeing the woman he felt the boy stiffen and gasp with shock.

  The youth uttered some strange words that sounded eerily to Jon’lan as if he had said, “First Woman.”

  Although the structure of the words came out differently Jon’lan had always been a quick study with different languages and dialects.

  There were usually root words in each language that stood out to him and eventually he would make the connection. Learning languages in a short period of time was a must for any respectable trader of the People.

  Jon’lan felt the boy relax against him and realized that he had lost consciousness. He watched as Taikiuu approached and carefully began examining the boy. Her nearness disarmed him completely and as he caught his breath he saw her lock eyes with him briefly and then look away.

  Taikiuu immediately noticed that the boy had a badly broken arm. It looked to be a recent break and he was hot to the touch. His skin fairly burned with fire and she recognized immediately that he was suffering from some form of sickness.

  In the semi-darkness of the cave she felt for her medicine pouch, she was able to recognize the contents by touch, each pouch was marked by different ties. The first pouch held willow bark which was essential for bringing down a fever and also worked to relieve pain.

  She motioned for Kii to come forward never taking her eyes off the boy; gently she lifted his left arm and pressed deeply to feel the broken bone. She was dismayed to see that a sharp fragment of bone had actually punctured his flesh.

  The youth must have been in severe pain but from the looks of it the break was recent. There was still hope. If she could set the bone in place properly then he would one day have full use of his arm. She signed a few words to Kii, listening as the girl whispered the words in a shaky voice to the trader.

  “The Ada’na says that the boy’s arm is badly broken. She must set the bone properly in place.” Kii waited for further sign from Taikiuu, when none was forthcoming she added, “You must help her.”

  Taikiuu looked up sharply, but the trader seemed not to notice. She had not asked for his help although it would be useful.

  Stubborn pride did not allow her to ask for assistance, although up to this point the trader had been kind, she was wary of men. Admitting that she could not do everything by herself went against everything that she had been taught at her mother’s knee. Still, strength would be needed to extend the boys arm properly and hold it in place while she bound it.

  Looking at the trader she saw that he was already shifting the boy to lie flat so that she could take a closer look at his arm. The break was below the elbow and so Taikiuu grasped the boys arm below the break and pulled.

  She listened closely using all of her focus to feel when the bones connected and after a slight adjustment she was able to match bone to bone, much to her relief. She motioned to the trader to keep firm hold of the boy while she wrapped his arm securely and then she quickly made a paste of mud and water which she used along with strips of hide to wrap the boy’s arm.

  “As the strips dry the mud will harden so that the arm will be protected.” Kii spoke quietly, now holding the small child to her chest offering whatever comfort might be found after such an upsetting awakening. Kii passed the little girl to Taikiuu after the Ada’na had washed an
d dried her hands.

  The little girl curled into Taikiuu’s arms as if she had been waiting for the relief only a full grown woman could offer as a mother to a daughter. Jon’lan looked on in silence.

  He did not know what to make of this courageous woman who defended children that were not her own and healed without thought or question. He had seen many things as a trader and one thing he knew was that people were often greedy and selfish when it came to a talent like healing.

  He marveled over the way in which the woman had instantly sought to treat the boy’s injuries. Jon’lan noticed that while the woman tended the boy her movements had been confident and capable.

  Jon’lan continued to watch as she looked the boy over from head to toe, inspecting him for further injuries. Truly this was a woman without equal. Jon’lan felt his face flush in embarrassment.

  He realized that by all rights this woman was now his lifemate. It did not help that they were strangers, unknown to each other. Still the woman’s actions inspired confidence in his heart. He had made a desperate choice to save her life as she had also chosen him out of desperation. Now he could only hope that they would make it through the night to see what the future held in store for them.

  The boy knew that he dreamed. He was aware that he was lost in the land of dreams and hopes. It had been a long time since he had felt the warmth of a good dream. He was buoyed by a sense of hope and he was overcome with a feeling of true contentment. As if all that had come before this was not real and now this dream was the reality.

  He did not wish to awaken. If he was given a choice he would surely stay here and live out his life in this safe place. He heard a soft voice beckoning to him, ever urgent, telling him to awaken. He squeezed his eyes tightly closed in an effort to avoid the intruding light that seemed to follow him wherever he turned.

  Again the voice came softly whispering in a language that he did not understand with words that he could hear but could not decipher. He blinked rapidly expecting to feel the mind numbing pain of his broken left arm. He first became aware of a dull throb in his arm but the absence of excruciating pain brought a sigh of relief.

  Next he felt a small hand touch the side of his face and his vision sharpened to focus upon the face of a creature that he thought lived only in his memories. A girl child looked at him expectantly as if waiting for him to respond to some unspoken question. When he did not speak she frowned at him, lifting one delicate eyebrow in question. He seemed to suddenly remember where he was and began to jump to his feet regardless of his weakened condition.

  “He will not speak.” Kii said to the trader as he held the boy fast with powerful arms.

  “That seems to be rather common around here.” Jon’lan remarked with a gentle smile that tugged at his lips.

  The young girl called Kii seldom looked at him directly when speaking, but he felt that this time when she directed her words to him perhaps she had begun to trust him as a friend. Earlier she had told him her name when he asked. Jon’lan hoped to win her trust.

  He did not wish to frighten the young girl and so he kept his words soft and light. She looked at him with eyes that did not hold any judgment. Jon’lan thought about her life before today and realized that she had known little joy as former slave and then as a servant.

  The girl children of his band were honored as future lifegivers. Jon’lan felt his heart swell with emotion as he thought of the life Kii had known as a servant to the Ada’na.

  From what he could see, her life before now had been filled with only duty and hardship yet there was a bond between the woman and the girl. The woman obviously had affection for the young girl. Although Kii had suffered many things, Jon’lan hoped that provide a better life for both children and his new lifemate.

  “What is her name?” Jon’lan had managed to look away from Kii as all of his thoughts swirled through his mind, but he hoped that his tone of voice had not grown gruff with emotion.

  He realized that it had when the girl looked at him sharply. He cleared his throat and started to explain that he was not angry, only overcome by the events that had proceeded this day. Before he could speak Kii bowed her head, no longer making eye contact and she addressed him as a servant to her master.

  “Of whom do you speak?” She asked politely although she knew the answer to his question. Her voice was without tone or inflection.

  “What is my lifemate’s true name? The one you call the Ada’na?” Jon’lan was surprised that he could speak these words in her own tongue, until now he had not been able to feel his way through their language without error.

  “To the People she is without a name, she is simply the Ada’na. Yet to those she loves, her name is hers to give.” Kii answered as honestly as she could.

  It was not her place to tell the trader the Ada’na’s true name. They had decided long ago that it was best not to let anyone know how close they really were. The Ada’na had been named by her mother long ago and this name was known only to the two of them. Even the village elders had not known her secret name. It was one of the only things that the Ada’na had been able to keep secret and it was the one part of her true self that the elders could not own or break. Kii did not allow the kindness in the trader’s eyes to force the truth from her lips, nor would she lie.

  “Little one, every person deserves a name.” Jon’lan spoke without thinking.

  The words slipped out even though he knew that this child had been considered a slave to her people and most likely never addressed by name. Jon’lan silently blamed the stress of being hunted by the warriors of Aztlan and lack of sleep for his unthinking word.

  Kii nodded to acknowledge the trader’s words and quickly withdrew to gather close to the little girl who sat huddled against the cave wall. She thought about the trader’s words and realized that they had not named this little one. It seemed that Taikiuu was thinking the same thing as her hands translated these very words as Kii drew near.

  “We will name her after she has gotten over the shock of losing her family.” Taikiuu hoped that her words, though unheard, spoke deeply to Kii.

  The girl shook her head in acknowledgment and sat beside Taikiuu, inadvertently taking the position of a slave.

  Taikiuu watched as Kii bent at the knees to kneel beside her, hands clasped upon her lap and head bowed, waiting for instruction.

  How many hands of time had the girl sat this way at assemblies and village gatherings? Many times Kii went without food or drink as she awaited the command of one who did not wish to command her.

  Taikiuu reached out and gently touched the girl’s arm, she watched as the young girl stiffened with shock. It was unheard of for the Ada’na to touch someone, as her touch was considered sacred and reserved for healing alone.

  Taikiuu softly exerted pressure until Kii was forced off balance and had to slump onto her side in defeat. She held the position as she watched in open astonishment as Taikiuu signed words that she could not begin to believe possible.

  “You are free from service and never again will anyone view you as less than one of the People.”

  Kii was overwhelmed with emotion. The Ada’na had never treated her badly; never once had she raised a hand to her in anger or threatened her with violence for disobedience. Yet an elder who no longer wanted Kii as his slave had given her to the Ada’na as a servant. Although serving Taikiuu had become an untold joy, Kii had not been allowed a choice in the matter.

  Often, Kii imagine that the Ada’na was her true mother. Kii knew that this thought was just a dream, but sometimes in unguarded moments Taikiuu looked at her with warmth and a mother’s love in her expression, like now.

  Suddenly it was as if everything that Kii had ever known was gone, changed over night into something that she had never dreamed it could be. There was a new feeling that blossomed like a flower in her heart and it felt mysteriously like hope.

  Jon’lan overheard the girl as she spoke out loud without realizing that the Ada’na’s words were me
ant for her ears alone. Again Jon’lan’s respect for his lifemate grew as he realized that she had given her servant a freedom that the girl had never expected to have and obviously did not know what to do with. Jon’lan had seen slaves set free in other villages and he knew the look in the girl’s eyes was one of shock, wonder and hope.

  Yet the young girl appeared cast adrift as if without offering her service to the woman, there was nothing left for her in the entire world. Taikiuu signed to Kii and the girl gasped. Jon’lan watched the interchange until Kii spoke aloud, “The Ada’na wants you to know that her name is Taikiuu, given to her by Shi’nar, her mother and the Ada’na before her.”

  Jon’lan nodded even as he took in the words. Taikiuu.

  It was a beautiful name and it fit this beguiling creature that looked him fully in the face, without a hint of fear or guile. Jon’lan realized that there was nothing more that they could do this night. He motioned for Taikiuu to come to his sleeping place and waited as she handed the smallest girl over to Kii.

  Taikiuu approached the trader slowly but with purpose. He was now her lifemate and her place was by his side. She knelt on his sleeping furs as he watched her calmly.

  “We will talk.” Jon’lan sought to reassure her as he smiled gently.

  She was like a frightened doe yet she was very brave to approach him so trustingly. Over the next few hands of time Jon’lan did his best to understand Taikiuu’s role in Kii’s life. It was very difficult to talk with her since she did not speak, but he asked questions and she nodded hesitantly at first and then more readily when she sensed that he valued her opinion.

  “I plan to take you back to my people. You understand that we can never return to your people. Ever.” Jon’lan spoke in a quiet voice as the water crashed right outside of their cave.