by Emil Toth
Even in his anger he had to admit her points were well made.
“Were you angry with Batu?”
“Of course, she initiated all this crap about injustice, equality and respect. The two of you have been cast from the same mold.”
“I shall take your remark as a compliment. Batu always had my highest respect. Not only did she have the courage to break barriers for women, she also saved my life by sacrificing her own.”
He had conveniently forgot the fact and dismissed her answer with a shrug.
“May I ask you a question, Brock?”
He nodded.
“Do you consider yourself better or superior to your wife?”
“Of course.”
“There is an old adage which says, ‘Do not judge anyone until you have walked in their moccasins.’ Do you agree with it?”
“No.”
She looked shocked. “Why not?”
“It is a stupid saying.”
“What makes you think so?”
“It does not make sense.”
“I disagree. I think it is very profound. It implies, if I want to know someone, I should step into their skin and experience all the trials, tribulations, victories and blessings of their life. I know of no better way to learn what drives a person’s character, heart and mind. How else can I or you understand the injustice, inequality and suppression she may be suffering and enduring?”
Brock glared at her. Despite his anger, her wisdom somehow got through to him and stirred his heart. His glare softened as did his voice. “I have to confess, I heard from a friend, Romir and Kiirt were not fit to be High Priests. For Kiirt to kill Batu and want to do the same to you is reprehensible. I do not know what to think of them now. How did the position grow corrupt?”
“First let me say they, like most of us, were not completely good or bad. Do you feel you derived some good from them or their teachings?”
Brock thought a moment and answered, “Yes, they followed the precepts of our religion, which has as its foundation the gods. They guided me for much of my life.”
“It is what I expected to hear. So, do you see how a person can do good and not be a good person?”
“Yes. What if I had known of their dark side?”
“A good question, which you should strive to answer for yourself.”
“I have abandoned friends who were not as bad as they were. Had I known, I would have challenged them as I challenged you.”
“You do realize, if you had protested too often, Romir might have taken you aside and poisoned you for your behavior? And, when you were sick he likely would have said he would pray for you and when the poison wore off, he would claim his prayers had worked.”
“Honestly, what I have heard about him has sent me reeling.”
“Let us look at the situation, where Kiirt almost killed Batu by choking her. In the incident, Romir was a witness and sided with Kiirt because he hated Batu. What if you had questioned Kiirt about the attempt, and he said he was innocent? What would you have done? Remember it was Batu’s word against Kiirt and Romir’s.”
“I would have looked at the character of both sides and chosen to side with Kiirt.”
“An honest answer. Why would you have chosen to believe him and Romir?”
“I would have backed the High Priests because they had fine reputations. Batu was a trouble maker and a destroyer of tradition.”
“With the passage of time, I hope you can see which one hurt the tribe and which one helped the tribe?”
“I now am able to see where the High Priests were evil. I also see our village is still struggling with all the changes Batu, Taja and you have created. Whether the changes are good or not is yet to be determined.”
“If you look closely, you will see the changes are for the good. If you talk to enough women, you will find many thankful for those changes, and some men are seeing the benefits as well. Over time the benefits will become more obvious to many disbelievers.”
Brock ran his hand through his thinning hair and sighed. “It will take a long time for some men, including me, to admit it. I am shocked with all of this new information about the High Priests. I am still uncomfortable with the changes taking place. I am a traditionalist, and I am not sure how all of this is going to affect us.”
“Do you think you could have challenged Romir or Kiirt as you did me?”
He shook his head. “Romir was an imposing man. Everyone except Batu and Taja were afraid of him and they paid for their displeasure of him with their lives. People did not question him. It was not his style to be questioned.”
“Why have you questioned and challenged me?”
“You are not threatening and you are a woman.”
Acknowledging his answer, she nodded. “Setting aside all you know of Romir, which one of us do you respect more?”
“You.”
“Why?”
“You are not threatening and have openly answered any question I have thrown at you.”
“I will share something with you. When you and your friends came to the services and harassed me, I knew you were looking for the truth. Well, Brock the truth is inside you. All you have to do is still yourself and wait for the truth to be revealed. I know this conversation is stimulating you and you are going to be one of our greatest proponents for the services. I would like to ask you to do one thing for me.”
“What?”
“Come to the next Spiritual Awakening Service with a sense of expectation.”
“Is there something I should expect to happen?”
“Yes.”
“Like what?”
“The unexpected.”
“Now you are talking in riddles.”
“Come to the service in anticipation of something good happening.”
“What am I to anticipate?”
“Expect something good to occur.”
“We are going around in circles.”
“Brock have faith and expect good to take place.”
“What sort of good?”
“The anticipation will bring it to fruition.”
He mulled her words over in his head. He did not fully understand what she was driving at.
“What will come to fruition?”
“An unexpected good. It can be in the form of almost anything. You, my dear, Brock, will know it. All you have to do is be open to it occurring.”
He finally saw what she was driving at. He was excited. He was aware he was enthralled by her and the things she shared. He sensed an anticipation in the moment. He closed his eyes hesitant to show her how she affected him. Thoughts fled his mind. He sat in an expectant stillness, waiting for he knew not what.
The fruition was at hand.
He felt it.
He felt enveloped in love.
His mind grew active and he felt the love slip away.
He stopped thinking and felt the love again.
He accepted it.
He breathed it in.
He reveled in it.
He felt blessed.
He felt tears cascading down his cheeks.
His mind engaged again and the sensation of love lessened. He opened his eyes and looked at her.
“It happened.”
“When you expect good to bless you, it is marvelously enriching.”
He looked deep into her eyes. “What am I to call you?”
“Kaathi.”
“No, you are more than your name. You truly are the High Priest we have needed.”
She giggled saying, “Will you be coming to the services?”
He smiled good-naturedly. “I will be there expecting good to be bestowed on me.”
She smiled. “I shall look forward to your sacred presence with anticipation and joy.”
He marveled at the turn around in himself. He shook his head and returned her smile. Deep in his heart he knew he would praise her to his friends.
He suddenly yearned to receive the warmth, love and wisdom contai
ned within her over and over again.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The council was done with the regular business and asked those present if they wanted to speak. A man made a motion with his hand. “I am speaking for these other five men. We have a complaint. Keeyon is in our predator patrol group and has time and again not done his share of patrolling the territory to keep it free from predators. It is his only responsibility and he shirks it.”
The other men with him nodded.
“Have any of you spoken to Keeyon about his laziness?”
All in the group said yes.
The Elder looked at Jacob. “Would you take care of this informally?”
“I can.”
“Is there anything else anyone wants to discuss?” asked Elgar of the dozen villagers present.
None did and the Elder adjourned the meeting.
The healers, Kaathi, Marie and Mara walked out of the meeting together and were met in the village center by a young woman, whose face was filled with consternation.
Kaathi stopped in front of the woman. “Can we help you?”
“I need to talk to you,” said the woman in a desperate, soft voice.
Kaathi sensed the woman’s tension. “Very well.” The healer led them to the Talker Healer hut. Inside she directed herself to the woman who was a half head taller than she with dark eyes. The woman’s lips were full as were her brows. Her arms and legs were hairless. Her hair was tightly curled and short on her head. She looked slightly underweight and fragile. Her delicate nature was reflected in her thin face and high cheekbones. The way she carried herself and her long neck gave her an aura of elegance. “What is your name my dear?”
“Rana.”
“I am Kaathi. This is Marie and she is Mara. Tell us your story.”
“Do they need to be present?”
“Yes. They are my apprentices and this is the way they learn.”
Rana deliberated and told her story, “I have been married six years. We have no children. A while ago I noticed a man stalking me. I discounted it even though the man gave me the creeps. Eighteen days ago I was restless and took a walk along the river. I had walked a long way deep in thought before I realized I had wandered too far from home. I turned around abruptly and saw the man not twenty feet from me.”
“What did he look like?”
“He was around thirty, a hand taller than me, dark skinned, broad of face with a large nose and his ears stuck out. Oh, he had a large knot on his left collar bone as if it had been broken and healed badly.
“He startled me, and I muffled a scream. I asked him why he was following me. He came closer and said, ‘I am fascinated by you… I am infatuated with you.’”
“I told him I was married and to leave me alone. ‘I may never get you alone again,’ he said. He rushed to me and grabbed at my skirt to pull it down. I yelled and fought… He hit me in the stomach and I doubled up. He pushed me to the ground. I fought… He was too strong. He forced my legs apart… I kept hitting him. It only fueled his desire. He was wild…crazed.”
She broke down and sobbed. She could not go on. When she composed herself, Kaathi asked, “Did he rape you?”
Unable to speak she nodded.
“You do not have to say any more. What do you want to do?”
Rana’s eyes were bloodshot. Her voice trembled. “I am afraid to tell my husband. He would kill the man… I am not sure how he would feel about me, if I told him. I am afraid he would blame me as well as the man… I do not know what to do… I am terrified the man might rape me again. If he did, I do not know if I could live with the shame.”
Tears streamed from Rana’s eyes. Her lips trembled.
“I am sorry. We all are. Since you did not use the man’s name I presume you do not know him.”
Rana nodded.
“I know you came here to unburden yourself. It is good you did. I think you also came to get my advice, and I will give it to you. You must gather your courage and protect yourself and all the other women he might rape.
“Do you have the strength to tell your husband?”
Rana shook her head.
“Do you want to prevent him from doing this again?”
“Yes… but I do not want to be exposed.”
“I assure you it will not happen.”
Rana’s face showed a glint of hope.
“How?”
“You and I are going to tell Jacob what happened. He is going to sit with you in the square until the man appears. It does not matter if it takes the whole sunny season.”
Rana interrupted the mystic. “What if my husband sees me with Jacob, or what if someone tells him I have been sitting with him?”
“Tell him part of the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
“Tell him or whoever asks you are helping Jacob with an important project and cannot say anymore.”
Rana understood.
“When you identify him, Jacob will take him aside and come here. We will collect the council and meet at Batu’s tree. He will be told of his punishment before the council.”
“He may blame me.”
“Do not worry yourself. I have sensed no blame on your part. Marie, has she told the truth?”
“She has.”
“Mara, has she told the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Your testimony and ours will be proof of his guilt. We shall deal with him and protect you from having to reveal what happened to your husband. At some time in the future, if you gather your courage, you can share what happened to you with him. If the courage never comes, you can remain silent. Are you willing to proceed to identify him?”
Rana hesitated for a moment. “If he raped another woman, or god forbid, me, I could not live with myself.”
“I shall speak to Jacob. You need to go to his house every day after your dawn meal. He shall sit with you in the square every day until you identify the man. Have faith justice will prevail. You did the right thing by coming to us.”
Rana looked relieved and apprehensive.
The apprentice healers hugged her and bid her goodbye.
Kaathi embraced Rana. “Bless you for your courage.”
Rana waited in front of Jacob’s hut each morning as Kaathi had told her to do. She and Jacob sat in the village square for eight days and had gotten to know each other fairly well. On the ninth day, she saw the rapist.
“There he is.”
She choked on the words.
“Your description of him was excellent.”
“I shall never forget his face,” she hissed.
“Stay here.”
Jacob walked to intersect the man.
“Do you know me?”
“You are Jacob.”
“Come with me.”
“Why?”
“I shall explain at the appropriate time.”
Jacob stopped at the Talker Healer hut and called for Kaathi. She emerged.
“I have the man. Bring the rest to the tree.”
Kaathi turned and went inside, while Jacob led the man out onto the plains to Batu’s favorite tree and waited for the rest.
“What the hell is going on?” demanded the rapist.
“All in due time. Sit.”
Kaathi collected Rana, while Marie and Mara collected the rest of the council. They all discretely left the village and met Jacob. The rapist saw Rana and the council and apprentices approach. Sweat appeared on his forehead and trickled down his armpits.
The Elder, Elgar, recognized the accused and asked for the benefit of the others, “What is your name?”
“Dirdan.”
“You are here because you have been charged with raping Rana. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
“This is insane. I never raped her. She is lying. When does she say I did it?”
“Twenty-seven days ago.”
“Hell, it was so many days ago I cannot remember what I did and said to anyone. I am innocent.”
; “Since neither of you can produce a witness, it remains for our Talker Healers to intuit the truth.”
“Hold on!” shouted Dirdan. “They are all women. They will side with her all the time against me or any man.”
“You are wrong,” stated Elgar. “These three women are beyond reproach. Their integrity is stellar and they never tell falsehoods. We shall abide by what they tell us as to which one of you is speaking the truth.
“Kaathi, which of these two is speaking the truth?”
“Rana.”
“Marie, who is speaking the truth?”
“Rana.”
“What do you say Mara?”
“Rana.”
“You are all crazy,” Dirdan screamed.
“By law you have two choices, Dirdan,” announced Elgar. “Leave now and take with you the weapons, Janos has brought. Or you can chose to remain in the village. If you do, you will be castrated the moment we return and you shall not tell anyone you raped Rana. If we hear you have spoken to anyone about the rape, you shall be cast out of the village. In addition, I shall announce to the people you raped a woman. If you leave and are seen afterward, you shall be hunted down and killed on sight. Do you understood what I have told you?”
Fear and hate coagulated in Dirdan’s eyes. He glared at Rana.
“You bitch!” he screamed.
The Elder waved his hand to silence the man. “What is your decision?”
Dirdan’s head was bursting. How the hell am I to decide in this instant? I cannot think straight. I hate the bitch. I wish I had never set eyes on her. The other bitches did not squeal. She should have kept her mouth shut. Damn her. Damn her. I am not losing my testicles. I can go to Homar where there are still some men who are men. Damn all of you.
“Your decision, Dirdan.”
He walked over to Janos and grabbed the weapons and axe. He glared at them. “Damn all of you to hell.”
He turned and left.
Rana was weeping but breathed a sigh of relief thankful she took action.
Kaathi watched Dirdan storm away, recited a brief prayer for him and wrapped him in love. She turned and was embraced my Rana.
“Thank you for everything, Kaathi.”