The idea of facing Girta, her son, or any of the soldiers had no appeal for Dar. She wanted to be alone awhile. Moreover, she felt that Gorm should complete his task unmolested, so he could remove the bones from orcish lands. With certainty that came from Muth la, she knew he would vanish for generations.
Dar rode without triumph, for Kol’s death brought no joy. She felt empty, without anything to distract her from that emptiness. She wanted to be among the urkzimmuthi, yet she had misgivings. I’m dead. She recalled what happened after she had received the crown. Muth Mauk said it’s unnatural to talk with spirits. Yet the former queen had spoken to her. Only briefly. Dar craved a few final words. Then what? She had no idea.
Halfway to the orc encampment, Dar encountered a group of soldiers. She recognized some of them as the officers who served the king. Foremost among them was the high tolum. He, like all the others, bore no weapons as he trudged through the snow. Instead he carried a tree branch, the sign of truce. “Lady Dar!” he called out.
When Dar rode over to him, he bowed graciously. “Lady Dar, what news?”
“The traitor’s dead. So is the sorcerer. Tolum Farnar and his men were slain by his magic.”
The high tolum made the sign of Karm’s Balance. “These are mixed tidings indeed!”
“They are,” said Dar. “Please bear them to the king and Queen Girta.”
“You haven’t spoken with them?”
“My heart was too sore. I’ve endured much. When you retrieve the bodies of Tolum Farnar and his men, know the hall is now accursed.”
Then Dar rode on, not wishing to accompany the men. They would soon be going home, resuming the lives they had left behind. Dar’s home was a ruin. She wondered if the hall was truly cursed. It is for me. And my life? It’s gone.
Dar arrived at the orc encampment before noon. Only Sevren rushed out to greet her, his expression joyful and expectant. But when he saw Dar’s face, he grew subdued. She dismounted solemnly, handing Sevren Skymere’s reins. “Kol and Othar are dead. The washavokis have surrendered. Truce bearers are approaching.” Then, without a further word, Dar went to find her sister.
Muth Mauk was discussing something with Muth-yat, Zor-yat, and the Pah clan matriarch. The conversation halted as soon as Dar approached, and all its participants drifted away from the queen, as though they had suddenly recalled some neglected duty. Dar’s sister stood alone, the only one who had met her eyes.
Custom permitted the reigning queen to speak with the former one, but it was viewed more as a séance than a conversation. Muth Mauk bowed to Dar. “Sister, you dwell within me now. I had no idea what you endured.”
Dar thought that her sister’s eyes glistened. She smiled and embraced her. “Our foes are dead. Washavokis come begging peace. Give them what food you can, then lead them homeward on Old Road. New one is sealed. When spring comes, seal old one also.”
“I understand your wisdom. Should we rebuild our hall?”
“You’re Muth Mauk,” said Dar. “That’s for you to decide.” She paused, knowing it was the last time they would speak and wondering what to say. She knows how much I love her; she has my memories. “Look after Kovok-mah.” Then Dar embraced the mother who had once been Nir-yat and held her one last time.
Dar parted from Muth Mauk. To everyone she encountered, she was a beloved memory and just as insubstantial. Thus she was surprised when she felt someone touching her. She turned to see Muth-pah. The matriarch smiled briefly, then averted her eyes. “I wonder what happened to the Trancing Stone,” she said, as if speaking to herself.
“I left it with my things,” said Dar.
“I hope it’s lost forever,” said Muth-pah. “I only used it once. Like all matriarchs of my clan, I relived last Pah queen’s memories.” She sighed heavily. “From inside my rude hanmuthi, I saw Tarathank’s wonders. Then all was bitterness. What is past is gone, and longing can poison living. In her wisdom, Muth la has departed spirits forsake their memories. Forsake that stone.” Then Muth-pah bowed and departed.
Dar wanted to shed the soldier’s garments, but wished that she could wash before she changed. She thought Sevren could find her some warm water and a scrubbing cloth. At least he doesn’t believe I’m dead. She assumed he would be tending Skymere. The horses had been sheltered in a copse of evergreens, and Dar was headed in that direction when she heard a voice. “Dargu!”
Kovok-mah was hurrying after her.
“Don’t you know that it’s unnatural to speak to those who are dead?”
“What do sons know of spirits? I only know this: You filled my chest before Dargu-yat was born. I smell your scent. I hear your voice. If I touch you, I’ll feel your warmth again.”
“You can’t.”
“Why? Because my muthuri has forbidden it? She can’t forbid me to be with spirit.”
“You can’t because I am spirit.”
“Perhaps that’s so, but we can be together.”
“Where? Whose hanmuthi shall I haunt?”
“I’ll build you one on land apart from any clan’s. I’ll grow your food, and tend goats to make hard milk to trade. We’ll be alone, but we’ll be together.”
“Together, but not alone,” said Dar. “I can bear daughters. Lorekeeper has told me so.”
Kovok-mah grinned. “Daughters!”
“Hai,” said Dar, her face serious. “And what latath will bestow their clan tattoos? What son’s muthuri will bless ghost mother’s children? I would love my daughters, but give them empty lives.” Dar caressed Kovok-mah’s cheek. “I can’t do that.”
“Dargu…”
“You should go,” said Dar as her eyes welled with tears. “I’m sorry, Kovok. You gave me joy, and I’ve repaid you with sorrow.”
“Thwa, Dargu. Not only sorrow.”
Dar turned away as she had in the river when she and Kovok-mah parted that summer. She couldn’t bear to watch him go, but she listened to every footstep. They were slow and reluctant. Soon they were accompanied by the low, mournful sound of Kovok-mah’s weeping. It almost made Dar turn and run to embrace him. She trembled from the effort to resist the impulse and remain silent. Only when the sounds died away did her heart burst from the strain. Then Dar wept bitterly.
Dar washed and changed into her old clothes. She was composed when Zna-yat found her. “I’ve spoken with Kovok-mah,” he said, his expression solemn and loving. “As always, you showed wisdom.”
“It tore my chest to do it, Brother.”
“Yet you prevented greater sorrows.”
“Should you be speaking to me? I’m dead, you know.”
“You’re same Dargu who bit my neck. My life is still yours.”
“Then I give it back to you.”
“It’s not proper to return gift when it was given lovingly.”
“Oh, Zna! What’s to happen to me?”
“You’ll find your path. You always have.”
“Can I stay among urkzimmuthi?”
“Hai,” said Zna-yat. “Your home would become shrine. We’d leave you offerings and prayers.”
“I’d be honored ghost.”
“Hai. Greatly honored.”
“And very lonely.”
“That, too, I think.” Zna-yat was silent awhile. “You might live among washavokis.”
“They have little sense.”
“Hai, that’s surely true. Sev-ron told me they trade land for little bits of yellow iron. He showed me some. They were flat and round.” Zna-yat paused. “Perhaps you could get some land.”
“I have no yellow iron.”
“I think you do.” Zna-yat pulled the massive gold pendant from a sack.
Dar smiled for the first time. “And you just happened to be carrying that around?”
“It’s natural for mothers to own land.”
Dar had already guessed what her brother would say next. “And for sons to farm it. Do you have one to recommend?”
“Sev-ron doesn’t altogether lack sense. I know he’s w
earied of killing. Also, my nose is not unwise. He has feelings for you.”
“I know,” said Dar. “But I don’t for him.”
“I smelled no atur about you before we visited Tarathank. It was not same with Kovok-mah.”
“My chest is empty.”
“Yet it’s also big. It won’t be empty long. Go to Sev-ron’s faraway country. Get some land. See what happens.”
“Since when do sons give mothers advice?”
“I’m just talking to some ghost.”
Dar took the heavy pendant. “It would be good to work Muth la’s breast and see things grow.” She sighed. “What will happen to Kovok?”
“He could go back to his goats, but Muth Mauk will need mintaris.”
“Might she choose him?”
“I think it likely. She possesses your memories.”
A thoughtful look came to Dar’s face. “My feelings, too. I saw her eyes make water for first time today.” She smiled. “And unlike me, she’s pretty.”
“Your spirit was always beautiful to those who gained wisdom to see it.” Zna-yat smiled. “I’m glad I did.”
Epilogue
Dar stepped from her home to enjoy the twilight. Taking off her sandals to feel the newly turned earth, she walked across her fields to view the mere. Averen’s shadowed mountains were dark blue, but the lake’s calm surface mirrored the pastel sky. As the evening grew darker, the stars came out. Each one had a twin in the water, and Dar felt she was gazing at two heavens, one distant and one within her reach.
A door opened, spilling firelight. Dar heard the sounds of running feet. Small voices cried out joyfully. “Muthuri!” Dar smiled and turned to embrace her daughters.
Acknowledgments
Few journeys are accomplished alone, and mine was not one of them. I wish to thank those people who aided in the creation of Dar’s tale: Richard Curtis provided the encouragement to undertake the adventure. Betsy Mitchell, my editor, proved an experienced and skillful sapaha. Diane Gummoe, a true Wise Woman, helped me understand Loral’s ordeal. Gerald Burnsteel, Nathaniel Hubbell, and Carol Hubbell provided the insights that only thoughtful readers can. Shashav.
A Glossary of Orcish Terms
armor Orcish armor is strictly functional, being devoid of ornamentation. It is more massive than its human counterpart. The basic item consists of a long, sleeveless tunic made from heavy cloth reinforced with leather and covered with overlapping steel plates. The plates are small and rounded at the lower end to permit ease of movement. The effect is that of fish scales. Its protection is supplemented by additional armor strapped to the arms and legs. A rounded helmet completes an orc’s armor. Simple in design, it encloses much of the head. There are small holes opposite the ears, and the area about the face is open to permit good vision and communication. Some helmets have nose guards. Orcs regard their armor as a tool necessary for distasteful work. They take no pride in its appearance, allowing it to rust.
atur noun—The scent indicating love. Also see “sexual practices.”
Bah Simi proper noun—Orcish name for Murdant Kol. (Blue Eye)
bathing As opposed to humans, orcs bathe frequently. If given the opportunity, they will do so daily. This fondness for cleanliness is probably related to their keen sense of smell. Orc settlements have communal baths where both sexes often bathe together.
biting of neck A practice where one orc voluntarily and permanently submits to another. The relationship is similar to that of a mistress or master and her or his disciple, although strict obedience is expected from the bitten individual. Also see “mintari.”
Blath Urkmuthi proper noun—Orcish name for Urkheit Mountains. (cloak [of] mothers)
blessed adjective—Human translation for vashi, the Orcish word for “married.” The term refers to the fact that an orc couple’s union must be approved by both their respective muthuris. In practice, a muthuri will seldom reject her daughter’s choice of husband. A son’s muthuri is more likely to oppose a marriage. Also see “sexual practices.”
breast noun—Human word for far. Orcish attitudes toward breasts differ markedly from human ones. In their matriarchal society, breasts symbolize a mother’s authority and her nurturing nature. The orc queen colors her nipples as a sign of her sovereignty. Orc mothers seldom cover their breasts except in cold weather.
When a mother wishes to initiate intimacy with a male, she will grab his hand and brush it against her covered or uncovered breast. This action is considered decorous and is often done publicly. Also see “sexual practices.”
cape noun—A garment worn by orc males that resembles the kefs worn by orc mothers. It is a sign of leadership that is derived from wisdom. A son who wears a cape lacks the innate authority of a mother, and his leadership extends only over other sons. Also see “military ranks and units—orc leaders.”
chest Orcs consider the chest, not the heart, to be the site of emotion. Their expression “to have big chest” means one is brave. A lover would say that his or her beloved “fills my chest.”
clan noun—Related orc families that form the principal social unit of orcish society. A mother’s offspring belong to her clan, and her daughters will spend their lives in her household. When sons marry, they move into their wife’s household, but retain their clan affiliation. Each clan is headed by a matriarch who assumes the name “Muth” upon her election. The matriarchs are subordinate only to the orc queen, and they form a council that occasionally meets to advise her. Every clan has a distinctive tattoo that is marked on the chins of its members when they reach adulthood.
Before the washavoki invasions, the urkzimmuthi had thirteen clans. The ensuing wars reduced the number to nine: the Yat, Mah, Tok, Hak, Goth, Jan, Zut, Smat, and Pah clans. Some clans have acquired a nickname based on a predominant trade or quality. The Yat clan is known as the Queen Clan. The Pah clan was called this before Tarathank fell. Later, it became the Lost Clan. The herding Mah clan is known as the Milk Clan. The respective specialties of stonework, glassmaking, and metallurgy make the Tok clan the Stone Clan, the Hak clan the Fire Clan, and the Jan clan the Iron Clan.
consulting stones This is a voting procedure that the Council of Matriarchs employs to obtain unanimity on contentious issues. When the council cannot agree, they request the queen to “call for stones.” Then the matriarchs are given stones of differing colors. The colors represent different outcomes of a vote, usually “yes” or “no.” Each matriarch votes secretly by placing her hand in a pottery jar and dropping a stone. Afterward, the queen counts them. The result is called the stones’ decision, not the matriarchs’, and tradition calls for it to be accepted unanimously. Generally, the council will avoid calling for stones, preferring to avoid acting until agreement can be reached through discussion.
Council of Matriarchs proper noun—An assembly of clan matriarchs that meets periodically to advise the orc queen and assist her in governing. Since the matriarchs have nearly absolute authority over their respective clans, the queen cannot simply dictate to them. Instead, she strives to lead by establishing agreement. When agreement cannot be reached on a pressing matter, a secret voting procedure is employed. (See “consulting stones.”)
When a new queen is crowned, the council must meet to affirm her fitness to rule. (Also see “Muth la’s Draught.”) Otherwise, the council meets when the queen deems it necessary.
crown noun—Human word for zumuth, the thin circlet of unadorned gold worn on the orc queen’s head.
dargu noun—Weasel.
Dark Path proper noun—The human term for the afterlife. Also known as the Sunless Way, it is conceived as a plane of existence that parallels the living world. Spirits of the dead travel the path on a westward journey to the goddess Karm, leaving their memories behind in the process.
deception Orcs do not have words for any form of deception, such as “trickery,” “lying,” “betrayal,” etc. Sometimes, lying is called “speaking words without meaning,” but the understanding of this e
xpression comes closer to “speaking nonsense” than to “lying.”
deetpahi noun—This word, which translates as “speaking wood,” describes the orcish equivalent of a book. A deetpahi is a very thin board, usually made of birch, that is approximately thirty inches long and five or six inches wide. Writing is burned into it using a heated metal stylus and the board is afterward covered with beeswax. Usually both sides are inscribed.
Temporary records are made on deetpahis covered with a layer of white clay hardened with tree gum. The size of these boards varies according to need. The writing is done in ink, and erasure is accomplished by scraping the clay with a flat stone blade.
falfhissi noun—A potent spirit distilled from fermented pashi and flavored with washuthahi seeds and honey. It is often drunk at the conclusion of a feast. (laughing water)
Fathma proper noun—Muth la’s gift to the orcs, it is a unique spirit that confers sovereignty. Passed from one queen to the next, Fathma transforms its recipient’s spirit by mingling with it. The queen comes to regard all orcs as her children and becomes dedicated to their welfare. She also receives memories from all the past queens. These memories do not constitute an organized body of knowledge. Rather, they are impressions that help unite a queen with her predecessors and her subjects’ history.
As a queen approaches death, her ability to perceive the inner qualities of others becomes enhanced. This allows her to choose a worthy successor. Because the queen’s spirit and Fathma are intermingled, once she transfers this gift to another, the orcs consider her deceased. Henceforth, they will not openly acknowledge her existence.
Fathma was lost to the orcs when their queen was slain during the fall of Tarathank. For several generations, there was no queen, and the orcs suffered a period of chaos. Fathma returned to the orcs when a child who possessed it was born in the easternmost settlement. She was a member of the Yat clan, and afterward that clan became the Queen Clan.
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