by Robin Roseau
And the woman knelt.
“What is your name?”
“I am Claris Broadbeet.”
“And who were you?”
“I was a captain in the Chathan army.”
“What happened to you?”
She told her story. No one said a word. She explained how she was part of the detachment guarding the Beltend Valley. The Ressaline army had attacked. They’d fought, but they’d been overrun. She’d been captured early in the fighting, but she knew others had been captured, killed, or surrendered.
“Who are those other women?” Olivia asked with a gesture.
“Other soldiers.”
“Were you captured, or did you surrender?”
“My position was overrun. I fought, but I was overpowered by six Ressaline soldiers. The rest of my squad was captured or killed in the same way.”
“There is dishonor for attempting to steal land,” Olivia said, “But there is no dishonor for losing to a superior force. Take her back.”
One of the soldiers stepped forward and grabbed the woman, but I yelled, “Wait!”
“Ms. Rosebush?” Olivia asked. She gestured, and the soldier waited. I moved around the table and came to a stop in front of the prisoner. I looked into her eyes. “Claris?”
“Claary.”
“You know each other,” Olivia said. “Who is this woman, Ms. Rosebush?”
“Claris Broadbeet,” I said. “The last I saw her, she was a lieutenant. What are you going to do with her?”
“Well, that is a good question I’m not ready to answer yet,” Olivia said. “But my hope is to treat her humanely. However, we have not yet discussed the lies that Mr. Blackbird has told. Maybe I will allow someone else on the council to purchase additional mercy.”
“Claris?” I asked. “Are you all right?” She looked at me, not answering. I looked up at Olivia. “What have you done to her?”
“She’s been pacified,” Olivia said. “They all have.”
“Drugged.”
“Yes. But do you doubt her story, Ms. Rosebush?”
I dropped my eyes. “No.”
The woman moved closer. She looked at Claris and then faced me. “A former lover? Do not lie to me, Ms. Rosebush.”
“Only once,” I said. “She comforted me one night, and one thing led to another.”
“You may give her a little kiss, if you like. She isn’t being abused.”
I turned back to Claris then gave her just a tiny kiss at the corner of her mouth. A moment later, the soldier pulled her away from me. I stared after them. Olivia stepped to my side. “Be very careful, Ms. Rosebush,” she said very quietly.”
“I’m no soldier.”
“Do not make yourself a target of hate by the other residents of your city,” she explained. “It is best you keep quiet now.” She lifted her voice. “Go back to your place, Ms. Rosebush.”
I did, and then we watched as the prisoners were led away again. I wondered if that was all that was left of the army.
I looked around and was sure the situation was hopeless.
* * * *
Olivia turned back. She stalked closer. “Ms. Yellowroot, are you going to call me a liar?”
“Don’t say a word,” said Mr. Blackbird.
“Answer my question, Ms. Yellowroot,” Olivia said. “Or I will add to the consequences from the earlier lies. Are you going to call me a liar?”
“Not a word, Marsen,” said Mr. Blackbird.
Marsen looked down for a minute. Olivia actually waited. Finally, Marsen looked up. “I have been on the council for about six months.”
“How did someone of your youth become a member of the council?”
“It is traditional, when a councilmember dies, for her term to be filled by her eldest child. It is not law, and the council could have called for an election instead.”
“I see. I am sorry for your loss. Are you going to call me a liar?”
“No.”
“And so, you admit the truth of what I have said?”
Marsen looked down again, and it was Fennie Marsh who said, “Leave her alone.”
“Ah, Ms. Marsh. You have a voice,” said Olivia. “Do you offer to take her place as the immediate center of my attention?”
“Shut up, Fennie! I’ve had enough of these charades!”
“You shut up, Tarith!” Fennie yelled. “I told you this was a mistake, but you went ahead and did it anyway, and then you browbeat everyone else into going along with you. This is all your fault. I hope you’re proud.”
“Shut up!” he screamed.
“I’m done letting you browbeat me,” Fennie said. She stepped forward. “I am Fennie Marsh. I have been a member of the Charthan council for fifteen years. I will trade myself for the soldiers you have taken. They did not choose where they were sent.”
“No.”
“Do you have any evidence the women you showed us today have engaged in unspeakable acts?”
Olivia paused. “No, but others in your military have.”
“Let them go and take me.”
“No,” Olivia said. “But I will allow you to buy more humane options for them.”
“With my own life?”
“No. With honest answers. Will you do that, Ms. Marsh?”
“Leave Marsen alone,” Fennie said.
“Ms. Yellowroot would have been a member of the council last fall, when our final polite request arrived, and she was certainly a member when your army was ordered to head north. Should she not take responsibility for her role?”
“You realize that the council votes. We are not ruled by a queen. Some vote one way; some vote another. We require five of nine for most issues but six of nine when involving the most important issues.”
“And so you suggest some members voted No to the actions I find objectionable. You are one, and Ms. Yellowroot is another?”
“I will not say how individuals voted,” she said. “I might suggest that an issue like this might require multiple votes, and one might vote no on some but then realize if the majority voted yes, that other votes become forced.”
“Ah,” said Olivia. “I understand. As we speak, Ressaline forces are holding a significant number of prisoners somewhere north of the Ressa river. Every prisoner was captured in territory north of the river. Should we negotiate their continued good health with another group, or with you, Ms. Marsh?”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I am suggesting that they have each admitted they are from Charthan,” Olivia declared. “I am stating flat out they were captured while occupying land that has long been claimed by Ressaline. I am stating that some percentage of them lifted arms against the rightful army, tasked with securing our borders. And I am suggesting if no one wishes to claim them, I am free to have them all executed as spies. But if Charthan cares to claim them, perhaps something less drastic can be negotiated.”
“What do you want?” I asked.
“Ah, Ms. Rosebush,” Olivia replied. “I want the truth. How can we negotiate if we do not begin with the truth? I have, to the best of my ability, stated only the truth today. But your council has accused me of lying.” She shifted her attention back to Fennie. “Do you believe I am holding a significant number of Charthan citizens, Ms. Marsh?”
“I have only your word for it.”
“I have shown you a small number of my prisoners. I imagine you know nearly exactly how they came into my care. Are you going to continue to play word games? If so, I will declare these meetings at a standstill. I will send orders north. And tomorrow I will declare the fate of this city and everyone living in it. Or we can negotiate with honesty.”
Fennie looked Olivia in the eye. “Make a clear offer.”
“Do you believe me when I tell you we have captured nearly the entire Charthan military?”
Fennie turned away. After a moment, Olivia softened her tone. “I am not asking where you think we have captured them, only if you believe we have?”
“Yes,” Fennie whispered. “I find it likely.”
“Do you believe me when I state that, oh, perhaps half of those prisoners were captured north of the Ressa river?”
“Yes.” I could barely hear the word.
“Do you believe me when I described the operations discovered in the Beltend Valley?”
“Yes.” She turned around. “Those were not ordered by the council.”
“Perhaps not. Perhaps only by a portion of the council. But our requests they be removed were heard by the council, or do you accuse our envoys of lying?”
“What do you want?”
“I want to be free to be as humane as possible, Ms. Marsh!” Olivia replied. “Did Charthan send military forces into Ressaline land?”
“You weren’t using it!” Mr. Blackbird said. “There wasn’t a person living there. There never has been. It was going to waste!”
“And that,” Olivia said, “Sounds markedly like a confession.” She stepped around the table and glared at Mr. Blackbird. “Tell me. Do you still keep your grandfather’s cavalry sword in a chest in the attic?”
“How do you know about that?”
“You’re not using it,” Olivia said. “So if I sneak into your house and take it, you don’t care.”
The man pressed his lips together but said nothing. Olivia shook her head turned her back, and returned to her side of the table. “I require acknowledgement from the council that the events as I have presented them are as accurate as reasonably possible. Charthan invaded Ressaline. Ressaline responded with restraint. Charthan sent soldiers into our territory, and then those soldiers raised arms against Ressaline. Admit it. I want to hear Aye or Nay from each member. If you honestly don’t know, you may say so, but everyone will answer. For each who does not answer, I will execute one prisoner. Ms. Yellowroot.”
“I’ve only been on the council six months!”
“Admit as much as you know, Ms. Yellowroot, or we will begin with Captain Broadbeet.”
“No!” I screamed.
Olivia spun to me and pointed a finger. “You be quiet now.” She turned back to Marsen. “Ms. Yellowroot, I demand an answer. I do not bluff.”
“I can’t say everything happened the way you said!” Marsen said. “But of what I know, it sounds accurate.”
“Did Charthan send soldiers into Ressaline?”
“That’s not a fair question!”
“Did Charthan send soldiers north of the Ressa River?”
“Yes.”
“When this was discussed, Ms. Yellowroot, did you have any reason to believe Ressaline considered that territory as ours?”
She paused.
“Answer now! One more hesitation, and Captain Broadbeet dies.”
“Yes!” she screamed. “We sent soldiers into Ressaline!”
“Thank you, Ms. Yellowroot. To the best of your knowledge, did Ressaline provoke this invasion in some fashion?”
“You threatened violence against our citizens.”
“We did no such thing. We threatened to forcibly remove them from our land. Do you blame us?”
She paused.
“Answer her!” I screamed. “Answer her, Marsen!”
“You didn’t provoke anything,” Marsen said quickly.
“Thank you,” Olivia said after a moment. Then, one by one, she asked similar questions of the remaining members of the council. She got to Mr. Blackbird last.
“I’m not answering your questions,” he said. “And they’re all cowed at the sight of your military and your inhumane threats. From what you have said, your valley is occupied by your people, and you have an operating lumber company and mine for your troubles. Give us our citizens and vacate our lands.”
Olivia glared at him then said, “You know, I’m not going to let a man force me to execute a woman.” She lifted her voice. “Bring him!”
There was a stir from up the hill and a smaller stir from the council, and then a rider appeared, trailing a rope, and attached to the end, one man. He was stripped down to his underthings and had no shoes.
And the horse broke into a trot.
The man impressed me. He didn’t try to run. Instead, he hopped from foot to foot, which had to be horrible with no shoes, but he let the horse pull him along, barely keeping his feet, but he managed to avoid being dragged. The rider came to a stop, leapt from the horse, and then led the man forward, dragging on the rope.
“I believe, Mr. Blackbird, that this young man is your nephew, or some such relation. Are you going to answer my question?”
“Go to hell.”
Olivia spun around. She stormed past the nearest soldier, drawing the woman’s sword, and walked up to the prisoner. “Your uncle told me he’d rather see you dead than to answer honestly what he’s done. Your death is on his hands.”
“No!” I screamed. She lifted the sword and then paused. “No!” I screamed again. I ran forward and interposed myself.
“Is this a lover, Ms. Rosebush?”
“I’ve never met him, but this isn’t his fault.”
“He was an officer in the Charthan army, Ms. Rosebush.”
“Please don’t do this, ma’am,” I said.
“Step aside, Ms. Rosebush.”
I dropped to my knees and lifted my hands in supplication. “Please don’t do this.” Then I spoke more quietly, only for her ears. “You’ll be seen as a butcher. You’ll harden hearts. Everyone believes you. You know that. Everyone believes you.”
“Ms. Rosebush, while all that might be true, I cannot be seen as bluffing. I am not bluffing.”
“I know you’re not,” I said. “But if you let me convince you, you can be seen as someone who can be reasoned with.” I lifted my hands. “Demand a different price. I don’t know him, but he has a wife. He has daughters of his own. Don’t murder their father this way. What do you want? What do you want to spare him?”
She knelt down and looked into my eyes. “And if I demand it, and they don’t give it to me, what do I do then, Ms. Rosebush?”
“Take me, then,” I said.
“You would trade your freedom for the life of someone you don’t know, someone who invaded my country?”
“Yes.”
“You are a foolish woman.”
“What happens if you murder him?” I asked. “You’ll harden all hearts. The city will fight you. How many will die? What happens to those left afterwards?”
“The city won’t fight.”
“They’ll lift rakes and butcher knives and tooth and claw, and you know it! Is that what you want? Did you come here to murder us? If so, then start with me.”
“No, Ms. Rosebush, I didn’t come to murder anyone,” she said. “So be it. You stay right where you are. If they fight me, you will remain meek while I tie your wrists. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
“Good.”
She stood and turned around. I watched as she stomped back, handing the sword to her soldier. “Ms. Rosebush is a better diplomat than anyone else here today,” she said. “Mr. Blackbird, I do not want to see you again. This council is dissolved. It will reform and return here tomorrow. The current women on the council will remain. The men will be replaced by women.”
“You have no authority to make such orders,” Mr. Blackbird said.
“Ms. Marsh,” Olivia continued. “Unless tomorrow someone else claims the title, I consider you Council Leader. The men are evicted. They will not attend tomorrow. Furthermore, you will personally vow they were excluded from all council conversations, beginning immediately. You will fill your numbers in whatever fashion you can accomplish by noon tomorrow, but you will not call on Ms. Rosebush or Ms. Nightblossom. They will remain common citizens, at least through tomorrow. After that, we will see. Tomorrow, you will return to this place by the last ring of the noon bell. There will be nine council members, all women. There will be 32 eldest daughters, including Ms. Rosebush and Ms. Nightblossom. For the rest, that is up to you.”
She looked around. “I require each of the women councilmembers now present to vote, Yea or Nay. Ms. Yellowroot?”
Marsen paused then said, “Yea.”
“Ms. Wethollow?”
“Yea.”
“You can’t do this!” Mr. Blackbird said. “Three is a non-binding vote.”
“Ms. Marsh?”
“Yea.”
“The yea’s have it,” Olivia said. “Tomorrow, at noon. Disappoint me, and I will execute sixteen male soldiers for every disappointment. Return to your city.”
Most of them turned. Mr. Blackbird protested, but the other men grabbed him and dragged them away. The others were going to leave me, but I remained on my knees. Finally Olivia turned to me, and then Fennie with her. The two walked towards me. It was Olivia who took my hands and lifted me to my feet, then handed me to Fennie. Fennie began walking me towards the gates, but then she turned us. “Envoy.”
“You may call me Olivia.”
“You have been formal.”
“I have a title I do not care to share.”
“Olivia, why won’t you accept Claary on the council?”
“Because she shouldn’t take blame for what you have done,” Olivia said. “She is here to bear witness, and to represent the common person. And frankly, if someone is going to talk me out of executing someone, it won’t be a member of your reformed council.”
Fennie nodded and then led me back into the city.
Ultimatum
The council called a town meeting. Mr. Blackbird tried to run it. I was ready to start screaming, but Fennie handled it for me. She shouted over him. “Everyone by now has heard what has happened. Tarith got greedy, and then we didn’t stand up to him. Now we’re all to pay the price. But that woman isn’t bluffing, is she, Claary?”
“No.”
“Oh, please. She doesn’t have the stomach.”
“I’m the one who looked her in the eye!” I yelled. “She was going to do it. I saved Yand’s life. I saved your nephew’s life, not you!”
“Yand?” a woman called out.
“She was going to execute Yand,” Fennie said. “Claary talked her out of it, and I have no idea how.”
“If we didn’t give her the all-woman council she wanted, she was taking me prisoner,” I said. “I don’t know what she would do to me.”