Nature's Tribe

by Jacky Gray

  “This is your moon, Senna.” Cora held her hand as all around nodded agreement.

  “What about the Archdruid …?”

  Dagda snorted. “You know full well he never sullies his hands with ‘that silly women’s stuff.’ His words.”

  “Would his good lady not consider it?”

  “She has done in the past, but her heart is not in it and it shows.” Bernadine spoke with no malice, just her truth.

  “She does not seem herself since coming over. She …”

  “All right. I’m convinced.” Senna did not want Cora to complete the sentence in case it contained any criticism of the woman. She did not want her friend to be the one to voice the negative thoughts she knew many shared.

  Never had she experienced such an outpouring of loving, healing energy as that first full moon celebration. A surprising number of men attended, standing proudly next to their wives. Everyone cleared their minds, losing their preoccupations with any struggles. As she gave thanks for everything they had been given, people joined in with a hearty, “Blessed be.”

  A slight glow emanated from every person present, intensifying as they showed gratitude for the wonderful harmony and cooperation. Encouraged, she led them all in the “drawing down the moon” ritual. As everyone linked hands, raising their faces to grace the Goddess, the entire moon circle shone with her pale beauty.

  At the end of the ceremony, part of the glow remained in everyone’s aura as they finished their spiced wine and cake. Senna felt sure if he could have seen this glow, Ranly would not have chosen that moment to make his announcement.

  Clapping his hands for their attention, he begged for a moment of everyone’s time. “Apologies for spoiling the mood, but I would not otherwise be able to speak to you all individually. Tomorrow, I shall be leaving for Oxford. Come here, boy.”

  Ran leapt up beside him.

  “This young man and I have been invited to help in the city’s efforts to get the university up-and-running. We hope to visit frequently, but for at least the next three years, Oxford will be our home.”

  “Good luck to you, Councillor. We will miss you.” Ever the spokesman, Brom led the cheers and people joined in enthusiastically to salute the popular magister.

  7 – Flower Moon – May

  Flower moon: a time for healing, growth and nurturing. Women’s mysteries & great psychic power. Reaffirm goals.

  Dagda

  Dagda’s thrill at being chosen as one of the councillors was tempered by a fear of making a fool of herself in front of such important and well-educated people. Despite her blunt, fearless reputation, she was surprisingly reticent inside. As usual, her husband backed her completely.

  “Do not fret, woman. The people chose you for a reason. They trust you to represent them fairly and not hold back if you feel passionately about something.”

  She grinned. “Are you saying I’m a troublemaker and a loudmouth?”

  “Absolutely. I’d almost call you the loudest, but I think Brom has you beaten. It is a close call, mind.”

  “Cheeky. I know he has the same reservations.”

  “As do Baker and Cora, I’m sure. And as for poor Willow, she is convinced they got it wrong and meant Wilona.”

  Dagda snorted. “That young lady already wields far too much influence in the village, especially among the youngsters. No, Willow is a much better choice to give them a voice. Her calm presence will be an asset.”

  Sawyer grinned. “Taron is so relieved. They considered him and Baxter, but Lyran was adamant they needed the same number of men and women.”

  “You are not upset they didn’t pick you?” This had been her second greatest fear ever since she found out.

  “Whisht, will you, woman? I get all the status of being a councillor’s husband without any of the pain of the job.”

  She slapped him away as he tried to cuddle her. “Be off with you. You know as well as I being on the council has no benefits. And I will still need to shoe and boot all the women and children in the village.”

  He grinned. “At least you will have no problem in fighting the council for a permit this time.”

  She snorted. “The less said the better about the old style of doing things.”

  “Hopefully, no more corrupt officials getting rich off the backs of the toil of decent men and women.”

  Prior to the first council meeting, Osman, acting in Ranly’s stead, invited several of the key players to dinner, seeking advice. “I hate to bring this up, but we cannot let this state of affairs continue. The children who are too young to be of help in the fields are running wild.”

  Baker scowled. “If I have to spend one more moment worrying about them burning themselves trying to pinch one of those irresistible bread twists from the oven I will explode.”

  Farmon pushed his shoulder. “I’ve told you, man. Let them do it. The first time one of them ends up burnt it will put off the rest and they’ll find a new game. You are too easy to torment.”

  “Yes, but what if one of these silly games goes too far? You were only complaining last week about them hiding in the haystack. What if they get run through by a pitchfork? Do you want to face the consequences of that? I blame the parents for not teaching them basic rules.”

  “Their parents are exhausted with the endless tasks needed to restore the village.” Dagda defended the hard-working villagers. “They cannot devote the normal attention to looking out for the little ones. Left to their own devices, all children will cause chaos.”

  Bryce backed her up. “Aye, we’ve had many complaints from the men digging ditches and building houses. And the women are equally busy with the thatching and weaving, let alone feeding this great army. No one can spare any time to train the wee ones.”

  Dagda had given this some thought. “And their older brothers and sisters are working like adults to help. I can see no way out.”

  “Maybe we could set up some kind of rota so one or two people take it in turns to look after all of the younger ones.” Bernadine knew all about organising such things.

  “Not everyone is capable of coping with so many all at once.” Dagda frowned. “Some women struggle with their own children.”

  Osman refused to pander to the caprices of youngsters. “All children need a purpose. Someone to teach them about taking responsibility and showing respect.”

  “Maybe they should be taught about a lot of things, like the skills to earn a living.” Alfun joined in.

  Cora glanced sideways at her husband. “And reading and writing.”

  “It sounds as though you are suggesting a school.” Lyran spoke up.

  Dagda considered this. “I like the idea of that. But none of us have the slightest notion about running any kind of educational establishment. You are the only one who has attended a university.”

  Bernadine spoke up. “It’s not all about academic proficiency. We have many people who can be brought in to teach their skills so every child gets a broad experience before deciding which life suits them best. People like Alfun, who can bring experience not only as a farmer, but in healing animals.”

  Alfun shook his head. “Just because I know how to do these things doesn’t mean I can teach others.”

  “Maybe not. But you can learn how to do that. Let’s not forget, we have an experienced teacher. Eanje taught at a convent for several years.”

  Eanje’s demurral was lost as Shayla picked up the cause. “She has a fine mind, mastering many of the liberal arts, am I not right, husband?” She patted Quinn’s hand.

  He chuckled. “How you love to announce my failings to the world. Once, she bested me in a geometry puzzle. Once!”

  “What about the argument over …”

  “All right. Her command of logic easily equals mine. I would wager these are not skills the village children will be needing for a while.”

  Eanje’s passion shone through. “The Abbess suggested those subjects were designed to expand the mind and teach the brain how to learn. O
nce you have done that, you are able to learn anything.”

  “Like how to best any man with logic and reason.” Shayla grinned. “I had the fortune to study with your Abbess for a while. She was an irascible creature who didn’t suffer fools gladly.”

  Eanje matched her grin. “You don’t need to tell me. She said I reminded her of you, saying how the debates …”

  “… expanded knowledge far more effectively than learning from books could ever do.” Shayla smiled as she joined in the phrase. “It was a favourite saying of hers. More than anything, she wanted us girls to test our minds beyond the limitations placed on them by society. I think our meeting was destined.”

  Lyrelie sighed. “You were both lucky to have studied with such a woman. The two of you should run the school together.”

  Shayla frowned. “Never underestimate the gifts you have been given. Studying under two such powerful healers has given you much more than you could ever have learnt at school, even at university.” She patted Lyrelie’s hand. “I’m afraid my council duties will not allow me sufficient time for the project, but with both Senna and Marena tending to the village’s healing needs, you would be perfectly placed to help Eanje. Every child would benefit from the skills you can teach them.”

  As Bernadine and Shayla warmed to their theme of who would teach what skills, Dagda thought for the umpteenth time what an inspiration Eanje was. She sensed an inner core of strength which would make her an ideal person to bring the children into line, and chuckled at the thought of how terrifying she would look with her huge belly giving her an imposing appearance.

  “… how would you feel about that, Dagda?”

  She blushed as all eyes were upon her.

  Bernadine smiled. “I know; it is a lot to think about. I said; how would you feel about partnering with Brom to oversee the creation of the school building? Obviously you will get a lot of support from Lyran, Shayla and myself, but we will be focussing more on the staff and curriculum.”

  She glanced at Brom, whose sceptical gaze did not bode well, and steeled herself to play her part. “Thank you. It would be wonderful.”

  “Excellent.” Osman beamed a smile to everyone. “I feel as though the right people will make this a great opportunity to help the children. The other thing I wanted to focus on is the drains.”

  “You, Osman? Drains? Why do I get the feeling we have done this before?” Jarl’s comment and screwed up nose met with laughter, followed by a flurry of protests suggesting this was not a suitable topic for dinner.

  Dagda barely heard as her brain exploded with ideas about what would need to be done.

  As everyone dispersed at the end, Brom tapped her on the shoulder. “About this school thing. As you can see, the village’s sanitation takes a higher priority right now, so I won’t be able to do a lot.” He shrugged. “You can always make a start and we’ll have a chat before the meeting next week. Does that suit you?”

  “Perfectly. I shall need to talk to some of the other masons about the design.”

  “I would expect nothing less. Tasker is a good choice; he has a flair for innovations.”

  “Thank you.” The man already topped her list, along with Eanje, Shayla and Jarl, who seemed to be the most well-travelled people she knew. Maybe she should set a meeting with them together so she would only have to explain things once. Meanwhile, Bernadine would be the best person to talk to about the numbers involved. She ran after the woman, catching up just as she reached her house.

  “I’m sorry to trouble you after a long day. You’ve probably had enough … I could come back tomorrow.”

  “Nonsense. I could see you were already scheming about what will be required for this project. That’s one of the reasons I wanted you to be part of the team. You are definitely a woman who gets things done.”

  Blushing at the praise, Dagda stammered out her most pressing question about the numbers involved and what ages they would be considering. “And we need to think about how many babes will be born in the next few years and make sure we can cope in the future.”

  “My, you have gone into this in detail. I don’t know the exact figures, but I know Ranly and Osman were working on this with Lyran. I will get them to you tomorrow.”

  “And I had a thought. We don’t have to wait for a building. The church stands empty most of the time and now it has the benches, we could at least make a start. Maybe get the children together for a couple of hours every morning, doing some amusing activities like singing or weaving baskets. And the boys enjoyed making models.” She broke off as Bernadine shook her head with a smile.

  “We have chosen well. You really are the right person for the job. Just a warning. The men around here are not used to dealing with women as equals when it comes to business dealings. Do not be surprised if you meet with a little resistance, and for goodness sake, do not take it personally.”

  Dagda blinked; it almost sounded like a rebuke but, as she walked round to Senna’s house, she realised this was an accurate assessment. She saw any opposition or criticism, no matter how gentle, as an attack on her person.

  Jarl stood outside the door to the house with Quinn, the pair of them wearing the jaded expressions she’d seen on many new fathers. He raised his finger to his lips before she even opened her mouth.

  “Sorry.” He whispered. “The girls are fighting sleep, so we’ve been ordered out because we make too much noise.”

  Quinn added a morose, “And that’s merely breathing.”

  Supressing a chuckle, she whispered back. “I wanted to arrange a meeting with all of you to talk about the school. Every person in this house will have good ideas and insights. When is a good time?”

  “No such thing as a good time.” Quinn sighed dramatically. “And when Eanje delivers next moon it will be even worse. Double the trouble.”

  “I have it on good authority, boys are quieter than girls. And it’s the moon after next.” Jarl winked. “How does first thing tomorrow morning sound? The babes have us up at cock-crow and we all have busy days planned, but you are welcome to break the fast with us.”

  Quinn brightened. “One advantage of fatherhood is the amount of food. The ladies eat much more and they always produce far too much so it is the task of we men to ensure nothing gets wasted.”

  She glanced at the door. “Do you think Lyran might spare me a word tonight?”

  Jarl grinned. “I suspect he’d be happy for an excuse to leave. I’ll get him.”

  Eanje came out too, sitting on a bench positioned to catch the last rays of the setting sun. “I’m glad you’ve come. I had an idea about using the church until the building is ready, and wanted to ask what you thought.”

  “How fortuitous. I asked Bernadine about that very thing and she was delighted. It means we could make an impact on the problem immediately.” As the woman clapped her hands, Dagda explained her ideas about possible activities to amuse them.

  “How clever. They will become used to the routine and we can introduce everything as a challenge or puzzle so it will not seem like work.”

  Dagda couldn’t wait to report her findings to Sawyer and Bryce. Poor Paulina was so tired she fell asleep in her husband’s arms as the others burnt a precious candle while they threw around ideas for the building.

  The morning meeting went well, but the combined experiences of all the people there meant she went away with more questions than answers. Shayla had been most complimentary, particularly about Dagda’s ideas for the older children. She suggested Dagda should be included in the meetings to determine the running of the school as it directly impacted on the building’s design.

  Tasker said he would meet her in the roundhouse at the end of the day and, while she waited, Eanje approached in a state of excitement.

  “There you are. I’ve had a great idea about how we can split up the classes to make them more manageable. This is all thanks to your idea that not everyone can learn at the same pace, no matter what their age.”

  “Ya
can say that again.” Tasker took the seat next to Eanje. “I have no more idea about lettering now than I did when I was a boy, and I think Brom’s lad is the same. Elspeth tries to teach Bren using every manner of game imaginable. He tries hard, but he still doesn’t understand. Says he much prefers the numbering.”

  Eanje smiled. “That is often the way. Boys are more adept with numbers and geometry, but girls are better with reading and logic. It’s the way our brains are made.”

  He frowned. “I’ll have to take you at your word, but I do know little Elise is way ahead of him and she’s two years younger.”

  “Exactly Dagda’s point. We should not force the children to do things which they find impossible until they have built up some confidence doing things they enjoy.”

  Dagda tried to take the lad’s part. “I bet Bren would have no problem designing a house from the stones.”

  Tasker winked. “None at all. But they used Elise’s model for the bake houses. Afore ya got here.”

  She shook her head. “I wondered why people called it Elise’s bake house. What a clever girl.”

  “She is exactly the sort of person I’m talking about.” Eanje wagged a finger in her passion. “She should not be in a class with others her own age unless it is to teach them, which will better her skills. I think we may have a future professor there.”

  With a grin, Dagda recognised a kindred spirit in this extraordinary woman. “I wonder if she and her mother would consider teaching the basics; maybe an hour each week. I think the children would respond to her games, and having a younger girl to talk to would be less threatening.”

  Eanje’s face lit up. “That is a great idea. I’ve been looking at the ages of the children and I think we should have one large class for all the ones under seven and three or four for the ones under thirteen.”

  Nodding vehemently, Dagda showed her calculations. “Those are the exact figures I determined. With two or maybe three for the older children.”