Nature's Tribe

by Jacky Gray

  “Which makes eight rooms in total. Nothing wrong with my figuring.” Tasker grinned.

  As they debated the different styles of building, Dagda noticed how the other two seemed to have a strong connection. She’d never had much to do with Tasker in the past, finding him a little coarse, like most of the quarrymen. They always seemed to hunt in packs which made them daunting, even for a woman not easily intimidated.

  In Eanje’s presence, he became lighter, even charming, and Dagda had an insight he fancied the woman. Although she did nothing overtly to encourage him, it was as though her very essence welcomed his attention.

  Shaking off such fanciful notions, she scribbled notes, unaware of the jealous eyes watching from across the room.

  Something, or one, in Dagda’s life had decided to reward her hard work. At the first council meeting, when Brom tried to claim her designs were a joint effort, both Lyran and Shayla made it clear he had no part in it, asking questions which revealed his lack of knowledge.

  Bernadine, who had been voted as the female leader of the council, thanked Dagda for her efforts, suggesting she continue to liaise with Eanje about setting up the temporary classes in the church, and with Tasker about the site of the proposed building. She named the people who would be involved in choosing the design, and Brom was not among them.

  Osman joked about it being a family business as he accepted the post of male council leader. He had no opposition as Lyran would not submit his name for consideration and none of the others felt qualified.

  In the interests of harmony, Osman lavished praise upon Brom for his endeavours in fixing the problems with the drains which were finally all running smoothly. The mason accepted the acclaim gracefully, even apologising to Dagda for having no time for the school project.

  As Farmon spoke of the crop of problems the farmers faced, Dagda’s mind wandered to the busy couple of weeks with Beltane followed a week later by the Esbat. Of the two, the latter caused more consternation as she had been asked to lead the ceremony. Her nature made her wonder if this were some kind of test – many women were equally as suitable. She would be happy to do it at any other time, but right now, her platter of tasks overflowed.

  In the event, it proved no chore at all. She had attended enough Esbats in her time to know exactly what to do. The fact that the henge still hummed faintly with the energy from the Sabbat made it slightly easier, and the people she chose to call the corners all did a sterling job, tailoring their invitations to the flower moon’s identity of healing, growth and nurturing.

  Her brief speech told how pleased she was to be involved in the creation of an institution which would nurture the young minds and help them to grow. “Because we are all concerned that the children learn at their own pace, we have decided to call it a lehren, rather than a school.”

  This caused a small buzz of reaction, and the overriding energy suggested approval. She blushed with pride at the appreciative glances from the councillors at her inspired suggestion.

  Dagda gave everyone a moment to reaffirm their goals for the year as set out in the last moon, making any changes to ensure their success. She closed the circle with a heartfelt reminder. “Remember that nothing is set in stone. This Scorpio moon reminds us it is always possible to modify plans to account for changing circumstances.”

  8 – Honey Moon – June

  Honey moon: Male potency. Imagination/creativity soars. Business decisions. Balance spiritual and physical.

  Marena

  It all started so well. Marena beamed with pride as she led the Honey moon Esbat, happily blessing the three couples set to renew their vows at midsummer. She also had the honour of announcing the first marriage in the new world as Willow and Tol prepared for their handfasting.

  Then disaster struck. Although she didn’t actually fall, as the ancient adage suggested, it was nearly as bad. Despite leading several Esbats over the years, none had been as auspicious as this. Her normal composure wobbled as she forgot the blessing she had rehearsed many times in the past week.

  One look at Senna’s calm face filled her with the strong sun energy as she warned people about the potency of the season. “Ladies. Unless you are wanting my services in nine moons, I would stay well away from your husband tonight. And in a couple of weeks’ time on the Sabbat, although that coincides with new moon this year so most of you should be protected.”

  Amid the giggles of most of the women, she spotted a few confused – male – expressions. “Gentlemen. If you are not sure what I refer to, ask your wives. I’m not about to explain it here with children present.”

  This had resulted in the desired unlocking of her brain, and the rest of the ceremony ran smoothly, ending with Willow and Tol having to run though a corridor of people who strove to dissuade the couple from their intended path with hoots, jeers and catcalls that it would never last a moon, let alone a year and a day.

  Three days later, as she examined Eanje’s enormous belly, sweat dripped from Marena’s brow as she took on her biggest challenge to date. Never mind the fact she had only delivered two babes on her own and one with assistance from Lyrelie. Eanje had asked her to preside over the birth of the first twins in the village for decades.

  Even Lyran, experienced as he was, had never delivered twins. He would be there, of course, but as the father, it seemed too much to ask him to lead with the delivery.

  Senna would have been the next obvious choice, but with her own babe less than two moons old, both Lyran and Jarl forbade her to do it.

  Being the daughter of two such talented healers, Lyrelie had picked up every one of their skills and more. But her responsibilities now focussed on the lehren, which left Marena in charge of the birthing.

  “Well? What do you think? Is she close? Will she last the day?” Lyran’s barrage of questions attacked Marena like weapons.

  “Let the poor woman think, will you?” Eanje’s mild tone disguised the sharp look she shot at him.

  It gave Marena the strength she needed. “Yes. And a few more, I think.”

  “Good. So I can visit the lehren, then. It is a big day for the children. They are displaying the designs they have created for the solstice celebration.”

  Marena cocked her head on one side. “Surely you do not need to be there. Why not wait until the celebration? Then you will be able to see the actual objects, not just the designs.”

  “Are you saying you think these two will be out by midsummer?”

  “I’m sure of it.” Marena did not think she gave too much away with that assessment. For the umpteenth time, she wished she had the same kind of connection Senna and Lyrelie had to the babes they delivered. It seemed as though they communicated directly with the unborns. But that was mere fancy, wasn’t it?

  Eanje sighed. “If I do not go in today, I will not get to see all of the designs. Only the best ones will be created. The children will be so disappointed; they have been working so hard.”

  “Why?” Marena asked the question amid the distraction of packing away her equipment, oblivious to the glances Eanje exchanged with the others.

  “Why will they be disappointed? I would have thought that obvious.”

  “It is.” Marena focussed her attention on the discussion. “I mean why must they be judged in this way? Why can they not all be allowed to create their designs? After all, some of them may have astonishing ideas but not be able to draw them well enough to be worthy of a prize.”

  Eanje hitched in a breath. “Oh my goodness. You are right. You sound like Dagda; that’s the sort of thing she might say.”

  “Because she never had the benefit of a formal education, yet her shoes and boots are second to none, even if she cannot draw them very well.” Marena shrugged. “We all have our skills.”

  “Yes, yes and yes. How can I be so blind?”

  “Because you are used to the male way of determining achievement by academic prowess. And competition. Thankfully, no one judges a woman on the bread or broth she makes and we
are much happier for it.”

  “You are right.” She shook her head. “Dearest midwife. May I possibly be allowed to visit the lehren today? I merely want to congratulate each child on their efforts and pronounce them all good enough to be made into the actual artefacts.”

  Marena grinned. “Only if I may be allowed to accompany you. I would love to see how my two behave in your lehren.”

  “I assure you, they are two of the best behaved, and most talented, pupils we have. And Derran has been voted the leader of the senior class for the second week running.”

  “I would expect nothing less.”

  The next time Marena visited her patient, Lyrelie accompanied her, and she watched as the girl placed her hands on the mound, closing her eyes and breathing in as though for a meditation session.

  “I think you are right. These two will definitely be out by midsummer. And possibly, I venture to suggest, even a week prior to that.”

  Eanje’s eyes widened. “That is only three days away.” She glared at Lyran. “Why could you not know that?”

  He shrugged. “I told you. I cannot seem to connect. Maybe because there are two of them.”

  “No, Da.” Lyrelie took his hand. “The barrier is all of your making. For whatever reason, you are afraid of getting it wrong. Try to focus on one of them instead of both, and see if that works.”

  He followed her instruction, placing his hand over the one which lay across the top, but it soon became obvious he felt nothing as he shook his head.

  “Try the other one.” Lyrelie’s confidence impressed Marena; it was as though the parent-child roles had been reversed.

  “Oh. There it is.” He smiled his relief, closing his eyes to deepen the bond. “That’s odd. I get the sense they will be born on different days.”

  “Perfectly possible if one is just before midnight and the other just after.” Senna spoke up even as Marena had the same thought. “What say you, Marena?”

  She gulped, feeling the pressure of being surrounded by three such powerful healers. Eanje took her hand, staring deep into her eyes. She smiled, and Marena heard a voice in her head. “I know you can do this. I chose you.”

  As her skin made contact with Eanje’s belly, pictures formed in her head. “This is the boy. His name is Tryslan and he will be coming out first. On the twelfth.”

  Eanje gasped. “I heard it. You are so clever. Try the girl.” She moved Marena’s hand.

  The difference was incredible, a much gentler, more serene energy, but with an iron core. “Alysen says she is happy to wait until the thirteenth, it is such a magical number. But make no mistake; she will be closer to the solstice because she is a warrior child.”

  Jarl barked a laugh. “At least she didn’t choose Alex.”

  Lyran did not glare at his cousin, but her, his jealous tone belying his words. “Well done, Marena. It seems you are a far superior healer than me, and even Lyrelie.”

  She met his contention with serenity, still under the influence of young Alysen. “I think not. You are merely too close. As is Lyrelie. Sometimes a stranger can see things more clearly.”

  Senna giggled. “Ignore him. He cannot bear to be bested.”

  Eanje grinned. “The important thing is I can now relax and get a couple of good night’s sleep before the big day. Or days.”

  ~*~

  Eanje

  Sleep would not come. Now they had declared their intent, it seemed as though the two babes returned to their warring factions. Again, they lined up on opposite sides of her belly as though they wanted nothing more than to fight each other to a bloody death. She cringed at her thoughts, wondering why they had taken on such a bellicose turn of phrase. Why would the two babes be so opposed to each other? She had watched the special bond bonding her twin brother and sister like a single, powerful unit. Why did it feel as though her two would tear each other apart? It was a strange conundrum.

  As she tossed and turned in bed, unable to get comfortable, Lyran could stand it no more. “I cannot see either of us getting any sleep tonight. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  She shook her head, whispering. “I’m afraid this is how it will be for the next three nights until they come out.”

  “Would you mind if we explored a little more of your story? I feel there are still many aspects which trouble you. When the babes arrive, you will need every ounce of your energy, so it seems wise to banish the rest of your demons while we have the chance.”

  She nodded. “Where did we get up to?”

  “You father died after you freed him from prison.”

  With a shudder, Eanje’s mind returned to the last time she’d been in Oxford, and the vow she’d made never to return. She huffed a sigh. “It could not have gone worse. No welcome awaited my return; the news was too much for grandfather and his heart gave out. My grandmother blamed the deaths of her husband and son on me and sent for the militia.”

  “What? She had you arrested?”

  “For attempted murder, no less. She claimed I had invaded her house, demanding money and threatening her life. With her being the recent widow of a respected pillar of society, they believed her and threw me in gaol.”

  “That is awful.”

  She shrugged. “No more or less than I had come to expect from life.”

  He shook his head, squeezing her to him and kissing the top of her head. “My poor love.”

  “The fates had not deserted me completely. Your father happened to be in court on the day my case was tried. They dragged me from the stinking prison, intending to present me as a thieving vagabond.”

  Lyran stiffened. “I’ve seen the place. Ranly took me to court when we lived in Oxford.”

  “Something about me impressed him, and he persuaded the judge to let him plead my case.”

  She felt Lyran squirming at the distasteful images as she explained how she owed Ranly her life, but he refused her offer of payment with the only thing she had. Instead, he paid for a room in a lodging house where she bathed and changed into the clothes he sent.

  “I know he’s no saint, but I’m glad he could do that for you. It makes me respect him even more.”

  “I think you have little notion of who your father really is. He listened to my tale, and returned to the court the following day to get the charges dropped. He told me to be humble, but to let my intelligence and breeding shine through. And not to hold back on the tears.” She snorted. “It worked. For the first time in my life, my so-called beauty worked in my favour.”

  “I can imagine. I’ll wager every man in the room was ready to take your side.”

  A grim smile widened her lips. Ranly’s idea of payment had cost her dearly, but he was a generous man. “I cannot tell you how much I owe your father. Fighting for every scrap of food changes a person.”

  Lyran shook his head. “I suspect he saw you as the daughter he never had. You would be his ideal choice: beautiful, intelligent and so much courage it hurts.”

  She grinned. “He certainly appreciated my intellectual talents, challenging me the way the Abbess used to, and it made me feel human again. Along with a soft bed and several hot meals. I had lived so long as a feral creature, I never thought I would ever be able to live in polite society.”

  “My poor love. I had no idea.”

  “Why would you? If you read it in a story book, you would think it too far-fetched.” She sighed.

  “So then he hired you to come to Avebury and spy on Domenyk.”

  She grimaced. “Among other things.” What she had endured at Domenyk’s hands was no worse than any other part of her life. Without those formative experiences, she could never have achieved what was needed to weed out the poison infecting his beloved village. “But it’s all over now. I can look forward to growing old with you and having many more babes to fill our lives with joy.”

  She snuggled up to him, wondering what might have happened if she had met him – or his father – many years ago. Her life might have followed an entirely di
fferent course if she had.

  ~*~

  Marena

  Despite a strong sense Tryslan would not put in an appearance until the moon was about to rise, Marena felt on edge all day, as though expecting to be called at any moment.

  Dennon likened her to a person who had sat on an anthill, as she rushed to the window every time she heard the sound of footsteps.

  “Why don’t you wander over to the church? I’m sure you spend more time there than the teachers do.”

  “Because they do not study at the week endings, any more than you work. The place would be empty.”

  “Well why don’t you try some weaving or sewing? Your restless fretting is unsettling.”

  “Give the poor woman a break.” Aleksi admonished his friend. “I seem to remember many a campaign when you would pace back and forth, waiting for the action. It drove the rest of us wild.”

  “True. Maybe we should go for a walk to burn off some of the energy.”

  Marena could not think of a good reason not to, and was never more grateful to see Lareeta, asking for a moment of her time.

  As they walked, Lareeta asked if she was feeling well.

  The concern shamed Marena and she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little anxious about Eanje.”

  “Say no more. The very idea of two babes terrifies me, whether ’tis the birthing or caring for them afterward.”

  When they reached the house, Cedany had both babes on her hips, jiggling them as she paced the room. “Thank goodness. I am at my wit’s end trying to settle them.”

  Marena took one look and smiled. “’Tis but their teeth coming through. The red spots on their cheeks give it away. Have they been dribbling?”

  “Like a waterfall. For several weeks.”

  “Do not worry, it is normal. And are they gnawing on their hands as though to eat them?”