by Mari Collier
“I've told Papa, the Maca, that I intend to wed y'all.”
Lorenz found it easy to continue to hold her close to him. “We need to head back to Donnick. After y'all meet Papa, I need to visit the Laird's Station. I'd like y'all and Daniel to go with me if you all aren't too tired. We'll be back in Donnick before dark. Ishmael and Melanie will be at the Laird's Home tomorrow. She'll do an examination and recommend what needs to be done.”
“Lorenz, Medicine will nay be there.”
“Ishmael helped set it up. He doesn't need to be there, but it's a good way to be with Melanie. That doesn't upset y'all does it?”
“Why would ye think such a thing?”
“Well, y'all were living with Ishmael when the Sisters attacked you.”
“He was from House. He might have returned and then he could have helped my laddie.” There was fierceness in her voice. “I am Ab. There tis nay other way I could help Wee Da.” To herself she thought, Troyner loves Marta, and she will nay accept Wee Da.
Lorenz let his breath out. “I was hoping y'all would say that. I'll visit the Shrine tomorrow and see what needs to be done. Oh, I forgot, dinner tonight at the Laird's Home. Papa may put in an appearance, and my grandson, Andrew, will be there.”
He was about to explain grandson when Daniel burst through the door.
“Fither.” He bounded across the floor and embraced both. “I heard ye had returned.” His smile was as radiant as Lorenz's.
“When do ye Walk the Circle? When do we do the Claiming Rite? Does the Warrior School start right away? Are we going back now? Will Leman and his family go with us?”
“Whoa, slow down, and for another thing, y'all don't burst in our bedroom like that. Y'all are too big.”
Both Daniel and Di looked at him in puzzlement and he stopped himself from grinding his teeth. “We are going back, but Leman and his family are staying here. As for Walking the Circle, your mother needs to be healed first. Then the Council of the Realm has to approve me before any Claiming Rite for anyone. The regular schools will open first. The Warrior School may not start until next year. We all will need to make another trip back to the town of LouElla to listen to their needs, and now we need to thank Luman and Lavina for their hospitality.”
Di considered the man mad. The Maca would nay approve and Medicine would nay be there. And why, why did he think she could live in the Shrine? It was too open, too accessible. If she didn't go to Donnick, her laddie would nay be a Warrior, and she would have failed as his mither for the other half of the vision would come true. Her mouth straightened. She would accompany the Laird and Da. If death claimed her, her laddie would be the Laird's and a Warrior. There was nay other decision. Her prophesy had proved true. The Maca and his blind eyed Laird had revenged Thalia's wrongs by the Justines, the Kreppies, and the Sisters. Don and Thalia would be restored.
* * *
Andrew knocked on Kit's door wondering why Grandpa Mac had considered this assignment necessary at this time. Surely someone else could teach the woman the basics of entering planting and production numbers into the system. The explanation that the Claiming Rites would make Pawpaw and Kahli House eluded him. Why did these people consider House and Tris so much more than Abs? His recommendation, repeated over and over that all Abs in Don should become Tris was met with a raised eyebrow. Grandma LouElla's explanation of, “They dinna want it,” was inadequate.
Kit opened the door with a wide smile. “Ye are welcomed here.”
The Maca's instructions had been clear. “The situation has changed. Make my younger smile.” Kit kenned she could make a man smile, even a mutant from another world.
Glossary
Their symbols for the written word resemble ours, but the letter A would have no middle bar. The letter F would have only the top flag, and the letter E would not have the middle bar. Their smaller case letters are the same as the upper case, but smaller in the written word. Our method was used in compiling this glossary.
Attend: Stop and listen. Also to be an attendant to the fighter in the arena
Bawd: Rat like rodent, but with golden brown fur.
Blad: Canteen
Brither: Brother
Brool: An apple like fruit. Different varieties grow in Don, Rurhran, Betron, and inland southern portions of Ishner.
Bucht: Sheep, surprisingly ewe means female sheep.
Canna: Cannot
Carrier: Large craft for carrying livestock or freight.
Carver: A butcher.
Cleg: Rodent-like creature with fluffy, light brown hair that turns golden on the tips. It is the size of a medium rat with brown “pop” eyes and large front teeth for gnawing.
Concraete: A composite of concrete, silica, and specialized plastic.
Crait: Craft that carries ten people.
Dinna: Do not
Dramelberry: A fruit tasting like a raspberry, but purplish blue in color.
Elbenor: Large bear like mammal (like the American grizzly) possibly some exist in the uninhabited portions of Betron.
Eld: Old
Fither: Father
Fliv: Vehicle that carries four people. By mounting large stunners they can be transformed into fighters.
Handmaiden: Assists the Martin and cares for sick and the dead. A man may not have the title or her functions.
Home: The residents of Thalia's dwellings no matter what class.
House: Family Gens that control a planet: Never refers to a residence.
Icosahedron crystal: A twenty sided-crystal encoded with instructions for releasing energy. Used as a defense at the Maca's Tower. Red is the most powerful.
Ken: Know
Kenning: Knowing, fore knowledge.
Kenning Woman: The formal title of the woman who sees visions. The visions benefit or warn Thalians of impending events. It cannot be held by a man.
Kine: Cattle
Lad: Formal House title for those not Laird or Maca
Laddie: Son, boy, young male.
Lady: First born daughter of a Maca. See Laird.
Laird: First born male of a Maca. The next Maca will come from the Laird or Lady of a House.
Lass: Formal House title for those not Lady or Maca.
Lassie: Daughter, girl, young female.
Leg: A unit of distance: about 11/2 miles.
Lifers: Spare boats on a ship should an accident occur.
Lifts: Flying craft for four people.
Maca: Male or female hereditary ruler of a House. When the old Maca dies, the first born of the Lady or Laird or the House after the old Maca's death becomes the new Maca. The ruling house will control a continent of Thalia or a specialized branch like Medicine or Manufacturing.
Martin: Leader of the Abs and religious figurehead. His authority on religious matters is similar to a Pope. This title cannot be held by a woman.
Minirob: Used in medical treatments for surgery, repositioning, delivering medicines. They are absorbed by the body.
Mither: Mother
Padport: Where flying vehicles land
Pina Pods: Grown on Troy and in some hot houses. They contain a creamy, nut that provides oil and protein, and can also be eaten. They are considered a delicacy, especially the ones from Troy as it is their natural home. The leaves and pods are used for a tea like beverage.
Sargent: Equivalent to our Sergeant
Station: Ranch or large agricultural endeavor.
Stingers: Looks like a larger honey bee.
Troller: A listening device and a communicator.
Troller: The fishing vessel of Ishner. Their nets catch everything.
Twas: Was
Twere: Were
Twill: Will.
Twould: Would.
Ye: You
Yere: Your
Younger: (1) Grandchild (2) Any relative that was born later.
Youngest: (1) Great-grandchild (2) Progeny of the great-grandchild
Zarks: The equine of Thalia
About the Author
Mari Collier was born on a farm in Iowa, and has lived in Arizona, Washington, and Southern California. She and her husband, Lanny, met in high school and were married for forty-five years. She is Co-Coordinator of the Desert Writers Guild of Twentynine Palms and serves on the Board of Directors for the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. She has worked as a collector, bookkeeper, receptionist, and Advanced Super Agent for Nintendo of America. Several of her short stories have appeared in print and electronically, plus three anthologies. Twisted Tales From The Desert, Twisted Tales From The Northwest, and Twisted Tales From The Universe.
Author Contact Information
Website: http://www.maricollier.com
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