A Woman's World

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  They headed east at once under a clear night’s sky. Three moons shone bright and the fourth was on the rise.

  “All four moons are full tonight. They will be celebrating in Pathins.” Baya’s heart sank at the thought of her family having to celebrate without her.

  “Azod will be all alone tonight.” Vicaroy’s thoughts had drifted home as well. “At least one good thing has come out of the monsoon season.”

  Baya frowned at him. “And what is that?”

  “We have plenty of fresh water. However, our food supplies are down.”

  “How much do we have?”

  “I guess no more than two weeks if we keep eating as much as we are now.”

  “We need to fish.” Baya rose to get the poles. “We should cut back on our portions. Who knows when we’ll find land? With these storms blowing us north it could take even longer.”

  “I’ll cut my portions in half but you can’t.” His stomach growled with hunger at the mention of less food. He had already been giving Baya more to eat. “You have lost weight and you need the fuel for your powers.”

  She turned to glare at Vicaroy. “You’ve already been eating less than me?”

  Vicaroy was really starting to hate that insect. Before he had just disliked it but now it was all he could do not to wrap his hand around its neck and strangle it. “Stop telling her my thoughts! She doesn’t need to know everything.” Vicaroy yelled at Doba.

  Doba hissed and clicked at him in return.

  Baya took Vicaroy’s hands. “We are partners in this — equals.” On the one hand, she felt overwhelming love for him. It was incredibly kind that he had let her eat more. But then there was also overwhelming guilt. “If you can’t eat as much neither can I.”

  There were many more nights and many more storms to weather. They made their way east as best they could when the storms were not forcing them north. Baya was careful to watch how much Vicaroy ate and she refused to eat more.

  The energy it took to perform the protection spell and to protect them from the storms caused her to lose weight rapidly. Her cheekbones became more prominent. Vicaroy begged her to eat his rations but she stubbornly refused.

  After two weeks Baya hardly left the bed. On top of this the weather grew cold as they made their way northeast. Vicaroy had never been more grateful that he could light the coals in the brazier by himself. At least he was able to keep the cabin warm for her.

  Fish had been harder to catch in the turbulent waters. Vicaroy studied the last of their food supply; only one jar of grain and one jar of nuts remained. He lifted his shirt to examine his thin frame. His ribs stuck out in an almost unnatural way. He didn’t recall ever being this skinny before.

  His gaze turned to Baya — fast asleep on the bed. Under the pile of covers it was hard to make out her dwindling body. He pulled back the blankets and lifted her tunic. Her ribs stuck out even farther than his. She was burning through calories faster than he was. Yet her breathing was steady and for that he was grateful. Yet, he worried that her ribs might come out of her skin with each breath.

  What kind of a man couldn’t even feed one woman? This made him want to take back his promise. He had done the right thing by trying to leave her behind. She shouldn’t be slowly starving to death because of him. Baya belonged in Pathins, safe and healthy, probably the Unawi by now. Of course, he would be dead but at least she would be safe. That was all that mattered.

  Doba nodded as if in agreement with Vicaroy’s thoughts. Doba rubbed his head against Baya’s cheek and issued a guttural purr.

  Vicaroy covered them both.

  Baya had no idea either of them were there. She was lost in a deep sleep, to conserve energy.

  “I hope you’re dreaming of Rus’s cooking.” Vicaroy whispered in her ear. He headed out into the brisk night air. He was not accustomed to the cold. Una Sitka was never this frigid. He wrapped a blanket tightly around his shoulders and studied the dark sky. He set his sights upon Ameris’s constellation. She was standing upright in the eastern sky.

  “Ameris is with us.” Then he prayed ... “Please get her off this boat. She deserves a better life than the one I can provide for her. I beg you Ameris, save her.”

  Vicaroy didn’t know how long he had been in deep prayer when he suddenly became aware of his surroundings. Perfect calm.

  “Oh come on! Not another storm.” He yelled at the sky. He prepared for yet another icy rain. The waves grew more intense but Baya didn’t wake. She was used to the motion and she was too tired to get up. Vicaroy didn’t bother her. He hoped the storm would not be too bad. Plus he didn’t think Baya had the strength to seal the hatch anymore.

  He took Baya and Doba in his arms and wrapped blankets tightly around them to help keep her warm. He had learned to accept that Doba was part of the deal. What did bother him was how little she weighed. He barely knew she was there.

  Hours into the storm came a terrible bang and the forward motion of the boat stopped in an instant. This sent them flying forward.

  Vicaroy barely had time to register that the keel must’ve hit something when the boat swung violently to the port side. The sound of wood splitting tore through the droning of the rain. Something had broken through the cabin. Vicaroy reached out to touch the dark intruder, as if he needed tangible proof that his eyes were not failing him. His hand fell on a large black boulder that had punctured the wall of the cabin.

  Chapter 45

  “Land! Baya!” Vicaroy barely got the words out before freezing water flooded in on them. Baya let out a moan and curled herself tighter against his chest.

  He carried her — and Doba — to the stern of the boat. She moaned another protest when cold drops of rain hit her face. He covered her head and held her tighter to him. Surveying their surroundings, he quickly discerned that they had indeed hit land.

  The storm clouds blocked out any moonlight so he couldn’t see far or make out much beyond a dark rocky shoreline. The boat creaked and groaned against the rock that held it in place. With each new wave the boat slowly splintered apart.

  “Baya! We don’t have much time before the boat sinks.”

  “Then why wake me? Let me die … in peace.” Baya mumbled.

  “No, Baya!” He gave her a slight shake. “The boat is sinking because we’ve hit land.”

  She opened her eyes. The cold night air and his words forced her to wake. She wiggled trying to get out of his arms.

  Vicaroy gently set her down. “Can you walk?”

  Baya had not stood in a couple days and her legs buckled. She leaned on his shoulder for support. Doba made his way to his perch on her shoulder.

  “Land …” Her voice was little more than a whisper.

  “Let me carry you across the rocks to the shore. Then I can come back for some supplies — though there isn’t much left.”

  “No. I can walk. You carry what you can. We have to get out of this freezing rain.”

  Baya wrapped as many of the blankets around her as she could and stepped out onto the rock that had punctured the boat. The fact that the rock didn’t move confused her sea legs. She stumbled before catching her footing. It was a strange sensation to be back on solid ground — ground that didn’t constantly sway beneath her.

  The rock was slick and she stumbled and fell onto the beach. But she didn’t care. They were on land! Real land. She hoped it was not a dream, and feared that she would wake only to feel the endless motion of the sea, surrounded by wooden walls that were too close. Was it true? Could they really be off that wretched cramped boat?

  Vicaroy joined her with his arms full. He had gathered what he thought was most important. “Can you make it to the tree line?” he asked. Thankfully it was not a driving rainstorm but they would still be soaked and frozen by morning if they didn’t get out of it.

  “I’m fine.” Baya said. There was finally a reason to be awake. There was actually someplace to go. “I feel like I could fly.”

  Vicaroy headed for the shelte
r of the branches. One of the larger trees provided some relief from the rain but water still dripped through in places. Vicaroy broke limbs from a neighboring shrub and wove them into the lower limbs of the big tree. This made a temporary roof. He went straight to work gathering the driest twigs and branches he could find from under the trees.

  Baya and Doba sat against the trunk wrapped up tight. Baya held out her hands to light the branches.

  “No. Save your strength. I got this.” Vicaroy used his magic stones and soon had a fire roaring.

  She warmed her hands.

  “I’ll make us more food than we can eat tonight.” Vicaroy poured Baya a handful of nuts from the jar. “Start with this, while I make us some flatbread. Tomorrow I can hunt for small game and gather fresh plants. I will have you back to your old self in no time.”

  Baya laid a hand on his arm. “Is this real? Are we on land?”

  He smiled. “We made it.”

  After eating until she could not swallow another bite, Baya curled up on Vicaroy’s lap with Doba in a ball on her lap. This way they could all share the blankets and keep each other warm. Baya struggled to keep her eyes open. She was afraid that when she woke the land would be gone.

  Being off the boat and the feeling of having a full belly — it was more than she had dared to hope for in some time. How many times had she dreamt of such luxuries these past weeks? She couldn’t count. Eventually sleep got the better of her and she dozed off into a deep dreamless rest.

  Vicaroy couldn’t sleep. He sat with his back resting against the tree. He easily held Baya’s too-light frame. He watched the fire and kept it stoked as needed. Late into the night, he thought he might have dozed a moment but was woken by a sound, a rustling in the distance. He couldn’t see anything beyond the firelight. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him?

  Yet, it happened several more times during the night. He would jerk awake at a sound, or what he thought was a sound, only to find nothing but silent darkness and nothing in sight.

  He had to remind himself that while it was great to be on land, the untamed world in which they now found themselves was a deadly place. Hopefully the fire would deter any man-eating animals lurking in the dark.

  Baya woke to the rays of the first sun. She wasn’t rocking back and forth. There was only stillness. She sat up and Vicaroy’s arm fell to the ground between them. He had been holding her close as they slept under a pile of blankets. She was not imprisoned by thick wooden walls.

  Wide-open space was all around her and something cold and soft was under her hand. She ran her fingers through the damp yellow grass. She hadn’t known if she would ever feel grass again. They really had made it! This was not another dream of finally reaching land.

  Excitement raced through Baya. The earth seemed to give her strength. She slowly stood and carefully tucked the covers around Vicaroy. He must not have slept much last night. His breathing was heavy as he remained fast asleep.

  Baya surveyed her surroundings. There was nothing familiar about this place. The air smelled different than home, it was cool, damp and fresh. None of the smells that accompany humans could be sensed. The trees were nothing like she was accustomed to.

  Unlike the tall skinny tropical trees which had a tuft of green leaves at the top, these trees had leaves from top to bottom. She moved to examine the closest tree to her. They looked like dark green leaves from a distance, yet up close she could tell that they were not. The branches were covered in pointed cone shapes. “How strange,” she murmured.

  The beach was sprinkled with large dark-red stones. To the south, rolling grassy hills led right into the water. The last of the season’s flowers proudly flaunted their vibrant colors of orange, red and blue. Sunlight sparkled off snow-covered mountain tops in the distance. Baya’s mouth hung open as she slowly spun around taking in the foreign landscape. To the north the beach gave way to rocks. This was where they had landed. What was left of the boat continued to drift into the rocks with each wave. Baya was not sad to see that it was mostly destroyed.

  Doba was already helping himself to some of last night’s bread.

  “Good morning, Doba!” Baya sang.

  It is a great morning. We’re alive and on land.

  Baya stirred the coals in the fire and added more wood for warmth. “This land appears to be lush. We should be able to gather plenty of food.” Baya’s stomach growled at the mention of a fresh meal. “And now you can find a mate.”

  Doba scampered off through the tall grass.

  “Wait! Where are you going?” Baya was worried that he was leaving to find his own kind this very moment.

  It is wonderful to be free. I want to have a look around.

  “Are you coming back?”

  Doba paused on a rock and looked back at her with his many blinking eyes. Of course. You guys have food and a warm fire.

  Baya laughed with relief. “And what about good company?”

  That part is debatable. Haven’t we spent enough time together lately?

  She chuckled. “Be careful. We don’t know what’s out there.” She didn’t want him to leave her for good, not yet, maybe not ever. Baya tossed some nuts into her mouth. But someday he would leave them, when he found others of his kind.

  He didn’t know how to survive in the wild. She frowned. Maybe they couldn’t survive in the wild either? All three of them were accustomed to a very different lifestyle.

  Baya tried to be patient while she waited for Vicaroy to wake or for Doba to return. There was so much to be done. They needed to make a better shelter and hunt and … make a plan.

  Chapter 46

  Baya and Vicaroy ate their fill, almost wiping out the last of their food supply.

  “I had come across some interesting information in the scrolls that I brought with us,” Baya said. “They didn’t survive the voyage but I had been reciting them in order to commit them to memory.”

  “What are you talking about?” Vicaroy asked.

  “Before we left I found some long-forgotten scrolls in the library. One of them told a different tale.”

  “Different? How?”

  “We’re told the story of how Ameris led all people to Pathins to keep them safe.”

  “Yeah?” Vicaroy had no idea where she was going with this. Even though he was not educated like Baya, he had heard many stories of his people. All children were taught the basics of Ameris’s life and the origin of Pathins, even if it was simply their mothers’ theos telling them bedtime stories.

  “Well … I found an ancient scroll that contradicted what we were taught. This scroll stated that not everyone willingly followed Ameris to Pathins — the Land of Plenty. It stated that there was political strife and nobody wanted to go to war over their differences. It would have been a hardship that the people couldn’t afford in already dire times. So Ameris chose to leave the city with only Her followers.”

  Vicaroy’s eyes grew wide. “That means … ”

  “There may be people outside of Pathins.” Baya and Vicaroy spoke in unison.

  Baya laughed. “Doba is right, we’ve obviously spent far too much time together lately. If the people who rebelled against Ameris were able to survive the drought and the wild beasts that plagued them back then, then yes, there may very well be others out here somewhere.”

  Vicaroy frowned. “But where? The maps you showed me were of vast lands, many times larger than Pathins, and none of them gave the location of a city.”

  “Yes, that’s true. But another scroll that I found gave clues as to how to find the Abandoned City. Which, I think, is a reference to Merth.”

  “Merth? Is that the city where Ameris first lived, the city She left in search of Pathins?”

  “Yes. And I think we can find it.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  “I was mad at you, remember?”

  “Right, you weren’t speaking to me. Well, this does change things. Do you trust this information?”

  “
There’s only one way to find out.”

  Vicaroy sat back against the tree. If they had managed to find land, he had imagined them making a life for themselves — alone. They would build a home, a strong one to keep out the beasts. He would have a magnificent garden and he would raise Baya’s children. This life sounded peaceful. Perfect.

  If there were descendants of the survivors still in Merth, what would they be like? Vicaroy was sure it would be more strict rules to live by. He furrowed his brow.

  “Don’t you want to find other people?” Baya asked. She didn’t need Doba to be able to guess what Vicaroy was thinking.

  “I’m … not sure. We left to get away from people. I don’t know if we should spend our time trying to find more people.” He shook his head. “Strangers, with strange customs …”

  “Maybe they’re better than the ones in Pathins and if not we’ll leave again.”

  He had imagined life in the new land as being just the two of them. Much like now, sitting by a fire. It would get lonely. “Perhaps having company wouldn’t be so bad.”

  “It will be the Dark Season soon. We’re much farther north than we had hoped, thanks to the monsoons blowing us northward. Let’s head south along the coast. We should be able to reach warmer weather. Neither of us is used to the cold. I don’t know how to survive in it.”

  “We need fresh plants and game and soon this place could be a frozen wasteland with little of either.”

  Baya nodded.

  “Then we head south and see what we find.” While Vicaroy was not sure how he felt about searching for people, he knew that trying to survive a cold dark season without supplies was not a good idea. They were already too thin.

  He studied Baya’s sunken cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes. “We need to take some time to gather supplies and regain our strength before we try to make our way south. Surely we can spare a few weeks to hunt and gather food for our travels.”