Angrily, Lialt rose from his crouch, stalked to the door, threw it open, then pulled it noisily shut behind him, the trail of his mutterings being abruptly ended by the closing of the door. I knew not what his muttering pertained to, nor did I care, for there was much I must be about. Again, I sat upon the lenga pelt, bringing the leather covering closer so that I might look upon it, yet I could not determine the manner of its donning. One’s clan covering merely wrapped about one’s hips, yet the leather covering was not meant to be done so. I turned it about, seeking a means of entrance, a frown and impatience covering me, and Tarla knelt to my right and sighed.
“Allow me to aid you, Jalav,” said she, an unexplained unhappiness clear in her tone as she reached for the covering. “Men know little of the clothing of women save its removal.”
The female took the covering from me, and at once began to loosen the leather ties to each side of the thing, causing the garment to grow larger than it had been. Too, the small leather tie at the throat of the covering was loosened, thereby enlarging that part of it, and then, seemingly, it was ready to be worn.
“Raise your arms,” directed Tarla as she gathered the leather in both of her hands. I did so, curious as to how one accomplished such a thing by oneself, then watched as Tarla slid the leather upon my arms, then raised the rest for the entrance of my head. There was some pain in the adjustment of the garment, for my wounds, uncovered, were touched by the leather, yet the leather was soft and the pain was not great. Gently, Tarla smoothed the leather down to my hips, then seemed somewhat perplexed.
“The thing is properly done while standing,” said she, nearly to herself, looking thoughtfully upon me. “Perhaps it may also be done while you lie flat upon the fur. Let us make the attempt, Jalav.”
With some misgivings, I lay back upon the fur, for I cared little for the feel of the leather upon me. Its smell was not offensive, yet the feel of it seemed wrong and much against the ways of the Midanna. At Tarla’s urging I raised my hips, bringing twinges to my leg wounds, and the female gently tugged the covering to my knees, then began tightening the leather ties to each side of the covering. When at last the tie at my throat was closed, Tarla reached the copper belt about my middle and secured it by means of a curved bit of metal holding to one of the links. With all seemingly done, I again raised myself to sitting upon the fur, yet did I experience some difficulty in doing so. The leather, though soft and supple, was most confining in its presence, a limitation upon one’s body’s freedom. Much did I dislike the entrapped feeling it engendered, but it was necessary that I bear the torment. Without the garment, Lialt would not see me without the dwelling, and I knew I must be away from there and about Mida’s work. Slowly, I moved my arms within their new leather coverings, considering what adjustments one would find the need to make, should it be necessary to use bow, spear or sword, and Tarla busied herself with the placement of the wrapped furs upon my feet. Strange indeed were the sensations caused by the furs, so strange that nearly did I overlook the deep misery of the girl who aided me. A tear of two touched Tarla’s cheek, quickly brushed away as she adjusted the leg furs, her shoulders rounded as her body bent forward over my legs. No more than a moment did I consider her, and then my hand was upon her arm.
“What ails you, girl?” I asked in a gentle manner, not wishing to cause her further upset. Although the leg furs had already been placed, she did not turn her face toward me, but lowered her head to regard her hands.
“He no longer desires me,” she whispered, a catch coming to her voice as the tears returned. “Did you not hear him? He wishes naught to do with a woman!”
This seemed, to me, an excellent state of affairs, yet the female before me obviously did not see it as such. Lialt, then, was he upon whom she looked with favor, he whom she had spoken of earlier. Again I moved my arms within the leather, feeling the small bite of the wounds, regarding Tarla with some curiosity. Perhaps a word or two of suggestion might suffice the female.
“As he pleases you,” said I, “why do you not take him as sthuvad? Such is not the way of city females, I know, yet might it be accomplished should you feel yourself determined.”
“Sthuvad?” said she, raising her head and eyes to regard me. “What might be sthuvad, Jalav?”
About to reply, I hesitated, seeing the large-eyed female child and her close attention, true innocence seeking an answer which Mida had not meant her to have. No more could Tarla take Lialt as sthuvad than Mida be made to serve the wishes of another, and foolish indeed would I be to attempt the instruction of one such as she. Deeply, I sighed, and then gave to the girl a smile of encouragement.
“Perhaps we had best forget the matter of sthuvad,” said I, shifting my legs with the fur coverings upon them. Much weightier did my legs now seem; an added burden to the soreness of my wounds. “One might recall, however, that males are ever prone to shifting about in their beliefs, now here, later there. That Lialt has once looked upon you fondly may mean that he shall do the same again.”
“Never have I seen him so angered as when he must speak with you upon some matters,” said she, her large eyes yet upon me. “It often seems that you take enjoyment from his anger, yet I know that this cannot be. There is no enjoyment for a woman in a man’s anger.”
“Perhaps a warrior may see that in a male’s anger which city females do not,” I murmured, stretching gently to ease the stiffness in my muscles. Tarla regarded me with greater curiosity, yet I was not of a mind to pursue the comment I had made. Should Mida wish the bereft to know of the true life, she shall undoubtedly send many warriors to assist with the attainment of their freedom. One warrior alone may do naught.
No further opportunity was there for discussion, for it was then that Lialt returned. The coldness which entered with the opening of the door was much lessened, yet this did naught to alter my dislike of the garments I had been given. Lialt, leaving the door ajar, came toward me, and again his anger had been replaced with a grin of amusement.
“Ah, Jalav,” said he, “now do you seem the picture of a proper wench. Ceralt will be much pleased.”
His amusement was as distasteful as ever, therefore I folded my arms and regarded the male coldly. “I know of none called Ceralt,” said I, “nor have I desire to meet one such. And Lialt shall not know the true meaning of ‘proper’ till he has served Midanna as sthuvad. Then shall all things again be proper.”
“No,” denied Lialt, crouching down beside me, a deep satisfaction added to his amusement. “All is proper as it now stands, and such shall Jalav learn well, taught to her by Ceralt. Well am I able to understand that you do not wish to know Ceralt, for his lessons will not be gentle, wench. Yet it matters not, for you shall not escape your due. Come. The outer air awaits you.”
With such words did Lialt then put his arms about me and lift me from the furs. Little effort was required to do so and I liked it not, neither the ease with which I was carried about, nor the words which had been spoken to me. Much like Ceralt was Lialt, dark-skinned and light-eyed, broad and strong. Lialt’s arms about me did not bring the pain which Ceralt’s brought, yet was there a shadow of his brother within him, a shadow which did much to disturb me. How was it that one male might easily be ignored, while another caused himself to be remembered even in his absence? I knew not the why of it, to this fey know only that it is so. There are males about who are beneath one’s notice, and also those who may touch a warrior deeply, causing her great pain. Perhaps Mida may explain the matter; I am unable to do so.
Through the opened door was I carried, Tarla replacing the furs upon her own feet so that she might follow behind, at Lialt’s bidding, with the lenga pelts which were mine. Mida’s light shone down upon us, thin and without vigor, yet bright to the eyes of one so long within a dwelling. Chill was the air, as I had known it would be, as though Mida had withdrawn the warmth of her favor from the land. Thin grass and few trees appeared to the eye within the village, yet not far beyond the dwellings, to my right, lay the beginnings of the forest through which we had travelled. No more than twenty paces from the dwelling in which I had lain stood a tree, large yet nearly leafless, and to this tree was I carried, Tarla hurrying before us to place the pelts upon the ground. With the pelts placed as Lialt wished them, I was then returned to sitting upon them by the male who held me.