Cloak of the Two Winds (5 page)

She sat down heavily, and Draven jumped up.

"Mates, I feel we are worrying far too much. I took a close look at the witch in her trance, and she didn't appear so powerful to me. Even if she
can
track us across the open sea, as the windbringer claimed, I am not afraid to face her, either here or in Fleevanport. As for Belach, it's true that he sensed danger, but also great power. He did not predict disaster for us, only a long voyage far from our familiar seas. If that comes true, is it so bad? Why did we leave the other boats and go pirating on our own, if not to find some excitement and adventure? So I say we cast away our fears and sail to Fleevanport as planned. That is my opinion."

When Draven sat down, the Iruks looked from one to another. Lonn sensed that now was the moment to speak. Grunting, he climbed to his feet.

"I have respect for Glyssa's intuition," he said. "But in this matter, I must agree with Draven. I may have had bad dreams the night after we looted the ship, but if so they were vague and confusing, and I don't recall them now. I still remember the first dream, in which this treasure brought us wealth. It was a strong, promising dream. We've often talked about wanting more than the life we have now, a richer life such as the Tathians enjoy, with more comforts, less worry about running out of food in the winters. That's why our people took to pirating in the first place. I think this treasure might be our chance for such a life. So I say we stick to our plan. That is my opinion."

He sat down and looked around at the others, trying to judge if his appeal had swayed them. After some moments of silence, Eben stood.

"There is something to be said for both sides," he remarked. "We might have been rash in stealing from this witch when we don't know the extent of her powers. But that is over and done with. So then, supposing the witch finds us? If we're trying to dump her things, or return them, or take them elsewhere but Fleevanport, she'll realize we changed our plans from fear of her, and she'll have that much more advantage. It seems our best choice now is to stick to the course we've started on, and to face the witch boldly when we meet her. That is my opinion."

After Eben sat down, Brinda climbed slowly to her feet. She was Karrol's sister, yet their temperaments could not have been more different. Stoical and quiet, Brinda always weighed decisions at length and was often the last to speak in a meeting.

"It is a reckless venture we're on, mates," she began. "But we knew that from the start. I also put great store in your feelings, Glyssa. But as things stand, more recklessness seems called for. Eben gives me good reasons and besides, we're not likely to sell the loot for much outside of Fleevanport. So let's sail to Fleevanport and see what happens. That is my opinion"

Lonn nodded his approval as Brinda sat down. "Four of the klarn agree," he told Glyssa and Karrol. "Will you two also be guided by us?"

The question was a point of ritual. The dissenters could ask for a vote, but this obviously would not change the decision.

"We may as well," Karrol said. "It's plain you won't see things our way."

Glyssa looked uneasy, but nodded her agreement. "I suppose you're right. At this point, going on with it is probably best. Still, if we had it to do over ..."

"But we don't," Draven laughed.

The Iruks put their hands together in pile. "We will sail to Fleevanport and sell our booty there," Lonn intoned. "This is the decision of the klarn."

"Agreed," they all said, and separated their hands.

"Now let's have some drink and toast to our luck in Fleevanport," Draven said.

The Iruks filled their tea mugs with the purple brandy of Nyssan and drank, leaning on furs piled in front of the fire. Lonn felt the pleasant warmth of the liquor seep into his blood, dulling his apprehensions. Soon he was light-headed and sleepy.

Glyssa stared somberly into the fire and drank almost nothing. When the others spoke of going off to bed, she volunteered to keep the first watch.

"One of us can stay with you," Brinda offered.

Glyssa shook her head. "I'll be fine. I'll have Kizier to keep me company."

The mates climbed to their feet. One by one, they embraced Glyssa.

"Keep a spear close," Eben told her. "And shout out if there's
anything
strange."

"I will."

Lonn hugged Glyssa and kissed her on the lips. "When your watch is over wake me," he whispered. "We can lie together."

Glyssa smiled and tugged the hat over his eyes. "Go to sleep," she said.

Carrying their swords and cups and the half-empty keg of brandy, Lonn and the others crept through the low tunnel to the inner dome. They lit a fire in the oil stove, and piled bed-furs on the sleeping platforms.

Soon the dome was warm, though the squall blew outside with untiring fury. Listening to the storm, Lonn felt a twinge of apprehension, and wondered if he should not go and stand watch with Glyssa. But it was only the wind, he told himself, and soon he drifted off to sleep.

Left alone in the outer chamber, Glyssa put on her leggings and boots, then went to check the entry flap of the dome. Satisfied the knots were secure, she returned to the fireplace.

The ice in the bostull's pails had all melted, so Glyssa emptied them at a place where no furs carpeted the sandy floor. She refilled the pails with seawater from the wooden tub. Green-leafed creatures, the bostulls mostly nourished themselves with light and air. But they needed fresh seawater every few days to stay healthy. Azzible breathed happily as the warmed water swelled his roots. Kizier whispered his thanks, then questioned Glyssa in Low Tathian.

"If I may ask, I am curious about the old man you met outside and then welcomed into your house. I sensed power in him."

"Yes." Glyssa placed the kettle back on the fire. "He is a wise one. He sensed danger in the witch's things. That is why we held a meeting."

"Ah. I observed your formal discussion. I wished I knew your language so I could have understood what you were saying."

Staring dully at the fire, Glyssa shook her head. "Nothing came of it. We decided to sail on to Fleevanport as planned."

"That is regrettable," Kizier sighed.

Glyssa lifted a shoulder and let it drop.

"You are a curious people," Kizier remarked, "if I may say so without impertinence. Among Tathians and Larthangans, you are known as bloodthirsty savages, with no trace of gentleness or mercy ..."

Glyssa smiled wanly. "Such a reputation is useful for pirates."

"So," Kizier said. "But you are also said to be untutored primitives, barely touched by civilization. Yet I've not found you so. I've been greatly surprised at how well you speak Low Tathian, for instance. This would not only permit you to communicate with many people of the Three Nations, but it gives you a grasp of civilized modes of thought."

"My mates and I speak it better than some," Glyssa said. "When we trade at Fleevanport or one of the other Tathian colonies, we stay as long as our money holds out. We drink the mead, listen to the minstrel songs and the discourses of wandering scholars. We admire the Tathians and seek to learn their ways. Many young Iruks do likewise, but not all."

Glyssa had risen and was pouring more oil into the fireplace. "Of our klarn, only Karrol has a strong distrust of the Tathians. And even she has a taste for their mead."

Kizier stared thoughtfully into the brightening fire. "The traditional ways of your people are almost unknown in the Three Nations. This group you call the
klarn
, for instance. It seems to be more than just the crew of your boat. You share the same house as well?"

Glyssa sat down again, hugging her knees. "Yes, a klarn shares all things in common. This lodge house came from my mother's family. It was built by my uncle and his kinsmen. The boat came from Lonn and Draven's family."

"They are brothers?"

"
Cousins
, I think the Tathians would say. They share the same grandmother."

"Ah. So the klarn becomes a sort of second family?"

"Oh, it is much more than that. The klarn has its own spirit, which we all contribute to, and draw from. Iruks believe that all creatures have something to protect them and make them strong. Yulugg have their size, volrooms their tusks, fire turtles their shells and flame, lamnoccs their great herds. The Skeddans and other folk of these parts have animal totems. We Iruks have the klarn."

"Remarkable. And is the number always six—three women and three men?"

Glyssa poured water from the kettle into her tea cup. "Sometime five, sometimes as many as eight. Even more, if there are fledgling hunters in the group."

"And the fact that women and men sail together…How can I ask this delicately? Do you…What are your customs for mating?"

Glyssa frowned at the bostull a moment, then laughed. "Oh, no. There is no…coupling when a hunt is on. That is forbidden. All of that energy is given to the klarn, do you see? But once a hunt is over and the klarn is put to rest, then we are free to choose lovers, within or outside of the group."

"I see. And what happens if a woman comes to be with child?"

"That seldom happens to hunters. But when it does, the woman must lay down her spear, until the child is born and weaned. After that, she may choose to raise the child, or leave it with the village women and take up her spear again."

"The village women?"

"Yes. Some women do not become hunters. They live in the village with the old ones and children. They raise the children and do other kinds of work. They also are free to sleep with men of their choosing, or with other women."

"Indeed?" Kizier sounded amazed. "I must say, your customs around mating and childrearing seem…unstructured."

"Not really. Children always belong to the mothers. Sometimes the fathers help raise them, but more often it is the mother's brothers and male kinsmen. Among the Tathians, women and children always belong to a man. They think our customs strange; we think their ways silly."

"So," Kizier said. "And is there no possessiveness or jealousy?"

Glyssa shrugged. "Sometimes two warriors will fight over a woman, but rarely. More often the woman chooses the one she desires. Tomorrow, when the weather clears, we will take some of the oil and brandy to the village, and give it to our mothers. My mother, and Draven's, and Brinda and Karrol's are all still alive. While there, the men will probably find a girl who invites them to sleep with her. Or perhaps I will invite Lonn or Draven to sleep with me. I have love for them both. Draven brings me much laughter and joy. Lonn is more solemn, but his heart is deep and full of feeling."

"And do they also sleep with Brinda and Karrol?"

"No. Brinda keeps mostly to herself. Karrol is lusty, but she prefers women to men. Anyway, she would not sleep with one of her klarn. She believes it unwise."

"Most remarkable," Kizier said. "I know of other cultures with women warriors of course but, to my knowledge, your Iruk customs are unique."

"We need many hunters to feed our people," Glyssa said, thoughtfully swirling the tea cup. "Of course, some women are better suited to hunting than others. Karrol and Brinda for instance are very tough and strong. I am less so. Someday I expect I will become a wife, perhaps to Draven or Lonn. I think they both would like to have me." She smiled fondly at the thought. "But that is for later. For now, I enjoy the thrill of hunting, and sharing warmth with all of my klarnmates, and that is good, while I am young."

"I do not believe any traveler from the Three Nations has recorded the ways of your people. I only wish I had a scribe with me, to write it all down."

Glyssa looked at him, puzzled. "Why would you want that?"

As Kizier started to answer, the voice of the wind grew louder. It rose to a high-pitched scream, and Glyssa heard a sharp, ripping sound.

She jumped, snatched up a spear and faced the entrance. The door flap was split apart. A gust of snow blew in past the waving pieces—and something else, a wheeling thing of yellow light.

Glyssa stared, fascinated as the spinning light swooped toward her on the roaring wind. Amid the light she saw bulging eyes and tiny teeth working up and down. She tried to cry out, but something choked the sound in her throat.

"Glyssa! Run!" Kizier shouted at the top of his meager voice.

Before she could turn away the wheel of light touched her forehead and sank within. Glyssa had an odd sensation of waking up to find herself there, numb and staring. The spear slipped from her fingers and dropped to the floor.

"Glyssa, come back to us," Kizier cried. "Glyssa!"

But Glyssa had turned and was walking. Her body moved without her volition. Another will had taken control, that of the bulging eyes and tiny bright teeth.

A devil has taken me, Glyssa thought.

She could feel the devil's nature, old and evil, full of knowledge, empty of pity. Inwardly she trembled, yet saw her step was purposeful and steady. She wanted to call out, to scream so her mates would come. But her lips would not move nor her throat make a sound.

She walked to where the witch's treasure lay and opened the large sea chest.