Ember of a New World (33 page)

“What do I
need to-trade for my-mittens
,
” she asked?
Kis’tra
laughed and held out a hand to point at a large bundle of flax fiber stri
ng she had traded for already.

“I-charge high price! Good furs
.
” Next to the group, Sv'en sat with a collection of deer antler toys. He had little figures carved from the smooth bone. A little girl was holding an antler carved doll with a tiny leather skirt and rich coloring. Her mother offered a quality piece of obsidian to which Sv'en gave a little bow and a smile quickly snatching the obsidian and giving the tiny girl a pat on the head. Nor'Gar walked back and forth watching the trading and ensuring everything was selling for the right prices. After a short time, he walked up to Ember and gave her a p
at on the back.

“We-do much-better, than-usual. Great-trades
.
” With that, Nor'Gar hurried off to help with an exchange of the yellow rocks which was starting. Ember shrugged at
Kis’tra
, and they both ex
changed a laugh.

Ember stood and walked around to see what could be had. As she walked around, she couldn't help but notice a man from the trade v
illage star
ing at her. He looked like an average farmer with a pointed leather hat and simple robust leather clothing. Ember thought she had seen him before, but was unsure. He gave Ember a wink and walked away suddenly. The encounter left her confused and a little creeped out, but she soon forgot when E'lyse came by and showed Ember a beaver skin with a strap she had pur
chased for her baby.

“I-can, hold-baby
,
” she said, all smiles, with her barely understandable trade tongue. Ember wished deeply
that
she could speak with people more rea
dily and freely. She must sound
very dumb to these people without the ability to articulate her speech. Ember smiled and nodded using the general expression for something of
quality;
a firm shake of her hand, as
though holding a heavy object.

“Good-trade, E'lyse
.
” The trading went well the first day with many wares changing hands. Ember considered trying
to sell her warm ice, or was it
fallen sky? Well, she would hang onto it until the right time. She had seen nothing here which was worth the shiny bobble. Perhaps she might find an object she would need for her journey, or something remarkable. Otherwise, Ember was content with keeping the wondrous object for herself. Ember saw an old woman painting the bodies of traders with intricate designs featuring endless bands of swirls and dots. Beside her, a woman was trying to interest Ven'Gar in some sort of Pot with something inside. Ember could only gues
s that it was the magical brew.

Trading is fun,
Ember mused to herself.

The tribe and village of Nes w
ill one day beco
me what is now
eastern
France. It is possible, given their early adoption of large scale farming and trade, that this very people will one day become a significant part of one of the Celtic tribes of the region. At this point in history, they are not actually even considered Proto-Celtic. Rather, they were an early member of the Cardium Pottery Culture, spanning much of southern Europe. The Cardium Pottery Culture of 5500 BCE would likely have surpassed Ember's own people in their degree of technological advancement and general cultural development.

While observing the Nes, Ember would have observed many noticeable advances including large scale dedicated farming operations, domestication of animals, a primitive well, and a budding textile market. Their pottery would even differ from Ember's, featuring little patterns made by the imprinting of shells against the necks of the pots. However, the technology of the Nes is beyond that of Ember's people, but so too are some of their modern problems. The Nes have crime, murder, plague, and many of the other ailments of large groups of people living closely together, not suffered as heavily by Ember's river people.

The difference in cultures is quite impressive and Ember has much adjusting to do if she is to fit in with the people of this mega-village. Perhaps Ember can learn something from these people. Perhaps they will learn something from her.

With much of the trading completed during the first day of trade, the group had returned to their huts to await the end of the cold season. Some sporadic trading occurred afterward but never anything like the first trade day. Each member of the group helped the trading village, which turned out to be called Nes, in any way they could in exchange for being housed and fed. The influx of labor allowed for repairs and work which would usually have had to wait until the warm season. The result of this work would be increased time for work in the warm season focused around food and growth instead of repairs. Such labor helped the tribe greatly and more than made up for feeding the traders. As the days became colder and the nights became harsh, the tribe of Nes remained indoors more and more. The circular huts turned out to be quite efficient at keeping heat and warming everyone with their large central hearths. Their walls were made of large poles with a lattice of thin sticks in betwee
n, and mud caked in the holes.

Each day
,
the men would go forth to bring back firewood or fresh meat while the women would clean and cook the food and tend to the hearths. Ember and
Kis’tra
had taken to helping E'lyse with her coming child. E'lyse and Gar'ath had moved into
Kis’tra
and Ember's hut. The room was getting cramped, but the more people in the hut, the warmer it was. E'lyse took to removing her skirt and lying with a deer hide over the waist and her swollen belly open to the air. She would have to get up to urinate often, and she merely wrapped the hide around her when she did. At this point, she was better off staying in the hut. Gar'ath kept to his work while Ember and
Kis’tra
took turns watching E'lyse and performing odd jobs where they could. All thoughts of the deaths, speaking with the woman, girl really, from the far
North West
, and the mystery of the Gods of this land had become pushed aside by more pressing w
ork.

It had been a full seven ten-days when death again stuck the tribe. On a chilly evening, a mere three days from the shortest day of the seasons, Duruth called an assembly of the entire tribe before him in the courtyard. Great fires were lit, not only against the cold, but also to light the area as the moon was a mere waxing crescent and not providing enough light. Nor'Gar again translated in hushed tones for his group, though many of the group had picked up a little of the local language
,
themselves.

“A man, known to many as Daker, was collecting firewood and has been found dead near the woods
,
” Nor'Gar continued to translate, “A close examination has revealed a bump to the back of his head, but his skull wasn't cracked and it did not s
eem enough to have killed him.”

Perhaps he just fell and hit his head
, then died from the cold
, Ember thought?
With all of the ice and snow on the ground, it had to be possible. Nor'Gar continued his exact translation
of Duruth’s words
.

“I cannot rule out the chance that this was the anger of the Gods! I can only think of one way we may have angered them so, but
I am not sure yet. That is all
,
” Nor'Gar translated. Duruth turned and walked back into the large hut with some of the Elders. Around Ember
, people
started muttering
and many were in shock. A name kept being mentioned, Brigdha, the name of the young woman from the far north west who had los
t her husband to the sickness.

People said she had cheated death, and many now supposed she had brought the wrath of the Gods upon the tribe. Luckily for her, she was not at the gathering. To allow her to stay, she had been made to work long
periods
and afforded only menial accommodations in the widow's hut, a place where old women and men without family or spouse could live. As Ember and
Kis’tra
returned to the trader's huts, they passed the Widows Hut where yelling could be heard. Ember couldn't make out much of the language, but she clearly heard the word
s
for “killer”, “God”, and the name Brigdha. Ember was becoming worried for the fate of poor Brigdha. The wife of the man who had died the day before Ember
's group started trading, many
ten-days
before
, had been from another tribe and had no place to go after his death. Instead of living in an empty hut, she had moved into the Widows Hut, which would provide the support she needed. Unfortunately, Brigdha also lived in this hut. If she started to feel that Brigdha had brought the wrath of the Gods upon her and her husband, it might explain why Brigdha was apparently being yelled at. Ember had thought to meet Brigdha, but in the last few ten-days she had not run into her. Perhaps she should speak with her. Perhaps she might help. With these troubling thoughts, Ember returned to the group huts to tend to the ever growing E'lyse. It w
ouldn't be long now.

Two mornings later
,
Ember was awakened by loud screaming! She jumped out of bed pulling her obsidian dagger free and standing in a crouch ready to fight an unseen enemy! Ember immediately realized two things: firstly, E'lyse had yelled and might perhaps be starting labor. Secondly, she wore only her breechcloth undergarment an
d everyone was staring at her.

“Too-much, has-happened, to-you
,
” said E'lyse as she sat with a stunned look on her face, in between pains. That was not what she needed to have happen before she went into labor. Ember carefully slipped into her skirt and shirt, and kicked her deer hide bed covers out of the way. When she moved to E'lyse's side, it became evident that labor had set in. The mat right beneath E'lyse's bed was wet as her water had broken. It wouldn't be long now. Some of the others from the group came to the hut now carrying water to heat by the hearth as well as soft leather and dry grass
. The entire morning
,
E'lyse
laid
moaning and sweating heavily. Gar'ath constantly looked over E'lyse, handing her water to drink from a clay cup and a clay dish with some soft food to eat. Gar'ath paced the hut for a long time stopping only to provide anything E'lyse needed. He was more of a wreck than she. E'lyse understood why. She was resigned to what was going to happen. Nothing would prevent the result, good or bad. She was going
to
have at least one baby
or die trying,
and what ever happened, happened. Gar'ath, on the other hand, being a man, felt the need to somehow influence events. He couldn't just allow nature to take its course, but he had to. E'lyse felt sympathy for Gar'ath's feelings of helplessness. Her sympathy end
ed upon the next wave of pain.

Later in the day, E'lyse's painful cramp-like pains became more regular and with growing frequency. The time had come, and she knew it. Several of the others tried to convince Gar'ath to either leave the hut or at least remain out of arm's reach of E'lyse, but he would not listen to their suggestions, remaining beside his beloved E'lyse. With her head in his lap, he stroked her long blonde hair as she pushed and pushed, tears rolling from her eyes. Any thought of speaking in the language Ember understood was gone as she rambled on in her native tongue. Ember understood some of the language now, and what she said sounded less than pleasant. With a crazed look in her eyes, E'lyse pushed again and again forcing the baby forth bit by bit. This was a dangerous fact of life. A woman, the child, or both could be killed during child birth. A woman having her first birth was in the worst danger, such as E'lyse. If she and the baby lived through child birth and the first ten-day, both were probably going to be fine. One could not be too careful until the first full harvest had passed for a baby was a fragile being indeed. If she successfully bore a child, any babies she might later have would probably come more easily and with less danger. Much as men faced life and death when they hunted in the wilds or defended their village, so too did women; in fact, one chance for e
ach person alive in the world.

After a painful but relatively short birthing made
calmer
by Ember's clam and soothing songs, E'lyse lay with her newborn baby boy, Vander, happily feeding on his first meal. Gar'ath had suggested several other names, but E'lyse reminded him who had gone through the pains of birthing the child. She scolded him, speaking in her native ton
gue.

“It felt good for you Gar!
” sh
e said, perhaps half jokingly.

“You didn't seem to
o
hurt by the occasion, E'lyse
,
” Gar'ath
replied
, with a smile. Looking at the blood and gore being cleaned from the floor by the women he quickly conceded. E'lyse and little Vander
lay
together that night
,
nearly inseparable. When E'lyse finally passed out, Ember stayed with the mother and baby keeping them comfy while the baby fed again and until E'lyse next awoke. Ember
decided not to point out the vi
c
i
ous fingernail marks in Gar'ath's legs. She had told him to stay out of arm's reach of E'lyse, but he didn't seem to notice.

Beside the sleeping mother and baby, a small reed basket sat with the placenta inside. No one knew what the placenta was or why it was connected to the baby, but it was considered important to keep it protected until it detached from the baby, a few days after birth.
Such mysteries always fascinated Ember. For a long time she sat staring at the baby and the odd tube coming from its stomach.

The next day
,
Ember made her way to the Widow's Hut to find and speak with Brigdha. As she approached the hut, Ember found a warrior standing before the door. The warrior noted Ember's obvious destination and ad
dressed her plainly.

“Hold! Why, you-come
?
” he
spoke in broken trade language.

“I-come, to-see, woman, named-Brigdha
,
” Ember said. To this,
the warrior gave Ember a frown.

“No. No-one, see-Brigdha. Duruth-say
,
” he spat. Ember was unsure of what to do. She had meant to lend some sort of support to this ill-fated woman and perhaps even try and determine what was going on, but how could she when her very
entry into the hut was blocked?

I should have come long before now
, she thought. Ember figured that a few days, perhaps a ten-day or two, would see the matter old enough for Ember to try once more. With a grimace at the warrior, Ember turned and left for
the traders hut to help E'lyse. She would wait for the right moment to make her move.

Over the next few ten-days, E'lyse and the baby continued their bonding, and life went on, until the third incident.
The first and the second death had been considered by some an accident, or even isolated, but they were followed not three ten-days later by the death of a woman in the woods near the tribe. This time the woman, her name had been Caladis, had apparently re
lieved herself in the woods the previous
evening and had been returning to the
village
when she was killed. Her head showed a similar bump, but not enough to have cause death. Again the tribe wa
s in an uproar with the deaths.

As the people were called to the courtyard, there were many calls for something to be done to cleanse the tribe of the wrongs against the Gods. Several people called for the death of Brigdha to appease the Gods. As Ember and
Kis’tra
came to where the rest of their group stood, they saw poor Brigdha being led from the Widows Hut by two warriors. Brigdha turned out to be a young woman with long brown hair and a simple leather tunic. She had a terrified expression of confusion as many of the tribes people yelled at her. Priest Duruth came forward and lifted his hands in the air to call for calm. Nor'Gar translated word for word, but Ember was starting to understan
d their words much better now.