Chapter 19; Shivaree
Lar climbed down to the pool and entered the men’s bath tent. He washed himself. “Lar..?” said a timid voice.
“Yes, Mother. Have you brought it?”
“Yes, Son…I have brought the family marriage mantle.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
“And this…” she stuck her hand into the bath tent doorway. It was a new white robe. “I began to make this for thee on the night after Han died.”
He looked at the robe. As required, it had neither seam nor stitch. It was woven from virgin wool in a single strand carded and bound as it went into the cloth. “I kept it for Thee, praying for this night. Now, the Watcher has blessed us.”
“Thank Thee again, Mother. Please wait for me near Loi’s tents. He took the clean robes and wedding stole and put them on. He went outside.
Kiv waited. He was holding a new pair of sandals. “Thee cannot sit Shivaree in those old raggedy thongs, my brother. Here,” he pointed to a rock, “Sit!”
Lar gave no argument. It would have done no good. He sat as Kiv tied his new shoes. He wiggled his toes in the soft leather. “Feels just right for the seven circles dance, don’t you think?”
“Just perfect little brother…Go get her… May the watcher bless you both with love and laughter.”
Lar hugged his giant of a best friend. “You are the Watcher’s best blessing for me ever.”
“I know…” they both laughed. Lar began his long walk around the camp to Loi’s tents. After the required seven circles of her camp, he stepped thought her gate. In the evening light shining through the cloth sides of her wind break, he saw Loi first. Loi sat calmly, though she was very excited as well.
She had heard the rumors about the Watch Man beginning the seven circles. But, she was more excited by the stories about the stones rumored to be in play. A sultan’s ransom for both the Bride Price and another for the Husband Price. When he arrived, she was waiting in her Shivaree garb talking softly with his mother, her old friend. Sitting quietly next to them, was Jin’s mother, Zet.
All of Loi’s children and friends were waiting just out of sight. Instruments had been located. Brightly colored hats and robes had been put on in preparation for the parading.
Lar came in to her fire without a word. He sat and waited. Loi pretended to be reading an old scroll. She carefully marked her place and looked across the fire at Lar’s mother, as if seeing her for the first time. “Good even time, Sister Lov.”Silently, Lov nodded at her old friend.
Then, she greeted Zet, “Good even time, Sister Zet.” Zet made a silent nod as well.
“Who has business this evening with the Shiree?”
Lov had moved over and sat down quietly by her son. She bowed her head to the carpet, “I have… Sister Loi.”
“Lovely night for a stroll with your son…”
Lov smiled proudly, “I believe that it is an even better night for a Shivaree…”
“Are Thee sure?”
Lar spoke for the first time, “Mother…what are you doing?”
“What a mother must do when her son is paralyzed.”
Zet spoke, “Lar…you are my son as well. Your mother and I haver come to an agreement that you and Jin are meant to be mated.” She smiled at the other two women, “We are sure that today is as good a day for a Shivaree as any.”
Loi looked at Lar, “Do you NOT wish to be mated?”
“I’m not saying that…I’m just confused.”
“About Jin?”
“I am sure that I want her, but does she want to mate with me?”
A little chuckle passed among the three women. Lov spoke, “My darling boy… You are the only who cannot see her affection for you.”
Loi said, “Do we have an agreement about the prices?” Loi would receive one carat per hundred weight as her fee.
Lov looked at Lar, “ Do you have it?”Silently, he handed the soft leather bag to her.
Lov and Zet took out their stones and handed them to Loi. Well over three hundred carats were in her two hands. Without lifting a finger, she had made more value than more than half the hunters this Gathering.
“Let us go then…” Lar helped the three women up. Loi had the most difficulty as she was burdened with the heavy clothes and head gear of the Shiree. Arm in arm, they began the long walk to Kal’s tents. Again they repeated the seven circles with each circle of the camp getting was smaller and smaller. Each tent they passed added a child with a drum or flute or ringing gong to the parade. The parents headed for the Tear Master’s tent. They wanted good seats for the entertainment of the Shivaree, the Bridal Court.
Resting after his evening meal, Kal heard the commotion before he saw anything. The tambors and bells of the Shiree were moving around and around the camp in a slow parade. He grabbed one of the children, “Go and see who is circling my tent… go quickly and return to me…”
The child returned and whispered to him quickly. "Father…It is the Watch Man...”
“The Watch Man..?”
“Yes, Father… and he is making the seven circles of the camp...”
“Whose tent will lose a daughter tonight, I wonder..?” Mav just smiled. She was thinking of the jewels about to enter her possession. She mentally drooled over the Mating Tear and the Emerald. Even She didn’t know about the Ruby that Loi carried. If she was right about the Watch Man, tonight, she would be a rich, rich woman.
Kal sat deep in his own thoughts. He knew two things. First, the Watchman would take a new mate. Second, and more important, there would be a Mating Tear to deal with. As the Tear Master he would have a portion of the Mating Ransom no matter who the lucky girl’s parents were.
The parade had straightened out down the main path way that lead to the Tear Master’s tents. Mav came and sat to whisper, "Look at that old hag, Loi, the Shiree. Surely she will want too large a part of the Tear."
Kal cuffed her away. In a hushed voice he hissed at her, "Hush, woman... I was haggling Shivaree when you were drooling in your mother's hair. Now be off. Make yourself useful. Go set the mating table. Do your job and I… I will do mine!"
The old man sat listening to the drums of the approaching crowd. He wondered who would be summoned to the Tear Master's tent for the Shivaree. A family's fortune could be made tonight if they could trade a daughter for one of the Watchman's sacred tears. Usually they came from deep within the Watcher. They were always huge and of the deepest red.
“No matter who the lucky parents are,” Kal repeated as he rejoiced within. “I will get a portion of this Mating Tear as will the Shiree.”
At the edge of his firelight they stopped. All eyes were on Kal. Mav thought to herself, "How lucky I was to come to the Tear Master's tent. Now he has a son to be the next Tear Master and I will never be in the widow's tent. His demands are few and his temper is easy enough."
Kal stood. "Come, friends, share the warmth of my fire. Let us talk." the Shiree sat on the opposite side of the fire in the proper seats for Shivaree. Lar and his mother were on the honored right side. The chairs on the bride side were empty.” Is some one missing?
Mav came in with her arms around a veiled woman. “This one is welcome here just for tonight.” She took her veil off and he was stunned to momentary silence by the presence of his ex-wife.
"We are honored to share our fire with the Watch Man." He ignored the Shiree.
"There is no place I would rather be. May times I have enjoyed this fire."
They chatted idly for a time, drinking and smoking. Then Kal could wait no longer. He turned to the Shiree. "Sister…why are thee out this night… It is a cold night for walking."
She looked affronted, "True… it is cold… We have a purpose in our travels," she said. "We seek a father."
"A father? Why a father?"
"We seek to sit in Shivaree. Please call the Saddushan."
Kal only needed to look up. The entire tribe waited at the edge of the firelight and the Elders of the Saddush
an were in the front edge of the crowd. When the proper words were spoken they entered the light and sat, filling the Shivaree circle. Their job, as always, was to make sure that the banns are met for a proper Shivaree. The leader, the Saddush, sat in the center wit Kal and Lar and Loi. The people strained to look at the inner circle and to hear every word of the Bride Trial.
When all were settled and drinks were poured, they drank and spat the fiery liquid into the fire and a huge ball of flame lit the night. Kal turned to the Shiree. "Which father do you seek?"
“The father we seek is you, Tear Master. This Shivaree is for the red headed girl, your youngest, Jin.”
Kal was both stunned and excited. He was going to get peace in his tents and he would not have to share the Bride Price. What a night this was going to be! He played coy, pulling on his gray beard thoughtfully, “I do have such a daughter. She is dear to me and comforts me in my old age.”
Hearing this, the crowd roared with laughter. A stern look from Kal brought the noise level down. The crowd was excited. This would be a good Shivaree. It could go on all night. For a People who's life was mean and hard, a good mating trial was a favorite diversion. This was proving to be one for the tellers.
“Though the girl is young yet, I still get many offers,” Kal lied.
The Shiree turned and spat. “With those green eyes and red hair, she scares the young boys! That temper..! Many times I have heard the result of her temper. That girl could frighten a saint.”
Kal forgot the rules of the game and got mad for an instant, “Lies, you old hag!”
To calm them both Lar reached a soothing hand to Loi. “Perhaps my mother was right. I may have been too hasty. I think my loneliness clouds my judgment.” He dramatically hung his head.
Lar was so convincing that Kal got frightened. He leaned forward, "Now, now my son. Don’t be hasty…” The crowd elbowed each other. Lar was too good at this game. Kal continued hastily, “You have not seen my young flower close up." He turned to one of the young women near the food pots. "Fetch Jin. Some one wishes to see her!"
Jin had wormed her way to the front of the crowd. She dared not say a word for fear that she would be discovered at her own Shivaree. Mav had known as soon as she had seen that the Shiree was escorting Lar. She had sent Jin to dress in her best clothes and sit in the young women's tent.
At Mav’s direction, oils had been put on her skin and hair. “This is your special night, daughter. My magic has seen to that.” Then, Mav had left to sit with her husband. Jin had waited for what seemed hours as the parade went around and around the camp had been too much. Once the combing and the primping were done, she was too excited to sit. She had pulled a shawl over her head and crept out the back. She just had to see who was asking for her hand. He leaned back in the light of the fire and she was who it was.
She was stunned. It was the Watch Man. Just as Mav had promised, her magic had worked on this absolutely beautiful man! She was so shocked that she almost didn't hear her father send a girl for her. Quickly she slipped back through the crowd and met her at the door of the young girl’s tent as if she had never left.
Kal was happy to have a breather. He offered drinks all around. He played with twigs in the fire. He looked around, "Where are those lazy girls?" he asked no one in particular.
In his mind Lar was glad that Kal was fighting for this last daughter as hard as he had for the other five. This way, she would have value in the eyes of the People. He smiled a secret smile, “Just wait until they see the Tear that I have brought.” He intended to continue the rituals, though. His People would expect it. He said slowly, as if he had been unaware of her name. "So, Jin is her name. Desert Flower - I like it."
Suddenly she appeared at his elbow with a fresh drink. "You called, good sir. Perhaps thee need a fresh drink to wet your throat?"
He had meant to say some thing brilliant, but instead, he looked into her eyes. His throat went completely dry. His mind emptied of all thought. His only thought now was his need for her to come and be his mate. He reached out and touched her face, still unable to speak.
She put her hand over his and smiled. The electricity of her touch ended any game playing. For the lonely Watch man, the bargaining was over. He brought his hand down and took her hand with it. She seemed unable to let go the connection that they felt.
He moved around to face her. She moved with him unbidden. Soon they were arranged so that she was kneeling on the soft rugs right in front of him. “Will Thee come to be my mate?”
She had planned and dreamed so long for this moment. Now, she found herself totally unable to speak. She opened her mouth to try. She closed it and simply nodded. He smiled a wry one-sided smile with half his mouth. The world around them had ceased to exist.
He was so filled with need for her, a A tear formed at the edge of his eye. She reached out to catch it on the tip of her finger, “I pray to the Watcher that you will only know laughter for the rest of thy life.”
“Will you help me?”
“I will take away your tears, my beloved.”
He said nothing more. He reached into the depths of his robe and mantle, bringing out a brown lump. It was a bag. He opened the soft leather bag that his mother had left him. The greatest Mating Tear ever seen spilled into Jin’s lap. She took it in her two delicate hands. It was too big for both of her hands to cover.
He looked at Kal, extending his hand, palm up, “Will this do as a bride price, Uncle?”
A gasp went up from the People. Jin was unable to speak for the beauty of the gift. She looked at him. It’s beauty was surpassed only by the beauty of the giver. No woman in their lifetime had received such a Tear.
Zet stood. It would probably be her last chance to speak in this tent. She took the tear that Jin had given her on the first day. “And Jin offers this to Lar’s mother. Kal was stunned out of all his arguments. In all of his life, he had never seen such a stone. And, the payment by Zet meant he would have to give nothing return.
It was a stone of legend and story. The tellers would try to describe it as the story of the two greatest Mating Tears. The Shivaree seen this night would be told and retold. His name would live forever in legend as the receiver of the highest Bride Ransom ever offered.
He reached across the bidding space and took Lar’s hand, “Y…yes, little brother… This will pay for the loss of so beautiful a flower from my garden.”
Jin got up quickly and moved onto the large pillow that had been Lar’s guest seat. She arranged herself according to banns as the bride of the man she had chosen so many years ago. She sat by him, slightly behind, shoulder and hips touching lightly. She was filled with joy and sadness at the same moment. Had her sister lived, she would have been glad to be the second wife of this man. She would have gladly shared the duties and work of their home together with her older sister. But, fate had not willed that.
Lar looked at the Saddush, “May I take this one as my new wife?”
The Saddush first looked at his council. They all nodded exuberantly. Then he looked at Kal, “What does the father say?”
Kal cleared his throat. He would soon be the possessor of that Tear. And all it cost him was one worthless daughter who couldn’t seem to keep from fighting with his wife. Still, he managed to look sorrowful, “The loss to me will be great. But, I must follow the will of the Watcher.”
“And…”
“And I except this treasure to replace the one I will be losing.”
“As the Watcher wills… the banns are met… the deal is done.” intoned the Saddushan as one voice.
Jin spoke, adding her voice to intonations of the crowd, “As the Watcher wills…” Then, she whispered under her breath. “Now he is mine and I am his and his alone.”
She folded her hands on her lap as a good wife and waited for her father to come. He embraced Lar and held out his hand to his daughter. She tok it and rose, holding the giant tear gently against her breast. He embraced her as well, kissing both cheek
s. She handed him the tear.
She sat back down quietly as people forgot about her as they pushed and shoved to see the treasure that her father had placed on his table. She cared nothing for this silly stone. Her dreams had come true. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
She sat and remembered back through all those years until a time when Lar had traveled with her family's flocks. Over time, He had lived in their tents with Han during their first years together as mates before they had gone to live in the Mountain. She could not remember a time when she had not loved him, first as a brother, then as a future mate.
Now, it had happened. She was the woman of the Watch Man. Her life would never be the same. She leaned on the strong shoulder of her new husband remembered how serious he had been as a boy. She thought back to their time as children. She remembered how he had impressed the other men by sitting with them and listening to their stories. Some story tellers were good, but none as good as her Lar.
Some storytellers, in fact, were so good at the telling of tales, that, even if you had been present at the actual incident being described, you might not recognize truth of it from the story that was told later about it. Some tellers never varied from the facts and their stories were filled with more truth. Sadly though, their stories were often more boring as well. As Lar had grown older, it was the tellers of truthful tales Lar sought at gathering time for the history books.
Jin had stayed often in their tent as a young girl. She thought back to a mealtime when Han had asked Lar why he never talked, only listened. He had told her, "Before I am called to take my father’s place inside our mountain, I need to learn as much as I can about our People. The more I know of our life and lore, the more I will be able to appreciate the stories I will learn from merging with the Watcher."
Jin remembered being astonished by the fact that he answered all of Han's questions. He had never known a man who talked to his women this way. Her own father would have been angry if her mother or Mav had asked public questions of him at a meal. This wonderful openness just had made her love him more.
Of course, treating his mate well was only part of his charm. He was also physically beautiful. His hair was browner than hers, but, in sunlight, it blazed with a reddish hue. His years of running with the hunting tribes had made him strong and well formed. The scars from the dangerous beasts that he had sought only added a certain manly air to his physique.
His eyes were his most endearing feature. They were the windows to his heart. Sometimes, they could be quiet and a little sad. Then, they would turn on a pence into twinkling sources of bedevilment. Mostly now, they were sad. But, she remembered when sadness had not always ruled his heart so. When he had been happy, Jin had learned to love the way they would dance in all kinds of light. Light seemed to come form them most when he was happy or creating some kind of tale with the men.
Then one day, she remembered the saddest day of her young life. It was the day that she thought that she would never see him again. It was right after the last time that she had gone with her father to the Great City for some trading. When she returned, she had run to Han’s tent to show her the new clothing that she had gotten father to buy her. The tent had been empty. Lar and Han had gone. All of their belongings were half packed, then as if they had not been able to finish, the stuff was just left.
She had run to her mother, “Where have they gone?”
Her mother looked at her with sadness, “They were called to the Mountain, child. The old Watch Man has gone to be with the Watcher in paradise. Lar must take his place as the new Watch Man. I am glad that you are here, now. We must finish gathering their belongings and take them with us to the funeral.”
Jin had helped the other women stow Han’s belongings amongst Kal’s trade goods to take to the funeral. All around them, People were packing and making ready to travel. From all of the away places, the various tribes had all hurried to get to Tear Wadi.
After the funeral, Jin had helped Han and Lov move all of the things around. Lov had moved to the Widow’s tents and Han had moved her and Lar’s goods into the caves. Kal and the People had returned to their away time duties. Jin had stayed to help them settle in. She was only nine summers old that year, but, she made herself as useful as she could. Han was glad for the help. She was learning to live in a new place while she tried to care for her grieving husband. He was getting used to living in the mountain again as he settled into his new duties.
Jin was not allowed into the deeper caves. Lar went down there every day for hours at a time. He looked sad and tired, but, Jin took comfort from seeing that their combined love for him brought Lar back to normal just before the People returned. She had been so proud watching Lar greet the returning tribes for the first time as his father had done. And so, life went on.
She returned to the Great City to live during the year. From that time on, she had only seen him at Gathering Time. Jin loved to stay in the caves and eat with them. She mostly enjoyed sharing their love and laughter for those two years. Then, Han had become great with child and Jin had stayed with her mother to care for Han during the birthing. She, as an unmarried woman, was not allowed in the birthing tent, but, she worked to feed them all and keep things clean for the workers.
After Han’s funeral, Jin had gone with her mother and father, leaving Lar alone with his grief. She was pretty stunned by it all herself. It was nearly the next Gathering Time before she felt like her old self. After Han had died, Lar had shut himself off from human contact for the next two seasons. He barely met the banns of his office, but, he was never seen outside of ceremonial duties. When he was seen, he looked haggard and care worn.
This year, she was finally of age to seek a mate. All during this year’s away time, she had planned and dreamed and wondered how she was to create this dream. That first night, when she had seen him, she struck upon a plan. She would talk to Mav. What good did it do to have a witch in your tents if you could not use her magic for some good. Now, she had proof of the value of her plan.
She, of course had always had a plan to be mated with this beautiful man. In her younger days, she had planned to talk to her sister. There had always been more women in the People than men. Multiple matings were the solution. So, It was common for a wench when she had come of age and see if a first wife would allow another girl to enter their tents as the second wife. The first wife was always the head wife and the second wife had more duties.
Jin, in fact, had never intended to marry any other of the feeble males who had chased her throughout these last several years. She would compare them to Lar. None of them could best him at any match. Still, she ahd been shy, watching him over the last few Gathering Times from a distance. Then, she would dream of him when she was away.
Gathering after gathering, whenever she was free of Mav, she had followed Lar wherever he had gone throughout the camp. She had tried to accidentally run into him every chance she got. That was over now. “No more games for me,” she said to herself. “Now he is finally mine and I am his.” She looked at Mav.
Mav smiled serenely. She nodded to her step mother as if to say, “Well done.” Mav’s magic had done its work. Now, for her efforts, she would gladly pay the Emerald that Jin had promised and, of course, Mav would have sway over the giant ruby sitting at her father’s place at the table. She imagined that Mav was mentally calculating what she would have to give in trade to the devil woman, Loi to keep the ruby intact.
“Not my problem…let the witches slug it out.” She laughed to herself.