Storm Bride (28 page)

Chapter 34

Saotse

T
he Yakhat women were driving
cattle toward Prasa and singing the wedding hymns of Khou. Their songs were slow, majestic things, redolent with the rejoicing of the blackbirds on the marsh and the bloom of wildflowers over the prairie. Chaoare danced above them, lifting their music to the summer-bright clouds, eager to bless the union of her air-bound brother and earthbound sister.

Saotse still could not make out the words of Chaoare’s dancing, but she didn’t mind. Dancing didn’t need words. And Khou was coming. She now did not swallow Saotse with a barrage of grief, but touched her lightly and joyfully as she prepared to rejoin her husband.

Uya stood beside her, humming along with the passing women and gently rocking Tuulik. “I feel odd,” she said. “I shouldn’t be getting married while I’m still nursing a newborn.”

“It is an unusual marriage,” Saotse said.

Uya was dressed in a Yakhat bridal gown. She had described it to Saotse as a red wide-sleeved blouse and skirt that billowed behind her, and what seemed to be a thousand strands of gold, turquoise, and mother-of-pearl hung around her neck. They waited at the outskirts of the city while the Yakhat women brought in the yaks that Keshlik had promised, presented now as Uya’s bride-price. A gaggle of young Yakhat women waited around them, Uya’s attendants, treating the strange foreign woman with deferential shyness and curiosity.

The last of the cattle lowed as they plodded down the path, and the bridal procession prepared to follow them. Saotse quickly translated the last of the inevitable questions between Uya and her attendants, then they set off toward the city.

As they approached, Saotse heard the men singing, low sonorous chants that rumbled alongside the road like peals of thunder. They lined the path from the hill where the procession began, guarding the route through Prasa and to the river, ending finally at the place along the shore where the wedding was to take place. Through Khou, Saotse felt their spears tapping the ground, and as Uya passed them, they laid their weapons on the ground. Khou shivered with delight, and Saotse laughed.

The city smelled of cows and horses, of fresh-cut spruces and seawater. Behind the droning of the Yakhat warriors, Saotse picked out the chatter of Prasei and Yivrian voices, those scattered by the sacking of the city who had returned, and those who had come with the
kenda
’s forces and remained. Ravens cawed from the peaks of lodges.

“Oh!” Uya said brightly. “They’ve begun repairs on the Prasada’s lodge. And that’s not the only one.” She squeezed Saotse’s hand.

They neared the shore. Oarsa’s crashing bellow pulsed in Saotse’s chest, and she suppressed the urge to run to meet the sea. At the edge of the water, his feet moistened by Oarsa’s foam, stood the storm Power. He was a maelstrom barely restrained, a gale rejoicing, thrumming with thunder and smelling of spring rain on dry leaves.

“Do you hear it?” Saotse asked. “Do you hear him? The air crackles with lightning—”

Uya laughed. “Lightning? The sky is clear. It’s just Keshlik and the shrieking of gulls.”

The ground underfoot changed from dirt to wave-worn pebbles. They stopped about halfway down the shore. Uya’s attendants ceased singing, and the chanting warriors quieted. Saotse heard Keshlik’s footsteps booming with thunder as he approached them from up the shore. He stopped just in front of them.

The gravel crunched before them. Through Khou, Saotse felt Keshlik’s knees press the earth, and she felt him present the halves of his broken spear to Uya. As instructed, Uya took the spear and thrust the point of the spearhead into the ground with a solid grunt.

“Blessed be the lord of thunder, who rains and makes fertile the earth,” Saotse intoned, first in Yakhat, then in Praseo.

Saotse heard Uya fumbling for the pouch of salt held around her neck and presenting it to Keshlik. As expected, Saotse heard him take a little salt from the pouch and sprinkle it over the spear, then touch some to his own lips and to Uya’s lips.

“Blessed be the mother of the people, whose breasts delight her children,” Saotse said.

Then Keshlik and Saotse together took the pouch of salt and hurled it into the sea. That action was not traditionally included in the ritual, but both Saotse and the Yakhat elders had agreed that it was needed.

“Blessed be the father of the waters,” Saotse said, “whose tides wash away our tears.”

Uya and Keshlik turned to face each other.

“Keshlik, son of Golgoyat, do you give your spear to this woman for marriage?” Saotse asked.

“Yes,” he thundered.

She said the next line in Praseo. “Uya, daughter of Khou, do you take this man’s spear for marriage?”

“Yes,” she said, and the earth quivered and went silent.

“Then let the wedding begin.”

Casks of wine filled the central square of Prasa. They were shared alongside bowls of kumis and sweet fresh curds. The smells of smoked salmon and roast veal perfumed the whole city, which spurred the Yakhat, Yivrian, and Prasei leaders to quickly formalize the final conditions of the truce, so they could get to the eating. The Prasei beat drums and the Yakhat sang, and gifts of turquoise and rubies changed hands. There was still distrust—Saotse could hear it in many voices, and a few drunk men had to be kept from fighting as the afternoon wore on. But those were the exceptions.

When the sun fell into the west, the feast was unabated. A dance began in the square, the Yakhat cow-maidens teaching the young women of Prasa a salacious dance that prompted guffaws and whistles from the watching Yakhat and Prasei alike. Saotse found a moment when no one was asking her to eat or translate, and she slipped quietly away.

Her feet found again the paths that ran down to the sea. The ways through the city had not changed much, and though most of the lodges were still empty, she remembered the crossings and wound her way down toward the pebbly beach. The grass rustled against her skirt as she wound down the paths, until the chanting of the waves and the grumble of stones on the shore met her ears.

The air was full of the sound of gulls. A rich, salted breeze blew in off the sea. She stepped onto the gravel of the shore, feeling the smooth pebbles beneath her feet, and walked until the cold water rushed up over her toes. The foam of the waves kissed her ankles, and she felt the old, familiar call of the ocean.

She stopped when the waves reached her calves. Oarsa was present in the current swirling around her, and his joy and gratitude churned around her. She heard the singing of the orcas waiting beneath the waves, eager to bear her on their backs once more.

The churning of the waves contained an offer, rising up like an ancient current from the depths of the sea. There were no words, but the intent was clear. She considered it.

“No,” she said at last. “My home is here now. And I don’t know if this old body would even survive the journey back across the sea.”

The waves kissed her again.

She was suddenly exhausted. “It may be a while before I return to the sea. Uya needs me, and Keshlik, and probably the new Prasada and the
kenda
, eventually. And after all, I’m an old woman, and I shouldn’t spend my time chilling my ankles in the seawater. I would like to rest.”

Still, she waited a few more minutes while the sea rushed around her feet. Then she turned with a sigh, walked up the shore, and rejoined the celebration.

akan
- The chief of a village or small town, with authority only over the
enna
in his town.

Azatsi's Spine
- A large mountain range at the eastern edge of Yivras.

Azatsi
- A Power of the mountains, stones, and earth. The mountain range "Azatsi's Spine" is considered his home.

bangag
- A kind of tree which grew in the Bans, used to make rafts.

Bera
- Tagoa's brother.

Bhaalit
[bʱaːlɪt]
- Keshlik's second in command, and speaker for the Khaatat tribe of the Yakhat.

Bhuuyit
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Bhuuy Ban.

Budhut
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from But Ban.

Chalayit
- The largest tribe of the Yakhat, originally from Chalay Ban.

Chaoare
- A Power of the north wind, bringer of good omens.

Choudhap
- Speaker for the Lougok tribe of the Yakhat.

Chrasu
- A young boy from Uya's family.

Chuuri
- A young Yakhat warrior, one of Juyut's companions.

Danut
- A young Yakhat warrior, one of Juyut's companions.

Danyak
- Speaker for the Chalayit tribe of the Yakhat.

Deika
- Uya's father.

Deikhul
- One of the elders of the Khaatat tribe of the Yakhat.

Dhalyat
- A young Yakhat warrior, one of Juyut's companions.

Dheijit
- Speaker for the Tanoutut tribe of the Yakhat.

Dhuja
[dʱudʒə]
- An elderly Yakhat woman, midwife to Tuulo and Uya.

enna
- A family unit consisting of all people who share a living ancestor, most members of which lived together in a communal lodge. The oldest living member of the
enna
is known as the Eldest.

Gaadhat
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Gaat Ban.

Golgoyat
[ˈgɔlgojət]
- The Power of the storm cloud, conceived of as a fierce warrior. Venerated by the Yakhat, especially the men.

Guza
- A people who lived in the Gap and operated a way station for trade passing over Azatsi's Spine.

Hetsim
- A captured Guza slave.

Hiksilipsi
- One of the peoples of the Yivri, often found as shamans and priests throughout Yivras.

Jeoa
- A young Praseo man who brings news of the ambush to Uya's enna.

Juyut
[ˈdʒujʊt]
- Keshlik's younger brother, who is likely to inherit the leadership of the Yakhat armies when Keshlik retires.

Kalagak
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Kalak Ban.

Keishul
- Keshlik's father, who originally heard the call of Golgoyat.

Kenda
[ˈkɛnda]
- The ruler of the Yivriindi, who comes to the aid of the Prasei. "Kenda" is properly a title, not a name, but the given name of the Kenda does not occur in this story.

Kendilar
- The capital city of the Yivriindi, a people who lived south of Prasa and the Prasei.

Keshlik
[ˈkɛʃlɪk]
- A Yakhat warrior, the leader of the war bands of the Yakhat at the time of the story.

Khaatat
[ˈkʰa:tət]
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Khaat Ban. The primary Yakhat characters in
Storm Bride
belong to the Khaatat tribe.

Khou
[kʰoː]
- The Power of the earth, protectress of women and source of fertility. Venerated by the Yakhat, especially the women.

Kouchuk
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Kouk Ban.

Kourak
- The city-dwelling civilization which attacked the Yakhat and drove them off the Bans.

kumis
- A drink made of fermented mare's milk. (This is is not an invented word, but is rather the name of an actual drink found in Central Asia.)

Lagayit
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Lagay Ban.

Lashkat
- Keshlik's horse.

Lochat
- An elder of the Khaatat tribe of the Yakhat, Bhaalit's father-in-law.

Lougok
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Louk Ban.

Lunelori
- The Power of the night sky, the protector and patron of the Yivriindi.

Mariku
- One of Uya's aunts.

Narista
- The heir to the Kenda, and future Kenda-to-be.

Nei
[nej]
- Uya's great-grandmother (though Uya calls her simply "grandmother" in the book), and the Eldest of Uya's enna.

Oarsa
[ˈwarsa]
- The Power of the deeps of the sea, a benevolent protector of mankind.

Oire
[ˈwire]
- Uya's mother.

Palam
[ˈpalam]
- A Yivrian emissary send from the Kenda's household to gather support for the Kenda from the outlying villages of the Prasei.

Prasa (city)
- The capital city of the Prasei, a major center of trade located at the mouth of the Prasa river.

Prasa River
- A river which flows from Azatsi's Spine to the White Mouth Bay, one of the major waterways of Yivras.

Prasei
- The inhabitants of Prasa and its surrounding areas.

Prasyala
- The Power of the river Prasa, venerated by the Prasei.

Pruyit
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Pruy Ban.

Rada
- Uya's husband.

rugei
- The name given by the Prasei to the short-lived people whose homes were on the other side of the sea. The word
rugei
is the plural form, the singular form being
ruga
.

Ruhasei
- The people from the village of Ruhasu.

Ruhasu
- A minor fishing village near Prasa.

Rushyak
- A young Yakhat warrior, one of Juyut's companions.

Saoleka River
- A tributary of the Prasa River, which flows through the high plains north of Prasa.

Saotse
[ˈʂawtse]
- An elderly woman with a profound connection to Oarsa. Saotse was originally from a cold region across the sea, but she was called across the sea by Oarsa at a young age.

Suroei
- An island at the mouth of the White Mouth Bay, where the Prasei and the Kaleksha traders met.

Tagoa
[ˈtagwa]
- A Praseo man from the village of Ruhasu, who takes in Saotse after she flees from Prasa.

Tanoutut
- One of the tribes of the Yakhat, originally from Tanout Ban.

Tashnat
- An elder of the Khaatat tribe of the Yakhat.

The Gap
- A pass through Azatsi's Spine, one of the only places where it's possible to cross the mountain range.

Tliqyali
[tɬiˈʔʲali]
- A Hiksilipsi woman who helps Saotse during her time with the Kenda.

Tsingris
- The largest city in Yivras, a center of trade and craftsmanship located far to the south of Prasa.

Tuulik
- Tuulo's son.

Tuulo
[ˈtuːlo]
- Keshlik's wife. Like Uya, she is pregnant with her first child at the start of the story.

Uya
[ˈuja]
- A young Praseo woman, who is pregnant with her first child at the time of the story.

Vanasenar
- The semi-legendary leader of the Yivri and ancestor of the Kenda.

Vanavar
- The capital settlement of the Hiksilipsi.

Yakhat
- A semi-nomadic herding and raiding people from the far side of Azatsi's Spine.

Yivri
- A group of closely-related peoples and cultures who lived on the west side of Azatsi's Spine. The region in which the Yivri lived was known as Yivras.

Yivriindi
- One of the peoples of the Yivri, living in the center of Yivras.