The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

Mardena saw a little color rise to her mother’s face as she smiled at the tall, handsome man, and noticed that she seemed to hold her body differently. There was a womanly, sensual quality about her. Suddenly she was seeing her mother in a new light. Just because she was a grandmother didn’t mean she was really so old. There were probably men who would find her attractive.

“This is my daughter, Mardena of the Nineteenth Cave of the Zelandonii,” Denoda said, “and my grandson is around here someplace.”

He offered his hands to the younger woman. She took them and looked up at him. “Greetings, Mardena of the Nineteenth Cave of the Zelandonii, Daughter of Denoda of the Nineteenth Cave. It is my pleasure to meet you. I am Dalanar, Leader of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii. In the name of the Great Earth Mother, Doni, please know that you are welcome to visit our camp anytime. And our Cave, too, for that matter.”

Mardena was flustered at the warmth of his greeting. Though he was more than old enough to be the man of her hearth, she found herself drawn to him. She even thought she heard a certain emphasis on the word “pleasure” that made her think of the Mother’s Gift of Pleasure. She never felt so overwhelmed by a man before.

Dalanar glanced around and saw a tall young woman. “Joplaya,” he called, then turned and spoke to Denoda. “I’d like you to meet the daughter of my hearth,” he said.

Mardena was astonished by the young woman who approached. She was not as completely foreign looking as the tiny woman, though there was a resemblance, which made her almost more unusual. Her hair was nearly as dark, but with lively highlights. Her cheekbones were high, but her face was neither as round nor as flat as the other woman’s. Her nose resembled the man’s, but was more delicate, and her black eyebrows were smooth and finely arched. Thick black lashes outlined eyes that were quite different from her mother’s, though they were similar in shape, if not in color. Joplaya’s eyes were as distinctly colored as the vivid blue eyes of the man beside her, but hers were a brilliant shade of green.

Mardena hadn’t gone to the Summer Meeting when Dalanar’s Cave came the last time. The man of her hearth had recently left, and she didn’t want to face people. She had heard of Joplaya but hadn’t met her. Now that she had, she felt a compelling urge to stare and struggled to control it. Joplaya was an exotically beautiful woman.

After Dalanar introduced Joplaya and greetings were exchanged, along with a few pleasantries, they left to talk to someone else. Mardena was still feeling the warmth of Dalanar’s presence and began to understand why her mother had been so captivated by him. If he had been the man at her First Rites, she might have been as entranced. But his daughter, while unusually lovely, had an air of melancholy about her, a despondency that belied the joy of an impending mating. Mardena couldn’t understand why someone who ought to be happy could seem so sad.

“We need to go, Mardena,” Denoda said. “We don’t want to overstay our welcome, not if we want to be invited back. The Lanzadonii are close to the Ninth Cave, and it’s been many years since Dalanar and his Cave have come to a Summer Meeting. They need to renew their ties. Let’s find Lanidar and thank Ayla for inviting us.”

The camps of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii and the First Cave of the Lanzadonii were, ostensibly, two camps of two Caves of two different people, but actually it was one very large camp of close family and friends.

Walking through the main camp toward the zelandonia lodge, the four women were a compelling sight. People didn’t even try not to stare. Marthona was always noticed wherever she went. She was a former leader of a major Cave and still powerful, not to mention an attractive older woman. Although some people had met or seen Jerika before, she was still such an unusual-looking woman, so unlike anyone they had seen before, people couldn’t keep their eyes away. The fact that she was mated to Dalanar, and had co-founded with him not only a new Cave, but a new people, made her even more exceptional.

Jerika’s daughter, Joplaya, the dark-haired melancholy beauty, who, it was rumored, planned to mate with a man of mixed spirits, was a woman of mystery and speculation. The beautiful blond woman that Jondalar brought back, who traveled with two docile horses and a wolf and was rumored to be an accomplished healer, was probably some kind of foreign zelandoni. She spoke their language clearly, if not perfectly, and she had recently found a new and beautiful cave right under the nose of the Nineteenth Cave. Together, the foursome brought more attention than usual, but Ayla was learning to ignore it and was glad for the company.

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bsp; Many people had already arrived when they reached the zelandonia lodge. They were observed carefully at the entrance by several Zelandonia who were men, which made Ayla curious. As if Marthona knew what she was thinking, the woman explained.

“Men are not allowed at this meeting, unless they are zelandonia, but every year there are always a few young men, usually from the fa’lodges, who try to get close so they can listen,” she said. “Some have even attempted to sneak in dressed up as women. The male zelandonia act as guards to keep them away.” She noticed several more men who were zelandonia standing around the large structure, Madroman among them.

“What are fa’lodges?” Ayla asked.

“The far lodges, the men’s lodges—people always slur it to fa’lodges. They are summer lodges built around the edges of the Summer Meeting camp by men, usually young men, who are past the need for a donii-woman but not yet mated,” Marthona said. “Young men don’t like to stay with their Caves, they’d rather be with friends their age—except when it’s time for a meal.” She smiled. “Their friends don’t restrict their behavior the way their mothers and their mother’s mates do. Unmated men, especially ofthat age, are absolutely forbidden to go anywhere near the young women who are getting ready for First Rites, but they always try, so the zelandonia keep a close watch on them when they are in camp.

“In their own lodges, if they construct them far enough away, they can be rowdy and loud, so long as they don’t disturb other people. They can have gathers and invite other friends, and young women, of course. They become very good at badgering their mothers and her friends for extra food and they always try to get barma, or wine, or whatever. I think it becomes a competition to see which lodge can entice the prettiest young women to visit them.

“There are also fa’lodges of older men, usually those who have no mates for one reason or another, men who prefer other men, or men who are between mates, or who wished they were and want to get away from their Caves or families. Laramar spends more time at a fa’lodge during Summer Meetings than he does at his own lodge. It’s where he trades for his barma, though I don’t know what he does with his trades. He certainly doesn’t bring anything home to his family. Men who are to be mated spend a day or more at a fa’lodge with the zelandonia before the Matrimonial. Jondalar will be going soon, I think.”

When the four women first went in the zelandonia lodge, with only the light from a fire in the central hearth and a few lamps, it felt dark inside. But when her eyes adjusted, Marthona looked around and then led the others toward two women who were sitting on a mat on the floor near the wall on the right side of the open central area. The women smiled when they saw them coming and moved over to make room.

“I think it’s about to start,” Marthona said as they were sitting down on the mat. “We can do formal introductions later.” She spoke to the ones who came with her. “This is Proleva’s mother, Velima, and her sister, Levela. They are from Summer Camp, the West Holding of the Twenty-ninth Cave.” Then to them, “This is Dalanar’s mate, Jerika, and her daughter, Joplaya. The Lanzadonii just arrived this morning. And this is Ayla of the Ninth Cave, formerly Ayla of the Mamutoi, the woman Jondalar plans to mate.”

The women smiled at each other, but before they could exchange many words, they noticed a hush settling over the assembly. The One Who Was First Among Those Who Served The Great Earth Mother and several other Zelandonia were standing in front of the group. Conversations stopped as the women became aware of them. When it was totally silent, the donier began.

“I am going to be speaking of very serious matters, and I want you to listen carefully. Women, you are the Blessed of Doni, the ones She created with the ability and privilege of bringing forth new life. To those of you who will soon be mated, there are some important things you must know.” She ceased speaking and made a point of looking at everyone there. When she saw the women with Marthona, she stayed for a moment. There were two here she hadn’t expected. Marthona and Zelandoni nodded to each other, then the One Who Was First continued.

“At this gather, we will be talking about womanly things, how you should treat the men who will be your mates and what you can expect from them, and about having children. We will also be talking about how not to have children and what to do if one starts that you are not ready for,” the large donier said.

“Some of you may already be Blessed with the first stirrings of life. Yours is a special honor, but the honor carries with it a great responsibility as well. Some of what I will be telling you, you have heard before, especially at your Rites of First Pleasures. Listen carefully even if you think you already know what I am going to say.

“First, no girl should mate until she has become a woman, until she has started her bleeding and has had her First Rites. Notice the phase of the moon on the day your blood first starts. For most women, the next time the moon is at the same phase, your blood will flow again, but it may not always stay the same. If several women live in the same dwelling for some time, often their moon times will change until their blood courses together.”

Some of the younger women looked around at their friends and relatives, especially those who didn’t know of this phenomenon. Ayla had not been told of it, and she tried to recall if she had ever noticed it.

“The first indication that you have been Blessed by the Mother, that She has chosen a spirit to blend with yours to start a new life, will be when your blood does not flow at your phase of the moon. If it doesn’t flow the following moon, you may begin to assume that you have been Blessed, but your moon time should be missed for at least three moons, and you should have other indications before you can be reasonably sure that a new life has begun. Does anyone have any questions about this?”

There were no questions. Except for being told that women who lived together tended to bleed at the same time, it was all repetition.

“I know most of you have been sharing the Mother’s Gift of Pleasure with your Promised, and you should be enjoying it. If you aren’t, talk to your Zelandoni. I know it can be hard to admit such a thing, but there are ways to help, and the zelandonia will always keep your secret, all your secrets. Except for young men just into their full maturity, it is wise to remember that few men can couple with a woman more than once or twice a day, and less as they get older.