The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children 6)

“Danug and Druwez of the Mamutoi are Ayla’s kin. They came all this way to visit her. On their way they met another man and invited him to travel with them. Mother, please welcome Aldanor of the S’Armunai.”

Ayla watched as a young man with the dark good looks of the S’Armunai came forward. “Aldanor, this is my mother, Marthona, former leader of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, Mated to Willamar, Trade Master …”

Marthona breathed a sigh of relief when Folara started to formally introduce her to Aldanor, not the young red-haired giant, and began to recite the strange names and ties of the young man to the older woman.

“In the name of the Great Earth Mother, you are welcome here, Aldanor of the S’Armunai,” Marthona said.

“In the name of Muna, Great Mother of the Earth, Her son Luma, bringer of warmth and light, and Her mate Bala, the watcher in the sky, I give you greetings,” Aldanor said to Marthona, putting his hands up with arms bent at the elbow and palms facing her; then he remembered, and quickly changed the position so that his arms were stretched out and his palms were facing up, the way the Zelandonii made a greeting.

Both Marthona and Ayla knew that he must have been practicing the S’Armunai greeting so he could say it in Zelandonii, and they we

re both impressed. To Marthona, it spoke well of the handsome young man that he was willing to make the effort, and she had to admit he was a handsome young man. She could understand her daughter’s attraction and, so far, was pleased with her choice.

Ayla had never heard the formal greeting of the S’Armunai; neither she nor Jondalar had ever been formally welcomed to a camp of the S’Armunai. Jondalar had been taken prisoner by Attaroa’s Wolf Women and kept in a confined fenced area along with their men and boys. Ayla and the horses with the help of Wolf followed his trail to the camp.

After the formal greetings, Marthona and Aldanor began chatting, but Ayla recognized that while the former leader was being charming, she was also asking pointed questions to learn as much as she could about the stranger her daughter was planning to mate. Aldanor was explaining that he had met Danug and Druwez when they stopped to stay with his people for a while. He did not belong to Attaroa’s Camp, but one farther north, for which he was grateful when it became known what had been going on there.

Ayla and Jondalar had become legendary figures to the S’Armunai. The tale was told of the beautiful S’Ayla, the Mother Incarnate, a living munai as fair as a summer day, and her mate, the tall, blond S’Elandon, who had come to earth to save the men of that southern camp. It was said that his eyes were the color of water in a glacier, more blue than the sky, and with his light hair, he was as handsome as only the shining moon would be if he came to earth and took human form. After the Mother’s fierce Wolf, an incarnation of the Wolf Star, killed the evil Attaroa, S’Ayla and S’Elandon rode back up to the sky on their magic horses.

Aldanor had loved the stories when he first heard them, especially the idea that the visitors from the sky could control horses and wolves. He thought the legend came from a traveling storyteller, who must have had an inspiration of sheer genius to come up with such an innovative story. When the cousins claimed the two legendary figures were kin, and that they were on their way to visit them, he couldn’t believe they were real. The young men got along well and when the two cousins extended the invitation, he decided to travel with them on their Journey to visit their Zelandonii kin, and see for himself. As the three young men traveled west, they heard more stories. The couple not only rode horses, but their wolf was so “fierce,” he allowed babies to crawl all over him.

When they arrived at the Zelandonii Summer Meeting and he heard the true story of Attaroa and the people of her camp from Jondalar, Aldanor was amazed that the incidents in the legends were so accurate. He had planned to go back with Danug and Druwez just to tell everyone how true they were. A woman named Ayla did exist and was living with the Zelandonii, and her mate, Jondalar, was tall and blond with surprisingly blue eyes, and if a little older, still a most handsome man. Everyone said Ayla was beautiful, too.

But he decided not to go. No one would have believed him, any more than he had believed the stories that he heard were actually true. They were supernatural fables, which had a mystical kind of truth that helped to explain things that were unknown—myths. And besides, Jondalar’s sister was a beauty in her own right, and she had captured his heart.

People had been gathering around as the stranger and Marthona talked, listening to the story Aldanor was telling.

“Why are the couple in the story called S’Ayla and S’Elandon, and not Ayla and Jondalar?” Folara asked.

“I think I can tell you that,” Ayla said. “The S sound is an honorific; it is meant to express honor, show respect. The name S’Armunai means the ‘honored people’ or the ‘special people.’ When it is used in front of a person’s name it means that person is held in great esteem.”

“Why aren’t we called ‘special people’?” Jonayla asked.

“I think we are. I think their honorific is another way of saying ‘Children of the Mother,’ which is what we call ourselves,” Marthona said. “Maybe we are related, or were long ago. It’s interesting that they could take ‘Zelandonii’ and so easily change it to mean ‘one who is honored,’ or the ‘special people.’ ”

“When they were confined to the fenced-in area,” Ayla continued, “Jondalar started showing the men and boys how to do things, like make tools. He was the one who found a way to break everyone free. On our travels, when we would meet people, he often referred to himself as ‘Jondalar of the Zelandonii.’ One boy in particular took the Zelandonii part of Jondalar’s name and started saying it ‘S’Elandon,’ giving him the honorific, because he honored and respected him so much. I think he believed that was what his name meant, ‘Jondalar the honored one.’ In the legend, they apparently gave me the honor, too.”

Marthona was satisfied, for the present. She turned to Ayla. “I am being ill mannered. I’m sorry. Please introduce me to your kin.”

“This is Danug of the Mamutoi, son of Nezzie, who is mated to Talut, the leader of the Lion Camp, and this is his cousin Druwez, son of Talut’s sister Tulie, co-leader of the Lion Camp of the Mamutoi,” Ayla began. “Danug’s mother, Nezzie, was the one who gave me my wedding outfit. You remember I told you she was going to adopt me, but then Mamut surprised everyone and adopted me instead.”

Ayla knew Marthona had been very impressed by her wedding outfit, and she also knew that as the mother of the young woman who would soon be mated, she would want to know the standing of the young men, since it was likely they would be part of the Matrimonial Ceremony.

“I know others have welcomed you here,” Marthona said, “but I want to add my greetings to theirs. I can understand how your people might miss Ayla. She would be a very worthwhile addition to any community, but if it’s any compensation, you can tell them that we truly appreciate her. She has been a very welcome member of our Cave. Though a part of her heart will always belong to the Mamutoi, she is a very cherished Zelandonii.”

“Thank you,” Danug said. As the son of the leader’s mate, he understood that this was part of the exchange of information that conveyed status and recognition of rank. “We have all missed her. My mother was very sorry when Ayla left, she was like a daughter to her, but she understood that her heart was with Jondalar. Nezzie will be very pleased to know that Ayla has found such a warm welcome among the Zelandonii, to know that her exceptional qualities are so well received.” Even though his Zelandonii was not perfect, the young man was obviously well spoken, and knew how to convey the position of his family among his people.

No one understood the value and importance of place and position better than Marthona. Ayla understood the concept of status. It had been important even to the Clan, and she was learning how the Zelandonii rated, ranked, and awarded significance to people, but she would never have the intuitive knowledge that someone like Marthona did, someone who was born into the highest position of her people.

In a society without currency, status was more than prestige, it was a form of wealth. People were eager to do favors for a person with standing because obligations always had to be repaid in kind. Debt was incurred when asking someone to make something, or to do something, or to go someplace, because of the implicit promise to return a favor of like value. No one really wanted to be in debt, but everyone was, and to have someone of high standing be in your debt gave you more status.

Many things had to be taken into account when appraising status, which was why people recited their “names and ties.” Assigning value was one, as was effort. Even if the end product was not of the same quality, if the person gave it his or her best effort, the debt could be considered satisfied, though it didn’t increase rank. Age was a factor; children up to a certain age did not accrue debts. In taking care of a child, even one’s own, a debt to the community was paid, because children were the promise of continuity.

The reaching of a certain age, becoming an elder, also made a difference. Certain favors could be asked without accruing debt and without losing status, but as a person lost the ability to contribute, he or she didn’t so much lose rank as shift position. An elder with knowledge and experience to offer could retain her status, but if she began to lose cognitive ability, she kept her position but only in name. He would still be respected for his past contributions, but his advice was no longer sought.

The system was complicated, but everyone learned its nuances the way they learned language, and by the time they reached the age of responsibility, most of them understood the fine distinctions. At any given time a person knew exactly what he owed and what was owed to him, the nature of the debts, and where she ranked within her own community.

Marthona also spoke with Druwez, whose position was equal to that of his cousin, since he was the son of Tulie, the sister of Talut and co-leader of the Lion Camp, but he tended to be more reticent. The sheer size of Danug made him more noticeable, and though shy in the beginning, he’d had to learn to be more forthcoming. A warm smile and willing conversation tended to alleviate any fears his size may have provoked.