The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

Hochaman was an ancient, wizened little man with a face like Jerika’s, but he could hardly stand, much less walk. Dalanar and Echozar had carried him on their backs the whole way to the Summer Meeting. He told people he used up his legs on his Journey, but no one had ever walked as far. He had traveled all the way from the Endless Seas of the East to the Great Waters of the West, and spent most of his life doing it. He knew how to tell a good story, had many to tell, didn’t mind repeating them, and would probably be in demand after the ceremonies were over and the games and contests and Story-Telling could begin. The newly mated couples would have to forgo those events this year; they would be in the silence of their two-week trial period. The zelandonia chose that time on purpose. If a couple wasn’t serious enough about their mating to give up a few games and Story-Tellings, then they probably shouldn’t be getting mated.

The chanters were still maintaining their fugue, though it was an entirely different set of them now, as the First began the ceremony. “All Caves of the Zelandonii,” the donier’s voice was still resonant. “You are called upon to share in witnessing the joining of a woman and a man. Doni, Great Earth Mother, First Creator, the Mother of All, She Who gave birth to Bali, who lights the sky, and She Whose mate and friend, Lumi, shines down upon us this night in witness with Her. She is honored by the sacred joining of Her children.

“The two standing here have pleased the Great Earth Mother by choosing to join together.” The sound level from the audience rose with background comments. The ceremony went somewhat faster than the others, there weren’t as many names and ties; Echozar had almost none. He was Echozar of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii, Son of Woman, Blessed of Doni, accepted by Dalanar and Jerika of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii. Joplaya had a longer list of names and ties, mostly through Dalanar to the Zelandonii. Jondalar and Ayla were mentioned. Through her mother, only the names of Jerika’s mother, Ahnlay, who walked the spirit world, and the man of her hearth, Hochaman.

“I, Dalanar, Leader of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii, speak for this couple, and I am pleased that Joplaya and Echozar will continue to live at the First Cave of the Lanzadonii,” the leader said at the end, “and I welcome them.” Then he turned to face the people gathered behind him in the audience, the rest of the Lanzadonii who had come all the way to the Zelandonii Summer Meeting to help sanction the mating.

“We of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii welcome them,” they said in unison.

Then the Zelandoni Who Was First Among Those Who Served The Mother held out both her arms, as though trying to embrace everyone there. “All the Caves of the Zelandonii and the Lanzadonii,” she said, “Joplaya and Echozar have chosen each other. It has been agreed, and they have been accepted by the First Cave of the Lanzadonii. What do you say to this joining?”

There was a sizable number of the people there who replied, “Yes,” but also a segment that said, “No.”

Zelandoni was shocked and, for a heartbeat, at a loss. She had never officiated at a mating ceremony that was not seconded by all the people, If there were any objections, they had always been worked out beforehand. This was the first time she had ever heard a “no” from anyone. Dalanar and Jerika were both frowning, and many of the Lanzadonii people were looking around. Most appeared uncomfortable, some angry. The First decided to ignore the “no” and continue as if she hadn’t heard it.

“Doni, the Great Earth Mother, approves this joining of Her children. She has smiled on this union. She has already Blessed Joplaya,” she said. She signaled them to extend their hands. There was a moment of hesitation, then Joplaya and Echozar held hands and offered them to the Zelandoni Who Was First. She wrapped a leather thong around their joined hands and tied it with a knot.

“The knot has been tied. You are mated. May Doni always smile on you.” They turned around to face the people, and Zelandoni announced, “They are now Joplaya and Echozar of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii.”

“No!” came a shout from the audience. “They shouldn’t be. It’s wrong. He’s an abomination.”

Several people recognized the voice. It was Brukeval! The First again tried to ignore him, but another voice joined his.

“He’s right. They shouldn’t be mated. He’s half animal!” Marona said.

I can understand Brukeva

l, Zelandoni of the Ninth thought, but Marona doesn’t care. She’s just trying to cause trouble. Is she trying to get back at Jondalar and Ayla by humiliating his close cousin?

Then another voice joined in, from the area where the Fifth Cave was sitting. “They’re right. The Zelandonii should not be approving this mating.” It was a man who had tried to join the zelandonia but had been turned down. Malcontents seemed to be joining in just to make trouble.

A few others voiced a similar opinion, including Laramar. She recognized his voice, too. Why is he making a fuss? she wondered. Some of those who objected have strong feelings about it, but he doesn’t care about anything.

“Maybe you should reconsider this mating, Zelandoni,” another voice called out. It was Denanna, the leader of all three holdings of the Twenty-ninth Cave.

I have to put a stop to this, the First thought. “Why would you suggest such a thing, Denanna? These two young people have made their choice and it has been accepted by their people. I don’t understand your objections.”

“But you are asking us to accept it, not just their own people,” Denanna said.

“And most of the Zelandonii have. I know individually each person who has made an objection to this mating.” She looked up at the slope full of people, and though she couldn’t see much in the dark, the ones who objected had the distinct impression that she could, and that she was looking directly at them. “Most have their own reasons, which have nothing to do with this couple. Only a few genuinely hold strong feelings on this issue. I can see no reason why those few should disrupt this ceremony, offend the Lanzadonii, and embarrass the Zelandonii. Joplaya and Echozar are mated. When they have finished their trial period, their mating will be sanctified. There is no more to be said about it. It is now time for the procession, and the feast.”

She signaled the zelandonia, who organized the newly mated couples and led them around the fire, which was starting to the down. When they had slowly made five full circuits, they were led toward the area where food was being served to begin the feast and the celebration, but the joyous feeling of the Matrimonial had been dampened.

The ones who had been delegated began carving the massive haunches of aurochs that had been turned on spits, cooking over hot coals all day. Other, sometimes tougher cuts had been buried in pits lined with hot rocks, along with certain root vegetables. A soup thickened with daylily flowers, which also contained buds and small new roots from the plant, plus ground nuts, greens, fern fiddleheads, and onions, and was seasoned with herbs, was called “green soup.” It was traditional at the First Matrimonial feast of the season. The matured roots of daylilies and cattails, pounded to remove the fibrous material, were mixed with the first of the wild oat and black pigweed seeds, parched, pounded into flour, then baked into a kind of hard, flat bread and served with the soup.

The tiny red heart-shaped berries that grew close to the ground, and were covered with tiny seeds, were familiar to Ayla; she was delighted to see strawberries, piled fresh into bowls. Some that were picked earlier and were getting soft had been cooked into a sauce along with several other fruits and a plant with reddish-colored thick stalks, whose large leaves were always cut off and disposed of. The tart stalks added a pleasant tang to the berries and fruits, but the leaves could make one sick. There were also steamed young fireweed stalks, seasoned with salt from the Great Waters of the West, and watertight baskets of Laramar’s fermented barma.

As the festivities progressed and more fermented brew was consumed, the tension eased. Jondalar thanked Dalanar warmly, his eyes glistening, for coming so far to attend his mating.

“I would have come just for you, but we also came for Joplaya and Echozar. I’m sorry that it became unpleasant. I’m afraid it spoiled their mating, and maybe everyone else’s,” Dalanar said.

“There are always those few who try to spoil things for other people, but we won’t have to worry about coming back to Zelandonii Summer Meetings for our young people to get mated. We now have our own Lanzadoni,” Jerika said.

“That’s wonderful, but I hope you’ll come back once in a while anyway,” Jondalar said. “Who is it?”

“Lanzadoni. You know that,” Dalanar said, then smiled. “They are supposed to give up their individuality and become one with their people, but I notice they use the counting words to name themselves instead, and counting words have more power than ordinary names. She was the First Acolyte of the Zelandoni of the Second Cave. She will now be called the Lanzadoni of the First Cave of the Lanzadonii.”

“I know who that is,” Ayla said. “She was one of the acolytes who guided us into the Deep of Fountain Rocks when we went to help Zelandoni find the spirit of your brother. Do you remember, Jondalar?”