Sharon Green - Jalav 5 - To Battle The Gods

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Jalav 5: To Battle The Gods

by Sharon Green

CH 1. An arrival-and a decision disputed

Mida's light touched me strongly where I sat upon my kan, not so strongly as it had in the lands of

Midanna, yet sufficiently warming in what was, in truth, the land of males. The skies were bright and

clear of clouds, the land all about us open and green, and beyond the rise of ground we had halted

behind lay the city of Bellinard. I had returned at last to the place where my sister clans awaited me,

warriors who would follow me into battle against the coming strangers, and I would have rejoiced at my

return-had my humor not been so foul.

"Now comes Ennat," said Chaldrin from where he sat his own kan nearby; the rumble of his words did

not intrude upon my thoughts. "As Wedin and Dotil accompany her, the wenches are likely all in their

assigned places."

"More quickly than the legions of Sigurr," said S'Heernoh, amused, as he often was. The male who was

called Walker sat his kan somewhat behind, his observation exceedingly soft, yet not so soft that I was

unable to hear it. Few others would have had the courage to jest in my hearing just then, yet S'Heernoh

always faced my displeasure with little more than innocent curiosity.

"Though the Sigurri are warriors, still they are no more than males," said Ilvin to S'Heernoh, amused

herself. "Midanna are true warriors, and take the field of battle more swiftly and with greater eagerness."

"Not to speak of the fact that there are more than twice the number of Sigurri than Midanna," said

Chaldrin calmly. "The Sword will see them properly deployed, and then he and Aysayn will join us as

agreed. They undoubtedly give thanks, as do we, that this journey is done at last."

That this journey is done at last. Chaldrin's words caused me to consider the journey just completed and

the manner in which it had begun. I, Jalav, once war leader of the Hosta clan of Midanna, had set out

with my Hosta warriors to retrieve the Crystal of our goddess, stolen from us by northern males. First

had there been the city of Bellinard, ruled then by males, a place where I and a small number of my

warriors had been enslaved. It was there that Ceralt and Telion had bought me, two males with unspoken

purposes of their own; we all ended at last in the city of Ranistard. After much struggle, the lives of my

warriors lost at the time of the theft of the Crystal had been avenged, yet had our Crystal, and the one

which should have been guarded by the Silla clan, and a previously unknown third, all been irretrievably

lost to the males of Ranistard. They had placed the Crystals within a device of evil, a device supposedly

of the Ancients, and the device could not again be made to release them.

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I sighed at the memory of that doing, for the males had thought to use the device to speak with the gods,

yet they reached beings they had not envisioned. Strangers were they, who claimed kinship with us, who

then spoke of coming to "civilize" us in a manner unspecified, yet one which disturbed all who listened.

The males had retired to discuss the matter, paying no mind to the Midanna warriors who were about,

for the Hosta had been taken as captives by them, to be held and used as mere city slave-women.

And yet Jalav had shown that she was not one to be dismissed! Despite the agony of a lashing, I had

escaped over the wall of Ranistard with the burning need to bring others to help free the sister Hosta,

had survived, with the aid of the goddess Mida, wounds which should well have been crippling or fatal,

had withstood, with great difficulty, the capture of Ceralt and his Belsayah riders, only to be at last

brought before the goddess Mida to learn that the Hosta might not be freed. Jalav was meant to be war

leader to all nine of the other clans of sister Midanna, and could succeed only if the Hosta remained

captives, leaving Jalav as one who would not favor any clan above the others.

I shivered with the memory of my time with Mida. I had been brought to her by Ceralt, High Rider to

those village males called Belsayah, he who had attempted to claim and hold me as his own, and had not

known he moved to the will of the goddess. Ceralt thought to seek the aid of Sigurr, dark god of males,

against the coming strangers, and therefore we had all journeyed to Sigurr's Peak and the altar which lay

in the heart of it. Indeed we succeeded in finding the dark god, but his realm and Mida's lay side by side,

and both god and goddess wished me to lead their warriors against the coming strangers.

With heavy heart yet fierce determination, I had led the nine clans of sister Midanna against Bellinard

and had taken the city, then had I ridden to the land of the Sigurri, those male warriors who worshipped

Sigurr as Midanna did Mida. In Bellinard I freed four Sigurri captives, for I had been told by Sigurr and

Mida, they might lead me to their city so that I might raise their host to ride and fight beside Mida's. One

of the four had been Mehrayn, a red-haired male of great strength and odd humor, who had proven to be

a Prince of the Blood among the Sigurri, called Sigurr's Sword for he led the dark god's legions into

battle. Again there had been difficulty, as well as capture and enslavement, during which Chaldrin had

proven himself a true brother to me, yet we succeeded in returning Aysayn, the rightful Sigurr's Shadow,

to his proper place where he had gladly obeyed Sigurr's will and pledged the city's legions to stand

against the coming strangers.

It was then that I had learned that all of Mida's terms had not been met, that there was one additional

task I must attend to before I might return to my own. I had often called myself war leader to all

Midanna, but at the time, that was simply not so. Without the Silla, who lay in capture to the males of

Ranistard along with the Hosta, the clans of enemy Midanna also numbered nine. It became my task to

assume the leadership of these Midanna as well, yet I could not ride toward their lands alone as I had

wished to do. Each time I had turned about I had found another in my path, among them Mehrayn and

Chaldrin and S'Heernoh. Mehrayn desired me as Ceralt had, Chaldrin had pledged himself to stand

beside me in battle, and S'Heernoh-S'Heernoh had appeared from out of the forests, had joined our

traveling set, and had given more assistance than he, unarmed, should have been able to do. Also was

S'Heernoh a Walker, one who was able to reach the White Land and walk the Snows of what-shall-

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occur, and therefore had been able to aid those of the then-enemy clans as well. At last I had

accomplished the will of the goddess and had become war leader to those who were no longer enemies,

and then had they and I and the Sigurri legions and the males who led them, all made the journey to

Bellinard, where the balance of my warriors waited.

The journey had now been completed, though we could not have anticipated it.

"Had this journey continued for many feyd more, the numbers to reach this place would have been

considerably fewer," said Ilvin. "Never had I envisioned such difficulty as that which arose when

Midanna and Sigurri attempted to ride beside one another. They are males, I know, and therefore as

strange as all males, yet I had not expected their strangeness to engulf warriors as well."

"It could not have occurred otherwise," said S'Heernoh, with a sigh. "The wenches, never having had

men in such numbers available to them, happily sought to avail themselves of the bounty, seeking all

about for those who would please them most. The men, eager themselves for the taste of wenches who

were also warriors, vied for their attention as though they were boys just become aware of their

manhood. That two or more men would come to hard words over a single wench was inevitable, as

inevitable as some men's belief that they might take what wench they wished. That no more than two

score were wounded or killed because of those hard words is truly the thing to be wondered at, for I

would surely have expected more. What number were lost in attempts to use force, I have no idea."

"Nearly two hands of males and four warriors," said I in a growl. "All save three of the males were seen

to by the warriors they considered no more than city slave-women; the rest ended by Mehrayn and

Aysayn when they learned of the harm given the young warrior who was made to serve them. Three of

the warriors who attempted to force the use of Sigurri were ended by those Sigurri, the fourth I saw to

myself when I saw the deep humiliation and fury of the male, and the laughter of the warrior who cared

naught that he could not bring himself to raise weapon to her even in vengeance. No other stood with her

in her arrogance though she called upon them as sisters, and her efforts to keep my point from her flesh

were equally unsuccessful. Go and see what those about the city do now, Ilvin."

"They do as they have done for the past hin," came the voice of Ennat as she drew rein beside me, as

calm as Chaldrin. Large was this Ennat, brown-haired and brown-eyed and newly come to the position

of Keeper of the clans which had so lately been enemies to those whom I led. That I rode in Mida's name

was clear to her, as clear as her gladness that her clans now did the same. Her Keeper's covering, ankle-

length as befitted her station and of all the colors of her clans, hiked up high upon her thighs to allow her

a seat upon the kan she rode. Always impatient, Ennat the Keeper did not indulge in the niceties of her

new office; rather than allowing herself to be carried about upon a Keeper's seat, she straddled a kan and

rode where she willed.

"Are we not yet prepared to ride forth and brace those who lay siege to the city?" asked Ennat, sounding

more like a warrior than a Keeper. "For what reason do we delay?"

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"We must await the arrival of Aysayn and Mehrayn," said I, calming the dancing of my kan with a

stroking hand to his neck. "To advance unnecessarily before all of one's forces are properly placed

would be foolish. I will not be delayed in reaching the city because of fearful attack from those we will

ride toward."

"The males remain encamped, Jalav," said Ilvin, for she had crept to the crest of the hill to observe those

about the city. Her long, pale hair was cinched by war leather, as was mine and each Midanna who rode

with us including Ennat, and the blue of her clan colors about her hips was sharp against the green of the

grass she lay upon. Her Hitta blue was somewhat different than the Summa blue upon Wedin and Dotil,

but clan differences were forgotten in the face of the unity Midanna now enjoyed.

"A knot of the males seem prepared to approach more closely to the walls of the city," said Ilvin, her

light eyes keen. "Should they be foolish enough to attack, they will learn that those within have little

need of the force which rides with us. I see forms upon the walls, clearly Midanna, yet can't make out

their clan."

"We will learn soon," said S'Heernoh, his words drawing my eyes to his tall, lean, gray-haired form.

"The Prince of Sigurr's Sword and Sigurr's Shadow now approach."

His words were truth, for beyond him, to our left, I was able to see Mehrayn and Aysayn riding calmly

toward us. The two Sigurri, the first red-haired and green-eyed, the second light-haired and brown-eyed,

both large and well-made, rode leisurely, which annoyed me. Behind them were the two Sigurri

warriors, Gidain and Rinain, who had ridden with my set from their city, all four seeming to ride just to

pass the hind of an otherwise idle fey. I was tempted to berate the males, but that would only have

delayed us further. Though the males had earned the right to be named brother to me, supreme war

leader, still were they, above all else, male.

"Our legions will not show themselves save at our signal," said Aysayn as he and the others joined our

set, his dark eyes filled with satisfaction. "And, as I see by the presence of Ennat, Wedin and Dotil that

the wenches have also been deployed, there is little reason for us to remain behind the shoulder of this

rise. Let us advance now, and learn for what reason those men besiege the city and the wenches within

it."

"Their reasons may well relate to the coming strangers," said I, frowning thoughtfully. "Yet how

knowledge came to them concerning the place the strangers would appear I know not, for Mida spoke

directly to me. Much do I doubt that Mida would have spoken to them in the same manner."

"Indeed, your goddess Mida speaks to few beyond her own Midanna," said Mehrayn, seeming amused.

"Little does she give others, save perhaps an occasional boon."

My annoyance flared at his amusement, an amusement I had had far too much of in the previous feyd.

My humor had grown so foul during the journey just past that I would have welcomed battle of any sort,

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even beyond a Midanna's ever-present eagerness for it. Had the male been raised properly as a Midanna

warrior, he would not have refused my need to bare blades considering even my vow that no more than

first blood would be spilled. His refusal had remained adamant and his amusement undiminished, and no

other had there been among Midanna and Sigurri who might reasonably have faced me with a skill near

to my own, save for Aysayn and Chaldrin. Aysayn, he who was called Sigurr's Shadow, might well have

been convinced to join what he termed sport, yet had Mehrayn spoken a refusal for him, and he had

abided by the wishes of his brother. Chaldrin, unlike the others, truly a brother to me, would have faced

me had I asked it of him, yet I refrained from asking. Despite his undeniable skill I felt I had already

taken the measure of Chaldrin, and to do so again would have brought little pleasure.

"They most certainly could not have learned of the thing from the Snows," said S'Heernoh, sounding

sour at the thought of the efforts he and I had wasted in attempting to reach the White Land. "Once again

does that damnable fog cover the paths of that-which-is-coming-to-be, barring all from looking upon it. I

dislike this, lady war leader, for I feel it greatly unwise to continue on in so bold a manner while we are

blinded and bound. Perhaps it would be best if we were to bide our time, observing these others unseen

the while, and then consider . . . ."

"We ride now," said I, not dissuaded, my eyes fixed only on the path which would take me forward and

on toward the meeting with the strangers. This, the coming battle, was the last of the duty demanded of

me by the gods, the last I would consider attempting. Were I to survive the battle, no longer would I be

chosen, no longer would there be so great a number of others looking to me for leadership. Jalav would

be Jalav's alone, to ride and do as she wished, to concern herself with neither gods nor warriors nor

males. No delay to this end would I brook, no words of male-like caution would I allow to slow me, for

males were well-known to dither and delay, as true warriors rode ahead boldly.

Rather than await further converse I put heels to my kan and moved ahead, finding that Ennat, Ilvin,

Wedin, Dotil and Chaldrin accompanied me without hesitation. Ilvin had reclaimed her kan and rode

beside Chaldrin, her hand going briefly to her sword to loosen it in its scabbard, her position to

Chaldrin's left, where she might guard the male were we to abruptly find ourselves in the midst of battle.

The male, of a size with Mehrayn and Aysayn, dark of hair and eye and powerfully built as warriors

were not, smiled faintly at Ilvin's doing and made no attempt to deny it. Though he knew as well as I

that his blade skill far outstripped that of Ilvin, he would not dismiss the Hitta's concern for him with a

mere gesture of amusement. The protection offered by a Midanna warrior would be accepted in the spirit

in which it was given, though no other males save Sigurri seemed able to do likewise. To all others

Midanna warriors were wenches, a foolish male notion they would soon be abused of.

Before the brow of the rise was topped, our full set rode together. Aysayn and Mehrayn seemed

concerned by the disturbance of S'Heernoh, yet not to so great an extent that they spoke of it. All eyes

joined mine in looking ahead toward those whose ranks we approached, those males who had camped

about the city in demand unknown to us. To our right were the males from the city of Galiose, the city

Ranistard where the Hosta lay captive and unable to free themselves. Thigh-length coverings of cloth in

many colors did these males wear, and among them moved those of Galiose's guard who were clad in

metal and leather above their coverings. Most of them continued to sit and lie about the camp they had

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made, inert, no expectation that soon they would be called into battle. They lazed beneath the warmth of

Mida's light, some attempting to follow what occurred nearer to the city, most more concerned with

feeding.

To our left was the second force which had come to that place uninvited, a force different from the first.

Clad in leathers were these males, silver belts glinting and flashing in the light, many bare-chested in the

warmth they were surely unaccustomed to. Belsayah riders they were, and perhaps Neelarhi riders as

well, those from the villages to the far north, those who followed Ceralt and Lialt. Those from Ranistard

held my sister Hosta in captivity, and had held me as well; those from the villages had looked upon my

capture among them as right and fitting, even honorable. Had my humor been sweet and light-hearted to

begin with, surely would sight and memory of those males have turned it foul and black as Sigurr's soul.

My left hand closed about the reins I held, forcing the thick leather into my palm and fingers, the distant

knowledge of pain aiding me in keeping my right hand from my sword hilt. Were I to attack those males

as I so achingly wished to do, the Midanna at my back and those in the city would surely join me, and at

the moment I could not allow that. It remained necessary to consider the coming strangers, yet it would

not be necessary to do so forever.

A space of surprising size separated the two forces, as though they who camped with a single purpose

nevertheless did so as reluctant allies, and it was this space toward which we rode. A good deal of

movement was to be found in both camps, some moving about on foot, some riding upon kand or

lanthay, few looking about behind themselves, for where would come a force able to threaten them?

Males are foolish, most especially in their smug assumption of superiority despite evidence to the

contrary; my set was already within the space and riding toward those who led the two forces before

most were even aware of our presence. That we rode briskly and with purpose yet not in attack set them

to staring rather than preparing for defense, and their foolishness brought a curl to my lip even as Ennat

snorted in scorn. Does one stand behind those one follows, purportedly guarding the back of one's

leader, and allow strangers to approach without challenge? Does one assume that a small force is not the

vanguard of a larger force without carefully looking about? The males we rode past were, like all males,

thoughtless and foolish and completely lacking in all battle knowledge, fit only for standing aside while

true warriors saw to the safety of all.

Nearly had we reached the front of the host before any thought to bar our way. Two hands of leather-and-

metal-clad males ran from our right, an equal number of village riders appeared to our left, and no

longer was there a clear path to those we sought. The males stood with swords drawn, grimly

challenging our right to advance farther, mindlessly discounting the fact that we were mounted and they

on foot. I considered showing them how badly they would fare against mounted, galloping attackers

without the aid of spears, however I did not come to battle with them. If we had to engage them before

we faced the strangers, they would learn soon enough.

"Halt!" shouted one of Ranistard, standing somewhat ahead of his set, obviously outraged as he looked

at Aysayn and Mehrayn, who rode to my left. "Who are you, and what do you do here?"

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"We seek Galiose and Ceralt," said I, drawing the male's eyes as we slowed and halted not far from him,

the others making no attempt to respond. "Should you wish to inform them of our presence, you may do

so; if not, step from our path so that we may announce ourselves."

"I know you, wench," said the male in a tone of impatient dismissal. "Even if I could not see you, your

arrogance would shine forth clearly. The High Seat will deal with you in his own good time, and till then

you will remain silent. You there, you men! Who are you, and for what reason do you come here?"

Aysayn and Mehrayn grinned with the amusement of children of the wild before the launching of feral

attack. To my right, Ennat growled deep in her throat, keeping herself silent only through warrior

strength. Chaldrin sat with his big hand about the arm of Ilvin, lending his calm to ease her fury. Had my

Midanna not been warned of the insolent, insulting words which would likely be addressed to me, surely

would battle have been joined upon the moment. Such a doing I had refused to them and to those others

who rode with us, for there were matters of greater moment than insult before us.

"They come here in company with me," said I to the male, letting him know that I alone would speak for

my set. "Will you inform Galiose of our presence, or must the High Seat discover us through his own

efforts?"

"The High Seat will find great delight in discovering you, wench," returned the male in a growl, his gaze

having once again returned to me. "There is much yet to be given you for the difficulty you caused him,

and wise would you have been had you continued fleeing from us. The High Seat is not a man to be

denied his due."

With such words did the male address Jalav, war leader of the Hosta and of all the Midanna, chosen of

Mida and the dark god Sigurr, she who had raised the legions of Sigurr to ride to battle beside the

warriors of Mida. When in capture in Ranistard it had been necessary to swallow such insult for I had

been unarmed; no longer was the war leader Jalav unarmed, no longer did she have the patience for

swallowing insult. Slowly yet with great deliberation did I allow my yellow and brown kan to dance

forward till I stood no more than a pace from the male, and then looked down upon him.

"Jalav has ever been willing to give males their due," said I with great softness, holding his gaze as a

frown formed upon his brow. "Have you skill with that weapon you hold in your fist, male, or do you

merely wave it about in an attempt to frighten? When one speaks words of insult and challenge, one had

best be prepared to stand behind those words with sword in hand."

"I see," said the male with an impatient nod, his fist tightening about the hilt he held. "You now have

men upon whom to call, therefore do you feel free to increase your insolence with other men. So you

believe a captain of the High Seat's guard would refuse challenge, do you? Learn, then, how greatly you

err. Which of you men mean to face me?"

The male had turned his demand toward Mehrayn, Aysayn and Chaldrin, glaring about at them as

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though it had been they and not I who had spoken of challenge, leaving me to look upon him with a lack

of understanding. The male did not seem prepared to refuse challenge, and yet he looked about at others

rather than toward she who had issued that challenge. I had allowed my temper free rein so that I might

more quickly win our way through the obstruction in our path, in no manner expecting confusion to

ensnare me more strongly than would the presence of eight hands of males rather than four. Behind me

Chaldrin's deep chuckle sounded softly, oddly joined by the same from Aysayn and Mehrayn, and

curiosity gave voice to my confusion.

"For what reason do you look toward others of my set?" I asked, seeing the male before me also appear

confused, seemingly at the amusement of the three Sigurri. "Should you feel that those others would be

bested more easily than I, allow me to assure you that you are mistaken. Although they are male, they

are warriors as well, and easily able to best any who stand before them. You gain naught by seeking to

face them rather than this warrior."

"You believe I would face a female?" demanded the male, outrage so thick upon him as he glared at me

that those who had chuckled earlier now did so again. "Even were there sufficient females about so that

all men might have their own, still would I refuse to face one over a sword! You and your wenches are

arrogant and insolent and greatly in need of firm punishment, girl, yet to be sworded is not to be

punished. And even were it so, I would not slay the one my woman has such great regard for; such a

thing would sit ill between us."

Still did the male glare upon me with anger, now firmed to decision. Within me I felt the surge of anger

which ever came at the belief of males that Jalav would fall before them, yet was the anger this time

smothered beneath the ache of another thing.

"You-are one of those who hold a Hosta?" I asked, also finding myself startled. I had not thought any

save hunters and some few warriors had taken the Hosta, none of those of the metal-and-leather ilk

among them. The male gazed deeply into my eyes at the query, and faintly did a smile touch his lips.

"The wench became mine when the hunter who had brought her to our city gave up all claim to her,"

said he, the memory deepening his amusement. "He had attempted to teach her to obey him, had not

succeeded, and had grown weary of hearing his lacks recited by the High Seat. As I had no woman of

my own I requested and was granted her, and immediately began teaching her the manner in which a

man and a wench might live together with peace between them."

"Aided, no doubt, by a lash," said I, my words turned bitter at memory of my own time in Ranistard, the

pain and shame and thought of captivity without end-and Nolthis, he to whom I had been given after

Ceralt had been put out of the city, he who had also been called captain of the High Seat's guard. My kan

danced uneasily as my knees tightened about his barrel; I was so furious that the palm of my hand ached

to hold a hilt. So great was my need to face that Nolthis again, that it was nearly as great as my need to

free the Hosta. That the Hosta must await my victory over the coming strangers before freedom might

once again be theirs was demanded by Mida, and likely this facing of Nolthis would be delayed as well.

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Once the strangers were seen to, however . . . .

"The lashing you were given by command of the High Seat should not have been, wench," said the male,

no longer amused. "This was spoken of by Galiose himself, his regret clear to those of us he addressed.

He. . . ."

"His regret will not be truly clear till he and I have spoken of the matter," said I, unwilling to hear words

of should-not-have-been. There had been full agony for me in my refusal to heed the commands of

Galiose, and to speak of that agony as given in error did not remove its memory. I would have his life

for the doing or he would have mine, and the knowledge of this was surely in my eyes for the male to

see. The swordpoint he had allowed to fall was abruptly before him again, his visage paled somewhat as

he backed a step. His lips parted, to speak words of denial of my intent, I think, yet another spoke before

him.

"And of what will our converse consist?" asked the voice, strength and calm and ease of command to be

heard in it. "Will it be said that the lashing need not have been, had a stubborn she-gando merely

retreated a pace or two from that stubbornness? Will such a truth be mentioned, wench?"

Galiose pushed himself through the growing number of males who had gathered and stood before them,

others of his metal-and-leather-clad males following behind. Large was the High Seat of Ranistard, dark-

eyed and broad with much male strength, his long dark hair bound at the back of his neck in the manner

of male warriors of the cities, the blue of his covering and leather marking him as leader to those of his

city, the metal upon him and the well-worn hilt of his weapon marking him as one who was no stranger

to battle. His hands rested upon his swordbelt as his eyes held mine, and well did I recall that gaze as he

took in the black of my eyes and thigh-length hair, the bareness of my breasts, the breech I wore beneath

my swordbelt, the dagger in my leg bands about which was wrapped the leather of my life sign, the lack

of a leather city-male seat upon the kan I bestrode-though the male looked up he clearly looked down as

well, seeing naught save the wench he had named me and truly believed me to be. As I thought of the

time I would be free to face him, I felt my hand curl to a fist.

"You speak the truth," said I to Galiose, aware that those who accompanied me now moved their kand to

where mine stood. "It is true that this Midanna refused your commands and was therefore lashed, yet is

it also true that I could not have done otherwise. Did I not come to you of my own will, acknowledging

you the war leader who held my oath of fealty? Did I not offer you the right of challenge, the sole

manner in which a war leader might be made to obey another? As you refused the challenge, you also

forfeited all right to command, therefore was there no more than deceit in the lashing. One must pay for

deceit, Galiose, in the manner in which you shall pay."

"Have you never heard of the rights of capture, girl?" said the male, annoyance in his tone, no notice

taken of the balance of my words. "You and yours lay in capture to me and mine, therefore obedience

was required of you. In the absence of obedience, punishment-a punishment which might easily have

been avoided had you not striven so diligently to show how slight was the respect you afforded me."

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Jalav 5: To Battle The Gods

"One gives respect to those who do not fear to earn that respect with a sword," said I, seeing the flash of

anger in the dark of his eyes. "To give obedience in captivity is to be a slave, and never shall Jalav be a

slave. For what reason have you left the safety of your city's walls to visit this place? There are things

which must soon be done, and the aid of you and yours is not required."

"The High Seat of Ranistard goes where he wills!" returned Galiose harshly aware of my attempt to

provoke him. Mida might well have been angered if I paused to slay the male, yet were he to attack this

Midanna, I must respond in kind. "I scarcely had need of further difficulties in these times of ill, yet did

those from the farms hereabout call upon me to free their city from they knew not what. Now that I see

you, wench, and other wenches upon the walls, surely do I begin to believe- Had you grown so fond of

dwelling in a city, more easily might you have remained in mine."

"Should one be so foolish as to wish to dwell within walls," said I, seeing the depth of the look he gave

me, "best is to find walls of one's own. There was little difficulty in taking this place, yet may you set

your mind to rest. We mean to remain no more than a short while longer, and then will the city be

returned to those who dwell within it. You may now take your males and depart."

"May I indeed," said Galiose with a growl, advancing another step toward me, his dark eyes bright with

anger. "And should it be my wish to see this city returned to its own upon the moment? For how long

will those within find it possible to remain, should we disallow hunting parties to emerge? In the two

feyd we have already been here, none have come forth to hunt, neither have the farm herds been driven

in to market. Should the need arise to do battle, how well will your wenches fare on empty bellies? And

what number of them hold that city? As many as half the number of those who follow me? Look around

you, girl."

Indeed did I allow my gaze to rove about among those who came with Galiose, confirming my previous

estimate of the number of those who followed him. The High Seat had perhaps half again the number of

those who awaited me within the city, less than the total force of Midanna I led. Many of those males I

was able to see more closely were clearly slighter than those in leather and metal who, I had learned,

were little enough themselves. The males about me seemed more prepared for camping than battle, and

small difficulty would I have found in leading those who had once been enemy clans against them. My

gaze brushed Ennat, who sat her kan to my right, and amusement shone in the dark of her eyes as she

saw my own faint smile. Well she knew any battle would be ours, and eager would be the blades of the

warriors of her clans.

"I suggest that you withdraw your wenches immediately, girl," said Galiose, a heavy satisfaction now to

be heard from him. "When they emerge from the city they must surrender their weapons, and then we

shall see what is to be done with all of you."

"Midanna do not surrender," I remarked, continuing to take note of the doings of the males who were

encamped to my right. The small number of spears I was able to see amused me, so male-like was the

lack. "Your numbers are scarcely as impressive as you believe, male, scarcely great enough to bring

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Jalav5:ToBattleTheGodsJalav5:ToBattleTheGodsbySharonGreenCH1.Anarrival-andadecisiondisputedMida'slighttouchedmestronglywhereIsatuponmykan,notsostrongl\yasithadinthelandsofMidanna,yetsufficientlywarminginwhatwas,intruth,thelandofmal\es.Theskieswerebrightandclearofclouds,thelandallaboutusopenandgreen,...

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Sharon Green - Jalav 5 - To Battle The Gods

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