Havoc's Daughters

Chapter 5 - Night 1: Lania (part II) - Found

Lania found herself facing eyes as black as the shadows between the stars, set in a face as hard and dark as old saddle-leather. The hair held back from his face by his wool cap was black in the night, but she knew from experience it lacked the blue sheen of her own in the light. 

Lania studied the embroidered figures on the cap he wore, peering close in the dim light. His metu was married into Four Peaks Clan, which was not helpful. His mother was Silver Clan, which neither helped nor hurt. The clan of his father’s metu was more than she could have hoped for:  Lograth, from before the clan’s demise. Uncle Zahn was Lograth, and Da was of his metu. Lania’s own existence by a lowland marriage was irregular, but Tonoman kinship traditions were inclusive, and the resurrected Clan Lograth even more so, by necessity. And being both a woman and a second sister gave her authority in Tonoman society. 

He was not someone she recognized, but from his involuntary start the experience was not mutual.

*I am sorry, Cousin,* she offered in the tongue of the Fortress Mountains, of the Old Blood, her voice thick with her grief and remorse. *I am so sorry, but the children are hungry. Won’t you please help?*

He stepped back, giving no further reaction. Still watching her, he took a bite out of the apple that, along with warm flatbread and a chunk of cheese, made up his evening meal. 

Lania’s heart stumbled.

But then he handed the flatbread and cheese over to Goody Furlong, and walked away with only the apple.

And the three present members of his metu followed suit, handing over the lion’s share of their food without comment. The other Tonoman’s also contributed. 

One even offered a wineskin, which Lania quaffed from deeply before the clawing at her throat proved it wasn’t watered. But the renewed moisture aided her voice sufficiently for her to begin performing, and her gratitude sent her fingers flying.

Chandler stayed with her at all times, a grizzled granfatherly figure to watch over her while others of the adults collected the offerings of food and ferried it back to where the party had settled. First the children ate, then the adults. 

Roenish conscripts followed the Tonomans at the mess. When they made requests for songs she didn’t know, Lania picked up the tunes quickly and then learned the words as the men sang. Much of the lyrics were beyond her understanding, though she was occasionally able to offer a new verse in vein with the others. These were met with raucous hilarity and roars of approval. As future queen she wondered, even as she added to her store of verse, whether she’d ever have opportunity to play these songs again. 

True darkness fell, and the refugees built a small fire to gather around. Lania stayed where she was and continued singing. Though everyone by now had eaten something, they had three days of short rations and outright privation to make up for.

Repeatedly, Lania refused the soldier’s offerings, sending them to her people instead. She only accepted the occasional sip of wine to keep her throat from parching. 

It was harder work than she’d expected. Prior to this, she’d only sung for the enjoyment of family and friends. 

That’s mine, Lania thought when Chandler finally accepted an apple for himself and set a second aside. And just in time. 

The second watch of evening was well underway, and many of her audience were wandering off in search of their beds.

Thanks be to Arthema, Lady of Light, the concert was nearing its end…at least for this day. Tomorrow she might have to do it again, as no official had yet appeared to tend to her people’s needs.