Queen of the Eight Banners

Part 2, Scene 3 - Past

Belatedly, Ilha realized her breathing was too fast, too shallow. Her hands shook with energy coursing through her. A part of her denied that Ligdan was dead, wanted him to come back so she could kick him in the face or kill him all over again for what he'd done. The rest of her stood, trembling and horrified. She'd never killed a man in cold before--let alone three.  She'd shot raiders two years ago, but somehow that had been different.  She certainly had not been alone afterwards; the camp had been alive with efficient movement, weeping, and the soothing tones and whispers of survivors.  Now the only stirring was the wind in the grass and the flick of ears and tails as the remaining horses watched her, waiting to see what she would do next.

She became aware she was staring into Ligdan's slack face. She wondered where the man had gone.  She prayed to the gods and the enduri that he would not haunt her in death as he had in life.

Though the sun's brightness beat down on her, she shivered.

Ojombi was crying.  She tried to remember what that meant.  Was he crying for Ligdan? 

Oh.  He was only hungry--and probably as confused and shaken as she.

Ilha walked several paces away, away from the bodies of the men and her beloved Tsetseg, and knelt on the ground. Distantly, she unwrapped the sling holding him to her back, untied her clothes and gave him suck.  The familiar ritual, the sudden peace of his stilled cries, calmed her. She murmured to him--to them both. Something nonsensical and soothing.

Gradually, her heart slowed, her breathing eased, and her trembling stopped. 

By the time Ojombi'd had his fill, the sun was warm again.

She continued the ritual, patting his back then curling up his legs to release the bubbles trapped in his little tummy. He looked around them as she worked with wide, tear-dried, milk-sated eyes, oblivious to what the carnage meant. When she was satisfied his stomach would not bother him, she took the fabric she'd used for his sling, spread it out over the grass and laid him down on it. Then she set about wooing the lieutenants' horses to her side with some of the food she retrieved from her saddlebags.

By the time the sun had begun to set, she'd hobbled and tied together both horses and had added Ligdan's and her packs to one then mounted up on the other with Ojombi clean and returned to his place on her back.