Ella of Cernunnos

Chapter 1, Safehaven

"What's your name, little girl?" The hunter reminds me of my "Aunt" Mhairie. They both have thick muscles, and his bushy mustache is the same orange as her hair.

"Ella Crewe."

"And how old are you, Ella?"

"Ten."

"You're very tall for ten."

I am almost as tall as he is. "I inherited the scholar genotype from my parents. All scholars are tall, thin, and beautiful."

"Does that mean you are a scholar?"

I rub my head. The answer is complicated, and I am not sure I want to try to explain it to an off-worlder. "Like I said, I inherited the scholar genotype, and since my mum and dad are members of the Guild of Scholars, I am too, by default."

"So, it's like a caste system."

"Oh, no. In a caste system, a person is born into a particular group and is a member of that group for life," I say, shaking my head. I pause to think for a moment. "Society on Cernunnos is more of a meritocracy."

"So, you may not always be a scholar?"

"Well, when I turn eighteen, I will have to take the Placement Exam..."

"Ella," my mother interrupts, returning to the parlor, "are you bothering our guest?"

"She's no bother at all, Lady Mina. In fact, Ella was just explaining one of the finer points of Cernunnosian society to me."

"Our planet's adjective is a mouthful, isn't it, Lord Bruce? Would you like another drink?"

Lord Bruce shakes his rocks glass. "That would be splendid."

Brin springs into action, as much as a badal-serf can spring at all. She had been standing quietly in the corner, but now that she is moving, the bells on her ankles jingle merrily. She should have noticed Lord Bruce's empty glass before my mother was forced to draw attention to it. I watch as she refills his bourbon from the parlor's bar cart.

"Ella, it's time that you should be off to bed."

"But mum, I want to hear about the karpan-kaivach!"

My mother sighs. We both know where this game is going. We play it every time a wealthy, off-world hunter comes to stay with us at Safehaven. "Ella, you already know all about the karpan-kaivach. Why don't you tell Lord Bruce? Then off to bed."

"The karpan-kaivach is one of a handful of species of mammalian megafauna to roam the savannas of Cernunnos. It is similar in appearance to the long extinct rhinoceros of earth, except it is bigger, fouler-tempered, more heavily-armored, and equipped with a razor-sharp horn." I stomp around as I recite this, using thumb and little finger of my right hand to emulate the horn.

Lord Bruce chuckles. Is it nervous laughter? I will never know. At my mother's request, I am off to bed.

###

The next day, I practice archery with my "Aunt" Ansley. She and Mhairie are sisters. They are both members of the Guild of Warriors and are in charge of our security force. I am a very good shot. After a bullseye, an alarm goes up around Safehaven. Ansley leaves me in the care of Calhoun, another of our men, then takes off on a hover-bike.

"What's going on? What's going on?" I ask over and over. Calhoun holds me close, but doesn't say anything.

Answers are slow to come, but they come eventually.