Harmindon's Finest

Chapter 5 - Grandmother's Tale

•●•●•●•

After the menfolk left for distant Rhûnic lands, the general mood in the City of Many Waters was slow and seemed slightly lifeless. Although everybody who remained tried to pretend otherwise, we all knew most of them wouldn't return. Everyone feared the outcome of this battle.

Without the men, Harmindon wasn't itself. Although the Mûmakil herd was still there - the cows and calves- it seemed a lot less impressive when the majestic bulls were there, with their huge tusks swinging lazily as their keepers followed around the paddock. Although male and female were now technically in their respective spheres, women in the home and men on the battlefield, the city seemed a little lacklustre without the presence of husbands, sons, and brothers.

Even our household - the tiny little house whose dried-reed roof was badly in need of repair and was not often tidied, and a constant fire hazard because of the teetering candles and dry sticks of furniture and cracking storage chests, felt the absence.

Three of Thekla's beloved brothers had gone to Rhûn, as well as her father. I didn't know him well but it was all too clear that Thekla and her mother and sisters absolutely adored him. They had not taken this blow well, and my friend was not herself at all. Every day I visited them, tried halfheartedly to lighten the atmosphere by bringing them some of Miarka's dubious baking and making light conversation, but I could tell they wanted to be left alone. So every day for quite some weeks I trailed home in disappointment, neglected my sewing and sitting gloomily in front of the fireplace.

One of those evenings we were all there, sitting in front of the small fire that let off a comforting smell of woodsmoke. Grandmother was staring into the flickering firelight, still as a statue. Miarka was quietly playing at being Ramyah with a scrap of red silk I'd given her to keep her quiet, and I was absentmindedly embroidering patterns onto the hem of my dress. All our minds were elsewhere - the night was quiet.

"Thirty years ago, it was very different," Grandmother murmured, almost to herself.

Miarka and I glanced at each other and put down our things, looking expectantly at Grandmother.

"They went away then, too. Your father, Stars be good to his soul, was only Miarka's age when my husband left me for what was only to be a few weeks. All the women of my hometown were hopeful then, each one believing their men would return with wealth and green lands on which to prosper, and start a new life. Of course, the women of Harmindon and Abrakhân were much the same. The days passed normally, almost cheerfully, and though we were anxious deep in our hearts we did not let it show. We were strong."

At this point Grandmother opened her eyes to look at the fire, and saw my sister and I sitting cross-legged at the foot of her chair, eyes alight with curiosity. She half-smiled at the sight, the red flickering light reflected in her dark eyes, which always seemed to see more than two young girls in front of her. Miarka opened her mouth, but I hushed her, wanting too know more.

"It was a terrible night when they returned. We were unsure at the exact time, and so few returned with no male Mûmakil in the whole Pazghar herd remaining that we almost could not believe so many had been killed. Your grandfather was among those whose life was lost in the fruitless struggle for prosperity while I stayed at home, happily believing he would return and our family would grow old together in a new life in the West.

"Well," she continued bitterly, "Our hopes were dashed. The old Ramyah lost her husband too and fair went mad with grief, passing on only weeks later from a broken heart. Her eldest son Tufayl was not much older than your father at the time, and now there was no Ramyah, he by law assumed rule of a whole city, his little brother only a baby. We were so thoroughly defeated that time that ever since, we have lived in fear of another battle against the countries of the West and their powerful allies. Even our alliance with Rhûn is beginning to fall apart, so I am told, so the future of Harad is uncertain at best."