The Broken Land(102)
She sat back and looked at the two men. She couldn’t believe it. The man she was betrothed to might actually be a prophet. Taya had to concentrate to keep her stomach from rising into her throat.
Thirty-eight
Taya swallowed hard. “May I speak?”
Sky Messenger swiveled on the log to look at her and blinked as though he had forgotten she was there. “Yes, of course, Taya.”
She wet her lips. War Chief Hiyawento seemed to be staring right through her. Fear and excitement had conjured the unthinkable in her heart, and she didn’t know how to deal with it. But … but she was beginning, dimly, to understand why Bahna had said she had to go with Sky Messenger on this journey.
Shakily, she said, “I was wondering if perhaps more alliances like the one Grandmother established between the allied Standing Stone villages and Sedge Marsh Village might be possible?”
Hiyawento shifted. Set against the background of firelit palisade, he looked vaguely unreal, his hair dancing around his dark face. “Why do you ask?”
Taya gestured helplessly. “I have spent my life listening to Grandmother’s political lectures, so I know something of what our people need and, perhaps, a little of what the Hills People need. If our two peoples could just agree to protect each other from Chief Atotarho”—she wet her lips again—“I mean, he’s the problem, isn’t he?”
“So far as I’m concerned, he is,” the war chief responded.
Sky Messenger stared at her as if confused. And why wouldn’t he be? Just a few days ago she’d argued that they had to kill all of their enemies to survive. “I was thinking that if we could agree on that one thing—that Chief Atotarho should be destroyed—and we could create an alliance to do that … Well, it would be a start.”
Hiyawento’s eyes narrowed enough to let Taya know he was suspicious of her motives. “Before the destruction of White Dog Village there might have been a chance, but why would High Matron Kittle agree to such an alliance now? I suspect that at this very instant she’s engaged in whipping up a fervor to kill every Hills person alive.”
“But your village was not involved in that attack.”
“No. Most of our nation didn’t even know about it until it was long over. Nonetheless, rage and pain tend to simplify the world, Taya. Your grandmother and the Ruling Council will see only that the Hills People just attacked a Standing Stone village. Such an act demands a response. Your people must be preparing for it as we speak. Our people certainly are.”
“Even Sindak?” Affection laced Sky Messenger’s voice.
“Of course, my friend. He is an excellent war chief. Protecting our people is his sole responsibility. He’ll do whatever it takes to stop a Standing Stone attack. As you would, if the reverse were—”
Sky Messenger shook his head. “No. I’ve given up my weapons. For good. I’ll never touch a bow, or club, again, never raise my hand in violence, not even to save my own life, or the lives of people I love.”
Hiyawento appeared stunned. He hesitated, before quietly saying, “Odion, I’m not sure that this is the time for—”
Taya cried, “Yes, please, tell him how foolish it is! He should take up his weapons and return to being deputy war chief before it’s too—”
Sky Messenger interrupted, “The only position I would accept now is that of peace chief.” He gave Taya a disgruntled look.
“Peace chief?” Hiyawento leaned back and chuckled softly. “I like the sound of that. It implies something not of this earth.”
Taya flapped her arms against her sides. “Let’s get back to the subject. I’m telling you, if Grandmother knew the truth about what really happened to White Dog Village, the matrons would vote not to attack the Hills villages that weren’t responsible. Grandmother hates Chief Atotarho—she says he’s an evil cannibal sorcerer who deserves to die—but she can be reasonable. Perhaps, if Sky Messenger and I can get home quickly enough, we can redirect Grandmother’s rage.”
“What do you mean? Redirect it?” Hiyawento asked.
“Perhaps we can use it like pine pitch, to glue our peoples together for one purpose: to destroy Atotarho. Please listen to me. I’m sure Grandmother would like that idea, as would the other matrons. Even if it required an onerous alliance with you to achieve it, killing the enemy chief responsible for the deaths of so many Standing Stone women and children would be worth it.”
In an ominous voice, Sky Messenger said, “We are all talking treason. Let us not forget that. If we do this, it will have to be done with the stealth of Cougar stalking Hare. Are we all prepared for that? Taya? Are you?”