The Saga of Hai-Ek Pah Sae

The Saga of Hai-Ek Pah Sae

by Nancy Hand

Copyright 2020

Published by Nancy Hand at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is coincidental.

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Tlo and Gar had had yet another argument. It was a cold, rainy day in late fall when Gar returned to his mother’s house. He planned to stay there until he and Tlo could decide if they wanted to stay together. In the meantime Tlo was getting the silent treatment from her mother. Alae and Tel, Tlo’s parents, had heard the same argument repeated all too often. They felt she needed to make a decision.

Shortly after Gar left, Tlo jammed the lump of clay onto her wheel and left the workshop. Her attention had wandered, yet again, and the bowl was badly misshapen. Alae’s silent glare followed her out the door.

Tlo briefly considered going back into the house to cry. She also thought of going to the room they used as a shop and breaking all the finished pottery there. Instead she walked across the little square to the tavern.

The taverner, Yao, had seen Gar stalk off. She wasn’t surprised to see Tlo, Good afternoon Tlo. What may I get for you?

Tlo flung herself onto a bench behind a table, Wine. Not watered.

Yao had never known Tlo to drink unwatered wine before, Of course. I assume this time the argument is serious.

Tlo laid her arms across the tabletop as she sagged forward, The frem demands... demands mind you, that I build him a workshop! And that I stock it for him. He refuses to ask his family for any money for this. He expects me to pay for it all. I don’t have that kind of money!

Yao put a cup of wine on the table in front of Tlo as she sat down across from her. The tavern was quiet and she was curious, How much would it cost to build what Gar wants?

He told me it would be 500 sens, maybe a little more or less.

500 sens! That is a lot. How big is this shop going to be? 500 sens was enough to buy a good-sized house in the village.

He says it would be smaller than the pottery workshop but he needs some special equipment. The equipment is only made in one shop in Sai. Tlo had drained her cup of wine and was now staring into the empty cup.

Yao got up to get Tlo another cup of wine. She got one for herself while she was there. She sat down across from Tlo, What does he need to get in Sai? Gar had approached her about his idea to ferment wissent berries. It sounded interesting but, she had no idea how it would taste or if anyone would buy fermented wissent berries. 500 sens was a lot of money to risk on such a venture.

Vats. He claims they need to hold 20 kresh and be made of yannash wood. I suggested he try something smaller. Maybe Tel could make something that would get him started. Tlo was again studying the bottom of her empty cup.

Yao stood up as some travelers entered the tavern, leaving her unfinished cup of wine on the table. As Yao tended to the travelers Tlo drank the wine.

The travelers found seats in the tavern as Yao went to ready rooms and meals. There were five of them. One of them was a tall, beautiful man with dark eyes and black hair. Tlo had never seen such a beautiful man. When he sat at the table across from her, she was enchanted. Yao’s daughter, Ahn, brought pots of ale and wine to them. The beautiful man poured wine for Tlo.

The man said he was called Ka Tev. He was a singer and musician. He had joined the others somewhere along the road. Now they were headed in different directions.

Tlo drank more wine. She could no longer tell if it was watered or not. Sometime during the night she realized she was in a bed with Ka Tev. She snuggled closer. When the sun rose, they were still in bed together. They coupled again. Then Ka Tev said he had to leave Pah. There was a position waiting for him to the west, in Sah.

Tlo dragged herself toward home, crossing the little square in the middle of the road. She took a minute to sit on one of the wooden benches and collect her thoughts. From her seat she could just see the edge of the marketplace in the middle of the village. She turned to look at her house, Alae’s house. It was a sad little place with a thatched roof in need of repair. The front door had a slight tilt to it. The dirt floor needed leveling. The stairs to the second floor needed to be repaired. The door from the house to the workshop no longer opened. The gate from the street into the workshop wasn’t quite wide enough to fill the space and squeaked loudly every time it was opened.

The pottery kilns were located near the center of the workshop. Because the kilns got so hot, the roof didn’t cover the whole space. There were shades they could pull down to give shelter against the sun and rain but they still lost some unfired pots to the rain each year.

On her way back to her workshop she stopped to see her father, Tel. She explained what Gar wanted. Then she got a price from him on smaller vats, of less expensive wood, in case Gar agreed to her proposal.

It was a few weeks before Gar returned to Tlo’s bed. She had agreed to make room for his experiment in her workshop. Tel would make a couple of two-kresh vats of trekka wood. Gar could then see if there was any interest in fermented wissent berries. The cost to put up the first batch came to 40 sens. Still expensive, but within reach for Tlo.

Late in the spring Tlo gave birth to a baby girl she named Sae. She and Gar already had two boys; San, age 2, and Nec, age 4, but this was Tlo’s first daughter. Tlo was enchanted by the baby’s dark red eyes and long slender limbs. To Tlo it seemed obvious this was not Gar’s daughter. Still, others claimed she looked so much like him there was no mistaking her parentage.

Tlo doted on the child, toting her along to the workshop, the market, and any place else she needed to go. When it came time for her Choosing Ceremony Tlo invited the whole village, including visitors. So many attended the ceremony it was held in the square in front of her workshop. Baby Sae was placed on the ground in the midst of toys representing all the occupations of the villagers. Somebody, probably a stranger, had even put toy weapons down.

Tlo and Alae expected the child to pick the potter’s wheel. Tel hoped she would pick the carpenter’s adze. Gar hoped for something that would earn her lots of money, so he could spend it. Everyone was astonished when Sae picked up the bow and arrow. Tlo took it away from her, certain the child had made a mistake. Sae screamed and cried as she tried to reach the bow. Confused, Tlo finally handed the bow back to her. The child sat, bow in one hand, arrow in the other, and started to laugh as she bounced up and down.

Tlo and Alae contacted a family of fighters with a farm to the west of Pah hoping to find a teacher for Sae. But the family were Swords, not Bows. They contacted their friends for references. Kai Pah Chai was finally able to locate a Bow willing to train Sae.

Lae Yah arrived at the little house on the square a few months after Sae’s Choosing Ceremony. She was past 40, with gray in her hair, lines on her face, and a limp. The Beast who brought her, Lae Kol, was almost as old and lame. Yah’s limp was from a broken leg that hadn’t been properly set. Kol’s limp was from arthritis.

Training sessions were held in the open space in front of the big kiln. Though this section of the workshop wasn’t roofed, when the kiln was in use, the area got quite warm. If the archery target was set too close to the kiln, it either smoked or caught fire. Sometimes, when an arrow missed the target, pottery was broken. It was a daily effort to clear enough space and even then there were almost always shards of broken pottery underfoot.

Since Tlo was short of cash, Kai Pah Chai let her borrow the child-sized helmets and leather garments her daughter and granddaughter had used. She even provided a child-sized belt and langf, the knife identifying her as a fighter, for Sae. That only left bows and arrows that Tlo had to buy. They were almost as expensive as the teacher. Gar was not happy.

Yah drilled Sae in the different positions to shoot from. She showed her how to hold the bow and put the arrow in place. She taught her how to use her langf as well as her bow. She taught Sae to ride Kol, using the street and square in front of the shop. People in the village were fascinated.

Between drills, Sae would escape to her mother’s side. Yah sometimes went across the square to the tavern during such breaks where she talked to Yao about the problems she was having. Yao was always sympathetic.

Sae was four when Gar approached Tlo with yet another idea for making money, Tlo, it would be so popular. All I need is 150 sens to set up a suitable space. You’ll see. I can make a lot of money.

Tlo was tired. It had been a long day and it was still only mid-afternoon. She bowed her head to study the pot on her wheel. It was crooked. She started smashing it back into a lump, Gar, you’ve said the same thing about fermented wissent berries, trekka roof shingles, and woven resh-skin blankets. They have all been very expensive to get started. None of them have produced any income. I don’t have 150 sens to spend on yet another wild idea. In the past ten years I don’t think you’ve contributed more than 50 sens to the house. I’m tired of this.

But Tlo, those were different. This time I’m sure it will work and we’ll be able to buy our own house, maybe even a farm.

No. She lifted her head to look at him. He was reasonably attractive, with red hair and pale yellow eyes. He could be immensely charming. He was also entirely useless. No. You will return to your mother’s house. You are no longer welcome in my home or bed.

Gar hadn’t expected this from Tlo. She’d always been susceptible to his charms, What do you mean? Surely you aren’t telling me to move out?

That’s exactly what I’m telling you. You will leave now. I will send your things to your mother’s house tomorrow. Since she had visions of his trying to take things that weren’t his, she contacted Alae, Tel, and Kwar, the housekeeper, to warn them.

Tlo! You can’t mean this! I love you!

No, the only one you love is yourself. The only reason you tolerate me is because I have some money. If someone else, with more money looked your way, you’d be gone fast enough. She stood up and pointed toward the street, Get out. Now. And don’t come back.

As Gar slunk out of the workshop Tlo looked around. Sae was sitting at Alae’s wheel, playing with her langf, watching and listening.

I’m sorry Sae. Your father can be charming, otherwise he’s not good for much. Not all men are like Gar. There are some good ones out there. It just takes a little work to find them.

Sae didn’t say anything as she continued to play with the knife. Tlo hoped she was still too young to understand.

When Sae turned five Lae Yah started teaching her to fight using the langf. Tlo was horrified. She watched from her place in the workshop and fought her urge to scream. She didn’t always succeed. The noise distracted both Sae and Yah leading to injuries that shouldn’t have happened. The injuries made Tlo even more uncomfortable, which led to more screams. After a year of escalating objections from Tlo, Yah resigned. She gave Tlo the names of two other Bows who might help, even as she told those Bows why she was leaving.

Tlo was upset. Her boys, Sae’s older brothers, didn’t need expensive teachers. Tel was teaching Nec carpentry while San was learning to work with Beasts. Though not yet adults, they were earning money and their place in the village.

Bai El arrived at the little house on the west side of the village about a month after Lae Yah left. Bai El was younger and, perhaps, harder. Sae was doing well with the bow but having trouble with the idea of killing. Tlo was adamant her daughter not be taught to kill. Bai El was equally insistent Sae needed to learn if she was going to be a Bow in the army of Ekka Ka. The two women had a number of very loud arguments on the subject. Alae and Tel kept quiet as they wondered where Tlo found the money to pay for Sae’s teachers.

El solved part of the problem by taking Sae to the house of Kai Pah Chai for practice. The House of Wild Rivers was a small farm west of Pah. Kai Pah Chai ran the farm while her daughter, Lee, fought for Ekka Ka. There was a courtyard behind the house with a sandy floor and targets in place. There was no risk of a target catching fire or pottery breaking when an arrow missed its mark. The only danger came from a Sword and a Bow trying to practice in the same space.

The farm had lots of space for Sae to practice riding with El’s mount, Bai Enka, who was much younger and more nimble than Lae Kol. Bai Enka taught Sae how to stay in the saddle during sudden turns. She also taught the child how to fall out of the saddle without getting hurt. Sae tried to practice riding while Kao, the Kai Chai’s granddaughter, practiced in the courtyard.

Each morning Sae would meet El at the Brenk near the middle of the village. Then Sae would be lifted onto the saddle in front of El for the ride out to the House of Wild Rivers. During the rides they would talk about what Sae needed to learn.

Kao was two years older than Sae. Her teacher had been given some time off to see her family and would be gone for several months so Kai Chai was teaching Kao. Kai Chai was accustomed to issuing orders so she could be heard on the battlefield. Sae found the noise distracting.

One windy morning Sae and Kao were forced to practice in the courtyard at the same time. It was crowded. Sae’s targets had been moved to the open end of the courtyard, close to the Brenk. She needed to be able to adjust her aim for wind and this part of the courtyard was less protected. Kao used the more protected space in the corner of the house.

Kai Chai’s voice was loud, Step. Lunge. Step. Slice. Step. Step. Slice. Lunge.

El’s directions were being drowned out, Lift your aim. Counter the wind to the right. Pull. Release. Sae’s arrow missed the target. Try again. Nock the arrow. Lift your bow.

Slice. Lunge. Step. Step.

Pull. Rel… NO!

It was too late. Sae had been distracted. She’d turned away from the target to face Kao. Kao jumped out of the way as the arrow whizzed past her chest. Had the bow been stronger the arrow would have hit the house. Instead it dropped into the chemmi nest just in front of the wall. There was a flurry of squawking and flapping as chemmis flew out of the nest.

Kao walked over to retrieve the arrow. As she looked down she noticed the arrow had killed one of the chemmis. Congratulations Sae. I think you caught dinner. Kao held up the chemmi, the arrow through its head, It looks like a nice fat one too. She wasn’t containing her laughter as well as she hoped and finally gave up. She laughed so hard tears ran down her face.

Sae was embarrassed, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t mean to kill the chemmi.

Kao caught her laughter, I’m fine. Maybe you need to apologize to the chemmi though. Then she broke down again. Even Kai Chai was having trouble keeping a straight face.

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…

El was furious, Sae, you need to focus. Focus on my voice. Focus on what you’re doing. Forget about what Kai Chai and Kao are doing. Until she steps into your space, you need to ignore her.

Sae hung her head, Yes, Bai El.

El looked down at her young student. Sae had talent with the bow but seemed to lack any spirit. Tlo had worked hard to turn her daughter into a spineless chemmi and El wasn’t sure she could save the girl, Sae. Come with me.

Sae followed El to a sheltered corner near the Brenk.

Do you meditate?

Sae shook her head.

"Why not?

Mother thinks it’s a waste of time.

I don’t care what your mother thinks. I want you to meditate, every day.

How do I do that?

El spent the rest of the day teaching Sae how to meditate in hopes of improving her focus.

They left the House of Wild Rivers that afternoon with the chemmi, dressed and ready to cook. Sae refused to tell anyone at home how they came to have it.

El changed Sae’s training. Each morning they met in the Brenk for meditation before going to the House of Wild Rivers. San was intrigued. He was now almost eight and worked in the Brenk, attending the Beasts. He needed to be able to hear the Beasts telepathic requests. If meditation would help him, he wanted to learn. San’s eagerness to learn helped Sae keep up the practice. El despaired of getting Sae to do anything on her own.

Sae was entering her ninth year when Bai El decided to leave. Two months later Yah Yae arrived.

Yah Yae was not gentle. As she saw it, the battlefield wasn’t gentle and she wanted her student to survive the battlefield. By comparison, surviving Yae should be seen as easy.

After four years Sae had developed the habit of meditating every day. She even looked forward to the quiet of the Brenk before she started training. Yae changed this too.

There were no more trips to the House of Wild Rivers. Sae was now training in a field just to the north of the village. This meant walking from Tlo’s little house, east toward the marketplace, then north and across the small river that ran beside the village. There was a small hollow not far from the river where they could leave targets set up and which helped contain arrows.

Sae was tall. At nine she was as tall as her mother and almost as tall as Yae. The leather garments she’d borrowed from Kai Chai suddenly weren’t big enough. Tlo couldn’t afford to buy new leathers every year for her still-growing daughter so Sae was forced to wear fabric. Yae didn’t see this as a problem. Without the protection of the heavy leather garments maybe, just maybe, Sae would pay more attention to what she was doing.

Sae shot hundreds of arrows every day. She shot while standing, while kneeling, while running. She shot from the back of a Beast; standing, walking, running. She sparred with Yae using their langfs. Yae yelled at Sae every time she missed a shot. Sometimes Yae slapped her, calling her stupid or useless. Any praise was grudging.

After a few months of this new regimen Sae was on edge and angry. Yae smiled. She was making progress.

Sae missed the target again, You idiot! What do you think you’re doing? That was a perfectly easy shot. You shouldn’t have missed it. Yae had walked across the field to retrieve some of the arrows littering the ground. She turned back toward Sae, You got that shot yesterday. Why did you miss today? What kind of an idiot misses a shot like that?

Sae was angry. Yes, she’d missed. The wind had changed about the time she released the string.

Yae was closer, still yelling at Sae, You’re going to do that again. And again. And again. Until you can do it without missing. Am I understood?

Sae still had a quiver full of arrows. She nocked the first one, aiming at the ground just to the left of Yae. The second one landed just to her right. Yae was still walking toward her, yelling. Sae sent four more arrows into the ground near Yae’s feet. Then the wind shifted again. The next arrow didn’t land next to Yae’s foot. It went through the top of the woman’s foot and into the ground.

Yae stood still and glared at Sae, You will repeat that shot as well. She looked down at her foot, stuck to the ground with an arrow, In the meantime. Is there a Nis in this village?

Sae helped Yae free her foot. Then she helped her walk back into the village to Nis Mara’s house. Yae leaned heavily on the girl’s shoulder, mostly to prove a point. Sae stayed with Yae as the Nis cleaned and bandaged the wound. Then she helped Yae walk to the tavern.

Tlo was in the tavern when they got there. She was already on her third glass of watered wine. She took one look at the pair coming through the door and started yelling, What happened? What’s wrong with Yah Yae’s foot?

I shot her. Sae was embarrassed but willing to admit what had happened.

Why? Why would you shoot your teacher?

I missed.

How much is this going to cost me? Tlo was already calculating the charges from Nis Mara.

Yae winked at the taverner, Yao, could I have a cup of ale? Something to ease the pain.

Yao laughed, Of course. May I bring a cup for your shooter?

Tlo turned on Yao, You most certainly will not. She’s too young.

Too young? This was a new argument, one Yao hadn’t heard before, Are you sure it’s age and not expense you’re objecting to?

If she does this kind of damage sober, what will she do when drunk?

Yao handed a cup of ale to Yae. Then she turned back to the keg and drew a short bit of ale into a cup of water for Sae. She held the cup toward Tlo, Just water. I don’t want to be accused of corrupting your darling.

Tlo didn’t make it home that night. Alae and Tel offered Sae and Yae sympathy with their dinner and watered wine.

The next day Sae was back at practice. Over the next three years she learned not to miss, regardless of wind, rain, or sun. Yae was proud of Sae’s skill. She just wished the girl wasn’t so spineless.

Then Yah Yae was gone. Sae was 11. She was supposed to go north in the spring, to Ur Ka, to enlist in the army. She was scared. Lee was no longer going north to fight. She’d been badly injured the