Chapter 27
#28 of The Mating Season: The Years Inbetween
Timeline: Between MS3 and MS4
Chapter 27
Seven-year-old Enya sat on her grandmother's lap, wishing she was off somewhere beating up Zane. But Hye insisted on telling her the story of her family. For the umpteenth time. She sighed, resisting the urge to yawn, roll her eyes, and break into dully reciting the story with her grandmother - which she knew by heart now.
"My parents," Hye said proudly, her arm around Enya, "came here from the arrow tribe together. My brother Hris was a little child, old enough to remember his native tribe."
Hye waited and Enya knew what she was waiting for.
"Why did they leave?" Enya said, feigning interest. She put on a curious expression and looked at her grandmother with large eyes - but inside, she was screaming with boredom. She could recite the whole story on command. She had heard it that many times.
Enya knew it was because her grandmother missed Hris - this brother of hers that she talked about constantly. Hris had left the summer village for another tribe before Enya was even born. Hye swore he was going to visit one day, but it had been seven years: Enya did not believe Hris was going to visit. She played the game, though. For the sake of her grandmother's feelings, she played along, pretending to hope that this great uncle of hers would one day appear with smiles and an armload of presents.
Hris never visited, but he wrote them often enough. Birds appeared at their windows with scrolls, yellow parchment tied with ribbon. They were always magical birds, for soon after the scroll was taken, they would sparkle and disappear.
It was always something of an event when Keeno would read his uncle's letters around the fire. Hris informed them over the years that he had a son, a little boy named Yaholo who would one day rule the river tribe. They received news of Yaholo constantly, as well someone else named Cohoma, and Yaholo's mother Fedesda. Enya thought Hris always sounded very happy, so why did Hye always look so unhappy?
"They left," Hye answered, "because the ways of the arrow tribe were ending. A new chief was determined to change their customs - traditions that had been honored for many decades. The village council was naturally very unhappy about it, to the point that the arrow tribe was on the verge of civil war. The new chief's followers began killing left and right anyone who opposed him - even council members. It was chaos. And so, my parents - your great grandparents - took my brother Hris. And they set forth to raise him in a place of peace."
Hye waited again, and Enya knew what she was waiting for.
"What were their names?" Enya said, trying hard not to sound uninterested. She knew she must've failed when her grandmother laughed at her.
"You know my parents' names, Enya."
Enya flattened her ears guiltily and muttered, "Your father was Hemene. And your mother . . . she was Sakuruta."
Hye laughed again. "You know this whole story! I am sorry, my poor girl. I suppose your grandmother just . . ." She sighed. "Misses her brother."
Enya frowned sadly. "It's alright, Grandma. Maybe he'll come visit soon."
Hye smiled at her and stroked down her curly mane fondly. "It's sweet of you to comfort me, my girl. But we both know my brother has moved on to a better life. I should learn to be happy for him and stop . . . holding on."
Enya dropped her head on her grandmother's shoulder. Hye's green shawl was warm and soft, just like Hye. She closed her eyes as her grandmother held her beside the fire and gently rocked her, humming a little song. Outside the window, dusk was rolling pink and purple across the sky. Enya heard her stomach growl. Hye heard it too.
Hye frowned. "Where _is_that father of yours? And your mother? Your grandpa is patrolling a nightshift. I'd hate to walk you home alone."
Enya knew where her parents were. She had walked in on them doing strange things enough times to guess. Whenever Keeno was late like this, he was no doubt stealing a moment alone with Zalia. Enya had to wonder why her parents were so eager to do those things. But then she thought of kissing Yuri . . . and she had a clue.
Hye went back to humming softly. She stroked Enya's mane again, and Enya thought her grandmother had a beautiful voice. She smiled as she listened, then she started humming with her.
". . . and love you, forever and ever, my child," Hye sang.
". . . and let you go never and never, my child," Enya sang back.
"That's right, my Enya. I will never, never let you go."
"Grandma?"
"Yes, my Enya."
"You said I was named after your mother's sister."
"Mhm."
"What was she like?"
Enya saw Hye suddenly grin: "Wild."
Enya blinked. Before she could question her grandmother further, Keeno ducked inside the curtain. Her heart leapt with happiness and her face brightened. She saw her father grin and open his arms.
"DADDY!" Enya squealed. She threw herself from Hye's lap and barreled at her father, mane and tail streaming. Keeno caught her, laughing as he shouted "Keeno Junior!" and she thought there was nothing in the world like being in his arms.
"Uh," Keeno grunted, lifting her up. "You're gettin' too big for this, kid."
Enya clung to her father's neck and nuzzled him. "Can Grammie come home for supper? Grandpa is away . . ."
"Of course she can come," Keeno said at once. "Now go get your things. I left your mother home alone and you know how I hate that." He set Enya on her feet and clapped her on the butt as she ran off.
Hye smiled and eased up from the spread of deerskins beside the fire. She came to Keeno. He took her paws and kissed her cheek.
"Hey, Mom. I hope the little terror didn't drive you too crazy today."
"She's been a perfect angel."
Keeno snorted. "Only because she knows Yuri is coming to visit soon. If she misbehaves, they won't get to play."
Hye smiled. "Oh, yes. She loves that girl dearly."
Keeno nodded. "They're so cute together. You know Zalia caught them in a bush? They were out in the fields with her and ran off. Zalia went to find them . . . what?" Keeno said when he noticed his mother smirking at him.
Hye wanted to laugh but turned away instead. How many times had she caught Keeno in some bush with some girl? That Enya and Yuri were infatuated beyond mere friendship was painfully obvious, but Hye said nothing. It was better to let Keeno figure it out on his own.
Still, Hye wondered if she should not speak up. Sometimes she feared what might come of Enya's fascination with the little moon wolf from the sun village. There was no possible way Enya could be happy with a female in the summer village. And there was no possible way Yuri would be able to leave her apprenticeship as a sorceress to come here -- even if their love was allowed. Hye sighed sadly: it was Hris all over again.
"Hey, Mom?" Keeno said behind her. "Enya said Dad is on patrol. So why don't you come over to our home for supper? I'll walk you home after. At least you won't be alone for the evening. Or, hell, you could spend the night."
"I wouldn't be intruding?" Hye walked to a cushioned chair in the corner and sat with a groan, adjusting her shawl. Her long curly mane streamed behind her shoulders and cloaked her soft brown eyes.
Keeno snorted. "Intruding? You're my mother. And Zalia loves you."
Hye gave him a withering look.
"Alright," Keeno said, grinning, "she didn't always love you. But Enya has brought the two of you together. You can't deny that."
Hye smiled. No, she couldn't deny that. When she and Zalia first met, the girl was fiery and spirited. Hye could respect that, for her mother had been that way - her mother's sister too, according to the stories. But Zalia was also sullen and disrespectful, as was typical of any teenager. Hye had to admit that she hadn't been too patient. She didn't hesitate to put Zalia in her place, and Zalia resented her for a long time afterward.
But then, while Zalia was pregnant, the two of them had found themselves knitting together, making toys together, and as a result, talking together. Weaving the basket that became Enya's bassinet was the project that finally saw them reconcile. Because they both realized that if they were going to be a family and raise that unborn child, they would have to learn to love each other. So they did. . . . even if they still got snippy on occasion.
Besides . . . Hye could sympathize with her daughter-in-law. She had been in Zalia's exact place once.
Keeno came to his mother and stood over her chair. "So come home with me, alright?"
Hye smiled up at him. "Alright. Perhaps it will be fun to watch Zalia twisting your nuts."
"Mom!" Keeno cried.
Hye laughed as her son helped her up from the chair. "That girl has got you by the balls. I could not have asked for a finer daughter-in-law."
Keeno grinned. "No, you couldn't."
"Promise me," said Hye, suddenly earnest, "that you and Zalia will not let my granddaughter leave the village."
Keeno frowned. "You've been thinking of Uncle Hris again," he said miserably.
"Promise me!" Hye repeated.
Before Keeno could respond, Enya came running in, wearing her little knapsack full of toys. The pack was also filled with soap and washcloths for Enya's inevitable tumble in the mud, as well as an empty package that had once contained Zalia's cookies. Enya was also carrying her little doll in her paw. The doll was a tiny replica of Yuri.
"Ready to go, shorty?" Keeno said happily.
Enya beamed and took her father's paw. "Ready, Daddy!"
Keeno took his mother's arm. "Ready to go, shorty?"
Hye laughed at his teasing. She had always been a very small female. Yzlo was quite fond of calling her "little wife." She bounced up on tiptoe and surprised Keeno with a kiss on the cheek. "Let's go!"
They went out into the street together, Enya bouncing, Keeno striding tall, and Hye walking carefully and slowly. Three generations. Into the night.