Part 18 (1/2)
Wilam led me away from the celebration late, followed by Melino and two of his ranking warriors. Much ado was made of how great the feast had been, but as we approached the Muhanim the air became quiet.
When we stepped into the hut, the elders were seated along the walls, watching us with somber eyes. I knew immediately that something was wrong.
Wilam guided me around the smoldering fire. ”Get her a soft mat,” he ordered one of his warriors. ”Get her some water and some meat. Hurry.” He looked at me. ”You are hungry?”
”I just ate. What's happening?”
His hand touched my belly. ”The child is good?”
I was growing accustomed to their hovering and Wilam's unyielding concern for my well-being. ”All is well,” I said.
”You shouldn't have danced so much.”
”Then you should have thrown a smaller feast.”
”You must not sit too quickly or run too much.”
”Don't be silly. I've been with child less than a month.”
”And I will see to it that you're with child another eight months. Now sit.”
Melino had seated herself with her legs folded to one side. ”Sit beside me, Yuli. Don't pay Wilam any mind, he's only a man who knows nothing about being a woman. He thinks you're made of flowers and will blow apart in the wind.”
Normally this would have earned her a chuckle from the warriors and a scoff from Wilam, but tonight there was no mirth in the Muhanim.
I settled to my seat.
Wilam paced on the bark floor like a caged lion. This was not his typical calm behavior. ”Because now you must know that everything has changed.”
”Not so changed that I don't know what to do with my own body,” I said.
His eyes darted to Melino, and by the concern etched on his face, I knew that something was indeed wrong.
She nodded once. ”Listen to him, Yuli.”
”What is it?”
Wilam faced me. ”The Warik are wearing the black grease.”
I glanced at the elders and saw the glint of fear in their eyes.
”What is the black grease?”
”We must not speak of this,” one of the elders said.
Melino flashed a harsh glare at the men.
”She bears Wilam's child! She has the right to know.”
Wilam crossed to the platform and sat, facing me with steady eyes. For a while he said nothing, but that silence worked fingers of terrible fear into my mind.
”The Warik know you carry my child. It was my hope that they would see my wisdom and strength and harden their hearts against Kirutu. This is the way of the Tulim, to offer greatest respect to those who bring life. They saw your beauty when you sang and danced with the children.” He stopped.
”What is the black grease?” I asked again.
”But Kirutu and the witch of the Karun tribe have turned them with the black grease. It is made from the fat of a crocodile mixed with Sawim's blood. With this ceremony they call on the power of the evil spirits.”
The fear in that room was palpable. I could hear the fire crackling and the night creatures crying in the jungle, and my ears heard the sounds of h.e.l.l.
”But spirits are only spirits,” I said, trying to believe my own words. ”They can't overpower the mighty Impirum.”
His eyes s.h.i.+fted to Leweeg, the elder who had spoken. He was the closest the Impirum had to a shaman. Among the three clans-the Warik, the Impirum, and the Karun-a true shaman could come from and live among the Karun only, but each tribe had spiritual elders.
”She is incapable of understanding,” the old man said. ”She is a woman and she is wam.”
”She is my wife!” Wilam snapped.
They exchanged a long look and the elder finally dipped his head.
”Forgive me.”
I had been told that, compared to most tribes in the region, the Tulim regarded women with respect. But some biases are not easily washed from the hearts of men.
It was the least of my concerns at the moment.
”Sawim has declared our union and our child invalid,” Wilam said.
”And you will tolerate this?” I demanded.
His eyes flashed with hatred. ”I will see a thousand Warik die before I see any harm come to my son. The rule of the Tulim must not leave the Impirum clan.”
With those words reality once again settled around me like a thick fog. My value to them was still a matter of political power. We had celebrated as if heaven itself had fallen to earth, but the celebration hadn't been for me. It had been for my unborn child.
Even more, it had been for Wilam.
For his river of his life that would extend his power for yet another generation. I was but a vessel.
I felt Melino's hand settle on my thigh. Tears welled in my eyes.
”You have nothing to fear, Yuli,” Melino said. ”Wilam will raise a thousand warriors to protect you. Our child will be born.”
”It has been a hundred years since any have taken up the black grease,” the elder said softly. ”There will be war.”
”Then let there be war,” Wilam spat.
He turned to me, face stern.