Page 214 of Circle of Days
Duff was angry. “How dare he show his face here? He was the closest ally of the Big Man who was responsible for the deaths of more than half the men in Farmplace!”
Yana said: “I suppose this is his only home. It’s about four weeks since the stampede: he may have tried to find somewhere else to live, and failed.”
“No one would have him,” Duff said, speculating. “And we won’t either. He must be thrown out.”
Pia said firmly: “Let’s not start acting like Troon.”
Duff saw sense immediately. He calmed down and said: “You’re right. Those days are over. All the same, we’ve got to do something. He’s sly and mean and we don’t know what he may have planned.”
Pia said: “Surely we can’t allow a return to the old ways?” The prospect was chilling.
Yana said: “I don’t know…”
“We need to know more,” Pia said. “I’ll talk to Katch. I’m her niece, she likes me, she’ll tell me what Shen is up to. I’ll go after we eat.”
Katch and Shen were in Troon’s big rectangular house. Shen was sitting cross-legged, eating what looked like a roast swan, dark oily meat on a bony carcass. He was wearing a long-sleeved tunic that must have belonged to Troon, the only person in Farmplace who owned more than one tunic.
When Katch saw Pia, she looked nervous, perhaps fearing a quarrel between Pia and Shen. Shen continued eating, taking no notice of Pia, but she could see by the way he sat that he, too, had tensed up.
Pia spoke to Katch. “How are you?”
“I’m all right,” Katch said.
“Your wheat is ripening nicely.”
“Yes.”
Everyone’s wheat was ripening nicely. Pia was making small talk in the hope of getting Katch to relax.
Without looking up from his food, Shen said: “Get me some water, woman.”
Pia watched as Katch filled a bowl from a jar and gave it to Shen. He took it without thanking her.
This is awful, Pia thought. He’s just walked right in and started to behave as if nothing has changed. We can’t let this happen.
She concealed her worry and said: “Katch, you must be glad tohave Shen to help you bring in the harvest. Life will be easier for you now.”
Katch made a noncommittal noise, and Shen looked cross.
Pia decided to push. “Shen, as well as helping Katch you must work with Liss, my neighbor, one or two days a week.”
He gave her a look that said: You cannot be serious.
She persisted. “We’re all doing this now, to support the women who have been widowed by Troon’s stupid war. If we all do our part, then perhaps no one will starve this winter.”
Shen looked disdainful. “I see you’ve been giving orders, as if you were the Big Man,” he sneered. “Well, that’s over. Women can’t give orders.”
“Is that so?”
“You know it is.”
“So, Shen, who do you imagine will be giving the orders now?”
“If you don’t know that, you’re even more stupid than most women.”
Pia caught Katch’s eye and smiled, but Katch looked away anxiously. Well, Pia thought, after living with Troon as long as she did it’s going to take her a while to realize she doesn’t have to be a slave to the next man that walks in the door.
She said: “Katch, just let me know if you need anything, won’t you?”
