Page 63 of Circle of Days
“No doubt,” said Yana, “but he turned me down. And as far as I can see, he is the only available man. So you have two options, Troon. You could order Bort to take me—”
“Not possible,” said Troon.
“But you ordered me to take someone.”
“You’re a woman. That’s different.”
“In that case we have to wait until another man becomes available. It may not be long. People are dying because of the drought.”
Pia thought this would be the best possible outcome. Her mother was still obliged to take a man, but at least there was a chance that it would be someone she liked. Troon would not be pleased, but what could he do?
However, Troon did not look like a man who had been defeated. He should have been angry—it did not take much to anger him. Not getting his way always did it.
This worried Pia. Could he possibly have another plan?
He did. Troon said: “You say Bort is the only available man. But you’re wrong.”
Yana looked startled, but said nothing.
Pia felt a chill. She did not think she and her mother—and several friends and neighbors who had helped—could have overlooked anyone.
But Troon was smugly confident. “He’s sitting right here,” he said. “My son, Stam.”
Yana’s reaction was explosive. “Stam?” she shouted. “Stam? Don’t be stupid!”
Troon looked thunderous. “I am not stupid. Stam is an available man, and you are going to partner with him whether you like it or not.”
“He’s not an available man because he’s not a man! He hasn’t yet seen fourteen midsummers. He’s a child!”
Stam was also Yana’s nephew, Pia thought; but only by marriage, so Yana could not argue that the relationship would be incestuous.
Troon said: “He’s big and strong, and a hard worker. He will surely become Big Man when I die. You should feel lucky that he wants you.”
“He’s too young even for my daughter.”
Pia said: “And too ugly.”
Troon turned a look of hate onto Pia. But he swung back and spoke to Yana. “Go to your farm now and get back to work. Shen will sit outside your house tonight, to keep you safe.”
To keep us imprisoned, Pia thought.
“Stam will come to you tomorrow at suppertime.” Troon paused for emphasis, looking directly at Yana. “And he will spend the night with you.”
Pia was enraged, but she forced herself to stay silent.
Troon went on: “And if you’re thinking of running away, think again. I will find you, wherever you go, and when I do, I will make you very, very sorry.”
It was the second time he had made this threat, and it turned Pia cold. He never made empty threats. She knew he meant it.
His vengeance would be terrible.
Walking home, Yana said to Pia: “Sometimes a Big Man can be made to change his mind.”
“I’ve never known it,” said Pia in surprise.
“The last Big Man did, once or twice, but you might not have realized. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s not unknown.”
“When it does happen, what persuades him?”
