I had gone earlier, to the fields to try and find Fonce. Lei and I had watched for a short time. It did not take long though for the smell to invade my .. rather delicate.. senses. I consider branding to be man’s work; in fact I consider a lot of things to be men’s work. I have come to see many women on the harriga, especially of the first fires, would not agree with me but I see a clear division in what is for men to do and what is for women to do.
He will hunt and I will cook.
He will steer and I will clean up.
He will raid and I will divide.
And right now.. Fonce will brand the bosk and I will nurture life. It seems a fair enough trade, I should think, from his point of view. He can stop at the end of the day and wash away his work. I will carry mine with me every moment of the day and night. It makes me grin to know that for once I have the harder job.
I was considering the roles of men and women in the tribe when I saw Fonce heading to our wagons. He is too busy a man to come to visit with me for simple company so I knew this.. this was about the spanking.
He was hot and sweaty from the work he was doing.. for me, so I offered him a bowl of water. I did not ask, I simply filled the bowl and held it out to him as we spoke. This is another of the roles of men and women I do not find blurry. If he works for me, I will offer him water.
Turns out Lei was right, the spanking was for me! I did not think a spanking from Fonce would end at all like a spanking from Trayu would have. But then.. There were parts of Fonce I did not know, and did not trust.
I am still stinging from the implication that I have laid with Serge. I wanted to hit him for even thinking such a thing. I could barely bring myself to share a meal with that man, let alone offer him my pinkest parts.
"Do I seem like that kind of woman, Fonce?" I asked him, very quietly.
“Am I spanking you .. Asria?”
I blushed hot and red.
“It is not something to hide or be ashamed of .. let the Sky know how proud you are .. let your gifts be seen beneath it”
I hugged him, harder then I ever had before and cried happily into his shoulder. The dirt he wore upon him ruined my tunic and was spread across my cheek and the bridge of my nose. I did not care. I hardly even noticed the smell now. His arms around me were nothing like Trayu’s, they did not give me the same feeling but I needed it just the same, for what it was. We often to not pay enough attention to how important the human touch is. A hand upon your shoulder, a thumb across your cheek.
“Then tell Trayu” He said “.. Though I imagine he knows and is simply waiting around for you to catch up”
I laughed. The idea was wonderful and incredible and too big to fully settle inside my head.. Trayu had the last word. After Lei we had been simply unable to have another child no matter how hard we tried. And trust me.. we tried.. a lot. Some of the things we did were a little bit legendary. It was unfair that it would happen now.. and poetic at the same time.
“The Sky has given you such a gift, Asria”
His words were muffled by my hair and my own sniffling. I told him I loved him, which would probably shock people, but it is true. I love Fonce. He was my lifeline, my support system, my friend and my pusher.
“And if it is a son ... it will be Trayu's legacy ... someone he has left behind to take care of you and Lei, always.”
But Fonce won’t be getting off the hook that easy. I kissed his cheek before he left and then I hurried to go find Cana, no matter the hour.
I had to tell the world.
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