Warprize

ask that!”
    “But how do I know?”
    The despair must have been in my voice, for her smile faded as she looked at me. “Healer you may be, but you’re a horse in a strange herd, aren’t you?”
    I nodded, not trusting my voice. My homesickness lay in my stomach like a rock.
    “It’s best, if you are not certain, to use the token.” She spoke carefully, as if to a child. “But as warprize, any who would lift a weapon to you would answer to the Warlord. You need not be concerned.” She looked down, and picked at a nit on the blanket. “Truth is, if the Warlord knew that I had grabbed you that day, I’d like be dead at his hand.”
    “He found out.” Atira went white, her eyes wide. I shook my head. “He saw the bruises. I refused to tell him who had done it.”
    Atira’s color slowly leached back into her face. “You refused?”
    “You didn’t mean any harm, and I lost my temper.” I flushed, embarrassed.
    “It appears that I owe you for both life and limb, War-prize.”
    “No, Atira, please. No debts between us.”
    She tilted her head. “So, at this point I reply ‘I will answer to your truth’. Then you return my token. Or, if you fear my anger, you may hold the token, until I answer.”
    I handed her the stone, and her smile grew wider. “As to your question. This tattoo?” She pointed to her right arm. “It bespeaks my tribes back four generations.” There were two columns of four lines each, black ink against her tanned skin. None of the designs repeated. “So you can see what tribes mix within my blood. Each tribe has its own pattern. The right column is the women, the left are the men.”
    I nodded, not completely sure I understood.
    “Now this,” displaying her left arm, “this is my required births.” This was a row of five lines, each line a separate design. “I took the tribe design of the man for each child.” She had a look of satisfaction on her face.
    My buttocks hit the ground with a thump. “Five children?”
    Atira looked up, puzzled by my reaction. “Aye, Warprize. Before any can enter military service, they must first bear or breed five children for the theas.”
    “Of course.” I answered faintly. There was a roaring in my ears. Keir had similar tattoos. Five children?
    Different mothers?
    Atira reached for my hand, concern in her eyes. “Warprize?”
    “Do you raise your children?”
    “Skies blessing, no!” Atira laughed. “What would I know of tending babes? Theas do that, in the safety of the Plains. Three months of milk is more than enough for me.”
    “Were you… did you… marry the fathers?” I had to use the Xyian word. Atira frowned. “Marry?” I explained as best I could, and she chortled, shaking her head. “No, Warprize. Bonding is for later, if I meet the right person. Those matings were for the tribes, to flourish the tribes. You understand?”
    Dazed, I think I nodded my head.
    Atira settled back, satisfied. “Now I say ‘I thank you for your truth’, and the ritual is complete.” She yawned.
    Concern for my patient cut through my confusion. “Sleep, Atira.”
    She nodded, and I moved away to check the others, my hands steady, but my thoughts tumbled. Sure enough, each one had similar tattoos on their arms. I worked about the tent as my patients dozed, thinking hard about not thinking about Keir’s five children. Or the five women that had borne him five children. Or the fact that I might be required to bear five children. Thankfully Gils interrupted my musings, showing up with dinner for my patients. There was another man with him, who walked up to me with a wry grin. “Greetings, Warprize.”
    “You’re Yers. From the senel.”
    “Aye. Gils is one of my group.” He shook his head. “Knocked me off my horse, making his request that way.” He lowered his voice as Gils moved about with the food. “Solved a problem, to be honest. Gils gives his best, mind, but he’s not a natural fighter.”
    “He’s so young.”
    Yers nodded. “Younger than most. Triplets twice, if you can believe.”
    I blinked. “Triplets.” Sure enough, a quick glance showed me the six tattoos on his left arm. Yers raised his voice. “He’ll do well enough for you, Warprize, but I’ll not let him slack his duties. Here, now,” he called to Gils. “Done?”
    Gils nodded.
    “Then we’re off.” Yers gave me a wink. “You’ll have him again in the morning.”
    I wasn’t hungry, so I made sure that everyone had what they needed and