I pace nervously in the great room as Kirra is mixing up a rinse to cleanse the chief’s, my husband’s, wound. Hyde has long left us to our woman’s work. The smell of blood mingles with the smokiness from the fire and crackles to itself as if it knew something I did not. ”Would you stop that,” scolds Kirra, ”you’re making me nervous!”

”Well, what do you expect me to do,” I retort with a little too much bite. ”Tynan gone from us only few days ago…that damn group of old men, then he comes back…wounded to boot! I can only hope his fever has made him forget …”

”Forget what,” she questions. “I’m sure some of the females here share beds just like home when their men are not around. Have you friends here not?”

”Not what? No one here will speak to me. This has been a terrible time…this is our first meeting, “ I point to him then wrap my arms around myself and begin speaking with a type of lost sadness. ”And I am sure he won’t remember who I am…what am I doing here Kirra?” She looks my way dryly and then sighs.

”Oh…listen to me, “Kirra says more to herself than to me,”You know why you are here and you have unfortunately been trained for this day or new life to come. Granted some, well, most to be honest, of the matrons back home still think you to be a lost cause. “ She stops for a moment to give me a small smile. Kirra is so beautiful and soon she to would be given away. My lips tremble abit as I stand there alone and lost in thought.