There was a slight buzz of conversation among the audience when the participants walked out of the lodge as news that Ayla had seen Madroman leaving the campsite wearing clothing he had very likely stolen from Laramar was passed around. It was followed by an undercurrent of comment speculating about the various ramifications: Jondalar's and the First's past history with Madroman, his rejection from the zelandonia and Ayla's role in it, and why she was the only one who saw him leave. People settled in to watch the events full of anticipation. It wasn't often that they were presented with the opportunity to observe so much high drama. The whole summer was proving to be an exciting one that would fill many long slow winter days with meat for discussion, and stories for seasoning.
'We have some serious matters to resolve today,' the First started. 'These are not matters of the spirit world but problems between Her children and we ask that Doni observe our deliberations and help us to speak the truth, to think clearly, and to reach fair decisions.'
She took out a small carved sculpture and held it up. It was the figure of a full-bodied woman with the legs tapering to barely suggested feet. Though they could not distinctly see the object she held in her hand, they all knew that it was a donii, a place for the all-encompassing spirit of the Great Earth Mother or at least some essential part of Her nature to reside. A tall cairn of stones, almost a pillar, with a large base of fairly big stones tapering up to a flattened top of sandy gravel, had been constructed in the centre of the level area.
With a decided flourish, the First Among Those Who Served The Mother planted the feet of the donii into the gravel and propped Her up for all to see. The primary purpose of the donii in this context was to prevent deliberate lying, and She was a strong deterrent. When the Mother's spirit was expressly invoked to watch, everyone knew any lies would be seen by Her and brought to light; while someone might lie and get away with it for the moment, eventually the truth would come out, and usually with far worse repercussions. Not that there was not any great danger of anyone lying today, but it could still be a limiting influence on any tendency to exaggerate.
'Shall we begin,' the First said. 'There were many witnesses, so I don't think we need to go into any great detail about the circumstances. During the recent festival to honour the Mother, Jondalar found his mate Ayla sharing the Mother's Gift of Pleasures with Laramar. Both Ayla and Laramar joined together of their own desire. There was no force, no compulsion. Is that correct Ayla?'
She hadn't expected to be questioned so quickly, to have all the attention of the people suddenly brought to bear on her. It caught her by surprise, but she wouldn't have known how to lie about it if she had wanted to.
'Yes, Zelandoni. That is true.'
'Is that true, Laramar?'
'Yeah, she was more than willing. She came after me,' he said.
The First fought a slight urge to caution him about exaggeration, but continued on. 'And then what happened?' She was deciding whether to ask Ayla or Jondalar, but Laramar jumped in.
'You can see what happened. The next thing I know, Jondalar was punching me in the face,' he said.
'Jondalar?'
The tall man bowed his head and swallowed. 'That's what happened. I saw him with Ayla, and I dragged him off her and started hitting him. I know it was wrong. I have no excuse,' Jondalar said, knowing in his heart even as he said it that he would do it again.
'Do you know why you hit him, Jondalar?' the First asked.
'I was jealous,' he mumbled.
'You were jealous, is that what you said?'
'Yes, Zelandoni.'
'If you had to express your jealousy, Jondalar, couldn't you have just pulled them apart? Did you have to hit him?'
'I couldn't stop myself. And once I started …' Jondalar shook his head.
'Once he started, no one could stop him, he even hit me!' the leader of the Fifth said. 'He was beside himself, in some kind of a frenzy. I don't know what we would have done if that big Mamutoi hadn't got hold of him.'
'That's why he's so ready to take in Laramar,' Folara whispered to Proleva, but easily heard by those around her. 'He's mad that he couldn't stop Jonde, and got hit when he tried.'
'He also likes Laramar's barma, but he may discover that Laramar is no shiny piece of amber,' Proleva said. 'He is not exactly the first one I would ask to join my Cave.' She turned her attention back to the centre.
'This is the reason,' Zelandoni was saying, 'that we try to teach the senselessness of jealousy. It can get out of hand. Do you understand that, Jondalar?'
'Yes, I do. It was stupid of me, and I'm very sorry. I'll do whatever you say to make up for it. I want to make amends.'
'He can't make up for it,' Laramar said. 'He can't fix my face, just like he couldn't put the teeth back in Madroman's mouth.'
The First gave Laramar a look of annoyance. That was uncalled for, she thought. It wasn't necessary to bring that up. He doesn't have the least idea how much Jondalar was provoked in that situation, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
'But reparations were paid,' Marthona said loudly.
'And I expect them to be paid again!' Laramar retorted.
'What
'What I want is to punch
There was a gasp from the audience.
'That is no doubt true, but it is not a remedy allowed by the Mother. Do you have any other thoughts about how you would like him to make amends,' the Donier asked.
Laramar's mate stood up. 'He keeps making bigger dwellings for himself. Why don't you ask him to make a big new dwelling for your family, Laramar,' she called out.
'That might be a possibility, Tremeda,' the First said, 'but where would you want it made, at the Ninth Cave, or the Fifth Cave, Laramar?'
'That's no compensation for me,' Laramar said. 'What do I care what kind of dwelling she lives in. She'll just turn it into a filthy mess anyway.'
'You don't care about where your children live, Laramar?' the First asked.
'My children? They're not mine, not if what you say is true. If coupling is the way they start, I didn't start any of them … except, maybe the first. I haven't coupled, much less had any 'Pleasures' with her in years. Believe me, she's no Pleasure. I don't know where those children came from, maybe Mother Festivals — give a man enough to drink and even she might look good — but whoever started them, it wasn't me. The only thing that woman is good for is drinking my barma,' Laramar sneered.
'Laramar, they are still the children of your hearth. It is your responsibility to provide for them,' the One Who Was First said. 'You cannot just decide you don't want them.'
'Why not? I don't want them. They never meant anything to me. She doesn't even care about them. Why should I?'
The leader of the Fifth Cave was looking just as horrified as everyone else at Laramar's callous denunciation of the children of his hearth, and in the audience, Proleva whispered, 'I told you he was no shiny piece of amber.'
'Then who do you expect to take care of the children of your hearth, Laramar?' Zelandoni said.
The man stopped and frowned. 'For all I care, Jondalar can. There's nothing he can give me that I want. He can't give me back my face, and I can't have the satisfaction of giving him what he gave me. He's so eager to take care of things, to make amends, let him take care of that lazy, loud-mouthed, manipulating shrew and her brood,' Laramar said.
'He may owe you a lot, Laramar, but that's too much to ask of a man who has a family of his own, to take on the responsibility of a family the size of yours,' Joharran said.
'Never mind, Joharran. I'll do it,' Jondalar said. 'If that's what he wants, I'll do it. If he isn't going to take responsibility for his own hearth, someone has to. Those children need someone to care about them.'
'Don't you think you should talk to Ayla about it first?' Proleva said from the audience. 'That much responsibility will take away from her own family.' Not that they don't already take more care of that family than either Laramar or Tremeda, the woman thought, but didn't say aloud.
