The nation

Chapter 8

“What is it that smells so good?” Harden followed Indra.

“Hi Poppa,” Briaunna squealed, “it’s venison from your last hunt, with the potatoes you like, stewed kale greens and fresh baked bread.”

“That sounds delicious darlin, did you help your mother with the meal?” Harden took in the wonderful aroma.

“No poppa, I did this all myself.” Briaunna beamed, “I love you poppa.”

Harden accepted a hug from his daughter and looked at his wife. She was radiant, she glowed with enticement, he wanted to go to her, but his mind always returned to his failings as a husband. Still, Indra looked brilliant but... something he could not put his finger on, something in the way she looked at him. She looked like she was in a cage.

“I thought you said that you cooked...”

“When was the last time you went hunting dear?” Indra’s tone was borderline venomous.

Harden did not take the bait, he finished hugging Briaunna and then went to sit down. Indra did not move at first, then she went to sit next to Briaunna and made her a plate.

“This is wonderful,” Harden said to Briaunna, “You will be a wonderful mother someday with cooking like this.”

Harden rambled on about the food, Indra lost her appetite after the wonderful mother comment to Briaunna. She sat there, picking at the food on her plate, sitting next to her honorable husband and her only child, what did she do? How could she have done this to her husband, a wonderful man, a loving father, and respected leader. How could she be so selfish? She knew full well the state of the village and the food shortage, as she pushed a potato around her plate. She knew the stress Harden was under as the leader of the clan, yet she went and jumped the nearest stud behind his back.

Indra stood up quickly and covered her mouth, “I’m gonna be sick.” And ran outside to let the contents of her stomach out.

Indra made it outside and turned to the right of the door, there was open ground that way, but it was nearest to the road. She went right anyway, without hesitation. Her eye’s flooded with tears, her mouth began to water and the muscles in her gut prepared to expel all her stomach fluids on to the ground. She ran as far as she could before she was no longer able to hold it in. She bent over and braced her arms on her thighs, the first gush of bile and vitriol exploded from her mouth. Her hair hung down around her face until she was done vomiting, no one came out to hold her hair. Spitting the last of the foul taste from her mouth, she pulled her hands through her hair bringing all her hair over her left shoulder. When Indra finished wringing the spit and bile from her hair, Alayla Garra came walking down the road toward where Indra was bent over.

“Indra? Is that you?” Alayla sounded very happy, almost perky.

“Yes Alayla,” Indra spit one last time before Alayla was too close, “I must’ve...”

“Did you eat something bad darlin?” Alayla was always interested in good gossip, no matter who was involved, “Or are you prego?” She said conspiratorially.

“What? No.” That almost made Indra laugh aloud, but she didn’t.

“You know, most of us got sick in the mornings but, you know, it can happen anytime.”

“What can happen anytime?”

“The morning sickness,” Alayla nicked, “the puke, you know?”

“Yes, I got it. No, I am not, what did you say, prego?” She swiped her foot at some puke on the ground before standing straight up, “I must’ve eaten...”

“Do you know what I heard?” The conspiratorialist returned, “Andy Aa Scandiniv was brushing Jan Talbot’s horse when some woman ran out of the stall.”

Indra thought her heart had stopped beating when she heard Andy’s name, someone saw her. The sweating returned, suddenly the skin down her spine and her armpits became slippery with sweat. A knot grew in her stomach; if there was anything left in there it would surely come out, there was nothing left in Indra’s stomach. But the pinch in her gut remained, a cramp that threatened her whole life. That short span of time when she had succumbed to her primal urges may cost her all that she was. The wife of the leader of the clan had just committed adultery with the son of the only man who wanted to be leader more than her husband.

“Indra, did you hear? Someone finally had the courage, or moral indecency, to bed Andy Aa Scandiniv.”

Indra grew pale as Alayla continued.

“His arms, so strong they look, his big hands. Could you just imagine what those paws would feel like, hmmm, so dirty, ya know.” Alayla’s eyes were glowing with wonder, “his long dark hair, that butt of his.” She snickered.

Indra knew all too well how he felt, his hands were firm but cautious. Those strong gentle arms had moved Indra with what, love? No, more like reverence. His cock was grand, that she knew but would never tell Alayla. Indra shook her head, trying to free herself from the lustful memory that was only moments old, she thought that she would never get rid of this demon memory now. Andy will be there when Harden was not, always in her mind. Oh Utoo; she prayed, please forgive me.

“You know that I hate it when he leaves, but by the glory of Utoo, I could watch him go all day.” Alayla appeared to want to talk, Indra only wanted to flee.

“Indra, are you ok?”

Indra had not been this glad to hear Harden’s voice in... well she cannot remember when, but glad she was.

“Briaunna was sewing my tunic, which ripped somehow.” Harden’s voice became deeper as he lowered his head to look at the excellent work his daughter had done, “She is such a blessing.”

Then the anger came back, Indra had been feeling increasingly like she was in competition with her own daughter; to whom she had been losing handily too. She made a face that Harden didn’t see, Alayla saw it though; and filed it away for a future expose`.

Fall persisted as winter drew ever closer, Indrasena did all she could to avoid Andy without being too obvious about it. Bless Andy’s heart, for he did not have the where with all to pursue her in any mature way. They did still have chance encounters, but Indra made damn sure they were never alone too long. In fact, they were never alone for more than half an hour. Each time they met Andy seemed to understand her body more, though she was still disgusted with herself; nothing had changed at home. Harden was still unable to properly care for his wife, he remained over stressed, preoccupied with the coming winter and the food shortage. Briaunna, bless her heart, may just take over their home completely. Briaunna may be physically fragile, but she can do all that was necessary to keep a home.

Indra felt alone, alienated by her actions. Given to secret trysts, covert rendezvous, and just plain animal lust. Although she was not planning it, the affair with Andy never ended, it just kept burning right along. Even after the rumors started. There are few places to hide a giant, sexy imbecile from prying eyes.

Winter was fast approaching, and the council was still divided on the austerity measures that The People have used successfully before. They meet twice as often now, bickered twice as much. The councils of old never acted like this, they had always remained dignified and contemplative, never rash and impulsive. Many winters have come and gone, the village has grown, as have The People. There has been much learning and mastering of concepts; farming, animal care, irrigation, clothe making, writing, herb lore, the list was endless. The People have made songs, poetry, sport; the Warrior’s game, and practiced an oral history to pass all this information to future generations. Village life had spoiled many of the people, some have grown too comfortable, decadent and entitled.

The elders have set a plan up for more hunting parties to go out in every direction that hunting was traditionally good in. Most hunters had no issues with the extra duty, but some do. Some families only have one male, he was traditionally the hunter, so to have the only male gone more often caused problems in some homes. Mostly this was not an issue, but it intermittently came up at some council meetings.

Meda Carrick was wrong about the crop yield; it was less than what he thought it would be. The stores that the village relied upon were only two thirds of what the village would need to comfortably escape winter. Meda Carrick begged the council for austerity, he was rebuffed by Angeni Spier every time.

Winter came.

Winter was always beautifully dangerous, precious for the eyes to see and unrelenting to any exposed skin. The village of Ondu hunkered down for the worst of the weather. When the weather was bad the hunting ceased, it had to be resumed immediately when the weather was favorable, most of The People were rationing less than halfway through the season. The snow blocked doors to homes, walls had to be shoveled out for ventilation. Roofs collapsed, sending some families to relatives or neighbors for shelter. Wood was becoming an issue too, since the temperatures were near impossible to brave, even when the sun shined bright.

After winter’s fun, and all the adultery, spring came. The weather slowly warmed. The snow began to melt, but with nowhere for it to go the water pooled in and around the village. At first the standing water was just a nuisance, then with the warming temperatures came flooding; rivers and streams rose above their normal levels. Some of the worst flooding in Ondu was in the south end of the village, which was also where all the farming was, driving some people out of their homes, again.