Chapter 1

“Eloyin, are you in there?”

I recognised the voice as that of Matra Elessana. “Yes, Ma. I’m mucking out the pig stalls,” I called back.

As I was unmarried, tradition normally dictated that I should use her full title as a sign of respect, but since Matra Elessana was my biological mother, the familiar form was acceptable.

At eighteen, I was past the age at which most people married. I wasn’t a good catch and none of the girls my age would give me a second thought. In turn the village girls didn’t impress me either: I thought some of them were quite pretty but most had never taken reading and writing seriously, focusing mainly on getting married to a strong husband and having a large family. If I didn’t leave the village or get married soon, I would reach an age at which I’d have to undergo an arranged marriage to one of the village widows.

I had failed abysmally at tests of the skills required to be a warrior or a hunter, and I lacked the strength and endurance required to be a farmer. Village policy was that every able-bodied person had to work, so I was the odd-job man, helping others as needed. And today, that meant mucking out the pigs.

There was a flash of daylight as Matra Elessana entered the pig shed, wrinkling her nose at the smell. “Eloyin, look out!” she exclaimed when she spotted me. “The boar is in the stall with you!”

“It’s okay, Ma, pigs are very clean animals. He knows I’m making his home more pleasant for him and I’m not a threat. Besides, he doesn’t feel like going out in his pen today because of the cold.”

Matra Elessana shook her head sadly. I knew I was a big disappointment to her.

“Matra Glandira would like to see you today,” she informed me.

Matra Glandira was the village healer, probably the most respected person in the village, even more so than the senior elder, Patra Albertrin. I liked Matra Glandira a lot and she often gave me small jobs that she didn’t care to entrust to anyone else.

“Immediately, or should I finish what I’m doing and clean up?”

“It’s important but not urgent. However, out of respect, you should visit her well before supper.”

“Very well, Ma. Thank you for telling me.”

Another flash of daylight signalled Matra Elessana’s hurried exit from the pig shed. I didn’t blame her: you never got completely accustomed to the smell.

In the event, it took me until lunch to finish all the mucking out, including moving all the waste to the current manure heap to season for a year until it was ready to be spread on the crop fields. I bathed and changed my clothes to remove the smell, then partook of communal lunch before heading to the building comprising Matra Glandira’s living quarters, surgery and dispensary.

I found Matra Glandira in her dispensary, serving a customer with a sleeping draught. I waited until the customer had paid and left before announcing my presence. “Good afternoon, Matra Glandira. Matra Elessana said you wanted to see me.”

“Yes,” said Matra Glandira. “Come with me into my living quarters so we won’t be disturbed.”

Matra Glandira directed me to a chair and poured me a mug of fruit juice. “What do you think?” she asked.

I took a sip. It was nice. It had a rich, fruity taste but wasn’t overpowering. I followed up with a large gulp. “It’s extremely good,” I said. “Are you planning to sell it?”