“War!” An enthusiastic voice rises from the crowd. “How could people so small feel the glory of victory? It’s not possible!”
“We don’t war against giant men, for one thing.”
There are nods from the crowd, as though what I’m saying makes sense.
For every angry glare, there’s a curious expression. Every foul word, a man who looks…hopeful.
“We came here as penance, to bring glory to our people and our names, and what greater glory would there be than to increase our numbers? There are maybe twenty aboard her ship—twenty! If we were to mate with her people, we’d grow plentiful.”
“And weak!” Ramsey says. “We can’t take on women that can’t care for themselves.”
“Elena took down an endergulf. She organized the women to rebel against captors that had taken them.”
“Then let her stay,” Ramsey says, his mouth a thin line of contempt. “But the others must find their own way.”
Ramsey is totally not buying into the‘strong in different ways’propaganda, and unfortunately, a lot of men are agreeing with him.
Survival is unlikely on my own, especially with the strange beasts of Melgrim, and as much as I can’t stand half the women I came here with, being one woman in a clan of men is a very bad idea. I have to make them see that accepting us all will not only help them, but also add to their strength.
“What if we can care for ourselves?” I ask.
Ramsey snickers.
I look around at their small village, making note of the well-made huts. While my people are capable of far grander than what they’ve built, they have odd metal workings I’ve never seen before. Things I’m not sure we could replicate, like Grixis’s spear.
But we don’t have to have the same. We just have to survive.
“What if we build our own shelters and catch our own food?”
“Impossible,” Ramsey says with confidence.
“We would need access to tools and knowledge, but we’ll do the work ourselves.”
Ramsey gestures to me. “See, she admits they can’t care for themselves.”
“Same as your people.”
His head snaps in my direction. He’s casting me an angry glare.
“Imagine if you were shipwrecked and had no weapons or knowledge of the land. Your chances of survival would go down considerably. I’m not expecting you to provide for us indefinitely. I just ask that you show us where to get water and allow us use of your axes so we can create our own homes. The same tools you have access to.”
They talk amongst themselves, no longer shouting, and if I’m not mistaken, more than one man looks at me with hope in their eyes, and a few more with what can only be described as lust.
Without warning, a horn blows. It’s Grixis, commanding the attention of his men.
“It’s settled. If they can prove themselves strong, they can stay. Tomorrow, we’ll send our best hunters to escort them to our camp, where they will have access to our tools and knowledge.”
“Perhaps we should observe them on the shore first,” Ramsey suggests.
Grixis meets his gaze. “I will grant you this wish if you promise that once they have proven themselves, you will concede your worries and your protests will stop.”
Ramsey nods.
Grixis continues with, “Good, since this decision impacts us all, we will vote once we’ve properly observed the women.”
The crowd seems to relax a bit, but it’s impossible to say how many of the giants would welcome us.
Grixis’s large hand covers my shoulder. “Until they’ve proven themselves weak, you will grant Elena all the respect of a tribal leader, for she is chieftain of her female clan.”