Yelda lifted her murky eyes off the polished bowl secured between her crossed legs, squinting at the woman standing in between the parted curtains eclipsing the sun.

'Good morning, Respectful Yelda.' she said, her soft voice mixing with the shrill jingles of her cascading bangles.

'You're allowing the smoke to escape, Egdum!'

'Oh.' exclaimed Egdum, looking behind her, stepping on the goatskin overlay, the curtains flapping closed behind her.

Yelda groaned, whispering as she sprinkled something into the brass incense burner to her right. A burst of white smoke twirled ascending, touching the ceiling before, dissolving into the misty fog filling the space.

Egdum froze, observing Yelda's mumbling shriveled lips, her boney fingers taping the arranged stacks of dried plants and colorful bottles.

'You seem...busy,' she said, scratching the back of her neck.

'Hmm.' replied Yelda, not lifting her sight.

'I'll return later.' she added, turning towards the entrance.

Yelda hummed, lifting her hand, her curved forefinger pointing upwards. 

Egdum stopped, exploring the space with her eyes as she waited. She deeply inhaled the empowering scent of the dried herbs dangling above her head, allowing the smell to carry her back to her childhood, remembering how she curiously watched her great aunt work with herbs.

 How different her life would have been if she had listened and become her apprentice. 

'What is it you came for, Egdum?' finally asked Yelda, annoyance evident in her tone.

Egdum rushed to her, kneeling inches from the dried herbs separating them.

'This smells like something new,' she said, brown eyes reflecting the candlelight, peering into the bowl, 'What is it for?'

Yelda ignored the question, picking the herbs' palest, trembling hand holding it above the candle. The dried leaves crumpled on themselves, devoured by the golden flames, the remaining ashes powdering the bottom of the bowl.

Egdum furrowed, fetid smell penetrating her nostrils. A strange sensation invaded her body, the growing panic of it reminding her of the purpose of her visit.

'I...' she cleared her throat, blinking several times, 'I came for the Messor.'

'Again?'

'Yes, I am afraid so, the bottle you gave me has finished.'

'Don't your girls understand the risks?'

'It's always the new ones who I struggle with the most.' she huffed, rubbing her neck, her senses gradually returning to normal.

'Life is a precious gift that I hate taking away.' said Yelda, pouring a yellow liquid onto the ashes.

'They think that by being with child, they'd secure their men.' said Egdum, reaching for the herb closest to her.

'An offspring is the least any of The Damned desires.' said the elderly woman, spreading her fingers above the plant protectively, stopping Egdum's advance.

'I failed to make them understand despite the warnings and punishments. Imagine if news of their deliberate act reaches the high ranks. It's me who'd they punish.' she said, hand returning over her lap, clasped by the other.

'I'll have to prepare a new batch for you. Return to me on the morrow; it'll be ready.'

'Thank you, Respectful Yelda.'

'Shall I repeat how it's taken?'

Egdum shook her head in denial, standing.

'I'll repeat nonetheless. Three spoons, three times for three consecutive days.' she instructed, holding Egdum's gaze, 'Force all the girls to take the Risslem. It'll prevent them from getting impregnated. I don't want blood on my hands.' she said, rubbing her hands together, continuing, 'Killing a fetus with the Messor is one thing. Killing a live-born babe is another, and you know best that I don't want to experience that ever again.'

Egdum clenched her dress, swallowing the heat bubbling inside of her.

'Yes, I do,' she forced the words out of her mouth, avoiding the old woman's eyes, 'I bid you a good day, Respectful Yelda.' she uttered, stepping outside, fighting the fragmented images flashing in her head, the siren cries of a baby deafening her.

Her heart raced as the cries continued. She scanned the faces of the women nearby. They seemed not to hear it, which meant that she was the only one who did.

What was that herb that Yelda used? She wondered, messaging the back of her neck, adding more pressure to her fingers.

Yelda's chants tore at the illusion, silencing it.  Egdum's fleeing steps quickened through the snaking path between the tents, racing the eastern winds blowing behind her, carrying the eery tune back to her, its forbidden force stifling her.

Short breathed, she turned dashing into the main route, almost crashing into a group of older women, who happened to pass by, baskets of soiled garments carried above their heads. She composed herself, holding her breath as they briefly greeted her, continuing on their way to their work.

She exhaled, profoundly breathing. What was it that she had just experienced, hallucinations caused by that herb Yelda used, or was it something else?

She cleared her throat, straightening her back, hands adjusting the vest of her dress, before continuing on her way, reminding herself of the importance of her position. She had not the time to wonder long about what she has experienced. 

The energetic chatter of young women fell to quietness as she passed them at the forking way, her presence forcing an equal measure of fear and respect. She stopped, militarily lifting her head, receiving their greetings before continuing on her way through the maze of neverending tents, finally stopping at her desired destination, pushing through the sheer curtains of white, pleasant scent of burned incense warmly welcoming her.

'Good morning, girls.' she said to the three young women at the center of the tent, sitting on the floor surrounding their breakfast.

The three jolted, standing up, 'Good morning, Ma Egdum.' they simultaneously replied, their eyes to the ground.

'How are we doing this morning?' she asked, her arms folded behind her back, her eyes measuring their responses.

'Very well, Ma.' they all said, the middle one hiding a shining object in the folds of her nightgown. 

'Is that a new gift, Naya?' Egdum asked, reaching for the piece.

The girl coyly smiled, pink powdering her cheeks as she handed Egdum the pocket mirror, evading her pressing gaze.

'How delicate and beautiful. Silver, I bet.'

'He said he bought it especially for me.' Naya's voice came soft and low.

'How thoughtful,' Egdum said, hiding her pity for the girl, 'You must continue to please him, Naya.' 

'I will, Ma Egdum.' she said, a faint smile arching her thin lips. 

It would not last long after the gift, she knew him too well to know, yet she hoped he would fail her expectations of him, the leader's second son, Herlus, and his fleeting passions.

'Where is it from? Did he tell you?'

'Eravana.'

'Eravana! Isn't that where they've gone last time?'

Naya hummed, shrugging her shoulders.

Egdum's adoration for the mirror faded. It certainly was an object obtained during the last mission, a little less than a month ago. She wondered about the woman previously owning it, a highborn most certainly. She studied the reflection of her brown eyes, wondering if the lady's soul has found its way back to it, residing in it for eternity, cursing those responsible for her death and those owning the mirror afterward. How many souls would there be, trapped in such mirrors by now, constantly cursing them, hundreds, thousands?

She grinned, returning the gift, asking,

'Where is Wanaus? Has she returned?'

The girls shared glances among each other, failing to reply. 

'What's the matter? Didn't she return from the Commander's tent yet?'

'She was already here when we came back from The Pentagon last night.' said the tall one. 

'I heard her sob all night long, Ma Egdum.' said the other, her fingers fidgeting with the ends of her long braided chestnut hair.

Egdum lifted a brow, concern shadowing over her face for a moment before changing the subject,

'I'll see to her later; it's probably nothing. Let's focus on what's important, shall we? Tonight, as you know, it is The Great Feast, and a lot is expected of us. Be on your best behavior, and remember, you are Edanoms, and you should act like it. Is that understood, Rekan, Hara, and Naya?'

'Yes.' they replied, enthusiastically nodding.

'My eyes will be on you the whole time. The slightest mistake and you'll be instantly replaced, is that clear?'

'Yes, Ma.' they replied.

'Now, continue with your breakfast while I see to Wanaus.' she instructed, crossing the tent, passing through the draped curtains over the door leading to the connected sleeping quarters.

In the sweetly perfumed room, marching between the hanged colorful textiles and decorative woolen tassels beautifully separating the sleeping spaces of furs and pillows, Egdum's hand lifted the red privacy silk of the last of the beds. Wanaus's night-black hair spread on the pillow, escaping the quilted blanket covering the rest of her body.

Egdum lowered herself, sitting on her knees.

'What happened, Wanaus?'

The question dissolved into the quietness of the space. 

'Talk to me.' Egdum strictly urged.

Wanaus emerged, her gaze lowered, red puffy eyes fixated on her hands where her forefinger scraped the skin around her thumbnail, faintly replying,

'Nothing happened, Ma Egdum.'

'The way you look does not suggest that nothing had happened; I demand a detailed explanation. The commander's pleasure and comfort is my priority. If you've failed the task entrusted to you, Wanaus, I am forced to relieve you of the duty, assigning it to another.'

Tears ran down her cheeks, hot and coursing, the words Egdum spoke thrusting into her heart like a thousand daggers.

'If one was not enough, two might do the job, anyway, and anyhow he needs to be pleased for this boat to sail. You and your feelings are nothing. It is him that matters, Wanaus.'

'Believe me, Ma, nothing happened.'

'If nothing has happened, what's the cause of your early return? Why aren't you with him, attending to his needs? Didn't he like it that you've come without being summoned? He has never disapproved of that before. Did you say or do anything that displeased him?'

'He... asked me to leave.'

'And nothing else?'

Wanaus shook her head in denial, her long black curls tumbling over her shoulder, resting over her chest.

Egdum gently placed a hand over her back.

'He might have wanted to be alone that night. He is the commander, after all. His position puts him under a lot of pressure.'

'I... understand that...but the look in his eyes...what I felt...' she whimpered.

'Let's not rush to conclusions. He has seen none since you've become his Edanom. He personally asked not to send him anyone else, and that was around five months ago. For the commander to have one Edanom for such a long time is, how can I say it,' Egdum looked around the room, 'unique!' she exclaimed. 'It has never happened since he had become the commander six years ago. So if he did not desire you any longer or craved someone else, someone new, he'd ask me to arrange it, and I'd be the first to know.'

Wanaus found a temporary console in Egdum's words as the logic in them sank in.

'Do you really think he still...?' she said, meeting Egdum's eyes.

'You can never be certain until you give it another chance.'

'Another chance?'

'Uh-huh, tonight, at The Great Feast.'

Wanaus's heart raced at the thought of him, a contradicting mixture of longing and dread. She sent a prayer to the celestial Gods of her long-gone tribe, asking them to keep him close. Her savior and hero, the man she deeply adored. She wanted nothing more than his closeness in return as she knew a man such as he was incapable of a trivial thing, love.