Page 163 of Circle of Days

“We’ll see.” She turned away and went into the dining hall.

She hoped she had misdirected him. He was now expecting a new row among the elders. He would not be prepared for mass resistance tomorrow morning.

After deploying two novices to mind the pig, she went in search of Seft, to tell him what was going on. She found him just outside Riverbend, on the riverside path. The track he had built had been disarranged. Seft was picking up scattered branches and putting them back in place. “This isn’t wanton damage,” he said to Joia. “It’s just the effect of many people walking on the track.”

Joia said: “What can we do?”

Seft scratched his dark beard. “We’ll have to maintain it constantly. It will be less of a problem farther north, where there are fewer people. When the stone is on the move, we’ll have a team going ahead to do last-minute repairs.”

“That sounds manageable. I’m not so sure about Scagga’s latest dodge.”

“What’s he done?”

“Persuaded the elders to limit the number of volunteers we take.” She had taught Seft the priestess way of counting, so she could discuss high numbers with him. “They have ordered us not to take more than ninety. You and I decided we needed twice that number.”

“Can we change their minds?”

“I think we should just ignore them.”

Seft frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Say nothing, and let them try to enforce their rule tomorrow, when there are a couple of hundred eager volunteers raring to go.”

Seft grinned, nodding, and said: “That’s just brilliant.”

Joia woke early, as always. Her first thought was that this was Day One of the four days she had to bring the giant stone to the Monument. That was the reckless promise she had made.

She went to the roasting frame and put out the fire under the pig. She had been told by Melly that it was best to stop the cooking a good while before carving the meat.

Then she woke the priestesses. They chattered excitedly as they dressed. Today would be a big day.

Several of them picked up sharp flints and began cutting slices off the pig and putting them in baskets.

Dawn broke, and volunteers began to arrive as the silver light touched the Monument. All Joia’s friends showed up, which pleased her. She saw daredevil Vee, her cousin and childhood friend; Vee’s amiable brother Cass, who had kissed her once, to no great effect; Boli, a quickrunner; and homely-looking Moke. Zad of the confident grin came with his dark-eyed woman, Biddy, and their daughter, Dini. There were several farmers, including Duff.

Two priestesses with baskets of sliced pork appeared andvolunteers crowded around them, jostling. Joia heard Sary say: “One slice each! Only one, please. Leave some for others.”

More volunteers arrived, and Joia began to think they might have the two hundred they needed. The mood was festive, the boys and girls flirting. Ani came to wish Joia well. Scagga was lurking outside the earth circle, wearing his habitual scowl. What would he do?

When the sky on the horizon turned yellow, Joia started the priestesses singing the song of sunrise. Looking around, she was sure she had at least two hundred volunteers. They all watched the sun come up, and cheered when it was fully risen; then Joia cried: “This is the moment! Now we go!”

This was also the moment when Scagga would try to stop them.

Joia and Seft led the party out.

Scagga was outside. “This is too many!” he yelled at her.

Joia spoke without stopping. “No, we’re exactly the number you said was the limit,” she lied.

He walked backward in front of her, his face twisted in angry frustration. She knew he could not possibly have counted. It was too difficult to count crowds, and like most herders he did not know high numbers.

Joia marched on determinedly.

Scagga started yelling at the volunteers, telling them they could not go, the elders had forbidden it. They ignored him, talking to one another, laughing and joking. He stood in front of one young man and got pushed away. Joia had a moment of severe anxiety, fearing a fight might break out.

Then there was an intervention by a woman volunteer. “Howdare you tell me what to do?” she said to Scagga. Joia recognized the fair curly hair and wide mouth of Dee, the Stony Valley shepherd’s beautiful daughter. In her surprise Joia stumbled and almost fell.

When she recovered her balance, she heard Dee say: “Get out of the way, before someone picks you up and throws you.” The people around her laughed. Mocked and threatened, Scagga reddened, turned around, and stamped off.