Page 188 of Circle of Days

It amazed her to have such control over so many people.

She repeated what she had said at the Autumn and Midwinter Rites: that the next Midsummer Rite would launch another holy mission. Again she would be calling for volunteers, fit and strong and ready for adventure. And this time they would bring nine giant stones to the Monument. “Tell your friends and neighbors,” she shouted. “We need many more people than before. And remember: at the end we will be exhausted, but we will be so very proud!”

They cheered and she climbed down the pole. The novices looked at her with shining eyes, thrilled that their leader had been cheered rapturously by the crowd. She hurried out through the entrance, eager to avoid getting waylaid by admirers, and took refuge in the priestesses’ dining hall.

She rested for a while. She was surprised at how tiring it was to be idolized. She let the hysteria die down, then, when she judged that people would be concentrating on trading, she went out again.

Many people shook hands with her in the herder style, holdingtheir hands up and clasping. Right-to-right was formal; right-to-left was casual; right-to-left and left-to-right together was affectionate. Most people offered her the four-handed clasp, even if she had never met them.

She found her mother trying to resolve a dispute—her frequent duty after Rites. A basket maker wanted a flint, but the flint knapper said the basket was not worth a good sharp flint. The basket maker was outraged, and wanted to insist on the deal. Ani was trying to explain to him that the flint knapper was free to refuse if he wished, but the man did not want to hear that.

Joia left her to it and moved on. She ran into Seft. He had spent the winter at Stony Valley, making sleds, and Neen had moved there with the children. They were back for a short visit. Joia would have to go there soon, to make sure everything necessary was being done.

Seft said: “The climbing pole worked all right, then?”

“As you saw,” Joia said. “Thank you for making it.”

“They loved it when you stood on top of the stone. To those who couldn’t see the pole, it seemed as if you had flown up.”

“People love to think they have seen a miracle.”

“You should do the same thing after the Midsummer Rite.”

“Absolutely.”

She spotted Scagga’s sister, Jara, who caught her eye and came over. “My brother will attend the next meeting of the elders,” she said.

Joia tried to say something neutral. “He’s changed his mind, then.”

Jara went on: “I agree with his cautious approach, but I hope you and I may be polite to one another.”

This was disarming. “I hope so too,” Joia said.

“Thank you.”

Jara moved off. Joia would have liked a little time to think about what Jara had said. It had seemed like a peace offering. But people were crowding around Joia to clasp hands, so all her conversations were short.

The flint miner Bax shoved through the crowd and said: “Is Dee here?”

Bax had made Joia foolishly jealous by talking to Dee naked in the river. Now Joia suppressed her resentment and said: “No, but she’s coming at midsummer.”

“She’s a fabulous woman. I’d like to see her again.”

“Me, too.”

“Oh, don’t be coy. She fell for you just as hard as you fell for her.”

Ani had said something similar. Joia was embarrassed to think that her private feelings were so obvious to everyone.

Bax went on: “Lucky you. And lucky her.”

That was such a nice thing to say that Joia hugged Bax.

Then someone else wanted to clasp hands with her and she had to turn aside.

She noticed Shen, Troon’s sidekick. He was here to snoop, of course. He would go back to Farmplace and tell Troon everything he had seen and heard. Troon would be angry about Joia’s popularity and her big plans. Joia gave a mental shrug. So be it.

A few days later, Joia walked to Stony Valley.