Page 5 of Circle of Days

They sang as they danced. One with white hair, perhaps the High Priestess, would sing a line that sounded like a question, then the others would respond all together.

They stepped in and out of the outer circle, winding through the posts, weaving like reeds in the hands of a basket maker.

They seemed to address the wooden uprights individually, as if each meant something different.

Seft had a feeling they were counting as they sang, but the words they used were not familiar.

The dance was not sexy. Well, not very sexy. Swaying women were always sexy to Seft, but in this dance that was not the main point.

The outer circle of bluestones, which was just inside the earth bank, played no part in the Rite, which took place around the two timber rings: the circle, and within that the incomplete oval.

The priestesses made their way around the circle, then did the same around the oval, the missing part of which was opposite the entrance—again, facing northeast. This was where the dance ended: in the gap.

The priestesses sank to the ground, still in a long line of pairs.

They sang louder as the upper rim of the sun inched up over the horizon.

Seft was almost directly in line with the sunrise, and he saw that the orb was coming up exactly between two timber uprights of the circle.

Clearly the Monument had been carefully designed that way.

The uprights and the crossbar formed a frame, and Seft realized, with a feeling of awe, that this was the archway through which the Sun God came into the world.

The crowd went quieter and the priestesses sang louder as the red disc rose in the sky. Although the sun came up every day, here and now its appearance seemed a special event, as the crowd gazed in a holy trance.

The sun was almost completely up. The song of the priestesses grew even louder.

The lowest edge of the sun’s curve seemed to linger below the horizon, as if reluctant to lose contact; then at last it came free, and a fragment of light appeared between it and the earth.

The song reached a climax, then song and drum suddenly stopped.

The crowd broke out into a triumphant roar, so loud it might have been heard at the edge of the world.

Then it was all over. The priestesses marched two by two through the gap in the earth bank and disappeared into their houses. The people in the crowd began to stand up, stretch their legs, and chatter to one another as the tension seeped away.

Seft and Neen remained sitting on the grass. He looked at her. “I feel sort of… knocked over,” he said.

She nodded. “That’s how it takes you, especially the first time.”

He looked at the people crowding out through the gap. “I’d better return to my family—but I’ll see you again, won’t I?”

She smiled. “I hope so.”

“Where shall we meet?”

“Would you like to have dinner with my family?”

“Again? Are you sure your mother won’t mind?”

“Sure. Herders like to share. It makes meals more fun.”

“Then I accept. Yesterday’s dinner was wonderful. I mean, the food was delicious, but most of all I liked that…” He hesitated, not sure how to express what he had felt. “I liked that you all love one another.”

“That’s normal in families.”

He shook his head. “Not in every family.”

“I’m sorry. Escape to us again tonight.”

“Thank you.”

They stood up. Seft said reluctantly: “I’d better hurry.”

“Go on, then.”

He turned and strode away.

He did not know whether to rejoice or not.

He had made love with the girl he adored, and it had been wonderful—then she had told him she was not sure she wanted to spend her life with him.

Worse, it seemed he had a rival, a tall, confident man called Enwood, who was older than Neen, whereas Seft was younger.

Tomorrow he would have to leave with his family, and would not see her until the Autumn Halfway. Enwood would have a quarter of a year to woo her with no rival in sight.

But tonight Neen would be with Seft, not Enwood. Seft had one more chance to make it permanent.

Outside the Monument, crowds of people were already bargaining, offering their wares and asking for what they wanted, arguing about the relative values of flint axes, flint knives, stone hammers, pots, hides, ropes, bulls, rams, bows and arrows.

He found his family. He expected Olf and Cam to ridicule him about where he had spent the night, making obscene suggestions and trying to turn his love affair into something sordid. But they sat side by side on the ground, looking at him, as if waiting for something to happen.

That was ominous.

His father was turned away, talking to Ev and Fee, the ropemakers, and Seft waited for the conversation to end.

After a few moments Cog turned around and said: “Where were you last night?”

Seft said: “All the work was done before I left, wasn’t it?”

“As it happens, yes, but I might have needed you.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Anyway, I’m worried about leaving our pit unattended. I don’t trust that Wun.”

This was going to be bad news, Seft felt. “What do you imagine Wun is going to do? He’s here.”

“He’s got a big family, and he probably left some of them behind.”

“And what will they do, steal our shovels?”

“Don’t make jokes, or I’ll knock your stupid head off.”

Cam laughed loudly at that, as if it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

Seft said: “I’m only wondering what the danger is.”

“The danger is that some of Wun’s people spend three days taking flint in a pit they didn’t have to dig, because we dug it.” He pointed a finger at Seft. “There, clever boy, you didn’t think of that, did you?”

“True.” Seft thought Cog’s whole idea was unlikely, but there was no point in arguing with him.

His father said triumphantly: “That’s why you’re going back to guard the pit.”

“When?”

“Today. Now. And you can clean it up before I get back. The floor of the pit is filthy.”

Seft took a step back, paused, and said: “No.”

“Don’t you dare say no to me, boy.”

“I’ve met a girl—”

Cam and Olf jeered.

“Tonight I’m going to her house, and her mother is going to make us dinner. I’m not going to miss that.”

“Oh, yes you are.”

“Send Olf. He hasn’t got a girl here, or anywhere. And he would be better than me at throwing Wun’s team out of our pit.”

“I’m sending you.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m head of this family, and I make the decisions.”

“And you refuse to reconsider, even when your decision is stupid.”

His father punched him in the face.

Cog’s fists were hard and his punches hurt. Seft staggered back, hand to his face. The blow had struck to the side of his left eye. His vision was blurred.

Olf and Cam cheered and applauded.

Seft was shocked. Although this had happened before, it always surprised him that his own father would be so cruel.

His father drew back his fist again, but this time Seft was ready and he dodged the blow. He felt encouraged: his father was not omnipotent. Seft quickly hit back, wildly, and managed to punch Cog’s nose.

It was the first time he had ever struck his father.

Cog’s nose spurted blood. He roared indignantly: “How dare you strike me, boy?” and came at him. This time Seft failed to dodge the punch, which hit the side of his head and knocked him to the ground.

He was dazed for a moment. When he came round, he saw that he was lying next to a small pile of flints. He was vaguely aware of a small crowd watching the fight.

He got up and snatched up a stone with which to defend himself.

Cog said: “Hit me with a stone, would you, you disobedient dog?” He came at Seft again.

Seft raised his right hand with the flint in it.

But the blow was arrested before it made contact.

Seft’s wrist was seized from behind in a powerful grip, and he dropped the stone.

His wrist was released and his two arms were grabbed, pinning him in place.

He realized that Olf had grabbed him. He struggled but could not move: Olf was too big and too strong.

As he wriggled helplessly, Cog punched him again, hard, first on his face, then in his belly, then on his face again. He screamed and begged his father to stop. Cog’s face came close, with a twisted smile that betrayed pleasure in savagery. Cog said: “Will you go back to the pit?”

“Yes, yes, anything!”

Olf released him and he collapsed on the ground.

He heard Ev, the ropemaker, say to his father: “You’ll get yourself in trouble.”

Cog was still angry. “Me? In trouble?” he said aggressively. “Who with? You?”

Ev was not intimidated. “With people a lot more important than me.”

Cog gave a contemptuous snort.

Seft was hurting all over and crying. He managed to get to his hands and knees. He crawled away. People stared, which made him feel worse.

He tried to stand. A stranger helped him and he managed to stay upright.

Then he stumbled away.