Saturday, August 26, 2017

Dayel's Discomfort, Part 4

The monster post continues! This is part of a response I wrote to P.T. Wyant's August 2, 2017 Wednesday Words at ptwyant.com. It involved a festival.

Danyel wanted to go, Dayel didn't. My muse got sadistic...and busy. :)

As a result, here is Part 4 of Dayel's Discomfort, a freebie story from Tales of the Navel/The Shadow Forest. It takes place sometime between Book 2 (The Hand and the Eye of the Tower) and Book 3 (A Godling for Your Thoughts?). I've tried to avoid spoilers, but there are hints. :)

“Only the fairest, most succulent boys ever bore that on their fingers,” Juno murmured, as much to herself as to the twins. “Only for one night and one alone.”

“Why?” Danyel, always too curious for his own good had to ask. “What night was that?”

“A bridegroom’s marriage feast.” Mel, not Juno, answered the question. “The last night of his life.”

“A grim way of putting it, my dear, although I’m impressed you knew.” Juno cast a hard, metallic glance at her daughter. “Not many recall the customs of the arachnocratic lands, once they’ve left them.”

Arachnocratic lands. Arachnocratic. 

Dayel shut his eyes, trying not to see the movement at Juno’s side. 

Movement which might be extra arms, trying to conceal themselves from eyes which could see. 

“The last night of his life?” Trust Danyel, innocent dimwit that he was, to fixate on that particular detail. “Does the bridegroom get eaten? Is that why it’s a marraige feast?”

“Essentially, yes.” Mel allowed a corner of her mouth to lift in a humorless smile. “You might say he is the feast.”

“Now that is a disgusting simplification of an old and revered custom.” Juno narrowed her eyes at her daughter. “A consumation of power, when a bridegroom gives up all that is to his bride and her daughters.” Juno bit her lower lip. “Truly, it’s a beautiful ritual, as beautiful as any wedding. Only the bridegroom is at the center of everything. Not the bride.”

“Marriage or marriage feast, each depends on the subjugation of someone.” Mel ignored her mother, gazing at the forest which lay beyond the field where the tents where set up for the festival. “In a marriage, women are bound to men in a ritual of servitude. In a marriage feast, boys are drained of their strength before they can become men who’ll bound women in servitude.” Mel gripped the stand in front of her, allowing the display to rattle. “Each seeks to subvert the other via sexual ritual.”

Danyel’s jaw dropped. He stared at Melyssa, silently absorbing her words. 


Dayel tried not to shiver. He didn’t doubt Mel’s observations. She might be grumpy, but she was seldom untruthful. 

To be continued on Wednesday, August 30, 2017. 

1 comment:

  1. Dayel: This is truly lingering like a wasting disease. It's time to disappear from this festival and this post.

    Danyel: Just a little longer. Please?

    ReplyDelete