In a secluded corner of a large city park beside a small grove of trees, Ku Lon patiently sat watching a chanting Pa Fum, Xian Pu’s head in her lap with her hands gently placed against the Champion’s temples. The two girls were surrounded by candles flickering in the light breeze, their familiar scent wafting over the elderly woman.
As she watched the up and coming healer performing the long-familiar ritual, her two fellow elders settled next to her, Lo Shun handing Ku Lon a bowl of stew. The two sat quietly for a time as Ku Lon ate her dinner. Finally, as Ku Lon laid aside the now empty bowl, Dao Paz spoke up. “Your great-granddaughter’s attempt to circumvent the laws governing the Kiss of Marriage does not speak well of her husband.” Glancing sideways at her centuries-long rival, she added, “That is what she was attempting, of course.”
Ku Lon chuckled. “Now, you don’t really expect me to agree with that. Let us wait to hear Xian Pu’s explanation. She may well show promise as a future Elder.”
Lo Shun laughed softly, keeping it down to avoid disturbing the chanting healer. “Yes, splitting hairs, torturing logic, and ass-covering are all useful to a member of the Council. So, let’s see how well she does.”
The three fell silent. After a time, Ku Lon murmured, “You do have to admit that great-granddaughter’s original husband will have to be very impressive to outshine the Wanderer. You did study our records on them before we left?”
The other two nodded. “Yes, I did,” Lo Shun said. “I must agree that they do make ideal Outsider husbands — around enough to provide fresh blood to the tribe and some training in the high quality of fighting skills they seem to always have, not around so much as to give our men ideas, and no need for a constant watch to keep them from running away.”
Dao Paz quirked an eyebrow at Ku Lon, which she studiously ignored. No point in bringing up my hopes for the tribe, the circumstances aren’t close to right, yet. The world has changed a great deal in the last thirty years — especially the prices! she thought as she continued to watch the healing ritual, once again considering the irony that it was her rival that knew of her hopes and was at least keeping silent.
When it became clear Ku Lon wasn’t going to respond, Dao Paz added, “Of course, there’s the little fact that this particular Wanderer is already the husband of Pa Fum. That leaves Xian Pu with such an ... interesting set of choices.”
Ku Lon winced, but reluctantly nodded. “True. Still, much will depend on what she reports once she wakes up. Until then, we have nothing but pointless speculation. Let us wait until then to continue this discussion, if it is even needed.”
Dao Paz shrugged, but fell silent.
It was late afternoon, when Xian Pu finally awoke to aching ribs and a dull headache.
“So, you’re awake. You’ve had quite a time since leaving the village.”
The teenager jerked upright at the sound of her great-grandmother’s voice, suppressing a wince at the twinges of pain her movements caused. “Great-grandmother!” Looking over, she froze at the sight of the three Elders sitting nearby. “Ah ... I mean ‘Honored Elders’,” she hastily corrected, bowing from where she sat. “Yes, I have much to report.”
“The young, always so hasty — eat, first,” her great-grandmother’s long-time rival said, handing her some travel rations. “Then you can tell us all about it.”
“However, even with the cover provided by the spray of water, he was too fast and I was unable to avoid his counterstrike — he had truly defeated me. I managed to hold onto consciousness long enough to give him the Kiss of Marriage, but only just,” Xian Pu said. Her report concluded, she carefully kept herself from tensing up. Please, let them accept this! she prayed silently as she waited for the Elders’ verdict. Her great-grandmother’s she was sure of, but it would take the agreement of all three to disavow her first husband for her second.
Lo Shun gazed sternly at the young warrior from where she sat between her two fellow Elders. “So, you chose to intervene in the duel between Ryoga and your very interesting son-in-law because Ryoga’s reckless attacks were endangering not just Ranma but also his wife and sister-in-law?”
“Yes, Honored Elder,” Xian Pu replied. “The way one of the disks he threw altered its course probably showed that they could affect son-in-law, and while the other two were not within the arc of the first ones thrown, with Ranma invisible there was no telling in what direction he would throw them next.”
The three Elders exchanged glances. “I must agree that this Ryoga is a more promising candidate than Genma,” Dao Paz finally said. “Not as skilled, perhaps, but that is actually a good thing given the circumstances. And if we did try to capture and hold the Panda I would not want to have to deal with a nature spirit of an unknown type that is also a highly skilled fighter that most of our warriors cannot even see.” Then, before Xian Pu had a chance to slump in relief, she added, “Still, do you swear on your honor as warrior and Champion that you did your best to overcome Ryoga?”
“Yes, Honored Elder, I so swear,” Xian Pu replied firmly.
Dao Paz gazed at her for a long moment, then to the teenager’s surprise began to chuckle. “Yes, definitely a possible future Elder, here,” the old woman said, glancing across at her eternal rival. “Very well, I will vote in favor of disavowing the Kiss given to Genma in favor of Ryoga’s — if she still wants us to after you explain the complication.”
“Complication?” Xian Pu asked, looking in confusion at her great-grandmother. Ku Lon sighed.
“Yes, a complication. You see, Xian Pu, this isn’t the first time that this Wanderer has crossed paths with the Amazons. Shortly after you left on your husband hunt, he wandered into the village. Pa Fum thought he was threatening a group of children and attacked.”
Xian Pu blanched. “Pa Fum? But ... but she ...”
“Is hopeless in a serious fight, yes — not too bad when it comes to sparring, but simply unable to bring herself to inflict serious injury.” Ku Lon shrugged. “The result is that this Ryoga already has an Amazon wife. Since the three Elders sitting in judgment are willing to allow you to choose Ryoga as your husband rather than Genma ...” She quickly glanced at the other two Elders, and both nodded, “ ... you have three choices: stay with the Panda; duel Pa Fum for her husband; or, if she is willing, accept the position of Second Wife under her.”
Xian Pu simply stared while her mind raced. Okay, staying with the Panda is flat out. But Pa Fum — fighting a duel with her would be like assaulting a child! And I wouldn’t be able to hold back, either, there’s no way the Elders would simply accept a bloody nose as proof she’d been beaten. But if I accept Second Wife status, any future chance of joining the Council would be gone, only if Pa Fum joined it would we be able to exercise a joint position on the Council with hers the deciding vote if we disagree. And as shy as she is ...
Face troubled, she opened her mouth to respond — and belatedly noticed Ku Lon’s subtle signal. Without a break, she bowed even as she asked, “Honored Elders, may I have some time to consider this? Whichever I choose, the impact will affect my entire life.”
Dao Paz glanced at a nonchalant Ku Lon, then shook her head bemusedly. “Of course you may. But not for too long, it might be taken as an attempt to delay a decision.”
“Great-grandmother, why did you signal that you wished to speak to me before I spoke?” a confused Xian Pu asked as soon as the two were alone.
Ku Lon glanced around, then closed her eyes for a long moment. Opening them, she replied, “Because, child you were about to state your willingness to challenge Pa Fum to a duel. True?”
“I ... yes, of course, it is the only real option ... isn’t it?” Xian Pu responded, her confusion deepening. Surely Great-grandmother didn’t want her to stay with Genma?!
Ku Lon was silent to a time, then sighed. “Child — Xian Pu — I know it is a great sacrifice, but I would ask you to consider becoming Second Wife to Pa Fum.”
Xian Pu stared at the shrunken old woman, stunned. “I ... but ... you ... but why? Am I really such a poor prospect for the Council that I should throw away all chance of joining it? Great-grandmother, I know I’m young and inexperienced, but I’ll learn, get better, however I’ve disappointed you, just tell me —”
Ku Lon hastily lifted a hand, and Xian Pu’s flow of word cut off. “No, Xian Pu, you have not disappointed me, just the opposite. You are the youngest Champion in centuries, and the way you’ve carried out your husband hunt has shown both your honor and your intelligence.
“No, what causes me to ask you to consider this is Pa Fum’s quality.” Ku Lon turned to gaze at the afternoon shadows stretching across the park. “The truth is, child, that Pa Fum has something that the Council needs, and badly — a stubborn gentleness, an instinctive urge to peace that few warriors have and that we are going to need in the years ahead as the world continues to get smaller. But can you see Pa Fum putting herself forward, seeking a seat on the Council?”
Xian Pu laughed, shaking her head. “Not a chance! There isn’t a more shy, retiring woman in the village.”
“Well, so long as you don’t threaten children or interfere with her treatment of a patient,” Ku Lon amended, “or we wouldn’t be talking about this right now. But if you become her Second Wife — no one is going to think it is because of the usual reasons for such: that you are seeking to rise to power in her trail, or a lesbian seeking to shirk her duty to the tribe. And there will be many who accept — even wish for — your leadership, even as a Second Wife.”
“But they will only be able to do so through Pa Fum,” Xian Pu continued thoughtfully. “By our traditions, I can only do so if she is a part of it, even taking the lead.” Ku Lon silently nodded, and her great-granddaughter rose smoothly to her feet, wincing only slightly at how the motion awoke her slowly fading headache. “Thank you for your advice, Honored Elder,” she said quietly, bowing to the diminutive ancient beside her. “I will consider it.” And with that she turned and walked into the small grove of trees beside the camp.
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