Every other ruler demands allegiance except you. You give yours to your people. It is why all women seek to come here."

Sam was dazed. She wondered how word of such could have spread so quickly throughout The Realm. It was a large realm and mostly unex-plored, yet all seemed to know of Woden. Sam thought Woden to be a - 329 -.

quietly unknown community. She was beginning to understand that it was the most talked of community in The Realm.

"Karan, let this unusual companionship occur, but under these conditions: They are to be accepted by the community within two moons. They are to serve as a model of companionship. I want no ill-will between these three."

"Yes, Highest."

Noirin smiled, "Thank you, Highest. You will not regret this decision."

Sam frowned, "I hope not."

She took her leave and left the room. Anselet waited outside. Karan followed Sam.

Sam turned to Karan, "Do you have the moments to tend to me while I do rounds in the infirmary? I suspect many issues will arise and I would most like your council."

Karan bowed her head, "I am at your command, Highest and am pleased to be here for you."

"Anselet, can you take me to some of the members of the larger group? I wish to see how they fare now."

Anselet led them to the main room in the infirmary, and also its largest. Most of the group from Apien was housed here. The children that were able and well enough had already been placed in dwellings with others.

As The Highest, Karan and Anselet walked in, the nursing ones saw her, knelt and bowed their heads.

Anselet told The Highest, "They speak very little. I think they were punished prior if they spoke. We have obtained very little information from them."

"Please sit."

Sam sat in one of the chairs and looked about them. They were now clean, fed and nursed back to some health.

Karan began the introductions, "Highest. You already know Tedra and Bolden. They will be seeking a mixed community if one can be provided."

Sam acknowledged them by bowing her head to them, a formal custom of Woden. They returned the bow, but said nothing.

"These companions be Antherna and Laval. They would also like a mixed community if possible. And these be Gein and Reims, two single men that would like a mixed community, along with Neillen and Crecy."

Sam nodded her head to them and said, "Woden presently thinks about the idea of a third community. While you are welcomed here to rest and heal, I can make no vows that this will occur. If it does not, you will - 330 -.

have but a decision to make regarding your future, as without a third community, there will be no available way for you to follow your practice."

Gein rose, "We understand, Highest, and thank you for this safe refuge."

Karan continued, "The remainder all wish to remain in Woden or Hengist. Over here is Boltar. He be a horn carver. This be Lourtides. She be a cheese maker, and is with child. This be Lanceten and is a trained guard. And this be Nolsteney. She is a spiritual woman, Highest, and is also a midwife. The children are the ones not here, but you are already acquainted with them. They have all determined to remain in Woden or Hengist."

Reims rose, "Highest, I object. Jemera is overly young to make this decision. I would most welcome her into my dwelling until she be old enough to do so. I think it not correct that she remain in Woden."

Sam turned to Karan, "Karan, please send a guard to get Jemera. Let us see what young Jemera has to say to this. And please bring whoever she is dwelling with, also."

Karan nodded and left the room to send the guard.

Reims responded, "This be not fair, Highest. Jemera knows not what she wants."

Sam looked at Reims, eyebrow raised, and frowned, "And why do you think you should be the one to make this decision for her, Reims?"

"I am her father, and I have that right, by law."

Sam suddenly recalled that Sansa had told her Jemera had a father, but that Jemera had first presented herself to Sam as an orphan on their first meeting. While alert to the potential issue, Sam remained calm, "Not by Woden laws, you do not. Why did Jemera not mention this to me prior when I but spoke with her? And why did you not mention that you were her father?"

Reims was nervous and was fidgeting. He was unable to look The Highest in her eyes, "She will lie when you speak to her. She is but a liar, Highest. She will say that I beat her and raped her. This be not truth."

Karan re-entered during Reims statement. She looked at Sam quizzically.

Sam looked at Karan, "Be there a guard outside the door?"

Karan nodded.

Sam turned back to Reims, "It would seem you give me a dilemma.

Please wait outside with the guard for but a moment, Reims. I would like to speak with these others."

Reims shook his head and began to look defiant, "I have the right to remain."

- 331 -.

Sam saw that he looked like he was ready to fight. She rose and motioned for Karan to get the guard. Karan opened the door and asked the guard to enter.

Sam looked at the guard, "Do you have a knife on you?"

The guard nodded and handed The Highest her knife, handle first.

Sam took the knife and aimed to the left of Reims, and threw it directly into the wall, as she had aimed.

"Would you like to fight me, Reims? I could make certain that the fight be fair and that we both have swords. Would that be what you desire?"

Reims looked at the thrown knife. He began to make a move for it, as Sam had suspected he would. She pulled the sword out of the guard's sheath before the guard could even react. Sam moved over to Reims and placed the sword at his throat.

"Woden has no room for the likes of you, but I will make certain of your story prior to pronouncing your sentence. I hope for your sake you do not lie, as you said of Jemera. On your knees."

Reims was surprised at the quickness of The Highest, and of her skill with the knife and sword. He fell to his knees and began to sob.

Sam sighed and turned to the guard, "Have another get Meera for me, or Keddi if Meera be not available."

Sam looked around the room at the others. She wondered if Reims had been controlling the group. The others were frightened, but she saw that Tedra was smiling.

Karan looked at The Highest, surprised, "I am sorry, Highest. I knew not."

Sam held the sword to Reims' throat, but answered, "You could not have, Karan. He has masked his evilness well. It would seem that he be one of the evil ones from Apien."

Reims, yet sobbing, shook his head, "Jemera is my daughter, Highest.

She belongs with me. She will not follow the ways of the High Mother without me. She but fights me on this even now and will not permit me to teach her."

Sam looked down at Reims. She held her disgust within her, "So you be a follower and a believer of this High Spirit Mother and King Buron?"

He nodded, "I am."

"Then why have you come here to Woden and Hengist? Why do you bring this belief with you?"

"Woden and Hengist need someone to set them free from their ways."

Sam spoke so softly and low that it made everyone in the room gasp.

"Speak no more, Reims. You but slit your own throat."

- 332 -.

Meera walked into the room and saw Sam holding a sword to a man's throat. She then saw a knife in the wall. She looked at Sam, and Sam shrugged.

She removed her own sword and took the one from Sam, handing it back to the guard, "Does this one give you trouble, Highest?"

Sam filled her in on the story. As she did so, Jemera came in with Ceamach, companion of Lorin, one of Meera's guards. As they entered, Ceamach and Jemera knelt and bowed their heads to The Highest. They rose and Ceamach nodded to Meera. Meera had the infirmary guard remove Reims from the room so that Sam could speak with Jemera without him present. He sobbed and kept saying that Jemera would lie.

"Ceamach, thank you for bringing Jemera here this turn. It would seem that Reims be her father. Do you know of this?"

Ceamach looked to Jemera and placed her hands on Jemera's shoulders, "She has told us of this, but would say no more. Jemera, The Highest would like to speak to you and ask you some questions. You know what I have told you of her and of Woden. Do you think you can answer her questions truthfully?"

Jemera nodded and looked at Sam.

"Jemera, did you live with your father while in Apien?"

Jemera nodded her head.

"Did your Birth-Mother live with you?"

She shook her head and said, "She died."

"Were you there when she died?"

She nodded again, "She died having a baby."

"I did not think women could live with a husband in Apien. I thought Manthar kept all the women in one location, and he was the father of all the children."

"Manthar allowed Father to keep a wife. He had special privileges."

Sam looked at Meera, but said nothing.

Meera asked, "Jemera, your father says you be overly young to make a decision about remaining in Woden. He but wants you to remain with him.

Which would you prefer?"

"I want to remain here, with Ceamach and Lorin. I like them, and they are good to me. They do not beat me."

"Do you understand the laws of Woden, little one?"

Jemera looked at Meera, "Ceamach has explained them to me. And I know that I never want to be with men. They hurt me and they are mean.

They do things I don't like."

Sam placed a hand on Jemera's head. She sent a message of safety and love from the community, and looked into Jemera's past. She did not like - 333 -.

what she saw, "They are not all like this, Jemera. You will find Hengist to be as kind as Woden."

Sam bent down to Jemera, "Jemera, if you would like, you may remain here. Ceamach and Lorin would be delighted if you decided to remain with them. There are many others your age in Woden for you to play with, and no harm will come to you from anyone in Woden. Is that what you would like?"

Jemera nodded and placed her hand into Ceamach's, "Can I go now?

I want not to be near him anymore."

Sam stood and nodded to Ceamach, "Thank you. She will remain with you now. Take good care of her. She has been through much."

Meera nodded to Ceamach as they left, then looked at Sam, "What will you have me do?"

"Let me make certain the others do no such harm."

Sam went from one person to the next, placing a hand on their head and reading their past. She no longer trusted any of this group to speak truth. What she learned was as she had guessed. Reims had controlled the group, as he had been the most knowledgeable of the journey. They all knew the same story - Reims came to Woden to win it over for Manthar.

Sam knew that if Oisin didn't win her battle, he would be the first of many to try as such. She would have to be more careful of new ones into Woden.

To the ones who wanted a mixed community, she said, "This will be your dwelling until Woden decides what to do regarding a third community.

For the rest of you, when you feel improved, we have dwellings waiting for you. Karan will help you become located into Woden or Hengist. If you have any needs, please see her and she will do what she can. I welcome you to Woden Falls."

Nolsteney came forward, "Thank you, Highest. I hope I can serve Woden well as a spiritual woman. When you have need of me, Highest, I am now here to serve you."

She knelt before Sam and bowed her head, "I have long wanted to be here in Woden. Thank you for taking me in."

"Thank you, Nolsteney. We have much need of a spiritual woman.

Your kind and gentle ways will be most welcomed in Woden. I hope you are able to find a companion soon. I am also glad that you are here."

Nolsteney looked up into Sam's eyes. Sam held out her hands to Nolsteney. She took them, and Sam made her rise. They looked at each other, and Sam told her truth, "We want nothing of this belief of Reims.

We have much need of a spiritual healer as we have had much death lately.

If you are able to provide spiritual guidance and healing, you are most welcomed in Woden. Prior to these events, our children had no concept of - 334 -.

betrayal and execution, such as this. Help me to rid them of this concept and you will indeed be a most honored woman of Woden."