The Kill
“Wow, a bear? It’s been years since someone’s killed one of those,”
the voice was feminine. Alrienne recognized it, but didn’t place it as
the village chief’s wife until she stepped into camp and her eyes
locked with the woman’s.
Alrienne inhaled a sharp breath which caught in her throat. The other
woman’s gaze told Alrienne she knew it was her. Alrienne ducked her
head, but her tied back golden locks didn’t hide her face as intended.
“You’ll have to check the ribbon,” it was the man named Erik speaking
now.
Alrienne stepped back, maybe it was better to disappear into the woods
until the commotion died down. There was too much oohing and aahing,
her father wouldn’t easily let this lie.
A hand gripped Alrienne’s arm and her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t
have to look up to know it was her father’s. “How dare you,” he
hissed. “I was going to marry you off to that Fischer boy, but fat
chance he’ll have you now! You’ve embarrassed the family!” His voice
was barely more than a whisper, but it was shaking with rage.
Alrienne flinched, she was too slow getting away and now she couldn’t.
There was an irritated huff as someone read the ribbon and Alrienne’s
gaze lifted to look at the man.
He turned to stare at her, hostility burning on his countenance. “It’s
Unfyr’s ribbon.”
Alrienne clenched her jaw.
“But Unfyr doesn’t have a son,” he continued, as if the whole village
wasn’t already aware. “And Ansel hasn’t been able to participate since
he was injured years ago.” His gaze never left Alrienne’s and she
tilted her face upward now, pushing her shoulders back in defiance.
“So, I wonder who from the Unfyr family could have killed this bear?
Might you know?” he directed the question straight at
Alrienne.
If he was going to back her into a corner, Alrienne wasn’t going to
cower. She’d made her choice, and the only option was to fight her way
out of this if she was going to save the precious family name her
father had declared she’d so embarrassed. “I shot it,” Alrienne boldly
stated. “Not having a son doesn’t mean the Unfyr family is not of use
to the village.”
“You are of use!” the weaselly man who’d suggested removing her
ribbons spoke up. “Your use is to tend the house, and to have babies,
and to care for the gardens.”
Alrienne’s nose wrinkled and her upper lip twisted in disgust, “I do
not see why I cannot do those things and still carry a bow in the
hunt! Men make babies as well and they still hunt!”
A laugh went through the crowd, a few women glancing away, as if such
language was unseemly.
“I am not suggesting you give birth, but women do not have children
alone. We are both able-bodied in our youth, why can we not all help
in any way the gods have blessed us to do so?” Alrienne declared.
“The gods have given us our roles!” the man who read the ribbon
declared, face fierce beneath his dark hair.
Alrienne had shifted her bow back to her shoulder but was tempted to
retrieve it in the moment. Instead, she pointed toward the bear
corpse, still on the wagon, “I think that bear speaks to my use!”
Her father’s hand grabbed her arm again, “Alrienne, enough! Know your
place!”
She wanted to wrench her hand free, but knew that would only lead to a
beating at home. And more shame to the family, shame which was never
her intention.
“It is time for us to leave,” her father growled, squeezing the hand
on her arm until it became painful.
Alrienne refrained from wincing, she wouldn’t give the onlookers the
satisfaction. Turning, she followed her father out, surrounded by her
mother and sister. She led their horse, Umber, home with them. As they
were leaving, the chief stated, “There is no law stating women cannot
participate. What determines the winner is only the size of the kill.”
There was quite a bit of grumbling at this news, but Alrienne tuned it
out. She’d heard enough of such protests during her life to know what
those who disagreed would say.
Her father didn’t speak much on the way home, and told her to tend the
animals before supper. She watched as they headed inside, a frown on
her lips. What was it she’d done so wrong? Be born female? Was that
some sort of crime?
~ G.G. Marshall
Enjoying the story? Read more!
Part 1:
Rise Together (Part 1)
Part 3 (Available: Thurs 5/15/25): Rise Together (Part 3)
Part 4 (Available: Thurs 6/19/25): Rise Together (Part 4)
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