It was unheard of in Cocoyash and Namitha soon came to know that it was the everyday way of life in the land of Lilyland.
She had no one to blame but herself for being so naive. It caught her off-gaurd many times and she would avert her gaze and was slowly coming to terms with it for she respected the people and their culture. But she thought herself immune to it all.
Her being married to a man was not telling enough.
She took their shy glances in stride, their playful touches and light teasing as nothing. Their hands in her hair, twirling and gliding. On her waist, around her shoulders as they would pull her to dance. The way they would nudge her face and cheeks with light touches of their noses and lips.
As a fellow woman, Namitha allowed it; deeming their advances as overt friendliness. Some were bolder than most. And she learned that she had made a mistake almost too late.
Her name was Wanda and she made it her business to be wherever Namitha was. Everywhere but the Earl's house.
Wanda had the respect of many. She was tall, slim, disciplined, and pleasing to the eyes. She proved to be skilled with the sword and, as a consequence, became Namitha's sparring partner. They even exchanged clothes from time to time and Namitha considered her a generous and good friend. Nothing more.
In the moments they would sit close together, Namitha always found Wanda's hands exploring, holding her hand, caressing her sides, resting on her thigh. But what Namitha thought was nothing to worry about gave invitation to something more.
When Wanda's arm would take a firm hold of her waist whenever Namitha laughed, Namitha would automatically lean into her. When hair would be tucked behind her ears, and her cheeks kissed, she brushed it all off as nothing.
She did miss being touched. And she unknowingly made this woman her husband's substitute.
The isle of women was a friendly people. Surely, it was their friendliness alone that would cause them to feel the need to be this forward without the possibilities of causing offence.
Namitha had never been more wrong. Not everyone behaved like that. Wanda stuck around long enough to gain her blind trust.
So one evening while walking her back to the Earl's house, Namitha did not expect to be dragged by the arm in an alley and pressed against a wall with Wanda's hot breath on her lips, her hand planted on the small of her back, the other in her hair.
She was so shocked; she didn't realize she was about to be kissed until a crow chirped in the distance.
She attempted to push her away but Wanda's resolve was firm. She barely budged.
"You want this," she insisted.
"I'm married."
Namitha wanted to slap herself from responding to Wanda's touch. She melted upon contact just as she did the many times before. Wanda made her feel safe.
If it were not for that crow, Namitha would have considered allowing it but she thanked the gods for knocking her back to her senses.
"I am a woman. It wouldn't count."
Incredulous, Namitha stared back blatantly annoyed. Not only was her friendship taken advantage of but so too were her boundaries.
She pushed her away with more force this time and Wanda physically wilted.
Namitha cared not to apologize. This was wrong.
"I love my husband. I love him enough to value his trust. Man or woman, I will not lay with another and that's final. If you cannot come to terms with that, it is best we no longer see each other again."
That night was the end of their friendship.
The morning after the incident with Absmund, news traveled fast, and many came to pay Namitha a visit. Wanda was in that crowd but she knew better than to approach Namitha.
Namitha appreciated the gesture and convinced everyone that she was well but barely scathed. In her announcement, she revealed the great news. Absmund would finally be put in his place.
The young girl who Namitha had met before ran to Namitha and embraced her in a teary hug. Her name was Apis. A distant, distrusting girl who Namitha befriended. However, the little girl did not make the task an easy one. Namitha had to pull all the strings but it all boiled down to a kind word and a little patience.
It was soon revealed that she, too, had met Lufner, and she had Namitha's admiration from day one but kept to herself out of stubborn pride. Lufner had won her over within a day. It took his wife three.
Namitha got on her knees and said to her, "He cannot hurt you. Not anymore."
Moved by emotion, Apis dampened the top of Namitha's garment with tears.
That afternoon, Absmund was brought before the people for everyone to see. His mouth was stuffed, and all of his limbs were bound by chains, which Namitha learned was to prevent the bastard from killing himself after learning the truth of what he had done.
And even though it gave Namitha a sense of pride, she could not bring herself to accept it entirely. Lufner Midig was truly a name to fear but hiding behind her husband's identity did not sit right with her.
For one to be respected, the reason must be due to one's merit. Not that of others. And it created a new resolve in Namitha's heart.
She wanted to be a wife Lufner could rely on and continuously be proud of.
Now, the punishment for taking a woman by force or the attempt was all the same.
Castration.
In other lands, one would be exiled, and lose land and rights, but Lilyland took it a step further. There were no second chances.
Although this was the law of the land and it was right in Namitha's eyes and to many others, some had their say.
Some protested.
"Absmund is the man of the neighbouring Earl. Forgive me, Earl Hanlaug, but by doing this, you may cause trouble for Lilyland," one said.
Many agreed.
Hanlaug looked defiantly down at the people. Lufner may have softened her to an extent but justice was justice. This situation hit close to home. As a little girl, she and her dear sisters were once slaves to old and entitled men.
But the nation Earl Øgle ruled was a great one. Much greater than Lilyland. Dealing with the Earl's right-hand man struck fear into the people's hearts. They began to reason, to turn things around in their minds.
The attempt was not as great as the act itself. Surely a lesser harsh punishment like a slap on the wrist would suffice. So they insisted that the perpetrator be freed.
The pressure was on and Namitha looked to Hanlaug. She too was disappointed in the people. It was not only done to her but one of theirs. She was growing angrier by the second. Enough was enough. The bruises had begun stinging all over again. And not only her. What of the damage done to Apis? She could not begin to imagine what the young girl was going through at that moment. She was a child, but she was not stupid.
Before Namitha could stand and speak her mind, Hanlaug took the stage. The crowd grew silent.
She glanced at the men who were a part of Absmund's crew. They were silent spectators.
"What do you think should be done?"
A brave one responded, "The law of the land should prevail."
Very few of the crew agreed but just like her people, there was a rift between them. Absmund was a mean and unjust captain so most would be glad to see him humiliated. But there was no question of power under his belt.
"If I may, Earl Hanlaug," another said, "The Thing will be hosted in our country in two days. Why not send him back home to be justly punished? No start of war should be provoked. No lost respect or trust. We apologize for what he has done, but we have no say in what kind of punishment he should receive."
Seeress Glurina looked Hanlaug's way. She disliked any gatherings of government given her past. Hanlaug's rigid composure was telling but the people loved the man's idea. The pressure was now too great.
They cheered and chimed but Hanlaug could not bring herself to agree. Her sisters stood closely preparing to stand by Hanlaug's decision despite it not being in the people's favour.
The matter was dismissed until the following day.
Namitha too thought the idea a decent proposal. It may take time and a two-day voyage, but despite that, justice must prevail.
On her way to see the Earl, Namitha almost walked in on a conversation she was having with her sisters. She hid behind the wall.
"I will not go and you cannot convince me otherwise. Who cares what the people think? What is done is done. Absmund was forewarned yet he relied on his delusion of power. There is little room left for mercy."
"But, dear sister, I know it is hard but you cannot tread too lightly on this matter. Earl Øgle Mari is a powerful man. He gets ticked off easily. We cannot afford to offend him. You cannot betray the people."
"I will not step foot into a room of Earls again. After what they have done… I rather die."
Namitha could feel Hanlaug's frustration through the wall. She revealed herself then and the women gasped upon seeing her.
Hanlaug turned away to wipe her tears.
To protect their sister's sanity, Margo and Sandla blocked Namitha's view, but before they could shoo her away, Hanlaug spoke up.
"Leave us."
"But sister."
"Now."
The two women, begruntled, honoured their sister's wish and left the room.
Namitha approached but could not find the words to say.
"How much did you hear?"
"Everything."
It made no sense to lie.
"What did they do to you?"
"Why should I tell you?"
That's right. Namitha was her rival. She had no right to dabble in her personal life.
"We're friends now, aren't we?"
Hanlaug's eyes went wide. Those were the exact words Lufner used that crumbled her walls to smithereens. After doing such a thing, he walked up to her without permission and took a seat at her table.
It was then she told him everything. She did the same with Namitha. Like Lufner, Namitha made opening up easy. She was a great listener. Like Lufner, she did not judge or criticize her. Only offered her silent support.
Namitha held Hanlaug's hand for a long time, and when all was said and done, and there was nothing but understanding between them, Namitha pulled her in for a brief hug.
Hanlaug did not return the gesture, however, and Namitha did not mind one bit.
"You're amazing. To have gone through all that and having to rule this country for the sake of protecting the people from suffering the fate you had, it's a great and honourable thing. I do not believe the people know the extent of the love you have for them."
"They do not need to know."
"That's right. They do not. And it is a shame this has happened, but you cannot make it slide. Surely something can be done.
In walked the Seeress.
"I have a suggestion."
Embarrassed, Hanlaug created distance between Namitha and herself. Namitha was too happy to see the old woman to notice.
"Spit it out, old hag. What do you think should be done?"
Seeress Glurina frowned at the disrespect but decided to let the Earl off the hook just this 1000th time.
"You will not go to The Thing."
"Absolutely not."
"Make someone else go in your stead. A representative."
Hanlaug perked at the idea. If Earl Øgle can have a representative then so can she.
"Who do you have in mind?"
"Namitha."
The colour drained from Hanlaug's face.
"No-"
"I accept."
"You cannot."
Namitha pouted. "Why not?"
"Lufner would not approve."
"I've never needed my husband's permission to do anything."
Namitha had heard of The Thing through stories. It was a political gathering where matters could be taken care of in a just and civil way. Not only in the eyes of the people but the eyes of the gods also.
Going in Hanlaug's stead was a daunting task but Namitha was up for the challenge. It was the least she could do after all Hanlaug had done.
"There is no way you can trust these men."
"What I have learned from my father is that despite the common traits of Earls who abuse power, they are more concerned with preserving face at these events, and to do so, they need the people's favour. If harm is to come my way, I will put my trust in my talents and the gods to help me."
"She is an Earl's daughter, strong-willed, confident, and the wife of Lufner Modig. There is no better candidate."
It took some careful consideration but in time, Hanlaug was convinced.
However, she did not trust the men to escort Namitha and their captive. She would grant Namitha her ship, a crew to man the vessel, and the best of her guards to flank and protect her at all costs when needed.
The people were pleased with Hanlaug's decision. When the day came for Namitha's departure, she insisted that she did not need a navigator, saying that she could guide the ship all on her own. The crew brimmed with experienced women. When it came to Namitha, however, this was, to Hanlaug's knowledge, only her second time on a ship. Her confidence knew no bounds and the Earl was not buying it.
But to appease her, she bestowed her maps and whatever was needed and hid a navigator among the crew of rowers for her peace of mind. The trip took two days. Namitha was going to need all the help she could get.
Among the guards was Wanda, much to Namitha's dismay, but she kept her feelings to herself in hopes not to offend the Earl in her choice of crew. After all, she chose the best of the best to accompany her on the voyage. The least she could do was not complain.
Wanda did not forget about Namitha. She was all she thought about so any means of amends made her desperate for her attention.
So when she took charge and gave commands like a true leader with effortless flair, Wanda could not help but fall in love all over again.
But this feeling was not love. True love was not one-sided. So what Wanda deemed as love was purely infatuation.
Namitha treated their relationship on the ship as a professional one and Wanda wanted so badly for things to return the way they were before, where she would smile at her with that glint in her eyes, hear her adorable laughter, and hold her close while she absentmindedly spoke about whatever it was that was on her mind.
Modig did a great job securing her. And it was thanks to him they became acquainted.
She happened to see the bruises on Namitha's back briefly in passing and she became enraged. The fading redness on her cheeks was almost gone, but her back took the most damage. Wanda wanted to avenge Namitha.
She did not check with her first before taking matters into her own hands. That was her greatest mistake.
Absmund was chained in the corner of the ship and it did not take long for him to pick up on Wanda's killer intent towards him. He shrank in fear whenever she glanced his way. He was fine with the women and Namitha ignoring him. Knowing that he was on the route home made him behave and sit still. Wanda's looks made him fear for his life. His suspicions were true, for when night came after the first day and the crew was fast asleep, he was awoken by a rope around his neck.
He was so shocked he barely made a sound. The cloth in his mouth didn't make things easier either.
Not being able to fight back, the rope tightened with ease.
"Die," said the voice from behind.
Defeated, Absmund's eyes rolled at the back of his head, and before he could take his final breath, the rope loosened, and the woman that stood behind him was sent flying back.
Awoken by the frantic crankling of shackles, Namitha could not believe what she was seeing. Without a moment to lose, she sprang up and pushed Wanda off the man, saving him from an easy escape.
Some of the crew stirred. They looked on, ready to intervene, but Namitha never called for their help, so they went back to sleep.
"What do you think you are doing?" she asked, "If this man was to die in such a way we would not be here in the middle of the ocean on this voyage."
Wanda acknowledged her mistake.
"I'm sorry. He hurt you so I thought-"
Her stuttering did not make things better. It only made it worse.
"What would the Earl think when she hears of this?"
As a member of Lilyland and a devotee to the land's Earl, Wanda became acquainted with heavy regret but she held on to hope.
"I did it for you."
Namitha scoffed. Her mind flashed back to herself a few weeks ago. She now understood what her husband meant and she was sorry it took this to happen for her to understand.
"I never asked for your help. Your job is to follow orders. What you did was out of line."
"Please forgive me. Seeing what this bastard did to you made me move on my own. I lo-"
"Don't you dare say that."
What Wanda almost said left a bad taste in Namitha's mouth and Wanda knew.
"There will never be anything between us. I made that clear. Stay away from the prisoner and return to your post as watch and reflect on your actions and what you said here tonight. Remember your place and why you are here."
The crew had woken up at this point. It was no secret among the people about Wanda's crush. She was not the only one pining after Namitha but for Wanda to make a move was braver than all of them combined.
Namitha preached many times about her love for her husband. The audacity for anyone to think they could come between them was reaching for the stars.
Not fully trusting Wanda, she sent another to guard Absmund in case she lashed out again in frustrated rage.
Looking up from checking their bearings, Namitha spotted the curious look in Absmund's eyes as he looked between her and Wanda.
He looked excited and could not hide the growing tent in his pants. It was disgusting and Namitha took a spare ore off the side of the ship and knocked the living daylights out of him, surprising the crew. She had wished she could do so a couple hundred more times but she had self-control.
Satisfied, she wished the crew a good night and went back to sleep.
Tomorrow was the day they would step foot on Barkland and nothing, absolutely nothing was going to stand in the way of her goal.
To be continued…