The Painted Man

‘But Tender Michel says …’ Leesha began.

‘Spare me the recitation from the Canon,’ Bruna cut her off. ‘It’s a book written by men, without a thought given towards the plight of women.’

Leesha’s mouth closed with a click.

‘Your mum visited me often,’ Bruna went on, ‘asking questions, helping me around the hut, grinding herbs for me. I had thought to make her my apprentice, but all she wanted was the secret of the tea. Once I told her how it was made, she left and never returned.’

‘That does sound like her,’ Leesha said.

‘Pomm tea is safe enough in small doses,’ Bruna said, ‘but Steave is lusty, and your mother took too much. The two of them must have slapped stomachs a thousand times before your father’s business began to prosper, and his purse caught her eye. By then, your mum’s womb was scraped dry.’

Leesha looked at her curiously.

‘After she married your father, Elona tried for two years to conceive without success,’ Bruna said. ‘Steave married some young girl and got her with child overnight, which only made your mum more desperate. Finally, she came back to me, begging for help.’

Leesha leaned in close, knowing her existence had hinged on whatever Bruna said next.

‘Pomm tea must be taken in small doses,’ Bruna repeated, ‘and once a month it is best to stop it and allow your flow to come. Fail this, and you risk becoming barren. I warned Elona, but she was a slave to her loins, and failed to listen. For months I gave her herbs and checked her flow, giving her herbs to slip into your father’s food. Finally, she conceived.’

‘Me,’ Leesha said. ‘She conceived me.’

Bruna nodded. ‘I feared for you, girl. Your mum’s womb was weak, and we both knew she would not have another chance. She came to me every day, asking me to check on her son.’

‘Son?’ Leesha asked.

‘I warned her it might not be a boy,’ Bruna said, ‘but Elona was stubborn. “The Creator could not be so cruel”, she’d say, forgetting that the same Creator made the corelings.’

‘So all I am is some cruel joke of the Creator?’ Leesha asked.

Bruna grabbed Leesha’s chin in her bony fingers and pulled her in close. Leesha could see the long grey hairs, like cat’s whiskers, on the crone’s wrinkled lips as she spoke.

‘We are what we choose to be, girl,’ she said. ‘Let others determine your worth, and you’ve already lost, because no one wants people worth more than themselves. Elona has no one to blame but herself for her bad choices, but she’s too vain to admit it. Easier to take it out on you and poor Erny.’

‘I wish she’d been exposed and run out of town,’ Leesha said.

‘You would betray your gender out of spite?’ Bruna asked.

‘I don’t understand,’ Leesha said.

‘There’s no shame in a girl wanting a man twixt her legs, Leesha,’ Bruna said. ‘An Herb Gatherer can’t judge folks for doing what nature intended they do when they are young and free. It’s oath breakers I can’t abide. You say your vows, girl, you’d best plan on keeping them.’