[bill_n_sam]

Gunna & Mem


Gunna chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip as she reentered her small home. It was an unconscious habit she had, a sure sign of inner turmoil. When Dag caught her at it, he would tease her gently, offering to do the gnawing for her, which invariably garnered him a smile and a kiss. But today, she continued her worrying unmolested, her thoughts chasing each other like mice in a cage, trying to fathom the undercurrents which were sweeping through the town, hard on the heels of the elves.

Sitting next to her sister, drawing the baby into her lap and positioning her to nurse, Gunna said, “I’m sorry I was gone so long. I should not have ventured to the Borrim’s house. Were you worried?”

Mem placed her hand on the child’s head, gently stroking her fine, dark curls. “No. We were fine. You know I’m able to take care of things here – I’ll bet I know every square inch of this house as you can not.” She leaned her thin shoulder against her older sister’s arm. “Don’t fret.” She said softly. “Kata and old Dulaan, they understand. They won’t censure you.”

Gunna wondered once more at her sister’s intuitive ability to always ferret out what was troubling her. It was almost as if Mem could read her mind. No doubt it was the many hours they spent together, day in and day out, which made it so. Yet, Gunna herself was often at a loss to know what her little sister was thinking. She sometimes came out with the most startling proclamations, or questions.

“I have an admirer, it would seem.”

It took a moment for Mem’s words to register. Gunna turned towards her sister, unsure of what she had just heard. Mem had the same placid look on her face with which she usually faced the world, and Gunna was sure she had misheard her.

“What did you say?” Gunna asked doubtfully.

“An admirer. Old Granny told me.” This time, a small, shy smile played about the girl’s lips and her sister knew that she had in fact heard correctly.

“Dulaan? Dulaan told you that you had an admirer?” Gunna sounded so dumbfounded
that Mem smiled openly that such an outrageous thing should come to pass. “Who is it? How does Dulaan know of this? Did she give you an actual name?” Gunna knew as well as anyone in the town of old Granny’s fondness for joking. Perhaps she had merely been jesting with the girl. But, no! That would be too cruel indeed. Dulaan was very fond of Mem. She would never play such a prank on her.

“Yes, she did, in fact. Falki.” Mem spoke in her same, quiet voice but Gunna felt the girl’s arm tremble against her own.

“Falki? Kata’s Falki?” Gunna shook her head in disbelief. How could this be? How could it come to pass that this boy, this youngster who had been in and out of her house time out of mind in the past four years, could have developed any feelings for her sister, right under her very nose, without her knowing of it? How old was this stripling anyway? With a start, Gunna realized that he was 19 – almost a man grown now! How they change so quickly, from that awkwardness of a youth to the poise and confidence of a man. Still!

Gunna snorted in derision. “And how does old Granny know this? A little bird told her, I suppose?” Gunna used the old woman’s favorite way of expressing any rumor which she had heard being blown on the wind.

“I suppose you could call him that.” Mem replied with a smirk. “But he seems more a young man than little bird to me.”

“You mean to say Falki himself has told this to Dulaan?” Gunna was almost speechless. Almost. “Why, that boy never says more than two words together at a time! Why should he be so talkative about this?” Gunna’s eyes narrowed. “And his mother? Did Kata speak of this to you?” If so, she had committed a serious breach of etiquette, talking to a young woman before approaching her family first. By rights it was Dag who should first be hearing of this. Gunna resolved to add this to his list of items to talk over with Grimr, if he had the chance.

Again, as if she read her sister’s mind, Mem placed a gentle hand on Gunna’s, saying, “No, I don’t believe Kata knows anything of it. Or, if she does, she didn’t say anything to me.” Mem hesitated, and when she spoke again the pleading in her voice was clear. “Gunna, please, say nothing of this to Dag. He has so much on his mind as it is. I don’t want to trouble him further, or . . . cause any trouble between the two of you.”

Gunna regarded her little sister. Not so little as she once was, Gunna thought ruefully. Could it be? Could the prospect of marriage seriously be entertained? The idea had never even crossed her mind, and for that, she chided herself now. Of course, Mem was blind and that had always seemed sufficient reason to hold her close, protect her, shield her from prying eyes and laughing, pointing fools. Gunna had never considered the possibility that perhaps Mem would want more for herself, that the girl would secretly dream of her own home, her own child to cradle and love, her own husband to hold her close in the cold nights, to cherish and take care of, as he would cherish and take care of her. And that such a man now loomed on the horizon, possibly, and might want to take Mem for his own, that was something Gunna had never in her wildest imaginations foreseen. And what Dag would make of it all, heavens only knew! He too had grown quite protective of his “little sister”.

Gunna looked more closely at Mem, seeing her with new eyes. Thin, frail, smaller than most, still, Mem was developing a womanly curve to her body, her face was longer, thinner, less child-like, Gunna herself had been two years younger than Mem was now when she was betrothed to Dag, and Dag had been younger than Falki was now. Yes, time had moved on, and Mem right along with it.

Sighing, Gunna placed her hand to Mem’s cheek. “Yes. Now is not the time for such talk. All the men’s mind will be full of the coming of the elves. They will have much to think on, and talk of, amongst themselves. There will be time enough later, for talk of . . . of, a marriage?” Gunna smiled in spite of her misgivings to see Mem’s face light up at such a prospect. Wrapping her arm about Mem’s thin shoulders, she whispered in her ear conspiratorially, “We’ll keep it a secret for now, just between you and me. But I think I’d like to have a talk with old Granny, soon. Very soon.”

Mem hugged her sister back, holding her tightly. “Yes, please do! Find out what you can, and if . . . if . . . you speak with him, tell him . . . tell him, I’m waiting, right here.”