Cut Scene: Stone Moon, Silk Scarves

Perhaps on my mind because the Jokka books were the first ones to come off of their KU exclusivity period and I've restored them to wide sale (and had to redo the epub of Bloom in the process, because it was messed up). Here's a bit of history from 2003!

This is an actual cut scene, not something I wrote after for fun to fill in the gaps... back when I was writing Stone Moon, Silk Scarves, the novella that would lead to the novel A Bloom in the North, my original idea was to alternate perspectives between Hesa and Pathen. I discarded it because up until that point, all the Jokka stories had been in first person and I preferred that (though you'll note that when I finally wrote Bloom, I did alternate, I just did it by section).

This was the first scene, originally, of the novella.

***

"Hush," the old Jokkad said, resting a finger against Hesa's lips. "Great talker, you. Now you will listen."

Hesa's ears fell and it quieted, eyes resting on the face of the emodo Jurenel, he who had taught it all it knew, who had lifted House Laisira out of poverty. The eperu couldn't decide what won its silence: obedience to the Head of its Household, or horror at how stark the hollows between nose and eyes were, the crevices beneath high cheekbones. The stench of the barbflower potion brought water to its eyes.

"Better," he said after a few labored breaths. "I leave you the House, Hesa. Run it with the aplomb you do all your other affairs."

"I can't," Hesa hissed, eyes widening. "Ke emodo, I'm neuter. We're not allowed--"

"And who would you put in charge, then?" Jurenel grinned, stained yellow teeth glinting in the firelight. "Darsi? Metter? Name me a single Jokkad in these rooms who will do."

Hesa's ears drooped further.

The emodo smiled and patted Hesa's slim hand. "Of course you can't. Promise me you'll take care of my House."

"I'll do my best," Hesa said softly.

"Good," Jurenel said. "Now go." When Hesa lifted its head, he stopped its words of protest with one of his hardest stares. "I will not allow you to watch me die," he said. "Your memories must be of the strength of the House, not of its failure. Do as I say."

"Yes, ke emodo," Hesa said, voice fluttering. It stood and stumbled to the door. That Hesa had the will to close it on the firelit form surprised it.

Several breaths, long ones . . . they shivered in Hesa's mouth and did not settle easily in its body. The healers brushed past it, passing back into the Head's room. Hesa didn't even notice that one of those warm bodies had not left until he spoke.

"Ke Hesa?"

"Fine time to be formal, Darsi," Hesa said, voice breaking on the words.

Darsi sighed and took it by the arm. "Come away. I have something warm for you to drink."

Hesa allowed the male to lead it up to the second story common room, the one infrequently used by the rest of the family because of its stifling warmth. Darsi drew a chair back for it and pushed it onto the embroidered cushion. The aroma of firebark rose from the pot over the flames. With the calm of exhaustion, Hesa watched him draw it forth and stir before pouring out cups for them both.

"Not long now," Darsi said, his voice low.

Hesa dropped its head into its hands, spirals of gold curls falling forward over its eyes. "I'll miss him."

"We all will," Darsi said. "Het Kabbanil will be poorer without him." He paused, then chuckled. "Literally, too. How will they take advantage of Laisira's flair without him to lead the House?"

"Oh, he's solved that problem," Hesa said drily.

"He told you who our new Head is?" Darsi said, leaning forward.

Hesa sipped from the cup, let the fire erupt around its teeth. "Oh yes. Me."

"You!" Darsi's jaw dropped. Then he guffawed. "Well, that makes sense, I guess. He was a strange old man, never cared much for what others thought."

"Maybe you're not taking this seriously enough," Hesa said. "I can't possibly do this, Darsi. I'm eperu. Neuters don't run households. They never have. They can't. It's wrong."

"Yes," Darsi said. "But I certainly can't do it. You know me and numbers. And I'm the best of the lot." He wrinkled his nose. "We're tailors. Weavers. Embroiderers. Artists, Hesa. And that's the easy part!" He shuddered. "I could never be as mean to our trade partners as you are."

"It's not being mean," Hesa said, exasperated. "It's getting the best prices. It's called bargaining, Darsi."

"And you've been doing it for years, and no one does it better," Darsi said. "Do you really want any of us to be doing it?"

"No!" Hesa exclaimed, then covered its eyes. "Darsi! I don't want anything to happen to Laisira, but now is not the time to hitch the House to bad fortune. Especially now with the Empire's flags flying from the towers. I can't do it."

"But you will," Darsi said, leaning back with his cup.

Hesa glanced at him, purple eyes narrowed.

"Because no one else can," Darsi said.

Hesa dragged its hands down to its cheeks and let an unsteady breath out of its mouth. It only looked up when one of Darsi's hands gently pulled its wrist from its face.

"You hate when I'm right," he said, massaging the eperu's palm.

"You're going to be the one in charge as far as everyone else is concerned," Hesa said. "You like acting in those ridiculous midsummer spectacles? Fine. This will be your best role ever. I'll train you what to say--ah!" Hesa waved its free hand when he tried to talk. "Do you want the Empire's eyes on us? I'll train you what to say and you'll say it, and I'll keep doing everything I used to do, plus all that Ke Jurenel did. But this is the only way it will work. Don't you know the capital crimes?"

"No eperu Heads of Household, no relationships across sexes, and never owe the Empire money. I know, I know." Darsi grinned. "I didn't think you had such subterfuge in you, Hesa."

"Well, now you know better," Hesa said.

A shadow fell over them both and Hesa looked up into the face of the healer.

"He left with little pain," the healer said.

Darsi made a small sound. Hesa barely heard it.

"We will take the body. When will you have the funeral?" the healer asked.

"In three days, at the temple of the Trinity," Hesa said.