(From Chapter One)

The sentries had found her lying just outside Woden village boundary at what is called the Grassfields. She was semi-conscious, but was struggling to remain alert. Her dog had howled until someone came. The sentries had finally heard the dog and found the woman. They had then called for Meera, then for The Second, as a decision was needed about bringing the injured woman Inside. Not a decision lightly made in Woden.

When The Second arrived and saw the injured woman, she tried to mask her feelings. So many moments have been wasted. I hope we are not overly late. She had hurried to the site as quickly as possible, but it was an entire morn’s journey from the Woden community. As she bent over her, the injured woman looked directly into The Second’s eyes and blinked slowly as if it took great effort. Even this injured, her eyes seemed to speak to The Second with determination. The Second spoke tenderly to her. “You can rest now. I am known as The Second of Woden. We will take care of you and your dog. And we will tend to your injuries.”

The injured woman nodded to The Second slightly, in apparent understanding, but didn’t speak. She tried to recover something from an inside pocket. The effort must have caused her great pain as her face contorted into a cringe, but she remained silent. Meera’s guards aimed their weapons upon her.

“Meera, have them place their weapons down.”

“She might be armed, Second. She may be trying to hurt you, or worse.”

The Second refrained from sighing. “She is overly injured to do anything, let alone hurt me.” 

Meera reluctantly motioned for them to back off. “Look, I think she is but trying to get something out of her garment.”

The injured woman withdrew something small; some type of container. She held it up to The Second. Meera took it, then the woman slipped into unconsciousness. The Second tried to touch it, but Meera wouldn’t let her near it. “Second, please touch it not; it could be dangerous. We will take it for study.” 

The Second knew that Meera was following procedure, but it still took all the patience she had to control herself. She just looked at Meera, who knew the look well, but Meera wasn’t done with The Second yet. “Second, I think we should leave her Outside. We could make a shelter and tend to her here. We know not where she came from and know not if there is anyone else around with her.” 

As patiently as she could, The Second replied, “She is with her dog. If there were others, the dog would be looking for them. Have you never a dog, Meera?” 

“No, I have not. But the woman could be dangerous, Second. And the dog will not let us near him. It is my duty to ensure that no harm comes to you or the community. How do any of us know that she is not here to hurt you, or The Highest? It could be but a trick.”

The Second turned her gaze from the injured woman to look at Meera for the first moment since arriving. “If someone will do this much harm to one of their own people to trick us, then there is little in our power to prevent their kind of evil. No, I think her not dangerous. We will not leave her.” 

Pointing to the container that Meera was now holding, The Second said, “She came to deliver this to us, whatever it is. We probably cannot know what it is without her.” Meera handed it to one of her guards. “The dog most likely senses that we are not going to harm her, and my guess is that he will follow wherever we take her.”

The Second turned back toward the injured woman and bent down to examine her wounds more closely. “What be the extent of her injuries?”

“Her right knee was dislocated. We re-set it just before you arrived.” 

Ugh. The Second was glad she hadn’t been here during that ordeal. Painful moment, she thought.

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