The mark

“Mary, Tenac tells me you just had your birthday,” Tenac’s grandfather then said. Mary shot Tenac a look.

“Yes,” she then smiled at Ceran.

“Well, you have been more than generous to us. You have shown interest in our culture and way of life and therefore I would like to offer to make you an honorary member of the clan,” Ceran told her with a smile.

“An honorary member?” Mary asked, stunned. She looked at Tenac. He smiled at her.

“Don’t worry that it will entail commitments from you. It just means that you are no longer a guest of the clan, but are seen as one of us. You may live with us, keep your horses in our herd and can join the gatherings of the clans,” Tenac’s grandfather explained.

“It would be my honour,” Mary bowed her head.

“I’m happy to hear that, my friend. Then I would like to give you this, as a birthday gift from the clan,” he told her and gave her a wooden disc that had a leather string attached to it.

Mary took it and looked at it. On one of its sides, it had a pattern engraved into the wood. It was a five-petal flower in a circle with three smaller circles inside of it.

“It’s your personal mark,” Tenac explained.

“Thank you, it’s beautiful,” Mary said.

“I’m glad you like it,” Ceran said, sounding pleased.

“Tenac told me that a five-petal flower would suit you. The large circle represents you, the five-petal flower Tenac wouldn’t tell me what it represents, but I have seen you wear a neckless with it so I’m guessing it holds meaning to you. The three smaller rings are to represent the three nations that you now belong to,” he explained.

“Thank you,” Mary said again.

“Welcome to the tribe, Mary,” Ceran said.

“Welcome,” both Tenac and his uncle said.

“Thank you,” Mary said, and felt like she was repeating herself.

“We will throw a celebration next time you come. Now you two need to get going,” Ceran smiled.

Mary nodded, and Tenac offered his hand to help her up. They all walked out to where Addon and Fizz were waiting for them. Once again, Tenac’s whole family saw them off. Beruda even gave her a hug.

“Come back soon,” Ceran said to them both.

“We will,” Tenac promised, and they started on their way home.

“Are you okay?” Tenac asked after a while. Mary had been quiet since they left the camp.

“I’m fine. Sorry, there are just a lot of thoughts in my head,” she smiled.

“Good or bad?”

“Good,” she laughed at the question.

“When are you leaving for your trip?” Mary asked.

“In a little over two weeks,” he said.

“I’m guessing you will use the harbour and not go on horseback?” she asked.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“You let me know the day and time and I’ll come down to see you off,” she smiled.

“You don’t have to do that, Mary. You have classes and things,” he objected.

“I know I don’t have to. But you would have done it if it was me, and I want to. I’m a good enough student that my teachers will give me some leeway,” she told him.

“Thank you,” he smiled.

“No problem. But who is going to look after Addon?” Mary asked.

“The stable master will feed him and make sure he is groomed and exercised,” Tenac told her.

“Good,” Mary nodded.

“But if you had the time, I would appreciate it if you looked in on him now and then. He isn’t a sociable horse, and most people stay away from him. But he knows you and you aren’t afraid of him,” Tenac then said.

“I promise I will look in on him,” Mary told Tenac.

“Thank you.”

They rode on in silence all the way home, both deep in their own thoughts. Mary thought about what she would do with her Saturdays for three months and how strange it felt not to have them booked. She also thought about that she apparently now held a membership to the Che’hul. She had not seen that one coming.

As they dismounted at the stables, Mary took the rains and led Fizz in.

“I can have a prospect do that for you,” Tenac told her.

“I don’t mind,” Mary said.

Tenac led Addon over to the stable where he was kept, and Mary got to work grooming Fizz. Once she was done and had put him in his box, she gave him a carrot and walked over to Buttercup to give her an apple.

Buttercup had come around once Mary and Tenac had taken her along on some rides. Mary secretly believed that both Fizz and Addon looked down on the sweet little horse, but Buttercup was too oblivious to know it. She hadn’t shared her theory with Tenac. He would just tell her that horses didn’t think like that.

As she was rubbing Buttercup between the eyes, Tenac came walking.

“All done?” he asked.

“Almost. Just need to give Addon his apple,” Mary said.

“You are going to spoil him,” Tenac told her. She had lost count on how many times he had told her the same thing.

“I’m going to bring him a bushel of apples every Saturday when you are away,” Mary laughed as they walked to Addon’s stable.

“Please don’t. He will be obnoxious when I get back,” Tenac sighed.

“Addon is a good boy,” Mary said as she held out the apple to the horse. He gently grabbed it from her hand and then quickly munched it down while watching Tenac. As if making sure he wouldn’t try to stop him.

Tenac insisted on walking Mary home. As usual, they talked about everything and nothing as they walked the streets of the city.

“Tenac, you need to tell me if you need to cancel some of our trainings before your trip. I get that you need to get things ready,” Mary said.

“It’s okay, Mary. I can take care of things during the weeks,” he told her.

“You will never convince me that my dad gives you time off training and your other duties to go shopping,” Mary laughed.

“Well, no. But I can manage,” Tenac insisted.

“Okay, since you are being stubborn. I would like to go to the market next Saturday. I need to get some supplies. Do you want to come with me?” Mary asked.

“Mary, you don’t need to do that for me,” Tenac said.

“I’m not. I just told you I needed something from the marketplace. You need to pay better attention, Tenac,” Mary smiled.

“I would be happy to join you. I may have a thing or two that I need as well,” Tenac agreed.

“Well then, I’ll meet you at the usual place. Have a wonderful week, Tenac,” Mary smiled and waved as she walked up to her front door.

“You too, Mary,” Tenac said.

Mary’s parents questioned her as usual as they had dinner. Mary told them everything and showed them the mark she had gotten.

“That is impressive. You must really have impressed Ceran,” her father said. He sounded proud.

“It suits you,” her mother said as she looked at the mark.

“I really like it. I’m just wondering where to keep it. Tenac told me that most clan members have it on them. It’s too heavy to wear as a necklace. Maybe I can attach it to my knife. I don’t need the rabbit’s foot anymore,” Mary mused.

“Knife?” Mary’s mother asked.

“Yeah, the one dad gave me,” Mary said.

“You gave our daughter a knife?” she asked her husband.

“Well, yes. But that was a long time ago. You still have that?” Kopa asked Mary.

“Of course I do, dad. You told me to always wear it,” Mary reminded him, and unfastened the knife from where it was hidden and put it on the table.

“You have been wearing it every day for the past nine years?” her father asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes,” she nodded and smiled.

Kopa took the knife and unsheathed it. He looked at it.

“You have kept it in good condition,” he remarked.

“Zerden’s father showed me how to,” Mary said.

“Maybe it’s time we get you a new one,” Kopa said.

“No,” both women cried.

“I’m happy with that one,” Mary said.

“She doesn’t need a knife,” Bettina said.

“Do you really like it that much?” Bettina then asked Mary.

“I do,” Mary nodded.

“Well, I guess then you can keep using it. But you don’t really need it,” her mother pointed out.

“I know, I just like knowing I have it,” Mary said.

“She’s my daughter, “Kopa said with pride as he handed the knife back to Mary.

“Not daughter enough to let me know Tenac had transferred to your unit,” Mary pointed out.

“Oh, don’t say it like that. He wanted to tell you himself,” her father told her.

“It’s okay, dad. I’m just happy he gets to do what he wants to do,” Mary said.

“He is a very skilled rider. I know you would have liked to have him here, but I needed him for the mission,” Kopa said.

“No, it’s okay, dad. He’s a rider, and he needs to do things that satisfy his ambition. It’s not like it’s the end of our friendship,” Mary smiled at her father.

“You think he switched unit because of ambition?” Bettina asked.

“Yes, what else would it be?” Mary asked, and looked at her father.

“I’m with you, little one. I would say ambition as well. It’s about time he lived up to his potential,” her father agreed. Bettina looked at the both of them.

“I don’t know what I have done to deserve the two of you sometimes. First knives and now this. I honestly can’t even begin to tell you how frustrated I am with you,” she sighed.

“What?” Kopa asked, looking at Mary. She shrugged. She didn’t know why her mother was upset.

“Forget it and eat your dinner,” Bettina said.

When Mary got back to her room in the sanctum a couple of hours later, she took out the knife again and removed the rabbit’s foot. It too had been a birthday gift, she realised. The first one she had gotten from Zerden.

But it belonged in her old life, so she wrapped it in a handkerchief and put it into her chest. She took out her mark and started using fire magic to make another hole in the wooden disk. She hoped no one would mind it.

Once she had a hole at the bottom of the disc, she could start lashing it to the sheath of her knife. When she was done, she infused the knots with earth magic to make sure they wouldn’t come open. She was happy with the result.