Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, #5) - K.F. Breene Page 0,9
to important matters. Our enlisted women have grown more than twice since the battle. I’ve given orders for them to be supplied with bows, as you’ve suggested, but now what?”
“I have someone helping them with training,” Shanti said, kicking away her bulbous skirt from around her legs.
She’d been invited to attend this meeting under the condition that she wore a dress, as befitted Cayan’s wife. Since she was not Cayan’s wife, and didn’t want to go, she’d refused.
The invitation had been amended. As the woman giving commands alongside Cayan, she was required to go, for the good of the city. But she would still need to wear the dress.
She’d then amended her refusal: wearing a dress would prevent her from reacting quickly if anything should go wrong during the hourlong meeting.
If it hadn’t been for Molly shadowing her for two days, explaining the importance of meeting with the Women’s Circle and how her refusal would look on Cayan, Shanti would’ve ignored Eloise’s assurances that in no way would the dress interfere with anything that could possibly happen.
The woman was as tenacious as mold on old cheese.
“Yes. I heard about Mela’s instruction.” Eloise pursed her lips again. “Even so, she is a great resource.”
“It got me out of messing around with bows and arrows.” Fabienne looked down at her splayed hands. “I have blisters.”
“That’s because you don’t do anything,” Valencia said with a sniff.
“Is that right?” Fabienne leaned to the side enough to put a fist to her hip. “You don’t think I work my tail off to—”
“Ladies, enough!” Eloise took a cup of tea from Molly. She looked at Shanti. “We all want to make sure the women who want to be trained will be.”
“I cannot make that guarantee,” Shanti said matter-of-factly.
The room fell silent. Rohnan shifted uncomfortably.
“Please explain,” Eloise said in a level voice.
A shiver raced up Shanti’s spine. She now realized why Sanders gave these women a wide berth. An enemy running at her with a knife was much more appealing than this near-silent threat.
Shanti matched Eloise’s tone. “We will only train those with potential. Just like with the men in the army, those who don’t have sufficient ability to learn will be given a different task.”
“But your Honor Guard, as you call them, were nearly sent to the mines.” Eloise sipped her tea calmly. “If it hadn’t been for you, we would never have seen their skill. Yet you are not training the women. What if they are passed over because a blind man judged their worth? Or worse, a man who only saw a woman…”
“Sanders doesn’t just see women.” Shanti sipped her tea. Then grimaced. It was awful stuff. “But since he is too easily pushed around by your city’s women, I’ve put my people on it. They are great judges of talent.”
“Why are you training them out in the middle of nowhere?” Valencia asked.
“We need to pick those who have potential, train them to a reasonable level, then move them over to the larger army. I didn’t want grown women learning beside boys. That would reflect poorly on the women.”
“Most of the army is okay with women learning to fight,” Rohnan said in his musical voice. It had the pleasing benefit of defusing the growing tension. “They understand that they need as much help as possible to protect the city. Those that object are doing so loudly, however. It’s best to bring the women into the fold only when they can make the loudest statement.”
“What about when you leave?” Tabby asked from the back of the room. “What happens to us?”
Shanti kicked at her dress again. “We’re not sure who’s going yet, but a few commanders as well as some of the Shadow will be left behind. As Rohnan said, everyone understands how valuable capable fighters are when it comes to defending the city. Women as well as men. When needed, the women will be used. I guarantee it.”
“Fine, fine.” Eloise stretched out her leg with a pained expression. She settled back and took a sip of her tea. “Let’s move on to other matters. We’ve had some problems with nudity in the city.” Eloise looked at Shanti over the rim of her cup.
“I apologize.” Shanti shook her head at Molly’s proffered piece of pie. “They know the rules, but occasionally they forget.”
“Now, I don’t mind an attractive, nude male body—let’s get that right,” Fabienne said. “The issue is, we have to maintain some sort of decorum or else everyone will think nudity is the