The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper Page B

aren’t so much.” Stavia made a face, thinking of Myra.
    â€œOh, it’s just I wish you were my own family. I wish you belonged to me.” Beneda flushed, embarrassed at this declaration. “That sounds silly.”
    â€œNo, it doesn’t. It sounds nice. But I don’t have to be your sister to belong to you, Beneda. We’ll belong to each other, all right?” She put the book she had been reading down and hugged Beneda back, suddenly full of joyous warmth to replace the vacancy the book had evoked. “I wasn’t really grieving, I guess. I just hate those people who made the desolations, that’s all. They robbed us.”
    â€œWhich is why we must obey the ordinances, so we don’t rob our own descendants,” quoted Beneda primly, waiting for Stavia to recover herself. “Do you want to quiz me about the Laplanders?”
    â€œTell me about the Laplanders,” Stavia asked obediently, still wet-eyed, taking hold of Beneda’s hand.
    â€œThey lived way up in the north where it was cold and snowy most of the time. They made clothes out of felt, like we do. Way back they followed these wild deer around, and it was hard to keep the animals together, so they picked the bulls that didn’t run off and bred from those. And they milked them, too, the females, I mean, the cows. And they used deer hides to dress in. And the Lady knows what they did for fresh vegetables, because the book doesn’t say….”
    â€œI wonder if they’re still there.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œIn Lapland. I wonder if they still exist. They might, you know.”
    â€œWell, we’ll never know. That was on the other side of the world. But the book says they guaranteed both their own survival and the animals’ by domesticating them, so maybe they still exist.”
    â€œMaybe one of these days, when the Women’s Country exploration team goes out, they’ll find a way through! Or maybe they’ll decide to send a ship all the way across the ocean!”
    â€œThey did that hundreds of years ago, Stavia! The ship never came back!”
    â€œMaybe they’ll decide it’s time to try it again. Things could have changed. Anyhow, when the next team goes in ten years, maybe I’ll go along as medical officer.”
    â€œSmall chance.” Beneda made a teasing face.
    â€œNo, big chance. I think I’m going to Abbyville to the medical academy. Maybe in a couple of years. There could be a chance.” She stopped, her eye caught by movement on the parade ground below them. “Someone’s waving at us.” Stavia jumped to her feet, surprised.
    Someone was crossing the parade ground toward the stairs which led to the roof of the armory. From the armory roof to the wall top was only about twelve feet, which made the armory roof a favorite spot for the arrangement of assignations. “Is that Chernon?” Staviaasked. She had seen Chernon only in his white ceremonial tunic. This boy wore dull tan sheepskin work clothes.
    â€œStavia?” he called as he came up the stairs. “Remember me?”
    â€œChernon?”
    â€œRight. Is that Beneda with you?”
    â€œAre you my brother?” Beneda leaned across the wall, and Stavia caught her around the waist, afraid she would tip herself over.
    â€œI haven’t seen you since you were about six or seven years old.” Chernon smiled up at her from under heavy eyelids, a measuring smile.
    â€œMother told me what happened. I’m so sorry, Chernon.”
    â€œMe, too. That warrior, the crazy one, the one who was bothering me, well, he’s dead now. He got killed during a bandit sweep. Would you tell Mother? Please. I’d like to come home this carnival. Or at least visit. Aunt Erica is fine, but I’d like to see you. And Mother.” His eyes were frankly pleading now, his lips quivering, ever so slightly.
    â€œAnd the girls.”
    â€œAnd the