A Place to Belong

Charity shook her head, that twin of hers. She just hoped the broken bones had stopped. "I do wish Father would learn that Stive has no place out here. He is not a trader as he just can't accept there is more than one way, and the more he drinks the more he talks. I take it he was holding forth for some time on just how we were inviting ruin. It is the way his homeland is run. All there are taught, from the pulpit and in the schools that women are made different. Made to serve not lead, that they do not have what it takes to lead. They are taught this from the cradle, both male and female. So it is too deep for most to ever question, and those few that do usually find that they like things as they are. Most of the women enjoy having their place determined from birth. They don't want more, they are happy. I know that you find it hard to believe but truly they avoid any chance to change their lives. In fact there have been those who move there because they do not like the way things are elsewhere. Yes I mean women as well as men. Some just do better leaving the major decisions of life in others hands. As for stringing them up it is a country and they are tougher than they look. More so as their army was expanded after the clans bowed to the empire a few years back. All boys there are taught the sword and bow along with reading and writing, if they wish to run a house of their own then they must now serve in the army for three years, unless they take up priests robes. Or they are mages those go to the church for up to seven years, or more if they are called to the priesthood. They are just waiting for another push on them you would not get far, trying them." That said she turned again to her drink.
Only to be interrupted yet again by the trader. "If that is so how did you come to be here?"
The guy said, "That is what I was trying to find out."
Charity said. "I said most were happy, not all. I was one that wasn't. So I left."
The man looked eager, "Just how did you mange that? I thought that the law made it impossible? After all females over there are forbidden any kind of education especially in magic, something about women being too weak to control it. Yet here you are a mage and a mercenary. So you must have had some education before you left."

Dettagli