III

It took them 8 days to find a suitable shelter. The rains started and though not heavy impeded their search. On day 6 Shezira was forced to weave her, and her sons' hooded ponchos she called ryuche to protect them from the current rains and the up-and-coming Malunod.

Finding shelter was difficult. The terrain of Tiziano was hilly forested land which provided little shelter when the storms came. However, on the northern area of the island was a higher terrain. Shezira managed to find a cave where they made their new home. But Shezira knew they could not stay here. They needed either to go to another village or to get accepted back.

She looked at Lycurgus "Sweetheart I..." she paused for a moment thinking of what to tell her son. He investigated his mother's face seeing her confusion and conflict. She didn't know what to tell him till she saw Lysander pull out a small knife and scrap the cave wall.

"I need you to fish once the storm lets up, but not just any fish I need a Lancer-fish."

Lycurgus made a quizzical look "You want me to catch a Lancer fish with no equipment?"

"Fix your face Ly, no I don't expect you to catch one barehanded." She turned to Lysander

"Baby let me see your knife please."

Lysander stopped what he was doing and looked at his knife. His father had made it for him when he turned eight, he thought of the words his father told him that day "A man without a knife is the same as having no clothes on your butt." He reluctantly handed his mother the knife.

"Am I going to get it back?" he asked eyeing his mother.

"It all depends on your brother's skill." She responded with a smile, she turned and faced Lycurgus again.

"Go find a piece of Bow-wood before it gets too dark, also get me some reeds." Lycurgus got up to fetch the materials.

Shezira looked at Lysander "Sandy, what's wrong my sweet?" Lysander looked at his mother and sighed

"When will dad let you come back?"

Shezira bit her lip trying to stop the tears from starting. She cleared her throat "Well I'm not sure honey, you saw what happened." Lysander's eyes drifted towards his mother's hands, still stained with the blood from Le's lips and face.

It had shaken him, seeing his mother's rage like that for a moment he thought about going back to his father. He cast the thought aside his father would be fine, but his mom, needed him, even though he was only twelve he knew in his heart she needed him.

"What caused you to snap mom?" Shezira followed his gaze down to her hands, no matter how many times she washed they still looked stained. Like the blood was soaked into her skin. Suddenly they began to tremble slightly, it was sudden, but she noticed it, she wasn't sure if Lysander saw it as well.

She glanced at his face to see if he reacted, but he seemed zoned out thinking about something. Possibly replaying the moment, or even wondering how his life was going to be, maybe he was simply hungry.

"I had worked so hard Sandy, to see her... Le steal all the credit for my arduous work I don't know why but it broke me." She brought her hands to her chest

"I truly love ... loved your father we had been so distant for so long I just wanted to make things right like how they were when we first met." Lysander studied his mother's face, a soft reminiscent smile floated along her lips.

Now that he thought of it, he never actually saw his father and mother together. He spent plenty of time with himself and Lycurgus, fishing, hunting, crafting, sparring, teaching them the ways of a man, but his dad and mother never.

"You guys were close at one time?"

Shezira sighed at the question "I actually knew your father before any of the other women."

Lysander made a quizzical face "How did I not hear of this?" Shezira laughed "It's ancient history that's why." Lysander shook his head in astonishment

"But you're the fifth wife how?" Shezira made a little chuckle

"I originally was supposed to be the first wife, but ... things happened between me and your father. By the time, our relationship was functional again both my mother and father were dead so there was no one to fulfill the ceremony."

Lysander made a motion for her to continue interested in the history between the two.

"I served as a handmaiden for the house though your father and I were... romantic in passing, I then had your brother, and since he was the only boy at the time the elders made an exception and allowed me to be his wife. Though we didn't have a ceremony or anything."

Lysander studied his mom's face, her soft green eye's stared off into the distance as if they were trying to replay the past. Though he wanted to know more he decided to change the topic.

"Ah I see, so what are you going to make with the materials Ly's getting?" Shezira looked at Lysander, he looked so much like his father that it was as if he was a mini clone.

"Mom?"

Shezira ignored him further to look around the cave.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Ryu?"

He got up following his mother as she inspected the cave. He noticed she called him something else but made no mention of it. He figured it was a pet name for his father, but he didn't want her to focus on that anymore.

"What are you going to make?"

Finally, it seemed as though she had broken from her trance. Shezira turned around and smiled at her son

"Sandy just let mommy make it then you'll see."

After some time, Lycurgus returned with the materials his mother asked him for. Shezira didn't waste a moment getting to work.

"Now this won't be a finished product, but it will be functional."

She said as she began ripping the reeds down to strips. She threw a handful at Lysander

"Do as I do Ryu."

Lycurgus turned his head and looked at his brother, who glanced back at him, confirming they both heard her call him 'Ryu'.

Lysander picked up the reeds and began copying his mother. She was so quick and nimble with the process; it was difficult to keep up. After she ripped them down into small strips she started the next process, which was to rub her fingers along the edges of the strips to separate the fibers. Lysander tried to copy this technique but was nowhere as proficient as his mother. The finesse she possessed was unreal, after she would separate the fibers, seamlessly, she would begin to braid and weave those three fibers to form one thread, while at the same time interweaving her Tarmata. She finished the first strip in a matter of seconds when she looked up at Lysander who was still trying to separate the first few fibers.

"Oh, baby I'm sorry you don't have to do this part I just wanted you to rip up the excess reeds for me and place them in a pile."

Lysander breathed a sigh of relief as he gathered the strips of reeds and brought them over to his mother who was locked in and focused on her task.

Lysander watched his mom for a moment as she worked. She had already gotten through four strips in a matter of seconds which just left Lysander in amazement. He then turned around and walked over to Lycurgus who was sitting against the wall watching his mother work.

"You think she's ok Ly?"

Lycurgus still staring at his mother shook his head

"I'm not sure."

He glanced toward the entrance of the cave.

"We need to make a fire so she can continue. Really we need to do a lot of things, but we must wait for some rope and thread before we can do most of it."

Lysander sighed "Let me guess you want me to go get the firewood?"

Lycurgus leaned his back against the cave and closed his eyes, signaling to Lysander that he had guessed correctly. With that Lysander left to go gather firewood, while he left his mother to weave and his brother to rest.