The Enemy Within

Chapter 10

Grisell perused her breakfast with disinterest. She hadn't slept well the previous night, astounded that the one person she trusted explicitly, was staging a clandestine coup to oust her. She pushed the bowl of porridge away and drew the tray of fruit closer. She pushed that away and helped herself to a cup of coffee. She had requested a meeting with the young ladies of the tribe for just after breakfast, so without doing justice to any food, she proceeded to the meeting.

'Why are we meeting Chief?' Iona took the vacant chair next to Grisell.

'Morning Iona,' Grisell smiled politely. 'Just inviting the lady folk to become more involved in the business of the tribe.'

'"Business?"' Iona repeated with alarm.

'Yes.' Grisell nodded to the ladies taking up chairs at the long table.

'Morning Ladies. I hope just like me, you would like to become more involved in the business of our tribe.'

'How Chief?' Sixteen-year-old Hannah Snell enquired.

'This is just an idea,' Grisell promoted, 'but if our womenfolk wish to join the men at sea I will support it. 'Ladies will be allowed to serve on the trade ships, or be trained for military duty, if any so desire.'

'Yay!' A few young ones clapped applaudingly.

'Will the men allow it?' Iona questioned.

'I, alone, make that decision,' Grisell replied.' 'Any young lady over sixteen, who wishes to go to sea, will be considered. And all women wanting to join the combat force, will be allowed to.'

'I wish to join the trade ship,' Hannah raised her hand.

'Me too,' another seconded.

'Please teach us how to be soldiers,' a third requested. And a few murmured agreement.

Grisell nodded, the military training, I will delegate Uncle Gadd to oversee.

'Will he want to train women?' Iona questioned.

'He trained me, from age six,' Grisell smiled. I'm, sure he will agree. 'There will be some ___challenges for you womenfolk going to sea,' Grisell declared. 'The men share sleeping cabins. Privacy may become a problem, where ablution facilities are concerned.'

'We trust you to fix that Chief,' Hannah responded. 'I want to go to sea. I wish to join the trade vessel,' she repeated firmly.

'Okay. I will address the Council. I will request the maintenance team, to reconfigure our ships, to accommodate our women with comfortable cabins.'

'Thank you Chief. Thank you Chief,' many of the women chorused, smilingly.

'Chief,' Iona murmured, in Grisell's ear. 'That will require major expenses. There may not be enough in the purse.'

'Thank you, ladies. Enjoy your day,' Grisell smiled, dismissing the womenfolk.

'Why?' Grisell questioned Iona. As far as she knew, there should be sufficient funds in the purse. She didn't look in the books often, but she kept a good record in her mind. Her memory was excellent, in keeping a mental account of their finances and of all the decisions she and the Council makes. Often she had to remind the Council of certain resolutions taken, which they'd omitted in their reports.

'Chief ___ we spent a small fortune on the recent arms you requested us to purchase.'

'Oh.' Grisell was certain the price should have been cheaper that what they had purchased a year ago from a different supplier. 'Can I see the account?'

'Sure,' Iona ruffled through the papers she held in a boxed folder and passed the account to her Chief.

Grisell scrutinized it without commenting. 'Aside from the arms purchase, we should have more that sufficient funds available.' Grisell quoted a figure from her head that she was certain, should be the same figure that Iona's accounting should reconcile to.