The valley of horses_ a novel - Jean M. Auel [136]
“There’s Jondalar, so big and tall, he could have had his pick of all. Cherunio is sweet, but small. He’ll break his back, or maybe fall.”
The man’s chant brought the desired results: howls of laughter.
“How will you do it, Jondalar?” someone else called out. “You’ll have to break your back just to kiss her!”
Jondalar grinned at the young woman. “No break back,” he said, then picked Cherunio up and kissed her to the stamping of feet and applauding laughter. Literally swept off her feet, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with feeling. He had noticed several couples leaving the group for tents, or mats in out-of-the-way nooks, and he had been thinking along those lines himself. Her remarkable enthusiasm for kissing made him think she might be agreeable.
They couldn’t leave immediately—it would only cause more laughter—but they could begin to back away. Some new people joined the singers and watchers and the pace was shifting. This would be a good time to fade into the shadows. As he was easing Cherunio toward the edge of the gathering, Radonio suddenly appeared.
“You’ve had him all evening, Cherunio. Don’t you think it’s time to share him? After all, this is a festival to honor the Mother, and we’re supposed to share Her Gift.”
Radonio insinuated herself between them and kissed Jondalar. Then another woman embraced him, then several more. He was surrounded by young women, and at first went along with their kissing and caresses. But by the time several pairs of hands were handling him in rather personal ways, he wasn’t too sure he cared for it. Pleasures were supposed to be a matter of choice. He heard a muffled struggle but was suddenly very busy fending off hands that sought to untie his trousers and reach inside. That was too much.
He shrugged them off, none too gently. When they finally understood he wouldn’t allow anyone to touch him, they stood back smirking. Suddenly he noticed someone was missing.
“Where Cherunio is?” he asked.
The women looked at one another and squealed with laughter.
“Where Cherunio is?” he demanded, and when his only reply was more giggling, he took a quick step and grabbed Radonio. He was hurting her arm, but she didn’t want to admit it.
“We thought she ought to share you,” Radonio said, forcing a smile. “Everyone wants the big handsome Zelandonii”
“Zelandonii not want everyone. Where Cherunio is?”
Radonio turned her head away and refused to answer.
“You want big Zelandonii, you say?” He was angry, and his voice showed it. “You get big Zelandonii!” He forced her down to her knees.
“You’re hurting me! Why don’t the rest of you help me?”
But the other young women were not so sure they wanted to get too close. Holding her shoulders, Jondalar pushed Radonio down to the ground in front of the fire. The music had stopped, and people were milling around, unsure if they should intervene. She struggled to get up, and he held her down with his body.
“You want big Zelandonii, you got. Now, where Cherunio?”
“Here I am, Jondalar. They were holding me over there with something in my mouth. They said they were just playing a joke.”
“Bad joke,” he said as he got up and then helped Radonio. She had tears in her eyes and was rubbing her arm.
“You were hurting me,” she cried.
Suddenly he realized it had been meant as a joke, and he’d handled it poorly. He hadn’t been hurt, and neither had Cherunio. He shouldn’t have hurt Radonio. His anger evaporated, replaced by chagrin. “I … I not mean hurt you … I …”
“You didn’t hurt her, Jondalar. Not that much,” said one of the men who had been