Ouroboros Spine woza vumani bo

"for a long time i did not," came the thoughtful murmur of the ageing woman. "i saw myself as belonging to them. i saw their words and their role as worth more than my own. i made myself ready to belong to a man."

"then i came to know aiolos." a soft look crossed her expression then, one brimming with the delighted hope of a younger time. "he gave me worship and much, much respect. all the boys now men who were born to us and raised to us have much of aiolos in them."

the springjade eyes held those of the questioning girl. "i like men. but i see also how much power is both given to men and kept from them. it is why women must have their own secrets. men are not strong enough to carry them all, and this knowledge, that we know things they do not, it angers a weak man."