It had been a couple of weeks since Biyu came to the Elven village, and she was getting used to her new routine. Combat practice was easier now that she wore a short tunic and trousers. Her choice was unusual. Hunter women tended to favor midthigh tunics paired with trousers, while women doing more sedentary work chose long tunic that left their ankles bare. When Indu first saw her in the short tunic and trousers, she had a few pointed questions. The meaning of the questions Biyu could not quite decipher, and she was certain even the instructors who did not hate her would swat her for being obtuse.

Finishing her grappling practice for the day, Biyu went raft side to rinse off her sweat. As she knelt over the water, a foot hit her in the backside and she fell in. Spluttering, she came up and lunged for the side of the raft while people laughed at her.

Above her stood a boy, almost a man. He had a huge smirk as he looked down at her. Lifting his foot up, he looked around at the gaggle of youths with him, most young women, and played to the crowd to get them to cheer for him to kick her back in. Indu had been teaching her to swim, but Biyu could barely manage to float. The water made her clothes heavy, was still painfully cold, and she was having difficulty swimming in place. Trying to preempt the next attack, she started hauling herself out of the water. 'Cajoled' by the crowd, the boy moved to stomp on her head.

Instead of letting the blow land, she grabbed the leg and clung with Transcendent strength. The boy overbalanced with her sudden weight, and splashed into the water. There were squeals of laughter as the boy struggled to swim. Biyu did not go for the edge of the raft. Instead, she changed her grip on the boy, clinging to his back. The boy did not try to get out of the water like she expected, but instead the boy struggled to get her off. There was no way he would be able to break her grip.

"Just climb out of the water, and we can be done with this," she hissed into the boy's ear. He turned red and plunged into the water. The boy intended to drown her. Pulling her legs close, Biyu put them to the boys back and used him to launch herself away while helping him to sink. She broke the surface to her waist, then scrabbled for the side and out of the water.

She slumped, catching her breath, when a shadow fell over her. The boy straddled her and punched her in the face. That surprised Biyu. Her empowered body took the blow with little damage. The mask Indu gave her was unnaturally durable, but it merely helped the blows transfer to her face rather than deflect them. There was the indignity, but she had little reason to care about noble dignity here.

This was the first time in her life she could remember being outright assaulted by an assailant. Not the first time someone had hurt her, but there was a difference between a sneering tutor making her over-flex or giving her a swat or jab, and someone attacking her. There was sparring, but that different. There was no indignity or slight in being struck while sparring. This had been an assault on her person.

She had no idea how she felt about it. Oh, he had kicked her in the butt, and attempted the same to her head. In the heat of the moment, they had not registered. Biyu cataloged her feelings as the boy delivered another blow. She was not angry. Annoyed, but not angry. Now that she was no longer in danger of drowning, there was little he could do to harm her without a weapon. She tried to remember what her books and tutors said about this kind of situation. A show of dominance was the first thing to come to mind, but that was likely to antagonize the villagers. She had problems enough with her still unnamed archery trainer to want to invite any more hardship into her life. The attack had been unprovoked, a cocky boy showing off. Shaming him would be enough, but again it could lead to escalation.

Biyu noticed the boy was still punching her, and she hit him negligently in the belly so she could think without him bothering her. The boy yelped at the punch and fell off her, clutching his stomach. Standing, Biyu shook off the excess water from her clothes. The boy was laying there gasping, and then he began to bawl. Elves came rushing over to see what the fuss was. A tableau of shocked children were crying or jeering around them. A few of the smarter girls began to sneak away, trying to pretend they were not involved.

An adult, Biyu did not see if it was a man or woman, grabbed her and pulled her away from the boy. She did not resist, too busy looking at the boy curiously. Had she hit him that hard, or was he pretending for sympathy? No, that did not make sense, if he was trying to show off. Master… would not be pleased, but the reprimand would be instructive. Still, she did not think she had struck him that hard.

"What do you think you're doing, child?" demanded an angry voice. A hand reared back.

"Do not touch me," Biyu said. She did not intend to hurt anyone else, but she would rather not have people thinking they could strike her on a whim. After all, she did not want to accidentally harm someone else when they annoyed her. Biyu was worried that retaliation would snow ball into all-out conflict with the Elves, despite her Master's patronage. Curtailing violence seemed best, if possible.

The person, a woman now that she was paying attention, grimaced at her but hesitated. The woman lowered her hand grudgingly. Biyu was relieved.

An Elder Biyu recognized came to them. She was a woman with a shawl, and a small staff she used as a cane. That would make her closer to two hundred if she was not Awakened. Elves lived about twice as long as Humans.

"What has happened here?" she demanded.

Bowing, Biyu answered, "This boy had thrice tried to murder me, and once he punched me repeatedly in the face."

The boy spluttered from where he was being treated. "I just pushed her into the water!"

"It is well known I cannot swim. The children often come to laugh at me while I learn."

"You said three times?" asked the older woman, giving the boy a reproving look.

"First, when he pushed me in. Then when he tried to stomp me in the head to send me back into the water. I grabbed his leg to get out, but he fell in. When I clung to him for safety, he attempted to drown me."

"And the repeated punches to the head?" asked the woman.

"When I got out of the water and was catching my breath, he straddled me and began punching me in the face."

The woman clicked her tongue in irritation. "You are such a troublesome boy, C—" She cut herself off before saying his name. Giving Biyu a scowl, as though it was her fault, she finished with, "boy. Go see the healers. You have earned some punishment. Oh, and I shall see you barred from the Selection."

The boy glared at Biyu, but gave a firm nod.

The Elves left, satisfied the situation was resolved. More than a few glared at Biyu as if she had instigated it. The Elder lingered. "How is your face, child?"

"Fine. He could not injure me."

"Prideful, just like all your kind. Ah, it is so troublesome having you here. When will you go? You are not wanted, child."

"I will go when Master deems it time for me to go. Is it so onerous to just ignore my presence?"

Snorting, the old woman glared at her. "No one can just ignore your presence. Knowing you're here is like a bur in the butt. The rowdy young will want to use you to puff themselves up among their peers, by facing one the Humans who drove us into this swamp. Especially now, as the time for the Selection draws near."

"If I go, I will die. Or worse. I am as welcome in the Human world as I am here. In truth, the first person who may be my friend is here. It is the closest to a place I belong I have had."

The woman rolled her eyes. "That Kin liking you is no great feat, girl."

"Still a first in my life."

The Elder shrugged. "Stop causing trouble." She turned to go.

Biyu stared after the woman. "I am here under guest rights. Your people shame themselves treating me poorly. My Master will not look kindly upon you all for this."

The Elder glared at her, but said nothing.

Biyu turned to walk away, and the woman spat out, "Impudent whelp."

Without turning around, but loud enough the woman could hear, she replied, "Foolish old woman."

Archery practice was miserable. Instead of practicing hitting targets from the embarrassingly short range she had been, she was practicing her draw again. Empowering her body had been forbidden, despite Biyu's protest that it was difficult work to put it back in place. The Elf who never gave her a name to call her, not even Archery Master, was harassing her for refusing to be quietly bullied. Such minor harassment was acceptable, but when she went to do actual practice the woman said, "No practice without me."

After considering a moment, Biyu said, "No. I will practice when I wish. You may go now."

The woman stared at her angrily. She opened her mouth to speak, and Biyu commented, "I have kept my peace, hoping we could be polite. However, if I went to Master now, would she agree that you have been training me as you said you would?" Her jaw snapped shut. She glared, but there was concern too.

Biyu did not practice through lunch. After a half hour of range practice, she joined the Kin in a meal. Indu had heard of the altercation and she was livid. Hak was his usual inscrutable self, but he indicated through signs that he would stand with Biyu should anything happen.

Biyu asked, "What is the Selection?"

Hearing that, Indu shrunk into herself. "It is part of the pact with Mother. Once each year, in the late spring or early summer, a contest is held. All the men and women of marriageable age, who are not married, may join. The winner will mate with Mother in the hopes of producing young. Oh, they can't be closely relate to her. It starts tomorrow. It'll be a festival, so no work other than guards and scouts."

That explained why so many of the Elves had the features of a serpent. Also, why there were Kin here. Fidgeting, Indu asked, "Will you join?"

Biyu shook her head without considering it. "I am not a part of this village. Winning would not fulfill the pact." That apparently made Indu happy.

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"Was that why the boy attacked me?"

Grimacing, Indu admitted, "It was probably meant to be a prank. Humiliate the Human to make himself look better. You… you probably should have just tried to get to an island and wait it out."

Frowning, Biyu thought about it. Well, it would have prevented escalation. It felt cowardly, but that was not something that mattered to her. Still… she had ended up injuring the foolish boy. With a sigh, she gave Indu a nod. "Thank you for the advice, Indu."

Biyu had been here long enough to know the villagers only tolerated the Kin. People, particularly children, occasionally teased Indu. If Hak was not around, Indu would go into the water where people would be unable to bother her. No one bothered Hak. They were afraid of him. Biyu would defer to their expertise.

That evening, Biyu was butchering carcasses. This time she was corrected on every cut. None of them went so far as to strike her, and soon she ignored their directions and worked as usual. That seemed to upset them, and they grumbled as they settled into their own work. She had gotten faster, so even when they gave her more work, she was done soon after them. She had to deliver the results herself. The workers she ran deliveries to seemed more annoyed that the others were early rather than that she was so late. They knew what was happening, but were more concerned about their own work than harassing her.

That night's revelry occurred outside their hut. Merrymaking sounded through the walls, but Biyu was able to sleep through it. In the morning she did her usual practice, apologizing perfunctorily when she stepped on the odd drunk. This morning Indu slept in. She had been curled against Biyu when she woke that morning, and she could not bring herself to chastise the woman. Besides, it was oddly soothing to have Indu there.

The morning wore on, and without any of her usual training to take up her time Biyu found herself at loose ends. She danced a little with Indu when she finally got up, and they had a late breakfast while the cooks scowled at them for delaying cleanup. To make up for it, Biyu helped and was grudgingly thanked. That she got the worst of the pots she considered fair, regardless of the reasoning behind it. After all, she was Awakened. With the extra investment in her body, it was quickly taken care of.

Selection began in the square in the late morning. The first contest had all those eligible standing on a great platform erected for this event. The rules were simple: people would shove each other until half remained on the platform. Selection was a process of elimination across several events. Biyu watched for a while, but with the glowers she received she decided she would rather do something else. Fishing sounded like a nice diversion.

Biyu went raft side far from the Selection, and she fished for the entire day. Some of the fish she kept, but most she threw back. Indu came to join her a little after noon, still rubbing sleep from her eyes. They made a small fire on a piece of slate to roast the fish wrapped in greens.

As the day came to a close, and bonfires were lit, an Elf came running to Biyu. He was obviously angry as he loudly proclaimed, "Lady Serpent has requested your presence at the Selection."

Biyu left the fish in Indu's care. At the village square, Biyu found her Master with a hand on a young man's shoulder. Obviously, he was the winner by the way he preened. Biyu offered a bow and asked, "How may I serve you, Master?"

With a smile, the Great Serpent indicated another young man. He looked like he had eaten something foul, and turned away at Biyu's gaze. "I offer you the runner-up to play with, my darling disciple." All around them, the Elves were looking on with unsettled and disgusted looks. Biyu wondered that her Master did not see it.

The man on offer was someone Biyu had seen frequently. While she would admit many of the Elf men were pleasing to the eye, she felt no desire to touch them. Anything beyond that was unthinkable. At first, she thought to politely decline and save herself from the Elves increased resentment.

Memories of yesterday came clearly to mind. She answered honestly, but with the intent to disparage her hosts. Something she had been refraining from doing as a good guest. "All yesterday, Elves have been rude to me. I am their guest, and I was told guest rights apply. I was assaulted. Attempts were made to ridicule me. Many here have harassed me. I do not think your Elves are good enough for me. I do not want him." She waved her hand dismissively. When she heard herself, she remembered the words of Indu, and she felt a small amount of regret at going against her friend's advice.

The Great Serpent looked upon the Elves with a raised brow, her hand withdrawing from the man's shoulder. "Oh? Who assaulted you?"

Biyu looked about, then indicated the boy. "This boy kicked me into the water."

"They ridiculed you?"

"Him, some children, an Elder."

At that the Sacred Beast clicked her tongue. "And the harassment?"

"My archery instructor has done her best not to teach me since our first lesson, and she redoubled her efforts yesterday. Also, those Elves who were butchering carcasses with me."

"I see," said the Great Serpent. She looked over the Elves. The weight of her will fell upon the village, and the Elves as one fell to their knees and bowed their heads to the ground. In her anger, their god demanded they show obeisance. Only Biyu remained standing. "So, the people of my pact have seen fit to attack my chosen disciple. Perhaps the meaning of a disciple escapes you? Or maybe the people with an apprentice understand? Forge Master!"

"Yes, mighty Serpent!" the man responded. Biyu thought of the swords in her hut the man had made for her. They were fine weapons, and the man had demanded she come once a week so he could make sure she was caring for them correctly. Of all the Elves, he had in many ways been the friendliest. He did not yell at or chastise her. He did reprimand her while making sure she corrected her mistakes. She assumed he wanted her weapons well-kept out of a craftsman's pride, and not out of kindness to her. She could respect that.

"Tell me, if any in the village treated your apprentices like my disciple, what would you do?"

"I would go the person who insulted my apprentice, and tell'm they have insulted me. I might give'm a warning. If it was a big insult, or they were violent, I'd have more than words." He paused, and swallowed. "Pretty sure a bunch of black eyes would be had by now."

The festive mood had been replaced with a pall with the Great Serpent's anger made manifest. All those named sweated. The Great Serpent asked Forge Master, "How have you treated my disciple?"

The man swallowed. He spoke the truth, for even lesser gods like Lady Serpent could see through lies. One never lied to a displeased god. Not even polite fiction. "I charged her more for her swords than I would other villagers. I… I am proud of my work. So she has to come by, so I can check her swords. To make sure she was maintaining them right. It… it might be harassment…"

Turning to Biyu, her Master asked her, "What do you say, Biyu?"

Ducking her head, she answered, "I expected to be charged more. I am not their people. Who does not charge outsiders a bit more? In his instruction, I saw his passion and love of his craft. His demands to inspect my swords are welcome. I have never cared for a weapon, and being forced to maintain them will make it routine. I would name Forge Master among the many Elves who have treated me fairly, if not kindly."

"Oh? You would praise some Elves? Did you not say before that they were not worthy of you?"

Biyu blinked. "Being worthy of me and being worthy of praise are two different things."

"Humans hate Elves. Why would you praise them? Why even consider their worthiness of you?" goaded her Master. Master already knew that whatever source made Humans intrinsically despise Elves was broken within her.

With a shrug, Biyu stated, "I have been hated all my life. That Elves hate me too is disappointing, but…"

"Whom among the Elves would you praise?"

"Weapon Master has always been fair to me. He has even been kind a time or two. I do not think he meant to be. He knows the meaning of a disciple. He was protecting fools, not helping me. The Elves who taught me to butcher carcasses, and those who work with me, have been fair enough. They gave me more work at first. While that could be seen as harassment, it could also be seen as extra practice. Indu and Hak have been fine companions. Of the people of this village, I like them the most."

"Is that all the praise my people have earned? Are they so miserly in their hospitality that there is so little to praise?"

"I am Human. That they find it hard to tolerate me is no great surprise. Their hospitality, if thin, is still laudable. There is hospitality. I am fed. I have shelter. They train me, though archery master has done her best not to. Were the Elves here anywhere in the Empire, they would fare far worse. Even with a god among them."

"How dare—!" began the one Biyu called Archery Master.

Master lifted her hand, and the Elf went silent.

"I shall let you mete out punishments and rewards. Forge Master."

Biyu considered. "He has only done his job. It is hard lauding a man for doing what as he is supposed to. The usual reward is further business. Perhaps even make up reasons for additional business in recognition of his passion and craftsmanship."

"Oh? So you would reward him by setting him a special task for which you would pay?" Biyu gave an affirmative. "What item would you request that would be a special task?"

That gave Biyu pause. What did she need that she would be willing to pay for? Well, there was one thing. "I would purchase armor," she said.

Raising a brow, the Great Serpent asked, "Oh? A cuirass?"

Shuffling, Biyu admitted, "I had considered fish armor, but that sounds like too much to ask."

There was silence. An Elf, one of the ones from yesterday's butchering group, said, "As penance, I will help sew the shirt." Others from the butchering group added their own pledges.

Master gave Biyu a questioning look. Biyu nodded, and the Great Serpent turned to Forge Master. "What do you say to this, Forge Master?"

The man licked his lips. He looked to his fellow Elves. There were eyes of reproach for going against the village's will. Other's showed hope he would accept and lessen the village's punishment. He made his choice. "I wish we had done this as a normal transaction. I have no qualms if the price is paid. It would make us richer, and I could always brag about the Imperial who thought my armor worth buying. Like this, I could be cast out even though it is only to our good to do this."

"It uses up our precious bronze," muttered a woman.

"Send me to a place I am not known, and I will buy you more," Biyu said.

"We would not trust you not to betray us to the Humans, and bring them to our village," another voice said.

At that, Master hissed a warning. "If she did that, she knows that I would kill her. Do not be foolish."

Mollified, there was no reply. "So, who next. What reward would you give Weapon Master, then?"

That made Biyu think deeply. "I would say… a minor boon from you, Master. He has done as you asked of him faithfully. He does not deride me for what I do not know. Those foolish enough to mock your disciple he punishes. His praise is earned and not lavish. He has done his duty to you and the village to the best of his ability."

At that, Master gave a nod of her head. "Very well. Come to me later, Weapon Master, and ask of me a minor boon. I will decide if the boon you request is reasonable. You may ask a boon of me as many times as you wish until I grant you one."

Weapon Master gave Biyu and her Master a press of his head against the ground. "Thank you."

"Now, what about Archery Master?"

"Demotion," said Biyu without pause.

"Very well. Elders, give Archery Master a new task fitting her talents and temperament. Maybe as a lone hunter?" Rage showed on the woman's face, but she said nothing. "The Elder?"

"She struck me as lacking wisdom appropriate to be a good advisor. She blamed a victim for a crime done against them. Let her entertain the children as a story lady."

The Elder scowled at her, but the other Elders voiced their agreement. There was some relief and even joy among them. Apparently the Elders really did agree with Biyu.

"Now, the boy. How will you punish him?"

This took her time to consider. When she spoke, the village held its breath. "He thrice attempted to kill me, in my estimation." There were mutterings, but the crowd quieted at a glare from the god. "And he punched me in the face several times. However, I accept this was just a prank that got out of hand. I also admit that perhaps I could have done things differently to prevent that. Was he not already punished?"

An Elf who had not spoken before said, "He has been tasked with pot scrubbing after meals. The larger stack is his, and he will do it for three months."

Giving it a thought, Biyu nodded. "That is enough."

Biyu's Master had a frown on her face as she heard the answer. "You have yet to be blooded, disciple. His crimes are enough, and no one has challenged them. You have a right to both his life and his soul. Taking his life will allow you to progress as a god."

"That would turn the villager's against me, and I doubt a single one thinks the boy deserves such a punishment. Children make mistakes, and he still is one."

Biyu did not think her Master approved. "Very well. Villagers, remember, this is my disciple. To insult her is to insult me. To hurt her is to injure me. Continue on with this, and I may end our covenant. Do not forget I protect you from many things, and this swamp is my domain. Now, I have a prize to claim. The rest of you return home and reflect."

Biyu and her Master remained, waiting for the square to clear. "You wish to ask why I did not offer rewards to my children?"

Biyu nodded.

"I know what they want. I give them what I can, but do not forget I am still at my core a snake. Having offspring is natural to me. Being a mother is not. However, I will give them each a bit of what they want. Elves may tell themselves I am a snake, but they see me as another Elf among them. I do not think they know that snakes do not care for their young. Giving Hak and Indu a reward would be seen as favoritism, even when deserved. So, I will play mother for them. I will tell them it was a reward for treating you well, because I would not have them expecting from me what is against my nature."

Resigned, Biyu gave her Master a bow.