Tash leaned against the ax and looked down the road where the white clouds of dust from a buggy billowed in the air. The buggy turned into their drive and came toward the house at a steady clip. Tash squinted to see who drove it. It was coming faster than it ought to, the horse tossing its head in spirit.

The horse and buggy skidded to a halt before the cottage and a young blonde woman swung down from the buckboard. Her stride was confident and bold. She wore black trousers and knee-high boots, a white shirt and a black vest. Her blonde hair was tied behind her with a white ribbon.

With a looping swing, she threw the reins over the rail, patted the horse, and then swung around toward the house.

“You shouldn’t drive that buggy so fast down the main road. We’ve seen a lot of buggies flipped that way,” said Tash.

“Really, why that’s truly fascinating information,” said the young woman.

She mounted the stairs and rapped at the door three times. Tash watched her with an amused look, then he laid the ax on the chopping block and climbed the stairs.

“No one’s home.”

“What?” asked the young woman, turning around. “Tav said he’d be here at this time.”

“Tav went into town with my aunt and uncle.”

The young woman studied his face a moment. Straightening, she shook back her ponytail and turned for the stairs.

Tash stepped forward. “However, they should be back anytime.”

She hesitated and lifted her eyes to his face again. “Really? Well, in that case, I’ll just wait. Especially as I’ve come all this way.” She took a seat on the bench beside the door and folded her hands in her lap.

Tash smiled mischievously. “Yes, it must have been a terribly long couple of minutes, especially at the clip that horse was going.”

She narrowed her eyes in irritation, then forced a demure smile. “Tash, why ever are you so concerned about the way I drive my buggy?”
            Tash shrugged. “Just an observation,” he answered and then dropped off the porch to return to his chopping.

The young woman stared at her hands for a few moments, then fidgeted impatiently. Finally she rose to her feet and crossed to the edge of the porch, resting her hands on the rail.

Chips flew from beneath Tash’s ax as he struck the wood. It was an impressive sight -- the wood splitting and falling in two, the muscles in his arms and back rippling with each blow. Tash was pleased with the display and knew the young woman was watching him from the porch; he could feel her eyes on him.

“Did Tav tell you he and I are going to the dance tomorrow night?” she said, her fingers picking at a splinter of wood.

Tash bent and lifted another log onto the chopping block. The sun glinted off the polished head of the ax as he raised it. The solid thwunk, as it struck the wood, reverberated back over the house.

He straightened, resting his weight on the ax again. “No, he didn’t mention it. Must’ve slipped his mind.”

The young woman lifted her eyes, her pony tail falling over her shoulder. “He probably didn’t want to offend you if you aren’t going.”

Tash shook his head. “Not likely. Tav doesn’t worry much about offending me.”

“Well, are you going?”

Tash laughed bitterly. “To a dance in Nogatav? Be serious, Sanari, no one in Nogatav wants a half-blood, a hilaron, at their dance.”

Sanari’s cheeks colored at the obscenity. “You don’t need to use such language.”

“Sorry,” he said, inclining his head in mock acquiesce.

“And anyway, Tav is going. He isn’t afraid of the townspeople and what they’ll say.”

“Tav’s a little thick that way. He really believes they don’t have any malice towards him.”

“Maybe they don’t,” said Sanari. “Maybe you’re the one with the problem, maybe you think you’re better than they are.”

“Oh, of course, that must be it. I guess you have to read the Norrad to achieve such perceptiveness.”

“I’m not saying there aren’t people in Nogatav who have a problem with. . . with people of mixed races,” said Sanari, stumbling over the words, “but I don’t understand why you allow it to be your handicap. It seems like it’s all too easy to say – I can’t do this, I can’t do that because I’m a half-blood.”

Tash dropped the ax on the chopping block and strode to the porch. Sanari took a step back. “Every time I go into town with my uncle and I walk into one of the stores, half the customers leave, offended. I can’t go to the barber for a proper haircut, I can’t get a drink at the tavern, and I can’t go to their pathetic dances. This small-minded, ignorant attitude isn’t my fault, it has relatively little to do with me. How dare you even suggest you understand anything about me!”

Sanari lowered her eyes. “Tav. . .”
           “Tav is a bigger fool than you are. Tav ignores it all, pretends it doesn’t exist, but someday they’ll make him understand how they feel,” said Tash severely. Then he realized he was sounding more passionate about the issue than he wanted to be. Straightening, he drew a deep breath and forced his mood to soften. “So, what’s with you and Tav anyway? Going to a dance together, coming all the way out here. . . “
            “Tav and I are friends,” said Sanari. “We’re going to the dance together because we know we’ll have fun together, and I’m here today to study the Norrad.”

Tash rolled his eyes. “Is that all you do? With most people, I wouldn’t believe a man and woman could spend so much time together and there not be something more, but with you two, I believe it. You ought to try other diversions, Sanari. No wonder you have to go to the dance with a hilaron.”

Sanari’s green eyes flashed. “What exactly does that mean?”
           “Well, we both know I’m not going to the dance for two reasons. First, they wouldn’t accept me if I tried and I don’t want to try, and second, no one’s daughter would dare be caught in public with me. The shame would be more than her family could bear. So why are you risking your good reputation to attend the dance with my brother?”

“My reputation is my own business.”

“I’ll tell you why,” said Tash, “because no man wants a woman who spends more time on books than her appearance. All your knowledge and wisdom is boring. A man wants a beautiful, obedient woman to share his bed, not a woman who is a better man than he is.”

Sanari gasped. “You arrogant, ignorant ass. . .”

“You don’t need to use such language,” he mocked.

“I don’t have to stand here and listen to you.” She stomped off the porch and to her buggy, tugging frantically at the reins.

At that moment, Tav cantered down the drive on his horse. He pulled it to a halt beside Sanari and swung out of the saddle.

“I’m sorry I’m late, I thought I’d beat you back from town.”

Sanari glared at him. Tav hesitated and glanced at his brother. Tash shrugged.

“I’m leaving. I don’t have to stay here and be insulted.”
            “Who insulted you?” said Tav, but his eyes never left his brother. 
            “Your brother is an arrogant. . . “

“Me!” said Tash, feigning innocence. “I didn’t do anything to her, Tav.”

Sanari stared at him. “You liar.”

“You see, Tav, this is how it’s been. I’ve tried to get the wood chopped, but she keeps calling me names. Who could work with such abuse?”

Sanari’s eyes widened.

“Come on, Sanari,” Tav urged. “Let’s go to your house and study.”

Sanari glared at Tash a moment more. Drawing a deep breath, she nodded. Tav threw a disgusted glance at his brother and tied his horse to the back of her buggy. Helping her into the seat, he pulled himself up beside her and handed her the reins. She slapped them sharply against the horse’s flank and turned the buggy. With a flying trail of dust, the buggy careened recklessly down the drive and onto the main road.
           Tash leaned against the porch and watched it until it was out of sight. He hadn’t meant to be so cruel to Sanari, but somehow all the anger he felt towards the townspeople always became directed at her. He was going to the dance, not as a guest with a date, but sneaking in the shadows, waiting to see the constable’s daughter between reels. Sneaking around bothered Tash, but once he joined the militia in Trendaria, his whole world would change, or so he kept telling himself.