Work Text:
"The most famous Winterfair Barrayaran tradition is..."
"To drown Cetas in the ice-hole?"
(c) free retelling, author unknown
***
War knows no holidays and breaks for celebrations. Guerilla war particularly. And how could the Cetas know about the local holidays? This way one more group of those painted ones was captured by the Dendarian partizans. Some captives were shot and others were scalped, but one shouted too loudly that he was a Betan from the Observer Mission, delivering humanitarian supplies. He showed even the place where scoff was hidden. But what if the food is poisoned?
The soldiers decided not to run the risk; it seemed safer to bring this present to the battle commander, right for the Winterfair. They packed the gift properly: put the meal in the snow pile - to keep it safe in case it is not poisoned; the sack on captive's head, a greeting card with a ribbon. In patriotic red and blue, by the way - the faithful armsman sacrificed his last decent uniform!
So now the guerillas kept watch over the captive and discussed, what to do with that Ceta - or may be, that's not a Ceta at all, and it's quite another case.
"I wish it were Easter..." remembered one of the veterans, "Just take a pair of painted eggs and play one off against another, to see who breaks first..."
"But it's winter... and those all-round jerks washed their faces with snow before they got to our place... Now you no way will know, there is no difference between a washed Ceta and a dirty Betan."
"It's better to check them on our greeting cards. The ones which Gabowitz carves. If he shouts that we spoil the precious wood, it's for sure a Betan, they got no forests. And if he admires the beautiful carving - by God, does Gabowits carve, like a beast! - then this is a Ceta, for sure."
"Yes, we did it wrong when we put the greeting card above the sack..."
"We can throw him in the ice-hole... just let's hope it will not freeze before he gets out!"
"You think it makes sense to drown him?"
"Well, folks say, they have got only deserts on Beta, they cannot swim. Thus, if he drowns, he was really a Betan, and we can get delicious meal for the holiday. And if he comes to the surface, he is a cet, and we will feed him that poisoned scoff. May be then we will finish him off to make him suffer less, it's a holiday anyway..."
"We'll really get into trouble if that's a Barrayaran!"
"Errr... Ours man will break any ice with his head, will jump out and will ask for a drink to get warmed!"
Meanwhile in the tent commander Piotr was unpacking the gift and kept saying:
"Well, Rau, you piggie, I told you thousand times! If you are bored, leave a note, go out and walk alone. I will get you home myself. And if you want to see the mass celebrations, put on something in patriotic red and blue! No-no, red nose and blue lips do not go! Don't cough, do drink, it's only mead, we spare pure alcohol for tomorrow. What should I say when Ezar returns? That you got to our place sick to a frazzle? And instead of celebrating a holiday he will take care of you the whole week? Do drink, I say, and train your Betan accent! I'm afraid someone would really drown you..."