Chapter 7

Fourteen days later, five of which were spent aboard ship on the way home, I fidgeted impatiently as our ship slowly approached the docks in Bellcaava. I could see a large contingent from our clan awaiting us and spotted Karela among them, as well as the Clan Patriarch. Surprisingly, even the King was there waiting. I suppose the message carried upriver by a smaller fishing boat arrived far enough in advance of us that they knew approximately when to expect us this afternoon.

“Are all those people waiting to meet this ship?” Queen Sevva asked anxiously. She and her daughters had spent the last two marks locked inside their cabin, making sure they looked their best for our arrival. The Princesses looked gorgeous, as did the Queen. Still, I think she looked better when I first met her as she removed her battle helm and shook her head, allowing her mane of long black hair to cascade down her back.

An intolerable mark later, the ship was finally docked and secured, and the gangplank was in place. I made my way to the dock and genuflected to the King and Queen in the small open area the crowd had left at the foot of the gangplank.

“Well done, and thank you for the suggestion,” the King said as he took my hand and helped me rise.

Queen Sevva followed me, and our Queen helped her rise. The two Princesses were next, and they each claimed one of my arms upon rising. Karela stepped up and hugged each girl, and then claimed Kaimoa’s free arm. Ashia also hugged each girl and claimed Exoli’s free arm. Ashia’s actions told me that Karela had already added her as a wife.

Once I finished the introductions, we moved to the waiting horses. There were carriages for the women, as well as dozens of cargo wagons lined up, ready to be loaded with whatever goods were aboard the ship. Most of the single women and widows who had chosen to leave Kahjohng had already been sent ahead. The few who decided to join us right before we left could ride in the wagons along with their children. This group brought the number of women from Kahjohng who were joining our clan to more than four hundred, with a similar number of children.

As we neared the castle, I noted numerous large tents set up just outside the castle walls, and recognized dozens of people from our clan bustling about outside the tents. Our mounted procession continued inside the castle walls and then afoot into the castle, where fruit, bread, cheese, and drinks had been set out in the dining room. I recognized some of the fruit as types only our clan grew locally and suspected that some of the varieties of cheese were our clan’s, too. While members of the clan met and talked with me and the Donnakian troops, the King and Queen took Queen Sevva and slipped away to talk privately.

The Patriarch approached me and clasped my arm. “Yet again, you have astounded everyone,” he said with a grin. “I met with my advisors before coming here to greet you upon your return. We came to a unanimous decision. The number of female slaves you sent us means that every man will have at least three wives. Many will have four. Given that, each Seami is allowed six wives.”

Karela started bouncing up onto her toes the way she does when she’s extremely excited.

“In addition, you will be awarded one more for your meritorious service in Donnak, one for your meritorious service in northern Kahjohng, and one for capturing the Kahjohngi capital. Given the new ideas, the number of female slaves, and the vast wealth you have sent back as your share of what your expedition captured, you will be allowed yet another wife,” he said, grinning as he noted Karela bouncing even more excitedly.

“The King also intends to reward you. Given your success in Kahjohng and the suggestion you sent him regarding Queen Sevva, and even for rejecting the Earl’s title before you left, he intends to make you a Baron. He has agreed that you can appoint someone else to rule the Barony of Teopaqa in your stead should you prefer. However, I recommend that you wait at least a couple months before deciding.”

“On the ride here from the port, the King whispered that he noted how the two princesses seemed rather attached to you. He feels they might be good choices to help you oversee your Barony,” he commented.

With an evil grin, he continued. “We interrogated the captured pirates you sent here using Xanbo fruit (a fruit that relaxes every muscle in your body and causes people to blurt out the truth about things they are asked, even if they don’t want to tell), and were amazed at some of the things they told us.

“The pirates are based in Jhalava, which is a five to seven-day sea voyage to the south, across the Southern Sea. Jhalava’s main port is the capital city of Mogharat, but the pirates aren’t allowed to stop there. Instead, they are based in three small ports along the north coast of the country. They had an agreement with Kahjohng allowing them to sell captured ships, goods, and crews there.

“They also use the Jhalavan island of Daobhat as a base. The pirates frequently use the three villages along the eastern and southern coast of the island to sell what they’ve captured. Each of those small villages has two large warehouses. Jhalavan merchants as well as merchants from three other countries from the east arrive there to buy the pirates’ goods.

“They acknowledged that it’s the pirates who usually promote the autumn attacks against our island. They use a small cove several thoups inside our eastern border to unload their goods, especially female slaves, and silk. They also have ivory, as well as spices and other expensive and exotic cargoes. The spices and jewels are mostly from Jhalava. The other items are usually from captured merchant ships.

“They meet the desert nomads at a large oasis about twenty thoups east of our border, taking about eight hundred pirates with them for protection. All five of the nomad tribes are represented. Each tribe usually has two hundred of their own warriors, as well as their traders, and female slaves to cook for and service their men. They are usually there for seven to ten days, checking the goods offered for sale and then bidding on them. Afterwards, each nomad tribe heads back to its own territory. Eventually, their small caravans enter neighboring countries to sell what they purchased. What they make selling the pirate goods helps to support the entire tribe for the rest of the year.

“The attacks on our island happen after the meeting. Usually, two hundred or more pirates dress to make us think they are bandits. They are usually joined by several of the nomad warriors who are eager to accompany them. Before we arrived here, the nomads used to come to our island to buy what they wanted from the pirates. The pirates unloaded their ships where the Teopaqa River empties into the Southern Sea and brought their cargo upriver on shallow-draft rafts pulled by horses,” he explained.

“We should attack the pirates once they are ashore and take their cargo to the rendezvous posing as the pirates. We could eliminate the nomad raiders and many of their warriors. In addition, they wouldn’t have anything to sell to support themselves that year, and all the nomad tribes would suffer,” I exclaimed excitedly.

“I told the King that would be your recommendation. He’s agreed to send a thousand men with you. Two hundred of them can escort any pirates you capture back to our island. The other troops will go with you to act as pirates and escort you to meet the nomads. Whatever you capture, we get a third, the King gets a third, and the troops split a third, although any slaves you send back or return with won’t count against the total.”

Once he finished telling me everything, Karela almost exploded, hugging me excitedly. “Ten wives,” she squealed quietly into my ear, although everyone nearby heard her and chuckled.

“That will make the choices much easier,” she said excitedly. While we ate, the rest of my family came over to greet us. Xalo, Njosi, and Koto each gave me a hug, exclaiming how much they liked “our” parents and their new brothers and sisters.

Aito and Manoy had become best friends and were practicing diligently with the crossbows and their new wooden swords, fully intending to be ready to help defend the island if necessary.

My brother Kujaro greeted me with a hug. “My wife and I thank you for allowing Monifa to join our family,” he said.

“I’m glad that she found someone to make her happy,” I replied.

My parents were equally happy about the new additions to their family, having added Xalo, Njosi, and Koto. From the way she stood dutifully behind Mother and her sister wife, it was evident that Frolia had also joined the family. I’d told both Karela and the Patriarch that I gave permission for her to marry Father if anyone asked while I was gone. That meant they had a new wife and six new children in the family. It also meant I had a new mother and six new siblings. The orphans we picked up in Abataka had already been adopted. I’d given my permission for other families to adopt them but asked to have all siblings adopted by the same family.

The King and Queen rejoined us as we headed for dinner, as did a glowing Queen Sevva. It was obvious that she’d been accepted as a second wife and that they’d already consummated the marriage, although there would still have to be an official Royal Wedding ceremony.

The royal trio headed right for me and both Queens hugged me simultaneously. I was in uncharted territory here since one does not touch a Royal’s person unless they initiate it. In addition, married men in our clan don’t touch other clan women except an immediate family member. He may also touch a young woman who has chosen him to teach her about sex, but those are generally a daughter or other close family member. In case of an emergency, they may touch another woman to save her life or to protect her from further injury.

This was none of those cases, but the Patriarch nodded when I located him with my eyes. Since they weren’t clan women, I guess it was permissible, especially since they initiated it. Even the King clasped my arm after the two women finished hugging me.

“Did your Clan Patriarch explain what I hoped to do?” he asked.

“Yes, Sir, both about becoming a Baron and about going after the pirates when they arrive this autumn,” I replied.

“And the two Princesses?” he queried.

“My wife seemed to like the idea and has talked with them almost non-stop getting to know them better. So far, it looks promising.”

“Queen Sevva has a special request of you,” he continued. “We intend to have a Royal Wedding in seven days. She wishes for you to escort her down the aisle and to offer her hand in marriage.”

“Me?” I squeaked nervously.

“She has no male relatives here and it would take nearly two weeks to get a message to her brother and for him to come here, so she has asked if you would do it.”

“I’d be honored,” I replied apprehensively. I was more nervous than honored but didn’t intend to admit it.

“Great, I’ll have the seamstress see you after dinner. I doubt that you took anything fancy to wear while you were fighting in Kahjohng.”

“I don’t even own anything fancy enough to wear to a Royal Wedding,” I laughed. It wasn’t as if I had a reason to wear something like that before now. Clan marriages were simply announced the day after the marriage was consummated.

The King continued on to the head table. I found Karela and sat next to her. I whispered to her that Queen Sevva wanted me to escort her down the aisle and to offer her hand in marriage.

“Really?” she whispered back excitedly. “It will probably be a good thing to be in her good graces because it looks like you’ll be married to both of her daughters,” Karela chuckled.

“That was a quick decision,” I commented.

“I know, but both of them explained how they felt as if, for the first time, they could just be themselves after you captured the capital. Once you reassured them that they were safe, they realized they didn’t have to worry about everyone watching everything they did, trying to read something into it while hoping to figure out what their father was thinking or planning to do.

“They were a bit miffed with you, though,” she chuckled. “They heard some of the troops saying that you had headed out behind the stables to practice with your swords. They had to run clear across to the opposite side of the castle and ended up watching from the third-floor window in an empty room in the servants’ quarters, one of the few places in the castle where they could see the area you used.

“I’m glad I didn’t know they were watching. I needed to concentrate, not worry about people watching me,” I replied.

“They figured that out after watching the first time. They were amazed at how fast you moved and realized that you had to focus and that’s why you went someplace quiet to practice.”

Karela and Ashia, as well as both Princesses, accompanied me when the seamstress came for me. Each of them made suggestions about my new clothing. I was surprised that the ladies weren’t wondering about their own clothing. When I asked about it, they reminded me that the princesses brought clothing with them. Karela and Kaimoa were close enough to the same size that Karela could wear one of her dresses. They would have to alter another of Kaimoa’s dresses, so it was long enough for Ashia’s tall frame.

After the seamstress finished with me, for now, Karela let me know that our marriage to the two princesses would be the morning after their mother became the King’s second wife.

I survived both weddings. There was stunned silence from the gathered audience of nobles when I escorted Queen Sevva to the front of the church and the priest asked if I consented to the marriage.

The next morning, with Father, Karela, and Ashia by my side, I watched as the King escorted his two new stepdaughters to the front of the same church and gave his consent to our marriage. This time, gratefully, the audience was much smaller, mostly family and clan members.

It took another week for the King’s assessors to complete the tally of the spoils we sent back from Kahjohng. What we had captured at the point when the twenty-six men died had already been calculated. The families of the nine single men had received their share already. The surviving spouses of the married men had also received their share, plus an extra one hundred silvers. Also included to the widows was an invitation to join our clan if they wished. Eventually, nine of the widows joined us, bringing their children.

The King kept the three pirate ships since they were faster than any ships in Congra’s small navy. Six of the men in our clan had spent time working as shipwrights during the transcontinental trek. They had learned a great deal while working at various ports along the way and showed the Congraian shipwrights how to set the sails in a different, more easily adjustable configuration to make the ships even faster and more maneuverable.

At first, only eleven families of the Kahjohngi troops who were our slaves joined their husband/father. This group sent messages home to let the others know how they were treated. By the following harvest, all but seven had joined their husband/father.

With two hundred Kahjohngi slaves from Donnak and ninety-six pirate slaves, the wall around the salt mine was finished quickly. Not having to quarry the rock helped the wall go up even faster. They only had to load wagons with the loose rock and haul it to the site before building the walls.

Some of the fields that had been plowed in preparation for our second planting were planted early to make sure we had enough food for the sudden influx of new people. The first order of business for me once we returned was to publicly announce Karela’s first seven choices for wives. We made the announcement the day we returned: Ashia, Iroa, Kaimoa, Exoli, Doreta, Daras, and Chaola.

With that done, I released most of the rest of the women so they could find husbands. Karela kept another five slaves so she could get to know them better and see which of them best fit into our family.

I had my tattoo done after that. That was one time when a married woman could touch a man besides her husband or a blood relative. The woman who did my tattoo was the granddaughter of the woman who did the last Seami tattoo for our clan.

I think every member of the clan stopped to congratulate me and to thank me for everything I had just done for the clan. Karela suddenly became a popular target for the women in the clan as they asked her for any insights she’d gained into the personalities of the new female slaves.

I mainly returned to my pre-Donnak routine. I still trained with my weapons and in hand-to-hand dragon claw fighting, as well as the other things we did to stay in shape. I, and the clan’s other hunters, were asked to hunt more frequently to help feed all the new people without depleting our herds of livestock.

Some of the younger warrior apprentices asked why I still trained since I was now a Seami. I reminded them that I was only sixteen. I would grow for another four or five years and had to continue training to maintain my proficiency. Like clothing, I’d go through a few more sizes of bows and swords, as well as staffs, before I reached my final size. Each time I grew or changed weapons, the balance changed, and I had to practice in order to retain my proficiency.

I also made three scouting trips to the cove where the pirates came ashore for their autumn meeting with the nomads. I rode into the desert to find the oasis where they held the rendezvous. Since we knew when the pirates were due to arrive, I arrived two days earlier with the one thousand men the King assigned to me.

We set up a surprise to cause a big distraction for the pirates and to signal the King’s ships when to sail in behind the anchored pirate ships. When I originally had the idea, I tried it on our island. The results proved quite amusing for the rest of the clan members as they laughed at the shocked look on my face and the singed spots in my hair. Karela tried in vain to comfort me, but even she laughed.

We buried bog coal beneath the large fire ring the pirates used. The pirates had put a lot of effort into stacking and mortaring stones into a spiral wall to make sure the fire wasn’t visible from any direction. The four-pace tall stone spiral had a four-pace overlap of the walls. They left a passageway into the center wide enough for two men to walk through comfortably, even if they carried something between them. The overlap kept the fire from being visible through a normal opening in the wall.

I figured that they used a small fire just for cooking. We covered the bog coal with a layer of dirt, and then spread ashes we brought with us from the island over the ground so it didn’t look disturbed. We even replaced the pieces of charred wood we had found there. We then brushed away our tracks and moved to a ravine about two thoups away.

I was concerned when the pirates didn’t show up on the scheduled day or the following day. They finally arrived two days late and sent one small boat ashore early the next morning. They looked around for over two marks before signaling the ships that it was safe to come ashore. The pirates spent the rest of the day ferrying their men ashore, as well as their horses. They brought almost fifty women ashore with them. The women wore iron slave collars and were chained together in coffles of five.

I was surprised that the pirates didn’t post sentries, but I wasn’t about to complain. Once they were ashore and had set up their camp, we moved small groups of men through the gulley we were hiding in until we were closer to the pirates. They carried ashore the wood for their fire and started it mid-afternoon, making sure it was light enough outside that a fire wouldn’t be visible for several thoups like it would be at night, even though they had the wall to hide the flames.

That was what they had planned, anyway. Once the fire heated the thin layer of dirt and ash, it also heated the bog coal beneath, causing the bog coal to give off fumes. When the fumes reached the flames, a loud “whump” sent hot dirt and ash flying, as well as cinders and pieces of burning wood. We laughed later when we learned that several pirates had their beards and/or hair set ablaze, much like what had happened to me when I first tested the idea.

However, it did what we wanted. Sparks flew high into the sky and the flames soared up nearly ten paces. Panicked, the pirates ran towards the fire and concentrated on getting the flames under control before dark. By the time they had thrown enough dirt and sand onto the fire to extinguish the flames, we were positioned on the slope above them, opposite the sea.

Our first salvo of arrows and bolts reintroduced panic into the pirate camp. They ran for their own bows or drew their swords as subsequent rounds of bolts fell among them. Some pirates ran for the boats they had used to row ashore, pulling up short when they saw the King’s ships, including the three retrofitted pirate ships, sailing in behind their anchored ships.