Chapter 5

Karela and I have been friends for as long as either of us can remember. When I was eight, on the day I was chosen to train as a clan warrior, I went looking for Karela to tell her. When I found her, she was talking to a boy two years older than me, intent on what he was telling her.

Even when I called out to her, she had ignored me. I was hurt and angry, and shouted to her, using our secret nickname. It was one she let me call her, but only if nobody else was around. I had called her Cricket because she makes a funny sound sort of like a cricket chirping when she laughed too hard.

She definitely heard me call her that time and stormed towards me, fists flying. Having been taught repeatedly by Father that I should never hit a girl, I warded off her punches, finally managing to grab and hold her arms so she would stop striking me.

Instead, she started kicking me, so I tried to trap her legs. In her struggle to get free, we both lost our balance and tripped. I received the worst of it because she fell on top of me.

Two nearby women had seen us fighting and grabbed us, dragging us to see the Patriarch. When he chastised me for hitting a girl, I protested, explaining that I had never struck her. I had done nothing except ward off her blows and trap her arms, and finally her legs when she started kicking me. Fortunately, Karela agreed that I had only defended myself.

Then he made each of us explain what happened. When I explained how I used her secret nickname because I was angry that she ignored me while talking with an older boy, I didn’t understand the smirks from his wives.

He kept probing until I realized that I had been jealous because she was talking to the other boy and ignoring me.

“He was giving me an important message for Father,” Karela had explained huffily.

“Doreta seems to be the most domestic of the girls,” I continued my assessment of the slaves. “She and Ashia appear to have become good friends. Betra is the oldest and boldest of the four girls I rescued in Olaro. Leica was terrified about sex since her owner frequently used her anally and always hurt her. We’ve only had sex once, and that was just to show her that she could enjoy it. She’ll need someone gentle and patient. Frolia needs someone older. Then there’s Iroa,” I chuckled, explaining about the arranged purchase of her family and the condition.

“That gives me a better idea of what each of them is like, although I already noticed how the others looked up to Ashia when you weren’t there. I have no idea how many wives, slaves, and concubines you’ll be allowed. As a Seami, I’m sure you’re allowed at least four,” she said proudly. “I also think you’re allowed one additional wife or concubine for your military service in Donnak.

“If you plan to lead the group into northern Kahjohng, you will probably bring back even more female slaves so we should probably hold off on choosing for now,” she suggested. “Besides, as your slaves, you’re entitled to keep them for a year before deciding if you want to,” she said suggestively.

“I take it that you approve of the slaves I brought back?” I asked.

“Definitely, and I can’t wait to taste them,” she purred. “I agree with you about Ashia,” she whispered. “I was already considering her before you said anything. As tall as she is, the sons she bears will probably be even bigger than you are and will probably be excellent warriors.”

Aito returned in less than a mark with eleven orphans. He knew the types of places to search for them and had been extremely successful. One of the women selling produce in the marketplace tried to set a little food aside for the orphans and they tended to congregate near her stall. I thanked her and gave her four silver coins to help offset the cost of the food she had given to the orphans. I gave her an additional four silver coins and asked her to take in and care for any new orphans that showed up. I promised to have someone from our clan stop by on the way home from their monthly trips to the iron mine. They would collect any new orphans and compensate her for whatever it had cost to care for them.

The others brought back six widows and took me to buy eleven young female slaves from ten different owners. One of the owners was the man who had sold Ashia and Monifa to me. He was happy to hear that Monifa was doing well.

The six widows each had a child five or younger. We bought all thirty-four new members of our entourage something to eat and new clothing and sandals if they needed them. Then we treated them to a bath. Near the bathhouse, Karela became excited about the towels she saw in the marketplace and bought all nine that the woman had. The woman explained that usually nobles and high-ranking military officers, and even wealthy merchants or their wives bought her towels. They were larger and thicker than the thin cloth we used at home to dry ourselves.

When we returned to the castle after our baths, the Patriarch’s jaw dropped upon seeing our procession approaching. “Yet again you have exceeded my already high expectations,” he praised, laughing.

After dinner, Karela brought a bashful Monifa to our bed. I watched as they made love to each other, and I moved over to Monifa after she had three orgasms. “Are you sure this is what you want?” I asked.

“Please,” she whispered nervously. Karela leaned down and covered Monifa’s mouth with her own as I pressed forward, divesting her of her offered virginity. Even though Iroa was the only other virgin I’d had sex with, part of my training had included learning the best way to do it. The trainer made a small circle at the entrance of her sex with her fingers, and I had to force my way through it and then immediately stop.

Watching Monifa’s tears broke my heart, even though I knew it was necessary. “I’m sorry it hurt,” I whispered.

“That’s not why I’m crying, silly,” she managed to chuckle. “It did hurt, but I’m upset that I didn’t trust you,” she said.

“You had no reason to trust me,” I replied as I kissed away her tears. She began moving beneath me tentatively and I assisted her, slowly pressing deeper until I was fully sheathed inside her welcoming sex. “Now I understand why you missed him so much,” she said quietly to Karela.

She wanted to go again after I filled her with cum. “You will already be sore in the morning. If you do it again, you will probably walk awkwardly,” Karela explained. “If you feel up to it tomorrow night, I promise you a turn then.”

I managed to make Iroa, Leica, and Caliia happy before the girls couldn’t get me to rise to the occasion again. “Where’s Frolia?” I asked Karela as she snuggled against me right before I fell asleep.

“Your mother asked if Frolia could stay with them tonight,” she chuckled, as did I.

Ashia and Doreta woke me early enough that they had a turn with me in the morning. Iroa was there to lick us clean and used her tongue and fingers on Karela in between. I had a feeling that Iroa was trying to earn a place as one of the women in our family. Monifa admitted that she was sore this morning and was glad that Karela had talked her out of a second time. Karela spread some sort of balm just inside of Monifa’s pussy right before they got out of bed. “That should take away most of the pain for at least two marks,” she explained to her.

Father and Mother, as well as Father’s second wife and Frolia, were happy this morning. As much as I wanted to tease them, it wasn’t my place to say anything. Discussions about potential mates were carried on discreetly between the wives and the potential mate, and then the Patriarch’s wives if the discussion got that far. Only if those women all agreed would the husband be asked for his opinion. In a case like this where I still had a right to keep Frolia for almost a year, I would be asked for my approval before Father was asked.

If Frolia or any of the other new slaves were already living with the Clan’s other single female slaves, they wouldn’t need to ask my permission. Her release from my household would signify my release of any authority over her.

Before midmorning, I was with the King, the Patriarch, and my family aboard the Royal ship bound for Bellcaava. I was a bit uncomfortable knowing that the rest of our troops had to make the trip back home on horseback. Still, the King wanted me aboard the boat.

The riverboats were long and wide with a shallow draft. Men on both sides of the boat used long poles to propel the boat faster than the current carried it, as well as to keep the boat on the left side of the river. We passed two similar boats headed north. Using paths along the high west bank of the river, horses and mules pulled the boats northward against the current. The teams were switched every twenty thoups and the original team was returned to the station where they had started.

Our ship reached Bellcaava well before dawn of the second day and we were inside the castle just after the sun peeked over the mountains. The King immediately sent riders to his nobles announcing the knighting ceremony for “one of the troops returning victoriously from Donnak.” He also told them that I was from Clan Teopaqa and would become the bailiff of the Wild Territory. He wanted the duel with the aggressive Earl over with as quickly as possible so he could concentrate on the invasion of Kahjohng.

After breakfast, I went out and found Warro yelling at a bunch of new recruits. Once he finished, I thanked him for taking care of Monifa for me. “I hear you made quite a name for yourself,” he said.

“I just took advantage of the opportunities my training afforded me,” I replied.

“I just got word a short time ago that a thousand of your ‘opportunities’ are coming here to help us,” he chuckled, referring to the Donnakian crossbow archers.

Late in the morning seven days after the King sent the messengers, I knelt in the throne room as the King performed the knighting ceremony. “Arise Sir Koyle of Clan Teopaqa, Bailiff of the new Teopaqa Province, formerly the Wild Territory,” he boomed out, his voice resonating throughout the large throne room. I rose and bowed, and then he clasped my arm. “Good luck today,” he said quietly, adding, “The Earl of Lapitu is looking decidedly unhappy right now.”

“Thank you, My Liege,” I replied, and then backed away the required five steps before turning away from the King and heading for the exit. My extended family was in the front row of the packed throne room and swarmed around me as we exited quickly, stopping in the cavernous antechamber where it was customary for the new knight to greet well-wishers.

I greeted the first two nobles, who warned me that being the Bailiff of the new territory would be a difficult job against the seemingly endless hordes of bandits and pirates intent on recapturing it. Then, a third approached.

In a hurry to challenge me, the Earl of Lapitu pushed through the well-wishers, roughly shoving Karela aside. Even before he could regain his balance or open his mouth, he found the tip of my short sword less than half a finger from his throat. “If you ever touch another woman in my family, the surprised look on your face will be because this blade is buried completely in your throat,” I growled.

“Good, this makes it even easier,” he chuckled. “I challenge you to a duel,” he blustered loudly.

“What do you offer to make it worth the effort that will be required to bury your corpse?” I asked.

“I offer the customary five hundred silver coins,” he replied confidently.

“That will barely cover the insult to my wife just now,” I goaded.

“Fine, a thousand silver coins,” he replied testily.

“A thousand silver coins and your title,” I countered.

“Done!” he exclaimed.

“Swords, whenever and wherever the King decrees,” I demanded.

“My pleasure,” he responded with a grin, already savoring what he felt would be an easy victory.

“To the butts, now,” King Sarikol commanded from behind the surprised Earl. It was a good thing I’d already sheathed my short sword, or the Earl would have cut his own throat when he jumped.

By the time we got to the butts, the parade of people following us had grown to more than a hundred and the castle wall overlooking the butts was lined with troops eager to watch. While the spectators created a circle around a space they felt was adequate for a duel, I changed from my boots into my moccasins and stripped off my shirt to allow more freedom of movement. I was a bit surprised when Father tied a band bearing the Clan insignia around my forehead, making this duel a formal clan function, although only clan members would understand the significance of the band.

The Earl’s second was one of his barons. The baron had been pointed out to me, but I hadn’t met him yet. The King stood in the middle of the circle and I approached, genuflecting appropriately. The crowd gasped when the Earl approached arrogantly, and without acknowledging the King.

“Two swords?” the Earl asked me angrily when he saw both of my swords.

“I believe I said ‘swords’ when I chose the weapon. However, since you don’t seem to be competent enough to use two swords at once, I will relinquish one,” I taunted as I removed my short sword and scabbard and handed them to Father.

“I also feel it necessary to warn you that I am far better with a sword than you are. It would be a shame for you to lose your life in an unsuccessful attempt to feed your inflated pride,” I goaded.

“Now you’re stalling since you will be the one dying today,” he replied angrily. “I see that you can barely hold a sword without cutting yourself,” he laughed, motioning to the barely healed cut on each forearm.

“Do you feel that I tried to warn him?” I asked the Earl’s second.

“For what little it’s worth, you tried,” he chuckled.

“Very well, whenever you’re ready,” I told the Earl as the King and the seconds backed away.

The Earl drew his sword and looked at me. “Afraid to draw your sword?” he jeered, since my sword was still sheathed.

“I will draw my sword when it’s necessary. You worry about your own sword,” I replied calmly.

In reply, he began a short backswing with his sword. As he moved, I stepped closer to him. Drawing my sword from the sheath, I began an upward slicing motion. My blade met the Earl’s arm above his wrist just after he began to swing his sword towards me. I spun to my right to avoid his falling sword and finished the spin with a horizontal slice across the Earl’s abdomen even before his sword hit the ground with a metallic clang. His hand made a squishy plop when it landed.

The Earl was watching and gripping his right arm trying to stem the flow of blood. He didn’t even see my sword approaching the second time. With his mouth gaped open in surprise, his lifeless body slumped to the ground.

While the Earl’s second stared at the body in shock, Father approached and handed me a cloth to clean my blade with. As I started, Father tapped my shoulder and motioned towards a young man appearing to be in his late twenties storming towards us, obviously furious.

“I demand the right to avenge my father,” he shouted angrily.

“There is nothing to avenge,” I replied calmly. “Your father challenged me. I chose swords as the weapon and voluntarily limited myself to a single sword so I didn’t have an unfair advantage. I even warned him that I was much better with a sword that he was. Your father’s second can confirm that I warned him,” I replied.

“I still demand a duel,” he replied.

“Are you so eager to die, or are you so much better with a sword than your father was?” I asked.

“I won’t make the same mistake he did. I prefer to use a bow,” he said.

The baron was now standing next to the son. “Then I will warn you that I’m better with a bow than I am with a sword. The Captain of the Palace Guard and the weapons master Warro can attest to my ability with a bow,” I warned.

“They can attest to my ability, too,” he boasted.

“What do you have to offer to make it worth my while?” I asked. “Your father wagered a thousand silver coins and his title.”

I could see that the news both surprised and angered the son. “I offer my family as surety,” he quickly countered, surprising me.

“Let my wife speak with your wife. If your wife agrees, I’ll accept the challenge,” I replied.

“Fine, she’ll do whatever I tell her to do,” he replied with a smirk. My feeling that his wife would agree to the duel just increased. However, it wouldn’t be because she was acceding to her husband’s demand.

I spoke with Karela and explained the situation while the Earl’s son spoke to his wife. Karela watched the way he spoke to her and agreed with my assessment. When she went to speak with the wife, she took Ashia and Monifa with her. The conversation didn’t last long, but I saw all three women talking animatedly to his wife, and saw his wife looking at me appraisingly.

“I agree,” she finally said nervously, causing her husband to grin smugly at me.

“Bows at two hundred paces,” the King announced. Father took my sword and handed me my bow, already strung with a new bowstring. He also handed me a single arrow. If both participants missed, each would receive a second arrow. The son also received his bow and a single arrow from the baron as he stood at the opposite ready line. We both nocked our arrow and faced the other.

“Begin,” the King hollered.

I raised my bow and released my arrow, and then watched the progress of the arrow coming towards me. Of necessity, because his bow wasn’t as strong as mine, the son’s arrow had a higher trajectory than mine did. At the last moment, I stepped to my left and brushed the arrow aside with the outside of my arm. When I looked at the son, it was easy see that he’d been intent on watching the flight of his own arrow and not focusing on mine. My arrow would have reached him sooner than his reached me, one of the things already-trained archers had to adjust to when they began using an Orangewood bow. My arrow took almost the same time to travel three hundred paces as an arrow from the old-style bows took to travel two hundred paces.

The son wasn’t dead, yet, but he had to be decidedly uncomfortable since the arrow stuck out through his back by more than a foot. By the time I reached him, he was dead. “Hopefully this will end the foolishness,” I growled angrily at the second.

“It will,” he assured me, bowing as he backed away, even though he outranked me. When I saw Karela and my bevy of female slaves approaching the son’s nervous widow, I purposely kept my distance so as not upset her even more.

Instead, I approached the King and genuflected. “The Baron assures me that the foolishness is ended,” I reported.

“Good, now we can concentrate on Kahjohng,” he replied.

“Do you wish to retain the Earl’s title?” he asked. I had no use for it but looked to the Clan Patriarch for his opinion. He gave me a small, negative shake of his head.

“Thank you, my King, but I believe the bailiff position of the new Teopaqa Province is more than enough responsibility,” I replied.

Five days later, two large merchant ships carrying me and the five hundred Donnakian crossbow troops I had fought alongside in Olaro left the docks in Bellcaava for the half-day trip downriver to the Southern Sea. There, two more large merchant ships carrying an additional five hundred Donnakian crossbow archers sailed with us. Once we reached open water and were well away from the shore, the ships headed west. Two days later, we rounded the southwest corner of the continent and began to make our way north. The ships we were aboard were Shu-Moni flagged ships. Shu-Mon is the first country east of Congra, but on the far side of the Great Desert.

No one claims jurisdiction over the Great Desert, even though it covers nearly five hundred thoups east to west and almost a thousand thoups north to south. The rolling hills along the southern coast of Teopaqa Province merge with the mountains to our west and quickly grow into a tall, steep, coastal mountain range. The southern coast of the Great Desert is extremely rocky since the mountains continue right to the water’s edge.