Chapter 3

When Tony and Terry first saw Linnel they weren't sure they had arrived. Yana and Lissel had spoken a lot over the last two days of the wonders of Linnel. From the descriptions they had expected to see a large town with many inhabitants and numerous shops selling goods of all kinds. Instead the city consisted of the tents of several family/tribes surrounding a small area (about eight to ten acres) of stone walled buildings with hide roofs. None of the buildings were taller than one story and most consisted of small rooms in which the few permanent inhabitants slept. They could only see men under hide shades with tables full of wares that they showed to anyone who came near. The buildings surrounded several open spaces that had slopes surrounding them to make bowl shaped arenas. Only several buildings identified by Tim Abrahamson as belonging to the shamans were larger, but even those had hide roofs due to the numerous earthquakes caused by the separating super continent.

The 'memories' of Tony told him that the cities were normally safe havens were all were welcome and fighting was prohibited. The only permanent inhabitants were clan less men who had lost fights and were too injured to travel with the herds or those forced by circumstances of their own or other's malice to flee from their tribes. The cities grew up around these men who did the work, such as smelting or tanning that the wandering tribes were unable to do. These men were of low caste but since their work was so necessary to the tribes they extended their protection to the inhabitants despite their caste. Killing a city dweller without cause was considered an insult to the family/tribes that controlled the area on which the town stood.

The city was filled with ambitious men on their matrimonial journey who felt themselves good enough fighters to bet their lives on their ability. Those without ambition or who weren't good enough fighters stayed around their tribes and were seldom given wives. This further reduced the possibility that men who could not defend themselves would be given the chance to breed. These men often became the shamans of the family/tribe. These men provided medical care as well as passed along the verbal history of the family/tribe to the city shamans. The city shamans acted as a gathering place of the collected experience of the families/tribes.

When the troop arrived they went not to one of the buildings but to a large tent. After they dismounted, Tim dismounted and waved his hand at several men, who came forward to take the horses. Turning back to Tony he came to a formal stance and recited a formula that he must have said thousands of times, "You are welcome to the tents of Abrahamson. Eat and drink without obligations other than that of a guest." Turning to one of the troops who had come with them he told him, "Show my guests to the visitor's area and report back to me." After that he entered the tent and ignored Tony and the women completely.

This would have been considered rude behavior on Earth, but Tony and Terry's 'memories' told them that this was normal. Tony was regarded as of being of low status having only one wife and thus required the family head to give him little notice. Only after he had joined a family tribe would Tony receive more attention. Despite this Tony could see Terry getting mad at how she was ignored by the family/tribesmen. She opened her mouth and Tony was quick to interrupt before she could say anything. "Wife, get one of the servants to bring the horses!"

Terry gave him an angry look and then stopped to say something to Lissel. This allowed her to remember that they were no longer on Earth and she kept silent. Her eyes showed that she was going to let him know what she was feeling later on. Relieved that she had not said anything to get them into trouble, Tony gave her a grateful look. Terry glared at him for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders.

During this they had continued to follow the trooper to an area different from the rest of the city. Here the area was filled with young men and women, all wearing matrimonial clothing. Tony could see many of the men practicing while the women were doing all the work around the tents. The trooper led them through most of the area until he reached a spot where the tents were less dense. Having done so he left without having said a word through out the trip.

Tony looked around the area and noticed that the tents had servants wandering around the area, unlike most of the city that they had gone through. Many tents had strings of horses and several packs around as well. Making sure to be quiet, he turned to Terry, "Looks like they sent us to the high rent district at least."

Terry was still angry, "Did you see the women while we were coming here? They were doing all the work while the men were just sitting around or talking. I can't believe the women let the men treat them that way."

Her voice caught the attention of another man standing near by. "Silence your woman! Your mother must have hated you to give you such an ill-mannered wife!"

Tony realized he had to respond to this or be considered weak and a target for a challenge. "As you say, she is my woman! I need no advice from another man!"

The man looked offended with Tony's response and was about to draw his sword when an older man came hurrying over followed by several armed troopers. "No fighting in the town! If you have a problem with each other we will arrange your fight quickly."

Reluctantly the man let the sword slid back into the scabbard. Curtly he nodded and turned back toward the nearby tent. The older man watched him until he entered the tent and then turned to face Tony. "I am Robert Abrahamson and we are here to place a value on your inheritance for the fights."

"What if I don't want to fight?" Tony asked curiously.

The man looked at him as if he was insane and then must have decided that it was a rhetorical question, "Of course you may decline if the value does not meet the half you are wagering but we are renowned for fair valuations. We also make sure that weapons are equal and will keep any outside interference from affecting the fights. Your winnings will be kept safe until the fighting is over. On this you have the word of the family Abrahamson."