Chapter 127

It was obvious to me, from the fact my mates had all put on their mail this morning, they intended to come along on our trip to fetch my newest mate's things. I had a feeling I should forbid it, but changed my mind. After breakfast I asked Raalto, Racaato, Barago, Danlo, and Daaggo to come along also and I was taking Sahto and Talvo to do the wrangling, teach Brundolo to lead a travois horse, and drive the wagon.

We would be taking the big wagon and one travois horse, Dolly. I decided all the men plus Dieta, Roweea, Ameliea, and Delia should go mounted and let the others ride in the wagon. Maia and Merita wanted to saddle up also and so I let them. The rest seemed happy with a wagon ride. Talvo would drive there while Sahto walked with Brundolo giving him instructions in leading a horse while it pulled a travois.

I asked Racaato to leave on foot a little ahead of us to see if he could find some game we could use to hold the travois down and help give Brundolo an idea of the real experience. We gave him an hour lead and then left at a walk. We hadn't gone far before I heard the faint echo of a rifle shot and then another a few seconds later.

When we got to the area of our logging venture Racaato was sitting on the other side of the stream. He signaled and Sahto led Dolly and Brundolo over to meet him. They disappeared into the woods through one of the newly cleared trails the logging had required and they were gone for about forty-five minutes.

When they returned there were two big boars on the travois. I was tempted to turn around and take them back to our camp, but decided to push on and let them be another gift for Grotondo.

I hitched Red to the wagon and when we moved off again I walked with Brundolo and got him started leading with a load. I wanted to help him learn this, but I also wanted to talk with him about the unmated women which were still in his camp. I didn't speak for a while, letting us fall just a little behind.

"Brundolo, I want to ask you some things about your camp if you don't mind telling me."

"I don't mind and I will tell you anything that I can," he said.

"Now, since my main helpers have seen my new mates from your camp some of them are interested in trading for a mate also. I told them there were only three unmated women there now and I wouldn't trade for any of them until I knew more about your status for a mate. Will one of those unmated women be your mate?" I asked clumsily, not really knowing a better way to do it.

"I am surprised and honored you would think of me, but I will not mate any of those women. I'm sure I will have a mate soon, but it will not be one of them. Gratata and Eileiea have both told Grotondo all three of them are too closely related to me to be my mate.

"Grotondo had planned on trading with another camp of our people for unmated women. Of course he was glad you traded for Margeeta, Yareela, and Yaroola because he was afraid no other camp would trade for them," Brundolo said.

"Why would they be difficult to trade? Is it because Yareela and Yaroola look somewhat like our people?"

"No. It is because Margeeta's former mate was killed in a hunting accident and it was almost as if he was addled at the time it happened, as if he were not paying attention to the hunt," he said.

"Why would that make any difference?"

"Some say Margeeta is unlucky. I do not think it, but it is what some say. I would say she is probably the luckiest of any of our people. After all, you traded for her as a mate and what could be any luckier for a woman?" he asked.

"But that is now, did you think she was unlucky before?"

"Not especially. I am glad you traded for her though because she might have been given to me as a mate if you hadn't. It isn't because I think she wouldn't have made a good mate, but she is older and it would have been a little uncomfortable for me.

"I am also glad you traded for Yareela and Yaroola because if either one of them had been given to me then I would have a mate who was taller than me. It would have made me uncomfortable too."

"What will Grotondo do now since he has traded most of the women away, will he still be able to trade for some unmated women?"

"He will be even more able to trade now. I do not mean any disrespect, John, but you gave very much more for Margeeta, Yareela, and Yaroola than any of my people would have."

"I see, but in my defense I did later get two mates for free."

This shocked him for a moment, but then I saw realization come across his face.

"You did, didn't you - did you plan it?" he asked, and then seemed to wish he hadn't.

"I did not plan it, but I am not afraid to kill a man who offends me as those two did and I am not sorry to have Kota and Eileiea as mates."

"I didn't think you had, but the question just came out of my mouth before I knew what I was asking," he said, apologizing.

"Don't trouble yourself over it. I didn't mind at all. Do you think Grotondo would trade the other unmated women?"

"If you trade as you did before he will. Salt is very precious and you gave him much salt, besides, the camp he is planning on trading with is larger and they have seven unmated women and no unmated men. There are three boys who will be men before long, probably next summer, but there are many girls who will soon be women there also," he told me.

"Have you seen the unmated women from the other camp?"

"Yes, and I have a favorite, but I'm not sure Grotondo can or will trade for her. Boys are always warned not to tell the women, but they can ask for a certain mate and if the leader sees no problem he will often give the woman to the man who asks for her. Not always, but often. Sometimes the young man will be required to do something for the leader later though," he said.

This was an insight into a hidden part of their culture, but I wasn't surprised about it. In fact I would have been surprised if there weren't some way for a type of favoritism to be shown. I was pretty sure now Brundolo would get exactly the woman he wanted, no matter what she cost. I whistled to get attention and when everyone stopped I called Danlo to me and then walked off from Brundolo.

"Danlo I need for you to go back to camp for me and get something. We will keep walking and you can catch back up to us before we reach their camp."