Chapter 11

The clans were unsure what to make of this family, they looked more like a caravan. But, they recognized John and Zthrusa from a few years ago, and wondered how they were getting along these days. Talus was introduced to Zithrusa's family, and he learned he had many aunties and grannies, he brought his group of little nomad scouts and introduced them to his new family, and soon there was much intermingling and sharing of news, food, and smiles. The caravan was just in time for the games, and all the troupe signed up for many of the events, getting their tokens. Then the trading blankets were browsed for good trade opportunities.

Butalus wondered at the exciting adventures John and Zithrusa had shared, congratulated them on the fine new wife they had gotten, laughted at the thought of the Eastern Emperor sharing his name, and was proud of little Talus and what a fine young man he had become.

There was a constant stream of the curious traipsing through the caravan encampment, marveling at the sumptuous silk tents, such a show of wealth. Zithrusa basked in the status reflected to her as the wife of rich John, powerful John. So much wealth he needed a caravan of camels to carry it! Master of many men, and Zithrusa first wife over a high class Eastern Empire woman! (Of course, the reality was that Zithrusa and Vedeya were also-wives, and not first and second wives, but Vedeya was willing to pretend for the sake of Zithrusa, whom she loved, and Zithrusa's status among the clans.)

The little nomad scouts of the caravan went everywhere in small groups, and had various encounters with their true nomadic counterparts. In every case, they discussed in the subtle language of how rough and unfinished the other children seemed. As such encounters and confrontations often do, there were challenges and territorial disputes, especially seening how different the scouts were from what the nomadic children were accustomed to.

Anytime such interactions threatened to become open conflicts, the scouts responded as Tuk had coached them, and offered to settle them in the games, telling the challenging nomadic children what games to gain entry to, and they would see who was the better at that time.

The games had an inordinate amount of grudge matches among the young, and the older of the clans also were eager to try for status against the interloping 'caravan', didn't seem right for caravans to come to the gathering, even if they had John and Zithrusa as masters. Some of the clans had never really accepted John in the first place, but hadn't felt able to object, especially after his knife throw win against them all.

Between them John and Tuk decided that Tuk would enter the archery game. In fact, John had so much status he had no need to compete in any of the games, and could let his people gather all the status themselves. After all, he was Caravan master, and rich enough to provide silk tents for his entire troupe, plus he had his former knife throwing win under his belt.

Chou even at a husky 12 years old, beat all the wrestlers but for a wily old man of fifty-four, and spent the rest of the gathering apprenticed to him, learning all the tricks and feints the old man could remember. Lishta's father, a very burly guard, won the Kaber throw purely on strength and effort, even though he had missed the throw line by a foot or more. He hadn't needed any tricks, he had just swung and heaved.

Vedeya entered the staves, and won against all be they man or woman. Zithrusa didn't enter either, wanting her people to have a chance to reflect status to her. Her people, she thought of the caravan, no longer her old family. John, Vedeya and Talus were her family, and the caravan were her people now. One among the caravan's little nomad scouts won slinging this year. Chin took singlestick, he was just too fast to be countered.

The gathering was as happy a place as ever, the sounds of laughter, the calls of the vendors, dust raised by running little feet, the camels talking amongst themselves, the braying of an ass, feeling lonely and ignored. Sukuli was a rarity, wandering about free and armed. The caravan kept an eye out for her, but she didn't get into any trouble she couldn't handle herself. When someone's dog wanted to fight her, she just stepped on it with part of her weight, and then let it run away when it gave up to her dominance.

One drunk who got in her face because he was affronted by her not keeping her place as a dumb beast got a face full of camel spit, and her hind end to talk to showing what she thought of him. When he followed her to continue his argument, she lifted her tail and drenched him in acrid urine. The laughter of the gathering who witnessed his humiliation at both ends of a camel caused him to slink away, and after he had cleaned and sobered up, he actually sought her out and apologized to her. She was very gracious to him, and they became sort of buddies, greeting each other with familiarity when they enountered.

The gathering was very interested in the wares Zithrusa displayed on fine blankets, but there wasn't much wealth to be accrued from any trades, as the clans didn't have anything much of high value and compactness. John said for her to trade off the bulky silver tea sets and many of the copper chafing dishes and brass bowls, just to free up camel space and reduce weight.

It didn't end up freeing space, since she mostly traded for wool, to be made more valuable by shares companies within the caravan. The eastern men didn't spin wool like the clans men did, so the weaving shares company consisted of women, and the dividends or accrued stock went to them. The part owners of the silk and sock companies received either a percentage of the actual item to trade or barter as they wished, or additional shares in the company.

Most just let their shares increase, or let Zithrusa handle the barter and concentration of the stock into more valuable goods. Zithrusa only traded away two robes of silk, and got livestock in return. A few of the more worn horses were also traded for hardier mules more able to endure the rigors of the caravan life. Zithrusa bought out the livestock to her, Vedeya and John's private ownership, trading equal wealth back in to the shares company in the form of goods.