Chapter 10

"I thought you were going to get a big boat!" the Herceg wailed and then leaned over the side to continue heaving his empty stomach into the wake. The two guards beside him were holding on for dear life to anything they could as the deck moved them up and down in choppy cadence.

"I did, Your Grace," Antal chuckled from where he was chained to the tiller. "This is at least three times the size of mine."

"When will this storm be over?" the Herceg groaned.

"Oh, this isn't a storm, Your Grace," Antal replied happily. "Might get into one tomorrow on our way back but this is fairly calm for around here."

"You're enjoying this," the Herceg accused.

"Well, Your Grace, you're going to hang me when we get back," Antal grinned. "Can't I at least enjoy seeing you puke your guts out before you do?"

"I'd hang you now if I could," came the pathetic reply. "Or hang myself just to stop this."

"Actually you'll probably feel better before we even get to Silifke which will be soon. See that smudge on the horizon? That's Silifke," Antal told him. "A lot of lubbers feel a little queasy the first time they're out. But you do need to toughen up a bit so we can talk about who you're planning to have as the front man when we deal with the skimmers tomorrow. He'll need a disguise. We can buy that in Silifke but I need to know who it'll be so we can buy the right one."

"It will be me," the Herceg answered without hesitation. "Unless for some reason you thought it would be you. I don't think so."

"Not me," Antal shook his head. "I'm too well known. Can't say for certain the skimmer we meet will recognize me, but it's too much of a chance. Besides, I wouldn't want you to accuse me of leading the conversation towards a bribe; I want you to see that for yourself.

"But just the same they may recognize you also," he continued. "Especially if it's the Customs Master himself that comes to shake you down. I noticed he was in the room back there when I was brought to you. Have to assume he'd know you to see you.

"Unfortunately your bodyguards here are a little long in the tooth to be playing rich merchant's son out on his first trip alone. Hmm..." Antal paused and stared at the young Herceg. "This could work, though. I'm no expert on disguise but I do know people see what they want to see. Dress down in some good quality but worn clothes ... Maybe a wig under a seacap ... Dirty up the face a bit ... I think it could work. They certainly wouldn't be looking for you to be coming in on this piss-cutting teacup, that's for sure."

"Then it's settled," the Herceg nodded. "You'll need to tell me enough to sound like I'm a young trader on my own for the first time."

"That won't be hard," Antal replied. "The only thing they'll be looking at is your manifest, what's on the deck and how much is in your purse."

As predicted they made Silifke two hours later which made it late afternoon. The long chains in Antal's wrist shackles were shortened so they were pressed directly together and he led them onto the docks in search of cargo and disguises. The young Herceg thought it amusing that nobody seemed to notice or care that a group of men were being led around by a shackled prisoner. In a surprisingly short time they had a cargo and everything else they needed for their deception.

"We'll leave in the morning," Antal yawned as he settled back once again chained to the tiller.

"Why can't we go now?" the Herceg demanded. "You're a smuggler; you're supposed to be able to sail at night."

"I can," Antal replied moving around trying to make himself comfortable. "But you're not supposed to be one. Merchants in little coastal haulers like this don't usually travel at night so it would seem strange if we did. Add to that if we were unfortunate enough to find one of your patrols you'll be discovered and you won't have a chance to play-act the merchant prince. If they find you you'll never learn about the extra fees that are really the cause of your problems which would disappoint me greatly.

"If we leave in the morning we'll get into Eregli just as it's getting dark which will be just about the perfect time for all of this." Then he chuckled, "Toughen up, Your Grace. Sleeping in the bottom of a boat isn't the worst thing that could happen to you."

"Toughen up," the young Herceg muttered. "Maybe I like being pampered." But complaining aside, he found a semi-comfortable pile of cargo coverings and nestled in pulling his cloak over his face.

"Well, smuggler, at least you were right about the storm," the Herceg grumped as he stared into the churning waters ahead. The clouds had covered the sky when the on-watch bodyguard woke them but it wasn't until they had left the harbor that the rain began to beat down on them. "Will we be all right?" he asked nervously.

"We'll be fine," Antal nodded with a snort. "We'll be wet and knocked around a bit, but other than that we'll be fine. I can't afford to get you killed now; you promised to look after my women. I assume your word is good?" he asked and then as an afterthought added, "Your Grace."

"As good as I can make it," the Herceg shrugged. "I have no authority over the Powers and the interesting little twists they can throw into a man's path but aside from them and his Imperial Majesty I foresee no problem honoring your request." He sat down beside Antal seemingly unconcerned for his own safety next to the condemned smuggler although the captain of his guards did move a bit closer to the pair.

"I must admit a bit of awe for you though," he continued. "Having six women at your beck and call sounds interesting but I'd think it would be mostly tiring. I have three wives myself, you know, and I'm continuously counseled to get more but honestly the three I have now keep me worn out; I can't imagine what having three more would be like. Do you really find time to use all of them? I'd think you'd have little time for anything else."

"It does seem like that at times," Antal chuckled sadly. "I know they are considered just slaves but I'd like to think I treat them all as my wives. Honestly, I let them decide who goes where and when. That way they have no complaints, for me anyway, and it doesn't make it look like I have favorites."

"Really?" the Herceg raised his eyebrows. "And just where did you acquire these interesting women?"

"Ah, now there's a tale, Your Grace," Antal sighed and proceeded to tell the young Herceg about his childhood, his acquisition of Ilona, Barbala, Catalyn and finally what brought the three new ones and their babies to his household.

"An amazing story, if true," the Herceg stated when he finished.

"Oh, it's all true, Your Grace," Antal assured him.

"You know, you don't seem particularly bitter or frightened by the fact you are condemned to die when we return," the Herceg commented changing the subject.

"Well, I'm not looking forward to it I assure you, Your Grace. In fact if I could see any way out of it I certainly would but you gave your word to protect my women and if I have to give up my life for that..." Antal shrugged.

"Yes, well that's very noble of you," the Herceg added absently staring out into the frothing waters. "I believed I mentioned I have three wives myself. Three wives before I've even reached eighteen and one of them pregnant. It seems a bit unreal to me at times," he mused and then glanced over to Antal and added with a seriousness that didn't reach his eyes, "Of course it's a lot of fun almost all the time."

"Yes, well try it with six, Your Grace," Antal managed to chuckle. "It gets a bit more ... complicated."

"I can imagine," the Herceg sighed. "Personally I think three is bordering on too many at times but I'm beginning to get pressure to add at least two more — to ensure the line, of course. I've resisted it so far but I'm not sure how long I can hold out and I dread the thought of going through that process again. Hundreds and hundreds of pretty young things doing their best to get my attention ... It sounds like fun initially but believe me, it begins to pale rather quickly."

"So don't do it," Antal shrugged again.

"And what am I to do then? Pick their names out of a hat?" the Herceg snorted.

"Let your wives do it," Antal suggested. "After all they have to live with them also. I'll bet they'd work diligently to find women of compatible personality and being your wives they'll have your status and position firmly in mind so whoever they pick will undoubtedly be easy on the eyes and of desired birth. They will be picking based on who would be best for you and using their brains instead of just a cock."

"That's actually not a bad idea at all, Master Smuggler," the Herceg turned to Antal, mildly surprised. "As with you, my birth mother is my first wife and I love her dearly. The other two are fine girls and I am very fond of them; I wouldn't be surprised if I came to love them in time as they will me, but mother ... Yes! She would know exactly who would fit in and who wouldn't ... Yes, by the Powers! An excellent idea!

"After all," he continued. "I wouldn't know these girls from some stranger on the street so why should I care? But mother and the others ... they would know who to pick to maintain harmony." He paused for a moment, "Harmony is very important. I've seen first hand how disruptive adding the wrong woman to the household can be. My father's second most junior wife ... Well let's just say I considered her to be the biggest bitch I've ever met when I was younger, and having her around was extremely unpleasant. I was very glad when she turned out not to be my birth mother. Over the past two years I've come to see she isn't really as bad as I first thought; just the wrong woman in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't know who chose her but I can guarantee it wasn't my father's first wife. If she'd have been able to make those types of decisions, Dacina would never have been Mother Dacina and much heartache and trouble would have been avoided."

"Nothing is guaranteed," Antal chuckled. "But if you let your women have a say in any decision, it makes it difficult for them to bitch about it later if it doesn't work out."

"I am the Herceg," the young ruler replied with deliberate and feigned disdain. "Certainly you wouldn't infer that my wives would be so lowered as to bitch at me."

"Well, Your Grace," Antal snorted. "I'm not much older than you and even I have learned that when it comes to women they have the natural ability to make your life a garden of pleasure or a pit of torment. I don't think it makes a Powers-be-damned bit of difference who you are."

"There is that," the Herceg agreed philosophically.

Antal was a little surprised when they were intercepted by a patrol as they entered the mouth of the bay. He had thought the rough weather — still turbulent even within the protected confines of the bay — would keep the customs agents either in or at least closer to shore. Luckily he had hoisted the pennant indicating they were making for the customs docks and the patrol only hailed and directed them where to go without boarding.

They were met at the dock by two portly customs agents who gleefully reviewed their manifest and checked it against the cargo secured to the deck of their small vessel. The poor weather was fortuitous since the two agents thought nothing of the young merchant and his "crew" wearing their long, heavily-waxed foul-weather cloaks with cowls up over their heads. Otherwise they might have wondered why the slight merchant seaman seemed a bit more burly around the chest area than one would expect or why they were wearing the short, wide-bladed swords normally associated with the Imperial infantry. That one had his hands shackled together probably wouldn't have caused much of a stir.

"A fine cargo, young master," one agent smiled oily. "A fine cargo indeed. The duty fee comes to three fingers, gold. You can pay that in cash or we can take the equal out of the cargo, whichever you prefer."

"Three fingers! That's absurd!" the Herceg howled. "My whole cargo couldn't be worth more than six fingers, maybe seven if the prices are very good. I can't afford one in two or even three in seven! I'll never make a profit. By the Powers I wouldn't even break even! I was told the duty was only one in ten or at worst one in five!"

"Sorry, young master," the skimmer shrugged and chuckled. "I can't help what you've heard; this is what it is."

"I won't pay it. This is robbery!" the young Herceg wailed. Antal was impressed by his young ruler's acting ability. If he hadn't known the truth he would have sworn this was a young merchant's son being exposed to the realities of life for the first time.

"Well, that's a different kettle of fish as they say," the agent's voiced hardened and as he waved his arm a troop of city constables stepped out from behind the customs shack, hands already on the hilts of their swords. The Herceg's bodyguards stiffened and moved their own hands under their cloaks and Antal was pretty sure it wasn't to scratch their balls.

"If you don't pay the duty, then we'll have to assume you're trying to smuggle this cargo in," the agent continued. "We have very harsh penalties for smuggling here: lethal penalties. And of course we'd have to confiscate the boat and the cargo."

"You're trying to rob me!" the Herceg shouted loudly. "I demand to see the Customs Master! This is absurd! My father will hear of this, you can be sure!"