Chapter 11: Dreams and Reality

Shortly after sunrise the next day, they were riding to Notabir. Roban and Iane at point, and the Dohougney warriors at the end of the two row troop were leading their five packhorses. Athea was once again sharing her horse with Menja and Bosko was at their side, but often he was far out in the highlands ahead of them, maybe scouting. This early it was still a bit cold and clammy, but the clear sky promised it would become a mild, early spring day in Vernya. Their chosen pace would let them arrive at Notabir an hour or two after sunset.

“Roban has told me that you and Iane have agreed that she now selects and leads the members of his personal harem, is it true?” Hassika asked as she rode alongside Athea and Menja.

“Why are you asking, do you want to complain that she didn’t choose you? Besides, I very much doubt that’s what he said. Roban probably denied owning a harem and Iane didn’t choose the members. She merely acknowledged them after they volunteered for a position,” Athea was smirking as she questioned Hassika in response.

“Except you and Menja, Iane was snapping at everyone who came close to Roban. When he told me you and Iane agreed on it and because I wasn’t sure what she was trying to achieve, I wanted to ask you what’s going on. Is Iane trying to protect him from danger, or suddenly feeling jealous and imprisoning him?” Hassika asked in return.

“Neither one, Hassika. Like Jenaya and I, Iane is struggling with her own nature. Her immortal being is Submission, but that’s only one part of her and her human part isn’t used to submitting to anyone at all. I think she was trying to surround Roban with women more devoted and submissive than herself. It was a boring sea-passage so I let her experiment. It didn’t work very well for her. Ynerca took care of that,” Athea answered smiling gleefully.

“That makes some weird kind of sense and explains why Roban was annoyed, but didn’t do anything ... Well, that and the compensation he received from Iane,” Hassika mused.

“What compensation are you talking about?” Athea asked confused.

“I’m sorry Athea, but if you thought that you somehow won a fight against her, without suffering any casualties on your own, then you’re mistaken. I don’t want to become a part of yours and Iane’s squabbles, so you’ll have to find out on your own,” Hassika answered smiling too.

Menja was giggling when Athea turned away from Hassika and angrily glared at Iane’s back.

Their horses were as tired and exhausted as their riders when they finally reached the end of the highlands. A little while later Notabir and an ocean of tents appeared at the darkening horizon. The outer guards obviously had sent a messenger as they passed them, because before their group reached the camp a small group of galloping riders approached them; Gillyn Canbierra, Sahein Callghannen and Sinheyd Dohougney. They looked relieved and were smiling at them.

“Athea, Roban, all of you are back and even some new faces I’ve never seen before. Finally! We need you Athea,” Sinheyd blurted out.

Athea was frowning at the three Clan leaders, but didn’t reply.

“I’m sorry Athea, you have to excuse Sinheyd. You must be exhausted after your long ride and we shouldn’t trouble you before you’ve even had the time to dismount your horses and take a meal. Please follow us; we’ve set up a big tent for you and yours. Tomorrow we will find something better for you. We’ve already talked to Bahren Mongel, because we think a house in Notabir would be better suited and safer as well,” Gillyn apologized.

More family members had joined them and the reunion between Ynerca and her big brother Cybrien was as heartwarming as everyone had expected. Just when they were seated Nirumy, the Amazon, stormed the tent and a new happy reunion celebration broke out, but finally they all sat and were eating at a large table in Gillyn’s big tent. They ate and for a while there was only small talk and light banter, but everyone listened when Athea finally spoke up.

“The most important thing first. I need new clothes! The dresses I have to wear at the moment are driving me crazy. Trynna, I want something similar to what I got from you. Will you help me again?” Athea asked pleadingly.

“I’ll need a day or two, but you’ll get what you want Athea,” Trynna answered smiling.

“Thank you Trynna. Now someone tell me what problems came up while we were away,” Athea asked looking at the clan leaders.

“News about the miracle of our victory had spread like a forest-fire and clan-warriors from all over Calmyra arrived. At first they came alone or in small groups. Everyone eager to fight, striving for their own piece of glory. Soon whole clans joined, but there were no fights and no glory to gain. After weeks of waiting our victory is no more than a fairytale. The euphoria is gone and reality set in. Provisions are slowly dwindling down and none of us knows how to replace them. A few days ago the Ogusi arrived and we’re counting numbers again. We are not even thirty thousand from the Ghallan Clans. The thirty thousand Ogusi at our side probably want to get paid to help and we are waiting for two hundred thousand enemies to attack. There are rumors about a Norgar fleet, but no one knows if it’s true and if they are coming as friends or enemies.

There is more. Marny, the oldest of Harrany’s daughters and new leader of the Macathry Clan is here as well. She knows a lot more than she should know and is gaining influence because of it. The Macathry’s always were our enemies, but they hate you and your brother with a passion. Tomorrow morning there will be a gathering of the Ghallan Clan leaders, they all want to see you and hear what the High Protector of the Northern Territory has to say. You don’t have to come alone Athea, but it wouldn’t be wise of you to take Roban along. A man joining a gathering of Clan leaders is against our traditions,” Gillyn reported.

“Usually I do not care much about traditions, but since I accepted becoming your High Protector, I guess I’ll have to endure a few. Iane, Jenaya and Leandris will join me at the gathering and Roban will be happy that he doesn’t have to attend,” Athea decided.

“A Princess and a Queen joining you, that’s a good choice Athea,” Sinheyd commented.

“More like a captive and a slave, but I’ll play my part,” Leandris pointed out, but she was smiling.

“It seems you know your brother very well. It doesn’t look like he is very interested in our problems,” Sahein remarked dryly and everyone turned to look at Roban.

He sat at Athea’s side at the head of the long table and was staring into the darkness outside, apparently unaware that everyone was looking at him now. Bosko was sitting at the entrance and the ears of the huge dog were twitching now and again, but if he was sharing Roban’s fascination for the night, this was the only visible sign for it. Everyone was startled as Roban suddenly spoke.

“Zeza is right. I do not mind that I am not invited to participate in the clan leaders meeting. Instead I will go hunting tomorrow morning,” he told them.

“Hunting; what do you want to hunt here, rabbits and foxes?” Hassika asked surprised.

“I’ll hunt whatever I’ll find, but I hope I’ll find something else,” he replied.

“I’m sure that’s what you are hoping, but tell me whom you will take to accompany you on your hunt?” Athea asked glaring at Roban.

Roban didn’t respond to her question, which was exactly the answer Athea had expected.

The sleeping arrangements that night were consistent with the silent sibling war breaking out at the evening meal. Iane and her maids positioned themselves between Athea and Roban and everyone else found a place as far away from them as possible. Menja, pretending childlike innocence, ignored the whole thing and slept peacefully on Roban’s chest. A little while later he fell asleep as well.

Roban slowly opened his eyes. It was early morning, he was awake and the dream was gone, but the girl was still smiling at him, kneeling on his chest.

“Good morning Daddy,” Menja greeted him. “Bosko is a hunting dog, but I am too little to go hunting with him. Can he come with you when you go hunting, please?” She hopefully asked.

Roban looked at the picture of innocence with her wide open, puppy-dog eyes, and then looked at his sister, but Athea was avoiding his gaze, probably trying to hide her doubtlessly gleeful expression.

“Traitor,” he grumbled at Menja, but of course his mumbled accusation didn’t change anything and when he left a while later Bosko was trotting along at his side.

The Canbierra’s were hosting the Clan leaders gathering and Gillyn’s tent was set up for the meeting. Tables and chairs were positioned in a circle. Gillyn gestured for them to take a seat between Sinheyd Dohougney and Sahein Callghannen the moment Athea, Iane, Leandris and Jenaya entered the tent. Then Gillyn rose to speak.

“After all the rumors floating around for weeks I’m sure every one of you already is able to recognize Athea Maghon, the High Protector of the Northern Vernya Territory. With her are Princess Iane from Erylaness, Queen Leandris of Ghota and Jenaya, her friend and adviser.”

Upset murmuring broke out the moment Gillyn mentioned Leandris. Evidently her presence was a surprise to most everyone in attendance, but all noise stopped immediately when Athea started to talk.

“I don’t want to spend the whole morning here, so let’s get to the reason for this gathering and address your worries and troubles. Gillyn informed me yesterday that feeding a large army could become difficult. I’ve to admit that I hadn’t thought about it until now, but I promise that no warrior fighting at our side against the Manthakin invasion will die of starvation.”

A woman seated across from them rose to her feet. “I am Marny Macathry and whatever you did that made those three swear allegiance to you, it doesn’t work on me. You are no more than a fourteen year old girl and we can’t feed our families with your promises,” The woman triumphantly replied.

Surprising even Athea, it was Leandris who was quick to respond.

“You wouldn’t expect Athea to carry sacks of food to this meeting, would you? So of course you have to trust her word and maybe I can help you with that. Ghota, my kingdom is rich and a Norgar fleet is coming to Vernya. Ghota and the Norgar are Athea’s allies, so she has the ships and resources available to feed a huge army. Now you are better informed to assess the value of her promise,” the Queen nonchalantly expounded.

Leandris statement caused a moment of silence, but it was quickly ended again by Athea.

“Leandris has neatly brought up another subject of your worries. I don’t know exactly how many will come - probably something between forty and fifty thousand warriors - but the Norgar fleet is coming to Vernya. That’s a fact and you’ll have to live with it. I agree that they are troublesome company, but this is a war and they will be a bigger bother for our enemies than they are to us. So I still regard them as an asset,” Athea told them.

“The Norgar are bloodthirsty savages! They are worse than the Manthakin invasion,” Marny cried outraged.

“Left to their own devices they might be, but my brother Roban is the Norgar Chieftain and I trust him to keep them in line. More importantly, as I have already said, it can’t be helped anyway,” Athea replied dismissively.

“You tell us to trust a murderer to keep the Norgar in line!” The Macathry leader fired back.

“If you made the murderer remark in regards to the death of your mother Harrany, you are wrong. It wasn’t my brother, but I who ordered the mercenaries to kill her. I remember that your mother blamed Roban for the death of your brother. Roban killed a few of your clan warriors when he rescued me and maybe your brother was one of them. So it could be true. However, it’s almost the same as the issue you have with the Norgar. You either will live with it or you have to leave and go home. Although you may come to regret the decision to leave in the future.” The threat within her last sentence was only thinly veiled and earned Athea many angry stares from the Clan leading women.

“Later today I will negotiate an alliance with the Ogusi and I suspect they will want to receive some sort of payment. When the Ogusi ask for payment I will point at those of you who leave our forces. What would you expect me to do? I’m the protector of the three clans that have sworn allegiance to me and I will protect them. When you leave this alliance you are no concern of mine and I have no obligation to do the same for you.”