Chapter 44

My black mare tugged impatiently, wanting the sweet grass at the side of the road. The four male estate guards waited patiently on their steeds as I surveyed the busy village crossroad. Hooves of mules thumped across the planks of a narrow wooden bridge like the slow beat of a drum. The short bridge, the length of a wagon, covered the width of a deep creek, creating a bottleneck for local merchant traffic on a market day.

"I just want to get a feel for the traffic through the village," I said to the escort's leader.

"Yes, Lord Solon," he said, non-committal.

A couple of tinker wagons clanged and banged as they took their turn in crossing the bridge. These were traveling merchants selling their wares of pots and pans, in a planned circuit of villages, eager to enter our prosperous village. I noticed the two drivers did not use my improved harness yet. Often you could tell who was a local now just by casually looking at their animal harnesses. I felt pride in the improved design and I was naturally curious about the rate of adoption. My nose told me it was time to move on. Unbeknownst to me when we stopped near the creek, there was a refuse pile with a couple of pigs rooting around in the garbage. The smells were unpleasant when the wind kicked up, and I suspected that the sergeant already had known about the stink pile since he lived here.

I kicked the horse into a gentle walk and our party entered the village. It wasn't a surprise that people swiveled their heads as I rode by them. Most of the visitors and market goers walked to market, so for once I was looking down at the people present. The people's faces showed general contentment and well-being as I passed through the crowd. I fidgeted with my collar, not sure if it was the heat or the constant stares of the farmers making me uncomfortable. My regular appearances here made the villagers feel at ease with their lord. However to the farmers and their families I was a novelty and a curiosity since they came from further out in the freehold. My keen hearing picked up words and phrases like "White wizard, manor lord, forge owner, and saw mill operator" depending on who they were talking with.

Odors from cooking fires and animal waste assaulted us along the crowded dirt road. Common sounds of disturbed chickens, barking dogs, and mooing cows mixed with the human voices. The main village road was long with side streets, more like alleys, branching off with less prosperous homes made of wood and thatch. At the village center, stone buildings formed a square, essentially the heart of this community's wealth. The marketplace held temporary stalls, which sold just about any good known to medieval times.

"The sad thing," I thought "is this all looks normal, while I am not. I still am a stranger in a strange land." My mind overlaid images of improved products that someday would replace the displayed items. "It still feels weird to know things others do not, which at times make me joyful and then at times like this I feel depressed knowing what could be but is not."

At one edge of the market there were simple fences holding small pigs, chickens or goats. I noticed sea gulls sitting on the stone houses, watching the proceedings. Angry voices erupted near some small children. A farmer had cornered the children between two fences and a stone wall. The oldest child was a preteen, a dirty looking girl, wearing nothing but rags for clothes. The two other children were half my height, young boys with greasy hair and filthy clothes. The boys held half a loaf of bread each and were consuming it as the girl held a shouting match with the farmer. The fiery girl kept moving to interpose herself between the angry farmer and the boys. The farmer's mood was shifting, the tension radiated off his muscles. I moved my horse next to one of my escorts and jumped off, flipping him the reins, before striding over to the farmer before he exploded on the girl.

"What is going on here?" I shouted.

The farmer angled his body to get a look at me while staying within striking distance of the children, his body still blocked any potential escape from the confrontation. The crowd's collective volume dropped to a hush when they noticed me. The farmer outweighed me and towered over me with his tense muscles rippling with disgust. I could tell whatever was going on he was at the edge of his temper. My hand slid to the hilt of my clan knife and the farmer blinked. The farmer's manner shifted from near berserk to a thoughtful anger targeted on me.

"You're not the sheriff here. Mind your own business. I caught these thieves and they are going to pay the price for making a fool out of my wife," the farmer said, spit spurting out.

The man was large but with poor foot placement and off-balance. One good series of strikes would best him. He was no threat to me. I held my hands high and palms out to him, trying to defuse this human bomb before he had a stroke. "How can I get him back on his heels?" I thought.

"What is the penalty for theft in this village?" I asked, softly enough that he leaned in to hear me.

"We don't get much thieving here, so far away from Port City," the farmer mumbled. "We take their ears off or they can lose a thumb if they prefer."

"Thank you, citizen. I can perform justice with no problem. Step aside," I commanded, pulling my clan knife.

A pair of women yelled out, "There is no need for that. They are children!"

The farmer left the targets of his displeasure and moved to face the women. I took his old place pinning the children in place. The young girl's eyes were darting side-to-side looking for a way out of the confrontation. The young boys, still finishing the bread, huddled behind her.

The farmer shouted, "Shut your mouth woman or I'll give you the back of my hand at our home." The two women and the farmer raised their bickering while I went to a knee and faced the girl. Letting her see my nanoblade inactivated in its sheath.

"What's your name?" I said, nearly whispering to her. I found dropping your voice made people more attentive if they were inclined to listen. The girl was clearly motivated to listen.

"Morita," she said, her eyes settling to focus on me.

"Who are the boys?" I wanted to keep my questions short and simple.

Reed and Nate," she responded.

"Would it be correct to guess you pinched that piece of bread from the market?" I asked. She took her time answering.

Bravely I thought, she just nodded yes. The girl's eyes teared up and she whimpered, "We are so hungry and our mother died yesterday."

I felt the farmer and two women at my back, their shouting over. I stood and faced a crowd of faces that included the farmer, his wife and the other woman.

I am sorry, Milord. I lost my head." The farmer said, sheepishly.

All the anger had drained out of him. Now he held his walking cap in his hands, clearly embarrassed. The two women flanked the man with compassion in their eyes for the children. I knew the price for bread and took my coin pouch off my belt looking for the offended party.

"Who do I pay for feeding these orphan children that bread?" I asked, searching their faces.

The farmer's wife spoke up, "That is three coppers, Lord Solon." Being the only white man with an escort made it easy for her to guess my name, if she hadn't already pulled it out of the surrounding crowd. I handed her five coppers.

"I'll handle this matter now. We can't have hungry, motherless children running around the village," I said, softly.

The crowd moved away now the show was over, perhaps a little deflated or perhaps a little ashamed at not tending to the children earlier. I explained to the three children they were under my protection now and they were going to the temple for a bath and food. I put each boy in front of the lap of a mounted guard. The brave girl I positioned at my back and we returned to the manor. The temple was a place of healing and nurturing. I knew the children would be well treated.

When we arrived at the temple I was surprised the children were not exactly welcome. Katsu was out talking to the two guards. My escorts dismounted and pulled the boys off the animals. I preferred to stay on a horse that could quickly remove me from Lady Katsu's presence.

Lady Katsu took pleasure in explaining to me in frank amusement. "The High Priestess selects children for entry based on a complex set of criteria that you couldn't possibly understand." Even on my horse the bitch was a commanding figure.

Emotions flicked across the ebony temple guard standing with Lady Viper. This was the attractive female guard I liked. Paying little attention to Lady Katsu, the tall guard said, "While I can't see them entering service in the temple, I am confident the boys can apprentice with either the smith or stable master. They recently announced a sudden need to expand their services by the summer." I happened to understand the need and reason.

"Horses!" The boys cried out.

Morita cried on my shoulder, "What will happen to me?" My mare snorted and tilted its head away from Katsu.

The sympathetic guard looked perplexed at the question then recovered to say, "Your arms surround the most powerful man in Convey. I think he will find room in the manor for you. One way or another."

The comment extracted a smirk from Lady Viper.

The female guard seemed to reconsider her response and added, "I happen to know the manor kitchen needs more help. My uncle is one of the cooks."

"Don't fear, Morita. You will be safe in my manor and the boys will be close enough for you to keep your eye upon them," I said, stroking her wet cheek with my palm. The young girl tightened her grip on my waist not responding.

Katsu must have become disinterested in tormenting me. She slipped back into the temple just as a cloud burst opened and spit wet drops on us.

The attractive guard announced, "I will make sure the boys are properly received at the stable. Come with me boys." I smiled. "I like take charge women, " I thought. In stark contrast, Morita was a naive girl.

I dismounted and pulled Morita to me, ensuring her safe return to the earth. Handing the reins to one of the escorts, I walked the young girl to her future home. Eadie, the priestess from Conquest Point, exited the manor door and greeted us.

"I'd appreciate a massage after dinner, Eadie," I said. My sweaty hand reached Eadie's face and cupped it gently.

The ebony-skinned priestess pressed my hand to her cheek and nodded her agreement. My new charge and I watched Eadie depart for the temple.

"That priestess really likes you, Lord Solon," Morita said, putting her arm around my waist.

"She is one of many temple women vying for my affections," I responded honestly.

"I understand why," Morita answered, recapturing my hand with hers.

The cook took Morita under his care and I took a rest alone before dinner.

Derwen woke me up with a gentle caress of my arm and announced, "Your dinner tonight is with a set of young ladies in the temple. Please freshen up and leave immediately. We gave you a longer nap than prudent, now you will be late if you do not hurry."

Derwen spun and left the room. "She is back in her normal, dominant manor house mode, " I thought.

The sun was low in the sky and long shadows filled my bedroom. I bounced off the bed and shuffled over to a basin of water. A quick splash of water to my face and the back of my neck awoke my dim brain. After pulling on my moccasins I took a relaxing breath and adjusted my clothes. I trotted down the stairs, filling the main room with a cascade of thumps with my heavy feet. I rushed to the main door, seeing Mercedes watching me with a humorous smirk by the manor entrance. A doorman opened the manor door and Mercedes waved her arm towards the outdoors, encouraging my departure.

"Be nice to your dinner companions!" Mercedes said with a giggle.

The orange sun hung above the estate hills with perhaps an hour of light left. The activity around the estate was greatly diminished and only few workers remained outside. It was the normal dinner time for the estate and many of the staff had already rushed home for their meal. The private entrance to the temple had a number of torches set on poles well away from the door so not to attract insects. I don't generally come out to the temple at night, so the setting sun's shadows created an interesting picture of soft shapes upon the building for me to enjoy. Six female guards stood at attention as I passed, triple the normal contingent of warriors.

Past the guard antechamber was a set of manor servers holding pewter water jugs, their focus was a long table set with food and a bevy of beautiful women. I immediately recognized Mercedes's sisters, both former temple guards who were heavy with child. Also, the two former female estate guards that I had moved to the temple were seated together, too. Both sets of pregnant guards had glowing faces, clearly happy to see me. The High Priestess was at the head of the table with her daughter Katsu on the left. Harvest and Eadie were in the chairs closest to the foot of the table. The only chair left was for me. The women at the table wore modest yellow dresses, very tasteful, perhaps even fashionable.

"Greetings. I am honored to be in the presence of such lovely women and Lady Katsu," I said.

All the women except Lady Viper smiled at me. She felt my slight and her eyebrows narrowed. Ignoring her in such esteemed company was going to be easy. Instead of sitting I walked to the head of the table and picked up the High Priestess's hand and kissed it.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner. I am particularly pleased to see the mothers of my children and the two enchanting young ladies who will ease my tired muscles with their therapeutic hands later tonight."

The High Priestess palmed my cheek and said, "It is our pleasure to host the Lord of the Manor and rejoin him with his women."

I went to the mothers of my children and whispered a loving greeting in their ear, then taking my time I kissed each one. I made sure to place my hand on the children letting them know their father was close. When I went to personally greet Harvest and Eadie before sitting, I noticed Morita was in a recess of the room with the cook beside another table with the food awaiting delivery. The two kitchen helpers were partly hidden by a fabric screen. I gave her a smile and finished my pleasantries with Harvest and Eadie. By the time I reclined on my chair Lady Viper was boiling at being ignored and was clearly embarrassed. This wasn't her territory and I was the honored guest, she must have felt impotent. I felt pretty smug about it.

As soon as I sat, many acolytes appeared, almost on cue, from behind the teak door to the pool, and they took plates and wine glasses from the cook and Morita. All the temple women wore long, white, sheer crêpe dresses that left nothing to the male imagination. They were a fashion show of women's shapes, sizes, curves and cheerful faces. Each acolyte walked with grace and the sex appeal that flowed from a woman purposely indulging a male's lust. Looking at the food platters only made me think of the woman as the dessert that would follow. My eyes didn't leave the jiggling breasts and swaying hips until my server put my dinner before me. The tinkling of the silverware summoned my thoughts and I turned to thank my server. The acolyte's nipples greeted my eyeballs and I had to crane my neck to look up into her brown eyes. She grinned, knowing full well I found her female form attractive. I was just a hand's distance away from her ample bosom. The thought of pointing my fingers to her nipple was so tempting.