Chapter 6

Webster Mission Log: Summary
My ward has made contact with the local human population. The coastal tribe provided limited food and bathing facilitates to him. A seafaring tribe attacked the coastal tribe. My ward participated in village defense, attackers retreated after heavy losses. Tactical and technology capabilities of the coastal tribe are limited. The optical array provides a cursory examination of tribal health, the conditions are poor. Analysis of human psychology suggests medical assistance to the tribe will reinforce and validate support and protection of Cadet Solon. Spring water and natural medicinal plant sources located and images for implant download (with Navigation in Target application).

I dream. Children with shaking chills, sweat dripping bodies, thrashing and spewing the contents of their stomach, fill my view. The Great Marsh surrounds a few reed huts north of the stone warehouse. A haze rising above a burnt out blockhouse, a few slavers swimming and running across sandbars into the wetland. The bird's eye view refocuses, leading me swiftly down the coastline behind a long line of sandbars to the end of the estuary. A scene of rolling hills filled with sand, rock, evergreens and cinchona trees covering them. A hidden natural spring fills a granite rock pool with bubbling water, which spills as a creek between the hills into the estuary. A flash of empty water barrels, then full barrels with the granite pool repeated. A picture of stripped off cinchona bark and then a pile of dried powder with a small glass of cloudy water flashs over and over. A picture of sick children ends the scene.

Without opening my eyes, I said, "That was some strange dream. I have to think about it." The light of day beamed into the room through the door. Tharin was asleep next to me with a long sword and his spear within reach.

Hajin's face stepped into view, "Good afternoon." The room was cool but my muscles were slightly warm; they actually felt invigorated. I was well rested and really hungry.

"Tell me this is a backroom of a tavern and a plate of food is waiting for me." Hajin remained silent and expressionless. "Sorry that was a bad try at humor," I said uncomfortably. His sparkling eyes gave way to a playful grin. "Well any man who slew so many foes in one night has to be hungry," he said with confidence.

"Yes, very hungry. It is afternoon you say?" I questioned. After putting on my rucksack, I looked down on Tharin.

Hajin shook his head and said, "I took over guarding you this morning. He needed the sleep. Yes, the sun is fully overhead." A rapid scan of the room revealed we were the only ones inside.

Blinking, I asked, "Where are the wounded men?"

"Most of the men in this room died during the night. The bodies are with their families now," Hajin answered in a fatherly tone.

Entering the room, Derwen said, "The damaged and dying are now in my warehouse with healers."

The lifeless faces of villagers sprawled in death last night seeped into my mind. Derwen brought me back with her next statement. "My ship and crew are indebted to you for your spirited defense last night. Consider yourself welcome on any passage of the Nethring Ship Company."

"Ah," I croaked. "Thank you Lady Derwen."

She laughed and said, "Such a pleasant young gentleman."

Hajin roared a burst of mirth, saying," I can point to thirty terrified men waiting for him with their life in the balance. They would say he is certainly not pleasant." I could tell he thought that was really funny.

Outside in the light of day I surveyed a line of men, kneeling with their arms bound with a short stick weaved between the bend of their elbows and back. All of these men wore soiled coarse linen cloths. I walked before them, down the length of the line.

"Lady Derwen what would the penalty for such men be in Convey?" I inquired.

"If they are high born, they may be ransomed back to their family," she began. "A particularly angry lord or lady of Convey might sell them as slaves at Conquest Point, a neutral port city on the coast. Generally, we indenture them for a period of 5-7 years."

I was a bit surprised about the selling slaves answer. "I assume after the indenture period they are free?" I quizzed Derwen.

"Yes. However, since they have no resources, normally they join a trade or enter someone's personal service."

I continued, "Captain Hajin, generally, what would the Rinsky Clan do to such captives that invade their domain?"

With no emotion, he answered, "We kill them." That was more or less what I thought he would say.

The entire compound was clear of dead bodies and weapons. I had the full attention of the prisoners and Hajin's mercenary squad that stood quietly behind the prisoners. Hajin and Derwen stood alone near the blockhouse. It hit me no villagers were present except two crossbow men on the roof with Regenn. "Where are the village men Hajin?"

I asked. "My Lord Marsh Wizard they are hunting the slavers that ran into the wilderness last night from the other island."

I just nodded. "Is he just playing up my title for these men do you think? " I pondered to myself.

I quietly asked Derwen to scan each prisoner and single out anyone that was a concern or likely threat. She walked behind the prisoner line and only pointed out one man with a sweep of her finger. My stomach growled. I ignored it, saying, "Consider yourselves indentured for a term of 6 years to me. All except one man." I took a sip of water from my water tube and continued, "You are not slaves but there may be years of hard service. I will treat you honestly and with justice. You will call me merely Master Solon." I singled out the man Derwen had implicated as a problem. "This man I give to Regenn and the Rinsky Clan for their justice in a token of my respect." Regenn nodded to me from the roof.

"Derwen, do you have a good ship's cook?" I said with a wide smile. She took my arm and led me to a rowboat manned by professional sailors. Hajin had accompanied us and I asked him to arrange for my new servants to be fed and given water. Also, I asked Hajin to let Tharin sleep as long as possible before sending him to the Lady's ship. Derwen suggested we move some new men to the warehouse island and put them to work there. We left Hajin with his duty and the care of my men. Plans formed in my mind for these men. I had dreams to achieve that needed some manpower. I didn't want to live in a swamp.

Over a catfish lunch I pressed Lady Derwen about the details of her enterprise. She had a large merchant shipping business and sponsored Hajin's mercenary company. In exchange for her patronage Hajin provided her ships with trained marine guards and bodyguards for her estate and person. Hajin The Silent's free company served regular contracts for the Amarian King. The free company trained recruits on an isolated grassland estate on Convey. Hajin's contract company based out of Conquest Point where Derwen's main business interests happen to be located.

Derwen's family had a long history of dealings with the marsh people and their poverty hit a soft spot for her. The Galit's village traded furs, fresh water fish, and cord-grass for winter use on her mule farm on Convey. She provided crafted metal products and an outlet for under employed young men. A marsh mercenary man's pay often found its way back to the village to help provide for the extended family. Hajin mentioned with the large loss of life at what is being called the, "Wizard's Battle," he would not be recruiting on this trip. There were too many widows and some time was needed to rearrange families. The Galit would invite some young men to settle here from smaller lower-class villages. I found it eye opening to learn more about the nomadic marsh villagers.

Derwen escorted me on a tour around the warehouse and Tharin joined us there with Coven. Beside Coven there were not many injured men here. We dodged a few mule teams that were being used to drag large bales of cut grass from a small shallow barge to the ship. Coven pointed out a pile of armor and weapons on a few wood pallets, saying," That is the loot from the men you slew with your short sword. The victor of a trial by combat earns the spoils."

Derwen said, "When stories of your deeds arrived it cleared up the confusing battle we saw from the docks. I thought surely you could not account for so many fallen warriors. The arrival of your spoils put my doubts to shame."

I felt awkward around women, lost for words, and I said, "I hope this will not be an inconvenience for you?" She giggled, and answered, "My victor you are a modest one. They will remain there until you call for them. However, I saw a few of the chain mail vests needed repair. It would be no trouble to ship them to a craftsman for repair." I just nodded. She kissed my forehead.

"Tharin and Coven, please take any armor or weapons you want from the piles," I said quietly. They nodded agreement. "More importantly I ask for your service as my armsmen. So there is no confusion, an armsman swears allegiance to a liege for life and officially enters their service, with an understanding of mutual protection and care." They each dropped to a knee and agreed.

"Lady Derwen, I see lots of tools, planed wood boards and empty barrels in here. I have a few personal projects that need manpower, materials and tools. Can I ask for your understanding and indulgence of a loan," I sincerely asked. "Why of course young Lord Solon. Anything on this property is at your disposal. My house is happy to call you a friend. We help our friends," she continued, "Hajin and I are interested in you visiting Convey with us to visit my family and friends."

It was clear the supplies and request were tied together. To be polite, I immediately said, "Yes, that is fine," without a second breath, I finished, "However it will be a few weeks for me to get my indentured men settled here."

"Of course Von, that gives me time to go home and handle some business. Our trip to see the Galit has been very rewarding," she answered. She pointed at an ebony scribe by a table of papers and told me he was the warehouse manager that would provide me with all I would need. We chatted about my immediate ideas and before she walked away, I asked her to scan the indentures and identify six men that seemed open minded and accepting of their new life.

I glanced at my young companions after drawing a map of the coastline west of the dock. The images of my dream were clear in my mind. "We are going to claim this set of hills for our new Clan," I said. Over lunch I had asked Derwen about land claims and control. She encouraged me to expand my relationship with the thankful Rinsky clan but not worry about land claims with nomads. "With Lady Derwen's assistance we are going to build a homestead there, we will lay our roots next to your former clan. Gather a few friends that are willing to follow me."

We slept on the ship that night. After a morning meal with Lady Derwen and, before the dawn's tide took her to Convey, we said our goodbyes. Hajin released two of his men to me for protection on my expedition. He was going with Derwen. Regenn insisted I take two crossbowmen to deal with any stray slavers we might come across. My armsmen recruited a number of men and women to accompany us. Good humored young men with fine temperaments filled a barge with a few daring and perhaps reckless older women. "An interesting combination of friends my companions gathered," I thought.

My musings were interrupted by Palus snaking an arm around my neck. "You did not come to the Galit's for your special meal last night. Then today I hear my father's guest is going on a short adventure before leaving with Lady Derwen for Convey." I gulped and shuffled my feet nervously. Her thin mahogany lips curled ferociously before saying, "I am going as the healer." Palus declared but her beetle-black eyes were asking me.

I kinked my neck up to her face. "All the better, a member of the Galit's noble family attending the establishment of the new clan ally's home in the Juniper Hills."

I matched her bold maneuver with my own. I caressed her slender shoulder, addressing the other adventurers, "Two dugouts will go ahead to investigate the site of my homestead. Two teams of mules will pull the barge along the shore as you pole it. Coven is in charge of the barge and all its people. The crossbowmen will provide security for the mule team drivers."

Palus asked, "Who goes in the two dugouts?"

I chuckled, "You will lead the second dugout with Hajin's men. Tharin and a fisherman friend will join me in the lead dugout."

By the end of the day the dugouts arrived at the stream flowing out the Juniper Hills. Salt spray was in the air from the sea. Numerous low spreading shrubs with needle-like green leaves covered the otherwise barren, sand covered hill. We dodged around the small coniferous shrubs as we followed the stream up into steep hills. The combination of tight groups of tall pine trees and granite rock formations made it a tough climb to the granite pool from my dream.

"This open clearing will contain my homestead. Other cabins will be built along the stream we discovered below," I said in an authoritative voice. I stepped forward and extended my hand to each member of the small party. Tharin cocked an eyebrow as I said, "We will create a better world. It starts here in this place. Thank you for being apart of it." I felt a bit emotional for some reason. " A place to call my own." I thought.

Palus shook her hair whimsically, saying, "Not much of a place to grow vegetables on." Her calm gazes transfixed me as I fumbled for words. She just laughed at me. Her black hair in a long braid down her back whipped at me as she threw her head side to side. "So easy to tease my Marsh Wizard." The lewd laughter from the men made her stop. I would say she was blushing, but I was unsure because of her golden brown skin.

A gleeful handful of the water confirmed my dream. "Mineral water. A thirst quencher with a fresh taste. A combination of carbonic acid and rich minerals that flows through various rock layers to create natural carbonation. This will become liquid gold for my clan," I thought. I pulled out my small iron cooking pot and let the cool water of the natural spring spill in, as it shot out like a magical fountain from a fissure in the gray granite cliff wall. Curiosity overrode Palus's earlier embarrassment when I offered her the first drink. I whispered for her ears alone, "This magical water with other ingredient will cast out certain diseases. My clan's healer will have this secret knowledge. Will you be that healer?" Palus's eyes remained calm but her hand shook sloshing water from the pot.

Frozen in her tracks, Palus gazed at me with a trace of uncertainty. After a moment she relaxed and gave an involuntary snort, loudly saying, "With this drink I pledge myself to the house of Von Solon."

I smiled and returned her gaze with mine. "Thank you most noble and gentle healer. I promise my friendship, protection and care for your beautiful contribution to our house," I answered her, but continued in a small voice away from the men, "with the secrets you seek and perhaps affection."All of us were pleased with the water.

The barge's arrival was uneventful and most of the clan watched the large orange sunset. Some of the men washed themselves behind the barge, away from the fire. A few appointed armed guards, men and women, stood the first watch of the night. All of us had enjoyed a dinner of bread and fish. I had spent some time with the six indentured men that came on the trip, making them feel welcome in my camp. I told them that this was their home now and they could have a fruitful life with us. I explained they would not be guarded but trusted; we were far from civilization and if they helped make this homestead a success, in six years they would have their own cabin and freedom to pursue a trade, or else continue with me as an armsman. They seemed receptive.

Later, around a fire near the dugouts, a yawning Palus's head lay on my shoulder. The scent of mules mixed with the salt air spray. A buxom woman with missing front teeth stripped naked and strutted over to a young man and they settled in his furs for the night. I watched with wide eyes as a scarred older woman similarly striped before a young man and entered his blanket. Palus took it in stride, saying, "They are recent widows from the slaver attack. They are bonding with their new providers. It is our way."

Embarrassed but needing to understand this culture, I asked, "Is it an informal arrangement or is a more lasting bond expected from sharing beds?"

Enjoying my undivided attention, Palus answered, "If a widow spends the entire night with the young man he is committed as her new husband and expected to provide for her until death. Of course, if he is wealthy he can take another younger wife to bear children, too."

I cleared my throat uncomfortably and sucked a drink from my water tube. "They are both clearly motivated to use their talents to succeed," I said laughing.

"You understand this ancient dance well," Palus said, clearly amused with me. A chilly breeze swept of the sea.

"Well, no dancing for me tonight but would you share my wool blanket for warmth in your capacity as a healer?" I asked boldly.

She batted her eyes, I barely heard her words," Well perhaps a pale skinned man is more susceptible to the cold. I will observe this temperature problem." Palus flattened her breasts against my arm.

We all woke up early to sea gulls calling, feasting on the salt water fish. True to her word, Palus had snuggled up to me in the wool blanket. I hated to move but I had urges to get rid of some water. Nearby those two other couples were busy under their covers, without regard to the sounds they were making. An ache of desire hit me and I flushed slightly when I saw Palus's smile on her lips. Tharin walked by handing apples to everyone from the barge supplies. Palus ate hers as I disappeared around the barge for a few moments.

I made it Tharin's and the indentures' job to fill most of the empty barrels and transport them, using the mules to the barge. I paired up each crossbowman with a mercenary to walk a perimeter around the camp and work areas. A few men went spear fishing in the shallow channel. The women went looking for berries with finely meshed reed baskets. Our sole archer and his son went hunting the plentiful game in the hills. The rest of the men chopped down a patch of tall pine trees to start making our first log cabin. I worked with Coven to make a number of simple lean to shelters to provide temporary cover for everyone, the potential for rain showers and bad weather on our minds. That left a few little boys to tend the fires.

I was fascinated by the sea and took lunch by the dugouts, eating honeycakes with a little watered down wine. With detached interest I watched a pretty young woman net-fishing, her wet white linen shirt outlining the curve of her breasts well. She was tall with wide hips and full body, the second prettiest woman in the party.

My timing, however, was not the best, as Palus nonchalantly dropped down in front of me eating roasted squirrel. "Enjoying the view I see." I knew she was teasing me.

"That is Swarta. We picked berries together this morning. She is a lovely and determined woman. Like the other women here, she asks all kinds of questions about the young, unpledged wizard. All the women here are most impressed with you, which is why they are here. Of course she is one of the new unattached battle widows in need of a partner. The poor, young woman's family selected her mate only this spring. You see, Swarta resisted suitors too long and now she is over 18." I was caught speechless with this line of discussion.

With inspiration, I said, "Unquestionably pretty, she would make a lovely match for Tharin." I laughed, ducking her effort to cuff my head.

A bemused Palus said, "Yes, your armsman would be a wonderful catch for any of the women here. The wizard's man will have some importance in your clan." Unable to repress a smile, I detected in her conversation to how she got our hunter to part with one of his squirrels. As she walked away she simply said the hunter knows how important it is to stay on the good side of his healer.

The rest of the day all the adults help strip branches and trim logs. I used the advanced nano feature of my blade to chop up huge sections of the trees quickly. The work to fell trees and cut them to length went amazingly fast. The slowest part of the process was using the mules to move the logs to the various building sites. Swarta and Palus remained close together for most of the day, always whispering under their breath and laughing in my direction. No matter where I moved among the sites, they followed and worked within my ear's reach.

I explained to our clan members these first cabins were going to be small and crude without fireplaces. Later these buildings would be turned into storage sheds. These cabins were not much taller than the tallest man here, and both the length and the width of the cabins were three body-lengths. The planed wood we shipped to the homestead were be used for doors, window shutters, and roofs. We were short on planed wood so I made it the indentured men's job to make all we needed. The marsh people treated me as if I were building each of them a wonderful palace. All the women except Palus made it a point to bring me water while I was working and expressed their pleasure in the "safehold" we were building for each couple. I had announced that attached women got the first cabins.

The evening brought another beautiful sunset sky this time a giant red fire ball was on the western horizon, the entire sky filled with tones of red and orange. I spoke a random pearl of wisdom, the old adage, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning."

The fishing maid, Swarta, inquired, "Is that wizard knowledge?" a serious expression on her face. Coven, Tharin, Palus and the archer's young son looked at me expectantly over our cooking fire.

I answered honestly, "That is a bit of a deep memory that just came out." "No harm in elaborating," I thought. A red sky at sunset means the weather is stable. Mother Moon is happy and all is calm. A red sky in the morning means a storm may be coming from the east. A high amount of water is in the sky and the rain is coming. Father Moon is watering the world.

Clearly uneasy Swarta asked, "Is this secret knowledge or can we share it with others?" her stare unwavering at my delayed response. "It is clan knowledge. People of our house are free to discuss it within our family. To keep our members safe it is best we not upset outsiders who might think something we hold true is some sort of unholy thing. Who knows what knowledge I will share without thinking, not realizing it could be offensive to some faction, thus bringing harm to one of my beloved?" I said with a grin. They all nodded as though Moon Mother just spoke. I felt like Palus's eyes warmed with pride at learning a wizard secret. I felt heat from her gaze glide across my checks.