by Joe Zeigler
Before sunup, Danijel was moving through the site instructing people to break camp and load up. “I want to start moving at sunrise,” he said.
Micaela dutifully folded, stacked, and tied in her well-practiced manner. She saw Maxtla packing on the other side of the camp, where he had apparently moved sometime yesterday. Initially, he had erected his shelter very close to Micaela’s site. Now his shelter was as far away as possible while still being inside the camp. Something was very wrong. Perhaps she had not pleased him.
“Did Waarrar get off all right?” Liùsaidh asked.
“Indeed, he has gone to a better place.”
***
One of Caddarak’s scouts was already on the run to report the People’s movement, and within hours, the Raiders were on the move to intercept. The Raiders had worked fast to rearm using the flint captured from Ohad. Now they were ready, and Caddarak knew that Danijel would not be expecting them so soon.
***
Micaela joined the procession midway, consciously avoiding the end and the front of the column. She wanted a lot of people between her and trouble. The forest was thick with pine trees, and the steep canyon walls rose high on each side of the river. The trail ran close beside and at times dipped down into the shallows, forcing them to wade.
But it was now downhill all the way. They made good time, trailed by the Raider scouts moving along the rim.
***
The Raider warriors lay ahead, awaiting Danijel’s line of march. Nabihah was meeting with his lieutenants and planning the attack. Caddarak was sitting unobtrusively off to the side and saying nothing, as he had promised. So far, Nabihah’s competence impressed him.
The conference had been going on for some time, and Nabihah was summing up. “So,” he continued, “we will split the men into one party of seventy and another party of twenty-five. General Cadall will command the larger group that will attack the line close to the middle. Cadall,” he said, looking directly at the young man, “I want you to attack so as to split their line of march at the point where most of their warriors are in front, and the women carrying the booty are behind. Then I want you to wheel your men and advance toward the front, engaging their warriors, while General Daegtan leads his group to seize the goods and make off with as many young girls as he can.”
“Daegtan,” he said, now fixing his gaze on the general, “use opportunity, and your imagination, to accomplish as much as possible. Move fast and with intimidation. Force the young girls to carry the booty. Kill two right off to make their situation clear, but Daegtan, no more than two.”
Both of the young men grunted acknowledgment, and Nabihah continued. “We are on the west side of the canyon now. We will move downstream to where the Mud River joins from the east. There we will descend into the canyon and set up our ambush. We will attack them from this side, cross the river at the ford just north of the Mud River, and retreat up the river.”
Leaning back against a convenient tree, Nabihah continued, his eyes half-closed. “Daegtan will cross first with the prize. Cadall, you will delay and spread confusion among Danijel’s people as long as you feel comfortable. Then move your men quickly across the river. If they follow immediately, they will be disorganized, and you will be able to turn them around at the east bank. If they pause to regroup, you will retreat as quickly as possible, trailing pickets to slow them down.”
“Yes, Nabihah,” they replied in unison.
Then Nabihah turned to Caddarak. “I plan to follow the Mud River north with our new possessions. Gedeon and the Traders will be on the main trail behind Danijel. On the Mud River, we will pass to the east of his line of march and avoid him if you choose. Or, if Providence suggests, you might decide to attack his flank at the drop, when half of his men are below and half above.”
Caddarak nodded with approval, still pleased with Nabihah’s performance.
Tribute
Danijel’s people arrived at a campsite called the Ledge. When Liùsaidh stepped to the edge, thirty feet above the river, cook fires were already going, shelters had been erected, and it felt warm and peaceful. A welcome change. The Ledge was an actual stone ledge unearthed many millennia ago by the flow of the river. It now was the base of a large, flat area beside and above the river, backed by a vertical sandstone cliff. A depression close to the cliff filled with water, which the People used for domestic water and bathing. The children especially enjoyed playing in the reservoir.
Liùsaidh had set up Danijel’s camp in the space between the pond and the face of the cliff. This set Danijel apart from the masses and provided some privacy. She prized the privacy, as she had decided this was the right time to introduce Ixchel. Now she could see as well as feel the increasing roundness of her belly, and she knew that soon she would not be sexually attractive. So she sought the solution before Danijel got ideas and wandered uncontrollably.
At that moment, Danijel was busy leading his own war council. “Where is Glooscap?” he asked.
There was a long moment of silence before Ohad answered. “He stayed behind at the last camp to wait for Gedeon. I employed him to engage in some trade on my behalf.”
Ah, Danijel thought, I can imagine what Ohad is trading for. He is trying to make up, or cover up, his loss of the flint. Unfortunate, as Danijel had planned on using Glooscap’s leadership talents in the maneuvers the next day. Well, nothing to be done…
“All right,” Danijel started, “we are going to change the order of march tomorrow. Reverse it, actually. I will lead the column with five men, followed by the women, children, and the dogs with travois. The men will follow up in the rear.” Expressions of confusion met his words. But the people were silent and attentive. He continued, “Just before the junction of the Mud River is a small clearing on the right-hand side of the trail. I will position myself there, and as the women pass, I will relieve them of a portion of their load to fund a tribute for the Raiders, who will be lying in ambush just one hundred yards farther downstream. At the clearing, I will turn the women and children east down a small, almost overgrown path that will lead them to the ford on the river. They will cross and move as quickly as possible up the Mud River.
“As you all know, the Mud River is the only practical way out of this canyon for a group such as ours. The men will follow, cross the river, and assume defensive positions on the east side of the ford.” He smiled, anticipating there would be more than a few questions.
“How do you know the Raiders will be there? The last time we saw them, they were panicked and in full retreat.”
“The scouts have been keeping close track of them since they were routed. Their main body is on the cliff edge above us now, and some of their men are at work preparing a path down, just below the Mud River junction.”
Ohad, true to his nature, asked, “Why a tribute? Why would we give them anything, when we have beaten them soundly at each encounter this year?”
“Yes.” Ohad’s words were echoed more than once. “Why give them anything? We have beaten them badly many times now.”
Danijel held up his hands as the group threatened disorder. “That is precisely the reason. We have won too often, and they will be determined and driven by their past humiliation to draw and give blood. No longer is it a matter of counting coup. If we fight them, there will be blood and a lot of it.”
“We are not afraid,” one young man shouted.
Then you don’t understand the situation, Danijel thought, but instead, he said, “Of course not. However, unless we are prepared to wipe out their tribe, to kill them all—which we are not going to do—then balance must be restored. Respect must be shown, and a battle must be lost. So, it follows that if we must lose a battle, then it should be a bloodless one. Their leader will accept the tribute, regain face, and gain everything he desires except young girls and blood. But he can spin that.”
“Surely you don’t mean to give them any of my property,” Ohad said.
That evening, when Danijel returned to his cam
psite, he found Ixchel chatting with Liùsaidh and helping prepare their evening meal.
The Stand-In
“Hello, Danijel,” Liùsaidh greeted him. “Ixchel is going to share our evening meal.” Ixchel continued to squat beside the fire. She kept her head lowered, not making eye contact.
“Welcome, Ixchel,” Danijel greeted her. He realized something was afoot. Liùsaidh invited few guests and never before a single woman. She would not even sit down with the other women of the household. It was too early to tell what, but Liùsaidh was planning something. What’s the occasion? What is she planning? he wondered.
As they sat to eat, the existence of a plot became more apparent. Liùsaidh was bubbling with happiness and enthusiasm while Ixchel sat quietly, still refusing to make eye contact.
“Danijel,” Liùsaidh said between bites of food, “the baby is enlarging me, and soon I will be disgustingly fat.” She rubbed her swollen belly for emphasis. “During this period, when I will be unappealing, your needs will be met by Ixchel, who, you must agree, is a beautiful and desirable young girl of sixteen years.” She reached over, put her hand under one of Ixchel’s tits, and gave it a bounce for emphasis.
Danijel glanced at Ixchel, who kept her eyes lowered. He smiled, which Liùsaidh took as a sign of approval, and she then smiled also. Then he shook his head slowly, quickly causing Liùsaidh to become uncertain.
“Liùsaidh, I don’t want this. You are my mate and the only one I desire. You will always be attractive to me. I don’t want a surrogate. I want you and only you. This is silly,” he said and waved his hand dismissively.
Ixchel gasped, and a tear leaked from her eye.
Liùsaidh thought, Yes, this is silly. Why is Danijel being stupid and stubborn? Can’t he see this is the ideal solution? His urges will be satisfied. The girl, already being pregnant, cannot become pregnant with his child, and just in time for me to reclaim Danijel and present him with his son, she will become fat and ugly. It’s perfect.
“Danijel, look at her beautiful red hair. She has the sleek body of a cat. You will find much pleasure with her until I am again attractive.”
This was clear to Danijel. He understood Liùsaidh’s thinking. It was like her to manipulate the outcome of events to her liking. Danijel didn’t mind. His ego was too strong to be challenged by a little social engineering by his woman, and he knew Liùsaidh had his interests, as well as her own, close to her heart. At times such as these, she became a little confused as to what his interests were. But he didn’t mind.
“Ixchel,” Liùsaidh commanded, “retire and wait as we discuss.”
Ixchel choked back a sob and scrambled into the shelter.
“Danijel, you are being idiotic. Just relax and accept Ixchel as my gift of love for you.”
She took his hand, led him to the shelter, and pushed him in. Danijel acquiesced, knowing resistance to be futile but having little interest in the girl, who was young enough to be his daughter and then some. Knowing Liùsaidh would not understand, he said nothing.
Ixchel positioned herself in the center of the shelter. She had removed her coverings and was kneeling, her head down and her bottom raised in the engaging manner in which Liùsaidh had instructed her.
Again, Danijel smiled and shook his head. He didn’t find this young girl with her ass in the air tempting at all. But he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. He moved around the periphery of the shelter toward her head to talk to her. With Liùsaidh’s admonition to present herself only on her hands and knees and never to look him in the eye, Ixchel scrambled to keep her bottom presented to Danijel. Danijel attempted to circle her in the other direction—to no avail. Ixchel merely rotated in the other direction.
Danijel laughed, eliciting another sob from Ixchel.
“No, no, child. I was not laughing at you. I was laughing at all of us…mainly Liùsaidh.” He sat down next to her butt, facing her feet, and put his arm around her waist. It was almost as if he had his arm thrown over her shoulders and they were speaking face-to-face.
“Listen, child, and to me, you are a child. You are young. You could be my daughter. Hell, you might be my daughter. Who can remember?” He laughed again. “And you are already with child. So what would be the point?”
“Please,” she whispered, “please don’t leave me like this.”
“OK,” he replied, withdrawing his arm and giving a firm shove to her hip, pushing her over onto her side.
She gasped and giggled despite herself.
“There, that’s better. Now, tell me…what is the plan? What has Liùsaidh told you and promised you? Are we to become a household of three?”
“I am not to talk with you. I am only to service you and to perform whatever acts you desire.”
“Yeah, right, I can imagine who made those rules. Well, you can forget that. Liùsaidh often imagines herself to be in charge but is sometimes mistaken.” Not often, he thought.
“I have no one and nothing. Micaela has Ohad, all the girls have someone—a relative, a friend, someone. Since the Breeding, I’ve been alone. My friends now avoid me, and what suitors I had now show no interest. And I’m old. I am sixteen years old, having been spared the Breeding until this year when my parents died. I’m old and without prospect or suitors. Liùsaidh promised I would be part of her family and your family. All I had to do was satisfy you. I have little knowledge of these things. But Liùsaidh has instructed me, and I will do anything that you like,” she said, tears leaking from her eyes.
The Breeding, Danijel thought bitterly. Perhaps, sometime in the dim past, this sort of thing had been necessary to keep the population at a viable number. In these times, it was just the rape of children by dirty old men of influence. Ohad…right, Micaela had Ohad, a father figure who took advantage of her kind soul and willingness to work. Ohad, who had been first in line to mount her during the Breeding. And Ohad, who had sold her again. Danijel was angry. Angry that he was powerless to change this act that he knew to be evil.
Powerless for now but not forever. Soon things will change.
“You will stay with us and help Liùsaidh with the chores during her pregnancy, and later with the baby. Your position will be as a daughter to us, and your child, our grandchild. There will be no more talk of servicing and no more waving your bare butt around in the air.”
She giggled, reminding Danijel that she was a child less than half his age.
“I will explain this to Liùsaidh, who will accept it,” he said sternly. Then he gave her a slap on her bottom and said, “Get dressed.” He rose and exited.
Liùsaidh was busy, or pretending to be, by the fire.
“How was she, Danijel?” she asked. “Will she do?”
“She is fine. I am disappointed that you think so little of me as to believe I would ravage a child solely for my own pleasure, with no regard for her. I’m disappointed that you think I am so easily manipulated by you dangling a piece of ass before me, completely controlled by you. But regardless, I love you, and we will both love this child. We will love her as a daughter, though, not as a sex object used to control me. Neither of these things is good, and we will reject them.”
Liùsaidh’s expression was one of bewilderment. This was not what she had expected at all. This man was outside her experience, and she was in awe. She would have to give this thought. Danijel had commented to her some time ago that it took a long time to actually know someone. Yes, she would have to consider.
“Prepare a place for her to sleep. In the morning, organize the chores and work that you would like her to accomplish or to help you with,” he ordered. He did not issue many orders to Liùsaidh. However, in light of her attempted maneuver, he felt the need.
Liùsaidh moved to obey. Their shelter was big, large enough to fit Danijel’s status, so it was simply a matter of erecting a privacy curtain and providing Ixchel with some bedding. Though she did not show it, Liùsaidh was thankful that her miscalculation had not had more dire consequences. Danijel’s reaction
astounded her. No man she had ever known would have rejected such a gift. Despite all the seasons they had been together, Danijel remained a mystery. She found herself wondering about all the women she had always imagined Danijel had. When he was gone for months between the migrations, she had thought him with other women, perhaps with a family. Was it not true? She would think on this also.
Paying for Sins
“What do you want?” the man asked Ohad. They were standing in the shadows just outside the camp, beyond hearing distance.
“I want for nothing. You know that.” Ohad replied disingenuously. The man was pressing hard for another go at Micaela for himself and his friends. Ohad was playing hard to get. He realized this was not a game, and it might be hard to gain Micaela’s cooperation again. Knowing that she was with child might make her suspicious of his real motives.
“Yet I heard that you are desperate for flint,” the man said quietly.
How did he learn that? Ohad wondered. The fact that he had lost a cache of flint weapons, and worse, lost it to the enemy, was his best-kept secret. That this insignificant man knew worried him.
“We will give you fifty flint arrowheads for one night with the girl.”
Ohad laughed, smiling in the darkness. “Even if I were desperate for flint, which I am not, fifty arrowheads each is a joke.”
“I think not,” the man retorted. “She is with child. A woman already occupied does not generate the same level of excitement as imagining your seed fertilizing her. And I’m offering fifty arrowheads for the night, not each.”
That gave Ohad pause for thought. But still, he snickered. “Go exercise your hand and dream, for that’s as close as you are going to get for fifty arrowheads each.” Ohad turned and walked back to the camp, deep in thought.
***
Ixchel was up early and had completed the obvious chores in preparation for moving down the trail. When Liùsaidh came out of the shelter, Ixchel was steaming vegetables in one of Micaela’s baskets and roasting a rabbit over the fire that she had coaxed into flame.
