“You, Hunter,” he said, turning to me, “are empowered to do whatever you must to protect my daughter, see to her safety and eventual return to Taslea. You may go now. My daughter must speak or burst and what she has to say is for family only. Again, my thanks.”
The gentleman bowed graciously to me as I turned on my heel to leave. No sooner had the door closed behind me than I heard the Lady Shelba’s voice pierce the air. I did not look forward to my new duty nor did I envy her future mate. The joys of her magnificent body could never equal her quick anger or the strength of her lungs.
###
The caravan had already been formed when I arrived in the hour before dawn. Lonnan and a detail of Rahdon Sekers had escorted the three slave girls. My ten Sekers had been handpicked by the First Officer of the House of Rorkan and were their finest. I would have preferred men of my own House but we did not wish to take any more risks than necessary.
Lonnan had not approached the wagon directly, stopping a street away to turn his charges over to my men. He clasped my forearm in farewell and urged me to be cautious. “With matters as they are now in Taslea it is just as well you two are gone. But I will miss you. Guard my Lady well.”
This was a routine caravan, long planned and no attention was directed towards us as we departed through the main gates. Renakor, the sponsoring merchant of my wagon, had not been told what was occurring but he was trusted and known as a man of few words.
Our first two days passed without event. As we left the final vestiges of civilization behind and began our slow ascent into the sprawling mountains, I hoped the rest would as well.
12. CARAVAN TO LATHANAH
By custom the greatest number of wagons ostensibly sponsored by a single merchant took the caravan’s lead. As the leading wagon group also possessed the greatest number of Sekers under one command, the officer of that detail made all the important decisions for the entire caravan. His was the final say in matters concerning campsites, departing and stopping times and for maintaining order within the caravan. In the strictest sense no one need heed his authority but it was unwise to travel alone between the cities and that would have been the inevitable consequence.
Each wagon posted guards nightly, some located as sentries in the forest to sound alarm at first sign of an intruder. I permitted the Lady Shelba outside our wagon only in darkness and then only within the protective circle of the wagons. My men and the merchant clearly understood no one must touch her except me. While it was not unheard of for the commanding Seker to claim exclusivity, it was unusual. She chafed under the restrictions I imposed but obeyed nevertheless.
My Sekers ignored the Lady and she ignored all of us, especially me. She had said nothing to me since our departure, acknowledging my presence with occasional spiteful looks. But now she wore the meager garments of a slave and no longer the flowing robes of a Free Women. I wondered how that made her feel.
Kaldak, Commander of One Hundred, commanded the detail of Sekers guarding the lead wagons. A devoted battle hardened Seker, I found him a worthy veteran to emulate. He had selected this particular campsite our third night out with potential attack in mind. A wide stream protected one flank and an open field would expose an approaching enemy on another. The road hugged the third portion of the circle, the forest just touching our perimeter on the final edge. A better than average situation I had thought as we finished forming the defensive circle, oxen to the center.
Kaldak, ever cautious, had strode about the circle like a captain stalking his ship, double checking the placement of Sekers by each wagon. He ordered occasional changes which all obeyed instantly and without argument for such was the respect this Seker commanded.
His competence and abilities were in sharp contrast to the wasted woman within my wagon, I thought, kneeling beside the evening fire Zelia had begun. The Lady Shelba knew nothing of life, indeed nothing of reality, so sheltered had her existence been. So sheltered indeed were the lives of most within the High Caste and in that sense she was not to be faulted.
She and many others born to the High Caste considered themselves superior to those of the Low Caste; the farmers, laborers, shop keepers, artisans, all those who comprised useful Doridian society. The High Caste possessed, among others, the scholars, physicians, officers and their family members. Unfortunately, most family members, the vast majority of the High Caste, held no position at all and made no positive contribution to Doridian society. These parasites were content to lord it over one another in intricate unwritten social rules and to ignore, snub or insult the Low Caste.
The two traditional Castes were firmly fixed, although the merchants were increasing their wealth to such an extent that they were slowly emerging as a de facto Middle Caste. The Guild-less Sekers had long lobbied that they be merged in a Guild of their own along with the merchants and that the two Guilds form a new Middle Caste.
Not only had this plan been vetoed repeatedly by the Council of the High Caste in Taslea but the merchants resisted it as well. They profited from the existing situation and were simply unwilling to risk the wrath of the High Caste by supporting change. Theirs was a vital role, for through them alone could the wealthy High Caste increase its holdings. The High Caste was prohibited participation in business. The merchants eagerly served as front men, sharing in the profits. Thus the High Caste preserved its outward facade as an elite gentry while making a handsome return on its investments. It was a hypocritical system that I found particularity distasteful. The more I saw of the High Caste, the more I disliked it.
Kaldan’s presence on the caravan was typical of the situation. He was under lifetime contract to the House of Orthan, one of the many Lesser Houses in Taslea. The Merchant Gorahn ostensibly owned the goods in the first eight wagons of this caravan. In fact, the Merchant Gorahn’s backers were members of the House of Orthan. Kaldak was to all outward appearance rented out to the Merchant Gorahn but in reality he commanded along the route and saw to the safe keeping of the Orthan investment. The merchant only commanded in the market place.
This was the practice that had prevented me from taking Sekers of the Great House of Rahdon. They would have clearly shown Rahdon interest in this caravan, something our true intent precluded. But at least one Seker of the Rahdon household was required to command the detail and safeguard the Lady Shelba. No Urak would ever place his daughter totally into the hands of another, even friends.
Kaldan’s position of authority as Commander of One Hundred might surprise the
unknowledgeable observer. But his rank was the highest a Low Caste Seker could achieve. Officers were of the High Caste and elevation to it was only possible upon vote of the Council of the High Caste, a rare though not unheard of step if a Urak wished to reward a particularly deserving Seker. Competent officers had to come from somewhere.
Commanders frequently saw to the daily affairs of Sekers with little interference from Officers. They well knew their duty and saw to it.
I sat beside Zelia’s fire to rest my legs. She had a metal pot over the flames and was slicing fragrant vegetables and fresh meat into it, beginning a rich stew. The Merchant Renakor, slender, closed mouthed, business- like joined me, nodding by way of greeting. For any other than a merchant this would have been thought rude. For a merchant it was expected.
The first day out he had extended his best wishes for a safe journey. I, in turn, had offered mine for a prosperous one. Merchants were of a singular mind and Renakor was typical of his Guild. I had as yet never seen him smile and wondered if he ever did. Not surprisingly, given human nature, it was considered an insult to call someone a merchant, unless he was one.
Considering the wealth within the wagons around me, I reflected that only a fool ignores the worth of gold. If one could choose between owning much gold or commanding many Sekers, one should choose gold. Steel can be purchased but when one has steel and no gold, the Sekers soon follow those who can pay. It was for this reason the High Caste remained a power in all the cities of k
nown Doridia.
They were, I thought, mistaken to allow the merchants, thoughtful, considered men such as Renakor, to accumulate wealth.
###
The fires had burned to glowing, ghostly embers beneath the clear Doridian sky. The oxen stirred silently in their places from time to time. I had checked the guards after Zelia’s excellent meal and was now back beside the dying fire.
The crisp night air warned of approaching winter. Inside the wagon the Lady Shelba slept, wrapped in her furs, Sekers laying beneath the wagon catching sleep before their watch. Some sat about other fires talking in hushed voices, the dark forest having a silencing effect on them.
A slave girl approached and stood quietly, a distance from the fire. It was Lena, from the villa. When I had first seen her three days before she had looked a lot younger than I remembered.
“Approach the fire,” I said. She moved to the embers as commanded.
“May a slave speak, Master?” she asked, head bowed respectfully. I gestured for her to sit.
“Yes,” I replied.
“I am very happy for you, Master. Happy to see you gain your freedom and to rise so swiftly in service to the Urak Rahdon.” Her voice was soft, delicate like I imagined a fawn would sound if one could speak.
We sat in silence for a long time, each of us within his own thoughts, the silence hanging in the air like an unanswered question.
“Thank you, Lena,” I said at last. “for calling me by name when everyone else thought me an idiot. It meant a great deal to me.” She blushed. Free Men never showed that kind of attention to a slave. “Have you always been a slave?” I asked, thoughtlessly, really only wanting to get to know her a little better.
“Oh no,” she replied. “I was raised in Teeves, the daughter of one in the Guild of
Silversmiths.” There was considerable pride in her voice when she spoke of her father and his trade.
“Tell me how you came to be slave,” I asked. She was a lovely slave, even if young. Doridian values, especially when it came to slaves, were remarkably different from my own. She had large, dark, sad eyes and already I was sorry I’d asked her.
“We were a large family and happy,” she began hesitantly. “My father was the son of a Silversmith whose work was much in demand by those of the High Caste. He was not an ambitious man and sought only to raise his family in peace.
“He had arranged fine marriages for my older sisters and I knew in time he would do the same for me. My mother became quite ill and one of the Subcaste of Physicians recommended that she be taken to a quiet place. Teeves lies near the sea and my father arranged an ocean cottage for the summer. As I was the youngest and the favorite, my mother would not go without me. I was eager to accompany her, excited at the prospect of a summer by the shore.
“We arrived uneventfully. Sekers of Teeves patrol the sea road heavily. I was just budding into womanhood and my mother would no longer allow me to run about naked. I was clothed as an unmarried Free Woman and began to attract the interest of several young fishermen. We were of the city and of the Guild of Silversmiths, so no match was possible with them, of course. Also, I was still too young. But my mother looked with patience upon my first experiences with love. She knew I would do nothing to disgrace my family. Am I boring Master?” she asked.
“No. Go on, Lena.”
“A storm swept the coast those last summer days scattering driftwood high along the shore. I loved driftwood, especially the small intricate pieces that looked as though they had been carved by hand and ground smooth.
“I ran from one pile of wood to the next and soon wandered far down the beach. I was enjoying myself so much that I never noticed. I was selecting a special piece of wood for each member of my family. At last it was growing dark and with alarm I realized I was too far from the cottage. I began to run home but it was much too late for that.
“A small band of outlaws poaching close to the sea fell upon me. I was bound and taken to their camp concealed within the forest. There, the first night, I was staked to the ground and much used by all of the men, most several times over.” Her voice dropped to a whisper before she continued and I cursed my stupidity in asking her to tell me this.
“Within a few days they had well taught me the meaning of my slavery. I was taken to a field at the new moon where a lone merchant traded with them each month in violation of the codes of his Guild. They sold me for some arrow tips and a small knife. The merchant returned me to his wagon in the caravan and kept me chained within. Some days later, just outside the walls of Taslea, I was sold to Urak Rahdon’s overseer for one copper coin. I have been at the villa now for five years.”
It was, I supposed, a not atypical story for one taken into slavery. Yet it touched me. Gently I moved my hand to her arm as the girl cried softly from reliving her terrible experience.
“I am sorry, Lena. I too know what it means to be a slave, to be taken from one’s family and forced to live with strangers.”
She fought the tears welling up in her eyes. “Take pity, Master, on this poor slave girl and take her to your furs. Will Master take pity and hold this slave?”
I could understand her need to be held, to be shown gentleness and kindness.
Without speaking, I took her to my place beneath the wagon, slightly apart from the others and gently lay her within my fur sleeping robe. I removed my armor, placed my sword beside me and I lay with her, pulling the heavy robe over us, burying us in its soft warmth and held the little slave girl to me throughout the long night.
In the still, calm blackness before dawn, she stopped crying at last and slept. She would awaken again to slavery while I, though with strangers, fell asleep a Free Man.
###
Daybreak revealed a clear, bright morning, dew heavy upon the thick grass and branches of the forest trees. During this journey I had come to admire the beauty of the vast, virgin forest and I observed that I experienced less apprehension and dread in it than native Doridians.
Kaldak ordered our departure without breakfast fires. I munched jerky and drank a flask of spring water while supervising preparations. Lena went about her duties without a word to me as was proper for a slave. She had slept deeply once she slept and had not even stirred when I had left the warmth of our bed to change the final watch.
I looked in briefly on my third slave but as before she remained silent, choosing only to glare hatefully at me. I smiled my best but somehow it failed to cheer her.
I considered momentarily ordering her to walk with the other two slaves only I planned to put her in chains at the wagon’s rear. I immediately dismissed the plan. Such pettiness was unseemly even if it would have been fun.
The narrow dirt road climbed slowly through the mountain range which was but one obstacle separating Taslea from Lathanah. The forest through which we passed teemed with wildlife attesting to Doridia’s fertility.
Agile deer, skittish beaver and massive elk abounded. The clear sky was filled with plentiful, florid birds, singing cheerful pleasant calls. Quail and pheasant darted and fluttered along the route. I observed fish, floating unafraid in the clear streams we traversed. How different was all this from my first impressions of the forest when I had been a slave.
The vast forest remained fairly constant along our route, thick with undergrowth and heavy vines. At irregular intervals the trees would open abruptly revealing grass covered meadows, the stems of flowers still visible from summer. I thought a spring journey along this same route would be most enjoyable.
The air was richer, I was certain, than that which I had known in my own world. I suspected this was because Doridia was mostly unsettled and still in an undeveloped state. Here were no asphalt cities, no devastated forests, no exhausted, abandoned soil, no decimated wildlife. I thought this land must have been much as the first settlers discovered America and Europe to have been. A better land in every way than man had made them.
We proceeded at the caravan’s usual ponderous pace, maintaining a c
lose vigil on the darkening forest. One could never anticipate when outlaws might elect to attack. We were not particularity large but any caravan was a worthy target.
By nightfall we had completed the fourth day of what I had been told would be an eleven day journey to Lathanah. My instructions upon arriving there were to escort my three slaves to the Urak of the Great House of Kahbatoh and there keep the Lady Shelba until instructed otherwise. It was anticipated that we would remain throughout the winter.
Great caution had been exercised in escorting the Lady Shelba to the caravan and from there to our destination. We would continue cautiously until this caravan departed without us on its return to Taslea. No others would arrive or depart for some months during the winter, so the Lady Shelba would be allowed some freedom within the city. Doubtless she would enjoy lording it over the High Caste of Lathanah. I suspected that she would be insufferable and did not look forward to my winter duty.
Camp was made that night as before, in a time honored and proven manner. The Sekers were particularity observant as we were well within the uncivilized forest. The moon had set and the fires were but embers when I last checked my men and prepared to retire. I had earlier sent the slave girl Lena to my sleeping furs. Placing my weapons close at hand I crawled in beside her.
She had unexpectedly removed her clothing and greeted me with the smooth, silken skin of her feverishly warm body.
“Lena, I didn’t take you to my furs for this purpose,” I stammered.
“I know, Master,” she whispered huskily. “Had you wished you would have taken me before or last night. Please, don’t talk. Just let me...”
Her voice trailed off when she placed her moist mouth to my chest, her hands gently stroking my body.
13. THE FOREST
The outlaws I followed were moving deeper into the forest, encumbered only slightly by their two captives. They moved parallel to a stream while I maintained unobtrusive pace with them further up on a hillside. They were less cautious than earlier that day when my pursuit began and I thought perhaps I could move against them that night.
Hunter: Warrior of Doridia (The Saga of Jon Hunter Book 1) Page 11
