The Ritual Of Neccar (The Adventures Of Pervikar Book 4)

by John Evans

  "None whatsoever."

  "Lady Karina, we sail in three hours," MacGill informed her. "I await your arrival with baited breath."

  "Great," thought Karina. "A witch, a succubus, a pirate and his crew all sailing to an unknown land. It just doesn't get any better."

  Chapter 13: The Sultan's Sons

  Karina looked at Al-Haminin in wonder. The city was easily as big as the Capitol, but its architecture was what amazed Karina the most. White plastered towers with onion-topped domes rose up in varying heights above the city walls. Arched windows dominated whereas Karina was used to square windows in buildings. Tilework and mosaics were in rich abundance. It was like nothing she had seen before.

  The voyage, which had started out several weeks ago, had been forced upon Captain MacGill and he resented it. Prince Antonio had blackmailed the captain to give Karina, Lorilei, and Phartom passage to Al-Haminin by seizing all the goods on his ship. Genese, now a royal consort, had been torn between staying at Firehold and traveling with Karina. Her indecision had grated on Karina's nerves.

  Princess Sophia altered Captain MacGill's attitude by dumping a large sack of gold into his startled hands to pay for their passage. That and the promised release of all of his impounded goods, minus taxes, of course, had done much to restore his good nature. Lorilei took care of Genese. In her cold, calculating manner, Lorilei had Genese examine the entire situation and its possible outcomes, both if she stayed and if she left. Genese hated her for it, but could not deny her logic. It was a bittersweet parting when Karina said goodbye to Genese.

  Only one serious problem occurred during the voyage. When the pirates had tried to capture the brig Karina had been sailing on, she had wounded one of them and he held a grudge against her for it. Karina had to constantly be on guard. A belaying pin nearly hit her when it fell from the rigging above. She had been splashed twice with seawater when he had been swabbing the deck. The final straw was when he released a barrel on deck to careen into her on the fifth day out.

  Karina stopped and picked up the heavy barrel to the surprise of the entire crew. The pirate, who had released it, yelled in shock and had to duck out of the way when she heaved it back at him. The barrel flew against the mainmast and shattered. Karina could hear Captain MacGill shouting questions from his cabin, but she had to keep her attention on the pirate. He had gotten up with a snarl and had drawn out a wicked looking dagger.

  Remarg did not enlarge, so Karina pulled her own dagger from its sheath. She and the pirate began to circle around one another, slashing as they searched for an advantage. Captain MacGill had rushed up on deck bellowing, but could not be heard over the shouts and cries of the crew, egging the two opponents on. The pirate feinted left and jabbed forward, scoring a bloody line on Karina's forearm. She backpedaled, hissing in pain, and then began circling again as the pirate grinned evilly at her.

  The grin fled from his face to be replaced by a look of pure hatred. He rushed forward, eager to end this before MacGill could interfere. Karina spun and ducked away from his lunge, feeling his knife whiz past her ear. She punched upward, hearing him grunt as her dagger slid up under his ribcage and piercing his heart.

  The two of them stayed frozen in that position until the pirate's last exhalation wheezed out of him and he collapsed onto the deck. Karina knelt down and covered the blackened wound to hide the poisonous nature of her dagger. Captain MacGill was furious, but did not attach any blame to Karina. He was angrier with himself for not putting a stop to it sooner. The dead pirate was tossed overboard and the crew became very respectful towards Karina.

  Phartom turned out to be a constant source of interest to Karina. With her blatant sexuality, revealing clothes, and suggestive mannerisms, Phartom received numerous subtle and not so subtle invitations and offers. She managed to turn them all down without actually doing so. Even Lorilei behaved on the voyage, or, at least, Karina never caught her doing anything.

  Al-Haminin's port was bustling with people, ships, ferries, drows, strange sights, and even stranger smells. Karina spotted an orc ship berthed at a nearby pier. It was large, ramshackle, and looked hideous with five hooded orcs patrolling the deck. Karina wondered aloud how they could stand being all covered up because the heat was sweltering.

  "It's the sun," said MacGill, coming up behind her. "Orcs hate the sun. Don't let that scow of a boat fool you. Their ships are large, unwieldy, and sail about as well as a log, but they take a tremendous amount of punishment and Gods help you if they manage to get alongside." MacGill shuddered at the thought. "I hope your voyage was a pleasant one, lass."

  "Very pleasant," responded Karina. "I am sorry about the man I had to kill."

  "You saved me the trouble of doing it myself and it reminded my crew of how formidable you are. That made it a lot easier for them to obey my rules about the three of you."

  "Rules?"

  "Aye, lass," said MacGill. "Women to be ransomed are left alone to keep their value up. Women in the crew are treated just like the men - do your job and don't cause trouble on board. Women passengers, well, that's something new to us. Basically, I told the crew that they were free to try their hand with any of you, but, if they lost that hand, it was their problem."

  "You never tried," accused Karina jokingly.

  "I've seen you fight," quipped MacGill. "I've also a vested interest in getting you here safely. The scoundrel of a prince at Firehold is still holding my goods in his warehouse. Anyway, I understand you need to see the sultan."

  "Yes, I do," said Karina. "Any suggestions?"

  "Depends, how much money do you have on you?"

  "I'm supposed to tell a pirate that?" questioned Karina in mock horror. "Enough."

  MacGill smiled. "Well put, lass. Dress in your armor and, yes, I know it's hot enough to cook you in no time flat. You'll need to give two gold pieces to the customs official when he comes on board. That along with your appearance will make sure that the sultan is told of your arrival and your need to see him. Whether he grants you an audience or not is up to him. Women warriors are non-existent here. Women are regulated to the roles of wives, mothers, and servants, usually all three"

  "Will being a warrior cause a problem if I meet him?"

  "Be deferential and remember he thinks he is superior just because he is a male and you are a lowly female. Treat him like royalty, which he is, and you'll be fine. Just remember that all males in his household will be superior to you in his eyes."

  "Great," muttered Karina sourly.

  The customs officer as a swarthy-looking man dressed in white robes and a turban. He cast a glance over Karina when he came aboard the sloop. His astonishment, however, knew no bounds when Captain MacGill informed him that Karina was a passenger, a noblewoman of means, and that she wished to have an audience with the sultan. The officer's charm and grace all flooded back to him when Karina placed the two gold pieces in his hand. After a quick and cursory inspection of the sloop, the customs officer left.

  "Thank the Gods he's gone!" gasped Karina, setting down her shield and helmet to wipe her dripping brow. "I need to get out of this!"

  "You'd better keep it on, dearie," said Lorilei. "The sultan could send for you at any moment."

  "I need the ring he has," replied Karina. "I'm willing to pay him for it or get something he needs in exchange for it. The armor caught the customs attention. I'm not here to fight the sultan for his ring."

  "You'll need a veil and head covering," advised MacGill. "Your arms and legs will need to be completely covered."

  "I have a dress that can do that," replied Karina. "I don't have a veil, though."

  "Phartom and I will go get you one while you dress," said Lorilei. "There should be some vendors close by."

  A messenger soon arrived requesting Karina's presence at the palace. Lorilei had purchased a gold mesh scarf with a matching veil. It went perfectly with the long-sleeved blue gown Karina had put on. Karina was a little surprised when she walked down the gangplank to find Ma
cGill on the dock with a litter and four porters.

  "I hired this for you, lass," he said to her. "It's past midday and getting hotter. You best ride unless you want to look like a wrung-out, damp rag in front of the sultan."

  "Thank you," said Karina, touching his arm. "I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you have done for us."

  "Just remember, you're a second class citizen in his eyes," warned MacGill. "No matter what, be civil and deferential."

  "If I'm not back by nightfall and you have not heard from me, will you take Lorilei and Phartom to the Capitol? My husband will pay you well for the passage."

  "I think they'll object to that, lass."

  "No, I've talked to them and they understand that any attempt to rescue me will get them killed if I am held prisoner," said Karina. "I want them away from here if things go wrong."

  Karina climbed into the litter and the porters picked it up as she closed the curtains. The porters slowly made their way through the packed and crowded streets. Turbaned men shouted and gestured at each other. Children ran this way and that amongst the adults. Vendors hawked their wares. Karina saw only a few women on the streets and they were all hooded and veiled. Actually, Karina could only guess that they were women, since their outfits hid them completely.

  The porters made their way to the palace and were stopped at the entrance. Karina was forced to dismount from the litter so that it could be searched by the guards. The guards paid Karina scant attention, except to exclaim to one another about the size of her chest. They talked to the porters, but did not say a word to Karina. Karina stood aside to be ignored until the guards and the porters had finished their business. She was then allowed to get back in the litter and carried into the palace.

  The main corridor of the palace was as wide as a street, which allowed the porters to carry Karina deep into the building. They stopped in front of an archway closed with a set of double doors and set the litter down. A middle-aged man in blue robes and a white turban was standing there. Karina stepped out of the litter, after which the porters picked it up and carried it off.

  The man was looking up and down at Karina in an appraising stare. Karina decided that her best course was to say nothing and just stand there. The man walked around her and then stopped in front of her again.

  "At least you wore a veil," said the man without expecting a return comment. "The last northern woman came dressed in a barbaric outfit. You also have sense to realize your place. Sultan Kasim Al-Fahir Bashir, Ruler of the Eastern Crest, Exalted among all Men, and Favored of the Gods has graciously extended his permission for you to bask in his presence. Enter and pay homage."

  The man turned around and banged on the doors. The doors swung open slowly to reveal a tiled throne room. A heavy-set man with a thick beard sat on a gilded throne at the far end of the room. No one else was in the room as Karina walked forward and curtsied low to the sultan. As she straightened up, Karina took a good look at Sultan Bashir.

  He sat like a toad on his throne, and clearly a man that liked his luxuries. His jowls looked heavy and his beard was greasy. The pudgy fingers of his right hand were bejeweled, but his left hand only had a single ring on his ring finger. His robes and turban were pure white with a large sapphire pinned in the front of the turban. He looked at Karina with an air of superiority that irritated her. She kept her face bland and her eyes downcast.

  "That son of a jackal of an official was right!" snorted the sultan. "You would put a cow to shame. It must be cold in your northern climate that makes your teats so large. You need the extra padding."

  Sultan Bashir's laughter brayed offensively to Karina's ears. She kept her eyes down and was very glad for the veil, which hid the curl in her lips and the burn of anger in her cheeks.

  "You are at least decently attired and have the proper decorum," said Sultan Bashir. "Unlike that last sow who thought she was a man, coming in here in armor and with weapons. Where is your husband? Why would he allow you to go about unescorted? You have my permission to speak."

  "My husband is away on a dangerous mission," said Karina meekly, deciding to play up to the sultan's vanity. "My son is likewise engaged on behalf of our liege lord. There were no other men of our family available when this task was presented to me."

  "Task? What is this task?" asked Sultan Bashir.

  "A woman died and her soul is being held by the God Shades," said Karina. "I was told he wishes the Cup of Thyrsus, which is currently in the possession of the God Zaius. A priest of Zaius has stated to me that his god desires the Ring of Ashtar and will exchange the Cup for it."

  Sultan Bashir sat up suddenly and looked down at the ring on his left hand. Karina fell silent and looked down at the floor.

  "The Ring of Ashtar," mused Sultan Bashir. He then looked coldly at Karina. "It is a ring given to me when I was a young man by the Goddess herself. A ring that shows the divine favor bestowed upon me. A ring that is the source of my virility and potency. A ring you want me to give to you, a woman?"

  "Your Majesty," began Karina.

  "Silence! I did not give you permission to speak!" yelled the sultan. "You said you have a son. I have fifty, so I can see the reason you want the ring." Karina's eyes widened in protest. "Yes, I can see through your lie! Your husband has gone off to find a cure for his impotence. All alone, you heard of the ring and traveled here to trick me out of it. Guards!"

  Ten guards suddenly appeared from behind curtained alcoves. They were armed with scimitars and carried curved bows. All the bows were fitted with arrows and each one was pointing at Karina.

  "Strip her and stake her out as a warning to others," ordered Sultan Bashir.

  One guard set aside his bow and scimitar before circling around behind Karina, being careful not to block the line of sight of the other bowmen. Sure that if she did anything she would be shot full of arrows, Karina stood perfectly still. She flinched as the guard snatched off her veil and tore her dress straight down the back. He did the same to her undergarments and all of her clothing fell to the floor. In embarrassed and sullen silence, Karina was marched out into the courtyard.

  On both side of the brick walk in the courtyard were squares of bare ground. Each square had four stakes driven deep into the earth. Karina was knocked to the ground from a blow of a guard's fist. She was dragged over to one of the patches of earth and tied spread-eagled by rough rope from her wrist and ankles to the stakes. The dirt was burning hot underneath her.

  "Listen," Karina started to say before a guard backhanded her across the face. The guards stood up and left her there without as much as a backwards glance.

  Karina pulled and yanked on the ropes, but to no avail. The sun beat down on her naked body and sweat dripped off her to evaporate quickly on the ground. People walked past her and never looked over. Heat reflected off the hard-packed dirt, frying her from underneath as the sun scorched her from above. Karina had never felt such intense heat before. Adelpha's pendant became so hot that it was burning her skin. Karina managed to get it to slide off to one side, but the chain it was attached to still felt like a ribbon of fire around her neck.

  Her throat became parched and her lips started to crack as the day wore on. She tried swallowing, but could not summon up enough spit to even wet her lips. The sun finally began to set and Karina groaned in relief as the building's shadow covered her. The coolness of the shade contrasted with the thousand burning stings caused by her sunburn. Her relief was short-lived as the sun continued to set and the heat disappeared quickly. Karina was soon shivering. The hot, sweltering air was replaced by a cold, chill wind that cut right through Karina's body. The night dragged on interminably as Karina froze, slept fitfully, and hurt all over. A second blazing hot day was followed by an equally cold night.

  Dawn was breaking on the third day when a young man, his nose pressed into a book, walked past Karina. He pulled up short and looked down at her. Closing his book, he walked around her, inspecting every inch of her burned red skin. Karina
tried to say something, but her voice only croaked. The young man paid no attention to her, completing his inspection, and hurrying off.

  The blazing sun was heating up the day when five guards came into the courtyard and untied Karina. She cried out in pain past her parched, cracked lips as the men grabbed her sunburned wrists and dragged her into the palace. She was taken to the throne room and dumped in front of Sultan Bashir. She tried to rise, but only succeeded in partially raising up. Standing to the right of the sultan was the bookish young man. Behind the throne stood a woman all in veils, partially hidden in the shadows.

  "My son, Hassan, has a vast intellect and an insatiable curiosity that I try not to hinder," said Sultan Bashir. "He is currently studying human capacities and tolerances. His findings have been of a great help to some of my staff. We rarely get buxom northern women here so his studies have been hampered where they are concerned."

  "What studies?" croaked Karina.

  The sultan bristled that she had spoken without permission, but Hassan looked up with interest in his eyes.

  "Why, you're capacity for sex," replied Hassan. "Obviously, your northern climate made your body the way it is because you must have constant sex during the winter to stay warm. The last one only lasted through forty of my brothers before she died. I must experiment to ascertain the validity of my theories."

  "You wouldn't dare!" gasped Karina hatefully. "My husband would avenge such an insult, even from a sultan!"

  Sultan Bashir made a strange gesture and Karina slammed onto the floor as two guards whipped their spears around to strike her across her back with the shafts. The veiled woman behind the throne flinched as Karina was beaten flat by the two swift strikes.

  "Your husband does not care for you," said Sultan Bashir. "If he did, he would have beaten you and locked you up at home. He would have sent men to do men's work. No, you had the absurd idea that you could do a man's job and came here to try to get my ring. Tie her to the table."