by Joe Zeigler
“Yes, we have expanded this season after doing so well last year. And”—he pointed to the right—“we have also taken the first two shops there. Tomorrow we will break out the rear walls and install food preparation services and tables out on the grass for customers to use when they eat what they purchase from us.”
“What?” Ohad was confused, having never heard of such a thing. “Why would people buy prepared food from you when it would be less expensive to prepare it themselves?”
“Well, Ohad, that is a good question; however, you may recall that we had two vendors offering prepared food when we set up on the trail above the drop. It took a little effort, but the customer response was promising, so we decided to give it our all here. We have some excellent cooks among our group. In any case, cooking adds little to the cost when we do it in bulk. Most of the extra charge is profit.”
“Well, well, that is something. This sounds like a wonderful idea,” Ohad said, choosing the latter path. “I offer you my best wishes and will see you tomorrow.” These mistakes Gedeon was making…first allowing Ohad a flint monopoly, overpaying for the combs, and now this cooking nonsense. It made him wonder as he walked off in search of Eijá, carrying a feeling of satisfaction.
Ohad explained the great opportunity he was offering and the generous payment—enough flint to keep Eijá for a year. Still, she said no. “No,” no explanation or reason, just “no.”
“All right, all right, I will pay you double the flint. But you must perform this service for me.”
“Ohad,” Eijá replied softly, “I would not do this if my hair were on fire. But that’s not the point. I always thought of you as a cunning man. Are you trying to trick me, or are you truly the last one to know that flint is obsolete? You are proposing to pay me for a despicable act with worthless specie! What is wrong with you? How about,” she continued in the same soft voice, “you go suck their rods and take them up your own sweet ass.” She smiled sweetly and turned away.
So, Ohad thought, it will have to be Ederra. But what was this about flint being worthless? Why would it be worthless? Certainly not. The girl was a fool. He walked around the hill in search of Ederra. She would be more than willing.
As he walked down the steps cutting through the terraces, he noted the three different building techniques. The most predominant was what he thought of as “the pile of stones” method. Stones of various sizes and shapes just piled one on top of the other, with a small stone on top of a large one or a large one on top of a little one to keep the walls going up evenly—whatever it took to make the top of the wall somewhat level. These buildings were typical on the lower terraces. The buildings of the mid level terraces consisted of a wide variety of stones laboriously chiseled to fit together to form a wall, even with windows, and a level top ready to receive a roof. Most of the buildings from there up to the top level were constructed of stones cut to a uniform shape and size, and these formed the most eye-pleasing buildings. Ohad knew the location of the quarry where they cut the stones, in the valley about a mile from the city. The Temple on the top of this small mountain was the most ornate, with the foundation stones arranged vertically and the building stones horizontally. A mural depicted the rising Sun over the valley filled with people as they tended their crops and with hunters as they sought prey on the opposite hillside.
None of these building methods employed any mortar or cement, nor did any employ the arch.
Obsidian! It had always been a rarity because it was hard to work, a treasure for the wealthy. Aitor only produced a few prized obsidian objects a year. Ohad knew Gedeon had a valuable obsidian knife that Aitor had presented him. Suddenly, the realization exploded in Ohad’s head—Gedeon had an abundant supply of obsidian products that were better, stronger, and sharper than flint. Apparently, the Traders had learned how to work obsidian into tools. If they could offer obsidian products at comparable prices, then the demand for flint was finished. And so was he. Ohad suddenly realized that was exactly what the Traders had done.
How could he have been so blind? His knees weakened, and he felt as if his breath had left his chest. He leaned against the nearest wall. He had stood right beside Gedeon, had seen the vast offering of obsidian products and the customers pressing in, but he still had been blind. Now it became clear to him, though. This was the reason Glooscap got more flint than he expected for the combs. The Traders were cleaning out obsolete inventory at Ohad’s expense.
The elders, do they know? he wondered. Probably not. They were just lucky—again at Ohad’s expense—to purchase Micaela’s and Ixchel’s services just before flint became worthless. Worthless. Ohad moaned. Surely he could get something for the flint. If he halved the price, some would be interested. At least the flint from the elders had not cost him any actual treasure—just the renewable services of two young girls. Then he would negate the trade with Gedeon and regain the combs, which would provide some profit. He still had the exclusive deal with Itzli of the Cliff Dwellers. It would be all right. He could still make it work. Right now, he just had to come up with a girl to perform this week. He continued in search of Ederra.
Instead, he found Micaela climbing the stairs, carrying an enormous basket filled with vegetables. “Hello, Ohad,” she said, greeting him with a smile. “Where does the day take you?”
“Ah, Micaela, I have been looking for you. I have the most wonderful news. After your unfortunate loss of the child, I have been speaking with the most eligible elders on your behalf. When you are recovered and ready, they have agreed to quietly breed you to save you the shame and thus enable you to make your contribution to the family after all.”
“Indeed,” Micaela replied, expressionless, “that is news.”
“Yes, yes, it is indeed. I told them that you would be recovered and ready in another week. In the interim, I must find Ederra. Have you seen her?”
“Ederra? Why are you looking for Ederra?”
“Ah, part of the arrangement is for Ederra to entertain the elders for the next week until you are ready for breeding.”
“Oh,” Micaela replied quietly.
“So, have you seen her?”
“No, Ohad, I have not.” Micaela lied to Ohad for the first time.
When Micaela returned to Ohad’s dwelling, Eijá was waiting for her with the story of Ohad’s proposal.
“This isn’t about breeding for the sake of the group,” Eijá said. “This is rape. It’s just what the Raiders did to me. It’s all a lie driven by the elders’ lust for young girls.”
“Why don’t they just ask?” Micaela said with an ironic smile. “But if this is true, and I believe it is, why is Ohad so anxious to arrange this?”
“Micaela, you are blind. Why does Ohad do anything? Wealth—that’s the answer. Ohad will do anything to acquire more wealth. Profit is his god, and he thinks everyone else is just like him, except the fools he can exploit using false love or friendship—like you.”
Micaela sat and slowly nodded. Eijá’s revelations were not exactly a surprise. After all, Ohad had told her of his plans for her and Ederra just moments ago. So, of course, she knew there was something wrong with Ohad. She had known for a long time and had chosen to forgive him in advance. She had thought she had to, or she would be truly alone—especially after the Breeding. Ohad, as well as his needs and demands, provided a place for her in the world. Today she felt it closing in around her.
Micaela sat on a small stone, looking up at Eijá, who was standing in front of her. “He is looking for Ederra now,” she said. “He’s going down the list of virgins from the Breeding.”
“Well, we know what he wants from her,” Eijá commented. “Do you know where she is?”
“No, but I’ll find her,” Micaela said. She paused and then continued with a determined look. “As Sun is with me, this will end. I swear it will. They are not going to continue to use us like animals. I’m going stop it now—no more. It is over for me and all of us. No more of this Breeding evilness. No more rape
in the name of Sun. No more rape that is not punished! It ends now!”
Eijá was shocked at first, and then thoughtful. She was of a calm and reflective nature, not prone to excess. Moments passed, and finally, she nodded. “Yes, you are right. This wickedness must change, and we must change it. We should find Ederra and start now. You know Ohad is going to be hurt badly if he has already struck a deal with the elders, as it sounds like he has done.”
Micaela thought a moment before speaking. “Yes, perhaps we should warn him—give him time to adapt. Ederra and I could do his bidding just one more time.”
“Micaela, I have something to tell you that you need to know. But it is hurtful.”
“Tell me.”
“Micaela,” Eijá started, speaking softly, “during the Breeding, Ohad was the first to mount you.”
Micaela gasped, her face turning red. “By Sun, it stops now,” she whispered.
***
Ohad had searched in vain for Ederra all day, and now the light was fading. Soon the elders would expect him to deliver. He had no doubt that, given time, he could arrange what they wanted. He would go to them, turn on all of his charms—he could be very charming when he wanted to be—and gain more time.
***
“Gedeon,” Micaela said, walking up to him, “would you do me a favor without asking a lot of questions?”
“Yes,” Gedeon replied calmly and with no hesitation.
Micaela was a bit taken aback by his easy acquiescence, but she recovered quickly and continued. “There is a young girl, Ederra, whom I would like to hide from Ohad for a few days. Would you do me this huge favor and hide her among your people?”
“Yes,” Gedeon said again, “bring her to me, and it will be as if she doesn’t exist until you call for her. Don’t worry. She will be safe.”
“I know she will, Gedeon.” She smiled as she turned to get Ederra.
Gedeon turned and spoke to one of his young men as Micaela returned with Ederra. Micaela stopped, and the young man took Ederra’s hand, and they continued through the open wall of the pueblo.
“Well,” Gedeon said, smiling, “that was close, for here comes Ohad.”
Micaela glanced around quickly and faded into the lengthening shadows before sneaking away.
“Gedeon,” Ohad called, “I have to speak with you.” Ohad was in a hurry to talk to Akule before the elders became impatient, but here was Gedeon, right in front of him, and this wouldn’t take but a few moments.
“Can we talk in my dwelling?” Ohad asked. “I can offer you blue agave there.”
“No, this is good. What do you have to say?” Gedeon replied.
“This last trade you made with Glooscap for the combs must be canceled. I did not authorize Glooscap to make such a deal.”
“Ohad,” Gedeon replied, “that would be between you and Glooscap. If he has stolen from you, then you must recover from him.”
Gedeon had known this was coming. Ohad had made a bad trade and was now trying to back out. Gedeon might have done it for someone else. But not for Ohad. In Gedeon’s opinion, Ohad was a bad businessman in every sense. His idea of a good trade was when he took advantage of the other party, and he would say what he had to say to accomplish that. Ohad would deny being a liar. In fact, he prided himself on his truthfulness. His words were usually technically accurate. However, if a lie was the intent to deceive, then Ohad was certainly a practiced liar. He was practiced in twisting selected facts into deception.
“Well, Gedeon,” Ohad said, changing tacks, “in any case, you cheated me. You took my combs and paid in flint that you knew to be worthless. I demand you return my combs, and I will remit your flint.”
“I knew no such thing, Ohad. Flint was the standard of trade when you traded your combs for it. We valued everything by the amount of quality flint it would bring. And we made you a fair deal in kind. More than fair, I thought at the time. It is true that I hoped at the time to establish a market for obsidian, and I invested heavily in making that a reality. But when you accepted flint as payment, it had not yet happened. I was taking a big chance betting against an established product with a known value.”
“But you knew,” Ohad whined.
“No, I did not know. I hoped, just as you did with your investment in combs. That was brilliant, by the way. The fact is, Ohad, there was no established value for your combs. They were new, and I was the one taking the risk. Again, I did not know if obsidian would be successful or not, and at the time of our trade, flint was the standard specie with established value. I took a chance. It is true that a monumental shift later occurred, as obsidian has replaced flint both in its usefulness and it follows, its value. These things happen, and we are going in circles to no purpose.” Gedeon turned his back and walked away.
Though Gedeon found no pleasure in Ohad’s misfortune, Ohad had had this coming for all the one-sided deals he had tricked others into making. Gedeon’s idea of a good trade was one where each party received fair value and was satisfied, and profit was earned by adding value.
***
The four elders had assembled in a rented dwelling on the bottom terrace, away from the sight of their wives and friends, and they were unhappy with Ohad as he explained the short delay.
“If you refuse to give me the time needed to do this right, I will refund your flint.” That would solve everything, Ohad thought, but I cannot appear too anxious. “I want you all to be happy, and I sincerely believe you will be happiest if you give me a few days to make the arrangements. I cannot be to blame that Ixchel fell under the protection of Danijel and has now become unavailable. I will be happy to recruit a replacement. I will arrange for Şule to entertain you for the next week, and then there is Micaela to look forward to.”
“Şule…Şule certainly is lovely. She is perhaps the most attractive girl in the village. Though not as sleek as Micaela, she is beautiful,” the elder said, raising Ohad’s hopes. But he suddenly barked, “You insult us! Şule is the village pump! The clothes she wears. She walks around with no modesty. Everyone can see what she has. And we have all had it, as has every male of age, far and wide. We’ve even arranged a discount price for her to service all four of us simultaneously.” He waved his hand in the air in disgust. “A month ago, Şule was certainly desirable. But a girl who can be had by anyone and who, I suspect, is not fertile? We can have her at any time, and we don’t need your help.”
“All right, all right,” Ohad said, exasperated. “Keep amused with Şule for the next week. Then you’ll have Micaela. It’s all arranged.”
“Ah, Micaela,” the older man said. “She is the prize to be bred. How do we know that you can produce her, having failed to produce Ixchel or any desirable female tonight?”
Ohad was pleased to have gotten them thinking about Micaela again rather than about his failure to produce Ixchel. “I got her to the Breeding, did I not? And for your little party afterward. Why would you think I would fail now? Perhaps a refund of your flint is in order,” he answered, pushing his luck.
“A refund may be in order,” the elder replied, sneering, and Ohad realized he had pushed a little too far. “However, we will not accept flint. Flint was the accepted standard of value when we consummated this transaction, but obsidian is the standard today, and that is what we demand you pay us with.”
Shocked, Ohad lost control completely. Instead of moving the subject back to Micaela, which would have calmed the situation, he cried out, “That’s out of the question. You will get your flint back, minus fees of course.” Ohad was now angry. “And that is it. Obsidian, indeed. You are mad!”
The four men exchanged tense glances. “You default on your contract and now refuse to repay us, and you say that we are crazy.”
“Look,” Ohad said as he started to realize how much trouble he was in. “I understand your position, and I want to be reasonable. The flint will be returned to you plus ten percent for your trouble and disappointment. You don’t have to be disappointed, though. Think
back on your last two experiences with Micaela. And this time will be better. She will not have to be held down or restrained in any way and will do anything, perform any act, to please you.” He could tell he was getting their attention.
“Ohad,” the elder said, “now you insult us yet again? We are breeding these girls as a duty to our people, to produce good offspring. We are even paying you—more sacrifice on our part—so that we can do our duty. To imply we derive pleasure from the Breeding is an extreme insult and wrong. We are only frustrated at the delay.”
Ohad returned to his campsite, planning to continue the search for Ederra the next morning. If he failed to find her, he would deliver Micaela tomorrow—earlier than expected. He was always able to find a way. As for the flint, he would simply have to take his losses. Unfortunately, most of his assets were in flint, so it would be a severe loss. However, he would set up his shop tomorrow and offer the flint at half price. Even at half price, he would recoup the cost of the flint, thus losing his profits only.
He smiled as he thought, These things happen beyond anyone’s control. I’ll make it up next time. And I’ll profit from the flint from the elders. All that cost me was the girl’s services, and I’ll not have to pay Micaela.
He looked around the campsite, wondering, Where is Micaela? Where is my supper? The fire was cold, and he saw no sign that anyone had been there for some time. This had never happened. He was temporarily at a loss, and he was hungry.
“What am I to eat?” he asked aloud. Eventually, he found some smoked meat and with his hunger satisfied, went to sleep.
A New Beginning