Caravans of Doridia: The 2nd Chronicle of Jon Hunter (The Saga of Jon Hunter Book 2)

by Ronald Watkins

  “I could refuse to take you within the walls and keep you always as my slave, to do my bidding and serve my pleasure.” She nodded once again, her face inscrutable. “But then perhaps I would not lose a slave even if I took you within the walls of fair Lathanah for you might chose not to call out.” She did not move but I knew that this was a decision she had already made. “You would be mistaken to remain a slave,” I continued. “Your lot could be much worse than it has been with me thus far.”

  She met my eyes directly. “I know what it means to be a miserable slave, my master. Have you forgotten that I served the vile Evaldor and many of his unwashed and wicked men as well?”

  She was right for I had temporarily forgotten her awful plight, self-inflicted, but no less reprehensible because of it.

  “Perhaps your father regrets the unhappy match he made for you and would welcome you back to his house as if you were returned from the grave. You have been a slave and cannot be held responsible for what you have been forced to do to survive. Once returned to your true station as a Free Woman no shame would fall upon you and a proper, perhaps not as prosperous, marriage could be arranged for you. Your father might well eagerly welcome you back, fearing you dead in the great forest.”

  Her comely head lowered in thought for a moment and then once again turned her face towards me and said, “If I could but know he would welcome me I would stop at nothing to return to my family. It has been the fear of what I supposed I would find in his eyes upon my return that has prevented me from making any attempt to return to him and it is that same fear that now consigns me to a lifetime of slavery. I could not bear to see him again only to have him cast me from his presence and disown me for the shame I have brought him. I would bear this collar until my death rather than chance such an encounter.”

  “What if a friend,” I said, “were to approach your family and seek their attitude first and perhaps urge a softening of your father’s heart, if indeed softening is required? Perhaps in the certain knowledge that you would be welcome you would seek to declare your freedom, if I permitted you within the walls.”

  “Yes, but who would perform such an act for me? I am but a miserable slave.”

  I looked into her eyes and let her gaze upon me. “I would need to know the name of your family.”

  “Yes, you would need to know their name.” She said nothing more and so I left her by the fire to contemplate her future. I had need of her services but first I must plant the seed of the compensation I was willing to pay. Her freedom and her dignity. It is rare that either has a price.

  ~

  Before leaving Runah I had sought out the Urak Tonalah. I was informed that he could not see me but surprisingly I was greeted by his lovely wife. I had only seen her on one previous occasion at the banquet in honor of our arrangement. She was as radiant as I remembered and I thought fleetingly of the daughter now in bondage to the evil Kanchoh, once Seker in service to this Great House. If rumor was true, she had been the fairest of the four daughters and even lovelier than the youngest I had seen at the feast. It was said that the kidnapped daughter had looked precisely as her mother when she had been betrothed to the Urak and it was for this reason as well as for her pleasant and benign disposition that she had been his favorite.

  I thought how much harm Kanchoh had done to this aristocratic and ancient family of Runah. It was said that he had seduced a virgin niece and then had slain male members of the House and finally had taken their daughter in shame and disgrace and compelled her to serve him as his personal slave. It was unusual for the Lady Tonalah to see me in this fashion, for women of Doridia never take part in dealings with nonfamily persons except at official occasions and even then their function was social and decorative.

  “Greetings, First Officer of the Great House of Rahdon of Taslea,” she said as I was ushered into her presence. If anything I had poorly recalled her beauty for this day she appeared as lovely as any woman I had ever seen. I bowed and sat in the chair indicated. We were left alone, unheard of in Doridian society among the women of the High Caste.

  “You are preparing to leave for Lathanah and the next phase of our plan,” she said. It was a statement and not a question. “I believe you have heard the story of Sofeeah, the fairest of my daughters, held in evil bondage by the vile and accursed Kanchoh, once in service to us. Did my husband, by chance, speak to you of this matter?”

  Only to the Urak’s wife would I admit that he had.

  “Good, Seker. I was uncertain that he had and your candor permits me to avoid the task of asking him if he had. It was for this purpose I wished to see you this day. The Urak is a broken man in spirit and I fear that he will not last the passing of this coming season if Sofeeah is not recovered. He cannot bear to think her in the hands of that man, if such I must call him. He asked you for the sake of our daughter, I beg you for the sake of my husband. Please, recover her if you can. We lost our noble First Officer with the 50 Sekers we sent into the forest for her and we lost our eldest son who commanded the second expedition of 75 Sekers who followed and were trapped in the early winter snows. We dare not send more yet I dare not contemplate what will befall me and my family if she is not returned to the Urak. He cannot reconcile himself to her loss and blames himself for sending her on the journey to Lathanah in which she was taken. I can see no fault in his actions but he is unmerciful in judging himself.”

  I was deeply moved by her words and manner. I had never heard of what I did next previously in all Doridia but it was a custom of the knights of ancient orders of my own Earth and some primitive part of me compelled my action. Rising to my feet, I drew my sword and pointed the tip straight up. I kissed the hilt and said, “Upon my honor I pledge the return of your daughter, or if not humanly possible, her merciful death, or mine.”

  The lady blinked back tears then nodded in comprehension. “My husband was favorably impressed by all that he had heard of you and by you personally at the banquet. He hoped that you might find favor with one of our daughters and chose to court her so that a favorable match could be attained. I now know the kind of man you are. I say now, whether you recover our lost daughter or not, you may have the hand of any of my daughters in marriage that you wish and upon marriage my share in all we possess to whatever extent you desire. I do not expect the impossible of you and so you are not held to your pledge if circumstances make it impossible but I recognize the spirit in which it was made and know you for the Seker you are.” She stood to permit me to leave.

  “What I have sworn,” I said, “I have sworn, and it shall be.”

  ~

  After checking the sentries and seeing to the comfort of my men I walked among the wagons, drawn into the traditional circle with the great oxen to the middle. As always I enjoyed the sounds of the peaceful camp and took pleasure in the knowledge that I was responsible for the security of all. Many recognized me and saluted as I passed. I in turn nodded my reply and often said an encouraging word or two. Men who may be asked to give up their life simply upon the order of their commander were deserving of at least the most basic recognition by him.

  All was in order and I was pleased that my Commander of One Hundred was doing such an excellent job. With us were several wagons of Beerah, a distant city located on the ocean. Its wagons were decorated in gaudy colors typical for wagons of its city. Upon my approach a sweaty merchant waddled up to me and said, “Greetings, First Officer.”

  “Greetings, merchant of Beerah.”

  “Terrible weather we are having, isn’t it?” he inquired. Having no time for such trivia I did not respond. He grew nervous and continued, “But then these things are unpredictable, are they not? Soon perhaps we will continue. I see you are busy and so will not hinder you further but allow me to say that I have many choice slaves, some bound for the markets of Lathanah, others attached to me for my personal use. You are welcome to the use of any or all of them whenever you desire. Simply take one. You need not ask.”

  I understood. Hi
s offer was not unusual for merchants typically made their slaves available to the Seker responsible for the caravan’s security. His error was in seeking to ingratiate himself with me by verbalizing what custom already decreed was mine. Looking directly at the weasly little merchant of Beerah, I said, “When I wish the use of a slave I will send one of my Leaders for one.”

  The oily man eagerly bobbed his head, pleased he had addressed me this night.

  Returning to my wagons I spotted Leader Koptos and the Commander of One Hundred and beckoned for them to approach me. “The good, fat merchant of Beerah has thoughtfully offered his slaves to me.” The men exchanged knowledgably looks at his breach of caravan decorum. “I have thanked him and informed him that my Leaders will come for the slave girls to bring them to me. You and all the Leaders of our Great House may avail yourself of the slaves of the merchant of Beerah whenever it pleases you. I am certain that you will make good use of them.”

  The men grinned at my gift for they now had a much larger pool of slaves to draw on for their pleasure and would enjoy our joke on the ingratiating merchant. Koptos grinned further when I departed and sauntered off nonchalantly for the wagons of the city of Beerah. My friend was never one to pass up an offered slave. I feared that he might overdue himself now.

  My wagon was prepared for me as I entered. No slave awaited me as I had instructed none to join me this night. The Lamp of Love was lit and I gratefully shirked my clothes and crawled deep within my soft, dry furs. I heard a woman gently calling my name and reluctantly went to the entrance of the wagon. Lehdah waited for me and asked to enter. I allowed her to come in and returned to my furs. Though the Lamp of Love was still lit I believed she came to finish our conversation of earlier this night. I had never taken her to my furs for my pleasure although I had held her in my arms the first night she had been my slave.

  After entering my furs I realized that I had been naked when I had opened the entrance for her. How quickly I had assumed the Doridian attitude towards nudity. Her eyes I had noticed lingered upon my body.

  “May I speak, master?” she began, kneeling in the attitude of the slave before me. I observed that she had continued to gain weight as my slave and had now assumed very pleasing proportions. She had always been a lovely slave, the extra flesh served to remind me of just how beautiful she was. I gave my permission. “It occurs to me that should you approach my family and discover if I am welcome and should you then grant me my freedom, that there would be a price for your generosity.”

  I was impressed once again with her disciplined mind. She had well determined my purpose. “If you have decided this much than perhaps you already know the price.”

  She nodded. “When you first owned me I thought you would want what all men have wanted of me since I left my father’s house but you soon proved me wrong. Yes, master, I know what you desire of me. You want all my knowledge of the men in the forest, of the bands of outlaws and of the terrain as well. If the opportunity presents itself you will want me to guide you in your pursuit of the outlaws.”

  She was indeed an astute woman and a most remarkable one, surely the equal of any man. “Your decision?”

  “I will help you; to avenge myself on Evaldor and on all outlaws, to gain my freedom if my father will have me back. I ask only this of you. If I serve you well in the forest and if my father does not desire me any longer, then keep me as your slave.”

  “If you remain slave, you will do as you are told. I will promise only this, if you please me I will keep you.”

  Her face softened and slowly she lowered the slave garments from her golden form. Facing me in her pride and beauty she whispered, “Then master, allow me to show you just how many ways I can please you.” Entering the love furs, she taught me their meaning.

  7. Stranded in the Forest

  The rain returned and continued to fall unabated all that night and throughout the following day. I remained with Lehdah within the warm, dry furs, enjoying the newly ripened form of her firm, youthful body and the pleasure she gave me. Towards dawn I had pulled her towards me once again. Her body trembled beneath my hands as I stroked her and then with great passion felt myself rush into her as she clawed my back and moaned in the darkness.

  I slept much of that day as did the slave beside me. We made love and she told me of her life before the unhappiness in the forest. She still did not tell me the name of her family but then that was her own concern. Several times that day I took her and she took much pleasure in it. By that night I fell into a deep slumber of satisfaction and awakened in the hour before daybreak. Donning my clothes I stepped out of my wagon for the first time in a day and a half into a brilliantly clear, star filled night. The storm had passed, for now, and the whole of the forest was freshly washed and fragrantly alive. The stars seemed mere inches above my head and standing still a moment or two I saw a blazing shooting star race across the still black sky almost parallel to the Earth. Such a star, it is said, is a good sign. I walked the rounds and found the sentries all in their places and alert. The Commander of One Hundred was to be complimented for this superior effort.

  The stream raged and even without further rain we would continue to be trapped in our present location for at least another day or two. The thought of returning to my wagon held no appeal for me so I decided to remain without and take advantage of the clear day to better acquaint myself with the people of the caravan. I smiled ruefully at the thought of my being so satiated that I found the mere thought of further lovemaking unappealing.

  The day came alive and many travelers trapped this last day and a half in wagons relished the warmth of the newly born sun. The oxen had nearly consumed the available grass and soon we would need to move the caravan at least a short distance in order to provide fresh grazing. I spotted Koptos a short distance away tending a fire with idle interest. A slave was preparing breakfast for the Sekers of his group nearby.

  “Greetings, Koptos,” I said, squatting down beside him.

  “Greetings, Hunter,” he replied. He typically used my name when we were not in position to be overheard. “You passed the torrent in safety and in good health I see.” He grinned and I decided that he knew I had spent the previous day in the arms of my new slave.

  “I recall telling you and Ctesias,” I said, “that I knew how to treat a slave girl. She has not gone to waste as Koptos feared.”

  “My recollection, Hunter, is that Ctesias only feared the girl would go to waste for him, however, he has been well occupied since you began using the offered slave girls of the good merchant of Beerah. None of the Leaders in fact have slept alone since you gave us your permission. I noticed that the Merchant is reacting with surprise as he labors under the misimpression that all the girls we take are for your use alone. He commented, I hear, to the Merchant Renakor that you are not only fine commander of the caravan but also the mist virile man he has ever known.” Koptos turned to me and grinned.

  “I see no reason,” I said, “in correcting his impression. Although at this moment I must confess the thought of a woman does me little good. I feel like a man who just consumed a barrel of wine and is offered another cup.”

  “It will pass, my friend. The thirst I have observed always returns. You might try a different variety of wine. That usually works well for me. In the meantime, I suggest you hope for no more rain.” I gave him a good natured dirty look and moved along.

  The camp continued to show increased signs of activity. From the looks of the wet clothes not all of fellow travelers had passed the previous day in the same comfort I enjoyed. Wagons were filled with goods and so journeyers typically slept beneath their wagons. Apparently the long lasting rain had proven too much for these usually adequate shelters and water had soaked many.

  Bright, cheery fires roared and clothing was out in slipshod fashion on improvised lines and soon would be of use again. Nude bodies huddled close to the fires were abundant. The camp seemed in good spirits considering circumstances and I looked forward
to the day. My mild feeling of depression, I noticed, which had so occupied my winter and had struck me in the first leg of our journey to Runah was now passed.

  I spied the Merchant Renakor working on ledger sheets, not doubt tabulating the success of our stay in Runah. The method he used much resembled Roman numerals in adding and subtracting. I wrote the basic Arabic system common to my world down for him and matched each number to its Doridian counterpart. They had no zero and that was the primary problem with their numerical system.

  “But what does it stand for?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I replied. He looked at me puzzled. “It has its uses,” I assured him. “For now learn the symbols and what they mean. I will return later and teach you to add and subtract with them. If you learn quickly you will know the joys of multiplying and division before we reach Lathanah.”

  The merchant was a good student and quickly mastered this new, infinitely superior system. I was curious to see just how useful he would find it.

  ~