"Steady now. Keep quiet and no sudden moves."

Jack pressed himself back against the jagged rock wall and tried to avoid looking down. Not that it mattered much right now, as once his gaze went off the ledge, he could only see darkness in front of him. It didn't help that his brain knew that the darkness had to end somewhere, meaning just below it was about a couple hundred feet of ragged rocks. Now was not the time for mistakes.

In front of him, Abel led the way while holding a Javan flashlight in his hand. It was the best solution for traversing the canyon in pitch darkness. Open flames would have drawn the attention of the Cethusa directly above them and that was the last thing they needed.

Especially now, seeing as the total darkness was starting to melt away and dawn was quickly approaching. It had been an extremely long night. Moving just under a thousand people, the majority of them women and children in pitch darkness without making a sound had just about taxed them to the limits. Yet, the small miracle of all of it was that they had done it without a single casualty, and with Abel to guide them, they were quickly approaching the camp of the Numratha.

Time was of the essence now. The rest of the clans would soon figure out they'd left the plateau and then the hunt would start anew. Jack was half afraid they might figure out they'd left in the night but so far, their ruse seemed to be holding.

"It looks like the fires are still burning up there," said Abigail while nodding in the direction of the plateau. "It really looks like we're still camped up there."

Jack grinned. "The Numratha are really going to find it confusing when they see us attacking them when they think we're still snoozing on the top of the mountain."

Abigail started to giggle. "You're devious, Jack."

"I thought that's what you liked about me?"

Her eyes danced with mischief. "One of many things, trust me."

"It should be just around this bend, clan chief," said Abel as he stepped out from a small ledge over a small clearing of rocks. As soon as he was across, Abel grinned and pointed out to Jack. "There they are. Sleeping like babies on a lazy morning."

Jack followed the Muthada warrior and cast his first glance at the Numratha camp. His mouth fell open when he saw the size of the camp in front of him, the first tents not far from the rocky path from where they'd just emerged. It was easily several times larger than the Muthada camp, and Jack couldn't even begin to count the number of tents, all of them coming in a variety of colors. The only tent with any size to it was much larger than all the others, a sure indicator of the inhabitant.

"That must be the clan chief's tent," said Jack quietly.

Abel nodded. "I'm sure you can find Clan Chief Yusef in that tent. If that's your strategy."

"What about the slave pens? Where would they keep those?"

Abel looked around the side. "Perhaps close to the center. It'll be safest for them in case another clan tries to raid their camp. Slaves are valuable so they will be kept where they are well-guarded."

"So we'll have to attack toward the center, and that's where we can probably find Kat," said Jack. "This is a good morning to do this. I can't see anyone walking about or on guard."

Abel grinned. "Not right here, clan chief. They'll be watching the pass to the plateau, but they won't expect any attack right here. We have total surprise."

"Good, here's what I want to happen," said Jack as he waved some marines forward. "Keep the women and children staged at this spot just in case anything bad happens. We're going to attack from two directions. The marines I want to attack down this narrow ridge just to the left. The Muthada will do the same thing from the right. We'll converge near the center."

"If we split up, how will we be able to tell the difference between the Muthada and the Numratha?" asked one of the marines closest to him.

"Good point," said Jack while rubbing his chin. "How about this—it's early and cool enough still that most of the Numratha probably won't be wearing their protective headgear yet, right? So all the Muthada, put your headgear on. That way, we'll be able to tell the difference so there's no friendly fire."

"That should work, clan chief," said Abel. "I'll get word out to the clan to cover their faces."

"All right. Let's give this everything we've got!"

About twenty minutes later, the entire force sprung out from their cramped position at the end of the valley path, coming down like a thunderclap on the unsuspecting camp of the Numratha just below their position. Jack and his men had total advantage that morning, not only in surprise, but also in the fact they were able to attack downhill against warriors that were still asleep for the most part.

As expected, it was almost total carnage. Any man unlucky enough to be outside his tent near the perimeter was killed where he stood. Many of them never got the chance to draw a weapon. They showed only the faintest signs of shock before their life was taken from them. Jack didn't hold anything back. All the nights of being on edge and tormented by their Andalucian besiegers had created a terrible portent, and it was completely unleashed that morning. The marines acted like devils, quickly sweeping tents, firing off short, accurate bursts, and working in teams to push deeper into the camp. It also helped him knowing that he was so close to Kat. That she was only yards away at this point kept him moving quickly, a deadly wraith stalking his prey.

Even as surprise started to fade away, the Numratha never seemed to gain a solid footing on the defense. Those that managed to band together to work as a team were quickly overrun, many only firing an arrow or two before their position was completely compromised. Most of them would have done better to have just run away.

As Jack made his way closer to the clan chief's tent, his heart rate started to beat uncontrollably. I'm coming, Kat. Just hold on a little longer. He looked up at the immense tent and wondered how best to clear it. That's when he felt the strength of a blow to his side that picked him off the ground and slammed him down just as hard.

Jack found the wind knocked out of him as he struggled to regain his footing. Raising his eyes, he tried to find just what or who could have handled him with that much force. Looking up, he saw the man that had emerged from the shadows to attack his rear, one of the largest men he'd ever laid eyes on. He was completely barechested, wearing only a loose pair of trousers as he stared daggers at Jack. He was mostly covered in hair across his entire body, and his muscles bulged to give him a size unlike that of any other man.

"You dare attack my clan?" snarled the ruthless warrior as he stalked around Jack. "You picked the wrong people to fuck with, little man!"

Jack tried to crawl away so that he could regain his footing without being in the shadow of the beast, but found it largely futile as he took a punishing kick to his ribs. Rolling over on his side and howling with pain, Jack tried to grab his sidearm, his rifle being kicked away by the attacker.

"You think you can come into Clan Chief Yusef's camp and kill as you please? Only I get to kill my people as I please, you filthy worm!"

"Who the hell are you?" managed Jack before dodging another devastating blow to the ribs.

The warrior grabbed Jack before he could escape him again, picking him up by his jacket and bringing his face to within inches of his own. Jack's feet dangled feet off the ground, so tall was the man in front of him.

"I'm Yusef, clan chief of the Numratha," said the man with a menacing tone.

Jack looked in his eyes with unflinching nerve. "You can call me Jack, clan chief of the Muthada," he said bravely.

Yusef started to laugh before he slammed Jack back down on his back. "So you're the one causing all this trouble around here? The one they call Tur'hava! I will prove my worth by killing you right here and now."

"What the hell is Tur'hava," muttered Jack before he was set upon again. In a flash, Yusef was on top of him, raining down blows against his chest and head. Jack saw the world go nearly black as he absorbed blow after blow, feeling helpless to stop that amount of punishment. Only briefly did Yusef relent, looking down on his victim with a grim sense of satisfaction.

"They will call Yusef of the Numratha the savior of Andalucia after this," he said with pride as he prepared for his inevitable moment of glory.

His vanity gave Jack just enough pause to draw from his holster. The movement drew Yusef's eyes at the last moment, enabling Jack enough time to get a shot fired off into the large man's abdomen before the pistol was tossed away like it were nothing.

Yusef let out a mighty roar at the wound as he clutched his injured side, his own blood rushing forward and coating his hands. Jack had a temporary reprieve to climb out from under the man and attempt to clear his head. His world was still spinning after receiving so many blows, and it was only with great difficulty that he was able to resume standing.

Once Yusef regained his mind, he snarled back at Jack as saliva frothed around his mouth. "I'm going to shove that little fucking thing in your mouth and fire next." It took Jack only a second to realize he was talking about the pistol and the next thing he knew, Yusef made a lunge for it.

Jack was too far away from his service pistol to have a chance to make it, but he was close enough to his discarded rifle, kicked away by Yusef at the beginning of the fight, to attempt to get that instead. Both men rushed forward trying to be the first to reach their weapon, and it was nearly the same second when their hands first touched the metal of each.

Jack yanked the rifle to his face quickly and fired off a short burst just as Yusef did the same thing with the pistol. He heard both weapons bark, only daring to open his eyes when he heard the clan chief croak. Yusef quickly went ashen in the face as a small trickle of blood escaped his mouth. Jack glanced down to look at his chest, the large man's hands covering the exposed wounds in the hairy landscape. Yusef fell to the ground to never rise again.

Jack threw his head back against the ground and took several deep breaths. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and tried to stand once again. While nothing was quite as bad as the punishment he took in the fight back in Sorella, he found himself with a good amount of pain in his chest and a throbbing headache.

Taking a look around the camp, Jack struggled to find where everyone else had gone. He could still hear the gunfire, but it seemed to be dying down even though he couldn't see any marines nearby. The only person he could see was watching him from the dark shadow of the tent. A man already on his knees and prostrate against the ground, he only made eye contact when Jack was nearly standing over him.

"A prayer for your good fortune, clan chief," said the man while pointing to the dead body of Yusef a short distance away.

Jack was about to question him on what it meant when he remembered the custom of the Andalucians. He had now killed a second clan chief himself. By their own law, the Numratha were his just as much as the Muthada were.

To announce this new change in leadership, the man on the ground was soon off his feet, yelling to all that would listen in their own ancient language. Those that hadn't been killed yet stopped fighting. Those that remained hidden in the tents during the attack came out and prostrated themselves in front of their doorways. The remaining Numratha touched their heads to the ground as the gunfire around them largely died.

Abel was the first one to find Jack, taking off his headgear to reveal his face. "Your power grows greater, clan chief," he said, gesturing to the nearby Numratha.

"It would seem that way, Abel," said Jack. "How are the rest of the Muthada? Did you run into any trouble?"

"No trouble, clan chief. We have only a single wounded warrior during the entire attack, and he shall recover on his own. Total surprise was attained."

Jack gave a relieved nod. "That's good to hear. Have you seen the slave pens?"

Abel waved his hand. "It's this way. We just passed them."

Abel led Jack around a series of tents on the way to the pens. Around him, every prostrate Numratha offered their own prayers to his good fortune, but Jack paid them little heed at the moment. Every step he took brought him closer to Kat. He was constantly searching, trying to find the wisps of blonde hair that would signal his attention.

Yet, when Abel presented the slave pen, Jack could see no such feature. Inside were nearly a hundred different slaves, and none of them were Kat. He even took the extra time to examine every face locked within, but found none that matched the blonde hair and sky-blue eyes of the mysterious woman.

"She's not here," said Jack with a defeated tone after he had searched the pens from top to bottom. "Where could she be?"

"Do you want us to search the entire camp, clan chief?" asked Abel.

Jack nodded immediately. "Yes, have a detail check every tent. She would have long blonde hair, in similar coloring to mine. If she is found, let me know right away."

Abel gathered up the remaining Muthada warriors and together they split up to check the entire settlement. Jack waited nearby with a limited amount of patience. Where is she? Why isn't she here? They said she'd been sold to the Numratha.

He felt a very real sense of hopelessness. This was supposed to be the end of this Andalucian side excursion. He'd been hoping to release Kat, make a dash for the coast and then get back on the seas to Picardy. If she wasn't here, where could she have gone?

Finding his anger rising, Jack slammed his hand against the metal bar in frustration. The letdown of not finding her hurt more than the pain, but the noise did have a habit of drawing one of the Numratha to him.

"Is there something you're seeking, clan chief?" the man asked.

Jack nodded. "There was a woman in here. A woman sold to the Numratha. She was around mid-twenties with long blonde hair. And now I can't find her."

The man blinked at him. "I know of such a woman."

Jack turned to face him instantly. "You do? Do you know where I can find her?"

He nodded. "That I do."

Jack took a deep breath and smiled. "Where is she? Is she close?"

He shook his head. "Not anymore."

Jack's smile dropped just as quickly as it appeared. "You need to tell me all you know right now. Spare no details."

The man moved closer until he was able to rest himself against the slave pens. "I saw the woman that you speak of. She's not one that you'd easily forget, especially looking the way she did. She was brought into the camp with a few others as soon as we started to move. What she was wanted for, I'm not sure, but a woman that looked like that I'm sure would have ended up in the clan chief's bed eventually."

"So she was here. Where did she go?"

"She was given as a gift from our clan chief to the high clan king of Andalucia. Just two days ago, the king's man arrived to take her to Septhada."

"Septhada," repeated Jack. "The capital city of the Andalucia."

"That's right. I imagine she'll be getting there right around now. I'm sure she'll find her way into the king's harem."

"Getting there just about now," said Jack. "So it's about two days to the capital from here?"

"More or less. A hard ride can get there in about a day and a half. The main road is not far from here, and it's one of the only maintained roads in Andalucia."

"All right," said Jack before locking his gaze on the man. "Thank you for the information. What is your name?"

"They call me Samir, clan chief."

Jack nodded. "Samir, stay close to me. I may need your help in the coming days."

"Clan chief, the Numratha are yours to command," said Samir. "But you are in increased danger now."

Jack raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Danger? Why is that?"

Samir pointed back to the Muthada warriors that were still checking the tents. "You now command two clans. That makes you a grave threat to the peace of Andalucia."

"The peace? The peace was broken when your clan tried to attack me," he argued. "If not for that, I would've found who I'm looking for and left the island by now."

Samir shook his head. "You misunderstand me, clan chief. Clans were warring in Andalucia for petty reasons long before you showed up. However in most cases, a couple battles would be fought, peace would be signed, and they'd go back to their way of life until the next war. You've done something not seen in some time. You've united two clans into one force."

"More a matter of happenstance than anything else," admitted Jack. "I didn't set out to become clan chief."

"Nevertheless, here you are," said Samir. "It is a powerful man who unites more than one clan, only because of the trouble that comes with it."

"What kind of trouble, Samir? I thought I was in enough trouble here in this land."

"More trouble than you've seen so far. You've had five clans after you at one time. This could bring all the clans of Andalucia down on your head if you're not careful. If anyone tries to unite the clans, they could achieve total power over the entire island. More power than even the high clan king. It has happened before and it ushered in a reign of terror. Now, none of the chiefs will let that happen once again. The second some clan chief shows any inkling of trying to unite the clans, the other clans will all unite to take him down."

Jack shook his head in confusion. "But wait, I thought that's how the high clan king got his position? From uniting the clans?"

"No, clan chief. The high clan king is selected from the strongest usually on the death of the former or the last one to kill the old high clan king. No one would dare try to seize power by uniting all the clans. It's been forbidden by our ancient customs."

"I don't understand half of what passes for custom in your land, Samir," said Jack with a frustrated tone. "It seems the longer I stay here, the less I understand."

"That's not an uncommon sentiment among those not born in Andalucia," said Samir honestly. "But regardless of the intent, you are still in danger. We are in danger. You will need to watch your back from the other clans now."

"And here I thought we might be done watching out for new enemies for the time being," said Jack sourly. "But this makes it easy. If Kat is now in Septhada, then that's where we must go. We must go see the high clan king."

Samir shuddered visibly. "High Clan King Vertulis is not someone many want to meet. To go to Septhada willingly is something most will not do."

"As you just outlined, I'm not like most others," said Jack with a slight smile.

For the first time, Samir grinned. "This is true, clan chief. This is true."

Just over an hour later, after the battle was over and the Numratha had acknowledged the death of the old chief, Jack was formally given his new title of clan chief by the assembled people. As one, the Numratha gathered around him and dropped to their knees to swear obedience to him as their new leader. More than two thousand souls now joined that of the Muthada in acknowledgment of Jack being their clan chief.

In doing so, it meant the first true unification of two clans in more than a hundred years. The remnants of the Muthada joined their new brothers, allied once more but this time in different cause. As Jack looked off to the east, he wondered what he would find when they got to Septhada and what would happen when they found Kat.

"It seems you're acquiring clans at a stunning rate now, clan chief," said Vera a short time later, wearing a grin on her face. They had pushed on from the mountains and set up a new camp as night fell several miles to the east. This new camp had the luck of being situated high up along a mountain meadow, easily defensible should the other clans attempt to attack. However, Jack had seen no inclination that the other clans had followed their trek east.

"It seems Andalucia is full of surprises," said Jack with a slight chuckle.

"You know, if anyone had told me that one day you would be a clan chief of Andalucia, I might have told them they were crazy," said Vera with a giggle. "Or at the very least, I might've stayed away from you."

"Do you think it changes who I am? Do you think less of me for it?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Not in the slightest. I trust you, remember? I'm very interested in seeing what direction you take them though. I think they could benefit from some modern leadership. Maybe you can help them shed some of their more ancient and vile customs."

"We can hope," said Jack quietly. "I was also hoping we'd be finished today. I thought we'd get to load back up on the Destiny soon and sail far away from this land."

"I was looking forward to that too," said Vera with a sad smile. "I'm just glad we got off that plateau. Perhaps the situation has changed? Maybe with more clans, we stand a better chance of getting Kat?"

Jack didn't respond to that right away, remembering the words of Samir about the danger of uniting the clans. It wasn't a fear he wanted to bother Vera with right away, especially so close to escaping their last predicament.

"I certainly hope so, Vera. I'm looking forward to seeing her face again."

Vera smiled and squeezed his hand. "Me too, Jack. Me too."

*****

Across the seemingly endless, sandy dunes of Andalucia, High Clan King Vertulis sat on his gilded throne in the fortress city of Septhada. Located deep inside the country next to a large oasis, the king's fortress stood on a small hill that dominated the southern part of the city. Made up of high, light-brown walls and containing towers on all sides, this castle was the home from which he had nominal rule over the entire country.

The king's cheek flinched as he thought of having "nominal" rule. Once he was a fierce clan chief, the most dangerous in all of Andalucia. That had all changed when he seized the newly vacant throne of the kingdom. His Burlada warriors went back to their caves and valleys and selected a new chief while he rotted here, never truly commanding the chiefs while they danced around his authority. Knowing what he knew now, perhaps it might have been better to stay on as clan chief?

Especially when it came time to listen to Bazu's incessant droning.

"It's for that reason, Your Majesty, that the Carinthians have lodged an official complaint," said Bazu as he read from another scroll. "I imagine they'll be wanting compensation for the loss of their trading ship."

"Your endless oration is putting me to sleep, Bazu. Get to the point, will you?" said Vertulis with a heavy sigh.

Bazu's eyes went wide and his words started to jumble together. "I'm just saying they'll w-want compensation. We can't just sink one of their ships and expect to get away with it."

"Why not, Bazu? If they want to battle, tell them to send their army down here. We'll be waiting for them. Until that happens, I'll offer no such coin to those horse-riding idiots. What's next?"

Bazu nearly stammered as his hands fiddled with the next scroll. Vertulis rolled his eyes. It was so hard to find a vizier that wasn't a total incompetent. Bazu was just the latest in a long line of men who attempted the job. They had a habit of not working out for one reason or the other. But Vertulis always gave them the choice: the mines or instant death. They almost always chose the mines even though it often meant the same fate, if not a bit delayed.

It was yet another thing he missed about being clan chief. His own clan was loyal to him to a fault, and only the most competent of men would remain in his inner circle. Being king was different. There was an entire courtier class that filled Septhada, made up of mostly bottom-feeders whose only hope was to enjoy a limited time in opulence with the king as the highlight of their wretched lives. It was a different class of people, only slightly above the slaves. Sometimes, even the slaves could be more useful.

"Sire, this next petition is from the clan chief of the Purlovo clan, and it concerns the ongoing feud with that of the Turvada clan," said Bazu.

"What does that idiot want now?" asked Vertulis with a heavy sigh. The clan chief of the Purlovo was an incredibly annoying bastard. Always thinking his problems should be Vertulis' problems, the man was an endless distraction. The king had half the mind of shortening him by about a foot. That would surely solve his problems.

"It would appear that Clan Chief Mahdi wishes to bring you into mediation between him and the Turvada clan over an apparent stealing accusation," read Bazu. "Mahdi accuses the Turvada of stealing several slaves from their pens. When they were confronted, they vividly denied any wrongdoing even though Mahdi states that his men saw their slaves in the Turvada's pens. Well, it caused a bit of a row and the two clans went to battle, which was largely inconclusive."

"Is there anything about this speech that is conclusive?" asked Vertulis as he picked at his nails.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty, Mahdi states that the two clans are ready to war again, and that this whole ordeal can be avoided if he can submit proof to you that those raided slaves belong to him. He has sent along their ownership papers and their descriptions, and he invites you out to their lands."

Vertulis thought about the issue for a moment before responding. "Why should I, as the king, be required to go to them? Are they not my loyal clan chiefs? Tell Mahdi if he wants an answer, he and the Turvada need to come here."

Bazu started to hop around nervously. "They will not like that answer, Your Majesty."

The king puffed his cheeks in a dismissive manner. "If they don't like it, tell him to bring a sword with him. Maybe he'll make a more favorable ruling when he's high clan king? Are we done now?" Vertulis was already eyeing the whore pens. One delicious-looking brown-skinned girl had a bottom that looked like it needed plundered right away.

Bazu nearly squeaked during his response. "Y-yes, Your Majesty, that concludes today's—"

"Fantastic, dismissed. Get out of here, you little weasel."

The vizier practically ran out of the hall, earning a laugh from one of the Sciavo guards posted near the entrance.

"About time," muttered Vertulis before taking off his crown. He grabbed a small portion of his beard which by now, was showing a lot more silver than it used to. The king figured every time Bazu annoyed him, another hair turned gray. He'd look like an old man by the time the next birthday arrived. He looked back over at the whore pens. All the more reason to take advantage of the time he had right now.

Yet, it would be delayed even further. When Vertulis heard the door to his hall open once more, he thought it might be Bazu with one more item to nitpick him with. Instead, it was a face he didn't recognize. The Sciavo were on him in an instant, removing his weapons before he was able to approach his throne. One the newcomer was suitably relieved of his arms, he approached the throne and soon dropped to his knees before him.

"Who are you and what do you want?" asked Vertulis.

The man leaned up to rest his weight on his knees. "A prayer to your good fortune, Your Majesty. My name is Walid, of the Numratha clan. I come here to ask your help."

Vertulis sneered. "And what help does your Clan Chief Yusef need from me? The last I saw of him, he was threatening to take my throne."

Walid closed his eyes and shook his head. "The clan chief is no more. He is dead."

The king sat up straighter. "Dead? By whose hand? Who commands the Numratha now?"

"A foreigner, Your Majesty. I only barely got away during the attack, but the Numratha are under the control of a foreigner."

"Start over, Walid," said Vertulis. "Who is this foreigner and what happened? The last I heard, the Numratha were dealing with brigands in the mountains."

"Yes, Your Majesty. These brigands were foreigners to our land. They landed off the coast and took the coastal road through territory of the Muthada and the Numratha. We heard rumors from the Muthada that they were heavily armed and searching for a slave. Since they were armed and making an incursion through our land, we decided to treat them with hostility."

"So what happened then?"

"We bottled them up in the mountains. We kept attacking, but they withstood everything we threw at them. Their weapons are formidable. Like our bows but with more range and with the ability to shoot more rapidly. So we summoned more clans."

"Is that why I got reports of various clan movements?" asked Vertulis. "It seemed like nearly half the clans were moving around the interior."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We sought to overwhelm them with force but this foreigner took over the Muthada by deception. He's become their new clan chief after he killed the old one. He then led them on a surprise morning attack on our camp and killed Yusef."

"So he commands both clans now? One foreigner and two clans?"

"That's correct, Your Majesty. I only nearly escaped while the rest of the clan swore fealty to him."

"Who is this man? Does he have a name, Walid?"

"Yes, sire, his name is Jack Easterbrook."

"Jack Easterbrook? What kind of name is that? Where's it from?"

Walid shook his head. "I don't know, Your Majesty. But there's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?"

"Yusef believed this man to be the Tur'hava. He warned us about it after hearing the initial reports, and that's the reason he called in so many clans to try to contain him. This Easterbrook's stealthy raid and killing of Yusef seemed to confirm the late clan chief's thoughts."

"The Tur'hava?" whispered Vertulis. "Surely, that can't be right. That's just a story!"

"Yusef didn't believe that. He thought for sure that this man was him. That at long last, the Tur'hava had appeared in the lands just as long prophesied."

Vertulis rubbed his chin. "If that's the case, we'll need to be careful around him. The gods seldom make mistakes. We'll need to treat him as a threat. In the meantime, I want to see this Jack Easterbrook. I want to look upon him with my own eyes and determine if he is indeed the Tur'hava. Only then will I feel comfortable with the weight of that kind of title being applied to him."

"If you take me into your household command, I will go back as your embassy, Your Majesty," said Walid with a heavy bow. "Otherwise, they may kill me when I go back. They wouldn't allow me to turn my back on my own clan."

Vertulis studied him for a moment. "I'll take that bargain. It does raise an interesting question though, Walid. Why did you turn your back on your brethren? Why did you not swear allegiance to your new clan chief?"

Walid swallowed visibly. "Because my loyalty is to my country first, Your Majesty. I don't believe this foreigner is here for good reasons, and I believe he needs to be defeated. I could not fight for him against the other clans."

"Yet, you fight against other clans all the time? What's different about who commands them?" asked the king.

Walid shrugged. "That is the way it is supposed to be. Andalucian versus Andalucian. Clan versus clan. There is no room for foreigners and their misplaced sense of sovereignty here."

Vertulis started to laugh. "You are a strange man with an odd sense of pride, Walid. But you have my protection. Bring this Jack Easterbrook to me. I'll determine if he's the Tur'hava. Take a detachment of the Sciavo with you. Remind him that as a clan chief, he owes his allegiance to his king. If he refuses, we'll send all the clans after him and destroy him."

"Thank you, sire, I will honor your name," said Walid as he rose from his knees. "I will bear your message and bring him here."

"Go now," said Vertulis with a quick wave as Walid turned around, making for the door. As soon as he was out, the king found his eyes focusing back on the whore pens. The fat-bottomed whore was still watching him, an invitation eager on her face.

"I'll be with you in just one moment, lovely," said Vertulis as he stood from his throne and walked to the storeroom just off the main hall. Grabbing a pint of the finest wine he could get his hands on, he drank heavily from it before emerging back out into the hall, bringing the rest of the contents with him. The wine would help to elevate tonight's whoring session. And after all that he dealt with today, it was much needed.

"I'm back, my little sweet peach," said the king as his hands rattled against the cages. "Did you miss me?"

The ample-bottomed whore nodded in a slow and sultry manner. "I did indeed, sire. You look like a man who needs some tender, loving attention tonight."

Vertulis grinned and nodded. "This is true. Long is the list of woes of the king. Only a sweet flower such as you can take his mind off of the heavy responsibilities of leading. You and that incredibly delicious ass of yours."

"You mean this ass?" The whore turned around and pressed her flesh against the metal bars. Vertulis bit his lip at the sight of all that luscious skin pushing past the metal and begging to be manhandled. He obliged his own instinct and gripped her bottom, kneading it tightly with his fingers.

"I know how much you like my ass, sire. Wouldn't you love to see it ride your royal cock?" she asked in a breathy whisper.

Even after his fifty years, there was nothing that excited him more than seeing a sexy new addition to his harem, especially one that was eager for a pounding. And by the way her rear was humping the bars, this whore was ready for action.

Although this was one that he'd already sampled several times before. Vertulis' eyes wandered over to another section of the pens. There were at least twenty women in the pens at any one time so he always had his choice of who to pick. Many of them were frightened still—new additions who hadn't yet accepted their fate. Vertulis was usually happy enough to let them come around on their own terms unless they were sexy enough that he had to have them immediately. Nothing made sex more boring than humping a stiff, crying slave.

Yet there was a middle ground that he greatly enjoyed. New additions who were ready to couple with him. They were easy to spot most of the time. For one, they stopped avoiding eye contact, many of them giving curious glances to the king as he was in the middle of coupling with another whore. They usually sought out his manhood as their minds went busy trying to think of whether they could take him in such an intimate position. The braver ones sought out his eyes, giving silent permission to be used the next time he came calling.

Vertulis much enjoyed those sessions with a new girl. There was a unique feeling to sliding into new pussy for the first time, the primary reason why he continually rotated new girls into the harem. The variety interested him the most, and the last thing he wanted was the same stale sex with the same whore. Especially with the bad moaners. That particularly turned him off.

The king looked over at another dark-skinned whore, this one heavily kissed by the sun. She had short, curly hair that didn't go far out part her scalp but she had lovely, dark eyes that begged for further invitation. Her defining feature was her pair of tits, hanging proud and perky on her chest and capped with a delightful pair of dark black nipples. It was a whore he'd only sampled once before when she had newly arrived to the pens, but the look of invitation in her eyes meant she'd like to sample his wares once more.

Tits won out over ass.

"You there," said the king while snapping his finger to the dark-skinned whore. "You'll do nicely for tonight."

She smiled and eagerly approached the king as her competitor slung away in disappointment from the cages, her ass still showing the red impressions of the metal bars. Vertulis unlocked the gate to let the whore out, completely naked as the day she was born. Her only adornment was the metal clasp around her neck, the symbol of her servitude.

"Come along with me, my lovely," said Vertulis as he led her out of the main hall. She followed along silently behind him, her footsteps barely audible against the ceramic tile of the floor beneath them. The area where they were going was a smaller room, not far from his bedchamber. It was outfitted expressly for the purpose of being the king's personal activity room. Several elegant couches aligned against the main walls as well as a cage in the corner for kinkier play. It really wasn't Vertulis' style, but as he understood it, his predecessor needed the extra stimulation to achieve release.

Vertulis was a more simple man in that regard. All he needed was a firm ass and great tits to achieve orgasm.

Reaching the room, he turned around to face the whore while his fingers made quick work of his trousers. Pushing the material to the floor, a half-erect cock started to bob upon release. The king took a step back until the back of his knees touched the couch, allowing him to sit down and grab his unit with his hand.

"Why don't you show me what you can do, dear? Give me a repeat of your last performance," said Vertulis as he waved his cock at her.

The dark-skinned whore said nothing before crawling between his feet and taking his manhood in her hand. As she did so, her perfectly formed tits rested against the ledge of the couch, giving Vertulis an excellent sight of her black nipples as she started to stroke him slowly, pausing during each trip. The sight of it made him smile. The last time they had coupled, she'd been a timid dove, almost flinching the first time she made contact with his cock. Now she was teasing him, already a veteran in pleasing the king. This was the type of experience that he craved.

Vertulis reached down between his legs to take her nipple in his hand, pinching it between his fingers hard enough to earn a gasp of pain from the whore. This was his favorite part, and nothing quite compared to getting his hands around a large pair of tits and fleshy, fat nipples.

She gasped again one more time as he did the other nipple, the gaze in her eyes turning to a questioning expression of pain. No doubt she wondered if he would be rough with her. More than once, her eyes flickered to the cage in the corner, yet that would not be her fate. At least, as long as she didn't do anything stupid.

"I think my cock could use some saliva, don't you?" he asked while she stroked him more vigorously. The whore nodded while she leaned forward and slowly drizzled a long stream of saliva onto the tip of his helmet. Rubbing it in with her fingers, her shiny spit soon coated the entire portion of the head.

"That's it, girl. Now taste it."

The whore gave several more strokes before she stuck out her tongue and flickered it against the tip. Vertulis thrust his hips forward involuntarily, enjoying the sensation of her mouth against his cock. She soon sucked the tip all the way inside her mouth, causing an incredibly arousing sight of his light colored flesh surrounded by her darkness.

"Keep sucking. Get it all wet for me. Make me ready for that snatch of yours," said Vertulis through clenched teeth.

The whore slipped down further, her lips lowering over every inch of his shaft until she reached the base. Her eyes watered at taking so much cock down her throat, causing her to come up for breath a moment later.

"So you can deepthroat?" asked the king with a sly smile. "You were a much more timid girl the first time we coupled together."

She looked away shyly, her hands resuming the stroking of his cock before Vertulis pulled her chin back to face his direction. "I meant that as a compliment, lovely. In any event, it didn't mean stop!"

She nodded and resumed her sucking, spending extra time with the tip in a way that made the king's eyes roll to the back of his head. Soon enough, she started deepthroating him again, not stopping until her lips were touching his balls. It was an impressive display and it only made him want to sample her other holes even more.

"That's enough of that," said the king as he pulled his cock out of her mouth. "Time to saddle up and ride. Face that way and back up to my cock."

She nodded and stood to her knees wordlessly. After she turned around, she pressed out her ass, small and subtle, a total difference from the first whore he saw that evening. Vertulis smacked her pert ass several times, causing her to jump with excitement. Once he was satisfied with the sound of flesh smacking flesh, he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her back.

His cock sunk in between her legs, lost in the darkness of her body. Reaching between her thighs, he found her opening, already slick with arousal and presenting a sweet, pink target for his manhood. Placing the helmet on mark, Vertulis gave a swift thrust until the tip nestled between her lips.

She gasped at the intrusion as the king pulled her hips back, sinking his cock in almost halfway with the first stroke. She was so tight but wet enough to enable the movement without much hindrance. Vertulis was entranced at the sight of his cock disappearing between her dark flesh, a pleasure that was robbed from him with most of the other girls. This whore's exotic background made her an excellent sample of variety that he'd been craving.

Vertulis pushed her hips forward slightly before moving them back again, sinking more of his cock inside her body. Once she was all the way down, the king let her set the initial rhythm, pushing back only as much as she wanted to. For that reason, the pace set out as slow but steady, her pink opening swallowing his cock in repeated motion as her hips responded to his own. Vertulis rested his hand against her back, watching her tight ass ripple with every downward thrust.

It was a sight he could watch for hours if given the chance. Even though her ass wasn't the largest, it still made a delightful picture as it bounced off his cock. The noises the whore made were even hotter, her little squeaks and squeals of passion echoing throughout the room as he made deep intrusions into her body.

After tiring of the slow pace, Vertulis used his hands to push a more vigorous speed, pulling her hips back speedily as he felt his balls begin to tighten. The whore was moaning loudly now, and the king slapped her ass several times after she reached the crest of an orgasm. Feeling his passion begin to take over, Vertulis pulled her body back against him as his big hands went to her tits, mauling them and pinching her nipples as he rapidly thrust into her pussy.

In this position, she was completely within his mercy, being restrained against his body as he fucked her at will. The king's nose buried into the space between her neck and shoulder, enjoying her natural scent as he plundered her body. Things were starting to come to a head quickly. Vertulis' rapid thrusting was fueling the start of a mind-numbing orgasm. He could only control it so long as he clenched his teeth and tried to hold back.

It was of no use. He couldn't hold back the power behind his thrusting, and her wet snatch felt too good. It was only a matter of time before she milked his seed from his body, and he soon felt it rushing up his shaft.

"Mmm fuck, I'm cumming!" roared the king as he began to shoot all of his seed inside her greedy body. He shuddered several times as he held her tightly against him, filling her womb with all of his essence. She moaned slightly as he filled her, his cock only slipping from her snatch at the end as the last spurts landed against her mound and stomach.

Vertulis let her down softly beside him as he worked to regain his breath. With how hard he'd been thrusting at the end, he needed a moment to compose himself. She laid beside him, her hand drifting between her legs and taking some of his seed, rubbing it against her body and into her flesh.

"That was simply . . . delightful," he said finally, looking over at her body.

She smiled back at him, her body still flush with arousal.

"You're the perfect whore, do you know that? You don't talk and get right to business," said the king with a laugh. Whether she understood him or not was another issue, but it was of no matter to him. Standing from the couch, he grabbed his trousers and slipped them back on, his softened member soon disappearing from sight.

"Come on you, back to the pens," he said while thumbing his finger back in that direction.

She was up off the couch in a hurry, his seed still spilling down her thighs as they walked back to the main hall. She made no attempt to cover her nudity even though that was the way he'd found her. She was one of the only whores who was content to prance around without clothing, but it was something that endeared her to him in a way the others couldn't.

As they entered the main hall, Vertulis noticed one of his stewards bringing in new girls from the harem. He started to grin right away; he always enjoyed the day when he could set his sights on new flesh.

The first two girls were pretty to look at but not beautiful. Judging by their bodies, they would be good fits and he'd enjoy fucking them. It was the third girl that caught his eye in particular.

The blonde hair was the first thing he noticed, falling in gentle waves down to the middle of her back. She had sexy, sky-blue eyes and smooth, pale flesh unlike the kind found in Andalucia. The rest of her body was lithe, small, and impressive. Her chest stood out proudly, and she had just enough ass to make him stare for a moment too long. It was enough for her to notice, and she fixed him with a glare as she was put into the pen. She tried too hard to make her face appear to be indifferent to her fate, but her eyes betrayed her. A small undercurrent of fear ran deep, and a cunning smile filled the king's face.

"I'm really looking forward to breaking you in, my lovely," said Vertulis with a malicious leer.

*****

A short distance to the west, Jack found himself watching a pair of traders as they made their way along the road away from Septhada. It had been two days since the battle with the Numratha clan and thankfully for all of them, there had been no further fights in that time. It wasn't for a lack of enemies but since he added the two clans to his army, the other Andalucians seemed to be hesitant to attack him.

For the most part, they shadowed his army, staying just a half day behind his men where they could still strike if they sensed a weakness, but were still protected by numbers if Jack felt like turning on them. For he was no longer the hunted. His marines and two clans were more than an even match for the three remaining, at least for the time being. No other clans had shown up and the ride toward Septhada was progressing with all possible haste.

With him as usual were Greg, Abigail, and Vera but they were now joined by his own deputies for each clan. Abel, being the deputy for the Muthada, walked not far from Jack as well as the Numratha deputy, Samir. The two men had developed a working truce with each other and helped to get Jack's voice out to their respective clans.

If Jack had expected the Andalucian clans to be unruly, he was to be disappointed. The clans followed their chief's orders to the letter and worked well with the marines to keep a safe perimeter around their camp. It was especially important that they did, seeing as he only commanded the two clans by launching surprise attacks against them before. It was not a history he wanted to see repeated with the shoe on the other foot.

"Abel, about how far do you think we are from Septhada?" asked Jack as he turned toward the man.

Abel shrugged. "It shouldn't be much longer. Possibly even tonight if we continue this pace. We're making good progress through the land and the rough terrain of the mountains is mostly behind us."

"Good," said Jack. "Hopefully we can end this once we get there and I can speak with the king." And get Kat released. That was the part that he wanted the most. Grab her and leave the country. Even if he was starting to get rather fond of his Andalucian allies, there were certain elements of their island that rubbed him the wrong way. Slavery being the obvious first choice, but also the fact that every clan he encountered seemed to want to fight him. Best for them to be off at their first chance.

"I would not be so eager to speak with the king, clan chief," cautioned Samir. "He will not take kindly to what you have done with uniting our two clans."

"I did what I had to do to stay alive," said Jack with a firm tone. "I never set out to unite the clans as you call it. I certainly don't want to be king here. I just want to get what I came here for and leave."

Samir pursed his lips. "I don't think it will be that simple."

Jack opened his mouth to respond before Abigail caught his eyes. She placed a hand against his arm. "I think Samir is right, Jack. When has anything ever worked out easily the first time around? Look at where we are now compared to two weeks ago. We thought we'd just jump right into Andalucia, rescue Kat and be on our way. Instead, we seem to be broiled into another war."

Jack nodded slowly and spoke low enough for just her to hear. "I know. It hasn't been easy for us. I sincerely doubt I can bargain Kat away for nothing if she's a slave. Perhaps I can purchase her freedom back from the king. We have enough gold to offer. I'd hate to think of it as a transactional deal, but perhaps it can be as simple as that."

She smiled and pressed a brief kiss against his lips. "Your mind works in mysterious ways. I hope for all of our sakes, you're right about this."

Jack grinned. "As do I. There's nothing I want more than to be back on the Destiny with some privacy for the two of us." He then lowered his voice barely above a whisper. "I miss being intimate with you."

Abigail stuck her chest out slightly. "You know, clan chief, I'm sure your new subjects would be willing to lend you a tent for a few hours if you asked nicely."

"Don't think I haven't thought about that, but with how you get during sex, the whole camp would know what we just did the moment we got to it," said Jack with a laugh.

Abigail giggled and playfully slapped his arm. "You make it sound like that's a bad thing!"

"Not at all." He shook his head. "It's one of my favorite things about you. But it does require us to have a certain privacy."

As Jack kept up his playful teasing of Abigail, he became aware of a degree of commotion at the front of their column. There was a small squad of Numratha that made up the vanguard of their army as they marched toward Septhada, but Jack could see several of those men making their way back quickly to his spot in the column. As they reached him, Jack could see sour looks on the faces of both men.

"Clan chief, there is a man up ahead. He's requesting an audience with you," said the first man, making a disgusted face as soon as the words were out.

"What seems to be the trouble with this man?" asked Jack. "What's causing that expression?"

"He is former Numratha, clan chief. But he is no longer. He claims to speak for the high clan king of Andalucia," said the warrior.

"The high clan king? All right, send him back," said Jack firmly.

The warriors bowed together and raced back toward the front. Around Jack, a series of light chatter erupted as many tried to process the meaning of the envoy from the king. On his own, Jack wondered how he'd come to the attention of the king so quickly. Had word of his actions reached Septhada so rapidly?

The Numratha warriors escorted back another man with them who could only have been the envoy. Physically, there was nothing to distinguish him from the other members of the clan. He had the same features and same garb as the other Numratha. Yet, his own warriors treated him with a heavy manner of disgust, almost as if his very person was toxic. It was something Jack would have to get more answers for later.

The envoy to the Andalucian king appeared in front of Jack and bowed deeply before him. Unlike the other Numratha, Jack noticed this man didn't prostrate himself on the ground, and he wondered if it was a possible sign of disrespect.

"Clan Chief Jack Easterbrook, my name is Walid, formerly of the Numratha clan. I'm here to—"

"Why formerly of the Numratha? Why are you not with your clan, Walid?" interrupted Jack.

Walid's face flashed with annoyance. "Because I serve the king now. He is my master and to whom I owe my allegiance."

"Is that why my men look at you with such disgust? Because you abandoned your own clan?" asked Jack. His words spurred on the Numratha close to him, many of them nodding their heads in agreement with his words.

Walid looked around at them as if to ascertain if he was in any danger. When no threatening moves appeared, he turned back to Jack. "As I said, I'm a special envoy from the king of Andalucia, and I bear a message for you."

"Go on then. Tell me your message, Walid."

"The high clan king of Andalucia, His Majesty Vertulis, has noticed your intervention in the affairs of the island. He is displeased with your actions, and he wishes for you to account for yourself at his court in Septhada," said Walid.

"We're already on our way to Septhada," said Jack. "To see the king ourselves."

Walid's lip curled up in amusement. "Then I shall act as your escort to the king. Time is of the utmost when you're sought by the sovereign of all Andalucia."

"I'm assuming you came directly from Septhada?" asked Jack. "How far away is it now?"

"We can be there tonight if we travel quickly," answered Walid. "His Majesty is most displeased with your actions. You've united two clans under your rule, a clear violation of Andalucian law. Be prepared to give reason behind your actions when you are face-to-face with the king."

"I'll speak with your king when I arrive there, Walid. And I will tell him the real story of what happened since I set foot in your country. Is that all? Do you have anything else with which to menace us with?"

Walid's ears turned red. "No, clan chief, that is all. I will escort you to the capital city of the king. You are to keep your army outside the city walls and approach the king with no more than five men."

"Five men? How do I know this isn't some trick to get me alone and undefended?" asked Jack. "With what I've seen in this country, I wouldn't put it past anyone to be devious in order to attack us."

"The high clan king has no need for parlor tricks to deceive you. If he wanted you dead, you'd already be," said Walid simply. "You will either follow his rules or you will be killed. There is no alternative."

"Very well, Walid," said Jack. "We'll go toward our audience with the king. But I don't want you around my people. You are to move to the front of our column and separate yourself by a few hundred yards. Any closer than that, and I can't guarantee your safety from my Numratha warriors."

The color drained from Walid's face. Without any further words, he turned hastily and worked his way toward the front of the column.

"Slimy bastard," muttered Jack as soon as the envoy was gone. He then turned to look at Greg and Abigail. "This works out in our favor then. We wanted to see the king, and now he wants to see me."

"I don't like this though, Jack. This could be a trap," said Abigail. "He now knows you exist, and he's not happy with our presence here. This could spell trouble for us."

"It's not like we can ignore it though, Abigail. From what we know, the king has Kat. It's worth meeting with him for that reason alone."

"These circumstances make me nervous though," she said. "I didn't like the tone of that message."

"Not to mention, I'm not particularly happy about only taking so few men," said Greg. "I share your opinion on this one, Jack. They could be trying to separate us only to make the task of killing you easier."

"We'll just have to be careful who we pick," said Jack. "We'll only take marines with us. I'll take one of my deputies with me as well for advice." Jack then turned to look for the nearest one, seeing Abel not far away. "Abel, come here for a second."

The man trotted up quickly and smiled at Jack. "How can I help, clan chief?"

"No doubt you heard the entire message from the king's envoy?"

Abel nodded silently.

"What do you think? Does this spell trouble for us?"

"Quite possibly, clan chief. However the king can be dangerous and it will be wise to go into this expecting anything to happen."

"What would happen if I ignored this? If we didn't show up to see the king?"

Abel shook his head. "Nothing good would come about from it. As I told you before, the king has nominal authority over all the clan chiefs even if the power is not absolute. To ignore a summons from the king is a sign of rebellion. The king can then call on all clan chiefs to destroy you."

Jack nodded and then turned back to Abigail and Greg. "So we're in danger if we go and danger if we don't go. I guess that means our choice is already made."

Greg nodded. "I'm going with you at least. You'll need a good shot with you."

"We'll take Abel with us as well," said Jack as he gestured for the Muthada warrior to come closer. "Other than that, Greg, I want you to grab two more of your best men and have them ready to go. If we push hard, we should get there tonight."

"I still don't like the sound of this," said Abigail warily.

"Don't worry," cautioned Jack. "I have a plan."

*****

"That's a damn big fortress," said Greg several hours later as the small group of five stared up at the sandy, formidable walls of the high clan king's stronghold. It was early evening, and Jack's force was posted just outside the city, close enough to offer assistance in a bind, but still far enough away that they were on their own for the meeting with the king.

"Let's get this over with," said Jack before gesturing for all of them to follow him. "We need to get Kat and then get moving." Jack's heart rate was beating wildly, hoping that the Galician woman was just on the other side of those sandstone walls. If that was the case, he intended to purchase her back from the king, and his pockets were weighed down with enough gold to make that happen. He hoped it would be a simple affair yet the land of Andalucia had a habit of surprising him.

"Clan chief, what are we to do if we find this woman you're seeking? How will you persuade the king to release a slave to you?" asked Abel from his side. At that moment, the king's Sciavo guards were closing in on them, offering to take them inside to see the king.

Jack grabbed a gold coin from his pocket and flashed it at Abel. "I'm hoping this will do the trick."

Abel's eyes went wide. "No, clan chief, that's not—"

"Who approaches the high clan king of Andalucia?" boomed a loud voice from just overhead, drowning out Abel's protests. Jack turned his attention away from his babbling deputy and looked at the two Sciavo in front of him. He promptly identified himself by his name and those of the clans he commanded.

"You'll need to disarm to see the king. It is custom," said the guard while gesturing to their weapons.

"Do what he says," said Jack to the others. He then turned to face the guard. "But don't think that we're not deadly without our weapons."

The Sciavo sneered and then gestured to a spot where they could place their guns. Jack, Greg, Abel, and the two other marines set down their weapons and were led inside a great hall at the front of the fortress. As the men lined up to enter the hall, Abel once again slipped beside him. "Clan chief, you must listen to me, it's not wise—"

"Jack!"

Jack's head whipped around in the direction of the familiar voice. His gaze centered on a metal cage that ran along the side of the greeting hall of the king. Inside, he could see nothing but near-nude women, many of them lounging about in various positions within the cage. Yet, it was the flash of blonde hair that drew his attention right away.

"Kat!" he yelled upon seeing her sky-blue eyes. He ran to the cage as she did the same, both of their hands connecting in an instant. She looked just how he remembered from that last day in Sorella, her clothing only slightly more worn and torn from that time. There was much in her eyes—sadness, despair, but most importantly, a hope that now seemed to fill them.

"You're here. I can't believe you're here," she said quietly, squeezing his hands through the metal cage.

"I couldn't abandon you. Especially when I found out what happened to you."

A tear formed in her eye, slipping down to her cheek. "I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."

"I'm here now. And I'm going to get you out of here," he said firmly.

Kat bit her lip. "I don't think it'll be easy."

"I don't care. I'll do what I have to in order to get you out."

She smiled briefly, her gaze falling down to his chest before flickering up to his eyes. "I missed you so much, Jack."

"I missed you," he whispered back. "When I told you back in Sorella that I'd see you in two weeks, I didn't imagine it would be like this."

She pressed her face against his hands. "Neither did I."

At the end of the hallway, there was an audible sound. Someone had coughed loud enough to get Jack's attention and as he turned, he saw several members of the king's court watching him with expectation. The man who could only be the king sat on a golden throne, displeasure already written onto his face.

"Let me deal with this. I'll figure this out, okay?" he said to Kat before slipping away from the bars.

She nodded and rewarded him with another smile. If Jack thought his heart was beating wildly before, it really took off now. She was here and she just needed him to set her free. He walked with firm purpose on his way to the king, determined to let nothing stop him from securing her freedom.

As soon as he reached the throne, one of the king's stewards let out a booming announcement of his presence. "Your Majesty, Clan Chief Jack Easterbrook has come to pay his respects to you. Honorable leader of the Muthada and the Numratha." The emphasis on the two clans was stressed, a stealthy reminder that it was not proper custom. "May I present His Majesty, Vertulis, king of all Andalucia."

"So you're the man making all the trouble in my kingdom?" said Vertulis, regarding him with a wary gaze.

Jack studied the man for a moment before answering. Vertulis was an older man, possibly mid-fifties in age with coarse, dark hair and long, black beard with a few tinges of gray to them. He had dark, cold eyes and a slight smirk on his face that showed he'd been looking forward to this meeting.

"You could say the trouble has been the one finding me," said Jack finally after watching the king closely.

Vertulis threw his head back and laughed heartily. "That's the kind of answer I expected from a foreigner. You don't belong in this land so how is it that you find yourself in charge of two of my clans?"

"I'm here on my own mission," said Jack coolly. "I wouldn't be the head of those clans if they hadn't decided to be hostile to my men. They surrounded my force and tried to pick us off. I did what I had to in order to stay alive. They had no cause to attack us."

Vertulis sneered. "They needed no cause. Warfare is the way of life in Andalucia. I wouldn't expect you to understand that."

"I understand perfectly now," countered Jack. "My clans understand that now too."

The king flinched when Jack mentioned clans as a plural. "Surely you know what happens to men who try to unite the clans? Have your warriors told you of the fate that awaits you for that task?"

"I'm aware," said Jack cryptically. "Yet, I'm not here for warfare. My mission is peaceful. If these clans would just leave our force alone, we will surely depart the land."

Vertulis started to laugh again. "You have much to learn about Andalucian politics. You've painted a target on your back a mile wide at this point. Do you know that I'd be well within my rights as king to kill you where you stand?"

"I don't think a man of your intelligence would take such a hasty move," said Jack. "Especially without hearing my proposal. Your claim also rests on one simple question."

"What question is that?"

Jack gestured to the men around him. "Whether you could reach me before we killed you."

The king's cheek flinched as he stared at Jack. The meeting was turning more sour than Jack intended, and Vertulis' hostility towards him was only growing deeper. It was time to draw it back and remember who he came here for.

"I don't wish to quarrel with you, Your Majesty," said Jack finally, bowing his head slightly in a show of respect. "I just want to finish what I came here for and get back to my life."

The king's face started to relax. "Perhaps our exchange was getting too heated. You're an intriguing man, Jack Easterbrook. I can tell from your words that you are a man of purpose, such as myself. An interesting aura surrounds you." The king seemed to look deep within Jack's eyes, as if he was questioning part of Jack's very soul.

"With your help, Your Majesty, I think you can shorten my stay in Andalucia greatly."

"Well then give voice to your request," said Vertulis simply.

"I'm here to secure the release of a woman," said Jack. "A woman that was put into slavery by mistake. She's not a slave, and she's a free woman. I've come here to make sure she comes back with me."

Vertulis started to chuckle. "You need to spend more time talking with your clans to understand our customs. It matters not to us how slaves are attained, legally or otherwise. The only thing that matters is that once you're a slave, you're always a slave. Until you die."

"That being the case, I'm asking your permission for an exception. It's of paramount importance that I secure her release, Your Majesty."

Vertulis' upper lip curled in amusement. "Her release? Is it your woman? The one that warms your bed at night?"

Jack felt his cheeks warming, but wouldn't give him the benefit of too honest an answer. "As I said, she's very important to me." He half-turned to face the slave pens, causing Vertulis to look past him to the object of Jack's gaze. His expression turned sour almost immediately.

"Who is this woman?" he asked as the amusement on his face evaporated.

"The blonde woman in the pens back there," said Jack while pointing to Kat. "I wish to secure her freedom. I have coin with which to bargain for her life." He pulled out a few gold coins from his pocket to show the king. "I'm sure we can come to some kind of an arrangement."

Almost immediately, the air around the hall turned stiff. Several of the stewards around the king started to chatter to themselves while the Sciavo reached for their weapons. All the while, Vertulis' face slowly filled with rage. As his nostrils flared, he pointed a finger to Jack.

"You dare come into my city and offer to purchase my slave?" said the king while his tone got louder. "My slave?" he roared, taking the crown off his head and throwing it at the floor in anger.

Jack took a step back, not knowing for sure why the king was growing more angry by the second. Vertulis pushed up from his throne, soon towering over the rest of Jack and his men.

"You insult me with your offer of gold for one of my whores! You do not offer to purchase another slave from a man, let alone the king of Andalucia!"

Jack began to shake his head. "It was not my intention to offend, Your Majesty—"

Vertulis seethed and began to speak through clenched teeth. "You are to leave this palace immediately. You will gain no more audiences with me, Tur'hava."

Tur'hava. There's that title again, thought Jack. What does it mean?

"You will leave now and not return! If you think you can step into my palace and insult me, you will find yourself gravely mistaken, foreigner!" roared Vertulis.

Jack found his chances of quickly rescuing Kat melting rapidly. Around them, the Sciavo formed a barrier between him and the king, their weapons drawn as they rapidly approached them. The situation was so tense that they could only step backwards, away from the enraged king.

"I apologize for any offense, Your Majesty," said Jack finally. "We still have much to learn about—"

"Yes, you do," said Vertulis menacingly. "Now get out!"

It wasn't worth fighting any further. This round was now over, and Jack had to concede defeat. Signaling the rest of the men, he turned and walked toward the exit as Kat watched him with pleading eyes.

"I'll be back for you. I promise," he whispered to her as they were escorted out the hall.

"I know you will," said Kat with a quick nod. "Please be safe!"

As soon as they were out of the main hall, Jack and his men grabbed their weapons and were escorted outside the fortress walls. The Sciavo watched them as they left, their weapons still at their sides and ready for conflict.

"Well, that didn't go so well," said Greg as soon as they were away from the stronghold. "Got any other ideas?"

"I'm thinking," said Jack. "I just hope I didn't manage to put him on the list of our enemies here too. For our sake and Kat's."

*****

Vertulis grabbed a goblet of water and drank it all fully, throwing it to the ground with a heavy clang as he finished it off. He struggled to regain his cool, still furious at the insult leveled at him by that man.

Purchase one of his concubines? The absolute nerve of that man.

Yet Vertulis couldn't shake the feeling that he was indeed the Tur'hava. And if that was the case, the man was incredibly dangerous. He would need to be neutralized before he got any more powerful. It required the purpose of every able-bodied Andalucian warrior on the entire island.

Jack Easterbrook needed to be destroyed.

"Bazu, get over here," said Vertulis, snapping his fingers at the timid steward.

Bazu nearly fell over himself as he made his way to the king. He bowed deeply at the foot of Vertulis' throne. "Y-yes, Your Majesty?"

"I want you to send riders out to every clan," said Vertulis calmly. "I want them to converge on Septhada and to engage and destroy this man, Jack Easterbrook. Capture him at all costs. Call in all the Sciavo as well and set them on the same purpose. I will make sure this man is enslaved for the rest of his miserable life just for his insult. There will be no dawn for the Tur'hava."