16th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

Araki awoke the sound to the sound of girls laughing. He sat up and looked around the sleeping section he shared with Aquillia and Stella.

Stella sat in a corner, running a bone comb through her hair.

“You slept well.” She smiled at him.

“It was a little odd.” Araki stood and stretched and moved over to close the flap to the living space.

“I might have a solution to the problem of the nearby tribe,” she said.

“I take it that you don’t want the others to know,” he said sitting next to her.

“I think we should go over to the other tribe at night-time and check them out,” she said.

“What would we be looking for?” he asked.

“I heard from Nanberry that the Oath rod is missing. There is a suspicion that it was stolen by the other clan. I think we should head over to the other clan and sneak around and see what we can find.”

Araki’s stomach growled. “When did you want to go?”

“Tonight, if that is possible,” she said placing the comb down.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“No,” she said, shaking her head.

He threw back the flap and stepped into the sitting section. The tent flap was open to the cooking area. Nanberry and Aquillia were seated around the campfire while the girls played a game that involved a small ball and a stick.

He approached Nanberry and Aquillia and sat down bedside them.

Nanberry handed him a warm bowl of stew.

“Sorry it’s cold,” she said. “Breakfast was a few hours ago.”

Araki smiled at her and took the spoon and began to eat. He dressed in his robe, boots, and his sword belted on his hip, pushed back the tent flap, and stepped out of his tent. Around the centre campfire, the elders sat talking to themselves.

“Araki,” one called, “we were waiting for you. Please follow us. The deciding tent has been erected to the south of the camp.”

The old men rose and started walking to the north, Araki following them. The old men led him to a large tent worked in the blue hue of the clan. The tent flaps were all fastened up and around the edge of the shade the clan men had gathered. Standing in the middle of the tent were the four contenders.

“We are all here now,” Yalla said.

Araki took a seat with the old men who had escorted him.

“By now you all know that the Oath rod is missing and the presence of Clan Linjah to the west leads us to conclude that the two are not a coincidence,” said Drice.

A general murmur rippled around the room.

“Drice and I,” Bunyan said, “have searched the baggage and concluded that the Oath rod has been stolen.”

“Do we believe that it is Linjah who stole it?” asked a man.

“We are not sure,” offered Jungurrur.

“We are sure,” countered Drice.

Another murmur rippled around the gathered men.

“That is the current theory,” Drice said.

“We have no proof,” said Jungurrur.

“What can we do?” Araki called.

“I think we should send a delegation of men over to them and demand the return of the Oath rod,” Yalla said.

Drice and Yalla selected four men to stand as a delegation. Araki returned to his tent as the sun was high in the sky. He pushed back his tent flap and stepped inside. He kicked off his boots and, still dressed, he stepped into the sitting area. Stella and Aquillia were lounging on the floor, reading scrolls. The girls stood around the fire over a large pot.

“Stella, come for a walk with me,” Araki said.

Stella got up and stepped into the sleeping section and returned buttoning up her robes. They both stepped into their boots and Araki held open the tent flap for Stella and passed outside after her. He took her hand and strolled through the camp, walking to the edge of the camp.

“What’s all this for?” Stella asked. They came to the edge of the camp and began to circle to the south.

“The men have sent a delegation to Clan Linjah demanding they return the Oath rod.”

“I still want to go over there and sneak around myself,” Stella said.

“I will join you. Getting past the sentries won’t be a problem, just getting out without Aquillia or Nanberry stopping us will be the trick.”

“How will we get past the guards?”

“We pretend to be going out for a romp under the stars.”

“That will work?”

Araki nodded. “I saw a pair doing just that on our first day out. No one even gave them a second look.”

“We wait until after Nanberry and Aquillia have gone to sleep then head out?”

“Or we could go now.” Araki stopped. They were at the west end of the camp.

Stella looked around them. A lone sentry strolled past them as he kept watch on the cattle. Araki gathered her into his arms and kissed her.

Stella broke the kiss and gasped. “Let’s do this. Not here though.”

Araki smiled and guided away from the camp. “If we walk, won’t it take all day?”

“We need horses,” Stella said.

“There are a couple of horses right there.” Araki pointed at two horses cropping at the grass not three metres away.

Stella approached the horses, making a soft clucking sound.

“I have not ridden a horse without a saddle before,” Araki said. “It can’t be too hard.”

Stella grabbed the horse’s mane and swung herself up. Araki watched her do it and moved to the other horse and duplicated her actions. He made it up, just without the grace that Stella demonstrated. Stella chuckled as he adjusted himself on the horse’s back.

“We have to use our knees to guide the horse.”

Still holding the horse’s mane, Araki kicked the horse with one leg and the horse stopped grazing and turned in that direction. Stella pulled up beside him.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded. They kicked their horses into a trot and headed out to the west.

Stella and Araki approached the camp of tribe Linjah and pulled on the hair of their horses. Two horses stood next to a large tent with a pennant flicking in the breeze. The rest of the camp stretched out behind them, arrayed in a similar pattern of concentric circles. Araki swung off the horse and slipped to the ground, Stella dropping to the ground beside him. They ran across the intervening space and came to the edge of the tent.

“We don’t have your Oath rod,” a loud voice insisted from inside the tent.

“We know you stole it,” came a second voice in reply.

“How do you know it was us?” the voice demanded.

“When we went looking for it, it was missing. You were discovered to be following us. What possible reason could you have for following us except to steal the Oath rod?”

“The delegation,” Araki muttered to Stella.

“Return our Oath rod or we will attack you,” the first voice stated.

“If you attack us, we will be ready to defend ourselves,” the second voice said.

Araki and Stella moved around the side of the tent.

“You have two days to return the Oath rod,” the first voice demanded, a slap of leather and then a neigh of horses

“For the last time, we don’t have it,” the second voice cried.

“We will see,” the first voice said. Horses hooves were heard thundering away.

Stella and Araki crouched low under the grass line next to the tent, waiting.

“They mean to go to war over this Oath rod,” the second voice said.

“I think it is like their version of the Decius plate,” a new voice said.

Decius, I need to find Decius as well as this Oath rod.

“You think they are not able to decide on a leader?” the voice said. “We need to watch the Decius plate closely.”

“I will watch it; my family has no claim, and we can be trusted,” the third voice said.

Araki followed the second man who walked around to the front of the tent, opened the flap, and stepped inside.

Araki scanned the area and saw that the tents were quiet as families were inside readying for the midday meal. Araki gently lifted the corner of the tent flap and glanced inside.

A screen blocked the entrance. Stella and Araki slipped inside and crouched down to the right. A hallway led off to the right but the left was blocked with cushions and curtains.

“Good, you are still here,” a man said.

Araki slipped amongst the cushions not making any sound and was soon able to see the main tent room.

A man closed a large ornate crate and sat on a cushion. Three other cushions were arrayed around the centre of the room. Three men with white hair and long beards entered the room and joined the first.

“Clan Lawn has threatened war,” one man declared.

“They have claimed that we stole their ‘Oath rod’,” a second said.

“What is the Oath rod?” a third asked.

“I think it is their version of the Decius plate,” the young man offered.

“Is the Decius plate still here?” the third asked.

Stella sneezed. All four men turned to look at the stack of cushions in where Stella and Araki were hiding. The youngest of the men dashed over and pulled away some cushions revealing Stella and Araki.

“Why are you here?” the young man asked.

“Who are you?” the first old man asked.

“Guards,” the young man called out. “Talk,” the young man demanded.

“My name is Araki Rosethorn.”

“What are you doing here?” the young man asked.

“I have told you who I am; who are you?” Araki returned.

The old men laughed.

“Don’t you know, boy?” the third asked.

Araki shook his head.

“We are the elders of Clan Linjah.”

“That much I worked out for myself,” said Araki. “What is the Decius plate?”

“Come sit down and we can talk,” the first said.

“He is armed!” the young man shouted.

“If he wanted to kill us,” the second said, “he would have already. I don’t think he is here to kill us. I believe that he is from Clan Lawn and is seeking the Oath rod.”

“Come and join us,” the third said.

“Pull up another two cushions,” the first said.

Araki sat next to an old man and Stella sat behind him.

“Your wife is a little scared,” said the first. “We won’t hurt her.”

“I am fine,” Stella said.

The three elders sat around the centre of the room in a tight semicircle. Their hair was wispy and white, their faces had leathery skin, but their eyes shone with vitality. All the elders wore matching robes in the Linjah colours and the only thing separating them was the hem. The first elder’s hem was gold, the second elder’s silver and the third elder’s a coppery bronze. The young man wore a white robe with Linjah green along the hem.

“Clan Lawn already sent a delegation to us today already,” said the second elder. “It was quite rude.”

“I assume you do not represent them,” the first elder said.

“That’s right,” Araki confirmed. “I wanted to see if you really did have the Oath rod. I wanted to see it.”

“We have no need for the Oath rod, because we have the Decius plate,” the first elder said.

“I have heard of the Decius plate. Can I see it?” Araki asked.

“I don’t think that is a good idea,” the young man said.

“Let the man see it,” said elder number two.

The young man stood from his cushion and walked to the crate, picked it up and brought it over. He set the crate in the middle of the elders and opened the lid. The Decius plate filled the crate. It was a large highly polished steel breastplate with intricate embossing covered in a light bronze sheen. It began to glow. The young man snapped the crate shut.

“Does it do that all the time?”

“No, it doesn’t,” the second said.

That is Decius and you need to acquire it, the baritone voice declared booming in his head.

***

Rolando looked down at his cards again. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand then pushed a small stack of coins into the centre of the table to join a much larger stack.

“Raise,” he said, looking across the table at the two dwarves opposite him.

The one to his left closed his cards and placed them on the table besides a few gold coins. The other looked at his last copper rods. “I can’t match that,” he said deeply. “Will you take a note?”

“No, I-owe-yous at this table, Ginuk,” said the first. “Only what you bring to the table.”

“I really want information,” Rolando said. “I am looking for a council elder. If you write it on a piece of paper, then I will accept it at matching my bet.”

“Is that fine with you, Yurseac?” Ginuk asked.

Yurseac nodded. Ginuk pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the pile.

Rolando smiled and laid his cards face up on the round table. Three kings and two queens decorated five of his eight cards; the other three were a trained soldier, and a pair of peasants, the lowest card in the game. Ginuk frowned and turned his cards over: three knights, three grunts, and two peasants. He smiled at Ginuk and leant forward over the table and pulled in his winnings.

“Hold it,” said Ginuk, “I want to see what Yurseac had.”

Yurseac laughed and flipped his cards over. He had one king, one queen and four champions. “I shouldn’t have folded,” he said.

Everyone laughed and Rolando picked up the card and pocketed it. Jeemo came over to the table and gave him a quick hug. “You did it.”

“Thanks,” Rolando blushed. “Bartender, can you get me a sack for my winnings.”

The bartender, a tall dwarf dressed in the plain white cloth tunic, nodded, and flung a hessian sack at Rolando. He and Jeemo started to fill quickly with the gold leaves, silver branches and bronze rods. As they left Rolando flicked the bartender a gold leaf. “A round on me.” Then he left the tavern.

***

The elder looked the young man. “Uru get the council.”

“Yes,” Uru said. The young man in white got up and walked to the tent flap and stepped outside.

“What does this mean?” Araki asked.

The three old men remained silent. After a minute of silence, men started to file into the tent and sat around the outside of the meeting. Many were middle-aged, some were young, and a few others were the same age as the three elders. After the tent was filled with the council members, Uru returned with the last member. The first elder got up.

“We have been trying to find our next chieftain and have been bickering amongst ourselves. However today the Decius plate has chosen our new chieftain,” he said.

“This stranger?” a man from the council asked.

First sat down.

“Who are your parents? We need to establish your heritage,” Second asked.

“I am from Clan Lawn. My father is Mulgooma Rosethorn. His father was Tunio Rosethorn who married Irrawella Lawn. All I know is that she was the daughter of the clan leader.”

“Are you the clan chief of Clan Lawn?” Third asked.

“No, the last clan chief was my uncle.”

“So, you are the great grandson to Chalmu Lawn?”

“I never did know his name.”

“Many years ago, Mitchamur a great clan chief, had two sons. Instead of assigning one son to rule the other, he split the tribe. Half the tribe was to go to his son, Chalmu, and the rest to go to his second son, Linjah.” Second indicated with his hand the members of Clan Linjah. “Linjah had only one son: our last chief. He had no sons, only daughters.”

“This man was chosen by the Decius Plate,” a man from the clan declared.

“Is everyone in agreement?” First asked.

Hands went up around the tent.

“It is agreed that the clan will follow you,” Second said.

Araki froze. The clan was just meant to accept him into their clan, so that Nanberry and her children can have a safe place to live. He wasn’t meant to become the chieftain. His stomach plummeted and he felt like throwing up. His hands went clammy. His mission here was not to take over the tribe, but to vote on a new chieftain. That mission was ended as he was effectively kicked out of the clan.

“Did you grow up with Clan Lawn?” Third asked.

Araki’s attention was brought back to the present as the third spoke. He opened his mouth to answer and it was dry. He coughed then answered. “I grew up in Peace Landing,” Araki said.

“We will prepare a place tent for you, and someone to train you in our ways,” First said.

“What about Aquillia, Nanberry and the children?” Stella asked.

“You have a family in Clan Lawn?” Second asked.

A look passed between the elders.

“When I came to Ashford, I came with Stella here and Aquillia. I also inherited my uncle’s family—his wife and his three daughters and an underage son.”

“You would also inherit the family of our last chief,” Third said.

“How big is this family?” Araki asked.

“Marraka believed in having only one wife,” First stated. “The custom was changing, but it did leave us with many unmarried women. We can resolve that challenge later.”

“I would like to go back and get my family,” Araki said.

“First you should meet your new additions,” Second said.

“I already have quite enough wives. I think more would be overdoing it,” Araki said.

The elders chuckled.

“Many chieftains have multiple wives,” First said. “It is quite normal. Don’t worry about it.”

Araki’s palms stared sweating and he rubbed them against his robes. Could he satisfy all of these many wives? Stella had already hinted that if she was not kept satisfied, she would find another. Would the others be as demanding?

The elders and Araki rose and left the meeting tent. They walked toward the centre of the camp and passed by several large tents. Araki picked up the smell of cooking food wafting from each tent and heard the sound of children playing. Two boys about seven years old ran after a leather skin ball, dust and grime caked on their naked bodies. A few seconds later, several naked dirt-smeared girls of the same age also ran after the ball, all laughing wildly as they chased after the ball.

“This is livelier than the way the children are treated in Clan Lawn,” Stella muttered to Araki.

Araki nodded. “We should allow the children in Clan Lawn the same freedom.”

“I think the girls will enjoy the freedom here,” Stella said.

They came to a large leather tent at the edge of the camp.

“Moogera,” Second called from the tent flap.

A woman stepped out. She was taller than Araki by a hair’s breadth. Her dark hair and fair complexion set off her green eyes. Lean and well-muscled, she was wearing a brown loose-fitting sleeveless dress pinched under her small breasts.

“Moogera, this is Araki from Peace landing. He was just selected as the new chief,” said Third.

Moogera looked him up and down, smiled and then extended her hand to him. Araki took her hand and pumped it.

“Please come in. I will call my daughter in from play to meet you.” Moogera held the tent flap open. “Please give us some time to get acquainted, elders. I will return him to you safe and sound in the morning.”

“Stella here is his wife,” First said. “He was travelling with Clan Lawn.”

Moogera nodded and waved Stella and Araki into the tent.

“First, could you arrange something for me please? I would like to address the whole clan after dinner. Is that something that can be arranged?” Araki asked.

First smiled at Araki. “That would be wonderful. I can make the arrangements for you to address the clan.”

Araki stepped into the tent, followed by Stella and Moogera. Stella and Araki removed their boots as Moogera walked deeper into the tent. Araki noticed that the tent had no dividers hanging in the space. He saw several chests sitting around the open space, the ground covered in a large soft rug. A small fire pit with a pot dominated the centre in a circle cut out from the rug.

Moogera handed a cushion to Araki and Stella before returning to the tent flap, opening it. “Jage! Dinner time.” She dropped the tent flap and joined Araki and Stella.

“It is nice to meet you,” Araki said.

“Is she your first wife?” Moogera asked.

“Aquillia and I are the same,” Stella said.

“You have two wives already and no first wife?” Moogera asked.

A spindly girl of around six years burst into the tent. She had the same dark hair as Moogera tied to the back of her head. Her whole body was covered in dirt and grime. Her blue eyes locked with Stella and her face lit up with a grin that shone from her face despite the dirt and grime

“Jage, wash up we have guests.”

“Yes, Mother.” Jage strode across to the other side of the tent and lifted a cloth that sat on a chest from over a bowl. She dipped the cloth in to the bowl of water and began to wipe away the dirt and grime from her face and body.

“I inherited a small family when I arrived,” Araki explained. “I came with Aquillia from Peace Landing. I met Stella in Ishtaree. Altogether I am responsible for six other girls, one boy and their mother, from Clan Lawn.”

“Adding Jage and myself, will make it quite a large family. Do you have any other family?”

“I am the only son to my parents. They and my grandmother live in Peace landing. I have one aunt and I believe some half great-uncles and aunts. How many I am not sure. My grandfather’s father sowed many wild oats.”

“They won’t be a problem for us, will they?”

“I doubt it.”

Jage walked over to the fire pit and sat next to her mother. She handed her mother four wooden bowls and spoons.

Moogera took the bowls, lifted the lid to the pot and extracted the ladle from the pot to serve the stew.

“If I am the clan chief here, I will need someone to help me leading these people,” Araki said.

“The elders do most of the leading. You are the face of the clan,” explained Moogera as she passed a bowl to Araki.

“So, I don’t have to make any decisions?”

Moogera shook her head.

“I don’t need to know where the watering spots are or anything?”

She shook her head again. “The elders will ask you which one you want to go to, and then they will guide the people to the spot. They are training a fourth. His name is—”

“Uru?” Stella asked.

“That’s him. They will discuss any problems themselves and you are in effect the deciding vote if they are unable to reach a majority.”

“So, the position is mostly ceremonial?” Stella asked.

“That’s right. The Decius plate chooses the next chief. It is mostly a single bloodline,” Moogera explained.

“What about the other families? What do they get out of this system?” Araki asked.

“A sense of peace and continuity with the past. If they have any grievances with each other they take it before either you or the council. If they have a problem with the chief or the elders, then they take it to the other one. Though this happens infrequently.”

“I see,” Araki said.

Moogera passed a wooden spoon and a bowl filled with steaming stew to Araki and Stella.

“I hope Aquillia and Nanberry don’t worry about us tonight,” Stella said as she spooned food into her mouth.

“They should be fine. All that has happened has been rather a surprise,” Araki said.

“You will be confirmed as chief tomorrow and you will be sent back to get your family,” Moogera said.

Araki nodded. “Clan Lawn are preparing to attack you in two days. I hope I can talk them down from their war stance.”

“You should be able to talk them down from the war stance,” Moogera said.

“I hope so. I am the head of the family, but I don’t know much about your customs.”

“Do what you feel is right.” Moogera stood and collected the bowls and spoons and laid them in a basin.

The sound of a drum beating outside stopped their conversation.

“That is the sound of the meeting drum,” Moogera said. “It hasn’t been used in a while. It calls the whole clan to a gathering.”

Araki stood and left the tent and the others followed him out. In the centre of the campsite a fire had been set and was flickering in darkness. The elder council stood outside their tent. Fourth was beating the drum in a slow rhythm. Clansmen and women emerged from their tent and gathered around the fire. Araki moved to the front near the council elders. Once the whole clan had gathered, they were all sitting around the fire arrayed outside their tents. First raised his hands, and the crowd hushed.

“The Decius plate has spoken,” he called, his deep voice resonating over the crowd. “It has chosen our new clan chief. It has revealed to us the ancestry of this young man who came to visit it us.” First indicated Araki. “He is the great-grandson of Chief Chalmu. His grandmother was sold into slavery and now I would like to introduce Araki Rosethorn.”

First stepped aside and Araki opened his arms wide.

“Clansmen and clanswomen, I know you don’t know who I am. I did not come to Ashford with the intention of becoming a clan chief. I have learned a lot about you and my grandmother’s family. I know it will seem difficult to you to accept me, a stranger, to lead you. Clan Lawn sits there.” Araki pointed towards Clan Lawn, to the east. “They have demanded we return to them their Oath rod. I will personally go over and talk to them. I can’t promise that this whole situation will blow over easily, but I will do my best. Once this is resolved, we will forge together and grow together.” Araki lowered his arms and then bowed to them. Someone in the audience started clapping and then the clapping spread to the whole group. Once the clapping had subsided, First stood and came up with his hands in the air.

“Thank you so much, Araki Rosethorn,” First said, and left the tent. “I am sure your unique experiences will bring much richness to the clan.” Moogera led Araki and Stella back to her tent. Once inside, Moogera stood undid the strap under her breasts and then lifted her dress over her head. She went to a chest and pulled out several light blankets, handing one each to Araki, Stella and Jage.

“Thank you,” Stella said, taking a blanket.

Colour rose in Araki’s cheeks as he received his blanket.

“I thought you were comfortable with nudity,” Moogera said.

“It’s not that. I wasn’t expecting you to undress,” Araki said.

“Stella here is your wife, and she is from Ishtaree,” Moogera said.

Araki turned to Stella she had already disrobed.

“On the way here, I was told that the people of Ashford had a nudity taboo,” Araki explained.

Stella sat down and arrayed her blanket.

“Outside the tents most of us do,” Moogera said. “Inside the tents nudity is very common.”

“Would you still have disrobed if the elders had been inside here?” Araki asked.

Moogera smiled. “If they came right now, I would answer the door and welcome them in. They would disrobe, and we would converse, and I would even offer them a meal.”

“I don’t understand,” Araki frowned.

Moogera laughed. “It’s easy. Just take your cue from the host of the tent. Wear what they wear.”

Araki nodded, and disrobed. He took a blanket from Moogera and sat next to Stella.

“Don’t worry about us,” Moogera said. “What you do tonight is your business. It won’t matter to us.”

Araki’s brow furrowed. Stella laid down and smiled at the roof of the tent. A small hole in the tent let the smoke from the fire out. Araki laid down and turned to face Stella. She turned to face him, a smile on her face as she reached across the space between them. She slipped a hand under his blanket and entwined her body around his, kissing him deeply. Moogera and Jage laid down on the opposite side of the cooking fire.

***

Corvictus echoed into his mind,

A man’s heart is fickle,

true must a man’s heart be

to wield the spirit.

Honour and glory

reveal the soul.

remain true to your word

and see glory.

Veritas joined and echoed in his head,

A king stays with a lie.

Then Veritas continued alone,

Lies destroy the heart and mind,

Truth frees the soul,

Honesty shall humble you.

Gains shall follow.

Return to truth,

Separate truth from lie.

The sword divides,

Truth sets the captives free.

One of us is nearby, Corvictus stated.

The Decius plate, Araki replied.

An image swirled in his mind. He dreamed he was standing naked next to a fire. A larger man with bronzed skin stood a metre taller than him on his right side. A slight thin man stood opposite the bronzed man.

“If Decius is here, we might be able to gain some real power,” Corvictus’s voice echoed from the bronzed man.

“The boy is too weak for the meeting. Why did you bring us here?” Veritas demanded.

“How much power does this cost me?” Araki asked.

“Your blood is strong, but it is balanced,” Veritas said. He looked over at Araki.

“What does that mean?”

“Is he ready?” Corvictus asked.

“If we don’t tell him he won’t be able to tell his children,” Veritas explained. “You have blood of the dark elves and the blood of the gnomes. They are a dark species and a light species, your human blood balances out the races but when it is not in balance it can create problems.”

“Even more so if the dark or light blood is mixed with only the human blood,” muttered Corvictus.

“How long before the problems start to manifest themselves?” Araki asked.

“Normally the first generation is fine, but the second unbalanced generation becomes tricky. It seemed to have worked for you because your father managed to bring in light blood.”

“Mother?”

“Gnomes don’t often marry with the others,” Corvictus said. “It would appear that your mother found your father’s height appealing.”