18th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

Sunlight peeked over the horizon and a lone rider, dressed in green robes, galloped from the west. A man in black robes stood in front of him and called him to halt. The rider reached out and handed over a piece of parchment.

The sentinel received it, opened the rolled parchment, and read the message inscribed inside. He turned and walked back into the camp, heading through the centre of the camp, and coughed in front of a large tent.

“Enter,” a male voice called from inside.

The sentinel pushed aside the tent flap and stepped into the tent where he found Drice sitting on his bedroll, blinking away sleep. Around him, several women and his family lay asleep. The sentinel handed the message to him.

Drice read the message and blinked.

“Fetch the council.”

The sentinel dashed out of the tent, raced to the other tents and informed Yalla, Bunyan and Jungurrur. The men gathered in the council tent, all dressed in their robes, and sat in a circle.

“What is the meaning of being summoned so early in the morning?” Jungurrur demanded.

There was a murmur of agreement from the other council members.

“I received a missive from Clan Linjah,” explained Drice. “They want their clan chief back.”

“We don’t have their clan chief,” said Yalla.

“Does the note say who the clan chief is?” Bunyan asked.

“It doesn’t,” said Drice, throwing the parchment into the middle. “It just demands his return, or they will attack.”

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“What if Araki was the chief?” Yalla asked, breaking the silence.

“How can he be the chief of Linjah? He is a clan member of our tribe,” Drice scoffed.

“If he was the chief of Clan Linjah and we stripped him in front of the clan then he would have reason to go to war with us,” Bunyan said.

“If we don’t give him back, they will attack anyway,” Drice said. “If we give him back, they may attack because of what we did.”

“What can we do?” Jungurrur asked.

The men looked at each other, trying to gauge each other. A man in black robes stepped into the tent.

“What is it?” Drice asked annoyed.

“Araki is requesting an audience,” he answered.

“We can’t let him in. We assaulted him yesterday. If he knows about the message then he can force us to surrender him to them.”

Araki pushed past the guard and was followed by Stella, Nanberry and Aquillia. Each were dressed in their robes and Araki was dressed in his breastplate, Corvictus strapped to his side.

“I have to inform you that I and my family will be leaving this clan,” Araki stated.

“Why are you doing that?” Drice asked.

“After yesterday’s assault I no longer feel welcome in this tribe.”

“Will you join another tribe, or will you strike out on your own?” Bunyan asked.

“I have been asked to join Clan Linjah as chief,” Araki answered. “I wish you well.” He turned, brushed past the guard and was followed by Stella and Aquillia.

“What about you, Nanberry?” Yalla asked.

“As he is the closest male relative of age, I will be taking my family with him,” she said.

The elders nodded and Nanberry strode out of the tent.

“We just lost a family,” Bunyan stated.

“Was doing that a good thing?” Yalla asked.

“He was a benefit to have around,” Drice said.

***

Nanberry led three horses with her few belongings on them. She had packed quickly and left the tent behind, as it still belonged to the clan. She caught up to Stella, Aquillia and Araki as they mounted their horses. She found all her daughters sitting astride two horses and Jubeck astride his own horse.

“Now that you are here, we can move out,” Araki said.

They nudged the horses forward and the procession of nine horses left the camp and began the journey to Clan Linjah. They ambled over the soft red grass and headed into the rising sun. A large group of tents was caught in relief against the sunlight. A rider rode up and pulled up in front of them. He cast his eyes over the group that continued moving and then wheeled his horse.

“I shall tell the council you are returning, chieftain,” he said, then galloped off.

As they approached the camp, a crowd began to grow. Men and women in traditional dress gathered, their clothing billowing against their bodies as the wind blew from behind them. Children ran around in the crowd, the dirt on their bodies turning to caked mud with sweat from their early morning play. Araki stopped his family and then dismounted and they walked over as one. A clansman gripped his arm in welcome.

“Moogera, take our chieftain and make sure his family settles in,” one called.

Moogera appeared from behind him and the crowd parted to let Araki and his family pass through. Arriving at Moogera’s tent, Jage appeared at her side and began to unload the few horses and bring the possessions inside. Jubeck, Lammy, Maynee, Nemma, Bindu and Nundi all dismounted from their horses, taking their meagre possessions into the large family tent.

“When you said you had a large family, I had no idea,” Moogera murmured to Araki.

“I arrived with Aquillia and Stella,” Araki said, indicating the women helping the children with their belongings. “Nanberry and the children were at Ashford, when I arrived.”

“I take it that Nanberry is the head wife,” Moogera said.

“She wants the position, and considering she has the most experience with the clan I have let her be so far,” Araki replied.

“Once the children have gone to bed, we need to talk about that position,” Moogera stated. Moogera took the reins of the horses and led them away towards the corral.

Araki stepped into the tent where the children had gathered around the dirt-covered Jage.

“There is no outside cooking area,” Lammy stated.

“We cook inside the tent,” Jage said.

“How are we to play?” Maynee asked.

“You can join the rest of the children in the clan,” Araki interjected.

“But then our clothes will get dirty,” said Nundi.

“Do you see Jage wearing any clothes?” Araki asked.

“Are you saying that we don’t need to wear our clothes outside?” Bindu asked.

“Only adults wear clothes,” Jage snickered.

A collective sigh ran through the children. They shed their clothes, folded them and placed them in a pile with the rest of their possessions. Jage waited patiently before leading them outside.

“Let me introduce you to my friends,” she said before the sound of running children was heard heading away from the tent.

Stella and Aquillia finished storing the possessions then stripped off their own clothes and lay around the firepit. Araki stripped off his armour and clothes and placed them carefully on a rug near their possessions, joining the women and the fire.

“Well, you have become the chieftain, of a different clan,” Stella said. “Would you say that you have been successful in your mission?”

“I wonder how much of this your grandmother actually knew,” Aquillia said.

“I am not certain what to do anymore,” Araki said. “I originally came here to cast a vote in Clan Lawn and then hopefully leave.”

Aquillia and Stella nodded.

“I did not expect to be even considered a clan member. I had hoped that my mission would be finished once I had determined who the best candidate for the chieftain would be and that would be that. I did not expect to find women and children that needed me to look after them.”

“Nanberry seems to be able to look after herself,” Stella said.

“While the chieftain was not decided, she and her family were provided for as the chieftain, but if they ever did pick a chieftain, then she would be forced to remarry to be looked after.”

“What about the children?”

“I fear that their fates would be much worse—either cast out or other women who did not love them would marry them off as soon as possible.”

“A bleak future, indeed.”

“When I arrived, there was hope for her; that is why I joined the clan, so that even if the clan chose a new chieftain, she would be provided for.”

“Then Clan Linjah chose you as their chieftain and you inherited Moogera,” Aquillia said.

“That I did,” Araki admitted. “I am eighteen years old and have eight children, and if you discount yourselves two women whose lives depend on my survival.”

“A heavy load to bear,” Stella said, “for one who is so young.”

“It would be a challenge, even without the chieftainship,” commented Aquillia.

“Moogera and Nanberry have approached me about me choosing a head wife or a first wife.”

“What does that mean?” Stella asked.

“Running a household usually falls to an experienced woman. She is responsible for making the family run smoothly.”

“Picking a woman from the clan for that position would grant you the wealth of her experience,” said Aquillia.

“What does that mean for us?” Stella asked.

“That is the tricky bit,” Araki stated. “As you are not really my wives, I can’t expect you to continue the charade. Especially if it would put you in a disagreeable position.”

“If we let one of these women be the first wife, she would have all the responsibility and we would have none?”

“I think she would assign you chores.”

“Would she assign a person to your side at night-time?” Stella asked.

“I am not sure how that would work,” Araki admitted.

“Out of the four of us, who would be the best fit for the first wife role?” Aquillia asked.

“You have the most life experience,” Araki began.

“But I don’t know anything about these clans,” finished Aquillia. “I can agree that would be a drawback.”

“Also, you are long-lived. You would end up as first wife when you remarry, and that would have to be the next chieftain.”

“I can see how that would be disagreeable for them,” Aquillia said. “I would outlive hundreds of chieftains and would eventually become the chieftain myself.”

“Either through your children or your husbands, if not in your own right.”

“Nanberry said that if you do stay on as an extra wife, when I pass on you can take any children you conceive with you when you move on and the clan would have no problem with that.”

“That is fair,” Aquillia said. “I am agreeable to that situation.”

“What about me?” Stella asked.

“You are younger than both women and you have no experience with running either a family or a clan,” Araki said, placing a hand on Stella’s shoulder.

Stella nodded.

“So, who would be better?” Aquillia asked.

“I am not certain. I think Nanberry is older than Moogera, only by the fact she has older children,” Araki said.

The tent flap was pushed back and in walked Moogera and Nanberry. They stripped off their clothes joined them at the fire.

“Now that everyone is here,” Araki said. “We need to work out a few things.”

“I agree,” said Moogera.

“It has come to my attention that I need to select a first wife,” Araki said. “I have spoken to Aquillia and Stella here and they have agreed they would not be the wisest choice.”

Nanberry nodded.

“Both of you have experience as the wives of the chieftains,” Araki began. “Nanberry, how long where you married to your previous husband?”

“I was married to Chalmu for ten years.”

Araki nodded. “For how many of those were the first wife?”

“I was never the head wife,” Nanberry said, hanging her head.

“How many of your children are Chalmu’s?

“Only the eldest girls,” Nanberry admitted. “Once I became his wife, his lust for me evaporated.”

Araki nodded. “Moogera, how long where you married for?”

“I was married to Mitchamur for ten years.”

“How many of those were you the first wife?”

“None,” Moogera admitted.

“What happened to the first wife?”

“She was without children, so she remarried.”

“Both of you were the second wife of the chieftain, for the same amount of time. The only real difference between your experience is that Nanberry slept with other men while she was married and had four more children, and she has been raising a boy.”

Nanberry hung her head.

“Nanberry, I think you have the most experience being a parent and think you are the leading contender; however, I won’t stand infidelity in my first wife,” Araki declared. “You will be the face of the family.”

Nanberry’s head shot up, shocked. “You are giving me the position?”

“I think you are the best suited for the position so far. I think you have made some poor choices regarding your husband. I will not, however, judge a culture; I will hold you to a higher standard. Unfortunately, for the four of you, it is perceived that you four are either already my wives or will soon be. I want you all to hold yourselves to an exacting standard.”

“What do you mean?” Stella asked.

“We will abide by the customs of this clan,” Araki said.

“It would seem that infidelity and polygamy are the norms here,” Aquillia said.

“I don’t understand how that works, to be honest,” Araki said. “Fidelity in marriage allows the children to know who their siblings are. I would think that in a small community that would be crucial.”

“The clan is seen as your family,” Nanberry said. “Even though your real parents might not be the people that you call mother and father, everyone in your clan is called uncle or aunt until you become of age.”

“There are three age groups; the children from about fifteen and below, the clansfolk from fifteen to fifty, then the council or elders,” Moogera said.

“How do you prevent incest?” Aquillia asked.

“As part of the coming of age, the new clansman is informed who their father is, if it was in doubt,” Moogera said.

“How does the husband react when it is discovered he was cheated on?” Araki asked.

Nanberry shrugged. “He is normally quite drunk, and it is only told to the child in question.”

“A most elaborate system,” Araki admitted.

“A woman generally doesn’t spread her legs for a man not her husband unless she is not being taken care of,” Moogera stated.

“Araki is very capable,” Stella said, placing a hand on Moogera’s leg.