19th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

Nanberry shook Araki awake. His eyes snapped open and she placed a finger over his lips.

“You have to get up and get dressed as the council has requested your presence,” she said.

Araki nodded, disentangled himself from the arms of Moogera, and sat up. Nanberry moved to the edge of the tent and waited for Araki to join her. He stepped over Stella and Aquillia and joined Nanberry. She quickly helped him into his clothes and placed the Decius plate on his shoulders, threading Veritas and with Corvictus through the loops at the bottom. She stepped back and appraised him in the flickering light of the dying fire.

“I would give you cooked food,” she whispered, “but that would take too long.”

She reached into a trunk and took out a piece of dried meat, handing it to him.

“Thank you,” Araki said, taking the dried meat.

He stepped through the tent flap and into the predawn glow, chewing on the dried meat. First, Second and Third were all ready to meet him.

“Clan Lawn still expects us to return their Oath rod today,” First informed.

Araki nodded. The early morning sun cast long shadows as it rose from the east. He turned to look towards Clan Lawn. “How will they attack us?”

“How do you mean?” Second asked.

“Will they attack on horseback or on foot?”

“We don’t know; we haven’t been attacked by Clan Lawn before,” First said.

Araki nodded. “Then neither of you have fought each other. When you normally fight how does it happen?”

“When we fought against Clan Cale, we formed a line and charged them on horseback,” Second said.

“Were they on horseback too?”

“Yes,” Second said.

“I have a plan,” Araki said.

***

Araki sat astride a horse. Beside him were several other members of Clan Linjah. Behind him fifty men stood in a line two men deep. They faced the fifty men from Clan Lawn lined up across the field. Araki spurred his horse on and began to trot towards Clan Lawn, two men following. Four men rode out from Clan Lawn towards them. They all met in the centre of the field.

“Araki,” Jungurrur nodded.

“What are you doing here?” Drice asked.

“I am clan chief,” Araki replied.

“No, you are not,” Yalla said, “take us to the real chief.”

“He was chosen; the Decius plate chose him,” the man to Araki’s right said.

“He is a member of Clan Lawn so how can he be the chieftain of Linjah?” Bunyan asked.

“He was chosen; he is the clan chief.”

“Enough,” Araki said. “I don’t want to fight Lawn. I came today to find a way to prevent war.”

“We are missing the Oath rod,” Drice said. “We need it back, until we have it back …”

“Why do you think Linjah has it?” Araki asked.

“They appeared right after we discovered it was lost,” Yalla said. “You know that.”

“Coincidence,” said Araki, “but an easy conclusion to draw. Was the whole camp searched?” Araki asked.

“It is being searched again, now,” Jungurrur muttered. “For the third time.”

Another man on horseback galloped to where they stood. “The rod has been discovered,” he said. “It was discovered in some dirty utensils. It looked like it was going to be washed.”

“Call the clan together. We will choose the new chieftain,” Drice said.

The delegation from Lawn turned and left. Araki and his guards turned their horses and headed back to the Linjah’s line.

“Send a rider to the other group and have them return back to us,” Araki said.

“Yes, my chief.” One of the men spurred his horse into a gallop and galloped to their left.

Araki and his guard returned to his line.

“They have decided to retire today,” Araki shouted.

A cheer rang and the line of men wheeled their horses and turned back to the camp. Araki returned to the elder council’s tent and stepped inside. The four elders sat around a central fire with a metal kettle warming on the fire.

“Araki, you have returned,” First said.

“Their Oath rod has been returned,” said Araki.

“Shouldn’t you be there to help?” Second asked.

The kettle began to whistle and Third lifted it off the hot coals to pour tea for the elders.

“I am the chief of Linjah. My place is here.”

“You are also a member of Lawn,” Second said. “You also need to be there.”

“Take Nanberry and heal your relationship with Lawn,” First said. “We don’t want them to hold a grudge against you.”

“If anything, I should be the one that holds a grudge,” Araki muttered.

“Then you need to go back and heal your relationship,” Second said.

Araki turned and stepped out of the tent. As he strode across the camp past the clan members, they turned to him and nodded. He arrived at his tent and stepped inside finding Stella and Aquillia lounged on the cushions around a low fire in the centre of the tent. Stella leaped up and ran towards him, gripping him in a hug.

“I am so glad you are back,” she whispered.

Araki smiled and returned to the hug.

“That was a short battle,” Aquillia said, standing.

“There was no battle,” Araki said. “Lawn’s Oath rod has been found and now they are going to choose a clan chieftain. Where are Nanberry and Moogera?”

“They are fetching water from the well,” Stella said.

“They should be back in a while,” Aquillia said.

“Get dressed. We are going to go to join Clan Lawn’s choosing as I am still a clan member,” Araki said.

Stella let go of him and started to put on her garments. Aquillia stood and also began to dress.

“I thought you were no longer a clan member because you became the chieftain of Linjah,” Stella said.

“I thought the same thing, although the elders want me to go and heal relationships with Lawn.”

“A wise idea,” Aquillia said.

Dressed, Stella and Aquillia followed Araki out of the tent and began heading towards the horses.

“Which way to the well?” Araki asked as they mounted three horses.

Aquillia turned to the south and pointed at several women walking back towards the camp.

“I still need to take Nanberry with me. She will help me with Clan Lawn.” Araki nudged his horse and took off into a canter towards the women returning from the well. Stella and Aquillia followed.

“Nanberry,” he called.

Nanberry waved at him. Araki trotted over to her and dismounted. “I need you to come with me. Lawn found the choosing rod and are going to select a new chief.”

“I have two pitchers of water,” Nanberry said. “Moogera can’t carry hers and mine.”

“I will carry them for you,” Aquillia said, dismounting and taking the earthen pitchers from Nanberry.

“Thank you,” Nanberry said, as she passed the pitchers to Aquillia.

She mounted Aquillia’s horse as Araki wheeled his horse to the west and galloped towards Clan Lawn’s campsite, Nanberry and Stella in tow. They approached the Clan Lawn’s campsite and a sentinel hailed them. They pulled up their horses alongside him.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am Araki of Clan Lawn.”

“Make your way to the moot tent. The new chief is about to be decided.”

They dismounted their horses and strode into the campsite. As they passed several tents, the sounds of children playing in the enclosed areas trickled past them. They came to the central meeting area where women were all gathered, talking in hushed whispers. On the far side, the large moot tent was erected. They saw several men enter the tent. When they walked across the meeting area, the women gave them cursory looks, before turning to their neighbours and whispering behind their hands. Stella and Nanberry stopped at the entrance to the tent.

“Why aren’t we going into the tent?” Stella asked.

“Inside is men’s business,” Nanberry said. “Araki, remember you are a confirmed member of the clan and you have the right to be there.”

Stella pouted, her lower lip dropping.

“You think they will try and remove me?” Araki asked, wringing his hands.

“They may just do so,” Nanberry said. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t want to be chieftain; I already have a clan of my own. I am just here to observe and congratulate the new chieftain.”

“Just keep telling them that.”

Inside, the tent was packed with the men of the clan. Araki moved to an empty spot of the tent and sat down on a cushion. In the centre of the tent the four nominees for the chieftainship stood in the centre of the room and between them on a stool sat a large wooden box.

“We have gathered here today to choose a chieftain,” Drice said.

Yalla turned and looked at Araki, smiled at him, and then turned back to the box.

“Who should go first?” Jungurrur asked the crowd.

“Let us start with the oldest contestant,” Bunyan said.

“That would be Drice,” Yalla said.

The other contenders all nodded and took a step back from the box. Drice was left alone in the centre of the room.

Araki leaned to the man next to him. “How old is he?” he whispered.

“About mid-fifties,” the man responded.

Drice lifted the lid of the rod. A faint glow emanated from the rod.

“I must be the chosen chieftain,” he declared to the clansmen.

“You know as well as I do that the rod will glow a lot brighter when it is near the chosen one,” Jungurrur said.

Drice reached into the box and picked up the rod and held it aloft but the light didn’t change. A gasp ran through the crowd. Drice’s face fell and he returned the rod to the box. He walked to the clansmen on the edge of the tent and sat next to his sons who all comforted him with a pat on the back.

“Who is next?” Yalla asked.

“That would be me,” Jungurrur said, stepping forward. He reached into the box and lifted it above his head. Once again, the light did not change.

A murmur ran through the crowd. Jungurrur sighed and replaced the rod in the box. He joined his sons at the edge of the tent.

“Bunyan, would you like to go next?” Yalla asked.

Bunyan smiled, stepped forward and lifted the rod above his head. The light from the rod remained unchanged. He also replaced the rod and joined his sons.

“That would leave me,” Yalla said and approached the rod. He withdrew the rod and raised it above his head. However, the light remained unchanged. Yalla lowered the rod and replaced it. “If it is not one of us four, then who is the light rod glowing for?”

“The fact that the rod is glowing means that the rod is sensing the next chieftain in the tent,” Drice called out.

“He is right,” a man from the crowd called out. “We should all have a go at the rod.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Yalla said. “There are only five more families left in the clan; there is also the head of the last chief’s family here.” Yalla pointed a finger at Araki. “Araki, you are the head of a family and the great-grandson of Mitchamur. I think you should have a try.”

Araki stood. “I don’t seek to be your chieftain; I am here only to welcome the new chieftain.”

“Don’t be coy, son,” Jungurrur said. “Pick up the rod.”

Araki sighed and stepped into the centre of the tent. The rod’s light grew brightly. When he picked up the rod and held it aloft, it flared brightly and then went out.

“A chieftain has been chosen,” Yalla said.

Araki was shocked. He was already the chieftain of a tribe; how could he be chieftain of another? He was stunned and looked down at the glowing rod in shock.

“All hail, Chief Araki,” the men chanted.

Two men lifted Araki up onto their shoulders and carried him out of the moot tent and into the midday sun. The men of the tribe followed him chanting, “All hail Chief Araki.” The women and children of the tribe gathered around him and took up the cheer.

After an hour of cheering, the men set him down and the other contenders, Yalla, Drice, Jungurrur and Bunyan, stood before him. Each in turn took to the knee and bowed before their new chief, their knees knocking and their breathing short and shallow.

“Chief Araki,” Drice said. “You are the chief of two tribes. What will you do?”

“I need to think,” Araki said, “I will go back to my tent and consult with my family and work out what we shall do.” That was all that he could think of to do, he needed to delay before making any decisions or enacting any sort of policy.

“That is a wise course of action,” Jungurrur said. They stood and opened a path for Araki.

Araki walked through the gathered tribespeople and mounted his horse and kicked it into a trot. He was soon joined by Stella and Nanberry on their horses. At the tents of Linjah they dismounted and walked back to their tent. They disrobed and sat around the fire, where Moogera joined them.

“What should I do?” he asked the women gathered around.

“Is there any precedent for two tribes to join?” Stella asked.

“Not that I am aware,” Nanberry said. “Though there never has been one chieftain with two tribes.”

Aquillia came into the tent and joined them.

“I think the elders might be able to offer some insight,” Moogera suggested.

“Please could you fetch First?” Araki asked.

Moogera rose, donned her robes and stepped out of the tent, only to step back into the tent a moment later. She was followed by the whole council who joined them all around the firepit.

“What is going on?” Araki asked.

“The whole of Clan Lawn is outside our clan,” First said.

“What are they doing?” Aquillia asked.

“Nothing,” Second said.

“They are camping around our camp,” said Third.

“What happened when you went to the chieftain naming ceremony?” First asked.

“I went there to watch and was selected by the Oath rod,” Araki said.

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“That makes you the chieftain of two clans,” Second said.

Araki nodded.

“What are you going to do?” First asked.

“I haven’t yet had a chance to think about it,” Araki said. “Is there any precedent for this sort of thing?”

The elders all glanced at each other.

“You would have to make a show of commitment to both clans,” said Third.

“We would need to discuss the elders,” said First.

“Nanberry, how many elders does Clan Lawn have?” Fourth asked.

“There are four,” she said. “They were the other contenders for the chieftainship.”

“Could you please send them to us?” Araki asked.

Nanberry nodded and donned her robe before quickly stepping out of the tent.

“I think that we can have an elder council of eight for a time before returning to four,” Araki said.

“How will we choose who gets to remain and who leaves?” First asked.

“We will leave it to the gods to decide,” Araki said. “There will be eight, and no replacements will be chosen until there are only three elders.”

“How will we decide on who?” Second asked.

“I had hoped you would be able to work that out yourselves,” Araki said. “No elder will be replaced until there are only four or there are less than two from one clan. Until the balance is returned, then all decisions will need to be unanimous. If an agreement can’t be reached, the decision will come to me and then I will make the choice and the elders will abide by it.”

“That does seem fair,” said First.

The tent flap flew open. Nanberry entered and was followed by Drice, Yalla, Bunyan, and Jungurrur. They removed their robes and took a seat around the fire. Aquillia, Stella, Nanberry and Moogera moved back and formed a second ring.

“Welcome,” Araki said. “You eight men are the elders of both clans. As I am the chieftain of both clans, I have decided to make the eight of you elders. I will let the gods decide who will make up the final four. Until then you will run both clans as one clan and every decision will be unanimous. If you can’t agree, then the decision will be brought to me and you will abide by my choice. There will be no replacements of elders until there are less than two elders from that clan.”

“This seems fair,” Drice said, biting his lower lip, and lowered his head.

“I am glad you agree,” Araki said. “The elders of Clan Linjah have already agreed.”

“The people will need to see that you are committed to them both,” Yalla said. “How will you show that?”

“What is it Lawn would like?” Araki countered.

“We would like you to marry a woman from our clan,” Yalla said.

Araki paled. He hadn’t meant to become the chief of one clan, and now he was the chief of two and they wanted him to marry someone from the clan. “That seems reasonable. What would Linjah have me do?” Araki asked.

“We would have the same,” First said, a grin splitting his face.

Araki gulped and nodded his head. “Then prepare a wedding as I will marry Nanberry and Moogera,” Araki said. “Also, I would have the clans rearrange themselves tomorrow morning. The centre will be each clan’s meeting tent and the two tents of the chieftain around the central fire pit. The next ring will be the elders’ tents alternating Lawn and Linjah. Finally, the clansmen’s tents in the third ring. Fly each pennant before their respective clan’s meeting tents.”

The elders all nodded.

“Now go. I would like some time with my family,” Araki said.

The elders all rose, donned their robes, and exited the tent. The women all joined him around the fire.

“I hope you don’t mind being married again,” Araki asked, looking at Nanberry and Moogera.

“I married for love the first time and it didn’t work out. I can try marrying for politics,” Moogera said.

“I needed your support to look after my children,” Nanberry said. “I will remind you that my mother is your grandmother’s sister.”

“Is that going to be a problem for you?”

Nanberry shook her head.

“Do you two have any preparations to make?”

“We will use the other tent till the wedding,” Nanberry said.

Moogera and Nanberry rose, dressed, and took a chest out of the tent.

“Do you think I am doing the right thing?” Araki asked.

“I think with the options that have been presented in front of you, you have done really well,” Aquillia said.

“I have tried to do the best I can,” Araki said. “I am a little concerned that what I am doing is not the best for the clans.”

Aquillia nodded. “What could be a better solution? I mean you haven’t really done much except be here. What choices have you made?”

“Getting married to Nanberry and Moogera. That was my choice.”

“You were quite willing not to have sex with all four of us,” Stella said.

“What do you mean?” Aquillia asked.

“Since coming here he has had sex with each of us several times.”

“That is true,” Aquillia said.

“If you want to have frequent sex with someone, you must accept the consequences of that action.”

“Are you saying that some of you might be with child?” Araki asked.

“I am not,” Stella said. “I am also certain that the others aren’t either, but children aren’t the only consequence of having sex with someone.”

“What do you mean?” Aquillia asked.

“A person in the Duchy of Alysiri is taught that sex can cause a bond to grow between the participants,” Stella explained. “It doesn’t always, but the more often a couple is exclusive the more likely such a bond will grow.”

“Are you saying that my sex with you has caused a bond to grow between us?” Araki asked.

“It might not be growing on your side because you have multiple partners, but on our side that bond is growing, especially with Nanberry and Moogera.”

“You did just tell all of us that you want us to be exclusive,” Aquillia agreed.

“That was more to prevent mixing of the clan leadership,” Araki protested.

“I understand,” Stella said. “Though that action will come with consequences.”

“All actions come with consequences,” Araki said.

“Like ripples in a pool of water going out, our actions cause things to happen small things leading to larger things,” Aquillia commented.

“I still don’t know if I am doing the right thing,” Araki murmured as he sat up.

Stella sighed. “In my opinion it doesn’t matter if what you decide is the right thing as long as you believe it is.”

“What happens if at the end my choices were proven to be wrong?” Araki protested.

Stella opened her mouth to speak and then closed it.

“I have seen your people make choices they thought were good and then go on to regret them. However, in time, those choices while still painful to those people have proven to be beneficial to others,” Aquillia said, her voice low.

“You can’t leave us like that,” Stella said, rolling on to her stomach. “You have to tell us the whole story.”

“A man I met many years ago had to make a choice that ended up saving a whole race of people.”

Araki ran a hand down Stella’s back.

“I met Akuchi when he was working at Fort Northern Wiles,” she smiled to herself. “He was charming and still a little naive. As he had been at the fort for several months before I arrived, he was assigned to train me to the fort’s standards. Little did he know I had been fighting with my sword for many years longer than he had been alive.”

Araki and Stella guffawed.

“When he was assessing my abilities, I beat him and taught him a few things.”

“What did he do?” Stella asked.

“He did what most men do …” she looked at Araki. “He went off and sulked.”

Stella laughed.

“Not all men do that,” Araki protested.

“True,” said Aquillia. “Akuchi was still a little young, even for me. He was however a very competent lover.”

“What was the choice he had to make?” Stella asked.

“He met another woman and she needed his help,” Aquillia said. “I was offering protection for his farm and she offered to end the threat to his farm, but it came with a cost. In the end he chose her.” A tear trickled down her face.

“How did that end up being better for other people?” Araki asked.

“He ended up liberating her people from an ugly curse,” she replied.

“What did you get out of it?” Stella asked.

“I got my beautiful daughter,” Aquillia continued, “She ended up marrying someone for love and grew old without child.”

“I am so sorry,” Araki said.

Aquillia hung her head and let the tears roll down her face.

“What was Akuchi’s last name?” Araki asked. Grandmother told me that Great-granddad ran a farm near Fort Northern Wiles.

“It was Akuchi Rosethorn,” Aquillia mumbled.

Araki nodded to himself. My great-granddad and Aquillia were once lovers?

“What was your daughter’s name?” Stella asked.

“Metilia,” Aquillia whispered. “She is the captain of the boat that brought Araki and I to Ishtaree.”

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“It’s a beautiful name,” Stella said.

Ripples in water, Araki thought. He didn’t seem like the one casting the stones into the lake to create ripples: he was the little paper boat that was caught in the waves trying to stay ahead of events.