25th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

The council had gathered in the early morning. They sat in the central chamber of the large multi chambered rooms of Araki’s family tent which had been stitched together from the combining of Nanberry’s and Moogera’s families. Sitting at the edge of the room were Araki’s four wives and eight children.

“I have been invited to my aunt’s wedding back in Peace Landing,” Araki informed the council.

“It will take several more days to complete the trade,” First said.

“I realise that,” Araki said. “Also, the whole clan wouldn’t fit on the boats to travel to Peace Landing.”

“You want us to look after the clan while you sail to Peace Landing for the wedding,” Yalla said.

“I will take my wives with me,” Araki continued. “I think it would be best if the children stay here.”

“Father, we want to come,” Bindu called out from the edge of the room.

“She is old enough to start thinking about her own marriage,” Third said.

“After you have finished the trade, I want you to head back to Ashford and await my return,” Araki said.

“What if you don’t return?” asked Drice.

“Then you eight will manage the council until Jubeck comes of age. He is the closest I have to an heir.”

The council members all nodded.

“Also, I believe that it would be a wise idea to start seeking advantageous matches for the girls,” Araki stated.

“There are five other clans; they will be willing to form an alliance with us,” Jungurrur suggested.

“Why?” Araki asked.

There was a moment of silence.

“I know why we would want to form the alliance,” Araki said. “It would allow us to unite the clans under my kingship and to provide a safe place for my children. My question is: what do they get out of it?”

Araki waited. The council members looked at each other and they shrugged.

“Make the arrangements. Move the clan to Ashford, I will join you in there,” Araki instructed.

The elders nodded and then left the tent.

“Jubeck,” Araki called, “I am leaving the family in your hands.” Jubeck nodded. “I want you to keep them together until I return.”

Araki hugged his son and then left the tent. His wives followed him.

Aquillia was dressed in her green skirt, her double-bladed sword on her back, with her small knapsack over her shoulder. Stella, nude as per her custom despite the protestation of the others, carried her knapsack over her shoulder. Moogera and Nanberry wore their robes, their small knapsacks held in their hands. Araki wore his robes with the belt of Veritas holding the sword Corvictus to the Decius plate. He also carried a knapsack with a few possessions on his left shoulder. They walked out of the camp and arrived at the gate to Pergasus as the sun rose out of the ocean. The gate swung open and the guards greeted them, their eyes travelling over the assorted clothing styles, smiling broadly at Stella and Aquillia.

“Where are Jeemo and Rolando staying?” Aquillia asked, as they entered the empty streets.

“You want the two humans?” asked a guard in a booming voice from inside a metal helmet.

“Yes,” Stella said.

“They are in the Miner’s Spit,” the guard said.

“Thank you,” Araki said, “Which way?”

“Up the street. Big sign. Can’t miss it.”

They walked along the street and saw several dwarves start to open their shops and begin their day. Grocers were wheeling out carts laden with fruits and vegetables. A small café owner was setting out several tables into the street. The smell of freshly baked bread hit them as a door opened and a smartly-dressed dwarf left the bakery. As they approached the intersection, a large group of dwarves marched past them, their full plate armour flashing in the sunlight. The leader turned his head to face Araki and his wives and saluted; the other soldiers turned and did the same.

“There is the Miner’s Spit,” Stella called out after the soldiers had moved on.

A tavern shingle waved in the morning breeze, and emblazoned on the shingle was a pickaxe over a fire with the words ‘The Miner’s Spit’ in silver lettering.

They hurried across the road and pushed open the wooden door. A plump dwarf sat behind a reception desk, a bored look on his face.

“How can I help you?” he asked, smiling up at them.

“We are looking for Jeemo and Rolando,” Aquillia asked.

The dwarf made a concentrated effort to look Aquillia in her face, the strain appearing as a vein popping in his forehead. Stella smiled and hung off Araki’s shoulder.

“The humans are upstairs in room four,” he squeaked.

“Thank you,” Aquillia said, and turned to go up the stairs. A loud whoosh and the dwarf collapsed back into his chair and placed his head on the counter.

Aquillia led them upstairs. She found the fourth door and knocked. Jeemo opened the door, smiled at Aquillia and came out. She was resplendent in a sapphire dress. Rolando came out behind her, dressed in black tunic and trousers. Jeemo swanned her way down the stairs and prodded the dwarf lying head on the desk. He snapped his head up and looked up at her he smiled in relief.

“I would like to check out,” Jeemo said.

“Four days is four bronze rods,” the clerk said without consulting the book on the desk.

Araki raised an eyebrow. Rolando pulled a silver coin out from his money pouch from inside his tunic and placed it on the table. The clerk scooped it up and placed the sixteen bronze rods change on the table. Rolando collected them and they all left the hotel.

“Thank you for staying at the Miner’s Spit, please come again,” the dwarf called as the door swung closed behind them. They began walking down to the docks and their progress caused quite a few of the shoppers to come out and look, while a crowd gathered behind them.

Araki and Rolando noticed and hurried the women on.

“Let’s get to the boat, quickly,” Rolando muttered to Araki.

Araki nodded and lengthened his stride. The women followed his example and soon Moogera and Nanberry were jogging lightly to keep up. Aquillia’s long legs ate up the ground as she pulled out in front of the men and turned to beckon them on. She saw the crowd of dwarves and unsheathed her sword. The remaining women ran past her into the docks and Araki drew Corvictus. The flashing steel kept the crowd at bay.

“Rolando, find the ship,” Araki called out.

Rolando ran along the piers, the women behind him. Aquillia dashed back several feet and then Araki ran back behind her. They repeated this until they came to the boat that Rolando and the rest of the women were. The crowd surged forward each time one of them ran back. Aquillia ran up the gangplank and Araki walked backwards up the gangplank, Aquillia’s hand on his shoulder, guiding him up. The sailors pulled in the gangplank as Veirs stepped onto the deck. A crowd of men had gathered on the deck of the ship to look at the dispersing crowd back on the pier.

Miake pushed through the sailors, his red hair and angry look giving him a fierce demeanour. He whipped the sailors’ legs to get them back to work. His eyes flashed at Araki’s party as he placed his hands on his hips.

“What in the name of Ambrose is happening here?” Miake scowled at them.

“Not entirely sure,” Rolando said.

Miake turned to Rolando. “Do you know these people?”

“Yes, this is my fiancé’s nephew and his wives,” Rolando said, indicating Araki and the other women.

“Lieutenant, open sails and get us out of port. I don’t want to miss the tide,” Miake shouted. Turning back to Rolando and Araki, he spat, “I will deal with you in my cabin. Midshipman take our guests into my cabin and make sure they stay there. I have to tend to the ship.” He strode off.

“This way, please,” the midshipman said. He cast his eyes over the group and blushed a deep red on his pale green skin. He turned and led the way up the to the quarterdeck and pushed open a set of plain wooden doors set with a chipped brass handle. Inside officer country, he marched down to the end of the corridor and opened another door and ushered the group into the room. The room had two rough sofas and a few chairs. In one corner sat a small desk with a wooden chair.

“What do you think caused that large crowd?” Rolando asked, stepping close to Araki. “I doubt it was Jeemo and I. We have been in town for nearly … ten days.”

Araki turned and looked at the rest of room. “I am not sure what prompted her to dress as she did, but I think that having an elf in the city created a stir,” Araki indicated Aquillia, sitting on one of the sofas next to Stella and Jeemo.

“You do know that Stella … is it? .. is naked?” Rolando said, whispering to Araki, using his hand to muffle the sound.

“You noticed? Did you?” Araki laughed. “Also, Aquillia is only wearing a skirt.”

Rolando blushed.

“For them it is normal, like us wearing tunics. Stella is from Ashford, and Aquillia, if you will notice the skin colour, is an elf,” Araki explained. “Much like that midshipman.”

“The midshipman was an elf?” Aquillia asked.

“His ears were covered but I bet that he is either full-blooded elf or at least half-blood, like my grandfather was,” Araki said.

“Tunio’s skin wasn’t green though,” Aquillia said.

“Which leads me to think that the kind midshipman is a full-blooded elf,” Araki concluded.

The door burst open and in walked Captain Miake. The soft muttering of conversation stopped just as suddenly. “If I was a suspicious man, that would be problematic,” Miake said.

“I take it that you aren’t,” Araki stated.

“No but I am cautious,” Miake said. “What happened at the dock does concern me. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I think the dwarves were happy to see us go,” Araki said.

“You don’t think the naked woman in your party had anything to do with it?” Miake asked.

“I doubt it,” Stella said. “The dwarves are close trading partners of Ashford. They come frequently. Nudity is not a problem for them.”

“I can believe that,” Jeemo said.

“I did notice they had a hard time looking at Aquillia,” Araki said.

“You don’t think her being half-naked contributed to it?” Miake said.

“I don’t think so. I think the infrequent visitors to their city might be the issue. The traders may be used to seeing different people, but that clerk knew where Aunt Jeemo and Rolando were without consulting his records book.”

“I think that seven strangers at once was too much for the locals,” Moogera said. “When they saw us camp outside, they very nearly attacked us straight away.”

Miake sighed. “Alright, I pray that my delicate trading arrangement hasn’t been impacted. Rolando, can you introduce me to you friends?”

Rolando smiled and went around the room, introducing to the captain his new in-laws, or soon to be in-laws. The captain’s eyes widened at Araki’s surname and he was a little confused and slightly impressed at the number of wives Araki had achieved. He then assigned them two rooms with beds rather than hammocks with a wink, hoping that Araki and his wives would have enough space. Stella and Aquillia jumped onto the bed with sighs of contentment while Moogera and Nanberry pulled leather blankets and laid them onto the floor, chatting happily at the prospect of adventures on the high seas.