Patience and Virtue · Part 3 (3/6)
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d nothing.
The camp was awake before dawn. A guard with a water gourd and a basket of cold roasted meat chunks fed and watered Pat and Iona. She was followed by two other warriors. They were carrying a long pole on their shoulders. Dangling from the middle of the pole was a stack of shields and a couple of leather-wrapped bundles.
Iona groaned when she saw them. She and Pat were untied from the trees and the pole was placed on their right shoulders, with Iona in front. The ends of the poles were cushioned by small leather pads stuffed with something slightly resilient, but the weight still caused the pole to press painfully into Pat's shoulder. When she realized that she would be carrying the load for the entire day she groaned too.
The guard threaded a rope through a hole near the end of the pole and wrapped it around Pat's neck. The rope wasn't tight, but it would keep the pole in place. When all of the captives were attached to poles the war party started to travel again, moving downstream to Ce'jk.
About midday they reached a large grove of trees. Alena gave the order to stop, and the captives were allowed to collapse in the shade. Pat and Iona fell to their knees, moaning with relief as the weight of the pole came off their shoulders. A pair of warriors untied the neck ropes and removed the pole so Pat and Iona could lie down. Pat was so grateful she didn't mind when a guard tied her ankles together.
Once Alena was sure the pickets were properly placed she found Clera. "Let's inspect the captives, Clera."
"What's the matter, you think I'm doing a bad job?"
"Of course not. It's just that a good war leader keeps in touch with everything that's happening."
"Right." Clera headed towards Pat. "I want to find out about that strange woman too. She's very pretty."
Alena laughed, "I can't fool you, can I?"
"Nope. Everyone knows you broke up with Jaid. Now you're on the prowl and getting desperate. You should forget about monogamy and play the field, like me."
"I'm not desperate! I'm just a bit physically deprived, and sex without love is essentially meaningless."
Clera laughed. "If you have sex with yourself is it with love or without it?"
Pat was supine in the shade of a small tree. This was putting pressure on her arms, but they were so numb it didn't matter. Her neck had been chafed by the rope and she was wondering if there was anything she could do about it. Would they think I'm a weakling if I complained? Are the weaklings the ones they choose for the human sacrifice? Better not risk it.
Alena and Clera pulled Pat up onto her knees. She tensed, then forced herself to relax. If they want to kill me there's nothing I can do, except die with a smile on my lips.
Alena said, "Take care of that chafing on her neck, Clera." Clera removed a small pottery flask from her pouch and spread a pungent ointment on Pat's neck.
Alena asked, "What's your name, and why aren't you wearing your necklace?"
"My name is Pat, and I lost it."
Pat waited for the rest of the usual litany, but Alena surprised her. "In your battle with the savages you were the archer, weren't you? That was good shooting. All of you would have been overrun if it wasn't for that."
Pat shrugged. "All I did was shoot arrows. We survived because of the skill and bravery of the warriors in the shield wall."
"Don't be so modest. I saw the bodies of the savages. Most had been killed by arrows. You are a very skilled warrior, and women like that are very attractive." Alena stroked Pat's hair. "What strange hair. And your eyes are a strange color too." But your face and body aren't strange at all, they're beautiful. She felt a familiar wave of emotion.
Alena moved her hands over Pat's body, lingering on her breasts. "Are you hurt?"
Pat ignored the hands caressing her. "The rope on my arms hurts. How about untying me?"
Alena laughed, "You couldn't fool a one-bead with that trick." She stroked Pat's face.
Clera coughed. "Shall we complete the inspection, War Leader? We still have a ways to go before we're home. Unless you want to camp here for the night."
Alena recalled herself to duty. "No, we'll push on." She made a cursory inspection of the other prisoners. "They seem to be holding up. Be sure they all get food and water, then load them up again."
The war party moved out. For the captives it was a wearying slog that got worse as the day dragged on. The pole was on Pat's other shoulder now, which made the pain symmetrical. She lost track of time and paid no attention to her surroundings except for the ground under her feet. Pat and Iona were the last in line, so they had the greatest tendency to straggle.
"Youch!" Pat yelped as a guard hit her across the back of her thighs with a thin stick.
"Step it up! We want to get back to Ce'jk tonight, not tomorrow." The guard also encouraged Iona with a swipe with the stick. Iona didn't yelp, she just groaned a bit and increased her speed marginally.
Pat's spirits rose when the war party reached some cultivated fields. She had no idea what the crops were. What looked like grain of some kind was growing in some fields, others had knee-high bushes with no visible fruit or pods. Still others contained rows of chest-high stalks with long fluffy tassels. She thought, The city can't be too far. I may make it before I collapse!
Pat's hopes were dashed. They had been traveling through cultivated land for some time now, and she no longer believed the end of the journey was close at hand. Her hopes soared when they passed a few buildings built into a shallow cave half-way up the side of the cliff, but the warriors passed it without slowing. Every time she rounded another bend in the river she expected to see the city of Ce'jk, and every time she was disappointed. Finally she stopped caring and just concentrated on moving fast enough to avoid a blow from the guard.
It was almost sundown when Pat heard a muted cheer from the Ce'jak warriors and looked up. The walls of Ce'jk were in sight. As she got closer Pat could make out more details. The city was on the top of the cliff, far above the river. She thought, How are we going to get up there? That is a very steep cliff.
Everyone came to a stop at the base of the cliff. Now Pat could see that a narrow staircase had been chiseled out of the limestone. It was steep and just wide enough for one person at a time. The first pair of captives was just starting to carry their pole up the stairs. Pat was very nervous. I don't like the looks of this. One slip and it's all over.
All too soon it was Pat and Iona's turn to climb the path to the city. Iona started up the steps. Whimpering inside, Pat was forced to follow. She walked as close to the inside as possible and didn't look down.
About two-thirds of the way up there was an indentation in the cliff face. This was spanned by a bridge of sorts, four small logs tied together and slightly flattened on top. All the way up Pat stared at the steps next to the cliff, and she definitely did not want to look down, but on the bridge the cliff receded and she could see all the way to the ground. She moaned and swayed, but before she could fall the guard walking behind her grabbed her arm.
"What's the matter? Not afraid of heights, are you?" The guard's contempt for such a weakness was very evident.
Pat lied, "Of course not. I just felt a bit dizzy. It must be the heat." And my reluctance to spatter myself all over the rocks way down there.
Finally they were on the top of the cliff. Pat found herself next to a solid line of buildings that extended from this cliff edge to another cliff edge several hundred paces away. This outer wall of the buildings was three stories high. The lower two stories were just a blank wall of plaster-covered mud brick, but small windows, no bigger than arrow slits, were scattered along the third story. Above this was a waist-high parapet around the rooftop. Three watchtowers, one at each end and one in the middle, extended out from the wall and overtopped it by about five paces.
There were two gates in the wall, one near each outer watchtower. These were made of vertical logs spaced a hand-width apart and bound with iron straps. The gate could be locked by a pair of logs that were controlled from inside the building. A head-deep ditch ran along the base of the wall, spanned at the gates by log bridges. The ground outside the wall was nearly level, and all of the vegetation had been removed for a distance of several hundred paces.
Once the captives were on top the warriors followed. Alena was the last person up, and she received a cheer from the people who were standing on the roof to watch the return of the war party. She acknowledged the cheers with a wave and shouted, "Well done, warriors! This war party is dismissed, except for Clera and her squad."
The warriors dispersed, most going through the gate and into the city. Alena said, "Clera, take the loads to the storerooms, and then bring the captives to the chiefs' conclave. I'll tell the chiefs we're back."
"Right. All right, get moving, you lazy Pa'jaks." Clera led the way, and the four pairs of captives followed, flanked by the guards.
Pat was the last one through the gate. She found herself in a tunnel-like passage through the building. It was narrow, just wide enough for the load she and Iona were carrying. The ceiling was pierced with arrow slits. Another gate stood at the far end. This was tended by a warrior, who closed and barred it once Pat had passed through. Pat found herself in an open space about twenty paces wide, with the far side bounded by a wall of buildings similar to the one she just passed through. This second wall wasn't as long as the outer wall. I remember now. Iona said this city was located where two rivers met. A waist-high wall ran along the cliff edges. Several small naked children, all girls, were playing in the dirt.
A guard led Pat and Iona into a storeroom on the ground floor of the outer row of buildings. Inside were several piles of shields, each from a different city. Their shields were put in the Pa'jk pile, and then it was on to another storeroom where the two bundles were unloaded. The guard took the pole off and linked Pat and Iona by a short rope tied around their necks.
They were taken through another pair of gates and into the third section of Ce'jk, which was clearly triangular. Numerous free-standing buildings were scattered around. Pat saw smoke rising from one building and heard the sound of metal hitting metal. Must be a forge. Another building had a pile of hides next to it and gave off a terrible reek. That's certainly a tannery.
Pat and Iona were led over to a large circular building located at the apex of the triangle. The conical roof was supported by vertical logs and was thatched with grass. The walls were open, except for a continuation of the waist-high parapet along the cliff edge. The floor was elevated on a knee-high mud brick platform. The only furniture was a long wooden bench with a high back. A woman sat on the floor at one end of the bench. She had a frame holding two spools of thick thread; one black and one white.
Three old women sat on the bench. They faces were wrinkled and their hair was gray, except for their braided crests, which were a faded red. Their necklaces had many beads, all of them gold. Alena was standing in front of the bench. The captives were formed into a line behind her, with the guards behind them.
The woman seated in the center of the bench spoke. "So, Alena, It appears that your raid was successful. Congratulations. You did well, especially as this was your first foray as a war leader."
"Thank you, Ald, but my platoon deserves the credit. We captured these eight warriors from Pa'jk on the Plains River, about two days travel upstream from here."
Ald turned to the seated woman. "Prepare a message string saying we have captured eight Pa'jak warriors. Then take it to the cote and give it to the birdkeeper."
The stringscribe pulled some thread from a spool and started to knot it, but Lea interrupted. "Seven warriors, Ald. The one with the strange hair and eyes is not from our city. We captured her just before we were attacked by the savages."
"Oh? I wondered about her." Ald asked Pat, "What is your city?"
"I don't have one." Here we go again.
"No city? That is strange. Do you have a name?"
"Yes, my name is Pat."
"I've never heard that name before. You are indeed strange. I've heard of people with one hair color, but I've never seen one before."
The old woman on the left spoke. "She is surely touched by The Mother. We do not want to do anything that would bring Her wrath down upon us."
"I agree, Blev. We certainly don't want to interfere with a plan of The Mother, but we don't know what that plan is. Until it is revealed to us I propose that we treat her as we would any captive warrior. Agreed?"
Blev and Weim, the other chief, both nodded. Blev said, "Yes. That is a good plan. May The Mother bless us."
Ald continued, "The latest information we have tells us that Pa'jk holds six of our warriors. The Summer Peace is not far off, so all of these captives will be exchanged except for the patrol leader. It will not be necessary to collar them, the usual leather restraints will be enough. Take charge of them, Clera. Confine them now, and they will be assigned tasks tomorrow."
Clera nodded and she and her squad led away all of the captives except Pat and Lea.
Ald ordered, "Alena, you take the other two to the smith, and then confine them."
Alena said, "I request that you assign Pat to me. I'll watch her."
Ald smiled, "I know you'll do more than watch her, Alena. But yes, you can have her."
Alena felt a surge of lust. She thought, Pat's mine! And if she doesn't have a city, she won't be exchanged away from me!
Alena connected Pat and Lea with a rope around their necks. She marched them over to the smithy. "Hail, Vreka. Some business for you."
The smith, a very muscular woman with a shaved head, replied, "Hail, Alena. I heard you made a good catch. Where's the rest of 'em?"
"Everyone else will be exchanged at the solstice. These two are the only permanent guests, so we need to give them the usual decorations."
"Right. Take them over to the anvil." The smith put a handful of rivets onto the coals in the forge and pumped the bellows. While the rivets were heating she got four semicircles of iron from a shelf. They were half a thumb-length wide and a quarter that thick, and had a radial flange on each end with a hole punched through it. Vreka put them together and switched them around until she had two pairs whose holes lined up.
"We'll do the one with the funny hair first, Alena."
Alena removed the rope around Pat's neck. "Kneel, Pat. Put your head down, next to the anvil." Pat complied, and Vreka dipped a cloth into a large pottery jar filled with water. She draped it over Pat, covering her neck and part of her head and shoulders. Alena fitted the two halves of a collar around Pat's neck and lined them up so the holes matched. "Hold still and you won't get burnt. Vreka knows what she's doing." Pat squeezed her eyes shut and hoped for the best.
Vreka grasped a rivet in her tongs and inserted it from below into the holes in the flanges on one end of the collar. Alena moved Pat sideways so the head of the rivet rested on the anvil, and Vreka hammered it flat. She dipped some water from the pottery jar and cooled the rivet. Alena rotated the collar around Pat's neck while Vreka got another rivet from the forge. She inserted it in the collar, hammered it flat, and cooled it.
Alena removed the cloth and helped Pat stand up. "See, not a blister anywhere. We didn't even set your hair on fire." She gave Pat a hug.
Vreka grumped, "Let's do the next one, Alena. I got other things to do."
Alena hugged Pat again. "So do I."
Alena helped Lea kneel by the anvil and her collar was riveted in place.
Alena tied Pat and Lea together with a rope tied to their collars. She grasped the center of the rope. "Now on to the leather smith's shop for your bracelets and anklets."
Pat asked, "Does that mean you'll untie us? You won't need the bracelets; I think my arms are dead."
Alena smiled and touched Pat's hand. "You'll recover. Your hands are still warm." And so is the rest of you. But not as hot as I'm getting.
Alena towed Pat and Lea to another of the small buildings. The leather smith was just about to close. "I didn't think there were any more captives, Alena."
"Just these two, Mari. They won't be exchanged, so they were collared. Sorry to keep you."
"No matter. Bring them in."
Once inside the shop Alena untied Lea's arms. They dropped limply to her sides and she gasped at the movement. Mari had a string with lengths marked and she used it to measure the circumference of Lea's wrists.
Mari rummaged around in a leather bin until she found a bracelet of the correct size and fitted it around Lea's right wrist. It was made of heavy leather, about three fingers wide, and had two small and one large hole punched in each end, in a triangular pattern. Mari aligned the pairs of small holes and put an iron staple through them. She used a small block of iron as an anvil and hammered the staple flat, locking the bracelet on Lea's wrist. The two large holes were on a rounded flap of leather outside of the staple, and they also lined up.
Mari attached a bracelet to Lea's other wrist. Alena held Lea's hands together in front and aligned the holes in each bracelet. She took a rope from her pouch and threaded it through the bracelet holes until it was centered and tied it there. She wrapped the ends of the rope around Lea's waist and tied it in the back.
Alena helped Lea sit on a low stool. Mari measured her ankles and fastened leather bands around them. These were similar to the bracelets except they were wider. Alena tied a hobble rope between them and pulled Lea to her feet.
Then it was Pat's turn. She wasn't as stoic as Lea, and yelped when the rope was finally removed from her arms. She couldn't move them at all, and Alena had to hold them in place while Mari did the measuring and stapling. As with Lea, Alena tied Pat's hands together in front with the rope around her waist. Once the anklets were stapled around Pat's ankles Alena hobbled her.
The four women exited the shop. Alena said, "Thanks, Mari."
"Was nothing. Congratulations on your foray. I always knew you'd be a good leader." She hurried towards the communal kitchen.
Clera jogged up to the group. "I'm glad I found you, Alena. I'll take Lea off your hands. The chiefs said I could have her."
"What? Does this mean you're giving up one-night stands? You do realize that you have to keep Lea with you at night or lose her custody?"
"Of course I know that!"
Alena laughed, "Oh, I know! You must be planning to start a permanent orgy, with Lea as the base and your girlfriends as the filler."
"I am not! You spoke so highly of monogamy that I thought I'd try it. At least for a while."
"Good for you." Alena untied the connecting rope from Pat's collar and handed it to Clera. "Here she is. Have fun." She tied a longer rope to Pat's collar and gave it a tug. "We'll go to my room, Pat. That's a nice thing about being a war leader, I get a room of my own."
Alena led Pat through the gate in the inner row of buildings and across the courtyard to about the middle of the outer row. There was a ladder made from round poles lashed together with leather thongs propped against the wall. Alena chirped, "Up you go. I live on the top level."
Pat balked. "You're joking! How can I climb a ladder with my hands tied to my waist?"
"What's the problem? Everyone can climb a short ladder like this no-handed."
"I don't think so. I have a problem with heights. Can't you just untie me?"
"You're always scheming to escape, aren't you? Alena laughed. "Your story is so incredible even a nubbin wouldn't believe it. How can you live in a city if you're afraid of heights? I should give you a beating for your disrespect, but I'll humor you this time." Alena moved close behind Pat and put her hands on Pat's bare bottom. "Climb. I'll support you."
Pat slowly climbed the ladder. The hobble between her ankles was just long enough to allow her to step between the rungs. Finally she was at the top. The wall of this level was set back about a pace, forming a narrow balcony. There wasn't any parapet. The ladder to the next higher level started where the lower ladder ended. Pat leaned forward until she could grab a rung with her bound hands.
"Why are you stopping, Pat? Now you are beginning to annoy me. Do you want a beating?"
Pat could tell that Alena was serious this time. She really didn't want a beating, so she forced herself to climb the next ladder. This level also had a narrow balcony with no parapet, with another ladder to the roof starting from the top of the lower ladder. Pat realized she'd have to step sideways to get off the ladder and she froze in panic until Alena grabbed her waist. She tottered off the ladder and moved as close to the wall as she could.
Alena said,"You're not joking, are you? Incredible! You really do have a fear of heights."
"I wasn't trying to fool you, Alena. Maybe I've never lived in a city built on a cliff."
