Knight of Endrell Book One: The Red Empire

Chapter Three

Chapter 3 

First beyond the main gate was the west market. It was the usual cloud of fruit and vegetable stalls, garment shops, butcher shops, as well as a bakery, smith shop for weapons and armor, and a west gate meadery where all sorts of strong drinks were sold. There was also a festival shop for celebratory items, and of course plenty of male and female entertainment for all sorts. It was nothing special; there was a market in every district. Let it be known that every section and class system of the city was racially diverse, as Endrell was indeed a melting pot for many different types of people who had come from most of the surrounding nations and settlements in and out of Sortakoa.

Shortly after the west market was the Noble's quarter, the section of the city belonging to the upper class. It was comprised of seven districts, the first being the Ben-karadiin (car-ah-deen), and after, the Helenese, the Anchoren, the Belathan, the Geseleem, and the Leckensmit, all of which were very much the same in their demeanor except for the seventh. This quarter was the publican and the land owner’s realm, its streets spilling over with men and women of high class, pompous, dignified, and malevolent; giving no thought for the poor except to use them. The poor counted as anyone of lower social status than they.

They walk here and there usually in groups of two or four, never uneven in number or in company; for each man had himself a wife or two and if in groups of two there were two women. If in groups of four there were four, for each had his own wife with him and if any more than one, then the others remained in their houses awaiting the return of their husbands. Of course, there was always that one exception of a tall stocky baron who had around seven to ten wives and displayed them loudly in the streets without shame. He always had a drink or two with him in big golden chalices and an urn usually carried by his wives, who were just as loud and as drunk as ever. They would rest on his arms while they walked by and often let their dresses or robes fly open at the chest or hang down from the waist.

The big baron would always taunt Kinai and at times let go of his wives to forcefully grab him and demand his full attention after tiring of being repeatedly ignored by the knight. He loathed any commoner who was not jealous of him, especially since no commoner should have ever been seen walking confidently through rich man's territory, but rather in absolute humility or shame when looking upon those who were superior to them, fearing their every step. Even the baron's wives would attempt to entertain Kinai to snap him out of his narrow, solitary stance. But this exchange always left the man on the ground with aching loins and a vivid blue mark on his cheek that was near bleeding – compliments of the edge of Kinai’s arm bracer after a swift backhand across the baron’s face (not to mention the chain mail to add to the impression on his cheek).

As for the women, his sword pass through the air as fast as they could blink and seeing the edge of the blade nearly cut them open, they would suddenly jump out of their drunken stupor and distance themselves from him. Kinai would then walk away without ever having said a word. If ever the guards dared to intervene Kinai would kill them on the spot and did not care if anyone tried to send word to Abomin. The baron on the other hand, never seemed to learn his lesson and although makeup could not cover the scars and marks, each day was to him as if it had never happened at all.

Men like him and all other kinds, appearing as friends, brotherly, even with all the gold, silver, women, and wine to fill their chalices, hardly considered their own wives, except to bed them or send them on errands. The wives would then go away like dogs sent by their masters and ardently desirous to fulfill their every command, worshiping the very ground on which they walked, even when their steps led to the bosoms of other women.

Yet amongst themselves they were no different for they were subject only to their husbands while all else, in their minds, remained subject to them. In order for poor men to receive anything from them, whether bread or money, they had worship them and to do whatever pleased these women or become their slaves altogether. These arrangements were not always promising. Most rich women often seduced lower class men into believing a lie, hoping for payment for their services and receiving nothing in return, only to be trapped inside their houses and bound in chains. They were forced to serve them until they were of no more use to them and, if it pleased the ladies to do so, they would take out whatever anger they harbored against their husbands on their slaves. Usually this was through torture with a metal rod and hot iron, using them as punching bags and other things. The transaction thereafter would often end in death. Their daughters typically followed in their footsteps like trained dogs. Some of the more intelligent ones used their wits to acquire their own riches by bribing men in many different forms to invest in them until they owned them. For certain ones this became a devious serial practice.