Abased - The Exiled Warrior

Chapter 6.1 - Agreements

The sun had set. Alam sat on the end of the pallet bed inside their dilapidated tent which was unable to stop wisps of cold wind from sneaking in. He gazed at the serpentine engravings on his axe in silence. On the other side of the tent Gretch was starting his nightly weapon maintenance routine by running a sharpening stone along the knife he used to kill deer he hunted. Tajar was making a pot of milk tea on the small stove and was soaking up as much warmth as he could by huddling over the pot. Clarisai sat down next to Alam.

"I am sorry Alam," she said.

"About what?"

"I did not know that you are in love with Shaleh."

"Who told you that?"

"Tajar did, but it was easy to tell from your reaction."

Alam looked at Tajar who looked firmly into the pot on the stove.

Clarisai continued. "Where I come from pregnancy is rare and celebrated. I had never considered that it could be something to hide, or something that would make you sad. I am sorry that my ignorance has hurt you."

"It's not you," Alam slumped. "It's me. Tajar has been telling me for at least three moons to put her out of my mind, and I thought I had, but clearly I was lying to myself. You didn't do anything wrong."

She rested her hand on his forearm. Instantly some of his misery drained away as if it were being sucked out of him.

No.

He willed it to stop and the misery returned.

"You don't have to try to make me feel better, Clarisai. My mother used to say 'sometimes we need a little pain to stop us doing stupid things.' I'll be fine." He patted her hand and gently removed it from his forearm.

"A broken heart is the worst kind of pain," Gretch said.

"Gretch!" Clarisai smiled. "I had no idea you are a philosopher."

"That is why forcing someone to watch you torture their loved one is a better way to get information than torturing the person directly," Gretch said.

Tajar shook his head and looked at Gretch. "You disgust me."

Tapping sounded on the fresh felt of the repaired door flap. Tajar opened it and Taisha stepped in.

"Good evening," she bowed her head in greeting.

"Good evening," Alam, Tajar and Clarisai bowed in reply.

"My father-in-law, Chief Erasyl, invites you all to eat with him tonight."

"Why?" Gretch's eyes narrowed.

"He would like you to have time with your friends from the Empa clan, and he is so impressed with your hunting that he has had one of the deer you caught prepared. It will be a feast."

"A feast sounds good to me!" said Tajar as he took the pot off the stove. "As long as I don't have to sit next to him," Tajar pointed at Gretch.

Taisha led the way to Chief Erasyl's tent. Outside it an entire deer was cooking on a spit. Taisha politely knocked two times on the door flap and indicated for Alam, Tajar, Clarisai and Gretch to enter.

Set in a square around the tents' centre pole were low tables. Sitting at them were Chief Erasyl, his wife, Rustam, Shaleh and Nurlan, as well as a handful of Chief Erasyl's highest ranking warriors.. They stood up politely when the others entered. Taisha moved to an empty space next to her husband, Rustam. The chief extended his arm to indicated for all to be seated.

Alam's eyes met Shaleh's momentarily before she dropped her gaze.

"Welcome, guests," Chief Erasyl said. He had a serious expression on his brow. "Help yourself to the milk tea and curds. Venison will be brought in shortly. There is a lot for me to think about tonight. Shaleh and Nurlan have brought an offer of alliance that is interesting and attractive. I also ponder the arrival, only a few days earlier, of our other guests," with a wave of his hand he gestured to Alam, Tajar, Clarisai and Gretch.