Finally Seth was able to move. The three of them made their way through the hills to where Seth’s Father was… two Elves and a Troll. Mgwan had decided to stay a Troll for awhile, it was much more practical for this work than being a Marshman. Seth, on the other hand, decided to transform back to Farmer, so as not to kill his Father with the shock of seeing his son as an Elf. It was a pleasant trip. On arrival at the camp, they had two surprises.
The first was that the sentries that they met at the edge of the camp said they were all invited into the King’s tent. Wynforr had evidently been communicating about their various relationships, and the King wished to see Tristan and Mgwan as well.
The second was that the King and his soldiers were by no means alone in the camp. The Dwarves had arrived the day before them, and the boys were not surprised to see them busily making fortifications and digging traps. They were surprised by other features of the camp.
In the first place, there were several hundred more Farmers than there had been before. Their tents stood in even rows off to the right of the King’s tent.
To the left of his tent several dozen Elf were lounging around some tents of their own. Seth didn’t know that Elf used tents, but he supposed it was an adaptation to life among other races. In addition, three or four round Marshman tents, with wonderful smells coming from them. Another large tent had Visserin lounging around in front of it.
One particular addition to the crowd made Seth stare in shock. At the edge of the camp stood (or sat) a Heroiini. Not just any Heroiini, but one that Seth knew quite well—one with whom he had ridden for two weeks.
Seth and the others were issued quickly into the King’s tent. “My Son,” the King’s voice was quiet and steady, but with an undertone of strong emotion. “I have been hearing much about you.” They were alone in the tent except for Wynforr, Yonguth, and Seth's Uncle David.
“I am very pleased with what I have heard. And, it has been a long time we have been separated. It was a lonely thing, celebrating your seventeenth birthday without you there.”
Seth waited in silence.
“Your trip to the Dwarves has been most helpful.”
“Thank you, Father. I have missed both of you, but I hope that the trip was also good for me. I certainly have a much wider understanding of your job.”
The two sat and looked at each other. What had happened while Seth was away, what had happened to both of them, was far too overwhelming for a simple conversation. Finally his Father said, “So, these are your two friends?”
“Yes. Father, this is Tristan, and this is Mgwan. Mgwan is normally a Marshman.”
Seth’s Father greeted the other two, and then started slightly, “Oh, I forgot. There is someone who wishes to talk to you. He asked if you were here, and when we told him we expected you soon he stayed, and has been waiting outside of our camp for three days. Apparently his Wives are just out of view… he rides back and forth several times a day.”
“I saw him. You know who he is?’
“Yes. He told me. Apparently he wants to apologize, and make it up to you somehow. You must have made rather an impression. Most Heroiini figure a job is a job and don’t worry too much about it.”
“We were getting along well toward the end, but of course, he had taken an oath.”
“Heroiini’s oaths are particularly binding, too--more so than any other race.”
Seth looked at Tristan. “Well, mostly. I know of one stronger oath. I suppose I should go out and talk to him.”
“Before you go….”
--
Seth walked up to the Heroiini, Bodipot, who hesitated, looked him deeply in the eyes, and then came forward.
“You survived your fall.”
“Yes, I was caught by an Elf.”
“Someday you will have to tell me how you do that.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“I-- I have come to apologise. When Huri first hired me I took the whole thing very lightly. Living as we live… we don’t often think of others as being really ‘Human’. But then we shared each other’s life stories, and I became very upset. So once I had been freed from my oath, I came back to see if I could, in some way, make up for my thoughtlessness.”
“That is a generous offer. I do have something you might do for me. I wonder if you could find any Heroiini that would like to join us in a fight. We are expecting an enemy army any day now, and some light cavalry around the edges of our army would be an excellent addition. We would, of course, pay them.”
The Heroiini looked at him a minute, and then said, ‘I will see what I can do.’ And turned and raced off.
--
Thus it was that when Duke LaCrosse and his army came over the low hill that bordered the plains, riding in the direction where his ‘raiders’ had told him that the King’s army was placed, they came upon a truly allied army. While the bulk of the army were Humans, mostly from the noble families of the north and their tenants, the presence of the other races was evident.
They saw that army sitting behind Dwarven fortifications, with some Dwarves still working in front of them. At the edges of the army, they saw several Heroiini watching them as they approached. High above the army, sat Elven firing platforms.
Links
Island People is a young adult fantasy book centring on a young prince. The book starts with his kidnapping and follows his adventures as he not only escapes from his kidnapper but gains critical allies and friends.
The entire book is scheduled on Substack, and there are several sequels. This is a book I wrote years ago, so it is in a bit of a rough form. Critiques and comments are more than welcome, they are requested.
Prologue
Chapter 1: Coming of Age
Chapter 2: Sitting Up
Chapter 3: Transforming Culture
Chapter 4: A New World
Chapter 5: Leap of Faith
Chapter 6: Mother and Son
Chapter 7: The Better Part of Wisdom
Chapter 8: To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Chapter 9: He who has Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear
Chapter 10: Down the River
Chapter 11: Unto the Third Generation
Chapter 12: Payment for Services Rendered
Chapter 13: Down the River (again)
Chapter 14: Awakening
Chapter 15: Interlude
Chapter 16: Tristan’s Trial
Chapter 17: Joyful Storm
Chapter 18: Interlude
Chapter 19: Zu Hause
The Oracle
The Oracle at Toko-Ri
I Found It
In Search of a Bride
Runaway
The General
Searching for Power (Part I)
Searching for Power (Part 2)
Contract Marriage
Contract marriage is an adult dystopia examining the issues of marriage. Like 1984 and Brave New World, Contract Marriage treats the relations between the sexes as a fundamental aspect of how a society is formed and, thus, how a society can go wrong.
Unlike those dystopias, Contract Marriage isn’t all horrible all of the time. The characters for the most part have a good time and get along in their society. But the issues of sexuality, of marriage or not, monogamy or not, faithfulness or not, and gender roles… keep coming up and causing tension and conflict and joy and pain.
My desire is that my readers would be thinking along with my characters about these issues and perhaps even arrive at the same place (minus the flying cars).
Introduction
In which I lay out the themes that I intend to explore in this light Dystopia, and ask others to participate.
Trade Master: First Chapter
In which Fenestra, our heroine’s mother, puts in her application for the job of 'Trade Master’ on the planet Libertas, and finds out that it isn’t that easy.
En-Drek Contract
In which Fenestra finds out that, on Libertas, everyone must be in an ‘En-drek’ contract… a long-term, live-in, heavy date between a man and a woman for the purpose of producing one child after the other with one date after the other.
Disappointment and Meditation
In which Jellia, the daughter and our heroine, finds out about her mother’s job opportunity, including its difficulties, and commits herself to meditating on the situation. (And internally commits herself to encouraging her mother to take the job.)
Decision Reached
Jellia tells her mother that she thinks she should take the job, and so her mother puts in her application… and gets the job!
First School
Jellia goes to school and gets to tell everyone about her new adventure.
First Work
Fenestra goes to work, and tells her coworker about her new opportunity.
Writing Class
Jellia writes a poem (a limerick) and tells her classmates more about her new adventure.
Trader Galloway
In which a man comes over for a ‘date’ (Ie to sleep over with her mother) and to tell them all about his time as Trade Master for their company on Libertas. And as how he was almost executed for asking a woman out on a date.
Shopping
In which Jellia and her mother go shopping for the last time, and we explore some of the nature of the planet she is leaving.
Language
In which Jellia starts using some new words at school, and everyone gathers round to find out what they mean.
Kesh-i Cooking Class
In which Jellia finds out that children (Kesh-i) on Libertas are expected to cook.
Trade Master Training
In which Fenestra begins her training for her new role, with an old enemy.
Two Week Date
In which Fenestra and Alex decide to date for the next two weeks.
The Facts of Life
In which Fenestra brings Alex home, and Jellia isn’t impressed. Although she is interested in how dating works for boys.
Snips
In which Jellia spends time snipping with a boy, and brings him home.