Chapter 6
Delia stopped talking as Raska’s booming voice announced his approach. He greeted his people as he walked past them, though they didn’t do much to respond to him as he moved steadily toward Delia and the other females. As she watched more than a couple of males called his name and beckoned him close so they could have a moment to speak with him alone. Each time he nodded and patted them on the shoulder and they joined him on their walk.
“What are you looking at, Delia?” Louise asked, straining to look over her own shoulder.
“That’s a lot of males,” Bettina said. “What do we do?”
“Be pleasant. Use your instincts. If they tell you to stay away from someone, do your best to do just that. If they steer you toward someone, try to gain his attention. But whatever happens, be agreeable. Make yourself easy to care for. Try not to anger them.”
Delia stood and waited for Raska to reach her and the girls she’d decided she wasn’t going to allow anyone to harm.
Just before Raska reached them, she noticed Skala slip into the back of the group of males that had joined Raska.
“I have brought you food,” he said, magnanimously. He reached into a leather pouch hanging from a strap over his shoulder and took out a handful of dried fish strips. He ceremoniously handed them out, shuffling them to withhold two or three of them as he offered the others to the women one at a time, allowing them to choose which they wanted before going to the next one.
He tried repeatedly to offer dried fish to the three women who were shutdown but they completely ignored him. Raska turned to look at Delia. “Are they not hungry?”
“I don’t know. They won’t speak or interact at all. I believe they are waiting to die.”
“We cannot have them die! They are promised!” Raska said.
Delia looked at the males behind him. “To whom?”
“To whichever chooses them,” he said gesturing toward the small group of males.
“In our world, we are allowed to choose our male.”
“In ours, you will accept whichever male chooses you,” Raska replied.
Delia opened her mouth to reply, but Raska interrupted her.
“Or you will be sold. You will not be allowed to remain among our tribe unless you are mated to one of our males. If you are not mated to one of our males, you will be sold.”
As Delia struggled for a suitable reply, one of the males leaned forward just enough to make his words seem meant for her ears only. “It is a way to keep all of your females together,” he said, nodding as though he was delivering a secret.
“Stop explaining, Elkva!” Raska snapped.
Delia met the gaze of each of the three women who were paying attention to this.
“Better the devil you know…” Louise said, getting to her feet. “I am a good worker, and I’m loyal. I’m kind to those who are kind to me.”
“I will take you!”
“No, I will take you!” another contradicted.
“Who will offer the most for her?” Raska asked.
“I have family to provide for. I can give you a small portion of my catch for the winter months as I have more mouths to feed,” the second male offered Raska.
“I will give you one third of my catch. There will be only two of us, so I can give you more,” the first male offered, crossing his arms over his thick chest confidently as he looked Louise up and down from head to toe.
“Take her, Toska,” he said to the first man. “She is yours.”
Louise’s heart jumped into her throat, and she looked worriedly at Delia.
“You won’t have to deal with anyone but him. No additional family. It could be good,” Delia said.
“Come,” the first male, Toska, growled, taking Louise’s forearm and pulling her along beside him as he strutted proudly through the stronghold with his new female at his side.
Louise looked back a couple of times, but eventually just focused on keeping up with his stride so he didn’t have a need to pull her in the direction they were going.
“Is she a good worker? I want this one,” another male said pointing to one of the women who’d shutdown.
“I don’t know,” Delia said honestly. “All I know is that if you are fair with any of us, we will be fair with you. If you are brutal, that is all you will get in return,” she said, gesturing toward the three women who gave no indication their futures were even being decided.
The male nodded. “I will take this one. I like the look of her. I will give seven new hooks for fishing.”
“That is not a lot to offer for her,” Raska said.
“I do not even know if she will do more than sit like that,” he said, gesturing to the female staring at the ground she sat upon.
Raska considered the offer. “Nine fishing hooks.”
“Done,” the male said.
“Take her, Oscal. She is yours.”
Two of the other males offered low prices for the other two quiet females, hauling them away over their shoulders with no response at all from the females.
Finally Skala stepped forward. “I deserve a female!” he insisted.
“There will not be enough females for all who want one. Why do you deserve one of them?” Raska asked.
“I am your brother! What other reason is needed? I should have one!” Skala declared.
“I have traded with my brother who is part of the mountain tribe. We will have much meat this winter. I will give you half,” the male said, sure his offer would be accepted.
Raska turned his attention to the male. Meat was prized since they usually had only fish and seafood to eat. “Are you assured of this?”
“I am. I have offered him fish in exchange. We have reached an agreement.”
“Only two are available. The old loud one, and the one who cries.”
“The little one?” the male asked. “I like the little one.”
“She is given,” Raska said.
Skala smirked, believing his brother was saving her for him.
The male scowled, but looked from Delia to Patricia who sat quietly with tears streaming down her face.
“Her name is Patricia” Delia said. “She has dreamed of a husband, I mean, a male, who will protect her and provide for her, and make all the necessary decisions to allow her to be a good wife. She is kind, and she sings so she can entertain you, and wants nothing more than to be a good wife to a husband who can do these things for her.”
“I do not want a needy female. And I do not want an old female!”
“Then you get none. Go,” Raska said calmly.
The male’s eye twitched, and he hesitated, but eventually decided he didn’t want to challenge his chieftain. He turned and hurriedly walked back through the small crowd that had assembled.
“I will take the crying female. It will be an easy life to make all the choices and provide her with protection and the necessities to survive in exchange for kindness.”
Skala laughed. “Elkva wants kindness! What male wants kindness?” he scoffed.
“I do. There is no shame in kindness from your mate,” Elkva said, lifting his chin defiantly.
“Does anyone object?” Raska asked, looking at the remaining males.
They shook their heads. None of them wanted a weepy female.
“She is yours, Elkva. Take her,” Raska said, glad that this female was no longer his concern.
Elkva squatted near Patricia and extended his hand. “Come. You are mine now.”
Patricia looked up at him, and he smiled at her, showing a mouth full of tusks.
She looked up at Delia quickly, fear in her expression.
Delia stepped closer and leaned in so that Elkva could hear her. “She has very little experience with males. You will need to teach her slowly the ways of males and females.”
Elkva looked up at Delia, his eyes wide with wonder. “I will be kind,” he promised.
Patricia looked at his hand still extended, waiting for her to take it, then at his face, his words running through her mind. She lifted her hand and placed it in his as it trembled almost uncontrollably.
Elkva rose to his feet and waited while Patricia joined him, then walked away with her beside him, looking back over his shoulder just once to smile at Delia with wonder, unable to believe his luck in choice of a mate.
“The only female left is the old loud one,” Raska said to the rest of the men assembled. “If you do not wish to claim her, then go.”
Much grumbling was heard, but soon enough the males hoping for a female of their own, along with the gathering of curious onlookers dissipated, leaving only Raska, Skala, Bettina and Delia behind.
“It is good they’ve all gone. I will take my female now and be gone as well,” Skala said.
“If you want the old, loud one, take her. Otherwise you will be gone now,” Raska said.
“No! I will not take the old one! She is unpleasant and I do not want her! I want the round one!”
“She is given,” Raska said.
Skala looked back and forth, making a show of the fact that no one else was standing around waiting. “There is no other waiting but me!”
“I am standing here, brother. She is mine,” Raska said.
“She is not!”
“Do you wish to challenge me for her?” Raska asked, stepping toward Skala.
“You said there would be no mate for you until all our males were mated.”
“I did. But then the round one was brought to me by my skaevin. She pleases me. It is decided.”
“You will pay for this! You lied! I deserve one of them!”
“The old one is there,” Raska said, lifting his chin in Delia’s direction.
“If I take that one, she will learn or she will die.”
Raska didn’t even get a chance to reply.
The sound of metal clanging repeatedly against stone rang out through the village, followed by a thud, then heavy footsteps approached.
“Old one Valka’s!” Valka declared.
All eyes turned toward the male declaring that Delia was his.
“Valka? You can’t truly want her,” Raska said, surprise clear in his voice.
“Valka battle all,” Valka said.
“You despise females. Why do you want this one?” Skala demanded.
“So not yours,” Valka said, smirking.
“I deserve her!” Skala shouted.
Valka grinned and lifted his battle-axe, swinging it in controlled circles over his head. “Try take her,” Valka taunted.
“I will not battle over a female I do not even desire!” Skala bellowed.
“Go, little Orc. Only big Orc here,” Valka said, grinning at Skala.
“Do something!” Skala demanded of his brother.
“Go home, Skala. Your female will come, but the time is not now.”
“It is now!” he insisted. “Give me yours! You take the old one!”
“Go home, or battle Valka for the old one. Which do you choose?” Raska asked.
“You will regret this,” Skala threatened.
“Skala no brave. Win battle. Win female,” Valka said with a shrug.
“You will pay,” Skala threatened both Raska and Valka before stomping angrily back through the village with a blood curdling cry of rage pouring from his throat every step of the way.
“Valka is old. You are old. Go with him,” Raska said to Delia.
“I am not old,” Delia snapped. “I will not go with anyone I don’t choose.”
“Do you choose Skala?” Raska asked.
Delia stood quietly, knowing the one male she definitely didn’t want was Skala, but not too sure about Valka either.
“What about me?” Bettina asked, shifting the attention to herself.
Raska looked at the small, round female he’d chosen for himself. “I am Raska, Chieftain of the Cliff people. You are mine.”
Bettina simply stood there, looking at him, wondering why he’d chosen her. What he’d have her do or not do, and the dozens of ways this could go wrong.
“I have chosen the best of fishes for you,” he said, tempting her to trust him as he held out the handful of dried fish he’d taken and held aside while the others were taking their choices of food.
“The best of them?” she asked.
“The best,” he repeated.
Bettina reached out and took the three dried fishes, holding them covetously in her hands as she looked at him.
“Come. I will take you to my home.”
Bettina stepped closer to him and allowed him to urge her forward with an arm behind her back.
“I do not wish to teach you how to have relations,” Raska said. “Do not cry when I strip your clothes.”
“I don’t need to be taught,” she admitted, watching cautiously for his response.
His head turned toward her quickly and he smiled. “I have chosen well,” he said, sliding a hand down to cup her ass.
Bettina smiled back at him, glad he had no problem with the fact that she was experienced.
Delia watched Bettina following Raska and felt a little better about the fact that each of the women was now with a particular male, and would stay in the tribe, rather than be sold.
“Come, old one. You pleasure Valka,” Valka said.
Her attention whipped to Valka. “I am not old. And I will not be pleasing you unless you can give me a good enough reason to do so!”
“Duty!” he said emphatically, condescension dripping from his words.
“In what world?” she demanded.
“Valka world!” he said.
Delia looked down at the dried fish she still held in her hands. If she was going with Valka, he’d have to feed her at some point, if he wanted to keep her alive.
“Fine. But I need to do something first.” She turned and started walking away from him.
“Stop!” Valka demanded.
“I’m coming back. I’m going to feed my bird.”
Valka’s brow creased as he watched her walk toward the skaevin she’d given water to earlier. He moved closer so he could grab her if she tried to run, but allowed her the freedom to make that choice as he watched her. He’d stop her of course, but still, he wanted to see what she’d do.
Delia approached the skaevin cautiously. “I promised to bring you food. Are you hungry?” she asked, her voice soft.
The skaevin lifted its head and scented the female and the fish she was carrying. Delia was brave enough to move close to its mouth and set the dried fish down in front of it. The moment she backed up the skaevin picked the dried strips of fish up one at a time, and tossed them into the back of its throat, swallowing them down without so much as a gulp.
“I know it’s not much, but I’ll bring more when I can.” She took the chance of laying her hand on its rear flank once more, then turned back to Valka.
He stood watching her stoically.
Sighing resignedly, Delia started back toward him.
He watched without moving a muscle until she came to a stop right in front of him. Without a word he snatched her off her feet and threw her over his shoulder. He strode quickly across the sandy bit of space between the facing cliff walls and lifted his battle-axe, hammering it against the stone cliff embedding it securely enough to pull himself up off the ground to the first step carved into the rock. With Delia still balanced on his opposite shoulder, he planted his feet on a small flat surface serving as a foothold, approximately six feet off the ground.
Delia did her best to remain perfectly still, but her injured arm was caught between her own stomach and his shoulder. She braced her good arm against Valka’s lower back and held herself up as best she could, taking a little bit of weight off her injured arm so that she could pull it free from being pressed between her own body and his.
Valka pulled her free of his shoulder, surprisingly gently, and placed her on her feet. “Loud one walk now.” He pointed at the rough hewn steps carved into the side of the cliff.
She glared at him, but strained to raise her leg high enough to plant her foot three feet higher up on the next step. When she reached out to catch herself with one arm, having lost her balance, Valka grabbed her from behind.
“Arm hurt?” he asked.
“It was the only way to be freed from the ship before it sank. A young boy broke the lock so that I might live. My arm was injured,” she said defiantly.
Valka wrapped his huge hand around her wrist and pulled her toward him, looking down over her shoulder to get a better look. He grabbed her wrist and stretched it so he could better see the injury.
“Owww!” she cried, pulling her arm free of him and glaring up at him as he looked down on her from behind.
“Broken. Bleed,” he said.
“I am aware!” she half-shouted.
Valka surprised her with a grin. He quickly lifted her, settling her in the crook of his left arm, and still holding his battle-axe in his right hand. He climbed the steps with ease, and on every step he set foot on, he banged his axe against the step, creating the metallic clang they’d all heard when he’d come down to claim her.
Delia watched the axe clanging against the stone of the steps, then she looked Valka in the eye. It was apparent he’d made the irritating noise on purpose to let the others know he was on his way down.
Valka avoided her gaze, but a hint of a smirk quirked his lips. Perhaps the loud one was sharper than any had imagined. A few steps later he finally met her stare with one of his own, daring her to say anything about his show of intimidation as he descended the cliff’s side to claim her.
But she said nothing. She was too busy trying to figure out what exactly Valka’s game was. Obviously he was more than a brutal warrior with very little care for anything other than himself. But that was the only thing he wanted everyone to think he was.