Author's Notes:

ATTENTION PATREON FOLK! Those of you who donate but dont check in: the characters and nations/tribes sheet is up and posted for you. It is stickied so it wont go anywhere and I will keep it up to date.

As for everyone else: here is the next chapter, enjoy!

Tasid sat on his bed staring at the wall with a blank expression as the slave worked her body feverishly to please him, it was no use though and he was ready to scream. For more than four hellish weeks he lay in bed inside this prison, a prison dressed up to appear as the most luxurious of bedrooms fit for one of any rank. None could dare complain about such accommodations but he had been forced to keep his lusts and desires in check to such an extreme that he could no longer take it, he could feel his blood pounding and screaming in his veins. Just a taste was all he wanted, just a taste of home. One little sip of the forbidden, just a tiny taste of the sweet nectar he had spent so much time cultivating. Growling to himself he could feel the slave freeze for a moment before trying even harder and looking away annoyed he reached out and slapped her off.

She hit the floor with a thud and scampered away on all fours begging forgiveness but he had long ago tuned her out. There had to be something to do, some way of escaping early. So long as the other guests remained in force it was forbidden for him to leave, he had to play the part of a good host as dictated but not so much as Fareed. He hated him, despised him. He wanted him dead. Smiling to himself he imagined all the things he would relish in doing to Fareed, the pain, torture and the delicious agony.

"No, stop!" Tasid ground his jaw to make certain he had not accidentally spoken anything aloud before calming down. "This is all your fault! I do as told and make certain your precious taxes are collected on time and delivered so why do you continue to torment me like this!?"

Slipping off the cushions and standing he sighed before snapping his fingers. "Bring her."

Without a word the failure of a slave he had been using darted away to collect the only other company he had in this dreary place, she was a sparkle in his eye and thankfully he had snagged her before anyone else could. A smile adorned his face as the somewhat short and lithe lavender colored Arabian mare entered the room, she bowed and put on her best smile for him which caused a smile to spring forth as he beam at her. This was to be the prize upon leaving this place, a gem worth taking home. Hopelessly obedient when ordered, determined to please, dubiously loyal considering who trained her but that was expected as she was a gift from a certain someone but that did not matter. She might not be long for this world anyway but then again...

Tasid looked her over, his eyes lingering on her chest. "Let's go for a walk shall we?"

"Yes my lord Tasid."

Leaving the prisoner chamber behind them he wandered outside and was immediately confronted by a familiar face which scowled down at him.

"Where do you think your going?" The zebra mercenary glared at him while fingering a beating stick.

"The gardens! It is much too boring to remain cooped up in there and I wanted some fresh air as is my right. Now if you will excuse me..." Tasid started to walk past but a heavy hand struck him on the shoulder so hard he winced.

"Behave or its the stick again."

"Understood..."

He left nearly sobbing in rage, his treatment had become even more abysmal than what he had suffered during his "training." At least now they did not hover over him like birds of prey waiting to strike but they had not relaxed their guard either, they always followed but acted more polite when others were watching, an improvement to be sure. But, they continued to hawk him every chance they got in looking for any small reason to strike and though he had only made two slips so far he could remember the pain of each one. With each slip came the stick and they were excellent at beating anyone in such a way that it would not leave a noticeable mark.

"Begging permission to leave, enter, talk, eat, sleep..." Tasid tried to keep a straight face but it was nearly impossible as his ire rose. "Maybe if I poisoned one of the guests... No! Too easy to track and Fareed has guards watching everyone and the poison tasters..." Reaching for his head and grabbing a fistful of his mane he held back the urge to pull and closing his eyes to try and calm himself did not work.

"My lord Tasid?"

Freezing in place he stared the servant a moment and remembered what time of day it was after seeing their serving tray. He had no appetite though, not for what was on the place.

"Be gone."

Looking a little annoyed the servant bowed and left with the food he had ordered but he did not care, just making them serve him, no matter how menial the task was one of the few joys he got. Would they be punished for returning with the tray? He wanted desperately to watch but shaking his head he knew it would not happen as every, single, servant in the palace had been well informed of him before his arrival. Fareed had no interest in losing any of his property nor staff to his sudden and inexplicable desires nor urges. They would probably just take it back and throw it away as was the norm.

A happy thought spawned at the idea of throwing the food away, smiling happily for the first time in a while Tasid began walking towards the gardens again. "I wonder... If I were to collect some food... Something that would not splatter but remain whole yet deeply temping... Gather the hungry in Iuny and starve them, give them knives, sticks, rocks... Yes, then throw in the food and watch. I must try that when I get home! Why did I never think of that? Maybe use foals? There will be plenty of time, plenty of time."

His walk came to an abrupt halt as he rounded the bend leading to the gardens and came face to face with one of his sultan's guests. Looking into her amber eyes he smiled deeply, she was without any question the most fetching of all the guests. Young, slender, so proper it made him want to... Stopping his train of thought he bowed quickly.

"Princess Nawra... A pleasure."

"Yes... A pleasure... Tasid was it?" Nawra smiled back.

"Emir Tasid of Iuny your grace. I assume you come from the gardens?"

"Gardens... Yes."

Nawra nodded but he could see her mind was lingering elsewhere and the somewhat haunted look on her face was all to familiar, he had caused it more times than he could count. Namely while making a mare watch her foal being drowned in a river or some other cruel punishment meted out when a crime had been committed. Had Fareed done something to her finally? Had he successfully broken her? It was not a secret for long before he could see clearly the nipping at each others cannons that went back and forth during his stay, they were after each other in a quiet little dagger war that no one else noticed or cared to. But he enjoyed every second of it, even if he was not the one to inflict the pain it made a part of him feel warm just thinking about it. Especially when Fareed had been particularly irked over whatever she had done to turn his attempts back on him, small, delicious little acts of vengeance that would never get him in trouble but were still enjoyable.

"They are quite beautiful, grander than my own and what I hear, grander than most other kingdoms..."

The officer who stood at her side twitched an eye for a brief second before finally whispering in her ear causing Nawra to come out of her stupor slightly.

"Grand indeed emir Tasid but we must be on our way." Nawra started at him. "What does this little toad want? Why are you talking to me?"

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you in a more... Personal capacity princess Nawra, the rumors of your stunning beauty do not do you justice." Giving a short, deeper bow Tasid quickly stood almost upright but avoided direct eye contact. "Oh the things I could do with you... Your body is just right, clay waiting to be molded."

Tasid bowed deeply again and offered his hand which was not custom but he did it anyway, hoping she would at least grace him with a touch of her silky skin. Instead she just stared at him with a look that made him quietly furious, it was reserved only for the condemned.

"You disgusting little creature! How dare you look at me that way!" Nawra half smiled. "We must go, I have a meeting to attend. Good day, Tasid."

Turning away from him she began to walk past and as he stayed bowed to her his hand lowered, as the princess walked past him he turned aside to allow her passage but his hand attempted to brush hers. But instead of a warm, silky texture his hand was filled with pain as the officer who shadowed the princess took his hand and began crushing it with all the brute force he could bring to bear while smiling at him warmly.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Tasid."

No words could leave his mouth as the pain grew, the officer continued to squeeze even harder until he could feel bones popping and opening his mouth to scream in pain the officer let go and walked after his charge quietly. The band of mercenaries followed behind her quickly and trying to stand upright while masking the agony that shot through his hand Tasid stared at them blankly but the tears welling up in the corner of his eyes betrayed him as they snickered to each other in passing.

"Humiliated again... Augh! At least I will be leaving here soon and not be called back for a very long time and shall be left to my own devices."

The words muttered to himself did not help, there was just too much humiliation heaped upon him and no matter of placation worked. Watching them round a bend as he continued to mutter quietly his eyes fell on his slave of choice again and a smile returned to his face.

"Hmm..." Tasid looked her up and down. "About the same height... Color, eyes are green though but... Yes. You will do just fine." Clasping his hands a moment before wincing in pain he rubbed his store hand before beaming at her while nodding. "Yes, that is what I shall do, I can not have the true one but I can "make" one. Eleven, your name shall be... Little and... Hmm... Princess... Perfect! Your name shall be Amyrat Saghira! You will be my Amyrat Saghira, you shall look just like her... But only in private." Looking her over again he looked around quickly before running his hand over her cheek. "Yes indeed you shall do! You were a perfect choice! Just a little makeup here and there..."

"My lord Tasid?"

"Pay it no mind, you shall return home with me and if you play your part in this little game well you shall go free within a few months. I will even furnish you with a pouch of silver and gold to see you on your way. Just indulge me a while longer wont you?"

"Yes my lord Tasid, your offer is most kind and I obey."

"You stupid little whore, you have no idea."

Nawra turned away from the corner where she had been quietly listening to Tasid and looked somewhat green in the face, she had been curious and following a hunch to doubled back and listen in as Tasid was known to speak his thoughts aloud. However, she had not expected that. Appetite lost entirely she looked at J'Lail and the rest of her entourage who had heard Tasid speak, they all had various looks on their faces save the mercenaries who had forcibly kept a blank stare but their eyes continued to drift back and forth between each other. Giving out a quick puff of air Nawra quietly motioned them to continue, she could not believe what had left the odious stallions mouth and was glad the tiny voice in her the back of her mind had said to stay just a little longer and listen.

"I take back my words, you are not a toad you are an eel, a parasite, worm, vermin... The spies did not do you justice. Fareed is a sick twisted tyrant but you... You are a sick, evil bastard if ever there was one, at least your master knows how to pretend when it matters."

Walking quickly past her guards J'Lail looked back before quickly following. "Princess?"

"I have no further intention of remaining here."

"Princess the... Guards?" J'Lail tried to quiet her.

"I have had enough! No more!"

"This might offend our host!"

"Yes!" Nawra spun around and lowered her voice. "I am past the point of caring! At first this little game was at best a minor nuisance but after what happened to that colt a few days ago..." She shook her head. "No, this was the final affront! No more! It ends. Send Pijasiros to speak on my behalf with that lap dog which manages the trade negotiation meetings, I would like to meet sooner and be done with this."

"Princess you are going to deeply offend him and that will mean war."

Lowering her voice quickly she glared at the mercenaries. "I can handle an insult captain but after what I was just witness to... No, that little worm has offered me a chance to get us all out of here and I am going to take it. Fareed will have no legs to stand on for declaring war and we shall be safely on our way home come tomorrow morning. All of us."

"He may not believe you."

"Oh he will, you have seen how that, thing, is treated and I know it is for a very specific reason. He has done something to anger his master and I will divert Fareed's attention from myself, to him. A little poetic justice for his insult. Besides captain, Fareed would never permit us to leave before agreeing to the same old trade deal as before. Maybe this way I can get a minor concession out of him, though I must admit such a prospect is highly doubtful." Nawra stopped and thought it over. "Just maybe the insult that was just endured will be enough to tip the balance in our favor though, maybe. Let us be off at once." Nawra gave a small nod. "If nothing else I shall use this incident to most thoroughly embarrass Fareed."

"At once princess, Pijasiros? I need not repeat the message do I? No? Good, see to it."

Halim stared angrily at the river, it had not only refused to go down but had actually risen during the night. Not only was it beyond impossible to ford at this location now but any hope of building a bridge was straight out of the question as the occasional clump of debris or log shot past, a quiet threat that he knew would shatter a makeshift bridge. Only a proper, strong bridge would work here and the time required for such an undertaking was unfathomable at this time. There was a solution of course, either knock the blockage free further down if possible or begin building a bridge at the one, single location where it was even remotely possible farther upriver but even that was a gamble. It would be time consuming and risky but a bridge could be made that would not have to risk supports in the water itself, catch was it had to be narrow and with little room for error. As he chewed it over a scout darted up to his tent wheezing for air and after waiting patiently for them to collect themselves they were bade entrance.

Staggering inside the sweat soaked scout bowed. "My prince, we found the blockage and it is ill news. A great mass of boulders, fallen trees, deadwood, brush and silt has formed a large dam three miles downriver. The captain wishes to know if we are to attempt a breach and drain the mass or ignore it, he also warns that due to the nature of the mass... Excess water is draining over the top and any such attempt at removal would be quite hazardous if not fatal for those involved. Slaves would be required, many."

"Noted. Return to your captain and inform him he is to return here at once with his forces, no attempt will be made. You may go."

Bowing again the scout departed with a slogging gait and watching them leave he returned to the confines of his ten and focused his attention to the map.

"My prince?"

Halim looked a the noble who had spoken and shook his head. "The army will be crossing upriver, all efforts are to be focused on building a bridge at the location we viewed the other day."

"My prince, it will take many, many days..."

"I know, the lumber is also of poor quality and the crossing of the wagons will be the hardest. But that is the only option left to us for I shall not sit here and wait for the water to slowly drain off."

"And the campaign?"

"Plans shall be adjusted accordingly, we shall make an attempt on the city but if the situation is too dire I shall not risk losing my army for something which is unattainable. Understood?"

"Understood my prince."

Halim ignored them as they filed out or sent off couriers with their orders. "This campaign ended the moment it rained, so many contingencies planned for and even the rain had been taken into account but not something like this. A swollen river that never existed on a side road we had to take in order to avoid other complications... No matter, new plans have been drafted and this will not have been for naught. Still, the others did not need to know yet, it was best to keep morale up by keeping everyone focused and make the logical detour at the appropriate moment and then explain the new plan then, as it would be more readily accepted."

"Curse this weather." Halim looked outside and up at the clearing skies a moment. "And curse whatever is up there that allowed this."

Khada stared across the invisible border that separated them from their final stretch. Behind them was the distant graveyard of the Tebasi and to their front laid their own, yet to be dug but ready to accept their blood regardless.

"Make good time." Nyah nodded.

"Yes... Good time... Now we rest, cross and be in that place we told to raid."

"Isibuso not come for many day now, far, far behind. We go before he have chance to say "stop" hmm?"

Khada nodded. "Yes. But have... Bad feeling."

"You hear rumor of this kingdom we attack?"

"Some."

"That why you have bad feeling, give me bad feeling."

"No." He shook his head. "It not that. Maybe rumor are... What is word?"

"Exag-rat-ted?"

"Yes, that word. Make thing seem bigger than is but not all true... Not matter now. It not that which make me have bad feeling. Something else, think we making bad mistake if not careful. Very bad. Not just bad for us, but bad for all Sebanwi at home."

Nyah shrugged. "As you say fathah, it no matter. We here, they there. We go there." She motioned into the distance. "Or die here." She stamped her hoof lightly. "All bad choice."

Khada stared at his daughter with a degree of worry, she was already becoming somewhat like him. She was giving up more often but still had a fierce and independent streak that he hoped she would always keep. As he looked at her though he wondered if it would survive whatever doom awaited them.

"We see Nyah, we see."

Khada turned away and walked back to his sleeping spot and after trying to quiet his fears, closed his eyes to rest and with any luck, sleep.

Verik walked back to the hut with his little band in tow as they quietly muttered to themselves now and then while passerby stared at them curiously. Things were going well, the walls were almost up in a few key places but there was still just far too much to do and he knew it would take years to accomplish at this rate. Thankfully enough material was easily collected as it simply laid about and some construction had gone far faster than planned while others lagged behind. It was the complaints that were aggravating though, not the stalling out of the projects. Lost huts, dugouts and lean-to's had angered a great many and now they were hounding Tendaji to death about being given new accommodations. Things were not going fast enough and everyone knew it, once the rains hit everything would come to screeching halt which might happen anyway, but thanks to tools wearing out and a severe lack of replacements and materials the locals were getting antsy again.

Promises of better housing fell on deaf ears as a promise would mean nothing if they slept in the heavy rains that were coming. He understood their concerns but there was nothing anyone could do about it, but the desperation was peaking at dangerous levels as everyone went to ground before the monsoon hit. Already some were arguing in favor of simply raiding across the river for materials and damn the consequences since the Wete now had grown quite easily to more than ten times their old number. Weight of numbers might be a deterrent but everyone also knew that a lack of weapons would mean more of a bloodbath as anyone who fell would be looted immediately, he did not want to see a miniature Stalingrad take place as there would be immediately and violent repercussions to any raids.

Other complaints were trivial and drowned out though, the roads had been narrowed so that only one wagon at a time could pass and in some areas it was downright impossible for Zuberi's wagon to pass now. Zuberi had been quick to point out that if the roads narrowed any more than they already had he would no longer be able to get in or out, but then in the same breath changed the topic to how all the extreme use of his "wagons" had worn them down and he was holding "him" personally responsible for it. Verik remembered what he had said to Zuberi and smirked, not that it had worked but because the insult had gone over his head. Zuberi knew he had been insulted though and that was enough but Tendaji had barked at everyone to be quiet as there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Taxes had been brought up and after looking at the fields from one of the finished walls they could see how much fruit the canal had born, and it was a marvelous sight to behold. Tendaji, Zuberi and Sefu began arguing almost immediately about how many fields would be stripped by the collector, how many would remain, seed for next year, eaten, lost to varmints, wildlife, general disaster and so on. He did not really care though as no matter what he had been promised a portion and Tendaji had begrudgingly acknowledged this and remarked that he would not go back on the deal even if others starved. Sefu had just shook his head and waved Verik off as the argument continued with Zuberi who was more worried about being able to sell enough to make a profit from the smugglers. Profit which was important for metal imports for tools, while Sefu just wanted to be certain everyone had something to eat.

Still, it had been enlightening. The tax system was quite simple but brutal, the Wete would lose a great chunk of what they had grown and near as Verik could tell the tax rate was somewhere beyond the quarter mark. It explained why everyone was either starving or fit as a fiddle, there was nothing to get fat on.

"It will be very messy work! Right captain? Captain!"

"Hmm?" Verik turned as they reached Asha's hut and stared at Altayih.

"That this tar collection is going to be very messy work and impossible to hide."

"Of course it is impossible to hide, thats why we are admitting to it but not the end purpose. Come on, lets get ouf of the damn sun."

Asha was already inside and setting things out as they filed in and sat down, tonight was another "community pot luck" dinner as things had to stretch again. Manna was another mouth to feed but Altayih had found her quite handy when it came to cleaning fish, he would just stab one, toss it to her and she would eagerly scale, gut and wash it before putting it aside.

"Time." Shahid stared at them.

"Time will be no issue, Tendaji now owes us some time off to "rest" or "assess" the situation. You two will be on the "rest" end while I will be doing assessments and adjusting things."

Altayih raised an eyebrow. "We do all the work while you stand around looking self important?"

"No." Verik shook his head. "It means I am going with you to see the tar pits because I "just want to see them..." Sefu will show us the way, we will collect as much tar as we can and then bring it back. Wont take to long though, we are not exactly harvesting enough to burn down a city."

"Why you want black sticky anyway?" Asha put a larger pot in the firepit. "Smell horrible and not want it in hut."

"Well... Lets just say that if we have to make a hasty exit from certain locations in the future, being able to throw oozing stuff that is also on fire... Which tends to get all over someone and everything it touches tends to make their buddies less interested in chasing you less they get turned into an equine matchstick. I imagine just seeing a bunch of flaming matchsticks running around howling in agony would deter most. We need pots though, big ones."

"Have one pot you can have but save others." Asha pointed to a large, old pot.

"We need more than that, about one each. Are you going to come with us Asha?"

"Yes, want to see what you doing."

"They will not miss you from your work detail?" Altayih took the fish which had been wrapped up in an old cloth to keep flies off from Manna and handed it to Asha before trying to pry her off. "Go help Asha."

"No."

"Go."

Asha stared a moment before walking over and patting the fillies hands she unhooked her from Altayih and took her to the fire-pit and had her assist in making dinner.

"Captain, that sounds like a great deal more than what I assume is needed for a... Fast escape." Altayih sat down and rubbed his leg.

Shahid let out a small laugh. "Where we go? Maybe not enough fire pot. You know what that place like, no lie and say not understand."

Altayih gave Shahid a leering smile. "Burning down the whole damn city will be highly counter productive."

Shahid just shrugged as Verik stared at them blankly. "Thats enough, but it not just for that, we might need more later and I want to make certain we have enough to cover ourselves over the course of several... Lets just call them "encounters" for now."

"Hmm... Encounters. Sounds fun." Altayih gave him a mocking smile. "I would still implore you captain to not become a pyromaniac, fire may save us from our own fiery end at their hands but too much and they will be more than happy to come after us with a vengeance."

"Not too much, but not too little either." Asha helped Manna drop a handful of dried herbs in the pot as they watched.

"What Asha said is the answer." Verik nodded at his wife. "We need to use just enough at the right time. Besides, it should take only one or two small pots to deter any furry pursuers."

"Yeesss..." Altayih grimaced.

"Fur burn good, smell very bad." Shahid nodded.

"Asha? Do you know anyone who would "donate" a few pots? We need big ones for bringing it here and then little ones about... Yay~ sized?" He motioned with his hands. "For filling later on."

Watching Manna for a moment she stared and hummed. "Sibi help, big family, always have old pot, that how I get some pots. Maybe ask Jelani and Sefu... Can think maybe two others I ask. Always ask Nuru for pots, she always have-"

A loud and unanimous "no" filled the hut as the others shook their heads.

Verik laid down on his mat. "Well, tomorrow we will begin collecting tar."

"It was rather touching how the foals objected to your departure captain."

"They can argue with their caretaker then."

Shahid looked at him strangely. "You want to go back?"

"Its not so bad, no Sefu telling you to run faster and farther... No Jelani chewing your ears off about your aim..."

"No gripers hunting you down to complain about housing..." Altayih smirked.

"True. But some will have a roof over their head soon enough now that the south walls are up. Just have to get the new houses built and with all the free hands available due to a mass tool shortage, it wont take very long to get the walls up. Take a good while to get the roves built mind you but at least they can sleep inside a walled up area."

"I suppose that is true captain..."

"Something wrong?"

Altayih hesitated for a time before speaking slowly. "It is just that... Our fortunes have turned around so rapidly-" He glared back at Shahid. "And while they are not exactly the most uplifting turn, I wonder what misfortune awaits."

"You are worried that because you are doing "so well" that something bad has to happen now?"

"In a sense... Yes."

"Then dont worry about it, if we burned up all our collective karma it aint like we can do anything about it."

Altayih gave Verik a weary smile. "That is very true I suppose, but neither can I argue against it."