Web of Deceit (47 page)

Wyant stared at Rejji as if seeing him for the first time. He turned and looked at the black clothed soldiers and his eyes landed on Marak. “Who are you and what do you have to do with all of this?” he asked Marak.

“I am Lord Marak of the Torak clan of Khadora,” Marak answered. “I have trading contracts with Rejji. We have come to view Ghala and the surrounding areas. I am very impressed with what I have seen. I think you should listen to Rejji’s offer seriously. It may be the only hope for Fakara’s future.”

Wyant nodded slowly and bit his lower lip in thought. “How many of your people survived the attack?” he asked Rejji.

“All of them,” smiled Rejji. “We have developed defense plans to keep the people safe. We do not have much of a defensive force so we were not able to save the buildings. I can promise each man you bring will have abundant food. He will never know hunger and he can be a part of the rebuilding of Fakara. Isn’t it time for us to end the misery that we have come to call life here in Fakara?”

“I sure would like to settle down in peace,” nodded Wyant. “What are the conditions that you will impose?”

“Very few,” stated Rejji. “We want no lawlessness in our city. Ghala is not a tribal fortress. It is our stake at a new civilization. We expect all of our citizens to behave honorably. That means no fighting among the tribes. No stealing or intimidating the citizenry. And the tribes will have to acknowledge a higher authority.”

“A higher authority?” questioned Wyant. “I suppose that means you? I don’t think the tribes will knuckle down for a man barely older than a lad.”

“I can easily set up a city council composed of old men if that makes them feel any better,” chuckled Rejji. “Actually, I was hoping you would be that higher authority. I would, of course, expect you to maintain the kind of order I need to make this work.”

“You finally believe me then?” queried Wyant.

“Oh yes,” nodded Rejji. “You place Brakas in the right places at the right times. I was in that party near the headwaters of the Ghala River and I was the one that Killed Diakles the day after you saw him. Yes I believe you.”

“You killed Diakles?” echoed Wyant. “That alone will raise you in the eyes of the tribes. How much food do you have in that city of yours?”

“I can have as much as I need,” Rejji said. “Lord Marak has two ships on the way and he will send more when I ask for it. We have nice herds of Wasooki and clova and more watula then we can use. You supply the men and let me worry about the food.”

“You realize that as soon as I start to gather the tribes, Grulak will attack in force?” frowned Wyant.

“That depends on how many men you gather,” interjected Marak. “I understand that the main body of his forces are quite distant from here. If he sends only a portion of his army, you may well defeat it. If he brings his entire army, then you will need some clever strategy.”

“Very clever strategy,” sighed Wyant. “He has more men than all of the free tribes put together.”

“Yes and they will be weary from the travel,” stated Lord Marak. “Perhaps they will even be harried along the way. Just having a greater number of men does not guarantee success. You will have time to learn the terrain, which will be foreign to him. You will also have time to plan for a defense.”

“Do you have armies that you are willing to offer to this solution?” Wyant asked Marak.

“I have armies,” declared Marak. “This is not Khadora’s fight though. If Rejji requests assistance, I will send what I can, but I think you Fakarans can accomplish the goal.”

“Your answer pleases me,” smiled Wyant. “At least I know that you are not encouraging this for selfish reasons. I may be crazy, but I think I am going to accept this position as your new general, Rejji.”

“May I suggest you use a different term,” interjected Marak. “If the tribes already have generals, you will appear to be usurping their titles. In Khadora we use the term Marshal.”

“Very well,” nodded Wyant. “Marshal it is. Start shipping food in, Lord Marak. We are going to need a lot of it. If I can borrow a horse, you will have thousands of men within the week. I just hope Brakas doesn’t catch wind of it before we are ready.”

“Does Brakas know you are alive?” asked Lord Marak.

“No,” answered Wyant. “I would prefer to keep it that way until I can find him again.”

“Tell the men you send to Ghala not to mention your name until you arrive then,” suggested Marak. “If Brakas returns to the city, I think he can be used to supply false information to the Jiadin. It could prove to be vital to any plan you come up with.”

“Do you think he will return?” questioned Wyant.

“I do,” interjected Rejji. “It would seem that I am Brakas’s second mission. With me and the tribes in the same place, Brakas will show. When he does, he will find his ability to leave impaired until I see fit to allow it.”

“Take one of the horses from these slavers,” offered Marak. “One word of caution before you go, Marshal. If any of these tribes intend on coming to Ghala to pillage it instead of joining in its defense, I will bring my armies from Khadora to extract retribution, and my armies are trained for battle against other armies, not raiding villages.”

Wyant looked at the ring of arrows stuck in the ground and nodded. “If that happens, Lord Marak,” he said seriously, “I will be riding with you. The days of plunder are over for Fakara. Those who do not understand that are better off joining the Jiadin than us. My back is scarred and my face is bruised, but I feel more hopeful today than I have felt in any other day of my life. We will make this work.”

Rejji and Marak watched Wyant leave. “He will work out well for you,” smiled Lord Marak.

“Yes he will,” nodded Rejji. “It is time to give the rest of these prisoners their choice of going free or joining Ghala. We could use the two empty wagons to transport them if they wish to join the city.”

“If that is what you want to do,” offered Marak, “Halman and Gunta can accompany us to Ghala and I will leave Botal and his squad to escort them.”

“Let us ask them what they want to do,” agreed Rejji.

“Rejji,” called Riktor, “I have been looking all over for you.”

“How is the unloading going?” Rejji asked Riktor.

“The first ship is empty and leaving the dock now,” Riktor replied. “There are two more anchored offshore. The warehouse is full and we are running out of room. Where am I supposed to put all of the cargo?”

“It would appear that Lord Marak has high hopes for our Marshal,” smiled Rejji. “He said he would step up shipments when he got back home.”

“Step them up?” echoed Riktor. “I have never seen so much food in my entire life. We could feed an army with what is in the warehouse now.”

“We have many armies to feed, Riktor,” smiled Rejji as he waved Plesy over to the conversation. “The problem is that the city is not large enough for them. Six thousand men joined yesterday alone and I do not think we have seen the end of it. I was going to have a lot of supplies emptied out of the warehouse today for our new arrivals. Why don’t we have them take it directly off the ships? That will free your men up to help Plesy with the clearing and lumber hauling.”

“We don’t need any more help,” Plesy interjected. “The new location for the wasooki and clova herds was cleared this morning. The animals are being moved as we speak.”

“So we can start building in the old fields then?” queried Rejji.

“As soon as the animals are all moved,” nodded Plesy. “Bakhai is handling that. He certainly has a way with animals.”

“That he does,” smiled Rejji. “There is your answer Riktor. Have your men start building the new homes that we had planned for the old grazing fields.”

“Can we start construction of the second warehouse too?” Riktor asked. “The new men may take care of what is on the next two ships, but if more arrive we have no place to put it.”

“We have the lumber,” interjected Plesy. “At least the raw logs anyway. I have never seen a forest come down so quickly. There were so many men chopping trees that they were getting in each other’s way.”

“That is a problem,” frowned Rejji. “We are growing so fast that I can not keep track of what we are doing. I don’t know how to handle this.”

“You are taking too much upon yourself,” advised Plesy. “You need to have more people managing things and then report to you. That will give you time to look more long term at things. Right now you are just reacting to each person’s request.”

“I am willing to consider anything that will bring some sense of organization to this,” stated Rejji. “What do you suggest?”

“Put Riktor in charge of supplies,” began Plesy. “Let him handle all of the unloading and distribution of food and tools. If he needs more people, he can ask you for them.”

“Done,” nodded Rejji. “What else?”

“Let Copi handle the lumber portion,” continued Plesy. “That includes felling the trees, transporting them and shaving them. He will also need to handle the distribution to people needing supplies to build.”

“Copi can handle that,” Rejji nodded. “I am beginning to like this already. What about construction?”

“I will handle that,” declared Plesy. “I have a thought regarding that already. I think each tribe that arrives should build their own homes. When their homes are complete, their men can enter the labor pool for other jobs. The men that arrived yesterday don’t know what to do, so they are standing around doing nothing. If we put them to work on their own homes, we will have time to plan what they will work on next.”

“Where does the new warehouse fit into this?” asked Riktor as people started to gather around to hear what was going on.

“Half of the men I used for clearing the forest today will work on it,” answered Plesy. “If we can get the logs shaved, that warehouse will go up in two days. With the number of people Ghala has now, I think we should build a third as well.”

“And put it where?” asked Rejji. “We are running out of room to build.”

“I have thoughts on that,” replied Lakado. “I have been wanting to talk you about it.”

“Any thoughts are welcome, Lakado,” Rejji said. “What are they?”

“I don’t think you should be putting houses in the old wasooki fields,” began Lakado. “That is an excellent area for the warehouses. The city should be expanding towards the mountains along the river.”

“There is not much room between our current houses and the stockade,” Rejji pointed out. “I don’t think you realize how many people are moving into Ghala each day.”

“Oh, but I do,” smiled Lakado as he drew a map in the dirt. “The stockade has to come down or be abandoned. Where it is now should be the city center. We should reserve a large section there for community buildings like stores, and inns. Maybe even a marketplace. Then in this area outside the stockade, we start the new houses.”

“We can’t have buildings outside the stockade,” Rejji said. “They would be too vulnerable to attack.”

“I know,” nodded Lakado. “That is why we will build a new wall way out here, but this one will be stone. There are two benefits to this plan. The first is that we will expand the city enough to house tens of thousands of people. The second is that the approach to the city can be a narrow path through the forest. It will be very hard for a large army to amass in front of the wall. It should increase our safety a great deal.”

“Clearing the land would be a lot easier,” nodded Plesy. “The forest outside the stockade is sparse, but still enough trees to supply the lumber we will need. And we won’t have to haul it either. “

“And there is enough room in the old wasooki fields for at least six warehouses,” smiled Lakado.

“I am not sure we need that much land for the city though,” responded Rejji. “That is a lot of houses.”

“There is more to a city than houses,” interjected Lakado. “Right now we get everything we need from Khadora, but that must change. We need shops, inns for travelers, schools, butchers, healers, and bakeries. I have been to Khadora and seen large cities. Trust me, the room will be needed.”

Rejji’s mind flashed back to his days in Khadoratung and he nodded. “I agree,” he said finally. “Leave room for parks too and a temple. Ghala need not resemble a lumberyard forever. It should be a place that is pleasing to travel to. Lakado, draw me a map that I can keep of what you think the city should look like. You will be in charge of determining where things will be built. The first area you need to layout is where we are going to house all these people.”

“I will have it done within the hour,” grinned Lakado.

“The animals are all moved,” reported Bakhai. “Is this a meeting?”

“Sort of,” nodded Rejji. “Do you want to be in charge of the animals?”

“I think Pfifer would enjoy that,” answered Bakhai. “He has already been caring for them everyday. He will need people to help him though. The herd is getting large.”

“Done,” agreed Rejji. “I think Jheron is a good person to be in charge of trades. He is pretty much doing that already.”

“I concur,” Plesy said. “He has organized it well so far.”

“Rejji,” called Mistake as she ran towards the group. “There is a large army approaching the stockade.”

“Join me, Bakhai,” Rejji said as he turned and ran towards the stockade.

The trio race to the wooden stockade and Rejji raced up the ladder to the platform. Several hundred paces out sat a tribal leader and his army was still riding in from the distance. Rejji had seen this sight several times over the last week, but he still trembled each time. There was little way to determine if this was a tribe that Wyant had sent, or one preparing to attack Ghala.

“Can you hear anything?” Rejji asked Mistake.

“Nothing,” she frowned. “They aren’t talking.”

“Okay,” frowned Rejji. “I am going out.”

“Bakhai and I are right behind you,” assured Mistake.

Rejji nodded to the men at the gates and they lifted the bar for the trio to exit the city. They walked out until Rejji stood in front of the tribal leader.

“Welcome to Ghala,” smiled Rejji. “I am Rejji.”

The tribal leader dismounted and walked up to Rejji.

“I am Adger, leader of the Mutang,” the leader said. “Our mutual friend, Marshal, sent me. He said we would be welcome here. I have twenty-five hundred men and their families. Are we welcome in Ghala?”