Chapter Nine (Part 1)
Consequences

The Cristofur made a stop at the midpoint to Domari for food and other supplies.

It had been several days into the journey to return Ndornah and Melitah to their homeland.

One evening after dinner, Melitah sat with her sister and several passengers in the Abrams' cabin and recited the history of her and Ndornah's ancestors.

"During the Pitholionis Age," she began, "the gods could not agree whether to interfere in the affairs of mortals or leave them to their uncertain fate.

It was during this time our ancestors migrated from Kalobus--a land torn by war and starvation and settled in Shinee.

Shinee rulers were harsh; females, young and old, bore the brunt of their cruelty: They were beaten, raped, married off, impregnated to the point of death by childbirth, and infant girls were often sacrificed to nature or crafted gods made of wood and stone.

When the gods got wind that they had been replaced with animals and stationary objects, they closed up the first heaven over Shinee so that it ceased to rain. For many months, crops, animals, and Shinees perished. After enough female infants had been sacrificed to please the gods, the heavens opened and the land was restored. Still fearing the gods, the rulers doubled their efforts to appease them--resulting in more cruelty against the fairer sex.

Desperate, the senior women prayed non-stop to the goddess, Dahlia for several years. When their pleas became too numerous and heart-wrenching to ignore, Dahlia appeared to their High Priestess, Kiddia, in a fog-like vision and spoke with her.

Impressed by Kiddia's loyalty, Dahlia sent a death angel to destroy the evil Shinee kingdom; she sent a messenger angel to lead the women and children, (girls and boys) to a land they named Domari--after the woman who was buried alive for leading a rebellion against the Shinee king. There, Kiddia erected an altar to the goddess. Worshipping only Dahlia became the first known practice of monotheism of its time.

The goddess blessed the land and the people flourished. Every girl-child grew to five-foot-eleven--strong, highly intelligent, and voluptuous; they were gifted with abilities that made them as capable as the average man, though not the exceptional men who grew to great heights and possessed super masculine strength," Melitah ended.

"That was so fascinating, Melitah," Brehira said, "now tell us how on mother earth did you and Ndornah happen to be on that dreadful island?"

"Well," Ndornah interjected. "I'm afraid that was my doing. Big game hunting is my passion. And there's a small island separated from Gorr by just a thread of a river but is well guarded by the Stone giants called Golems. The Ogrekins fear these giants who are over seventeen feet tall, weigh 1,050 pounds and are impervious to magic and ordinary weapons such as the Ogrekin's deadly ax blade.

The Golems' greatest pests are the Tambar wolves that attack their herds. The Tambars breed like rabbits and can outrun the slow-moving stone giants. So they hired hunters to kill them.

Melitah and I were a part of several hunting parties that day when I, like a fool, became so absorbed with the hunt, that I chased a Tambar wolf across the river into Ogrekin land where I was eventually spotted and captured. When Melitah discovered what had happened, she tried to rescue me. Well, you know how that turned out.  But thanks be to our blessed goddess, or we would not be sitting here with you this day."

"And thanks to Lord Abrams, Celio, and Olatunji," Melitah quickly said, cutting an eye at Ndornah.

"Yes, Yes, of course," Ndornah followed with a fake smile.

As everyone sipped their drink, Ndornah frowned after she picked up an empty wine goblet and sniffed it. "I notice that everyone's drink is dark and has a peculiar scent," she said setting the goblet aside.  "Oh, not that I'm offended. I simply wondered why Melitah and I were served a different drink."

"Sister, I am sure Lord and Lady Abrams have a perfect right to serve their guests whatever they wish," Melitah said, embarrassed for her sister.

"I'm sorry, I was just curious," Ndornah said sincerely.

Brehira chose her words carefully. "Ndornah--Melitah," she said looking from one to the other. "Please don't think me inhospitable and served you a lesser drink. It's just this drink we call, wine is new to this realm and since you and your sister have never tasted wine, we weren't sure if you could handle the after-effects."

"What my wife means is that it makes you dizzy if you're not used to it."

"It will also," said one of the guests, "make you real dizzy if you are used to it and drink too much."

"Well, that's interesting," Melitah said. "It will make you dizzy if you're not used to it and do the same if you are and drink too much?"

Ndornah looked around wide-eyed. "I want to try it--you too, sister."

"Ndornah, maybe Lord and Lady Abrams are right; if we've nev..."

"Oh, poppycock," Ndornah interrupted. "We have taken strong herbs that dulled the pain and helped us sleep. Surely this...why-en can't be so much."

"But...sister..."

"No, I want some. Now, you're not going to let your sister taste it alone?"

Brehira and Gangus glanced at each other, and then Brehira thought quickly. "I have it. Why don't I pour you both a small measure and you can take it back to the privacy of your quarters."

"That sounds fine. Right, Ndornah?" Melitah asked.

"Yes. And besides, it's getting rather late and if this why-en does what you say, we'll have a good night's sleep," she said grinning.

Brehira poured two wine goblets half full and placed them on a tray; Ndornah and Melitah rose. A woman took the tray and walked ahead of the sisters.

"Have a good night," Brehira said as the sisters slowly followed the woman out of the cabin.

"Good night," the sisters said almost in unison.

After the door closed behind them, Brehira breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew! The last thing we need is a couple of drunken voluptuous beauties on board with a bunch of horny seamen trying to get at them."

"And after watching the sisters make dog meat out of those huge Ogrekins," Gangus chuckled, "I'm not so sure who we'd have to protect...them or the men."

*****


Image: by Dantegrafice from Pixabay

Main Characters
Lord Gangus Abram Leader of his clan
Lady Brehira (Bree he ra) His wife
Dinary (Di nary) Youngest Son
Celio (Seal le o) Soldier and close friend
Princess Netrekka (Neh trek kah) Dinary's Lover/wife


Minor Characters
Khimah (Keema) Eldest Son
Captain Dulcy P Dordrecht (Door check) Captain of the Cristofur
Judian (Jew-dee-in) Second in Command of the Christofur
Kofius (Ko fee us) The Sail Master
Olatunji (O lah tune gee) Cushite, Striker, and Warrior
Ndornah (N-door-nah) Domari Warrior and older sister to Melitah
Melitah (Meh-lee-tah) Domari Warrior and younger sister to Ndornah
Diana High Priestess and mother to Ndornah and Melitah