12th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

A bass voice echoed into his mind,

A man’s heart is fickle,

true must a man’s heart be

to wield the spirit.

As the last words rang through his head, Araki opened his eyes and darkness swallowed him. His body cold, he reached out in the darkness and found a blanket at his feet. The sound of rustling grass caught his attention. There was a pinprick of light away off under the tent flap. He stood and walked to the tent flap, lifting it open before stepping outside.

Aquillia sat on a log with a blanket over her shoulders and a long stick in her hand, poking the fire. She looked up at him and smiled.

“You couldn’t sleep?” he asked.

She shook her head and spread one arm. Araki walked around the fire and sat down next to her. She wrapped her arm and blanket around him.

“I am an old woman,” she began. “I would not expect you to choose me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You and Stella.”

Araki turned and looked at her face. It was drawn in sadness.

“I am okay with you and Stella.”

“It seems that these people are polygamous,” Araki said.

“Are you?”

“I don’t know how long I am to be here,” Araki said, turning back to face the fire.

“If you choose her it’s okay,” Aquillia resigned.

“Can I choose you both?”

“How would she feel about that?”

“How do you feel about that?”

“I will be okay with it. As long as we still had time together.”

“I may need to look after Nanberry also,” he mused.

“I am not sure they accept widows in their midst,” Aquillia commented.

“Are you saying I would have to marry her also?”

“It might be something you have to do to secure your place in the clan.”

“They do consider you an outsider,” Nanberry said, as she stepped out of the tent, the tent flap falling behind her. She had a blanket wrapped around her body.

“I am only eighteen and I will soon be married three times,” Araki muttered.

“It is not uncommon for a young man to be married to his father’s other wives. Any children born to his father from his other wives would automatically be considered his,” Nanberry explained, sitting opposite Aquillia and Araki.

“So not only am I going to be married three times, but I have inherited several children.”

“Only if you marry me,” Nanberry confirmed.

“The boy’s mother is not yours?”

Nanberry shook her head. “His father had a dalliance with a young girl, and she became pregnant. They were quickly married, and she grew to dislike him. As soon as he died, she remarried her new lover.”

“That is quite the scandal,” Aquillia commented.

Nanberry nodded. “The boy will always be at the mercy of the clan. So, I adopted him. He knows his place, so he is studying to become a priest.”

“I would not recommend having any dalliances,” Aquillia suggested.

Araki nodded and chuckled. “I have two wives and will most likely need to take another. I don’t think I would need to have any dalliances.”

“That Stella has quite an appetite,” Aquillia agreed. “How many times have you been with her?”

“Every night since we boarded ship.” Araki blushed.

“She isn’t already with child?” Nanberry asked.

Araki shrugged.

“Will you take me and the children under your protection?”

“Are you proposing to him?” Aquillia asked.

“I can’t offer frequent sex like Stella can, but I can offer my guidance, and role as first wife.”

“What is the difference between first and any others?” Aquillia asked.

“First wife role is mostly ceremonial, but I would run the affairs of the household.”

“What affairs are they?” Araki asked, placing a hand on Aquillia’s leg.

“I would secure alliances from the other families by marrying off any daughters and acquiring wives for sons. I would also keep any fighting between wives to a minimum.”

“Hey,” Aquillia protested.

Araki squeezed her leg.

“I know you are most likely older than I,” Nanberry placated.

“Doesn’t that mean I am first wife?”

“First wife is not the same as the first married wife.”

“How so?” Araki asked. “I want to know.”

“The first wife is more like the head wife … how else to put it?”

Araki and Aquillia waited as she thought.

“The role is purely administrative and ceremonial,” Nanberry said, looking up into the stars. “I arrange and manage the household and appear beside him during special events like today.”

“I see,” nodded Araki.

“Is there a second wife place?” Aquillia asked.

“I could take a wife underneath me, to train. I would suggest that she is a local, because when I pass on, the clan is going to need a strong woman to guide Araki.”

“I could do all that.”

“You are long-lived. It would not be a good idea for you to become a first wife because it would become known that you outlive your husbands.”

“I did outlive Akuchi.”

Nanberry’s brow knitted in confusion.

“That was my great grandfather,” Araki said.

“Did you have any children with him?”

“Only the one. He now works on a ship.”

Nanberry’s brow unknitted. She nodded. “I would suggest that any children you have here would leave with you, when you leave.”

Aquillia opened her mouth then closed it and nodded.

“I accept your proposal,” Araki said.

“Good. When we arrive at Tell Aroll, I will begin preparations.”

Araki nodded. Nanberry stood and headed back to the tent. As she lifted the tent to the sleeping quarters, she turned and looked back at them.

“Araki, if you do fancy a woman that is about the camp, please talk to me before you approach her. It will make things a lot easier.”

Araki blushed.

“There are no restrictions on how many wives you can take, but I would advise caution before taking a new wife on. Even a quick romp with someone not your wife can be extremely dangerous.”

Araki nodded.

“I will explain the rules to you in time, but I think you two need to spend some alone time, together.” Nanberry stepped inside the tent and let the tent flap fall behind her.

Araki stood and yawned.

Aquillia stood and stretched beside him.

They both went to the tent flap and stepped inside as the tent flap fell to the ground again darkness enveloped them.

Aquillia grabbed onto Araki and giggled.

“I think she expects us to …”

“I can’t see a thing,” Aquillia stated. She lifted the tent flap, looked about the space where several pillows were strewn across the floor. Stella lay in the middle of the room, a blanket covering her legs, her arms spread wide.

Araki found an empty space on the floor and pulled a blanket over him.

Aquillia smiled and dropped the tent flap, casting them all in darkness. She padded across the floor to Araki. She snuggled up next to him, her hand going straight to his manhood, and leant in for a kiss.

“I hope you can keep us both satisfied,” Stella murmured from the middle of the room.

They stopped kissing and turned her head to Stella’s voice.

“My people don’t mind multiple partners. If you can’t keep me satisfied, I will have to find someone that can,” Stella said with her eyes closed as she lounged on the pelts and skins.

“Are you satisfied right now?” Araki asked.

“At the moment I am a little worn out from our time … I didn’t think you had more in you,” Stella said as she yawned.

“How many times did you?” Aquillia asked.

“She stopped at once,” Araki said.

“Then yes, he has much more in him than one,” Aquillia said.

“Good,” Stella said.

***

Araki sat up with a cry. The meeting room was lit with the morning light. The tent flap opened, letting in the morning light. Aquillia, Nanberry and Stella all sat around the campfire talking to each other.

“Good morning, stud,” Stella called.

“Good morning,” he replied automatically.

“Did you dream well?” Aquillia asked.

“I had the strangest dream,” Araki admitted. He got up and joined them around the fire.

“I am sure it was interesting,” Stella said, her face a smile.

“At first, I dreamed about the voices,” Araki began.

Stella nodded.

“Then I woke up as normal. Then I came out here and you were here.” He pointed at Aquillia.

“Me?” Aquillia asked.

“Yeah, we talked a bit then you joined us.” He pointed at Nanberry.

“Both of us?” Nanberry asked.

He shook his head. “We talked about marriage, and I think you proposed to me.”

“I am not allowed to propose to any men,” Nanberry stated. “I was the first wife of a dead man; I have to be asked.”

“So that didn’t happen?”

“No, I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night.”

“Well that’s a relief then. It must have all been a dream.”

He sat down on a log and looked at the woman arrayed around the fire, relief flooding him.

“You look like your dream was a bit of a nightmare.” Stella placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Did we sleep together last night?”

She nodded. “It was good too.”

He looked over at Aquillia. “Did we?”

Aquillia shook her head.

Relief flooded him again as he turned to Nanberry. “We didn’t?”

She shook her head.

“What else happened in the dream?” Stella asked, sitting down beside him.

“After she proposed, Aquillia and I went back inside and had some great …”

“Sex?” Stella asked.

He nodded. “Then when we had finished, Nanberry came over and had me.”

“You dreamed you had sex with both of us?” Nanberry said. “Flattering as it may seem, it didn’t happen.”

“You didn’t dream about us having sex?” Stella asked.

“We did have sex, right?”

Stella nodded, frowning.

“It might be a good idea,” Nanberry said.

“What is?” Aquillia asked.

“If Araki did marry me, it would solidify his position in the tribe.”