One room however was by far, more opulent and garishly decorated than the others. Sporting just one large bed, it also had several ornately carved cabinets, large windows that faced the west, heavy embroidered curtains and Zora know immediately, this was Dala Misanth’s room. It also had something the other rooms lacked; a second door and when she pushed it open, discovered it led directly to another opulent bedroom that she quickly determined was the garrison commander’s abode. This room was decorated in a more masculine fashion, the bed sported more of the filmy curtains that seemed to be so-favoured by the Shaekel, expensive treasures on expensive-looking and elaborately-carved furniture, displays of weapons and flags hung predominantly on two of the four walls and plush carpets covered the floor. The bed was dishevelled as if the occupier had left it in haste and she guessed the commander had been startled when he realised that the garrison was being assaulted, rushed outside to discover what all the sudden commotion meant and died there under a flood-tide of bloodied D’jalon spears. A door opened into a large room with a huge table surrounded by twenty chairs and was obviously where the commander held meetings with his men or entertained guests.
As soon as Zora left the room, she noticed Evan standing off to her right before the garrison’s barracks block attempting to kick open what was an obviously locked door. Just as she arrived at his side, something in the door-jamb splintered, yielding to his powerful kicks and the door crashed open. The room proved to be a combined armoury and store house with rack upon rack holding hundreds of swords, lances and at least a thousand of the short sturdy bows the Shaekel favoured along with a vast quantity of arrows. There was saddlery, tack, water-skins, ream upon ream of material predominantly white in colour and even several what appeared to be brand new wagon wheels.
“We can use most of this gear,” Evan mentioned after a brief look around. “I’ll get the D’jalon chieftains to distribute it amongst any of the men they think could make the best use of it. The lances will be useful if we encounter any cavalry and having that many bows, even if the men aren’t used to using them, it doesn’t take much skill to shoot a few arrows at the bad guys.”
Zora nodded her agreement. “The women will cause no trouble,” Zora informed him. “Fear of the D’jalon will keep them inside their quarters. Your plan is now what, Evan?”
“This garrison was obviously built to hold at least ten times the defenders we encountered and there are enough stores laid in to feed that many for a week. We’ll let the men have an early finish today and they can camp in the area and rest for the rest of the day and the night. It’s only about a two-day’s walk to the coast from here so they can kill the remaining buffalo and once the stores are distributed, fill their hungry stomachs and water-skins and we’ll make an early start in the morning.”
“This woman wonders where you will stay this night.” Zora asked with a twinkle in her eye.
“Well, I want to arrange a meeting with the chieftains then I’ll probably find a quiet spot somewhere.”
“This woman has a suggestion; you are the commander, yes,” she asked with a straight face and Evan wasn’t falling for it for a minute. “The commander’s bed appears big enough for two.”
“Who did you have in mind,” Evan asked innocently.
“This woman of course,” Zora suggested and this time, her face did brighten into a smile.
Several hours later, with the newly-risen moon glistening on the faint sheen of sweat on Evan’s broad back, Zora’s arms, draped around his neck pulled his lips down to hers and kissed him again. “That woman has been watching us,” she whispered softly in the big marine’s ear.
To Dala Misanth, watching had been a normal part of her formative years so she felt no qualms about being the voyeur as Evan and Zora gave themselves to sating their mutual passions. Watching lovers engaged in sexual acts had been the then-young girl’s introduction to what life would hold in store for a future concubine. They had been encouraged to do so in fact by the senior Adalas and Prodalas as being the beginnings of educating and teaching them what the aspiring Dala needed to know in the pursuit of a life devoted to pleasing men. The sole time their focus was not on giving the man pleasure was the day that a carefully chosen male would be offered the young girl’s virginity. With patience and sensitivity, the great honour the man had been offered was the result of him displaying the necessary qualities to several more-experienced concubines who would then meet and vote on the man’s suitability for the task. However, from that day onwards, the often very young girl earned the probationary title of Seidala as she began a life devoted to the male of the species.