Chapter 24

Earl Reyes was grim-faced when he met us at the dock. Nearly the same day that I had sailed for Westland from Agadir, word arrived in Rouen that one of our ships had been attacked and sunk while docked in Khambhat when troops of the Delhi Sultanate stormed aboard. The crew had fought valiantly and when they realized they had no hope of winning, set up an escape, and sabotaged the ship. A few men lowered several of the shore boats while others put double charges of powder into the ship’s twelve cannons. As the men scrambled out of the cannon ports on the seaside of the ship, and jumped into the water below, the captain ignited several fuses leading into the powder room.

He barely managed to escape, taking an arrow in the shoulder as he swam awkwardly towards the closest boat. Only thirty of the one hundred men on board survived the attack, several of whom were wounded. The three hundred Delhi troops who boarded the ship hoping to capture our cannons didn’t survive. It exploded moments after his men pulled the wounded captain into the boat. A second of our ships arrived just in time to witness the last of the fracas. They helped the survivors aboard while training their own cannons on the town and the troops that hadn’t boarded the ship. The other ships in the port had their sails set ablaze to prevent them from following.

That ship had made for Timseh at top speed. Once there, Timseh had dispatched smaller ships to each of our ports warning everyone to stay away from Delhi Sultanate territory and issued a call to arms. When word reached Rouen, Margaret took command, leaving several other very unhappy co-wives in Rouen as she sailed for Timseh. Troops and ships from each of our territories poured into Timseh. Two weeks after her arrival there, Margaret sailed with twenty thousand mounted archers, twenty thousand light cavalry, and dozens pyrotechnic wagons. She eschewed the bulkier cannons hoping speed would make up for not having them. During the trip over, even the hand-held pyrotechnic tubes were repacked so that packhorses could carry them, rather than use the slower wagons. Another twenty thousand Mongol troops joined them off the coast of Mumbai.

After receiving permission from the city’s leader, they debarked in Mumbai. The Kakatiya had heard about the attack on our ship and were happy to have our help fighting Sultan Khilji and his troops. They had barely managed to defeat his army a few years ago and Khilji was reportedly readying a larger army for another attack. Khilji had attacked our ship in hopes of capturing our cannons to give them a further advantage. The town watched in amazement as our troops debarked with a woman leading them into battle, even though their last ruler, Queen Rudramadevi, had done the same thing. It was still a rare event there, as well as in Europe.

The local commander sent two thousand of his men with our troops to act as guides and to reassure everyone along the way. Those poor Kakatiya soldiers were exhausted after the grueling four-day ride to Khambhat, the port where the attack on our ship had occurred. While our fleet stood offshore from Khambhat to prevent ships from arriving or leaving, the Demons and Mongols made the trip in two days and began terrorizing the city.

Surrounding the city, the Mongols intercepted several messengers and several wealthy families fleeing for Delhi once the Demons began their ritual assault. They annihilated any Deccan troops trying to attack the Demon position that was launching the shells into the city. The main body of our troops arrived just in time to ride, unopposed, into the surrendered city. The Kakatiya troops were stunned when the fifteen thousand remaining Deccan troops surrendered without a fight. A thousand of our troops remained to restore order in the city and to loot the city while the rest left the next day for their next target.

Word of our attack on Khambhat still hadn’t reached Delhi three weeks later when the Mongols and Demons surrounded it. Delhi held out for two days before the citizens and troops learned who they were facing and turned against Sultan Khilji. They delivered his body under a flag of truce and the city surrendered. Margaret dispatched surrendered Deccan troops to every corner of the Sultanate with word that they were now part of what has become known as the Rouen Empire. She dispatched Mongol messengers to Chaghati Khan in Yining to keep him abreast of developments. Messengers had already been dispatched to him when word of the attack on our ship first arrived in order to warn him that our troops would be attacking Delhi.

My arrival in Khambhat proved unnecessary. Delhi had fallen a week before my arrival in New Aragon. Margaret spent the ensuing five weeks consolidating her hold on the former Deccan territory and rounding up all relatives and close advisors of Sultan Khilji to prevent any future claims to the throne. They sent word to Rouen, but it obviously arrived in Kolzum at the southern end of the Cairo Canal after we had already sailed from there.

The military column we met two days later was the strangest one I’d ever seen. After a business-like advanced guard of Demons, the rest of the returning troops led the spare horses they had arrived with, as well as one or two additional horses, each usually carrying a very attractive young woman. I had previously heard reports that women occasionally rode into battle with the Mongols, but this was the first time I had actually seen them. I was even more surprised to find one wearing a Demon uniform in a group of the five hundred newest Mongol Demons. Even the female Mongol troops had one or two young women trailing behind them. I learned later that those women who were married brought the women for their husbands. Those who were single figured the women would help her attract a better mate. Margaret awarded each of the Demons and each of the Mongol troops who did most of the fighting with two horses and two women. Regular troops each earned one horse and one woman in addition to the normal share of the loot and captured weapons they would receive.

The troops waved and saluted as we passed. About a mile from the front of the massive column, I finally found Margaret riding towards us, an obviously pregnant Margaret. She grinned at me. Her grin was half nervousness and half defiance like she does so well. The grin became a happy one when she saw me smiling back. Behind her were nearly a hundred prisoners; each man was tied in the saddle of his horse and led by a guard. Most of the women were in wagons although quite a few were on horseback right behind Margaret and didn’t appear to be guarded.

I smiled more when I saw Nibbles, Margaret’s favorite among Sniffy’s offspring or great offspring. She got her name from the lady-like way she ate compared to the other dogs. The houndsmen wanted to give her a name like Lady but were concerned that any such name might mistakenly be taken as a slight against one of their Duchesses. Margaret was the one to name her Nibbles, and I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised to see her here as Margaret’s warning dog. I’d already seen at least two dozen others since every one of our military garrisons and every company of Demons had at least one and usually two.

“And how is my pregnant wife feeling today?” I asked as I moved alongside her, our horses just far enough apart to keep from smashing our legs.

“Your pregnant wife missed you,” she answered, her sultry look silently adding, “and is very horny.” Grinning she glanced behind her at her retinue. Having seen the look enough times before, I knew that some or all of her retinue of beautiful young women were destined for our bedroom. I found out which ones when we set up camp for the night.

Throughout the day, wagons went to every village, town, and farm we passed buying any available food to help feed the troops. An organized and obviously oft-practiced effort commenced as soon as we stopped for the day. Each group formed their own cluster, some of the new women started cooking while others set up tents or helped care for the horses.

In our cluster, the guarded women began cooking while the unguarded ones began carrying water. Water from the well was for drinking. Water from the river was for our baths after supper. Margaret had one of the wagons carrying a large copper tub confiscated in Delhi for her to use for occasional baths on the way home. Men removed it from the wagon and once it was filled with water, they started a small fire beneath it to heat the water. When the water was ready, they doused the fire and threw buckets of cold water against the outside of the tub to cool the metal. A set of copper steps sat in one corner of the tub and a set of wood steps leaned against the outside of the tub. A pavilion with high sides had been erected around us giving us plenty of room and privacy while we bathed.

Margaret directed two of the girls to help me disrobe and they immediately got huge grins on their faces, and they eagerly bathed me after quickly removing their own clothing. Two more girls helped Margaret bathe in the other end of the gigantic tub. They dried us off when we finished, giving us thick robes to wear. More girls hurriedly entered the tub for a quick bath of their own. Our huge tent adjoined the bathing pavilion; a second entrance in each joined the two tents together so we could enter our tent directly from the bath. The comfort and opulence of the tent surprised me, used to little more than a bedroll in my own command tent when I traveled with the men; but then, I’d never been pregnant while I traveled.

Margaret was definitely in a hurry when we reached the bedroll. Much later, knowing that I was finally done for the night I looked over the five women I had pleasured, noting with satisfaction the sated smiles on their lips. Margaret smiled even brighter knowing I was here now, and she could again relax and be the pregnant Duchess, instead of the commander of a victorious army.

She admitted the next morning that many times as a child, she had practiced with the weapons her father repaired, daydreaming that she was leading a mighty army to victory, and the reality of it wasn’t even remotely like her daydreams had been. She admitted that, shortly after we had started courting, she had occasionally daydreamed about fighting by my side as we led the army together.

When I looked at the six women still waiting their turn I saw a variety of emotions from excitement, lust, and pride, to nervousness. The youngest, Madhu, was nervous and very unsure of herself. I watched Lila, the first girl I had been with after Margaret, talking quietly with her, trying to reassure her. When I caught her eye, I motioned Lila over and asked her to bring Madhu to me after reassuring her that I just wanted to talk quietly. Lila laughed quietly when I reminded her that her own sister Kiri had made sure I was finished for the night.

“She had lots of help,” she chuckled before going to get Madhu. At first Madhu was almost afraid until Lila reassured her. Looking at Madhu I fondly remembered the aftermath of the boar hunt with the Earl that had precipitated everything. Margaret and I were only thirteen at the time, probably just a bit younger than Madhu, and now she was a concubine to a wealthy ruler, away from home, and probably a virgin to boot.

Madhu was trembling when she took my hand and Lila started translating the words I used to comfort her. I promised that she would be treated like a wife when we got to Rouen. I explained that I treated my consorts just like my wives, and many held important positions in my government. I reminded her that Margaret had personally raised and led the army here in my absence. I spoke about life in Rouen and told her that thousands of people there spoke Hindi. Finally, I promised that she did not have to have sex with me until she felt she was ready.

She actually giggled when Lila told her the concubines had a contest to see which of them got to be with me first. Madhu was impressed that I had sex with five women, and more so that they were obviously happy afterwards. She gasped and blushed at Lila’s whispered retort, then settled against me to sleep. Margaret used one shoulder for a pillow and Madhu the other. Margaret showed her how to lay one leg atop me for the most comfortable position to sleep.

“Good morning,” I whispered when I opened my eyes well before dawn to find Madhu watching me sleep. She giggled softly when I kissed her nose, so I did it again. Then I kissed her lips, which elicited a contented sigh when our lips finally separated.

“Good ... morning ... me ... Lurd,” she greeted me, struggling to remember each word.

“Lord,” I corrected, then kissed her again to reward her effort. Lila was awake, too, smiling at our interplay.

“Please tell the girls to call me Mike except in a formal setting,” I told Lila. “The rest of this trip, it should be fine to call me Mike instead of using one of my titles. Each of you should start thinking and acting like nobility. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, but keep in mind that there are frequently other nobles and rulers around,” I explained, then kissed her before getting up to relieve the pressure on my bladder and to get ready for the day. After giving Margaret and I yesterday to ourselves I was sure I’d hear from each of the commanders at some point today.

Madhu stayed nearby all day, much to everyone’s amusement. Margaret sighed and snuggled against me when I reminded her that we had barely started courting when we were Madhu’s age. Margaret took advantage of my presence and ensconced herself inside one of the well-cushioned carriages to travel after admitting that the horse had been uncomfortable for a month now. I teased her that we would need maternity chain mail for my wives now and was smacked playfully in the arm for it.

Two days later, we were back in Khambhat, ensconced in the spacious home of the former governor. Madhu finally got up the courage that night to come to me, twice. Even though she was sore in the morning, she had the easily recognizable dreamy look on her face at breakfast and looked ready to drag me back to the bedroom again when I groped her.

It took more than two weeks in Khambhat to distribute everyone’s share of the loot. I made a point to include a share for each of the widows of the seventy sailors who died. I assigned the widows two girls and two horses in addition to their share of the spoils.

Two days before we had planned to leave, scouts reported that ten thousand Kakatiya troops had stopped at the border and were requesting permission for the Kakatiya King to travel here with his palace guard. I sent an escort of five hundred Demons with word that he was welcome and could bring any size escort he felt comfortable with.

It took six days for the messengers to return and the Kakatiya King to arrive. When they got here, I was impressed with his “guard” mounted on a hundred elephants. Several women accompanied him, riding in elegant baskets atop the monstrous elephants. My new consorts got their first taste of Royal life and were dressed elegantly to meet with Kakatiya King Prataparudradeva II. I was stunned at the beauty of the saris my consorts wore, elegant silk in several assorted colors, all embroidered with gold. Each woman wore bracelets of ivory, jade, and silver while Margaret also had a bracelet of gold.

The gold borders on Margaret’s sari were much wider than the borders on the other women’s saris. I found out later that the ladies spent the four days trying to find women with saris the right size for each of them since it would take a month or more to make one. The women who sold them the saris were well paid, although many of the saris had been confiscated from the former governor. I could tell from Margaret’s comments about how comfortable and elegant they were that saris would probably be the next foreign-inspired fashion craze in Rouen.

The Kakatiya King was gracious, thanking us for ridding him of a serious threat to their borders. He wanted to make sure we got off on the right foot, knowing as well as everyone that we were a powerful ally and trading partner to peaceful neighbors, and a dangerous enemy to those who provoked us. He knew Baha personally and knew of all the trading he had done, and that his former assistants still do, selling them hundreds of tons of food. I acknowledged that we were definitely interested in continuing to trade with them since we made our weapons and armor from the Wootz steel we bought from them, and the silk and spices we bought from them were in high demand across all my territories, and throughout Europe.

We agreed on the same trading agreement we offer other allies, which was the one already in effect. I did manage to convince him to sell all Wootz steel they didn’t use themselves solely to us, and then asked his opinion about whom he felt might be a good ruler for the Delhi Sultanate. He decried the fact that he had no adult nephews since I had allowed Al-Nasir’s nephews to govern Maghreb and Ifriqiya for me. “What about adult nieces?” I asked.

“You would consider allowing a woman to rule?” he asked disbelievingly.

Yet again, I was grateful for the growing army of advisors who constantly brief me on the multitude of things I don’t know. There are dozens of them, each responsible for keeping track of the messages addressed to the Duchesses of Rouen that we get from our ship’s captains and traders. Each advisor is responsible for a single country but is expected to also remain current on neighboring countries.

Whenever possible, the person I appoint as an advisor is someone who previously lived in the country, or at least one of the trade agents from the network Pease and Baha had set up. The advisor for the Deccan Sultanate had sailed with Margaret. The advisor for Kakatiya had been waiting for me in New Aragon to update me about both Kakatiya and the Deccan Sultanate. I even have advisors now for the new counties we come across in Westworld.

“I believe I was told that Rudramadevi, your grandmother and adoptive mother, is considered to be one of the best Kakatiya leaders ever,” I reminded him, using something I had learned on the voyage over here.

“But she went through a ceremony to be declared a son,” he insisted.

I shrugged. “I’m sure that she looked the same after the ceremony,” I answered. “In answer to your question, I would have no problem appointing a qualified woman to govern. After all, my wife Margaret gathered and led these troops quite capably in my absence despite the fact she will probably give birth shortly after we get back to Rouen,” I reminded him. “And my wives, consorts, and slaves practically rule the Rouen Empire, even when I’m there.”

“And you are not concerned where her loyalties may lie?” he asked.

I laughed, remembering this same conversation with Al-Nasir. “I would hope that her loyalties would lie with the people here. I expect her to do everything possible to make everyday life for her subjects safer and easier. I will spend vast amounts of money to make the necessary improvements in farming, trade, and keeping the people safe. By doing so, the country will prosper and grow, repaying me because there will be more goods made and sold and more trade. I will collect more in taxes even though the tax rate stays the same. It has happened in every country I have taken over so far. I spend more on building projects each year than the year before, and still make more each year through taxes than the previous year even though we have the lowest tax rate that I know of.

“As far as worrying about other loyalties, part of the reason I would choose a relative is to assure you that I have no designs on your lands. I don’t think anyone would be foolish enough to think about claiming my lands for themselves. After all, it only took my wife a few weeks to take control of the entire Sultanate. Imagine the difficulty of convincing the troops who just had to face us to rebel against us. Once the people here have a couple of years to find out what life is like in the Rouen Empire, most would be loath to rebel because they will see how much better things are for their families,” I explained.

Knowing I would consider a woman, he suggested his granddaughter, who was upset that she wouldn’t be considered as an heir to his throne because she wasn’t male. He felt she was actually the best qualified of his children and grandchildren to rule but would face opposition from too many nobles because she was a woman. Famida was surprised when her grandfather called for her. She bubbled with enthusiasm when she found out I was considering her to rule the former Deccan territory, a territory at least half again as big as the Kakatiya territory. I noticed that she, too, was wearing a colorful yellow sari. I spent half the afternoon outlining what I expected to occur in the first and each subsequent year until they were up to speed with the rest of the empire.

“Do you know how much that is going to cost?” she gasped. I reminded her that I’d done this several times before and that our trade and taxes brought us thousands of pounds of gold each year, most of which we reinvested to bring our lands up to their full potential. Even “barren” North Africa now produced vast amounts of profit from their ever-increasing crops, herds, and mines. The dams we had built and continued to build provided them with enough water to farm most of the year instead of producing a single crop right after the rains. The former barren and arid desert sands in the Tumilat Canal Province of Egypt exported grain, cotton, dried fruit, citrus, sugar, marble, and limestone.