Chapter 5 - The Tribes of the North
Ostin, Elder of the Vishari and advisor to King Alfard of the Northern Tribes, looked at his chief scribe Angher and sighed. He had spent the entire day granting audience to tribespeople on behalf of the King - an important role which he conducted with great care, but which he nevertheless found tiresome. Disputes over the ownership of livestock, arguments over broken promises, an appeal for the King to contribute to the rebuilding of a fire-damaged village hall - Ostin had listened intently to each speaker and arrived at just and fair decisions. But now, with night already upon Vosgir, First Town of the North, he was ready for ale and food.
Angher smiled sympathetically at the Elder, "Just two more."
"I hope they are simple," replied Ostin. "Angher, is that Princess Kasmine at the back of the hall? Bid her come here!"
"Greetings Uncle!" shouted the Princess as she approached the two men.
Ostin was not Kasmine's uncle, although she favored the term as a sign of affection and respect, and he was honored and pleased by it.
"Greeting's to our useless hostage!" he replied.
'Useless hostage' was Ostin's playful name for the Princess. Kasmine, granddaughter of the Old Queen, had been surrendered to King Alfard after his victory at the battle of Tajorg. A mere child at the time, she had been raised as the King's own daughter, as befitting a royal hostage, and she was now considered a true princess of the North. Of course, as any Vosgir historian will remind you, the Old Queen was deposed just a few days after Kasmine's surrender - they could tolerate her cruelty and depravity but not, apparently, her failure to protect the City - and the new regime had little interest in the fate of her granddaughter other than, perhaps, wishing some harm might befall her. But at the Court of King Alfard, Kasmine had grown into a fine young Lady of the North - beautiful and energetic.
"Come, sit with me," said Ostin to the Princess. "You can give me your opinions on these final two audiences."
Angher read from a scroll, "Elder Ostin, the young man who approaches wishes to marry a lady citizen of the City. He seeks the approval of the King."
Ostin frowned. This was the third such case since the new moon. He bade the man speak and listened to him talk at length of his love for the woman and of her love for him. Ostin, bored and dismissive, finally gestured for him to be silent.
"You know that the rite of marriage in the City is a binding contract of slavery, enforceable by law. You will make an oath of obedience and she will be granted ownership of you and may use you as she sees fit."
