Spex and the Tuchuk Slaves

Today I rode to the first wagons again. This time to collect Ahamay.

I had spent since the early morning hours riding. I hate days. I would much rather work the nights. The nights are cool and the bosk are quiet ... usually. The day shift is hot and dusty. The bosk on the move constantly. Grass grass grass ...always the eternal search for grass. Water also. Always moving. If we stayed too long in one place we would destroy the grass and the entire plains would become a wasteland, a desert. And so always we move forward. I ate enough dust today to make another rider as big as myself. But I was so thirsty he would have been a very dry man. Dust coats everything. My eyes grate with sand when I blink. I look hundreds of years old for dust cakes every sweat trail and makes my hair look gray. Most times I use a wind scarf. It is old and threadbare but it is mine, and it is all I have
.
Several things happened this visit to the first wagons. I found the Spex. But she was collared and chained to a wagon. Now isn't that some shit. I do not know what black cloud is going to come of that but any time a Spex is humiliated bad things happen. Do not mistake me, I do not believe that a Spex should get away with anything any other woman doesn't. But a man really takes the Fates by the balls when he messes with a Spex.

My beast just stood there with his head hung and drool running down one of his fangs. I was too dry to drool and I sat upon my kaiila surrounded by slaves and not one of them offered to serve me. It is not how I was accustomed to being greeted at the first wagons. I know I am only an outrider. To some I am nothing. But I am a scarred warrior. I am a master. And above all these things I am a man. I did not become angry over this. I even joked with a slave named ori about Ahamay being a bastard of a bird. I think I must have offended her, if it is possible for a man to offend a slave, for her attitude towards me and her expressions. Again, these things would not make me angry. A man learns early on which things to give importance to and which things are not worth the energy. Not that I can say it always works for me. But for whatever reason I did not get angry. I brought water for my kaiila and he drank like he would never get the chance again. Now the Spex, she noticed no one had served me and apologized to me for them. To some it was news that I had not been served. Which was no excuse, but it did offer a small reason. Two slaves came to me then, neka and dusty. They bellied and begged to serve me. I asked them, if I had been mistaken in believing that the first wagons were like any other place where kajirae were proud to serve men. The question was of course redundant. I told them the honor of serving me was not going to be given, for it took the Spex's words to bring them to my feet. I may be an outrider but I am a fiercely proud Tuchuk. They begged me to allow them to serve, because it was their duty. This was true, but it was not the words I had been looking for. Their duty to me was fulfilled and they were told so. The slave ori came to me then and begged my forgiveness. I gave them all a short lecture on the pride of Tuchuk slaves. I think they heard me. Tuchuk kajirae are vibrant and beautiful, but no more so than when they are in tune with their slavery. Bringing obeisance and arrogance together. I like to believe that only Tuchuk slaves can do so.

I left them with the command to always give water to a rider. To always offer to serve. And I cupped my hands into the water barrel and I drank from my own fingers.