@Sterretjeee haha, maybe she should have. Her traits are actually: Active, Outgoing and Ambitious as I thought those would be the traits of a born Creator. But I think she is mostly good, just sometimes a little impatient. She's used to getting her way, so she gets angry when things don't go her way. When they do go her way, she settles down and is pretty nice!
Thanks for such great chapter! This tribe is really great, Alina as creator is very wise and has a golden heart. Let's hope that her daugter (if she'll have a daughter) will be the same like her mother when she'll grow up.
@roseinblack69@anaitapeva@Julyvee94 Thank you! I cannot wait to see what this baby is. We have had out of town guests all weekend, so no sims for me. I hope to be able to play more and get the next parts over the next few days.
The day of Zayden's leavetaking dawned quiet and still. The village was hushed and each tribe member came to offer their farewell. Ahmad gave him a bedroll for the journey. Shanna gave him potions and salves for common ailments. Ani gave him a map of the lands the Zamora now called home. Aleah gave him dried fruits and meats. Last of all, Alina gave him a fine ivory statue from the tribe's treasures.
"You may keep this to remember Tribe Dahae, or trade it to establish yourself as a free man. As you wish."
"I will keep this always, Creator," Zayden exclaimed, with tears in his eyes. "I never want to forget this tribe, the best of all tribes."
Alina beamed and led Zayden to the fire where she and Aleah performed the ritual of leavetaking.
"May the Moon Goddess light your steps,
May the Sun Goddess warm your back,
May the Fire Goddess give you life,
May the Water Goddess quench your thirst,
May the Earth Goddess soften your steps,
And bring you to your home.
Shalame
Alina rose. "Zayden, I will bring you to the Zamora clan. I have some trade and other business to discuss with them and you must not travel alone."
The two of them set off, making their way to the lands of the Zamora. When they arrived, Zayden found it much different than Dahae. The clanspeople lived in tents and things were scattered every which way. He knew that they were nomads and didn't stay in one place, but he felt sure he could improve on this camp situation. But he was getting ahead of himself, he'd only just arrived.
Alina went to Isa, the clanmistress of Zamora and the two began to speak.
"He's quite a strong one," said Isa, appraising Zayden. "And handsome too. He has the look of one raised soft. Do you think the clan life will suit him?"
"It will be different for him, but he will adapt to it. He is a hard worker and very agreeable. Furthermore, what he wants most of all is his own family with children to raise as his own."
"Ah, well, we certainly wouldn't mind adding some of his ... attributes to our line. We will introduce him to our Mondi when she returns from the grazing grounds. It is high time she chose a mate, in any case."
The two continued gossiping about their respective groups and moving into matters of trade and news of surrounding peoples and their doings.
Meanwhile, Zayden stood around, unsure of what to do. He had never been a free man before, and it felt too strange to just walk over and talk to people as if he were one of them. Normally, he would find work that needed to be done and do it, so that's what he did. He brought out some of the fruit that Aleah had given him and prepared it on the grill.
When it was ready, he found the communal area in the central area of the camp and laid the food on it. Isa and her husband, Mati came over and greeted him, thanked him for the food, then invited him to join them at the table.
Timidly, he sat and began to get to know them. They told him of their customs and what a typical day might be like.
"We are very good with goats, but not so good with domestic affairs, as you can see," Isa gestured around the camp. "Alina tells me that you have helped keep her village in good shape, so perhaps your first job here can be to make this camp a little nicer and figure out how to set up our next camp when we move so that it's nice from the beginning."
"Yes, my ... what shall I call you, mistress?"
"You may call me Isa, although my position here is clanmistress. We do not go by titles here, for we earn respect with our words and deeds, not by demanding titles."
"Yes, Clan- ... Isa. I will be most happy to work on the camp."
Back at the Amazon village, Ani found herself wandering over to Shanna's hut. The shaman was doing her movement rituals and Ani stood a little ways away, watching. She didn't know why, but she felt drawn to this woman. She loved to look at her pale hair and skin. She knew she shouldn't stand and stare like this, but somehow, she couldn't stop herself.
Feeling Ani's eyes on her, Shanna stopped her ritual.
"I ... I apologize Shaman, I did not mean to bother you."
"It's no bother. Was there something you wanted to talk about."
"Oh, no ..." Ani was glad of her dark skin, which hid the fierce blush on her face. "It's just ... I have never seen a woman with such fair skin and hair. You look like the Moon Goddess herself."
"Oh, surely not. But truthfully, I have not seen a woman so dark of skin before. It is quite lovely. The colors of your garments always look so beautiful on you." Shanna drew closer.
The two women stood close, almost touching. "I would like ... I would like to get to know you more, shaman. We have shaman in our clans, but they are very different. I would like to learn more about your ways. And ... about you."
Shanna's blush showed up quite clearly. "Yes, I would like that very much. I can teach you the Way of Tranquility. It is something anyone can learn, and is the way of the Moon Goddess, whom Amazons love above all others. If you come to me tomorrow, I can begin to teach you this."
The two stood quiet for a moment, looking into each other's eyes. There was a feeling in the air, of anticipation. They each leaned slightly forward, then the moment passed all of the sudden. They quickly stepped away.
"I will see you tomorrow, shaman," said Ani, and returned to the living quarters to work on her painting.
When Alina returned from Zamora, Aleah called her over.
"Creator, how was your trip?"
"Very successful, Aleah. Zayden has settled in with the Zamoras and I think he will do well there. They're already parading women in front of him, hoping to get him married and producing babies."
Aleah laughed. "He must be in heaven, then." She hesitated. "Actually, Creator. I wanted to talk about something related. If you child is a girl, then one of us may breed ..."
"You're getting ahead of yourself, my dear," Alina laughed, but her words were forceful. "My child has not yet been born, and even when she has, I will not assign breeding out like a chore. When it is time for the next tribe member to breed, we will see how you all get along with the slave. Then we will see."
Aleah sighed, but she saw the wisdom of this. "Yes, Creator. You are right, as usual."
Alina smiled. "If it helps, I hope that I have a girl and am done with breeding, and I also hope that it is you that goes next."
Aleah smiled back. "It does. I am happy to know that we are still friends, like always."
"Like always," Alina replied, squeezing her hand.
Back at the clan, Isa's daughter Mondi had returned from the grazing fields and she and Zayden sat down to get to know each other. They got along instantly. She had a strong personality, like her mother. But she was romantic and family oriented as well. She immediately began evaluating Zayden as a potential mate, even as she told him of life in the clans, and he explained what it was like to be a slave.
His story moved her, and she found herself drawn to this man. He was so gentle and wanted nothing more than to be a husband and father and care for his children. It wasn't long before the two of them moved to a more secluded corner of the camp. Their words became quieter and they moved ever closer in the shadows.
Mondi hadn't planned to do anything more than flirt on this first night, but Zayden had trained all his life in the arts of love. As they grew close, he began to caress her arms so softly and whisper sweet things in her ear, so that she couldn't resist when he took her in his arms. Once she was there, she didn't want to leave. She pressed against him and he laid soft kisses on her face, on her neck, on her shoulders, and then he pulled her in for a long, lingering kiss.
All of her careful plans went out the window. "Will you come to my tent tonight?" she asked.
"I want nothing more in all the world," he answered.
As night fell over the Dahae village, Alina checked the grounds making sure all was safe and secure for the night. She ran into Ahmad, making his own rounds.
"Creator, please, leave everything to me and get your rest."
"Master slave, I thank you for your consideration, but this tribe is ultimately my responsibility. I am grateful for all you do, but I cannot rest peacefully unless I know all is well in Dahae."
"As you wish. Now that Zayden is gone, will you be bringing in another slave?"
"I shall wait until my child is born. Goddess willing, it will be a girl, but I would rather not bring in another until we know what purpose he will serve."
"Very wise, creator."
"Ahmad, how do you feel everyone is doing? You have a different perspective on tribal life than I."
"I think very well. Shanna held herself apart at first, but your need of her has drawn her in, and now she and Ani have formed a connection. Perhaps a friendship, or perhaps even ... something more. I think she will become more a part of this tribe as she sees how she is needed, and learns how she needs all of us.
Aleah is feeling a bit neglected, I think. She wants a special place in the tribe due to your long friendship. You may have to find a way to make her feel respected and loved without setting her above the others. Just acknowledging your friendship and past in front of the others may be enough."
"That is important information, Ahmad. I will think on that. I see my mother chose well in my Master Slave. We should talk more like this from now on. Your perspective will be very valuable to me."
Ahmad nodded respectfully. "Of course, Creator. I am at your service."
I'm really happy for Zayden, I'm sure he'll be happy at his new home I'm also very glad noticing how all are friendly in tribe Dahae. I hope Alina will have a daughter and then her tribal sisters can breed, too Looking for next chapter
Thank you all! I am going to get that baby born as soon as possible. I think that the other tribe and Zayden's descendants will be involved with the Amazons in the future!
After Zayden's departure, the tribe went into a state of anticipation. It seemed that everything at the moment was about waiting for the baby. It was their first child and everyone was excited for its arrival, for their own reasons.
Alina and Shanna were together often, as Shanna monitored Alina's health and the progress of the baby. This morning, after Shanna had satisfied herself that all was going well, the two lingered a while, having a friendly chat.
From the breakfast table, Aleah watched them with a sour look on her face. When they were growing up, she and Alina had been together all the time and there was no doubt they were best friends. Now that Alina was creator, it felt like Aleah was just one of the tribe. Nothing special. Pushing her half-eaten plate away, she got up and stalked to the bath area, where she found Ahmad, working on some repairs.
"Listen, slave," she said quietly, but forcefully. "I have a proposal for you. If the Creator's child is a girl, one of us will be next to breed. I want that person to be me. Alina will not give out breeding rights, but instead will let the new slave choose. As the master slave, you will have a lot of influence over the new slave. If you encourage him to choose me, I will owe you a favor. If he doesn't choose me, I will make life difficult for you."
Ahmad sighed. There were many advantages to being the master slave, but this was the down side. Tribe members always wanted to involve you in their schemes, and there wasn't much you could do about it.
"Gatherer, I'm sure you will be the next choice." He moved closer to her, as if sharing a big secret. "Shanna and Ani are much more interested in each other than any slave. Your path is clear. However, I will make sure the new slave knows your many virtues."
Aleah smiled at Ahmad as if they were now partners in crime. "This is what I like to hear, slave. If the new slave chooses me to breed, I will not forget that you aided me in this, believe me."
Ahmad smiled and nodded. He did not intend to go out of his way for this woman, but certainly she had a good chance, anyway. He would just have to bank on that, and of course he would let the new slave know that this woman would not reject him, but people had this way of throwing out common sense when it came to matters of love, or even matters of breeding.
Elsewhere, Shanna and Ani began their first meditation lesson. Shanna explained the basics but Ani was having a hard time. She attempted to focus her attention inward, but it seemed she could hear every noise in the village. She could smell Shanna's herbal scent and feel her presence so close. She kept thinking about her family, the baby, and the fact that soon, one of them may have to breed next. But finally, it felt like all the noise and confusion just burnt itself out and everything fell away.
When Shanna spoke, she jumped.
"You did very well! Would you like to come in and sit for a moment?"
Ani walked into the shaman hut and sat on a soft cushion. She and Shanna talked about her experience, and she felt more prepared for next time.
"So ..." Shanna eyed her, slyly. "What would you say to a massage? I just finished making a delicious scented oil."
Ani felt her face go hot as she thought of Shanna's hands on her skin.
"I ... yes ... that would be really nice."
The two of them headed over to the massage table and as Shanna began to spread the oil over her back, Ani melted into the table. Shanna's soft hands expertly worked her muscles and Ani wished she could do this every day.
When Shanna was done, she went to Alina to check her health.
"Shaman, I am getting weary of this. Can you tell me how much longer until I give birth? And if it might be a girl?"
Shanna laid hands on Alina's stomach. "Creator, it is very soon. I can't give you an exact time, but I think I can say that the child will be here before two suns have set. I cannot say if it's a girl. This is not given to us to know, even for the most skilled shaman. Have patience, Creator. You will know soon enough."
"One other thing, creator. I have explored our lands and located all of the herbs that grow here, but I need more in order to make medicines for the tribe. I ask your leave to travel to the valley where I was trained to gather the plants I need. Once I have them, I will be able to grow them here. If Aleah comes too, she will find many new plants to add to our garden as well."
"Shaman, I cannot spare you. I need you here until the baby is born, and after, in case anything should go wrong. However, I will send Aleah to the valley and she can gather up garden plants and herbs alike."
"Yes, Creator." But Shanna felt a shiver of unease. There had been something about Aleah, the way that she looked at her, that made Shanna feel uncomfortable. Shanna hoped that Aleah wouldn't blame her for being sent away alone, but something told her that Aleah would be upset.
After dinner, as Alina took stock of the day with Ahmad, when suddenly it felt as if all of the muscles in her back and lower belly twisted up and her lower back burned like fire. She gasped.
Ahmad looked up in shock. "Creator ... is it ... ?"
"Yes," she gasped, "It's the baby. Call for Shanna."
The camp broke into action, as Ahmad led Alina to the birthing chamber, with Shanna running close behind.
A few painful hours later, Alina held her beautiful daughter in her arms.
Tears of gratitude ran down her face as she stared at her little girl.
"Oh, thank the goddesses, this child is a girl. This tribe is truly blessed, and so I shall name her Aili, which means 'blessed.' She will take what I have started and make something amazing out of it."
Pretty much immediately after Aili was settled safely in her cradle, Alina fell asleep on the bench in the main room, exhausted.
Shanna stayed, cooing and clucking at the new baby. When she looked at the soft skin and tiny little hands, she knew that she wanted her own baby more than anything.
Aleah was overjoyed to hear that the baby was a girl. She gave a sly look to Ahmad in passing. Surely she would be the next to breed.
The baby slept near Ahmad, and it was his job to keep her fed and watch over her in the night. When she cried, he would awake and take care of any needs she had. As he rocked her, he felt more connected to this child than anyone else in the tribe.
"Little Creator, I will serve you until my dying breath, and no one will hurt you as long as I am on watch. You can count on me, and you have my loyalty."
The next morning, refreshed, Alina called Aleah to her. Aleah was filled with excitement. This was it! Alina was going to let her be next to breed. But instead, it was something very different.
Alina explained Aleah must go to the Shaman Valley to gather plants and herbs to build up their gardens and medicine supply.
"But Creator, you know how much I want to breed next, and the new slave will be here soon. It's not fair! He will choose someone else if he doesn't even meet me."
Alina cut her off sharply. "Aleah, I know how much you want this, and I promise you that the new slave will not come until you are back. We can't get one that quickly anyway. You won't be gone that long."
"You just want to get me out of the way! Things haven't been the same since you became Creator! Don't forget, I've seen you when you were just a dirty, bruised, crying little girl who had been beaten in every sparring match with the daughter of the explorer who came to visit our camp. We were friends, once. Now I see that it was only because you didn't have another choice. Now that you have new women around, you're not interested in me anymore."
"Aleah! That's nonsense! I ..."
But Aleah was already stomping away, infuriated.
Alina sighed and went to work out. A few rounds with the punching bag should settle her down. She would deal with Aleah later, when they'd both had a chance to calm down.
Sure enough, no sooner had she finished her workout than Aleah came back to her, head down in shame.
"I am so sorry, Creator. I lost my head. I've just been going through so much inside. Everything's different here. I miss our home and I miss the way things were. I will go on this journey for you, Creator. Perhaps it will help to clear my head and I can come back ready to serve the tribe."
Alina sighed with relief. "I understand completely. This has been hard on me too, and the other women have also left the lives they once knew to come to a very different life. All we can do is try our best. But I promise, no decisions about breeding will be made until you are back. We will have too much to do with a new baby in the tribe, anyway."
******************************
Aleah made her journey and arrived in the valley. It did make her feel better to be there. It was a peaceful place and life was simple there. She slept in a tent and grilled fruits and meats over a flame for her meals. And she found many new plants, although she didn't know what most of them were. But she also found many things for her garden that they didn't have in Dahae.
As she was returning to her camp the first afternoon, someone suddenly stepped out from the bushes.
It was a man with pale skin, dark hair and clothes of black. He had many skin markings like a great Amazon warrior. Aleah screamed, startled.
"How dare you sneak up on me, slave?"
He just looked at her, amused. "An Amazon, I see. I am no slave. I come from the North kingdoms, where men are free. I am a shaman of my people, of the great city of Zua. But I mean you no harm. I was after a particularly rare beetle that ran into these bushes. And now I have it, and will leave you be ... but tell me. Does your leader send you all alone into this valley?"
"I know how to protect myself!"
"No doubt, but shamans of my people do not travel without one or two servants. Could your leader not even have spared a stable boy to accompany you?"
"We are a new tribe. We have but one slave at the moment. In any case, even though we have slaves, we Amazons fend for ourselves. We don't rely on others like soft Northerners."
The man laughed, "I apologize, my lady. Your ways are not like mine. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gianni."
"I am Aleah."
"Are you the shaman of your tribe?"
At the mention of shamans Aleah soured. She still wasn't happy about Alina and Shanna's friendship. "No," she said, shortly.
"Oh my, is something amiss?
Somehow, Aleah found herself telling this virtual stranger everything: about Shanna and Alina, about breeding, all of it.
"Is that all that troubles you? You just need a different perspective, from someone who has different ways. Your "Creator" won't order a slave to breed with you, but she can't order you not to breed. That's never worked in any kingdom or tribe."
"I don't understand."
"Why wait to see who the slave chooses? I will breed with you now, while we are here. When you go back to your tribe, you will already be with child and your Creator can do nothing."
Comments
On my Blog:
After Kasanovas come Blaubers|The strange body|Nexir, forgotten King|Signature by @Marialein
Until It Breaks (Complete!) | Tribe Arayeo | Discovery (Complete!) | Vee is for Vortex
Julyvee Twitter | Julyvee Youtube | A Quick Guide to SimLit | PARTY IN THE USA
Origin ID: Julyvee94
The day of Zayden's leavetaking dawned quiet and still. The village was hushed and each tribe member came to offer their farewell. Ahmad gave him a bedroll for the journey. Shanna gave him potions and salves for common ailments. Ani gave him a map of the lands the Zamora now called home. Aleah gave him dried fruits and meats. Last of all, Alina gave him a fine ivory statue from the tribe's treasures.
"You may keep this to remember Tribe Dahae, or trade it to establish yourself as a free man. As you wish."
"I will keep this always, Creator," Zayden exclaimed, with tears in his eyes. "I never want to forget this tribe, the best of all tribes."
Alina beamed and led Zayden to the fire where she and Aleah performed the ritual of leavetaking.
"May the Moon Goddess light your steps,
May the Sun Goddess warm your back,
May the Fire Goddess give you life,
May the Water Goddess quench your thirst,
May the Earth Goddess soften your steps,
And bring you to your home.
Shalame
Alina rose. "Zayden, I will bring you to the Zamora clan. I have some trade and other business to discuss with them and you must not travel alone."
The two of them set off, making their way to the lands of the Zamora. When they arrived, Zayden found it much different than Dahae. The clanspeople lived in tents and things were scattered every which way. He knew that they were nomads and didn't stay in one place, but he felt sure he could improve on this camp situation. But he was getting ahead of himself, he'd only just arrived.
Alina went to Isa, the clanmistress of Zamora and the two began to speak.
"He's quite a strong one," said Isa, appraising Zayden. "And handsome too. He has the look of one raised soft. Do you think the clan life will suit him?"
"It will be different for him, but he will adapt to it. He is a hard worker and very agreeable. Furthermore, what he wants most of all is his own family with children to raise as his own."
"Ah, well, we certainly wouldn't mind adding some of his ... attributes to our line. We will introduce him to our Mondi when she returns from the grazing grounds. It is high time she chose a mate, in any case."
The two continued gossiping about their respective groups and moving into matters of trade and news of surrounding peoples and their doings.
Meanwhile, Zayden stood around, unsure of what to do. He had never been a free man before, and it felt too strange to just walk over and talk to people as if he were one of them. Normally, he would find work that needed to be done and do it, so that's what he did. He brought out some of the fruit that Aleah had given him and prepared it on the grill.
When it was ready, he found the communal area in the central area of the camp and laid the food on it. Isa and her husband, Mati came over and greeted him, thanked him for the food, then invited him to join them at the table.
Timidly, he sat and began to get to know them. They told him of their customs and what a typical day might be like.
"We are very good with goats, but not so good with domestic affairs, as you can see," Isa gestured around the camp. "Alina tells me that you have helped keep her village in good shape, so perhaps your first job here can be to make this camp a little nicer and figure out how to set up our next camp when we move so that it's nice from the beginning."
"Yes, my ... what shall I call you, mistress?"
"You may call me Isa, although my position here is clanmistress. We do not go by titles here, for we earn respect with our words and deeds, not by demanding titles."
"Yes, Clan- ... Isa. I will be most happy to work on the camp."
Back at the Amazon village, Ani found herself wandering over to Shanna's hut. The shaman was doing her movement rituals and Ani stood a little ways away, watching. She didn't know why, but she felt drawn to this woman. She loved to look at her pale hair and skin. She knew she shouldn't stand and stare like this, but somehow, she couldn't stop herself.
Feeling Ani's eyes on her, Shanna stopped her ritual.
"I ... I apologize Shaman, I did not mean to bother you."
"It's no bother. Was there something you wanted to talk about."
"Oh, no ..." Ani was glad of her dark skin, which hid the fierce blush on her face. "It's just ... I have never seen a woman with such fair skin and hair. You look like the Moon Goddess herself."
"Oh, surely not. But truthfully, I have not seen a woman so dark of skin before. It is quite lovely. The colors of your garments always look so beautiful on you." Shanna drew closer.
The two women stood close, almost touching. "I would like ... I would like to get to know you more, shaman. We have shaman in our clans, but they are very different. I would like to learn more about your ways. And ... about you."
Shanna's blush showed up quite clearly. "Yes, I would like that very much. I can teach you the Way of Tranquility. It is something anyone can learn, and is the way of the Moon Goddess, whom Amazons love above all others. If you come to me tomorrow, I can begin to teach you this."
The two stood quiet for a moment, looking into each other's eyes. There was a feeling in the air, of anticipation. They each leaned slightly forward, then the moment passed all of the sudden. They quickly stepped away.
"I will see you tomorrow, shaman," said Ani, and returned to the living quarters to work on her painting.
When Alina returned from Zamora, Aleah called her over.
"Creator, how was your trip?"
"Very successful, Aleah. Zayden has settled in with the Zamoras and I think he will do well there. They're already parading women in front of him, hoping to get him married and producing babies."
Aleah laughed. "He must be in heaven, then." She hesitated. "Actually, Creator. I wanted to talk about something related. If you child is a girl, then one of us may breed ..."
"You're getting ahead of yourself, my dear," Alina laughed, but her words were forceful. "My child has not yet been born, and even when she has, I will not assign breeding out like a chore. When it is time for the next tribe member to breed, we will see how you all get along with the slave. Then we will see."
Aleah sighed, but she saw the wisdom of this. "Yes, Creator. You are right, as usual."
Alina smiled. "If it helps, I hope that I have a girl and am done with breeding, and I also hope that it is you that goes next."
Aleah smiled back. "It does. I am happy to know that we are still friends, like always."
"Like always," Alina replied, squeezing her hand.
Back at the clan, Isa's daughter Mondi had returned from the grazing fields and she and Zayden sat down to get to know each other. They got along instantly. She had a strong personality, like her mother. But she was romantic and family oriented as well. She immediately began evaluating Zayden as a potential mate, even as she told him of life in the clans, and he explained what it was like to be a slave.
His story moved her, and she found herself drawn to this man. He was so gentle and wanted nothing more than to be a husband and father and care for his children. It wasn't long before the two of them moved to a more secluded corner of the camp. Their words became quieter and they moved ever closer in the shadows.
Mondi hadn't planned to do anything more than flirt on this first night, but Zayden had trained all his life in the arts of love. As they grew close, he began to caress her arms so softly and whisper sweet things in her ear, so that she couldn't resist when he took her in his arms. Once she was there, she didn't want to leave. She pressed against him and he laid soft kisses on her face, on her neck, on her shoulders, and then he pulled her in for a long, lingering kiss.
All of her careful plans went out the window. "Will you come to my tent tonight?" she asked.
"I want nothing more in all the world," he answered.
As night fell over the Dahae village, Alina checked the grounds making sure all was safe and secure for the night. She ran into Ahmad, making his own rounds.
"Creator, please, leave everything to me and get your rest."
"Master slave, I thank you for your consideration, but this tribe is ultimately my responsibility. I am grateful for all you do, but I cannot rest peacefully unless I know all is well in Dahae."
"As you wish. Now that Zayden is gone, will you be bringing in another slave?"
"I shall wait until my child is born. Goddess willing, it will be a girl, but I would rather not bring in another until we know what purpose he will serve."
"Very wise, creator."
"Ahmad, how do you feel everyone is doing? You have a different perspective on tribal life than I."
"I think very well. Shanna held herself apart at first, but your need of her has drawn her in, and now she and Ani have formed a connection. Perhaps a friendship, or perhaps even ... something more. I think she will become more a part of this tribe as she sees how she is needed, and learns how she needs all of us.
Aleah is feeling a bit neglected, I think. She wants a special place in the tribe due to your long friendship. You may have to find a way to make her feel respected and loved without setting her above the others. Just acknowledging your friendship and past in front of the others may be enough."
"That is important information, Ahmad. I will think on that. I see my mother chose well in my Master Slave. We should talk more like this from now on. Your perspective will be very valuable to me."
Ahmad nodded respectfully. "Of course, Creator. I am at your service."
Sucker for pain - Evina's story
Until It Breaks (Complete!) | Tribe Arayeo | Discovery (Complete!) | Vee is for Vortex
Julyvee Twitter | Julyvee Youtube | A Quick Guide to SimLit | PARTY IN THE USA
Origin ID: Julyvee94
On my Blog:
After Kasanovas come Blaubers|The strange body|Nexir, forgotten King|Signature by @Marialein
I'm so curious what the gender of the baby will be!
After Zayden's departure, the tribe went into a state of anticipation. It seemed that everything at the moment was about waiting for the baby. It was their first child and everyone was excited for its arrival, for their own reasons.
Alina and Shanna were together often, as Shanna monitored Alina's health and the progress of the baby. This morning, after Shanna had satisfied herself that all was going well, the two lingered a while, having a friendly chat.
From the breakfast table, Aleah watched them with a sour look on her face. When they were growing up, she and Alina had been together all the time and there was no doubt they were best friends. Now that Alina was creator, it felt like Aleah was just one of the tribe. Nothing special. Pushing her half-eaten plate away, she got up and stalked to the bath area, where she found Ahmad, working on some repairs.
"Listen, slave," she said quietly, but forcefully. "I have a proposal for you. If the Creator's child is a girl, one of us will be next to breed. I want that person to be me. Alina will not give out breeding rights, but instead will let the new slave choose. As the master slave, you will have a lot of influence over the new slave. If you encourage him to choose me, I will owe you a favor. If he doesn't choose me, I will make life difficult for you."
Ahmad sighed. There were many advantages to being the master slave, but this was the down side. Tribe members always wanted to involve you in their schemes, and there wasn't much you could do about it.
"Gatherer, I'm sure you will be the next choice." He moved closer to her, as if sharing a big secret. "Shanna and Ani are much more interested in each other than any slave. Your path is clear. However, I will make sure the new slave knows your many virtues."
Aleah smiled at Ahmad as if they were now partners in crime. "This is what I like to hear, slave. If the new slave chooses me to breed, I will not forget that you aided me in this, believe me."
Ahmad smiled and nodded. He did not intend to go out of his way for this woman, but certainly she had a good chance, anyway. He would just have to bank on that, and of course he would let the new slave know that this woman would not reject him, but people had this way of throwing out common sense when it came to matters of love, or even matters of breeding.
Elsewhere, Shanna and Ani began their first meditation lesson. Shanna explained the basics but Ani was having a hard time. She attempted to focus her attention inward, but it seemed she could hear every noise in the village. She could smell Shanna's herbal scent and feel her presence so close. She kept thinking about her family, the baby, and the fact that soon, one of them may have to breed next. But finally, it felt like all the noise and confusion just burnt itself out and everything fell away.
When Shanna spoke, she jumped.
"You did very well! Would you like to come in and sit for a moment?"
Ani walked into the shaman hut and sat on a soft cushion. She and Shanna talked about her experience, and she felt more prepared for next time.
"So ..." Shanna eyed her, slyly. "What would you say to a massage? I just finished making a delicious scented oil."
Ani felt her face go hot as she thought of Shanna's hands on her skin.
"I ... yes ... that would be really nice."
The two of them headed over to the massage table and as Shanna began to spread the oil over her back, Ani melted into the table. Shanna's soft hands expertly worked her muscles and Ani wished she could do this every day.
When Shanna was done, she went to Alina to check her health.
"Shaman, I am getting weary of this. Can you tell me how much longer until I give birth? And if it might be a girl?"
Shanna laid hands on Alina's stomach. "Creator, it is very soon. I can't give you an exact time, but I think I can say that the child will be here before two suns have set. I cannot say if it's a girl. This is not given to us to know, even for the most skilled shaman. Have patience, Creator. You will know soon enough."
"One other thing, creator. I have explored our lands and located all of the herbs that grow here, but I need more in order to make medicines for the tribe. I ask your leave to travel to the valley where I was trained to gather the plants I need. Once I have them, I will be able to grow them here. If Aleah comes too, she will find many new plants to add to our garden as well."
"Shaman, I cannot spare you. I need you here until the baby is born, and after, in case anything should go wrong. However, I will send Aleah to the valley and she can gather up garden plants and herbs alike."
"Yes, Creator." But Shanna felt a shiver of unease. There had been something about Aleah, the way that she looked at her, that made Shanna feel uncomfortable. Shanna hoped that Aleah wouldn't blame her for being sent away alone, but something told her that Aleah would be upset.
After dinner, as Alina took stock of the day with Ahmad, when suddenly it felt as if all of the muscles in her back and lower belly twisted up and her lower back burned like fire. She gasped.
Ahmad looked up in shock. "Creator ... is it ... ?"
"Yes," she gasped, "It's the baby. Call for Shanna."
The camp broke into action, as Ahmad led Alina to the birthing chamber, with Shanna running close behind.
A few painful hours later, Alina held her beautiful daughter in her arms.
Tears of gratitude ran down her face as she stared at her little girl.
"Oh, thank the goddesses, this child is a girl. This tribe is truly blessed, and so I shall name her Aili, which means 'blessed.' She will take what I have started and make something amazing out of it."
Sucker for pain - Evina's story
On my Blog:
After Kasanovas come Blaubers|The strange body|Nexir, forgotten King|Signature by @Marialein
Loving this story by the way :smile:
@anaitapeva @jennibee Yeah, Aleah is so not going to be happy ... she will get that baby one way or the other!
Pretty much immediately after Aili was settled safely in her cradle, Alina fell asleep on the bench in the main room, exhausted.
Shanna stayed, cooing and clucking at the new baby. When she looked at the soft skin and tiny little hands, she knew that she wanted her own baby more than anything.
Aleah was overjoyed to hear that the baby was a girl. She gave a sly look to Ahmad in passing. Surely she would be the next to breed.
The baby slept near Ahmad, and it was his job to keep her fed and watch over her in the night. When she cried, he would awake and take care of any needs she had. As he rocked her, he felt more connected to this child than anyone else in the tribe.
"Little Creator, I will serve you until my dying breath, and no one will hurt you as long as I am on watch. You can count on me, and you have my loyalty."
The next morning, refreshed, Alina called Aleah to her. Aleah was filled with excitement. This was it! Alina was going to let her be next to breed. But instead, it was something very different.
Alina explained Aleah must go to the Shaman Valley to gather plants and herbs to build up their gardens and medicine supply.
"But Creator, you know how much I want to breed next, and the new slave will be here soon. It's not fair! He will choose someone else if he doesn't even meet me."
Alina cut her off sharply. "Aleah, I know how much you want this, and I promise you that the new slave will not come until you are back. We can't get one that quickly anyway. You won't be gone that long."
"You just want to get me out of the way! Things haven't been the same since you became Creator! Don't forget, I've seen you when you were just a dirty, bruised, crying little girl who had been beaten in every sparring match with the daughter of the explorer who came to visit our camp. We were friends, once. Now I see that it was only because you didn't have another choice. Now that you have new women around, you're not interested in me anymore."
"Aleah! That's nonsense! I ..."
But Aleah was already stomping away, infuriated.
Alina sighed and went to work out. A few rounds with the punching bag should settle her down. She would deal with Aleah later, when they'd both had a chance to calm down.
Sure enough, no sooner had she finished her workout than Aleah came back to her, head down in shame.
"I am so sorry, Creator. I lost my head. I've just been going through so much inside. Everything's different here. I miss our home and I miss the way things were. I will go on this journey for you, Creator. Perhaps it will help to clear my head and I can come back ready to serve the tribe."
Alina sighed with relief. "I understand completely. This has been hard on me too, and the other women have also left the lives they once knew to come to a very different life. All we can do is try our best. But I promise, no decisions about breeding will be made until you are back. We will have too much to do with a new baby in the tribe, anyway."
******************************
Aleah made her journey and arrived in the valley. It did make her feel better to be there. It was a peaceful place and life was simple there. She slept in a tent and grilled fruits and meats over a flame for her meals. And she found many new plants, although she didn't know what most of them were. But she also found many things for her garden that they didn't have in Dahae.
As she was returning to her camp the first afternoon, someone suddenly stepped out from the bushes.
It was a man with pale skin, dark hair and clothes of black. He had many skin markings like a great Amazon warrior. Aleah screamed, startled.
"How dare you sneak up on me, slave?"
He just looked at her, amused. "An Amazon, I see. I am no slave. I come from the North kingdoms, where men are free. I am a shaman of my people, of the great city of Zua. But I mean you no harm. I was after a particularly rare beetle that ran into these bushes. And now I have it, and will leave you be ... but tell me. Does your leader send you all alone into this valley?"
"I know how to protect myself!"
"No doubt, but shamans of my people do not travel without one or two servants. Could your leader not even have spared a stable boy to accompany you?"
"We are a new tribe. We have but one slave at the moment. In any case, even though we have slaves, we Amazons fend for ourselves. We don't rely on others like soft Northerners."
The man laughed, "I apologize, my lady. Your ways are not like mine. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gianni."
"I am Aleah."
"Are you the shaman of your tribe?"
At the mention of shamans Aleah soured. She still wasn't happy about Alina and Shanna's friendship. "No," she said, shortly.
"Oh my, is something amiss?
Somehow, Aleah found herself telling this virtual stranger everything: about Shanna and Alina, about breeding, all of it.
"Is that all that troubles you? You just need a different perspective, from someone who has different ways. Your "Creator" won't order a slave to breed with you, but she can't order you not to breed. That's never worked in any kingdom or tribe."
"I don't understand."
"Why wait to see who the slave chooses? I will breed with you now, while we are here. When you go back to your tribe, you will already be with child and your Creator can do nothing."
Sucker for pain - Evina's story