Chapter 7:
***Siefer***
Nabvan had appointed new guards for King Siefer, and the king had given his approval. Those guards readied the caravan going out to the villages. King Siefer joined them as they loaded the last of the provisions. He had chosen to say his goodbyes in the privacy of his quarters. Destiney had held back her tears as they kissed. Scyon had broken through the sadness as only a baby can. He giggled for the very first time when his father squeezed him tightly. That sweet giggle would sustain the king during his journey.
The caravan slowly traversed the marshes that abounded along the seaside. The first village was a half day's trip from the capital. King Siefer expected it to be in better shape than those further from the city's influence. The road from the capital to this village was well traveled in both directions.
Villagers met the caravan with enthusiasm. They appeared clean and well fed. Their homes were small, yet comfortable. The inhabitants had learned how to grow food in small gardens and filter their water for drinking. It seemed that the knowledge Milisaria had received by plundering other worlds had reached this village. It gave King Siefer hope. When he asked what the village needed, they asked that their sons be trained as warriors. King Siefer agreed to allow six young men at a time to be housed and trained in the capital, leaving plenty of others to care for the village. He sent the first six on their way with a letter containing his seal to present to Nabvan. The seal would prove that the order came from the king.
The second village was not reached until the late afternoon of the following day. The inhabitants were still clean, but much leaner. They ate only what could be caught in the sea or found in the marshes. Thankfully, they had also learned to filter the water for drinking. The caravan spent several days in this village. They gave the people seeds and showed them how to plant a garden and care for it. Young men from here were also sent to Nabvan for training.
The next village was three days away. It was in bad shape. The villagers were wary of the newcomers. They peeked from their mud huts as the caravan arrived. King Siefer had the guards lay down their weapons to prove they meant no harm. Slowly, a few men emerged from the huts. They were thin and clearly dehydrated. Mud covered their arms and legs visible through their ragged clothing. The king was saddened by the sight. He would spend as much time as it took to help these poor families.
King Siefer called the people from their mud huts to join the caravan in a meal. Dried meats, fresh vegetables, and fruits that the capital received from captured planets were shared with the villagers. They marveled at the textures and tastes of the new foods. The king questioned the elders as to what they normally ate and drank. He wanted to know why they were covered in mud with the sea so close to bath in. The answers shocked him. The villagers walked many miles for fresh water and carried it back in pouches made from the skin of a large water creature. They drank as little as possible to conserve it. They caught fish with their bare hands to eat. The mud was to keep their skins from drying out from lack of water. There was much King Siefer could teach these people.
As the meal ended, the lessons began. The first and most important was how to filter seawater for drinking. There was no need to remain dehydrated. The women were taught to make nets from seaweed, making it easier to catch fish. As the days passed, children were shown how to dig in the sand for edible shelled creatures and search the marshes for food. This village was also provided with seeds for planting. The young men were too emaciated to be sent for training. They needed to be nourished and strengthened before going to the capital.
Each village was worse than the one before it. The further from the capital the caravan roamed, the more backward the people were. Some had no clothes and were covered in sores. They were taught to make poultices from seaweed for the sores and given clothing to cover their bodies. The same lessons on clean water and food were shared with each village. It would take a long time, but King Siefer intended to make every village self-sufficient. No Milisarian should suffer due to ignorance.
The king had been warned about the final village. Anyone who wandered too close to it never returned. The guards were on alert as the caravan approached the edge of the village. No one was in sight. Suddenly, the sky was filled with spears. They slammed into the ground, barely missing King Siefer and his guards. The king called a halt to their movement, waiting to see if the assault would continue. It stopped as quickly as it had started. He pulled one of the spears from the ground. The point was made of a large fish bone and was bound to the stick with dried seaweed. This was a village of warriors. They were still using the ancient weapons of their forefathers.
King Siefer addressed the village, "We are not here to fight. We want nothing from you. I am King Siefer of Milisaria, and I bring gifts. May we enter your village in peace?"
A large warrior appeared on a hill. He was as tall and powerful as those in the caravan. He answered, "We recognize no king. Our village was abandoned many lifetimes ago. We take care of ourselves and answer to no one. Leave us. We will aim to kill if you come closer."
The king replied, "We will come no closer, but we will not leave. I will be close by if you decide to accept the gifts we bring. I only wish to make your life easier."
The warrior met those words with laughter. "If life is made easy, a warrior grows soft. We remain strong. We have no need of your gifts. Stay at a distance or suffer the consequences." He slipped back behind the hill.
The caravan made camp within sight to the village. King Siefer hoped that the villagers would smell the aroma of the foods they cooked and see the weapons they practiced with. He was sure they would become curious and come to talk eventually. As night closed in, the guards set up a perimeter of watchers to protect their king.
Days passed, and the villagers stubbornly stayed away. The guards caught glimpses of them watching from behind the hills. King Siefer told them to continue their days as if the villagers were not there. They practiced sword fighting and hand to hand combat each morning. Afternoons were filled with knife throwing contests and gathering food to supplement their food supply. They made sure the villagers could clearly see the modern weapons they used and the new foods they cooked.
After a week had passed, the village let down their guard. The hills were lined with faces, young and old. They watched as the warriors practiced and sometimes shouted encouragement during their sword fights. Children used sticks to imitate the swordplay. King Siefer's patience was paying off. He commanded his guards to continue to stay far from the village. He did not want to lose the progress they had made.
One morning, a small boy ran into the camp and watched as the men ate their meal. King Siefer held out a piece of fruit for the child, who grabbed it and ran. In a short time, many more children approached. The village warriors stood upon the hills with spears in their hands, guarding the children from harm. Each child was given something to eat and sent on their way, squealing in delight.
During sword practice, a familiar face entered the camp. When the guards started to turn their weapons toward the mighty warrior, King Siefer commanded, "Lower the weapons to your sides. This is the village leader we saw upon our arrival. I wish to speak with him. Do not raise your weapons unless we are attacked." He motioned for the man to join him by the fire.
The leader demanded, "Why have you come? There have been no large groups of warriors seen here in many years. The last time was in my great grandfather's childhood. They killed his family and left him to die, along with other children. These children struggled to survive and the few who made it grew into this village. We will not be so easy to destroy this time."
"We are not here to destroy you. We want to share our knowledge with you, give you weapons to fight against those who will come from other worlds to take over this one, and teach you to grow the foods your children tasted today." King Siefer handed his knife to the leader to examine. "This weapon is called a knife. It is made from a metal that can not be destroyed. It will never break or grow dull. The long ones you see are called swords and are made from the same metal. Let us train your men in their use and teach your women to grow food from the ground. As king, I value your strength and wish to make you Milisarian Knights. I ask only that you do not kill the people of this world. We must join as one people to keep others from destroying it."
"Who are these others that you speak of? Where do they come from?"
King Siefer pointed to the sky. "You see the orbs that glow behind our moons? These are other worlds. Some are our friends, some we have conquered, but others remain our enemies. There are ships that traverse the skies and bring warriors to other worlds. There will come a time when they will attack Milisaria. We need to train many warriors to defend our world before this happens."
"I do not understand how this is possible. I do want to learn. My village has been isolated for too long. Teach us your ways, protect our children, and we will serve you as king. I am called Maro, after the third moon. Welcome to my village, King Siefer."
The caravan was led into the village. They were the first strangers allowed in without being imprisoned. They were greeted with questions and curious hands. Their armor was touched by every hand, and their weapons were marveled over. Little ones had to be pulled away so they would not cut themselves on the sharp blades. They were given soft bread to appease their tears. The villagers shared their fish with the caravan and were given vegetables in return.
In the following weeks, King Siefer and his guards trained the warriors to use their new weapons. Seeds were planted and began to sprout. One of the king's guards fell in love with a young maiden, and a marriage ceremony was performed. At night, the villagers were taught about the other planets and the technologies the Milisarians had taken from other worlds.
When it came time for the caravan to leave, young warriors went with them. As they checked the progress in each previous village, they would leave one of the warriors to teach the use of the new weapons. This would make progress much faster.
King Siefer was weary but proud. He had made a difference in many lives. Future visits to these villages would bring them tools and technology. One step at a time, he would bring this world together. For now, he longed for home. He missed his wife and son. Scyon would have grown a lot during his absence. He hoped the child would remember him.
