Descend- Seeing Stars, Sean Oswald [best e books to read .txt] 📗

A’snkarnt database on this leviathan. Then after that it will require that we act as allies and we jointly fight the Forlorn to provide a future for all of us. We may need to train together and perhaps by combining our knowledge together we can create new wonders,” Jay answered.

      The elders looked at one another but finally Jad-bal-ja said, “The council of elders will agree to this on one condition.”

      “What condition?”

      “As the leader of your people you must be joined to our people,” Al-na-mar said.

      “Forgive me but I don’t know your customs, so I’m unclear what you mean by joined to your people,” Jay said.

      Jad-bal-ja said, “Simple, your blood must be mixed with ours. We will give you a female from our people. Custom dictates that when tribes merge within a clan that a chieftain’s daughter must marry into the merging tribe. That means that their offspring will blend and the strength of the two clans will be joined.

      The Tamoori have never formed an alliance with an alien people. The A’snkarnt obviously thought of us as servants or children rather than equals. But if you would be equals you must enter into this exchange of brides.”

      Jay tried to answer in as diplomatic a way as possible. “We respect your customs, but it is contrary to the ways of our people to force a woman to marry anyone that she doesn’t want. There are women outside of my team who might be willing to marry into your clans but that will be up to them and it will not be decided at a negotiation.”

      The clan chieftains all looked at one another. It wasn’t telepathic communication, but they were clearly having some exchange of body language and when it was concluded, Jad-bal-ja said, “That is acceptable. If you are to respect our customs, then we must respect yours. So apart from the restitution for the families of the fallen, you will provide services to recharge our helite crystals and whatever these new crystals are called. We will provide you with knowledge and will fight the Forlorn alongside you. To symbolize this alliance, you will take as a wife the daughter of an elder from this council. The alliance shall last for as long as that marriage remains whole.”

      The only elder who hadn’t spoken was the Lepar. Now though he stood and said, “I am Namur-san, elder of the Lepar clan. It is my daughter who is being offered to you. As an elder, I understand the need for this. As a father, I am troubled by giving my precious daughter to an alien. You are pink and hairless and while your might is not in doubt, it is not the same type of might that my people know.”

      Jay turned and offered a shallow bow to the man who was apparently about to become his father-in-law. It occurred to him that he had seven wives and was likely to eventually have more and so far, no in-laws.

“I have a number of daughters of my own although they are only infants at this point. You don’t have to worry; I will treat your daughter with kindness and respect.” Jay didn’t add that if he were to do anything otherwise, his other wives who have his hide.

      Namur-san chuckled at that. It was somewhat intimidating. For while the man’s face was fairly human, his teeth were very clearly those of a predator and were put on prominent display as he laughed. “You misunderstand. As a father, I expect you to treat her with the same honor as you treat all of your other wives.

      As an elder of the Tamoori people it is my duty to remind you that you must take the marriage seriously if you wish us to take the alliance seriously. I do not know how your people couple, but of all the races we have encountered yours is one which has fairly similar structure to ours.

      And while it may be unlikely that our DNA is compatible for procreation, you will still do your best to cause her to bear cubs for you, so that your strength may be added to the Tamoori people.

      Finally, as a man of the Lepar clan, let me advise you that if you treat a Lepar woman with only kindness and respect then you are asking to have your hand bitten off. Our women respect strength. She will earn your respect or not on her own merits, but I advise a firm hand. She is not so docile as your current wives seem. Of all my children she is the one who had most often made me wish to pull at my ears. But she is also the most talented pilot of my clan.”

      Jay wasn’t quite sure how to take that advice so he simply said, “I shall heed your words. Again, I am not familiar with your customs but when is the wedding to take place?”

      “Why now, of course,” Jad-bal-ja spoke, taking the lead again.

      “Now?” Jay echoed back as a question.

      “You wish for our alliance to begin now, don’t you?” The Leon elder asked in return.

      “Obviously,” Jay replied

      “Well this marriage is the physical embodiment of our alliance. No marriage, no alliance.”

      “Very well. Then shall we go to meet my bride?” Jay asked.

      Namur-san looked at the kneeling woman at the left side of the tent and called out, “Eesa come and attend your new mate.”

      They were aliens so Jay shouldn’t have been surprised but it still felt awkward that they had been talking about this young woman’s fate while she was forced to kneel in silence. But he buried that feeling and looked at her more closely. She was wearing a leather vest that covered what appeared to be an ample chest