01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
more distant. The Thane owned great lands which stretched beyond the imagination of the
simple people. They were given little opportunity to travel outside of their immediate area. It
was not considered proper to have the population wandering around, this would cause great
disruption to the care of the crops. Each community was responsible for the stewardship of
the Scarn who could be coerced into service. This was an onerous service, for the Scarn were
without discipline and inclined to wander off, deep into the forests.
The Thane was the autocratic ruler of their lives. If there was one greater than the Thane,
they did not know of him. The Thane had total control and could look into their thoughts,
even from afar. The Thane would even know of the conversation they were having. Steve
made a mental salute to the Thane and his family.
The Thane had a wife, two sons and two daughters. The Lady Hepha was particularly
gracious and was kind to the lower folk, as befitted her rank. The older son was particularly
Gifted and travelled to distant places in pursuit of greater knowledge. The younger son was
between childhood and manhood and was kept at home. The older daughter was most
gracious, in fact, a great lady, while the younger was beautiful and kind.
Steve realised that the old man was treading very carefully. The stylised report was meant
for the listening Thane. Steve couldn't help being amused. Why, out of all the thousands the
man would control, would he choose to listen to Jabez? Then he realised the subtlety of the
arrangement. This was the power the Thane exercised. Lesser mortals could never be sure
that they were not be overheard. It was clever, it was diabolically clever!
Jabez had told him all he could - or all that he was inclined to tell. There was more behind
it all but Steve was prudent enough to leave well alone.
"Thank you Jabez - now tell me, is Hara to give me a further lesson this evening?"
Jabez bobbed up and down and told him that indeed she was. He left like a ham actor and
Caela took her cue to collect the dishes.
"That was a good meal, Caela, thank you."
Steve vocalised slowly and carefully and she blushed like a school girl and clattered the
platters nervously. She breathed:
"I wish only to serve the Lord."
She gave the words extra meaning, the expression in her eyes conveyed it. Steve managed
a sickly smile and prepared to repel rape. He was saved by the return of Jabez, Hara was with
him. Her look was exceptionally warm when she greeted him. Steve gave her a very different
kind of smile and suggested that they discussed the lesson outside. It was a departure from
the normal but it seemed more proper than in the bedroom now that he was up and dressed.
More proper than when he had been naked in bed.
They sat on a bench under the window of the main room, where Jabez could keep a
chaperonic eye on them. The old man was soon asleep, slumped over the table. These people
had no comfort, hard floors, hard seats, hard beds. Everything solid and functional. It was an
existence, it was not living.
"My Lord is thoughtful."
It was the first time she had taken the initiative, he smiled encouragement.
"I was thinking of a land far away."
"A land called Mars?"
He had almost forgotten that she could look into his mind. He wondered if she could read
other things there.
"That is - or was - my land."
"Tell me of it."
She had dropped the use of 'Lord'. It was progress! He hesitated and then formed pictures
of the ochre plains of Mars, where dust rises in incessant storms that blot out the sky for days
on end. He told her of the life of the miners and the grim underground existence in heat and
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