Inheritance: Threads of Fate

Chapter Eighteen - The Orchard

The way to the olive orchard was lined with hundreds of other farms. It seemed like the whole inner city was one giant agricultural hub. Zumi pointed upward to the top of the hill, "That's the Emperor's palace, the whole back of it extends down to the other side of the hill. He has his own private orchards."
"Good thing you're dad wasn't bought into the Emperor's service..." Caspian commented.
"I don't know... I heard the Emperor's slaves actually get treated better than some low level guards...." Raxe noted.
"But they're still slaves." You insisted. "They still got torn away from their families to work in a strange country against their will."
"Some of them are born into it." Zumi mentioned. "Some high positioned nobles allow their slaves to marry and have families."
"Who would want to bring children into slavery?" Caspian asked, a bit shocked.
"LIke I said. Nobles slaves are not all that badly off.... they look at their alternatives and decide this is the best outcome they can hope for." Raxe explained.
"As much as we don't understand it, I met someone who thought that way." You said to Caspian. "Remember the stable hand who helped me escape from the General's estate? I offered for him to come with me but he said he actually enjoyed his position."
"Hm. I guess you can lead a horse to water..." Caspian acknowledged.
"This looks like the place..." Zumi stopped in front of two huge gold gates.
"I'll meet you guys by that fountain in an hour." Raxe motioned off to a fountain with the figure of a mermaid. "Good luck." He walked off.
"Here goes nothing." Zumi sighed as he pulled the bell rope.

A servant approached the gate, asking what your business was. Zumi explained what you had all discussed, and the servant asked you to wait while he consulted his master.
"Do you think he bought it?" You whispered.
"It doesn't matter if he bought it, we need to convince his master..." Zumi reminded you. "Shh." he motioned that the servant was coming back.
"My master welcomes you." The servant bowed and opened the gates. "Please follow me inside."
You all followed the servant through the gates. The walk to the front doors took almost as long as the walk to the estate in the first place. You passed rows and rows of olive trees. Scattered throughout were slaves dressed in all brown robes carrying large wicker baskets full of olives back and forth. Some men were up on ladders at the tops of the trees, picking each olive by hand, then dropping them down for the men with the baskets on the floor to bend over and pick up. Once their baskets were full, they would hand them over to another man who was waiting with an empty basket, trade them, and the man with the now full basket would carry it off somewhere.
A ways down, there was a clearing with about ten or twelve large wooden tubs, where some women were inside stomping olives, while others would take smaller buckets, gather the pulp and carry it off to a wooden table where they were pressing the pulp by hand, extracting what looked like juice. "Olive oil." Zumi whispered to you, catching you watching them curiously.
You finally reached the front doors, which were just as massive as the golden gates. The servant knocked and the doors opened. He bowed to Zumi and motioned him inside, but the servant did not follow you in. Instead you were greeted by yet another servant, who led you down the hall to an office, where a large man with a big beard and bigger belly sat behind a desk.
"Welcome!" He boomed, rising and shaking hands with Zumi. "My servants tell me you wish to trade some slaves Lord...?"
"Zumi. I am honored to meet such an esteemed nobleman such as yourself."
"Ishta at your service, my friend." They bowed to each other.
"Forgive me for intruding on your work day, but I had to come and meet the expert in my field in person." Zumi gushed.
"Oh! Are you in the olive business as well?" Ishta asked.
"Barely. I just purchased a small orchard right off the coast, and am in the process of acquiring workers. I had hoped to trade with you for an experienced picker."
"Aha, yes... I have many good pickers. Some have been with me going on ten years now. Is this who I would be acquiring in this trade?" Ishta motioned to you, standing slightly behind Zumi.
"Yes. Come forward and present yourself to Lord Ishta." Zumi demanded of you.
You could feel the tension from Caspian as you stepped in front of the men, and bowed.
"Oh she is a lovely one." Ishta circled you. "How long have you had her?"
"Many years. She is well trained as a housekeeper and on her way to making a good wife."
"Has she bore any children?"
"No sir, still a virgin in fact."
"Really?" Ishta's eyes searched you up and down...he made you feel naked and uncomfortable, as if he was trying to see through your clothes. "How is it you have had her for several years and she is still a virgin?"
"I have many wives already. She was too young for childbearing when I acquired her, and she made such a good housekeeper, I figured she would hold more value intact."
"Smart man...smart man..." Ishta thought. "Have you seen her unclothed?"
"Yes sir. Perfect body, you or any other man would be pleased with her appearance."
"Very well. I shall summon my most experienced pickers for you to choose from. If you would please make yourself comfortable in the lounge while you wait?"

He had his servant lead you three out the office door down the hall to the right. As soon as you were alone Caspian rounded on Zumi angrily.
"What the hell was all that?" His eyes were jet black. "How dare you talk about her that way?"
"Caspian...please..." You tried to shush him.
Zumi put his hands up in submission. "I didn't mean it, I swear...I was just playing the role..."
Caspian backed him against the wall. "I should have your tongue.'
"You should, you really should... and you can take it when we're done here if it makes you feel better." Zumi cowered.
"Caspian." You stood between him and Zumi. "Stop it. You know he had to treat me like a slave. If he respected me in any way it would have been suspicious."
Caspians eyes didn't leave Zumi. "He didn't have to use such vulgarities."
"He did because he was asked about them."  You put your hands on his chest, his heart was racing... "Look at me. Please."
He glanced down at you. "It wasn't real. Zumi isn't that kind of man. We're trying to find my father and we need to behave however is expected of a noble and two slaves."
Caspian was still breathing heavily, "I don't like this."
"I know, My Love...I know..." You reached up a hand and put it on his cheek.
His eyes instantly softened. "You...you've never called me that before..." He said quietly.
"I was saving it for an emergency." You smiled.
He backed away from Zumi. "I'm sorry Zumi. I saw red..."
"It's alright Sire... I understand. For the record I felt disgusting talking like that..." Zumi explained.
"I know there's no way you'd mean any of that..." You looked from Zumi to Caspian "Besides we all know I'm not a virgin..." You tried to joke.
Caspian glared at you. "Not funny."
"It's a little funny..." You chuckled, then got on your tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
"Can I keep my tongue?" Zumi asked.
Caspian cracked a small smile, "Yes.. for now..."

Ishta's servant came back and escorted you into the entryway, where Ishta stood in front of a line of well worn men.
"Here they are, my most experienced pickers who still have some years left on them. Mind you, it's important to keep them well fed and watered to get the longest use from your workers." Ishta said to Zumi.
"I will keep that in mind, thank you." Zumi responded. He walked up and down the line of men, pretending to inspect them one by one, taking his time so you could scan the group.
Your eyes traveled from each man, one at a time. None of them dared to look up. They each looked dirty, worn down, and very thin. You were worried you weren't going to be able to recognize your father even if he was standing right in front of you.
But a man towards the end of the line made you do a double take. He looked as if he had been tall, once. Before the years of hard labor forced him to hunch over. His hair and beard were grey, but his eyebrows were still black. He was facing downwards, so you couldn't get a good look at his face. You stared, hoping he would look up when Zumi passed... and he did, for a split second, but you swear he saw you as well when he glanced up.
He did. As soon as Zumi passed he looked up at you again, and made eye contact. It was him. It was your father. His eyes bore a look of distress and panic at seeing you, and you had to fight every urge to run at him and throw your arms around him. How were you going to get Zumi's attention? How were you going to let him know that you found him? You watched Ishta out of the corner of your eye, and waited for him to look away. The second he did you coughed. Ishta looked back over towards you, but thank Aslan Zumi thought quickly and coughed into his own hand.
"Oh Tash, forgive me. The pollen must be aggravating my allergies." He pretended to cough again.
"Would you care for a tea to soothe your throat?" Ishta offered.
"Oh that would be most helpful, thank you Sir." Zumi lied.
As soon as Ishta turned to address his servant, Zumi made eye contact with you, and you looked directly at your father. Zumi caught on, and nodded.
"Well, what do you think?" Ishta asked Zumi, walking over to him and placing his hand on his shoulder. "Did anyone catch your eye?"
"You have quite a few good looking men here, I will have to consider my options. Would it be terribly inconvenient for you if I were to take a night to decide? I am staying at the inn down the way and can return with my answer first thing tomorrow."
"Oh course! Of course. It is a big decision after all. I wouldn't be in a hurry to give up such a lovely specimen either." Ishta walked over to you and put his hands around your chin roughly, moving your head back and forth. "Such soft skin..."
Your stomach churned.
"Yes, she is, all the more reason for me to make sure I get a good deal. We best be off. I will take that tea next time my friend." Zumi walked over to you, "Come now. Both of you." He commanded to Caspian as well. "Have an excellent day Lord Ishta." Zumi bowed to him, and you and Caspian followed suit.
"And you, Lord Zumi, I look forward to hearing from you." Ishta responded, and had his servant escort you off grounds.

You three walked back to the fountain where you were meant to meet Raxe.
"It was him." You exclaimed frantically. "He saw me too. I know he recognized me."
"You are one hundred percent positive?" Zumi questioned. "If we're going to risk getting arrested I don't want to do it for the wrong man."
"Zumi. he's my father. I'd know him anywhere."
"If she says it's him, it's him." Caspian assured Zumi.
"Alright, let's see what Raxe found out."