This is the story about a battle between the Turian free woman Porcilla and Kataii woman Bayar. Lady Porcilla is nicknamed the Tick, for she bites herself in her enemies and poisins them, and Lady Bayar is called the Maverick because she is a wild and untamable Kataii.

NB: this story is based on the storyline of the famous Icelandic "Saga of Burned Njall", but the characters, setting and actions are made fully Gorean.

-------- part 1 - The council --------

The Lady Porcilla sat in her boudoir and was talking to her main advisors, as the  companion of the city's first sword, she found it necessary to set up her own intelligence network to support her companion's activities. The matter they were speaking on, was however a more private one. "We have searched all the taverns and brothels, also we scouted the wharf area where the she-urts do their business" Tedus the praetor said "we have no sign of your sister, no where she is found, and for sure the brothel owners gave us the right information for none would dare to let your sister serve in a secret room for special customers". As a praetor Tedus was responsible for the police in Turia, and he had contacts with brothel and tavern owners, so this information was quite reliable. The Lady Porcilla snarled "as if someone wants to pay extra for using that slut, she is not that special, she is just a dime in the dozen". The men nodded, they agreed with the woman, but they would never spoke against her, for even that she was a woman, her money was good for the value and an extra bonus above their normal salaries they received eagerly". Lady Porcilla turned to the head of her house guards "Did you find any tracks of who kidnapped her, or did she just ran away from herself". "We found no evidence, not even a lead, for her being kidnapped by whoever, me men searched everything there is nothing suspicious". The third man was dressed in a blue with gold robe, he wore thick ruby rings around his rather fleshy fingers, it was Lucullus, the head of the Slavers caste, he spoke with a soft good articulated voice "neither my research has delivered any information. I have inquired at all my caste members, and they deny having captured her, and I have good reason to believe them for she is almost unsellable". He was interrupted by a knock on the door, and the Lady Porcilla said angered "Enter, who are you to dare to interrupt our meeting". A man dressed in shabby clothes entered, his cloak full of dust, his boots muddy. He had a sharp beaked face, at which a half beard was growing but his eyes were not unlike a bird of prey, a certain intelligence blinked from them "Forgive me Sir's, Lady" he ignored the Lady but turned to Lucullus "Sir, I bring information about the Lady Porcia, whom you are searching" All present rebounded and were instantly alert. "You know I travel the several tribes as a trader, with the intention to select the pretty wenches which could be robbed as slaves" he hesitated a moment "I was in the Kataii harigga, and I saw your sister, ragged and working hard at the wagon of that Lady Bayar who owned her before". "Hell, then the Kataii kidnapped her again" the head guard said "but why could my men find no trace of that?". The slave gatherer shaked his head "She is not kidnapped, she voluntarily returned to that wild Kataii woman who hissed up her husband against us". Lady Porcilla eyes opened wide in disbelief. "Yes, your former sister seemed very content in her lowly position. The collar suits her well" the slaver continued "and believe me, I have developed an eye for the one's who have fire in the belly". The group sat silent for some minutes, then the Lady Porcilla said "I have to think over these new developments, I suggest we return tomorrow same time" Her councilors agreed to this and they left the room.

-------- part 2 Planning an accident -----

 "Please stay a moment, I like to consult you" the Lady Porcilla said to the man with the hawk like face. When the others left the slaver spy stayed with the wealthy free woman. "you saw my sister at the Kataii, tell me which are the possibilities to approach her?". The slaver assistant answered "going into the Kataii camp is possible for me, since they trust me. Approaching her is possible because all know she is so that she wants to please any man, even a stranger like me". The Lady Porcilla though his last remark over, thinking that liberating her sister would probably not be the solution because she would run back to the Kataii again, or submit to a city man, to shame of the family". "what are the possibilities to get her out of there, can a tarn task force fly in, or a lone brave man?". The slaver apprentice laughed "such is impossible Lady, we are speaking of the Wagonpeople, not of a small band of gypsies. They would shoot any tarn down". The face of Porcilla darkened "her being there is a shame for the family, and would block any carreer chances of my companion for he is not even capable of solving such family matters, so they will not allow him to do that at state level". "what is it worth for you to get rid of the problem Lady Porcia? I might find a drastic solution but that would damage my position at the Kataii". "What are you thinking of?". "well" the hawkman said "your sister could get an ehh.... accident". The room dropped silent, Lady Porclla initially shocked was now over thinking the consequences of this, letting her sister killed, was indeed an option, because then her slutty presence would no longer damage the family reputation, on the other hand, she, Lady Porcilla would be linked to the accident. She though that concept over, and concluded that as long as there was no proof she was the sponsor of the accident, only rumors would be there, with which she could cope with. "What would you demand as reward?"  she asked the man. "10 gold tarsk, for I will lose my position at the Kataii, they will for sure know I caused the accident". "hmmm, paying in gold is not what I was thinking of. I know something different, you are are an ambitious man, and you long for a full position in the slavers caste". The man eagerly looked up at this new opportunity". "yes" he said with a dry throat. "I can arrange that, and give you some starting capital" she offered, knowing that if he would accept he would be one of her pions at the Turian political Kaissa board. The slaver realized he would need a very long spoon to deal with her in future, but this chance was to golden to let slip away, it was a deal with the she devil, but he was no Faust and understood what he was doing "I will go to the Kataii harigga, but mind, no trickery, I can link you to the accident if you betray me". Lady Porcialla nodded "of course, thats why I want bound you to me, for then we have mutual interests".

----------- part 3 The accident ------------------

 The sharped beaked slaver, his name being Scipio, left the white city in the night. He rode a shabby grey kaiila, a tame animal since he was not a born kaiila rider like the Kataii he was visiting. He arrived the next day at the Kataii lager, and after his pulse brand was checked by the guard outrider, the traditional brand for traders the Wagonpeople gave strangers who were allowed access, he entered the camp. He walked to the public slave wagon and drank a cool paga, during which no Kataii spoke to him, they saw him as an potential enemy, or maybe worse, as a slave. Scipio looked frowning at his pulse brand, his visits to the Kataii became more and more unpleasant to him. After finishing his paga he walked to the kennels behind the public slave wagon and inspected te girls for sale there. Since he was for an other task here, he only faked showing interest in the to be sold girls, but did not buy one. After laying this false trail he walked through the camp in the direction of Batar's wagon, his eyes speeding for the former Lady Porcia. He saw her doing some chore at the water source. He went to the well and washed his face in it, then spoke to the girl "meet me in an hour at the rocks behind the public slave wagon, I want make use of you". "yes Master" the girl said, trembling of desire and glad the man wanted her. One hour later she went to the place of meeting. "on all fours" Scipio ordered. The trembling girl did as he demanded, and moaned loud when he knelt behind her, and let his hand glide over her curvy body. He made good use of her, but at the end his face hardened, at the moment the girl was in her third orgasm, he grabbed her head and snapped her neck with a swift movement. He felt the girl becoming liveless immediate, and he let the body drop in the sand. He lifted her and climbed on the rocks, at the top he threw the body head first into a small canyon, so it would seem that she stumbled and broke her neck in the fall. After checking the girl a last time, he climb below and walked quietly to his kaiila and mounted it, leaving the Kataii camp unobtrusive. He did not return to the city but to the fortified villa of the Albinus family, a few miles outside the city, laying between good soiled acres.

--------- 4. The tracking ------------------

The Kataii Lady Bayar had a warm day, in which she had worked hard in the cooking process, the heat of the Plains and the fires and fumes of the cooking pot had made her sweat. She desired a bath and yelled for her slave Porky, she however heard no answer. She was surprised by this, because Porky never failed to be there at the end of the day to bath her Mistress, often she already had the bath water at the right temperature at the moment Lady Bayar stopped cooking. Bayar walked outside, looking where the wench was, but she did not see her. She went to see Batar, her companion "the Turian wench did not show up at the bathing hour". Batar laughed "probably some guy is using her in the bushes, you shall have to wait", Bayar grumped something about "helpless..." and went inside calling for another slave girl to bath her.
Later that evening, Porky had still not shown up "maybe she ran away" Batar said. "Most unlikely, but someone stealing her, or an accident is more realistic". "we will search for her in the morning, looking for the wench now would be dangerous since the herd sleen are loose, if she ran, she is already grabbed and eaten by them, so there is no hurry, it's only a slave". The next morning Batar went to the sleen trainer and demanded "I need your help, one of our slaves is disappeared, your animals could help track her". The sleen trainer nodded "I need some clothing with her scent for that". Batar had anticipated such and handed him some rags the girl had been wearing. The sleen man let one of his herd sleen smell at the rags, and the beast immediate started growling and pulling the chain "lets follow the beast" he said. Finding the body of the former Lady Porcia was a piece of cake for the trained sleen. Batar and the sleen man watched over the corpse of the girl, soon others came, including the Lady Bayar who looked without sorrow at her dead slave. "She must have fallen from the rocks and broke her neck" one said. "What was she during here then? A slave has no business here". Lady Bayar turned the body around with her booth "look, there is sand cleaving at her heat, she must have been aroused just before she died". A healer knelt at the dead Porky "aroused and used" he said "she did had sex, there are even sperm remnants" "Does someone see her with a men?' others asked . Soon it came out that it had been the slaver Scipio who was seen with the kajira. Lady Bayar frowned because that a Turian was involved was a new development and made her more then suspicious. They have been copulating here" someone yelled from the bushes "plenty of tracks of the mating". Batar look to the bushes and then to the rocks "how did she get from down there, to end dead up here?". "Someone must have brought her". After some track interpretation the Kataii soon concluded that Scipio must have killed her below, and have thrown the body from teh rocks. "The bastard" Batar said "I want compensation from him". "Think further husband, Scipio has deliberately killed her, why would a Turian kill a mere slave, there is a plot behind it. A plot to insult the Kataii" the Lady added. All looked amazed at the conclusion she had drawn but saw the logic in it "Grap him, grab that Turian sleen" people started yelling. They searched but of course, Scipio already had left", they did not find him. "my sleen will track him, he left his sperm here, they have the scent of him, and he is doomed" the trainer said. "Good idea, lets get him!" So happened, the sleen followed the trail with several outriders led by the sleen man and Batar and ended at te fortified villa of the Albini family. "Things are clear now" the Oralus said "it must be that free woman, the Tick, which is behind such. Her man is one of the Scarlets, and would never let another kill for him, this is typical the machination of an evil and determined woman, Lady Porcilla must be the one.

------- 5. Earning scars -----------------------------------

Back at the Kataii camp Batar called his fellow Orali and discussed the matter. Batar wanted revenge for the killing of his slave, but the other Katai said "it's only a slave, we are not going to make a war about her". Batar grumbled, but knew he was powerless. Lady Bayar was furious "and they let those Turians simply insult us". "What can we do, we can go on a personal vendetta, but the Orali are right, it is only a slave". Lady Bayar however was proud wild woman, not for nothing she was compared with a young wild untamable animal, planned otherwise. She approached a young man without scars, she knew he was very ambitious. "I know a way for you to earn the courage scar". The young lad looked up interested to her words. "If you do......". The young man nodded enthusiastic "thats a devilish plan, Lady, and dangerous, I like it". The young one rode out in the night, heading for the villa of the Albini clan. He did hide in the hills around it, using a glass of the builders to spy on the inhabitants of the walled house. He studied the habits of the guards, the ways of the housing personnel and that of the slave girls. He saw several times slave girls going into the fields milking the cattle there. Sometimes guarded, sometimes not, sometimes in a group, sometimes alone. At the third day he rode out at sun dawn, and hide himself and his mount in a ravine. After 3 hours waiting he saw a lone slave leaving the walled villa, she walked into his direction, which he had expected. He silently mounted his kaiila, took his bola, and raced towards the kajira, swinging his bola above his head. The kajira was struck at her ankles by the roped bound stones, without even noticing his advance, she fell at the ground and desperate looked around. She then saw the Kataii rider, towering above her on his mount, her eyes were wild, she opened her mouth to scream. The Kataii stabbed his lance in her throat, blood spurted out, she died instantly even without been able to scream "pity my dear, i would have loved to stab my other spear in your throat but I am on a special mission which does not allow me futile pleasures". He then lifted her body before him in the saddle, belly wise. He knew that he now had to earn the scar, the killing of a wench was easy, but now.... He slowly rode to the villa, he saw the gate was open. It was peace time so all were unexpected, he rode through the gate. The guard however ordered him to stop he ignored him, speeding his kaiila now, followed by the running guard, yelling "stop, I order you stop". And stopping he did, before the main door of the house, he hurled the dead kajira at the stairs, the blooded corpse made many women scream, men yelled, arms were drawn. The young rider, did not wait, after he had thrown te body at the stairs he twisted his kaiila, and fired it on to full speed, some guards stood in the way but were bounced out of it by the racing kaiila. He avoided a thrown javelin, by hanging aside his mount, then getting back in the saddle again and stabbing his lance in a guard at the gate. Out he was, alive, still, he screamed, an arrow hit his leg, another his shoulder, but the kaiila was already at full speed and soon he was out of range of their arrows and throwing spears. He did not stop but went back to the Kataii camp, where he arrived wounded, blooded, but alive.

----- 6. Bosk killers -----------

Lady Porcilla was furious, she whipped several slave girls out of pure anger, then calmed down, thinking about how to revenge the new Kataii insult with sound of the sobbing kajirae at the background. She clinged a bell and ordered the arriving slave to call for the slaver Scipio. Later that day Scipio arrived, he already had heard of the kiling of a slave girl. "How can we revenge this? We can kill another slave of them, but that will hardly make an impression" she told the slaver. Scipio nodded "mosts of their slaves are Turian women, we lost in the Love Wars, we cut our own flesh if we kill some of them. And the Kataii would only shrug shoulders because they don't really care for them". "We must hit them there, what they really care for". "Thats clear enough, their bosks are all for them, but killing them, would have terrible consequences, their fury will be enormous". "My fury is enormous too, I lost a sister and have to receive insult after insult" Porcilla said, that she had let killed her sister herself did not count for her, she had lost Porcia the moment Batar made her slave "How can we hit their bosks?". "Doing it is not so difficult, getting out alive undamaged, the more. If you get caught for sure they torture you. They have a clan which is specialized in that". Lady Porcila's eyes glanced when he spoke about the torturers "oooh really, how interesting". She then became more practical "We will send men which are disposable, in the baths we will find the ones who will do anything in return for freedom and gold, even at the risk of being tortured, what they endure now, is already torture".
Scipio dressed himself in dark unrecognizable clothed and masked himself. He went to the baths and spoke to the bath master about his request, he handed him money to get his cooperation, which was easily arranged. The bath master led him to the kennels were the bath slaves were changed, guards awakened the sleeping workers. Scipio spoke in a soft voice to the crowded men "I seek 3 men which must perform a very dangerous task, it could easily cost you your life, or end in torture. The reward will however be your freedom, and enough money to make a fresh start". Immediate everal men started "yes", "choose me", "Everything better then this hell hole", "Please, I will do it". Scipio choose the 3 most able volunteers and brought them outside the city where 4 kaiila waited, 1 well fed one, and 3 poorly fitting animals "don't try to escape, we are followed and watched by archers. If you try, they will shoot but not kill you, no, then we will nail you to the cross, and let you rot to death in an agonizing way" He did not need to say more, the 3 men nodded that they got the message. After a day riding they saw a herd of bosk ahead. Scipio stopped and dismounted "1 want 3 bosk hides, there is a herd, kill 3 animals, and bring me back the hides. Don't under estimate this, because the herdsmen could be armed and kill you". One of the kajiri "who own those animals, farmers?" "Better not to know much" said Scipio "the less you know the less you can betray to the enemy if they catch you". He pointed to the herd "Go, and earn freedom". The 3 kajiri rode to the herd, one of the 3 started to ride a route leading away from the bosk, immediate a horseman arrived at a hilltop, bow drawn. The kajirus changed back to the path taken by the others slaves. On arriving at the herd, they saw a few kajirae, which ran away, the men looked after them, and selected a few bosks, which they killed with some knives Scipio had given them. "We need to skin the animals, so that masked man has proof we killed the beasts" They started cutting open the bosks and taking the hide, this went very clumsy and took quite some time. Scipio had watch them with his glass of the builders, he saw them killing the animals, and starting the skinning process.He also saw dust bowling up from the North. "Damn, outriders, someone must have warned them". Indeed, the kajirae had warned a Kataii patrol, which now came with lances in attack position towards the kajiri working at the bosks. Scipio blew a horn, as a signal to retreat to his men, and he left the scene. For the kajiri it was too late, the outriders came upon them, and the kaiila's raced over them, knocking them down, breaking some arms and ribs. An Orlu bend over the first kajirus and placed his foot at the broken ribs of the man "so bosk killer" he pressed his boot at the broken bones which made the kajirus scream in agony "you are gonna experience some aspects of the wagonpeoples culture"

--------- 7. The Clan ---------------------

The outriders dragged the bosk killers to the Kataii wagon camp and delivered them over to the Orali and the Ubar "these fellows killed 3 bosks, we catched them while they were skinning the hides". The Kataii Ubar, who wanted to judge these sacrilegious villains, ordered "call the head of the clan! I want all information perssed out of these guys. They are only slaves, they can not have done this out of free will, someone must be behind it". The haruspices joined in ""yes, the clan, no punishment can be great enough for such bosk murderers! Yes, cook their balls in bosk fat, so they will feel what they have done!!" "I don't want them to be damaged already" the Ubar said. The 3 criminals looked up hopeful "I want them to be healthy so they will endure their final punishment in greater pain and it will last longer when they are in good shape". Horror struck the face of the 3 men "no, no, we are only ordered, we did not know that those beasts were holy". "So, then tell me who is behind this, give me his name!". "We don't know, the man was masked". The Ubar spoke to the clan master "I want the truth first, use the most painful, but undamaging methods you know. And interrogate them separately. So they can not make up a story" he looked at the villains "Probably they are too stupid for that anyway, killing bosks of the wagonpeople, no sense men would do such".
A few hours later the clan master returned and told the Ubar the results if the interogation "they are hired by a masked man, who promised them freedom. According to their descriptions of the man, we suspect that it is the slaver Scipio.""The same who murdered our slave Porcia" the Oralus Batar remarked. "I am not going to risk the lives of good outriders to get Scipio out of the fortified villa of Albinus" the Ubar said. "I know a better revenge" the free woman Bayar added. All looked up at her remark. "We let the 3 slaves undergo their punishment within hearing distance of the villa, their cries of agony will haunt the Albinus family for days, and will make them think twice for doing such again". "Not very satisfactory, but the next best option, for actually I want Scipio and Albinus punished and that woman dancing for us as a slave" a haruspex mentioned. "So will it be done" the Ubar concluded.The next day the 3 villains were sewed into the wet hides of bosks they had killed, then they were left behind in the burning sun close to the villa Albinus. When the hides dried up they began to shrink around the bodies of the 3 kajiri, terrible pains flow through their pressed bodies, their screams were clear to be heard in the villa, after a few hours the people gathered and said "this screaming drives me crazy", "lets free them". The Lady Porcilla laughed "thou weaklings, thats exactly what the Kataii are waiting for, that a few of us get problems with their stomach and try to free them". "Can you withstand their terrible screams then? ". "It's only a couple of slaves, or do you put wax in your ears too when you whip your kajirae?" she smirked against the guard who had made that remark "and don't worry, soon they become more silent when the air is pressed out of their lungs and they no longer have air enough the scream". The guard paled at the cold remark, but she was right soon, the screams turned into gurgling desperate sounds as of fish at dry land clinging for the small remnants of oxygen they could get. Several slaves start to sob, while most of the men had their fingers squeezed white around their lances. They had to hold a young lad who became berserk and wanted to ran to the gate, Scipio however knocked hm down. Only in the evening of the second day, the sounds of the tortured in the fields became less, and soon stopped "they are dead" Scipio said. The free woman shrugged "it's a pity they got caught, not for that they died this agonizing death, but because now the Kataii know we were behind the bosk killing. But in fact that changes nothing, we were on their "to get" list already" The slaver moaned of frustration that he had let himself dragged into this blood feud between the two women.

---------8. Planning an ambush --------------------

Lady Porcilla, Albinus and Scipio were in a meeting inside the villa of the Albini family. They had just burned the tortured bodies of the bosk killer kajiri and were talking about the response they would give on the hideous acts of the Kataii. "we could ignore it, only slaves were killed" Porcilla said. "Yes, and all of Turia laughing at us, that the nomads played with your balls, that we were not capable of giving a good response". Her companion said."Hm, yes my honor is at stake, but I don't want to land in a circle of responsive violence". "You are already in a spiral
of blood feud" the slaver countered "we must find a way to get out of it, without much damage". "The driving force behind this is that wild Kataii woman" Lady Porcilla mentioned. Albinus nodded not saying his own companion was the other cause of this endless row of killing. "Killing her, would end it, her companion is too cautious to go on, but best kill them both" Scipio added "better burn the roots of this tree of evil". "But how?" "Investigate their habits with spies, attack them when they are vulnerable, those nomads travel much, so we will get the opportunity". "we don't need spies, my sister told me, that the woman often is alone at a place called Weathered Roc, such my late sister Porcia told me, we could ambush her there, and hope she is with her companion" the Lady Porcila added her share to the discussion. "I know Weathered Rock" Scipio added "perfect place for an ambush". Albinus as the oldest and most experienced warrior was still cautious "It will only be successful when we have very good men, we talk about an operation deep into Kataii area, and with an extreme cunning enemy". "We
have such men!".
The 2 men selected a team of 15 senior warriors, all experienced kaiila riders also and trained in long distance operations. In the middle of a dark night the team led by Albinus and with the slaver Scipio added as scout left the villa, unseen for spying eyes, after several days they arrived at the place of ambush. "Lay a hidden camp here, it can take several days before they come here. Shoot tabuks for food at many pasangs away, and prepare them there. so the fires will not betray us" The men laid in ambush, and 2 outriders went out for scouting and find some game

---------- 9. The Ambush -----------

The brave Kataii couple Batar and Bayar rode one evening to Weathered Rock to enjoy the undergoing sun, as which they did so often. They were accompanied by 5 outriders, for protection because the Plains were never safe. They arrived at the pool close to the favorite spot when they heard a howling, they looked up and saw a group of kaiila racing towards them, spears and swords glistening in the last lights of the day. Bayar reigned in her kailla Moonu, the terrible, the men put their lances and fired arrows towards the attackers. Suddenly the 2 groups burst together and a heavy skirmish took place, The Katii were heavily in the majority but defended furiously with the known wildness of the Wagon peoples. Two scarlet dressed warriors tried to grab Lady Bayar but the war mount Moonu attacked the kaiila of the 2 so the advancing animals had to back off "Kill her, don't try to catch her as a slave, use your brains not your balls, she is the main target, she must be killed at all cost" the slaver Scipio yelled. One of the scarlets hurled a javelin at the Kataii free woman, but Bayar dived quickly under it, after-all she was an outriders daughter herself, agile like a hermine.  In same moment Batar was fighting desperate against 2-3 reds, he already received several wounds, but had killed an opponent also. He saw another warrior aiming a javelin at his beloved companion, and threw a quiva through the scarlets heart, the man dropped from his mount and was trampled by the fighting beasts, Batar had however no time enjoy his victory, because another opponent stabbed him seriously in the side with a heavy warriors spear, blood spurted out. Batar managed to stop the bleeding by putting a repcloth in the wound, but he was not the only one of his small party which was hit. One by one the Kataii fell back, several already dead in the grass. Bayar wanted to help her husband, for her warmount Moonu was a good fighter, but exactly at that moment an arrow hit the courageous Kataii Oralus at his throat. Bayar saw her companion fall, she knew it was fatal, his dying eyes looked at her, he smiled and then signaled her to run. She immediate obeyed her dying husband last silent order, She turned Moonu and the formidable kaiila forced 2 other warriors to retreat at his vicious attack. This made a gap in the encirclement of the Kataii group, Batar saw it happen and instinctively  the free woman dived in the opening with her gigantic anima forcing the enemies further apart. So the main target of the Turians, the Lady Bayar found a way to escape. She did not need to fire on Moonu, the beast sped forward, further and further away from the battle, she looked over her shoulder, just to see the smile at the face of Batar, seeing his woman escape so she could revenge him, then he fell in the long high grass, dead, joined with the Plains. She knew it was her duty to escape, and escape she did, for no kailla could even match Moonu, and within moments she was out of the reach of the Turians. Albinus paled, he had won the battle, but lost this strategic point, the main target had escaped, even be more furious, for they had killed her companion.

----- 10. Mourning Batar ----------------

The Lady Bayar drove in high speed back to the Kataii camp, some warriors followed her, but already after a few pasangs they saw that their mounts were of no match to the master kaiila Moonu. The woman rode into the camp yelling "ALARM, ALARM", immediate several outriders came to her "What's up, whats the matter?". "We have been attacked, Turians, Reds, they killed Batar, my husband, your Oralus". She was brought before the war council, which existed of the present Orali and was lead by the Ubar. She told what had happened, and that she was the sole survivor thanks to Moonu. The Ubar immediate send and Orlu with his men to Weathered Rock "scout what happened, and track the villains to their hole". The next day the Orlu  returned and brought report the council "the lady gave a good description, all our men there are dead. They fought well, there were several graves of Turians also". "So, you are sure those were Turians?" an Oralus demanded. "Of course they are" Lady Bayar yelled "I told you I recognized Albinus, the First Sword, and Scipio the slaver". "The Lady is again correct" the Orlu added "the tracks lead to the Albini farm". "Burn it, and kill all the vermins hiding there" the Lady screamed with fury. Some young men joined in, seeing a chance to earn scars. The Orali however were hesitating what to do, they were very reluctant to start a full scale war. "Cowards, you bringing dishonor over the tribe if you don't revenge Batar, your fellow Oralus and my companion". "silence woman" one old Oralus ordered her, but Bayar was not to stop "you can silence me old men, but that will only load more dishonor at you. In a hundred years the Turians will still laugh at this insolent fearful council". The old man stood up to stop her, but some young outriders, romantic , willing to get honor, and protect a young widow, jumped between them "we will revenge Batar and gain honor for the Kataii, we don't want be shameful in the eyes of the citizens of the white city". "thats the spirit, kill those vermins, kill them, kill....." as a female Demosthenes, she fired on the young and brave warriors, more and more joined in, en-flamed by the passion and fury of the wild Kataii woman. "Kill, kill, kill, kill the treacherous vermins" the crowd yelled. The Haruspex whispered to the Ubar "The People is with her, we can not go against the stream of the masses, they will overwhelm us, and still want war"."What you advise me, holy man?". "I will lead a limited war party, and burn the farm to the ground, we will not attack other Turians and spread rumors in the city this is a private matter, that the Albini deserve to die. If we bribe the right people, Turians will block war. First we bribe the Second Sword, he would profit from us killing the Albini". The Ubar added "if we give the leaders of the Reds enough gold, they will block reinforcements to the farm, and Albinus will be a sitting duck, alone, unprotected". He stood up and spread his arms, the crowd silenced "I hear your words, Kataii, we will revenge Batar, the haruspex will coordinate the operation" He then turned to Bayar "always it's women who instigate war, many will die for your revenge. For now you won, but you will wear black for a year and wear a veil of mourning because your lost is great". Bayar realized she had won, but felt no victory, she realized her loss "thank you Ubar, and wise Haruspex, I will do so, and go in my period of sorrow".

---------- Part 11 The Siege ----------

The haruspex called 2 Orali to him, after he got the permission to coordinate the action against the Albini estate. "Your men must secretly surround the villa, and capture every one leaving or coming, the villa must be completely shut off from the environment. Once we have done that we pull the rope thigher around them till they are full under siege". "You must close the roads between the villa and Turia so that no one could approach the farm of the Albini, that will not be for a long period, for if my bribes work well, no one will come to aid Albinus" The 2 Orali fully understood the strategy of the priest and nodded "so it will be done". The Seer then called 2 trusted men and gave them a sack of gold "go to the second sword and show him the gold. Also tell him that promotion awaits when Albinus is deceived". He then said to the men "bring even more gold to the HIgh Initiate, and ask him to speak a curse over the Albini, because they are war mongers, and killers of holy animals. Even that the White Caste does not see bosks of holy stature, they will support me, since if people can kill holy animal from us, the next will be killing the holy geese of their temples. Geese or vulo's which are used for their omen readings, and from which flights the augurs can see the future too". Such a curse of their own priest will prevent other Turians to help them, and also prevent taking revenge.
So it was done, the 2 trustees with the gold bribed the named men and several others, and the 2 thousands encircle the Albini estate and sealed it of of the outer world. Several travelers were caught and held in custody, or just killed and thrown aside the road as food for the Plain vultures, Inside the villa, the Albini started to discover they no longer got visitors, Albinus being an expert military men, send out several scout parties, 2 were intercepted by the Kataii outriders, but the third party found out what was happening and returned to Albinus and his companion. "we are surrounded, Captain" the scouts told him "the Kataii have thousands of men in the field, not even a prairie urt could pass their circle of kaiila". "Not even messengers to Turia for help? ", "only a very skilled man could do that". Albinus yelled "Scipio!" The slaver came and asked what was the matter. The scouts explained the situation and Albinus asked "do you find a way going through the Kataii lines? " Scipio hesitated for this was an extreme dangerous mission, but waiting in the villa was suicide for the slaver already sensed the intentions of the Kataii "I will do it, write me a letter of recommendation"Such Albinus did, and the slaver took it without a word, gathered his stuff, and sneaked out the building, he knew speed was needed for the rope around the neck of the Albini was closed and Scipio did not want be part of their end" And indeed the slaver escaped the outriders, and also the herd sleen they were using for he laid his clothes in bosk piss before leaving and on foot he could use canyons and gullies the mounted outriders could not use.
In the meantime the haruspex gave the signal for the next stage of the attack, clouds of arrows were fired within the walls of the buildings, many people were killed instantly at the first wave, the arrows mowed away, men, women, children, even the animals were not safe for the rain of steel coming from the sky. The Turians retreated inside the houses or close behind the walls. Slowly the Kataii outriders crawled closer.

------------- Part 12 The Burning ------------

After the rain of arrows, several experienced bola throwers came forward,, they however had not 3 stones at ropes but 3 ceramic balls, filled with Tharlarion oil, each ball had a oil drenched fuse which was already burning. The outriders swinged the bola's and launched them over the walls, towards ever corner of the estate. Reed roofs set afire, Soon the whole villa and side buildings were aflame, people running around like torches screamed of pain and fear. The leading Oralus waited several minutes till the chaos was at its height then he pointed his arm,and 300 hundred storm trooper raced to the walls, they took them if they were not there, ladders were put against it, some athlete just jumped from the kaiila's backs. Within moments the massive Kataii attack had cleared the walls of Turian defenders, they now started killing or capturing the devastated people within the walls of the Albini's.
Soon all men were killed, most women too, only some beautiful slaves were spared. The Oralus and Harusex came mounted on war kaiila in the estate. "that was an easy victory, haruspex, maybe a bit overkill, 2000 against 30". The haruspex shrugged "mind that we deal with bosk killers, and that we must be absolute sure, none of the Albini escapes, or all start over. When I destroy and Red Marchers nest it's not fair either if i burn it with oil, but if I spare them they will create massive havoc in the future.
"Oralus" an outrider yelled "we have a problem". "See" the priest said "it's not over yet. They walked to the men which had ask for aid, the leader of them, an experienced Orlu said "there is a Master swordsman in that room". He pointed to a concrete room, was had hardly been touched by the fire. The Oralus followed the Orlu, and they entered a big room. Albinus faced them, sword and shield in position, he already had wounded 3 Kataii. Behind him stood Lady Porcilla, a dagger in her hand, her veiled torn so they could see her pretty face, the Kataii gasped, but the haruspex ordered in Kataii dialect so Albinus could not know his tactick "3 men attack him in the front, the Oralus must finish him off". The men advanced, Albinus challenged them, raising his shield to with stand their bows, but the Oralus saw a gap in his defense and threw a quiva, a Kataii saddle knife through his throat. Lady Porcilla screamed when she saw her companion fall. The Oralus looked up and walked to the stunning beautiful woman "you will be part of my chain". "Don't forget your orders, my horny Oralus" the haruspex remarked with a sarcastic grin. He then stabbed with full force a long kaiilla lance under the armpit of the leader of thousand, straight into her soft belly, damaging entrails and impaling her at the concrete wall of the room. "You fool, she was superb" the Oralus screamed. "Superb in evil" the priest countered. He gave an brand to the Orlu "heat it" and then walked to the speared Lady Porcilla, which was shocked, and could not even scream "how helpless you are now, my slut". The haruspex took her chin in his hand, and saw in her pain and fear filled eyes "you killed me!". "Not yet" the haruspex continued "first show me what you have" he removed her clothes quickly by cutting them away, avoiding all poison pins. The Oralus moaned when he saw her perfect breasts "you old fool, she would be a wonder in the furs". "That can still happen" The free woman looked in horror, she already felt the wound was fatal, what could he do more then kill her. The priest snapped a collar around her neck "you will die like a slave" he reached behind him, and the Orlu handed him the heated brand. "There you go" he placed the brand at the right cheek of the woman "branded like a slave with the Kataii bow". "Ooh Open Sky, you are a monster" the Oralus screamed "destroying such beauty". The priest made an evil smile then pulled the lance out of Porcilla's belly so she fell on the ground "use that slutty wench". Several men fought forward to have their share in the dying woman's body, they did not care she was mortal wounded, her body was still perfect and their loins heated by the battle and sight of her hot flesh. "Tarsks" the haruspex mumbled when he left the building "Tarsks is what they are, unfortunate we can't win wars without them".