He began walking. He was moving slower than usual. With no limp and no outward sign of pain, I had no idea what was wrong. I didn't want to ask, though, not when I was experiencing profound relief that he had survived and was mostly okay. I didn't want to feel anything towards him, even the same general concern for his life I experienced about everyone in the world.
Watching him fight for my freedom …
It bothered me on a level I didn't want to acknowledge. "Thank you for fighting," I said awkwardly. "But please don't do it again."
"You are my commander now, ugly one?" he asked.
"You're sworn to obey me, right? So you have to listen. I don't want you fighting for me."
"I'm sworn to protect, not obey, whether or not you wish it."
It was a fruitless discussion. I heard it in his tone. Duty yadda yadda. I was edgy after the battle, not only from watching him do what he did, but because I really didn't want to be here or responsible for the life of someone else.
What choice did I have? For all I knew, I was trapped here for good.
Khulutei's tent was large and close to his uncle's. We entered, and Batu sat at the fire in the center with a grunt of pain. Two women were present, along with Khulutei, and they immediately went to Batu's side with baskets filled with apothecary supplies.
I sat down on the opposite side of the fire.
"Goddess, these are my wives, Jichin and Bayarjin," Khulutei said.
The two women glanced my way, bowed their heads and returned to working on Batu.
"You have two wives?" I asked, surprised.
"Three," he replied. "Two are adept in the ways of healing."
"Three wives. But … how?"
All of them looked my way at this. Batu appeared amused, his cousin confused and the women uncertain.
"Moonbeam does not understand our world," Batu explained. "Khulutei is a wealthy man. A wealthy man takes many wives. The more wives, the wealthier he is. It is our way, goddess."
"Do you all live here?" I asked, unable to comprehend how three women could live within hearing range of their husband making love to one of them.
"We each have our own ger, goddess," one of them answered with a smile.
"Oh. That's good." But crazy. "How many wives do you have, Batu?"
"None."
Why did that answer relieve me? Because I didn't want to make a handful of women widows?
"It is forbidden for a guardian of the goddess to take a wife until he reaches forty seasons. A new guardian is appointed at this age," Batu explained.