Chapter 4 - How to gain a wife or two

"We already managed to Capture the traitor and put him into prison, and he will be judged in a week. Usually he would be just hanged together with all those that might have willingly participated, and all the Lands, titles and Properties would fall back to state if there isnt a uninvolved hair. But this time we thought about a maybe more fitting punishment."

I raised my eyebrow. "But for that let me ask you some questions first miss ..." his wife bended over and whispered him something into the ear smiling apoplectic to me. "Siderim! yes exactly! I knew that." he mumbled the last part and I couldnt help but smile.

"Do you have any Obligations towards a Chief or Tribe that would prevent you from staying in this city any longer then you already have?" My eyebrow did raise again but I shook my head. "I wish to see my tribe again yes, but nobody is needing my assistance or Present that much." He nodded. "If you would get into a position of power in this Kingdom and we would fight a third war against the tribes. What would you do?"

I hesitated I could feel where this was going so I was seriously thinking about it. "The tribes dont start wars for no reasons." I said slowly. "So as soon as I would hear about the danger of a third one, I would try my best to mediate and see for myself if it is a just war. If it is for example if large amount of my people were imprisoned or executed with your knowledge and you did nothing. I clearly would join on the side of my people. If it isnt if it is trickery and deception. I would do my best to prevent it or end the war as quickly as I can."

He nodded to that. "How come that the tribes are so loyal to each other?" He mumbled and I just smiled. "It is mostly a difference in Culture your Majesty" I still answered. "There are many humans in this world. Many more then people from the tribe but still before the first war we were a lot more divided. After that it became clear to almost all tribes that either we help each other, or we would die or become slaves to Humans."

I explained without any hate or anger. After all that was ages ago. "Of course, we know that there are many humans who can live together with us just fine. After all there are many who are part of the tribes but there is a lot of uncertainty towards us, so we have to hold together." He nodded and seem to ponder something.

"Well then ... this case is special. Even through it is a simple kidnapping at its heart it is different from all of it because it endangered the peace we have enjoyed for the past 100 years. Additionally, it is different because he broke not only the law of not holding people against their will but he did that by abusing all the given power and trust of his position. But mainly this case will be different because he knowingly broke many oats doing what he did with you. With the full knowledge what the result might be if the tribes find out about your treatment."

He looked to his wife. "We know now that he not only did hold you prisoner for these long years but he planned to do so much more. We found that he attempted to have you killed twice. Only the king or the council of elder can permit a dead sentence and it can be vetoed by the other party. Additionally, we know now that he tried to sell you to an illegal brothel in which he was involved. In no less then three occasions." He shook his head just thinking about it and continued.

"Then he tried to have you sold out of country as a slave on multiple times. Each and every time he did run into the paperwork and guards that dont want to have anything to do with such thing without paperwork. And having two separated set of guards did seemed to have put a big dent into his hope there too. Many reports of his strange activity are making now a lot more sense now that we know about you."

"And after those failed, he just planned to keep you imprisoned until you die of old age. With all of that he broke his oat. His promise to never hold someone against the will of the law. To not ignore the plight of those in his care and to not seek to gain from the suffering of those under his care." He pointed towards the large pile of paper next to him. "The royal guard had an extremely busy morning because of you." He chuckled. It didnt seem to bother him much.

"Because of that we plan to take away all of his rights and titles and transfer those that can be transferred to you as if you would be his hair. He tried to take away your life, your freedom and possessions. I think it is just as fair when as punishment your get all of his life, freedom and possessions." Both of them seemed to enjoy my shocked expression.

"All his contracts, his estates, his wealth will be transferred to you. But of course, only those that are rightful. For his depts if he has any you will have to carry those too if they are legal, if not or they are hard to proof he will carry them into his exile. You can of course choose to honor these if you feel obliged to do so."

He got visible disturbed about something after that. "His wifes however will be a tricky thing. According to the old rules they would be punished as well since he is the head of family. Me and the queen." He gently squeezed her hand. "Feel that this is just wrong, they had most definitely no hand in this crime. They hardly leave their area of his palace at all. And if they do its only to go to the temple or other official activity. We are pushing to change that but the council " his wife just raised her eyebrow and he stopped. "Um .. sorry got sidetracked there."

"Um well ... ah yes they currently have two choices. Either accept the punishment or seek a divorce before the punishment is announced. However a divorce especially in his culture is a hard thing to do. During that time they are seeking a divorce the old duke will be still responsible to host and feed them." He shook his head slightly. "And well he hardly will be able to do that from a prison cell. Nor would he have any motivation to do so and sadly it is always the culture of the primary caregiver of the family the decides which rules apply. Another thing that needs to be changed." I could clearly see how much the law changes meant to all three of them. All three looked serious and for a moment in thought before he continued.

"Anyway letting them starve on the street during that time is simple not a good thing even if you dont consider the outrage from the familys that they origin from. Some of them are quite powerful in the kingdom. If we would pay for them, all the wifes of criminals would request such. And the council would hate us even more and it would just cause even more problems. Because while we do want to create some social programs to aid those in need, we cant support them all yet and such things take time."

"Their own family however ... well some would take them back, but their uncertain position would create even more of an outrage and we would spread them over half the Kingdom with that. So what we would like to ask you to take care of them let them stay at your new home until their divorce is gone through."

I hesitated for a moment. I knew how much of a contract marriage was in some of the cultures in this country. How it could be a long deliberately haggled before two people could marry each other and how little say most woman had over their own fate. I took a deep breath. "Well your majesty you said that all legal contracts are transferred to me. How much of a legal contract are those mirage contracts?"

He looked completely flabbergasted and looked towards his wife who had a big goofy grin. "Um ... yes but ... umm ... I guess so ... yes but ... um you see part of the mirage contract is umm. You know." I was smirking a bit I enjoyed the confusion and hesitation about this topic from the young king. "You are afraid that I cannot perform the dead? Or are you unaware that I have the necessary equipment of performing said dead?" I said with a depend smirk.

In my head it slowly dawned on me that I was arguing to marry an unknown number of wife's without their knowledge or knowing anything about them. Still I was left in a cell for no reason. If I could save them from a similar fate marriage would not be so bad. I still did enjoyed the large eyes all of them got from this revelation. "I see, well you should know dear King that among my people there are more then the typical two genders. Additionally, to men and woman, there are those who ... carry the characteristics of both Men and Woman and I have the luck of being one of those."

He nodded blushing thinking about it. "Um ... I ... umm." His wife gently squeezed his hand. "We were not aware of such an interesting detail. Non the less some of them might be upset with the change." I nodded. "Then I need to talk to them and those that wish to be not part of my life I will provide a way to life a life of their choosing. I assume that the duke is a quite wealthy man?" They nodded. "He was the second richest man in the country until he decided to betray us." He smiled.

Suddenly the older woman to the side raised her voice. "Dear just to inform you. There is no law forbidding the marriage of the same Gender. It is just not typical done. I had looked it up for a friend who lives in a relationship like that." She said towards the royal couple then turned towards me. "But you will be the first that will be in the public mind so we will have to face some opposition towards it. And you will be in danger because of that too. Although you do have the benefit of being wealthy enough to hire guards." I nodded but my head still rotating around the idea of me suddenly getting married.

"And while there are no laws in the country forbidding it. Most of the religions will frown upon it. Thankfully this country allows everybody to live their religion freely. And while you may be between both genders. In the publics view you will be a woman." I nodded again to the queen mother. "Thankfully the tribes dont share that problem since my gender is not that uncommon, but I know that I will make myself some enemies by being here." I shrugged. "I think I will get some enemys regardless because I caused the downfall of the Duke so I might as well be in a position of power to answer them."

She chuckled obliviously enjoying my answer. "Know that you do have our full support but well we are sadly not as established as my esteemed father was, so there might be troubled times ahead." The king said. "Many will push for me to reverse this judgment because it will set a example in this law that will be exploited. So I will make it clear in he judgment what the reasons are for the inheritance. And there will be a lot of chaos because a lord suddenly gets replaced with an outsider but so far i like how you are."

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Well then the next chapter for you all to enjoy xD I hope it is intresting to read. Poor misra has no idea whats ahead of her ;)