The woman was far from satisfied with Keledu's answer and started shouting again. The new Left Banner chief had his guards drag her away, and Keledu did not stop him.
As far as Keledu was concerned, he had already shown Kachi's widow considerable favor out of respect for the Iron Bone Tribe. If she refused to appreciate it, there was no reason to waste more time on her. Those sheep were valuable to the parish too.
A while later, Mizhene appeared at Keledu's door.
He apologized to Keledu. "I'm sorry, Lord Apostle. I couldn't stop Kachi's wife.
"I thought..."
Keledu waved him silent. Mizhene did not need to explain. Keledu knew guilt was the reason he had let the woman through.
Otherwise, Mizhene could easily have had the guards detain her. He had complete control of the Left Banner by now. The fact that she had reached Keledu's quarters meant he had never intended to stop her.
"It's not a bad thing. If she doesn't appreciate what she's been given, Kachi's wealth can go back to the parish and be distributed to believers who need it more."
In the parish Keledu had built, sheep, pastureland, and other means of production belonged to the parish. They were allocated to believers according to their contributions. Ordinary believers received enough to survive and eat their fill, but they could forget about getting rich.
Anyone with a useful skill, or who worked or fought for the parish, could receive a larger allotment.
Keledu's officers and several senior clerics received the largest allotments, hundreds of times what ordinary herders got. Each was practically as well-off as the chief of a small tribe.
After a moment's thought, Keledu told Mizhene, "You must take good care of the families of Kachi's men who left with him. The