"Two are dead,” said Cabot.
"No,” said the butcher.
"Look,” said Cabot.
"Step back,” said the butcher.
Cabot stepped back, behind the trap. He could see Lita's dark hair below, she clinging to the ladder, her shoulders. She looked up at him, but he gave no sign he saw her.
The butcher went to the ledge, where he might look down.
He did not hear the scratching, which was subtle, and came from his left.
The butcher called down to the inert bodies below.
He did not see the one paw, with its claws, which appeared over the edge of the platform, somewhat behind him, and to his left.
"They are dead,” Cabot assured him, drawing his attention to his right.
"I do not understand,” said the butcher.
"Perhaps you are next,” said Cabot.
"I do not understand,” said the butcher.
"That is perhaps why you are next,” said Cabot.
"I will kill her, and then you,” said the translator. In Kur this was clearly a snarl, but it was rendered, as would be expected, with calmness and precision by the translator.
The butcher turned to the dangling Lady Bina but there now stood a formidable impediment between him and his objective.
With a roar of rage, a bleeding Lord Grendel flung himself on the butcher, and with a single bite tore away the butcher's right paw, it still grasped on the tool, and Lord Grendel lifted the butcher over his head, and flung him to the lower level, where he fell among the slaughtered cattle, howling in pain, blood spurting from his right wrist.
The butcher then rose up, slipping on the bodies, fell, and rose up, again, moving away.
Cabot, by now, had freed his bow and handed it, with an arrow, to Lord Grendel.
"It will be a difficult shot,” said Cabot.
The shaft took the stumbling, hastening fugitive in the back of the head.
"You have been practicing,” said Cabot.
"Free me, free me, you fools!” screamed the Lady Bina.
"You are bleeding,” said Cabot to his friend.
"Two, below, fought well,” said Lord Grendel.
"Free me!” demanded the Lady Bina.
Lita rose up, half way, through the trap.
The Lady Bina, squirming, dangling upside down, discerned Lita. “That is a slave!” she cried. The Lady Bina's bell, as she struggled, rang. It was chained about her neck. “Go away!” cried the Lady Bina. “Do not let me be seen as I am, by a filthy, stinking slave!"
"Are you concerned?” asked Cabot.
"Free me!” she cried.
"Perhaps you feel your dignity is compromised,” said Cabot, “as you are, naked, upside down, a bell on your neck. Certainly few free women are likely to be found so, except doubtless in the houses of slavers, awaiting their branding and collaring."
"Free me!” she screamed.
Lita clambered to the level.
"Send that stinking, ugly slave away!” cried the Lady Bina.
"She is not ugly,” said Cabot. “Stripped, she would stand high on the price list of many slavers."
"As might you,” he added.
"Insolence!” she cried.
"I must free her,” said Lord Grendel.
"If I were you,” said Cabot, “I would keep her naked, on a rope, and keep the bell on her neck."
"No, no,” mumbled Grendel. “That is unthinkable. She is a free woman."
"You risked your life to save her,” said Cabot. “Do you think she is grateful?"
He lifted her down, and bent to free her ankles.
"Do not look at me, beast,” she said.
"Forgive me, Lady,” he said.
"Fetch me my tiara!” she said.
Lord Grendel picked up the small object, and handed it to her. She thrust it down, in place.
"I am a Ubara,” she informed him.
"I did not know that,” said Lord Grendel.
"So proclaimed by Lord Agamemnon himself,” she said.
"I did not know that,” said Lord Grendel.
"You are bleeding,” said Cabot.
"It is nothing,” he said.
"Let Lita tend your wounds."
"The blood of a Kur clots quickly,” said Grendel.
"And of at least one human,” said Cabot.
"Perhaps,” said Grendel.
"Get this terrible bell, and chain, off my neck!” demanded the Lady Bina, sitting on the platform, rubbing her rope-burned ankles.
"I cannot, without a tool,” said Lord Grendel.
"Then fetch a tool,” said the Lady Bina.
"First,” said Cabot, “we must free the living cattle, those on the hooks, and drive those in the shoot, and in the pens, into the open, where they might have a chance to live."
"They are only cattle,” said the Lady Bina.
"I will command the nondominants,” said Lord Grendel. “Only they are left here. They will obey me."
"Why will they do that?” asked Cabot.
"Because,” said he, “I am a dominant."
"I understand,” said Cabot.
"Come back!” said the Lady Bina. But Grendel was gone. She glared at Cabot. “What are you looking at?” she demanded.
"I was wondering what you would bring,” said Cabot, “—on a slave block."
"Insolent beast!” she screamed.
"It is an idle thought,” he said, “but one common amongst males, when they look upon a comely female. It is quite common for them to think of them stripped, in a slave collar, roped tightly, helplessly, on the floor, at the foot of their bed, and such."
"I want Lord Grendel to return,” she said.
She jerked at the bell on her neck, and it made a small sound.
"Slaves are sometimes belled,” said Cabot, “sometimes for custodial purposes, for they may be locked on a slave, sometimes to enhance their attractiveness, sometimes to remind them, with the bells’ frequent jangling, consequent upon their slightest movement, that they are a slave. They can humiliate and shame the slave, particularly a new slave, or stir her belly, exciting her with her vulnerability and the profound meaning of her condition. Too, of course, they can have their effect on the male. In a case such as yours, they might function differently, rather as a penalty brand, to warn others that, say, their wearer is petty and untrustworthy. Indeed, there are many reasons why a slave might be belled."
One might add, as a note, that paga girls, dancers, and such, are often belled. Indeed, one of the pleasures of some paga taverns are the bells of the slaves, jangling, as they hasten about, serving their master's custom. The most common belling site on a slave is her left ankle.
"I am a Ubara,” she said.
"That is absurd,” said Cabot. “Where is your city?"
"I do not need a city,” she said.
"Where is your army?"
"I do not need an army,” she said.
"Few Ubaras are found in the cattle pens,” he said, “though I suppose a few might be."
"I was betrayed by Lord Agamemnon,” she said. “Were he human, and not Kur, he would have obeyed me."
"You saw him?” asked Cabot, sharply.
"One of his bodies,” she said. “A land tharlarion, he attended by Lords Lucullus and Crassus."
"I have seen that body,” said Cabot.
"I have great power over men,” she said.
"That is because you are not in a collar,” he said. “Then they would have great power over you."
"You yourself kissed me,” she said, “in the forest world."
The slave, Lita, gasped. How foolish she was! Did she not know she was no more than a slave, and thus rightless, and meaningless?
"It was a lapse,” said Cabot, “but I admit you would fit nicely in a man's arms."
Lita looked up, her eyes fresh with tears.
"Particularly if you were in a collar,” said Cabot. “But then that is true of any woman."
"I have never forgotten your touch,” she said, softly.
"You squirmed nicely,” said Cabot, “exactly as would a slave."
Lita whimpered, in protest.