"That is true, and even more,” said Grendel.
"You have returned with few,” said Peisistratus.
"And left with few,” said Grendel.
"The others?"
"Returned to our several camps,” said Grendel.
"I do not understand,” said Peisistratus.
"The victory was ours,” said Grendel. “Slaughter befell, but it was upon the minions of Agamemnon."
"I cannot believe it!” said Peisistratus.
"We are hungry,” said Grendel.
"Slaves,” cried Peisistratus. “Prepare a feast!"
The slaves sprang to their feet, scurrying away.
"But it was reported that you perished in the Vale of Destruction,” said Peisistratus.
"And who conveyed this report?” asked Cabot.
"The sole survivor,” said Peisistratus.
"Flavion,” said Cabot.
"Yes,” said Peisistratus.
"Flavion was mistaken,” said Grendel. “As you can see he was not the sole survivor."
"Happily!” said Peisistratus.
"Thanks be to the Nameless One!” cried a voice. “Glory to our cause!"
In the threshold of the camp, startled, and seemingly jubilant, stood Flavion, who then rushed forward to embrace Lord Grendel, Cabot, Statius, Archon, and others, and then he bounded about, leaping into the air, uttering screeches of pleasure, and then, alighting, again and again, he reached down and cast flags of dirt into the air, and then, struggling to govern his emotions, he returned, fawning and cringing, to the presence of the Lord Grendel.
"Joy! Joy!” he cried. “Did I not see you die?"
"It seems not,” said Cabot.
"I waited with you in the Vale of Destruction,” said Flavion, “but grew suspicious, and withdrew to confirm my suspicions. Unnoted, I ascended the rim of the vale, where, to my horror, I saw minions of Agamemnon, countless minions, converging on our position! I was cut off! I could not return to warn you! Discovered, I fought and slew six enemies, but, turning, saw what could only be the initiation of a most complete and grievous slaughter. I saw them descend, our terrible foes, in their thousands, into the vale, heavily armed. Only one outcome could proceed, given a position so untenable, and odds so fearful. So, stricken in heart, anguished, I must return to the camp, that our fellows be apprised at least of the danger in which they must then stand."
"Noble Flavion,” said Grendel, “how brave you are, how well you did."
"I should have fought my way back, to die with you,” said Flavion.
"No,” said Grendel. “Of what avail could you have been? Obviously your duty was to attain and warn the camp."
"Better I had died with the others,” said Flavion.
"Few died,” said Cabot. “Of our forces."
"Many of those of Agamemnon,” said Archon.
"The victory was ours,” said Statius.
"Ours?” said Flavion. It seemed a shudder spread through his fur. “Splendid!” he said, suddenly.
"Mariners intervened, survivors from the fleet's ruin,” said Cabot.
"Afterward,” said Statius, “they withdrew to their place of ignominious gathering, the place of ropes or knives, and we could not follow up our victory."
"How unfortunate,” said Flavion. “How tragic!"
"We are pleased to see you again,” said Grendel.
"Very pleased,” said Cabot.
"But it is clear we were betrayed!” said Flavion.
"Very clear,” said Lord Grendel.
"We were unable to march on the palace,” said Flavion. “We were surprised in the Vale of Destruction! Agamemnon must have had intelligence of our plans."
"Clearly,” said Lord Grendel.
"And the spy, the traitress, is in this very camp!"
"How can that be?” inquired Lord Grendel.
"Come, I will show you!” said Flavion, and led Grendel, and others, about the camp, to a small, low, open shelter, backed against palings. In the center of this tiny shelter two heavy stakes, some four inches in width, had been driven deeply into the ground, and attached to these stakes were heavy chains, one to each stake. The termination of each chain ran to a ring, one on the left side of a heavy iron belt, the other on the right side. This belt, itself, was hammered shut.
"Come out, traitress!” ordered Flavion.
There was the sound of a bell, dangling from a fair throat, locked on a chain about it.
"You see,” said Flavion. “She answers to the name of traitress."
"Come out, traitress,” he said. “Come out, and kneel, head to the dirt, before your superiors and judges."
The Lady Bina crawled slowly, painfully, from the tiny shelter, against the weight of the chains, lifted her head briefly, saw Lord Grendel, cast a look of terror at him, and then knelt shuddering before the group, her head down, to the dirt, as commanded.
Shortly after her capture and return to the camp, Lord Grendel, with a tool, had widened one of the links on her slave bracelets, so that she might separate her hands, but the rings of the bracelets, each with a bit of dangling chain, were still locked upon her wrists. In this fashion, if it were desired, the opened link might be once more closed, and her small wrists might then be confined as wished, either before her body, or behind it. Gorean masters commonly fasten a girl's wrists behind the body not merely that she will be more helpless, but that her beauty will be more conveniently exhibited, and be the more vulnerable to, and the more accessible to, say, the idlest caress of the master.
"It was you, yourself, who captured her!” said Flavion to Lord Grendel.
"Those chains,” said Cabot, “would hold a tharlarion."
"I did not have her so burdened,” said Lord Grendel.
"It was done to assure that she not again escape,” said Flavion.
"Remove them,” said Lord Grendel.
"As you wish,” said Flavion.
"I had her cleaned up,” said Lord Grendel. “Why is she filthy?"
"To clean her, a traitress, would be a waste of water."
"Wash her, brush and comb her,” said Lord Grendel.
"It will be done,” said Flavion.
"She is a free woman,” said Lord Grendel. “Why is she naked?"
"That she may not conceal weapons,” said Flavion.
"Give her a tunic, as before,” said Lord Grendel. “You need not fear, my dear Flavion, that such a tunic will conceal a weapon, lest it be, and surely to no more than a tiny, almost mocking extent, the beauty of the female herself."
"It will be done,” said Flavion.
"She is to have the freedom of the camp,” said Lord Grendel.
"Surely not!” said Flavion. “She betrayed Peisistratus and Lord Arcesilaus, and doubtless others, to Agamemnon, long ago. Then, escaped from the camp, she betrayed the attack on the arsenal, that encompassing the slaughter of so many of our brothers, and then, clearly, returning, spying, she must have somehow become apprised of our plans involving the palace, and the Vale of Destruction, and betrayed those to Agamemnon, as well."
"I see,” said Lord Grendel.
The girl whimpered, negatively, but dared not speak.
"She was brought to the camp, a prisoner,” said Lord Grendel, “before our march to the Vale of Destruction."
"But not before the plans were laid,” said Flavion.
"That is true,” said Lord Grendel.
"We captured her, pinioned, ragged, dirty, and starving, in the vicinity of a womb tunnel,” said Cabot.
"Doubtless she had, in her espionage, perhaps returning from the palace, to do more mischief, inadvertently fallen into the grasp of our peers, whom she later eluded, but found herself unable then either to return to the palace or, braceleted, to secretly frequent again the environs of our camp."
Cabot may have been about to speak, but Lord Grendel put a hand upon him, and then, it seemed, he refrained.
"Excellent, Flavion,” said Lord Grendel. “What you say makes a great deal of sense, and explains much in a satisfactory manner."