Cestiphon hooked the switch on his belt, where he was accustomed to keep it. He glowered at the neck-roped women of the killer humans. They cringed under his gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. The switch had done its work well, its supple, stinging slash, far better than its humble predecessor, the stick, which, less yielding, was more likely to damage a woman than punish and instruct her. The stick was a makeshift device, crude and barbarous; the switch was an artifact, a boon of civilization, a tested, refined, efficient implement, one explicitly and intelligently designed for the management and improvement of slaves. Cestiphon then picked up the sheet and threw it about the Lady Bina, who gratefully, with her small, closely braceleted hands, clutched it about her.
"Begone, beast, monster,” said Cestiphon, angrily, and the Lady Bina, sobbing, clutching the sheet about her, fighting her shackles, moved away, as swiftly as she could.
Men withdrew from her course.
Female slaves slipped back, and knelt, their heads to the dirt, that she might pass, unimpeded.
The Lady Bina was, you see, despite what might be her misfortunes or fate, a free woman, and thus a thousand times, and more, above them.
The Lady Bina went to where Lord Grendel was in conference with Peisistratus, Statius, and Cabot, and, with a small sound of chain, lay down at his feet.
"Kneel up, knees together, in suitable fashion,” said Lord Grendel to her, kindly. “You are a free woman. You are not a slave, to lie curled at a man's feet, as a pet sleen."
"It is appropriate,” said Cabot, “for a slave to lie at her master's feet. They look nicely there, and it is where they belong. Too, most female slaves are worth less than a sleen, certainly less than a good sleen."
"But she is a free woman, dear Cabot,” admonished Lord Grendel.
"Ah, yes,” said Cabot, resignedly.
"She belongs in a collar,” said Statius.
"No one would want her now,” said Peisistratus.
The Lady Bina sobbed, softly, and knelt as she had been encouraged to kneel, as a Gorean free woman, demurely, erect, gracefully, her knees together. To be sure, even a tower slave will kneel with her knees together. The pleasure slave, of course, must kneel with her knees spread, as she is a pleasure slave.
"Lady,” suggested Peisistratus, “draw the sheet about you."
"You are free,” said Lord Grendel. “Do as you wish."
The Lady Bina carefully, closely, drew the sheet about her, and knelt beside them, her head down.
From time to time, from within the carefully arranged sheet, was heard a small noise, a soft noise, a sob.
The men then returned to their concerns.
"It has been too quiet,” said Lord Grendel.
"Many of our men grow impatient,” said Statius. “Many urge a rush upon the enemy ramparts."
"Perhaps we should have simply taken Flavion's advice,” said Lord Grendel, “and marched into a carefully laid trap."
"I would suppose,” said Cabot, “that there is a similar unrest amongst the forces of Lord Agamemnon. They, too, are Kurii."
"Let us hope,” said Statius, “that they will make the first such move."
"Agamemnon must manage his forces as well as we ours,” said Lord Grendel, “and he will be subject to similar influences and pressures."
"But he will not be mad enough to order a frontal assault,” said Cabot.
"No,” said Lord Grendel, “but he will do something, I am sure."
"He is subtle,” said Cabot.
"He has thoughts behind thoughts,” said Statius.
"And doubtless, too,” said Cabot, “he now has at his ready disposal the advice of a most astute counselor."
"One familiar with our lines, our leadership, our thinking,” said Peisistratus.
"Do not concern yourself with Flavion's knowledge,” said Lord Grendel. “As the positions are stable, it will do him little good, no matter how extensive it is. Fear rather his cleverness."
"I do not understand,” said Statius.
"There will be a new initiative,” said Lord Grendel. “It is only that we do not know what it will be."
"It will be conceived by Flavion?” asked Cabot.
"No,” said Lord Grendel. “It will be beyond Flavion. It will be of Agamemnon himself."
Shortly after this conversation, indeed, the next day, the nature of Agamemnon's initiative became clear.
To the insurrection's humans its potency was not evident.
Its potency, however, was quite clear to Kurii.
It depended, you see, on the ways of Kur.
Chapter, the Sixty-Fifth:
THE DELEGATION RETURNS
"You have heard the proclamation,” said Lord Grendel.
"Who could not?” said Cabot, angrily. “The world rings with it."
The proclamation had been repeated several times, in both Kur and Gorean.
"Surely,” said Statius, “he does not have Lord Arcesilaus."
"He may,” said Cabot. “Lord Grendel and I found the cave by Lake Fear empty."
"Lord Arcesilaus would surely not have us comply with the proclamation,” said Archon.
"No, he would not,” said Lord Grendel, “but he cannot change the ways of Kur."
"It is not clear he is in the power of Agamemnon,” said a Kur.
"That would have to be determined,” said another Kur.
"What would it matter?” asked Archon.
"You are human,” said a Kur. “You do not understand."
"Perhaps one might die for a cause,” said Cabot, “but surely not for a leader."
"Surely humans have died for leaders, as well as causes,” said Lord Grendel.
"Not in this way,” said Cabot.
"No,” said Lord Grendel, “I suppose not in this way."
"Have humans not chosen to die for friends, for brothers, even for slaves?” asked a Kur.
"Not in this fashion, surely, or seldom so,” said Cabot.
"The proclamation is clear,” said a Kur. “It is our lives or that of Lord Arcesilaus. He will be put to death if we do not slay ourselves. Our only way to save him is to slay ourselves."
"Surely he would not wish that,” said Cabot.
"His wishes in this matter are not decisive,” said Lord Grendel.
"This is utter madness,” said Cabot. “Our Kurii cannot be serious."
"They are quite serious,” said Lord Grendel.
"Do not fear,” said a Kur. “Humans are not involved in this."
"They would be hunted down, and killed later,” said another Kur.
"Our Kurii will die, that Arcesilaus may live?” said Cabot. “The war teeters on some bizarre irrationality?"
"It is not bizarre to us,” said a Kur.
"It is the way,” said another.
"To die for a leader is to betray the cause,” said Cabot.
"The cause is the leader,” said a Kur. “The leader is the cause."
"That is madness,” said Cabot.
"You are not Kur,” said a Kur.
"It is alien to you,” said Lord Grendel, “but it is not alien to us."
"We are not as you, nor are you as we,” said a Kur.
"Surely we have rationality in common,” said Cabot.
"We are rational,” said a Kur. “It is you who are not rational. It is rational to die for the leader, to whom one is pledged. What could be more rational? It would be irrational, an act of insanity, not to do so."
"Life is first,” said Cabot.