“See the approaching lights?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Men approach,” said Julian.
Gerune squirmed a little, helpless in her bonds.
“Those will surely be men from the empire, men from an imperial fleet.”
She looked at him, wildly.
“Do you wish to run away?” he asked.
“I am bound hand and foot!” she said.
“There is no escape for you,” said Julian. “And when you are branded there will be no doubt of it.”
“You are not going to put me under the iron!” she said.
“You are a slave,” said Julian. “Of course you will be branded.”
She shuddered.
The lights were closer now, rather in the vicinity of the shambles of the destroyed ship, coming across the meadow, now about one hundred yards away.
“Listen to me,” said Julian, “and listen carefully.”
She looked up at him, piteous, bound.
“It is my recommendation,” said Julian, “that, if you wish to live, and not be tortured, and then nailed to a gate in some provincial town, that you conceal your antecedents.”
“It is wise counsel, slave girl,” said Otto. “Attend your master.”
“Remember,” said Julian, looking down at his bound slave, “you are no longer a princess. You are no longer the daughter of Abrogastes. You are no longer even a free woman. You are a slave. As a slave you have a name only by my will, that of your master. Too, as a slave, you are no longer of the Alemanni, or the Drisriaks or the Ortungs. You are tribeless. You no longer have a people. You have only masters. You are an animal, as much as a pig or goat. You are owned. You are property. You are a slave, and only a slave.”
Her eyes were wide.
“Do you understand?” asked Julian.
“Yes!” she said.
“Kiss my feet,” snarled Julian.
Swiftly she put down her head to his feet, kissing them.
“Lick them!” said Julian, watching the lights approach.
“Yes, Master, yes, Master!” she sobbed.
“Lift your head!” said Julian. She looked up, tears in her eyes.
“We are now going to untie your ankles,” he said. “You will doubtless be ordered out first. You will go quickly, and be obedient.”
“Yes, Master,” she said.
Julian freed her ankles, and then helped her to her feet. She stood, unsteadily, behind Julian and Otto. The lights, now, stopped.
Julian, his hands raised, emerged from the woods. He was instantly caught in the beams of several of the lights. “Who are you?” called a man.
“Julian, of the Aurelianii,” said Julian, proudly, “ensign in the imperial navy.”
“Of the Aurelianii!” said a man.
“Can it be truly he?” asked another.
“Hold!” said a voice behind the lights. “We do not know it is he.” A light flashed past Julian, toward Otto and Gerune. They half closed their eyes against the blaze. “Who is with you?”
“Two,” said Julian, “Otto, a barbarian auxiliary, and a female slave.”
“Send the slave forth,” said the voice.
“You will show them what you are, a slave,” said Julian.
Gerune moaned.
“You will hurry forth,” said Julian, “and kneel, head to the turf.”
“Send forth the slave,” said the voice.
“Go,” said Julian.
Gerune, her hands bound behind her, hurried forward, and, when she reached the men, knelt, her body bent forward, her head town, to the turf.
Flashlights played upon her body.
“A pretty one,” said a man.
The voice of command, from behind the lights, said, “Check her bonds.”
Her hands were pulled up a little, behind her, and inspected.
“She is well tied,” said a man.
“Put her on a leash,” said the voice of command.
A leash was snapped about her throat.
She trembled, her head still down. It was the first time, doubtless, she had worn a slave leash. To be sure, on the Alaria, some time ago, she had been marched through corridors on a rope, and that is much the same thing.
“Come closer, sir,” said the voice behind the lights to Julian.
Julian advanced.
“Hold!” said the voice behind the lights.
Julian stopped.
“Is it you, can it be you?” asked the voice from behind the lights.
“Yes,” said Julian, “it is I.”
“It is he, he!” said a man.
“Yes!” said another.
“Sir!” suddenly cried the voice from behind the lights. He stepped forward.
Julian saluted him, for his rank was higher than his own.
The man returned the salute, sharply. “Forgive us, Excellency!” he said. “We could not be sure.”
“I am afraid I am not in uniform, and that I smell of pigs,” said Julian.
“Bring the hoverer,” said the officer, speaking into his radio. “And inform the fleet that we have found his excellency.”
The hoverer came slowly over the grass, and alit, some yards from the party.
“With your permission we will stow this for you, and secure it properly,” said the officer, indicating Gerune.
“Certainly,” said Julian.
“Stand up,” said one of the men to Gerune.
She stood up, on her leash.
“Aii,” said the officer, examining her with the flashlight.
“She is lovely,” said one of the men.
“Stand straighter,” said Julian to Gerune.
She stood more beautifully, lifting her chin.
“Oh, yes!” said a man.
Gerune cast a frightened glance at Julian.
“She is a beauty,” said the officer. “Where did you pick her up?”
“Here,” said Julian.
“She looks Drisriak,” said the officer.
“Perhaps,” said Julian. “But when I picked her up she was only a slave.”
“Who are you, girl?” asked the officer.
“I am only a slave, Master,” she said.
“And a low slave, it seems,” said the officer.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“Perhaps a scullery slave,” said the officer.
“Oh?” said Julian.
“That can be told from the hair,” said the officer to Julian. “See how it is cropped short?”
“Yes,” said Julian.
“I envy these barbarians their women,” said the officer, “that they can use beauties like this even for mere scullery slaves.”
“They have an eye for women,” said Julian.
“And they get the most out of them,” said the officer.
“True,” said Julian.
“Some of their slaves are former ladies of the empire,” said the officer.
“Commonly,” said Julian.
“Doubtless they serve well,” said the officer.
“Yes,” said Julian.
“I have known ladies of the empire,” said the officer, “whom I would not have minded owning as slaves.”
“Perhaps you could buy them back, and keep them as slaves,” said Julian.
“An interesting thought,” said the officer.
“And how then would they serve you?” asked Julian.
“With perfection,” said the officer.
“Excellent,” said Julian.
The officer played his flashlight, again, upon Gerune. He illuminated her left flank.
She straightened, frightened.
“She is not yet branded,” said the officer.
“That will be attended to, shortly,” said Julian.
Gerune shuddered.
“See that this cargo is stowed, and well secured,” said the officer to a man.
“Yes, sir,” he said.
Gerune was led away on her leash.
“This is my friend, Otto, an auxiliary,” said Julian, indicating Otto.
“Such troops have their uses, I am sure,” said the officer, bowing.
“May I invite you aboard?” asked the officer.