“Punish me,” she said.
“Why did you come to the room?” he asked.
She turned her head to the side.
“You hate me,” he said.
She looked up at him. “I can no longer play such games, Master,” she said. “My feelings were troubled, and complex. I did not hate you, but what you were. From the first moment I saw you I wanted to be yours.”
“As you are now?”
“Yes,” she said, “as I am now!”
“But I am a same,” he said.
“I, too, was a same,” she said.
“True,” he said.
“Can we not both know then what we have missed, what we were denied, what we have been deprived of?”
“Perhaps,” he said.
He crouched down, beside her.
“Some sames keep servants,” he said.
“They need never know that I am your slave, Master,” she whispered.
“You would wear same garb,” he said.
“Outside,” she said.
“Yes, outside,” he said.
“And inside?”
“We shall consider that,” he said.
“And even if I am permitted clothing,” she said.
“Yes,” he said.
“Touch me,” she begged. “The slave begs to be touched.”
“Ah!” she said.
“I have never been a man,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“Perhaps Master would like it,” she said.
“Perhaps,” he said.
“Ohh!” she said.
“Yes, it might be interesting,” he said.
“Oh, Master!” she whispered.
“I should not be touching you like this, for I am a same,” he said.
“We are no longer sames,” she said.
“What are we then?” he asked.
“You own me,” she said, tensely. “Be kind!”
“What are we?” he asked.
“A man and a woman, a master and his slave!”
“I suppose I might find some application for you,” he said, “in housework, or such.”
She arched her back.
“Can you cook, clean, sew?” he asked.
“No, no, no!” she wept. “No, please don’t stop!”
“Do you like being a woman?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, yes!” she wept.
“And a slave?”
“Yes!” she cried. “A thousand times ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ “
“See how you arch your back,” he said.
“Do not criticize me, Master!” she begged.
“See how you squirm,” he said.
“I cannot help myself, Master!” she said.
“You may writhe,” he said.
“Thank you, Master!” she cried.
“The chains hold you well,” he said.
“Yes, Master!” she wept.
“I have never seen a woman like this before,” he said.
“Oh,” she said. “Oh!”
“You are very beautiful, Sesella,” he said.
“I am yours!” she wept.
“Kneel at the ring, with your head down,” he said.
“I obey,” she said.
“Onto your stomach,” he said.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“I must rethink matters,” he said.
“Master?” she asked.
He was sitting on the floor, on the blanket, near her. She was still chained to the ring.
“There are dangers in this world,” he said.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“Is there such a thing as honor?” he asked.
“I do not know, Master,” she said. “I am only a slave.”
“I thought there was no such thing,” he said. “But now I am not sure.”
CHAPTER 25
“Why is she bound in this fashion?” asked Julian.
“He bound me so!” she said.
“She broke a plate,” said the house master.
“You were clumsy, Gerune,” said Julian.
“The plate was slippery,” she pouted.
“What punishment did you intend?” inquired Julian of the house master.
“I thought five lashes would be sufficient,” he said.
“Master will never permit you to strike me!” she said.
“Why is that?” asked Julian.
“Surely Master remembers last night,” she said.
“Yes,” said Julian. “You are juicing well, learning quickly, and becoming an excellent slave.”
“Then certainly Master will have me released,” she said.
“Certainly,” he said.
“Thank you, Master!” she said, casting a glance over her shoulder at the house master.
“After you have received ten lashes,” said Julian.
“Master!” she cried.
But Julian had left the area.
CHAPTER 26
“It has been long,” said Julian.
“I should return to Varna,” said Otto. “There is no commission, no captaincy.”
“They must transmit it, they have no choice,” said Julian. “They dare not refuse to grant it.”
“It is time for the harvesting in the fields of the Wolfungs,” said Otto.
“They can manage without you,” said Julian.
“There are lions in the forests, against which I should like to test my mettle,” he said.
“There are fiercer lions within the empire,” said Julian.
“I have not seen them,” said Otto.
“They are not easily detected,” said Julian.
“I am thinking of Varna,” said Otto.
“You are hungry for slave meat,” said Julian.
Otto was silent.
“How is Renata?” asked Julian.
“She is coming along excellently,” said Otto. “Already, at a touch, she is hot and helpless. I am thinking that she would make a lovely gift for someone.”
“It seems,” said Julian, “that it is a particular piece of slave meat for which you hunger, perhaps one that you have never forgotten.”
Otto did not respond. He looked out of the vehicle, at the rugged terrain.
“Perhaps one that you have never even tasted,” suggested Julian, smiling to himself.
“She is a lying, treacherous, meaningless slut,” snarled Otto.
“But surely one who is attractive,” said Julian.
“Yes,” growled Otto. “She is not without her insidious charms.”
“I think she has learned the collar,” said Julian. “And that she is fearful.”
“She should be fearful,” said Otto. “She is a slave.”
“I think it is her desire, even desperately so,” said Julian, “to be found pleasing by her master.”
“She, the treacherous, meretricious chit?” said Otto.
“Yes,” said Julian. “And I think, too, it is her desire to please you.”
“Slaves are often in heat,” said Otto.
“If she truly betrayed you,” said Julian, “I would think you might enjoy making use of her.”
“She is far away, on Varna,” said Otto.
“Stop the vehicle,” said Julian to the driver.
The driver stopped the segmented, treaded vehicle.
They were at the height of the winding path that led to Julian’s holding.
Julian stood up and looked back, over the path, and down to the road far below, lying in the valley.
“The way is clear behind us,” said Julian.
“And I see no cars in the sky,” said Otto, shading his eyes.
“What is the delay?” said Julian, angrily.
“Perhaps they have arrangements to make,” said Otto.
“Yes,” said Julian, “perhaps they have not yet completed their arrangements.”
It was not easy to detect the presence of the holding as it was set in among the granite mountains. Indeed, portions of it were carved from the living rock itself.
“I thank you for the outing,” said Otto.
“You should learn how to operate a vehicle of this sort,” said Julian.
“I would be pleased to do so,” said Otto.