“Master?”
“Do you think I would entrust such a business to a slave?”
She looked at him, trembling.
“Do you think I would give you an opportunity to slip away from me?” he asked.
“I do not know, Master,” she whispered.
“No,” he said.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
The look in his eyes frightened her.
The consciousness of her slavery burned in her belly.
“Do you not think there are numerous free women, who, for a price, would further such ends, who, for a chest of coins, a bracelet of diamonds, may be bought as easily as a slave girl, to which status they may then, in our own good time, be reduced?’’
She dared not speak.
“Were you not once one such?” he asked.
“Yes, Master,” she said. “Forgive me, Master.”
Moodily he ate more of the meat.
“I have not been fed this day, Master,” she said. “Perhaps it was overlooked by the keepers.”
“No,” he said. “It was by my orders.”
“Let Master not be angry with his slave,” she said.
“You are not worthy of being angry with,” he said.
“No, Master,” she said.
“Do you know why you have been permitted to be present at this feast?” he asked.
“No, Master,” she said, frightened.
“There is a purpose,” he said.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“Do you know why you have not been fed today?” he asked.
“No, Master,” she said.
“There seemed no reason to waste food on you today,” he said.
“Master?” she said.
“The lions will not hunt in the forests of the Timbri,” he said, moodily.
She was silent.
“Elsewhere,” said he, “there lie richer worlds for reaving.”
“Where?” she asked.
“Does a pig inquire into the plans of her master?” he asked.
“No, Master!” she said.
“Let Master not hate his slave,” she said.
“Master,” she said.
“Yes?” said he.
“Why was there no reason to waste food on me today?”
“Because it is not likely that you will live out the day,” he said.
“Master!” she said.
“I should have put you to the sword on Tenguthaxichai,” he said, angrily.
“No, Master!” she cried.
“Why did I not do so?” he asked.
“I do not know, Master,” she said.
“You stripped yourself well,” he said. “I was weak.”
“I do not think so, Master,” she said.
“And what do you think was the reason?” he inquired.
“Doubtless it amused Master to punish me, by enslaving me.’’
“True,” he said.
“Too, I think Master was curious to see how I might prove to be, as an abject slave.”
“Perhaps,” he said.
“That is not weakness,” she said. “No more than the lion is weak, when it stalks the gazelle.”
“And how do you think you would prove to be, as an abject slave?” he asked.
“Master has denied me the opportunity to show him,” she said.
“Yes,” he mused.
“Let Master try me, and learn,” she said.
He regarded her, not speaking.
“I beg to be given the opportunity to show Master,” she said.
“You beg to please as a slave?” he asked.
“Yes, Master!” she said.
“Interesting,” he said.
“It is a slave’s hope,” she said, “that her master might find her of some interest.’’
His dark, keen eyes viewed her.
She drew back.
She began to realize what it might be, to be desired as a slave is desired.
Then he looked away from her, angrily.
“You are not important,” he said. “To be sure, you have a small role to play here tonight. But you are not important. Mighty things are here afoot tonight.
“Down,” he said, and she lay down, beside the bench.
He then, not looking at her, finished the meat.
He looked out, over the feast.
The former ladies of the empire served well.
“Is it not nearly time, milord?” asked the clerk.
“Yes,” said Abrogastes.
“Shall the spear be brought?” asked a man.
“Yes,” said Abrogastes.
CHAPTER 6
“Your rations, milady,” said the young, blond-haired junior officer, Corelius, sliding a shallow pan of moist gruel beneath the gate of the tiny cage, the bottom of which was some three inches above the steel floor of the cage.
Inside, crouching within the cage, covering herself as best she could, the woman looked out through the closely set bars.
“Is it you?” she pleaded. “It must be you!”
Surely he was the only one of the crew who treated her with deference! It must be he!
“What?” he asked.
“Is it you?” she whispered.
He smiled. Did the smile mean it was he, or that he thought her strange, or insane, or what?
She cried out, inwardly, in anger, in misery.
“Commonly,” said he, “one thanks the keeper for food. That is courteous. Too, it need not be given to you, you know.”
“But you do not demand such things of me!” she said.
“Nor of the others,” he said.
She cried out, inwardly, confused.
She looked down at the pan of gruel.
“Bring me something else,” she said. “You cannot expect me to eat this moist slush!”
“What would you like?” he asked.
It must be he, then!
“Tidbits of roast hen, tahareen will do, in siba sauce, hot rissit, fresh poma, frosted yar cakes, a custard of Vellmer, and wine, some wine, kana, yes kana, white kana!”
“I scarcely think so,” he smiled.
“You could smuggle it here,” she whispered.
“Surely the risk would be too great,” he whispered, conspiratorially.
She shrank back in the cage.
Perhaps it was not he.
But perhaps the risks would be too great.
But she resolved, when this business was done, as it must be soon, for she was frightened in the cage, to make him pay for not having complied with her requests, in this, her time of humiliation and hardship! How cruel he was, how lacking in understanding! How pleased she would be, reporting him to Iaachus.
“Don’t go!” she begged.
He turned. “Yes, milady?” he said.
“Is it you?” she begged.
“Is it I, what?” he asked.
“Nothing!” she said. “No! Do not go!”
Again he paused.
“You are polite,” she said.
“It is my wont,” he said.
“You call me ‘milady,’ “she whispered.
“It is my wont,” he said.
“That is fitting, you know,” she whispered.
“Doubtless,” he agreed.
“I am caged alone,” she said, “in this hold. There are no others here! Might that not arouse suspicion?”
He looked at her, amused.
She decided she hated him. He was clothed, and free. “Why is it?” she asked.
“Surely the marks on your body should make that clear,” he said.
She flushed scarlet. The other officer, the severe, impatient one, had lashed her twice, with his switch, she, when she had been on all fours, in the common room.
“You are being isolated, as a punishment,” he said. “Too, it was felt that your example, your haughtiness, for example, might spread to the other girls, and imperil them later with masters. Too, if you must know, the other girls do not like you.’’
“Do not like me!” she laughed. “That is amusing!”
He shrugged.
“Bring me something good to eat!” she said.