“But now,” said Otto to the exquisite, red-haired slave, “you have priority. You are as first girl. That is why you are standing.”
“Master?” asked Nika, frightened.
Otto then turned to Filene. “It seems,” he said, “you abused your freedom.”
“No, Master!” protested Filene, frightened.
“Perhaps you did not realize that the collar would one day be on your own neck.”
Filene regarded him, wildly.
“On your belly!” snapped Otto. “Crawl to this slave who is as Mistress to you, and cover her boots with kisses. Now! Again and again, more, more, as the worthless slave you are! Now, tongue work. More! Lick, and whimper! Kiss those boots, head down, again and again! Cover them with your tears of fear and contrition!”
“Forgive me, pretty, lovely Nika,” wept Filene.
“Oh!” cried Filene, kicked by the barbarian.
“Do you dare soil the name of one who is to you as first girl, letting it escape the portal of your slave lips?” he inquired.
“Forgive me, Mistress!” begged Filene. “I was intemperate and cruel! I muchly wronged you! Be kind! Forgive me! I am afraid! Do not hurt me, Mistress!”
“Shall I call for a switch?” asked Otto.
“No, Master,” said Nika.
“The whip is at hand,” he said. “You could use it, with two hands on the staff.”
“No, please, Master,” said Nika.
“Forgive me, Mistress!” begged Filene.
“I forgive you,” said Nika, “poor, neck-ringed slave.”
Weeping, Filene pressed the side of her face on the fur of Nika’s boots.
“You must be hungry,” said Otto to Julian and Tuvo Ausonius. “Return down the corridor. Make your wants known. If it is in the camp, it will be prepared for you. Take your lovely red-haired slave with you. She will kneel beside you, and see if you choose to feed her.”
“First,” said Julian, bending down and seizing Filene by the hair, and yanking her up, she crying out with misery, to her knees, “we will take this slave into the yard and throw her upon the wire. I know such things, the wires will slice through her, burning, leaving little but shreds of tissue on the snow. Such wire would resist the charge of a torodont.”
“Seek the kitchen,” said Otto. “Feed.”
“The slave!” said Julian, angrily.
“She is my prisoner,” said Otto. “I have a suitable disposition in mind for her.”
“As you will, my friend,” said Julian. Tuvo Ausonius, heeled by Nika, had withdrawn. Julian paused in the threshold. “The comitatus?” he asked.
“It will be formed,” said Otto.
“The matter is arranged?”
“Yes.”
“You can speak for the Otungs,” said Julian.
“The voice of the king is the voice of the Otungen,” said Otto.
“You have bargained with the king?” said Julian.
“I am the king,” said Otto.
“How is this possible?” asked Julian.
“It has come about,” said Otto, “in the ways of the Otungen.”
“In dark ways, I suspect,” said Julian.
“Civilized folk need not inquire too closely into such things,” said Otto.
“The Otungs is the largest and most formidable tribe of the Vandal nation, the Vandalii,” said Julian.
“I have heard so,” said Otto.
“Will not the tribes of the Vandalii follow the lead of the Otungs?” asked Julian.
“I do not know,” said Otto.
“Have you heard,” asked Julian, “of the medallion and chain of the Vandal council?”
“No,” said Otto.
“I had thought you would await me in Venitzia,” said Julian.
“I did not think it advisable,” said Otto.
“After my arrival on Tangara,” said Julian, “I did not proceed immediately to Venitzia. I went, instead, to the festung of Sim Giadini, situated in the heights of Barrionuevo.”
“I was raised in the festung village, at the foot of the pass,” said Otto.
“I know,” said Julian.
“And what did you seek there?” asked Otto.
“The origins of a friend,” said Julian.
“Then you heard of a human child, a newly born infant, rescued from the plains of Barrionuevo, after a battle, delivered by a Herul rider to the festung, many years ago,” said Otto.
“Yes,” said Julian, “an infant, suckled by a dog, an infant who would be called ‘Dog’, who would grow to manhood in that place.”
“It was I,” said Otto.
“I met there,” said Julian, “Brother Benjamin, a salamanderine.”
“I remember him with fondness,” said Otto. “He was kind to me, much as might have been a loving father. I am told it was into his arms that I was given by the Herul rider.”
“Found near the infant,” said Julian, “was a medallion and chain.”
“I know nothing of that,” said Otto.
“Both were given to the salamanderine,” said Julian.
“Did you see this medallion and chain?”
“Yes,” said Julian.
“What do you think it is?” asked Otto.
“The infant may have been of royal blood,” said Julian.
“Unlikely,” said Otto. “Tell me of this medallion and chain.”
“It is of rich stuff, of gold,” said Julian. “It is large, heavy, and loose, and closed, with five great links, each link fastened to others, with no opening, no catch, or lock. It bears an emblem.”
“What do you think it is?” asked Otto.
“I do not know,” said Julian. “I think it may be the symbol of the union of the Vandal tribes.”
These tribes, it may be recalled, are five in number, the Otungs, the Darisi, the Haakons, the Basungs, and the Wolfungs.
“Brother Benjamin would not give it to you?”
“No,” said Julian. “He may hold it for you. He may destroy it.”
“Why would he do that?” asked Otto.
“The brothers are gentle creatures, creatures of peace,” said Julian. “The Vandals, like the Aatii, or the Alemanni, as we know them, are feared. Security in the empire largely hinges on the jealousies and divisions of its enemies. Who knows what might ensue if, say, the medallion and chain were found, if the tribes of the Vandals were to become once more, after a thousand years, a single nation?”
“Then let the chain and medallion rest easy, forgotten, undisturbed, in the festung,” said Otto.
“The festung itself may be destroyed,” said Julian.
“It has stood for centuries,” said Otto.
“Sects grow numerous and powerful,” said Julian.
“I know little of such things,” said Otto.
“The festung may be threatened,” said Julian.
“The festung is a holy place, a retreat,” said Otto. “The brothers are holy creatures.”
“Few holy creatures are regarded as holy creatures by other creatures who think themselves holy,” said Julian.
“I do not understand,” said Otto.
“The brothers of the festung are Emanationists,” said Julian. “By many, Emanationism is regarded as a heresy.”
“What is a heresy?” asked Otto.
“A view with which one disagrees,” said Julian.
“I do not understand,” said Otto.
“The empire is tolerant,” said Julian. “Fanatics are not tolerant.”
“What is involved here?” asked Otto.
“Power has many faces,” said Julian. “Too, it may wear many masks.”