“I considered it best to grow thoughtful at these revelations, then at last shrugged them off as of no consequence. I informed her that the younger prince of Gerleth was widely known as one who should have been born wenda, and once his bands had been closed for a short while on his new memabra, I would challenge him for her. Leelan was aghast at my words for, as she quickly informed me, the younger prince of Gerleth was indeed widely known, yet as a greatly able l’lenda. If I were to challenge him, I would more than likely fall.”
Dallan was chuckling by then, his eyes twinkling as he shared his amusement, and I grinned and nodded for him to go on.
“I immediately assured the woman that I most certainly would not fall in any meeting with the prince, then became determined to show her how deep my feelings truly ran. Rather than be the one to challenge, it would be I who would need to be challenged, for it would be I whose bands were upon the woman in question. Leelan grew horrified when I produced those bands, then attempted to keep me from my intention as she had once said she would. She is a woman of great skill and adequate strength, yet is she still w’wenda rather than l’lenda. When my bands were upon her despite her objections, when she fully knew the man who had claimed her, I then told her what name he was known by elsewhere.”
“At which point she either laughed in relief and delight, or sought your life and privates,” I said, still as amused as he was. “Shall I attempt to guess which?”
“As you are acquainted with Leelan, there should be little mystery to the matter,” he answered, more than delighted himself. “It was necessary that I point out to her how undesirable it was for a woman to contemplate such doings with her memabrak. She in turn pointed out that she had attempted rather than contemplated them, therefore the matter should surely be acceptable. I find it quite fortunate that one seldom laughs alone, else would she have gotten a good deal of her own back.”
“You will likely need to guard yourself for some time yet,” I observed, amused at the thought. “And in what manner did a w’wenda look upon having the bands of a l’lenda closed on her?”
“She was far from pleased.” Dallan sighed, immediately both annoyed and disturbed. “A single band about the wrist is customary in Vediaster, I was told, with a matching band upon the man. I cannot see my woman as anything less than five-banded, and certainly cannot accept a band of my own, but I feel the matter is not yet settled between us.”
“Undoubtedly it one day shall be,” I said, giving him what comfort I could. “To the satisfaction of you both.” I stopped again, short of the next cross-corridor, and smiled up at him. “You have my thanks for having shared the time with me, brother. I shall wish you nothing more than all the happiness the world contains.”
“A happiness which I wish might be shared with you, sister,” he said, his eyes showing hurt again. “We must make the opportunity to speak together, for there are surely many men who would wish to band a Chama, and just as surely one at least who would be acceptable.”
“I will be certain to seek a time,” I assured him, not bothering to mention that seeking was a good distance from finding—or reminding him of what he’d taught me about how it would be for me with a man other than Tammad.
“And now you wish to return to solitude,” he said, probably seeing the need in my eyes. “Perhaps you would care to take the meal later with Leelan and myself.”
“It would give me a good deal of pleasure to do so,” I said, really meaning it. “Later I must see Aesnil to aid in the removal of the confusion given her by Farian, and perhaps she, too, will wish to join us.”
Dallan thought the suggestion a good one and then we parted company, he to go back the way we’d come, I to continue on up the corridor. By the third step I was deep inside myself again, this time trying to calm my impatience to get out of there. I had the feeling Relgon and Deegor were going out of their way to show me what it was like to be with others of my own kind, hoping that I might then be persuaded to stay. Under other circumstances I probably would have been tempted, but not under those circumstances, and certainly not with—
The hand closed on my arm so hard and so unexpectedly that I cried out, but by then I was already into the cross-corridor where I’d been pulled, a cross-corridor dim with the light of a single distant torch. I immediately reached to the mind directing the hand that had pulled me in there, then stood frozen in shock while two massive arms crushed me to a broad, bare chest.
“Where have you been, girl?” his voice demanded in a fierce whisper, rocking emotions making it tremble. “You were given to me as a slave, and should not have been taken by any other! Had I not heard your voice I would not have found you again, to return you to your place at my side. You shall not again be allowed to leave me!”
The slave held me to him with a desperate relief that flowed over me like a tide turned savage by a storm, pushing me under where I would likely drown. He was so glad to have me back, and so afraid he might lose me again, and I shuddered in his arms, not strong enough to pull free, totally incapable of striking at him with my mind. He was so innocent, and had been hurt so much, and the feelings he had for me—
“Release that woman at once!” another voice snapped, far from a whisper, and then I knew that Dallan had heard me cry out and had come back to help me. The slave stiffened and his painful fear was a rake of claws through my insides, but he didn’t let me go.
“But this slave is mine!” he nearly begged, the words echoing in the warm chest my cheek was against. “She was given to me, and you have no right to take her! And you cannot have her in any event! When the mistresses see that weapon you bear, they will end you! Slaves are not permitted to bear weapons!”
Dallan was silent for a moment, his mind shocked and struggling to make sense of what had been said to him, and all I could see was the thick arm in front of my face, indistinct in the dimness of the corridor. That arm was one of the two that held me, gentle in spite of everything, warm and alive and—
“You are one of the male slaves of this palace,” Dallan said with dawning comprehension, his voice less harsh than it had been and accompanied by the sound of his sword being returned to its scabbard. “I was told that your whereabouts were a mystery, and it was feared that you were in some manner done away with. Are the others with you?”
“My brothers and I were commanded to remain in this corridor until we were returned for,” the slave answered, now sounding bewildered. “The others are at the far end and I alone crept to this one, hoping to find one who would allow us to leave. We have had neither food nor drink since we were brought here, and . . . .”
“By the Sword of Gerleth!” Dallan spat, frightening the slave even more. “They brought you here knowing full well you would be unable to leave if they failed to return, for this was meant to be a final, vicious stroke against those who condemned them for their love of slavery. Eventually your bodies would have been found, and it would be known to all that it was their very victory which slew you. Had they not been victorious you would have been returned for, rather than left to starve and die of thirst! What a pity their plans have now come to naught. Gather the others, for the time has come for you all to leave here.”
“But—we cannot leave!” the slave whispered, trembling at the idea. “We have not been given permission to do so by one who is free, and therefore . . . .”
“I am free,” Dallan interrupted with pity in his voice and mind, hating the need to be so gentle. “Such is the reason I wear a weapon without fear. No longer are there slaves in this palace, for all have been freed. Come with me now, so that you, too, may know freedom.”