she was embarked, would try to turn Pertinax to her will, perhaps even to the foolishness of attempting an escape.
She had not yet learned that there is no escape for the Gorean slave girl.
To be sure, I suspected that she now thought of Pertinax rather differently than she had in the earlier phases of their relationship, being now much aware, in the manner a slave will find herself aware, and must be aware, that he was a man.
I would be curious to know, if he saw fit to call on her, if she would immediately, in his presence, go to first obeisance position.
If she did not, I trusted he would use the switch on her, liberally.
“I do not know if you would now recognize Pertinax,” I said.
“Master?” she asked.
“He is different now,” I said. “He helps with the logging. He uses the ax, mightily. He is becoming bronzed. His muscles harden. Were he now to take you in his arms you would know yourself helpless, and held.”
“And would I know myself slave?” she asked.
“You would be slave, and would know yourself slave,” I said.
She regarded me, frightened.
“Would you like for me to invite Master Pertinax to visit you?” asked Cecily.
“Yes,” said the slave. “Please! Please!”
“You would like to see him, I gather,” I said.
“Yes!” she said.
“Do you beg?” I asked.
“‘Beg’?” she said.
“Yes,” I said.
“Yes,” she said, “I beg it.”
“As a slave?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Who begs?” I asked.
“Saru begs,” she said.
“Humbly?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“As the slave she is?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“With lowered head?”
“Yes,” she said, putting her head down. “Please tell Master Pertinax that Saru, the slave, as the slave she is, with lowered head, begs Master Pertinax to see her, humbly begs it.”
“Cecily,” I said, “you may inform Pertinax of the petition of a stable girl.”
“Yes, Master,” said Cecily, happily.
I heard, outside, the bellowing of a tharlarion.
“We shall withdraw,” I said.
“May I kiss your feet, Master?” said Saru.
“No,” I said. “You are filthy.”
“Yes, Master,” she whispered.
I then left the stable, followed by Cecily.
“Do you think, Master,” asked Cecily, “that Master Pertinax will attend on the slave?”
“I suspect so,” I said, “and I trust he brings his switch.”
“Yes, Master,” said Cecily, delighted. “Whence now we?”
“There is a warm pool in the forest, nearby, within the wands,” I said. “Several use it, the “strange men,” and others. It was shown to me by Tajima, for he often visits its vicinity, though for what reason other than the water I know not. You may bathe me there, and freshen yourself, as well, and then we might, in a shallow place, splash a little.”
“Yes, Master!” she laughed.
“We will later,” I said, “return to the hut and you will then cook for me.”
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“And after your work,” I said, “we will devote the evening to blanket sport.”
“I trust I will be found pleasing on the blanket,” she said.
“If you are not,” I said, “you will be lashed.”
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“I am thinking of buying a slave for Pertinax,” I said. “There was a brunette on the chain of a fellow named Torgus, whom I met on the beach. She seemed ready for a master.”
She was a former high woman of Ar, who, with several others, all embonded, and their hair shortened, had been taken from Ar, when the rising had occurred in the city. Had they been caught in the city they would have doubtless been impaled, or worse, as profiteers, traitresses, collaborators, and such.
“I think, Master,” she said, “Master Pertinax might prefer another slave.”
“Another slave,” I said, “might be otherwise owned.”
“True,” she said.
“One slave is as good as another,” I said.
“I doubt that,” she said.
“It is true,” I said, “that some sell for more than others.”
“Would you sell me?” she asked.
“What am I offered?” I asked.
“I shall endeavor to be so good on the blanket,” she said, “that you would have no desire to sell me!”
“You do fit well in my arms,” I said, “and you do have a luscious cubic content, and you moan and squirm well.”
“I cannot help such things, Master,” she said.
“Nor should you,” I said.
“No, Master,” she said. “Master.”
“Yes?” I said.
“Tomorrow,” she said, “may I seek out Master Pertinax, and inform him of the petition of a stable slave?”
Pertinax was currently housed in one of the barracks occupied by the loggers.
“You will wait three days,” I said.
“Master!” she protested.
“Three days,” I said.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“Give her some days to fear,” I said, “that you have forgotten, or were forbidden to contact Pertinax, or that he, informed of the petition, chose to ignore it. Let her ponder such possibilities, and others.”
“But she will be tormented, will be in misery,” said Cecily.
“Yes,” I said.
“Is it not time we bathed?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “The stable was terrible.”
“Commonly,” I said, “the bondage of the stable is not miserable, or dreadful, as the stable girls have proper tools for their work, and such. To be sure, it is common for them to have their heads shaved, or their hair cropped, for reasons of sanitation. There are many worse slaveries on Gor. To be sure, undeniably, it is a low slavery, and slaves, in the ways of females, will do much, as they can, to obtain for themselves a lighter and more pleasant bondage.”
“Surely you do not blame us,” she said.
“Of course not,” I said.
“I hope to be found pleasing on the blanket,” she said.
“I am sure you will be,” I said.
