Now that we were free of the Vine Sea, Tersites was occasionally seen, on the stern-castle deck. Aetius, however, discouraged his presence amongst the men.
When the girl had passed Tyrtaios she had averted her eyes and lowered her head, deferently, as befitted her status, slave. If he had addressed her, or placed himself before her, she would have knelt. The entire mien of the slave, behaviorally and verbally, is to make clear to herself and others her truth, that she is only a slave. She is to be docile, complaisant, submissive, and beautiful. A free woman may speak and behave as she wishes, a slave may not. When a free woman stands proudly she may do so as she wishes, independently, regally, even defiantly. When a slave stands proudly it is commonly to display her beauty before free men.
“Girl!” I said.
Frightened, the slave turned, catching sight of me, I think for the first time, and probably, too, the fallen Seremides.
I motioned her to me.
She seemed startled, and grateful, almost pathetically so, that I had deigned to note her. Ship slaves, in any event, aside from my personal knowledge of the slave, are often starved for attention, that of masters. It is very different from a private slave, who is likely to live a life closely intertwined with that of her master, one in which she is no stranger to his table and his furs, one in which she is frequently well apprised of the warmth of his arms and the weight of his chains. She is worked and used, prized and celebrated, day in and day out. She is his, in the fullest sense, desired, owned, and mastered. How could she respect a man who does not so desire her that he will be satisfied with nothing less than the owning of her? Is she truly so little thought of that he will not make her his, that he will not collar her? I had given the slave no notice, in weeks. But, too, aside from her delight at being recognized, and summoned, she seemed uneasy, even frightened, perhaps because the sa-tarna in the small pannier on her back might be warm, wrapped in napkins, and bound for an officers’ mess.
She suddenly caught sight of Seremides, helpless on the deck, unable to rise. I did not know if she had heard of his fate or not, but, I think, clearly, this was the first time she had seen him, since the Vine Sea. I was curious to see how she might act. I remembered her from Ar. I could well anticipate her relief, perhaps delight, to find the man she most feared so reduced, so miserable, so helpless.
Might she not shriek with triumph, and pour upon him with impunity her scorn?
But she seemed startled, uncertain, almost frightened.
“You know this man?” I asked her.
I was not sure she even recognized the handsome, proud, temperamental, dangerous Seremides in this cringing, abject creature half lying before her on the deck.
“Yes,” she whispered, “-Master.”
I thought she would have little to fear from him now. Certainly I had been freer on the ship since the Vine Sea. Indeed, it now seemed the crippled Seremides avoided me. Did he fear I might kill him?
The slave regarded the creature before her.
There was little chance now he would bring her to Ar, and arrange her delivery to Marlenus.
Too, there was little chance now, as far as I knew, that he could locate Talena, and bring her to Ar, thereby winning not only her bounty but his own amnesty.
“You are smiling!” cried Seremides.
“No, Master!” she said, and knelt.
If anything, I saw horror, and pity, in the frightened eyes of the slave.
“Girl,” I said.
She looked at me. I pointed to the crutch which had been kicked across the deck, out of the reach of Seremides. Left alone, I had little doubt he could drag himself to it, and, with it, perhaps clinging to the rail, rise to his feet.
Alcinoe rose, fetched the crutch, and returned to a place before Seremides, where she knelt and, head down, between her arms, lifted the crutch to him.
He seized the crutch.
I feared he would use it to strike the girl. He was still a strong man, and a harsh blow, as she knelt, might break her arm or shatter an elbow.
I held the crutch, and Seremides could not use it. I felt the wood move in my hand, as he tried to free it, but he could not do so.
“If you wish,
She shook her head. “No, Master,” she said.
“You do not desire to do so?” I asked.
“I may not,” she said.
“You do not desire to do so?” I asked.
“No, Master,” she said.
I was pleased at this answer.
“Be about your business,
She rose up, backed away a little, and then hurried aft. I could see the white napkins in which the sa-tarna loaves were wrapped, through the wicker of the pannier.
“Sleen,” said Seremides, “you wanted her to abuse me!”
“No,” I said.
“You would have permitted it!” he said, angrily.
“No,” I said.
“You could have left me amongst the vines,” he said.
“Yes,” I said.
“Why did you not let me die?” asked Seremides.
“You are of the ship,” I said.
I then left him, to hoist himself, by means of the crutch, to his feet. I gave him no help. I had no wish to demean him.
“Callias,” said Tarl Cabot, who came from forward.
“Commander,” I said.
“I want you on the foremast, every third watch,” he said.
“As you wish,” I said.
“We need good eyes, and alert fellows aloft,” he said.
“I will do my best, commander,” I said.
“Good,” he said. “I am informed by Lord Nishida that these are dangerous waters.”
I remembered the beacon.
“Yes, commander,” I said.
Chapter Sixteen
I let the glass of the Builders, in its sling, drop to my hip. “Ho!” I called down to the deck. “Ship! Ship, to the bow, starboard!”
Those on deck rushed to the starboard rail. I saw men moving about, too, on both the stem and stern castles. Officers were emerging from below decks, men, too. The bar, under its hammer, rang alert.
We had seen little that seemed dangerous in the last several days, despite the fears of Lord Nishida. Oddly, however, once or twice, we had noted a dark cloud in the sky, from which a dust of ash had coated sails and fallen to the deck. At the same time, the wind, fitfully, had seemed acrid, and breathing had been unpleasant.
Now, however, the sky was blue, the clouds white, the air clear. Thassa was serene, the wind gentle.
Orders had been issued from the stern castle, for the great ship heaved to. Shortly thereafter one of the nested galleys was being lowered to the water. An Ahn later I reported the galley had hoisted the green
