Chapter Twenty-Six
“Hold. Do not move. Be quiet,” said Desmond of Harfax. “I do not think she sees us.”
Four days later we were much closer to the Crag of Kleinias. The men had speculated we might reach it by noon, tomorrow.
“From here,” said Trachinos, shading his eyes, “she looks like a nice one. I like them camisked.”
I saw her in the distance, stumbling, trying to run.
She frequently turned, and looked behind her.
“I think she is weak,” said Master Desmond. “I think she is tired, and hungry. She may not have eaten in two or three days. She has probably been trying to hide.”
“She should be apprehended, and punished, terribly,” said Trachinos.
“Perhaps for a time she was not missed,” said Astrinax.
“It seems she now fears herself pursued,” said Desmond.
“I think she has been flushed,” said Lykos.
“I think so,” said Astrinax.
“If sleen are on her,” said Lykos, “she is caught.”
“I see no sleen,” said Trachinos.
“Others,” said the Lady Bina, observing the approaching figure, small in the distance, stumbling, seemingly forcing itself to move, “can trail nearly as well as a sleen.”
“She is coming this way,” said Lykos.
“She will run into our arms,” said Trachinos.
“That,” said Master Desmond to me, pointing, “is a runaway slave.”
“Yes, Master,” I said, frightened.
I thought there was little doubt about that. She was closer now. She was alone, distraught, apprehensive.
“She is a fool,” he said.
“Perhaps she is frightened,” I said.
“There is no escape for the female slave,” said Desmond of Harfax. “I trust you know that, pretty Allison.”
“Yes, Master,” I said. “That is known to me.”
“What a fool she is,” said Desmond of Harfax, regarding the pathetic, approaching figure.
“Perhaps she was frightened, terribly frightened,” I said.
“She has good legs,” said Trachinos. “Perhaps she will not be killed.”
The slave running toward us had her head muchly down, and turned, frequently, to look behind her. Suddenly, she lifted her head, and saw us, and stopped, and cried out, piteously, half fell, and then turned, and fled to the side.
“Bring her in,” said Astrinax, and Trachinos and Akesinos darted from our side in pursuit of the fair quarry.
In a matter of moments they returned with the slave, one on each side, holding an arm. She struggled weakly, futilely. Her hair was about her face. Then they flung her to her knees before Astrinax.
She looked up.
“You are caught, girl,” said Astrinax.
There was a dark collar on her neck, of a sort with which I was not familiar.
“I know this slave!” I exclaimed.
She shook her head negatively.
“Who is she?” asked Desmond of Harfax.
“I am Mina, Mina!” she cried.
“Who is she?” Desmond of Harfax asked again.
“Mina,” I said.
The slave sobbed, and drew in a deep breath.
“How do you know her?” asked Desmond of Harfax.
“We were sold together, in the same auction, in the Metellan district in Ar,” I said. “Too, I met her in Ar, near the fountain of Aiakos. She is a state slave.”
“State slaves are not camisked,” said Astrinax.
“What is she doing here?” asked Desmond.
“Speak,” said Trachinos.
“I was a state slave, in Ar,” she said. “Each month there is an auction of selected state slaves in Ar. I was purchased, with three others, by Pausanias of Ar, and brought in caravan to the Voltai.”
“For what purpose?” asked Astrinax.
“To serve, to serve!” she said.
“Why are you camisked?” asked Astrinax.
“It is how we are kept,” she said
The common slave garment is a brief tunic, of which there are several sorts. Some masters camisk their slaves. Others give them less, and others nothing.
“You are a fugitive slave,” said Astrinax.
She put down her head.
“Who is your master?” asked Astrinax.
She kept her head down.
“Read her collar,” said Astrinax.
“I cannot read,” said Trachinos.
Master Desmond crouched by the slave, and examined the collar. “It is not Gorean,” he said.
“Look up, girl,” said the Lady Bina, and she bent forward, and looked at the collar. “It is in Kur,” she said, “but I cannot read Kur.”
“You see,” said Master Desmond to me, “we are near our goal.”
“Your goal,” I said, “not mine.”
“What is the name of your master?” asked Astrinax.
“Lucius,” she whispered.
“Lucius of Venna, of Ar, what?” asked Astrinax.
“Lucius, of the Cave of Agamemnon, Eleventh Face of the Nameless One,” she said.
“I do not understand,” said Astrinax.
“She cannot say the name,” said the Lady Bina. “She is a lesser form of life. Her speech cannot make the sounds. Accordingly a name is provided which it is possible for her to speak.”
“Rescue me!” begged the slave. “They are monsters, beasts, not human. They can see in the dark! They can kill with their teeth! The strength of one is that of a hundred men! They think less of us than we of tarsk! They kill without compunction, and feast on their kills! Save me! Keep me! Sell me! But do not send me back.”
“It is a lair of beasts,” said Astrinax.
“No,” said Desmond. “I am sure there is more to it. No simple lair or den is involved.”
“My men,” said Trachinos, “were not eaten.”
“And there are doubtless men involved, as well,” said Lykos. “Else why would kajirae be brought to the Voltai. Surely to content, please, and serve men.”
“Pausanias, and his crew, and Kleomenes, with his men, are surely human,” said Desmond of Harfax.
“Yes,” said Lykos.
“And there are doubtless others,” said Desmond.
“I would suppose so,” said Lykos.
“And supplies, fit for Builders, were brought in the wagons of Pausanias,” said Desmond.
“I did not know that,” said Lykos.
