There were shouts of commendation from the men at the tables.
Claudia was held on her knees by two guards, her arms and wrists tied tightly behind her. Her face began to turn white.
'I searched long in the kitchens of Ar until I found that wench,' said Cernus.
I recalled that in his kitchen, seemingly months ago, though only a handful of days past, I had seen a mutilated girl.
'And purchased her,' said Cernus.
There was a shout of pleasure from the tables.
Claudia Tentia Hinrabia, in her bonds, seemed frozen, horror-stricken, unable to move.
A girl came in from the kitchens, followed by the man who had gone to fetch her. It was the girl to whom I had, some days ago, on the evening of my capture, tossed a bottle of paga. Her ears had been cut from her, and her nose. She might otherwise have been beautiful.
When the girl entered the room Claudia was turned by her guards, still on her knees, bound, to face her.
The girl stopped stunned. Claudia's eyes regarded her, wide with horror.
'What is your name?' asked Cernus of the girl kindly.
'Melanie,' said she, not taking her eyes from the Hinrabian, startled, astonished that she should so find her former mistress.
'Melanie,' said Cernus, 'do you know this slave?'
'She is Claudia Tentia Hinrabia,' whispered the girl.
'Do you remember her?' asked Cernus.
'Yes,' said the girl. 'She was my mistress.'
'Give her a hook knife,' said Cernus to one of the men near him.
A hook knife was pressed into the hands of the mutilated girl.
She looked at the knife, and then at the bound Hinrabian, who shook her head slightly, tears in her eyes.
'Please, Melanie,' whispered the Hinrabian, 'do not hurt me.'
The girl said nothing to her, but only looked again from the hook knife to the bound Hinrabian.
'You may,' said Cernus, 'remove the ears and nose of the slave.'
'Please, Melanie!' cried the Hinrabian. 'Do not hurt me! Do not hurt me!'
The girl approached her with the knife.
'You loved me,' whispered the Hinrabian. 'You loved me!'
'I hate you,' said the girl.
She took Claudia's hair in her left hand and held the razor-sharp hook knife at her face. The Hinrabian burst into tears, hysterically weeping, begging for mercy.
But the pot girl did not touch the knife to the Hinrabian's face. Rather, to the wonderment of all, she let her hand drop.
'Cut off her ears and nose,' ordered Cernus.
The girl looked on the helpless Hinrabian. 'Do not fear,' she said, 'I would not injure a poor slave.'
The girl threw the hook knife from her and it slid across the tiles.
Claudia Tentia Hinrabia collapsed weeping at the feet of the guards.
Cernus rose behind the table on the dais.
I heard someone ask, 'Was she of High Caste?'
'I was the daughter of a Cloth Worker,' said Melanie.
Cernus was furious. 'Take them both away,' he said. 'In ten days, bloody them and bind them back to back, and feed them to the beast.'
Slave bracelets were snapped on the wrists of Melanie and she and her weeping, stumbling former mistress, the helpless, bound Claudia Tentia Hinrabian, were conducted from the hall.
Cernus sat down, angry. 'Do not be disappointed,' he cried. 'There is more sport!'
There were some tentative grunts about the table, some attempt to muster enthusiasm.
'Noble girl!' I called after Melanie, as she left the room.
She turned and smiled, and then, with Claudia Tentia Hinrabia, and their guard, left the room.
A Warrior in the hire of Cernus struck me across the mouth.
I laughed.
'Since I am Ubar of Ar,' said Cernus to me, 'and of the Caste of Warriors-.'
There was mirth at the tables, but a look from Cernus silenced it in a moment.
'I am concerned,' continued Cernus, 'to be fair in all matters and thus propose that we wager for your freedom.'
I looked up in surprise.
'Bring the board and pieces,' said Cernus. Philemon left the room. Cernus looked down at me and grinned. 'As I recall, you said that you did not play.'
I nodded.
'On the other hand,' said Cernus, 'I of course do not believe you.'
'I play,' I admitted.
Cernus chuckled. 'Would you like to play for your freedom?'
'Of course,' I said.
'I am quite skillful, you know,' said Cernus.
I said nothing. I had gathered in the months in the house, from what I had seen and heard, that Cernus was indeed a fine player. He would not be easy to beat.
'But,' said Cernus, smiling, 'since you are scarcely likely to be as skilled as I, I feel that it is only fair that you be represented by a champion, who can play for you and give you some opportunity for victory.'
'I will play for myself,' I said.
'I do not think that would be just,' said Cernus.
'I see,' I said. I then understood that Cernus would appoint my champion. The game would be a meaningless charade.
'Perhaps a slave who scarcely knows the moves of the pieces,' I suggested, 'might play for me-if such would not be too potent an adversary for you?'
Cernus looked at me with surprise. Then he grinned. 'Perhaps,' he said.
Sura, bound, lifted her head.
'Would you dare to contend with a mere slave girl,' I asked, 'one who has learned the game but a day or two ago, who has played but an Ahn or so?'
'Whom do you mean?' inquired Cernus.
'He means me, Master,' said Sura, humbly, and then dropped her head.
I held my breath.
'Women do not play the game,' said Cernus irritably. 'Slaves do not play!'
Sura said nothing.
Cernus rose from the table and went to stand before Sura. He picked up the remains of the small doll which lay torn before her and tore them more. The old cloth broke apart. He ground the bits of the doll into the tile with the hell of his sandal.
I saw tears from the eyes of Sura fall to the tiles. Her shoulders shook.
'Have you dared to learn the game, Slave?' inquired Cernus, angry.
'Forgive me, Master,' said Sura, not raising her head.
Cernus turned to me. 'Pick a more worthy champion, fool,' said he.
I shrugged. 'I choose Sura,' I said. Cernus would surely have no way of knowing that Sura possessed perhaps one of the most astounding native aptitudes for the game that I had ever encountered. Almost from the beginning she had begun to play at the very level of Players themselves. Her capacity, raw and brilliant, was simply a phenomenon, one of those rare and happy girls one sometimes discovers, to one's delight or dismay, and she had caused me much of both. 'I choose Sura,' I said.
The men about the tables laughed.
Cernus then, for no reason I understood clearly, struck Sura with the back of his hand, hurling her to the tiles.
I heard one of the men near me whisper to another. 'Where is Ho-Tu?'
I myself had been curious about that.
The other whispered in return. 'Ho-Tu has been sent to Tor to buy slaves.'
The first laughed.
I myself thought it was perhaps well that Cernus, doubtless by design, had sent Ho-Tu from the house. Surely I would not have expected the powerful Ho-Tu to stand by while Sura, whom he loved, was so treated, even by the Master of the House of Cernus. With hook knife in hand against a dozen blades, Ho-Tu would probably have rushed upon Cernus. I was, as I suggested, just as well satisfied that Ho-Tu was not now in the house. It would be one less to die. I wondered if Cernus would have him slain on his return. If Sura were permitted to live I supposed Ho-Tu, too, would live, if only to be with her, to try to protect her as he could.
'I will not play with a woman!' snarled Cernus and turned away from Sura. She looked at me, helpless, stricken. I smiled at her. But my heart had sunk. My last hope seemed now dashed.
Cernus was now again at the table. In the meantime Philemon had brought the board and arranged the pieces. 'It does not matter,' said Cernus to me, 'for I have already arranged your champion.'
'I see,' I said, 'and who is to be my champion?'
Cernus roared with laughter. 'Hup the Fool!' he cried.
The tables roared with laughter, and the men pounded with their fists on the wood so pleased were they.
