I inclined my head. 'Very well, Lady,' said I. I moved to one side.
'I deem myself to have been insulted,' she said.
'Forgive me, Lady,' said I, 'but such was not my intent If I have done or said aught to convey that impression, however minutely, I extend to you now the deepest and most profound of apologies and regrets.'
I stepped back further, to permit the retinue to pass.
'I should have you beaten,' she said.
'I have greeted you in peace and friendship,' I said. I spoke quietly.
'Beat him,' she said.
I caught the arm of the captain. His face turned white. 'Have you raised your arm against me?' I asked.
I released his aim, and he staggered back. Then he slung his shield on his arm, and unsheathed the blade slung at his left hip.
'What is going on!' demanded the woman.
'Be silent, foolish woman,' said the captain.
She cried out with rage. But what did she know of the codes?
I met his attack, turning it, and he fell, shield loose, at my feet. I had not chosen to kill him.
'Aiii!' cried one of the draft slaves.
'Kill him! Kill him!' cried the free woman. The slave girls screamed.
Men shouted with rage.
'Who is next?' I asked.
They looked at one another.
'Help me,' said the captain. Two of the men went to him and lifted him, bleeding, to his feet. He looked at me, held between his men.
I stood ready.
He looked at me, and grinned. 'You did not kill me,' he said.
I shrugged.
'I am grateful,' he said.
I inclined my head.
'Too,' said he, 'I know the skills of my men. They are not poor warriors, you understand.'
'I am sure they are not,' I said.
'I do not choose to spend them,' he said. He looked at me. 'You are a tarnsman,' he said.
'Yes,' I said.
'I thought it would be so,' he said. He looked at me. 'I give you greetings of the caste of warriors,' he said.
'Tal,' said I.
'Tal,' said he.
'Kill him!' cried the free woman. 'Kill him!'
'You have wronged this man,' said the captain. 'And he has labored within the permissions of his codes.'
'I order you to kill him!' cried the free woman, pointing to me.
'Will you permit us to pass, Warrior?' asked the captain.
'I am afraid, under the circumstances,' I said, 'that is no longer possible.'
He nodded. 'Of course not,' he said.
'Kill him!' cried the free woman.
'We are six now who can fight,' said the captain. 'It is true that we might kill him. I do not know. But never have I crossed swords with one such as he. There is a swiftness, a sorcery, a savageness in his steel which in a hundred fights to the death I have never encountered. And yet I now stand alive beside your chair to explain this to you, who are incapable of understanding it.'
'He is outnumbered,' she pointed out.
'How many will he kill?' asked the captain.
'None, of course!' she cried.
'I have crossed steel with him, Lady,' said the captain. 'Do not explain to me the nature of swordplay and odds.' He looked to his men. 'Do you wish to fall upon him, Lads?' he asked, smiling wryly.
'Command us, and we shall attack,' said one of the men.
I thought their discipline good.
The captain shook his head ruefully. 'I have crossed steel with him, Lads,' said he. 'We shall withdraw.'
'No!' screamed the free woman.
The captain turned, supported by two men.
'Cowards!' she cried.
The captain turned to face her. 'I am not a coward, Lady,' said he. 'But neither am I a fool.'
'Cowards!' she cried.
'Before I send men against one such as he,' said the officer, 'it will be to defend a Home Stone.'
'Coward! Cowards!' she screamed.
'I have crossed steel with him,' said the captain. He then, held between his men, withdrew. More than one of them cast glances at me over their shoulder. But none, I think, wished to return to do contest.
I resheathed the blade.
'Turn about,' said the free woman to the draft slaves. She would follow the retreating warriors.
'Do not turn about,' I said to them.
They obeyed me. The sedan chair stayed as it was. 'Why did you not kill them?' asked one of the draft slaves.
'You were of the warriors?' I asked.
'Yes,' said he.
'It seems not fitting you should be chained to a lady's chair,' I said.
He grinned, and shrugged.
'Will you not permit me to withdraw, Warrior?' asked the free woman.
'These seem fine fellows,' I said. 'Doubtless you have the key to these chains in your possessions.'
'Yes,' she said.
'Give it to her,' said I, indicating one of the slave girls. This was done, and, at my gesture, the girl freed the draft slaves.
They rubbed their wrists, and moved their heads, no longer in the iron circle of the collars.
The sedan chair rested still on their shoulders. They looked at me, well pleased.
'I will let you have the use of one of the girls for a silver tarsk,' said the free woman.
I looked up at her. 'It is a bit late for that, my dear Lady Constance,' I said.
'I will sell one of them to you for a golden tarn,' she said.
'That seems a high price to ask for a slave girl,' I said.
She lifted up her veiled head. 'You may have the use of one or both for free,' she said.
'Lady Constance is generous,' I said.
She did not lower her head to so much as glance upon me. 'I give them to you,' she said.
'Lower the chair,' I said to the draft slaves. The chair was lowered.
'Free them,' I said, indicating the draft slaves.
They stood about her, looking at her. She sat nervously in the chair. 'You are free,' she said. 'You are free.'
They grinned, and did not move.
'You may go,' she said. 'You are free.'
I nodded to them and, together, grinning and striking one another in their pleasure, they withdrew. One remained for a moment. 'My thanks, Warrior,' he said.
'It is nothing,' said I, '-Warrior.'
He grinned, and turned, hurrying after the others.
The two slave girls looked at one another.
'Remove your veils,' said the free woman.
