the admiring glances, the intakes of breath, the sudden delights at seeing such a female. To be sure, she walked well. She did belong in a collar, I thought. I put the binding fiber in my pouch from my mind. I must not think of it. She was a free woman. Yet, to be sure, she was desirable and exciting, and should be a slave.
'It is here,' she said, after a long walk.
'In that tower?' I asked. We were on one of the lower bridges.
'Yes,' she said.
It seemed to soar to the clouds.
'You must be wealthy,' I said. We were in one of Ar's finest residential districts, that of the seventeen Tabidian Towers.
She shrugged.
'Quite wealthy,' I said.
'Yesterday, I thought so,' she smiled.
'That seems a strange thing to say,' I said.
'Oh in one way I suppose I am one of the wealthiest women in Ar,' she laughed. 'But in another I think I am perhaps one of the most miserable and poorest.' 'I do not understand,' I said.
'My life was unsatisfactory,' she said. 'It seemed empty and meaningless. I only this morning learned what happiness, and fulfillment could be.'
'Helpless on the mat of a slave?' I said.
'Yes,' she smiled.
'Perhaps it was the masculine domination, and you feeling yourself in your place in nature, as what you are, a female,' I said. 'Perhaps,' she said.
'I wish you well, female,' I said.
'I must climb the high bridge alone?' she asked.
'Yes,' I said. 'I think it is better that I leave you now, quickly.' 'Why?' she asked.
'I think I do not trust myself,' I said.
'Oh,' she asked.
'You are an exciting female,' I said.
'Do you really think so, truly?' she asked.
'Yes,' I said.
She came close to me. She looked up at me. 'Bind me then,' she whispered. 'Take me to a slaver's.'
'No,' I said.
'You know I am a slave,' she whispered, 'that I am truly a slave, that I belong in a collar!'
I did not speak.
'Please!' she begged.
'Turn yourself over to a slaver,' I said. She looked down in frustration. She kicked with her right foot at the flooring of the bridge. Her feet were bare. 'I can't,' she said. 'I can't!'
'Farewell,' I said.
'Do not go!' she pleaded.
I turned to face her.
'Some women can do that!' she said. 'I can't!
'Very well,' I said.
'I am afraid!' she cried.
'I understand,' I said.
'Please!' she said.
'Is freedom not precious?' I asked.
'Perhaps for others,' she said. 'To me it would be a thousand times less precious than my slavery.'
I looked at her.
'I want my master to be free,' she said, 'but as for me, I want to belong to him, totally, to be his, fully, like a sandal or a sleen!'
I did not respond to her.
'Let him treat me as he pleases,' she said. 'I do not care. It is his prerogative. He is the master. Let him neglect me or be cruel to me. Let him whip me or chain me. Let him do with me as he wills. I do not care. I want to belong to him. I will kiss his whip with joy! I want to love him, with all that I have to give as a woman. I want to serve and love him, selflessly, only his mastered slave!'
'Turn yourself over to a slaver,' I said.
'No!' she wept.
'Very well,' I said.
'Help me!' she begged.
'No,' I said.
She wept, and raised her fists as though to strike me, but then she put her hands down, quickly, frightened, thinking, perhaps fearing that I might not be pleased, and might punish her. She had learned earlier that not all men will accept humiliation at the hands of a woman, even a free woman.
'So,' I said, 'turn yourself over to a slaver.'
'I do not want it done that way,' she said, tears in her eyes.
'Farewell,' I said.
'Farewell,' said she, looking up at me with tears in her eyes, 'Master,' 'I have told you about calling me Master,' I said.
'Yes, Master,' she said.
She turned about and began, slowly, to walk up the long bridge. The soaring, lovely tower, one of the seventeen Tabidian Towers, lay ahead of her. In it was located her residence. It would presumably be on the upper levels. Those are usually regarded as more exclusive, and safest from attack. They are usually approached only by the higher, narrower bridges. Her apartments, doubtless, would be luxurious and well appointed, perhaps involving portions of more than one level. Perhaps she might serve well as a slave in such a place, I thought. The particular bridge, colorfully paved, graceful, narrow and ascendant, on which she walked, barefoot, blonde, her hair moving in the wind, in her exquisitely brief leather, gave entrance to the tower at something over half its height, other bridges about, as well, some giving access at different levels, and others leading to other towers, and to other bridges, and down to the streets. Gorean cities, given the bridges, can be traversed, often, at different levels. She looked very small, and forlorn.
Part way up the bridge she turned about. She looked back. She lifted her hand. I did not deign to respond to this gesture. She was, after all, only a female. She then lowered her head and turned about, and, slowly, continued on her way up the bridge.
I caught up with her at the height of the bridge.
'Stop,' I said.
She stopped, startled.
'Do not turn around,' I said.
'You,' she said. 'I know your voice.'
'Do not turn around,' I said.
She did not turn, but continued to face the other way.
'The leather you are wearing is rather brief,' I said.
'Yes!' she said.
'It seems more fitting for a slave than a free woman,' I said.
'Yes!' she said.
'You may call me Master,' I said.
'Master?' she asked.
'Yes,' I said. 'Begin to form the habit of calling free men Master.' 'I do not understand!' she said.
'Place your wrists, crossed, behind your back,' I said.
She did so. 'Oh!' she said. I had whipped binding fiber about them, securing them in place. 'It is so tight,' she said.
'Now that you are bound,' I said, 'you may turn and face me.'
