fellow, as she pleased, could promote or ruin a career. In her tents she would receive visitors, callers and petitioners.
Dozens, coming to understand her power, came soon to sue for her favor. There were gifts for her, naturally. Surely that was only fitting. Her jewel boxes began to brim with precious stones. Rings were brought to her worth the ransom of a Ubar. Her cosmetic cases could boast perfumes that might have been the envy of a Ubara.'
'Better chains of iron and a whip for her,' I said, bitterly.
'Among these petitioners came one fellow bring with him the promise of a gift of wine, a wine supposedly secret, the rare Falarian, a wine only rumored among collectors to exist, a wine supposedly so rare and precious that its cost might purchase a city. She, of course, would test this. She, though only a slave, would choose to sip it.'
'Arrogant slave,' I said. The woman put down her head even more, whimpering, trembling. No slave takes wine without the permission of the master. And even then, as often as not, she takes it only on his command, and under his eye, usually kneeling before him. Sometimes, even, he puts his hand in her hair, bends her head back, and pours it down her throat. It is done by his will. 'The wine, of course,' he said, 'was to precious to have been brought with him, but it is in his tent. She summons her palanquin and bearers, male slaves, and is to be carried to this place. Too, in this fashion the matter may best be kept secret from her attendants. She is often carried about the Cosian camp in her closed palanquin by bearers. This excites little curiosity. In his tent she will taste the wine, demanding even that he pour it for her. It is done. She looks at him, startled. Can this wine, which seems like a cheap ka-la-na, be the rare Falarian? But in a moment she is unconscious. Arrangements have already been made with the bearers, of course. They will receive their freedom. It could have been done otherwise but this is best. They were known. Had we substituted others for them we would have increased our risks. Too, left behind they might well have been killed, absurdly enough, by the Cosians, an unnecessary and foolish waste of able men, in my opinion, whereas I now have four more grateful, loyal fellows in my ranks, any one of whom I think would willingly die for me.' 'Of course,' I said.
'The palanquin is then brought within the walls of the outer tent. Meanwhile the female is stripped. She is placed, unconscious, in the palanquin. Binding thongs, about her ankles, her legs spread, about her wrists, they tied down at her sides, and about her thighs, belly, above her breasts and below her arms, and about her throat, fasten her to it, securing her tightly in place. When she awakens she will discover she can scarcely move a muscle. She is then gagged. Lastly the curtains of the palanquin are closed. She is now ready to be transported.'
'She has been drugged of course,' I said.
'Not heavily,' he said. 'She will remain unconscious, by our intent, for only a few Ehn, for little longer than it takes to strip, bind and gag her. We want her to awaken quite soon, while still in the Cosian camp, and, awakening, to be fully appreciative of her predicament. We want her to lie there, helpless, fully conscious of what is being done to her.'
'Excellent,' I said.
'My man checked in on her once,' he said. 'Her eyes were wild, frantic, over her gag. He then, again, closed the curtains.'
'It is a splendid coup,' I said, 'to have stolen the preferred slave of the Polemarkos of Temos.'
'Had it not been for your arrogance and greed, it would not have been so easy, would it my dear?' he said to the woman.
'No, Master,' she said.
'But you are not arrogant and greedy anymore, are you, my dear?' he asked. 'No, Master!' she said.
'We brought her to Torcadino,' he said. 'As you may remember, she had had my man, though she was a slave, pour wine for her.'
'I remember,' I said.
'Her first beating, thus,' he said, 'she received from him.'
'Naturally,' I said.
'Her next four beatings, at given intervals, she received from the four fellows who had been her bearers formerly, now free men.'
'Naturally,' I said.
'At times we had to caution them, and restrain them,' he said, 'that they not kill her.'
'I understand,' I said.
'She was then ready to be interrogated,' he said.
'Interrogated?' I said.
'Certainly,' he said. 'Do you think I find this slut of any personal interest or worth?'
'I can see how some men might,' I said.
'She is vain, and shallow,' he said. 'Aren't you, my dear?'
'Yes, Master,' she said.
'But we are going to work hard to overcome those flaws, aren't we, my dear?' he inquired.
'Yes, Master!' she said.
He put his hand on her.
She cried out, startled, She jerked back against the stout post. Her hands jerked in the metal fastenings. She regarded him with disbelief, with horror. 'You are no longer a high slave,' he said. 'You are going to have to get used to being touched like this.'
She looked at him, wildly. Her hands twisted. She could not close her legs. 'I thought you might have had her stolen,' I said, 'in order to do insult to Myron, the Polemarkos.'
'Please, no!' she cried.
'No,' he said. 'I would not risk men in such an unnecessary and gratuitous enterprise. My major concern is with the expeditious and efficient attainment of certain ultimate objectives. I seldom indulge in the gratifications of such transient vanities unless they lead to these objectives, or, at the least, are not inimical to their attainment. Such an insult, stinging as it would be, would not serve any particular purpose at the moment, for example, stirring a foe to a fury of vengeance which might lead to miscalculation on his part. In this particular situation it would presumably only make it more difficult to deal with the Polemarkos, to whom I must soon give the appearance of inviting bona fide negotiation.'
'No, no, no,' whispered the girl.
'In that way you will delay attacks and buy time,' I said.
'Yes,' he said.
'No, no,' whimpered the girl. 'No!'
'Besides,' he said. 'I bear the Polemarkos no ill will. He is a clever, if weak, officer.
'No, no!' said the girl. 'Oh, yes,' she cried, suddenly, 'Yes!' Her eyes were wild. 'Yes, please! she said. She squirmed. She closed her eyes. Her knees moved piteously. 'Yes, please!' she said.
'She is vital,' I observed.
'Yes,' agreed the officer.
'Perhaps the Polemarkos would not be pleased to observe how you have her leaping under your touch.'
'Perhaps not,' he said. 'But he would presumably understand I mean no insult by it. She is, after all, only a slave.'
'True,' I said.
'Please, do not stop,' she said. 'Please do not stop!'
'Do you move like this under the touch of the Polemarkos?' he asked her. 'No,' she said. 'No, never. I did not know it could be like this!' The officer stepped back. Her eyes opened. They were wild. There were tears in them. 'Please,' she said. 'Please!' She thrust her body forward, toward him, piteously begging the continuation of his attentions.
'How is that you would have had her stolen, not for her own beauty, for she is prize collar meat, which I would think would have been a sufficient reason for doing so, nor as an insult to the Polemarkos, but merely to interrogate?' I asked.
'What do you mean?' he asked.
'Yes, yes!' she cried, gratefully. 'Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!' 'She is only a slave,' I said.
'Now, she is only a slave,' he said.
