'No,' said Tupita, firmly. 'If it is your will, so be it. I will die first.'
I saw the blade waver.
'It is my desire to be pleasing to my master,' she said.
I saw the blade lower. Mirus stepped back.
'By the love I bear you, if not the love you bear me,' she said, 'spare her.' I saw Mirus look at me, with hatred. But he crouched down then, the point of the blade in the dirt, his hands on the guard, steadying himself with the weapon, almost as with a staff. 'She may live,' he said. Then he sobbed.
'Oh, my master, I love you!' wept Tupita, rushing to him. 'I love you! I love you!'
'I have followed you, hunting for you, even from Brundisium,' said Mirus. 'I traveled from city to city. I took service here and there. But always I searched for you. I did not wish to live without you. I sought you even in Argentum.' I recalled I had asked Mirus if he had been looking for me in Argentum. He had not been. he had claimed he was seeking service, and his fortune. I had been somewhat chagrined by this answer, that he had not been looking for me. I now realized that he had been seeking Tupita. Many Gorean men, in their vanity, will not admit to caring for slaves. Even the thought of it, it seems, would embarrass them. Who would care for a meaningless slut in a collar? Yet too often, for just such women, luscious and helpless, and in bondage, men are prepared to kill. Indeed, had I not still found him so attractive, and had I not, in my own vanity, been so concerned with my own possible beauty and desirability, rather than that of others, too, might have understood that immediately. Certainly he had inquired closely after her. I had not been able to help him. Then he had fallen to the men of Tyrrhenius, later to be sold to the black chain of Ionicus.
'Oh,' cried Tupita, 'I love you so! I love you so, my master!'
Slave girls must address all free men as 'Master.' Commonly, however, the expression 'my Master,' when it is used, is reserved for the actual master of the girl, he who is her literal master, he who literally owns her. For example, when I was in Argentum it was proper for me to use the expression «master» to the men of Tyrrhenius, and indeed, to all free men, but the expression, 'my Master,' if used, would have been appropriate, suitably, addressed only to Tyrrhenius. To be sure, sometimes a girl will use the expression 'my Master' to a man who is not her literal master, to suggest to him that he is to her even as would be her literal owner. Sometimes that is done in an attempt to wheedle with the male, or flatter him. It can be dangerous, however, as it might, say, earn her a cuffing. He knows, of course, he is not her literal owner. As Tupita used the expression though, in such a spontaneous, and heartfelt way, it expressed in its way, I think, a truth of her heart, that she in her heart belonged to him, that she in her heart was his slave.
'Try to stand, Master,' urged Tupita.
But he crouched where he had, his hands on the guard of the sword, keeping himself upright with its aid.
'Get up, Master,' said Tupita. 'Try to stand. Try! Please, Master! We must hurry away, before the men come back!'
'It is too late!' cried Tela, fastened at the rail. I squirmed in my bonds, on the grass. I, too, like Tela, Mina and Cara, though I was not bound at the rail, was helpless.
'We could not find him,' said Fulvius.
'Perhaps it is just as well,' said Callisthenes.
'Coffle the sluts,' said Fulvius to Callisthenes. 'We will take them to the wagon. I will finish this fellow off.'
'No!' cried Tupita.
'He is on his feet,' said the fellow with the bandaged arm.
Mirus had struggled to his feet, holding the sword. 'Get behind me,' he said to Tupita.
'Master!' she said.
'Now,' he said.
She obeyed.
'Ah, Sempronius,' said Fulvius to the fellow with the bandaged arm, 'look at this!' This was the first time I had heard the name of the man with the bandaged arm.
'I see,' said Sempronius.
'There is no point now in your squeamishness,' said Fulvius. 'You see? There he is! He is up and ready, prepared for a fair and proper fight.'
'He can scarcely stand, he can scarcely hold his sword,' said Sempronius. 'Such upon occasion are the fortunes of war,' said Fulvius.
'Take the women, and let him go,' said Sempronius.
'You may not have this woman,' said Mirus, indicating Tupita.
'Let them take me away!' she begged.
'No,' he said.
'I choose not to leave an enemy behind me,' said Fulvius. 'Do you gainsay me in this?'
Fulvius, I suppose, if nothing else, understood that Mirus, if he survived, would be likely, sometime, to pursue them, perhaps for his honor, perhaps to recover Tupita, or me, perhaps to avenge Hendow.
Sempronius shrugged. 'You are first here,' he said. 'Your sword, if nothing else, makes you so.'
'On guard, my friend,' said Fulvius to Mirus.
'No!' wept Tupita.
'Back, slave!' said Sempronius. 'Let him have at least the dignity of dying on his feet, with a sword in his hand.'
Mirus struggled to lift the blade. He held the hilt with both hands.
'Look!' said Tupita, pointing out, over the meadow, behind Fulvius and Sempronius. Callisthenes was to one side. He had delayed in releasing the girls from the rail, to coffle them, apparently choosing to postpone his work until the resolution of the pending affray with Mirus.
Fulvius stepped back a few steps, and turned to look. Sempronius, half turned, was watching something. He removed his blade from his sheath. I heard, too, to my left, and behind me, the blade of Callisthenes leave its sheath.
I tried to rise up a bit on my knees, but, tied as I was, wrists to ankles, I could not do so. I could see little more than the high grass from where I was. 'You could not find him,' said Mirus. 'But it seems he has found you.' I could then see, approaching over the grass, a solitary figure.
'It is a brigand,' said Fulvius. 'He is masked.'
I gasped. I feared for a moment I might die. My heart began to beat wildly. I did not wish to faint. I suddenly felt great heat, helpless heat in my belly. It seemed my thighs flamed. I was bound helplessly. My responses were suitable for a slave. I hoped the men could not smell me. Then I was terrified.
'His features are well concealed,' said Callisthenes.
'Fan out,' said Fulvius. 'Callisthenes to my left, Sempronius on my right.' Suddenly the stranger moved toward Fulvius with great speed. The suddenness of this attack took Fulvius by surprise. He had barely time to lift his sword. I could not even follow the movements of the steel, so swift they were! Both Callisthenes and Sempronius, after having been arrested for a moment, startled, almost in shock, at the speed of the stranger' s rush, hurried toward the swordsmen, but then they stopped. The stranger had moved swiftly back, warily. Before him Fulvius had fallen. He was on all fours, with his head down. He trembled. He spat and coughed blood. Then he sank to the grass. He slowly rolled to his back. The sword left his hand. Then he stared upward, at the sky, but did not see it.
Tela screamed, only now seeming to comprehend what had been done.
The stranger had not permitted them to take him between them, Fulvius engaging him. Callisthenes and Sempronius seeking their openings from the sides. He had moved too quickly, before they could close their simple formation, before they could join their forces. Even Fulvius, whom I knew from before was a master of defense, had not been able to stand before him. I do not think steel had crossed more than three or four times before the stranger had leapt back, and then backed away.
I shuddered.
I felt terror before this man, this swordsman, this fighter. I had not known one could handle steel like that. it had been an awesome exhibition of prowess. I was shaken, even at the thought of it. For a brief moment, I wanted desperately to run away. But I was bound.
