overseer.
I heard guards calling the watch.
All was well, it seemed, in the camp of the black chain of Ionicus. Ionicus himself had left the area of the camp the same afternoon in which I had served in the trough, returning, it was said, to Cos.
It was very beautiful this time of the evening. I stood in the entrance to the overseer' s tent, alone, looking out, to the southwest. I wore only my collar, that of Ionicus, and, about my waist, a knotted thong, in which was thrust a narrow rectangle of red silk. I, like Tela, it seemed, who had once been the beautiful, spoiled, rich woman, Liera Didiramache of Lydius, in the north, on the Laurius, who had been first in the coffle, when I was fifth, had been found pleasing by Aulus, overseer of the black chain of Ionicus.
The sun' s light, like a soft, diaphanous, golden mantle, spread over the hills and countryside. I could not see the pens from where I stood, neither those of the women, nor those of the men. Had I gone about the tent I could have seen the walls of Venna. I looked out to the southwest, over the camp area. I could see from this rise, on which was located the overseer' s tent, the low hills among which I had served chained masters. I still bore the marks of their bruisings. I did not thing they had wanted to hurt me, but they had not had a woman in a long time. in their haste, and their strength, and considering I had been a lure girl, they had not chosen to be gentle. It did not displease me to be forced to recognize, and incontrovertibly, and with my whole body, that I was in a man' s arms, those of a true man, and was a slave. Sometimes, I confess, I even wanted the whip, not for its pain, which I feared, but for its proof of my domination, that I was owned, and wholly, and was going to be mastered. But, sometimes, too, I wanted gentleness, and, in a slave' s helplessness, begged for it. But even when Gorean men use you with gentleness, and great gentleness, I am pleased to report that they do so with authority. There is never any doubt, even then, as to the fact that you are in their arms, and who is in command. I could see, too, though it was harder now, the posts in the distance, between which the wire was strung. The wire was slave wire, with its closely interwoven latticework of sharp, swaying strands, and, numerous and closely set, at intervals of less than a hort, its barbs and knifelike prongs. I shuddered. A slave could be cut to pieces on such wire.
I left the entrance of the tent and walked about the tent, to my left. I wanted to see Venna, and the Vitkel Aria. I hoped not to be seen by one of the guards. Sometimes I was more modest than at other times. Perhaps this was a lingering reminiscence of my Earth conditioning. I do not know. Certainly slaves, officially, supposedly, are not permitted modesty. That is for free women. On the other hand, I have never known a slave who was not, at one time or another, or in one way or another, particularly in public, outside the privacy of her master' s domicile, concerned about her modesty. In a slave, too, modesty has a very special nature and 'feel,' for she knows, of course, that she is vulnerable to men, and that she may not be permitted clothing at all, unless it pleases them. Too, it is one thing to return at dusk to the pens with one' s tunic parted a bit, perhaps even by inadvertence, after one has been treated like a stormed and sacked citadel, proud in one' s desirability and bondage, and quite another to be simply out in public, wearing only a collar, a thong and a bit of silk. Too, of course, there are objective reasons for permitting a bit of modesty to a slave girl from time to time. For example, her beauty can excite and stimulate men, and not just her master. Putting her naked into the streets can be an invitation to her theft. She is, after all, goods. Most importantly, however, perhaps, is the fact that she belongs to the master. Her total beauty and most intimate services, thus, are perhaps most appropriately his, and not others', to command. Perhaps it is connected with the female' s desire to pair bond, may be the same girl who, without another thought, at home, naked in her collar, gives all of herself, shamelessly, unstintingly, joyfully, to her master.
'Who is there?' called a guard, a few feet away.
I had not seen him.
'Tuka, the slave,' I said, swiftly, kneeling.
'What are you doing here?' he asked.
'I came out for air,' I said, 'and to see the land. It is so beautiful.' 'It is not only the land which is beautiful,' he said.
'Thank you, Master,' I said. Even in the half darkness I blushed. 'I shall return instantly to the tent, if master wishes,' I said.
'You may remain for a few moments,' he said.
'Thank you, Master,' I said.
'You may stand there,' he said, 'where I can see you, and stand straightly.' 'Yes, Master,' I said.
I went toward the back edge of the tent. I stood where the guard had indicated. I stood straight. From where I was, happily, I could see the walls of Venna, and, before them, the Vitkel Aria. I thin the guard had understood that I might wish to see the city, and its lights, in the distance. I was grateful to him, for letting me stand there. The beacon fires had not yet been lit on the walls. These serve as guides to tarnsmen aflight, and, too, may be used to signal their recall, and such. Between some of them tarn wire would not be stretched; between others it would, which would be known to the tarnsmen. It is changed nightly. It had been to the Vitkel Aria, though not to this precise part of it, that before Venna, that, four days ago, five chains of the black chain, or «links» if it, as they are sometimes called, had been marched. Among them had been the chain on which I had served with Tupita. These chains, or 'links,' of some fifty men each, had left the camp to the southwest and would, by a roundabout route, join the Vitkel Aria some pasangs to the south, toward Ar. In this way the exit of the links was not conspicuous. The auspices had been taken yesterday.
Apparently, as the guards had conjectured, they had adjudged 'favorable.' That being the case it seemed likely the links would soon be returning to the camp. The masters, incidentally, had no bothered to separate out the illicit prisoners from the genuine prisoners, rearranging the chains, as Tupita had expected, but had simply sent those links which contained any illicit prisoners from the camp. This decision was motivated, it seemed, by an understanding that the auspices were to be soon taken, and would be likely to be 'favorable,' as the councils in Venna were eager to get on with the repair of the walls. Shackling which is closed by hammers, as was that of most of the black chain, is not as easily changed as lock shackling, responsive to keys. Two days ago, aediles had come to the camp to inspect the chains. They found none which contained illicit prisoners. No mention was made of the fact that a third of the chains was absent. The next day the auspices had been taken, and, seemingly, all had gone well. The chains in camp were already back at work. Preceding the time of taking the auspices, of course, and until they had been taken, things are very quiet. For example, the shops and baths are closed, the courts do not hear cases, and so on. Tupita, of course, had gone with the chain, south. I had not gone with it because I had been brought to the tent of the overseer. He had seen me from the ridge, and found me of interest. Certainly I had muchly served him the last few evenings. Too, to my irritation, he made me work hard during the day, precisely as though I might have been a house slave. 'Slave,' said the guard, coming up behind me.
'Yes, Master?' I whispered. His hands on my arms did not permit me to kneel. I realized then he must have been watching me stand there, Venna, and her lights, in the background. I recalled that he had told me to stand straightly. I had done so, of course.
'The city and the night are beautiful, are they not?' he asked.
'Yes, Master,' I whispered.
'Surely you have business in the tent.' He said.
'Yes,' I said. 'I should hurry back to polish boots. I thank master for letting me stay here for a few moments, master has been kind.'
I made as though to move away, to return to the tent, but his hands, from behind, on my upper arms, held me where I was.
'Tela can polish boots,' he said.
'She is polishing the shield of Aulus,' I said.
'Have you received permission to leave?' he asked.
'No, Master,' I said. 'Forgive me, Master.'
'Do not make noise,' he said.
'No, Master,' I said.
He lifted me, lightly, in his arms. I felt slightly giddy for a moment, held off my feet by a man. One has no contact with the ground. One is so much in their power.
'Put your arms about my neck,' he said. 'Kiss me,'
I obeyed. Then suddenly I kissed him again, this time as a slave.
He laughed softly.
