'I do not know how to make love to a free woman,' he said.
'Do not worry about it,' I said. 'There is commonly little worthy of that name which takes place with free women.'
'Oh?' he said.
'Yes,' I said. 'They are too much concerned with their status, dignity, freedom and independence to be any good in the furs.'
'I warn you, female,' said he, 'I do not know how to make love to a free woman.'
'Use me then as a slave,' she said.
'With your permission?' he inquired.
'Of course,' I said. 'And, too, do not be hesitant as I assure you that pretty little Ina is already familiar with some of the rude, imperious usages to which, commonly, only slaves are subjected.'
'Excellent,' he said.
I had done these things to her, of course, not only because I, personally, like most men, relate most powerfully, deliciously and rewardingly to women in the mode of nature, as master to slave, but because I thought this might prove to be in Ina's best interests, should the burning iron ever be pressed into her flesh. Not all Gorean masters, for example, are patient with new slaves. Also, it is understandable that many women find it difficult, at first, to adjust to the dramatic volte-face involved in the transition from a lofty, respected free woman to that of a property at the feet of a master. I had hoped I might, in some degree, have mitigated the hazards of this transition in the case of Ina, should it ever occur. Already, then, I had taught her something of obedience, service and placation.
The youth thrust the last of the hard bread in his mouth, took another swig of water from the bowl, put it down, leaped up, and seized Ina by the hair, and then, holding her by the hair, her head at his waist, dragged her, she gasping, into some nearby shrubbery. Before she was quite there I did see her face, once, she looking at me, astonished, wincing, as she hurried beside her young use-master to the place of his choosing.
I myself then finished the hard bread and also the water in the bowl.
It was toward evening when the youth, refreshed and ebullient, emerged from the shrubbery.
'You wished to detain me, didn't you?' he asked, jovially.
'I would not have insisted you remain in the camp,' I said, 'but it is true that I preferred that you not rejoin your fellows until after our departure.'
'I do not object,' he said. He turned about, to watch Ina emerge from the shrubbery. She was crawling, on all fours. 'She is not to stand, until after I have left the camp,' he said.
'Excellent,' I said.
He snapped his fingers and indicated that Ina should approach us. She did so and then looked up at us.
'I forgot to send a whip into the shrubbery with you,' I said.
'It was not necessary,' he said.
'Good,' I said.
Ina looked down, frightened.
'We need more such as she, only true slaves, in the delta,' he said.
'She herself would look well, branded and collared, wouldn't she?' I asked.
We regarded Ina.
'Yes,' he said.
She trembled.
'She is slave exciting,' he said.
'Or at least as slave exciting as a woman can be who is not a slave,' I said.
'Yes,' he said.
'What are you thinking of?' I asked.
'Nothing,' he said.
'Do you care to speak of it?' I asked.
'I was thinking of my father and my mother,' he said.
'Oh?' I said.
'And how my father is held in, inhibited and frustrated, by my mother.'
'Keep your head down,' I said to Ina.
Immediately she lowered her head again.
The young man continued to regard the captive. 'You are thinking,' I said, 'of how well your mother would look at your father's feet, branded and in a collar.'
'I love her very much,' he said, 'but it is where she belongs.'
'I have no doubt about it,' I said.
'Perhaps I shall speak to my father,' he said.
'The decision, of course, is his,' I said.
'Of course,' he said.
'If women were there,' I said, 'it would certainly be easier for their sons to become men.'
'True,' he said.
Mothers in Tharna, of course, are kept as slaves, indeed, they are not merely kept as slaves; they are slaves.
'I wish you well,' I said.
'How did you know I was spying on you?' he asked.
'The tor shrub,' I said, 'does not grow higher than a man's waist.'
'I was stupid,' he said.
'No,' I said, 'you were careless.'
'It was a mistake,' he said.
'Yes, it was a mistake,' I said.
'Such a mistake,' he said, 'might cost a man his life.'
'It is possible,' I said.
'I shall not make it again,' he said.
'Good,' I said.
'You are not my enemy, are you?' he asked.
'No,' I said. 'Nor are the others here.'
'My thanks,' said he, 'for the repast.'
'Such as it was,' I said.
'Thanks, too,' said he, 'for the use of the blond female.'
'You are more than welcome,' I said.
'I wish you well,' he said.
'I wish you well,' I said.
He then turned, and left the camp.
Plenius came up to me. 'We must leave soon,' he said. 'Yes,' I said. I did not think that the youth would return with his fellows, to attack us, but they probably had rence craft and could move much more quickly than we in the marsh. Accordingly I would take our next trek southwest, for they would, I supposed, assume we would continue south, or, fearing their pursuit, perhaps even move east, away from the point at which we had caught the lad spying on the camp. To be sure, I did not think it would be easy to track men such as those I was now with in the delta. They had become wise to the ways of the marsh. They would be terribly dangerous, now, to follow.
Ina looked up at me.
'You may speak,' I informed her.
'He is gone,' she said. 'I may now rise to my feet.'
'Remain on all fours,' I told her.
'Yes, my captor,' she said.
Her mien seemed a little tense, strained.
'Did you serve our young guest well?' I asked.
'I did my best,' she said. 'I think he was pleased. At least his cries, and grunts, of pleasure would suggest
