Baber had been looking over Blade's shoulder. He broke off abruptly and lowered himself into the straw so that only his head showed.
'Here comes Aplonius! He wears the golden collar now and is in charge of us. Patience, Sir Blade! Bear it. He is nothing but be careful.'
Blade remained where he was, squatting, watching the approach of the man called Aplonius. He knew at once that he was in for a bad time.
The man who came toward him, swinging a long whip, was a Mong. But like none Blade had seen, before. He was taller, his skin lighter, and instead of the flat, nearly concave Mong features, he had a jutting nose and narrow-set eyes. His hair was bright and thick with pomade and curled atop his narrow head like miniature waves. He wore gaily colored breeches thrust into high boots and a tight fitting leathern jacket. His mustache was dark and neatly trimmed and a few dark hairs straggled from a weak chin.
Around his skinny neck was a golden collar, light and of exquisite workmanship. When he was close enough Blade saw that raised letters encircled the collar. S S S S S
This was Sadda's current favorite. Blade could not believe it. This was a man?
The slim dandy stopped before Blade and sneered. 'So you are Sir Blade? Come to work as house slave for the Lady Sadda?'
The narrow-set eyes bunked down at him and Blade saw rage and fear in them. More than fear - terror, that the man was trying to conceal.
Blade stared back, trying to hide his contempt. 'I am Sir Blade.'
Whap! The whip caught him a stinging blow across the face.
'Rise when you speak to me,' said the dandy. 'Rise and bow as low as you can. Lower than you can.'
Whap - whap! The whip slashed across his face, back and forth, biting like an adder.
It was a near thing. Back in H-Dimension even J would not risk Blade's temper. Now the blood pounded in his head and his heart was bursting and he was instantly bathed in sweat. Every muscle in his great body tensed and his bearded lips parted in a snarl. He could have torn this Aplonius in half and he very nearly did. Sheer discipline and will power restrained him. Blade battled with himself - and won.
He stumbled to his feet and bowed, the heavy wooden collar pulling him over in ludicrous subservience. The action served to mask the rage in his face.
Aplonius, who had skipped back in alarm, sneered again and gave Blade a dozen blows about the head and shoulders. Each blow raised a long red welt. Blade gritted his teeth and took it. Baber was right. Stay alive. Take it. His turn would come. Carefully he counted each blow.
When Aplonius was breathless from whipping Blade, he stepped back again, panting and switching the whip against his leg. He pointed to the carrel next to that of Baber and pointed with the whip.
'That is your hole. You will remain in it until I say otherwise. You will not speak with that old fool again!' He pointed the whip at Baber's head, just visible in the filthy straw. 'You understand, swine? No talking. I will have you watched and if you are caught talking, you will wish you were dead. Understand that well! I cannot kill you, because the Lady Sadda does not wish it, but I can make you wish that I would kill you. Now get over there and be silent.' He slashed at Blade with the whip again.
Blade did not look at the man. He did not trust himself. He was sick and trembling with rage. He went into the carrel next to Baber's and sat down in the straw.
Aplonius' voice followed him. 'Slaves do not have titles. You are no longer a Sir, whatever it means. I would call you swine if I had my way, but that is too indelicate for the Lady Sadda's ears. So you are now called Blade until the lady finds a better name. Tomorrow, Blade, you will go to work. You will labor and you will learn. You will walk humbly and you will wear your collar and you will never raise your eyes unless I give permission. That is understood, swine?'
Blade somehow managed to get the words out. 'That is understood.'
Aplonius went in to the carrel where Baber lay in his straw. Blade could not see - the wall between the carrels was solid - but he could hear well enough.
'You are an old fool with a long tongue,' said Aplonius. There was the sound of blows being rained on the legless man. 'I do not understand,' Aplonius continued, 'why I am not allowed to kill you and have done with it. Why, old man? Why? You have no friends or you would not be here. Why am I not allowed to kill you?' His tone was a querulous whine and he seemed genuinely puzzled.
Blade kept his eyes down, staring at the straw between his legs, welding mental chains on himself so he would not go and kill that perfumed obscenity.
Finally Aplonius stalked away with a final sneer at Blade. 'I will see you tomorrow! Mind what I have told you.'
Blade watched him out the gate, where the Mong guards bowed low to him. When Aplonius mounted a pony and rode away, his back to them, the guards made contemptuous gestures. Blade's grin was hard. Aplonius was not loved.
'Psst.' It was Baber whispering through the wall. 'Sit with your back to the wall and speak without moving your lips. The guards know we speak, but they do not care so long as our lips do not betray us. They hate Aplonius as much as we.'
'That,' Blade said, 'is a lot of hate!'
He heard Baber sigh. 'I know. I have often wondered if there is anything but hate in the world. In my country, two years' march to the north over the Hima mountains, it is the same. But enough of that, Sir Blade. We cannot change the world. You bore yourself well with that - thing just now. I was afraid you would lose your temper and kill him.'
'So was I.'
'That might have spoiled everything,' said Baber. 'And to no point, because he will be dead soon enough. Sadda tires of him, I hear. Did you see the terror in his eyes?'
