On the delta wall, opposite, I saw the leader of the crossbowmen, standing even on the parapet of the delta wall itself, directing his men.
I heard the climbers approaching even more closely.
Then, to my amazement, I saw something, like a streak of light, leap from the delta behind the wall, and the leader of the crossbowmen spun about as though struck with a war hammer and dropped, inert, from the wall.
"You're hurting me!" cried Telima.
My hand clutched her arm.
I leaped to my feet.
"Stay down!" cried Samos.
Suddenly more than a hundred irons with ropes struck the delta wall, wedging in the crenels, and I saw the irons tighten in the crenels and strain with the weight on them. One of the crossbowmen looked over the delta wall and flew backwards off the wall, his hands not reaching his head. Protruding from his forehead, its pile stopped by the metal helmet in the back, was the long shaft of an arrow, one that could be only from the peasant bow.
We saw crossbowmen fleeing from the wall.
We heard the men climbing closer on the siege poles.
Then, swarming over the delta wall, were hundreds of men.
"Rencers!" I cried.
But each of these men, over his back, carried a peasant bow. In perfect order they stood in line within the parapet on the delta wall. As one their arrows leaped to the string, as one the great bows bent, and I saw Ho-Hak on the height of the wall bring down his arm with a cry, and I saw, like sheets of oblique rain, the torrent of gull-feathered shafts leap toward the keep. And I saw, too, on the wall, with Ho-Hak, Thurnock, the Peasant, with his bow, and beside him, with net and trident, Clitus. There was a great screaming from the siege ladders, and I heard men crying out with death, and terror, and heard the scraping of the ladders and then their falling back, showering bodies on those crowded below, waiting to scale them. Again and again the great line blasted shafts of pile-tipped tem-wood into those packed at the foot of the keep. And then the invaders began to scatter and run, but each archer picked his target, and few there were who reached cover other than the side of the keep away from the archers. And now archers were running down the side walls, and leaping to other roofs, that every point at the foot of the keep might be within the assailing orbit of the string-flung missiles, and the girls, and the men, too, flung stones from the top of the keep down on the men trying to hide behind it, and then, again, the invaders scattered, running back toward the holding. For an instant, white-faced, wild, I saw below Lysias, with his helmet with its crest of sleen hair, and beside him, with the string of pearls of the Vosk sorp about his forehead, the rencer Henrak, who had, long ago, betrayed the rencers for the gold of Port Kar. And behind them, in a rich swirling cloak of the fur of the white, spotted sea sleen, sword in hand, looking wildly about, was another man, one I did not know.
"It is Claudius!" cried the boy, Fish, beside me. "Claudius!"
So that, I thought, was Claudius, who had been regent for Henrius Sevarius, and who, doubtless, had attempted to have him killed.
The boy's fists were clenched on the parapet.
Then the three men, with some others, fled into my holding.
On the wall Thurnock waved his great bow over his head.
"Captain!" he cried.
Clitus, too, raised his hand.
I, too, lifted my hand, acknowledging their salute.
And I lifted my hand, too, to Ho-Hak, the rencer. I saw how his men used their bows. I had little doubt that having been taught the might of the great bow in the marshes, when I had freed them from the slavers in the barges, they had traded for the weapons and now had made them their own, and proudly, as much as the peasants. I did not think the rencers would any longer be at the mercy of the men of Port Kar. Now, with weapons and courage, perhaps for the first time, they were truly free men, for they could now defend their freedoms, and those who cannot do this are not truly free; at best they are fortunate.
"Look!" cried Samos.
From the height of the keep, we could see over my holding, even to the canal and sea gate beyond the lakelike courtyard.
Men were fleeing from my holding but, even more important, approaching down the canal, oars flashing, mast down, came a tarn ship, and then another.
"It is the Venna!" I cried. "And the Tela!"
Standing at the prow of the Venna, shield on his arm, helmeted, spear in hand, was Tab.
He must have brought the Venna and the Tela into the wind, cutting away even the storm sails, and risked the destruction of the two ships in the high sea, not to be driven from Port Kar, and then, when the storm had lulled, they had put about and raced for the harbor. The rest of the fleet was still doubtless a hundred or more pasangs to the south.
"A seaman truly worthy of Port Kar," said Samos.
"Do you love the city so?" I asked.
Samos smiled. "It is the place of my Home Stone," he said.
I grinned.
We saw the two ships, the Venna and her sister ship, the Tela, knife into the courtyard and swing about, their bowmen firing on the men running on the promenade and trying to escape about the edges of the courtyard.
We saw men throwing down their weapons and kneeling. They would be roped together as slaves.
I seized Telima in my arms. She was laughing and crying.
I then seized one of the ropes attached to a grappling iron wedged in one of the crenels and began to descend the outer side of the keep wall. Fish and Samos were not far behind me.
With other ropes the men behind would lower the girls, and then follow themselves.
At the foot of the keep we met Thurnock, Clitus and Ho-Hak.
We embraced.
"You have learned the lesson of the great bow well," I said to Ho-Hak.
"You well taught it to us, Warrior," said Ho-Hak.
Thurnock and Clitus, with Thura and Ula, had gone for aid to the rencers, traditionally enemies of those of Port Kar. And the rencers, to my astonishment, had come to risk their lives for me.
I decided I did indeed know little of men.
"Thank you," said I to Ho-Hak.
"It is nothing," said he, "Warrior."
It is such nothings, I thought, that are our manhood and our meaning.
"Three are cornered within," said a seaman.
Samos and I, and Fish, and Thurnock, Clitus and Ho-Hak, and others, went within the holding.
In the great hall, surrounded by crossbowmen, stood three men, at bay. Lysias, Claudius and Henrak.
"Greetings, Tab," said I, saluting him as I entered the room.
"Greetings, Captain," said he.
By now the three girls, Telima, Vina and Luma, had been lowered from the height of the keep, and were close behind us.
Lysias, seeing me, flung himself at me. I met his attack. The exchange was sharp. Then he fell at my feet, his helmet rolling to the side, blood on the sleen-hair crest, that marking it as that of a captain.
"I am rich," said Claudius. "I can pay for my freedom."
"The Council of Captains of Port Kar," said Samos, "has business with you."
"My business is first," said a voice.
We turned to see the slave boy, Fish, his sword in hand.
"You!" cried Claudius. "You!"
Samos looked at the boy, curiously. Then he turned to Claudius. "You seem disturbed," said he, "at the sight of a mere slave boy."
I recalled that there was a price on the head of the young Ubar, Henrius Sevarius.
And he stood there, though branded, though collared, though in the miserable garment of a slave, as a young Ubar. He was no longer a boy. He had loved, and he had fought. He was a man.
Claudius, with a cry of rage, the cloak of white, spotted fur of sea sleen swirling behind him, leaped at the boy, sword high, raining blows upon him.
The boy smartly parried them, not striking his own blows.
"Yes," said the boy, "I am not an unskilled swordsman. Now let us fight."
Claudius th
rew aside his swirling cloak and, warily, approached the boy.
Claudius was an excellent swordsman, but, in moments, the boy, Fish, had stepped away from him, and wiped his blade on the flung-aside cloak. Claudius stood unsteadily in the center of the great hall, and then, he fell forward, sprawling on the tiles.
"Remarkable," said Samos. "Claudius is dead. And slain only by a slave."
The boy, Fish, smiled.
"This one," said Ho-Hak, indicating Henrak, "is a rencer, and he is mine."
Henrak regarded him, white-faced.
Ho-Hak regarded him. "Eechius was killed at the rence island," he said to Henrak. "Eechius was my son."
"Do not hurt me!" cried Henrak.
He turned to run, but there was no place to run.
Ho-Hak, solemn and large, removed his weapons, dropping them to the floor. About his neck there was still the heavy iron collar he had worn as a galley slave, with its links of heavy, dangling chain. His large ears laid themselves flat against his head.
"He has a knife!" cried Luma.
Ho-Hak, carefully, approached Henrak, who held a knife poised.
When Henrak struck, Ho-Hak caught his wrist. Slowly Ho-Hak's great hand, strengthened from years at the oar, closed on Henrak's wrist, and the knife, as the men sweated and strained, dropped clattering to the floor.
Then Ho-Hak picked up Henrak and, slowly, holding him over his head, carried him screaming and struggling from the room.
We went outside, and saw Ho-Hak slowly climb the long, narrow stairs beside the delta wall, until he stood behind the parapet, at its height. Then we saw him, outlined against the sky, climb to the parapet itself, hold Henrak over his head for a long moment and then fling him screaming from the wall out into the marsh beyond.
At the foot of the delta wall there would be tharlarion.
* * * *
It was now late at night.
We had supped and drank, on provisions brought from the Venna and the Tela.
We were served by Telima and Vina, who wore the garments still of Kettle Slaves. The young man, Fish, sat with us, and, too, was served. Serving us as well, though uncollared, were Midice, and Thura and Ula. When we had been served the girls sat with us, and we ate together.
Midice did not meet my eyes. She was very beautiful. She went and knelt near Tab.
"I never thought," Tab was saying, "that I would find a free woman of interest." He had one arm about Midice.
"On a peasant holding," said Thurnock, defensively, as though he must justify having freed Thura, "one can get much more work from a free woman!" He pounded the table. Thura wore talenders in her hair.
"For my part," said Clitus, chewing, "I am only a poor fisherman, and could scarce afford the costs of a slave."
Ula laughed and thrust her head against his shoulder, holding his arm.
"Well," said Samos, chewing on a vulo wing, "I am glad there are still some women slave in Port Kar.'
Telima and Vina, in their collars, looked down, smiling.
"Where is the slave Sandra?" I asked Thurnock.
"We found her hiding in your treasure room in the keep," said Thurnock.
"That seems appropriate," said Telima, acidly.
"Let us not be unpleasant," I cautioned her.
"So what did you do?" I asked.
"We bolted the door from the outside," said Thurnock. "She screamed and pounded but is well contained within."
"Good," I said.
I would let her remain there for two days without food and water, in among the gold and the jewels.
"When you release her," said Telima, "why don't you sell her?"
Telima was Gorean.
"Would you like me to sell her?" I asked.
"Yes," said Telima.
"Why?" I asked.
"Beast," smiled Telima.
"In my arms," I said, "I have found her a true slave."
"In your arms," said Telima, looking down, "I am a truer slave than Sandra could ever be."
"Perhaps," I said, "I shall let you compete anxiously against one another."
"Good," said Telima. "I will compete. I will win."
I laughed, and Telima looked at me, puzzled. I reached across and seized her by the arms, and drew her to me. She was so utterly Gorean. Looking down into Telima's eyes I told her, "In two days, when I free Sandra from the treasure room, I am going to give her her freedom and gold, that she may go where she wishes and do what she pleases."
Telima looked at me, startled.
"It is Telima," I said, "whom I will not free."
Her eyes were wide. She squirmed in my arms.
"It is Telima," I told her, "whom I will keep as a slave."
She laughed, and lifted her lips eagerly to mine, and it was long that we kissed.
"My former mistress kisses well," I said.
"Your slave," said Telima, "rejoices that master finds her not displeasing."
"Is it not time for some of the slaves to be sent to the kitchens?" asked the young man, Fish.
"Yes," I said. I then addressed myself to Fish and Vina. "Go to the kitchens, Slaves," said I, "and do not permit me to see you until dawn."
Fish lifted Vina in his arms and left the table.
At the entryway to that passage leading to the kitchens he stopped, and then, as she laughed and kissed him, he, holding her close to him, in his arms, swept her, once the Lady Vivina, who was to have been the Ubara of Cos, now only a young, collared slave girl, in a brief, miserable garment, through the portal and disappeared down the passageway. And I do not doubt that the Lady Vivina would have found the couch of the Ubar of Cos less joyful than did the slave girl Vina the blanket and the mat of the kitchen boy, Fish, in the house of Bosk, a captain of Port Kar.
"I see," said Ho-Hak to Telima, "that you still wear the golden armlet."
"Yes," said Telima.
"It was by that," said Ho-Hak, "that I was to recognize you, when years ago you were to have fled to the marshes."
Telima looked at him, puzzled.
Samos put down a cup of paga. "How do you suppose matters in the city will proceed?" he asked Tab.
Tab looked down at the table. "The Ubars Eteocles and Sullius Maximus," he said, "have already fled with their ships and men. The last holding of Henrius Sevarius has been abandoned. The council hall, though partly burnt, is not destroyed. The city, it seems to me, is safe. The fleet will doubtless return within four or five days."
"Then," said Samos, "it seems that the Home Stone of Port Kar is secure." He lifted his goblet.
We drank his toast.
"If my captain will permit," said Tab, "it is late, and I shall withdraw."
"Withdraw," I said.
He bowed his head and took his leave, and Midice slipped to her feet and accompanied him.
"I do not think it wise for Rencers," said Ho-Hak, "to be over long in Port Kar. Under the cover of darkness we shall depart."
"My thanks to you and your people," said I.
"The rence islands, now confederated," said Ho-Hak, "are yours."
"I thank you," I said, "Ho-Hak."
"We can never repay you," he said, "for having once saved many of us from those of Port Kar, and for having taught us the lesson of the great bow."
"I am already more than paid," I said.
"Then no longer," said Ho-Hak, "are we in one another's debt."
"No longer," said I.
"Then," said Ho-Hak, putting out his hand, "let us be friends."
We clasped hands.
"In the marshes," he said, "you have friends."
"Good," I said.
Ho-Hak turned and I saw the broad back of the ex-galley slave move through the door. Outside I heard him summoning his men. They would return to their rence craft tied at the foot of the delta wall.
"With your permission, Captain," said Thurnock, with a look at Thura, "it is late."
I nodded, and lifted my hand, and Thurnock and Clitus, with Thura and Ula, left the table.
"Good-night," said I, "my friends."
"Good-night," said they.
Now only Telima, and I and Samos, remained at the table, alone in the great hall.
"It must be nearly morning," said Samos.
"Perhaps an Ahn till dawn," I said.
"Bring cloaks," said Samos, "and let us climb to the height of the keep."
We found cloaks, I that of the admiral, and we followed Samos from the room, across the tiled yard behind the great hall, and into the now-opened keep, and climbed behind him to its height.
From the height of the keep we could see the men of Tab, from the Venna and the Tela, here and there on guard. The great sea gate, leading out into the city, had been closed. The rencers, one by one, were climbing down ropes over the delta wall, returning to their small craft below.
We saw Ho-Hak, the last to climb over the wall, and we raised our hands to him. He waved, and then disappeared over the wall.
In the light of the three moons the marshes flickered.
Telima looked at Samos. "Then," she said, "I was permitted to escape from your house."
"Yes," said Samos, "and you were permitted to take the golden armlet, that Ho-Hak, with his men, would recognize you in the marshes."
"They found me within hours," she said.
"They were waiting for you," said Samos.
"I do not understand," said Telima.
"I bought you when you were a girl," said Samos, "with these things in mind."
"You raised me as your daughter," she said, "and then, when I became seventeen—"
"Yes," said Samos, "you were treated with great cruelty as a slave girl, and then, years later, permitted to escape."
"But why!" she demanded. "Why!"
"Samos," said I, "was it from you that the message came, months ago, which I received in the Council of Captains, seeking to speak with me?"
"Yes," said Samos.
"But you denied it," I said.
"The dungeon of the hall of captains scarcely seemed the place to discuss the business of Priest-Kings."
"Priest-Kings?" breathed Telima.
I smiled. "No," I said, "I suppose not." I looked at him. "But when the message was delivered," I said, "you were not even in the city."
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