“Your proposal will be conveyed to the House of a Hundred Corridors by my master,” I said, “and Surtak, and his cohorts, will be soon apprised of the situation, but I do not see how this will effect a favorable resolution in the matter of the Lady Bina, a matter both Decius Albus and Lord Agamemnon are likely to regard as far more important.”
“True,” said Lord Grendel. “That is a different matter.”
“We do not even know the location of the Lady Bina,” I said.
“But we know of one who does,” said Lord Grendel.
“Decius Albus,” I said, “Tyrtaios, perhaps even Drusus Andronicus.”
“I am thinking of another,” he said.
“The Lady Alexina?” I said.
“By whose presence we expect to be shortly graced,” he said.
“I do not understand,” I said.
“She should be here shortly,” said Lord Grendel.
“Surely not,” I said.
“It is my understanding,” he said, “that the Lady Alexina was less than subtle in the House of a Hundred Corridors, in indicating her interest in your master.”
“My master spoke to you of this?” I asked. Men, I supposed, the vain, pompous braggarts, might enjoy regaling disinterested bystanders with such details.
“Only insofar as might be useful in pursuing our interests,” he said.
“She was as subtle as an obese, blundering tarsk sow,” I said.
“Please,” said Lord Grendel, “by report, the Lady Alexina is neither obese nor clumsy, nor likely to be confused with a tarsk sow. Indeed, I gather from your master that she is quite lovely.”
“Perhaps, for a free woman,” I said.
“In any event,” said Lord Grendel, “it was arranged that a message be delivered this morning to the Lady Alexina. The purport of this message, to make matters short, was that your master was muchly taken with her charms, but, at the time, in that company, thought it unwise to express himself, but now, unable to rid himself of a vision of such loveliness, wished her to have a rendezvous with him in the Park of Demetrius, near the Fountain of Veminiums.”
“I see,” I said.
“Unfortunately,” said Lord Grendel, “the Park of Demetrius is some distance from the House of a Hundred Corridors.”
“I know little of Ar,” I said.
“Thus,” he said, “when the Lady Alexina slips discreetly away from the House of a Hundred Corridors, she will presumably wish to engage transportation to the park.”
“Very well,” I said, cautiously.
“She will have the good fortune,” he said, “of finding a pay wagon at hand, driven by a bearded, cloaked driver, a closed wagon.”
“I see,” I said.
“And thus,” he said, “I expect her here shortly.”
At that point there was a scuffling on the stairs, and, turning, I saw a small, roped, bundled, face-swathed figure, her arm in the grip of a bearded figure, descending the stairs. Instantly I knelt. It was my master. He, Kurik of Victoria, released the arm of his captive, thrust back his hood, and drew away the false beard with which he had concealed his countenance. That he cast aside. He then removed from his belt that bright yellow parasol that had been so common a feature of the Lady Alexina’s ensemble, and discarded it, as well. The Lady Alexina, his captive, her sleeved arms roped, her wrists pulled back, under the ropes, and bound behind her, stood where she had been placed. There was a small noise from within the swathing of hood and veils that completely covered her head. From the sound, it seemed clear that, beneath those concealing amplitudes of cloth, she had been gagged.
“It seems matters proceed apace,” said Lord Grendel.
The Lady Alexina twisted her head from side to side, angrily; she stamped her small sandaled foot.
“Let us undo the veils and hooding about her mouth,” said Lord Grendel.
Kurik moved some of the cloth upward, and worked the gag from her mouth. She remained, of course, unable to see.
“Release me,” she cried, “foul brigands! You do not know whom you have discomfited! I am Alexina, from the House of a Hundred Corridors, colleague of the mighty Decius Albus! You have judged unwisely, my fine fellows! Do not think you can hold one so important as I for ransom! Consider your error! Tremble! Lose no time! Hasten! Return me to the House of a Hundred Corridors!”
At a gesture from Lord Grendel, Kurik drew away the hood and veils that had obscured her vision.
“You!” she exclaimed, seeing Kurik, my master.
“I have rearranged the time and place of our rendezvous,” said Kurik.
Suddenly, seeing Lord Grendel, she screamed in fear.
Kurik held her in place, her arm again in his grasp.
“What is that?” she cried, shuddering, aghast.
“A friend,” said Kurik.
I gathered that the Lady Alexina had never seen a Kur before, or anything similar to a Kur. She had not been at the supper in the house off the Viktel Aria. Too, Kurii were not likely to be in attendance at the House of a Hundred Corridors. Presumably, then, she would have supposed, in her involvement in the intrigues of Decius Albus, that Lord Agamemnon and Lord Grendel were men, and that the entire matter was one dealing merely with differences between competitive human factions.
“And the other?” gasped the Lady Alexina, her eyes wide, regarding Lyris, who had now come forward in the cage, indeed, to just behind the bars.
“Kur,” said Kurik, simply.
The eyes of Lyris blazed, and her jaws parted, revealing fangs, and she snarled. I surmised that Lyris, for whatever reason, was not well disposed toward the Lady Alexina. In this respect, we shared a view.
“It is an animal, a hideous animal!” exclaimed the Lady Alexina. I deemed it fortunate that the translator of Lord Grendel was not activated. Still, even a larl or sleen might have understood something of the Lady Alexina’s revulsion.
“No more an animal than you,” said Lord Grendel, “and she is remarkably beautiful, even for a Kur.”
The Lady Alexina turned angrily, reproachfully, to face Kurik. “I am a free woman,” she said. “Yet you had the effrontery to touch me, to seize me, to subdue me!”
“Forgive me, lady,” said Kurik.
“You tied my ankles together,” she said, “as might have been the ankles of a slave!”
“Surely, Lady Alexina,” I thought, “the ankles of a free woman tie quite as nicely as those of a slave, and doubtless her small wrists, as well.”
“I could not stand,” said the Lady Alexina, “you bound me, you used my clothing to blindfold me, your leather bands denied me speech! You placed me, helpless, on the floor of the wagon bed, on the floor!”
“Forgive me, Lady,” said Kurik, “had I thought, I would have provided cushioning.”
“Where is my parasol?” she inquired.
“There,” said Kurik, indicating where it lay, to the side.
I wondered if the Lady Alexina might be mad. If I were in her position, I did not think I would be muchly concerned with the location of that humble accessory.
“Unbind me,” she said, “and give it to me.”
“Perhaps later,” said Kurik.
“I know why you have abducted me,” she said to Kurik. “You represent the interests of your employer, Lord Grendel.”
“True,” said Kurik.
“Where is Lord Grendel?” she asked.
“Not far,” said Kurik.
“Very well,” she said. “Proceed with the business. I am here. Make the arrangements. Exchange me for your precious Lady Bina.”
“I fear, noble lady,” said Kurik, “that you far overestimate your importance.”
“I do not understand,” she said. “I am the favorite of Decius Albus, his ally, agent, and confidante. He would give anything to obtain my safe return.”
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“With a brand on your thigh, and a collar on your neck?” asked Kurik.
“Of course not,” she said, uncertainly. “I would then be worthless.”
“Not at all,” said Kurik. “You might be worth a silver tarsk or two.”
“Sleen!” she hissed.
I supposed it was just as well that she was bound, else she might have, as she could, being a woman, attacked Kurik. A free Gorean male is highly unlikely to strike a free woman, unless as a prelude to reducing her to slavery. As a result, a free woman, given the privileges of her liberty, usually feels free to abuse a free male, verbally or corporally, much as she might wish. The matter is very much different with a slave, of course. The merest suggestion, on her part, of a quick word or an impatient shrug, or gesture, may bring her the lash.
“What do you think, Phyllis?” asked Kurik.
“Must I speak truthfully, Master?” I asked.
“Certainly,” he said.
“She is not beautiful enough to be a slave,” I said.
“Collared she-urt!” screamed the Lady Alexina.
Kurik laughed, and I thought that there was movement about the jaws of Lord Grendel himself, what I took to be an indication of mirth. I found these reactions annoying.
“I fear,” said Kurik, “that Phyllis, as a slave, does not hold free women in high esteem.”
“Oh, no, no, Master!” I protested. “I hold free women in the highest esteem!”
Certainly it seemed I should make that clear.
“To speak objectively, Phyllis,” said Kurik, “the Lady Alexina is a very lovely woman, and, I expect, given her coloring, which is rarer than yours, would be likely to sell for more than you.”
“Oh,” I said.
“It is well known,” said the Lady Alexina, coldly, “that free women are a thousand times more beautiful than slaves.”
“Then,” said Kurik, “if you were to be enslaved, you would be a thousand times less beautiful?”
Lady Alexina did not respond to that question.
“Most slaves,” said Kurik, “were once free women.”
“Perhaps,” said the Lady Alexina, angrily.
“Most men,” said Kurik, “regard slaves as a thousand times more beautiful than free women, for then, on their knees, soft, vulnerable, owned, stripped and collared, they are in their place, and wholly women.”
“Be that as it may,” said the Lady Alexina, “I do not have a brand on my thigh or a collar on my neck. I am a free woman and I am priceless. Further, as noted, I am the favorite of Decius Albus, and am his ally, agent, and confidante. He will give anything to have me back.”
“I doubt,” said Kurik, “that you are the favorite of Decius Albus. He may have a favorite, or several favorites, but they will be slaves. Men prefer them as favorites. And he can always hire himself another ally, another agent, and confidante.”
The Lady Alexina, with an angry movement of her head, freed herself of her hood and veils. “Behold,” she said, “my long, fine hair, as gold as ripe sa-tarna, my eyes, blue as the sky, or the veminiums of Anango!”
“Excellent,” said Kurik.
I did not think all that was so fine. Most women had dark hair, and a great many, I suspected most, like Paula and myself, dark eyes.
“And my figure,” she said, proudly, straightening her body.
Free women tended to have slovenly posture. That was not permitted, of course, in a slave.
“That is difficult to say,” said Kurik, “as your robes obstruct my vision.”
“Sleen!” she said, again.
The difficulty in question was not encountered, of course, in most of the garments in which a slave would be likely to be placed.
“Exchange me for the Lady Bina,” said the Lady Alexina.
“We have no intention of doing so,” said Kurik. “The Lady Bina is worth far more to Lord Agamemnon and the noble Decius Albus than a replaceable hireling.”
“I do not understand then,” she said, apprehensively. “Why have I been abducted, why have I been brought here? What do you want of me?”
“Information,” said Kurik.
“I know nothing,” she said.
“I find that doubtful,” said Kurik.
“What do you wish to know?” she asked.
“The location of the Lady Bina,” he said.
“I do not know her location,” she said.
“That is unfortunate,” said Kurik.
“I am a free woman,” she said.
“Granted,” said Kurik.
“Untie me,” she said.
Kurik, taking the Lady Alexina by the arm, conducted her to the side, to the wall, rather opposite the cage in which Lyris was confined. Lyris, having crept forward, near the bars, even unfamiliar with Gorean, must have had some sense of what was transpiring. Certainly she knew Lord Grendel and had been present at the interview in the house of Decius Albus near the Viktel Aria. Similarly, she would doubtless have been aware of the concurrent plan to abduct the Lady Bina, and, later, would have learned of its success. And the prisoner in the basement, here and under these circumstances, could scarcely be the Lady Bina. The party of Lord Grendel, then, must have acquired the captive with the end in view of deriving some value from her apprehension.
“Why have you placed me here, by the wall, across from that hideous, caged creature?” she asked.
No translator was required to make clear the Lady Alexina’s disapproval, or revulsion. Lyris, glaring through the bars, growled. I gathered she was extremely displeased. She, I supposed, was well aware of her own indubitable attractions, surely as a female Kur, and would not easily countenance the scorn of an animal she might well despise as human, and far inferior to herself, both in beauty and power. Surely the Lady Alexina was small, scarcely pelted, and lacked both fangs and claws. It was unlikely she could tear away the head of a tabuk with her teeth.
Lyris growled, again.
I found this satisfying, as I, too, did not care for the Lady Alexina.
“What is wrong with that dreadful thing?” asked the Lady Alexina.
“I think she is hungry,” said Kurik.
“It is carnivorous?” asked the Lady Alexina.
“Yes,” said Kurik.
“I trust that the cage is strong,” said the Lady Alexina.
“The bars are stout,” said Kurik.
“I trust that she cannot squeeze between them,” said the Lady Alexina.
“Nor could you,” said Kurik.
“Why have you placed me here, as I am?” asked the Lady Alexina.
“Because of the slave ring, and shackle,” said Kurik. He then crouched down, lifted the shackle on its chain, the chain running to the slave ring, and snapped it shut about the left ankle of the Lady Alexina.
Her body stiffened.
I supposed this was the first time the Lady Alexina had found herself on a chain.
If a single chain is on a slave, it is most commonly put on the left ankle. But, too, slaves are not uncommonly chained by the neck. Being on a chain has its psychological effect on a woman. On Gor, where, given her branding, garbing, and collaring, and the culture, there is no escape for a slave girl, they are still commonly chained, that they may the more know themselves slaves, and the property of their masters. How we can writhe and plead in our chains!
“You have chained me, like a slave,” she said.
“Yes, I have,” said Kurik.
“I am not a slave,” she said.
“Perhaps we will sell you,” said Kurik.
“If you do,” she said, “I will be purchased by Decius Albus, and instantly freed.”
“If the collar is put on you,” said Kurik, “it will stay on. Only a fool frees a slave girl. Do you not think your noble Decius Albus has given some thought to how you would
look, chained at his couch ring?”
“You would not dare enslave me,” she said.
“Surely you think you are beautiful,” he said.
“Yes,” she said.
“Well,” said he, “the throat of a woman is much more beautiful when encircled with the collar of a slave.”
“I see,” she said.
“Similarly,” he said, “the beauty of her thigh is muchly enhanced when imprinted with the slave mark.”
“Untie me,” she said.
“Certainly,” he said, and he then, carefully, relieved her of her bonds.
“Now,” she said, shaking her small ankle, “remove this hateful shackle.”
“I think it will stay for a time,” he said. “We would not wish you to run away.”
“Have your slave bring me my parasol,” she said. “I am fond of it. It comforts me.”
“Perhaps shortly,” said Kurik.
I found the Lady Alexina’s interest in that artifact incomprehensible.
“Where is the Lady Bina?” asked Kurik.
“I do not know,” she said.
Kurik stepped back from the Lady Alexina, and regarded her.
“Well?” she asked.
“Remove your clothing, completely,” he said.
“I am a free woman,” she said, drawing back, against the wall.
“Completely,” said Kurik.
“I have no serving slave at hand,” she said. “How can you expect me to disrobe? I am no peasant. I am of the high merchants. Consider the intricacy of the fastenings.”
“I am not going to put my hands into those folds and draperies,” he said, “nor am I going to risk a slave.”
I did not understand this.
“You need not fear,” she said. “I have no recourse to the concealed needles. Such are perilous, even to the occupant of the garment.”
“I thought not,” said Kurik.
“Reconsider your suggestion,” she said.
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