"'But should Mistress not confer with the noble Ludmilla before conveying these sentiments on her behalf?' I asked."
"Beware, Lavinia," I smiled. "You are treading on dangerous ground."
"But she is such a haughty slut, Master!" said Lavinia.
"You speak of her as though she might be a slave," I said.
"I think she is a slave," said Lavinia, "but in the robes of a Ubara!"
"Perhaps," I said.
"'I can speak for her,' she said.
"'Yes, Mistress,' I said.
"'This will save time,' she said. 'I have decided it.'
"'Yes, Mistress,' I said."
"Apparently the Ubara is eager," I said.
"Yes, Master," said the slave.
"'Tell him, too,' said she, 'that his plaint may not have been altogether ill received.'
"'Yes, Mistress,' I said.
"'Put your head to the floor, slave girl,' she said.
"I obeyed, and sensed the lowering of her veil, the soft sound of rustling silk.
"'You may look up,' she said.
"I looked up, Master," said the slave. "I gasped. I could not even speak. I was awed. She was more beautiful than I had imagined! She was more beautiful than I could have dreamed! She was utterly beautiful!"
"Much was doubtless a function of the context," I said, "she in the robes and veils, so colorful and resplendent, and silken, and being Ubara, and you on your knees before her, merely a slave. The comparison is not really fair to you."
"She is very beautiful!" said Lavinia.
"She has been said to be the most beautiful woman on Gor," I said, "but there are thousands upon thousands of incredibly beautiful women on Gor, perhaps millions, most of whom are in collars where they belong."
"But surely she is one of the most beautiful women on Gor!" said Lavinia.
"I would not even be sure of that," I said.
"Master?" said Lavinia.
"She is pretty," I said, "and is, or was, the daughter of a Ubar. Such things tend to increase one's reputation in such matters."
"She is surely one of the most beautiful women on Gor!" said Lavinia.
"I am inclined to doubt it," I said. "Still she is pretty. I recall that I once found her of interest."
"Master knows the Ubara?" she asked, in awe.
"Once, long ago," I said.
"Does the Ubara recall Master?" she asked.
"If she were to see me," I said, "I think it possible she would recall me."
"She is very beautiful," said Lavinia, softly.
"That I think is true," I said. There could be no gainsaying that. On the other hand, it is one thing to be very beautiful, and another to be one of the most beautiful women on a planet. I would have surely granted that Talena was very beautiful, but I would really doubt that she might have counted in amongst the most beautiful women on Gor. This is not to deny that she would bring a high price in a market, nor that her alcove roster on holidays might have been completely filled out, even early in the afternoon.
"She is so beautiful!" said Lavinia.
"Suppose," I said, "that she were not free, that she were not Ubara. Suppose, rather, that she were one slave amongst others, lovely slaves all, chained to a wall. Or suppose that she was paraded in a line, with other slaves, excellent slaves all, on all fours, in neck coffle, the chains going back under the slaves' bodies and between their legs, rising to the collar of the next in line, and so on, before a conqueror's chair. Would she then seem so outstanding? Or might not other girls, here and there, more appeal to one man or another?"
"I see what Master is saying," said Lavinia.
"If she were a captured Ubara," I said, "and auctioned before Ubars, doubtless her price would be high, perhaps thousands of tarn disks, but if she were unknown, and only one slave on a chain with others, and it were she alone, the girl alone, only herself, so to speak, who was to ascend the block, hurried by the gesture of the auctioneer's whip, what would she bring?"
"I do not know, Master," said Lavinia.
"Perhaps two or three silver tarsks," I said.
"Surely Master jests," she said.
"Remember," I said, "it is only she being sold, not her reputation, not her political importance, not her symbolic value as an acquisition, not her value as a trophy, not her possible historical interest as a collector's item, and such, but only she, only the girl, only another slave."
"I see, Master," she said.
"And so I would conjecture," I said, "as such, simply that, she might bring, say, two or three silver tarsks."
"Possibly," mused Lavinia.
"That is, of course, an excellent price," I said.
"Yes, Master," she said.
It was. Many women, even shapely, comely ones, did not go for as much as a silver tarsk. To be sure, much depended on the conditions of the market at the time. In most cities there are a hundred copper tarsks in a silver tarsk. It is not unusual to pick up an excellent female from twenty to eighty copper tarsks. Again, of course, much depends on market conditions.
"Indeed," I said, "it is possible that you would bring a higher price."
"I?" exclaimed Lavinia.
"Yes," I said. "And do not forget to keep your knees properly positioned."
"Yes, Master!" she said, delighted, hastily readjusting the position of her knees.
"Do you really think I compare in beauty?" she asked.
"Yes," I said. Indeed, I thought it might be interesting to see both in slave silk, hurrying about, barefoot, perhaps belled, fearing the whip, striving to serve well, hoping to found pleasing by masters.
"Thank you, Master!" she said.
"Continue," I said.
"As you will recall," she said, "I had just been permitted to glimpse the beauty of the Ubara."
"Yes," I said.
"Why did she show herself to me?" asked Lavinia.
"I suppose," I said, "because she was jealous of you, and wished, in a sense, to awe you with her own beauty."
"I thought so," said Lavinia. "What a vain creature!"
"She is a female," I said.
"Yes, Master!" said Lavinia.
"Like yourself," I said.
"Yes, Master!" laughed Lavinia. "Well, I assure you, Master, she was successful in her intent for I could not even speak for a moment. This pleased the Ubara certainly. She saw that I was much impressed with her beauty."
"That your awe was genuine," I said, "was much in your interest."
"Do you truly think my beauty compares with hers?" asked Lavinia.
"Certainly," I said, "assuming, say, that you were both on the slave block, that you were both chained to a ring, that you were both serving, and so on."
"Then it truly compares with hers," she said, "as female to female, as beauty to beauty?"
"Yes," I said.
"'Surely the Lady Ludmilla,' I said to the Ubara, when I could gather my wits and speak, 'could not begin to compare in beauty with Mistress!'"
"Again you were on dangerous ground," I observed.
"Perhaps, Master," smiled the slave.
"'She is every bit as beautiful as I,' she said."
"That makes sense," I said.
"Well, then, Master, she smiled, muchly pleased, and readjusted her veil, and told me that I would be admitted to her presence immediately any time of the day or night."
"Excellent!" I said.
"But I was to approach, and be exited from, an inconspicuous side gate, no more than a postern."
I nodded.
"She then clapped her hands, recalling the guards. She spoke to them briefly, primarily, I gather, pertaining to her policies with respect to my access to her presence. In a few moments I was again in the passageways outside the audience chamber, hooded, and double leashed. I was freed of the hood and leashes outside the gate, this time the main gate, by means of which I had entered."
"Of course," I said, "as you had entered through that gate this time."
"Yes, Master," she said
.
"You are now the go-between in an intrigue, my dear," I informed her.
Just then the twelfth bar rang.
She looked up, frightened.
"It is late now," I said. "We must be on our way."
I rose to my feet and indicated that she should do so, as well. She had already donned the livery intended to resemble the state livery of Ar, and I had earlier put on her neck the collar designed to resemble a state collar. Indeed, I had even a few days ago, stopped a state slave, to check her collar. "RETURN ME TO THE WHIP MASTER OF THE CENTRAL CYLINDER" read the legend on the collar. I picked up the small cloak she had worn, and put it about her shoulders. I smiled to myself. It was much like a fellow helping a young lady on with her cloak, or coat. Yet what a difference there was here. I could do what I wanted with her. I owned her. We then, I first, she following behind at an interval, left our small room, in the insula of Torbon on Demetrios street, in the Metellan district. I was pleased, for my own purposes, at any rate, that state slaves in Ar were no longer belled, a consequence of the misguided and unsuccessful policies of Cos to devirilize, and thus make more manageable, the men of Ar. Thus that the slave, Lavinia, beneath the cloak, was in state livery, you see, would not be suggested to any in the streets outside.
22
My Plans Proceed
"The door opens, Master!" said Lavinia.
"I shall draw back," I said.
We were behind the great theater, near one of its rear entrances. Lavinia well knew the portal. There were various folks about, mostly coming and going, workmen, bearers of burdens, and such. One fellow was drawing a two-wheeled cart, loaded with basketry. There were loungers in the vicinity, as well, interestingly, among them, some free women, in habiliments suggesting diversities of caste, and one level or another of affluence. Two palanquins, too, set down, the carrying slaves about, were behind the theater, their curtains partly parted.
"It is he!" said Lavinia.
She backed against the wall, her hand, clutching the note, at her breast.
I walked back, casually moving away. I would stay in the vicinity, not really far away, but not so close that I might hear what transpired. I doubted that converse would flow unimpeded if one were within clear earshot.
A few yards away I turned, to observe. Lavinia was where I had left her. She seemed rooted to the spot. Her heart, for whatever reason, I suspected, must be rapidly palpitating. I could see the suggestion of agitation, if not of terror, in the heaving of her bosom. She clutched the note. I trusted that it would not be crushed and soiled in that sweet sweaty little palm of hers.
The fellow, with two others, had emerged from the rear portal.
Lavinia did not move.
I was curious to observe this small encounter, but I had come mainly to protect her, if it seemed necessary. I was not certain as to how her approach, and overture, might be received. She was, after all, even though in the seeming livery and collar of a state slave, still only a slave. Too, she might be somehow remembered from the days of her freedom, when her person had been sacrosanct and inviolate, and her will selfish and imperious, and this might earn her some abuse, perhaps to assuage lingering resentments, accrued from formerly endured effronteries, or perhaps merely, for the agent's amusement, to remind her of her present vulnerability and station, of her change in condition, that it was not now she who was to be pleased but rather that now it was she who must please. Too, she might be recalled, as well, from her days as a house slave in the house of Appanius. There, of course, particularly as a new slave, she would have been at the mercy of the men of the house, and, I supposed, of even the higher slaves. They might have formed the habit then of treating her poorly, or venting spite and frustration upon her. Accordingly, I would stay in the vicinity. I had no objection to the fellow kicking her, or cuffing her about a bit, of course. Indeed, such things are good for a slave. But I did not wish any serious injury to be inflicted upon her. That might lower her price, for example.
But Lavinia had not moved from the spot!
Her immobility exasperated me, but, on the other hand, perhaps it was just as well. Four or five of the several free women who were about hurried forward to throng about the fellow. Others hung back. The palanquins did not move. Various veils, I thought, were not as carefully adjusted as they might have been. The hem of more than one robe was lifted up a little as the women hurried forward. Surely this was interesting, as the alley was dry. I detected, at any rate, neither mud nor puddles in their path. Doubtless they wished in their haste to avoid stirred dust, hoping to keep it from their robes. There were some lads about also. Perhaps they had come to witness what revelations might be betrayed by a subtly disarranged veil, or to see if one might not, if sufficiently alert, and if one were so fortunate, catch a glimpse, perhaps no more than a flash, of an ankle. To be sure, they might, as they wished, feast their eyes on slaves.
I growled to myself in frustration. On the other hand, it would not have done for Lavinia to rush up to the fellow, competing for his attention with free women. That would have been extremely unwise, and even dangerous. She was in a collar.
The fellow was very patient with the free women who clustered about him, as I suppose it behooved him to be. They were very close about him, and some even touched him. Their eyes shone as they looked up at him. Several, it seemed, could scarcely speak. He was a tall fellow, and towered above them. I considered them in their robes. They might make a group of lovely little slaves, I thought.
I looked over to Lavinia. She was standing so close to the wall that she might have been attached to it by a fixed neck ring.
After a time the two men with the fellow, apparently with soft words, and certainly with gentle gestures, began to suggest that the fellow be permitted to continue on his way. The women did not seem much pleased with this. Some uttered noises of dismay, of protest. Surely they must have a few moments more to cluster about him, to touch him, to utter their compliments. Was it so soon that they were no longer permitted to bask adoringly in the warmth of that bright smile? Then they drew back, standing behind, looking after him, longingly, as he continued on his way.
I looked to Lavinia. Still she did not move!
More than one of the women left behind was now repinning her veil, almost as though in embarrassment. How had it slipped so?
Then some of the more timid women who had not dared to approach the fellow hurried to him, one after another, to be alone with him, if only for a moment. He would smile upon them, and kissed the gloved hand of one.
He was proceeding on, heading in my direction. Lavinia was now well behind him. I looked at her. Did she think she was chained to the wall there? I made a tiny, almost imperceptible gesture. She moved a bit from the wall, as though to follow behind the fellow and the others. At the same time one of the bearers of one of the palanquins approached the fellow's party and knelt, and indicated the palanquin. Lavinia quickly moved back. I was now growing impatient, but, surely, I would not want her to compete in these matters with the occupant of the palanquin, who was doubtless a wealthy free woman. The palanquin, at any rate, did not appear to be a rented one or its bearers rented slaves. It would be all I would need for Lavinia to be beaten by the bearers and the note lost somewhere in the dust of the alley.
I scuffed about for a time in the dust of the alley. The woman in the palanquin must indeed be wealthy, or well-fixed, or something. The two men with the fellow even withdrew so that he might converse with the palanquin's occupant. I saw, too, after a time, him bow his head and place to his lips the fingers of a small, gloved hand extended between the curtains of the palanquin.
This probably did not please the occupant of the other palanquin. She, incidentally, for I assumed it to be a she, from the décor and style, and closed nature, of the palanquin, had not only bearers with her, but one or two free men as well. I wondered if the bearers of these palanquins, on behalf of their mistresses, occasionally interfered with one another in the streets. I supposed i
t not impossible. On the other hand, things seemed relatively civilized this afternoon.
When the fellow then took to his way again this second palanquin, in a fashion I thought rather reminiscent of the investigatory movements of the nine-gilled Gorean marsh shark, slowly, silently, and smoothly turned in his direction.
I made an impatient gesture to Lavinia.
How helplessly distraught was the beauty!
The fellow with his attendants passed me. Briefly did our eyes meet. Hastily did they look away. In a few moments the second palanquin, too, had passed, nosing after the fellow and his small party. Lavinia, then, timidly, left the vicinity of the wall, and began to follow in the wake of the palanquin and its putative prey. As she passed me I took her by the arm and pulled her to the side. "What is wrong with you?" I said. "I await my opportunity, Master!" she said, looking not at me, but rather after the party down the street. I released her arm. To be sure, there was no real point in being angry with her. She, a mere slave, had had as yet no suitable opportunity to make her approach. I think rather my being somewhat out of temper was the result of my fear that she might bungle the matter, as simple as it was, because of some inexplicable emotional upheavals or unrests, or, perhaps, it was merely that I was anxious for the business to be successfully and expeditiously completed.
Lavinia, released, hurried away, to follow in the wake of the palanquin and its putative prey.
I looked suddenly at a fellow nearby, which opportunity he seized to remark interesting arrangements of tiles on various nearby roofs. When he had completed these architectural inquiries he found my eyes still on him.
"Yes?" I said.
"That was a state slave," he said.
"A branded slut is a branded slut, even if she is owned by the state."
"True," he said, agreeably.
"So what is your point?" I inquired.
"It is just that it may be improper to accost them while they are on their errands."
"Do you think that at night when they are chained at their slave rings the state caresses them?" I asked.
"No," he said.
The lot of a state slave can be one of great deprivation. Indeed, I fear it often is. Certainly it is commonly regarded as an extremely unenviable slavery by most slaves. To be sure, they are occasionally made available to male slaves, guards and such. Some state slaves, of course, usually girls of unusual beauty, are used at state banquets, to serve and entertain. But even there the state not unoften utilizes trained feast slaves, rented from various establishments or, upon certain occasions, even the girls from a Ubar's own pleasure gardens.
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