Dancer of Gor

25 In the Tent of the Overseer

It was near sunset now, some five days later after I had served in the trough, between the sandy hills. That very night my chains had been removed, and I had been scrubbed clean. My hair had been washed twice, and combed with care. I had been perfumed. I had then been wrapped in a red sheet and carried to the tent of the overseer.

I heard guards calling the watch.

All was well, it seemed, in the camp of the black chain of Ionicus. Ionicus himself had left the area of the camp the same afternoon in which I had served in the trough, returning, it was said, to Cos.

It was very beautiful this time of the evening. I stood in the entrance to the overseer" s tent, alone, looking out, to the southwest. I wore only my collar, that of Ionicus, and, about my waist, a knotted thong, in which was thrust a narrow rectangle of red silk. I, like Tela, it seemed, who had once been the beautiful, spoiled, rich woman, Liera Didiramache of Lydius, in the north, on the Laurius, who had been first in the coffle, when I was fifth, had been found pleasing by Aulus, overseer of the black chain of Ionicus.

The sun" s light, like a soft, diaphanous, golden mantle, spread over the hills and countryside. I could not see the pens from where I stood, neither those of the women, nor those of the men. Had I gone about the tent I could have seen the walls of Venna. I looked out to the southwest, over the camp area. I could see from this rise, on which was located the overseer" s tent, the low hills among which I had served chained masters. I still bore the marks of their bruisings. I did not thing they had wanted to hurt me, but they had not had a woman in a long time. in their haste, and their strength, and considering I had been a lure girl, they had not chosen to be gentle. It did not displease me to be forced to recognize, and incontrovertibly, and with my whole body, that I was in a man" s arms, those of a true man, and was a slave. Sometimes, I confess, I even wanted the whip, not for its pain, which I feared, but for its proof of my domination, that I was owned, and wholly, and was going to be mastered. But, sometimes, too, I wanted gentleness, and, in a slave" s helplessness, begged for it. But even when Gorean men use you with gentleness, and great gentleness, I am pleased to report that they do so with authority. There is never any doubt, even then, as to the fact that you are in their arms, and who is in command. I could see, too, though it was harder now, the posts in the distance, between which the wire was strung. The wire was slave wire, with its closely interwoven latticework of sharp, swaying strands, and, numerous and closely set, at intervals of less than a hort, its barbs and knifelike prongs. I shuddered. A slave could be cut to pieces on such wire.

I left the entrance of the tent and walked about the tent, to my left. I wanted to see Venna, and the Vitkel Aria. I hoped not to be seen by one of the guards. Sometimes I was more modest than at other times. Perhaps this was a lingering reminiscence of my Earth conditioning. I do not know. Certainly slaves, officially, supposedly, are not permitted modesty. That is for free women. On the other hand, I have never known a slave who was not, at one time or another, or in one way or another, particularly in public, outside the privacy of her master" s domicile, concerned about her modesty. In a slave, too, modesty has a very special nature and "feel," for she knows, of course, that she is vulnerable to men, and that she may not be permitted clothing at all, unless it pleases them. Too, it is one thing to return at dusk to the pens with one" s tunic parted a bit, perhaps even by inadvertence, after one has been treated like a stormed and sacked citadel, proud in one" s desirability and bondage, and quite another to be simply out in public, wearing only a collar, a thong and a bit of silk. Too, of course, there are objective reasons for permitting a bit of modesty to a slave girl from time to time. For example, her beauty can excite and stimulate men, and not just her master. Putting her naked into the streets can be an invitation to her theft. She is, after all, goods. Most importantly, however, perhaps, is the fact that she belongs to the master. Her total beauty and most intimate services, thus, are perhaps most appropriately his, and not others", to command. Perhaps it is connected with the female" s desire to pair bond, may be the same girl who, without another thought, at home, naked in her collar, gives all of herself, shamelessly, unstintingly, joyfully, to her master.

"Who is there?" called a guard, a few feet away.

I had not seen him.

"Tuka, the slave," I said, swiftly, kneeling.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I came out for air," I said, "and to see the land. It is so beautiful." "It is not only the land which is beautiful," he said.

"Thank you, Master," I said. Even in the half darkness I blushed. "I shall return instantly to the tent, if master wishes," I said.

"You may remain for a few moments," he said.

"Thank you, Master," I said.

"You may stand there," he said, "where I can see you, and stand straightly." "Yes, Master," I said.

I went toward the back edge of the tent. I stood where the guard had indicated. I stood straight. From where I was, happily, I could see the walls of Venna, and, before them, the Vitkel Aria. I thin the guard had understood that I might wish to see the city, and its lights, in the distance. I was grateful to him, for letting me stand there. The beacon fires had not yet been lit on the walls. These serve as guides to tarnsmen aflight, and, too, may be used to signal their recall, and such. Between some of them tarn wire would not be stretched; between others it would, which would be known to the tarnsmen. It is changed nightly. It had been to the Vitkel Aria, though not to this precise part of it, that before Venna, that, four days ago, five chains of the black chain, or «links» if it, as they are sometimes called, had been marched. Among them had been the chain on which I had served with Tupita. These chains, or "links," of some fifty men each, had left the camp to the southwest and would, by a roundabout route, join the Vitkel Aria some pasangs to the south, toward Ar. In this way the exit of the links was not conspicuous. The auspices had been taken yesterday.

Apparently, as the guards had conjectured, they had adjudged "favorable." That being the case it seemed likely the links would soon be returning to the camp. The masters, incidentally, had no bothered to separate out the illicit prisoners from the genuine prisoners, rearranging the chains, as Tupita had expected, but had simply sent those links which contained any illicit prisoners from the camp. This decision was motivated, it seemed, by an understanding that the auspices were to be soon taken, and would be likely to be "favorable," as the councils in Venna were eager to get on with the repair of the walls. Shackling which is closed by hammers, as was that of most of the black chain, is not as easily changed as lock shackling, responsive to keys. Two days ago, aediles had come to the camp to inspect the chains. They found none which contained illicit prisoners. No mention was made of the fact that a third of the chains was absent. The next day the auspices had been taken, and, seemingly, all had gone well. The chains in camp were already back at work. Preceding the time of taking the auspices, of course, and until they had been taken, things are very quiet. For example, the shops and baths are closed, the courts do not hear cases, and so on. Tupita, of course, had gone with the chain, south. I had not gone with it because I had been brought to the tent of the overseer. He had seen me from the ridge, and found me of interest. Certainly I had muchly served him the last few evenings. Too, to my irritation, he made me work hard during the day, precisely as though I might have been a house slave. "Slave," said the guard, coming up behind me.

"Yes, Master?" I whispered. His hands on my arms did not permit me to kneel. I realized then he must have been watching me stand there, Venna, and her lights, in the background. I recalled that he had told me to stand straightly. I had done so, of course.

"The city and the night are beautiful, are they not?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," I whispered.

"Surely you have business in the tent." He said.

"Yes," I said. "I should hurry back to polish boots. I thank master for letting me stay here for a few moments, master has been kind."

I made as though to move away, to return to the tent, but his hands, from behind, on my upper arms, held me where I was.

"Tela can polish boots," he said.

"She is polishing the shield of Aulus," I said.

"Have you received permission to leave?" he asked.

"No, Master," I said. "Forgive me, Master."

"Do not make noise," he said.

"No, Master," I said.

He lifted me, lightly, in his arms. I felt slightly giddy for a moment, held off my feet by a man. One has no contact with the ground. One is so much in their power.

"Put your arms about my neck," he said. "Kiss me,"

I obeyed. Then suddenly I kissed him again, this time as a slave.

He laughed softly.

I moaned inwardly. How had I changed? What had men done to me?

He put me gently to my back, beside the tent, perhaps not feet from Aulus, the overseer, within, working on papers.

My body leaped to his touch.

I looked up at him, wildly.

Men had done much to me on Gor. they had imperiously, for their amusement and pleasure, summoned forth from me my latent slavery, a slavery which on Earth I had hardly dared acknowledge. They had taken a woman of Earth and lit slave fires in her belly. They had taught me how to feel. They had required that I show my slavery, and yield to it, wholly and honestly. They would let me be the slave I was, lovingly and helplessly. I loved them for it! I kissed the master eagerly.

He drew aside that bit of silk, that slender mockery of a shield.

"Yes, Master," I whispered.

He then used me, as a slave.

"I must polish boots," I said, at last, frightened. "I must polish boots." "be about your chores, girl," he said.

"Yes, Master," I whispered. He then left me. I readjusted the bit of silk. I tried to wipe dirt from my back with my hands. I did not Aulus to know. Perhaps I, a slave, should not have gone out of the tent, clad as I was. There were tears in my eyes. How helpless the touch of men made us!

I hurried back about the tent and reentered it. Aulus glanced up, from the small, low table, behind which he sat, cross-legged, working. I performed obeisance, and then made as though to rise, to hurry to the rear portions of the tent, where my mat was near Tela" s.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

I remained on my knees, addressed. Indeed, from performing obeisance I was on all fours. "Outside," I said. "I went out for air. The night is very beautiful." "Do you expect Tela to do your work?" he asked.

"No!" I said. "No, Master!"

"Your nipples," he said, "are swollen. Your skin is like a field of scarlet dinas."

I did not respond. I was terrified.

"Are you well warmed?" he asked.

I flung myself, in terror, to my belly before him. I did not want to be punished.

"Tomorrow," he said, "I am going out of the camp, to the Vitkel Aria, and south. There is trouble with the chains. It has to do with the mercenary companies now roving the countryside. They do so with impunity. It seems they think that whatever land the tread of their tharlarion can shake, whatever soil they choose to mark with the imprint of their beasts" claws, is theirs. Venna keeps her forces in the vicinity of the city. The patrols of Ar are irregular. The forces of Ar, almost entirely, have marched north, towards Ar" s Station, on the Vosk, there to meet with an expeditionary force of Cos. It seems madness, with an army of Cosians, and mercenaries, at Torcadino, but I am not a general, not the regent of Ar. In short, as Ionicus, and others, including myself, have feared there might be, there has been trouble. It is nothing, however, happily, as we are dealing with mercenaries, that some gold, some fees for their clamorous brigades, cannot straighten out. Such things have happened before."

I understood very little of what he was saying. I did know that the main body of the forces of Ar had marched north. Indeed, they had done so on the Vitkel Aria itself, which, in effect, is a military road.

"Master?" I asked.

"I am going to take you with me," he said.

"Yes, Master," I said.

"Have you ever been chained by the neck to a stirrup?" he asked.

"No, Master," I said.

"You will have the experience tomorrow," he said.

"Yes, Master," I said.

"Have you finished polishing my boots?" he asked.

"No, Master," I said. "With master" s permission, I will do so now." He lifted a finger, dismissing me. Quickly I rose to my knees and performed obeisance. I then rose to my feet, and, head down, humbly, frightened, hurried to the back portions of the tent.

There I saw the shield which Tela had been polishing, a small, round shield, more of a buckler, really, than a shield. It was ornamented with bosses, and engraved with mythological scenes, the conquest, and the rape and enslavement of Amazons by satyrs. In Gorean mythology, it is said that there was once a war between men and women and that the women lost, and that the Priest-Kings, not wishing the women to be killed, made them beautiful, but as the price of this gift decreed that they, and their daughters, to the end of time, would be the slaves of men. The shield, so small, so beautiful, was perhaps more for display, I think, then an implement of war. Still I did not doubt that Aulus could handle weapons. He seemed to me that sort of man. Perhaps at one time he had been in service, to some city or another. Her rag, and the polish, in its flat metal container, were near the shield. Near it, too, were the boots of Aulus, and the rags and polish I would use for them. There were many domestic labors I did not care for, but, oddly enough, I did not mind polishing the boots of men. It seemed somehow fitting for me. I knelt down and put one of the heavy boots of Aulus between my thighs. Then, carefully, bending over, in the light of a hanging lamp, doing only a tiny spot at a time, rubbing with circular motions, I addressed myself to the leather. I did not want to be punished for having been outside the tent, with the guard. I had not intended to seduce him. it was not my fault, unless it was somehow my fault to be such that men so desired me. He had taken advantage of me, even warning me to silence! Was it not my master" s fault, for letting me go out of the tent in what was little more, in effect, than a collar and a G-string? To be sure, I did yield well, but what was I to have done? What did Aulus expect? I was a slave! Surely in his own tent I had given him enough evidence of that! I wished I had been given clothing. Then I might have been able to better conceal what had been done to me. I wondered if I would be punished. I wondered if things, over a period of hours, build up a great deal of pain in a girl" s body. But he had not seemed particularly angry with me. I did not think he intended to punish me. I hoped not. Too, if I were punished, I might not look too well at his stirrup tomorrow. I had never been chained by the neck to a man" s stirrup. I wondered what it would be like. I supposed the matter had to do with the effect he hoped to achieve, perhaps like the silver shield. I gathered I would be a display slave at his stirrup, something like a golden saddle and a purple cloak, something for show. I worked hard on the boots. Too, at his stirrup he could keep his eye on me, not leaving me behind. Perhaps that would amuse him. I glanced over at the shield. It had not been finished. I hoped that Tela did not expect me to finish it. The shield was hers to do! I had been assigned, perhaps because Aulus thought it more fitting for me, to do the boots.

"Tela!" I called softly. "Tela!"

I continued to work on the boots.

Where was lazy Tela? If she wanted to court the wrist rings and chains, to be fastened on her knees to the center post of the tent, and whipped, that was her business, not mine! To be sure, this was not like Tela. If anything, Tela was a hard worker. She was, certainly, generally, at least, not the sort who would shirk her work. I wondered if she wer trying to get even with me, for the time I had had her iron the tunics? But I had paid her back for that later, surely, when I, too, had done them all! I liked Tela, and she had been very kind to me, even though I think she liked Aulus, and might have preferred to be the only slave in the tent.

"Tela!" I called, somewhat more loudly. "Tela!"

I was not really angry with Tela. I did wonder where she was. It was not like her to leave off in the midst of a task. I rose up, putting to one side the boot on which I was workings, and went to the side, brushing back the curtain, to where our mats were.

"Tela!" I called. She was not there.

"What is wrong?" asked Aulus, having come from the front portion of the tent. "Nothing, Master," I said, quickly.

"Where is Tela?" he asked.

"I do not know," I said.

"The shield has not been finished," he said.

"Perhaps she is outside," I said.

He went to the front of the tent, and stepped outside, underneath the sort of awning there, over the threshold, supported on two poles.

"Tela!" he called. I heard him question guards, too.

He returned to the tent.

"I do not know where she is, Master," I said, kneeling before him.