Kur of Gor

Chapter, the Eightieth: THEY WILL SOON TO THE TABLES

"My dear Cabot,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “it is so good to see you again, here in the habitats. We have missed you. Lord Grendel returned a few days ago. And there you are, Peisistratus! I see you have several of your fellows with you. I take it you know our colleague and ally, Lord Zarendargar. I gather you, with others, and friend Zarendargar himself, and his people, will soon be leaving us, returning to your various duties and destinations. You and your ships, Peisistratus, of course, may continue to wharf upon our shores, as you wish, for purposes of shelter, supplies, repair, the temporary housing of your goods, or whatnot. Many of your men have been anxious about you, and have earnestly inquired as to your whereabouts. You passed a few days, as I understand it, in the quiet of the forests. It is perhaps just as well. I almost envy you. The festival days are now, as you know, drawing to a close, and it will be a good thing, as I see it, to return to some congenial normality, here. Certainly we will welcome some quietude, after the tumult of the festivals. Matters go well in the agricultural cylinders, and in the industrial cylinder. They were little affected, if at all, by our recent difficulties. Arrangements have been made for various transportations and relocations."

"Where is Lord Grendel?” asked Tarl Cabot.

"He will be here, shortly,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “I have asked him to drop by."

This conversation, and meeting, was taking place outside the palace, on its broad porch, to which led a long flight of wide stairs, some fifty yards in width. The palace grounds themselves were within high walls, but the great gate was now opened, and humans, and Kurii, might come and go within the grounds, and gardens, as they wished.

"I would like to do something nice for Lord Grendel,” said Lord Arcesilaus to Cabot. “What would you suggest?"

"He is muchly concerned with administrative duties, and such,” said Cabot. “I fear there is little in which he would be interested, in the way of emoluments."

"His contributions have been richly recognized, and in detail,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “Without him and his services the world would have been much different from what it is. He has been given several rings."

"He deserves much,” agreed Cabot.

"But he seems little impressed with our gratitude,” said Lord Arcesilaus.

"He is mindful, and grateful, I am sure,” said Cabot, “but he has, for some time, been saddened, and much distressed."

"Surely it has nothing to do with the triviality of his small pet's fate, anything so unimportant?” said Lord Arcesilaus.

"She is not his pet,” said Cabot, “though I can see how you might think of such things, in particular, since she was once your pet. She is, to be precise about the matter, if I may, not his pet, but a free woman."

"Very well,” said Lord Arcesilaus, agreeably. “Very different then, from these others?"

"Yes,” said Cabot, “but these others, to whom you refer, these human females, kneeling, tunicked, and collared, are not pets either. They are less than pets. They are slaves."

There were several such amongst the men. Two we are familiar with, one who had been named ‘Corinna', who was the slave of Peisistratus, and one who had been named ‘Cecily', who was the slave of Tarl Cabot. Both were tunicked rather briefly, as human males like to see the legs of their slaves.

Tarl Cabot had been offered as much as three silver tarsks for his Cecily, but he had chosen, as yet, not to sell her. He was perhaps waiting for a better offer, on Gor.

She knelt at his thigh, and occasionally pressed her cheek against it. He shoved her away.

Enamored slaves can sometimes be a nuisance.

How helpless they are, once well mastered.

It might also be mentioned that some Kur females were present, kneeling. They wore harnesses, but, too, metal collars were on their necks. It seemed that several of the suggestions and innovations of Lord Zarendargar, in the matter of handling female Kurii, had been implemented. The bondage of some Kur females was now public. No longer was it a secret, though suspected, thing, found amongst isolated Kurii. Already several had been attacked by enraged free female Kurii, which attacks, as they were slaves, they were not permitted to resist. Having the slaves publicly recognizable, of course, delighted male Kurii, for they might now look lustfully upon them, desire them, make offers for them, and so on. Soon, Cabot had heard, there would be a slave market for such established on the world, and soon thereafter, he supposed, some of these slaves, doubtless in chains, would be carried to others of the steel worlds, and then it would be but a matter of time until the useful and practical, and delicious and prized, institution of female slavery would be as familiar and popular on the steel worlds as on Gor itself.

Male Kurii had chosen to act.

No longer would they content themselves with less than the men of Gor.

"Have some Kurii departed from the world, for Gor, recently?” asked Cabot.

"Yes,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “Some before your return, some afterwards. They were former adherents of Lord Agamemnon, and so it is perhaps just as well for the world, that they take their departure."

"Where is Lord Agamemnon?” asked Cabot.

"He is in the palace,” said Lord Arcesilaus.

"Have no fear,” said a Kur. “He has no body."

"Friend Cabot,” said Zarendargar, “sometime before we part, before we diversely take ship, perhaps this evening, I would enjoy speaking with you."

"That would give me great pleasure,” said Cabot.

"Perhaps we might once again share paga."

"That would give me great pleasure,” said Cabot.

"Look,” said a Kur. “Lord Grendel, I believe, is approaching the gate."

"Excellent,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “We may all go in then, soon, to what I have had prepared, a state breakfast."

"May the slaves come?” asked one of the men of Peisistratus.

"Certainly,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “They may kneel behind you, or to the side, and you may, if you wish, feed them, or throw some food to the floor for them, whatever you wish."

The throwing of food to the floor for an animal, incidentally, is not that unusual. For example, it is commonly done with sleen. Slaves, too, may be fed by hand. Usually they have their food in a dish. Often they may feed from the dish much as a free person would, though their head is usually to be lower than that of their master. For example, if the master sits upon a bench at table, his dish will be upon the table, whereas the slave's dish, as she kneels near him, is likely to be on the bench itself; similarly, if the master reclines on a supper couch, the slave, kneeling, is likely to have her dish upon the couch's step, where footwear may be placed. Sometimes the slave's food and water dish is placed on the floor, and they must partake, heads down, on all fours, without the use of their hands, rather as would a sleen, another form of domestic animal.

This is not uncommon in the training of a new girl.

It helps her to understand that she is a slave.

As the inquiry of the man of Peisistratus might have seemed to some readers somewhat anomalous, it should be mentioned that on Gor slaves are not permitted in many public buildings, rather as other animals would not be permitted in them. Accordingly, public slave rings are frequently available in piazzas, plazas, squares, forums, agorae, and such, and along public streets, for the convenience of masters, to which their slaves may be conveniently chained. One sort of building in which slaves are never permitted, and may be slain if found within, are temples. It is felt by Initiates, the alleged representatives and servants of Priest-Kings, understandably enough, that the presence of a slave in such a place would be a profanation of sacred precincts. Provisions are made for their caging or chaining outside such places, in nearby lots, removed to a decent distance.

"Lord Grendel was somewhat distressed at the disfigurement of his pet, as I understand it,” said Lord Arcesilaus.

"At the gross tearings and multiple mutilations of the free woman, Bina,” said Cabot.

"Yes,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “that is it."

"You are from Earth, are you not?” asked a Kur.

"Yes, once,” said Cabot.

"If those of Earth, or Gor, wished to bother with such things, despite their unimportance,” asked the Kur, “how might they address themselves to the business?"

"What business?” asked Cabot.

"The repair of the pet,” said the Kur.

"They would use knives,” said Cabot, “and various metal implements, to cut tissue, relocate it, and such."

A small, weird sound came from Cabot's small translator, which was not really a word. It was not clear what it was.

Lord Arcesilaus, whose translator had, of course, assisted him in understanding Cabot's response, shuddered.

"That is disgusting,” said the Kur.

"Barbarous,” said another.

"I have looked upon the Lady Bina,” said Cabot, with a shiver. She is beyond even such help."

"Help?” said a nearby Kur.

"Knives?” said another.

"Our science,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “is not public, as is yours, and as is, to some extent, that of Goreans. We recognize the dangers of science, and how it may be misused, and so we reserve its knowledge and techniques to a carefully chosen few."

"The Priest-Kings,” said Zarendargar, “as I understand it, behave similarly, at least where humans are concerned."

"That is true,” said Cabot. “The Priest-Kings prohibit certain areas of science and technology to humans, certain forms of weaponry, and such, for they fear the stupidity and aggression of humans."

"Justifiably,” said Zarendargar.

"Certain other areas,” said Cabot, “are apparently deemed unobjectionable."

"They have not put space flight at the disposal of Gorean humans,” said a Kur.

"No,” said Cabot. “They have not."

"We have,” said another Kur.

"I am aware of that,” said Cabot.

"Even many Kurii,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “are kept ignorant of our science, and what it can accomplish."

"I suppose that is a good idea,” said Cabot.

"Some at hand, indeed, at your elbow,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “are amongst our scientists."

"I am honored,” said Cabot.

Two of the Kurii present inclined their heads, acknowledging this compliment.

"Lord Grendel,” said a Kur, “is within the gate, and at the foot of the stairs."

"Good,” said Lord Arcesilaus, “when he joins us we may soon to breakfast."

"I feel,” said one of the Kurii to Cabot, “that you may not appreciate the nature, extent, and quality of Kur science, as it is often concealed."

"You are a scientist?” said Cabot.

"Yes,” said the Kur.

"Much of it is obvious and impressive,” said Cabot. “There are the steel worlds themselves, the vacuum ships, the power weapons, the translators, even such seemingly simple things as the heat knife, the customized weapon sheath, and such."

"Such things are trivial,” said the scientist. “They are applications of engineering, largely matters of budget, the allocation of resources, and such. Other things are more interesting."

"Doubtless,” said Cabot, uncertainly.

"Biomolecular studies, for example,” said the scientist.

There is, incidentally, no exact equivalent, as far as I can determine, for the Kur expression actually used. As the studies involve levels of life, subtle architectures, hereditary coils, and such, I have chosen, with reservations, and considerable uneasiness, the term ‘biomolecular'. My reservations are largely founded on what, from the Kur point of view, is a false dichotomy or division, between the living and the nonliving, between, say, the living biological and the nonliving molecular. Kurii certainly recognize a distinction between, say, a rock and a sleen, but our science tends to think less of life and nonlife, as of levels, or strata, of energy, of activity, or, as we think of it, life. In this sense, even the stone, properly understood, is a mysterious thing, in its way alive, vibrant with invisible latencies, churning, twisting, in its depths.

"Consider the wombs,” said the scientist. “You are familiar with them?"

"Yes,” said Cabot.

"Welcome, Lord Grendel!” said Lord Arcesilaus.

And he was muchly welcomed by those on the dais.

"Am I late?” inquired Lord Grendel.

"Not at all,” said Lord Arcesilaus.

"Let us repair to the great hall,” said a Kur.

"A state breakfast has been prepared,” said another.

Lord Grendel, with others, including Cabot, turned then toward the large doors, of heavy timber, better than a foot thick, perhaps brought from the northern forests of Gor, adorned with mighty brass studs, doubtless from the industrial cylinder.

"But a moment, Lords and others,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “But a moment.” He then raised his hand, lifting it toward the outer gate, well beyond the foot of the long, wide stairs leading upward to the dais.

Down at the gate a Kur, who had perhaps been waiting for this signal, turned aside, disappeared for a moment beyond the wall, and then, in another moment, reappeared, together with another Kur, and another figure, one much smaller.

These three figures then began to approach the foot of the stairs, the small figure first, and then a Kur on each side, and slightly behind it.

"No!” cried Lord Grendel.

"What is it?” asked a Kur.

"See,” said another, pointing.

"It is a human,” said another Kur, shading his eyes.

"A small human,” said another.

"Do not do this, I pray, Lord Arcesilaus,” said Lord Grendel.

"What is his concern?” inquired a Kur, puzzled.

"Ah!” said Corinna, frightened.

Cecily gasped, in misery.

Both remained on their knees.

The small figure was now, flanked by the two Kurii, ascending the stairs, slowly.

"It is a human female, is it not?” asked a Kur.

"Are you certain?” asked another.

"It is surely dissimilar from these,” said another Kur, indicating several of the kneeling slaves.

The Gorean slave tunic not only leaves little doubt about the sex of its occupant, but it proclaims it blatantly.

A free woman may be guarded with respect to her body. She may even be embarrassed by it, or ashamed of it. She may fear to show it. Certainly she may conceal it. How frightful if she were to be thought of in terms of it, her body, that embarrassing, troubling thing so appropriately concealed, rather than, say, in terms of her mind and personhood, or, perhaps, her clear, fine features, if her veil were to become disarranged, inadvertently. But beneath those robes and veils her body is there, embarrassing and troubling or not, in all its loveliness, as though waiting for its exposure or disrobing. And surely she knows it is she, ready to flame alive in its exposure, as much as any other aspect of her, her mind, her features, her emotions, the needs of her belly, all such things which constitute the wholeness of her. Does she, enclosed in those ornate blockades, wonder from time to time what it might be to feel a man's hands upon those stiff enwrapments, and wonder what it might be to feel them ripped from her, abruptly, imperiously, and feel the sudden flash of air upon lovely, startled skin?

Does she wonder what it would be to be a whole female, loving her sex, and rejoicing in it?

In any event the bodies of slaves are commonly well, if not entirely, exposed. They are, after all, are they not, the bodies of animals?

The garmenture of the slave is, in effect, another of her freedoms, though she may well regard it with some trepidation, realizing how well, how boldly and excitingly, it reveals her to men, and her vulnerability. The garmenture makes it clear what she is, property. A common justification of slave garmenture, though surely not the only one, nor the primary one, is that it is supposed to make the slave the desiderated object of raiders, thus supposedly diverting attention from precious, priceless free women. Some slaves have been stolen several times, from one city, or caravan, or another. Many are the cages whose bars they have grasped, many are the chains they have felt on their necks, many are the blocks from which they have been auctioned.

In any event, in slave garmenture, the slave, and others, are never in any doubt that she is a female, and that she has that remarkable gift of nature to males, the female body.

The slave, commonly, unlike the enrobed free woman, is happy, and pleased, to be a female. If she were a man, such a coarse and brutal beast, she could not be the marvelous thing she is, vulnerable, perhaps, but desired, and marvelous.

How could the slave not be frightened of her body, and yet thrilled with it? It is soft, beautiful, yielding, and alive. It is obviously a source of great pleasure to masters, who command it and put it to their purposes, as they will, and if the masters consent, and are kind, it is a source of untold rapture to herself, as well.

It is little wonder that the slave loves her body, and her tunic.

"It is a human female, a woman,” said Cabot, observing the approach of the small figure up the stairs, flanked by the two Kurii.

"She is so hidden,” said a Kur. It might be recalled that Kur females, free and slave, wear usually only some harnessing. To be sure, there are great differences amongst the harnessings, most of which would be lost on our friend, Cabot, with respect to quality, arrangement, ornamentation, and such. The Kur female who is an open slave commonly wears a collar, her master's collar. Commonly she would be denied harnessing only in the privacy of her master's dwelling, while being exhibited for sale, while serving certain feasts, and such. If she is not harnessed she is, in effect, naked. Cabot, and some humans, it might be noted, do not seem fully aware of the momentous distinctions involved in such matters.

"She is clad in the robes of concealment, and veiled,” said Cabot. “Such things are common on Gor with free women, particularly with those of high caste, particularly in the high cities."

The high cities, as it is explained to me, are usually larger cities, with many towers, and bridges amongst the towers. Many regard them as citadels of civilization. Ar, as I understand it, would be such a city.

The small figure approached, climbing the stairs.

"Send her away!” cried Lord Grendel. “Do not do this to her! She has suffered enough! If you care for me, spare her this humiliation!"

"What is his concern?” asked a Kur.

"The ears and nose, the cheeks, the eye, shattered bones, the crookedness of the body,” said Cabot.

"It is only a pet,” said a Kur.

"If you care for me, Lord Arcesilaus,” said Lord Grendel, “have pity, not only upon her but upon me, as well! Spare her this! Spare us all this horror!"

"It is only a pet,” said the Kur, again.

"Be patient, Lord Grendel,” said Lord Arcesilaus.

The small figure then, flanked by her two attendants, was upon the dais. She stood before the group. She was resplendent in the multicolored robes, so carefully assorted and arranged, of concealment. As noted, she was veiled, as well. The veiling was heavy, and opaque. Clearly a street veil was worn. Beneath it, Cabot conjectured, might be a house veil. Too, her head was almost entirely concealed within an ample hood, this well matched to the colorful robes.

"Stay, Lord Grendel!” pleaded Lord Arcesilaus.

Lord Grendel had turned away, and a moan escaped him.

Cabot's heart was torn for his friend, and he, too, turned aside, that he might tender him some minim of comfort, however inadequate it must be.

"Oh!” cried Corinna, softly.

"Ahh!” breathed Cecily.

"Ai, well!” cried several of the men. The Kurii were largely silent, having little or no reaction. Cabot then heard the striking of hands on the left shoulder, surely from the human males present.

Cabot steeled himself, and turned about.

The small figure had lifted back her hood and lowered her veils, of which there were indeed two, a street veil, and a house veil. They now hung about her neck. She shook loose long blond hair, and looked upon the group.

She smiled.

"Lord Grendel!” cried Cabot. “Lord Grendel!"

"Your barbarous knives,” said the scientist to Cabot, “could not accomplish that. It is done with the hereditary coils, with their innate equations. One stimulates the hereditary coils, and the restoration is accomplished from within. Too, in this fashion, one does not risk changes which might be brought about by knife work, whether clumsy or not. If you wish changes, of course, that can be arranged, by the insertion of fresh elements into the hereditary coils, but we supposed it appropriate, and sufficient, in this case, to let things develop naturally. Who are we to guess what humans would or would not regard as an improvement? So we contented ourselves with a simple restoration. It was not difficult. Growth is stimulated. It is rather, again, then, as though childhood became adolescence, and adolescence became youth. We would have preferred a long, glossy pelting but then she is a human female, and we felt that it would have been improper for us, in her case, to simulate the beauty of a Kur female. Too, it would have required a great many adjustments. It is done, as I mentioned, by means of the hereditary coils."

"Lord Grendel!” said Cabot. “Lord Grendel, turn about, and see! Look, Lord Grendel, look!"

Lord Grendel slowly, trembling, turned about.

"You are in the presence of a free woman!” said Cabot to Cecily, and Cecily quickly put her head down, to the dais. At a sign from Peisistratus, Corinna did so, as well, and the other slaves, even the Kur female slaves, did so, as well.

The Lady Bina smiled, again.

"How beautiful she is!” said a fellow.

The Lady Bina stood before the group, her veil descended, her hood put back, and was again as once she had been, incredibly fair, and marvelously beautiful.

She was, again, then, as she had been in the container, in the collar of Lord Arcesilaus, when she was his pet, as she had been elsewhere, in the game world, in the camps, as she had been in many places, before her encounter with the lumbering, bestial cattle humans.

"We hoped you would be pleased,” said Lord Arcesilaus.

A sob escaped Lord Grendel.

"You are pleased, are you not?” asked Lord Arcesilaus, concerned.

"Yes,” said Lord Grendel.

"You are looking well, Lady,” said Tarl Cabot.

"I trust you, too, are well,” she said.

The Lady Bina then said to the slaves, “You may lift your heads, girls."

"Thank you, Mistress,” said Corinna, and the other slaves.

The Lady Bina then looked directly upon Cecily.

"Thank you, Mistress,” said Cecily.

"What is your name?” asked the Lady Bina.

"'Cecily', Mistress,” said Cecily, “—if it pleases Mistress."

As the Lady Bina was not the owner of the brunette slave, she would not, of course, be authorized to name her. The slave's response, however, was not an unaccustomed one to such an inquiry, and, in its way, acknowledged that she was such as might be named as masters, or mistresses, might please.

"You are pretty, Cecily,” said the Lady Bina.

"Thank you, Mistress,” said Cecily.

"Very pretty, Cecily,” she said.

"Thank you, Mistress,” said Cecily.

"I seem to remember you from a container,” said the Lady Bina, as though with some difficulty attempting to recall the matter, “when you naively, in your presumptuous and foolish vanity, dared to consider yourself a free woman."

"Yes, Mistress."

"That was foolish, was it not?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"You have a pretty collar, slave girl,” said the Lady Bina.

"Thank you, Mistress,” said Cecily.

To be sure, her collar was no different, essentially, from that worn by thousands of other slaves.

Yet there is no doubt that such collars are extremely attractive on a female.

It is said that no woman knows how beautiful she is until she has seen herself in a collar.

And it is said, as well, that no man knows how desirable a woman is until he has seen her in a collar.

What man, seeing a beautiful woman, does not imagine her in a collar, and want her?

It is, accordingly, not surprising that Gorean masters keep their girls in collars.

To be sure, Merchant Law, in any case, prescribes the collar, the brand, distinctive garmenture, and such.

In no case is the female slave, goods, an animal, to be confused with her incomparably exalted superior, the free woman.

The Lady Bina, the free woman, then looked away from the slave, disdainfully, and looked at Cabot. She then arranged her robes a little differently about her throat, drawing them down, a little. In this way it was made clear, however briefly, however inadvertently, that her throat bore no close-fitting metallic encirclement. Then, as though scarcely noticing what she was doing, she rearranged the robes, in such a way, modestly, that her throat was again concealed. Gorean free women commonly conceal their throat, which, of course, is easily done with the robes of concealment, the veils, and such. If a woman's throat is bared, how does she know that a fellow, say, that one, sitting across from her, in a public cart, or such, is not idly fancying what it might look like in a collar. Indeed, it is natural for a Gorean male, seeing the bared throat of a woman, to think “collar.” The throats of slaves, of course, are commonly bared, save, of course, for the collar. As they are slaves, they are expected to display the collar, obviously, and publicly, such a lovely badge of servitude.

Indeed, as earlier noted, this display, as certain others, is prescribed by Merchant Law, which is a general, intermunicipal body of law regularly promulgated by the Merchant caste at the great fairs, and tending to be shared by disunited, often hostile, Gorean communities. Even were it not for such law, of course, practical considerations would dictate some obvious ways of marking the distinction between the female slave and the free woman. One might think in terms of a slave bracelet or a slave anklet, or such, but the collar is almost universally preferred, possibly because of the prominence of its mounting, its unmistakable visibility, its way of clarifying the nature of its wearer, as a collared animal, and its beauty.

"Lord Grendel,” said the Lady Bina, acknowledging his presence.

"Lady Bina,” he said.

He extended his hand, to touch her, but she recoiled, moving back.

"Do not touch me!” she said.

"Forgive me, Lady,” he said.

She drew her robes more closely about her.

"Lord Arcesilaus,” she said. “It is my understanding that you have had prepared a state breakfast."

"Yes,” he said.

"Shall we then to the tables?” she asked.

"There is no place prepared for you,” said Lord Arcesilaus. He, naturally enough, still muchly thought of her as a pet, and so no place would have been prepared for her, no more than for the slaves.

"She shall have my place,” said Lord Grendel. “I will stand behind her chair."

There were cries of anger and dismay, both from Kurii and men on the dais.

"It is my wish,” said Lord Grendel, and none would gainsay him.

"I think this is a world of Kurii,” said the Lady Bina, “not of humans. I have heard of Gor. I think I will see what it is like. I think it would be interesting to live on the surface of a world, rather than within a world."

"Lady?” said Cabot.

"I shall wish,” said the Lady Bina, “to be given transportation to Gor. Others, as I understand it, are being indulged in this particular."

"Gor is dangerous, Lady!” said Cabot. “You are attractive, and you have no city, no village, no Home Stone. You might end up in the markets."

"In the markets?” she said.

"Being sold,” he said.

"I,” she laughed, “being sold! Absurd! I am a free woman!"

"I assure you,” said Cabot. “There is danger."

"I am a free woman,” she insisted.

"So, too, once, were most slaves,” said Cabot.

"Then they were not true free women,” said the Lady Bina. “They were only uncollared slaves.” She then looked at Cecily, who feared to meet her gaze. “Is that not true?” she asked.

"I do not know,” whispered the slave.

"But it is true of you, is it not?” asked the Lady Bina. “You were merely an uncollared slave."

"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily. “It was true of me. I was only an uncollared slave."

"And the collar belongs on you, does it not?” asked the Lady Bina.

"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily. “The collar belongs on me!"

"Are you insolent?” asked the Lady Bina.

"No, Mistress,” said Cecily, quickly. “Forgive me, Mistress!"

"Slave,” sneered the Lady Bina.

"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily. “I am a slave, and should be a slave."

"Quite true, slave girl,” said the Lady Bina. Then she looked at Cabot. “I will need funds,” she said.

"If you are determined,” said Cabot, “I will provide some rubies, and I would suppose that Lord Grendel might contribute something, as well."

"Surely,” said Lord Grendel.

"You will accompany me,” she said to Cabot. “I will need guidance, and protection."

"Not I,” said Cabot.

"I will reward you richly,” she said, “for I intend to become a Ubara."

"Do not be absurd,” said Cabot.

"My beauty,” she said, “will win me influence, and soon a throne."

"Do not be foolish,” said Cabot. “There are thousands of women on Gor as beautiful as you, if not more so, and a great many of them are in cages, on shelf chains, and in coffles."

"Am I to understand that, despite their beauty, they are for sale?"

"It is largely because of their beauty,” said Cabot, “that they are for sale."

"They are slaves?"

"Of course,” said Cabot. “They are slaves."

"Then,” she said, “it is appropriate for them, as they are slaves, that they be for sale."

"Certainly,” said Cabot.

"Slaves?” she said.

"Yes,” said Cabot.

"Men have made them so?"

"Of course."

"I am a free woman,” she said.

"Yes,” said Cabot.

Cabot thought it a shame that the Lady Bina was a free woman. Was there not there a waste of slave? Cabot thought that at a man's feet, naked and collared, under his switch, she might be much improved. Certainly she was beautiful, even slave beautiful. Many free women are slave beautiful, of course, but they have not yet been brought to the feet of men, and put in their collars.

Only then, mere slaves, reduced and exalted, in love and fulfillment, might they become truly beautiful.

Many a free woman, naked before her sandal slave, might inquire, “What do you think? Am I not beautiful enough to be a slave? Would I not sell well?” And to this the sandal slave, kneeling before her mistress, might well respond, and truthfully, “Yes, Mistress.” The sandal slave might then be lashed, and informed that the beauty of a free woman is far superior to that of a slave, any slave, to which she had best reply, “Yes, Mistress,” one of the few lies which a slave might safely utter. After all, what could a collar do for her mistress, really, other than enhance her beauty, and make her a thousand times more desirable to men? The sandal slave might think, “Be sold, great lady. I would bring more on the block than you!"

"I wish you to accompany me,” she said.

"I will ship with you,” said he, “to the surface of Gor, then we part."

"I will accompany you, Lady,” said Lord Grendel, quietly.

"No!” cried Lord Arcesilaus, and several others, amongst the Kurii. “Remain with us,” said a Kur. “Here you stand high in the rings,” said another. “Here you are champion, and hero!” said another. “Stay with us!” begged another.

"On Gor,” said Cabot, “you will be seen as no more than a beast!"

"What am I other than that here?” said Lord Grendel. He lifted his hand, which bore only five digits, not six. Some of the Kurii looked away. “And my voice,” said Lord Grendel, “is different. It is not fully Kur."

"You have rendered great services to the world,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “We will cheerfully overlook such deformities."

"Keep the slut here, and chain her to a ring,” said Cabot.

"No,” said Lord Grendel.

"Go to Gor, yes,” said a Kur, “but later, and only in war, to win her, and claim her, for the folk!"

"Stay with us, and help us to conquer Gor,” said another.

"No,” said Lord Grendel.

"Perhaps he should go,” said one of the Kurii.

"Perhaps there is, truly, no place for him here,” mused another.

"It is true, he is a monster,” said one of the Kurii. “There is no gainsaying that."

"But we salute him,” said another.

"Yes,” said another.

"He must be permitted to go, if he wishes,” said Lord Arcesilaus. “I, for one, will cruelly regret his departure, but I would not oblige him to remain, nor attempt to influence him to do so, against his will."

"You may accompany me then,” said the Lady Bina. “I may have need of you, if what friend Cabot suggests is true, that some peril might obtain. You may be my protector, rather like a sleen, my beast, my pet."

"Collar her,” said Cabot.

"She is a free woman,” said Lord Grendel.

"I may need a serving slave,” said the Lady Bina. She then looked upon Cecily. “That is a pretty slave,” she said. “What do you want for her?"

"She is not for sale,” said Cabot, “not now."

"Later?"

"Perhaps,” said Cabot.

Cecily looked at her master, in fear. She was property, of course, and could be disposed of, as the master might please.

"I think you want her,” said the Lady Bina, “—perhaps for slave use."

"Of course,” said Cabot. “Why do you think men make slaves, buy them, and such?"

"That they may have slave use from them?"

"Of course."

"Doubtless you make her grovel and squirm,” said the Lady Bina.

"Certainly,” said Cabot.

"She seems quite modest, and quite demure now,” said the Lady Bina.

"Now,” agreed Cabot.

"Doubtless she is different, in your arms, or under your whip."

"Of course,” said Cabot.

"She is a pleasure slave,” said the Lady Bina.

"Yes,” said Cabot.

"Why is she kneeling, then, with her knees together?"

"She is in the presence of a free woman,” said Cabot.

The Lady Bina then looked at Cecily. “Show what you are, slut,” she said.

"Before a free woman, Mistress?” said Cecily, frightened.

"I like the word ‘Mistress’ on your dirty little slave lips,” said the Lady Bina. “It belongs there."

"Yes, Mistress,” said Cecily.

"Now!” said the Lady Bina.

Cecily spread her knees.

The Lady Bina then laughed, merrily.

"Grendel,” said the Lady Bina.

"Lady?” said he.

"I do not too much care for this hood, and all these veils,” she said. “I think it better if my hair were seen, attractively flowing, and if my face were visible, that my beauty might be the better noted."

"Lady?” said he.

"And some adornment would be appropriate, for my head and hair,” she said.

Lord Grendel was silent.

"I will need my tiara, again,” she said. “You can find it, can you not?"

"Yes, Lady,” he said.

"Well then,” said the Lady Bina, to Lord Arcesilaus, “shall we now to the tables?"

"Yes,” said he.