Renegades of Gor

22 Publia, Slave

Publia lay before me, on her stomach, over a pile of rope, aft on the Tais. Her head was down. Her neck was chained to a ring in the deck.

"You? she said.

"Yes," I said.

"Please be kind to a woman who is now only a slave," she said.

I laughed, softly.

She shuddered.

She was pretty, lying on her belly, over the ropes, her head down.

But yet, I thought, as she is a slave, surely she should be permitted to beg for kindness."

"Do not hurt me," she begged.

"That is muchly up to you," I said.

"To me?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "I do not have any intention, at least at present, of hurting you. On the other hand, if you prove to be in the least disagreeable, do not fear, I will not hesitate to inflict discipline, and severe discipline, upon you."

"I understand," she said.

"You were once Lady Publia, of Ar's Station," I said.

"Yes," she said, frightened.

"Who are you now?" I asked.

"Publia," she said, "a slave." "Lift yourself, Publia, slave," I said.

She cried out, softly, perhaps not anticipating the sternness of my grip upon her.

"Master," she said.

She clutched ropes in the coils on which she lay. "Ohhh," she said, suddenly. Then she began to gasp, and make helpless noises.

The moons were full. The slave was pretty. It was late. We were two days yet from Port Cos.

I then crouched beside her, and turned her, and lifted her. I held her knees up, close to her belly. Her body was a small, curvaceous delight. I then put her on her back, on the coils of rope. I bent over her and then, with one hand, behind the back of her neck, gripping it, lifted her head, bringing her face beneath mine, forcing it there. I then kissed her, and let her lie back on the ropes. Her eyes were wide, and soft, and frightened.

"You were a pretty warder," I said.

"I am a slave," she whispered, "only a slave."

"Perhaps you desire to be pleasing?" I asked.

"Yes," she said fervently. "I desire to be pleasing!" She then reached out for me and put her hands behind the back of my neck. She then lifted her lips timidly to mine, fearing, it seemed, that her overture might be refused, that they might be rejected. "I do desire to be pleasing, Master," she whispered. I permitted her to kiss me.

Later we lay together, side by side.

It was near morning now. I had waited until the crew had finished with her, until late, before I had approached her. In this way I could have more time with her. I supposed that in an Ahn or so a fellow would come by, to release her from the chain, to return her to the hold. They were no longer kept in the tiny cages. They were free in the hold, though the hatch was locked. Claudia had been put at the ring earlier and returned to the hold earlier. Publia had been put at the ring later, and would be returned to the hold later. For a time during the evening, both had been at the ring. Tomorrow night, as it was on alternate nights, Claudia would be put at the ring later, and Publia earlier.

"On the day after tomorrow," I said, "we reach Port Cos." "I know," she whispered.

"The ship will be decorated," I said. "You and Claudia will be displayed at the prow."

"I have heard that," she whispered. "How will we be dressed for that honor?" "You will be naked," I said.

"And in chains?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, "or perhaps ropes. You surely know how women are displayed at prows."

"How will it be done?" she asked.

"You will probably be hung there," I said, "one on each side of the prow." "Doubtless it is a great honor," she said.

"Yes," I said. "But do not fear, I am sure that both of you, even if there were a cargo of superb captures aboard, would still be excellent candidates for the honor."

"I am not accustomed to thinking of myself as an ornament," she said. "It is one of the purposed to which a slave girl may be put," I said. "But now I find myself intrigued by the idea of serving so," she whispered. "Oh?" I said.

"Yes," she whispered, "of being found so beautiful that men would display me so. Oh, I fear it, but, too, I find it exciting, and meaningful and thrilling. I am coming to understand now how marvelous it is to be beautiful and attractive to men. I feel so much myself, and so real, and female! Will not other women, I wonder, resent and hate me that it was I who was put at the prow and not they?" "Perhaps," I said.

"Sometimes, when I was a free woman," she said, "I wondered, secretly, of course, what it might be like, to be so displayed."

"You will soon know," I said.

"Am I beautiful?" she asked. "Yes," I said, "and you will discover that in bondage you will become even more beautiful. Indeed, you will find you have little choice in the matter. There are many reasons for it, physical and psychological."

"I want to be beautiful," she said, "and I am proud to be beautiful!" "Beware of free women," I said.

"Surely masters will protect me from serious harm," he said.

"They will usually endeavor to do so," I admitted.

"I will be proud, being put at the prow!" she said.

"Beware of becoming too proud," I said.

"Maser?" she asked.

"Do you wish to be whipped again?" I asked.

"No!" she said. She had been whipped on our second night out, from Ar's Station. "The whip is an excellent device for taking pride from a woman," I said. "I do not doubt it," she said.

"Or, generally," I said, "for bringing about reforms in her character." "Yes," she laughed, "and for bringing us to you in any way you please to have us."

I then kissed her, and left her.