I had then, luckily, among Yellow-Knife slaves, discovered she who was now called Natus. Upon my expression of interest she had been given to me as a part of my portion of the loot. I had kept her for a bit, subjecting her to discipline and use, and then I had given her to Grunt. Grunt, happily, of course, sold her to Mahpiyasapa for the five hides of the yellow kailiauk which Mahpiyasapa had received from Canka. Canka, thus, cleared his accounts, so to speak, with his chief and acquired, thereby, a clear moral as well as legal title to Winyela. Grunt, of course, received his five hides and Mahpiyasapa recieved the rare, red-haired woman he had, in effect, ordered from Grunt last year. Mahpiyasapa, incidentally, was more then pleased with these developments. It had been so secret in the camp that he had regarded Winyela's breasts, at least for his tastes, as too small. Red savages often, like many men of the Tahari, tend to find a special attractiveness in large-breasted women.
On the way back to my lodge I passed a bargaining place, an open area serving for trading and exchanges, not unusual in an intertribal camp. There I saw Seibar, who had once been Pumpkin, of the Waniyanpi, trading, in sign, with a Dust-Leg warrior. Seibar was offering a netted sack of maize. The Dust Leg was bidding sheaves of dried kailiauk meat. No longer must those who had been Waniyanpi content themselves with the consumption of their own produce and deliver supluses witout recompense into the hands of masters.
The community was now, in effect, a small freehold in the Barrens, and yet, strictly, in theletter or the law, stood to the Kaiila as a leased tenancy. Not a square hort would the Kaiila surrender, truly, of their tribal lands. Yet the rend for the tenancy had been set at one ear of maize per year, to be deliverd to the reigning chieftain of the Isbu Kaiila. Yesterday this ear of maize had been deliverd, with suitable ceremonies, to Mahpiyasapa. The tenancy was subject to certain conditions, recorded suitably on two hides, each bearing the marks of the appropriate signatories. One of these hides remained with the Isbu; the other went to the leased tenancy. The two major conditions specified onthe hieds were that the tenancy was subject to review, to be followed by revocation or renewal, every tenth winter, and that the numbers of individuals in the tenancy were to be strictly limited, and excess in population to be removed by emigration to the lands west of the Ihanke. The red savages did not wish to countenance increasing white populations within their territories.
Thus, first, those who had been Waniyanpi were no longer slaves of the Kaiila and, second, they now maintained what amounted, for most practical purposes, to a small free state within the Barrens. These things were given to them as gifts by the Kaiila, in appreciation for the services rendered during the time of the war with the Yellow Knives and soldiers, for providing us with a tarn base within striking distance of Council Rock, and sheltering and supporting our men during the period of their training.
The community of those who had been Waniyanpi, of course, was not identified with a particular area of land, and certainly not with a territory occupied under the conditions of a leased tenancy. It now, in the Gorean fashion, for the first time, tended to be identified with a Home Stone. The community could now, if it wished, the Home Stone moving, even migrate to new lands. In Gorean law allegiances to a Home Stone, and not physical structures and locations, tend to define communities.
Seibar had wished to call the small community New Ar, but had abandoned this proposal in the face of an unfavorable reception by his fellows. Ar was not as popular with some of his fellows as it was with him, and that redoubtable municipality, the largest city in the Gorean north was unfamiliar to many of them, even in hearsay. After much discussion it was decided to call the tiny community Seibar's Holding, this being a manifestation of the respect and affection they bore their leader. The only reservations pertaining to this name seemed to be held by Seibar himself who, to the end, remained the stubborn champion of "New Ar."
The red savages, themselves, incidentally, have their own names for the new, small community. In Kaiila it is called «Anpao» or, sometimes, "Anptaniya." The expresion 'Anpao' means «Dawn» or "Daylight." The expression 'Anptaniya' has a more complex meaning in translation. It means, rather literally, "the breath of day." It is used to refer, for example, to the first, lovely glimmerings of morning. The expression is related, of course, to the vapors raised by the sun in the early morning, these perhaps, poetically and beautifully, as is often the case in the languages of the red svages, suggesting "the breat of day." In both expressions, of course, the connotations are rather clear, that darkness is over, that a new day is at hand.
I di dnot call myself to the attention of Seibar. Last night we had feasted. I did not wish to renew the bitterness of farewells.
I had soon, then, returned to the vicinity of my lodge. I was met there by Mira. She knelt before me and put her head to my feet. Then she lifted her head. "Word has come from the lodge of the dark guests," she said, "brought by Akihoka. The dark guest has pointed to the translator."
"I understand," I said. The translator was programmed in Kur and Gorean.
"I think the dark guest would speak with you," she said.
"Yes," I said.
"But, why, Master?" she asked. "What have you to do with the dark guest? And how is it that among your things there is a translator?"
I smiled.
"Who is it, to whom I belong?" she asked.
"Curiosity," I said, "is not becoming in a Kajira."
"Forgive me, Master," she said, putting her head down. I decided I would not, this time, whip her.
"I am going to the lodge of the dark guest," I said. "We will speak together."
"But what, Master, am I to do?" she asked.
"Surely you have woman's work to attend to," I said.
"Yes, Master," she said.
"Attened to it," I said.
"Yes, Master," she said.
Chapter 55
THE COMMINGLINGS OF BLOOD
Cuwignaka's knife moved on his own forearm, and then on mine, and then on Hci's.
"You cannot be a member of the Sleen Soldiers of the All Comrades," had said Hci, "for you are not Kaiila, and you do not know our dances and mysteries, the contents of our medicine bundles."
"There is another thing," had said Cuwignaka, "which can be done."
"Do it," had said Hci.
Cuwignaka held his arm to mine, and then I held my arm to that of Hci, and then Hci, in turn, held his arm to that of Cuwignaka. Thus was the circle of blood closed.
"It is done," said Cuwignaka.
"Brothers,"I said.
"Brothers," said Hci.
"Brothers," said Cuwignaka.
Chapter 56
I TAKE MY LEAVE FROM THE CAMP
I tied Mira's hands together before her body.
"When we reach civilization," I told her, "I will have you properly collared and branded."
"I am a slave," she said, "I shall look forward to my collaring and branding."
"Taht will confirm your status upon you," I said, "legally, and in the eyes of all."
"Yes, Master," she said.
I looked down upon her.
"Do you think that I will be slain in Port Kar?" she asked.
"I do not think so," I said, "but I would speak freely, and in great detail, if I were you."
She shuddered. "I will do so," she said.
The house of Samos in Port Kar was famous for its methods of interrogation. They would be used without reservation, of course, in the case of mere slaves.
"You are not as terrified now," I said, "as last night." It had been last night when I, after returning the translator to my things, had bound her hand and foot, and then informed her of the identity of her master. She had squirmed in misery and terror at my feet, her worst suspisions having been confirmed. She, a former agent of Kurii, had fallen into the hands of one who had done service for Priest-Kings, one who had doings with Samos of Port Kar, one who was known to some as Tarl Cabot, to others as Bosk of Port Kar.