She tossed her head. "Yes," she said.
"I reject your offer," I told her.
"No, Jason," she said. "Please."
I went to the door of the barn and opened it. It was now light, shortly after dawn. I must be swiftly upon my way. I did not wish to dally. Though I did not think the guardsmen would arrive for several Ahn, even if they arrived today, I did not wish to risk encountering them.
I looked back at the girl.
"I will pay you much," she said.
"No," I said. Actually I did not think, any longer, though I was not interested in her offer, that the Lady Florence was truly in a position to extend a handsome employment. Her house, and several of her buildings, had been burned. The tharlarion had been released. Though doubtless she retained assets the Lady Florence, I suspected, stood upon the brink of being a ruined woman.
"Do you intend to flee the guardsmen?" she asked.
"Certainly," I said.
"Do not do so," she said. "I will intercede with the guardsmen. I will not permit them to hurt you. Remain with me on the estates."
"As your hired slave?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"No," I said.
"You have nowhere to go," she said. "You have no money!"
I looked at her. She shrank back.
"Do not break position," I said.
She held position. kneeling back on her heels, her knees wide, her back straight, her head high, her small wrists tied behind her back, the dark leather strap coiled about her throat.
"Do not look at me like that," she said. "I am not a slave!"
I smiled.
"I am not a slave!" she said.
"I must go," I told her. I gathered some supplies, which I had, yesterday evening, brought to the barn. Among them was food and water, and the blade I had taken from the brigand, Orgus.
"Are you determined in this matter?" she asked, bitterly.
"Yes," I said.
She pulled at her bonds. "Surely you will not leave me behind like this, to be found by guardsmen, as a naked, tied slut."
"No," I said.
"Bring me clothing," she said.
"No," I said.
"I can find my own clothing," she said. "I know you wish to move swiftly. Simply unbind me."
"No," I said.
"I do not understand," she said.
"Surely you have noted that your ankles are not bound," I said.
She looked at me.
"On your feet, Lady Florence," I said.
"No!" she cried.
I glanced to the slave whip.
Swiftly she rose to her feet.
I thought she would make a lovely traveling companion, for a portion of my journey.
29 WE MOVE SOUTH; THE TALE TOLD BY A STRAND OF HAIR; I DECIDE TO PREPARE THE LADY FLORENCE FOR SLAVERY
"It is madness!" she said. "You cannot seriously intend to take me with you!"
I looked at her. She trembled.
"It would be a difficult and delicate matter to hold me for ransom," she said.
"That is doubtless true," I admitted.
"Abandon, then, the idea," she said.
"I have never held it," I said.
"I do not understand then," she said.
"I seek an Earth girl," I said, "one called Beverly Henderson, who was brought with me, as a slave, to this world. She is owned, I believe, by Oneander of Ar."
"She may have had many owners by now," said the Lady Florence.
This was true. Slave girls often change hands.
"I must seek her out," I said.
"To put her at your feet?" asked the Lady Florence.
"Of course not," I said. "It is my intention to free her from the collar of bondage."
"But she is an Earth girl," said the Lady Florence. "Earth girls are natural slaves. They belong in the collar."
"No," I said. "No!"
"It is common knowledge," she said.
"Do you wish to be whipped?" I asked.
"No, Jason," she said.
I thrust her toward the door of the barn, and, in moments, we were crossing the meadows, beyond the ruins of several buildings, the sun on our left.
"You are not going toward Vonda," she said. "You are going south."
"I know," I said. I scanned the skies. I pushed her again ahead of me.
"These are times of war," she said. "You may be moving toward the camps of Ar."
"That is possible," I said.
"But I am of Vonda," she said.
"Yes," I said.
"Surely you know what fate could befall me if I fell into the hands of soldiers of Ar," she said.
"Yes," I said.
Suddenly she stopped, and wheeled to face me. She pulled at her bound wrists. "Why are you taking me from my estates, Jason?" she asked. "How do I figure in your plans?"
"Have you not guessed?" I asked.
"Why are we going south?" she asked. "What are you seeking?"
"Do you remember she who was once the Lady Melpomene?" I asked.
"Of course," she said, "the shameless slut!"
"I did not think her more or less responsive than you," I said.
The Lady Florence reddened. "I sold her as a slave," she said.
"To whom?" I asked.
"Tenalion of Ar," she said.
"His camp," I said, "given the times which were required to reach your house, and return to the camp, is not more than two days trek from here."
She looked at me, aghast. "Do not joke, please, Jason," she said.
"Slavers," I said, "follow the paths, and projected paths, of armies. Given the times I do not think it a coincidence that Tenalion of Ar was recently in the vicinity of Vonda. Too, being a slaver, I think it not unlikely that he may have dealings with various parties. To his camp, I suspect, come not only the captures of brigands, and the stripped females from the outskirts of the Salerian cities, taken by the raiding parties of Ar, but, too, even women taken by the warriors of Cos and of the cities of Saleria. Such a camp, in effect, is a truce ground, where men of various allegiances may in safety bring what prizes may have fallen to their ropes and chains."
"Tenalion knows me," she said. "Doubtless he would swiftly free me."
"He has doubtless, already in his mind," I said, "speculated on your slave potential."
"He knows me," she said.
"Do you think that will make a difference to him," I asked, "when, with the dispassionate objectivity of the slaver, he stands you upon his assessment platform and assesses your quality as slave meat?"
"Do not take me to Tenalion," she said. "I fear him."
"As well you might, female of Vonda," I said.
"It is all a joke you are playing on me," she laughed, suddenly.
"Yet you are bound, and have a strap on your throat," I said.
"You are keeping me for a time, as a hostage," she said, "that is all!"
"And then what?" I asked.
"And then you will release me," she said. "That is it." She laughed.
I turned her about and thrust her again before me, southward.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"To the camp of Tenalion," I said.
"But for what reason, Jason," she begged, "for what possible reason?"
"He knows you," I said, "and he is familiar with various matters known in Vonda and within her vicinity. He will know, for example, that you have been much sought as a Free Companion by rich young swains of Vonda, but that you have held yourself too good for them, and have refused them all."
"Oh, Jason!" she cried.
I thrust her forward again. Now she was sobbing. "Hurry your pace," I told her.
She stumbled. I scanned the skies.
"Doubtless such young men," I said, "invited to a private sale, one suitably secret, will bid high against one another to have you. Tenalion will doubtless receive a fine price for you, even though you are untrained, and he, knowing this, will doubtless make me an excellent offer for you."