"It is an obvious strategem," he said. "I have considered it for years, but I did not use it until now."
"Had you used it earlier," I said, "it would now be a part of military history, of the lore associated with your name, something which all garrisons in appropriate cities would now anticipate and take steps to prevent."
"Of course," he said.
"You saved it," I smiled, "for an occasion worthy of it."
"For a Torcadino," he said. "Of course," I said.
"The aqueducts have now been closed by the Cosians, and their flows diverted," he said.
"There is no shortage of water in the city," I said. "You are now depending on the original wells, dating from before the aqueducts, which, with the ejection of the civilian population, are now more than ample for your needs."
He smiled.
"But I fear that you may not have anticipated all things," I said.
"It is seldom possible to do so," he said.
"I am troubled by certain obvious problems," I said.
"Speak," he said.
"There is no road from Torcadino," I said. "It would seem that you have trapped yourself here. The walls are surrounded. Your army is small. Cos will maintain a considerable force in the area, at least compared to what is at your disposal. I do not think you will be able to fight your way out. I am sure you do not have enough tarns to evacuate your men."
"Interesting," he said.
"Obviously you have made strict arrangements with Ar," I said.
"No," he said. "I have no understanding with Ar."
"You must have!" I said.
"No," he said.
"Are you not in the pay of Ar?" I asked, astonished.
"No," he said.
"You have done this of your own initiative?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "The powers of Ar and Cos must be balanced. The victory of either means the end of the free companies."
"But you are depending on Ar to raise the siege? Surely," I said.
"Of course," he said.
"What if she does not do so?"
"I that that would be quite unfortunate," he said.
"You could negotiate with the Cosians," I said. "I am sure they would agree to almost any terms, offering suitable inducements for withdrawal, guarantees of safety for yourself and your troops, and such, in order to regain Torcadino,"
"Do you think, after what we have done here, and the considerable delays we have caused them, they would just let us walk out of Torcadino?" he asked.
"No," I said.
"Nor do I," he smiled.
"Everything depends on Ar," I said.
"Yes," he said.
"You have taken great risks for Ar," I said.
"For myself, and the free companies," he said.
"Ar would seem to have no choice but to act as you expect," I said.
"It would seem so," he said.
"Yet, you seem troubled." I said.
"I am," he said. "Come with me."
We then went out through a side door, into another room. I looked back, once. I saw Lady Cara, in her chains, beside his desk. She was still on her belly. She had not been given permission to rise. She looked after us.
"What do you think of this little bird on her perch?" he asked me.
"It is hard to say," I said.
He pulled up her head with his fist in her hair. He was not gentle with her. She cried out, whimpering, her head bent back.
"Lovely," I said. Her neck was encircled by a collar. She was branded. As he had her head pulled back her back was pulled back against the short, horizontal wooden post behind which her arms were hooked. This horizontal post was mounted on a short vertical post, in the manner of a "T." She was kneeling on the platform, about a yard high, on which this «T was fixed. Her ankles were chained together, behind and about the vertical post. Manacles, and a length of chain, running across her belly, completed the closure that kept her arms in place, holding her wrists back, at her sides. "Perhaps she is a captain's woman."
"More than that," he said. "She was a general's woman."
She whimpered. Her eyes were almost glassy with terror. He released her hair. Her head fell forward, her long, dark hair before her body. I pulled the chain out a bit from her belly. There were marks in her flesh, from where it had been tight on her. She whimpered.
I regarded her. Jewels did not bedeck her. Her silks were now gone. No cosmetics now adorned her, begging to be licked and kissed from her lips. No scent of perfume now clung to her. There were smells which were perhaps those of sweat and fear. "Too, she had soiled the platform. She had been beaten, doubtless quite a rare experience for high slave. If she had once worn a golden, bejeweled collar it was now gone. On her neck now was a simple iron collar, hammered shut, such as might be put on the neck of any slut picked up by any soldier in a flaming city.
"What is your name, my dear?" he inquired.
"I have no name, no name!" she said, quickly.
"How do you know?" he asked. "Perhaps I have given you one."
"I have no name that I know," she said, terrified, jerking in her metal bonds, fearing that she might be being tricked into earning herself punishment. "I do not yet know my name, if I have one. If Master has named me, he has not yet informed me! If I have a name, it will be as Master pleases! I am a slave! I am his, only his! If I have a name, I beg to know it, that I may answer to it obediently and promptly!"
"You have no name," he said.
"Yes, Master," she said, weakly putting down her head again.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"Lucilina," she said.
The fellow regarded me. "Do you know the name of the high officer of the Cosian forces in the south?" he asked.
"Myron, Polemarkos of Temos, cousin to Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos," I said. "And what do you think might have been the name of his preferred slave?" he asked.
"I gather it was Lucilina," I said.
"She was as greedy as she is beautiful," said the officer. "She had much freedom in the Cosian camp, given even her own quarters, in which the Polemarkos could call upon her. In these quarters, amidst her cushions and silks, surrounded by her jewel boxes, attended to by female slaves assigned to her for her own use, to whom she was as absolute mistress, she held sway almost as might have a Ubara. Comfortably secure in the favor of her powerful and highborn master, esteemed and pampered, she, though only a slave, gathered power about herself."
I became angry hearing this. A female slave is not to have power. Rather she is to be subjected to it, totally.
"Her influence with the Polemarkos became well known. She had his ear. A word from her, for or against a fellow, as she pleased, could promote or ruin a career. In her tents she would receive visitors, callers and petitioners.
Dozens, coming to understand her power, came soon to sue for her favor. There were gifts for her, naturally. Surely that was only fitting. Her jewel boxes began to brim with precious stones. Rings were brought to her worth the ransom of a Ubar. Her cosmetic cases could boast perfumes that might have been the envy of a Ubara."
"Better chains of iron and a whip for her," I said, bitterly.
"Among these petitioners came one fellow bring with him the promise of a gift of wine, a wine supposedly secret, the rare Falarian, a wine only rumored among collectors to exist, a wine supposedly so rare and precious that its cost might purchase a city. She, of course, would test this. She, though only a slave, would choose to sip it."
"Arrogant slave," I said. The woman put down her head even more, whimpering, trembling. No slave takes wine without the permission of the master. And even then, as often as not, she takes it only on his command, and under his eye, usually kneeling before him. Sometimes, even, he puts his hand in her hair, bends her head back, and pours it down her throat. It is done by his will. "The wine, of course," he said, "was to precious to have been brought with him, but it is in his tent. She summons her palanquin and bearers, male slaves, and is to be carried to this place. Too, in this fashion the matter may best be kept secret from her attendants. She is often carried about the Cosian camp in her closed palanquin by bearers. This excites little curiosity. In his tent she will taste the wine, demanding even that he pour it for her. It is done. She looks at him, startled. Can this wine, which seems like a cheap ka-la-na, be the rare Falarian? But in a moment she is unconscious. Arrangements have already been made with the bearers, of course. They will receive their freedom. It could have been done otherwise but this is best. They were known. Had we substituted others for them we would have increased our risks. Too, left behind they might well have been killed, absurdly enough, by the Cosians, an unnecessary and foolish waste of able men, in my opinion, whereas I now have four more grateful, loyal fellows in my ranks, any one of whom I think would willingly die for me." "Of course," I said.