"Perhaps," smiled Aemilianus.
"Dear friend," smiled Calliodorus.
Calliodorus bent down and clasped the upraised hand of Aemilianus. I had gathered that, long ago, these men had seen action together, probably on the river.
Calliodorus stood up.
There was, incidentally, one flag of Ar's Station on board, which had been brought from Ar's Station itself, but that flag, large, rent, faded and tattered, was not the one, or ones, under discussion. It had been there, staunch and defiant, throughout the siege. It had been brought to the Tais by the young man to whom I had entrusted it, the friend of the young crossbowman. He had given it to Aemilianus, who had, in turn, given it into the keeping of Surilius, his aide. I had little doubt that that flag was very precious to those of Ar's Station. They would be very careful as to what lines on which it might be affixed.
"But, dear friend," said Aemilianus, "is there not one touch else that might be in order, to indicate a successful voyage?"
"I was thinking of asking about it," smiled Calliodorus.
"Hang then in chains, at the prow!" said Aemilianus.
"Good," grinned Calliodorus.
The slave girl, as Claudia and Publia would come to learn, had thousands of uses. And one of them, surely, is that of a display object. It is common for masters to be very proud of their girls and to desire to show them off. indeed, one of the reasons for slave garb, aside from such things as its identificatory role, its stimulatory nature, both to the master and slave, its instructive role, and such, is its capacity to display the girl beautifully. Just as a man of Earth might be proud of his pictures, or his dogs or horses, so, too, a Gorean can be proud of his slave, or slaves. Some men like to travel with a naked slave afoot beside them, chained by the neck to their stirrup. Some rich men enjoy having lovely slaves, sometimes strings of them, follow them, chained by the neck, the leads of the chains fastened to slave bars at the back of their palanquins. In this case, Calliodorus was apparently interested in displaying two beauties, a pair of exquisite slaves, at this prow. Certainly they, suspended naked in their chains would enhance his entry into the harbor at Port Cos.
"I must be about my duties, my friend," then said Calliodorus to Aemilianus. "Rest."
Most of the men about had, by now, drifted away.
Calliodorus stopped for a moment, as though he wanted to say something more to Aemilianus, but he then seemed to think the better of it. He then climbed the steps behind Aemilianus, to the helm deck. I looked after him.
"He wanted to issue warnings," said Aemilianus, smiling.
"Warnings?" I asked.
"Yes," said Aemilianus. "He is a good fellow."
I gathered that it would be inopportune to inquire further into this matter, at least at the moment. But surely there could be little, or nothing, to fear now, at least for free persons.
"Commander," said I.
"Yes, Warrior," he responded. "I thank you for your mercy in the case of the former Lady Claudia." "Was it mercy?" he asked.
"I think so," I said.
"Well," he said, "her treacheries, however heinous and grievous, considered in the light of grander and more insidious designs, seemed paltry."
"And doubtless were," I said. "Is that why you spared her?"
"I spared her primarily," he said, "because you wished it."
"I am grateful," I said. "Too, I think she will make an excellent slave." "I am sure of it," he said.
"Even Calliodorus thought she was born for the collar," I said.
"She and Publia," said Aemilianus.
"Yes," I said.
"I think he was right about both," he said.
"I think so, too," I said.
"My friend," he said.
"Yes," I said, startled.
"You said to her," he reminded me, "that you had no intention of imperiling your life for her."
"Yes," I said.
"Yet I think had I not spared her," said he, "that you would have drawn your sword on her behalf."
"I said what I did," I said, "because I knew it would not be necessary to imperil my life for her."
"How could you know that? he asked.
"Because Aemilianus, and those like him," I said, "are honorable men." "You were counting on that? he asked.
"Yes," I said.
"And had we not, in your opinion, behaved honorably? he asked.
"Then I would have drawn my sword," I said.
"I thought so," he said.
"I am sorry," I said.
"Even were I other than I am," he smiled, "I do not think I would have wanted you to draw your sword against us." I did not respond.
"Particularly over a woman," he said. He held out his hand to Shirley, and she came quickly to kneel beside him and took his hand, and lifted it to her lips, kissing it, softly.
"Of course," I said.
"And in particular," said Aemilianus, "one who was soon to become a mere slave." "Of course," I said.
Shirley, holding and pressing her lips to the hand of Aemilianus, looked up at me.
I smiled. Swords are often drawn on Gor over women, and particularly over lovely slaves. Women are prizes, perfections and treasures. It is no wonder that men fight over them with ferocity.
Wars have been fought to recover a stolen slave.
I then, quietly, withdrew from the presence of Aemilianus, permitting Shirley to attend him.
I went forward. In doing so I passed some slaves and masters, amidships. How beautiful were the slaves in their collars and brief tunics. I then proceeded farther forward, taking my way beside free women, and some children, and climbed to the tiny bow deck, forward of the stern castle, immediately behind the prow. I stood there, and looked down the river. I could see the advance ships some quarter of a pasang, or so, ahead. I wondered what the warnings of Calliodorus, if Aemilianus had read him aright, might have been about.
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.