Aemilianus backed up a step.
"Jason and I," said Tasdron, "are of Victoria. Victoria is neutral ground between Ar's Station and Port Cost. You are both, Callisthenes and you, here met on neutral ground."
It interested me that Tasdron had without even thinking about it, spoken of me as of Victoria. I, myself, had never given the matter much thought. I suppse that I was, though, in a sense, of Victoria. It was here surely that I was living and working. Yet to live and work in a place and to be of a place, are, in Gorean thinking quite different things. I wondered if I were of Victoria. I thought perhaps it was not impossible.
"I am prepared to sell my life dearly," said Aemilianus. "You are not in danger," said Tasdron, "or at least in no greater danger than the rest of us."
"You played your part well, Slave," sneered Aemilinaus to Peggy. "Will you receive a candy, lighter chains, a larger kennel?" She sharnk back, putting her hand before her mouth. "Or will I survive," he asked, "to teach you punishments thought suitable by a man of Ar for a female slave?" Visibly, the girl trembled.
"We mean you no harm," I said to Aemillianus. "Peggy, I said, " go to the Captain and kneel before him, and bare your breasts to his sword."
She looked wildly to Tasdron, her Master, and intereseting, to Callimachus. She looked to Tasdron, of course, because he was her legal Master, her owner. In looking to Callimachus, on the other hand, she had revealed, inadvertantly, not even understanding what she had done, that he was in her heart her Master, and that she was in her heart, his slave.
"Do so," said Tasdron. "Do so," said Callimachus. She was after all, only a slave. Peggy rose to her feet and went, head down, to kneel before the startled Aemilianus. Then at his feet, she lifted her head, and with her small hands, kneeling straight, parted her yellow silk. She knelt then before him, a helpless slave, as she had been commanded, her breasts bared before his sword.
I saw Tasdron smile. He had not failed to notice that Peggy had glanced terrified earlier to Callimachus. He now realized that one of his girls, Peggy, as in effect, the helpless love slave of Callimachus.
I do not think that this displeased him. Indeed, such information can be of great use in managing a girl.
Aemilianus, puzzled, lowered the point of his sword. He looked at us.
"We mean you no harm," I told him. "This is not a trap?" asked Aemilinaus. "No," I told him.
"Callisthenes," said Callimachus, turning to thecaptain of Port Cos, "is it your intention to stsrke me with your sword." "No," sid Callisthenes, "Of course not."Then put up your sword." said Callimachus.
Callisthenes sheathed his sword. A moment later the sword ofAemilianus too rested in its sheath.
"Come and sit at the table," said Tasdron. "We have much to discuss." We all then sat about the table.
"Fix your silk," said Tasdron to Peggy, " and go to the side of the room. Kneel there. If we need anything, you will be summoned." "Yes Master," she said."Do you wish her, instead, to remove her silk and to lick and serve you as we eat and talk?" inquired Tasdron of Aemilians.
This sort of thing is sometimes done at Gorean suppers. Each male has a naked slave girl who is in attendance on him during the supper. She licks and kisses him, and fetches for him, and may even put foot in his mouth. It is not unpleasant to be served by a naked, collared beauty in this fashion.
"We are not to be all so served, I gather," said Aemilianus. "I do not think that would be wise," said Tasdron.
"Then I shall myself, of course, forgo the pleasure," said he. "That is best," admitted Tasdron, "for there are serious things of which to speak.
I smiled to myself. It was true that slave girls were often distractive. It is difficult for a man to keep his mind or his hands off of them. They are, of course, imbonded, easily the most desirable of women.
"How much does she know?" asked Aemilinaus.
"Very little," said Tasdron. "Keep her ignorant," said Aemilianus.
"Of course," said Tasdron.
I looked to Peggy at the side of the room, serveral feet away. She had not closed her silk. She moved slightly and there was a sound of bells. Then she knelt very still, that she did not attract attention to herself.
"Speak softly," said Tasdron. "Very well," said Callisthenes. "Very well, "SAid Aemilianus. Peggy was very beautiful. She could not overhear our conversation. She would be kept in ignorance. She was a slave.
29. The Sea Gate: I am Again Within the Holdings of Policrates:
"Had we the support of others, in fuller extent, we could carry this project through," said Callimachus. "As it is, I fear we must fail."
The dock of the low river galley shifted beneath our feet, as the ship nosed through the inlet waters toward the secluded stronghold of Policrates. It lies some two pasangs from the river itself.
"Your original plan," said Callimachus, "was an excellent one, but now in its alteration, I fear we must fail."
Callimachus and I stood on the foredeck of the galley. I wore the mask which I had worn while pretending to be the courier of Ragnar Voskjard. I knew the signs and countersigns for entry into the stronghold through the sea gate. Those had been given to me that I could convey them to Ragnar Voskjard, that he might use them in his entry into the stronghold. It had been my plan to gather sufficient ships, primarily from Port Cos and Ar's Station to simulate the fleet of Ragnar Voskjard, who would be expected by Policrates. It would have seemed simple enough, then, to have brought enough men into the stronghold, posing as the men of Ragnar Voskjard, to take Policrates by surprise. He himself had never met Ragnar Voskjard, no had Voskjard met Policrates. The plan, indeed, was bold, but it had seemed to me sound.
Callimachus, who was experienced in matters of war, had liked the plan, and had concurred. Glyco and Tasdron, too, neither of whom could be tkane as rash fellows, had been taken by the plan. Interestingly enough, it had been the warriors, Callisthenes and Aemilianus, who had tended to regard the plan as dangerous and barren. Callisthenes in particular had been outspoken against it.
It was now near the 20th Ahn, the Gorean midnight. The sky was cloudy. The three moons were high over the trees, bordering the shadowy inlet. I could see the high, dark walls of the stronghold of Policrates in the distance, with its lofty sea gates, with its heavy latticework of iron.
"The fleet of Ragnar Voskjard," had said Callisthenes, "can never join with the fleet of Policrates. It will be prevented from doing so by the chain."Why then," had asked Glyco, "are you so concerned that the topaz never reach Policrates."
"The matter was important to the Merchant Council," said Callisthenes, "I merely do my duty. Some of them are uncertain of the effectiveness of the chain."And I am one of them, " said Glyco.
"That is known to me, " said Callisthenes.
"Has the chain now been placed?" asked Glyco. "Yes," said Callisthenes. "It is now in place."
"This work was done in secrecy, was it not?" I asked. I had not heard of it in Victoria, nor had Callimachus or Tasdron.
"Supposedly," said Callisthenes, "though its existence is now doubtless known to the western towns."It was forged in Cos, in a thousand links," said Glyco, "and brought overland around the delta and on galleys east from Turmus. Its mountings and pylons were mostly done at night. It lies west of Port Cos, that we many be protected from the pirates."It would also allow Port Cost to control trafffice on the river from the west," pointed out Tasdrn, irritably.
"We are under pressure from Cos," said Glyco. "I am not personally in favor of the chain. As a merchant I think a freer trade lies in our best interest. Too the chain will not make Port Cos popular with her sister cities."
"That is certain," said Tasdron. "Victoria, hitherto at least, has been primarily Cosican in her sympathies."