“I think, of late,” said Tuvo Ausonius, “I have learned something of which, hitherto, I had known little.”
“What is that?” asked Julian.
“Honor,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“It is my hope,” said Julian, “that more in the empire will recollect it.”
Renata poured wine for Otto. He lifted his hand, slightly, and she desisted.
“Master, may I assist?” asked Flora, lifting her wrists to Otto.
“Thank you, Master,” she said, freed.
She hurried to assist in the serving.
Otto watched her, his fists clenched. How beautiful she was, the slave. She returned in a moment with a plate filled with tiny cakes.
“Perhaps I should send you to the kitchen, to scour the tiles,” said Otto.
“As Master wishes,” she said.
“You may remain,” he said.
“Thank you, Master!” she said.
Her flanks were exquisite, and the little slave, the vixen, was doubtless not unaware of that.
The individual seated by Tuvo Ausonius, she in same garb, seemed uneasy, being served by the slaves, Renata and Gerune, and then Flora. It was almost as though she was frightened to be where she was, seated, at the table.
She looked anxiously at Tuvo Ausonius, but, if he noticed her agitation, he gave no sign of it.
Julian, however, had been considering her, with some attention, and was not unaware of her lack of ease.
“Your colleague,” said Julian, addressing himself to Tuvo Ausonius, “is a female, is she not?”
The garmentures, and practices, of sames are designed to minimize and obscure sexual differences.
Among sames, by intent, it is often difficult to distinguish the sexes.
Tuvo Ausonius turned to the individual at his side.
“Such things are not of interest to sames, of course,” she said.
“But you are a female, are you not?” asked Julian.
“Yes,” she said, “I am a female.”
“It is my understanding,” said Julian to Tuvo Ausonius, “that you are no longer a same.” This information, of course, had emerged earlier, in the interrogation of a slave.
“That is true,” said Tuvo Ausonius. “I am no longer a same.”
“It seems surprising then that you would travel in the company of a same,” said Julian.
“Perhaps,” smiled Tuvo Ausonius.
“One might expect then that one of your station, and income,” said Julian, “might own a slave.”
“True,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“You understand that for purposes of security, we have kept you and Person Sesella separate,” said Julian.
“Of course,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“It is not as though she were a meaningless slave,” said Julian.
“Of course,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“And doubtless, as she is a same, she is simple, plain, homely, even ugly, and of no interest whatsoever.”
Tuvo Ausonius looked annoyed.
The individual beside Tuvo Ausonius, she in same garb, regarded him, frightened.
“Here, Renata, Gerune, Flora,” said Julian. “Parade and pose before our guest.”
The slaves did so, and well, as they were slaves, and commanded. Any personal feelings they might have had were immaterial.
The individual beside Tuvo Ausonius became then quite agitated.
“There are three beauties,” said Julian. “Pick any of them. She will be sent to your room this evening.”
Gerune cast a wild, pleading glance at Julian.
“You do not mind, do you, Otto?” said Julian.
“No,” said Otto. “They are only slaves.”
Renata and Flora looked at Otto, pleadingly, but knowing they were slaves.
“None of them,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
The three girls cast wild glances about, among themselves, of relief, but, too, of surprise.
“I would prefer another,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“I can summon others,” said Julian. “There are some in the kitchen, some with the guards, some in kennels below.”
“May I pick my own?” asked Tuvo Ausonius.
“Of course,” said Julian.
“And may I offer you something?” he said.
“Of course,” said Julian.
“I have something here,” he said.
He snapped his fingers.
“Yes, Master!” cried the small figure at his side.
She leapt gratefully, delightedly, to her feet and began to tear away the same garb which had obscured what, in a moment, was to be delightfully revealed.
“Aii!” cried Julian.
“Superb!” said Otto.
“Ahhh,” cried the slaves.
There now knelt, before the table, in a tiny tunic of red silk, and collared, a startlingly beautiful slave.
“Excellent,” said Julian. “What do you call her?”
“‘Sesella’,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“That is a slave name?” said Julian.
“Of course,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“But she wore same garb,” said Julian.
The pretty slave put her head down, frightened.
“That seemed appropriate,” said Tuvo Ausonius, “to conceal her identity and status.”
“I understand,” said Julian.
“Such things are not concealed now,” said Otto.
“No,” admitted Tuvo Ausonius.
“Would you like to resume your place at the table?” asked Julian of the exquisite, frightened slave before him.
“No, no, Master!” she said, frightened.
“Why not?” he inquired.
“I am a slave,” she said. “It is more fitting that I kneel in the presence of masters.”
“Let Sesella, now in her turn, parade and pose,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
The slave, frightened, walked before the men.
“Interest them,” said Tuvo Ausonius. “You are a slave.”
The slave obeyed, pausing, crouching, kneeling, sitting, casting glances, extending a limb, calling attention, delicately, in this fashion and that, frightened, to her indisputable, marvelous, commanded loveliness.
“Excellent,” said Julian.
“Splendid,” said Otto.
Well, you see, was her master’s property exhibited.
“Obeisance,” snapped Tuvo Ausonius.
Instantly, as slaves must obey, did she assume a common position of obeisance, kneeling, her head down to the floor, the palms of her hands on the floor.
“An exquisite slave,” said Julian.
“Indeed,” said Otto.
“I offer her to either of you, or both, for the evening,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
The slave gasped in misery. Her small shoulders shook.
“But you would like her, would you not?” asked Julian.
“Yes,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“I shall send her to your room tonight,” said Julian.
From the slave there came a tiny sound, of joy.
“But are we not to be kept separated?” inquired Tuvo Ausonius.
“If she were a free woman, of course,” said Julian. “But as she is not a free woman but only, as is now evident, a meaningless slave, it does not matter.”
“My thanks, milord,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“Chain her well,” said Julian.
“I shall, milord,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“And if her cries of ecstasy become too obtrusive you might, for the sake of the rest of others, consider gagging her.”
“Of course, milord,” said Tuvo Ausonius.
“Perhaps, my dear,” said Julian to the slave, “you would care to assist in the serving?”
“Yes, Master!” she said gratefully. “Thank you, Master!”
The four slaves then, Renata, Gerune, Flora and Sesella, addressed themselves to the serving of the supper. Sesella seemed jealous to serve Tuvo Ausonius, hurrying to him, placing herself before others and such. The other slaves did not object. She was, after all, his own slave. Sometimes, of course, such competitions tend to be adjudicated later in the kitchen or slave quarters, which loci, as one might suppose, are not entirely unacquainted with biting, scratching, screaming, kicking, the pulling of hair and other such unpleasant modalities of arbitration.