“Fetch three more flagons, slave,” said he to Inala, his eyes upon the pot she held. “My men and I shall sample that creation, and perhaps we shall find it acceptable.”
“Brewed renth is not for males,” said I, and again sipped from my pot. “Best you bid the slave fetch unbrewed renth, and leave the other for warriors such as I.”
“The cheek of the she!” growled another of the males, and all stood forward to frown. “Leave the other for warriors such as she indeed!”
“The wench begs to be taught a lesson,” said the third, quite coldly, his light eyes hard upon me. “A shame we have been forbidden to touch her.”
“Yet, naught was said of what she might be made to drink,” mused the first. “A lesson would be taught, I think, should the wench be made to match us cup for cup.”
“Aye!” laughed the others in full agreement; and so it was decided. The males, seated all about me, tasted of the brewed renth and found it most pleasing, and then was I forced, by dire threats, to drink as did they, one for one, many pots of the renth. The hind passed with the drinking of the renth, and though the light had been high when first I had begun to feed, full darkness had nearly descended when the last of the males dropped his head and his pot of renth together, with a thud, to the platform top. The others slept quite soundly, loud noises emergent from their opened mouths, their bodies sprawled upon the seats about me. Somewhat dizzy did I also feel, for brewed renth was not like unbrewed renth, but I was able to take my feet and stand.
“Mistress, are you in difficulty?” Inala asked quite anxiously from beside me as I shook my head to rid it of the mists. Much renth had the males withstood, and unsteady was I upon my feet.
“The air without the dwelling shall clear my head,” said I to the female, and then I turned to the first of the males, silently asking the aid of Mida as I removed the weapons from about him. I turned from placing the weapons upon myself to find the female Inala busily engaged with another of the males, his dagger already upon the platform, his swordbelt nearly in her possession. I smiled at the eagerness of her assistance, then turned to the third of the males, and when all of the weapons had been removed, Inala and I faced one another again.
“Jalav thanks the female Inala for her assistance,” said I with sincerity. “Perhaps we shall one fey meet again in the sight of Mida.”
“You shall leave the city,” said Inala, her eyes large and somewhat tragic. “I beg you, Mistress, take me with you!”
“We shall go as warriors,” said I, with a small headshake and smile. “Inala does not know the way of warriors, nor would she find the pace to her liking. Remain here, city female, for Mida has not blessed you with soul nor life sign to guard it.”
“Here, I be slave!” said she most forcefully, and then she took a step forward. “I need not ask of your love for the collar, mighty Jalav, for I have seen your fury with my own eyes! Take me no farther than without the gates, and then abandon me if you must! Sooner would I die in the forests in freedom, than live longer as slave!”
Her band reached toward me beseechingly. Truly did Inala wish for freedom, and this was I able to understand, yet was there another thing which puzzled me.
“Should it be true that death is your preference to slavery,” said I, “how is it that you have not sought it sooner?”
“But I have,” said Inala quite bitterly. “By the former High Seat was I declared slave, for the terrible crime of having no family here in Ranistard, nor a male relative of any sort to speak for me. Most earnestly did I seek death then, attempting attack upon all who approached me, yet was I given, in its stead, many strokes of the lash, for a female slave is too useful to destroy. When I persisted in my search for destruction, the former High Seat grew exceedingly wroth, and ordained that I was to be given to his Guard for three feyd as punishment. The memory of those three feyd shall ever be with me, and not again have I had the courage to disobey.”
Her voice had dropped quite low, and pained. Fully taken with the renth must I have been, for my hand touched her shoulder as she stood, head down, before me. “Without the gates shall you find yourself,” I said, only then aware of the decision I had made. “May Mida guard you from then on.”
Her head raised, and her eyes shone with happiness. “I thank you,” said she quite simply, a twisted smile upon her lips. “I shall thank you for eternity!”
“No thanks need yet be given,” said I with a grin, “for we still stand within the city. Let us see if Mida smiles upon our venture.”
We gathered up the weapons then, and carefully departed the dwelling, Inala close behind me in my track. Much noise did the city female make in moving; however, there were none about to hear her. Not far was the dwelling of Telion, and I looked within a lighted window to see Larid, two armed males within the room as well. Larid saw me as I moved quickly aside, and she smiled with pleasure briefly. Leaving Inala without the dwelling with the excess weapons, I silently entered the dwelling and moved to the door behind which were Larid and the males. I placed myself with dagger in hand beside the door, then made the smallest of sounds. No notice did the males take, therefore did I find the need to repeat the sound, albeit louder, and then I was finally able to draw one to me. Through the doorway he came, sword in hand, back toward me, and the hilt of my dagger cracked his head quite nicely. As he crumpled to the cloth at my feet, I was quite sure that never again would he scorn the wearing of his head protection. Quickly, then, I entered the room, only to find the second male sprawling like the first, and Larid grinning with a length of firewood in her hand. I, too, grinned at the sight, and Larid stepped forward toward me.
“Most pleased was I to see you, Jalav,” said she, and then she rid herself of the firewood. “These males kept me prisoned here, while that misbegotten Telion rode off Mida knows where! Ceralt, I take it, accompanied him?”
“Most assuredly,” I nodded my agreement, “yet do I know their destination as well. They ride in search of the third Crystal of Mida—which we must reach before them.”
“I had forgotten the existence of a third Crystal.” Larid frowned, and most pleased was I to see that she, too, wore her life sign once again.
“We must gather others and leave the city quickly,” I said, moving toward the fallen male. “Let us take their weapons and bind them, for they do not sleep as soundly as those in Ceralt’s dwelling.”
With a nod Larid aided me, and soon were we ready to depart the dwelling. Most surprised was Larid at Inala’s presence, yet was she unquestioning of her war leader, as was proper. We continued on through the darkness, and in two hind there were five of us upon the roof of a dwelling close by the city gates. Fayan we had found in the dwelling of Nidisar, guarded by two unarmed males, therefore we were unable to add to our stock of weapons. Gimin and Binat were two of those prowling in the darkness, seeking males, and eagerly did they join our set. The others also wished to join us, but that was contrary to my thinking. Long would be the journey to Bellinard, and it would be best if none there knew of our presence. Unarmed Hosta would be easily taken captive, and our presence would be known to all should we obtain arms for our set in Bellinard. But a single hand of Hosta must do to obey the will of Mida.
Upon the roof of the dwelling, we concealed ourselves from those who moved below, then we used the knotted leather we had taken to scale the walls. Some difficulty was there in raising Inala to the sharpened metal atop the wall, yet was it, and her lowering, at last accomplished, and we stood without the city of Ranistard, armed and in possession of climbing leather. Most rapidly, then, we moved off to the south, for in such a direction did Bellinard lie. Inala hesitated briefly, then trotted in our track, attempting our pace, her slight form shivering from the chill. I silently wished her well, though I was unable to offer further aid. Mida had given her warriors her word, and this time it would be obeyed.