Fighting Slave of Gor (42 page)

"I am a house slave!" she cried.

Taphris was a bother, a nuisance. I was tired of being followed about by her. Kenneth and Barus, too, were weary of her constant spyings and reportings to the Mistress. They would not have been displeased to rid the stables of her.

"Wait, Slave!" she cried.

I considered putting the hatchling down and turning on Taphris, raping her in the darkness of the tunnel to within an inch of her life. But I did not do so. It was not that I feared the Mistress. It was rather that I did not want the hatchling to become chilled. I had stood the vigil of its hatching. I felt responsibility for it. Too, I respected it. It was a free animal. It was not a slave.

22 THE HOUSE GUESTS OF THE LADY FLORENCE; THE VENGEANCE OF THE LADY FLORENCE; I AM GIVEN A SLAVE TO SPORT KITH

"I do not know how I can ever thank you, Lady Florence," breathed the Lady Melpomene.

"It is nothing," said the Lady Florence, "for we are sharers of a Home Stone and are, too, fast friends."

"How I regret our former differences," said the Lady Melpomene, clasping in her two hands those of the Lady Florence.

The Lady Florence nodded, her features visible behind the light house veil, suitable for an informal dinner with friends. The Lady Melpomene, too, wore such a veil. Both were richly robed.

I stood with Kenneth behind a curtain. Through the curtain we could hear and see what took place within the lofty hall in the house of the Lady Florence, she of Vonda. The hall was lovely, too, as well as lofty, with its mosaics and tiles, its hangings and slim pillars. In the hall was an open circle of small tables, at which a handful of guests, on cushions and mats, reclined. There were four men and two women at these tables, other than the Lady Florence, the hostess, and her guest of the past several days, the Lady Melpomene. The tables were covered with cloths of glistening white and a service of gold. Before each guests there were tiny slices of tospit and larma, small pastries, and, in a tiny golden cup, with a small golden spoon, the clustered, black, tiny eggs of the white grunt. The first wine, a light white wine, was being deferentially served by Pamela and Bonnie. Both girls were beautiful, in flowing, classic white. Their arms, of course, were bare, as is common with slave girls. On the throat of each was a lustrously polished silver collar, and on the left wrist of each, locked, with a chain loop, should one desire to secure them, a matching bracelet. Both girls, of course, were barefoot.

"When these papers are signed," said the Lady Melpomene, happily, lifting some papers from the table in front of her, "I shall be free of my debts."

There was polite applause, the striking of the left shoulder, from those at the tables, including the Lady Florence.

"And all this I awe to my dear friend," said the Lady Melpomene, "the Lady Florence!"

There was again light applause, but this time, the Lady Florence, being the object of the commendation, merely bowed her head graciously.

"I lift my wine to the Lady Florence of Vonda!" said the Lady Melpomene.

"We lift our wine to the Lady Florence of Vonda," said the guests.

All then drank, save the Lady Florence, who, smiling, did not lift her cup. Free women, drinking, commonly lift their veil, or veils, with the left hand. Low-caste free women, if veiled, usually do the same. Sometimes, however, particularly if in public, they will drink through their veil, or veils. Sometimes, of course, free women will drink unveiled, even with guests. Much depends on how well the individuals are known, and who is present. In their homes, of course, with only members of their families present, or servants and slaves, most free women do not veil themselves, even those of high caste.

"I thank you, citizens of Vonda and others, friends, all," said the Lady Florence. "And now I, in turn, lift my cup."

All lifted their cups, save the Lady Melpomene.

"I lift my cup," said the Lady Florence, "to the beautiful Lady Melpomene of Vonda, who is beautiful enough even to wear the collar of a slave!"

There was laughter at this bold toast, and the Lady Melpomene, reddening, smiling, put down her head. "Please, Lady Florence," she chided. "There are those here who are not of Vonda." She looked across the tables, across the space between them, to where three men sat, one of Venna, and two of Ar. "What will your guests think?" she asked.

"Fear not, Lady Melpomene," said one of the men, one of Ar, who raised his cup. "I am sure that the toast of the Lady Florence is true in all particulars."

There was again laughter, and all drank, save the Lady Melpomene, who, embarrassed, smiling, was the object of the toast.

Pamela and Bonnie, heads down, silent effacing themselves, as is proper with slaves, again filled the small golden cups. It was again a serving of the first wine. In a Gorean supper in a house of wealth, in the course of the supper, with varied courses, eight to ten wines might be served, each suitably and congruously matched with respect to texture and bouquet not only to one another but to the accompanying portions of food.

I looked about, through the curtain, at the guests of the Lady Florence, other than the Lady Melpomene. The fellow from Venna, clad in white and gold, was Philebus, a bounty creditor. He was known to the merchants of several cities. Such men buy bills at discount and then set themselves to collect, as they can, their face value. They are tenacious in their trade. I did not know the business of the two men from Ar. They were Tenalion, and his man, Ronald. 'The fourth man was Brandon. He was from Vonda. He was a prefect in that city. His certifications on certain documents would be important. The two ladies, both of Vonda, were Leta and Perimene, both friends of the Ladies Florence and Melpomene. As free citizens of Vonda they could witness legal transactions.

"The Lady Melpomene is richly garbed," I noted to Kenneth, who stood beside me.

"The garments are those of the Lady Florence," he said.

"I see," I said.

"Even the perfume she wears is that of the Lady Florence," said Kenneth.

"I see," I said.

As we spoke some five musicians entered the room and took their places to one side. There was a czehar player, two flutists, a kalika player, and a player on the kaska, a small hand drum.

Between the tables there was a large, tiled scarlet circle, some twelve feet in width, with an iron ring at its center. "What is the entertainment you have planned for us, Lady Florence?" inquired the Lady Melpomene.

"It is to be a surprise," said the Lady Florence.

"I can hardly wait," said the Lady Melpomene.

"You are so secretive, Florence," laughed the Lady Leta, as though chiding the Lady Florence. Yet from her laugh I through it not unlikely that she knew well what was in store.

Philebus, across the tiled circle, cleared his throat. "Let us conduct our business," he said. "We may then proceed to the amusements of the evening."

"A splendid idea!" said the Lady Florence.

"A splendid idea!" said the Lady Melpomene.

"Before you Lady Melpomene of Vonda," said Philebus, "lie several papers, detailing the consolidation of your debts. These papers are certified by the bank of Bemus in Venna, and are witnessed by the signatures of two citizens of that city. Do you acknowledge that the tallies are correct and that the debts are yours?"

"I do," said the Lady Melpomene.

"I now," said he, "by my purchased rights, charge you with these debts and demand payment."

"And, thanks to my friend, the Lady Florence, she of Vonda," said the Lady Melpomene, "you shall have your payments, and now. The Lady Florence has graciously agreed to lend me the full amount of the due notes and at no interest."

This seemed to me incredibly generous of the Lady Florence. Kenneth, near me, behind the curtain, was smiling.

"I herewith publicly sign," said the Lady Melpomene, "this loan note, made out to the Lady Florence of Vonda, for the full sum of one thousand, four hundred and twenty tares of gold."

"And I," said the Lady Florence, "herewith publicly sign this draft, marked in the same amount, drawn on the bank of Reginald in Vonda, and properly certified, made out to Philebus of Venna."

She handed the draft to the Lady Melpomene. The Lady Melpomene handed her back the loan note. Philebus of Venna went to the table of the Lady Melpomene and took the draft. He looked at it, and was satisfied, and placed it in his pouch. The loan note was carried by the Lady Florence herself to the prefect and to the Lady Leta and the Lady Perimene. These, with their signatures, and the prefect with a stamp also, certified and witnessed the loan note. Pamela and Bonnie, incidentally, the two enslaved Gorean beauties in attendance on the tables, did not fetch or carry the documents about. This had been done by Philebus of Venna and the Lady Florence. Slaves, generally, are not permitted to touch legal documents. They are slaves.

"You are now my full and only creditor, Lady Florence," said the Lady Melpomene. "I trust that you will be merciful, and kind, to me."

"You will be treated precisely as you deserve," the Lady Florence assured her.

"Let us all, together rejoicing," called out the Lady Melpomene, "prepare to lift our cups to our lovely and generous hostess, she with whom I share a Home Stone, my dearest friend, the Lady Florence of Vonda!" The Lady Melpomene reached for her cup.

"Do not touch that cup, Slut," said the Lady Florence.

"Florence!" cried the Lady Melpomene.

"Have you paid for the wine?" asked the Lady Florence. "Can you pay for it?"

"I do not understand," stammered the Lady Melpomene.

The Lady Florence reached to the tiny cup of wine, and seized it up, and hurled its contents against the Lady Melpomene. It struck against her veil and the upper portions of her garments.

"What are you doing?" demanded the Lady Melpomene angrily.

"What perfume are you wearing?" demanded the Lady Florence.

"Yours, as you know!" said the Lady Melpomene, coldly. "That from the shop of Turbus Veminius in Venna." I recalled the perfume which I had fetched for the Mistress, when I had been waylaid by the henchmen of the Lady Melpomene. I supposed it was the same perfume, replaced.

"Not mine," said the Lady Florence. "I use it only as a slave perfume. I use it to souse my stable sluts before I throw them chained to the men." That was not true. The Lady Florence did not permit her stable sluts perfume, even slave perfume. On the other hand the smell of their sweat and fear, and the precipitated odors of their hot love oils, indicative of their helpless arousal, were more than sufficient to excite the brutes who took them in their arms.

"Whose garments do you wear?" asked the Lady Florence.

The Lady Melpomene sprang to her feet. "I will not remain here to be insulted," she said, furiously. She drew up her robes, to her ankles, and in fury, with a sob, fled toward the door. But there she was met by two large fellows, who barred her way. "Durbar! Hesiusl" she said. "Take me home." I recognized the pair. They were the fellows who had, long ago, captured me in an alley in Venna and carried me, bound in a slave sack, to the house of the Lady Melpomene, where she had used me for her pleasure. I had been returned similarly helpless to my Mistress, with a note. After that my Mistress had sent me to the stables.

The two men now each held an arm of the Lady Melpomene. "Take me home!" she cried.

"We are now in the fee of the Lady Florence," said one of the men, he whom I took it was named Durbar.

They then turned the Lady Melpomene about and, she stumbling, they forced her back to a place between the tables. The three of them then stood on the red tiles. The two men, each one holding an arm, held the Lady Melpomene so that she must face the Lady Florence.

"What is the meaning of this?" cried the Lady Melpomene.

"Whose garments do you wear?" demanded the Lady Florence.

The Lady Melpomene struggled, but helplessly. "Yours! Yours!" she then cried, held.

"Remove them," said the Lady Florence, coldly. The two men released the arms of the Lady Melpomene and stood back some feet and to the side.

"Never," said the Lady Melpomene.

"The slippers first," said the Lady Florence.

The Lady Melpomene stepped from the slippers. "She bares her feet before free persons," said the Lady Florence. The Lady Leta and the Lady Perimene laughed.

"Now throw back the hood and remove your veil," said the Lady Florence, harshly.

"Never!" cried the Lady Melpomene. The veil bore the stain from the wine which had been thrown upon it.

"You will do these things or they will be done for you," said the Lady Florence, indicating Durbar and Hesius.

The Lady Melpomene, angrily, threw back her hood, and then, pin by pin, lowered her veil. Her hair, as I recalled, was long and dark. Her cheekbones were high, her eyes dark. She was a very lovely woman.

"She face strips herself before free persons," said the Lady Florence.

"Why are you doing this to me?" cried out the Lady Melpomene. There was again laughter from the Lady Leta and the Lady Perimene.