Coming Together: Special Hurricane Relief Edition (25 page)

"Yes,"
I said.

"Yes,"
said Tullius.

"I
will have my scribe write a report of the matter. Perhaps later you
will bear witness?"

"Of
course," I said.

"Gladly,"
said Tullius, his tone savage.

"Now,"
said Nelm, " we wait."

It
was scarce an ahn before Claudius Flavius returned, the leader of the
Ko-Ro-Ban contingent at his side. Lady Allina sprang to her feet.

"It
is done, my Lady," said Claudius Flavius. "Your holding is
ours."

"How
many hurt?" she said.

"None,
serious, on our side. Three dead, of your uncle's men. Full half of
them came over to us as soon as they knew the truth. They are loyal
men, but not to a traitor. Most of those who came to us have been
with your family for years. They were your father's men, and are now
pledged yours."

"My
thanks, Claudius Flavius." She turned to the Ko-Ro-Ban officer.
"I would like to give your men a feast tonight. Tomorrow, return
to Ko-Ro-Ba with my thanks, and a fitting reward. Tonight, dine with
me."

"My
thanks, Lady," said Ban Taal. He glanced at me and I signalled
him to one side. He nodded and moved unobtrusively to the corner.

Lady
Allina turned to me. "Will you join us for dinner, Captain?"

"Please
do," said Lady Melna, almost the first words she had spoken.

I
bowed. "I would be honoured."

"At
the seventeenth hour, Captain," said Lady Allina.

"In
your holding?"

I
could see her smile even through her veil. "Where else,
Captain?" she said. She moved away to talk to Luc Nelm and I
crossed to where Ban Taal stood.

"No
problems?" I said.

"None,
Captain. It was exactly as Claudius Flavius said. When the Lady
Allina's men realised they had been misled they surrendered to us
immediately. All bar ten or so who Claudius Flavius said were Pel's
own guard. They fought well, but they had no chance. Three slain,
four seriously wounded, three lightly wounded." Ban Taal
grinned. "Only one of our men has a scratch. I think young Olnar
has finally learned he must keep his guard up. A real opponent makes
such a good teacher."

"Keep
the prisoners under close guard, but treat them as prisoners for now,
not slaves."

"Aye,
Captain," said Ban Taal. I think there was relief in his voice.
As a fighting man he had respect for men who were true to their
cause, even if such cause were misled, and such were these men of
Pel, save the two we already had in custody. I knew Claudius Flavius,
and Tullius, had plans for those two. Ban Taal saluted, and went out.
I detected perfume and turned.

"Will
you walk with me, Captain?" said Lady Melna.

"With
pleasure, Lady Melna. Where?"

"To
my quarters in Lady Allina's holding. I wish to wear my own clothes
for the dinner tonight, rather than these borrowed robes, splendid as
they are."

I
bowed. "I am yours to command," I said.

I
thought I heard her speak, but decided I must be mistaken. 'If only',
is what I thought I heard her say. As her escort, she took my arm and
we walked in silence for a moment or two, until we went out into the
street, busy, bustling, a normal day in Rorus. The threatened rain
had yet held off, but from the look of the sky it would not be long.
She turned to me as we walked.

"Do
you have a Companion in Ko-Ro-Ba, Captain?" Her tone was light,
but I thought I detected a tremor. Probably my imagination, I
decided.

"I
have no Companion, Lady Melna. A warrior rarely does."

"Of
course. You will no doubt have your pick of captured women, those
taken as slave."

"I
do, if I wish," I said. It is good to have a naked slave in
one's arms, yielding.

"I
thought so," she said, almost inaudible.

I
opened my mouth to speak, then closed it again, silent. What does a
warrior tell a free woman about the pleasures of having a slave? "Are
you not pledged to someone, Lady Melna?"

She
laughed, short, perhaps bitter. "No one is interested in a
penniless free woman, warrior."

"None?
" I said, surprised.

"My
parents were killed in a caravan raid, their fortune taken. I escaped
only because my father hid me. I was ten years old. My uncle, the
Lady Allina's father, took me in. He was kind to me, and Lady Allina
is as a sister to me, but I subsist only on her charity." She
paused. "No one has considered me worthy of the Companionship
price."

"You
are candid," I said.

She
smiled up at me as we walked. I could not see her mouth behind her
veil, but I sensed it crooked. "Why hide the truth?" she
asked.

I
had no answer and we walked in silence for a while, until we turned
in at the gateway of a holding. An older guard came to attention.
"Lady Melna," he said, "it gladdens my heart to see
you safe."

"Thank
you, Relius," she said. "It is good to be safe." She
turned to me. "Relius was one of my uncle's guards."

"And
right glad to hear that the ladies were safe, Captain," he said.
"Pel lied to us."

"Relius,"
said Lady Melna, "this captain is the one who rescued us, he and
Tullius."

"I
am honoured to know you, Captain." He saluted, then opened the
gate for us. Lady Melna led the way inside, and into the holding.
People were about, both free and slave, busy. Lady Melna led the way
into a quieter part of the holding, obviously residential because of
the hangings and furnishings. A young slave girl came around the
corner and let out a cry.

"Mistress!
You're safe!" She pattered across to us, barefoot, in the
sleeveless tunic of the slave girl, worn a little longer here in an
area where free women were likely to be, a smile of delight on her
face. It was only then that she spotted me and went swiftly to her
knees. "Forgive me, Master. I did not see you." She seemed
terrified, and I wondered what other nastiness Pel had created.

"Rest
easy, slave," I said. "It is understandable, seeing the
pleasure with which you greeted the Lady Melna."

"Thank
you, Master," she whispered.

"Julie
is my body slave," said the Lady Melna.

"An
Earth girl?" I was surprised.

"No,
Master. My last master named me so," the slave said.

"Ah."
I studied her. Young, about the same age as her mistress, I
conjectured.

"May
a slave speak, Mistress?"

"Yes,"
said Lady Melna.

"In
the capture, that which took you and the Lady Allina?"

"Yes?"

"Who
else survived?" There was a tight note in her voice that told me
she was thinking of someone in particular.

"The
captain, Claudius Flavius, and a young guard, Tullius." The
slave, Julie, let out an audible sigh of relief. "Were you not
told?" said Lady Melna.

"No,
Mistress. Only that you and Lady Allina were rescued, the Captain,
and another. We were not told who else."

"It
is Tullius. He and this gallant captain were the two who freed us
from our captors."

"The
priest-kings be praised," said Julie. "Though worthless,
being from a slave, my thanks also to you, Master." She turned
to Lady Melna. "May I continue my duties, Mistress?"

Lady
Melna signed assent and Julie came easily to her feet and pattered
off.

"Interesting,"
said Lady Melna.

"What
is?" I said.

"Julie,
and Tullius. She sleeps in my antechamber, to be on hand if I need
aught in the night. I doubt they've seen each other a dozen times."

"Once
is sometimes all it takes," I said.

Lady
Melna glanced at me. "I know," she said, so quietly I
wondered if I'd heard her. She looked at me. "Would Julie be a
fitting reward for Tullius?"

"Do
any of the guards have personal slaves?"

"Some,
yes. The guards have the use of the household slaves, save the body
slaves of Lady Allina and myself, but some have purchased, or been
given, their own."

"In
that case, if Tullius is interested in Julie, she would be a lovely
gift. Do you wish me to ascertain his interest, because it would be
cruel to both of them if he has none."

"Please,"
said Lady Melna. We had reached a doorway and she stopped. "My
chambers, Captain. My thanks for your escort. I look forward to your
company at dinner."

"And
I to yours, Lady Melna," I said, bowing. I turned and retraced
my steps. As I turned a corner, I almost collided with the slave,
Julie, her arms full of towels. Apparently terrified, she knelt.
"Forgive me, Master," she said.

"Be
easy, it was no fault of yours." I looked at her, more closely
now that we were alone. She was young, slim, shapely in her loose
tunic, brown hair flowing free, halfway down her back. "Julie, I
wish to ask you a question. A slave must always tell the truth, but I
want this answer to be from your heart."

"Yes,
Master, what is it?" she whispered, frightened.

"Tullius.
What is he to you?"

"My
master, as are all the guards," she said, confused, still
frightened.

"What
if he were your own master, if you were his?" I said.

She
stared at me, her eyes enormous. "I would be his love slave,"
she said. It was a declaration, a statement and I knew within me that
it came from her heart.

I
nodded. "Be on your way, slave girl."

I
went on my way and paused, confused, as I did not know my way around
the Lady Allina's holding. Another slave-girl was passing and I held
up my hand. She went to her knees before me, anxious.

"Yes,
Master?"

"Direct
me to the guards' quarters."

"At
once, Master. This way."

As
I expected, Tullius had made his way back and was in the guard
quarters. He smiled to see me and gladly put aside his tasks when I
asked him if he would walk with me a little.

"Tullius,"
I said, "may I ask you a personal question?"

He
regarded me, curious. "Of course, Captain."

"A
moment. Do you have a slave-girl of your own?"

He
grinned and shook his head. "Not on a guard's wage." He
shrugged. "I have the use of a kitchen slut, if I need a woman."

"Are
any in the holding of interest?" I said, casually.

"Only
one," he said, "but she is the Lady Melna's body slave and
thus not available to a mere guardsman."

"Julie?"
I said.

"Yes,
she," he said, surprised.

"A
comely slave."

"More
than that, Captain," he said. "She is beautiful." He
regarded me, curious. "What was it you wished to ask me,
Captain."

I
laughed to myself. Discussion of a slave-girl didn't rank as a
personal question. "I was talking earlier to Claudius Flavius.
Your Captain thinks that he needs men with experience of tarns. There
are no tarn teachers in Rorus. Would you be willing to come to
Ko-Ro-Ba, to learn the tarn?"

"Me,
Captain?" He could not hide his surprise. Or his pleasure.

"Yes,
Tullius, you. And three others of your choosing. Claudius Flavius
thinks highly of you."

"Indeed
he must," said Tullius. "I agree, gladly, Captain. When?"

"Soon.
The Lady Allina will wish to be sure that the holding is functioning
properly before you leave, but it will not be long. You know my
father's home?"

"Aye."

"Seek
me there. If I am not to home, I will leave guidance for you."

"My
thanks, Captain!"