Plunder of Gor (65 page)

Chapter Fifty-Six

“The matter has come to hiatus,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“Our good will was evidenced by the return of the prisoner, the Lady Alexina, to Decius Albus,” said Kurik.

“And ours,” said Drusus Andronicus, “by the sparing of the house of Epicrates, and the cessation, however temporary, of hostilities.”

“You come in the name of truce,” said Kurik.

“That is my understanding,” said Master Drusus.

“Perhaps you can clarify matters,” said Kurik.

“As I can,” said Master Drusus. “I am not privy to the secret councils of Decius Albus and the—others.”

I suspected Master Drusus might have said ‘beasts' but refrained, as Lord Grendel and Eve were present. We were in the apartment over the shop of Epicrates. Master Drusus sat cross-legged, in converse with Kurik and Lord Grendel. The Lady Bina, well robed, but unveiled, for she did not much care for veils, apparently suspecting they obscured her beauty, although, of course, some veils, in their way, suggest, and even enhance, beauty, knelt modestly near Lord Grendel, her knees closely together, as those of a free woman, and Eve, in lovely harnessing, in four colors, crouched close by his side, one of her hands, or paws, touching his fur. I had poured the wine, serving my master first, which is to be done unless one is instructed otherwise, and then the guest, Drusus Andronicus, and then the Lady Bina. Lord Grendel and Eve, the Lady Eve, I supposed, though she did not care for that form of address, declined to drink. Lord Grendel seldom drank, and only then in small portions. This may well have been wise. I think he feared to drink, being aware apparently of the powerful and possibly dangerous effect alcohol might have in his form of life, or that of a Kur, and Eve followed his lead. I made it a point, as was proper, not to meet the eyes of the guest, and I made certain I poured his wine no differently than I had the wine of the others. This manner of serving is common. The girl does not know, of course, whether or not she will be made available to the guest. That is at the discretion of the master. If a guest is to stay overnight in a large house, he is almost certain to be offered a slave for the night, of which convenience he is expected to avail himself. At an inn, of course, there is a charge for the slave, as for the food, as for the bed, or mat. In a small house an overnight guest may, as a gesture of courtesy or hospitality, be offered the use of a slave, but he will commonly, while expressing his appreciation of his host's generosity, politely decline to accept the offer. This is less because he might have his own slave, or slaves, in attendance, and more because he is well aware that the master's offer is likely to be little more than an exercise in etiquette, a mere concession to social proprieties. Many Gorean masters, of a single slave, or a small number of slaves, prefer to reserve the pleasures of their properties to themselves. It is my impression that many Gorean masters, despite professions to the contrary, tend to be covetous, possessive, and jealous where their slaves are concerned. They want them all to themselves, even to the sword and knife. Perhaps this is selfish, perhaps it is something else altogether. Few free women comprehend how much a slave may be desired, how much she may be wanted. Strange how a fine, strong man can be so fond of a mere collared animal. How they want to keep their collars on them! How they want to own them! What joy is theirs, having their slave at their feet! But even were Drusus Andronicus staying the night, I suspected my master might not offer me to him, even were this to constitute an obvious infringement of the canons of hospitality. To be sure, if I were offered to a guest, and the guest accepted the offer, or if I were ordered to serve a guest, I would have to obey. I must do so. I was marked and collared. I was a slave. When not serving, I knelt back, unobtrusively. I even knelt farther away than custom would prescribe. Drusus Andronicus, doubtless in view of the innocuous nature, the prosaic sociality, of this meeting, had brought a slave with him, who knelt unobtrusively, to be sure, but a bit closer to him than I would have supposed customary, Paula. She smiled at me, from time to time. I loved her. How pleased I was that she knew nothing of my attempt to seduce Drusus Andronicus. Yet I was troubled, as well, for I knew of it, and I felt guilty, and terribly ashamed. But at least she had no idea of what I had done. The collar on her neck, of course, was that of Decius Albus. I suspected she would have preferred the collar of another.

“What brings about this hiatus?” inquired Kurik.

“Practicality, I gather,” said Drusus Andronicus. “Surtak does not wish to risk more minions. Twelve died in the business of the Sleen's Back Bridge. Decius Albus does not wish to commit several men to an attack that might occasion attention in Ar, and lead the Ubar to inquire into the nature of the matter. What has Decius Albus to do with beasts, if I may use the expression, or beasts with the state of Ar? Might not the disclosure of certain secrets invite banishment, a denial of bread, salt, and fire, if not impalement? And we expect you will find the proposal of a hiatus congenial, for your associates are vulnerable, the Lady Bina, and perhaps others.”

“Can you understand my Gorean?” inquired Lord Grendel, who had not spoken until now.

“I shall try,” said Drusus Andronicus. “And I am sure others will be of assistance, if needed.”

“I will now speculate,” said Lord Grendel, “on the motivation of what you speak of as the ‘hiatus'.”

“Please do so,” said Drusus Andronicus. “Your speculations may be more sound than mine, more honest than the explanations delivered to me.”

“I acknowledge the vulnerability of my associates,” said Lord Grendel. “That is granted. On the other hand, Gor is large, a world, much of it unknown, and what is concealed, while perhaps vulnerable, is in little danger if it cannot be located.”

“To live in hiding, fearing each footstep, each shadow,” said Drusus Andronicus, “is scarcely pleasant.”

“I have acknowledged the vulnerability of my associates,” said Lord Grendel, “but I beg to submit that vulnerabilities are scarcely restricted to my associates. For example, with a single bite I could now tear the head from your body.”

“No!” cried Paula.

“Be silent!” snapped Drusus Andronicus.

“Yes, Master,” she whispered.

Eve shrank back, away from Lord Grendel.

“But I have no intention of doing so,” he said, “at the moment.”

“I am pleased to be in receipt of that intelligence,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“Besides,” said Kurik, “we have sipped wine together, here, at this table, this afternoon.”

It was true that the free humans had done so. Lord Grendel and Eve, as noted earlier, had refrained. As suggested, their abstinence, under the circumstances, was not intended to be, nor was it regarded as, a slight.

“That is true,” said Drusus Andronicus. “It would be an egregious breach of hospitality.”

“Also,” said Lord Grendel, “I can move in the night, with stealth, in dark pathways, across roofs. I can tear a door off its hinges.”

“I shall inform Decius Albus,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“One might die now, and another then, and another later, and so on,” said Lord Grendel.

“I understand,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“Too,” said Lord Grendel, “I need not abide by the code of the Assassin, to make no kill from which I cannot slip away in safety. I can be careless of my life, and thus, sufficiently motivated, might kill several, publicly, before I could be brought down.”

“I understand,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“I can understand the possible reluctance of Decius Albus to invest several men in an effort that might prove difficult to explain, if not scandalous. On the other hand, he could use one, or two, and that would attract little attention. It could always be ascribed to a misadventure of independent thieves, with no obvious link to the house of Albus.”

“As I understand it,” said Drusus Andronicus, “something of that sort was attempted, on Emerald.”

“Unsuccessfully,” said Kurik.

“One could always try again,” said Lord Grendel.

“Of course,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“So now,” said Lord Grendel, “let me explain to you the nature of your ‘hiatus'.”

“Please,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“Lord Agamemnon has withdrawn,” he said. “Else there would be no hiatus. I do not know where he has gone, nor why, but I suspect. He troubled himself here to obtain a recruitment he thought might be profitable. He is now through with the business. Something more important has emerged. I think he was in Ar, waiting for word, which has now been received. So he has withdrawn. He is no longer in Ar. The hiatus is presumably brought about by Surtak, who bears me little, if any, ill will.”

“You killed several of his minions,” said Drusus Andronicus. “The Sleen's Back Bridge.”

“You know little of the ways of the Kur,” said Lord Grendel. “Surtak has stood in the rings. It was a good fight.”

“You think he is your friend?” asked Drusus Andronicus.

“As enemies can be friends,” said Lord Grendel. “You are of the Scarlet Caste, are you not?”

“I am,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“I know one of the Scarlet Caste,” said Lord Grendel. “He would understand such words.”

“I did not think such things obtained amongst beasts,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“From the point of view of the High Ones, the Kurii,” said Lord Grendel, “it is such as you who are the beasts.”

“Forgive me,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“I speculate as follows,” said Lord Grendel. “Were Lord Agamemnon in Ar, there would be no hiatus. I know him. From the proposal of the hiatus, we may infer he is no longer in Ar. But what would take him from Ar? What might lead him to abandon Ar, an ideal center for clandestine operations, a repository of gold and diverse resources, and a fortress of relative safety, given the houses of Decius Albus, and the protection of his power in Ar, to accept the risks of travel and discovery? I think I know. I fear I know. And the hiatus, as I see it, is a proposal of Surtak, who, in the absence of Lord Agamemnon, sees little profit in pursuing projects of dubious importance or value.”

“It may be so,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“But,” said Lord Grendel, “you are scarcely here to inform us of what is already obvious, that a cessation of hostilities has taken place, and that a truce of sorts is in effect. Have we not already met, and without bloodshed, representatives of Decius Albus? Have we not already released the Lady Alexina, and seen to her safe return to the House of a Hundred Corridors?”

“It is as you say,” said Drusus Andronicus, “and, beyond this, let it be known that the noble Decius Albus, grateful for the return of his protégé, the lovely Lady Alexina, salutes you, and wishes you well.”

“All then is at peace,” said Kurik. “The war is done.”

Eve, happily, crept a bit closer to Lord Grendel.

“Please convey to the noble Albus,” said Kurik, “that his salutation is accepted, that it is returned, and that his kind wishes are reciprocated, most heartily.”

“I shall do so,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“Our meeting is now at an end,” said Lord Grendel.

“Not quite,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“I did not think so,” said Lord Grendel.

“I bear word, a message,” said Drusus Andronicus.

“That is the true purpose of your visit here,” said Lord Grendel.

“I fear so,” said Master Drusus.

“Word from the noble Decius Albus,” said Lord Grendel.

“No,” said Master Drusus, “from another.”

“Who?” asked Kurik.

“From he known as ‘Surtak',” said Master Drusus.

“Of course,” said Lord Grendel, and he quietly uttered, in Kur, the true name of he whom I knew only as Surtak, apparently an officer, quite possibly a high officer, in the service of Lord Agamemnon.

“Surtak, officer of Lord Agamemnon,” said Drusus Andronicus, “proposes a feast of amity, a banquet in which pledges of peace and friendship may be formally exchanged, this occasion to recognize and seal the current truce. This feast is to take place four days from this day, at the fourteenth Ahn, at the house of Decius Albus, that which is a pasang from the Viktel Aria, which house is known to you.”

“It is known to us,” said Lord Grendel.

“I shall convey to the noble Albus,” said Drusus Andronicus, “that you thank him for his invitation but, due to pressing matters, must decline to accept.”

“Not at all,” said Lord Grendel. “Inform him that we are delighted to accept.”

“Surely not,” said Master Drusus.

“But surely so,” said Lord Grendel.

“I wish you well,” said Drusus Andronicus, rising.

“We wish you well,” said Lord Grendel.

Drusus Andronicus then turned about, went to the stairs, and descended to the street.

Paula leapt up, smiled, gave me a quick kiss, and followed him down the stairs.

I looked about.

I was decidedly uneasy.

“You cannot be serious,” said the Lady Bina to Lord Grendel. Eve whispered something to Lord Grendel, in Kur. I could not understand her meaning, but the monitory and concerned aspect of her communication was evident.

“May I speak?” I asked. I was anxious to convey my misgivings, that such an invitation had been accepted.

“No,” said my master, and I, disconcerted and miserable, forbidden to speak, was reminded that I was a slave.

“Grendel?” asked Kurik.

“Surtak,” said Lord Grendel, “has honor.”

“Are you sure?” said Kurik.

“He has stood in the rings,” said Lord Grendel. “I am confident. Such an invitation would not be extended if not in good faith. We need fear nothing from such an invitation tendered by Surtak.”

“You are familiar with the saying, I take it,” said Kurik, “that many a track leads into the den of the larl but few lead out.”