Dancer of Gor

Where was lazy Tela? If she wanted to court the wrist rings and chains, to be fastened on her knees to the center post of the tent, and whipped, that was her business, not mine! To be sure, this was not like Tela. If anything, Tela was a hard worker. She was, certainly, generally, at least, not the sort who would shirk her work. I wondered if she wer trying to get even with me, for the time I had had her iron the tunics? But I had paid her back for that later, surely, when I, too, had done them all! I liked Tela, and she had been very kind to me, even though I think she liked Aulus, and might have preferred to be the only slave in the tent.

"Tela!" I called, somewhat more loudly. "Tela!"

I was not really angry with Tela. I did wonder where she was. It was not like her to leave off in the midst of a task. I rose up, putting to one side the boot on which I was workings, and went to the side, brushing back the curtain, to where our mats were.

"Tela!" I called. She was not there.

"What is wrong?" asked Aulus, having come from the front portion of the tent. "Nothing, Master," I said, quickly.

"Where is Tela?" he asked.

"I do not know," I said.

"The shield has not been finished," he said.

"Perhaps she is outside," I said.

He went to the front of the tent, and stepped outside, underneath the sort of awning there, over the threshold, supported on two poles.

"Tela!" he called. I heard him question guards, too.

He returned to the tent.

"I do not know where she is, Master," I said, kneeling before him.

26 Mercenaries

"Pietro Vacchi!" exclaimed Aulus, drawing back his tharlarion. "I should have known it would have been you!" I was terrified at his stirrup, the chain on my neck. It was like being tethered at the side of a mountain of scales and muscle. These beasts are unexpectedly agile for their size. Very little I would think could stand against their charge, lest it be a terrain of pits, a forest of peeled, inclined, sharpened stakes. The handful of riders had approached us on the Viktel Aria, they moving north. Only a few yards from us had they halted, wheeling their mounts. The very earth on which we stood had shaken. It had been, I suppose, a joke, that we must wait to see if we were to be struck, trampled, or impaled on their spears. Aulus had retained his composure well, I though, considering the provocation. Actually we were not far at all from Venna, only a few pasangs. They had ridden north, it seems, to meet us.

"my old friend, Aulus!" called the fellow. He held his seat well on the gigantic, impatient, hissing beast. He had bright, dark eyes, and curly black hair. in his ears were rings. His beard, too, was curly and black, even ringleted. In it ribbons were tied. Across his back was slung a shield. Beside him, in a saddle sheath, reposed the butt of a lance. His hand was on the shaft. "It seems you have been recruiting again," said Aulus.

"Surely recruiting is no activity unfamiliar to your employer, the good Ionicus of Cos," he said.

"What have you against Ionicus of Cos," asked Aulus.

"Nothing," said the fellow. "Indeed, I remember him with fondness, for I once labored on one of his chains."

Aulus" s tharlarion was now quiet. I therefore knelt beside it, on the stones of the Vitkel Aria, the chain lopping up from my neck to his stirrup. I was naked. "Those I recruit come willingly to my service," said the fellow. "Doubtless those you recruit can say the same."

I looked up at the bearded fellow. He was a man of incredible vitality. Accordingly I spread my knees more widely before him.

"Doubtless," grinned Aulus.

"Had it not been for a captain recruiting, long ago, like myself," said the fellow, "I might still be on his chain."

"I am empowered to negotiate on behalf of my employer, Ionicus," said Aulus. "It is for that reason that I have brought coins with me, those in the wagon behind, under his guard of twenty men."

"Perhaps I will take the coins, and be on my way, keeping the chains," said the fellow.

"You may do so, of course," said Aulus, "but I think that that would not do your reputation, even such as it is, my friend, much good, nor, more importantly, would it be likely to be likely to expedite any future dealings with Ionicus of Cos, or others like him."

"You are a clever fellow, Aulus," he said. "You could ride with me." "I have taken fee," said Aulus.

"But with Ionicus of Cos!" cried the fellow, suddenly, angrily. The knuckles of his hand were white on the shaft of the lance.

"The fee has been taken," said Aulus, quietly.

I saw the fellow" s hand relax. He leaned back. He grinned, his teeth very white in the curly, ringleted blackness of that beribboned beard. "You are more of a mercenary than I," he laughed.

Aulus shrugged.

"Yes," he said, "you could have ridden with me."

"You have all five chains," asked Aulus.

"That is a pretty slave at your stirrup," said the fellow.

I quickly put my head down.

"Look up, child," he said.

I did so.

"Kneel straight," he said. "Put your head back."

I obeyed.