John Norman - Rouge of Gor

"Surely you are a guardsman," said the merchant. "No," I said.

The men gathered about watched the thief hurrying, bound away. There was laughter. "You are maganimous," said the merchant. "He was not a woman," I said. "Too, it ws not my purse he stole." The merchant laughed.

I looked after the fleeing fellow, now disappearing between warehouses. I did not think honest folk in Victoria would again find him troublesome.

"On thing more, Fellow," said the merchant. "I am in Victoria on business. I seek one once of Port Cos, a warrior, one whose name is Callimachus."I was startled to heard this name, for it was the name of he who had saved me, some weeks ago, from the steel of Kliomenes, the pirate.

"At night," said I, "he often drinks at the tavern of Tasdron. "You might find him there, I think."My thanks, Fellow," said the merchant, and smiling turned about and made his way back among the boxes and bales on the crowded wharf.

"Have you no work to do this day," asked the man in whose fee I was that afternoon. "That I have, Sir," I grinned and turned again to my labors.

"Stand back," said the pirate. Two blades, his, and that of a companion were leveled at my breast. "Beverly!" I said. My hand, palm sweating, was poised over the hilt of my sword."Make no unfortunate move," said the pirate, he who had spoken to me before."Who is that fellow?" asked Beverly airly. She knelt in the position of the free womam behind the small table.

"Come home with me now," I said. " I have sought for you long." Returning from the wharves to the house I had not found her on the premises. There had been no sign of forced entray or strugle. Anxious, I had begun to search the public places of Victoria. Then after two Ahn or searching, I had found her here, near the wharves, unattended, in the tavern of Hibron, a miserable tavern, a low place, called the Pirate's Chain.

"I do not wish to come home with you now, " she said, lightly, a bit of ka-la-na spilling from the silver goblet she held. At a gesture from Kliomenes, who sat, cross-legged, beside her, a half-naked paga slave, whose left ankle was belled, refilled Miss Henderson's cup.

"Come home with me," I said, "you little fool." I elt the points of the two swords through my tunic against my flesh.

If you may pleasure yourself in taverns" she said, "surely so too may I."Free woman," I said, "do not come here. It is too close to the wharves. It is dangerous. This is Gor." "I am not afraid," she laughter. "You do not know the danger in which you stand, I said to her.

"May I introduce my new friend," she said, "Kliomenes, a river captain." "Surely you remember him well," I said, " "It was he and his men who captured you from Oneander when you were a slave and sold you.

"Perhaps that was a mistake," said Kliomenes. He grinned at her. She had thrust back the hood of her robes and unpinned her veil.Her face was bared; her hair, darkly brown and silken cascaded down about her shoulders. These things were not unnoted by the men in the tavern. There was proabaly not a man there but was wondering how she would look stripped and in a collar.

"That you captured me?" she asked puzzled."No," said he. "that I sold you." She laughed merrily and shoved at him playfully. "Do not insult a free woman, sleen," she laughed.

There was much laughter, but there was an undercrrent of menace in the laughter which, I think, the girl did not recognize.

"But that sort of thing is behind me now," she said to me, throwing back her head and quaffing deeply of the ruby-red Ka-la-na in her cup. She again looked at me. "Kloimenes is a merchant," she told me. "I am now a free woman. We are met now on different terms. We meet now as equals. He is really a nice man and my friend."

"Come with me now," I said to her. "Comehome with me now." "I do not wish to do so," she said.

Kliomenes again gestured to the half-naked slave with the belled ankle that she refill the girl's cup.The slave did so deferentially, smiling. Her hair had been cut short and there was a steel collar on her neck.

"Come home with me now," I said to the girl. "Kliomenes is buying me a drin," she said. "He is a gentleman and a true man."

"I did not know she was yours," said Kliomenes, amuzed. "That is delightful."I am not his!" said the girl. "I am a free woman."

"Are you his companion?" asked Kliomenes. "No!" she said. "Is she your wench slave?" asked Kliomenes. "No," I said angrily."I share his quarters," she said angrily. "We are not even friends."

"Are you concerned for her?" asked Kliomenes."I wish her to return home with me now," I said."But she does not wish to do so," he smiled. "Do you wish to go with him now," he asked?" No," she said, snuggling against him. "You see?" asked Kliomenes.

"I am a free woman in all respects," she said. "and may and will do precisely as I please." "You have heard the Lady," said Kliomenes, putting his arm about her shoulders.

"You have heard the lady," said Kliomenes, putting his arm about her shoulder. "Kliomenes, meet Jason," she said. "Jason meet Kliomenes." Kliomenes inclined his head, amused.

"We have met, " I said. I remembered the tavern of Tasdro. I would presumably have been slain there had it not been for the intervention of the derelict, Callimachus, once a warrior of Por Cos.

"Begon, Buffoon," said Kliomenes, not pleasantly. I felt again the points of the swords of the two pirates at my chest."Begon, Buffoon," laughed the girl. "Have no fear," grinned Kliomenes. "I will see that she is taken care of properly." There was laughter in the tavern. "Begon, Buffoon," laughed the girl.

"Unless, said Kliomenes, rising to his feet, "you care to meet me with steel.My hand, wet with sweat, fingers moving against one another, opened and shut at the hilt of the sword I wore.Kliomenes looked at me grinning.

"Please Master," said Hibron, the proprietor of that low tavern, "I do not wish trouble. Please, Master!"

I turned about, angrily and strode from the tavern.There were tears of fury and helpless rage in my eyes. I knew myself no match for Kliomenes or the others.

I did not even know the first uses of the steel which I wore at my hip.As I left the tavern, I heard the laughter of Kliomenes and his men behind me, and the laughter too of the girl.

Outside the tavern I paused, fists clenched. I heard Kliomenes within call out. "More wine for the Lady Beverly, the free women!" There was laughter, "Yes, Master" I heard the slave with the wine vessel say, and heard the sensuous ring of the bells locked on her ankle as she hastened to comply.

I then returned home. I waited late fot the return of Beverly. In the morning I went as usual to the hiring year. When I returned home that night she had still not arrived, nor again, by the next morning.

"Forget her Master," whispered Peggy. She lifed her head from the furs and kissed me. There was a tiny rustle of clain and collar. She was fastened by the neck to a ring at the back of the alcove.It had pleased me to so secure her this evening.

"I have," I said. Peggy laughed. "I am a slave," she said, "but I am not stupid."It is hard to forget the little slut," I said. "It is well known in Victoria how she betrayed you," said Peggy.

"Where did you hear that?" I asked. "And am I only a dock worker, known in Victoria?" I looked at her."Tasdron spoke of it in the tavern to free men and I and other slaves heard him speak."

I supposed there was little in Victoria that was not known to its nude or half-clad tavern slaves. Such girls in spite of their collars often know more of what transpires in a town or city than many free folks.

"Doubtless I am a laughing stock in Victoria," I said bitterly. "No, Master," she said, "But it is true that many are puzzled as to why you did ot at that time make her your total slave."