"Do you wish for me to carry you?" he asked.

"And how would you do that?" I asked, apprehensively.

"In my arms, with honor," he said. "Did you think I would throw you over my shoulder like a bound slave?"

I was silent. How did I know how Drusus Rencius would carry a woman, particularly a woman such as I sensed I might be. I did know how the other fellow had carried me, over his shoulder, bound, absolutely helpless, perhaps, indeed, like a slave.

"It would be better for you to walk," said Drusus Rencius. "In that fashion my sword arm would be unencumbered."

"Are these streets not supposed to be patrolled by guardsmen?" I asked. "Most of the guardsmen," said Drusus Rencius, "have been sent to the west, to the front."

I was silent.

"The forces of Ar will be difficult to hold," said Drusus Rencius.

"Of Ar!" I said.

"Yes," said Drusus Rencius. "Forces of Ar entered the fray after the seizure of the mines. Argentum, as you know, is an:ally of Ar."

I had not known this, basic though it might be. Many things, it seemed, bad not been made clear to me. I did know that we were supposed to have strong ties of one sort or another with the island ubarate of Cos. Susan, I knew, had been bought in Cos. I knew almost nothing of Ar. I did know that Drusus Rencius had once been of that city. Too, I knew it was one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, City on Gor. In known Gor, it was rivaled only by Turia, in Gor's southern hemisphere.

"Our forces will be victorious," I assured Drusus Rencius.

"The enemy is already within twenty pasangs of Corcyrus, be said.

"Take me back to the palace," I said, "swiftly, please."

"Yes, Lady Sheila," he said.

He then turned about, and started off, through the darkness. I hurried along behind him, heeling him like a slave.

I felt miserable, and terrified and sick In the palace I would be safe.

11 Susan Has Been Beaten; Ligurious Speaks With Me; There is Nothing to Fear; I Am Safe in the Palace

I was thrust into my quarters by a guard, and the door was shut behind me. A lamp was lit in the room. I heard whimpering.

"Susanl" I cried.

The girl lay on her belly, naked on the tiles. Even the silken collar sheath, of one color or another, which was usually worn, selected to match a tunic, was gone. Her neck was encircled by the bared, unadorned steel alone. She had been terribly whipped. I knelt beside the, girl. "The brutesl" I cried, softly. I touched her hair, gently. Tonight I knew she had danced the whip dance.

"This was not done to me by guardsmen, Mistress," she said. Then she began to sob.

"By whom, then?" I demanded.

"It was done to me by the slave master of Ligurious, on the orders of Ligurious," she said.

"But, why?" I asked.

"Because I did not inform Ligurious that you had had Drusus Rencius summoned tonight to your quarters."

"How did he learn of this?" I asked.

"Doubtless from a guard, and, too, that you had left the palace," she said. "I am sorry, Susan," I said. It had been I, I recalled, in the prosecution of my own plans, and in my desire for secrecy, who had suggested to Susan that the summoning of Drusus Rencius to my quarters need not be made known to Ligurious. "Why have you been put here?" I asked.

"That you may see me, Mistress," she sobbed.

"It is all my fault," I said.

"No, Mistress," she said. "It is my fault. I was not pleasing to my master." Ligurious apparently bad been disturbed, particularly that I had left the palace. He, with guardsmen, with lanterns, had met Drusus Rencius and I at the small postern gate in the east wall of the palace grounds, that through which we had returned. Drusus Rencius had been detained there, and I had been hurried to my quarters.

There were suddenly two blows on the door, loud knocks. "Ligurious, first minister of Corcyrus," announced a guard, from the other side of the door. I stood up, and went to the center of the room. I tried to stand very straight, very regally.

"Enter," I said.

Ligurious entered.

Susan, frightened, with an effort that must have been painful for her striped body, knelt, with her head down to the tiles, the palms of her hands on the floor, in that form of obeisance apparently required by Ligurious of his women. "To your kennel, Slave," said Ligurious.

Susan lifted her head. "Yes, Master!" she said.

"Get out, Slut!" be said.

"Yes, Masterl" she cried, and, springing to her feet, fled from the room. "You are up late," observed Ligurious.

"I was in the city," I said, defiantly.

"It can be dangerous' in the city," he said, "especially in these times, and at night."

I tossed my bead. He need not know what bad happened on the darkened street. "You must understand," he said, "that I have a responsibility for your safety." "It was not necessary that you treated Susan as you did," I said.

"Do not attempt to interfere in the relationship between a man and his slave," he said. "That relationship is absolute."

"I see," I said. I stepped back, frightened.

"In the future," he said, "you are not to leave the palace without my permission. In the meantime, you wilt remain here, confined to your quarters." "Not" I cried.

"Remove your veil," he said, "and your outer robes, and slippers." Frightened, I did so. I then stood before him in a long, off-the-shoulder, yellow, silken sliplike garment.

"You now stand before a man, Lady Sheila," he said, "as barefoot as a slave." "I shall call the guardsl" I cried.

"And whom do you think they will obey?" be asked.

"I will call Drusus Rencius!" I cried.

"He has been relieved of his duties," said Ligurious. "He is no longer your guard."

"Oh," I said.

"And he seems pleased to be done with you."

"Oh," I said. Now I could no longer torture Drusus, with my nearness and inaccessibility.

"And I cannot say that I blame him," Wd Ligurious. "For you seem to be a frigid little slut."

"Slut!" I cried.

"Do not form an over-exalted opinion of yourself," he said. "You are only a slut from Earth and no better than a female slave."

I looked at him with horror. He stepped toward me, and shrank back. Then I whimpered as I felt his strong hands grasp me by the upper arms. He looked down into my eyes.

"Displease me in the least," he said, "and I will put a brand in your hide and a collar on your neck. Do you understand?"

I could not begin to free myself of his grasp. "Yes," I said.

"Yes!" I was terrified.

He did not release me. He continued to look down into my eyes. He seemed to me terribly strong and large.

"I wonder if I should subject you to rape discipline," he mused.

"No," I said. "Please, no." But I felt heat between my legs, and weakness and helplessness. I knew that my body was lubricating itself, preparing to receive him, if he should choose to have me.

"You are so much like her," he said, looking down into my eyes. "Who?" I asked. "One who makes me weak," he smiled, "one with whom I am smitten." "I am only a barbarian," I said.

"She, too, is a barbarian," he said, "like yourself a barbarian beauty." "Who is she?" I asked.

"You do not know her," be said. Then he removed his hands from me. "In character, of course, you are quite different. She is superior, lofty, noble, regal and fine. Girls like you, on the other hand, can be found in any market. Too, I think she is probably even more beautiful than you, though the resemblance is truly striking. And in intellect, in brilliance and decisiveness, of course, there is no comparison."

"Perhaps she should be Tatrix of Corcyrus, and not I," I said, angrily. "Perhaps," be smiled.