Coming Together: Special Hurricane Relief Edition (26 page)

"A
just reward, Tullius, my young friend." I grinned. "Who
keeps the slave records here?" I needed a collar size, but
Tullius didn't need to know.

"I'll
show you," he said, "this way."

Later
that afternoon I sought audience with the Lady Melna. She received me
in her own quarters, lightly gowned, only her lightest house veil
across her face as she opened the door, unpinning it as soon as we
were alone.

"It
seems silly to veil myself in your company, Captain. I was
face-stripped when you rescued me," she said.

I
bowed, acknowledging the truth of her statement. Too, she was lovely
to look at. Dark red hair, green eyes, a slender figure,
ill-concealed by her light indoor gown. She gestured to a couch.

"Please,
be seated, Captain. What do you wish of me?" she said, seating
herself beside me.

Your
body, and your love, I thought, fleeting, surprising myself. Aloud, I
said, "Your body slave, Julie," I said, pushing my thoughts
aside.

"What
of her?"

"She
wishes herself, not openly acknowledging it, to be Tullius's love
slave. He, in turn, desires her but will not anger you, so does not
pursue her."

Lady
Melna nodded, a rueful smile about her lips. "It appears then,
that I must seek a new body slave."

I
smiled. "If you intend to reward Tullius with her as gift, then
yes, I fear you must."

I
reached into my pouch and took out a slave collar, richly engraved,
with yellow enamelling. I held it out to her. "Read it."

"'I
am the girl of Tullius'," she read. She looked at me. "For
Tullius?"

"For
you, to fit upon Julie as you gift her to him, so that neither is in
any doubt of your sincerity."

"My
thanks, Han Lero." She smiled. "I think, rather, that I
will give this collar to Tullius, so that he may collar her."

I
nodded, agreeing. It is good for a slave to be collared by her
master. I smiled. "I had begun to think you had forgotten my
name."

"Never,"
she said, her voice soft, her gaze on mine, "never do I forget
the man who saved me from unwanted slavery." She smiled. "But
what gift can I give you?"

"I
ask nothing," I said.

She
stared at me, her lip trembling. "Han Lero," she whispered.
"May I come to your bed tonight? May I gift myself to you?"

I
regarded her, startled, not showing it. Could I, in honour, accept?
Could I, in honour, refuse? "My Lady," I began, but she put
her fingers on my lips, shaking her head.

"No,
Han Lero, do not deny me this."

My
heart was pounding and I could scarce breathe. I, who had been in
battles. I nodded, finally. "My Lady, such can only be your
decision. I do not ask for such reward, but nor will I shame you by
refusal."

She
gave me a crooked smile. "Go now, Han Lero, lest I shame myself,
by weeping."

I
stood, uncertain. "Have you been shown your guest quarters?"
she said.

"No,
I have not. Are they far."

"The
end of the world. Let me show you." She pulled up the hood of
her gown and repinned her veil, leading me into the corridor. She
turned. We passed one door and she gestured. "My anteroom, where
Julie slept until tonight." At the next door she stopped and
opened the door. The guest chamber was richly furnished and fresh
robes and tunic, in the scarlet of the warrior, hung waiting. Too,
there was a cloak and Lady Melna smiled. "Did I not promise to
gift you a cloak?"

"You
did. My thanks, Lady Melna."

She
gestured to another doorway. "That leads to my anteroom. Please
leave it unlocked, so that I may gain your bed without embarrassing
Lady Allina in her own home." She regarded me steadily, high
colour in her face, easily visible through the light veil.

I
bowed, but said nothing.

The
dinner was enjoyable. Lady Allina had me at one hand, an
uncomfortable Tullius at her other. Opposite us, Lady Melna had
Claudius Flavius at one hand, Ban Taal, the Ko-Ro-Ban captain, at her
other. His men were being entertained more robustly elsewhere in the
holding. I knew that Claudius Flavius had rented musicians, and paga
slaves, for their delectation. I suspected Ban Taal would rather be
with them.

Deliberately,
we avoided the topic of the abduction, talking of sport, of music, of
anything except the ordeal the ladies had suffered. When the eating
was finished, and we were sat relaxing with a light Ka-La-Na wine,
Lady Allina turned to Tullius.

"Noble
Tullius, I have not rewarded you for your service."

"I
ask for no reward, my Lady. Your safety is reward enough," he
protested, embarrassed.

"Even
so. I have been talking with Claudius Flavius about reorganising my
guards, and he tells me he needs a lieutenant of intelligence and
courage. You are that Lieutenant, Tullius. From now on you are second
only to Claudius Flavius among my guards."

"But
what of Relius, Captain?" said Tullius.

"He
nominated you when I mentioned a reorganisation," said Claudius
Flavius, smiling. "He is happy where he is."

"In
that case, my Lady, Captain, I accept gladly," said Tullius.

"I
too have a gift for you, Tullius," said Lady Melna.

"My
lady?"

She
reached into a bag beside her and took out the slave collar I had had
prepared earlier. She passed it to him and he took it, startled. "You
will have private quarters as Claudius Flavius's second," she
said. "No doubt that will be useful." She smiled at him as
he regarded her, wondering, I think, what to say.

She
smiled at him. "Silly me," she said lightly, "that is
of little use without someone to whose neck you may fit it, is it."
She signalled to Lady Allina's steward, who had been unobtrusively
overseeing our meal and he went out, quickly returning with the
slave, Julie, her hands cuffed behind her. She looked confused. The
Lady Melna signalled and Julie went to her knees beside her, head
bowed.

"Have
I displeased you, Mistress?" she said, frightened, her voice
quavering.

"No,
Julie, you have not. Even so, I have decided to give you away."

"No,
Mistress, please, do not!"

Lady
Melna smiled again. "I fear I must."

I
glanced at Tullius. The look of dawning hope on his face was
incredible.

Lady
Melna unlocked Julie's collar and took it from her. "Go to your
new Master, Julie, and submit yourself."

"But
who, Mistress," sobbed Julie, "who?"

"Tullius,"
said Lady Melna. Julie looked at her, startled, then at Tullius who
stood, the opened collar in his hand.

"He?"
said Julie.

Lady
Melna nodded, smiling. "He."

The
slave leaped to her feet and went to Tullius, swiftly kneeling before
him and bowing her head in submission. "I submit me your slave,
Master," she said, clearly.

The
click of the collar was clear in the silent room as Tullius closed it
about the slave's neck. Her eyes closed and she shuddered, but I
could detect, easily, the thrust of her nipples through the light
silk of her slave gown.

"What
is your name, slave?" said Tullius.

"Master
has not yet named me," she said.

"The
answer is correct. You are Julie," said Tullius.

"Yes,
Master, thank you Master," she said.

Tullius
looked around at us. "May I be excused?" he said.

Lady
Allina smiled, clear behind her veil, and gestured assent.

"Tullius,"
said Claudius Flavius, "you will find that your belongings have
been moved to the lieutenant's quarters. Too, you will find all ready
for you in those quarters. You are excused duty tomorrow, but I
expect you as usual the following day."

"Yes,
Captain. Thank you, Captain." He bowed to us, then kicked,
lightly, at his slave. "Precede me, slave," he said. Julie
got lithely to her feet and went out, tears on her radiant face,
Tullius following closely.

Lady
Allina sighed. "A generous gesture, my dear. We must get you a
new body slave."

Ban
Taal stood. "May I, too, be excused, Lady Allina," he said.
"I wish to check on my men."

"And
perhaps join them, Captain?" said Lady Allina lightly. She
smiled. "Go, with my thanks. Attend me in my audience room at
the eighth hour tomorrow, Captain, for your fee and your reward."

"My
thanks, my Lady. I wish you well. Goodnight." He turned and went
out as we murmured our farewells.

Lady
Melna stood. "I think I shall retire," she said. "It
has been a memorable day." Claudius Flavius and I stood as she
went out. I turned to the Lady Allina. "With your permission, my
Lady, I too will retire. I wish to make an early start tomorrow."

"Of
course, Captain."

I
bowed and went out. When I glanced back Lady Allina and Claudius
Flavius were in close conversation. In my room I checked that the
communicating door was unlocked, then washed. I stripped naked,
trimmed the tharlarion-oil lamps to give the room a honeyed glow, and
settled myself in the furs, to wait.

I
did not wait long. Scarce twenty ehn passed before the door opened
and Lady Melna stepped through. She wore a light robe, silk, and from
the way it moved upon her body I could tell it was her only garment.
Her hair was unbound and brushed, hanging to the small of her back.
She closed the door and leaned against it . She was lovely.

"I
almost did not come," she said, with a nervous smile.

"There
is no compulsion, my Lady." I prayed she would not leave. I
wanted her.

"There
is, Han Lero, my own desire for your touch." She straightened,
loosening the tie of her robe, casting off the robe behind her. I
could feel myself hardening as I looked at the beautiful, naked, she
of her. "Do I please you?" she said.

"That
is the question of a slave," I said.

"Then
use me as a slave, Han Lero. Use my body for your pleasure."

"You
do not know what you ask," I said.

"Perhaps.
I know what I want."

"Tell
me," I said.

"I
want your touch. I want to feel your hands on my body. I want to kiss
you, to lick you. I want to feel you kiss me, to lick me. I want your
hardness to pierce me where my body already weeps to welcome you."

"Are
you white silk?" I said.

Her
eyes closed and she shuddered. "If you mean, am I virgin, then
yes, I am white silk," she whispered.

"You
wish to change that condition outside of a Companionship? Be certain
of what you ask." I moved slightly. The furs were restricting
me.

"Were
I slave, I would have no choice. I ask to be used as a slave. Thus, I
have no choice."

"I
will count slowly to twenty, Lady Melna. If you are still here at
that time, you will serve me as a slave." I began to count.
"One, two, three..." She made no move, breathing lightly,
quickly, her small, beautiful breasts moving with her breathing.
"...eighteen, nineteen, twenty." I threw back the furs and
stood.

"Ai,"
she cried softly, regarding me. "It is so beautiful."

"To
me," I said, "on your knees, legs spread, head bowed,
wrists extended and crossed for binding." She stared at me for a
moment, surprised. "Must a command be repeated?"

She
fled to me, kneeling, spreading her legs, bowing her head, extending
her wrists, crossed, for binding. "Forgive me, Master," she
whispered. Quickly I bound her wrists before her. Were she truly
slave, I would bind them behind her but as she was a free woman,
pretending, I allowed her to be a little more comfortable. Only a
little. The knots were a warrior's capture knots.

"Your
name, slave."

She
smiled and looked down. "Master has not yet named me."