Norman, John - Gor 23 - Renegades of Gor.txt

by Renegades of Gor [lit]

  from the height of a sales platform.

  “But perhaps you are from the west, and not the east,” he said.

  “Master?” she said.

  “Might you be from Cos?” he asked, his eyes narrow, his hands on the belt, near

  the buckle.

  “No, Master!” she said.

  “It is well for you, that you are not,” he said.

  “Yes, Master,” she whispered.

  His voice had been low, but it had been terrible in its menace. He then removed

  his hands from his belt. Yakube shuddered. I was afraid for a moment that she

  might faint. The other girls, too, were frightened. There was no mistaking the

  menace, the fury, of the young warrior.

  “I shall look for lodging for the night,” he said to me. “I wish you well.”

  “I wish you well,” I said. I no longer ventured to suggest that we sup together,

  or pleasure ourselves with slaves.

  We watched him depart.

  “May we be dismissed, Master?” asked Roxanne.

  (pg. 444) “all but Yakube,” I said.

  Gratefully Roxanne and Korinne leapt up and hurried away.

  Yakube looked up at me.

  “I will not hurt you,” I said.

  She trembled, kneeling on the pier.

  “Do you know him?” I asked.

  “No!” she said. “No!”

  I continued to look after him.

  “Why does he hate me so?” she asked.

  “I do not think he hates you,” I said. “I think, rather, you trouble him. I

  think, indeed, and am sure of it, that you are the sort of woman he finds

  inordinately exciting, maddeningly attractive.

  She shuddered.

  :It is Cos he hates,” I said.

  “I am pleased that I am not of Cos!” she said.

  “You may go,” I said.

  Quickly, gratefully, she drew her beads again about herself, before her, then

  leapt up and hurried after her friends. I saw that they had waited at the end of

  the pier. When she had joined them, they hurried away together. They took care

  not to take the same street as that followed by the young warrior.

  There was a cold wind now. It came from the east.

  I thought of Dietrich of Tarnburg, holding Torcadino, of Ar, of Cos, of the

  expeditionary force in the north, of the forces of Ar, and the delta.

  I was afraid.

  I then turned my attention once more to the street which the young warrior had

  entered. It was on of those narrow streets leading up between buildings, leading

  up, away from the wharves. It was now empty.