So I must contact the employer and did so, with a hurled, note-bearing knife, cast from the darkness, which lodged itself in the center pole of his tent, not two horts from his head. By means of this device I conveyed our proposal and specified, as well, a secret meeting place, should he be interested. He was. And your wallets bulge with gold, a pittance compared to what we will receive upon our return and our imparting of our information. And it was I who brought you through the forest, for many days, far from our range, to spy upon the mysteries of the Alexandra. We have done our work well. We located the ship, and we have determined it might soon depart its wharf. Accordingly we must hurry to the Laurius, make our report, and gather in our riches. I have done much. I have led you well. Much skill and risk were involved in this. Free me and return to me the talmit of command.”
Tuza looked at Darla, thoughtfully. Then she said, “Relieve her ankles of the knotted talmit, with which we have bound them together.”
Hiza untied the talmit from Darla’s ankles, and handed it to Tuza.
“These chains and shackles, as well!” said Darla. She moved her knees. She pulled at her wrists, behind her back, held in the cuffs, attached to the waist chain. How well secured she was, I thought. How helpless we are in such things!
Tuza spread the talmit out.
Darla made as though to rise.
“Stay on your knees,” said Tuza, and she then wrapped the talmit about her own brow.
“I do not understand,” said Darla.
“When a Panther Woman has been found displeasing to her leader,” she said, “it is our way that she be punished, and you have not been found pleasing to your leader.”
“Sell me,” begged Darla.
“Prepare to hear your sentence,” said Tuza.
“Sell me,” begged Darla, “to anyone, even a woman, if you so hate me.”
“You will be driven from the camp,” said Tuza. “Get her on her feet.”
Hiza and Emerald lifted Darla to her feet.
“Relieve me of my chains, my shackles!” cried Darla.
“Get out,” said Tuza, lifting her switch.
“Free me!” wept Darla. “Give me a weapon, if only a knife!”
“Away, slut,” snarled Tuza, lifting the switch.
“I am helpless,” said Darla. “I am naked. I cannot use my hands. I am shackled. I can barely move. The beasts will have me.”
Tuza turned back to face Hiza and Emerald. “So it is,” she said, “that the talmit may pass from one to another in the band. It is not uncommon. Surely such things are familiar. Do not concern yourselves. It is our way. Let the strongest and wisest, the fiercest, the most clever, rule. She is not needed. She could not be trusted. She betrayed, and sold Donna. We can find our way back. There will be more gold for all of us. Gather your weapons. We are breaking camp.”
“Have mercy!” begged Darla.
“Must you be switched from the camp?” inquired Tuza.
Darla backed away, in misery, but she stopped, at the edge of the camp.
“Bundles up,” said Hiza, and Tula, Mila, and myself, on our rope, bent down, and lifted our bundles to our head, steadying them with our hands.
Darla fell to her knees. “Do not leave me here,” she begged. “Take me with you! Have mercy! You are now the mighty, indisputable, and noble leader. I acknowledge it. Take me with you, if only as bearer of burdens! Keep me if you wish. Sell me if you wish! Take me with you! I beg mercy!”
“Who begs mercy?” said Tuza.
“I beg mercy!”
“Who?” inquired Tuza.
“Darla begs mercy!” she wept.
“Darla,” said Tuza, “the properly deposed, worthless, meaningless slut?”
“Yes,” said Darla, “Darla, the properly deposed, worthless, meaningless slut begs mercy!”
“If you attempt to follow us,” said Tuza, “your throat will be cut.”
Darla then collapsed, weeping, at the edge of the camp. She lay in the dirt, sobbing.
“Prepare to trek,” said Tuza, lifting her hand.
We steadied our bundles. When she lowered her hand, and indicated the trail ahead, we would move. The first step is taken with the left foot.
“Seize them!” I heard. A woman’s voice.
We looked about, startled, wildly, to our right. A woman had emerged from the forest, pointing toward us. She was a sturdy woman, but one clearly worthy of a slave block. Her hair was black, and undone. She was barefoot. She wore a brief tunic, of bright scarlet. In the forest that would be easily marked. She was collared. There seemed much motion behind her,