Not you.”
Tuza drew back, angrily.
I noted she had not been cuffed. To be sure, she was free.
“And it was for that purpose,” he said, briefly glancing behind him, and to his left, where Donna knelt, in her scarlet tunic, “that a given slave, a former Panther Girl, indeed, one once of your own band, was obtained, that she might abet our search.”
“I found them for you, Master,” said Donna. “I was sure I could.”
“We found her in a low market, for cheap, inferior slaves,” said Genserich. “She still thought herself a Panther Girl, despite being neck-ringed, and pretended to angry resistance, and defiance. The whip quickly took that out of her, and she understood, trembling and weeping, that she was now a slave. After that, well-worked and, when it amused us, lengthily caressed, she began to learn her collar. Soon enough she was at my knee, whimpering.”
“Disgusting slut!” exclaimed Darla.
“But she was quite pleased when she learned the reason for her purchase, and eagerly led us in our quest to intercept the now-so-called ‘band of Darla’, which had been hired to conduct its secret reconnaissance in the northern forests.
“Slut!” screamed Darla. “You betrayed us!”
“It was I who was betrayed,” she said, “— Mistress.”
“You have had your revenge!” said Darla. “We are now stripped and shackled, kneeling and helpless, bound, in the power of men!”
“We are women,” said Donna. “We should be in the power of men.”
“I hate men!” screamed Darla.
“Because you are not a man,” said Donna.
“I do not understand,” said Darla.
“Be what you are,” said Donna. “You will then know the joys of being the surrendered slave of your master.”
“No, no, no!” screamed Darla.
“Yes,” breathed Emerald, pulling at her bound wrists.
“We put her in the scarlet tunic,” said Genserich. “A former Panther Girl, she well understood how this would mark her out, how conspicuous it would make her, and how it would make clear that although she might be in the forest she was no longer of the forest.”
“A slave’s garment!” said Darla.
“I love it,” said Donna. “In it I am myself, and more free than I ever was!”
“Our mission was secret,” said Darla, angrily. “How did you learn of it?”
“Much is apparently at stake,” said Genserich. “If there are two large and complex forces involved, it is not unlikely that each has spies in the camp of the other, perhaps even highly placed spies.”
I was interested to hear this. I had not thought much of this before. It did not seem unlikely, however. I glanced over at Axel, but his attention was on Genserich.
“You see,” said Genserich, “I cannot release you, for then you would hasten to the Laurius, to deliver your report.”
“Then hold us for a time,” said Darla. “And then release us. I am sure the ship will depart the wharf soon. Once it does so, there would no longer be point, or advantage, to our report.”
“I have not been paid to release you,” said Genserich.
“Not the collar!” cried Darla.
“No, no!” cried Tuza, despite the monition earlier accorded her.
Emerald and Hiza were silent.
I had earlier sensed that something would be done with the prisoners today. The attackers would see no point in remaining here. I supposed it most likely the prisoners would be collared and sold. That is the common fate of a female prisoner, and surely, now, it was clear that the Panther Women were such prisoners. Axel, as I recalled, had been less sure of this.
“You know too much,” said Genserich. “I have been paid to kill you.”
“No, no!” cried Donna, aghast.
I recalled that Axel, earlier, had remarked that we did not know what the gold given to Genserich was intended to buy.
“No!” cried Darla.
“We are women, spare us, spare us!” wept Tuza.
“Now you are women?” said Genserich.
“Please, Master,” wept Donna. “Do not hurt them!”
“Mercy!” wept Emerald.
“Please, please!” said Hiza.
“It will be quick,” said Genserich.
“Prepare to set the sleen on Genserich,” I whispered to Axel.
“Do not be foolish,” he said. “Do you want to die?”
“We are women!” cried Darla.
“But free women,” said Genserich.
“The sleen,” I whispered to Axel.
“No,” he said. “Wait!”
“Now,” I said.
“Wait,” he said.
“Please,” cried Darla, “let it be the collar!”
“You are free,” said Genserich. “Surely you would not accept the indignity of the collar, of being sold?”
“Yes,” said Darla, “yes!”
“Be merciful, Master!” begged Donna.
“Mercy!” cried Tuza.
“Please, Master!” cried Emerald.
“‘Master’?” said Genserich.
“Yes, ‘Master’!” she cried.
“And what of you?” Genserich inquired of Hiza.
“Master!” she wept.
Genserich stepped back, and surveyed the prisoners.
“Pronounce yourself slave,” said Genserich.
“I am a slave!” said Darla.
“I am a slave!” said