Helliconia Summer - Brian W. Aldiss [555]
A flush spread over Shokerandit’s face. ‘She’ll get you water or food while I’m out. Otherwise, she is mine. Ask Odim’s brother for what you want – he has plenty of slaves for whom he cares nothing.’
They looked each other in the eye. Then Shokerandit turned to leave the room.
‘Can I come with you?’ Toress Lahl called.
‘I shall be busy. You can stay here.’
As soon as he was gone, Fashnalgid sat up in bed. The woman was hurriedly dressing. She cast the odd glance across at the captain, who smoothed his moustache and gave a smile.
‘Don’t be so hasty, woman. Come over to me. Sweet Besi’s dead and I want comforting.’
When she made no answer, he climbed naked out of bed.
Toress Lahl made a run for the door, but he caught her by the wrist and pulled her back.
‘Don’t be in such a hurry, I said, didn’t I? Didn’t you hear me?’ He gave her long brown hair a gentle tug. ‘Women are generally pleased to be attended by Captain Fashnalgid.’
‘I belong to Luterin Shokerandit. You heard what he said.’
He twisted her arm and grinned down at her. ‘You’re a slave, so you’re anyone’s. Beside, you hate his guts – I’ve seen the looks you give him. I never forced a woman, Toress, that’s the truth, and you’ll find me a good deal more expert than he, from what I overheard.’
‘Please let me go. Or I shall tell him and he’ll kill you.’
‘Come on, you’re too pretty to threaten me. Open up. I saved you from death, didn’t I? You and he were riding into a trap. He’s a fatal innocent, your Luterin.’
He put a hand between her legs. She got her right hand free and slapped him across the face.
With a burst of anger, Fashnalgid wrenched her off her feet and threw her down on his bed. He fell on top of her.
‘Now you listen to me before you provoke me beyond words, Toress Lahl. You and I are on the same side. Shokerandit is all very well, but he is going home to security and position – all the things you and I have lost. What is more, he plans to drive you countless skerming miles northwards. What’s up there but snow and holiness and that gigantic Wheel?’
‘It’s where he lives.’
‘Kharnabhar’s fit only for rulers. The rest die in the cold. Haven’t you heard of the Wheel’s reputation? It used to be a prison, the worst on the planet. Do you want to finish up in the Wheel?
‘Throw your lot in with me. I have seen the sort of woman you are. You’ve seen the sort of man I am. I am an outcast, but I can fend for myself. Before you get taken miles to some fortress in the northern ice from which you will never escape, achieve wisdom, achieve wisdom, woman, and throw in your lot with me. We’ll sail from here to Campannlat and better climes. Maybe we’ll even get back to your precious Borldoran.’
She had gone very pale. His face, close above hers, was a blur, nothing more than eyebrows, those piercing eyes, and that great dead moustache. She was afraid that he would strike her or even kill her – and that Shokerandit would not care. Her will was already ebbing under the burden of captivity.
‘He owns me, Captain. Why discuss it? But you may have your way with me if you must. Why not? He has.’
‘That’s better,’ he said. ‘I’ll not hurt you. Throw your clothes off.’
Luterin Shokerandit knew the port of Rivenjk well. It had always been the great city, spoken of in Kharnabhar with longing, visited – when visited – with excitement. Now that he had seen more of the world, he recognised that it was rather small.
At least there was pleasure in being ashore again. He could swear he still felt a slight rolling movement underfoot. Walking down to the harbour, he went into one of the inns and drank a measure of yadahl while listening to the talk of the sailors.
‘They’re nothing but a nuisance here, these soldiers,’ a man nearby was saying to a companion. ‘You heard, I suppose, that one was knifed last