Kneeling, Kneel, Knelt. (Mara's)

[pup]

Kneeling

Chapter 4

As he approached the bond-maids they shrank back from him, fearing him, as would any bond-maid one of the men of Torvaldsland. I looked upon the eyes of the first girl on the coffle, who was the slender, blondish girl, who had worn the red vest and jacket. I recalled how disappointed she had been in the men of Torvaldsland, when, heads hanging, they had accompanied the Forkbeard to the temple at Kassau. She had then, with amusement, regarded them with contempt. But it was neither amusement nor contempt which shone in her eyes now as she, shrinking back from him, looked upon Gorm. She now saw the men of Torvaldsland in their mightiness, in their freedom, and strength and power, and she, a stripped, fettered bond-maid, coffled, feared them. She knew that she belonged to them, such fierce and mighty beasts, and that she, and her beauty, lay at their mercy, that she, and her beauty, were theirs to do with as they pleased. Roughly Gorm unknotted the coffle rope from her neck. He then gestured that she, kneeling, should lift her fettered wrists to him; she did so; he, with a key from his belt, opened the fetters which held her; he thrust them in his belt; he then pulled her by the arm roughly to her feet and thrust her toward the Forkbeard. She stumbled across the loose deck planking and stood, hair before her face, before us. She thrust her hair back with her right hand, and stood well. A bailing scoop was thrust into her hands. It has four sides. It is ùmade of wood. It is about six inches in width. There is a diagonally set board in its bottom, and the back and two sides are straight. It has a straight, but rounded handle, carved smaller at the two ends, one where it adjoins the scoop, the other in back of the grip.

"I am finished," said the slender girl, returning to where we sat, and kneeling on the deck.

He crawled, drenched and sputtering; back to the dock. Tomorrow," he laughed, "I will teach you the ax." We clasped hands. Ottar, in the absence of Ivar Forkbeard, kept hls cattle, his properties, his farm and accounts. "He plays excellent Kaissa," said the Forkbeard. "I shall beat him," said Ottar. "We shall see," I said. A bond-maid thrust through the crowd. "Does my Jarl not remember Gunnhild?" she asked. She whimpered, and slipped to his side, holding him, lifting her lips to kiss him on the throat, beneath the beard. About her neck, riveted, was a collar of black iron, with a welded ring, to which a chain might be attached. "What of Pouting Lips?" said another girl, kneeling before him, lifting her eyes to his. Sometimes bond-maids are given descriptive names. The girl had full, sensuous lips, she was blond; she also smelled of verr; it had doubtless been she whom I had seen on the slope herding verr. "Pouting Lips has been in agony awaiting the return of her Jarl," she whimpered. The Forkbeard shook her head with his great hand. "What of Olga?" whined another wench, sweet and strapping, black-haired; "Do not forget Pretty Ankles, myJarl," said another wench, a delicious little thing, perhaps not more than sixteen. She thrust her lips greedily to the back of his left hand, biting at the hair there. "Away you wenches!" laughed Ottar. "The Forkbeard has new prizes, fresher meat to chew!"

Chapter 6

When this was done, I accompanied the Forkbeard to a place behind, and to one side, of a forge shed. There was a great log there, from a fallen tree. The bark had been removed from the log. It was something in the neighborhood of a yard in thickness. Against the log, kneeling, one behind the other, their right shoulders in contact with it, knelt the new bond-maids, and Aelgifu. Some men stood about, as well, and the brawny fellow, the smith. Nearby, on a large, flat stone, to keep it from sinking into the ground, was the anvil. A few feet away, glowing with heat, stood two canister braziers. In these, among the white coats, were irons.

When this was done, I accompanied the Forkbeard to a place behind, and to one side, of a forge shed. There was a great log there, from a fallen tree. The bark had been removed from the log. It was something in the neighborhood of a yard in thickness. Against the log, kneeling, one behind the other, their right shoulders in contact with it, knelt the new bond-maids, and Aelgifu. Some men stood about, as well, and the brawny fellow, the smith. Nearby, on a large, flat stone, to keep it from sinking into the ground, was the anvil.

Male thralls are chained for the night in the bosk sheds. Bondmaids are kept in the hall, for the pleasure of the free men. They are often handed from one to the other. It is the responsibility of he who last sports with them to secure them. I heard screams of pleasure I looked down at Thyri, kneeling beside my bench. She looked up at me, frightened. She was a beautiful girl, with a beautifill face. She was delicate, sensitive. Her eyes were highly intelligent, beautiful and deep. A collar of black iron was riveted on her throat. "Run to the furs, Bondmaid," I said, harshly Thyri leaped to her feet and fled to my furs, weeping.

Two ropes prohibited her from struggling to either a sitting or kneeling position, one running from her right ankle across the ice to a ring in the side of the shed, the other runnin,~ from her throat across the ice to a similar ring on the other side of the shed.

Gunnhild had been given by the Forkbeard to Gorm for the night. I saw him holding her by the arm and pushing her ahead of him to his furs. This night her ankle wouId be held by his fetter, -not that of the Forkbeard. The Forkbeard had offered me Pudding, but, generously, thinking to have Thyri, I had, after using her once, given her for the night to Ottar. Even now she was, kneeling on his furs, being fettered by the keeper of Ivar Forkbeard's farm. You can imagine my irritation when I saw Thyri led past me, her left wrist in the grip of an oarsman. She looked over her shoulder at me, agonized. I blew her a kiss in the Gorean fashion, kissing and gesturing, my fingers at the right side of my mouth, almost vertical, then, with the kiss, brushing gently toward her. I had no special claim on-the pretty little bond-maid, no more than any other among t~he Forkbeard's men. The delicious little thing, like the other goods of the hall, was, for most practical purposes, for the use of us all. I heard the movements of chain, the moans of the bondmaids in the arms of their masters, men of-Torvaldsland.

Chapter 10

The free woman, I could see, was not much pleased with the Forkbeard's response. "Thorgeir, is it not?" she asked. "Thorgeir of Ax Glacier," said the Forkbeard, bowing. "And what," asked she. "would one of Ax Glacier need with all these miserable slaves?" She indicated the kneeling girls of Forkbeard. "In Ax Glacier country," said the Forkbeard, with great seriousness, "the night is six months long." "I see," smiled the woman. Then she said, "You have won talmits, have you not, Thorgeir of Ax Glacier?" "Six," said he, "Lady." "Before you claim them," she said, "I would recommend that you recall your true name." He bowed. Her recommendation did not much please me. She lifted the hem of her kirtle of scarlet wool about the ankles of her black shoes and turned away. She looked back, briefly, once. She indicated the kneeling slaves. "Kirtle their shame," she said. Then strode away, followed by several men-at-arms.

But the Forkbeard did not look into her mouth. His left hand slipped to the small of her back, holding her, and his right hand went suddenly to her body. She cried out, trying to pull back, but could not, and then, her eyes closed, whimpering, she thrust forward, writhing and then, sobbing, held herself immobile, teeth gritted, eyes screwed shut, trying not to feel. When his hands left her body she tried, sobbing, to strike him, but he caught both her small wrists, holding them. She struggled futilely, held kneeling. "Put your head back," he said. "Open your mouth." She shook her head, wildly. "I am holding your hands," he pointed out. Warily, eyes open, she opened her mouth. He looked at her teeth.

The girl, kneeling, looked up at the Forkbeard. "Why did my Jarl buy me?" she asked. "You have excellent teeth," said the Forkbeard. "For what will my Jarl use me?" she asked. "Doubtless you can learn to swill tarsks," he said. "Yes my Jarl," she said. Then she put her cheek, to our suprise, to the side of his leg, and lowering her head, holding his boot, kissed it.

Chapter 15
Kur who had taken the girl then took another leash from the interior of his shield, where there were several wrapped about the shield straps; and surveyed the hall A girl, kneeling in the dirt, near the long fire, saw him, and ran screaming away. Methodically, moving her toward a corner of the hall, leash swinging, he followed her. Behind me I heard the blows of axes. I fought to free myself of the throng.

Chapter 18

We could see the two front lines, one kneeling, one standing, of Kurii. Similar lines, fierce, obdurate, protective, extended about the formation, on all sides, forming the edges of the Kurii war square. Within the square, formed into ragged "Hands," "Kurii," and "Bands," with their appropriate leaders, were massed a considerable number of Kurii, ready to charge forth should the shield wall open, or to support it if it seemed in danger of weakening. It was my supposition that their square contained, now, better than twenty-three hundred beasts

Her eyes were joyous, seeing the Fork beard, seeing that he lived. She ran to the Forkbeard, kneeling, putting her head to his feet. She, too, like Pretty Ankle had severed binding fiber knotted about her belly. By the ring of the Kur collar which she wore Ivar Forkbeard jerked he to her feet, so that she stood on her tiptoes, looking up a him. He grinned. "To the pen with you, Slave," he said. Sh looked at him, adoringly. "Yes, Master," she whispered.

Chapter 19

Gifts!" cried Ivar Forkbeard. His men, bearing boxes, trunks, bulging sacks, came forward. They spilled the contents of these containers before the table. It was the loot of the temple of Kassau, and the sapphires of Schendi, which had figured in the wergild imposed upon him by Svein Blue Tooth in the days of his outlawry. Knee deep in the riches waded Ivar and, laughing, hurled untold wealth to those in the hall. Then his men, too, distributed the riches. Then, too, naked slave girls were ordered to the riches, to scoop up sapphires in goblets and carry them about the tables, serving them to the men, kneeling, head down, arms extended, as though they might be wine, and the warriors, iaughing, reached into the cups and seized jewels. I saw Hrolf, from the East, the giant, mysterious Torvaldslander, take one jewel from the goblet proffered him, kneeling, by a naked, collared beauty. He slipped it in his pouch, as a souvenir. Ivar Forkbeard himself came to me, and pressed into my hand a sapphire of Schendi. "Thank you," said "Ivar Forkbeard," I, too, slipped the sapphire into my pouch. To me, too, it was rich with meaning. "Ivar!" called Svein Blue Tooth, when the loot was distributed, pointing to Hilda, who, in her collar, stripped cuddled at the Forkbeard's side, "are you not, too, going to give away that pretty little trinket?"

[pup]

kneel
====

Kneel

Chapter 4

Soon, she brought it to her. As she approached Aelgifu, Aelgifu called out to her, "You walk well, Thyri. You walk as a bond-maid." The slender, blondish girl, called Thyri, though now, actually, she had no name, not having been given one by the Forkbeard, did not respond to Aelgifu's taunt. "Kneel," said Aelgifu. The girl knelt. "What have you there?" asked Aelgifu. "Gruel," said the girl. "Taste it," said Aelgifu. Obediently, angrily, the girl did so. "It is bond-maid gruel, is it not?" asked Aelgifu. "Yes," said the girl. "Why then," asked Aelgifu, "have you brought it to me?"


The blond girl rose to her feet and left Aelgifu. The Forkbeard looked up from his game. He reached out and took the bowl from the blond girl. He said to Gorm, "Return her to the coffle." He took the blond girl back to the coffle. He made her kneel and again snapped on her wrists the iron, single-linked fetters of the north, and then he tied her by the neck at the end of the coffle.

Chapter 10

morning recollared, again the slave of a master. "Kneel," said the Forkbeard to the girl, "legs apart, palms of your hands on your thighs." With a movement of the chain, she did so. He crouched before her.

The wench is yours," laughed Ivar Forkbeard. "I love you," wept Thyri Kneel," said Wulfstan. Startled, Thyri did so. "You are mine now," said Wulfstan. "But surely you will free me, Wulfstan!" she cried

[pup]

knelt
====
Knelt

Chapter 4

Somewhat behind us, between the benches, in the shade of the awning, among other riches taken in the sack of the temple of Kassau, were the bond-maids. They, loot, too, knelt, or sat or laid among golden plate, and candlesticks and golden hangings. Their ankles were no longer bound; their wrists, now, those of most of them, were fettered before their bodies; about their necks, now, however, they wore not simple binding fiber; it had been replaced the first evening out of Kassau; they wore now, knotted about their throats, a coffle rope of the north, about a half inch in thickness, of braided leather, cored with wire. At night they slept with their hands fettered behind them. Some of the girls slept, some curled on the golden hangings of the temple; some sat or knelt, heads down; of the girls, four of them, though still held in the coffle, were no longer fettered. They knelt, with soft cloths and polishes, cleaning and rubbing to a high shine, which must please the Forkbeard, the golden trove of the looted temple of Kassau.

Chapter 5

Come here, Wench," called the Forkbeard. The slender blondish girl quickly approached him, and knelt before him on the deck. "Feed her," said the Forkbeard, gesturing over his shoulder. The girl rose, and went to fill one of the small bowls for Aelgifu. Soon, she brought it to her. As she approached Aelgifu, Aelgifu called out to her, "You walk well, Thyri. You walk as a bond-maid." The slender, blondish girl, called Thyri, though now, actually, she had no name, not having been given one by the Forkbeard, did not respond to Aelgifu's taunt. "Kneel," said Aelgifu. The girl knelt. "What have you there?" asked Aelgifu. "Gruel," said the girl. "Taste it," said Aelgifu. Obediently, angrily, the girl did so. "It is bond-maid gruel, is it not?" asked Aelgifu. "Yes," said the girl. "Why then," asked Aelgifu, "have you brought it to me?"
The girl put her head down. "I am free," said Aelgifu. "Take it away. It is for such as you." The girl did not respond. "When my ransom is paid, and I return," said Aelgifu, "there will no longer be dispute as to who is the most beautiful in Kassau." "No," said the girl. "But I was always the most beautiful," said Aelgifu. The blond girl's eyes flashed. "Take this gruel away," said Aelgifu. "It is for bondmaids such as you." The blond girl rose to her feet and left Aelgifu. The Forkbeard looked up from his game. He reached out and took the bowl from the blond girl. He said to Gorm, "Return her to the coffle." He took the blond girl back to the coffle. He made her kneel and again snapped on her wrists the iron, single-linked fetters of the north, and then he tied her by the neck at the end of the coffle.

More arrows slipped past. One struck in the mast. Aelgifu knelt behind it, still chained to it by the neck, her head in her fettered hands. A javelin struck in the deck. A stone bounded from the rail at the top of the port gunwale, splintering it. The ship of Thorgard, Black Sleen, was no more than some fifty yards away. I could see helmeted men at its gunwales, some five feet above the water line.

Splendid!" cried the Forkbeard. I handed the horn to Thyri, who, in her collar, naked, between two of the benches, knelt at my feet. "Yes, Jarl," said she, and ran to fill it, from the great vat. How marvelously beauhful is a naked, collared woman. "Your hall," said I to the Forkbeard, "is scarcely what had expected."

Chapter 7

Earlier, before he had begun his tour of inspection, Pudding had come to him, and knelt before him, holding a plate of Sa-Tarna loaves. The daughter of Gurt, the Administrator of Kassau, was being taught to bake. She watched fearfully as the Forkbeard bit into one. "It needs more salt," he had said to her. She shuddered. "Do you think you are a bond-maid of the south?" he asked. "No, my Jarl," she had said. "Do you think it is enough for you to be pleasant in the furs?" he asked. "Oh, no, my Jarl!" she cried. "Bond-maids of the north must know how to do useful things," he told her. "Yes, my Jarl !" she cried. "Take these," said he, "to the stink pen and, with them, swill the tarsks!" "Yes, myJarl," she wept, leaping to her feet, and fleeing away.

(this next quote is not to do with bonds but it does contain the word Knelt)

One of his men touched its snout with the butt of his spear, and then thrust it into the beast's mouth; the butt of the spear was torn away; the bond-maids screamed. "It is still alive!" cried Gorm. "Get it out of here," said Ivar Forkbeard. "Beware of the jaws. With chains and poles the body of the Kur was dragged and thrust from the hall. We took it outside the palisade, on the rocks. It was getting light. I knelt beside it.
(this again is not to do with bonds but it does contain the word Knelt)

My assistant and I knelt before her, at her feet. She wore, beneath her green velvet, golden shoes.

Chapter 8

Pretty Ankles hurried past, carrying a great trencher of roast meat on her small shoulder. "Mead!" called Ivar Forkbeard, from across from me. "Mead!" He held out the great, curved horn, with its rim fillgreed gold. Pudding and Gunnhild knelt on the bench, snuggli~ against him, one on either side. But they did not run to fet~ his mead. That duty, this night, befell another. Hilda the Haughty, ~daughter of Thorgard of Scagnar, stripped as any bond-maid, from a large bronze vess~ poured mead for the Forkbeard. The men laughed. She, though free, poured mead as a bond-maid. The h~ roared with pleasure. Mighty insult had thus been wroug] upon Thorgard of Scagnar, enemy of Ivar Forkbeard. H daughter, stripped, poured mead in the hall of his enemie Too, they had taught her to heel and obey. Rich was tl pleasure of Ivar Forkbeard. He reached out his hand, to touch the daughter of Tho gard of Scagnar. She shrank back, terrified. The Forkbeard looked upon her, amused. "Would you n care to play in the furs?" he asked her. "No," she said, shuddering. "Let me play," whimpered Pudding. "Let me play," whi pered Gunnhild. "Do not misunderstand me, Ivar Forkbeard," whispere Hilda. If you order me to the furs I shall obey you, an swlftly. I will comply with your slightest wish, exactly an promptly. I will do whatever I am told." Pudding and Gunnhild laughed. Ottar stumbled up, putting his hand on one of the post~ By a length of ship's rope, he had tied Olga to his belt. Sh looked at me; her eyes shone; her lips were parted; she pu out her hand; I paid her no attention; she looked down, fis clenched, and whimpered. I smiled. I would use her befor the night was done.

(again another quote containing knelt without ref bonds)

I hate you, Tarl Red Hair," she said. I knelt beside her. I had intended to permit her to smolder for a time, she much aroused, and then later, when she had been much heated with need and desire, when, cruelly deprived, she had been aching to break into flame, throw her to my furs, but, unfortunately, I had forgotten about her. "I forgot about you," I told her.

Chapter 10

(again another quote containing knelt without ref of bonds)

I untied the rope from my waist and threw it down. He knelt on the turf, whimpering, tears streaming down his face. The hands of men pounded on my back. I heard their cries of pleasure.

Forkbeard did not respond to her, but regarded her with great deference. "These females," she said, indicating the Forkbeard's girls, who knelt at her feet, their heads to the turf, "could be better employed on your farm, dunging fields and making butter."

Light filtered into the shed from windows cut high in the wall on our right. The girls at, or knelt or laid on straw along on our right. The shed is some two hundred feet long, about ten feet wide, and eight feet in height.

I gave my name to the presiding official. Talmits would be officially awarded tomorrow. I accepted his congratulations. My girl prize knelt at my feet. I looked down upon her "What are you?" I asked.
"Only a Gorean slave girl, Master," she said. "Do not forget it," I told her. "I shall not, Master," she whispered. "Stand," I told her. She stood and I lashed her wrists tightly together behind her back.

Chapter 13

Once again there was much cheering. I clapped the Forkbeard about the shoulders. Gorm, and Ottar, too, stood with him, and his other men. Hilda knelt at his feet, among the gold, the jewels, her lips pressed to his furred boots. "My Jarl! My Jarl!" she wept.

Chapter 14

From my right I heard the scream of a bond-maid. I saw a Kur leash her. He pulled her struggling, by the neck, choking, to a place to the left of the door. There there waited another Kur, who held in his tentacled hand the leashes of more than twenty bond-maids, who knelt, terrified, about its legs. The Kur who had leashed his catch then handed the leash to the other Kur, who accepted it, addmg it to the others. The girl knelt swiftly among the others. I knew human females were regarded as delicacies by Kurii. The Kur who had taken the girl then took another leash from the interior of his shield, where there were several wrapped about the shield straps; and surveyed the hall A girl, kneeling in the dirt, near the long fire, saw him, and ran screaming away. Methodically, moving her toward a corner of the hall, leash swinging, he followed her.

Chapter 17

At the feet of Ivar Forkbeard, head to the ground, nude, waiting to be commanded, knelt Hilda the Haughty, daughter of Thorgard of Scagnar.
Go," said Ivar to her. She lifted her head to him. "May I not have one last kiss, my Jarl?" she whispered. "Go," said he. "If you live, you will be more than kissed." "Yes, my Jarl," she said, and, obediently, slipped away into the darkness.

(not to do with bonds but it does mention a thrall and has the word knelt within it)

Thralls are not permitted to touch the war arrow, but they are permitted to kneel to those who have. Wulfstan had handed the Forkbeard the ax, disarming himself, and had then knelt before him, putting his head to his feet. Thralls may be slain for so much as touching a weapon. He had taken dirt from beneath the feet of the Forkbeard and, kneeling, had poured it on his head. "Rise, Thrall," had said the Forkbeard. The young man had then stood, and straightly, head high, before the Forkbeard. The Forkbeard threw him back the ax. "Carry it," said the Forkbeard.

I lifted my ax from the body, and turned to face the women. I strode to them. They knelt, huddled together, holding one another, at the side of the tent. They put down their eyes, trembling. I left the tent.

"My Jarl," said a voice. We turned about. Hilda knelt before Ivar Forkbeard, her hair to his feet. "May I not follow my Jarl?" she begged. "A lowly bond-maid begs to heel her Jarl." "Then, heel," said Ivar, good-naturedly, turning away "Thank you, my Jarl!" she wept, leaping to her feet, falling into step on his left, two steps behind him.

Chapter 18

(Bonds and thralls spoils of war)

"Here are prisoners and much loot," said Ottar. He gestured at some eleven men of Thorgard of Scagnar. Thewere stripped of their helmets, belts and weapons. The stood, chained by the neck, their wrists shackled befor them. "I see only loot," said the Forkbeard. "Kneel!" ordered Ottar. "Sell them as slaves in Lydius," said the Forkbeard. He turned away from the men. "Heads down!" commanded Ottar. They knelt, their heads to the muddied dirt. The Forkbeard looked at many of the boxes and chests and sacks, of wealth. I had seen this, or much of it, earlier in the morning, when I had pursued the Kur to the tent of Thorgard of Scagnar. To one side knelt the silken girls I had seen in the tent. There were seventeen of them. Under the dark sky, kneeling in the mud, they looked much different than they had in the tent. Their silks were soiled, their legs and the bottom of their feet stained with mire. Their hands were tied behind their backs. They were fastened to one another by binding fiber in throat coffle. Those that had been wearing chains had had the locks unfastened, the keys found in one of the chests in a nearby tent. Over them, proud and regal, a switch in her hand, stood Olga. She waved the switch at them. "I took them all for you, my Jarl!" she elated. "I simply ordered them, with confidence and authority, to kneel in a line, facin away from me, to be bound. They did so!" The Forkbeard laughed at the lovely chattels. "They are slaves," he said None of the girls even dared to lift her eyes to him. We saw too, to one side, the former Miss Peggy Stevens of Earth, now Honey Cake. Her eyes were joyous, seeing the Fork beard, seeing that he lived. She ran to the Forkbeard, kneeling, putting her head to his feet. She, too, like Pretty Ankle had severed binding fiber knotted about her belly. By the ring of the Kur collar which she wore Ivar Forkbeard jerked he to her feet, so that she stood on her tiptoes, looking up a him. He grinned. "To the pen with you, Slave," he said. Sh looked at him, adoringly. "Yes, Master," she whispered.

Hilda, naked, in her collar, knelt to one side and behind the Forkbeard. She covered herself with her hands as best she could, her head down. The Forkbeard gestured to the several captive slave girls, loot from Thorgard's tent, kneeling, wrists bound behind their backs, in their brief, mired silk, in throat coffle, those girls Olga, light-heartedly, had secured for him. "Take them to the pen," he said to Olga. Olga slapped her switch in the palm of her hand. "On your feet, Slaves," she said. The girls struggled to their feet. "To the pen, hurry!" she snapped. "You will be given to men!" The girls began to run. As each one passed Olga, she, below the small of the back, was expedited with a sharp stroke of the switch. Then Olga, much pleased, laughing, trotting beside them, herded the running, weeping, stumbling coffle toward the pen.

Hilda crept to him, and knelt before him. She put her head softly to his feet, and then lifted her head and, tears in her eyes, looked up at him. "A girl is grateful," she said, "-my Jarl." "To the pen with you, Wench," said the Forkbeard. "Yes," she said, "my Jarl! Yes!" She leapt up. When she turned about, the Forkbeard dealt her a mighty blow, swift and stinging, with the flat of his sword. She was, after all, only a common bond-maid. She cried out, startled, sobbing, and stumbled more than a dozen steps before she regained her balance. Then she turned and, sobbing, laughing, cried out joyfully, "I love you, my Jarl! I love you!" He raised the weapon again, flat side threatening her, and she turned and, laughing, sobbing, only one of his girls, fled to the pen.

Chapter 19

It stopped before Svein Blue Tooth and Ivar Forkbeard, who, on seats of rock, awaited it. Ivar, chewing on a vulo wing, motioned Hilda, and Gunnhild, Pudding and Honey Cake, who, naked and collared, his girls, knelt about him, to withdraw. They crept back, bond-maids, behind him. Their flesh was in the shadows. They knelt.

"No!" she cried. I turned her about and, taking a pair of the rude iron slave bracelets of the north, black and common, which which bond-maids are cormnonly secured locked her wrists behind her back. I then, with the bloodied Quiva, the Tuchuk saddle knife, cut her clothes from her Then, by a length of binding fiber, looped double in the ring of her collar, tied her on her knees to the toot of the Kur Then, with the knife, I knelt at the Kur's throat.

Chapter 22

Following the rast of the girls, carrying the last of my gear, came Leah, who stood, small, beside me. Ottar then, and Gorm, and the other men of the Forkbeard boarded the craft. Thyri, who had boarded earlier, stood near the bench of Wulfstan, where, already, he gripped an oar. Near the mast, chained to it by the neck, eyes down, knelt Telima.

I saw Telima, standing by the mast, to which she wa chained by the neck. I looked at her, harshly. Immediately she knelt, eyes down.

I stood long at the prow. Then, after some hours, it grew dark. With my foot I nudged Leah, at my feet. She awoke She knelt, and kissed my feet. "Take your garment," I told her, "but do not don it. Go to the waterproof, sleenskin sleeping bag by my bench. Spread it on the deck, between the benches. Then get within it and await me." "Yes, Master," she whispered.