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Pelops did so, but his small shoulders were still hunched in dejection. "It
may work," he admitted. "It is clever. I would never have thought of it. But
we gain nothing but a little time I told you, when they do not find my body
the alarm will be spread all through Sarma. We will be hunted down. A slave
hunt is a great festival in Sarma. And you, sire, because you are so "
He broke off and would not look at Blade.
Blade smiled grimly. "You are thinking that I am too big? Because of my size I
cannot hide easily and will be taken soon and you will be taken all the easier
with me? That is what you are thinking, Pelops!"
The little man did not deny it.
Blade said, "You must make up your mind about that, then. Stay with me or take
your chances alone.
I am going to hide in the sea while there is still time."
He began to crawl over the rough shingle to the sea. At the water's edge he
glanced back. Pelops was coming along behind him.
The purple tinged water was tepid and so heavy with salt that they had
difficulty staying under.
Pelops especially, so light boned, kept popping to the top. He had trouble
with his hollow reed and sputtered and thrashed about after a mouthful of
water. Blade swore and helped him as best he could.
He sounded the bottom until he found heavy rocks. By holding on to these they
could stay under.
Blade sent Pelops under first and told him to stay there. Only a scant three
inches of reed was above the waves, which were small, and Blade nodded in
satisfaction. Barring bad luck it should work and the patrol pass them by. He
lingered on the surface, his eyes and nose just above the water, and watched
the slave patrol approach.
There was a double file of foot soldiers. Fifty of them. They wore kilts and
short jerkins of leather, sandals cross-gaitered to the knee, and flat leather
caps on which sparkled metal badges. Some carried long spears, some crossbows,
and all carried shields of metal and leather. They were, Blade noted, all
small men.
There were half a dozen horsemen. Or so Blade thought at first. Then he saw
his mistake there were five horsemen and one horsewoman. She rode well, her
Page 26
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long mass of golden hair fluttering in the mild sea breeze. She alone rode
without a saddle, her long white legs clinging securely to the prancing
animal. She wore a short leathern skirt and metal breastplates that flashed
like mirrors in the sun. She carried no weapons.
Blade delayed ducking under the waves. A little tableau now taking place on
shore interested him.
The foot soldiers and some of the horsemen were in the marsh, combing it out,
walking and riding back and forth. The footmen poked their lances here and
there into the rushes. All this was done with a mechanical efficiency that
bespoke routine. They did not really expect to find any runaway slaves today.
Blade was watching the girl and a tall, thickset man who was obviously in
command of the detail. He rode a white horse and now spurred it close to the
girl's mount. Blade's eyes were 10-10 a fact that none of the doctors in Home
Dimension could quite believe and though he was a hundred yards distant he
easily made out the flash of white teeth under a great hooked nose in a dark
bearded face. Jewels glinted from a spiked helmet. The big man said some thing
to the girl, leaning close and placing a beringed hand on one slim leg.
She slashed at the hand with a riding crop and shouted at the man, her scarlet
lips thin with fury. She pulled her mount around and went galloping
down the beach. Equebus Blade knew it must be he stared after her with
a stony composure. His hand went to his belt and half drew a shiny dagger,
then thrust it back into the scabbard. He shrugged, spat, and rose in his
stirrups to bellow at his troops.
Blade went under water and breathed through the reed.
When he surfaced the patrol was out of sight. He nudged Pelops with a foot and
the little man came gasping to the surface. As they waded in to shore Blade
said: "We will hide in the marsh again for a time.
They will not think to search it twice."
He told Pelops of the incident between the patrol leader and the golden haired
woman. Pelops grinned slyly and nodded.
"That was Equebus. A nose like a sword? And very dark of skin and beard?
Yes that would be
Equebus the Cruel. And you say the girl struck him?" Pelops tittered. "I would
like to have seen that."
Blade lay in the mud, brushing away a swarm of gnats. He was beginning to be
very hungry and his longing for clothing and arms increased by the moment. Yet
he knew he must bide his time and be
patient. Wait and watch and listen. Reserve all value judgments. Survive. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]