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Homebound With a New Servant

The sun was already high in the sky when the nine men reached the foot of the mountain beyond the plane of the Dafnon river and started their ascend to the plateau. How different they had felt just two days ago when they had crossed this same plane full of trouble and concern. Much sooner than expected they were on their way home in triumph.

"This was the greatest feast I ever have experienced", one of them exclaimed: "Have you seen the number of oxen they roasted whole?" - "And all those sheep", another one added. - "I loved their wine" - "I noticed".

Walking was easy, even though they were loaded with provisions and carried some of the gained Kurgan weapons. The climb inside the canyon looked much less frightening than the way down before, and so they kept chatting while they walked the gravel bed of the dry river: "Have you seen the admiring looks of the townsfolk?" - "They all wanted to see the silver chalice we gave to Amynander. They were so impressed by these figures on it. Like there were real beasts on this cup." - "I wasn't thinking of the cup. At us they were looking!"

Amynander and his wife Dryope had bidden Areus a heartfelt farewell, embraced him and had given him order to take good care of his family, their own daughter and granddaughter. They had stuffed him with food and also handed him a small present for little Klysina: "We seriously hope, we won't hear anything from these intruders, and next time we meet on a more joyful occasion."

Areus directed his - thoroughly cleaned and shaven-headed - new bondservant Ida; she wore sandals and a simple customary gown with a rope used as belt. She was planned to carry the water skins, but Areus found that it would have slowed them all down, so he carried most of the skins himself.

The climb along the canyon took the whole day. Everything looked peaceful now, and though the formations of rock still towered impressively, they had nothing menacing, and Areus couldn't recognize castles of the gods either. Occasionally he exchanged a few words with his new servant. He learned that she had lived with her parents and two brothers in a village close to the sea, just like himself, until about five years ago, when a horde of armed horsemen had raided the village, dragged off the young women and then probably laid everything to waste. She had been fifteen years old. Ever since then she had been with the Kurgan. This was exclusively a men's gang. Their own women were either invisible, or didn't exist. Instead they fetched women from their preys and kept them as slaves. They were constantly on the go, apparently at random, ransacked what they could get hold of, and moved on. - "The camp that you burnt down was the first place, where they built at least a few wooden huts. Before, they just erected some tents. We, the slaves, had to sleep with the animals in the open, unless we were ordered into their tents."

After the group had reached the plateau, they were able to advance much faster, and when evening came, they passed the mellow little hamlet they had named "Britomartis' Garden" before. - "Why don't we stay here for the night", one of the men asked, and though everybody was really tired after the climb, Areus answered shortspokenly: "We would loose the two hours we still have before nightfall. Let's go on."

After less than an hour they recognized the place where they had overwhelmed the three bandits a few days ago. Now, however, the place had recognizably changed. - "These are horse traces", one of the companions stated: "Lots of them." - The buried bodies obviously had been dug out and removed. - "This must have been two days ago. Or less." - Everyone suddenly felt chilly and looked around. All was was quiet. - "Let's move on a bit further along the rim of the valley and pitch camp there", Areus suggested: "This here is not a good place."

Soon however darkness set in and between some fruit trees the group settled for the night. In spite of the chill they decided against lighting a camp fire. Areus put down his water skins with the others and led his servant a short distance away behind a brush of withered cornelian cherries. He never had a personal servant before, and now he wanted to make use of his owner's rights. So he sat down beside her and started to untie her belt.

He felt her moving away from him but he held on to her, stripped her gown off her sholders and watched her. This was a new situation to him which he found exciting and pleasant. - "You are just as bad as the Kurgan", she hissed. - "Why do you do this? What have I done to you? If you touch me, I will fight till death." - In the last light of dusk he saw her reaching out for a stone.

With little effort he wrested it out of her hand, threw it away and snarld at her: "Because I have saved you from the fire. And I own you now." - Just as he said this he remembered an unpleasant scene not so long ago, where he had said something similar to his wife Mela, and anger came over him. How could he handle this servant, this Kurgan slut, who blatantly questioned his right as her owner? Should he beat her up? But then maybe - the better he succeeded here, the more trouble was ahead of him at home? All arousal had left him. With the rope which was her belt, he tied a tight knot around her waist and around his wrist, like as if to prove his right of ownership, then he turned away from her. For a long time he was awake and listened to the sounds of the night. She lay quiet and did not move.

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