Waterlilly knelt on the floor of the Captains office. Storm was questioning her gently. He knew if he had left it to one of the guards that they would shout at her and she would become mute in fear. She was a timid girl, but when treated well she blossomed just like her name. Of course slaves could not provide legal witness, but they could be tortured for information and executed if caught out in a lie. He knew how to deal with the scribes girl.
“Who hit you?” Storm asked.
Waterlilly shifted about on her bum, “It was that Master that worked for my Mistress. Am I allowed to say his name?” She asked because slaves were not to call the free citizens by name. It was Master or Mistress and nothing else.
“You may.”
“Terror Looming.” She touched the small bruise on her temple lightly, it was beginning to colour.
“Then what happened?”
“I don’t know Master. All went black, then I woke up in the trunk with books, and my mouth was gagged and I was tied up in a drape.”
Storms men had found her earlier that day. The morning after Lady Lefay’s disappearance, they had searched the city again, her house and the library. On entering they found a chest near the back of the main study wobbling on itself and muffles coming from within. They had broken the lock and found the slave. They had dragged her to Storms office and she was terrified. It had taken Storm a while to wait for her to be calm. The guards left him alone with her, and he had given her a slice of larma from his breakfast plate. Larma was a common fruit in Gor much like an apple or pear. It was quite a treat for a slave.
“Do you remember when your Mistress left and who accompanied her to Piedmont?” Storm smiled at her, he noticed she still had juice on her chin from the fruit.
“Yes Master. It was in the morning after she had seen the physician, then she came back to the library and Terror was there. They had argued the night before, but then she left with him, and told me to look after the library while she was gone.” Waterlilly looked up, “I like looking after the library.”
“I know you do,” said Storm, “But you say they argued. Was it about coin?”
“It was not Master, though they talked of coin. They have argued before about that though.”
Loud voices could be heard from below Storms office, coming from the cells. It sounded like a woman. Storm stamped his foot on the wooden floor, “Shut that wench up!” He yelled.
Below an argument was ensuing between a prisoner and one of the guards.
“And please do try to keep them away from me I’m a respectable free woman of high caste!” It was Lady Tomas, locked in one of the cells. She was talking of the street urts that were in a nearby cell. They had been scavenging around the market place, and Storm had ordered all locked up just for the time being, until things settled down. Petrov one of the guards of the city was teasing Lady Tomas, his comrade Tudu was nearby at a table playing with dice.
“You would make a good coin girl.” Petrov grinned, he spoke of the city kajirae that plied their trade for their Masters with their bodies. They wore coin boxes on their collars.
“Don’t insult me, I shall tell Storm who is my intended.”
“I don’t think he is right now Lady.” Tudu looked up from where he sat.
“I’m more of a lady than your companion is!” She shot at Tudu, who looked darkly at her. “Leave Ana out of this.” He said with a warning look.
Tomas put her hands on her hips and stomped about the cell. “I am the historian, the closest thing we have to a city historian, and I know everything that goes on in this city and the village.” She puffed herself up.
“Historian!” Petrov laughed out loud.
Tudu shook his head, “Gossip you mean.”
Tomas rolled her eyes. “Perhaps not officially, it is true the Administrator of the city Courgan did not honor me in such a way as to give me the title, but I can assure you, it will not be long after I am out of here.”
“I’ll honor you if you like.” Petrov leaned against the bars of the cell. He had his back to Tudu who would not have approved and waggled his tongue around his mouth at her.
“How dare you!” She screeched. There was a loud stamping from above and Storms voice bellowing. Some dust descended from the rafters onto Tomas’s hair. She waved her hands about wildly.
“Leave her be”, said Tudu. He had a terrible headache from the night before. He had spent most of his coin in one of the local paga dens, and when he arrived home his companion Ana had given him an ear bashing over their unpaid rent. He didn’t need Ana involved in this. She had already been about the city this morning, visiting the other free women and now by midday everyone knew of Lefay’s disappearance, except for Tomas that is. Lady Tomas had been in the cells for days. Storm had warned all the guards not to speak to Tomas about Lefay.
“Perhaps you can strike a deal with one of the kajirae.” Tomas had lowered her voice, but the spite was still there. “If not, you can go to the village of Piedmont, which is very close.”
“Of course.” Petrov shrugged.
“Be sure to ask for Lefay Ballinger, I hear she is a real slut on the furs. There's nothing that Lefay won't do. Tell her Flaxie sent you.” Tomas grinned back in satisfaction.
Tudu looked up, “Hmm? What do you mean?”
“I suggest you go to Piedmont and insist on Lefay. Lefay Ballinger.” She walked away from the bars and sat down on a little stool, “Sir, I am a high caste lady!”
Petrov laughed, “Now you are.”
“I am the Chief Historian of Piedmont!” Villages didn’t have chief historians or high scribes for that matter. They were lucky if they even had a scribe, “Indeed, I am soon to be the Captains companion of Cardonicus!”
Tudu stood up, “I think our Captain may wish to speak with you.” He gave Petrov a look, and went upstairs. Lady Tomas folded her arms and waited. These guards would rue the day they insulted her, she thought, and Lefay would.
Storm looked at Tudu after he had finished repeating what Lady Tomas had said. “Get that woman up here now.” He looked over to Waterlilly, “You, kneel by my desk and say nothing unless I ask.” The slave nodded and moved over to his desk. “Yes Master.”
In a short while Petrov brought Lady Tomas into Storms office, he had her by the arm and not too gently either. “Sir, I must complain at my treatment.” Tomas did complain loudly. Petrov let her go.
“Take a seat dear,” Storm smiled at Tomas, he motioned the chair in front of his desk. Tomas did not see Waterlilly. She was too busy smoothing down her gown and adjusting her veil, the one veil she had.
“Black wine Tomas?” Storm clicked his fingers at the slave who immediately poured out a cup for the woman, and placed it on a tray with the bowls of sugar and cream. Tomas helped herself, noticing now the slave. She didn’t like the girl and wondered why she was in Storms office.
“So Lefay is at Piedmont?” He asked the scribe.
“Aye probably how should I know?” Tomas lied.
“You’ve just said as much to my guards,”
“Well she went off there with that nice man. Very dashing he was too, very polite.”
“She told you this?”
“Of course not, why would she speak to me? No he did, and I’ll tell you this,” She leaned forward conspiratorial, “what slander she makes about him is totally untrue. He is an honorable man, and does work for her, that she will not pay him properly for. She is a miser who pretends to be poor to him. We all know how wealthy she is, why those gowns and veils and shoes she wears....”
“Enough!” Storm put his hand up. Tomas shut up, but not for long. It was difficult for Tomas to keep quiet for long periods of time.
The scribe sipped her black wine, “He is a man of means you know, very handsome too in a roguish kind of way.” She looked to Storm for a reaction to this, he did not give it. “He told me all he tries to do is help her. He even told her of my scribe work at Piedmont and how he admired me for that, helping out the peasants when I could. But she wasn’t satisfied. Jealousy I call it.” She put down her cup. “We did laugh at that, I told him to say about all I do at Piedmont, all that I say.”
“About Lefay?” Storm asked.
“Of course, what of it?”
“You encouraged him to go to Piedmont with her?”
“Why yes, why not?”
At that moment Alf entered the office. He had just arrived by tarn from Piedmont. “She is not there, she did not arrive.” He was out of breath.
Lady Tomas paled, she looked up at Storm. “Take her back to the cells.” Storm ordered, and called out to Tomas as she was being dragged out by Petrov, “There will be no contract between us Lady!”