"Young warrior," asked Hassan, of a youth, no more than eight, "have you heard aught of a tower of steel?"
His sister, standing behind him, laughed. Verr moved about them, brushing against their legs.
The boy went to the kaiila of Alyena. "Dismount, Slave," he said to her.
She did so and knelt before him, a free male. The boy's sister crowded behind him. Verr bleated.
"Put back your hood and strip yourself to the waist," said the boy.
Alyena shook loose her hair; she then dropped her cloak back, and removed her blouse.
"See how white she is!" said the nomad girl.
"Pull down your skirt," said the boy.
Alyena, furious, did so, it lying over her calves.
"How white!" said the nomad girl.
The boy walked about her, and took her hair in his hands. "Look," said he to his sister, "silky, fine and yellow, and long." She, too, felt the hair. The boy then walked before Alyena. "Look up," said he. Alyena lifted her eyes, regarding him. "See," said he to his sister, bending down. "She has blue eyes!"
"She is white, and ugly," said the girl, standing up, backing off.
"No," said the boy, "she is pretty."
"If you like white girls," said his sister.
"Is she expensive?" asked the boy of Hassan.
"Yes," said Hassan, "young warrior. Do you wish to bid for her?"
"My father will not yet let me own a girl," said the youngster.
"Ah," said Hassan, understanding.
"But when I grow up," said he. "I shall become a raider, like you, and have ten such girls. When I see one I want, I will carry her away, and make her my slave." He looked at Hassan. "They will serve me well, and make me happy."
"She is ugly," said the boy's sister. "Her body is white."
"Is she a good slave?" asked the boy of Hassan.
"She is a stupid, miserable girl," said Hassan, "who must be often beaten."
"Too bad," said the boy.
"Tend the verr," said his sister, unpleasantly.
"If you were mine," said the boy to Alyena, "I would tolerate no nonsense from you. I would make you be a perfect slave."
"Yes, Master," said Alyena, stripped before him, her teeth gritted.
"You may clothe yourself," said the boy.
"Thank you, Master," said Alyena. She pulled up her skirt and drew on her blouse, adjusted her cloak and hood. Whereas she could dismount from the kaiila blanket, which served her as saddle, she could not, unaided, reach its back. I, with my left hand under her foot, lifted her to her place. "The little beast!" whispered Alyena to me, in English. I smiled.
"Have you seen, or heard, aught, young warrior," asked Hassan, "of a tower of steel?"
The boy looked at him and laughed. "Your slave, Raider," said he, indicating the irritated Alyena, now again mounted, well vexed, on her kaiila, "apparently makes your tea too strong."
Hassan nodded his head, graciously. "My thanks, young warrior," said he.
We then left the boy, and his sister, and their verr. She was scolding him about the verr. "Be quiet," he told her, "or I will sell you to raiders from Red Rock. In a year or two you will be pretty enough for a collar." He then skipped away as she, shouting abuse, flung a rock after him. When we looked back again they were prodding their verr, leading them, doubtless, away from their camp. On our kaiila harness, we knew, we wore no bells.
Tribesmen of Gor    Book 10    Pages 171 - 172
