ØWPC™ Ò]âðfúHŸ’᥂yûŒê‰žìÐ#œðGn3û‰­S£q¯”`¬×¬ »©´¥Á2Q´æeyX@ïÝv¨–ŽÃÚœ‹*¼t²-“ð¨5Í5Å ì=évl—a°IgT¿eâ8¥ÊÕÀÅòPº'ãMÄuo]ëHó€ú%‘zAsNµp8ÉP‰Pªö"У’Ç¡¿ˆ‹Àf]po”X»ç츶¶î¨C¶Oð±Z‘K ì ’Ù?ÏašZí|!]ó×”b„ôY‡¥d÷!ƸËmȼ·.‹JÏ_Òf—æÿ,¯q°Øm¸–•™ ‚‚HrˆÞÈ—eôMA¥ËVGÛdúµ-sfrwU ”FkÛQ…(ìn¶Ç# ?fY}Å%ÍVVÛ¦²dXö»Õ†¨2IÎE'Â-3:¥Äòck½º„Ùƒ@µ…ô¸~æ>Ð6¢XàþrÍ­ÿñ¯–í–>–attention:¥theìthird¥woman¥was¥rushing¥him,¥a¥knife¥in¥her¥–@–í–@–hand.¥There¥was¥time¥for¥one¥arrow¥only,¥and¥sheìducked¥and¥was¥over¥him.¥He¥got¥one¥knee¥up,¥blocked¥her¥knife-arm¥and¥–D–Ü Ý-@), Ü–D–managed¥to¥get¥a¥holdÜ Ý-@), Üon¥her¥wrist.¥But¥her¥other¥hand¥caught¥his¥throat,¥and¥he¥could¥not¥remove¥it.¥She¥was¥–H–í–H–strong,ìand¥she¥thought¥of¥death¥only.¥She¥grew¥dim¥in¥front¥–J–í–J–of¥his¥eyes¥and¥he¥thought,¥Kakou;¥and¥thenìshe¥collapsed¥all¥of¥a¥sudden¥on¥top¥of¥him,¥blood¥gushing¥from¥her¥mouth.¥¥¥–O–í–O–He¥pushed¥herìaway.¥Sarissa¥stood¥over¥them,¥knife¥in¥hand,¥–Q–í–Q–and¥the¥blade¥was¥red¥to¥the¥hilt.í¥¥¥¥¥He¥was¥weak¥with¥the¥shock,¥and¥his¥legs¥failed¥him,¥–T–í–T–though¥he¥was¥repeating¥the¥nameìAtossa,¥Atossa,¥over¥and¥over.¥But¥Sarissa¥cut¥Atossa¥loose,¥put¥her¥on¥the¥ground¥–X–í–X–and¥reachedìout¥to¥remove¥the¥two¥skewers¥from¥her¥breasts.¥–[–¥–[–Atossa¥shook¥her¥head¥and¥said¥hoarsely,¥don't.ìThey¥will¥bleed¥to¥much---let¥the¥wounds¥heal.¥Sarissa¥hesitated,¥but¥–_–í–_–obeyed.¥Instead,¥she¥pulledìout¥a¥little¥box,¥and¥she¥treated¥the¥wounds¥with¥salve,¥just¥as¥Atossa¥had¥done¥that¥–c–í–c–time¥agesìago,¥under¥the¥shady¥tree¥where¥her¥horse¥grazed.í¥¥¥¥¥Atossa¥made¥no¥sound.¥Fallou¥managed¥to¥rise¥and¥he¥stumbled¥–f–í–f–over¥to¥her.¥Sarissa¥wasìpeering¥attentively¥into¥the¥night.í¥¥¥¥¥There¥was¥nobody¥there.¥She¥checked¥that¥their¥foes¥were¥–i–í–i–safely¥dead,¥then¥she¥collected¥twoìbows¥and¥a¥supply¥of¥arrows,¥knives,¥cloaks,¥water-skins¥and¥a¥lance.¥There¥was¥–m–í–m–dried¥meat¥too,ìbut¥Sarissa¥would¥not¥touch¥it.¥She¥told¥–o–í–o–Fallou¥to¥stand¥guard¥and¥disappeared¥in¥the¥dark,ìreturning¥with¥two¥horses;¥Fallou¥had¥told¥her¥that¥he¥had¥a¥mount¥of¥–s–í–s–his¥own.¥They¥managed¥toìget¥Atossa¥up¥on¥a¥horse,¥wrapped¥–u–í–u–in¥the¥cloak¥of¥one¥of¥the¥dead¥enemies,¥and¥departed¥at¥aícautious¥walk,¥Fallou¥collecting¥his¥animal¥on¥the¥way.¥The¥–w–í–w–place¥was¥decidedly¥unhealthy.¥Theyìleft¥the¥fire¥burning¥so¥–y–í–y–as¥not¥to¥alarm¥someone¥who¥might¥be¥watching¥from¥afar.í¥¥¥¥¥They¥rode¥in¥silence¥for¥several¥hours,¥the¥horses¥–|–í–|–stumbling¥occasionally¥in¥the¥gloom.¥Theìmoon¥rose¥and¥improved¥the¥visibility,¥but¥did¥scarcely¥increase¥the¥–¥–í–¥–danger;¥it¥was¥not¥possible¥toìsee¥very¥far.¥With¥the¥moon¥nearly¥overhead,¥they¥found¥a¥deep¥little¥canyon¥with¥fresh¥–³–í–³–grass¥andìlow¥trees,¥and¥a¥sound¥of¥running¥water.¥Here¥they¥–º–í–º–should¥camp¥for¥the¥rest¥of¥the¥night,¥saidìSarissa,¥breaking¥her¥silence¥for¥the¥first¥time.¥Atossa¥nodded¥–É–í–É–agreement¥but¥seemed¥content¥toìleave¥the¥decision¥to¥her¥–Ô–í–Ô–lover.¥She¥seemed¥dazed¥by¥her¥close¥escape.í¥¥¥¥¥¥They¥made¥no¥fire,¥but¥rested¥very¥close¥to¥each¥other,¥–¶–í–¶–rolled¥up¥in¥their¥cloaks.¥Hesitantly,ìthey¥began¥to¥sort¥out¥the¥events¥of¥the¥day.¥What¥were¥the¥losses?¥Nobody¥was¥–ã–í–ã–certain.¥Ariti¥andìSilini¥had¥got¥away,¥it¥seemed,¥and¥maybe¥–ð–í–ð–Ginesse.¥Lykomaki¥was¥definitely¥dead:¥she¥had¥beenìseen¥going¥down¥in¥a¥swarm¥of¥enemies,¥her¥head¥bashed¥in¥while¥–ú–í–ú–she¥was¥knifing¥one¥of¥themìbetween¥her¥ribs,¥and¥leaving¥one¥other¥dead¥on¥the¥ground.¥Hakki¥had¥fled,¥doubled¥over¥–ÿ–í–ÿ–theìback¥of¥her¥horse¥and¥with¥an¥arrow¥in¥her¥shoulder,¥but¥–Ä–í–Ä–nobody¥knew¥if¥she¥was¥dead¥or¥alive.ìThe¥fight¥had¥continued¥after¥Sarissa¥had¥been¥struck¥down¥with¥the¥shaft¥–£–í–£–of¥a¥lance¥and¥Atossaìhad¥stayed¥to¥protect¥her,¥and¥they¥had¥been¥taken¥captive¥after¥killing¥one¥adversary¥and–Ï–ì–¤–í–¤–wounding¥another¥badly.¥What¥had¥become¥of¥the¥others?í¥¥¥¥¥Nobody¥knew,¥but¥the¥attackers¥seemed¥to¥have¥had¥their¥–»–í–»–hands¥full.¥And¥the¥males?¥Theyìmight¥well¥be¥both¥dead¥and¥eaten.¥Fallou¥felt¥sick;¥little¥Mikrou¥and¥the¥frank¥and¥–¨–í–¨–guiltlessìIppou¥deserved¥to¥live.¥It¥occurred¥to¥him¥that¥–¡–í–¡–each¥human¥being¥is¥an¥endless¥source¥ofìpossibilities,¥of¥future¥choices,¥deeds,¥words¥and¥songs,¥and¥that¥the¥loss¥of¥–«–í–«–a¥life,¥even¥that¥of¥aìslave,¥makes¥the¥world¥of¥men¥–¦–í–¦–poorer---and¥the¥world¥of¥women,¥too.í¥¥¥¥¥¥Silence¥fell¥again.¥It¥was¥late¥in¥the¥night.¥Sarissa¥–Õ–í–Õ–told¥Fallou¥to¥sleep¥by¥Atossa¥and¥keep¥herìwarm;¥she¥would¥stand¥guard¥over¥them¥herself.¥Fallou¥made¥her¥promise¥to¥–¸–í–¸–wake¥him¥up¥after¥aìcouple¥of¥hours¥so¥that¥he¥might¥relieve¥–À–í–À–her.¥The¥last¥thing¥he¥saw¥was¥Sarissa's¥black¥shapeìagainst¥–ç–í–ç–the¥stars.í¥¥¥¥¥The¥moon¥was¥going¥down¥when¥he¥took¥the¥last¥watch¥of¥–€–í–€–the¥night.¥Nothing¥disturbing¥hadìhappened.¥After¥a¥while,¥the¥sun¥rose;¥the¥horses¥shook¥themselves¥and¥began¥to¥–é–Ü Ý-@), Ü–é–graze.¥SarissaÜ Ý-@), Üopened¥her¥eyes,¥stretched¥and¥scrambled¥up¥–æ–í–æ–to¥the¥rim¥of¥the¥canyon¥in¥order¥to¥check¥theìsurroundings.–è–¥–è–í¥¥¥¥¥Fallou¥followed¥her¥with¥his¥eyes,¥then¥he¥brought¥out¥the¥–ë–í–ë–pemmican.¥He¥found¥Atossaìlooking¥at¥him,¥gave¥her¥to¥eat¥–Ü–í–Ü–and¥assured¥her¥that¥this¥was¥no¥cannibal¥abomination,¥butíher¥own¥make.¥She¥grinned¥at¥him¥and¥ate;¥he¥was¥relieved¥to¥–ñ–í–ñ–find¥her¥in¥such¥good¥shape.¥Whenìshe¥sat¥up,¥the¥coarse¥red¥cloak¥fell¥away¥and¥Fallou¥could¥see¥the¥outrage¥that¥had¥–…–í–…–beenìcommitted¥on¥her¥breasts.¥She¥followed¥his¥gaze¥and¥–¯–í–¯–said:¥'So¥now¥I¥am¥pierced¥too.¥Do¥youìthink¥I¥would¥look¥as¥good¥in¥rings¥as¥you¥do?'¥He¥did¥not¥know¥what¥to¥make¥of¥–†–í–†–the¥expressionìon¥her¥face.í¥¥¥¥¥¥Later¥in¥the¥morning,¥they¥moved¥up¥to¥a¥little¥hillock¥–§–í–§–above¥the¥rim¥of¥the¥canyon.¥Thereìwere¥some¥large¥boulders¥there,¥and¥two¥or¥three¥low¥bushes,¥so¥that¥they¥could¥keep¥–‹–í–‹–a¥lookoutìwithout¥being¥seen.¥Both¥Sarissa¥and¥Atossa¥agreed¥–Œ–í–Œ–that¥they¥should¥not¥travel¥before¥nightfall.ìThey¥would¥then¥try¥to¥return¥to¥the¥camp¥in¥a¥roundabout¥way,¥if¥the¥–Ž–í–Ž–enemies¥were¥gone,¥seeìwhat¥other¥sisters¥had¥got¥away¥and¥–‘–í–‘–try¥to¥pick¥up¥the¥pieces.¥Perhaps¥the¥Sisterhood¥couldírecover¥from¥the¥blow.¥If¥not,¥they¥would¥call¥on¥the¥–’–í–’–friendship¥and¥the¥oaths¥of¥the¥ScithiìSisterhood¥further¥to¥the¥south¥and¥join¥them;¥later¥on,¥they¥might¥be¥able¥to¥–––í–––establish¥themselvesìas¥an¥independent¥sisterhood¥again.í¥¥¥¥¥Then¥they¥both¥looked¥at¥Fallou.¥Atossa¥made¥a¥false¥start,¥–™–í–™–shook¥her¥head¥and¥said:¥'Fallou,ìyou¥saved¥us.¥It¥would¥not¥–š–í–š–be¥right¥to¥deny¥you¥your¥freedom.¥Go¥your¥own¥way,¥and¥mayíthe¥Guardian¥Ladies¥watch¥over¥you.¥But¥remember¥us,¥and¥do¥–¿–í–¿–not¥forget¥that¥I¥loved¥you.'¥Andìher¥savage¥face¥contorted,¥–œ–í–œ–and¥she¥was¥silent.í¥¥¥¥¥¥She¥had¥torn¥the¥lid¥off¥a¥sealed¥jar.¥Fallou¥was¥in¥a¥–à–í–à–mental¥turmoil;¥all¥his¥emotions¥and¥hisìthoughts¥of¥the¥previous¥day¥and¥night¥flashed¥past¥in¥a¥jumble.¥Then¥they¥––í––suddenly¥arrangedìthemselves¥in¥the¥important¥and¥the¥––í––unimportant,¥without¥his¥conscious¥help,¥and¥he¥stutteredíand¥was¥incoherent,¥but¥managed¥to¥put¥over¥his¥conviction:¥¥––í––He¥would¥not¥willingly¥abandonìthem.¥He¥loved¥them.¥He¥wished¥to¥share¥the¥danger¥with¥them,¥serve¥them¥and¥adore¥– –í– –them.¥Theìtwo¥women¥listened¥without¥gainsaying¥him.¥Then¥– –í– –Atossa¥said:¥'But¥Fallou,¥you¥know¥that¥youìcannot¥be¥our¥slave¥any¥more.¥I¥would¥be¥happy¥to¥keep¥you,¥and¥I¥would¥––í––regard¥you¥as¥a¥friendìand¥lover,¥and¥so¥would¥Sarissa¥too,¥––í––I¥am¥sure.¥But¥you¥also¥know¥that¥any¥male¥amongst¥usíhorsewomen¥must¥be¥treated¥as¥a¥slave,¥whoever¥he¥may¥be.¥––¥––Would¥you¥accept¥that,¥even¥if¥youìknew¥of¥our¥love¥of¥you?¥Would¥you¥accept¥being¥walked¥on¥a¥leash¥after¥my¥horse?¥––í––Would¥youìaccept¥to¥cook¥and¥clean¥and¥gather¥food,¥and¥to¥––í––serve¥the¥other¥women¥when¥they¥want¥you?¥Iìknow¥that¥you¥like¥Ariti¥and¥Silini¥and¥Ginesse--¥may¥the¥Ladies¥have¥––í––saved¥them---but¥the¥oldìwomen,¥and¥those¥that¥think¥that¥– –í– –you¥are¥just¥a¥contemptible¥man-slave?¥Would¥you¥do¥that?'íAnd¥he¥answered,¥yes,¥yes,¥and¥yes.¥He¥would¥not¥shame¥them¥–"–í–"–by¥behaving¥in¥a¥mannerìimproper¥to¥a¥slave.¥He¥just¥wanted¥–$–í–$–to¥continue¥to¥belong¥to¥them.í¥¥¥¥¥¥The¥women¥were¥silent¥for¥a¥while.¥Then¥Sarissa¥said,¥we¥–'–í–'–may¥not¥be¥able¥to¥return.¥Thereìmay¥be¥too¥many¥of¥the¥abominable¥women¥around.¥Then¥we¥may¥not¥even¥be¥able¥to¥get¥–+–í–+–to¥theìScithi¥camp,¥and¥we¥will¥die.í¥¥¥¥¥¥Fallou¥followed¥a¥sudden¥impulse.¥Then¥they¥should¥–.–í–.–follow¥him¥to¥the¥sea,¥and¥his¥city.¥Heìwas¥of¥a¥highly¥regarded¥and¥prosperous¥family;¥Atossa¥and¥Sarissa¥would¥be¥–2–í–2–his¥guests,¥and¥heìwould¥continue¥to¥love¥and¥honour¥them.¥¥Atossa¥laughed,¥but¥not¥contemptuously.¥Were–6–ìhorsewomen¥not¥regarded¥as¥she-savages¥by¥his¥people?¥Would¥they¥be¥–;–í–;–tolerated¥as¥anything¥butìhis,¥Fallou's,¥slaves?¥He¥insisted¥–=–í–=–that¥whatever¥others¥thought¥of¥them,¥he¥would¥continue¥toílove¥them;¥he¥did¥scarcely¥notice¥that¥Atossa¥had¥extended¥–?–Ü Ý-@), Ü–?–her¥hand¥and¥taken¥a¥grip¥on¥hisÜ Ý-@), Ümember,¥and¥that¥it¥responded.¥Yes,¥said¥she,¥but¥would¥he¥not¥be¥obliged¥to¥–C–í–C–treat¥them¥the¥wayìslave¥women¥were¥treated?í¥¥¥¥¥¥Now¥it¥was¥Sarissa's¥turn¥to¥laugh.¥That¥would¥serve¥–F–í–F–them¥right!¥The¥boot¥would¥be¥on¥theìother¥foot!¥They¥would¥have¥to¥obey¥him,¥or¥else...¥Atossa¥joined¥in¥the¥argument,¥–J–í–J–a¥curious¥glintìin¥her¥eye.¥Horsewomen¥were¥an¥obstinate¥–L–í–L–breed.¥He¥would¥probably¥have¥to¥chain¥them,¥andìgive¥them¥a¥good¥whipping¥now¥and¥then,¥to¥make¥them¥behave.¥Yes,¥he¥–P–í–P–would¥whip¥them,¥andìthen¥he¥would¥perhaps¥fetter¥them¥on¥–R–í–R–his¥bed,¥by¥their¥wrists¥and¥ankles¥the¥way¥they¥had¥doneíwith¥him,¥and¥use¥them.¥Maybe¥that¥would¥be¥a¥good¥thing.¥–U–¥–U–Perhaps¥they¥needed¥chastising.¥Andìnow¥that¥Atossa¥had¥been¥pierced,¥she¥should¥of¥course¥wear¥rings,¥too.¥And¥what¥–Y–í–Y–should¥beìdone¥to¥Sarissa?¥Rings¥and¥a¥chain,¥like¥Ippou's?¥–[–í–[–(And¥may¥the¥Ladies¥have¥saved¥him,¥too.)í¥¥¥¥¥¥They¥fell¥silent¥and¥watched¥him.¥Suddenly,¥he¥became¥–^–í–^–aware¥of¥Atossa's¥caress¥and¥of¥hisìown¥erection.¥Atossa¥opened¥her¥cloak¥and¥rolled¥over¥on¥her¥back¥without¥–b–í–b–releasing¥him.¥Sheìparted¥her¥legs.¥He¥should¥use¥her¥right¥–d–í–d–now,¥and¥she¥would¥find¥out¥what¥it¥was¥like¥to¥be¥aìslave¥woman¥and¥a¥concubine.¥That¥might¥help¥her¥to¥make¥her¥–h–í–h–decision.¥Now,¥what¥was¥heìwaiting¥for?¥He¥would¥please¥–j–í–j–support¥himself¥on¥his¥elbows,¥so¥as¥not¥to¥press¥down¥oníher¥lacerated¥breasts,¥but¥she¥would¥have¥loved¥to¥feel¥his¥–l–í–l–full¥weight.¥After¥all,¥they¥had¥notìfattened¥him¥unduly,¥had¥they?¥Yes,¥now¥she¥felt¥that¥being¥his¥slave¥would¥be¥an¥–p–í–p–acceptableìfate.¥He¥was¥no¥wimp¥but¥a¥man¥a¥woman¥could¥be¥–r–í–r–proud¥to¥belong¥to,¥and¥to¥serve.¥She¥wouldìprobably¥be¥a¥difficult¥slave¥to¥manage,¥and¥need¥lots¥of¥caning¥and¥–v–í–v–whipping,¥but¥he¥knew¥thatìshe¥could¥take¥that.¥And¥Sarissa¥–x–í–x–was¥just¥the¥same.¥But¥he¥would¥let¥them¥remain¥together,íand¥make¥love¥often¥to¥each¥other,¥would¥he¥not?í¥¥¥¥¥¥He¥swore¥that¥he¥would¥be¥the¥most¥considerate,¥though¥–{–í–{–stern,¥slave-owner¥of¥all¥time.¥In¥aìpeculiar¥enclosure¥out¥of¥time,¥and¥space,¥he¥worked¥in¥and¥out¥of¥her¥body,¥gazing¥––í––down¥on¥herìgrotesque,¥beautiful¥face,¥and¥he¥knew¥that¥she¥–ª–í–ª–was¥serious.¥They¥would¥not¥be¥parted.¥Theyìbelonged¥to¥each¥other,¥utterly¥and¥for¥ever.¥Whatever¥path¥lay¥before¥them,¥–·–í–·–they¥would¥ride¥itìtogether.í–º–í–º–THE¥ENDí–½–íííí–½–