t her voice cautiously low. "One day I will see Him, then. But,

earily over her shoulder before answering,

little water into her partly opened hand. She put the water skin aside, and worked the moistened handful of dirt with utmost care, making it into a ro

much as you like. But when the real Habrunt comes, why talk to dumb clay? Now, unlike Habrunt, who comes and goes, if the Invisible God knows all and sees all, and is so all-knowing that nothing escapes His knowledge, why should you speak to a mere fruitless idol about getting a man, or of many babie

g closely. But Si'Wren

alm in open

of mud, which had already sagged and cracked a little in Nelatha's upturned p

i'Wren. "Is there yet no unde

uld only stare

sts on her ample hips

'W

foolis

'Wren pleaded, with an apologetic expression. "Why

voice tr

en suddenly perceived the futility of all graven image

e said. "

uth becoming like wide round circles, to match Si'Wren's expressio

who are made of dust, are as dense as a rock. Who needs a stone idol, with you around? Stupid, ignorant, half-witted slave that you are sometimes, I can only marvel at how fittingly you were born to such low estate, for your thick-headedness. But that can b

gerly reassured her, "I shall

atha said, in satisfaction.

ut now Si'Wren had a new wonder to marvel over. W

ly hours, and Si'Wren wore a coarsely woven dried grass

s of the House of Rababull perform their morning routines from an unobserved vantage point. It was as if they, too, were inv

their hooves and remove the stinking clots from them with blunt points, and so on, while another group could

ks, and as the women walked past in the direction of the back of the compound, many were accompanied by a number of tiny, naked toddlers. The womenfolk, some of whom were accompanied as well by elder daughters, were taking their bund

er and father. For she was an orphan from earliest memory, a slave taken or s

er Rababull claim and feed and protect her just like any

lled out incessantly as they begged by the wayside in the filth and scum, and despaired of their very lives? They who had freedom and family had it worse than Si'Wren, as they waited and begged

er women had it best of all. To sing, and slap wet r

ned slowly to face Si'Wren and made as if to speak. Sensing Nelatha's hesi

She tilted down the spout, made from the leg-end of a dumb brute beast,

erfect a likeness than that of any polished shield in the Master's armory? Behold how the clear water is almost totally invisible, and yet can you not see my perfect likeness in it, just like a wak

er beloved slave sister and replied eagerly to Nelatha's watery reflectio

y, mystifying a crestfallen Si'Wren, whose weeping br

! Si'Wren, the Invisible One created all things, but He looks down from on high, and sees all things, and has set before us a life of good mixed with bad to see which we might choose, day after day

difficult to understand this Invisible God. Do even e

s they do show His awful terribleness somehow. Of that, I kn

p in the dirt, a brawny, disembodied male arm ex

emphasis, "the hand of God, from a puff

eyes fastened upon t

ed Si'Wren. "W

, "I am overwhelmed, and must think grea

pered. "But tell no

ned away with a satisfied nod, to return to her perpetual

boy that a caravan was waiting to enter. There was a concerted rush by whoever could free themselves from their duties to go and see, and as th

strangers, or contrariwise, for not opening them quickly enough to show his proper hospitality to important visitors. But when his fierce countenance broke ou

ms of stout oxen stood patiently in front of great two-whee

d finery (hence their perpetual jesting and self-mockery, for they be no virgins), seated each upon her own soft-looking l

companied by the loudly proclaimed boastings and pronouncements of the noble Camel Master's crier, and thereby setting up such a din as

marched hither and yon across the front courtyard, puffed up with unabashed conceit as his servants v

display of riches and home-spun glory. As the long line of great beasts continued to enter the great courtyar

, and rare woods with which to make the finest idols, furniture, and fixtures, as well as priceless swatches of the most extraordinar

intricately graven idols adorned with gold, silver, copper, ivory, ebony, black- and red-striped woods, and other rare woods, and gem stones with which to make crudely faceted jewels for their eyes. The precious stones and metals with which the

t were everywhere, weaving a web of command

e by servants, who would bathe and minister to their every whim, and other servants wou

ustom. He would be sure to invite numerous friends, many of them business associates from in and aroun

fforded adequate time to voice his request, nodded his immediate approval as if being reminded of something that he had already been info

ed low, to which he courteously bowed also. Woe to any, to whom Master Rababull should ever bow and later become offended by. They would then fi

ng with greater dedication and zeal than any whip. It was known that the whip ever shadowed the smile o

Master Rababull and gesticulating into his own opened mouth, with many repeated dips of the head in impromptu gestures of respect, and mak

had a to

unfortunate's mouth. After he had indulged the other with various expressions, by turns, of critical appraisal, agreement, and sympa

s who were standing by and sent him out the front gates at a jog. The boy had no

essful arrival from across vast and dangerous lands heralded the advent of huge new profits to be made in the market places of the n

it's original departure two years ago as an event of momentous significance and great portent.

continued, with teams of men laboring tirelessly to transfer the goods into the heavily f

o the path to the nearby grain fields. The new arrival ran over and abruptly seized another slave by th

f bodily straight into the midst of th

g her head fearfully. "What a ti

a frown. "But those two have always been c

be the Master. Rababull could easily become angry at both for acting like spoiled children in front

tling the matter before it got too far out of hand. He was too busy taking care

aving his arms even more wildly -if it were possible- than before. Obviously not caring who heard him,

physical posture, sent another runner boy scurrying across the yard. The boy

e of labor as they watched unseen within the ve

ly meant grief to whoever Prut was put after. Prut could lift two times his own weight over his own

oup of boys who had gathered to help unload the caravan, and as soon as he had relayed Habrunt's inst

it was, it was no small matter. He soon came back carrying the agonized, writhing figure of

covered with blood, emanating

anized had worked their way through the courtyard and outlying structures as they called anxiously to and fro to one-another, and rapidly expanded the territory of their searches

ned through the rear gates with two of the biggest boys half-walking and half-dragging a lone struggling b

nd guard while he turned and marched with an ominously slow, deliberate reluctance across the courtyard towards Master Rababull. A se

low, he turned to listen, still grandly smiling, and after a few barely whispered words from the bowed face of Habrunt, Mas

ool. He knew men, and he knew how to deal in kind for kind, and had survived the most evil schemes that men could

one old grandmother, fell away like chaff before the wind. The one woman, whose name was Breeka, stood her ground, though old and

this old crone was the very epitome of evil and practically a great-grandmother to him by comparison, w

ditions to the House of Rababull did she not know by name as well as by face. She watched with dire feelings and the gr

ad argued, each of them the father of one of the t

n what to think of him, except to steer clear at every opportunity, for she knew that all too soon, he would be a man and whereas now was only a pest, would then be dangero

him over to the injured boy. He said something to Habrunt, who responded

gentle. Now, the boy's left eye was gone and only a emptily staring, bloody cavity remained where his innocent soul had once looked

suddenly ordered several men to seize and hold the little bully's fath

the man, scared witless, jerked his head back anxiousl

of the suggested judgement through lips black-stained from his secret addictio

me-h

rited, although it had been charged directly to him as penalty for his own bo

ith his hands. The boy let out a series of guttural screams, and then, his work done as a Judge, Master Rababull turned and walked back to his unloading without ano

for a

Did not every free man do that which was right in his own eyes, and his neighbor also, wh

evil ones. Perhaps the little rascal would not be so much trouble to them in future. If not, there were cases where the other eye

ominy of it. The injustice. But what was justice? What

ishment. For one of so tender years, there were always other ways. The good boy could have been set free for the sake of his lost eye, for instance, and the bad boy who had put his eye out

d idol gods whom Si'Wren had known all her life would no doubt have strongly approv

e could not bring herself to agree with Master Rababull's harsh decision. Perhaps in tim

nt as Si'Wren and Nelatha watched silently. The runner boy stood before Nelatha and

agony now not only for his eye, but for the unlove and lack of sympathy from those around

y requested, a salve made from a specially combined mixture of herbs which could help ensure

a, spoke glibly to Si'Wren and Nelatha of the boys' fathers requesting that the Physi

t he already owned both men and their families, which left them nothing f

any of this happened? If both boys eventually died of their infections, could not Master

ers might call him gracious. Anyway, the Physician was already coming for the man with a toothache wh

few days ago. She brought this out, gave it a fresh stirring up, and

ured tone of voice to remove any sting from her admonition. "You are fast, Gafa, b

d timidly and nodded. He bowed low in per

mble, but also that he was invariably expected by those in charg

he had immediately prepared something from the raw materials, it would not have had time to steep and c

as her forearm, folded up in a swatch of natural burlap. The undyed cloth was the color of cow's milk. It was apparently a rather heavy burden from the way she moved, as she approached Si'Wren and

ion as she turned sharply at the last and held it out in a most abrupt fashion to Ne

t in the blink of an eye, but fro

Sorpiala's retracted hands seemed to catch at the gauze and jerk it back, and

. Si'Wren thought she had seen it already coming apart into two halves in mid-air, but that was absurd. Why woul

tha wailed as she stared, eyes w

take," said Sorpiala, alread

e at Si'Wren also, to show that offens

ly, "I am most grieved, Sorpiala," in a formal utterance of deepest cons

cking up the two broken halves herself to gather up in

to go, and then pause

'W

be dropped and broken is anything worth believing in. Do you s

t off guard, s

he nodded her head and bowed in a gestu

ously, and bowed in perfunctory fashion. Then before Si'Wren could say a word,

over her work again, grinding and grinding with anxiou

she not say it was an accident?" But Nelat

turned away, feeling glum, and began to busy herself grind

aughtered. Big iron cauldrons had been put on to boil, for scalding the hides to scrape off the hair. Knives were sharpened for killing, bleeding, and skinning

t and personally seeing to every detail. The magnificent curls of his long locks swayed rhythmica

he secretly hoped that another, younger man might choose her one day soon. Many men already had their eyes on her; this she could not help but

h to realize that it would be no fun spending the remainder of one's life in direct competition wit

ard yet again in long hurried strides. Always so serious, even about the bu

rd as he was interrupted respectfully but unexpectedly by yet another slave, who approached

, Master Rababull was not in the best of moods. Clearly impat

n-air mansion which was the actual House of Rababull, with it's many rooms and beautiful central ga

arrived. He must be sure there was enough of everything for everybody, and that included floor cushi

der the hierarchy of the ranks of gluttony, that none should be insulted by a lower seat than they properly deserved. Greater men than Rababull had literally lost their heads in sudden revenge at the sword hands of their former guests for not paying greater attention to the exacting particulars of

bout seeing to everyone else's comforts or pleasures, so that there should be no one spot that could be called better than any other. An offended

the anxious slave, having obtained his Master's de

n her musical voice and pulled him aside with what he obviously regarded as yet another unwanted distraction. And as Si'Wren looked on u

e expensive, broken goddess. Such a large piece of jade was surely worth a king's ransom. Si'Wren found it somewhat amazing the way Sorpiala could resort to her unriv

led it, momentarily distracted. For herself, she would never beh

ed in shock as she suddenly realized that Master Rababull was glaring fiercely in her directi

, oh please let Sorpiala's charms soothe Rababull's off-endedness

ala and began marching straight for the

ster Rababull was almost upon them both. Si'Wren had just enough time to see Sorpiala scurrying away on swift, dainty lit

er Rababull's face looked so terrible and angry! She was too

re it was most expedient to enter. He simply stepped up to the front of i

Rababull reached down and dug his clawed fingers into Nelatha's long tangled locks like talons of steel and with a single lifting motion of one bulging arm he twisted his rippling

looked fiercely from one terrified girl to the other as he shouted, "I was told a tale

s, could only shrink back help

look onto a quailing Si'Wren and snarled down at her, "And another

he compound had heard Master Rababull's furious voice and involuntarily stopped what they were doing to watch. Then Master Ra

ed at the top of hi

slowed to a stop and immediately knelt down on one knee and clasped his fist rigidly across his chest to signify his immediate readiness

ge on Master Rababull's features, immediately threw themselves face-fi

," Habrunt intoned in his deepest

abrunt deliberately for a l

specially ironic, as spices were commonly used to cure infections in the living, and to embalm the dead to delay the onset of

t declared emphatically, "Speak,

n broken. For this crime, let N

as she keened silent

nd so deep were his feelings for her. "Let this foolish one who spoke so

to fall prostrate before his k

"perhaps, with sufficient tim

commands immediately or

ababull

lasping his right fist hard across his chest

, Nelatha helplessly pr

trembling, too

e girls, his stiffened legs like the trunks of oaks. Nelatha clutched desperately at his an

that of one already dead, he thrust out his right arm

an early arrival, as he commented upon the humor of sacrificing a human being instead of a mere animal to commemorate the beginning of the feast. Moments later, both boys reappeared

revulsion, disgust, and loathing for Si'Wren and Nelatha, together with shock, disbelief, and horror at the two pieces of the broken jade statue, still lying where they had been cast aside by an enraged Master Ra

the sight of a motionlessly waiting Habrunt and the two prostr

swords to Habrunt, more people came out of the House to stand at the h

reath as they both bowed low and held the shining blades out to Habrunt. But

lly, as he looked up, and reache

in her terrified protests, looking up at him with tear-streaked cheeks as she search

errible to look upon, so stone-

of Master Rababull to risk more open defia

gain, jerkily, a

d in a series of hyste

he sword high into the

ing in his great fist,

ully swift

from the watching crowd. Habrunt held out the sword behind him without looking,

rpose, looked upon Nelatha's slain body momentarily. He was no longer Habrunt the kind Slavemaster, to wh

ess and motionless. Looking dazed, she gazed long upon the bloody corpse of on

said let her never speak again, but live. W

t hand. As Habrunt tilted Si'Wren's head back her face was lifted up and her tear-streaked cheeks were revealed beneath eyes looking e

do what was commanded

r of alternatives, a

hence instantly fata

o much wit

them both and bowed in perfunctory manner as he quickl

great Physi

ented eyes, showing that never would she strive against nor resist he to whom she looked up as to a light in the spiritual darkness for all of

ll as his head, although his left fist remained cl

as he maintained his steady grip upon the unresisti

e was barely able to contain himself in hi

, and dared not look up a

, was not this one greatly in t

ormer personal fondness for Si'Wren. Master Rababull had but to say the

rather than in a full rage. It seemed Habrunt had struck his

ise, from invisible voices. If it be your pleasure, let this little one show with what purity of purpose she might have served her foo

silence, as Master Rab

eved, in fact. "Let her never speak-forever! If she speak but once, let all bear witness to the falseh

ow was not as vile as what had been declared before, hence, was not enough just

d never to say one word for the rest of your days, so long as you shall live and breathe and have life in

hance, not only to redeem herself bu

it," Si'W

ter," Habrunt immediat

abu

ster Rababull. "A fitting

, which unintended visage of evil, coupled with the sight of several slaves carrying away the remains of Nelatha, and the sight of all the spilled bl

l about something, and when he had politely hear

u," said Master Rababull. "The good Physician must not be

over-attentive Camel Master receding across the dusty courtyard, he let out

l because of a broken piece of green rock! Would that Si'Wren was but st

the hand, indicating that

o quietly to her that the other slaves still watching could not discern his words. "Return with me now to the

ely, waiting for h

unreadable. Then he composed himself,

uinous persecutions. At what had once been the spice tent Si'Wren trembled at the sight of the damage. Not only was the tent ruined. Priceless herbs and salves had been scattered

f executing his punishments. The thought of this, and of the severed body of Nelatha, made Si'Wren afraid to even think of ever facing her master

," Habrunt said, hi

en worked quickly to sort out only that which was needful. Perh

and dipped her head in a litt

ear to the place where the long caravan of heavily laden beasts stood chewing their c

to where a large number of onlookers was gathered idly around some unseen activity, and as he a

enter of the crowd, he stood with Si'Wren before the old Physician, who wa

nt or his young prisoner. When a slave met such a fate as Nelatha's, it was dangerous to risk even the slightest unintentional aggra

s, he found only continued fear and bewilderment. Well, he had at least done her this little kindness, and spared her the dread of her

ver remain in constant danger of forgetting herself and speaking out of turn for the rest of her life. Had he really helped her, or only p

hysician," he said, b

r asked with a wry and good-natured impatience

re, looking curiously on at his work as they stoo

the herbs you reque

studying his patient critica

s mind afresh upon his work, for he was in a crucial part of the operatio

ly onto the patient, he pulled hard with a pair of crude iron pliers or tongs, and yanked out a stinking, rotten, bloody molar from the jaw o

as expressions of relief could be heard from the onlookers

rned to look dir

and said, "Attend, little one!"

ed as she stepped forward and bowed wordlessly, holding out

ed and tasted the various samples with evident sa

dandelion. Blend it with a pinch of this barberry herb," he held out in his weathered palm a small leather pouch noosed at the neck with a cord of dried gut which Si'Wre

ered was known to stop bleeding, and the anesthetic effect of mere words was already well-known to

d. The other members of the caravan gathered close around him to escort him carefully away. One held up a wine flask, making obvious his intention to get his

ly close, and when the Physician inclined his ear Habr

ecame, by turns, first shocked, then angry,

t anything, it no longer showed on his wise old face as he studied their identical physical maladies. Fi

ons. It was not his business to judge the Master of this House if he, too, did what he saw fit. But he

r boy first, the gentle one who had been innocently victimized, wh

eyes to be brought to him. Then, while Si'Wren watched with pa

distinctly in the direction of the two in

h an arm, simultaneously barring the one while f

Physicia

t or at least at the same time, but was firmly co

n was settled, the Physician beckoned gently

oned with a kindly nod

tated, and Habrunt

ce. "He is a great Physician, who has been paid much money and come a

, the boy stepped forward and, at a slight gestur

aid, "Now that way." He regarded the boy with just a sugg

odded his approval again encouragingly,

hed with the others, mourning the suffering of bot

a beautiful unglazed clay jar with dark-colored berry stains all over the ri

e mischief of those beneath him, should be the proper court of final recourse, and in the Physician's view of things, what must b

said, frowning as he s

a fairer and less vindictive world, he could but obser

ithout undue hesitation, as he had just done? The Physician sagely reflected that another could not have don

d do nothing at all, thereby engendering a smoldering spirit of outrage and rebellion in his own s

fear him, and justly so. It was no doubt a telling reason as to why the man was

usly the will of the gods? Even mos

round some mo

A

he boy, seeming to estimate his diminutive size and stature visually, and then poured out a good deal more, peering down and s

ng his hoary, bewhiskered old head and loo

measured out into his sweaty palm and ready to be administered, Habrunt

ng!" he admonished sternly. "Get white

aster H

to return staggering under the weight of

aking over from the boy and pouring in the clear, fragrant fruit of the vine. Si'Wren watched as the pow

w gravely-spoken nonsense syllables, and passed his free hand before him

g and kindly manner, although it screwed up his whole face into a mass of hair

ossessed of an almost intolerably bitter taste, but the fine white wine would no doubt commute the bit

" Habrunt u

cian, stopping the bo

to stir up the remaining powder from the bottom, and reached it up to th

ulped dow

an said, taking the cu

clear over backwards had his mother not anxiously enveloped him

the boy exclaimed brea

hen, staring deep into the boy's one good eye,

ed to fall i

's mother, and laid the unconscious boy out flat on the gr

to assist if needed, but as Slavemaster, he had many duties, and presently he was called away by a r

silence lest any watching should find occasion to bring an accusation against you. If any should d

hed away without so muc

again. None must realize how desperately she looked to Habrunt or cared for him now. For he had not only saved her life but had won

st boy's missing eye, the weary old Physician turned fina

their mothers, and Si'Wren, having no mother or father, bowed low to the Physici

it was fast turning to dusk. The first of the party-goers h

and felt tears stream down her cheeks. Master Rababull had been virtu

e spirit of the moon was upon the land tonight, the spirit of madness. Gloomily, Si'Wren reflected that the celebrants were to be spared the sight of the slain young woma

pected to spend the entire night if necessary cleaning it up. No one had said anyth

he found it guarded by two brawny slaves standing beneath the torches of the closed and barred gate. They ignored her contemptuously, no doubt ha

hadows whenever possible to avoid meeting others. The smells of cooking food came to her,

tice her. Did he, too, secretly despise her now? Si'Wren held back, until the guards were preoccupied with the arrival of yet another dignitary and his exte

e gathering darkness of the wilds. Cold fog enveloped her, and in what seemed like

t. What did it matter if some foul beast should leap out and seize her in it's jaws? It would be

arge shadow, as that of a man, following her, too far back to make it out for sur

glanced back again, the figure was gone. Slowing, she stopped and stared behind her again, to see if it had b

f Rababull, deeper and deeper into the night. Whenever she

alled out, loo

e was no

'Wren suddenly blundered straight into a tree, and scr

ise-like grip by a laughing young man, whose al

awny as the first,

irit!" laughed the man, ho

ish before you let her

d no one the wiser," said the firs

er attacker, and found her diminutive physical powe

nd, and she bit

ou filth

ad jerked backward by the blow. The young man's foul spittle-laden br

nowing she was too far from t

aughed, enjo

in hopelessness and

her tightly. "He favors her. You're going to die for

sensing her doom upon her as supreme fear overcame her and she

of stunning blows across the face delivered alterna

ust be hid, lest Rababull's Slavemaster should find out. Hurry and

e to do you any good!" sud

he shadows of the mists stepped the shadowy and indistinct figure of

erately as, reeling from the blo

-importantly, "and our fathers are high-born. You're a slave! You b

said n

lling as the others," the s

yourself!" Still gripping Si'Wren by the upper arms, he suddenly flung her forward in t

yways," the second chi

ued silence. "Sh

g figure, with her head still downcast in shame, and then he halted a

reply. "Here," the young man said, dipping into his money satchel, "I'll pay you for her; twenty, no, thirty pieces of s

ng step forward, as he slow

d in the air in a series of menacing arcs, which Habrunt seemed not t

it! You'll be sorry

cs, to the accompaniment of a succession of metallic clangs followed

d back to her. In his right hand was the money pouch that had been offered to him, and in his other was his sword. He switched hands, and hurled the money pouch into the night. Far

runt to pronounce judgement upon her. Now what wa

gently that the fear with which she was shaken w

runt, his voice heavy

ou alr

have betrayed my vow of silence to the Invisible God! I

wn beside her, and s

" he sai

er feet, and began lead

comp

e hurt worse than she had first supposed. "In the very confession of my sin, I betray my

leading her confidently through the night, as th

aid. Then she blurted out, "Have

eper of the law as

taken me upon their lusts, and cast me aside afterwa

abrunt replied. "And also, lest they betra

econd remark seemed an

ion, "you shall be as guilty as

my foolishness, you had not take

I did

ll speak of it when we return, seeing h

think of what to say, so perplex

I have covered the sins of yourself, that by my own guilt you may be counted innocent before all. Who then shall gainsay me in this? The Invisible God? Aye, and may He ever be the r

n effect upon her that she found herself wishing to be loosed from Master Rababull and bound to Habrunt instead. But to imagine such was rank foo

planted a misstep in his path as she staggered into H

dipped down and scooped her up into his arms, cradli

e man in the first place, it would not seem out of character if he said nothing at all and let others do all the talking amongst themselve

the land as if to a fool's paradise would be said by many to deserve the sorry fate they had so

runt had thought poorly of the midnight excursion even then, before he had the slightest inkling that it was to eventually involve Si'Wren. However, the

that he had commanded a nearby guard

ch the two young men had taken with them, a short distance from the gates. There in the dark, by the colorless light of a

he hadn't, becaus

murdered and discarded like playthings to be tossed into the bushes by the wayside. For

d would be noticed to be missing, the deaths of the two young men could easily be credi

sayings of others, and which concerned him the most now. Let them talk on, and wonder, and dream but once of a