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.I smiled.They had been ripped by thetalons, tattered by the raging winds.Haughtily she drew themfile:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt (72 of 144) [1/20/03 3:23:18 AM]file:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt about herself, covering herself as best she could.Aside fromthe mask, metallic, cold, glittering as always, I decided the Tatrix might bebeautiful.'No,' she said proudly, 'I am unhurt.'It was the answer I had expected, though undoubtedly her body was almostbroken, her flesh bruised to the bone.'You are in pain,' I said, 'but mostly, now, you are cold and numb from theloss of circulation.' I regarded her.'Later,' I said, 'it will be even morepainful.'The expressionless mask gazed upon me.'I, too,' I said, 'was once in the talons of a tarn.''Why did the tarn not kill you in the arena?' she asked.'It is my tarn,' I said simply.What more could I tell her? That it had notkilled me, knowing the nature of tarns, seemed almost as incredible to me asit did to her.Had I known more of tarns, I might have guessed that it held mein some sort of affection.The Tatrix looked about, examining the sky.'When will it return?' she asked.Her voice had been a whisper.I knew that if there was anything that struckterror into the heart of the Tatrix, it was the tarn.'Soon,' I said.'Let us hope it finds something to eat in the fields below.'The Tatrix trembled slightly.'If it doesn't find game,' she said, 'it will return angry and hungry.''Surely,' I agreed.'It may try to feed on us - ' she said.'Perhaps,' I said.At last the words came out, slowly, carefully formed.'If it doesn't findgame,' she asked, 'are you going to give me to the tarn?''Yes,' I said.With a cry of fear the Tatrix fell to her knees before me, her hands extended,pleading.Lara, Tatrix of Tharna, was at my feet, a supplicant.'Unless you behave yourself,' I added.Angrily the Tatrix scrambled to her feet.'You tricked me!' she cried.'Youtricked me into assuming the posture of the captive female!'I smiled.Her gloved fists struck at me.I caught her wrists and held her fast.Inoted that her eyes behind the mask were blue.I allowed her to twist free.She ran to the wall, and stood, her back to me.'Do I amuse you?' she asked.'I'm sorry,' I said.'I am your prisoner, am I not?' she asked, insolently.file:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%20of%20Gor.txt (73 of 144) [1/20/03 3:23:18 AM]file:///F|/rah/John%20Norman/Chronicles%20of%20Counter-Earth%201%20-%20Outlaw%Page 63 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html20of%20Gor.txt'Yes,' I said.'What are you going to do with me?' she asked, her face to the wall, notdeigning to look upon me.'Sell you for a saddle and weapons,' I said.I thought it well to alarm theTatrix, the better to improve my bargaining position.Her frame shook with fear, and fury.She spun about to face me, her glovedfists clenched.'Never!' she cried.'I shall if it pleases me,' I said.The Tatrix, trembling with rage, regarded me.I could scarcely conjecture thehatred that seethed behind that placid golden mask.At last she spoke.Her words were like drops of acid.'You are joking,' she said.'Remove the mask,' I suggested, 'in order that I may better judge what youwill bring on the Street of Brands.''No!' she cried, her hands flying to the golden mask.'I think the mask alone,' I said, 'might bring the price of a good shield andspear.'The Tatrix laughed bitterly.'It would buy a tarn,' she said.I could tell that she was not certain that I was serious, that she did notreally believe I could mean what I said.It was important to my plans toconvince her that she stood in jeopardy, that I would dare to put her in acamisk and collar.She laughed, testing me, holding the tattered hem of her robe towards me.'You see,' she said, in mock despair, 'I will not bring much in this poorgarment.''That is true,' I said.She laughed.'You will bring more without it,' I added.She seemed shaken by this matter of fact answer.I could tell she was nolonger confident of where she stood.She decided to play her trump card.She squared off against me, regal, haughty, insolent.Her voice was cold, eachword a crystal of ice.'You would not dare,' she said, 'to sell me.''Why not?' I asked.'Because,' she said, drawing herself to her full height, gathering the goldentattered robes about her, 'I am Tatrix of Tharna.'I picked up a small rock and threw it from the ledge, watching it sail towardthe fields below.I watched the clouds scudding across the darkening sky,listened to the wind whistling among those lonely ridges.I turned to theTatrix.'That will improve your price,' I said.The Tatrix seemed stunned.Her haughty manner deserted her
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