Read Online Rebel Ice by S. L. Viehl - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S. L. Viehl
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Space Opera, Speculative Fiction, Interplanetary voyages, Life on other planets, Human-alien encounters, Slave insurrections, Amnesia
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was blessed in his choice of women.
But what if she cannot be killed? What if her face is taken and she still walks and talks, as before ? The image of recreating such a horror made the rasakt want to puke up his broth. This is not the same female. She cannot be .
Hurgot shuffled his feet and cleared his throat. When Navn gave him his attention, he said, "Ensleg females are known to have special value to the Skjonn Kangal. It is said that he will pay double for one such as this."
"The rebels will not permit anyone to send the usual tithe offerings." It was something that had needled Navn to no end.
"Now they will not." The healer made a rocking motion with his head. "Should the windlords prevail…"
Navn did not need Hurgot to finish the thought. If the rebels lost the coming war, the Iisleg would have to work hard to regain the favor of the windlords. Tithes might have to be tripled—and Navn's men would be the ones to face the Kangal's ire directly as they delivered them.
He faced the ensleg. "You, woman. Rise and let me look upon you."
Hurgot tapped the ensleg's shoulder, and she rose awkwardly to her full height. Without hesitation the healer released the shoulder folds that kept her day robe in place, and allowed the garment to fall to the floor. Beneath it she was naked.
Navn studied her form. She had two breasts in the usual position, although they were not very large, and a triangle of dark hair over her woman's cleft. There were no marks of childbirth or abuse on her, and the unblemished condition of her pale skin was equal to that of a child.
"She is scrawny." Navn knew the Kangal liked his women with some meat on them. Yet after so many voluptuous beauties, perhaps this ensleg would prove something of a novelty, or serve those of the Kangal's court who preferred young boys, given that she had the same basic shape. "Is she open?"
"Yes, Rasakt," Hurgot said.
So she had known at least one man. Navn saw little beauty in her, but knew offworlders had tastes even more perverted than the windlords. "Did you find any signs of disease or pregnancy?"
The healer hesitated for a moment. "None, Rasakt."
"But?"
"There is white in her hair, so she may not be as young as she appears." Hurgot tapped the ensleg's wrists, and she held out her palms. "The wrist of her eating hand is slightly swollen, and she cannot use it as well as the other. Her fingers are callused. These indicate she was once…" He trailed off, searching for words. "Skilled with her hands."
"She may have used ensleg cook pots," the healer replied as he pulled the day robe back onto the ensleg's shivering body and dressed her like a child. "With her mind so damaged, we will likely never know."
Navn's wife stiffened. "I am sure it is as you say, Healer. Yet I have heard whispered tales of such ensleg women. They are permitted to act as their men, even join their armies and fight in their wars—"
"Enough," Navn said. He would not tolerate such obscene talk, and to allow any further speculation about the ensleg's origins was wholly unacceptable, as well. "This is my decision: I permit this ensleg to live and to serve the iiskar. When she learns our language and proper behavior, her status will be that of marked tribute for the Kangal."
Hurgot bobbed his head. "Where shall I put her to work, Rasakt?"
"She may go to the gjenvin." Among the salvagers, she would have the least amount of contact with the camp women, and working salvage, she could not sicken anyone, as she might with ill-prepared food or contaminated water. Navn saw Sogayi's expression and knew his wife thought he was being too generous. In a harsher tone he added, "If she does not speak adequate Iisleg within the moon, she is to be given to the ice."
Hurgot bowed and backed away, tapping the ensleg and gesturing for her to accompany him. The ensleg female gave Navn and Sogayi a highly discourteous, piercing look before she followed the healer out of the shelter.
"I regret my
But what if she cannot be killed? What if her face is taken and she still walks and talks, as before ? The image of recreating such a horror made the rasakt want to puke up his broth. This is not the same female. She cannot be .
Hurgot shuffled his feet and cleared his throat. When Navn gave him his attention, he said, "Ensleg females are known to have special value to the Skjonn Kangal. It is said that he will pay double for one such as this."
"The rebels will not permit anyone to send the usual tithe offerings." It was something that had needled Navn to no end.
"Now they will not." The healer made a rocking motion with his head. "Should the windlords prevail…"
Navn did not need Hurgot to finish the thought. If the rebels lost the coming war, the Iisleg would have to work hard to regain the favor of the windlords. Tithes might have to be tripled—and Navn's men would be the ones to face the Kangal's ire directly as they delivered them.
He faced the ensleg. "You, woman. Rise and let me look upon you."
Hurgot tapped the ensleg's shoulder, and she rose awkwardly to her full height. Without hesitation the healer released the shoulder folds that kept her day robe in place, and allowed the garment to fall to the floor. Beneath it she was naked.
Navn studied her form. She had two breasts in the usual position, although they were not very large, and a triangle of dark hair over her woman's cleft. There were no marks of childbirth or abuse on her, and the unblemished condition of her pale skin was equal to that of a child.
"She is scrawny." Navn knew the Kangal liked his women with some meat on them. Yet after so many voluptuous beauties, perhaps this ensleg would prove something of a novelty, or serve those of the Kangal's court who preferred young boys, given that she had the same basic shape. "Is she open?"
"Yes, Rasakt," Hurgot said.
So she had known at least one man. Navn saw little beauty in her, but knew offworlders had tastes even more perverted than the windlords. "Did you find any signs of disease or pregnancy?"
The healer hesitated for a moment. "None, Rasakt."
"But?"
"There is white in her hair, so she may not be as young as she appears." Hurgot tapped the ensleg's wrists, and she held out her palms. "The wrist of her eating hand is slightly swollen, and she cannot use it as well as the other. Her fingers are callused. These indicate she was once…" He trailed off, searching for words. "Skilled with her hands."
"She may have used ensleg cook pots," the healer replied as he pulled the day robe back onto the ensleg's shivering body and dressed her like a child. "With her mind so damaged, we will likely never know."
Navn's wife stiffened. "I am sure it is as you say, Healer. Yet I have heard whispered tales of such ensleg women. They are permitted to act as their men, even join their armies and fight in their wars—"
"Enough," Navn said. He would not tolerate such obscene talk, and to allow any further speculation about the ensleg's origins was wholly unacceptable, as well. "This is my decision: I permit this ensleg to live and to serve the iiskar. When she learns our language and proper behavior, her status will be that of marked tribute for the Kangal."
Hurgot bobbed his head. "Where shall I put her to work, Rasakt?"
"She may go to the gjenvin." Among the salvagers, she would have the least amount of contact with the camp women, and working salvage, she could not sicken anyone, as she might with ill-prepared food or contaminated water. Navn saw Sogayi's expression and knew his wife thought he was being too generous. In a harsher tone he added, "If she does not speak adequate Iisleg within the moon, she is to be given to the ice."
Hurgot bowed and backed away, tapping the ensleg and gesturing for her to accompany him. The ensleg female gave Navn and Sogayi a highly discourteous, piercing look before she followed the healer out of the shelter.
"I regret my
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