“I had a slave,” I said, “valuable, a city woman of great worth I might have bartered and enriched this krarl thereby. This one, at your feet sniveling, has scarred my slave, my property.” I knew very well the tack to take. He frowned and grumbled under his breath.

“If that is so, no doubt the slave was disobedient—”

“This woman, your Chula, is disobedient, and to me. I have done with her. Take her, or let the wolves have her. She is no longer anything of mine. You see, Finnuk, there are many witnesses to hear.”

Chula wailed. She buried her face in the dirt and kicked her heels.

“Wait now, Tuvek Nar-Ettook,” Finnuk remonstrated. “She has been stupid and you should beat her. But this is not a thing for which to cast her off. What of your sons?”

“They are no sons of mine. I renounce the sons with the dam. Maybe she has been dishonest in this, too. Am I to be her whore-master?”

He trampled around his fire, glaring, at a loss.

“There is the matter of her dowry,” he said at last.

I was only too ready for this. I flung down by Chula a leather bag of gold rings, all war spoil, worth more than what he had given me with her, save for her emerald, which Tathra wore now. He was quick enough to point that out to me.

“The Eshkiri slave your slut has ruined brought me a bodice of emeralds. Finnuk may come and take his pick.”

He shook his head. He did not want to let it go at this, but could see no way around. Besides, I looked and sounded angry, mad-angry, as a bull shut from the cows. I was not, in fact, as angry as that, only drunk with a host of emotions that were painfully new to me. I was cutting the cloth to fit me, and Finnuk and his daughter getting the edge of the knife.

“Tuvek Nar-Ettook,” he said, “she is worthless dross. She has displeased you, and I shall improve her. I will keep her in the tent of my women for a few turns of the moon. Then you shall decide.”

I shrugged.

“That is of no significance to me. Keep her and keep the gold. For I shan’t want her till the moon falls.”

At this, Chula raised herself. She tore at the air with her hands, and screamed, “Tuvek! Tuvek—Tuvek—”

Her eyes were wilder than any I had ever seen. They told me something of my own injustice to her, and I did not like it. There was no room in my world for anything but one.

“I will wed the Eshkir woman before I claim this mare,” I said.

And I strode off from Finnuk’s fire, and once more there was silence behind me, only the crackle of the flames.

I went to Kotta’s place next. She met me at the flap.

“I have come for the Eshkir,” I said.