CHAPTER FORTY THREE

Over the next few days Valtrern was seen only occasionally by his former companions. He had a house in the village, and a woman. When he made an appearance, it was invariably in the company of the headman when together they examined the spoils taken from Chaldez. Later he was seen to leave the village with a small escort, and speculate though they might, Chaldez and his companions had no means of knowing the measure of his new treachery.
The Laifyan had been bitterly disappointed by the meagre booty recovered from the scene of the massacre and therefore persuaded Sazarat, the headman, to sell the captives as slaves, and allow him, Valtrern, to arrange it. He would find a buyer, he said, and undertake to deliver the slaves personally, calculating that there would be no need for him to return to the village. He could then continue his journey to Laifya, a rich man.
Sazarat's daughter, meanwhile, continued to see Chaldez. At about noon every day she sent out her servant to bring him and Dan back to her house. Her name, she told them, was Orsar, and that of her companion, Dislowag. Beakers of the hot sweet drink were served, and Orsar talked about her village and her family and friends, always addressing her remarks exclusively to Chaldez. She referred to people as though he knew them, and try as he might, he could never follow her complicated stories for long.
After one such session Dan said "She likes you, Chaldez. Sleep with her if that's what she wants, but get us out of this place."
Chaldez looked at him with horror. He could only think that he had forgotten about Doo, but he said nothing.
Dan said "She's our only hope."
Chaldez walked away.
The next day Dan made sure he was not around when Orsar's servant came out looking for them both. Chaldez went back with her alone.
Orsar seemed not to notice Dan's absence but chattered away as usual. Chaldez was sitting, nodding his head and pretending to listen when he saw in a corner of the room what looked like some kind of stringed instrument. During a pause in the flow of her chatter - he had no idea if she was in the middle of a story, or had finished one and was about to begin another - he pointed at it and asked if he could look at it. She became flustered and said "it is my husband's."
"He plays it well?"
"Oh yes! He plays it beautifully."
Chaldez said "I would like to hear him."
Her eyes opened wide with excitement. "You shall!" she declared.
The recital, when it took place, was held in the village square at the close of a festival in honour of one of the local gods. A large fire had been built and several sheep roasted on it. At dusk torches were lit and the villagers, wrapped in cloaks against the chill night air, drew in close, and there was merrymaking and music. Orsar's husband - it was he who had knocked down Chaldez when he had first been brought to the village - played a long solo; Chaldez thought it appalling, but clapped heartily and was gratified to see Orsar looking at him as he did so.
The next day the men of the village went hunting and Chaldez, as usual, went to Orsar's house. As soon as he entered the doorway she handed him the instrument.

He noticed that it had fewer strings than the zaratha, and when he plucked it he found that it was tuned quite differently. While he explored it, Orsar launched into another of her long and involved stories. He plucked away, and looked up at her every so often and nodded his head and smiled, and she went on talking as though she had his full attention.
The visits after that were the same: she talked and he played quietly, his improvisations based on the tunes he already knew.
One day she had been chatting away as usual when suddenly she stopped; Chaldez, completely absorbed, did not notice and continued playing. She sat and listened, and when eventually he realised that he had got her attention he became bolder and his music filled the room. He could see by her expression that she had never heard music like it. When he finished she remained quite still, gazing at him with such wide-eyed intensity that he became embarrassed. He put the instrument down beside him and grinned a silly, childish grin while he racked his brains for something flippant to say, and still she gazed at him.
"I'm sorry I interrupted you," he said at last, but she appeared not to hear.
"A prince!" she sighed, still looking at him. "I believe you are!"
After that he often played for her, while she gazed at him from the pile of skins. Chaldez concentrated hard, determined not to allow his thoughts to dwell on Dan's suggestion about sleeping with her.
Their meetings came to an abrupt end following the return to the village of Valtrern. He immediately reported to Sazarat that he had found a buyer, farther down the valley, who was prepared to give a good price for the captives.
Sazarat promptly summoned a meeting of the village council. It assembled in the village square, Sazarat occupying a carved chair that had been brought out for him. The prisoners were rounded up and paraded before him, the council enclosing them in a large circle. Valtrern stood on Sazarat's right, and next to him, Chaldez noted, stood Orsar's husband.
Sazarat addressed the assembly in the native tongue; Dan kept looking at Chaldez for an explanation of what he was saying, but Chaldez had no more idea than he had.
After the headman's preamble there was a long discussion in which all the elders wanted a say. None of them was succinct, and Orsar's husband was more long-winded than all of them.
Valtrern's eyes were always fixed on whoever was speaking; not once did he look at Chaldez or Dan or the other prisoners. Chaldez supposed he understood what was going on, only realising that he did not when eventually Sazarat brought the discussion to a halt, and beckoning Valtrern, spoke to him at length. Valtrern, his head bent forward, occasionally looked up, and then his eyes darted around the assembly.
Sazarat was apparently seeking his opinion, which he gave in a low voice; too low for Chaldez to hear what he said.
After listening to him, the headman made an announcement which the elders greeted with occasional noises of approval. When he had finished, a command was shouted and a number of villagers, armed with spears, entered the circle and seized the prisoners.
They had been secured, and all now waited for Sazarat’s next command. There was a general hush, and it was apparent that Orsar‘s husband and Sazarat were in urgent conversation. At last Sazarat got to his feet. He pushed aside the men who were grasping Chaldez and demanded to see "the jewel."

Dan exclaimed "Oh no!" and Chaldez went white.
Sazarat repeated his demand, but Chaldez stared back at him impassively. Orsar's husband came pushing up; he was speaking excitedly.
Sazarat looked at him and then at Chaldez. "He wants the jewel," he said. "The one around your neck. You will give it to him in exchange for your freedom."
Chaldez said "I don't understand . . . "
"For that jewel you and your brother will go free."
"What about the others?"
Sazarat looked at him dispassionately, and then shook his head.
Chaldez pointed at Orsar's husband "Why does he want it?" he asked.
"To save you from slavery!" shouted a voice. It belonged to Valtrern who, unnoticed by Chaldez, had come up behind Sazarat.
The word made Chaldez shudder. "Slavery?" he repeated.
"That's right. These people are going to sell you into slavery.
Dan said "They can take the ruby and still make slaves of us . . . "
"My view entirely," said Valtrern. "They seem to think, though, that because your brother is a prince you and he should be given this chance to buy your freedom."
"What about the treasure they have stolen!" shouted Chaldez. "Have they not robbed me enough already?"
Valtrern laughed. "There was nothing of value in your baggage train, if that's what you're talking about. You'd left it in the mountains. These people are disappointed in you."
"Give them the ruby," said Dan. "If we're slaves we're finished."
With a sick feeling, Chaldez revealed the locket on its brass chain. Sazarat felt the chain and issued a command. Then he told Chaldez "My daughter desires this jewel. She is my only daughter, you understand. She is denied nothing here."
After a while a villager arrived with a metal-working tool and set to work severing the chain. When it was broken, Sazarat made Chaldez open the locket; he stroked the ruby and then handed it to Orsar's husband. "You and your brother," he said to Chaldez, "are free to go. Sazarat always keeps his word."
They were given back their horses and their swords, provided with some provisions and conducted to the village gate. The last thing Sazarat said was "If you ever return to my territory you will be killed. Remember - Sazarat always keeps his word. You stay far away."