"I am not your slave," she said.
"The throne of the Ubara of Ar," he said, "is empty.
They looked at one another.
"Thank you," she said, "Ubar."
"I will have all arrangements made," he said, "for your investiture as
Ubara of Ar."
"But," she said, "Marlenus, I do not wish to be Ubara of Ar." His men gasped. My men could not speak. I, too, was struck with silence. To be Ubara of Ar was the most glorious thing to which a woman might aspire. It meant that she would be the richest and most powerful woman on Gor, that armies and navies, and tarn cavalries, could move upon her very word, that the taxes of an empire the wealthiest on Gor could be laid at her feet, that the most precious of gems and jewelries might be hers, that she would be the most envied woman on the planet.
"I have the forests," she said.
Marlenus could not speak.
"It seems," he said, "that I am not always victorious."
"No," she said, "Marlenus, you have been victorious."
He looked at her, puzzled.
"I love you," she said. "I loved you even before I knew you, but I will not wear your collar and I will not share your throne."
"I do not understand," he said.
I had not thought, ever, to see the Ubar as he stood there, looming
over this woman, whom he might, did he choose, seize and own, but
standing there numb, not understanding."
"You do not understand," said she, "because I am a woman."
He shook his head.
"It is called freedom," she said.
Then Verna turned away from him, in the skins of a panther woman.
"I shall wait for my women in the forest," she said. "Tell them to find
me there."
"Wait!" said Marlenus of Ar.
His voice was agonized. His hand lifted, as though to beg her to
return with him. I was startled. Never had I understood that the Ubar
of Ar could be thus. He had cared, he then understood, and we, too,
for this lonely, proud, beautiful woman.
"Yes?" asked Verna, turning to regard him.
in her eyes, too, I thought I saw moisture. Whatever Marlenus might have said to her, he did not say. He stood still for a moment, and then straightened himself. With one hand he tore from his throat the leather and claws he wore there. I saw that among those barbaric ornaments was a ring. I gasped, for it was the seal of Ar, the signet of Glorious Ar. He threw it to Verna, as a bauble. She caught it.
"With that," he said, "you are safe in the realm of Ar. With that you
can command the power of the city. This is as the word of the Ubar.
With this you can buy supplies. With this you can command soldiers.
Any who comes upon you and see this ring will know that behind you
stands the power of Ar."
"I do not want it," she said.
"Wear it," said Marlenus, "for me."
Verna smiled. "Then," said she, "I want it."
She tied the ring on a bit of leather about her neck.
"The Ubara of Ar," said he," might wear such a ring."
"I have the forests," she said. "Are they not more beautiful even that
the city of Ar?"
They regarded one another.
"I will never see you again," said Marlenus.
Verna shrugged.
"Perhaps not," she said. "But perhaps you will."
He looked at her.
"Perhaps, sometime," she said. "I will trek to Ar. I have heard that it
is a fine city."
He grinned.
"And perhaps," said she, "from time to time, you might come again to
hunt in the northern forests."
"Yes," he said. "Such is my intention."