I sat one Gorean night looking out upon the three moons, watching a dark ship pass along the canal to dock in Port. I had gathered Myself up in My robes and furs, watching for what seemed like ahns, sipping on a mug of warmed bosk milk, recalling some of the stories My Brother had told Me when I was little.

I recalled the story of Tarl and the slave Tana. Upon being served in a paga tavern, Tarl comes across the woman He once cared for -- Elizabeth Cradwell from earth. She had fled to the forests before He could send her back to earth. He comes across her in the tavern as a paga slave.

"Buy me!" she begged. "Buy me! You are rich! You can buy me!" "Is that how a slave begs?" I asked. "Buy Tana!" she wept. "Buy Tana!" She extended her chained wrists to me. I took her by the arms, and kissed her, long. I tasted the slave rouge in my mouth. Then I thrust her back from me. "What are you going to do?" she begged. "I am going to leave you here," I said, "as a paga slave." "No," she wept. "No!" I left the alcove, not speaking further to the slave girl. Tana. (Hunters of Gor)

"There was then laughter, and Gorean applause, congratulating Calliodorus on his good fortune, and me on the loveliness and generosity of my gift. Then again we sat down. The gift, nude and collared, curled lovingly on its side near him, its hand touching his knee." (Guardsmen of Gor)

"I sheathed my sword and went to Talena. I unbound her. Trembling, she stood beside me, and we took one another in our arms, the blood from my wound staining he robe.

'I love you,' I said. We held one another, and

her eyes, wet with tears, lifted to mine. 'I love you,' she said.

The lion laugh of Marlenus resounded from behind us. Talena and I broke apart. My hand was on my sword. The Ubar's hand gently restrained mine. 'It has done enough work for one day,' he smiled. 'Let it rest.'

The Ubar went to his daughter and took her fine head in his great hands. He turned her head from side to side and looked into her eyes. 'Yes,' she said, as if he might have seen his daughter for the first time, 'she is fit to be the daughter of a Ubar.' Then he clapped his hands on my shoulders. 'See that I have grandsons,' he said.

I looked about. Sana stood in the arms of Kazrak, and I knew that the former slave girl had found the man to whom she would give herself, not for a hundred tarns but for love.

My father stood watching me, approval in his eyes. In the distance Pa-Kur's camp was only a framework of blackened poles. In the city his garrison had surrendered. Beyond the walls the horde had cast down its weapons. Ar was saved.

"Talena looked into my eyes. 'What will you do with me?' she asked.

'I will take you to Ko-ro-ba,' I said, 'to my city.'

'As your slave?' she smiled.

'If you will have me,' I said, 'as my Free Companion.'

'I accept you, Tarl of Ko-ro-ba,' said Talena with love in her eyes. 'I accept you as my Free Companion.'

'If you did not,' I laughed, 'I would throw you across my saddle and carry you to Ko-ro-ba by force.'

She laughed and I swept her from her feet and lifted her to the saddle of my giant tarn. In the saddle, her arms were around my neck, her lips on mine. 'Are you a true warrior?' she asked, her eyes bright with mischief, testing me, her voice breathless."

When I returned to Ko-ro-ba with Talena, a great feast was held and we celebrated our Free Companionship. A holiday was declared, and the city was ablaze with light and song. Shimmering strings of bells pealed in the wind, and festive lanterns of a thousand colours swung from the innumerable flower-strewn bridges. There was shouting and laughter, and the glorious colours of the castes of Gor mingled equally in the cylinders. Gone for the night was even the distinction of master and slave, and many a wretch in bondage would see the dawn as a free man."

"Talena and I swore to honor that day as long as either of us lived. I have tried to keep that promise, and I know that she has done so as well. That night, that glorious night, was a night of flowers, torches, and Ka-la-na wine, and late, after sweet hours of love, we fell asleep in each other's arms." (Tarnsman of Gor)