Squint-Eye raised his eyes at Orel.
"Am I a slave?"
"Yes, if you want that, you are a slave. If you like it this way. If you feel like a slave, it's your choice!" Orel turned to Lis. "Lis, do you feel like a slave in our team?"
"Of course, I don't!" Lis snorted looking at Squint-Eye with contempt.
"You see, Bertran Dallen, you're the one to blame in your unenviable position!" Orel continued. "You couldn't make others take you into consideration. There was time when you were one of the best! Everyone loved and respected you! I loved you too! Huh, Bert, do you remember?" Orel talked quietly, almost tenderly. "You were brave and fierce, everyone was afraid of you. And your face wasn't grey like now, your eyes were not red and swollen, always bruised. Your hair," he touched Squint-Eye's dark hair, cut jaggedly, "your hair was long. You were a real warrior. I was proud you were with me."
Squint-Eye covered his face. "Orel, shut up, it was a long time ago! And I don't care! I don't even want to recall it, I became different."
"Why? Bert, why?" Orel moved closer to him, took his scratched hand. Squint-Eye shuddered, yanking his fingers away from Orel convulsively.
"Don't! Don't call me by my name! Everyone knows here my name is Squint-Eye! My name is Squint-Eye! Squint-Eye! Squint-Eye!"
Lis looked at him in disgust.
"Why are you treating him like a child, Arel? Don't you see he became a complete nonentity?"
Squint-Eye glanced at Lis furiously.
"I hate you so much, Lis! I would cut your throat a long time ago, if Orel didn't love you. It's your luck I respect Orel and don't want to hurt his feelings!"
"Ooh, just listen to him!" Lis sat back in his place at the table, shook his head. "How scary! I'm so frightened!"
Orel laughed.
"Really, Bert, you are insane."
"You can never kill me," Lis said smirking, "because I'm much smarter than you. I'm clever and you're a real loser!"
He laughed wickedly showing his teeth filed like a saw jags – horrible, savage teeth that didn't suit his intelligent face. He kicked Squint-Eye's side. Squint-Eye bore it silently, his just lowered his head and his hair hid his face, haggard with illness.
"You're an ass," Lis said, "good for nothing. I wonder how you still manage to fulfill orders."
"I don't want any more," Squint-Eye whispered. "I don't want to fulfill any more orders."