Andromeda’s Lament

 The Paga Diaries (29)

Dedicated to Emma of Gor for midwifing, and Tracker of Gor for nurturing, the Diaries

29. Three Kajirae

1. Preparations

After several ihn, the auctioneer stammered, "S... Sold f... for f... fifty silver tarsks. Dira, naked, coated in perspiration, her large -- American 'D' -- breasts heaving, her firm abdomen pulsing, her big shoulders and love cradle shimmying, had just auctioned herself in a performance sure to be reminisced in Argentum paga taverns for years to come. Dario, a Guardsman I knew from sword practice, approached Dira, holding her posture of submission, hesitated and then bound her wrists. The crowd roared. Men, including the Merchant, the last losing bidder, congratulated the Builder, the winning bidder. Dario put his arm around Dira, lifted her to her feet, cupped her breast before closing to stroke her rear flank, and said, "By the Priest Kings, Dira, that was the most incredible auction I've ever seen!" Sweat dripping from her face, her nipples erect, blotches showing on her bronze skin, she smiled, looked into his eyes and said, "Thank you Master! A girl is pleased to be pleasing!" She sighed, threw her bound wrists over his neck, melted her torso, pubis and thighs into his chest, belt, groin and thighs and gave him the long lingering kiss of a pleasure slave. The crowd cheered. When he pulled back to take a needed breath, he looked at her with unfocused eyes and murmured "Dira." The crowd kept cheering. She turned her head to her left, lifted her chin and froze. After a couple of seconds, Dario snapped his leash on her neck.

My slave, naked, freshly lashed, with a raw swollen brand, hands tied behind her back, neck tied to the weathered wooden stock, had, through the pain of her back and left thigh, observed Dira's incredible performance with shock and anger. Her former companion, Marden Stelcis, had purchased an expensive pleasure slave with the city's deposit, concealed that slave as a woman's slave, intending to flee the city with that purchase and leave my slave to face Gorean justice.

Since her self-enslavement, the former Lady Temione had remained on the dais being held by her family and now owners. She had been transfixed by Dira and the arousal of the audience. Still in her robes of concealment, veils and slippers and unbound, her eyes sparkled, excited by the sexuality of Dira and the men in the audience.

Dira, the leash running from her neck to Dario's right hand, turned to face the crowd. The crowd roared. She lifted her bound wrists in acknowledgement. Men struck their left shoulders rhythmically. Slave girls squealed. Dira put her bound wrists behind her head and her feet a pace apart, lifting her firm breasts and exposing her sex. The cheering continued and grew. She made slave lips, wiggled her breasts and shook her ass. She spotted the Builder, made eye contact, smiled widely, curled her bound wrists and moved them, beckoning him towards her. The men around him roared and thrust him toward the dais. He climbed the stairs to the dais and stopped next to her.

Dira turned to the Builder, dropped to her knees in nadu, put her bound wrists between his feet, bent at the waist to put her face on the stone dais between her forearms and held the position of obeisance, naked, a leash running from her collar to Dario's left hand. For half an ehn, the crowd roared, hands thumping shoulders. Dario and the Builder looked down at Dira, looked at each other and grabbed her upper arms. She rose smoothly to her feet, turned to face the Builder and, keeping her eyes lowered, screamed over the roar of the crowd, "La kajira, Master!" The crowd roared and struck their left shoulders.

The Builder froze. Dira, naked and leashed, her nipples erect, put her bound wrists over his neck and gave him a long passionate kiss. The crowd roared. The Builder was mesmerized, as if in a dream. She pressed her body fully into his, the full embrace of a trained pleasure slave. The crowd roared again. A man in the crowd yelled good-naturedly, "You lucky larl! You may not last the night, but you will die in ecstasy.” The Builder grinned giddily and said "Aye." I heard a man next to me say to his friend that the House of Aurelius was famous for its dancers. Now I know why.

Had I bought the wrong slave? Dira's performance had surprised us all. Who knew the modestly dressed house slave had so much intensity, so much passion, so much slave heat? She had been a wrapped piece of unknown candy, no one knowing what was under the cover of her plain tunic. To our delight, when the wrapping came off she was beautiful and tasty. Her beauty was more than just physical; it was a combination of her energy, her talent and her expressive sexuality. I knew the slave I just bought didn't have any of that type of beauty. But she would someday and I looked forward to developing it. I knew that deep within me, I had the potential to be strict with her training. I knew I would be a stern master and develop her the way of a true Gorean.

The crowd showed no signs of dispersing, jamming against the stone dais to get a better view of Dira, who was using Dario, absentmindedly holding her leash, and the Builder, looking out of his depth, as props for her erotic performance. Atticus looked at the euphoric crowd and shook his head. The crowd was currently delirious, but had the potential to turn ugly. Dira, perfectly subservient, had the crowd in the palm of her hand. She was comfortable naked and loved entertaining men. No tease, she would serve fully and completely with joy.

I noticed a group of men and Free Women leave the square and walk along the road to the Slave Houses. Atticus noticed my gaze and said, "They're setting up a gauntlet." My slave, naked and back-thonged, shuddered. I looked puzzled, "A gauntlet?" He said, "For that traitorous slut. They know we are taking her to the House of Cornelius Desneti to have her measured, her slave responses tested and her slave papers signed. Some will stop at the nearby fruit and vegetable markets and grab overripe larma. Others will go further to the poultry mongers and get rotten vulo eggs. Still others will get kitchen scraps from the eateries near the slave houses. All of them will gather on the sidewalk between this square and the House of Cornelius Desneti. As they gather, men, women and children from the insula will congregate. Everyone knows that the public hearings occur on the first day of each hand and newly enslaved women travel to the House of Cornelius Desneti following their auctions. They will taunt, throw pebbles and grope her. It's extremely humiliating. Don't worry about your property. We have strict rules to prevent damage: Nothing above the neck; no pebbles larger than the last joint of the little finger; no grabbing. Her leash holder Dirk will repeat these rules as he walks. He will enforce the rules with the flat of his sword."

Atticus and I climbed the stairs on the left end of the dais opposite the wooden canopy under which Magistrate Julian Lepidus had determined Gorean justice. Atticus said, "Rykart, I'm very sorry. I see you have your sword. I am short of guardsmen. Can you come with me to the House of Cornelius Desneti and keep the sidewalk people from over abusing that traitorous slut? Since you are her master, you can overlook violations of Dirk's rules. Don't be more strict. The crowd loves its fun." My nameless slave, standing in the left rear corner of the dais, looked at me in horror. Atticus continued, "After your slave is measured; her slave heat assessed; and her slave papers prepared and signed by the Magistrate, you can take your property."

Atticus took me midway between the stairs and my slave and introduced me to the former Lady Temione's father, "Geno Gattuso, this is Rykart, the owner of that traitorous she-sleen." Atticus paused to give my slave a withering look. She quailed. He continued, "He will accompany us to the House of Cornelius Desneti." He turned to me and said, "This is Geno Gattuso, the father of the victim of that horrific false enslavement." He looked at Geno's companion and the former Lady Temione sympathetically. Atticus looked at Geno and continued, "I am organizing our group now. Your family will be behind me and between the leash holders, the place of maximum protection." Geno said, "Thank you, Captain." Atticus said, "We will travel in a column seven deep and three across. I suggest your Free Companion travel on the sidewalk side. Normally, I would put her on the street side, but I have to put Dira on the street side and she's very popular."

Atticus paused, glanced at naked Dira, rotating her torso, swaying her hips from side to side and fluttering her bound hands over her head and froze. Geno and I followed his gaze. Dira was shimmying, her magnificent breasts making a sine pattern. After an ihn, Atticus snapped his head back quickly, Geno and I following suit, turned to Geno's Free Companion and said, "Lady, my deepest apologies. I was ... distracted." Geno's Free Companion said, "Why is she traveling with us? Normally auctioned slaves are immediately delivered to their new masters." Atticus said, "Due to her high price and the large unruly crowd, we will provide security for her owner today and deliver her to a safe location for the transfer of ownership. We also have to remove her collar. Fugitive Marden Stelcis has the key. You'll be safe. The gauntlet people get very close to the sentenced scum before throwing. Sometimes they push the larma, eggs, whatever onto the slaves." My slave goggled, absolute horror on her face. He said, "I'm sorry, Lady, I have to organize our group," and walked down the stairs.

After Atticus left, Geno said, "Rykart, this is my Free Companion, Lady Julia Gattuso. Next month we will renew our companionship for the nineteenth time. She's chosen the name of the House of Gattuso." I said, "Enchanted, Lady Julia Gattuso. Lady Julia offered her gloved fingers and said, stifling her sobs, "Call me Julia. I am a working woman, not a high caste snob." I kissed Lady Julia's fingers. Geno turned to the former Lady Temione and said, "Rykart, this is my daughter, er, slave, Lady Temione, er Temione, er Temi …” paused, flustered, and said, "Can we pretend Temi is free? I'd like to keep her in the conversation, she broods when left to her own thoughts, Temi...," turned to me, "... this is master Rykart." I turned to Temi and said, "I insist you call me Rykart." Temi laughed and held out her fingers to be kissed. I did so and said, "Pardon me for asking, 'Lady', why did you enslave yourself?" Both Geno and Lady Julia froze, eager to hear the answer to the question they were afraid to ask.

Temi's eyes were mischievous. She said, "Rykart, I want to die." Both Geno and Lady Julia gasped. Lady Julia visibly refrained from interrupting. Temi continued, "Those two weeks with that monster ..." She indicated with her head Marcus Piero, lashed and chained in the back of the dais, "... were horrible. I felt my soul slipping away. I had only one thing to live for, the death of that monster. He got careless; I chewed through my bounds, escaped and led the guardsmen to him. I want to see him impaled. I haven't slept since I escaped. The Magistrate offered legal death. I thought I would be stripped on this dais, branded and auctioned, just like that lady ..." She indicated my bedraggled slave with her head. "I'm damaged goods, I thought I'd sell for a tarsk bit and be fed to sleen when my owner discovered I was worthless. Perhaps my father would give me to you and you would put me out of my misery?" Lady Julia wailed.

I saw Dirk, the other Guardsman I know from sword training, go to my slave, her neck still tied to the weathered wooden stock. He untied his leash from the wooden stock and said in the voice of a Gorean master, "Up, slut!" Bound, she stumbled. He jerked the leash, she stumbled further, he cuffed her on the right cheek with his right hand and roared, "Do not dally!" She looked at him in fear. He cuffed her again with his right hand and yelled, "Slut, a Master commands you!" She said with a quaver, "Yes Master." He inserted his left fingers into the loop of the leash and growled, "Slut, stay a pace behind on my left!" My slave, her elaborate coiffure of braided auburn hair skewed and damp with her sweat, her fire crotch matted with dried urine and her hands tied behind her back, started to move. Dirk cuffed her for a third time. She said, "Yes Master." Dirk went to the front of the top of the stairs on the left side of the dais and faced the stairs.

Dira was at the front of the dais performing a choreographed sequence of hip rolls, pelvic and breast thrusts, shoulder waggles, head rolls and pirouettes. The crowd was chanting "Dira! Dira! Dira!" Dario said diffidently, "Dira." She screamed, "Yes, Master!" The crowd roared as she moved to heel him, moving her hips and breasts in counterpoint. The crowd cheered. He turned to his left. She fluidly stayed behind and to his left at the prescribed heeling distance while moving her magnificent breasts. The crowd roared. As he turned completely with her moving around him like a planet around the sun, the chants of "Dira! Dira! Dira!" rose. He went to Dirk's left. She followed, ending up next to my slave and her former mistress and thrust her bare right hip into my slave's equally bare left hip. My slave flinched.

Dirk cuffed my slave and growled, "Slut, heel." She froze, trembling. A voice yelled, "Look at the fire crotch!" Her creamy white skin flushed. Dira started to pirouette around my nameless livestock keeping her naked torso in contact with my slave's naked torso. The Builder, still on the stage, stiffened and goggled. Dario started to turn. Atticus said, "Dario, leave her be! She's keeping the crowd happy!" Dario said, "Aye, Captain." Dira rotated so she was back to back with my slave, spread her legs, bent over, pushed her sex into my slave's bound hands and gyrated. The crowd roared. The Builder stood transfixed, his eyes feasting on his acquisition.

Atticus said, "Rykart, draw your sword and come down here. I went down the stairs and joined Atticus and the three remaining Guardsmen from the prisoners' coffle after the fourth Guardsman was detached to the dais to guard, and if necessary, execute Krog and Marcus Piero. Atticus and his three Guardsmen had already secured a square two paces on the side around the stairs. He shouted over to the Guardsman right behind the stairs and next to the stairs, "Mirin, keep the stairs clear, don't let anyone in front of you. If a man is distracted," he paused to look at Dira sliding her sex up and down my slave's bound hands to the beat of rhythmic Gorean applause, and said, “Wave your sword between his eyes and Dira. A clear voice yelled, "Fire crotch, use your hands!" My slave froze. Without turning, Dirk smacked her on the abdomen with his left hand, and said, "Slave, you have been commanded by a Free Man!" My property stifled a sob, “What?” Dirk cuffed her on the right cheek with his left hand. My slave said, “Yes Master!" She wiggled her fingers and grazed Dira’s mound. Dira screamed, "Mistress!" The crowd hooted. Mirin belatedly responded to Atticus, "Aye." Atticus said, "Rykart, stand here," put me on a spot two paces to the right of Mirin, and continued, "Don't let anyone pass you. If they're distracted, put the flat of your blade between their eyes and Dira.” He yelled over the throbbing crowd noise to the two Guardsmen on the front points of the square, "Ren," closer to the dais, "Harod, clear the space three paces in front of you. Be polite. These guys just want to see Dira."

It took Ren and Harod three ehn to clear the three paces. Ren, Harod, I and Mirin were on the corners of a rectangle two paces wide by five paces long, Atticus was between Harod and me in the middle of the long side facing the crowd, using his height, breadth, massive physique, wingspan and sword to keep the rectangle clear. He turned his head, looked over his right shoulder at Geno and said, "Master Gattuso, I want you and your family to come here," pointed to a spot one and a half paces behind Ren and Harod, continued, "You stand closest to the dais, Lady Julia on your right and your daughter behind and between you and your Lady. Face that way," and pointed between Ren and Harod to the front of the square. In a similar fashion, he directed Dirk to the right of Temi. My slave, her hands tied behind her, stumbled as she went down the stairs heeling Dirk. Dira, who had been bent over pressing her sex against my slave's moving fingers, straightened up, lifted her bound hands over her head, moved her head side to side, her breasts back and forth, her hips side to side and her pelvis back and forth. The crowd roared. The Gorean applause were waves crashing against a stone cliff.

Atticus moved in front of me to give my slave room, looked at the Builder at the top of the stairs, who was watching Dira, his mouth agape, and yelled over the crowd noise, "Master Builder," yelled again, "Master Builder," and yelled yet again, "Master Builder, come down the stairs, and stand here" and pointed to the spot between Mirin and me. He yelled, "Dario." Dario yelled, "Aye Captain." Atticus yelled, "When Dira is ready, ..." Dario shook his head in disbelief. He was supposed to wait for a slave?! Atticus continued "... go to this spot," pointing to the spot to the left of Temi. Dario yelled, "Aye, Captain."

Atticus yelled to Dira, standing on her right leg, her bound hands over her head, alternately moving the left pointed toes of her bent leg in front of and behind her right leg, "Dira!" Without missing a beat, she said, "Yes Master!" The crowd noise increased for an ihn. "When you're ready, follow Dario to this spot," and pointed to a spot behind and to the left of Temi. Dira screamed, "Yes Master!" She pirouetted on her right leg, wrapping the leash around her neck once, kissed a startled Dario, pirouetted the other way, unwrapping the leash, kissed him again, brought her bound hands around  his neck, gave him a long passionate kiss and melted into him. The crowd screamed and stamped their feet. She lowered her left leg. While kissing and embracing him, she rotated around him so she was closer to the back of the dais. They went down the stairs sideways, locked in an embrace. When she was in front of Mirin, she slowly pushed Dario forward, her torso and mouth melting into his torso and mouth until Dario was next to Temi. Dira lifted her arms away from his head, dropped to her knees and licked and kissed his sandals. The crowd went wild.

Atticus turned his head to the left and yelled to me, “Rykart, when I move, move to this spot. You have two jobs, observing your quadrant and enforcing the gauntlet rules. Atticus jumped over Dira to the stone surface of the dais, went along the edge of the dais to the empty second rank, jumped down behind and between Ren and Harod and turned to face the front of the public square. Behind him on the right was Lady Julia; on the left was Geno Gattuso. Behind and between them was their daughter. Behind the robed, veiled, unbound young slave were my slave on the right and Dira on the left. The positions of the Gattuso family and the two naked slaves were five dots on a die. Dario and Dirk, holding the leashes of Dira and my slave, were in front of and to the outside of their respective charges and on each side of Temi. The Builder and I were directly behind our respective properties. Mirin was behind and to the outside of the Builder.

After Atticus jumped over Dira, she kissed the inside of Dario’s left calf, moved her head under his tunic and kissed the inside of his left thigh. As her head moved, the front of his fluttering tunic teased the crowd.  A man yelled, "By the Priest Kings!" A chorus of "Ayes" responded. Dario became flustered as Dira’s soft lips caressed the sensitive skin on the inside of his left thigh. Temi, the third point of an equilateral triangle with Dira and Dario, looked in amazement at the action literally under her nose. Even Dirk, holding my slave's leash, who had a reputation as a killjoy, smiled. Dira, had, to the crowd’s disappointment, emerged from Dario’s tunic, knelt up, and slowly rose to her feet kissing his tunic from belt buckle to collar. On her feet, Dira put her bound hands around his neck, kissed him thoroughly and passionately, lifted her bound arms, turned around to face the Builder, rolled her hips, put her raised arms around his neck and kissed him as thoroughly and passionately as she had kissed Dario, turned to face the crowd over the dais in front of and to her left and beyond Dario, waved with her bound hands and made slave lips. The noise was deafening.

Dario, while Atticus was instructing Ren and Harod, absentmindedly dropped his leash. Dira tossed her body and her head so the leash went over her left shoulder, behind her back and between her legs. She grabbed the leash as it flew up past her crotch creating a handle tie, turned her head to the left and said over her shoulder to the Builder, "Master, a girl begs her owner to secure his property." The Builder grabbed the leash between her shoulder blades and turned his hand so the leash put pressure on her sex. She rose and walked on her tiptoes. Naturally the crowd roared. I got aroused as I tried to figure out how she twisted her body to move the leash between her legs into her hands. The Leash Dance must be very sophisticated.

2. The Kiss

I stood behind my slave, who was terrified, totally helpless and naked with her hands thonged behind her back. Atticus tapped the shoulders of Ren and Harod and said, "Let's go." Dirk jerked the leash in his left hand. My slave stumbled and emitted a tiny moan. Dirk yelled, "Silence, slave!" He slapped her stomach with the flat of his sword. She yelped. He said, "I said, 'Silence!' Must a command be repeated?" She didn't respond. He back-handed her with his left hand, the hand holding her leash, and roared, "A Free Man asked you a question!” She stammered, “No... no." He backhanded her again and yelled, "No, what?" She stammered again, "No... no... Master... Master."

Once the party was organized, it was very slow going. Ren and Harod, sensing the arousal of the crowd, were uncharacteristically polite. "Citizens, we need to get to the House of Cornelius Desneti. Can you move?" The men immediately in front, while looking at Dira, tried to back up, but ran into several more ranks behind them. I turned my head to look at Dira, on her tiptoes with the thin leather leash running from the front of her collar over her left shoulder down her back through the fist of the Builder and disappearing into the cleft between those perfect globes. The humiliating handle tie controls a naked slave allowing the handler to put pressure on her throat or her sex. However every time Dira moved, the Builder followed. I turned my head further and said to the Builder, "You lucky tarsk." Keeping his eyes on Dira's sculptured back, he absentmindedly said, "Aye."

My slave, trembling in anticipation of the upcoming gauntlet, was the only one who needed to fear. Lady Julia in her robes and veils was obviously a Free Woman accompanying her Free Companion Geno, obviously to be venerated. Naked Dira had no worries as she wore a collar, clearly only confiscated property. The honey in a bees honeycomb with her parents in front, Dario on her left, Dirk on her right and Dira and my slave behind her and armored inside her robes, veils and slippers, Temi had nothing to fear. Those from the square knew she was self — not judicially — enslaved, no loathsome convict. Others would see a Free Woman, from her stature and position, the young daughter of Geno and Lady Julia. Of course, the men were obviously Guardsmen or Free Men. My slave, the sole target of the tormentors’ ire, larma, eggs, kitchen scraps and pebbles, had good reason to tremble.

We approached the eastern gate of the public square and headed for the south side of Slaver's Road, running from the public square to Slaver’s Square, wide enough for two typical tharlarion wagon carts traveling from opposite directions to pass each other with no margin to spare, with a culvert along each side, about a foot wide and a foot deep to drain rain water. Three inches of stagnant brackish water was at the bottom of each culvert. On the other side of the south culvert was a sidewalk, wide enough to let two normal sized men traveling from opposite directions pass on their left with a hort margin. Beyond the sidewalk were shops and market stalls.

Just beyond the gate on the south side of Slaver's Road, a score of Free Men and Free Women, carrying burlap bags, yelled vehemently, vigorously and vociferously, "traitorous slut" over and over. I expected Temi, Dira and, of course, my nameless slave to be distressed by this outpouring of unthinking hate. To my surprise, Lady Julia was also distressed. Dirk waved his sword and said, "Nothing above the neck, no pebbles larger than the joint of the little finger, no grabbing," over and over again. From just beyond the culvert, a street cleaner yelled "traitorous slut," reached into his bag, pulled out a rotten larma, threw it and hit the middle of my slave's right ribs. She grunted. The street cleaner threw another four rotten larmas. Amazingly, nothing splattered on Dirk or me. A furrier went into the culvert, yelled "traitorous slut" and grabbed her right breast. She gasped. He cupped her breast for twenty ihn until she finally pulled away. A girl, about ten, wearing a short sleeve, knee length tunic, screamed "traitorous slut" and threw a handful of gravel at my slave hitting her bare right hip. We passed the first group of tormentors. Fortunately for my slave, Dira's fans blocked the first group from moving with us. The next group was eight paces away. My normal walking speed is 17 paces per ehn. Because of the crowd attracted to Dira, we were crawling along very slowly at 3 paces every ehn, making very little progress down the street. The journey from the public square to Slaver's Square normally takes ten ehn. It would take us almost an ahn.

Ren, Harod, Dirk and Mirin were constantly alert, keeping individual members of the crowd from touching Geno, Lady Julia or Tenrik. Dira begged to be touched. My slave was very touchable as long as the touch was below the neck and not a grab. Although Dario often had his back to the crowd, the crowd made room and gave Dira space for her performance. Between the first and second groups of tormentors, Atticus said to Dirk, "How is it going?" Dirk said, "Most of them are looking over the slut's head to watch Dira." Dira, without interrupting the pulsation of individual muscles in her shapely butt, yelled to Dirk, "Master! Not all?! A girl will improve!" Dirk, despite the lapse in slave discipline, laughed uproariously, shook his head and said, "That's good, Dira!" She turned her back on him; the pulsation became a kaleidoscope and the crowd cheered. Even dour Dirk kept smiling.

Atticus growled in the direction of Dario, "First, she auctions herself off because that incompetent scribe freezes. Now, she secures herself because a trained Guardsman can't hang onto a leash!" As Dario squeezed past Geno to the vacant space behind Ren and next to Atticus, the Merchant moved into Dario's former spot in front of and to the left of Dira. As the Merchant slowly moved backwards -- we were moving a hort every ihn -- Dira, her bound wrists holding the leash handle in front of her crotch, yelled, "Master! A girl is grateful for the Master's interest in her,” made slave lips and smiled. The crowd roared. Gorean applause washed over our group. Dario turned, realized he had left a breach in the group's defenses, and said, "Sorry, sorry, Captain, do you want me to …” and looked at Dira gyrating from her left tiptoes to her right ones and back while the crowd roared. Atticus growled, "Don't bother. She can't run because the crowd adores her."

A voice from the crowd screamed, "Merchant! Feel those magnificent jugs!" Dira thrusts her breasts forward with a wiggle, causing her breasts to move slowly from side to side, capturing the eyes of every male around her as well as Temi's. Temi, walking backwards next to the Merchant, stared. No one besides me noticed the incongruous sight of a robed, veiled woman looking at a naked slave with admiration. Atticus growled at Dario, who, having lost his assigned spot, was walking backwards next to Atticus; turned his head; twisted his upper body to the left; looked over his shoulder at Dira; and growled, "You should have put her back in her woman's serving slave tunic." Dario said, "The policy is that slaves are kept naked ..."

Dira screamed, "Master! A slave begs your touch!" Voices from the crowd, yelled, "Touch her," "Suck on those nipples" and impossible suggestions for anyone under nine feet. The chants grew as well as the beat of Gorean applause. When the noise lessened, Atticus said to Dario, "I wrote the policy, but she's causing a riot." The Merchant put his hands on Dira's breasts. She screamed, "Master! Harder! Harder! Harder!" The crowd took up the chant, "Harder! Harder! Harder!" Dario said to Atticus, "Do you want me to ...?" 

As the Merchant pressed harder, Dira pushed back, twisting her body, and the Builder, his right hand in the loop of the handle tie, back and forth. The Builder was a tail to her kite. He wasn't upset, as his eyes devoured her stunning backside and glimpses of the sides of her breasts and flanks. Although there was some good-natured laughter at his predicament, there were more envious expressions. Atticus exclaimed, responding to Dario's questioning suggestion, "By the Priest Kings, no! We both would be lynched!”

The second group of tormentors in the gauntlet was similar to the first. Another four rotten larmas hit my nameless chattel on her right shoulder, right waist, hip, the outside of her right thigh, knee and calf. Her right breast was grabbed again. Dirk let an eight year old boy next to my slave. The kid, walking half sideways, half backwards, grabbed my slave's right thigh. My slave gasped, feeling his fingers around her thigh. Instead of physically tormenting her, the child said, "You're Filomena Viducia Barbietia?" My nameless slave sobbed, "I was." Dirk growled -- he couldn't cuff her -- and said, "He is a Free Man. Address him as Master!" Deeply humiliated, my slave obeyed. She looked at the child and said, "I was, Master." The kid said, "Your companion is Marden Stelcis?" My slave sobbed, "He was, Master." The kid said, "You two owned Barbietia & Stelcis?" My slave sobbed, "We did Master. Now I own nothing, Master, I am owned." The kid said, "Barbietia & Stelcis was supposed to deliver fifty tharlarion war saddles to the Fifth Cavalry two passings ago?" My slave said, "Yes Master." The kid said, "My father, Hobus Titus, was a scout with the Fifth. His old saddle broke and he had to make his own, using pieces of the old one. During battle the repairs failed, he fell under his own mount and his own tharlarion crushed him to death. You killed him." My slave cried. The kid let go, turned a quarter to Dirk, put his arms around Dirk; buried his head in the small of Dirk’s back and grieved for his father. Dirk, leash in left hand, sword in right hand and kid following him continued to watch the front and the sidewalk.

As the crowd roared, the Merchant asked, "Dira, where did you learn that move with the leash? I've never seen anything like that." While bouncing from one tip toe to the other over the leather leash running through her sex, mashing her breasts into the Merchant's hands and moving her ass up and down, she said, "Master, the House of Aurelius in Ar." Dario said to Atticus, "She's too beautiful!" Dira made slave lips and tilted her head side to side, while moving her pelvis, hips and breasts. The Merchant said, "I've been to Ar many times. Aurelius teaches that?" Atticus replied to Dario, "Aye, by the Priest Kings, she is, she is." As she arched her back and moved her shoulders side to side, she said, "No Master, it's too complicated to teach." She grinded her breasts into his hands. He said, "You said you learned the technique there." She pulled back from him, undulating her torso leaving her breast moving up and down, and said humbly, "Master, I created the technique."

Stunned, the Merchant stumbled and fell against Temi, who had also been walking backwards. She grabbed him. After a couple of steps stumbling backwards and then a couple of steps sideways supported by Temi, he turned to the front still leaning on her left shoulder. He quickly released her shoulder and said, "Forgive ...,” stopped and grabbed her as she stopped suddenly and started to kneel in her cumbersome robes. My nameless slave, back-bound, stumbled into Temi. Dirk snapped, "Clumsy slave!" Temi said, "Sorry Master." Dirk snapped, "Not you, the traitorous she-sleen!"

The Merchant put his right arm around Temi, pulled her to make up the five hort gap that had developed between them and the Gattusos, and said, "Forgive me Lady." Despite the kid embracing his waist from behind, Dirk struck my slave on the front of her right thigh and said, "That slave was attempting to perform obeisance to a Free Man. For failure to keep your eyes in front of you, that slave has whip rights over you and you will address her as Mistress." Temi said mischievously to the Merchant, "Master, I am no lady. I enslaved myself." The Merchant turned to Geno directly in front and to the right, held out a copper tarsk and said, "I'd like to converse with your slave for the rest of the trip. Is a tarsk enough?" Geno looked at the coin avariciously, said, "Of course," turned to Temi and said, "Daughter, be polite to the noble gentleman! For an ahn just to talk, he's given the family an ahn's profit." Dirk turned to me and, referring to the punishment he had just meted out to my slave, said, "Rykart, is that enough?" I said, "Dirk, yes." The Merchant seemed interested in buying Temi, although it was odd he paid a whole copper tarsk to interview a clothed immature slave. The Merchant said, "Temi." She said, "Yes Master." He said, "I command you to call me, "Vito." "Yes, Ma...Vito."

Temi and Vito turned to watch Dira and walked backwards. After ten ehn of discussion covering many topics, Vito said, "Why did you enslave yourself?" Temi said, "I want to die. I haven't slept for three weeks. Strange sensations flood my body. I disgraced my former House for letting Marcus abduct me. Slavery is legal death. I thought I would be stripped, branded and auctioned for a tarsk bit on the dais and my new owner would feed me to a sleen when he found out I was useless.” 

The next group of tormentors was the same as the first group. Six rotten larmas hit my slave’s right side, her right ass was stroked and her right breast was cupped. Lady Julia placed her right hand on her Free Companion's shoulder, turned her body, walked backwards, looked at my slave, and said, "Filomena." My slave said, "Mistress." She said, "Why did you betray our Home Stone?" My slave said, "I didn't betray our Home Stone.” Dirk, holding her leash with his left hand, his sword with his right and the kid still holding his waist from behind, said, "Slave, the Magistrate said you did. Slaves never contradict the free, and slaves don't have Home Stones." My slave said, "Sorry Master." Lady Julia said to Dirk, "Guardsman, I'd like to hear what the slave thinks, even if her opinions contradict the Magistrate," Dirk thought for an ihn and said, "Slave, tell the Lady your opinion. A slave's opinion is worthless, but Free Men respect the opinions of Free Women. But be respectful of Free Men."  My slave said, "Yes Master." Dirk turned to the current group and restated the rules.

My slave started to answer Lady Julia's question, “My former companion…” when the current group taunted her. Two rotten vulo eggs hit her right breast, coating her right torso with odiferous slime and shells. A man started lashing her with a five bladed slave whip. Dirk, pulling away from the child, and I both rushed the guy. Dirk said "Stop!" The man kept lashing. Together, we grabbed his arms. Dirk tied his hands behind his back. Atticus signaled to Ren and Harod to continue, and came to the shop where Dirk, the kid, my property, and I were standing over our prisoner and said, "You're under arrest for interfering with a Magistrate's order and obstruction of a public official's duty. You will be tried at the next public hearing. The usual penalty is ten lashes, but I will kill you if you become a problem. The man cried, "They killed my son!" Atticus said, "Who are they?" “That she-sleen Filomena Viducia Barbietia and the urt Marden Stelcis." Atticus asked, “How did they kill him?" The man said, "My only son was a member of the Fifth. The Fifth ran out of saddles. They had to cobble some together. The makeshift saddle broke in battle and he fell from his mount, and then was immediately speared by the enemy." Atticus looked at Dirk, who said, "What was your son's name?" The man said, "Hector Tiberius." Dirk swore, "The Priest Kings be damned, he was a buddy of mine! I will whip the damned she-sleen. Dirk used the confiscated whip and my slave cried out. Atticus turned to me and said, "The man is overcome by grief. If you will keep quiet, my lads will give you advanced sword lessons and introductory shield tactics." I said, "Yes Sir." Atticus untied the man's hands and said, "You owe Rykart a favor." The man said, "I'm Stabor Tiberius in the Western Hills. Call on me for that favor.” I said, "I will." Atticus pointed to the kid and said to Stabor, “This is the son of Hobus Titus, a comrade of your son. Can you get him home?” Stabor said, “Aye, Captain, on my son’s honor!” My slave sobbed as Dirk pulled her off the floor, naked, back-bound and freshly lashed, and led her to our pedestrian caravan, Atticus and I following. Since we were on the sidewalk side, the side away from Dira, we quickly caught up with our caravan, which had only traveled seven paces in the two ehn we had been gone.

As Dirk, my slave and I stepped over the culvert to rejoin the group, Lady Julia turned around, put her hand on her companion's shoulder, walked backwards, looked at my slave, and said, "Filomena, I'm waiting for an answer!" My slave, freshly beaten, gasped in pain and said pleadingly, "Mistress ..." Dirk roared, "Slave, a Free Person asked you a question! Do you want more lashes?" My slave said, "N... No Mas... Master." Turning to Lady Julia, gasping, she said, "My companion, Marden Stelcis, betrayed the Home Stone and me. He bought Dira," indicated Dira with her head, "with the government money and money of investors like him,” indicated Tenrik with her head, “gave Dira to me and said she was the woman's slave I always wanted.” She was perfect, so chaste, so demur." Lady Julia looked sharply at naked writhing Dira.

A man from the crowd said to Dira, "Show us your moves." Dira said, "Yes Master!" She wiggled her shoulders in a figure eight pattern, moved her torso in a vertical wave, moved her head in an intricate pattern and moved her hips in a figure 8. I noticed a vaccination dimple. I said in English in a voice just loud enough to carry, "Are you from Earth?" She licked Dario’s lips while on tip toes and pulled on the leash with her bound hands. Men stamped their feet. She said in English, in a voice only Vito, Temi, my slave, the Builder and I could hear, "Yes Master." She made a sinuous vertical wave moving her eye arresting breasts up and down sensuously and erotically. I asked, continuing in English, "How did you get here?" She rolled her hips. The crowd cheered. Dira continued, "I lived on the Bighorn River in Montana, on the Crow Indian reservation near the Lazy F Ranch."

Since Vito paid Geno a copper tarsk for conversation with Temi for the rest of the trip, they had been deep in conversation with Tito asking questions and listening intently to her long answers. For a man with enough silver to push Dira's price to fifty silver tarsk, it was odd to see him in a deep conversation with an immature slave wearing the full regalia of a Free Woman. Both Vito and Temi walked backwards with an arm around the other's waist, an odd way for a Gorean Free Man to handle a kajira. Although both watched Dira, they often looked into each other's eyes. Vito looked more like a McDonald's franchise owner in Phoenix interviewing a local high school student for a summer job than a wealthy Gorean man.

My slave continued to answer Lady Julia, "Now I know Marden planned to take Dira. The night before the guardsmen came, he came into the house. I couldn't sleep. He said, 'Where is Dira?' I said, 'She's in the kitchen preparing a sleep potion. Why?' He said, 'Just curious. I've got to get back to work. I came for some papers.' Now, I know why he came." Lady Julia turned, looked over at Dira over her daughter's head and said, "Dira." Dira, finished kissing Dario to the rhythmic applause, turned her head and said "Yes Mistress." Were you chaste and demure?" Dira said, "No man used me, while I was Mistress' slave. My behavior was proper as Mistress' slave."

While Lady Julia talked with Dira, another group tormented my slave. Amid the score of Free Men, Free Women and children in this group of tormentors, was a group of four twelve-year old girls. They were prepubescent, so they wore below-the-knee, sleeves-to-the-mid forearms, high-necklines tunics in their families' caste colors. They lined the edge of the sidewalk with their arms over their neighbors’ shoulders and chanted "traitorous slut" over and over again. A Free Woman wearing the yellow and blue colors of the Slaver's caste threw two more eggs against my slave's right breast. Two eight year old boys threw pebbles against her right thigh.

Dira rolled her big breasts and large ass in opposing figure eight’s. The crowd roared, fists struck shoulders and I goggled. She continued in English, "I was looking for medicinal herbs in the river." She opened her mouth and moved her tongue in a circular motion. Syncopated Gorean applause followed. Still in English, she said, "A couple of cowboys grabbed me, took off my clothes, put me in a stockade, branded and collared me and put me on a spaceship to Gor." She pulled the leash up with her bound hands, writhed and squirmed on her toes. The Builder was transfixed as his hand, twisted in her leash, moved up and down and her buttocks rolled. The crowd cheered. In English and a low voice, she continued, "I ended up in the House of Aurelius in Ar." She moved forward, the leash straining against her sex, and then back although the Builder followed her motions. More Gorean applause. In English, Dira said, "First I was trained as a woman's slave, then as a pleasure slave, then as a dancer." She made slave lips, nodded her head and moved her hands in a little wave. The crowd cheered.

Dira turned to my bedraggled slave and said in Gorean, "Mistress, a slave is sorry.” Dira wiggled her ass to another cheer from the crowd. My slave said sadly, “I’m just like you now.” Dira moved her ass up and down with a sinuous wave. The crowd cheered. She said to my filthy slave, “You’ll always be my Mistress,” and gave her a long lingering kiss. The crowd responded with loud and raucous laughter and ribald comments. My slave was mortified to be the center of attention of a crowd of lustful men. Temi, who had turned her eyes away from Vito when the ribald comments began, was excited. Vito followed Temi's eyes and looked at Dira with interest and speculation. Lady Julia, who had turned her head to see what her daughter was looking at, gasped and snapped her head back.

3. Near Riot.

Lady Julia was uncomfortable to be the lone Free Woman in a sea of aroused men. She looked at Atticus for reassurance. He looked at her and said, "Lady Julia, I am sorry. I know it's a terrible day to lose a daughter." She snapped, "She'll always be my daughter, free or... or slave..." Atticus said, "My apologies, Lady." She sobbed, "Why did the Magistrate encourage my precious child to submit?" Atticus said, "That monster ruined her for freedom. He killed Lady Temione Gattuso just as much as if he’d slit her throat." She wailed, "She's only a child." He consoled, "Yes, that monster preyed on the weak." "But why should she be sentenced to slavery for his crimes?" Atticus said, "She wasn't sentenced. Look at that traitorous she-sleen," pointing to my slave coated in overripe larma and rotten vulo eggs. Atticus continued, "The Magistrate accorded her the dignity of modesty, no binding, a private branding and collaring and no stay in the city pens." She wailed, "But enslavement for my modest, chaste, obedient child!" Atticus said, "In time, your child would have been found unsuitable to be a Free Woman and treated like that," pointed to my filthy, freshly branded slave, currently the target of pebbles thrown by small children, and said, "Pardon, Lady Julia, but I must return to my duties.” She said, "Thank you, Captain."

The conversation between Atticus and Lady Julia had distracted me from my arousal watching Dira passionately kissing my naked, back-bound, crying slave. The Builder had ignored my English conversations with his new slave, the very talented Dira. He had been generally befuddled as he watched her backside and followed where she led. She reminded me of a dog leading its owner in the pursuit of a cat. The Builder reminded me of the dog that finally caught a car. When Dira kissed my nameless slave, the Builder stiffened, looked at my bedraggled slave, hesitated, turned to me and said diffidently, "Pardon, I've been rude. I'm Tenrik Vitellius." I said, "I'm Rykart. No apologies necessary. You have a new slave." "As do you," Tenrik paused, hesitated and continued, "There are private clubs. They cost a gold to join and members can bring guests." Dira pulled Tenrik toward the crowd. She did something new, combining a pelvic and breasts thrust, the reason for Tenrik's sudden movement.

Tenrik said, "The clubs cater to a preference to watch two kajirae using each other.” My slave stiffened in horror. Dira moved Tenrik's hand again. The crowd roared. Tenrik continued, “The problem is that at the end of the performance, there are only two kajirae and a whole room of men. Of course, there are the naked serving sluts, but they are little better than paga sluts. Dira is more arousing than any kajirae in those clubs." Somehow, through the crowd noise, Dira heard. She interrupted her current routine, turned to her left, and faced Tenrik. His right hand, trapped in the handle tie embraced her left side. Her bound hands pulled by the leash against her groin, she melted into his torso and screamed above the rising roar, "Thank you Master! A girl is pleased to be pleasing!" The Gorean applause became rhythmic and there were screams of "Kiss! Kiss!" She turned her head and kissed him the same way she kissed my slave. The crowd roared and there were screams of "Harder! Harder!" Tenrik missed the cue. Dira pressed her lips harder and suctioned him hard. I had never seen anything like it. The crowd went into a frenzy. Atticus looked, shook his head ruefully and, using hand signals, directed Dario and Mirin to close in on Dira and keep the crowd from getting too close. The men next to her had been caressing her breasts and ass but no one had seized her. Atticus moved Ren slightly back and Atticus himself moved closer to Dira.

Dira ended her kiss, turned away from Tenrik, faced the crowd and brought the temperature of the crowd down by waving her bound hands still holding the handle of the leash, nodding her head and smiling as she accepted a thunderous Gorean applause and cheers. Atticus shook his head ruefully, directed Ren, Dario and Mirin back to their previous positions, turned to Dario, who was next to him, and said -- I could barely make out his words -- "Dario, keep anyone from interfering with Dira, and don't interfere with her!" Dario said, flabbergasted, "Don't interfere with a kajira?" Atticus responded, "Our seven swords can't control this crowd, we'd kill only a score before we're overrun. Dira is playing the crowd like a well tuned kalika. Do you understand?" Dario said "Aye, Captain." Atticus ordered, "Follow her lead. If she wants to fuck you on the street, give your sword to Rykart and take the fucking." Dario grinned and said, "My pleasure, Captain!" Atticus said, "I'm sure it is," and waved Dario to the spot next to Dira.

Dario turned to face the crowd, went by Geno, who moved Lady Julia half a spot closer to the sidewalk, so Geno could move into the half spot vacated, leaving Dario a path through the third rank. Vito squeezed into half of Temi's space by hugging her like a father embracing a young daughter, not a master holding a kajira. Dario moved into the left outside position of the fifth rank when Dira moved into the central spot pushing my slave from straddling the right and central spots to the right spot, taking advantage of the fact that naked slaves with no personal space and back bound require less space than clothed free persons.

Temi and Vito continued to talk through the rising tension in the crowd. I overheard snatches of a sophisticated conversation about honor. Although a young baker's daughter, she had thought a lot about honor. To my surprise, Vito did not subscribe to Dirk's opinion that a slave's opinion was worthless. He listened intently, asked a few questions and offered his opinion. Temi also reflected on her recent misfortunes. Temi said, "Buy me, Vito. The burden of honor is too much for me. You can put me out of my misery." Vito said, "Is there nothing you want?" Temi said, "I want to be just like Dira." Instead of laughing at the dreams of an immature foolish kajira, he patted her gloved hands and said, "Would you dedicate your life?" She looked at Dira, still holding the handle of the leash forming the handle tie and on her tiptoes and breathed, "Yes."

Tenrik had recovered from Dira's kiss. Tenrik said to me, "Chemistry between the performing kajirae is critical. I've seen the chemistry present and absent. Dira and your kajira have the strongest chemistry I've ever seen ..." My kajira froze as she understood the implications. She looked at me with pleading eyes. I turned my attention to Tenrik, who had continued to talk, despite my momentary lapse of attention, "... Visit me. Bring your new kajira. We could have a private show. ..." I noticed the expression of absolute horror, through the tears on my kajira's face. This time Tenrik noticed my lapse, followed my eyes to my terrified slave, laughed and said, "I like it when one kajira pretends to be forced. Even better if she isn’t pretending!" My kajira stood in shock at the realization that she would have to do repugnant actions if they pleased her master.

Tenrik, his right hand still trapped in the leash between her shoulder blades, turned as his hand moved. I looked. Dario was holding Dira's bare shoulders in both hands. She was kissing him repeatedly, moving her way slowly from the right cheek under his chin, down and up his throat and to the other cheek. The crowd noise diminished as the crowd absorbed the impact. Dario looked a bit white as the impulse to seize her warred with an impulse to flee the sensations in his body, but his Captain's orders were explicit, "Follow her lead." After inexcusably dropping her leash, which she quickly seized and turned into a prop, he wasn't going to disobey any orders no matter how unpleasant. From the murmuring of the men around him, they would love to be in his sandals. Atticus seemed amused at Dario's predicament.

Several ehn later, Dira finished and said, "Thank you Master! Was Master pleased?" The crowd roared. One man said, "A stone would be pleased." Another man said, "I was pleased just watching." There was a chorus of "me, too." Dira, naked, on tiptoes, smiled lasciviously, looked into Dario's eyes, her bound hands holding the handle of the leash that ran under her crotch through Tenrik's fist over her left shoulder to the front of her steel collar, and waited as several ihn passed. A man yelled, "Guardsman, is she too much for you?" Dario stammered, "Yes ... yes, Dira ... Dira ..." Before the crowd could rag Dario, she screamed, "Thank you! A girl is pleased to be pleasing!" A roar and rhythmic applause followed.

Tenrik turned to face me. Before I could speak, he said, "We could swap. I've seen your eyes on Dira." I looked at Dira, magnificent in her nudity and exciting hundreds of men and then at my bedraggled slave covered in larma and eggs, turned to face Tenrik and said, "Why settle for dried bread crust when you can have tabuk steak?" Tenrik said, "Marden Stelcis cheated me. Revenge rape and punishment on that urt's partner suits me. I promise, no permanent damage. I looked at Dira, accepting cheers and applause from the men, and at my slave, horrified at being punished further for Marden Stelcis's crimes, decided that giving her use to a vengeful man will impress her slavery on her. Dira turned her body and head to the right, looked at me, smiled, walked to me on her tiptoes and kissed me on the lips. She flicked her feathery lips over my lips, kissed me for half an ehn, pulled back and screamed, "Master! A slave begs use!" The crowd cheers. I'm stunned at both Dira's kiss and being the focus of the crowd. Tenrik reaches over his right hand locked in the handle tie attached to Dira, grips my left shoulder with his free hand and says, "Well, friend?" Still partially stunned by the kiss, I say, "Yes, friend." Dira yells, "Thank you Master! A girl is grateful!" There is more rhythmic applause.

Dira, her eyes gleaming with joy, tiptoed over to my slave and yelled, "Mistress!" The crowd roared. She kissed my slave longer and harder than the first kiss. The frenzy increased. Tenrik is in rapture, watching bound Dira kiss my slave and, without turning his head, breathed, "Thank you, friend, I get the best food and paga. We will each have two naked sluts, one for food, the other for use. This will be better than any private club.” Dira breaks off her kiss and says, “Mistress!" The crowd yells. My slave sobs, "I am just like you now." Dira says quietly, "You'll always be Mistress to me," turns back to Dario and yells, "Master!" The crowd yells. A little apprehensively, Dario approaches. Atticus, watching, chuckles. Dira, her wrists bound and holding the leash running under her groin, thrusts out her breasts. On Earth, I had looked at Playboy, Penthouse and Hustler. I had never seen breasts as magnificent as Dira, especially in motion. They begged to be held. Dira screamed, "A slave begs Master's touch!" The frenzy increased. I thought, Oh my God! Dario touched her left breast tentatively. The crowd booed. Dira yelled, "Harder, a slave humbly begs!" The crowd started yelling in rhythm, "Harder, harder, harder." Dario stepped closer and cupped her left breast. She yelled, "More! A slave begs!" He cupped her right breast with his other hand. The frenzy went up another notch. She screamed, "Harder! A slave is needy!" Another notch. He stepped next to her and pushed his hands into her breasts. Yet another notch. Temi's eyes glistened as she looked. Atticus watched with concern. The crowd was on the precipice. Suddenly she leaned at the waist. I knew Tenrik was following her; the crowd assumed she couldn't get any closer. She pushed her breasts into Dario’s hands and kissed him. 

Dario flinched! The crowd laughed! A voice from the crowd said, "Too hot for him!" Another voice responded, "Too hot for me." The other Guardsmen laughed. Atticus laughed, walked over to Dario, clapped him on the left shoulder and said, "Good job, Dario!" Dario shook his head. Dira said to him, "Master." He looked at her apprehensively, "Dira?" She said, "A slave begs a kiss." The crowd chuckled. He walked up to her. She turned her head slightly and kissed him slowly. The crowd calmed down. She finished her kiss and yelled, without the earlier excitement, "Master! A slave is grateful." The crowd cheered and applauded Gorean style. A voice yelled, "Good job Guardsman, you should be a Player. You're the best actor in Argentum." A chorus of voices joined in, praising Dario's thespian abilities. Even dour Dirk said, "That was amazing, Dario!" and chuckled. Atticus walked to a pace from Dario and joined the applause. After several ihn, he walked over to Dira, cupped her left breast, stroked her left ass, said in his carrying command voice, "Great performance, Dira!" and gave her the kiss of a Master, mashing her lips and thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth. The crowd cheered that Atticus was rewarding Dira. When he finished, Dira said loudly, "Master! A slut is pleased to be pleasing." He ruffled her hair. The crowd broke into rhythmic applause, steady, not frenzied, and chanted rhythmically, "Dira! Dira! Dira!"

4. The Gauntlet.

My nameless slave, condemned for breach of contract and treason, traveled through a gauntlet of angry citizens on her trip from the public square, where she had been condemned, lashed, enslaved, stripped and branded, to the House of Cornelius Desneti, where she would be measured, assessed and certified. We had already encountered at least five groups of tormentors from the crowd. Like the last one, the next group consisted of a score of men, women and children armed with larma, vulo eggs and pebbles. Dirk, her leash holder, announced the rules: nothing above the neck, no pebbles larger than the last joint of the little finger, groping but no grabbing. A man in the sixth group went to the side of my slave, said "Slave, turn your head." She turned her head. Dirk said, "A man commanded you." She said, "Yes, Master." The man gave my slave the kiss of a Master. She also was the target of two overripe larma and four rotten vulo eggs.

Dira finished pushing her breasts into a fisherman. Vito said to Tenrik, "How about a couple of copper tarsks for two ehn of Dira's time?" Tenrik quipped, "Two ehn? You can last that long?" Dira, Temi and Vito laughed. My slave looked horrified. Tenrik said, "Take two ehn, no charge. Any longer and we will both be torn limb from limb." Dira laughed. As Dira and Tenrik walked forward, and Temi and Vito walked backward, Vito said, "Dira, how did you come from Ar to Argentum?" "Marlenus saw me perform and offered Aurelius 100 golden tarns and his friendship. A couple of years later, Marlenus gave me to Claudius Pikus after General Pikus' victories in the Vosk. When Master Pikus was killed, I was sold in Lydia. I was owned by Markus Sentos until he sold me to the House of Diamandes ..." Vito interrupted, "Sorry, are you sure it was the House of Diamandes?" Dira replied, "Yes Master. Every slave girl in Argentum wants to be sold in the main auction room of that house. I saw the logo on the wall. It is ..." Vito interrupted, "I know the logo." Dira continued, "I was sold through a private sale to Marden Stelcis." Vito asked in a puzzled tone, "Private sale? Who was the agent?" Dira replied, "Achmed Akbar." "Thank you," said Vito. He turned to Temi, "Do you have any questions?" Temi asked Dira, "Are you happy?" Dira replied in a serious tone, "Mistress, deliriously so." Vito said, "My two ehn are up. Better get back to your fans before your master and I are torn limb from limb!" Dira and Tenrik, attached to her through the loop of the handle tie, turned toward the street.

Temi and Vito, his left arm around her, walked backward. Temi said "Master?" He corrected her, "Vito." Temi said, “Vito, I beg you to buy and feed me to a sleen.” Both Geno and Lady Julia stiffened. Lady Julia sobbed. Vito asked, "Why do you want to be fed to a sleen?" Temi replied, "I'm worthless. As a Free Woman, I had slave responses to Marcus Piero. As a slave, I am worthless. I am immature. I have small breasts and slim hips. I am lousy in the furs." Vito asked, "How do you know you're lousy in the furs?" Temi replied, "Marcus Piero told me." Vito patted her hand and said, "My dear, I have some business. I'll be back before you enter the House of Desneti." Temi said, "Thank you, Mas ..." Vito interrupted, "Vito." Temi said, "Vito, a slave is grateful." Vito laughed and ruffled her hair through her hood.

Dira continued to engage the crowd, in a calm, engaged manner. She remained in the self-inflicted handle tie, which controlled Tenrik more than her. The crowd continued to stay close. Some were good naturedly making ribald comments about Dira's breasts and ass. In each case, she’d respond brightly, “Thank you Master!” and invite strokes of her magnificent breasts and ass. She kissed and kissed freely. To suggestions for oral sex, she responded in a seductive voice, “Master! I want to, but I'm in a handle tie.” Dario stayed close. Occasionally, she would kiss or nuzzle him. After one such kiss, I said in English, "You're beautiful!" She replied in English, "Thank you, Master." She offered her left breast to one man and her right breast to another and smiled as they cupped her breasts.

I turned to Tenrik and said, "Are you going to rename Dira?" He laughed, "The most famous kajira in Argentum? Hardly! Names are an important aspect of slave discipline. Retaining a previous name leaves a girl an identity she cherishes. She will give perfect service to keep her name. Dira's current identity is a valuable asset for me. Tomorrow, she will be more famous than me! The powerful will visit me to see Dira for themselves. Renaming demonstrates a master's power over her very identity. Taking away her name is the ultimate power turning a girl into a commodity, a livestock, a mere object."

The next group of tormentors, many wearing the caste colors of eatery workers, brought buckets of aged kitchen waste whose odiferous odor made me nauseous, and dumped the putrid slimy rubbish on my slave. My filthy bedraggled slave leaned over at the waist and heaved vomit into the culvert. She looked up, her face in agony, her teary eyes miserable. Dirk pulled her along after she stumbled a bit. A man came from the side, put his left hand on her ass and moved his hand toward the division between her buttocks. She protested, "Master!" Dirk said, "Slut, your body belongs to men. They can do anything and everything to you." She cried, “Yes, Master!”

As we walked toward another group, Temi turned her head and said to my nameless slave, "Mistress?" My slave, her naked body covered with filth and vomit on her chin, said, "Yes, Mistress?" Temi said, "How can you stand it?" My slave said, "I can't but I have no choice." Temi said, "It will get better." My slave said, "No," looked at me, and said, "I met my owner when I was free. He believes women are naturally subservient to men. He believes the whip will teach me. I can't take the whip. I wanted to die rather than face the shame of slavery, but I can't take the whip. I'll do anything to avoid the whip and my owner knows that," looked at me, turned back to Temi and said, "Why did you choose slavery?" Temi said, "I need the touch of men."

A teamster stroked Dira's left ass. Temi watched Dira with fascination and said, “Mistress …” Lady Julia turned her head and interrupted, “Child, she’s a slave!” Temi said, “And so am I, Mistress.” Lady Julia turned her head back to the front. Temi repeated, "Mistress ..." Dira said, “Mistress, I’m a naked slave, Call me Dira.” Temi said, “I, I … am, am … a, a … slave, slave. Call me Temi.” Dira laughed, “Mistress, I better not. Someone might think you are a Free Woman and punish me severely if I call you anything but Mistress.” Temi said, "Dira, how do I get to be like you?” “Mistress, accept you will be nothing but a slave whose only purpose is to serve.” Temi said with a quavering voice, “Th... thank y... you, Mis... Mistre... Mistress.” 

Lady Julia said, "Dira, are you happy?" Dira said, "Yes, Mistress." Temi perked up. Lady Julia said, "But you are a slave." Dira said, "Mistress is right. I am a slave."  Lady Julia said, "But you are a slut!" Dira said, "Mistress is right. I am a slut."  Lady Julia said, "But you are naked." Dira said, "Mistress, I like showing my body to men."  Lady Julia said, "But you are raped regularly." Dira said, "Mistress, it’s not rape to me, I have needs and crave the touch of men."  Lady Julia said, "But men can use you whenever they want." Dira said, "Mistress, I love having no choice. I can just be instead of fretting about the future." Lady Julia said, "You have no choice in who uses you." Dira said, "Mistress, I love everyone." Temi perked up. Lady Julia said, "You can be used like an animal." Dira said, "Mistress, I am an animal." Lady Julia said, "You could be whipped." Dira said, "Mistress, I am thrilled to be subject to discipline."

The next set of tormentors included a Free Woman, wearing shabby robes and an opaque veil, and a Free Man. As we approached the group, the man went to the other people in the group, mostly poor kids from the insula. I saw him give tarsk bits to the kids for their vulo eggs. The kids threw down their pebbles and headed for a store. He talked to a poor couple, who gave him their eggs and he gave them several tarsk bits. The Free Woman stepped over the culvert next to my slave, grabbed my slave's right shoulder, pushed her into the center spot of the fifth rank and walked sideways accompanying my slave. My slave kept her eyes down no doubt wondering what new indignities were in store. The Free Man departed with his expensive rotten vulo eggs. Dirk had observed the entire byplay and assumed the Free Woman was one of my slave's former friends saying goodbye. There was something vaguely familiar about her. I was already behind my slave. I moved as close as I could. The woman turned to face me; I looked into her big brown eyes above the veil as she said, "Tal Rykart". The voice, the eyes, the unusual maneuvering into our group next to my slave created an intuitive recognition. 

“Lady Cosima Polamca?" I asked. She held up her gloved hand with her fingers extended. 

"Yes, Rykart, you remember." 

I lightly kissed her finger tips and said, “Did you come to say goodbye to your friend?”

"Hardly, a proper Free Woman can't be a friend with a slut." Tears came to the eyes of my slave.

"Then why are you here?"

"Marden Stelcis wanted a description of his former companion." My slave began to cry.

"Where is he?"

"Torcadino."

"Why are you here? Are you business partners?”

"You don't get it, barbarian?"

"Get what?"

"Marden and I are lovers." She added sarcastically, "Lady 'Free Women are Happier' Filomena Viducia Barbieta never suspected. While she prattled endlessly to you several weeks ago at the Talendar Blossom that Free Women are happier because they have choices, I was unhappy." My slave sobbed. Lady Cosima continued, 

"She was in the way of my happiness. She would never agree to dissolving her companionship with Marden early, so he countersigned the ultimatum and deliberately failed to sign a delivery extension request. At the right time, an associate reported him." My slave sobbed, realizing she had been betrayed into permanent slavery by her companion and business partner. Lady Cosima, looking behind my slave's head at gyrating Dira, said,

"It's too bad Marden couldn’t retrieve his pleasure slut. It is so delicious that you own Filomena. She said you were a stupid, ignorant, uneducated barbarian only suitable for menial work." My slave stiffened, her confidences as a Free Woman, betrayed by her best friend to her new master. I said,

"I should report you." 

"My friend, Lady Claudia Frinsal, is at the Talendar Blossom, with my serving slave, dressed in my robes, veils and slippers. Lady Claudia covered my affair with delectable Marden ..."

My slave sobbed. Dirk smiled, satisfied Lady Cosima was humiliating my slave, although he couldn't hear her as she was facing me. Lady Cosima didn't pause,

"...and I covered up her affair with her dashing Physician. My serving slave, a former Scribe, is delighted to pretend to be a Free Woman."

"I'll report you."

"The authorities won't take the word of a barbarian over the word of two high caste Free Women and several witnesses who will swear they saw and talked to me. Some shopkeepers only know my disguised serving slave as Lady Cosima. Of course," shaking my slave's right shoulder, she continued, "a slave's testimony is taken under torture ..." My slave stiffened. Lady Cosima continued,

"And what is the point?"

"Justice."

"You are delightful, dear Rykart. I see why Filomena has a crush on you!" My slave stiffened as her former best friend revealed her darkest secret as a Free Woman. Lady Cosima laughed, 

"Slander of a high caste Free Woman by a low caste Free Man is punishable with ten lashes. Do you want to risk the whip?"

I flashed back to Krog's brutal punishment with a bull whip and my slave's severe punishment with the lighter slave whip, and said reluctantly,

"No."

"Do you think anyone would believe your preposterous claim that the prominent Lady Cosima would be walking unaccompanied on Slaver's Road?" I shook my head. She continued,

"And what do you get? Being a lover is not conduct unbecoming a Free Woman. Alerting the authorities to wartime treason is not a crime. My darling Marden..." My slave sobbed, her beautiful bare breasts moving in and out. Lady Cosima didn't miss a beat, 

"... could be sued by Filomena's estate, but they have to get him into Argentum court. He's bird food if they succeed. So what's the point?"

I thought about my slave, and said sadly, "Filomena."

Lady Cosima let out a delightful laugh, "Oh, you Slave World barbarians and your ridiculous concerns for natural slaves!" She continued, "Even if the Magistrate finds he mistakenly enslaved Filomena, he can’t free her. Slavery and impalement are both permanent and irrevocable. No one here can free those judicially enslaved.”

Another sobbed racked my slave's filthy, naked back bound body. Lady Cosima continued,

"I don't know any city, even our enemy Corcyrus, that would allow a slave judicially enslaved in Argentum to be freed." My slave shuddered at the permanence of her slavery. Lady Cosima laughed and said in a mocking tone,

"Rykart, do you want Gorean lessons from me? I'm afraid Filomena is permanently unavailable."

"No."

"I thought so. I was delighted that Filomena's silly barbarian purchased her. Not only is it delightful and ironic that Filomena's crush owns her, but there was so much I wanted Filomena to know. A high caste scribe can't have a conversation with other people's chattel but she can with a barbarian. This Free Woman," nodded to indicate herself, continued, "is much happier now than this kajira," shaking my slave's shoulder violently, and finished,

"Bye, dear Rykart. Come by the Talendar Blossom" and held out the fingers of her left hand, the fingers of her right hand holding onto the bare shoulder of my slave. I could not kiss Lady Cosima's fingers. I was disgusted with her and a little frightened by what she had said. I didn’t know how to react or what to say and then meekly said,

"Bye, Lady Cosima."

She let go of my slave's right shoulder, turned toward me to face the culvert, stepped over the culvert and walked away from me.

5. Theft

The Gattuso family formed a triangle with the parents in front, Lady Julia on the right and Temi behind them. The mother, Lady Julia, was recounting her conversation with Atticus, "I asked the Captain, why did the Magistrate encourage my precious child to submit? He said, ‘That monster ruined her for freedom and he killed Temione just as much as if he had slit her throat.’” She wailed, "She's only a child." Their daughter, Temi, said, "Mistress, the Magistrate is right, Marcus ruined me for freedom, just as much as if he had killed me." Lady Julia snapped, “‘Mistress!’ I’m your mother!” Temi said, “Mistress, you’re free. I'm a slave. In an ahn, I’ll have a brand.” She turned and pointed at my bedraggled naked slave bearing whip marks and covered with filth, and said, "Look what happened to the former high caste lady when she forgot to call a Free Man Master." Lady Julia burst into tears and muttered, “My darling child, my darling child.” Geno Gattuso said, “It won’t be so different. We’ll call you your childhood nickname, Temi. You’ll do the same things: sweep the floor, take pastries from the oven, sell to the customers.” Temi said in a tremulous voice, “What about my n… needs?” Geno Gattuso looked distraught. “I can’t satisfy your needs.” Temi said, “Master, you could rent me out. I could help the family." Lady Julia wailed. Geno Gattuso turned to the front.

We continued walking. Lady Julia again turned, put her right hand on the right shoulder of her companion, looked at Dira over Temi's head and said, "Dira." The crowd grumbled at the Free Woman monopolizing Dira. Atticus looked concerned. Dira finished kissing a man, smiled and with her head indicated Lady Julia. He smiled, lightly caressed her left breast and turned away. Dira turned to face Lady Julia and said pleasantly, "Yes, Mistress." Lady Julia said, "You could be killed." Dira said, "Mistress, It thrills me to know I could be culled like an animal."

Temi said to her father, "Master, I want to see that monster impaled. I want his last sight to be me collared and wearing a slave tunic. I'll lift the hem of my tunic and show him my brand." Geno said, "It would add insult." Lady Julia promised, "I will always love you." Temi bowed her head and said, "Thank you Mistress." Lady Julia cried more. Temi wailed, "Master, I'm sorry I have dishonored the family. Geno said, "Daughter, you haven't dishonored the family of Gattuso. That animal ruined you." Temi said, "But my feelings, my needs ..." Her father said, "Free Women are protected from their needs. Your mother and I protected you from those needs until that Priest Kings be damned animal raped you again and again. You should have been Free Companioned where those needs could have been satisfied with honor leading to grandchildren for your mother and me. Once you had children your needs would have been satisfied nurturing them."

Dira finished giving a metal worker a long open mouthed kiss, and encouraged a butcher to squeeze her breast. Dira finished kissing the candlemaker and presented her left thigh to a furrier for him to stroke.

A Free Woman, a peasant, in the next group dumped kitchen scraps on the right shoulder of my slave. The waste cascaded down her right torso, hip and leg. The Free Woman screamed, "You're a slut!" My slave said, "Yes, Mistress." "Kneel and kiss my feet." My slave looked horrified at humbling herself to the lowest caste. She was a high caste Scribe. Dirk started to turn toward the peasant when Atticus passed him and said, "Pardon, Lady, but we are late." The peasant said, "surely the slut can wait to be processed to show proper obeisance to the free.” Attics indicated the Gattuso family with his head, "I am escorting the noble baker, Geno Gattuso, his Free Companion and his daughter to a ceremony formalizing a change in their daughter's status." The peasant exclaimed, "Like a Free Companionship!" He said, "Sort of."

The peasant turned to Geno Gattuso and said, "Noble Baker! Congratulations, you must be so proud of your daughter!" Geno Gattuso lifted his right arm and gave a small wave. The peasant turned to Lady Julia, "Lady, you must be so proud! Lady Julia burst into tears. Atticus reassured the peasant, "She is overcome with joy!" The peasant turned to Temi, "Congratulations, young Lady!" Lady Julia burst into fresh tears. Temi curtsied.

A few ehn later, we reached the last group, standing just before the Slaver's Gate, which opened into Slaver's Square, around which were the great Slave Houses of Argentum. My slave screamed as a man from this group came to her side, picked her up, threw her over his left shoulder, her back to the rear, put his right forearm over the back of her knees, put his left hand over her sex and turned. Dirk told me later that the thief most likely intended to run into the service entrance of a nearby Slave House, where a confederate would hide my property among the livestock of the Pit, a large, squalid, cavernous dungeon in each House, where slaves were chained to rings in the walls and on the floor. I rushed toward my property, with my sword ready, which I had been holding the entire trip, Harod turned around and went toward the thief, Atticus, from his position in the center of the second rank, turned toward the sidewalk. Ren and Mirin, remaining in their positions, lifted their swords to a high attack position. Dario was in the middle of a long lingering kiss from Dira. Despite Dira's self-inflicted handle tie, Dario couldn't break contact. Most of the crowd was unaware of the theft on the other side of Dira.

Although Harod, Atticus and I ran at full speed, Dirk struck the man on the head with the flat of his sword, who, stunned, dropped my slave to the ground, where she whimpered on her right side, the side covered with kitchen glop, protecting her from scratches and blunting her fall. With her hands tied behind her back, she was unable to rise. Atticus and Harod moved to the man on the ground. Ren moved to the front. Atticus tapped Dirk, who had his sword at the man's throat. Dirk rose. He looked at the crowd and said, "Rykart, can you check your property?" I said, "Of course." My slave's leash was still in Dirk's left hand. Unlike Dario, he hung onto his leash. I went to my slave and checked her injuries. Touching her naked and bound body and knowing I owned her aroused me greatly. Among Dirk, Ren in the front and Mirin in the left rear, all sectors were covered. 

Atticus and Harod quickly searched the man on the ground, tied his hands behind his back and slapped his face to wake him. The man stirred and moaned, "What?" Atticus said, "You're under arrest for theft, interfering with a Magistrate's order and obstruction of a public official's duty. You will be tried at the next public hearing. Since I know you will be convicted, I will kill you if you don't come along quietly.” My slave asked incredulously, "Theft?" I said, "You're property, chattel, an object, livestock." She looked horrified and wailed. I said, "Does anything hurt?" She said, "Everything." I said, "Any broken bones?" She said, "I don't think so." I lifted her up and put her on her unsteady feet.  Atticus had leashed the thief and given the leash to Harod. Atticus and Ren resumed their regular positions in the middle of the second rank and the left front corner respectively. During our stop, Dira entertained the crowd. From the cheers, Dario's expression of shock and the silly grin on Mirin's face, she had pulled out all the stops, as we say in Arizona.

Just before we resumed our trip, Atticus said, "Rykart, can you come to the next public hearing, which will contain the trial for the thief we caught today? The Magistrate prefers to have civilian witnesses, if possible. Bring your property. She's evidence. I will have a Physician at the House of Cornelius Desneti examine her for damage and prepare a report although the Magistrate may personally examine her on the dais. "Yes, of course,” I answered.  Atticus then asked Tenrik to attend the hearing and he agreed.

Just after we resumed our slow trip, Temi turned to Dira and said, "How can I become a Pleasure Slave?" Dira said, "That's not up to you. Your Master must pay a Slave House to train and certify you." Temi said, "So I will be a mat and kettle or a paga slave?" "Maybe not?" said Vito, squeezing through the crowd. He walked up to Geno Gattuso and said, “Master Gattuso." Geno turned his head and said, "Call me Geno. What can I do for you?" Vito said, "I am Vito Diamandis of the House of Diamandis. Sell your slave for five silver tarsks. I will arrange for a five year combination pleasure slave-dancer training course at the House of Diamandis. ... Dira squealed, "Mistress! That's the best House for pleasure slaves in Argentum. A Diamandis trained pleasure slave goes for at least three gold pieces." Temi grabbed Dira by her upper arms and drew her to her chest. Dira winced as the leather whip bit into her sex and Tenrik jerked forward. The crowd cheered. Vito continued over the crowd noise and the slave girls' chatter, "When she is not training, she will be the handmaiden of my daughter. You and Mistress Gattuso can visit your daughter during those periods." Geno said, "Why are you doing this? We are pastry shop owners." Vito said, "Your daughter was ruined for freedom. Her honor and her dignity in accepting her fate moved me. My daughter has lousy friends. I can't choose her friends, but I can choose her handmaiden." Temi looked at her father and said, "Master, I don't want to become a mat and kettle or a paga slave." Geno said to Vito, "Okay, but not today. I promised Temi to take her to the execution of the monster that ruined her." Vito said, "Come to the House tomorrow."

Vito turned to Tenrik and said, "I will pay ten gold pieces for Dira when you're exhausted with her." Tenrik, his right arm tired, said, "Aye." Vito turned to Dira and said, "My dear, if I acquire you, you will be the head trainer for our dancers. I've never seen a performance like today and I've trained the best dancers in Argentum for fifty years." Dira's eyes glistened, she smiled widely and she said, "Master, a slut is pleased if she is pleasing." She thrust out her breasts, and screamed, "Master, a slut begs your touch!" The crowd, which had been relatively quiet, started screaming and chanting, "Dira! Dira! Dira!" Vito looked at Dario, who was standing between him and Dira. Dario quickly moved out of the way, used his right arm to signal Vito and said loudly, "Sir, you are free to proceed!"

Atticus laughed with the crowd, came to my side, shook his head, and said, "Just like Dira to reward the guy who drove her price to fifty silver tarsks! Training a new kajira is like training an animal, grueling, requiring patience, time, good judgment and sternness. Kajirae are only animals like that traitorous slut." Atticus turned to me and said, "That ...," pointed at the nameless slave, "... is livestock. She could have died a person; she chose to live as an object. Be strict with her. She betrayed our Home Stone." I said, "Yes, Sir."

We exited Slaver’s Gate, turned south and the service entrance of the House of Cornelius Desneti was in front of us. My slave had finished the Gauntlet, a local tradition for judicially enslaved women.

A few ehn later, we reached the service entrance to the House of Cornelius Desneti. Vito, looking a little bit worse for wear, said to Tenrik, "Fifty gold pieces." Dira said, "Thank you Master! This slut is pleased to be pleasing." Vito went to the main entrance of the House of Cornelius Desneti, his chief rival. Atticus led the way followed by the Gattuso family followed by Dirk, Dario, my kajira and Dira, winking, slave kissing, wiggling her breasts, shaking her hips and leading Tenrik through the door to rhythmic Gorean applause and chants of "Dira! Dira! Dira!" I followed Tenrik.

In the anteroom, Dira, stepping on her tiptoes, her bound hands holding the handle of the leash forming the handle tie at her lower abdomen and leading Tenrik, moved in front of Dirk, who smiled widely at the incongruous sight. She said, keeping her eyes down, "Master." Dirk said, "Dira may speak." She said, keeping her eyes lowered, "This slave begs Master to permit this slave and slave Temi the privilege of speaking to the nameless slave in your charge." Dirk said, "Dira, your plea is granted," turned to Temi, said "Temi." She came over to him and said, "Yes Master." He handed her the leash to my slave, removed the switch from his belt, handed it to her, and said, "You are First Girl over my charge. If she misbehaves, you will be punished." Temi said, "Yes Master!" Dira said, her eyes lowered, "Master." Dirk said, "Dira may speak." Dira said, "Master, a slave begs a kiss." Dirk looked at Atticus. Atticus nodded. Dirk bent his head, their lips met. Dira enjoyed a long lingering kiss. A couple of ehn later, he broke contact, walked over to Dario and said, "By the Priest Kings, I only had to deal with a man armed with a whip and a slave snatcher!"  Atticus laughed.

Dira went over to my slave and said "Mistress." My slave said, "Dira, how did you stand me?" Dira said, "Mistress, it wasn't so bad." My kajira said, "But I whipped you when I was in a bad mood." Dira said, "A slave's purpose is to serve. Mistress, a slave begs a kiss," twisted her body to the left so Tenrik, his right arm around her left side, formed an equilateral triangle with my kajira and her, and kissed my slave forcefully. My slave squirmed. On the other hand, Tenrik stared hungrily at the mouths of the two kajira right in front of him, a stunned ox. A couple of ehn later, Dira gently separated from the kiss. My slave and Tenrik were both stunned. Temi's eyes glowed. The men in the room were very quiet and Lady Julia was turned away, staring into the corner. Dira broke the silence, "Mistress, Master and your Master will visit shortly and bring us with them, Master?” Tenrik stuttered, "Aye, aye." Temi went to the side opposite Tenrik and said to Dira, "Will I ever see you again?" Before Dira could offer a soothing anonydine, Tenrik said to Temi, "Vito and I are old friends. He looked at Dira and the gleam in Temi's eyes and said, "I don't suppose ...  three kajirae." My slave gasped as did Lady Julia. Temi said, "This slave is poor in the furs, but maybe with proper instruction, looked at Dira, who smiled dazzlingly at Temi and said, "I'm sure Master will let me demonstrate some techniques." Tenrik looked at Dira, then at Temi and said, "Aye." Temi turned to my slave, smiled mischievously, "Mistress, maybe we'll see each other." My slave was horrified. Dirk came over. Temi, hampered by her robes, dropped to her knees, crossed her wrists, her left hand holding my kajira's leash and her right hand the switch and said, "La kajira." Dirk took the leash from her left hand with his left hand and the switch from her right hand with his right hand, smiled and said, "Thank you, Temi." 

Dirk led my slave to a washroom to clear the filth off her before she was examined by a Physician, for the next public hearing, and measured and assessed for her slave papers. I walked with Dario, Tenrik and Dira to the metal-worker's shop, where the Stelcis collar would be removed. Atticus led Geno Gattuso, Lady Julia and Temi to the private branding chamber.

The End of a Special Holiday Edition of The Paga Diaries to thank our readers for their attention last year and to wish them a happy and prosperous New Year. The Diaries thanks Emma and Tracker for their advice, support and the publication of the first twenty chapters and the last nine chapters, respectively; Paladin for his advice; and vyeh for his advice, critical reviews and the transformation of meek woman's slave Dira into a wanton pleasure slave. Happy New Year!