WARNING: This is a work of erotic fiction. It contains depictions of
nudity and graphic sex.

Author: A Strange Geek
Title: Amanda's Choice
Summary: A 14-year-old girl with a troubled home life is swept away to
another world by an older female lover, where she must make the
ultimate choice between love and freedom.

Part: 15 of 19
Keywords: MF, Mdom, FF, Fdom, Ff, rom, oral, spank

Note: Story codes are for this Chapter. See Chapter 0 for complete list
of codes

Copyright A Strange Geek, 2005

Feedback welcome! Please email me at astraYOURngegeek@comMINDcast.net
( lose YOUR MIND to email me )

Or to send anonymous feedback, use the form at bottom of HTML version:

/~A_Strange_Geek/novels/AmandasChoice/Chapter15.html



---------------

Amanda ceased to struggle once they were away from the Overlord's
quarters. In the east, the sky had brightened into full dawn, the
clouds glowing with the sunlight that was soon to rise above the
horizon. Until then, the cool of night still lingered, the plants and
flowers glistening with morning dew from the still muggy air.

Amanda was using all her willpower not to break down into tears as
Sirinna hurried her back to their quarters. She almost made it, until
she glanced at Sirinna's face and saw the deep hurt in it, and the
heartache in her eyes. She tried to hold them back, but just as the
building came into view, tears began to silently flow down her cheeks.

Sirinna stopped them at the last fork in the path. "You go back to your
bedchamber, Amanda," Sirinna said in a hollow voice. "I'll get us some
breakfast and ..."

She trailed off when she looked at Amanda's face.

Sirinna reached out and pulled Amanda towards her, embracing her
tightly. "Amanda, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" Amanda cried, sobbing. "How can you ask that?!"

Sirinna sighed, closing her eyes tightly, fighting back her own tears.
"Amanda, it's okay."

Amanda shoved her away. "It's not okay!" she bellowed. "You're going to
get punished again and it's my fault!"

"No, Amanda ..."

"Yes, Sirinna! Stop denying it! Why didn't you just turn on me in
Roquan's quarters?"

Sirinna looked taken aback. "Turn on you? Gods, Amanda, why would I do
that?"

"Because you should have! I was saying all these things you didn't
believe happened about Rennis!"

Sirinna took a deep breath, but when she let it go, there was a quaver
to it, and she blinked rapidly to clear her shimmering eyes. She
reached out and grasped Amanda by the shoulders, holding on tightly
when Amanda tried to yank away. "Amanda, stop it!" Sirinna cried. "This
is hard enough for me!"

Anything Amanda might have said to Sirinna at this point died before it
could even reach her mouth. She just looked at Sirinna in confusion.

"Amanda, you didn't do anything wrong," Sirinna said in a lower voice.

"So you believe me? You believe what I heard?"

"Yes, Amanda, but ... I just don't ..." Sirinna paused and shook her
head.

"You don't what?"

"Nothing, Amanda."

"No, you were going to say something!" Amanda insisted. "Say it! In
fact, I know what you were going to say. You were going to say you
don't think Roquan was right."

Sirinna remained silent.

"Why can't you just say that?"

"Because, Amanda, it is not my place to dispute Master Roquan," Sirinna
said, though her voice was weak and had little conviction to it.

"Like hell it's not!" Amanda shouted angrily. "You started to tell him
that, but he wouldn't let you. Sirinna, I don't completely understand
what happened. I don't even completely understand how what I said
affected what happened. But I did figure out that you care about
Rennis, and that what I said made him appear bad to Roquan."

Sirinna heaved another sigh, and her voice threatened to break when she
spoke again. "Yes, that's about the gist of it, Amanda."

"And you don't think Rennis did it, whatever it was."

Sirinna remained silent again, but this time she could not withstand
the hard gaze that Amanda was giving her. "No, I don't," she whispered.

"And you're not even allowed to say that to Roquan."

"I told you, Amanda. It is not my place. Roquan is the Overlord, he
..."

"Then he's a horrible man, and this is a horrible place."

Sirinna dropped her gaze. The conviction with which Amanda said this
devastated her. Any hope of Amanda staying in Narlass was rapidly
fading.

Amanda sensed that her words had hurt Sirinna and regretted them
immediately. "I'm sorry I said that," she said in a low voice, drawing
Sirinna into a hug.

Sirinna cradled Amanda's head. "It's okay," she said tonelessly.

"Stop saying that," Amanda said in a weak voice. "Stop making excuses
for me. I'm causing you all this trouble."

"Amanda, no," Sirinna said firmly. She broke off the embrace, looking
deeply into Amanda's eyes. "Listen to me. I will accept Master Roquan's
punishment. Ten strokes is nothing, and it was for my own words and my
own disobedience."

Amanda started to shake her head.

"Amanda, I am not asking you to agree with it or understand it,"
Sirinna said in a defeated voice. "I've given up on that. But it's the
way things are, and I will have to accept it."

"But you don't accept that Rennis is guilty of what Roquan said. Of
sabotaging the Manor."

Sirinna swallowed. "No, I don't. But without any proof, I can't do
anything about it."

Amanda paused a moment. Ultimately, Sirinna was making sense. There was
indeed nothing that could be done. There was no evidence to the
contrary. The more Amanda thought about it, the more she realized she
was more upset over Sirinna being hurt than anything else.

"Sirinna, what's going to happen now?" Amanda asked. "If I go back to
Earth, what's going to come of all this?"

"Nothing. Or rather, nothing that would affect me, if that's what
you're worried about."

Amanda sighed. She knew the unspoken clause there: so long as Sirinna
did not make any more waves about this. So long as she accepted
Roquan's judgment like a good little slave.

"Now, Amanda, I have to get us some breakfast," Sirinna said. "Master
Roquan will be expecting me back at his quarters afterward. I am
anxious to see Tanyee freed from Trainee status."

Amanda was also eager to see this as well, even though it meant that
Tanyee would not be living with them anymore. Amanda liked Tanyee. She
was nice to be around, and was someone to talk to when Sirinna was
busy. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with herself now.

"What do you want me to do, Sirinna?" Amanda asked.

Sirinna managed a small smile. "Just be here when I get back from
Master Roquan," she said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from in
front of Amanda's eyes. "I need you, Amanda."

Amanda heaved an emotional sigh and embraced Sirinna tightly once more
before parting.



"Yanna has been treated and released to Hiatha, your Lordship," Vanlo
said somberly.

Roquan nodded silently as he brooded over his morning meal. He glanced
down, his appetite quickly waning even with half a platter of food left
to him. He stood up from the table and ran his hand over his hair once.
"I am still at a complete loss, Vanlo," he said flatly.

"In what way?"

"How Rennis could have done such a thing to me," Roquan said. "I
understand the motive, certainly, but ..."

"Motive, your Lordship?"

Roquan turned, his face hard at being interrupted, even by one who was
a peer. "Yes, motive, Vanlo. He wished to force me to toe the line with
the other Overlords. He hinted at threats to my Manor in our
discussion, again always tying it back to the others. He ceased caring
about doing what is right, and instead wished to do what will no longer
hurt his pocketbook."

"And is that very much like his Lordship?" Vanlo asked.

Roquan narrowed his eyes. "What is your point?"

"I beg forgiveness," Vanlo said quickly. "I am merely curious."

Roquan paused before answering. "No, this is not like Rennis. To stoop
to such treachery is so beneath him that it is almost unbelievable that
this has transpired."

Vanlo paused. "Have you considered the possibility, your Lordship, that
it may very well be?"

"Vanlo, /what/ are you talking about?"

"Something about this disturbs me," Vanlo explained. "Something does
not seem right to me, yet I cannot place a finger on it."

"Did you not hear what was said in this room?" Roquan demanded,
exasperated. "What more do you need?"

"Perhaps more proof that Yanna was not lying to us."

Roquan stared at his Healer. "You make less sense than Rennis," he
stated baldly. "Yanna is a slave, Vanlo. Yes, slaves are intelligent.
Slaves can be clever and creative. Slaves can even be rebellious,
undisciplined, and -- as you have seen -- disloyal. But it is
impossible for a slave to lie so brazenly. Even the worst-trained slave
cannot do it. It has never happened in the twenty years I have been an
Overlord, and I have never heard of it happening to any other."

Vanlo said nothing in reply, but the Overlord saw the dubious look in
his eyes.

Roquan stepped up to him. "Vanlo, with all due respect, you do not know
as much about the process of slave training as you think. All Captives
are given the Draught. Without a past, slaves are more tractable. They
have nothing to go back to. Without anything to go back to, there is no
point in devising such strange schemes as you appear to be suggesting
with Yanna."

"I suggest nothing, your Lordship," Vanlo said respectfully. "I simply
wished to voice my opinion on the matter, and it is my opinion that
there is more going on here than perhaps any of us realize."

Roquan sighed through her nose. He folded his arms. "Then I offer you
the same chance as Rennis," he said imperiously. "Show your proof."

Vanlo paused. He considered the experiment he was running in his lab.
He knew what he suspected, but would the Overlord think him mad for
suggesting it? He believed Roquan would, in the state of mind that the
Overlord appeared to be in at the moment.

"I have none, your Lordship," Vanlo said quietly.

At that moment, Sirinna entered the room, with the collared and
restrained Tanyee before her. Tanyee looked towards the Overlord with a
glimmer of nervousness in her eyes, but she otherwise remained calm
towards the one that had re-collared her just two days before.

"Our discussion is ended, then," Roquan said tersely to Vanlo. "I have
business to attend to with my slaves."

Roquan gestured towards the door. Vanlo nodded once and made a quick
exit.

"Master, I have brought Tanyee as you requested," Sirinna said. Her
voice was subdued, though there was some gladness in her eyes as to
what she knew was about to transpire. She hated not being able to tell
Tanyee what this was all about. The poor girl had assumed the worst,
seeing the mood Sirinna was in when she told Tanyee that she was to be
brought before the Overlord that morning.

"Very good, Sirinna," Roquan said, and held out his hand.

Sirinna managed a small smile as she placed the end of the chain into
the Overlord's hand, much to the open-mouthed surprise of Tanyee.

The next moment, Tanyee gasped when Roquan reached up and opened the
lock on her collar with a click, and slipped it from her neck.
"Master?" she asked tentatively.

"You are no longer a Trainee, Tanyee," Roquan said. Two more clicks,
and she was free of the cuffs. "The source of your disobedience has
been found. You are not at fault, and I am confident it will not happen
again."

Tanyee turned around as soon as her restraints were removed, her eyes
bright with happiness. "Oh, thank you, master!" Tanyee gushed. "Thank
you!"

Sirinna's smile widened. "You were a good girl, Tanyee, just as I had
asked," she said affectionately.

Tanyee smiled broadly. "Thank you, mistress!"

"You can call me 'Sirinna' again, Tanyee."

Tanyee blushed. "Of course, Sirinna. But thank you. I tried hard to be
good."

"Since you have a spotless record otherwise, Tanyee," Roquan said as he
placed the collar and restraints upon his wall. "I see no reason why I
cannot seek an immediate contract for you."

"Master, might I be able to return to Lord K'garon?" Tanyee asked. "He
was very good to me."

"I can guarantee nothing, but I will certainly ask," Roquan said.
"Sirinna, can you suggest quarters for her in the meantime?"

"Marisa could use a roommate," Sirinna said. "She was rather fond of
Tanyee before she was contracted."

"Done, then. You may go, Tanyee."

"Thank you, master," Tanyee said, and left with a spring in her step.

Roquan turned to Sirinna. Sirinna had followed Tanyee with her eyes as
the girl left, a smile still on her face. She was quite happy for her
former Trainee, and was relieved that this misfortune had been
resolved. When she turned to face her Overlord again, however, she
hesitated a moment before casting her gaze downward and folding her
hands submissively before her, as was the proper stance for a slave who
was about to face punishment.

The pause was not lost on Roquan, nor was the look in her eyes.

Roquan stared at Sirinna for a long moment. Setting his eyes hard and
impassive, he silently turned and selected the medium-sized paddle from
the wall near the hearth. "Come here, Sirinna," he ordered.

Without a single word of complaint, and without raising her eyes,
Sirinna stepped towards the center of the room, turning to present her
backside to her master, and remained still and silent.

Roquan paused. He actually regretted this. Sirinna was one of his best.
Not simply a good Trainer, but a good slave overall. Even though the
punishment he was to administer was relatively light, he still did not
like the fact that he had to do it. Yet Sirinna could not be shown any
favoritism. He would not be a proper Overlord if he did that, and his
reputation was everything. Now that he had halted the sabotage, he
could rightfully reclaim that reputation.

Roquan stepped up to her, drew his hand back, and delivered the first
stroke.

The paddle made a loud smacking sound again Sirinna's shapely ass
cheeks, making her wince and her body jerk, but otherwise she showed no
overt reaction, just like a good slave should.

Without pause and in the same, slow rhythm each time, he delivered the
next strokes, each smack exactly the same as the last. Each time,
Sirinna showed no more than a small wince and a slight movement of her
body. By the fifth stroke, however, her lips parted slightly, and she
uttered a very soft, barely audible "uh!" sound with each blow on her
backside. By the time she received the tenth and final stroke, she was
panting lightly, and her eyes glistened. Still she did not cry out, nor
break with her demure, submissive stance, remaining even after her
punishment was done.

Yes, Sirinna was acting in the way Roquan expected a good slave to act.
Yet there was more to being a good slave than this.

Roquan replaced the paddle on the wall before returning to Sirinna, his
eyes glancing at her now pink backside. He placed a hand on one ass
cheek and squeezed. Sirinna drew in her breath sharply as the pain
flared, but let it go slowly.

"Sirinna," Roquan said. "Why did I just punish you?"

Sirinna hesitated a moment before replying. "Because I spoke out of
turn, master," she said, her voice slightly strained.

"Partially correct. Sirinna, raise your head."

Sirinna lifted her eyes, which immediately found Roquan's. They
shimmered slightly, as if she had trouble holding her gaze to his.

"The loyalty of my slaves has never been of such vital importance to me
as now," Roquan said. "Do you understand this, Sirinna?"

"Yes, master," Sirinna said in a hollow voice.

"I am not sure you do. Therefore, I will make this very clear. I know
of your feelings for Master Rennis. You cannot let that affect your
loyalty to me."

"It doesn't," Sirinna protested. "I am still ..."

Sirinna yelped softly as Roquan slapped her backside with his hand.

"You will not dispute this point with me," Roquan continued. "You will
listen, and you will obey. You are not to defend Master Rennis. You are
not to question my decision. If you do so, the punishment will be
severe. Do I make myself clear?"

Sirinna's took a short, deep breath. "Yes, master," she said in a
choked voice, blinking once.

"You may go."

Sirinna quickly turned away from the Overlord and walked out of his
quarters. Once outside, she wiped away another tear that had started to
trickle down her cheek.



Hiatha took a leisurely stroll around her new charge, her eyes intense
as they swept Yanna from head to toe with an appraising gaze.

As Hiatha came around her side, she paused and gave the chain a sharp
yank. "You're slouching," she snapped.

Yanna had given a soft yelp of surprise at the sudden pull on her
collar, and staggered a bit.

"You would not have lost your balance there if you had been standing up
straight," Hiatha admonished.

Yanna swallowed and held her head more erect.

Hiatha nodded once and continued walking. Yanna's eyes flicked to the
side to follow her. Hiatha snapped the chain again. "Eyes forward."

Yanna blinked and stared straight ahead.

Hiatha came around behind Yanna and looked down at her legs. She
reached down and gave Yanna a slap in back of one thigh, making her
gasp softly. "Your feet are too close together."

Yanna slid her feet further apart.

Hiatha paused, then reached between the young woman's now parted thighs
and up over her mound,where she started to stroke Yanna's clitoris
lightly with her fingertips.

Yanna shuddered at the touch, her body trembling nervously, her thighs
twitching briefly against the desire to draw her legs together. She
closed her eyes briefly, her breathing growing short as Hiatha's touch
gradually had the desired effect on her. Hiatha drew her fingers back
into Yanna's slot once, then resumed stroking for a few more moments.
On the third attempt, Hiatha's fingers squished as they found moisture
finally start to ooze from Yanna's now aroused cunt.

Hiatha withdrew her fingers. "You take a rather long time to get wet,"
she commented mildly. She stepped out from behind her Trainee, tugging
the chain to turn the collar around Yanna's neck. "Have you forgotten
how to please another as well?"

"No," Yanna said.

Hiatha paused, then gave the chain a very sharp yank.

"No, mistress!" Yanna cried.

"I do not know who trained you, Yanna," Hiatha said darkly. "But she
was either incompetent, or did only half the job. Which is it?"

"I-I don't know, mistress."

"Ultimately, it matters not," Hiatha continued. "But I am your Trainer
now, and I can assure you I am even less tolerant of disloyalty and
disobedience than Master Roquan. If it were up to me, I would have been
tempted to sell you at auction and cut my losses. I still may recommend
that to Master Roquan if I do not see results from you." She gave the
chain a snap. "Is that clear, Yanna?"

"Yes, mistress," Yanna said promptly.

"Have you had breakfast yet, Yanna?"

"No, mistress."

Hiatha gave a small sigh. She walked over to one of the doorways and
pulled back the curtain with a curt sweep of her hand. "Inside," she
ordered.

Yanna stepped into her bedchamber. It looked very much like Amanda's,
and indeed, Hiatha's quarters were arranged much the same way as her
fellow Trainer's quarters. Instead of a beach and the ocean, Yanna's
bedchamber looked out over the inland forest, tall trees rising a short
distance beyond the window, and dense underbrush just in the distance
beyond that.

Her eyes quickly darted over the room and the view, taking in as much
as she could before Hiatha came up from behind her. Her Trainer locked
the end of the chain to center post, giving it a tug to make sure it
was secure. "I will fetch you some breakfast before we start," Hiatha
said. She grabbed Yanna's arm and turned her around with a yank so she
could get at the young woman's cuffs. She unlocked them and tossed them
onto the bed. "You will have a few moments to rest. But that is all the
rest you are getting today. I am going to work you very hard today. I
will see for myself exactly how much you remember of your training, if
anything."

Yanna turned in time to see the curtain falling back into place in her
Trainer's wake. She kept her expression carefully dispassionate until
she heard the outside door close, at which point she sneered.

/Stupid bitch,/ she thought vehemently.

Yanna realized she was lucky she had not yet had breakfast before being
collared, or she would never have had this crucial free moment. She
looked carefully towards the sanitary chamber, knowing that beyond it
was Garas' bedchamber, a soft metallic sound telling her that he was up
and alert. The curtain was fully across the doorway, blocking his line
of sight.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and spread her legs wide. She
paused to relax a moment, then reached a hand down and cupped it under
her mound as she carefully tensed a muscle and then let it go.

A blue pearl fell from her vagina into her fingers.

Yanna sighed with relief. The pearl was just slightly too big for her
pussy to be comfortable for any length of time, but it was the only
means she had to keep it concealed until she had a moment alone.

She quickly dropped to her knees and shoved the pearl under the bed.
The danger was passed, so she had no worries about her room being
searched. But now she had to check to make sure she had the other item
she needed. She turned and opened the small cabinet in the night stand
beside the bed, and smiled when she saw the small cloth pouch. She took
it in hand long enough to open it and confirm what was inside it:
sleeping powder.

Yanna heard Garas stir again. She hurriedly put the pouch back and
closed the cabinet door without a sound. She stood, satisfied that she
had all the means for an escape when the time was right. What she
lacked now was a plan.

She had part of one. She knew Amanda was no longer particularly
enamored of Narlass and would likely want to return home. Yet she was
involved with Sirinna. Yanna knew of Sirinna's past problems with
forming attachments when she should not. Was it likely that Amanda did
not want to leave Sirinna behind?

Yanna knew there was something here to be exploited. Amanda was a very
clever girl. Yanna simply had to find a way to use that to her
advantage.



Amanda kept her promise. She was there when Sirinna returned, and had
even shed her gown, guessing that Sirinna would want company in her
bed. What she had not expected was that for the first time, it was
Sirinna that was in desperate need of comfort rather than Amanda.

Sirinna never stated it, but Amanda could see it in her eyes, in the
way she hugged Amanda as if afraid the girl would disappear if she let
go, in the way she pressed her body urgently to Amanda's, seeking her
warmth, both physically and emotionally. Amanda was burning to know
what Roquan had said to her, and she could see the reddened skin of
Sirinna's backside, but she held her tongue.

Amanda understood now how serious Sirinna's admission had been the
night before. Slaves were not supposed to love, or at least, not
exclusively. She was not supposed to love Amanda. Perhaps if Amanda had
known this, she would have tried to deter Sirinna somehow, despite how
strong Amanda's feelings were in return.

It was far too late for any of this now. Amanda knew that the moment
she chose to give Sirinna a kiss, just a show of simple affection and
support, and it lingered far longer than she had intended, and grew
more passionate than she had anticipated. Yet she did not resist it in
the least, nor did she deny Sirinna's need, or fail to respond to it,
when Sirinna's touches grew more intimate. Sirinna's mouth slid from
Amanda's, bestowing gentle kisses down her neck. By the time Sirinna's
mouth found Amanda's breast, and her fingers slipped into warm and
moist folds, Amanda was already panting in anticipation.

Sirinna made love to Amanda slowly and carefully, keeping Amanda
excited enough to want just a little more, but not so intensely aroused
that she could barely think. The result was a passion that Amanda had
never experienced before, a perfect rising crescendo of desire and
love. When Sirinna slid further down the bed, Amanda held her thighs
open willingly, breathing hard, uttering soft moans of exquisite
pleasure when Sirinna began to lick at her.

To Amanda's surprise, Sirinna used only her tongue. To Amanda's
delight, it was all that was needed. At her tender, gentle touch,
Amanda rose higher than she had ever before, her moans growing more
strident, her body trembling. She drew in one single long breath as she
reached the top, and let it go as a long, low cry as she crested. Her
orgasm was strong, deep, and sweet.

Amanda clutched at Sirinna when she drew near, only now realizing how
intense an experience it had been, panting heavily in Sirinna's ear.
Sirinna touched Amanda gently and tenderly until she relaxed.

No words were exchanged, but it was clear that Sirinna was not
expecting anything in return from Amanda, yet Amanda was going to
insist on giving it anyway. Any protest that Sirinna might have given
Amanda cut off with a light touch to Sirinna's breasts, swirling her
fingertips around the areolae, teasing the nipples with tiny flicks.
Sirinna gave in quickly, settling back down into the furs, ignoring the
lingering pain from her backside. Amanda thought of this at the last
moment and nearly stopped, but a single look of longing from Sirinna
told her she did not have to stop.

Amanda did not try to duplicate what Sirinna did. She was sure she did
not have the experience to bestow something so extraordinary upon her
lover. Instead, she simply did what she knew Sirinna would enjoy. From
the way Sirinna reacted, however, it might as well have been as good.
For the first time, Sirinna yielded completely, lying limp and helpless
on the bed as Amanda tended to her.

Amanda tried to take it slowly, drawing out the moment as long as
possible. She kept her touch light at first, but not teasing. This was
for love as much as it was for pleasure. Sirinna's sighs gradually
became pants, her mind thinking of nothing but her feelings for Amanda.
Gone were any thoughts of how wonderful a slave Amanda might be, or how
skilled she could become at giving pleasure. None of that mattered to
her at the moment.

Sirinna lay in complete submission to Amanda as the girl slid down
between her legs. A low, breathy gasp escaped her lips as Amanda's
tongue touched her. So many times in her life, Sirinna had been touched
there, but it never felt as truly intimate as this. The feeling only
intensified as she rose, her moans more strident, the mounting pleasure
more real.

Her instinct told her to tense, to draw out the climax herself, as
would be expected from a good slave. But she fought the instinct down,
and let Amanda truly be in control. Sirinna felt herself hang at the
edge, Amanda's strokes so measured and tender that there was simply no
need for Sirinna to do anything. Moments later, Sirinna moaned in
ecstasy as her orgasm reverberated through her body, her throbs slower
but deeper, drawn out to an exquisite and gentle drop.

Sirinna hugged Amanda fiercely when Amanda drew near. "Oh, gods,
Amanda," Sirinna whispered. "That was so wonderful."

"I'm happy you're pleased, Sirinna," Amanda said softly. "Sirinna, I'm
so sorry I pushed you away last night."

"Whatever do you mean, love?" Sirinna asked.

"You wanted to do this last night, and I refused you."

"Oh, it's all right, Amanda. A lot happened yesterday."

"Well, a lot more happened this morning, and here we are."

Amanda had said it gently, but Sirinna could hear the undertone of
self-admonishment in it. "Please, Amanda, don't worry about it," she
said. "You really ought not to be so hard on yourself."

Amanda sighed, though she smiled weakly. It was increasingly hard to
stay upset when she was this close to Sirinna anymore.

Sirinna sighed and stroked Amanda's back. "I needed you today," Sirinna
said in a very low, very faint voice, as if she wanted no one else to
hear her. "And you gave yourself to me. That meant a lot to me."

Amanda was going to say something else, until she looked into Sirinna's
glistening eyes and the sudden desperation in them. Her smiled faded.
"Sirinna, what ...?"

"Please stay," Sirinna said in a choking voice.

Amanda's mouth slowly opened. "What?"

"Please stay. W-with me."

Amanda said nothing for a very long moment. "You mean ... stay in
Narlass?"

Sirinna swallowed, holding her breath.

"Oh God, Sirinna," Amanda breathed. "I ... I don't know ..."

Sirinna let her breath go in a rattling sigh. "I-I'm sorry, Amanda,"
she said, shaking her head and looking away. "I shouldn't have said
that ... it just ..."

"Sirinna."

Sirinna stopped, paused, and finally forced her gaze back towards
Amanda, and was surprised to find that Amanda was not angry with her.

"It's okay," Amanda said softly. She sighed. "You're not telling me
anything I couldn't figure out for myself."

"I wish s-so much, Amanda, that ... that I could make you understand
..."

"Understand what?"

"What all this means. What my life here means."

"Sirinna, I think I do understand," Amanda said. "I ... I just don't
know if it's the life for me yet."

Sirinna knew she could offer Amanda no more arguments that could hasten
her decision one way or the other. She felt guilty now for all the
thoughts she had about making Amanda a Captive and forcing her into
slavery, despite the fact that it was how it was always done, how it
was done with Sirinna over ten years before. Consciously, she was sure
this was still a good life. Her problems with Roquan of late had cast a
shadow over this, however, that she preferred not to see.

"Master Roquan thinks I'm a fool," Sirinna said in a hollow voice.

Amanda looked at Sirinna in surprise. "He told you that?" she asked,
her voice rising with indignation.

"No. Not exactly like that. But ... he thinks ... he /would/ think ...
I was a fool for falling in love with you."

"So he doesn't know?" Amanda asked, though she was not surprised at
this.

"He knows I fancy you. Or that I did fancy you. I tried to convince him
I wasn't anymore," she said, her voice heavy with guilt.

Amanda was deeply impressed by this. Sirinna had actually outright lied
to her Overlord, something Roquan claimed was impossible. For a moment,
she felt guilt try to surge into her own mind, placing the blame for
that on herself, but she viciously pushed it back down. Enough was
enough. She couldn't blame herself for everything that had happened.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I can't," Sirinna said in a small voice.

"Because he'd punish you?"

Sirinna blinked back tears."No. Because he'd want to send you back if
he knew."

Amanda looked at Sirinna in shock, but only for a moment. No, this made
perfect sense. From what she now understood about Roquan, things like
"love" could not factor into his thinking whatsoever. To him, it was an
inconvenience, bad for business, bad for the bottom line.

Amanda managed a small smile. "Then I guess I can't tell him either,"
she said. "And if he asks, I'll just say 'Who? Oh, her. Well, nice body
and she's great in bed, but hardly noticed her beyond that.'"

Now it was Sirinna's turn to look shocked, but when she saw the look of
amusement on Amanda's face, followed by the wink, she snorted once, and
then burst out laughing.



The dapper, if somewhat supercilious, young man stood upon the stones
before the still-smoldering coals of the fire, apparently oblivious to
the lingering heat that radiated from the glowing timbers. Even the
elegant cloak that swirled about his feet nearly touched it, yet did
not burst into flame as one might expect.

"You're making a most unusual request of me, my dear Overlord," said
the man with a small, amused smirk.

Roquan steeled himself and offered his most polite smile. "I realize
this, your Lordship," he said. "However, I do wish you to consider it
for a moment."

Lord K'garon made a small snorting sound and raised a hand to his chin.
The arm blurred slightly as it moved, and his body shimmered a touch.
Inches before the tips of his booted feet, a blue pearl perched on the
stones glowed brightly with Farviewing magic. "Are you sure you are not
simply attempting to resist refunding my money for the contract,
Roquan?"

Roquan allowed this to pass. From another Overlord -- from anyone other
than a client -- he would have accepted the comment at face value,
which was as a vile insult. Clients were given leeway. Lord K'garon
especially, as he was rather young himself and relatively new to his
role as governor of the Keyas Province of Oceanus. The arrogance that
so often comes with a first appointment had yet to wear off completely.

"I only wish to provide you with that which you paid for, your
Lordship," Roquan said respectfully, taking a step towards the figure.
"I am of the firm opinion that Tanyee's momentary lapse will not happen
again."

"And how are so sure of that, Roquan?"

Roquan paused a moment before responding, to make sure he had the
explanation set in his head. Overlords do not air their internal
disagreements with anyone outside of their own ranks. Yet he had to
have some reason to give for the recent difficulty, and he believed he
had come up with a good one. "The fault was not Tanyee's, your
Lordship," Roquan said. "I traced the problem to one of the various
salves and potions I use to maintain the health of my slaves. A batch
had partially spoiled, but was distributed to several slaves before it
was discovered. The tainted salve has been disposed of."

Lord K'garon appeared to consider this. A small smile curled his lips.
"You know, Tanyee was a rather spirited girl," he mused. "Most eager to
please."

"As a good slave should," Roquan commented mildly.

Lord K'garon chuckled. "She seemed to consider her accommodations
positively luxurious. Very appreciative of my generosity."

Roquan allowed himself a small smile at this. If Tanyee had not
requested to be sent back to the same master, Roquan would still have
asked anyway. Despite the bit of a swagger the youngest of the K'garon
clan had, he knew how to treat slaves properly. The senior K'garons
have had a long relationship with the D'ronstaq Manor, and made
absolutely sure their younger members of the Garon clan were
well-versed in civilized culture, and that included how to use -- and
how /not/ to use -- slaves.

"Hmm ... I was about to examine the offering of another Overlord ..."

Roquan was tempted to ask which one, but refrained, and simply
listened.

"I surely do not wish to insult him, so I shall go ahead with that,"
Lord K'garon said. "That will be two days hence. However, I sincerely
doubt he will show me anything better than your worst, Roquan."

Roquan lifted his head a little higher. That was a compliment of the
highest order to an Overlord from a client. "I thank you, your
Lordship," he said sincerely.

"Ah, but the truth is, Roquan, I rather miss Tanyee. So bright and
cheerful! Tends to add a spring in the step of my lieutenants," Lord
K'garon said. "I will contact you in no more than three days, and we
can arrange to have Tanyee sent back to my palace."

"Excellent, your Lordship," Roquan said. "I am most pleased. And I
daresay Tanyee will be as well."

Lord K'garon flashed a smarmy smile. "Well, I am glad I made an
impression on the lass," he said. "But then again, I tend to do that
with most females that cross my path. Good day to you, Overlord."

"Good day, Lord K'garon."

The image faded and flickered out, the glow of the pearl darkening as
well.

Roquan stepped forward and picked up the pearl with a swipe of his
hand. "Insufferable whelp," he muttered under his breath. He took the
pearl over to his desk, where he replaced it into its spot on a bed of
dark velvet, among more than a dozen such pearls, all of which were
linked to other clients.

As he replaced the velvet-covered platter into its drawer, he realized
now in retrospect that sending Tanyee back to the Manor was somewhat
melodramatic of the lordling, considering how enamored Lord K'garon
appeared to be of Tanyee. An older and wiser Lord would have summoned
Roquan by Farview instead and demand an explanation, giving him a
chance to make good before resorting to sending her back. Lord K'garon
had simply wished to see what kind of trouble he could stir up.

It ultimately did not matter. What did matter was the end result, and
it was a sign that things were already looking up for the Overlord. The
loss of Tanyee's contract would have truly strained his finances.

Roquan wandered over to his map, and some of his initial elation faded.
He still had a larger problem. His eyes wandered over Colos. It looked
deceptively small on the map. It appeared to inhabit only a narrow
swathe of territory west of the Barrier Range. Yet it controlled many
colonies scattered across the islands that dotted the northern half of
the Great Ocean (what Amanda would have called the Pacific Ocean). The
trade agreement had allowed his slaves nearly free passage directly to
the exotic lands of the Far West.

His eyes shifted down south of the equator. Now he was forced to go the
long way, through nearly two dozen different factioned island nations,
all of whom wanted fees for passage of any cargo, often double or
triple if that cargo were slaves. Worse, Roquan had heard stories of
slaves ending up missing, most likely usurped by some petty monarch for
his own personal harem, as distastefully barbaric as such practices
were considered in modern Narlassi times.

Roquan turned away from the wall. He had only one choice now. He had to
hit the domestic market hard, even if it meant taking no small amount
of business away from the other Overlords. It might mean sending more
slaves Abroad that he normally cared to do.

He found his thoughts again returning to Sirinna.

Not that they had truly left her in the first place. Roquan dwelled on
Sirinna quite a lot, more than he cared to admit to himself, let alone
anyone else. To favor one slave over another was considered a grievous
act by an Overlord, yet he could not deny that she shared his bed far
more often than any other slave he owned. Moreover, it had been nearly
four years since Roquan had sent her Abroad, even during other times
when he had no new Captives to train.

Perhaps it was time for that to change.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized it was the right
idea. Going Abroad would do Sirinna a world of good. Perhaps
experiencing what it meant to tend to a master or mistress every hour
of every day again would cure this tendency of hers to form attachments
too easily. Perhaps she had had it far too easy at the Manor, such that
it was becoming too familiar to her, too comfortable.

Yet the thought of sending her away gave Roquan pause, and the problem
with this was that it should not matter to him one way or the other. If
indeed it did, that was a sign that Roquan himself was guilty of the
same sin. He, too, was growing too attached. He realized now that he
should have seen this the moment he started actually missing Sirinna's
presence when she was on Earth.

And this was even more reason why sending Sirinna away was the right
idea.



Yanna stood in the circle, panting lightly and perspiring not so much
from the heat as the incredible exertion that she was being forced to
endure for longer that morning than she cared to recall. It was
incredible for the simple fact that she had not truly understood how
much energy went into the exercises that Hiatha required her to perform
until she was required to perform them with no break and no respite.

Now she stood with her legs parted, trying to stand absolutely still,
two of Hiatha's fingers buried deeply in her cunt. Her thighs and her
hips trembled with the effort of keeping the muscle tense that Hiatha
was so ruthlessly taxing in Yanna.

"Tighter," Hiatha said.

Yanna drew a deep breath and strained to tense herself further, feeling
an ache starting somewhere deep inside her and slowly radiating towards
her pussy. She clenched her hands behind her back, tugging nervously at
the cuffs and chain that held them.

Hiatha twisted her fingers. Yanna had to bite her lip to suppress a
moan. To make matters worse, Hiatha had spread a small amount of
Golaxxa -- which was the component of Kaylaxxa that made the genitals
more sensitive to stimulation -- upon her folds.

"Release," Hiatha said with a sigh, looking thoroughly unimpressed as
she pulled out her fingers.

Yanna groaned softly in relief, yet it was short lived, for the next
moment Hiatha placed her fingers into Yanna's damp twat and began
stroking her steadily.

"Do not cum," Hiatha ordered.

Yanna tensed herself again, but it was half-hearted at best. She simply
had exhausted her ability to concentrate enough on it, and she was
already rather highly stimulated from the exercises. Her breath grew
short as she rose the remaining distance, Hiatha unrelenting in her
touch. Yanna uttered a strained cry, managing to contract her muscles
enough to hover at the edge for a few excruciating seconds before going
over, her hips twitching as she throbbed.

Hiatha clicked her tongue in obvious disapproval, shaking her head as
she withdrew her fingers. "I expect any slave that has completed
training to have more endurance than that," she said. "Though I suppose
I should be glad that you at least know how to do it at all."

The truth was, Yanna's master had not trained her that well in this
area. She picked up much of it herself when she was first infiltrated
into the D'glounaas Manor. She was fortunate she had, or she would have
truly had difficulties at this point. Even using the technique to hide
the pearl had been some effort on her part. It was well and good that
her master was soon to obtain a real Trainer.

Yanna took a deep breath and let it go when her short orgasm had faded.

"This afternoon, I will start you on some weights," Hiatha said,
unhooking the end of Yanna's chain from a post. She gave it a light
snap, causing Yanna to come to attention. "For the rest of the morning
before the midday meal, we'll see how many of the other slaves you can
pleasure to orgasm with just your tongue. Make sure you understand
that, Yanna. Your tongue only. Not your lips or any other part of your
mouth, just your tongue. Do you understand?"

"Yes, mistress," Yanna said in a forlorn voice.



"Sirinna, can I ask you something?" Amanda said.

The two of them strolled slowly along the strip of beach that Yanna had
shown Amanda the day before last, having decided to simply spend the
morning in each other's company. The unspoken words were, of course,
"while we still have the chance". Neither wanted to admit that the end
was coming, that there would likely be a parting of the ways, forever.
It was too painful to think about, and neither wanted these last
moments to be ones of torment.

"It's about Rennis," Amanda amended softly.

Sirinna paused on a moment, then smiled slightly. "Of course you can
ask, Amanda."

"I'm sorry if this sounds like a really stupid or insensitive question
but ... well, you seem to like him a lot ..."

"Oh, yes," Sirinna said, her smile broadening. "I'm quite fond of him."

"Well, why is that? I mean, you said he was your first master. So
wasn't he the one that captured you in the first place and made you a
slave?"

Sirinna chuckled. "Yes, he did. But I did have the Draught, so I don't
remember anything of my past life."

Amanda tried not to wince. She still found that part of it to be quite
reprehensible. "So why are you so fond of him?"

"Well, there are many reasons. But I guess if you're looking for just
one, I would have to say it was the deflowering."

"The /what?/"

"Deflowering. Any Captive that is a virgin when he or she is first
collared must be deflowered." Sirinna smiled again. "And Rennis
personally deflowered me."

"Oh," Amanda said in a small voice.

"It was a wonderful experience. I'll never forget it."

"So, you weren't scared?"

Sirinna laughed. "Oh, great gods, yes, I was. Sometimes I look back on
it and I find it so hard to believe that was me." She paused and
blushed. "I even burst into tears right in front of Rennis when I was
first brought into his bedchamber. Oh, that was so embarrassing!"

"Apparently he didn't mind," Amanda said, managing a small grin.

"He was very kind to me, Amanda," Sirinna said, her voice heavy with
emotion. Her eyes shimmered, and she had to pause to take a deep breath
to compose herself before she could continue. "Very kind. Very
understanding. He took a scared little girl and gave her her first
truly enjoyable sexual experience."

There was a long pause. Sirinna stopped walking. Amanda looked up at
her with concern.

Sirinna took another breath, though this time it did not stop a single
soft sob from escaping her lips. She took Amanda's hand and squeezed it
tightly. "Amanda ... I'm ... I-I'm going to tell you something I never
told anyone else," she said in a whisper. "Please ... don't tell anyone
I told you this."

Amanda nodded quickly.

Sirinna spoke in halting words. "I once overheard something ...
something Rennis was telling my Trainer ... something that I don't
think I was supposed to hear ... Master Rennis said he thought I might
have been abused back in my homeworld."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Abused?" she repeated, shocked. "How would he
know that?"

"I didn't hear or understand all of it. Something about certain things
the Draught can't completely erase, and that it might be the reason why
I was so much more scared than a lot of other Captives were after
receiving the Draught. And ... there was something mentioned about an
injury I had when I arrived, something the Healer fixed before I
awakened."

"Oh my God, Sirinna," Amanda breathed, stepping closer to her. "I'm so
sorry."

Sirinna reached out and hugged Amanda to her. "Maybe that's why I so
wished I could have brought you back here as a Captive, love," she said
softly. "I wanted to take you away from the pain."

Amanda closed her eyes and tightened her arms around Sirinna.

"But do you see now, Amanda?" Sirinna asked urgently. "Do you see why I
can't believe Master Rennis would do the horrible things that Master
Roquan thinks he did? I can't get myself to think that at all about
him, I just can't!"

"I understand, Sirinna," Amanda said.

"I don't blame you, Amanda," Sirinna said, sniffling. "You must know
that. You only repeated what you heard. I just think there must have
been something else to it."

"I still wish I hadn't said anything," Amanda said sullenly.

Sirinna broke off the embrace and touched Amanda's cheek tenderly.
"Don't be. You were only doing as Roquan wanted."

"That's just it, isn't it? We're all expected to do as he wants."

"Well, I am, anyway. I'm a slave, Amanda."

Amanda sighed. "I know. Sometimes ... I wish you weren't."

Sirinna could not reply to this, for she was very much afraid of what
she might say if she did. Instead, she just smiled and wiped at her
eyes. "Come on, it's getting close to the midday meal. We should get to
the Circle."

Amanda nodded, glancing back towards their quarters.

"Do you want to go put your gown on?" Sirinna asked. "It's not quite as
hot today."

This was true. In fact, the air smelled like rain, and large clouds
were billowing up into the skies, flattening as they rose, promising an
anticipated relief from the heat.

Amanda shook her head. "No, that's fine." She smirked. "Who knows? At
this rate I might actually get used to walking around naked all the
time."

Sirinna laughed at this as they headed back up the path and away from
the beach.



Yanna wanted nothing more than to stop and catch her breath. Already
people were arriving and preparing for the midday meal, yet Hiatha did
not have Yanna stop. By this time Yanna's tongue ached almost as much
as her pussy did, and Hiatha had saved the biggest challenge for the
end.

Yanna was down on her knees in the grass before Hiatha's other Trainee,
Garas. Her head was turned to one side, her tongue angled up, balancing
Garas' cock upon it as she moved her head from side to side, sliding
the flat of her tongue along the underside. She wanted to take his into
her mouth fully, as it would be easier that way. However, when she had
tried that at first, so used to doing such a thing that it came
naturally to her, Hiatha had yanked her back from him by that now-hated
chain.

"Your tongue, only, Yanna," Hiatha had admonished.

Now Yanna was working into a frenzy in her desperation to drive him far
enough to climax, as it was obvious nothing short of this would please
Hiatha. She finally had to alternate between stroking his entire shaft
and licking incessantly at the spot below the now very engorged head.
Even just the simple act of bringing her lips together so that they
just brushed his penis was met with another warning snap of the chain.

Finally, Garas' moans grew more urgent, Yanna's cheeks coloring as more
slaves gathered around to watch, and often to taunt, much as they had
with Tanyee the day before. She closed her eyes and ignored them,
shifting her attentions almost exclusively towards the more sensitive
areas of his cock, until his moans became rapid pants, his body
tensing, a small drop of his seed oozing from the head just moments
before he groaned loudly and began to throb in earnest, some of his
seed splashing warmly on one of Yanna's cheeks.

As Yanna gave Garas a few final strokes of her tongue, milking the last
bit from him, Hiatha gave her a wry smile. "Not too bad. Next time I'll
show you how you do that and still manage to get him to cum in your
mouth."

Yanna was simply grateful to be done, and to have Hiatha released her
wrists and let her clean herself up as the slaves on serving duty that
day brought in the meal.

She settled down quietly into the grass. To her increased relief,
Hiatha attracted her usual cabal of close friends among the other
slaves, and she ignored Yanna for the time being. After her mistress
was fully engaged in conversation and food, she looked away and out
over the grassy clearing.

Yanna spotted Sirinna and Amanda immediately, and prepared to look away
quickly if either of them happened to be staring at her. In fact, she
was rather surprised that they weren't. After all, it was her that cast
Sirinna's precious Rennis in a bad light.

Yes, Yanna knew of Sirinna's past master and her relationship with him.
She knew because her master had known, and her master knew because he
had made it his business to know everything there was to know about the
one he wanted to train his slaves. She knew Sirinna would be
angst-ridden over this, and was not at all surprised that she had
spoken out of turn enough times to earn a punishment.

Thus Yanna had expected all manner of dirty looks from Sirinna, even if
they were furtive or brief, or perhaps a look that simply said that
Yanna was getting what she deserved, now that she was assigned to this
horrid taskmistress Hiatha. Yet she saw nothing. In fact, Yanna was
being vigorously ignored by both of them.

And there was another surprise for Yanna. She had also expected things
to be a bit cool between them. After all, it was Amanda's words that
helped condemn Rennis. If anything, she was seeing just he opposite.
They were enjoying each other's company quite a bit, far more than at
any other time she had seen them. They laughed and smiled at each
other, giving each looks of open affection.

Suddenly, Yanna understood.

She looked around. No one else could see it. Of course they couldn't.
They were slaves. Only someone who was not a slave, who knew what it
was like not to be a slave would understand what she was seeing.

Sirinna and Amanda were in love with each other.

Everything now made sense! Why Sirinna brought Amanda back from Earth
even though she was not to be made a slave. Why they seemed to spend
every waking moment together. Why Sirinna was always so deferential and
protective of her. Why Amanda was upset to hear she had to go back in a
few days. Why Sirinna was not angry with Amanda for her "evidence"
against Rennis.

It also made sense from what she knew of Sirinna, that her biggest
fault was the way she formed attachments rather easily to other people,
something thoroughly discouraged in slaves.

Yanna almost wanted to laugh out loud. As it was, she smiled broadly,
unable to help herself. Now she had a plan. Now she had a way to carry
out her mission. It was perfect. And the love-smitten Amanda would be
central to it.

A yank on her chain brought her out of her thoughts.

"I'm done eating," Hiatha said, pushing the platter towards Yanna. She
raised an eyebrow. "And what are you smiling about?"

Yanna cleared her throat and dropped her eyes submissively. "Nothing,
mistress," she said quietly.

Hiatha cast a speculative look at her Trainee for a moment.



Amanda strolled among the gardens with Sirinna after the midday meal
feeling more relaxed, and for the first time, not overly conscious of
her nudity. She was still wary of running into Roquan, as she did not
feel comfortable with the idea of him seeing her naked. She wasn't sure
why. She knew Roquan was not going to force himself on her. Despite her
dislike for him, she knew him well enough to realize that it would have
been out-of-character for him. Roquan seemed very big on protocol,
custom, and tradition, and so long as Amanda was not his slave, he
could do little in the way of controlling her.

Above them, the sun began to play cat-and-mouse with the expanding
clouds. They came upon a spot where a gap in the foliage allowed them
to look west over the ocean, and in the far distance, small flashes of
lightning played under the encroaching wall. At first, she was reminded
a little too much of the storm that had beset her and propelled her
into this world in the first place, but she saw how relatively benign
it was by comparison. She mused that just about all storms from now on
would seem tame to her.

Sirinna was also reminded of that storm, and she draped an arm across
Amanda's shoulders protectively. Amanda's thoughts returned to the
present, and what she had been thinking before distracted. "Sirinna,
about that, um, deflowering thing ..."

"Yes, love?"

"Does ... uh ... does Roquan do the same thing with his new slaves?"

"With the female ones, yes," Sirinna said. "He gives the males to me."

Amanda had to smile at this. She was sure the average male her age back
home would jump at the chance for a sexual experience with the likes of
Sirinna. Her smile quickly faded, however, when she thought of herself,
and what her prospect would be. "Um, I don't suppose that what you and
I do counts as ..."

"On Narlass, 'virginal' means not having had intercourse with the
opposite sex, Amanda," Sirinna said.

Amanda sighed. "Yes, that's what I figured it meant," she said
gloomily.

Sirinna squeezed Amanda's shoulders. "Don't judge Master Roquan too
quickly," she said gently. "From what I understand, he is very good at
this. He takes the deflowering ritual very seriously. He knows a first
impression like that is a lasting one."

Amanda simply had trouble seeing Roquan in such a light. He did not
seem the sensitive type to her.

Sirinna looked into Amanda's eyes. "Master Roquan would take it
slowly," Sirinna said. "He would want the experience to be enjoyed.
From what I've heard, he's never even had to resort to using any
special salves, potions, or powders."

Amanda gave Sirinna a questioning look.

"There are things that can enhance sexual arousal or sensitivity,"
Sirinna explained. "The Kaylaxxa has that in it, though rather a strong
does of it."

"Uh, yes, I figured that out," Amanda said, wrinkling her nose.

"There are others that are a little more subtle. If he had to use
anything, he'd likely use a bath powder. That way you could use the
bath to relax and the added powder would help arouse you."

Amanda paused. "Wait a minute," she said. "A bath powder? You mean,
like a soap or something?"

"Some of them lather up, yes," Sirinna said.

"Sirinna, do you have any of that kind of stuff? Like in your quarters
or something?"

"No, I don't. I usually get some from Master Vanlo if I need to. Why?"

Amanda hesitated. Damn! She had promised Tanyee she wouldn't tell, but
if it wasn't their fault in the first place ...

"What is it, Amanda?" Sirinna asked, curious at Amanda's reaction.

"Sirinna, yesterday, when Tanyee and I took a bath, there was some sort
of soap in the water."

Sirinna looked surprised. "I don't remember putting anything in the
water. In fact, I remember thinking as I got to my own bath that I had
forgotten to ..."

"Well, whether you put it in or not, it was there," Amanda said
hurriedly. "And when we were in the bath for awhile we got ... uh ...
well ... excited."

"Excited?" Sirinna said. "/Sexually/ excited?"

Amanda blushed. "Yes. /Very/ sexually excited. So much so we ... uh
..."

"Had sex?"

Amanda nodded. "A lot."

"Why didn't Tanyee mention this?"

"Well, we didn't know what had happened. And Tanyee was aggressive, for
her, anyway, and was afraid you'd be upset."

Sirinna paused a long moment, looking intensely thoughtful. "Amanda,"
she said cautiously. "What you're describing to me sounds very much
like Disalla!"

"Disalla? Where have I heard that ... wait, wasn't that what Rennis
claimed he had brought instead of that other stuff?"

"Yes!" Sirinna cried.

"But how did it get in the bath?"

"Yes, how did it!" Sirinna declared triumphantly. "Amanda, /think!/ One
of you must have had it with you, or on you somehow. It only takes a
very small pinch, and it sounds like you two got a lot more than that!"

"But neither one of us put anything in. I didn't carry anything in with
me. I just wanted to get the bath in the first place because ..."

Realization dawned brightly in Amanda's eyes.

"Sirinna! Quick, tell me," Amanda cried. "What does Disalla look like?
What does it feel like? Not the effect. I mean if you had some in your
hand."

"Well, you don't want it in your hand, actually," Sirinna answered.
"It's very waxy and melts over everything easily."

"Sirinna, remember I told you I had stepped in something in the
Healer's office as I was leaving? It was some sort of powder on the
floor! I had it all over one foot and some on my hands when I took that
bath! It was all sticky and messy like that!"

"Great gods, Amanda, that /was/ Disalla!"

A memory came back to Amanda. Her voice rising with excitement, she
said, "Yanna had the pouch in her hand when she came back to see me
after Rennis had left. I could see the top of it. /The drawstring was
torn!/ What if Rennis dropped some on the floor when he was giving it
to Yanna? That would mean it had to be Disalla that Rennis gave her,
right?"

"Yes! Yes! Amanda, I love you!" Sirinna cried in delight, hugging
Amanda tightly. "You clever, clever girl!"

Amanda smiled. "No, we're just lucky I'm clumsy, that's all."

Sirinna drew back, smiling broadly. "I've got to tell Master Roquan
about this at once!"

"Oh, but Sirinna! You said he told you not to talk about it anymore!"
Amanda warned. "How are you going to tell him?"

Sirinna thought for a moment. "I think I have a way ..."