Message-ID: <54005asstr$1149585004@assm.asstr.org>
From: A Strange Geek <astraYOURngegMINDeek@comcast.net>
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.6) Gecko/20040113
Subject: {ASSM} Conclave of Conspiracy 30/33 (MF Mf mf Ff ff Mdom Fdom toys bd rom magic oral 1st spank)
Lines: 1118
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 05:10:04 -0400
Path: assm.asstr.org!not-for-mail
Approved: <assm@asstr.org>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d




<1st attachment, "Chapter30.txt" begin>

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

Author: A Strange Geek
Title: Conclave of Conspiracy
Universe: Narlass Chronicles
Summary: Roquan hosts a Conclave to rally support against the Emperor;
Amanda's training is not what she expected, even less so when the
Conclave commences. And there is the mysterious foreign merchant ...

Part: 30 of 33
Keywords: MF, Mf, mf, Ff, ff, Mdom, Fdom, toys, bd, rom, magic, oral,
1st, spank

Copyright A Strange Geek, 2006

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/Conclave/Chapter30.html



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

Gronnus stepped away from the gazebo. He had to pause a moment halfway
down the path to catch his breath and stop his heart from hammering in
his chest.

He glanced over towards the west. The afternoon sun had disappeared
behind a storm blowing in from the ocean. The breeze had stirred,
bringing with it a promise of rain. Until it delivered, the air was
still muggy and oppressive. He turned again down the path, Overlord
Freya far ahead of him. She disappeared into her quarters just as
Gronnus got to the bottom of the path.

He felt a little sorry for Amanda. He, too, knew of Freya's
propensities, perhaps better than any other Overlord, having visited
her Manor on so many occasions when he had been courting her vote.

At this point, he was glad to be rid of her. The alliance, such that it
was, had likely been ill-fated from the beginning. Having her as an
ally now would have made matters worse. She would likely see Roquan's
assassination as a means for herself to gain.

Just as Gronnus passed by Freya's quarters, the female Overlord burst
out, yanking the door shut behind her. She stood in Gronnus' way.

"All right. Just what in hellfire was that all about?"

Gronnus blinked in surprise at the anger in Freya's eyes. "I am sure I
don't know what you're talking about, Freya," he said with forced
patience. "Now if you will excuse me, I ..."

Gronnus tried to sidestep her. She blocked his way again.

"You accused me of playing games once," said Freya. "Now who's playing
games?"

Gronnus sighed. "I do not have time for this ..."

"Make the time. I want to know what's going on in your head, scary as
that is."

"And just why is this important to you?"

"Why? Simple. I have what I want. I want to get out of here with it."

Gronnus sneered. "What are you afraid of? That Roquan will find out how
you're treating the poor girl?"

"Don't get sanctimonious on me!" Freya spat. "I could care less what he
finds out."

"Why do I have trouble believing that?"

"Then believe what you wish. The fact of the matter is, Gronnus, that I
want out of this infernal Manor as quickly as possible. Why do you
think I gave Roquan my vote?"

Gronnus gaped at her. "What?? You gave ... you gave Roquan your vote
just to end the Conclave faster?! Then why didn't you ..."

"Side with you?" she asked with a smirk. "Because you would have been
evenly matched. The debate would gave gone on and on, and I didn't want
to deal with that."

"You astound me ... no, wait, that's not correct. You do not astound me
anymore. You /disgust/ me."

"Well, then we're even. So what is it with ..."

Gronnus glowered at her. "I am under no obligation to discuss the
matter with the likes of you."

Freya stepped up to him. "I'm warning you, Gronnus. Don't cross me. You
have no idea how dangerous I can be. Don't push me. I'll push back.
Hard."

Gronnus swallowed. He wished he would not feel so intimidated around
this woman! It was not natural! He finally sighed in resignation. "I
cannot tell you what is happening, Freya. But it will last no more than
a day. I fully intend to resolve this with Roquan tomorrow morning."

Freya paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "So are you trying to
copy what I did? Sorry, but you're not Roquan's type."

Gronnus blanched at this, which delighted Freya. He simply glowered at
her again and hastened off towards his quarters.



"Roquan, I don't like this!" Doran bellowed. "Gronnus is up to
something, I can feel it!"

"What could he possibly do?" Rennis said in a pleading voice. Doran had
been ranting the whole walk back to Roquan's quarters. "You said
yourself he hardly has any support at all anymore, and Roquan managed
to top his deals, so what does that leave him with?"

Doran remained mercifully silent for a moment, the first time he had
since leaving the bluff. He was red-faced, partially from his anger and
bluster, and partially from the heat and humidity. In the far distance
there was a low, rumbling wave of thunder.

"I can understand where Doran is coming from," Roquan said in a soft
voice as he procured some cold water for them from the large jug in the
sanitary. He handed goblets to Doran and Rennis before obtaining one
last one for himself. "I do not understand his motivation either for
bringing up such a trivial point."

"Well, in a way, it's not trivial," Rennis commented carefully. "He's
questioning the integrity of a witness to a crime, essentially."

"Oh, now don't you start!" said Doran. "That would be well and good
were this a trial in an Imperial court. But this is an Overlord
Conclave. The rules are different here."

"And the other Overlords thought it trivial, Rennis," Roquan pointed
out. "At least from the reactions I saw in their faces. They are as
confused about this as we are."

"I can only see it as an attempt to delay the Conclave! Nothing more!
It's as you said, he's buying time!"

"But for what?" Rennis asked. "He can't make any more deals. He
certainly is not going to sway anyone after nearly making a fool out of
himself ..."

"Nearly?" Doran snorted. "By that way, that reminds me, Roquan, you
handled yourself superbly at the Conclave! You did exactly what you
should have done, you turned around his arguments right back at him."

"A lot of good it did though. We're still stuck with the Point of
Order."

"As I said, Gronnus is up to something. And you'll likely find out
tomorrow morning what that is. This was just an ill-conceived plan to
make some sort of deal with you."

Roquan frowned. "Deal? Does he seriously think I will throw the
Conclave in his favor for some /deal?/"

"Well, it's all I can think of!"

"Then he has wasted his time. I shall not deal away the Conclave."

"And I don't expect you to! The idea is preposterous."

"Unless he feels he has something he can hold over you," Rennis said
darkly.

Roquan met Rennis' gaze sharply, then softened when he saw that Rennis
only had concern in his eyes. "We will simply hope that it does not
come down to that," he said quietly.

Doran glanced between the two of them. He was more certain than ever
that there was a shared secret between them, but it was not his place
to ask. "He has nothing," he declared, downing the rest of his water in
one go. "Nothing at all. Perhaps he wants some small trinket for giving
his vote to you and removing his further opposition. It is the only
thing that makes sense now."

"A face-saving gesture?" Rennis asked.

Doran nodded. "Yes. In which case, Roquan should be gracious and accept
it."

"I do not need to give him anything," Roquan said stonily.

Doran rolled his eyes and sighed. "Roquan, you will have to deal with
him again. With all the Overlords. You do not want to burn your bridges
just as you have built them!"

Roquan sighed in exasperation. "Fine. I will deal with him in that
regard. Graciously."

"Good." Doran wiped his forehead. "Great gods, does it ever cool off
here?"

Another long rumble sounded, louder this time, causing the poles to
vibrate. "A storm is arriving," Roquan said. "It generally cools off
behind that."

"You and me both, Doran," Rennis said with a small grin. "Here, let's
head back to our respective quarters. We should be getting a good
breeze from the ocean by now."



This time, Jollis waited until the Portal had closed completely before
emerging from behind the unused slave quarters. In one hand, a blue
pearl lay balanced in his palm. He closed this hand and tucked away the
pearl on his person. In his other was a large, corked jug. A faintly
pinkish fluid sloshed inside of it.

He believed he knew what was about to happen. From what he knew of
Herdon, and what he had seen between him and Gronnus, and what he knew
of the Oceanus Emperor, he was sure he was right. His master had
concurred, and had provided him the tools that he now needed to deal
with it.

Or rather, to help others to deal with it, for his hand would not
interfere directly.

As he emerged from behind the buildings, the ground shook with a long
peal of thunder. Overhead, gray-black clouds rolled over the island. In
the distance towards the sea, flickers of lightning danced under the
approaching storm.

The air was tinged with electricity, and the first faint droplets began
to patter down, hurrying Jollis' gait. By the time he had reached his
destination, the ground was damp, and to the west, a dark wall of heavy
rain was fast approaching.

Jollis knocked lightly on the door frame. There was a long pause, and
then a muffled "Enter!" in a strained voice.

The merchant allowed himself in, and bowed. "I humbly beg your pardon
for this intrusion, Overlord," he said. He lifted the jug and held it
out from him with both hands, the typical gesture for offering a gift.
"But I felt compelled to help."

Gronnus raised his head and blinked wearily at the merchant. The
Overlord was not looking well. The combination of the stifling heat and
his anxiety over what was to come made him look pale. "Help? Help with
what?" he said a bit crossly.

"You mentioned yesterday to me that the heat was affecting you. I bring
something that will help."

Gronnus looked at him oddly. "Just who are you?"

"I am the merchant you met the day before, near Roquan's quarters."

"Huh? Oh! Uh, yes. I don't think I caught your name ...?"

"Jollis, your Lordship."

"Your Clan?"

"None, Overlord. I am just Jollis."

There was a loud crack of thunder that jolted Gronnus in his seat. He
glanced nervously towards the window and quickly gestured for Jollis to
enter.

The merchant smiled pleasantly and closed the door behind him. He
quickly fetched a goblet and uncorked the jug. A slightly sweet, citrus
scent filled the room. "This is a fruit juice blend from my native
lands," said Jollis as he poured out the concoction. "Many of my people
that live in the hotter climes drink this every day. Please." He handed
the Overlord the goblet.

Gronnus stared into the goblet for a moment, then tentatively gave it a
sip. He raised an eyebrow as he found it to his liking and took a
larger drink. He looked up at the merchant. "And what do I owe you for
this, Jollis?"

"Ah, but did I not make the correct gesture as I entered that this was
a gift?" Jollis said with no recrimination whatsoever in his voice.

"Yes, you did. My apologies, I ... my mind is elsewhere at the moment."

"Understandable. I am sure there are important decisions to make with
regards to the Conclave."

Gronnus consumed about half of what was in the goblet before he looked
up again. His gaze was a sobering one. "You have no idea," he said in a
low, despondent voice.

"But perhaps I do."

Gronnus lowered the cup and stared.

"I have been faced recently with the need to perform a most distasteful
act, your Lordship. So I know how such things can weigh heavily on the
mind."

The Overlord paused a long moment. "And is this what you assume I am up
to?"

Jollis bowed his head briefly. "I am but a humble merchant, your
Lordship. I presume nothing. I simply wish to express sympathy for you
in what decisions you must deal with."

Gronnus sighed and leaned back in his chair, downing much of what was
left in his goblet. He was not feeling quite as ill as he had.
"Sometimes, Jollis, decisions are taken out of our hands," he declared
somberly. He looked into his goblet, swirling around what little of the
juice remained.

"The rest is yours, Overlord," Jollis said, lifting the jug into view
again briefly before laying it at Gronnus' feet. "And if I may be so
bold, I would like to leave you with this: whenever I see that a
decision has been taken from me, it often means I am not looking at the
problem from the right perspective."

Gronnus had picked up the jug and was about to refill his goblet when
he paused and looked back up at the merchant, a small frown on his
face. "And what would you know of this? What would you know of what
that decision was? Or the circumstances around it?"

Jollis knew a great deal indeed. Far too much to reveal to the
Overlord. For one thing, he knew that Herdon was at this moment keeping
watch over Roquan's quarters. Then there had been the threatening
confrontation between Herdon and the Overlord the day before, when it
appeared that Gronnus was on his way to see Roquan. From this, Jollis
could assume that Herdon wished to keep Gronnus from contacting Roquan.

He also knew of the Point of Order by this time, and that Gronnus and
Roquan were to meet privately. Thus, Jollis had concluded, Herdon was
manipulating events to get them together at a specific time and place.
The only real question was Herdon's background. Jollis' master had not
been able to provide anything more than what was already known, that he
had been trained as a soldier in the Emperor's guard. Yet where the
Emperor was about to strike, this meant that Herdon could very well be
serving as the Emperor's hand.

"You are, perhaps, correct in this," Jollis said carefully. "Yet, it is
in my nature to help."

Gronnus nodded slowly. "It is not unappreciated," the Overlord said
simply as he drank the second goblet-full of juice.

Jollis smiled. "Ah, but this is good to hear. May I be so bold again as
to offer one more bit of advice?"

Gronnus paused, then nodded wordlessly.

"Sometimes what prevents us from seeing the solution to a problem is
that we are ... locked ... into thinking that we have to provide it."

Gronnus gave the merchant a nonplussed look.

"I wish to leave you with a second gift." Jollis reached into his tunic
and extracted the blue pearl.

The Overlord peered at it with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
When it was offered to him, he hesitated before tentatively taking it
from the merchant. "But what does this ...?"

A soft, diffuse noise from all around them grew steadily louder as the
rains began to pour down outside.

"Perhaps you should approach your problem as a puzzle. Sometimes all it
takes is the one hint to unlock the secret of the solution." Jollis
smiled. "Or ... it may be your key to finding someone who can."

Jollis turned away from the perplexed Overlord and opened the door. Ran
came down in sheets, splattering water on his legs. He turned to the
Overlord and gave a respectful bow of his head. "Good day to you,
Overlord Gronnus."

Without waiting for a reply, he stepped out into the drenching rains
and was gone.



The rains continued off-and-on into the evening.

Amanda tried to focus her attention on it. The sound was always
soothing to her back in Sirinna's quarters. It helped lull her to sleep
on nights she was too nervous about one thing or another. Now she
wanted it simply as a distraction.

It was hard. Her pussy strained and ached very badly. Her hips writhed
despite her attempts to stop, as if acting on their own in some vain
hope it would make her crest. She could not stop trembling.

Yet she managed it. It distracted her from her sensual torture enough
to minister to her mistress. Amanda gently suckled at one of Freya's
nipples while lightly stroking Freya's very wet pussy with her fingers.

"Mmm, that's it ..." Freya cooed softly. "Slowly ... I wish to enjoy
this ... I wish to enjoy your squirming ..."

Amanda simply let her mind be carried further way by the patter of the
rain. It had taken less than a day for her to realize that the worst of
this nightmare was not the prison on her sex, or the lack of dignity,
but the taunts. At least when the other slaves did it to her, she knew
it was part of the training, that it was more a game to them than
anything else. From this Overlord, it was simply hurtful.

Freya lifted a hand to Amanda's side, sliding down slowly to the girl's
hip. She could feel the girl quivering, and the hips swaying back and
forth uncontrollably. "You came close to speaking out of turn earlier,
Amanda."

Amanda did not pause. Until Freya ordered her otherwise, she kept doing
what she was last told to do. She pressed her lips to the areola and
sucked the nipple between her lips. Her fingers teasingly probed
Freya's tunnel.

Freya briefly closed her eyes and let a small breathy moan escape her
parted lips. "Mmm ... perhaps I should keep you like this a little
longer ... do you think you could sleep with your pussy being stroked
all the time?"

A shudder passed through Amanda, but she stopped herself from reacting
any further.

Freya chuckled. "I won't do that. But shall you get a reward tonight or
not?"

Amanda squeezed Freya's breast in her fingers and took the nipple
deeper into her mouth.

Freya tilted her head back, panting lightly. "Not bad ... not bad at
all ..." she breathed. "Now my pussy ... deeper ... mmm, yes ..."

Amanda slipped her fingers into Freya, the Overlord's cunt squeezing
tightly as they penetrated. Slowly she sank them deeper into Freya,
pressing her thumb against Freya's nub, massaging it with firm, slow
circular strokes.

Freya closed her eyes again, her pleasure mounting. Her hand caressed
Amanda's hip, then one of her ass cheeks before motioning up Amanda's
back and playing with her hair. She lay her hand against the back of
Amanda's head and pressed the girl's face more firmly into her breast.

Amanda felt her face fill with soft flesh. She had to tilt her head
slightly to be able to breathe. She sucked harder, bringing a small
gasp and then a deep moan from her mistress. She thrust her fingers in
more deeply into Freya's depths and then began to slide them in and
out. She tilted them forward, making sure to properly stroke Freya's
womanhood each time.

Freya's breath grew short. Outside, the rain was letting up. Amanda let
out a small whimper as it got harder to ignore the sensations from her
pussy. She tried not to let it affect her actions. As anxious as she
was to finish off Freya in the vain hope that the Overlord would see
her way clear to granting Amanda relief, she did not want to take the
chance of displeasing her.

Dutifully, Amanda drove the Overlord higher and higher, steadily but
not too quickly. Finally, Freya arched her back and her cunt convulsed
around Amanda's fingers. The Overlord moaned loudly, her body
shuddering as she throbbed. Carefully, Amanda drew out the orgasm,
easing off slowly, keeping it pleasurable but backing off before it
became too much. By the time Freya's body relaxed, one final "Mmmmm
..." uttered from her as the last of her climax faded, Amanda had
lifted her mouth and and fingers from the Overlord's body.

Freya looked up and smiled. "You have some skills after all."

"Thank you, mistress," Amanda said, her voice strained and breathless.
She was panting. The strain in her pussy was incredible. She could not
ignore it anymore, and her body shook with the desperate need for
release.

"Do you want to cum, Amanda?" Freya asked sweetly.

"It's whatever you wish of me, mistress," she said breathlessly.

"You learn fast. I suppose that is a plus. You will remain where you
are."

"Y-yes, mistress."

Amanda remained on all fours as Freya slipped out from under her.
Amanda hung her head, breathing hard. A few moments later she felt a
hand between her thighs from behind and then a touch to her pussy.

At first, she thought Freya was just going to turn it off again and
leave her frustrated once more. She was sure she would cry if that
happened. In fact, the tears had already begun to fill her eyes when
she felt the fingers press harder into her.

She soared and crested. The throbbing was intense, so much so that she
made not a sound, her hips jerking violently. Finally she found her
voice and moaned, her orgasm wracking her body. The thing over her
mound drew it out, almost to the excruciating proportions of that
phallic-shaped device that had been used on her days before. Finally
the climax did abate, and it left Amanda shaking.

However, she did not dare collapse. She remained on all fours, even as
badly as her limbs trembled, until she was told otherwise.

"Is that all better now, slave?" Freya said in a mocking tone of voice.

"Yes, mistress," Amanda breathed. "Thank you, mistress."

Freya chuckled. She caressed one of Amanda's thighs, and for a
frightening moment Amanda thought that the Overlord was going to
activate it again. Instead, she slapped Amanda lightly on the ass and
withdrew her hand. She picked up the end of the chain and gave it a
snap.

"Stand up."

Amanda could not resist uttering a small groan as she struggled to her
feet. Her legs trembled but held. There was a residual ache in her
pussy from the force of her orgasm. She stood before her mistress and
lowered her eyes, folding her hands before her.

Freya considered her young slave for a moment. She placed her fingers
under Amanda's chin and lifted the girl's gaze to hers. "Hmm ...
better. Not yet there, but better. Hopefully it will not be long before
I have you back in my Manor and I can train you properly."

Amanda just looked at Freya, trying not to outwardly react to this.
Leaving the Manor was the worst thing that could happen to her. Now she
was actually grateful for what that other Overlord had done. If it had
delayed the Conclave by at least another day, it was another chance for
Roquan to find a way to get her back.

At the same time, a little knowledge was a dangerous thing. She now
knew enough about the system to realize that the hope she had for this
was faint at best.

"You may rest now, Amanda," Freya said, gesturing towards the furs in
the corner of the room. "I will likely have no further use for you
tonight."

"Yes, mistress."

Amanda curled up on the furs, a small sigh coming from her as Freya
secured the other end to one of the bedposts. She tried very hard not
to let despair and depression overwhelm her.

She suddenly wished she had contact with Jollis again. For some reason,
she felt like he would know what to do.



The rain had slackened by the time Jollis made his way from the
merchant camp back into the Manor. Only a very light rain fell around
him now, the air misty and moist and finally cool. Towards the west,
some breaks in the clouds appeared, allowing hints of the deep purple
of fading dusk to appear.

He made very sure to head straight for Sirinna's quarters, and to
appear unconcerned with anything else. He avoided going near Roquan's
quarters. He knew that Herdon was standing vigil over it, hidden
somewhere in the trees off to the side between it and the path that
wound down towards the outlying building where the Overlord's Portal
lay.

Jollis' mind was heavy with concern. He wished he could have given the
Overlord greater direction. There was even the small chance that Jollis
had accessed the situation wrong, and what he had given the Overlord
would not help at all. Or he overestimated the Overlord's intelligence.
The truly perplexed look on Gronnus' face when Jollis had left was
worrisome.

Yet he could not have been direct about it. As the Emperor did not want
the deed tied back to him, Jollis did not want to be directly
associated with thwarting it.

Jollis found Sirinna in no better spirits than the night before, but at
least she was no longer crying. She met the merchant with a pleasant
smile, but there was still a great deal of pain in her eyes. Yet if
things worked out, it would not be for much longer.

"Do you wish anything of me tonight, master?"

Jollis smiled gently and took her hand, kissing it and holding it
against his cheek for a moment. Sirinna's smile became less forced. "I
am quite tired this evening, I am afraid, and wish only quiet in which
to sleep."

Sirinna nodded. "I can give you that, master. Please let me know if you
change your mind."

"I will indeed."

There was a look of relief in Sirinna's eyes. It was a first for her.
Never before had she actually been glad not to service someone. At the
same time, it did make her feel a twinge of guilt as she watched the
curtain fall back into place behind the retreating merchant.

Jollis readied himself as if to go to bed, and even slid under the
furs. However, he would not sleep. He wished to know if things would
play out as he had hoped. For that, he needed to remain awake and
alert.

He settled back into bed and folded his hands under his head. He stared
up into the peaceful silence and waited.



By the time Gronnus stepped out of his quarters, the clouds had
completely broken up over the Manor, and the starry heavens lay open
above him. He glanced up briefly at the velvet expanse, taking a deep
breath of the finally cool and now drier air. He was amazed at how calm
he felt despite what he was about to do.

Perhaps it was because he realized he had nothing else to lose.

One of his hands was closed tightly into a fist. Doubt came over him.
He was not sure he had guessed correctly the spell that the pearl held.

Gronnus carefully maneuvered his way down the path. Despite the spells
that had been laid down by the craftsmen that built this area in order
to make the sands dry quickly from a rain, there had been a lot of
rain. It was still damp in places, and he did not care to walk through
the mud. It would have made noise, and he was trying to be as quiet as
possible.

He came to the door of Freya's quarters and stopped. Could he open the
door without disturbing her? He sincerely doubted he could.

The Overlord sighed in exasperation and stepped off to the side. He
looked around, as if hoping for some inspiration. He found it when his
gaze fell on the window.

Freya had left her shades up. Gronnus crept up to it and cautiously
peered inside. Directly beneath it, Freya lay in her bed, the furs
draped partially over her still, nude body. He looked past her and in
the dimness saw a form curled up in the far corner of the room.

Gronnus opened his hand and looked down at the pearl, then looked back
inside. He tried to judge the distance right, though it was difficult.
His heart thumping, he took one final look, paused, and then let the
pearl fly.

Gronnus watched, barely able to see the pearl in the low light. He very
faintly heard it hit something and then land somewhere soft. Gronnus
gritted his teeth and uttered a vile curse silently in his head.

Yet he need not have, for what he had heard the pearl impact upon was
Amanda's jawline, which had the effect of waking her up.

Amanda raised her head in confusion, rubbing at the stinging sensation
on her face. She glanced about and was about to settle back down when
her gaze drifted up towards the window. Her eyes snapped open wide and
she gasped in surprise and fear.

Gronnus waved his hands desperately and then placed a finger to his
lips.

Amanda blinked a few times. She was still groggy from the half-sleep
into which she had fallen. Finally she grasped what the man wanted. She
glanced at Freya's still sleeping form and nodded, repeating the
gesture back to him to show him that she understood.

Gronnus appeared relieved. But now he had to have Amanda look for the
pearl that fell near her. He jabbed his finger towards her in a
pointing gesture and mouthed the words "blue pearl".

Amanda frowned at this. She pointed to herself and gave him a
questioning gaze. He shook his head in exasperation. He jabbed his
finger again, hooking as if trying to point over something.

By this time, Amanda had recognized the man. It was the Overlord that
had called the Point of Order at the Conclave. She didn't understand
what this was all about. Yet if he were trying to be stealthy, it was
clear he was no friend of Freya's, and for the time being that was
enough to trust him.

Gronnus repeated the gesture to her. Amanda looked behind her briefly,
then back, shrugging.

Gronnus sighed and paused. He mouthed words again a few times. He then
pointed his finger down and turned it in a circle. He mouthed "around
you".

Of all that, Amanda managed to catch "round". She put two and two
together and believed he wanted her to look around her. She rubbed
absently at her cheek. By now she realized he had thrown something at
her, and it had bounced somewhere near her.

Whatever it was, however, it must be small. She tried to reason where
something would have gone had it come from the window and bounced off
her. Finally she spotted something small and round at the edge of her
furs. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she held it up, and now she knew
he had been mouthing the words "blue pearl" at her.

She turned her head and looked at Gronnus with eyes wide, her heart
thumping in excitement.

Gronnus pantomimed holding the pearl to his neck, then made a gesture
as if yanking on something.

Amanda understood, or hoped she did. She looked at Freya again for a
long moment, then twisted her collar around and held the pearl against
the lock. A few heart-stopping seconds later, there was a faint click
as the unlocking spell activated.

Her hands trembling, she detached the chain from her collar. She winced
as it clinked no matter how slowly she tried to set it down. She looked
back up to Gronnus, but he was telling her what she figured he would.
He was pointing off to the side, in the direction of the door.

Amanda swallowed and looked again towards Freya. Her body lay perfectly
still, but she was turned towards Amanda and the door. Very cautiously
she crept towards the door, taking each step slowly. Any time one of
the timbers started to creak, she lifted her foot and tried again.
Finally she reached the door and took one last look back before opening
it and slipping outside.

Amanda shivered a bit as the cool air hit her, but no sooner had she
stepped away from the door when Gronnus descended upon her, throwing an
arm around her shoulders and steering her away from Freya's quarters.

Confused, Amanda tried to speak. "Master, what ... what is this ...?"

"Amanda, hush ..." Gronnus lifted his head, looking about nervously.
"... and listen to me very carefully. I need you to do something for
me, something very important. I need you to contact Roquan and give him
a message for me."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Contact Master Roquan? I don't understand."

"/Please/, Amanda, do as I tell you. You need to tell him that his life
is in danger. The Emperor has sent an assassin to kill him."

"What?!"

"/Shhh!/"

Amanda swallowed hard. Her heart had leapt into her throat.

"Please! Be quiet!" Gronnus hissed. "Just listen! Tell him that the
assassin intends to strike when Roquan comes for the meeting with me
tomorrow morning. Tell him it is a merchant named Herdon that is to do
it. If he knows that, maybe he can stop it, or get Uridon to stop it.
Do you have all that?"

Amanda nodded quickly. "But there's something I don't understand,
master. Why can't you tell him this yourself?"

"Herdon is watching Roquan's quarters. He'll ... kill me if he sees me
try to warn him. Or any other Overlord that comes near. "

"But master, I ... I can't go to his quarters by myself. If this man is
watching, he'll know something is wrong. I think he already knows I'm a
Trainee."

Gronnus frowned deeply. He had not thought of that. "Wait ... What
about your Trainer?"

"Sirinna, master?"

"Yes, her. Go to her. Get her to escort you there. That will make
sense."

"At this late an hour, though? And if he knows I was given to Freya
..."

"We have no choice, Amanda. We'll have to take the chance that he won't
think enough of it to get suspicious. Unless you want Roquan to die."

As much as Amanda had hated Roquan for doing this in the first place,
she did not want to see him die. She wanted to go back to him. At least
she might have a future she could tolerate under him.

Amanda shook her head quickly.

"Then go, now!"

Amanda turned and hurried away down the path that would take her past
the bluff and onto the path along the western edge of the Manor.

Gronnus straightened and breathed a sigh of relief. The next moment,
however, he heard a noise. He turned and gave a start when he saw Freya
standing in the doorway of her quarters, a satin robe loosely wrapped
around her body.

The initial fear that Gronnus felt faded quickly when he saw the look
of complete shock on Freya's face. "Yes?" he said imperiously.

Freya glanced at Amanda's receding back just as she disappeared over
the bluff. "So you know, I was awake when you started this little ruse.
I wanted to see what you were up to."

"How much did you hear of my conversation with Amanda?"

"Enough." She folded her arms and leaned against the door frame. "If
that story is nothing more than an invention of your feeble mind,
Gronnus, I ..."

"I wish to the gods it were, Freya. But it is not. If Amanda does not
relay a warning to Roquan, he will die in the morning. And by the
Emperor's hand."

Freya said nothing in reply.

"Silence is unusual for you, Freya. Contemplating the deal you may make
in light of this?"

"To the blazing hells with you, Gronnus! Do not make me out to be one
that would condone such a thing. Or take advantage of it for that
matter. This had better be a paranoid delusion of yours, Gronnus, or
..."

"Or what?"

Freya gave Gronnus a very sober look. In a lower voice she said, "Or
Roquan was right all along. The Emperor is indeed going too far."

"Then I have your blessing to send Amanda on this little errand?"

"Do not get snide with me. Like you intended to ask for my blessing in
the first place. Yes, I will allow it, and I will not punish her for
it, before you ask. But she is still mine, Gronnus, make no mistake of
that."

She turned in a huff and reentered her quarters.

"Would that I could change that as well ..." Gronnus muttered before
turning away.



As urgent as her task was, Amanda realized quickly that it would have
to wait a few moments longer.

She had no chance to speak when she first walked in. She had barely
opened her mouth when Sirinna leapt from the bed and embraced Amanda
fiercely. At first, Amanda struggled, but stopped as soon as she felt
Sirinna's warm tears splashing onto her shoulder. Then Amanda knew she
had to wait. She hugged Sirinna back, and soon she was silently crying
as well.

Finally Sirinna realized how incongruous the situation was and broke
off the embrace. "Amanda, love, what are you /doing/ here? Did Roquan
get you back? Why didn't he escort you? What ...?"

"Sirinna, please, stop, let me talk to you!" Amanda said urgently. "I
don't know how much time I have. I have to get a message to Master
Roquan and you need to bring me there!"

"I don't understand, what ...?"

Amanda told her. Sirinna's mouth slowly dropped open and her eyes went
wide.

"Oh great gods ..." Sirinna breathed. "Yes, Amanda! Yes! I'll get you
there at once. Here ..."

She had started to push Amanda towards the door. "No, Sirinna, wait! We
have to do it properly!"

Sirinna stopped, looking nonplussed for a moment, then sighed. "Yes,
you're right. I'm sorry, I'm not thinking. I've been so /worried/ about
you, Amanda, I can hardly do anything else!"

Amanda blinked and broke into a slow smile. "You were?"

"Of course I was! How could I not be? You were with that ... that cruel
..." She stopped herself, looking momentarily horrified at what she had
been thinking about another Overlord, let alone what she almost said.
For the first time, however, she got over it, and true, guiltless anger
burned in her eyes. She glanced down to the thing over Amanda's pussy.
"She ... she doesn't /deserve/ to own you."

Amanda stared at Sirinna in shock. If there had been any remaining
doubt in Amanda's mind about the depth of Sirinna's feelings for her,
they were dispelled right there. Amanda ran up to Sirinna and gave her
another hug.

Sirinna accepted it, but now it was her turn to take charge. "All
right, Amanda, we need to get you to Master Roquan's quarters right
away."

She turned from Amanda and fetched the cuffs and the chain. Amanda had
already turned around and positioned her wrists behind her. Sirinna
paused when she noticed faint lines in Amanda's skin, the telltale sign
of cuffs that were put on too tightly for an extended period of time.
She made a disgusted noise.

"And I'm sure she's been on the chain too heavily as well," Sirinna
said loftily as she attached the same to Amanda's collar. "She may be
an Overlord, but she knows /nothing/ about properly training slaves."

Amanda could not help but smile to herself at Freya's expense. Sirinna
was finally giving true vent to what she was sure was much pent-up
anger and frustration, and Amanda was enjoying it.

"All right, there. Now, let's get you to Master Roquan. And you have to
act the proper slave, Amanda, I won't excuse you from that. Make sure
you behave yourself."

Amanda turned. Sirinna had a huge smile on her face.

Amanda returned it. "Yes, mistress," she said eagerly.

The two of them made a quick but dignified exit.

After a few moments, the curtain to Jollis' bedchamber stirred. The
merchant ducked his head out. There was a smile on his face as well.



In the darkness of the foliage, something stirred.

Herdon smoothly brought the spyglass to his eye. At first he wondered
why two slaves would be out at this time of the night and headed to
Roquan's quarters. But as he looked, he saw that they were a Trainer
and Trainee. He even recognized them.

Yet still the question came to his mind. Why this time of night?

He dropped the spyglass briefly so that he could have a wider view.
Perhaps they were a diversion? Yet he saw only them. He brought the
spyglass back to his eye again in time to see the two head down the
path and disappear into the building.

Herdon lowered the instrument, his eyes narrowing. Clearly there was
something to this, but what? Perhaps he should go closer to the
building and investigate, perhaps close enough to listen in on ...

No. Perhaps it was a diversion after all. Something to get him to come
out of his hiding place. Perhaps Gronnus was out there with the
crossbow, waiting for him to emerge. Or that infernal Jollis had taken
it upon himself to interfere.

Herdon settled back down. The best course of action was to wait. His
purpose was to keep Gronnus or any other Overlord away from Roquan. No
one else mattered.



Roquan regarded the two of them with a grave look for a long moment.
His face was, for the moment, unreadable. When he finally spoke, it was
in carefully measured tones. "Amanda, how do we know we can trust
Gronnus' story?"

"I don't know, master, I only know what he told me to tell you," Amanda
said levelly.

"Master, why would he do such a thing if it were not true?" Sirinna
asked. "I don't see any other purpose for taking her from Freya in this
manner."

"And he used an unlocking spell," Amanda said. "Like what Yanna had. It
was the same thing that she used to escape Hiatha that night. That's
supposed to be forbidden, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is," said Roquan neutrally. "Did he say where he got it
from?"

"He didn't talk to me about that, master, just about what I had told
you."

"And did you think he was telling the truth?"

Amanda paused. "Me? I wouldn't know."

"Then let me put it this way: did he seem sincere to you?"

Amanda paused again, then nodded slowly. "I know he was very anxious,
master. And it's like Mistress Sirinna said, why would he go to all
this trouble if there were not some truth to it?"

Sirinna tried to cut in, looking anxious. "Master, even if it's only
possible that it's true, you could be in danger, and ..."

"Sirinna," Roquan said gently.

Sirinna quieted, but it was obvious that it was reluctantly done.

Roquan looked thoughtful for a moment. "Amanda, you said this
merchant's name was Herdon?"

"Yes, master."

"You realize that this is the son of Uridon, the Clan Leader?"

"No, I didn't. But it would explain why Master Gronnus suggested that
he may be able to put a stop to it."

"Yet according to Gronnus, Herdon is watching my quarters at this
moment." Roquan sighed through his nose. "It would appear, then, that
my options at the moment are limited."

"Could you not call in the other Overlords, master?" Sirinna suggested.

"Master Gronnus said that he would stop him or other Overlords from
approaching, so I don't think that would work."

"Gronnus was obviously gambling that Herdon would not suspect a slave
being brought to the Overlord by her Trainer. The fact that both of you
are safe indicates so." There was irritation in Roquan's voice. Gronnus
had taken a large risk indeed. They could have been hurt or killed if
Herdon had suspected anything. "I must accept that Gronnus is telling
the truth, or at least as he believes it. Certainly it would explain
the ridiculousness of his Point of Order if it were merely a ruse to
begin with."

A short silence followed, Roquan looking thoughtful. Amanda could not
take the quiet. "Master, what are you going to do about this? There has
to be a way to stop this."

Sirinna could not contain herself, either. "Master, if the merchant is
Master Uridon's son, couldn't he ...?"

"Enough," Roquan said, though not very loudly. "As I said before, my
options are limited. If Herdon is watching me now, he will surely
attempt to stop me contacting anyone. It is unlikely I will have time
in the morning sufficient to speak with my allies."

"Can you simply not go, master?" Sirinna asked, her voice becoming
increasingly anxious.

"If I refuse to debate Gronnus, this acts as a forfeiture of the Point
of Order. That could jeopardize the Conclave."

"But, master, your life is more important than ...!"

"Sirinna! I said enough. And you are wrong. The Conclave /is/ more
important than my life."

Amanda shuddered, both at the conviction with which he stated this and
the brief flicker of fear in his eyes as he did.

"I cannot back out of this. I must meet with Gronnus as planned."

"Is there a weapon you can bring, master?" Amanda asked. "Something to
defend yourself with?"

"I have nothing I can procure without arousing suspicion before the
meeting. As I said, Herdon had this well-planned."

"Are you sure you cannot bring someone along, master?" Sirinna pleaded.

Roquan was about to snap at her again, but relented when he saw the
tears shimmering in her eyes. "No, I cannot," he said softly.

A thought entered Amanda's head. It was one that made her stomach
clench and her heart pound. She would have rather had any thought than
this, and she would have gladly forgotten it if she could, but it was
impossible. So she gave voice to it instead.

"Yes, you can bring someone, master. Me."

Sirinna gasped and stared at Amanda, her fingers reflexively tightening
on the end of the chain until the knuckles were white.

Roquan gazed levelly at Amanda. "Do not be a fool, Amanda."

Amanda felt that old streak of defiance rising up within her again.
Instead of quelling it, she let herself feel it, and let it reflect
very clearly in her eyes and her stance. "I am not a fool, master. But
you are if you let an opportunity slip by."

Roquan blinked in surprise. Had this been any other context, he would
have punished her on the spot for such insolence towards him. Instead,
all he did was fold his hands behind his back. "Care to explain your
reasoning?"

"Simple. I'm the only one you can take in there and not arouse
suspicion. Or at least not much. Surely if Herdon knows this much about
you, he knows you have been taking me to other Overlords to help secure
deals. Wouldn't this be the same thing? Taking me to Master Gronnus as
a 'gift' to help resolve the Point of Order?"

Sirinna looked stricken but said nothing. Roquan's eyes flicked from
her back to Amanda. "And what do you propose to do to help stop this
assassination attempt from happening?"

"I honestly don't know. But having someone there is better than having
no one. It'll throw him off. He'll have to deal with another person in
the room."

As Sirinna silently mulled over this, she realized that Amanda had a
point. She felt a surge of pride for Amanda and her cleverness.

"You're taking a big risk," Roquan said in a softer voice. "You could
be hurt. Or killed."

Amanda met Roquan's gaze squarely. "It would better than being Mistress
Freya's slave, master."

Roquan's face fell. "Is she treating you that badly?"

"Yes, master, she is. And from what she has told me, it will only get
worse if I leave the Manor with her."

Sirinna stepped up from behind Amanda and placed a hand on the girl's
shoulder, squeezing gently. She sobbed once.

Roquan's eyes darted down to Amanda's sex and looked at the thing
covering it for the first time. He bristled. "All right, Amanda. I will
take you."

"You will have to get me away from Mistress Freya, master. I have to go
back to her tonight."

"Do not worry about it. I will have Freya lend me to you for that
morning." His eyes narrowed. "I will /not/ take 'no' for an answer."
<1st attachment end>


----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------
Notice: This post has been modified from its original
format.  The post was sent as an email attachment and
has been converted by ASSTR ASSM moderation software.
----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| alt.sex.stories.moderated ------ send stories to: <story-submit@asstr.org>|
| FAQ: <http://assm.asstr.org/faq.html> Moderators: <story-admin@asstr.org> |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|ASSM Archive at <http://assm.asstr.org>   Hosted by <http://www.asstr.org> |
|Discuss this story and others in alt.sex.stories.d; look for subject {ASSD}|
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+