Amanda patiently waited for her turn to eat breakfast as she lay stretched out on her stomach on her mistress' bed, her head propped up on her elbows. Her backside was still sore and pink from her paddling the day before, though it was tolerable if she did not put too much weight on it. Sirinna had again offered to take her to the Healer, but she had again refused. It wasn't all that bad now, and she felt it better to tough it out, if only to prove to herself that she could do it.

Besides, Amanda had the sense that Sirinna had another bombshell to drop on her, and she was eager to hear what it was this time.

"I'm going to give you over to Marisa for your morning session," Sirinna announced.

"Yes, mistress," Amanda said dutifully. That was not the bombshell. Ever since Amanda had done well on her test the other day at the Circle, she had won some grudging respect from the older slave. Marisa was still hard on her, but no longer tortuously so. Or at least Amanda could cope with it better.

"I need to meet with Master Roquan as soon as I bring you to the Circle."

"Reporting on me, mistress?" Amanda said with a wry smile.

Sirinna chuckled softly. "Well, some of it will be about you. But I think he wants to talk to me about what's going to be happening at the Manor."

"Oh, the Conclave?" Amanda tried to sound casual about it, even though the mention of it made her heart quicken a touch. She was trying hard to put it out of her head and not worry about it. "That's in a few days, right?"

"Yes, but the merchants arrive tomorrow."

Amanda paused. That was the bombshell. "Merchants?"

"The Manor is visited regularly by the merchant clans. They trade goods to us that Master Roquan cannot get from just the lands he owns around the Manor."

"Uh ... how does Master Roquan pay for those goods?"

Sirinna smiled. "Some by platinum, some by services."

"Services? Oh ... our services, you mean."

"Indirectly, anyway. You see, he allows the higher members of the clan to be quartered with some of the slaves. The slave is expected to provide for his needs while he's there."

"But Master Roquan picks which slaves they get quartered with, right?"

Sirinna paused to push the platter towards Amanda. "Here, love, I'm done."

Amanda pulled herself up and gingerly sat down before the platter. She looked at her mistress expectantly.

"The Clan Leader is being allowed his own pick this time," Sirinna said.

"And what if he picks you?"

"Then he will be quartered with us here."

Amanda paused to swallow a piece of fruit. It went down a little hard, as her throat felt tight. "Uh ... will I ... will I have to ..."

"Please him? If he wishes it, yes."

Amanda couldn't help but let out a small, nervous sigh.

Sirinna reached over and placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder. "Don't worry too much over it, love. It's likely that he'll want me instead of you, because I'm more experienced. Or if he wants us both, I can take the lead and help guide you."

"But it would mean we wouldn't have our time together in the evenings, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry about that. It will only be for a quarter moon or so."

Amanda nodded, but was not mollified. Just as she thought she had everything sorted out, something new was sprung on her.

"If it helps any, love, merchants are nowhere near as demanding as clients. Or Overlords for that matter. To put it bluntly, if you make him cum, you're doing well."

"I just don't want to screw up, that's all."

Sirinna smiled. "You won't."

Amanda also did not want to get hurt, but she knew she could not say that. A good slave did not worry about such things. A good slave accepted her treatment, and sought to please her master or mistress anyway.

Unfortunately, it made the prospect of getting sent away to a client all the more distressing. Besides being separated from Sirinna, she would have to deal with sexual advances from a complete stranger. She did realize, however, that he (or she for that matter) would no longer be a stranger after a short while. Was that how the other slaves did it? Suppress any hesitation or misgivings until growing accustomed to the new arrangement?

Despite how far she had come in her training and her battles with her own issues, she still felt like something crucial was missing, yet she still had no idea what.

"Roquan, I do not like what I have been hearing about Freya."

The Overlord looked askance at his friend's somewhat disheveled clothing and the tired look on the man's face. "Are you quite sure you wish to discuss this now, Rennis? You spent the better part of the early morning on the road."

Rennis absently swiped at his hair, managing to get it to some semblance of order, but it did not help his overall image very much. "Time is not a luxury, Roquan. Not with the Conclave so close at hand. I even passed the merchants on the way in. They won't be far behind me."

"Did not Doran travel with you? I was hoping he would arrive early as well."

Rennis was shaking his head halfway through Roquan's comment. "He needed every moment to do as many deals as possible before getting here. He's still doing them in transit even as we speak."

Roquan sighed through his nose. "What of Freya, then? Did not Doran say that she was on our side?"

"Well, leaning towards our side. But I have heard her consulting with other Overlords, some that we know are in Gronnus' camp. She even visited Gronnus' Manor!"

Roquan considered this. "Freya was always of her own mind."

"Oh, that's putting it mildly."

"She is female, after all."

"Ah, good of you to notice that."

Roquan frowned. "I mean, as the only female Overlord, it affords her a certain advantage."

"Certainly her bedmates believe it does, yes."

"Oh, really, Rennis. Do you seriously believe all the stories about her promiscuity with the other Overlords?"

"Yes, because they're true!"

"That would hardly be proper behavior."

Rennis laughed humorlessly. "So you would not bed her if she made the advance?"

Roquan straightened. "I would do nothing improper. To bed her during a Conclave would be a breach of ethics."

"Tell that to her."

"I need do nothing of the sort. She cannot force my hand. Or any other part of me I will add, before you decide to make another crude joke."

Rennis just smirked as he cut off a retort.

"Surely you can see what is going on here, Rennis. She is simply playing both sides against the middle."

Rennis blinked in surprise. "Well, yes, that is indeed a possibility. I was just surprised you thought of it."

Roquan gave him a sour look. "I am not totally bereft of wisdom in this matter. Anyway, she is looking for a better deal. We will simply have to offer that."

"I don't see how you can. No offense intended with that, I ..."

"I am aware of my financial shortcomings," Roquan said curtly, though not unkindly. "I may need to use other means to persuade her."

Rennis smirked.

"Other means that do not include the inside of my bedchamber!" Roquan added loudly.

"Relax, Roquan, I was just kidding. If we can't see some humor in this, it will drive us both insane."

Roquan's lips tightened. "I already am feeling quite burdened by all this," he said in a lower voice. "This is proving to be a very daunting task, more so than I had thought."

"Speaking of daunting tasks, how is Amanda doing?"

Roquan let his breath go in an relieved sigh so obvious that it made Rennis' eyebrows rise. "Much better, thankfully."

"Oh?"

"If you are willing to stay for a few moments longer, you can hear for yourself. Sirinna will be here shortly, and she will likely give me an update on her progress."

Rennis smiled. "Stick around for Sirinna? I'll muddle through that somehow."

Roquan managed a small smile in return. "At least there is a chance Amanda will not embarrass me."

"I knew we could count on Sirinna. Oh, and you've instructed Amanda about the Draught, right?"

Roquan paused. "No, I have not."

Rennis looked askance at the other Overlord.

"I intend to do so before the Conclave arrives."

Rennis sighed and slapped his forehead in frustration.

Roquan blanched. "What?"

"Roquan, how long has it been since she started training? And you let her go all that time not knowing she should keep that information to herself?"

"Yes, I had thought of that."

"And?"

"I thought it an acceptable risk, compared to the one of telling her too early."

Rennis frowned in confusion. "Telling her too early? Why would that be a problem?"

"Think for a moment, Rennis!" Roquan said angrily. "Think how she saw through the deception of the Imperial agent before the rest of us. Think how she made her conscious choice to stay. Think how she pushed her defiance just to the limits of what would be tolerated."

There was a long pause before Rennis pieced it together, and then he looked at Roquan in surprise and alarm. "Blazing hellfire. You're afraid she'll figure it out, aren't you? Gods damn it. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself before this."

"Because you are too used to dealing with slaves that were properly pacified and ... adjusted ... by the Draught."

Rennis looked stricken. "But that means no matter when you tell her, it'll let her figure it out on her own anyway. Surely she must be wondering herself why she's not acclimated to her role as well as the other slaves are. You tell her that she can't reveal she was never Draughted, and ..."

"Amanda is occasionally too clever for her own good," Roquan said in a low voice.

Rennis ran a hand through his hair. "Roquan, I knew there was a reason we don't try to train ..."

Roquan raised a warning finger. "Do not even go there, Rennis. It is useless to question the wisdom of my actions after the fact. We must learn to deal ..."

There was a soft knock at the door.

Roquan quickly calmed himself and let the anger and frustration drain from his face. "Enter."

Sirinna appeared before them. She nodded respectfully, and then beamed at Rennis briefly. "Good morning Master Roquan, Master Rennis. I can return later if I am interrupting."

"No, Sirinna, that is quite all right," said Roquan. "Rennis wishes to hear how Amanda is doing."

Sirinna smiled. "Amanda is doing very well. I've helped her smooth over some of the rough spots in her submissiveness training, and she is doing even better at sexual skills. Her enthusiasm has improved remarkably."

"And her attitude?"

"Much better. I have not had to punish her even once in the last half-moon."

Roquan nodded at this. Rennis folded his arms, looking thoughtful. "Has she had the Traditional Twenty yet?" asked Roquan.

"Indeed she has, master, just yesterday in fact."

"How did she fare?

"I was rather surprised. I had never expected her to grow as wet as she did from it."

Rennis' eyebrows lifted and he looked over to Roquan.

Roquan looked nonplussed. "Are you quite sure of this?"

"Very much so. I was able to make her cum rather strongly afterward."

Roquan was quite astonished at this. Yet again, the girl had managed to surprise him!

"Might be an angle, Roquan," Rennis said thoughtfully. "If you're still worried about her performance."

Roquan frowned slightly. He generally did not care to air his negative feelings such as worry around his slaves. Sometimes Rennis forgot that the openness he tended to show around his own slaves did not translate well in the D'ronstaq Manor. "Are you suggesting that I use this to my advantage?"

"You can't say you haven't been thinking about it. Don't be overt about it. Just suggest to one or two Overlords that they might like to give the girl a playful paddling or spanking."

"Master, if I may?" Sirinna said respectfully, trying to keep the desperation with which she needed to speak out of her voice. She relaxed when Roquan nodded once. "Just so you know, she doesn't crave punishment. It is only the application that arouses her, and she's only now getting used to the idea. It might be too much too soon to subject her to it often."

"I may not be at liberty to consider that, Sirinna. If she is handling herself as well as you suggest in her accelerated training, surely she could handle this."

Sirinna nodded once. She had to hope her Overlord was correct. Despite the lingering doubt in her mind, her voice was confident when she acknowledged his decision. "Yes, master, I will see to it that she understands this."

Roquan's gaze met Rennis' for a moment. After a few moments in silent thought, Roquan turned back to his Trainer. "I wish Amanda brought to me this evening. At twilight."

Sirinna slowly smiled. That was the time of day Roquan usually called on her if he wished her companionship for the evening. "Yes, master! I am sure you will be very pleased with how far she has come."

Roquan nodded. "That is all, Sirinna."

Sirinna nodded once and exited the Overlord's chambers.

"So you will tell her tonight, then?" asked Rennis.

"Yes. After I bed her, of course."

"Ah, so you will be testing her."

"Indeed," Roquan said. What he did not reveal was that he wanted the girl for the sheer pleasure of having her. Before, she was submissive to him largely out of fear. He wished to see how she fared now that she was submissive out of duty. He wished to see if she finally had grasped the concept of what it meant to be a slave.

Amanda had little idea of what to expect from Marisa. Despite the new-found respect the older slave seemed to have for her, she was still not very enamored of Marisa. Yet she carefully kept her opinions to herself, absent from both her words and her face. It helped that Marisa's first words to her after removing the chain and cuffs was a compliment.

Or at least she figured it seemed as such to Marisa, anyway.

"You're doing better than I thought you would, Amanda. I truly believed you'd still be as much of a little brat as you were that first time I met you."

"Thank you, mistress," Amanda said in an even voice.

Marisa smirked. "I can still see a little of it left in you, but you're controlling it rather well. Let's see if you have that same degree of self-control with what I have planned for you. Come."

Amanda dutifully followed Marisa towards the center of the Circle, where the trees still shaded the morning sun from the grass. In a loose circle about the spot were numerous other slaves, obviously waiting for Marisa to guide them in Amanda's training.

Marisa pointed. "Lie on the ground on your back. Spread your legs and your arms apart."

"Yes, mistress," Amanda intoned. Marisa was more strict about her title being used. Temporary title, Amanda reminded herself. No way would she tolerate Marisa ever being made a permanent Trainer over her, even if it were to be a co-Trainer along with Sirinna. There was only so much of Marisa that she was willing to tolerate.

Amanda did as she was ordered. She took a deep breath and let it go to try and focus her mind on what she was doing.

"Close your eyes."

Amanda did so after a moment's pause.

"Now listen carefully. You are not to move at all. You are not to open your eyes. You are not to vocalize anything above a whisper. You do nothing until I tell you to do so. Do you understand me, Amanda?"

Amanda's heart was beating faster. She swallowed. "Yes, mistress," she said with a nervous quaver in her voice.

For the next few moments, there was silence, save for gentle movement around her from among the other slaves. Her breathing grew short in anxious anticipation of what they were going to do to her. Finally, she sensed someone on either side of her, and a hand from each direction grasped her breasts.

Amanda bit her lower lip as her orbs were softly fondled, and then squeezed until her nipples were pointed straight up. There was a pause, and she expected to feel warm lips and tongue against her nipples. Her body even quivered in anticipation of it.

What she actually got was anything but warm. Amanda yelped and her body jerked.

"Do not move, Amanda," Marisa admonished. "And do not make any loud noises."

"Y-yes, mistr ..." Her words were cut off by a short gasp as it happened again. When she felt something trickle down the globe of her breast, she realized that all that was happening was someone was dribbling water on her nipple.

Another splash fell on her, and she whimpered. It was only water, yes, but it was ice-cold! By the time they applied it again, the nipple was standing hard and erect, the areola around it puckering. More was dribbled on her other breast, until its nipple was in a similar state.

Amanda panted lightly as they left her alone for a few long moments. Each second that passed made her more anxious, her body shuddering in fear. Yet, to her surprise, there was a small spark of desire. She felt a slow, rising tingling in her sex.

She held her breath as someone's hand brushed the inside of her thigh. More ice-cold water trickled over her nipples, the hand sliding further upwards, lightly caressing her skin. Amanda shivered, both from the cold of the water and her now increasing excitement. When the fingers finally reached her pussy, she was already damp.

Yet rather than stroke her, the fingers instead gently spread her labia apart and held it.

Amanda's fear spiked into panic. Oh no, they're not ... they're not going to ...

An icy stream touched her most sensitive folds.

"Mmmmrrggghh!" Amanda whined through her nose as she struggled to keep her composure. Her hands clenched into fists as the almost painfully cold water trickled through her slot. They did it to her three more times, until her body was shaking and she was panting hard.

Now the hands returned to her breasts, squeezing them again, fingers tugging at her still-hard nipples. She barely felt it, as numb as they had become. Slowly the warmth from the fingers touching them brought some feeling back to them.

The next moment, however, the fingers left her, and something was pressed into each of her areolae. Something closed about each nipple, and closed very tightly, pinching them hard. There was a soft metallic clinking noise as a thin chain was pulled, tugging at the small clamps. Amanda whimpered as more of the feeling returned, her nipples aching and throbbing.

And now the fingers had returned to her pussy and were spreading her lips again.

Oh God no! Amanda thought desperately. Not there! No no no no no ...!

Her hips jerked violently for a moment when she felt something hard touch her nether regions.

"Stay still, Amanda," Marisa called out, startling her. "Don't move one bit. Do you understand?"

Amanda's throat barely worked. "Y-yes, m-mistress," she croaked.

The object returned, touching her slot. It was gently slid up and over her womanhood, the cool metal making her shiver, and her body quake. She braced herself, a small, pitiful whine escaping her lips. Yet then the clamp slid to the side, as fingers tugged at her labia, teasing them outward. The jaws closed on it instead. Amanda gasped and flinched, then relaxed a bit. The pressure was uncomfortable, but not painful.

A chain was pulled taut and stretched along the inside of her thigh. It was secured around her knee with the click of a tiny lock, keeping the labia stretched outward from her mound. The same was then done to the other side, until her pink and wet inner folds were left helplessly exposed.

She felt the brush of someone's hair along the inside of one of her thighs. Warm breath blew lightly over her tender flesh as another tugged again at the chain on her nipple clamps. Amanda let go her breath as a ragged sigh, heat flashing over her skin and in her pussy.

Hands pushed her legs further apart. The chains pulled on her labia, stretching them further apart. The hot breath blew lightly on her again, just as the clamps around her nipples were opened and removed. The initial release made her nipples ache badly for a few moments, causing her to whimper softly again.

Then, all at once, the breath in her pussy became a warm and wet tongue, and two more slid sensuously over her tender nipples.

"Uhhhnnn!" Amanda moaned loudly, unable to restrain herself as she felt her senses momentarily overwhelmed.

It was as if everything they had done to her had suddenly made her more sensitive than she ever had been before. Waves of pleasure crashed over her like a rising tide, her nipples throbbing as if they were climaxing on their own. Just the light, furtive licks on her nub were driving her upwards with alarming speed. Before she had drawn barely a handful of breaths, she was cumming hard, her pussy throbbing intensely.

All thought of obedience dissolved. "Ohhh! ... Oh God! ... uhhhn!!"

Soon her cries stopped for she was simply out of breath. No sooner than her orgasm had abated when she rose again and came a second time. Finally it was too much. She wanted to cry out for them to stop, but she was too weak and panting too hard to give voice to the words. Mercifully, however, the others stopped, and slowly moved off, leaving Amanda quivering and limp as her orgasm faded.

After a long pause, Amanda gave a start when she felt a tug at her labia on one side. The clamp was removed, leaving a lingering ache. Then the other was released, and the chains removed from her knees.

"Open your eyes, Amanda."

She blinked, a little disoriented. She uttered a short gasp as Marisa crawled over her. Marisa embraced her as Sirinna might do after an intense session. Amanda wanted to deny the need, especially if it meant accepting it from this woman, but she was already trembling with the sudden descent from her intense orgasmic high. Amanda moaned softly and slid her arms around Marisa, accepting the comfort at face value.

"That was likely the worst that a good master or mistress will do to you that you have not already experienced by my hand," Marisa said softly. "And you handled it better than I thought you would, Amanda."

There was at least a hint of praise in that voice. "Thank you, mistress."

Marisa slowly parted from her and helped her to her feet. "If you have any lingering ache in your nipples or pussy, I'll take you to Master Vanlo."

Amanda shook her head. If she had not needed it from Sirinna when she had been paddled, she didn't need it from Marisa, either. She would not appear weak in front of this woman. "I should be okay, mistress."

Marisa gave Amanda a small smirk, as if knowing what Amanda was thinking.

Maybe she did, Amanda realized. It didn't matter to her. She felt like she had finally won some small measure of respect, and she intended to keep it.

And if that truly was the worst of what a client may do to her, then that was something of a relief as well. She felt more confident now about having to face the Overlords of the Conclave.

At the far end of the island, Gronnus stood at the dock, wearing a mask of ease and steadiness that hid the impatience he felt. One by one, passengers departed from the ship that lay at anchor. Most were low nobility or landlords, none of which Gronnus knew. He was as far from his native lands in Oceanus as any of the Overlords.

It showed. While others around him, even those toiling in the hot sun as they unloaded a cargo ship a few piers away, seemed at ease in the heavy tropical air, Gronnus was uncomfortably hot and perspiring profusely. A few of the natives to the island openly gave him odd looks, despite his obviously highborn stature. Only the arriving passengers appeared to show the proper decorum.

Gronnus grunted. He hated island Manors. His was located on the mainland continent, and a good distance from what he considered the "unhealthy" humidity of the sea. His only hope was that Freya would be just as discomforted as he, and thus put them on an even keel.

His hopes were dashed the moment the tall, statuesque female Overlord started down the gangplank.

Even though Gronnus had already seen Freya D'yros in various stages of undress -- and a few times in complete undress -- he was quite taken aback by the lady's appearance. She had obviously dressed for the occasion, and this meant both the climate and in anticipation of sharing a Manor with any of the other virile, male Overlords. Her dress was silk, gleaming white, though slightly shiny in the sunlight, as if it had a satiny glow to it. It was very light, and her lithe body moved easily and almost sensuously underneath it. The bottom came up to only her knees, and slits ran up each thigh to the waist.

Gronnus bristled, despite enjoying the sight on a purely sexual level. It was not so much the brazenness of her appearance as it was how casual she looked. Her hair was worn down, long tresses of wavy honey-brown hair blowing lightly in the breeze. As she grew closer, from the way her bosom bounced, it was obvious she had forgone any support.

Yes, and I am sure she will claim that was for the "climate" as well, Gronnus thought sourly.

Freya spotted the other Overlord easily, and one corner of her mouth turned upwards. She approached him, and it almost seemed to him as if she put an extra swing to her hips.

Blazing hellfire, Gronnus thought. Strutting around like a common slave!

Nevertheless, he smiled and offered a small bow to the fellow Overlord. "Greetings, Freya. Welcome to this little corner of tropical hell that Roquan calls his home."

Freya stopped, grinning. One leg was thrust outward seductively, one hand on the opposing hip. "Do not blame Roquan, Gronnus," she began, her voice low and sultry. "If you cannot dress better for the location."

"Ah, yes, I am sure you had that in mind when you selected that dress."

Freya gave a throaty chuckle. "You didn't seem to mind it the other day. Nor did you mind getting it off my body as quick as you could."

Gronnus tried to return her cheeky smile with one of his own, but the truth was, he was a bit embarrassed to hear her speak so boldly of their relationship. He had to resist the urge to glance around him and see if anyone were looking at them.

Instead, he tried to match her wit for wit, albeit lowering his voice first. "And is that your plan, my dear, for the Conclave? To make sure it comes off as quickly as it can?"

"Well, I suppose that depends on who wants it off, now doesn't it?"

"Roquan, perhaps?"

Freya's smile widened. "You don't think I could have him if I wanted to, do you?"

Gronnus could not mask the look of discomfort that statement kindled in him. He was always leery of the way Freya could speak of the other Overlords as if they were commodities like her slaves. "I do not doubt your abilities for a moment. But I doubt Roquan's interested."

The two of them started to walk down the path that led away from the docks and -- mercifully for Gronnus -- into the shade. "He is rather obsessed, is he not?"

"Yes, Freya. Dangerously so. Surely you can see why we must have a united front against him."

"Doran wishes me in his camp."

Gronnus stopped short. "And?"

Freya smiled and shrugged. "And ... what?"

"Are you in his camp?"

Freya laughed. "When have you known me in anyone's camp?"

"Never. And that is the problem," Gronnus said acidly.

"Ah, watch that temper, Gronnus, dear. Anyway, you're asking the wrong question."

"Oh? Am I, now?"

"You asked me if I am in any particular camp. That is not the correct question. The correct one is: do I want to disturb the status quo?"

Gronnus paused and relaxed, letting out a sigh through his nose. "Well, I think I know the answer to that. The same as every other Overlord."

"I am particularly adamant about it. I have no wish to fix something that needs no repair."

Gronnus allowed himself a smile. "So then I can count on you to support us in ..."

Freya shook her head and raised an admonishing finger. "You're forgetting again."

Gronnus gave her an exasperated look. "Then what is it I can count on?"

"My vote. Is that not all you need?"

Well, that could have saved me a lot of trouble and expense had I known that! he thought irritably. He had already made a rather lucrative deal with her to secure her support. Lucrative for her, that is, unless he considered sex with her as part of the exchange. In that case, he had to admit, they broke even.

But there was still one more matter to contend with. The infernal and impossible demand by the Emperor. "You recall the other thing I spoke with you about?"

For the first time, Freya did not have an immediate response. When she did finally speak, it was in measured tones. "It's not the status quo."

"Neither is what Roquan did."

Freya chuckled again. "Now, who would have imagined such a thing? Roquan D'ronstaq, the master traditionalist himself, training a Draughtless slave."

Gronnus looked up in alarm. Freya rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Are you expecting anyone to actually understand what we are talking about were they to dare to listen to us, Gronnus? Not even the Nobility know of these things."

Gronnus had to take a breath to steady himself. But the Emperor knew, damn him! He felt like it was being used against him, and against all the Overlords. Perhaps Z'haas is indeed as bad as Roquan made him out to be.

No. The Emperor had his reasons. He had to. He was what was best for Oceanus right now.

"So you will not help me?"

"To depose him? Certainly not. Besides, if he is deposed, then I am unable to get what I want from him."

"There's always the auction."

Freya rolled her eyes. "Really, Gronnus. For someone who claims to have the oldest Overlord Clan in Oceanus, you are shortsighted sometimes."

Gronnus frowned deeply at this, but said nothing in retort.

"There is nothing to dealing at an auction. Bid the highest price, and you get the slave. There is little effort in that."

Gronnus was beginning to understand something about Freya now. It was not the prey that interested her, but the hunt itself.

He chastised himself for not realizing this before now. Gronnus was once an avid hunter himself. He did it for the sport of it, for the thrill of tracking down the prey. The actual kill was almost an anticlimax. His best hunting sessions were ones where he tracked the prey for a better part of a day before bringing it down.

"But you must agree, Freya, this thing with the girl Amanda, it is quite unusual."

Freya smiled. There was a hint of wickedness to it. "Oh, I very much agree. And I am sure she is a most unusual girl as a result. And a most unusual slave."

"Yet you will not help me! You would continue to let Roquan train her, even though ..."

"Oh, no, no, no. You misunderstand me."

Up ahead was a clearing, where several coaches waited to take the Overlords on the first leg of their journey across the island. They stopped just outside and turned towards each other.

"You will not have to worry about Roquan continuing to train her," said Freya.

Gronnus frowned in confusion. "You intend to force him to return her home?"

"No. I intend to train her."

Gronnus was aghast at this. "You ... you are going to try to purchase her from him?"

"Better than that. I am going to make him give her to me."

"And how in the hells do you expect to do that?!"

Freya grinned evilly. "You said it yourself. He wouldn't want his dirty little secret to get out, now would he?"

"But ... but I was going to use that against him at the Conclave to get the others to ..."

Freya's eyes crystallized to hard points as they gazed at him. "Not anymore you're not, dear. Not if you want my vote. Not if you don't want this dress to come off with other Overlords specifically to insure that they don't give you a vote, either."

Gronnus was flabbergasted. He had let the female Overlord outmaneuver him. He had trusted her with this important facet of his case, and she had turned it around to use to her own advantage.

"Gronnus, dear, you don't need this silly business about Amanda to win your case," Freya said loftily. "No one wants to change anything."

"And you think they will not feel outrage over what Roquan accuses the Emperor of doing?"

"Oh, perhaps. But I am sure we can set Z'haas straight on that score."

Gronnus just nodded absently. He could not let on that the Emperor was far stronger and secure in his power than was commonly thought. He feared now that the job he was given was all the more difficult now.

"Just one question, Freya," he said. "Why do you want her? You can't possibly contract her out to anyone."

"I don't wish to. I want her for myself. As my own personal slave."

Gronnus should not have been surprised or shocked to hear this. A long standing tradition said that an Overlord had the right to pick a slave from his Manor and keep her as his own. It was rarely exercised, as most Overlords saw the advantages to keeping an "open bed" to whatever slave met his fancy at that point in time. Not to mention that every slave in circulation was more platinum for the Manor in contracts.

Gronnus huffed. "I daresay you'll find her to be rather difficult, from the rumors I've heard. I highly doubt she can be trained."

Freya smiled. "Then I will delight in breaking her instead."

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